Australia's Fed Cup team are battling the bitter cold and the absence of Samantha Stosur as they look to win a place back at the top table of women's tennis.

Former world number one Maria Sharapova has been invited to play at the Madrid Open in May, which takes place less than two weeks after her 15-month doping ban expires, tournament organisers said on Wednesday.

• Scott Spits

We saw the best of sport in 2016, a year boasting some remarkable sporting fairytales. Here's a look into the crystal ball to ponder some sporting scenarios that, yes, may seem unlikely now but should they somehow eventuate, might leave you smiling again.

• Danielle Rendina

Forget the Lombardi Trophy. The New England Patriots' stunning comeback win over the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl 51 earned one fan a date with Canadian tennis star Genie Bouchard.

• Daniel Cherny

Canada have sensationally been eliminated from their first-round Davis Cup tie against Great Britain after player Denis Shapovalov was defaulted for hitting the chair umpire in the face with a ball.

• Linda Pearce

Brisbane appeals as a potential home for the Davis Cup quarter-final to be played against the US in April, on a surface - hardcourt - that has already been determined.

• Linda Pearce

All had gone exactly as planned for the Australians over the first two days.

• Linda Pearce

With a 3-0 sweep against the depleted Czech Repubic at Kooyong, Australia have reached the last eight of the Davis Cup for the second time in three years.

Argentina's defence of the Davis Cup tennis title looks set to end less than three months after they finally won the trophy for the first time.

• Linda Pearce

Bernard Tomic's replacement Jordan Thompson made a winning start to his Davis Cup career, passing the baton and a 1-0 lead to Nick Kyrgios, who extended it to 2-0 with Usain Bolt-like speed. The first round tie against the Czech Republic could be over by Saturday afternoon. Bernie who?

• Linda Pearce

While Nick Kyrgios may be this weekend's headline act at Kooyong, John Peers is quietly making news of his own.

• Ronny Lerner

Troubled tennis star Nick Kyrgios is on "the right path" as he continues to search for the right candidate who could potentially take up the role as his coach, according to two-time grand slam champion Lleyton Hewitt.

• Linda Pearce

Debutant Jordan Thompson has been drawn to begin Australia's Davis Cup world group first-round tie with Czech Republic at Kooyong on Friday morning.

• EXCLUSIVE
• Adrian Proszenko

Nick Kyrgios has been given a unique opportunity to pursue his interest in basketball after the Sydney Kings extended the troubled tennis star an open invitation to connect with the NBL franchise.

• Linda Pearce

In the same room where, 11 months earlier, his Davis Cup commitment was questioned by Bernard Tomic, Nick Kyrgios passed judgment on his erstwhile teammate before this week's first-round Davis Cup tie against the Czech Republic

• Linda Pearce

Nick Kyrgios is positive about the improvement in his knee injury, and optimistic about the impact of the Davis Cup environment on a career that resumes this week after his Australian Open meltdown.

• Andrew Webster

It wasn't just Roger Federer win the men's final at the Australian Open, but what he did afterwards, that showed what a class act he is.

• Emma Quayle

Roger Federer got home very late, afer winning the Australian Open trophy he arrived in Melbourne three weeks ago thinking he was nowhere near ready to get close to again. Or was it very early? "I saw them this morning," said Federer, asked how his seven-year-old twin daughters had enjoyed the win. "As I walked in they woke up. So it was a bit of a weird moment, but still so great because they were in such a good mood as they woke up. It was an amazing half an hour, right there."

• David Polkinghorne

Unlike Bernard Tomic, there's no question marks over Kyrgios's commitment to the Australian Davis Cup team.

• Timothy Boyle

How do you renew a portrait of Roger Federer? He's a picture so complete that adding more colour will only serve to ruin it.

• Ben Rothenberg

The Australian Open offered NBA-style on-court seating for the first time this year, priced at an exorbitant-sounding $25,000 Australian dollars, for the men's final for an up-close-and-personal experience.

• Scott Spits

​On top of the enormity of winning his 18th grand slam in his first major tournament after an injury lay-off, Roger Federer had to overcome a thigh injury that plagued him for most of his memorable Australian Open campaign.

• Greg Baum

Did Donald Trump push the nuclear button overnight? Do tell, because it wouldn't have registered here, not while Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal were playing each other to such a standstill on centre court.

• Linda Pearce

Roger Federer has ranked his 2017 Australian Open triumph and the 2009 French Open title that finally completed his grand slam set as two of his most significant and emotional career achievements.

• Linda Pearce

He wasn't finished, after all. Roger Federer's grand slam-winning days were not done. More than four years after his most recent success, at Wimbledon, a secondary result of Federer's 18th major title – and possibly his greatest victory – is the improbability that his great nemesis Rafael Nadal can catch him now.

• Emma Quayle

By lunchtime on Sunday Serena Williams was on her way home; the tennis circus doesn't pause for record holders or even let them get much sleep.

• Michael Gleeson

Australian Open 2017 delivered all the fun and excitement of ... Australian Open 2005. Retro tennis was a pleasing departure for this year's competition.

• Linda Pearce

Rafael Nadal believes good things are still possible for him on hardcourts, having only narrowly failed to win his first title on the surface in three years in Sunday night's Australian Open final against Roger Federer.

• Live
• Scott Spits

Some are describing it as the most anticipated match in tennis history, at least certainly of the modern era.