Djokovic, Federer in race to be first $100m man

 Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer are poised to become the first $100 million men in tennis in 2016, in a gripping sub-plot to the new Grand Slam season. No player in the history of the sport has broken through the $100 million on-court earnings barrier but world number one Djokovic and Federer, the number three, should reach the landmark next year. Djokovic, 28, has just over $94 million in prize money while Federer, six years the Serb's senior, has banked $97.3 million. With $3.85 million on offer for the winner of January's Australian Open, the season's first major, the veteran Swiss would be the first man to the magical number even if the odds are heavily stacked against a player who won the last of his 17 Grand Slam titles in 2012. The staggering rewards for the modern player, all boosted by lucrative off-court earnings through sponsorship and endorsements, are a far cry from the heavyweights of the sport who starred in earlier eras. Rod Laver, the last man to complete the calendar Grand Slam -- something that eluded Djokovic courtesy of a French Open final loss in 2015 -- ended his playing career with $1.5 million, still a huge sum by the standards of the late 1960s.

Titles, exhaustion, illness & engagement

 A strange year of highs and lows has ended on a wonderful note after my boyfriend Radek took me by surprise and asked me to marry him, so Christmas will be even more special this year. It's a lovely end to 12 months that have seen me go from winning titles to struggling for motivation, suffering with glandular fever and then finding my form again. In the last few weeks I've been able to enjoy some time at home with my boyfriend and see my brothers and their kids, and I even managed to get all my Christmas shopping done early, which makes me very happy. I like shopping, but when I see so many people in the malls it's not so appealing! The last time I hit a ball in competition was at the Fed Cup final five weeks ago, but after resuming fitness training earlier this month I was back on the practice court in my home town of Prostejov on 16 December.

Murray tennis centre plan near Dunblane rejected

Councillors in Stirling have rejected plans for a controversial sports and housing development near Dunblane. The greenbelt development was being promoted by Judy Murray in the face of strong local opposition. Planning officers at the council had earlier recommended that the Park of Keir application be refused. Councillors said they had decided to reject the bid after carefully considering the arguments for and against the project. The proposed development, between Dunblane and Bridge of Allan, would have included tennis and golf facilities along with a visitor centre and museum, all set in a new country park.

Federer to partner Hingis at 2016 Olympics

 Roger Federer will partner former Wimbledon champion Martina Hingis for Switzerland in the mixed doubles at the 2016 Olympics in Rio. Federer, 34, and Hingis last played mixed doubles together at the Hopman Cup in Australia in 2001. The 17-time Grand Slam champion said he is "really excited". "I looked up to her when I was younger, I thought she was the most unbelievable talent," added Federer, who is a year younger than Hingis. "She's almost my age and she was winning Grand Slams while I was still at the national tennis centre and I couldn't believe how good she was." Hingis, 35, has won five Grand Slam singles titles in her career, including Wimbledon in 1997 at the age of 16. She came out of retirement for a second time in 2013 and has since enjoyed great doubles success, winning five titles in 2015, including the mixed doubles and the women's doubles at the US Open. Martina Hingis (L) of Switzerland and Sania Mirza (R) Hingis and Sania Mirza won their second straight Grand Slam title in the US Open women's doubles Federer won Olympic gold in the men's doubles in Beijing in 2008 and silver in the men's singles in London four years later. "I've always said the Olympics is very important to me," added the world number two. "Every Olympic Games has been a super-amazing experience, an eye-opener, a great learning curve for me, seeing other athletes, getting inspired and motivated, carrying the flag is such a proud moment in my career and my life as a person, to have done that twice for Switzerland - in Athens and in Beijing - was incredible."