Defending champion Agnieszka Radwanska leads the women’s field at Apia International Sydney 2014 that includes six top 10 women, while fellow world No.5 Juan Martin del Potro is the top seed in a tough men’s field comprised of five top 25 contenders.

It will not be an easy title defence for the crafty Radwanska, who is joined by 2011 Wimbledon champion and world No.6 Petra Kvitova, tenacious Italian No.7 Sara Errani, German top-tenner Angelique Kerber and former world No.1’s Caroline Wozniacki and Jelena Jankovic in a world-class women’s draw.

A world-class field, headlined by 2011 US Open champ Sam Stosur and former world No.1 Venus Williams, will play at Hobart International 2014.

Defending champion Elena Vesnina of Russia will return, as well as two other Hobart winners - Mona Barthel (2012) and Zheng Jie (2005).

Joining the former champions will be Wimbledon 2013 semi finalist Kirsten Flipkens, Brisbane 2013 finalist Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Flavia Pennetta and British No.1 Laura Robson.

As the season closes for tennis players across the country, the Indian Tennis Players Association (ITPA), in a fundraising initiative, today, announced the 'ITPA Doubles Masters'- a gala two-day tennis event to be hosted at the Khar Gymkhana, Mumbai on 21st and 22nd December, 2013. The two-day tournament is backed by the full force of Indian tennis with the confirmed participation of Leander Paes, Mahesh Bhupathi, Rohan Bopanna, Somdev Devvarman, Yuki Bhambri and Divij Sharan.

Six of the world’s top 10 women and four of the top 20 men – including tennis superstar Roger Federer – will headline Brisbane International 2014.

World No. 1 and Brisbane International defending champion Serena Williams will lead one of the strongest women’s fields ever assembled for the event, which has firmly established itself as the tournament of choice for the world’s best female tennis players ahead of the first Grand Slam of the year.

Williams will be joined by world No. 2 Victoria Azarenka, Russian powerhouse Maria Sharapova and fellow top 10 players Jelena Jankovic, Angelique Kerber and Caroline Wozniacki in what promises to be a hotly contested women’s draw.

The WTA announced Wednesday that Eugenie Bouchard has been named “Newcomer of the Year” as part of the Tour’s annual awards. The award was voted on by members of the media.

Bouchard earned the honour thanks to a standout 2013 season. She started the year ranked no. 144 and finished it ranked more than 100 places higher at no. 32, making her the WTA’s highest ranked teenager. Bouchard’s results include reaching her first WTA final in Osaka where she fell in three sets to Samantha Stosur. She also posted four Top 15 wins. The 19-year-old was nominated for the award along with Madison Keys and Monica Puig.

Czech Republic has retained its Davis Cup title after defeating Serbia 3-2 in the Davis Cup by BNP Paribas World Group Final in Belgrade, Serbia on Sunday 17 November. It is Czech Republic’s third Davis Cup title following victories in 1980 (as Czechoslovakia) and 2012. Czech captain Vladimir Safarik wins the Davis Cup title in his first tie as captain as a late replacement for Jaroslav Navratil who was unable to take part due to illness.

Radek Stepanek becomes the first player in history to win consecutive live fifth singles rubbers in a Davis Cup Final. He is only the third player to win two Davis Cup Final live fifth singles rubbers, following Henri Cochet (FRA) and Fred Perry (GBR). Earlier in the day, world no.2 Novak Djokovic kept the tie alive with a comfortable straight sets win over Czech no.1 Tomas Berdych, but it mattered little as Stepanek was in imperious form in the deciding rubber, dropping just 5 games to Serbian rookie Dusan Lajovic.