Rafael Nadal is chasing a historic 10th French Open title in Paris, but nothing will ever come close to trying to win his second.
World number one Rafael Nadal damaged a muscle in his right leg during his Australian Open quarter-final defeat by Spanish compatriot David Ferrer and needs around 10 days to recover.
Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo will be out of action for around three weeks with a bruised right ankle, the Spanish club said on their website (www.realmadrid.com) on Monday.
English champions Chelsea maintained their perfect start to the season but Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid were held 0-0 at Real Mallorca and German champions Bayern suffered a shock defeat to Kaiserslautern.
New US Open tennis champion Rafa Nadal was given a standing ovation by Real Madrid fans when he strolled out on to the Bernabeu pitch before their Champions League match against Ajax Amsterdam on Wednesday.
Jose Mourinho believes he is the ideal person to bring long-term stability to Real Madrid, and has played down the significance of their disappointing opening day draw at Real Mallorca.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field.
Real Madrid defender Raul Albiol has damaged ankle ligaments and will be sidelined for four to five weeks, the club said on its website (www.realmadrid.com) on Wednesday.
The decision came after a failure to pay long-standing debt, according to reports in the English media.
According to Hola magazine, Nadal and Xisca got secretly engaged in May last year and now planning an autumn wedding this year.
Santiago Solari got off to the perfect start as Real Madrid's interim coach when his side thrashed Melilla 4-0 in the Copa del Rey on Wednesday.
Barca finished the season second in the standings on 82 points, four behind champions Real Madrid who visit Leganes later on Sunday. Alaves are 16th on 39.
Real Madrid climbed back above Barcelona to the top of La Liga when goals from former Liverpool pair Xabi Alonso and Alvaro Arbeloa helped them to a stirring 3-2 comeback win over Atletico Madrid on Sunday.
The knee injury Barcelona forward Thierry Henry sustained in Saturday's 6-2 win at Real Madrid has made him a major doubt for the UEFA Champions League final against Manchester United. Henry will miss the King's Cup final against Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday and the next three Spanish Primera Liga fixtures against Villarreal, Real Mallorca and Osasuna.
Sevilla sealed their place in the last four of the King's Cup on Wednesday when they lost their quarter-final second-leg 1-0 at home to Deportivo Coruna but went through 3-1 on aggregate.
A summary of sports events and persons who made news on Tuesday.
Sevilla were on course for a place in the King's Cup semi-finals after crushing Deportivo Coruna 3-0 at the Riazor in their last-eight first leg match on Wednesday.
David Villa netted twice to fire Valencia to a 4-1 win over 10-man Villarreal in La Liga on Sunday and lift Unai Emery's side to within three points of second-placed Real Madrid.
IMAGES from soccer matches played in the English Premier League and the La Liga on Monday.
Depleted Real Madrid ended a disappointing week with a 0-0 draw at Sporting Gijon on Saturday, handing champions Barcelona the chance to open a three-point lead at the top of La Liga.
Rafael Nadal looked like he had never been away as he made a welcome return to Wimbledon with a ruthless 6-2, 6-4, 6-4 win over Japanese wildcard Kei Nishikori on Tuesday.
Rafael Nadal looked like he had never been away as he made a welcome return to Wimbledon with a ruthless 6-2, 6-4, 6-4 win over Japanese wildcard Kei Nishikori on Tuesday.
Rafael Nadal's uncle, Toni Nadal, will step down as his coach after this year's ATP Tour, as he feels he has been sidelined by other figures in the player's entourage, he told an Italian tennis magazine.
Lionel Messi kept Barcelona on top of La Liga with a hat-trick in a 5-0 win at Tenerife on Sunday and Real Madrid had kept up the pressure with a 2-0 home win over Real Mallorca.
Barcelona and Sevilla claimed the final two places in the King's Cup semi-finals on Thursday, Barca knocking out city rivals Espanyol 3-2 and Sevilla coming through on away goals against holders Valencia. Sevilla, the 2007 winners, will play Athletic Bilbao for a place in May's final in Valencia, while Barca take on Real Mallorca.
A superb Lionel Messi hat-trick gave Barcelona a 3-1 win over 10-man Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their last 16 King's Cup tie on Tuesday. The Argentine forward, playing for the first time since the Christmas break, also hit the crossbar and many of the Atletico fans stood and applauded him when he was replaced near the end.
The Rafael Nadal asteroid, currently located between Mars and Jupiter, is 4 kilometers in diameter and travels through space at a speed of 20 km per second.
An enforced vacation to rest his aching knees may have been just the tonic Rafael Nadal needed as he had a bounce in his step on Wednesday when he bludgeoned Richard Gasquet of France at the US Open.
Images from La Liga matches played on Sunday
Fenerbahce have signed Spain Euro 2008 winning striker Daniel Guiza from Real Mallorca in a four-year deal
Rafael Nadal denied a claim from his coach and uncle Toni Nadal that he had a potentially career-threatening foot injury.
Barcelona and Villarreal failed to put the pressure on leaders Real Madrid as they dropped points in the Primera Liga.
World number one Rafael Nadal set up a semi-final showdown with fellow-Spaniard Fernando Verdasco after subduing France's Gilles Simon 6-2 7-5 7-5 at the Australian Open on Wednesday. Verdasco advanced to his first Grand Slam semi-final after beating Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France 7-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 earlier in the day.
Leaders Barcelona needed two goals in the last ten minutes to beat bottom club Osasuna 3-2 away, and moved 12 points clear at the top of the Primera Liga on Sunday.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Real Madrid will take the Spanish championship for the first time in four years if they beat mid-table Real Mallorca at home on Sunday.
News of all that transpired on and off the football field.
Images from Day 3 of the French Open matches played at Roland Garros on Tuesday
Watching Spain win Euro 2008 on television has helped Rafael Nadal on his quest to win Wimbledon.
The organisers sprung a surprise by awarding the third wild card to Bartolome Salva-Vidal of Spain.
