World number one Aryna Sabalenka enters the Australian Open in her familiar role as the hot favourite but unlike in the past two years the powerful Belarusian arrives without a title to defend or the momentum of a winning run in Melbourne.
Jannik Sinner returns to the Australian Open targeting a third straight title as the Italian seeks to impose a level of supremacy reminiscent of Novak Djokovic's stranglehold on the year's opening Grand Slam.
With 17 goal attempts compared to Chelsea's 10, Arsenal will feel they should have gone home with a bigger margin of victory and it will be all to play for in north London on February 3.
Cricket legend Steve Waugh believes the European T20 Premier League can unlock new talent and expand cricket's footprint across Europe.
Astronaut Sunita Williams discusses how space travel changed her perspective on life, emphasizing the unity of Earth and the silliness of human conflicts when viewed from space.
Batting great Alistair Cook says England's 2-2 home series draw against Shubman Gill-led India was against "not a great Indian side", flagging concerns over the team's preparation for the Ashes.
India Open badminton: "Bird droppings" interrupt Prannoy-Loh match, add to organisers' woes
Japan soccer great Kazuyoshi Miura, 58, said on Friday he had all but given up on a return to the J-League before signing for Fukushima United, adding that he hopes to contribute with goals and assists in the latest chapter of his age-defying career.
'The body is holding together, and it's a great group to be a part of.'
Italy are gearing up for their Twenty20 World Cup debut, hoping a strong showing next month will help the sport break into popular culture in a soccer-obsessed nation that does not have a natural cricket pitch.
IMAGES from the Australian Open matches played at Melbourne Park in Melbourne on Thursday.
New Zealand captain Michael Bracewell on Tuesday said it would be "silly to underestimate" Indian batting superstars Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, and backed the stalwarts to play next year's ODI World Cup.
'I'd love to see the strategy of 11 on 11, not changed or impacted because of an impact player who might only bat for two balls and doesn't field.'
Sona Bahadur's Goa currython yielded interesting results.
Bayern Munich, helped by two record-breaking VfL Wolfsburg own goals and two from man-of-the-match Michael Olise, demolished the visitors 8-1 in the Bundesliga on Sunday.
The 410km stage from Wadi Ad Dawasir to the overnight bivouac, first half of a marathon stage, was won by 21-year-old Polish non-factory Toyota driver Eryk Goczal.
Al-Attiyah retains overall lead; Sixth-placed Sebastien Loeb, the nine-times world rally champion driving for Dacia, remained in contention and was within 17 minutes of his leading teammate.
'Self-funded is a big one. We don't travel as a team so we don't have a therapist, treatment support or a trainer. A lot of times you're training on your own and it's tough.'
India's Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra found himself at the centre of national attention off the field as images from his wedding receptions
'The BCB announced the schedule for India's tour of Bangladesh because there was a sense of positivity but now we need to get an official confirmation from the Indian board as to why Mustafizur's contract was cancelled.'
'We are fully focused on this series. Every series is important. Individually for these players, there's a lot at stake.'
Vidarbha's dominant title run in the Vijay Hazare Trophy was a result of the players' belief in each other which helped them overcome challenging situations successfully, reckoned head coach Usman Ghani.
Experienced doubles player N Sriram Balaji has been left out of the squad, with the selection committee opting to look ahead as part of a longer-term plan.
Inderjit Bindra, who raised Indian cricket on the world stage in the 1990s and early years of this century, passed into the ages on Sunday. 26 years ago, Mr Bindra spoke at length to Rediff about his vision for Indian cricket, an interview which we republish in his memory.
Harman's record as captain untouchable, she has another 4-5 years to offer: Jhulan Goswami
S Padma, a street cleaner in Chennai, found a box full of gold worth more than Rs 45 lakh and returned it. 'I have been sweeping the streets of Chennai for 21 years. Nobody in the street knew me. I was just a faceless, nameless sanitation worker in an orange and blue uniform.'
Aman Mokhade's hundred carries Vidarbha into VHT final
'But now they can't take any chances. They have to play their best eleven again.'
A R Rahman feels a power shift may have happened in the past eight years, as 'people who are not creative have the power now to decide things.'
Iga Swiatek heads into Melbourne Park with the Australian Open title the only gap on her Grand Slam resume, but the world number two is keen to avoid setting herself targets for the new season and says her main goal is to improve her game.
As Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner prepare for their season-opening exhibition match in Incheon, the world's top two men's tennis players floated the prospect of one day playing together in a doubles tournament.
'At 24 years of age, he's already scored a double hundred and averages just under 50. There's something special about this kid.'
India's absolute dominance at home will come under examination when they meet a determined New Zealand in the decisive third ODI at the high-scoring Holkar Stadium in Indore on Sunday, with the three-match series locked at 1-1.
'I'm still here, still able to play against somebody who is 14 years younger to me and give tough competition, I should be able to find happiness in it.'
With the Ashes urn in their hands, Australia decided to rule Cummins out of the two remaining Tests.
I am inclined to believe that the Venezuela adventure is not an indication of American strength, alas, but rather of American weakness, points out Rajeev Srinivasan.
In absence of Pooja, RCB handed the responsibility of bowling to new recruits -- England left-arm spinner Linsey Smith, Arundhati Reddy and de Klerk as they managed to keep the opponents to 154-6.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah equals Devaraj Urs' record as the longest-serving CM of the state, while expressing confidence about completing his full term, he stated that the Congress high command will have to decide on it.
'How much value do fans and audiences hold for an ICC tournament every year? The novelty of it is wearing off, to be very honest and with all due respect.'
IMAGES from Day 4 of the matches played at the Australian Open at Melbourne Park on Wednesday.
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