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• Djokovic keeps Serbia on track as Ruud seals Norway win

  Novak Djokovic marked his return to action with a dominant 6-0 6-1 victory over Greece's Ioannis Xilas to put Serbia in control of the Davis Cup tie. 

  The 24-time major winner was playing his first match since his US Open third-round defeat by Alexei Popyrin at Flushing Meadows a fortnight ago.

  And Djokovic, who helped his nation win the Davis Cup in 2010, looked close to his best as he dropped just a single game, while converting five of the seven break points he forced.

  Wrapping up a dominant victory in just 45 minutes, he put Serbia 2-0 to the good in the World Group I tie.

  Elsewhere in that group, Casper Ruud helped Norway wrap up a 3-1 win over Portugal.

  The three-time major finalist, who put his nation 2-1 to the good alongside Viktor Durasovic in the doubles rubber, was a 7-6 (7-3) 6-2 victor over Jaime Faria in their singles clash.

  Later in the day, Argentina booked their place in the final eight after Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni saw off Finland in the doubles decider.

• Tullis-Joyce expects more success from USA under Hayes

  Phallon Tullis-Joyce is excited by the job Emma Hayes has already done with the United States and predicts she will have even more success in the role.

  Hayes left Chelsea after 12 years in charge in May, going out on a high after leading the Blues to a fifth consecutive Women's Super League triumph on the final day of last season.

  It was her seventh title overall with Chelsea, also winning five FA Cups and two League Cups, as well as leading the team to the Champions League final in 2020-21.

  Hayes began her tenure as the USA boss in May and helped the team to a record-extending fifth Olympic gold in Paris, as an undefeated tournament ended with a 1-0 win over Brazil in August.

  Having made such a bright start to life with the USWNT, Tullis-Joyce, who has never played for her national team, is expecting great things from Hayes.

  Speaking at the Barclays WSL's 2024-25 season launch media day, the goalkeeper told Stats Perform: "I think that's incredible for US soccer to have such a notable coach.

  "Everyone has seen how great she's done in this league alone, and I'm excited to see what she does with the US Women's National Team.

  "She's already done an amazing job, so I can imagine she's going to do so many more great things for time to come, especially for the younger generations."

  One of the players who did not feature at the Olympics for the USWNT was Alex Morgan, who recently announced her retirement from football.

  Morgan, regarded as a USA legend, is one of the most decorated players in the history of the team, winning back-to-back World Cups in 2015 and 2019 and clinching Olympic gold in 2012.

  She is ninth on the all-time appearance charts having earned 224 caps, and since her international debut in March 2010, no player has been involved in more goals for the USA than her (175, 123 goals, 52 assists).

  Tullis-Joyce was full of praise for the former striker and explained how she drove her to improve after coming up against her.

  "Just massive respect for Alex Morgan, she's definitely a player that I've looked up to as an American," Tullis-Joyce said.

  "She was one of the ones that we saw on the national team constantly just shredding goalkeepers left and right.

  "Honestly, I'm learning from her how to protect my goal a little bit better. I had the fortunate opportunity to play against her several times.

  "Honestly, she just seems like such a great person. And I wish her all the best in her retirement, especially after what she's done for women's football."

• Nadal unsure of future involvements after Laver Cup withdrawal

  Rafael Nadal says he cannot commit himself to future tournaments after his withdrawal from the Laver Cup.

  Nadal shared news on Thursday that he would not make an appearance at the annual event in Berlin, stating that it would not be in the best interests of Team Europe if he were to participate.

  The Spaniard was last in action playing doubles at the Paris Olympics with Carlos Alcaraz, and while he says he is in a good space mentally, he was not able to confirm when he would next make a professional appearance on a tennis court.

  He said: "Mentally, I’m good, no problems. I'm at home enjoying other things, training as much as I can every day.

  "No drama, obviously these are decisions [the Laver Cup withdrawal] that are being made, and this was a possibility - it's been a while without competing. There will be someone else who can do better.

  "Right now I’m not in a position to put myself down for anything.

  "I said [I would play] until the Olympics and then we would see, and I'm in that period of rest."

  Nadal has endured a difficult 2024 so far, playing just 21 competitive singles matches with a record of 13-8.

  He has only one grand slam victory to his name this year, beating Jack Draper in the Australian Open, but he lost in the first round of the French Open to eventual finalist Alexander Zverev.