Williams finished 2012 in ominous form, winning Wimbledon, the U.S. Open and the season-ending WTA Championship, as well as taking double Olympic gold in London.

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Last year Williams fell at the first hurdle in Paris -- a tournament she won back in 2002 -- before going on to triumph at Wimbledon, the Olympics, the U.S. Open and the season-ending WTA Championships.

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The 31-year-old also beat Azarenka in the U.S. Open final and at the season-ending WTA Championships in Istanbul.

CNN: Mathieu first up for Djokovic in Melbourne hat-trick quest

Djokovic received the honor for the second year running, as the Serbian retained the Australian Open and won the season-ending ATP championship but suffered the disappointment of losing the final at both Roland Garros and Flushing Meadows.

CNN: Nadal to make long-awaited tennis return

Olympic champion Williams has won the last two grand slams, at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, and beat Sharapova in the final of the season-ending WTA Championships in Turkey.

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Daly was annoyed at his finish, but after ending last week's Spanish Open with a 69 the 43-year-old, banned by the US Tour for six months in November after being thrown in jail to sober up, drew positives from starting his second event back with the same score.

CNN: Maybin breaks course record for Italy lead

But his hopes of ending the century on a high were shattered when a thigh muscle injury saw him pull out of the Paris Open in November, so ending his chances of booking a place in the season-ending ATP World Championships.

BBC: New injury blow for Rusedski

Washington (CNN) -- The U.S. military is ending its policy of excluding women from combat and will open combat jobs and direct combat units to female troops, multiple officials told CNN on Wednesday.

CNN: Pentagon to open combat jobs to women

The French Open and Wimbledon champion, looking to join Ivan Lendl and Pete Sampras as the only men to win the season-ending championships five times, powered through the set to win in one hour and 59 minutes.

BBC: Federer wins after Verdasco scare