Serena Williams had to dig deep to fend off Latvian challenger Jelena Ostapenko as she wrapped up Friday's play at the Fed Cup in Seattle with a hard-fought victory that gave the United States a 2-0 advantage. Williams' experience and savvy ways showed in critical moments against the 22-year-old Ostapenko as she prevailed 7-6(4), 7-6(3) in a match that took one hour and 46 minutes.
Images from the La Liga matches played across Spain on Saturday.
Lionel Messi's Argentina brushed aside Paraguay 3-1 to go top of the South American 2014 World Cup qualifiers at the Mario Kempes stadium on Friday.
Spanish champions Real Madrid have no intention of letting striker Gonzalo Higuain leave but may need to buy a back-up goalkeeper if Antonio Adan cannot be persuaded to stay, coach Jose Mourinho said.
Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero has been left out of the Argentina squad for the crucial World Cup qualifier clash against Brazil to be held at the Mineirao Stadium later this evening. The 28-year-old has been struggling with form in his recent international appearances including missing a penalty for Argentina during their 0-1 defeat at the hands of Paraguay in their last outing.
All of the top news of the week gone by, in photos.
Cesc Fabregas struck the winner as an experimental Spain side came from behind to beat Costa Rica 2-1.
An off-key Liverpool were frustrated for a second successive game by struggling opponents as they were held to a 0-0 Premier League draw at Newcastle United on Wednesday.
Stanislas Wawrinka trumped fellow Swiss Roger Federer at a grand slam for the first time with a 6-4, 6-3, 7-6(4) victory in the French Open quarter-finals on Tuesday.
Bayern Munich manager Pep Guardiola has termed his former club Barcelona as the 'best team in the world', after both the teams were being drawn against each other for the high-octane Champions League semi-final clash.
Germany, who crashed out at the group stage in the World Cup in Russia, suffered their sixth defeat of 2018.
Real Madrid claimed their first Spanish Super Cup in four years and a morale-boosting success against their arch-rivals when Gonzalo Higuain and Cristiano Ronaldo struck in a 2-1 win against 10-man Barcelona on Wednesday.
Argentina's decision to play their four world class forwards was fully justified in a crushing 4-0 win over Ecuador that put them top of the South American World Cup qualifiers on Saturday.
In a video, released on Thursday, Neymar thanked his famous former Argentine teammate and the Catalonian club for the wonder years.
Five-time champions India's title hopes came a cropper after they suffered a 2-3 defeat against Argentina in a crucial match of the Azlan Shah Cup hockey tournament Ipoh (Malaysia) on Wednesday.
Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas has given a strong indication that he will retire from international footbal after 16 years. The 35-year-old did not play in any of Spain's four games at Euro 2016 with national team coach Vicente del Bosque picking Manchester United's David De Gea in goal. Casillas, who made his debut in 2000 and is Spain's most capped player with 167 appearances, posted a video on his twitter account (@casillasworld) of a Rambo film with the dialogue saying: "I don't know where but I'm going."
"We are pleased with the win, the many chances and the 70,000-plus spectators."
Cristiano Ronaldo continued his prolific start to the season with four goals, including two penalties, as Real Madrid came from behind to beat Elche 5-1 in La Liga on Tuesday.
Casemiro headed an 89th minute winner to earn Real Madrid a barely deserved 2-1 victory at Las Palmas in La Liga on Sunday as they closed the gap on second-placed Atletico Madrid to four points.
Riding on her stupendous performance at the Australian Open Super Series, Indian ace Saina Nehwal jumped two places to reach the World No. six in the latest BWF ranking released on Thursday. The 26-year-old from Hyderabad, who clinched the Australian Open title -- her first of the season - last Sunday, now has 75,369 points in her kitty.
Rio-bound Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal, who just clinched the Australian Open Super Series title in Sydney, said she wants to be aggressive like India Test skipper Virat Kohli. The 26-year-old from Hyderabad defeated Sun Yu of China in the finals yesterday to notch up her first title of the season ahead of the Rio Olympics.
Switzerland may not be on the World Cup Easy Street after a draw with mighty Brazil but coach Vladimir Petkovic said on Thursday he believes his team is headed down the right avenue as they prepare to face Serbia in a Group E clash.
Dortmund now have 14 points, one ahead of champions Bayern Munich, who suffered their first defeat of the season on Friday with a 2-0 loss at Hertha Berlin.
Delhi Waveriders maintained their winning streak and defeated Uttar Pradesh Wizards 3-1 to move to the top of the points table of the fourth Hockey India League, in Lucknow, on Saturday.
Rediff.com gives you a glimpse of the jubilant Catalan team...
Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick as Argentina beat arch-rivals Brazil 4-3 in an end-to-end friendly on Saturday, dealing a blow to the Brazilians as they wrapped up their preparations for the London Olympics.
Cristiano Ronaldo took his league tally for the season to 30 as leaders Real Madrid swept aside Espanyol 5-0 at the Bernabeu to restore their 10-point advantage over Barcelona in La Liga on Sunday.
The countdown for the city's date with Lionel Messi began as Argentinian footballers including the star strikers Gonzalo Higuan and Sergio Aguero arrived in Kolkata along with 19 members of Venezuela team in different batches for their FIFA International friendly on September 2.
After New Zealand and Spain played out a 2-2 draw earlier in the day, World No. 20, the lowest ranked side in the competition, France needed an outright win to qualify for the cross-overs and they came out with intent to achieve the goal.
Atalanta forward German Denis took advantage of shocking defending by Napoli to score twice in a 3-0 win over Rafael Benitez's exasperatingly inconsistent team on Sunday.
Images from Day 1 of the French Open matches played at Roland Garros on Sunday
Real, who have smashed the La Liga scoring record, clinched their 32nd league crown and their first in four years when Gonzalo Higuain, Mesut Ozil and Cristiano Ronaldo struck in a frenetic 3-0 win at 10-man Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday.
Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo has been given a two-match ban following his dismissal for kicking out at an opponent during their La Liga clash with Cordoba last Saturday, the Spanish league said on Wednesday.
The 47-year-old agreed to coach Djokovic, who has been through a crisis of confidence since winning his 12th major title at the French Open last year, last month.
The Catalonian side put up a good fight to stay level in the first half at a half-empty Wanda Metropolitano stadium, with Lucas Hernandez hitting the post and Diego Costa denied when one-on-one with the visiting keeper.
Paris St Germain coach Laurent Blanc admitted it would be hard to play football when they visit Lorient in Ligue 1 on Saturday eight days after the deadly attacks in Paris.
The Walmiki brothers, Yuvraj and Devinder and their nephew Anup Amarpal will steal the limelight in the Hero Hockey India League.
Saina Nehwal's comeback may have ended with a gruelling opening round loss at the China Super Series Premier in Fuzhou but the London Olympics bronze medallist said she was satisfied with the way she played.
Fees paid by Premier League clubs passed one billion pounds for the first time, according to financial analysts Deloitte. That was inflated by the world record 89 million pounds ($115.98 million) that Manchester United paid Juventus for France midfielder Paul Pogba.
Karim Benzema scored twice in the second half as Real Madrid beat Real Sociedad 4-1 to go four points clear at the top of La Liga on Saturday.
