Arsenal hope to complete a full set of English clubs going into the Champions League knockout phase on Wednesday though there could be a few anxious faces at The Emirates when they take on Partizan Belgrade.
Serbia's Novak Djokovic pummelled France's Gael Monfils on Sunday to tie the Davis Cup final at 2-2 and set up a nailbiting climax later in the Belgrade Arena.
A summary of sports events and persons who made news on Friday
Ice cool Novak Djokovic calmed Serbian nerves on Friday to level the Davis Cup final at 1-1 after team mate Janko Tipsarevic was thrashed by France's Gael Monfils in the Belgrade Arena.
In-form Gael Monfils will lead team mates Michael Llodra, Gilles Simon and Arnaud Clement in the Davis Cup final against Serbia, France captain Guy Forget said on Tuesday.
World number one Novak Djokovic shook off an eye infection to beat Kazakhstan's Aleksandr Nedovyesov 6-1 6-2 6-3 in front of a passionate home crowd to give Serbia a 1-0 lead against Kazakhstan in their Davis Cup first-round tie on Friday. Djokovic, who was forced to retire with the problem from last week's Dubai Championships quarter-final against Spaniard Feliciano Lopez, showed no sign of problems as he brushed aside his opponent in the acoustic Pionir Arena. The 28-year-old from Belgrade delighted the home fans, who enjoyed a rare opportunity to watch him live because there are no major tour events in Serbia, with a barrage of sizzling winners, including some spectacular net points.
Round up of the Champions League matches played on Wednesday.
Richard Gasquet scraped past French compatriot Nicolas Mahut 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 to reach the second round of the Paris Masters on a good day for the local favourites on Monday.
Arsenal led a list of nine clubs who grabbed a second win in as many games in the Europa League group phase as France striker Olivier Giroud scored his 100th goal for the club in a 4-2 win at BATE Borisov on Thursday.
Belgian league leaders Antwerp secured a shock 1-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur and AC Milan extended their unbeaten run to 23 games as they won 3-0 against Sparta Prague in the Europa League on Thursday, while Arsenal cruised to a 3-0 win over Dundalk.
Somdev Devvarman pulled off one of the biggest wins of his career, upsetting world No 26 Guillermo Garcia-Lopez in the second round of the Serbia Open, in Belgrade, on Thursday.
There was just gut-wrenching despair as Serbia's hopes slipped away in the cruellest fashion imaginable.
AC Milan were handed a comfortable UEFA Cup assignment on Tuesday after being drawn with Heerenveen, Braga, Portsmouth and Wolfsburg in the group stage.
David Ferrer crushed Switzerland's Stanislas Wawrinka 6-2, 6-4, 6-0 to fire depleted champions Spain into the quarter-finals of the Davis Cup on Sunday and set up a clash away to nine-times winners France.
World number two Novak Djokovic fired Serbia to a 2-0 lead over the United States in Belgrade with a 6-2, 7-6, 2-6, 6-3 victory over Sam Querrey, after compatriot Viktor Troicki's hard-fought win over John Isner, also in four sets.
Wimbledon champion Andy Murray says he is unlikely to play in Britain's Davis Cup quarter-final clash in Serbia this weekend but could travel to Belgrade in support of the team.
The father of tennis player Jelena Dokic was detained in Serbia for allegedly threatening the Australian ambassador in Belgrade, police said Wednesday.
Fed Cup holders Italy overcame two stern tests on Sunday to beat Ukraine 4-1 in Kharkiv and book their place in the semi-finals where they will play the Czech Republic.
England and Serbia will clinch their places in next year's World Cup if they win their qualifying matches on Wednesday while three other European countries can also qualify if results go their way.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Monday that the government will keep in close touch with all relevant groups to ensure a virus outbreak does not have affect the Summer Olympics. Olympics Minister Seiko Hashimoto said organisers are not considering cancelling the Olympics, which start on July 24.
Former Manchester United winger Albert Scanlon, one of the 'Busby Babes' who survived the 1958 Munich air disaster that killed eight team-mates, has died at the age of 74.
Visitors Ajax had looked comfortable after former Southampton winger Tadic set up the first goal with a swerving cross before drilling home the second himself.
Serbia's Novak Djokovic showed glimpses of his best form with a 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 win over Albert Ramos-Vinolas as they took a 2-0 lead over Spain in the Davis Cup quarter-finals on Friday.
Novak Djokovic will keep Andre Agassi as his head coach when he returns to action after recovering from an elbow injury which forced him to cut short his season in July, Serbia's former world number one said on Tuesday.
A round-up of Saturday's Euro 2020 qualifying matches.
Ana Ivanovic's sharp loss of form since she won last year's French Open, and a niggling knee injury, have cast doubts over her title defence at the Paris grand slam which starts Sunday.
Factbox on 2008 Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic.
Daniel Nestor and Vasek Pospisil subdued Nenad Zimonjic and Ilija Bozoljac 6-7(6), 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (5), 10-8 in a rip-roaring doubles on Saturday to give Canada a 2-1 lead against 2010 winners Serbia in their Davis Cup semi-final.
Snooping is one of the oldest peccadilloes of man, observes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Ajax, semi-finalists last season, came from behind to beat PAOK 3-2 for a 5-4 aggregate win over the Greeks while Red Star knocked out FC Copenhagen on penalties after a bizarre shootout involving 22 spot-kicks.
Azeri champions Qarabag took a big step towards the playoff round with a 2-1 win at Cypriot side APOEL but Dinamo Zagreb left their progress hanging in the balance after the Croats played out a 1-1 home draw against Hungary's Ferencvaros.
Italy, Spain, Portugal and India are among the countries easing coronavirus restrictions. Social distancing, mask wearing are the new norms as these countries continue to battle the virus pandemic, but are venturing out of their homes after extended periods of staying at home.
List of international sports events affected by the coronavirus that has killed over 900 people and infected more than 40,000 in China
Cyprus inflicted more soccer pain on neighbours Greece on Thursday when Omonia Nicosia knocked out AEK Athens in the UEFA Cup second qualifying round.
Jubilant fans thronged central Belgrade, bringing traffic at the main Republic Square to a halt as they waved Serbian flags and hooted their car horns.
Fifty years ago the plane carrying Manchester United home from Belgrade crashed after a refuelling stop at Munich.
Top seed Ana Ivanovic beat Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-4, 6-3 in the Pacific Life Open final on Sunday.
The Australian Open champion believes Roger Federer's top ranking is under threat from himself, second-ranked Nadal and fourth-ranked Russian Nikolay Davydenko. Djokovic, who piled up five ATP titles in 2007, has targeted another year of consistent performances and wants to produce his best form in the big events.
After Marat Safin and Marcos Baghdatis, Lleyton Hewitt, the lone star in the player field, is also unlikely to grace the tournament after pulling out of the crucial Davis Cup match against Serbia's Novak Djokovic in Belgrade due to a viral infection.
Novak Djokovic was given a raucous welcome by around 15,000 fans in central Belgrade on Saturday following his win in the Australian Open.
