Osaka survives test to reach last 16
Spain go into the quarter-final against Italy on a roll, looking to extend their unbeaten run to 20 games after winning all three group matches.
Girondins Bordeaux ended the unbeaten Champions League run of surprise package CFR Cluj with a 1-0 win over the Romanian side.
The Champions League burst into life on Tuesday with 36 goals in eight matches, including 24 in just three games, to equal a competition record.
Former world number one Victoria Azarenka was forced out of the Aegon Classic in Birmingham with a foot injury on Wednesday shortly after defending champion Ana Ivanovic suffered a shock defeat.
Italy and France face the unpalatable prospect of being eliminated from Euro 2008 on Friday.
Spain, Germany and England all chalked up victories in their qualifiers for the 2010 World Cup on Saturday.
Romania coach Victor Piturca dropped Dinamo Bucharest striker Florin Bratu on Wednesday when he named his final 23-man Euro 2008 squad.
Serena Williams shook off the rust and a feisty challenge from Serbia's Ana Ivanovic to open the defence of her WTA Finals title with a 6-4, 6-4 victory in the opening match of the elite eight-player tournament on Monday.
Substitute Lionel Messi scored two late goals, including one in stoppage time, to lead 2006 winners Barcelona to a 2-1 victory at Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League on Wednesday. Last season's runners-up Chelsea were held to a 0-0 draw at surprise packages CFR Cluj, who were playing in Romania's third division just six years ago.
Somdev Devvarman expresses confidence of a good showing ahead of India's Davis Cup match against Romania.
Mahesh Bhupathi on Thursday tipped Prakash Amritraj and new kid on the block Somdev Devvarman as ideal players for India's upcoming Davis Cup tie in Romania.
The Indian youngster took world No 18 Spaniard Nicolas Almagro to three sets before bowing out in the first round of the Euro 370000 BCR Open in Bucharesh.
With an eye to the large and growing market for their products, Indian auto component and tyre companies are making a beeline to set shop in Europe (especially Eastern Europe). Just last month Apollo Tyres announced that it was setting up a euro 200 million green field venture outside Hungary. And Delhi based Amtek Auto will set up a production base which will come in to operation in 2009 in Romania.
Can World No. 1 Simona Halep thrive at the All England Club? Or will Serena Williams add to her seven Wimbledon titles?
Andy Murray overcame a sluggish start to reach the third round of the Monte Carlo Masters with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Romania's Victor Hanescu on a bad Tuesday for French players. The fourth-seeded Briton was 2-1 down in the opening set after dropping serve in the third game but he woke up to take four games in a row. He clinched victory when Hanescu netted a forehand on the fourth match point.
Klopp has led Liverpool to back-to-back Champions League finals but is adamant that their impressive recent track record does not make them the title favourites.
