"It feels really nice to be back and I'm just really grateful to be here in front of everybody," said Osaka.

Naomi Osaka and Carlos Alcaraz bring the curtain up on the French Open on Sunday as Roland Garros prepares to bid a likely farewell to Rafael Nadal.

Rublev upset home favourite Alcaraz 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 to reach the semi-finals.

Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz says he will form a dream team with his legendary compatriot Rafael Nadal in the men's doubles at the Paris Olympics later this year "if everything goes well."

On the women's side, Iga Swiatek was made to sweat in her 4-6, 6-0, 6-2 victory over Brazilian lefty Beatriz Haddad Maia, as she dropped her first set of the tournament and needed two and a half hours to reach a second consecutive Madrid semi-final.

"Today was the test of fire, no discomfort, feeling spectacular... from here, we'll be getting better."

Nadal, a 22-time Grand Slam champion, will be 38 in June and has made just a handful of appearances since January 2023 due mostly to a hip injury.

Defending Madrid Open champions Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka both triumphed in their opening clashes in the Spanish capital on Friday to reach the third round.

The Italian world number two can come within touching distance of the top-ranked Djokovic in the standings should he triumph in Madrid this fortnight and he arrives in the Spanish capital brimming with confidence and carrying an impressive 25-2 win-loss record for the season.

Tennis superstar Rafael Nadal said Monday returning to action at the Barcelona Open is a "gift" and he wants to enjoy every moment of what he expects to be the last year of his career.

World number one Novak Djokovic said his "feeling was great" as he flew past Roman Safiullin in straight sets at the Monte Carlo Masters on Tuesday, after third seed Carlos Alcaraz withdrew from the event due to injury.

The Spaniard, still only 20, had not won a title since clinching his second major crown at last year's Wimbledon until he beat Daniil Medvedev 7-6(5) 6-1 on Sunday in a rematch of last year's final.

The victory ended Sinner's 19-match winning streak, including a 16-0 start to the year, and insures Alcaraz will remain No. 2 in the world rankings next week.

"It's a good thing that as a player I will not face him many times," said Nadal, who expects to retire in 2024 after a series of injuries limited his appearances on the circuit.

For any other player but Novak Djokovic, a below-par Australian Open at the age of 36 would have had pundits brushing up his tennis obituary. Djokovic, of course, is no ordinary player.

The Spanish star took a medical timeout, had the ankle taped and won the first game but after dropping his serve in the second game he called it quits, in another setback to a so-far disappointing 2024 campaign.

Patience is a virtue that Sinner does possess, and eventually that paid off.

Carlos Alcaraz rued missed opportunities after coming up short against Alexander Zverev in a thrilling Australian Open quarter-final early Thursday but said he could leave Melbourne with his head held high.

The German sixth seed eventually prevailed 6-1, 6-3, 6-7 (2/7), 6-4 on Rod Laver Arena to make the last four at a Grand Slam for the seventh time.

"I did everything almost perfectly. In our Miami 2022 match it was closer. It was a good match today as well. I pushed him to the limit in every point," said Alcaraz, who set up a clash with sixth seed Alexander Zverev.