Rafael Nadal swept into the quarter-finals of the Italian Open on Thursday with a ruthless 6-4, 6-1 victory over Canadian teenager Denis Shapovalov. The top seed, who will reclaim the world number one ranking from Roger Federer if he wins his eighth title in Rome, turned in a near-flawless performance, losing only five service points as he honed in on victory in an hour and 22 minutes.
Fernando Alonso left the Brickyard on Sunday without a fairytale victory to cap his Indy 500 adventure but had no regrets as he prepared to return to his Formula One day job with McLaren.
As we prepare to cruise into the New Year, Rediff.com gives you a glance back, through photos, into all the sporting moments that made the last 12 months memorable.
Factbox on Germany midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger, who announced his retirement from international football on Friday.
England's football star David Beckham and his family stepped out in full force to cheer his son Romeo, who took part in the London Marathon.
Newly crowned Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton will compete with European Ryder Cup star Rory McIlroy and Real Madrid's Gareth Bale to clinch the BBC 2014 Sports Personality of the Year award.
Mercedes F1 GP's Nico Rosberg won his first Formula One Championship after finishing 2nd in the tight race at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.
One of the most decorated Olympians of all time, American swimming legend Michael Phelps has sent out a warning to his rivals, saying he still has "some unfinished business" left going into the Rio Olympic Games. "I have some unfinished business I'd like to take care of them before I hang up my suit. And I'm actually enjoying being back in the water again. That was pretty challenging for me going into 2012. But I just feel like a kid again and I love it," he said. The 31-year-old Phelps has 18 Olympic gold medals, 26 World Aquatics Championships gold, 1 World Swimming Championships gold medal and 16 Pan Pacific Championships gold.
On the sidelines of a promotional event in Mumbai, Hamilton talks to Rediff.com's Bikash Mohapatra about F1, his immediate goal and his future.
Real Madrid will welcome back the added firepower of talisman Cristiano Ronaldo and striker Karim Benzema when they entertain promoted Osasuna in La Liga on Saturday.
Wheat is grown on more land area than any other commercial crop.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored two stunning goals and took his international tally to 70 as he led Portugal to an emphatic 3-0 win over Hungary in a World Cup qualifier on Saturday.
Seventh seed Wawrinka of Switzerland set up a third-round meeting with Bulgarian ninth seed Grigor Dimitrov after seeing off Argentine Juan Monaco 6-4, 6-1.
Describing the year that's coming to an end as "fantastic" for her personally, Rio Olympic Games silver medal-winning shuttler Pusarla V Sindhu said she was now targeting the no.1 world ranking among women after reaching a career-best six at present. "It has been a fantastic year for me, because winning a medal at the Olympics is a big achievement. It's a dream come true. Also, I always had in mind that I wanted to win a Super Series title and that also was fulfilled (at the China Open)," Sindhu told reporters on the sidelines of a promotional event in Mumbai on Thursday.
If Fernando Alonso were to beat the odds and win the Indianapolis 500 on May 28, the double Formula One world champion will be one step away from the 'Triple Crown of Motorsport'.
Former skipper Kapil Dev has criticised the Indian players for surrendering their No. 1 world Test rankings to England, saying the visitors were just not prepared to deal with the English attack.
If Williams is indeed 20 weeks into her term, that would mean she was approximately two months pregnant when she captured her record 23rd Grand Slam tournament singles title at the Australian Open in January.
My strongest emotion right now is deep gratitude to everybody who supported me to make that dream happen
British slalom canoeist Fiona Pennie is leaving nothing to chance at this year's Rio Olympics where she will fit a mosquito net to her boat between races to minimise the threat of the Zika virus.
Germany coach Joachim Loew hailed his young team's "magnificent" display in a 4-1 World Cup second-round demolition of England on Sunday before explaining exactly how they targeted a suspect English rearguard.
Brazil forward Neymar was taken to hospital after being injured in the closing stages of the 2-1 World Cup quarter-final win over Colombia on Friday that kept the hosts on course for a sixth title.
Karun Chandhok will test with GP2 teams in Abu Dhabi this weekend while still hoping for a return to Formula One next year in time for his country's first Grand Prix.
Brazil midfielder Felipe Melo failed to heed his father's warnings on Friday when he was sent off for recklessly stamping on Arjen Robben in their 2-1 World Cup quarter-final defeat by Netherlands.
Germany striker Thomas Mueller said he was just getting warmed up after dashing England's hopes with a double strike in their 4-1 World Cup last 16 win on Sunday.
New blood and a change of formation paid dividends for France as debutant Mathieu Valbuena netted the winner in a 2-1 World Cup warm-up win over Costa Rica on Wednesday.
Formula One driver Kimi Raikkonen embarks on a new career in the World Rally Championship this weekend but the Finn is under no illusions about how difficult the season-opening event in Sweden might be.
Team principal of Mercedes Formula One team Ross Brawn confirmed that seven-time F1 world champion Michael Schumacher will not come out of retirement to drive for them.
We bring you a collection of some of the best photographs taken this week by ace Reuters photographers.
Fatherhood has changed Sergio Perez's life since the end of last season and the Mexican hopes the coming year in Formula One could be just as transformative on the track.
Karun Chandhok is in the final stages of talks with Campos Meta Formula One team for a drive in the 2010 season, his manager said on Friday. Spain's Campos, one of four new teams in an expanded F1 grid in the new season, have so far named only one driver, Brazilian Bruno Senna, nephew of late F1 world champion Ayrton Senna and Chandhok's former GP2 team mate.
Winning a major is its own reward, but rivalries, rankings and next year's Rio Olympics were also on the mind of contenders at the Women's PGA Championship.
Students planning to attend university in the United States are invited to attend a pre-departure orientation programme on July 2.
The reigning F1 world champion Jenson Button has hinted at a sensational switch to McLaren next season, after talks with Brawn GP were stalled.
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Wednesday
World number one Rafael Nadal, taken the distance for the third match running, outlasted Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-4, 6-7, 6-4 on Friday to reach the semi-finals of the World Indoor Tournament. Nadal, who went to three sets against Simone Bolelli and Grigor Dimitrov earlier this week, next meets fifth seed Gael Monfils who beat French compatriot Julien Benneteau 7-6, 6-1.
Formula One and the wider world of motorsport mourned the death of young Frenchman Jules Bianchi on Saturday.
Reader Kumara Raghavendra sent us this picture from the UK.
Formula One has a reputation for being exclusive and inaccessible compared to series like the world endurance championship, where fans have much more access to the paddock and drivers during race weekends. But the sport is set for a revamp.
Nicole Scherzinger is often seen by Hamilton's side at his biggest races and she did turn heads as she arrived to support her man in Abu Dhabi.
Santi Cazorla scored a 94th-minute penalty as sub-par Arsenal beat Southampton on Saturday with Laurent Koscielny's overhead kick having earlier cancelled out Petr Cech's own goal.
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