PARIS, May 26 (Reuters) – If Novak Djokovic is to be believed then Mahesh Bhupathi has lit the touchpaper for a revolution in tennis.

The Indian doubles specialist is the driving force behind the International Premier Tennis League (IPTL), launched earlier this week to great fanfare with a dazzling list of top-rank players already signed up.

PARIS (Reuters) – It says a lot about the ease of Serena Williams’s first round victory over Anna Tatishvili at the French Open on Sunday that the most testing part of her afternoon was conducting a courtside interview in French.

The top seed avoided the embarrassment of last year’s opening-round exit to book her place emphatically in the second round with a 6-0 6-1 victory that lasted 51 minutes and was less a contest and more an afternoon stroll in Paris.

PARIS, May 26 (Reuters) – It says a lot about the ease of Serena Williams’s first round victory over Anna Tatishvili at the French Open on Sunday that the most testing part of her afternoon was conducting a courtside interview in French.

The top seed avoided the embarrassment of last year’s opening-round exit to book her place emphatically in the second round with a 6-0 6-1 victory that lasted 51 minutes and was less a contest and more an afternoon stroll in Paris.

PARIS, May 26 (Reuters) – The founder of the soon to be launched International Premier Tennis League (IPTL) is planning to meet with the sport’s integrity unit in London next month to try to insure the competition is not affected by illegal gambling and spot-fixing.

The league, due to start in late 2014, has been compared in format with cricket’s Indian Premier League (IPL), a competition recently embroiled in a spot-fixing scandal.

PARIS (Reuters) – The founder of the soon to be launched International Premier Tennis League (IPTL) is planning to meet with the sport’s integrity unit in London next month to try to insure the competition is not affected by illegal gambling and spot-fixing.

The league, due to start in late 2014, has been compared in format with cricket’s Indian Premier League (IPL), a competition recently embroiled in a spot-fixing scandal.

LONDON (Reuters) – Based on form, Serena Williams is a stand-out favorite to win a second French Open title but her record at Roland Garros means she approaches the tournament with a touch of apprehension and fearful of the “lady in the mirror”.

Williams is world number one, unbeaten in 24 matches and has won four consecutive tournaments, yet she remains diffident after last year’s debacle when she exited in the first round.

LONDON (Reuters) – Based on form, Serena Williams is a stand-out favourite to win a second French Open title but her record at Roland Garros means she approaches the tournament with a touch of apprehension and fearful of the “lady in the mirror”.

Williams is world number one, unbeaten in 24 matches and has won four consecutive tournaments, yet she remains diffident after last year’s debacle when she exited in the first round.

LONDON, May 23 (Reuters) – Based on form, Serena Williams is a stand-out favourite to win a second French Open title but her record at Roland Garros means she approaches the tournament with a touch of apprehension and fearful of the “lady in the mirror”.

Williams is world number one, unbeaten in 24 matches and has won four consecutive tournaments, yet she remains diffident after last year’s debacle when she exited in the first round.

LONDON (Reuters) – Three goals in a frantic final five minutes helped Arsenal move into the box seat in the battle for Champions League qualification with a dramatic 3-1 win at home to Norwich City on Saturday.

A shock was on the cards when Norwich’s Michael Turner opened the scoring in the second half, but with the clock ticking down and frustration levels soaring at the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal rallied.

LONDON, April 13 (Reuters) – Three goals in a frantic final five minutes helped Arsenal move into the box seat in the battle for Champions League qualification with a dramatic 3-1 win at home to Norwich City on Saturday.

A shock was on the cards when Norwich’s Michael Turner opened the scoring in the second half, but with the clock ticking down and frustration levels soaring at the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal rallied.