Two-time Grand Slam champion Angelique Kerber (GER) has claimed the women’s title at the Sydney International, beating Australian No.1 Ash Barty (Qld) in straight sets, 6-4 6-4.  The victory delivers former world No.1 Kerber her first title since the 2016 U.S Open and cements her return to top form as she heads into next week’s Australian Open.

“The draw was also not easy, I was not seeded, so, I was expecting from the beginning, to have really tough matches,” said Kerber. “I came here to just play match by match, and I was not looking too far ahead. I'm very proud how I was able to play every single day.

Southern California Pro Futures tournament host and USC men’s tennis coach Peter Smith couldn’t help but get in a little dig on former UCLA player Karue Sell while presenting the winning singles’ trophy.

“He never won on these courts playing for UCLA, but he did a lot of winning here this week,” Smith joked as he congratulated Sell, who came back to beat Christopher Eubanks, 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-2, for his first USTA Pro Circuit $25,000 title on Sunday at Marks Tennis Stadium on the campus of USC.

Christopher Eubanks had extra motivation to win matches this week at the Southern California Pro Futures Tournament.

Hours after beating No. 6 Kaichi Uchida of Japan in three sets, 7-6 (2), 3-6, 7-5, at the USTA Pro Circuit $25,000 event being played at USC on Saturday, Atlanta’s Eubanks was still hanging out in the players’ lounge eagerly awaiting the 5:15 p.m. PT kickoff of the Atlanta Falcons-L.A. Rams NFL wild-card playoff game taking place just a few minutes’ walk across campus at the Memorial Coliseum.

Nick Kyrgios claimed his first ATP Tour title on home soil after a dominant defeat of American Ryan Harrison in the final of the 2018 Brisbane International.

Kyrgios was in imperious form at Pat Rafter Arena on Sunday night, sweeping past the American 6-4 6-2 to become the first Australian since Lleyton Hewitt in 2014 to capture the title in Brisbane.

World no. 89 Gilles Simon was crowned as the Tata Open Maharashtra Champion after he beat second-seed Kevin Anderson in straight sets 7-6, 6-2 in an entertaining final held at the Mhalunge Balewadi Stadium here in Pune on Saturday.

The unseeded Simon won his first ATP 250 World Tour event after having last won in Marseille in 2015. The 33-year-old Frenchman produced some amazing tennis throughout the tournament as he beat defending champion Roberto Bautista Agut in the quarterfinal and then caused an upset beating top-seed and world no. six Marin Cilic in the semifinal.

Karue Sell wishes every pro tournament he played took place in Southern California

The former four-year UCLA player from Brazil was right at home once again on Friday, winning his 10th consecutive match over the past seven days capturing the fourth annual Southern California Pro Futures doubles title with former Bruin teammate Martin Redlicki as the pair beat the top-seeded tandem of Luke Bambridge of Great Britain and Hans Hach Verdugo of Mexico, 6-4, 6-3, in the USTA $25,000 Pro Circuit event taking place at USC.