She confirmed her split from businessman Theo Chambers in November. 

The 24-time tennis grand slam winner from WA is bitterly disappointed over her treatment at the Australian Open, where she was not allowed to give a speech at a presentation in her honour.

Gauff, who reached the fourth round on her Australian Open debut, emulates Bulgarian Sesil Karatantcheva, who made the top 50 at the same age in August 2005.

The 16-year-old American player says she suffered a spell of depression around two years ago, prior to the stunning ascent that saw her become an absolute sensation at Wimbledon last summer.

As a warning was sounded that a normal version of next year's Australian Open already looks out of the question, Nadal addressed the issue of potential rules which may have to be brought in.

Tim Howard's popularity in the United States has led to a White House petition being lodged requesting the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is renamed after him.

Glenn Hoddle says he's not surprised by Brazil's utter capitulation in Tuesday's humiliating 7-1 World Cup semi-final defeat to Germany.

USA captain Clint Dempsey appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman on Wednesday night in a further indication of the rise in popularity of football in America.

Brazil star Neymar could not hold back the tears as he revealed he had come within a few inches of being paralysed. Neymar, giving his first press conference after being hospitalised with a fractured vertebrae in Brazil’s World Cup quarter-final win over Colombia, also said he disagreed with his agent for calling coach Luiz Felipe Scolari 'a repulsive and conceited old jerk'.

Jose Mourinho believes Lionel Messi is not the greatest player of all time, and not even a man-of-the-match performance in the World Cup final will change that.

Luis Suarez's lawyer has condemned FIFA's punishment of the Uruguay striker for biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini as 'draconian, totalitarian and fascist', and said an appeal will go to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

Organisers expect around 100,000 Argentina fans to descend on Rio for the World Cup final on Sunday, most of them without a ticket.

Heine Allemagne, 43, the man man who invented the magic vanishing spray adopted for use in Brazil, us set to reap the financial rewards after years in poverty and facing bankruptcy.

What sets Germany apart is that they are in a constant state of self-evaluation, while never allowing the free pass of treating a World Cup as a dry run.

MATCH ZONE: Huge roars greeted the Germans, with 'Oles' roaring around the stadium for any sustained passing sequence by Joachim Low's side.

Lukas Podolski needs no invitation to take a selfie, so the Germany striker wasn't about to let the opportunity pass him by after winning the World Cup.

Holland goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen sparked a flurry of internet jokes after sitting against the post during Saturday night's third place play-off.

For plenty, the World Cup coming to an end is unwelcome after more than a month of explosive football on the biggest of stages.

IAN LADYMAN AT THE MARACANA: Lionel Messi played well enough for 90 minutes, but when the defining chance came early in the second half he couldn’t take it.

GRAHAM POLL: Nicola Rizzoli will be able to look back on this final with pride as he performed well as did both of his assistants in a tough match.

BRIAN BARWICK: And so to Match 64, or the World Cup Final as you and I call it. And the two teams are rested, recuperated, and ready for ‘the big one’.

Mario Gotze may look like he is not long out of babygrow lederhosen but his status as Germany’s wunderkind has been established for some considerable time.

Jose Mourinho says Lionel Messi should not be considered the scapegoat after Argentina's World Cup final defeat to Germany.

Ray Whelan, the English director of FIFA's official ticket and hospitality partners MATCH, is in police custody after handing himself in to a judge in Rio de Janeiro several days after being declared 'a fugitive' by police investigating a ticket touting ring.

There will have been plenty of Arsenal fans cheering on Germany on Sunday evening, attempting to share in the triumph of a World Cup win that seems to edge further away from England's dreams.

Diego Maradona took a swipe at Lionel Messi the day after his World Cup heartache by insisting the heir to his throne didn't deserve to win the Golden Ball award.

Lionel Messi's crowning as the World Cup's outstanding player shocked some prominent figures, but without his individual brilliance Argentina's goals dried up.

BRIAN BARWICK: This has been a hugely enjoyable World Cup for viewers and one that England’s early exit failed to diminish.

Philipp Lahm was Germany's intrepid leader on the pitch but Lukas Podolski was leading them home to their inevitable rapturous reception in Berlin.

I have read the age at which she could take a personal pension will rise to 57 in 2028. My wife would be 53 and would have to wait four years. Is it legislated for currently? Steve Webb replies.

My wife was divorced with two children when we got married in 1976. I was a soldier in Germany. The only way she could get child benefit (so we were told) was to have it paid into my bank by the Army!

My mum has always worked (some years part time) and raised three children. She is now separated from my dad. The amount she receives is way short of the full state pension.

I have just found out I'm not divorced after 30 years. My state pension is very low. I'm only getting £78 per week. My husband gets a full pension. If I get divorced now, would I get more?

CRAIG HOPE: Newcastle United are in talks with Amanda Staveley over the sale of the Premier League club. So is this finally the end of Mike Ashley's 13-year reign as owner?

Mike Ashley's 13-year ownership of Newcastle is nearing the end. His £300m sale of the club is now in the hands of the Premier League, and he is 'closer than ever' to getting his wish.

OLIVER HOLT - CHIEF SPORTS WRITER: Let us disregard the succession just for a moment and agree that if Mike Ashley departs Newcastle United, it will be a reason to celebrate. 

HELEN CAHILL - CITY CORRESPONDENT: Saudi fund boss Yasir Al-Rumayyan is in the final stages of taking over as chairman of Newcastle United, sources told Sportsmail.

Napoli striker Arkadiusz Milik remains in talks over a new contract to stay at the club and reports linking to him an exit are 'only rumours', according to his agent.

England cricket legend Andrew Flintoff has recalled how Newcastle boss Steve Bruce once bailed him out of a sticky situation at a restaurant after his credit card had maxed out.

Al-Rumayyan was headhunted n to run Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, which is worth around $330bn and has been funding the nation's push to host a growing array of sporting events.

Keegan is adored by Newcastle fans having made 78 appearances for the club while enjoying two separate spells as manager, having nearly guided them to Premier League gold in the 1990s.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Alan Pardew could only sit and wait for the phone call. There was nothing else to do as the fate of ADO Den Haag's season was debated in a series of video conference calls.

The Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Oliver Dowden has been slammed for failing to intervene in the proposed takeover of Newcastle United by a Saudi-led consortium.

The Saudi consortium's proposed takeover means that they are set to hold an 80 per cent stake in the club, putting American Henry Mauriss' attempt to buy Newcastle on the back burner.

The Saudi Investment Fund's takeover of Newcastle United appears to be edging ever closer, as the COO of the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) has become closely involved with the deal.

EXCLUSIVE: BeIN Sports have written to the Premier League urging chief executive Richard Masters to block the £300million deal for Newcastle, citing illegal streaming of matches in Saudi Arabia.

The Premier League asked the United States government to keep Saudi Arabia on its piracy watch list before beginning checks on Newcastle United's Saudi-led takeover.

The £300m deal is awaiting the League's approval but that process is understood to have been held up given the complexity of broadcast piracy allegations against the Saudi state.

The Magpies are the subject of a £300million takeover bid backed by Saudi's Public Investment Fund, and if that is ratified the club would become one of the richest in Europe.

Joe Root became only the fifth England player to make a hundred in his first innings as Test captain. Root's runs were all the more necessary after another England top-order collapse.