Tennis News Today: Novak Djokovic challenges star golfer Rory McIlroy; Paula Badosa breaks down in tears in Aryna Sabalenka's arms after Stuttgart retirement

Novak Djokovic playfully issued a challenge to the former World No. 1 golfer Rory McIlroy. In other news, Paula Badosa broke down in tears in Aryna Sabalenka's arms following her retirement due to a thigh injury during their second-round match at the 2024 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart.

Meanwhile, Coco Gauff clarified the doubts about her coach Brad Gilbert's absence during her Stuttgart Open campaign. Serena Williams promoted her new makeup line WYN Beauty with a roller skating stunt. Emma Raudcanu also downplayed expectations ahead of the quarterfinal clash against Iga Swiatek in Stuttgart.

On that note, here's a recap of today's top tennis news:

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Novak Djokovic jokingly issues a challenge to the former World No. 1 golfer Rory McIlroy

Following the Monte-Carlo Masters semifinal exit, Novak Djokovic took to the golf course for some relaxation. Djokovic took to Instagram to share the experience of his "Golf Day" and playfully warned former World No. 1 golfer Rory Mcllroy to "watch out" for him.

"Golf day. Watch out @rorymcilroy," Djokovic wrote.

Djokovic, who participated in the Ryder Cup All-Star match last year, has been close friends with McIlroy for the past 10 years. The Serb is expected to participate in the upcoming Madrid Open, which will commence on April 24.

Djokovic has won thrice in Madrid (2011, 2016, 2019), with multiple semifinals (4) and quarterfinal (2) appearances.

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Paula Badosa breaks down in tears in Aryna Sabalenka's arms following Stuttgart 2R retirement

Paula Badosa was forced to retire due to a thigh injury during her second-round match against Aryna Sabalenka at the 2024 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart.

In a close match against her friend Sabalenka, Badosa won a set after dropping the first, with the third set tied 3-3. However, the match ended prematurely when Badosa injured her left thigh, leading to her retirement.

Despite initially keeping her composure, Badosa broke down in tears in the arms of Sabalenka after the Belarusian offered words of encouragement.

Watch the video below:

Aryna Sabalenka advanced to the quarterfinals where she will face reigning Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova.

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Coco Gauff clarifies coach Brad Gilbert's absence in Stuttgart Open

Coco Gauff has clarified why her coach, Brad Gilbert, was not present in her player box at the 2024 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart.

During Gauff's campaign, Gilbert was in Los Angeles for the premiere of the tennis-themed movie 'Challengers,' featuring Zendaya, in which he had trained the cast for three months.

Following her 6-3, 4-6, 7-5 win over compatriot Sachia Vickery in the Round of 16, Gauff addressed queries about Gilbert's absence. The American explained that she had asked Gilbert to step back temporarily to allow former French tennis player Jean-Christophe Faurel, who rejoined her coaching team, to handle one tournament independently.

"No, he did not choose Zendaya over me (smiling). I think I kind of told him to take a step back, especially with starting with J.C., I wanted him to just be able to work on it on his own and play a tournament by himself," Coco Gauff said in her post-match press conference.

"And also, like, we are going to have two tournaments together. We're going to spend a lot of time together. If you know Brad, it's good to take a break sometimes," she added.

Coco Gauff will face Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk in the quarterfinals, who defeated fifth seed Zheng Qinwen in her previous round.

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Serena Williams captivates attention with her roller-skating skills

Serena Williams showed off the longevity of her new makeup line, WYN Beauty, in a unique way. She rollerbladed while wearing the products and posted pictures on Instagram, proving the makeup stayed put even during physical activity.

"Even while rollerskating, @wyn makeup stays. And it was a hit! ✨," Williams captioned the post.

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Emma Raudcanu downplays expectations ahead of Stuttgart QF against Iga Swiatek

Following her 6-0, 7-5 win against Linda Noskova in the Round of 16, Emma Raducanu was questioned about her upcoming match with Iga Swiatek during a post-match press conference.

The reporter asked if she remembered anything from their previous encounters that could be useful, or if she considered this to be a completely new challenge.

In response, Raducanu recalled their previous match and acknowledged Swiatek’s strong playstyle. The Brit said she anticipates a challenging match but is ready to face it with nothing to lose.

"I mean, I remember. We actually had a pretty tough match. I think it was like 4 and 4, something like that. But I remember I served really well in that match and it kept me in. It's obviously tough playing Iga, because she plays pretty heavy, she plays fast. She has a lot of options at her disposal," Raducanu said.

"It's obviously going to be a really difficult match tomorrow but one where I have zero to lose and I think one that the crowd really want to see," she added.