Dashing Australia opener David Warner is likely to be fit for the start of next month's IPL after missing the final T20I against New Zealand in Auckland due to adductor soreness.
Lindsay Davenport continued her smooth progress towards another title as she cruised past Sara Errani of Italy 6-3 6-3 to reach the semi-finals of the Auckland Classic on Thursday. The former world number one, in just her fourth tournament back after a year out in which she had her first child, needed just 57 minutes to see off the world number 69.
Top seed David Ferrer will meet former world number three David Nalbandian in the final of the Auckland Open after they both advanced with easy semi-final victories on Friday.
New Zealand shooter kills two on eve of Women's Soccer World Cup
The 22-year-old player has had a solid year, winning the mixed-doubles titles at the French and U.S Open.
A semi-final berth seems like a distant possibility for Auckland Aces but the New Zealand side will look to keep itself in the calculations by taming the demoralised Perth Scorchers when the two teams lock horns in their final round-robin Champions League Twenty20 match in Centurion on Tuesday.
Belgium's Yanina Wickmayer upset top seed Flavia Pennetta 6-3, 6-2 in the final of the Auckland Classic on Saturday to complete a remarkable return to the courts after having a doping ban overturned.
Australia registered a tense 12-run win over New Zealand in the second one-day international at Auckland.
New Zealand all-rounder Jacob Oram has been ruled out of the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy One-day International series due to a knee injury, while skipper Daniel Vettori is likely to miss the second ODI against Australia in Auckland on Saturday.
Images from the US Open women's singles second round matches, at Flushing Meadows, New York, on Wednesday.
Former US Open champion Del Potro fired down 11 aces and did not face a break point during the one hour, 33 minutes match.
Top seed Juan Martin del Potro will play sixth seeded American Sam Querrey in the Auckland Open final after both advanced to the title match in contrasting style on Friday.
Warner described local fans as "derogatory and pretty vulgar" after the Australians were targeted for abuse during a test and ODI tour of New Zealand in 2016.
Serena Williams crashed out of the Auckland Classic after fellow American Madison Brengle pulled off a 6-4, 6-7(3), 6-4 upset in a see-saw second round contest.
Argentine Juan Martin Del Potro served notice of his strong form ahead of the Australian Open when he crushed defending champion Bernard Tomic 6-3, 6-1 in the final of the Sydney International on Saturday.
Tommy Paul led a parade of seeded players into the quarterfinals on Wednesday at the Adelaide International in Australia.
David Ferrer underlined his Australian Open threat by thrashing Gael Monfils 6-1, 6-2 to reach the final of the Auckland Open on Friday and remain on course for a fourth title at the tournament.
Images from Day 2 in the first Test between New Zealand and India, at Auckland, on Friday.
Colin Munro blasted New Zealand's fastest Twenty20 half century to surpass a mark set by Martin Guptill earlier in the innings as the hosts swept their two-match series against Sri Lanka with a nine-wicket win in Auckland on Sunday.
Former world number four Jelena Dokic's return to competitive tennis ended abruptly on Tuesday when the Australian was bundled out of the Auckland Open in the first round.
Top seed Agnieszka Radwanska overcame blustery conditions and a dogged Jamie Hampton in the semi-finals of the Auckland Classic on Friday to set up a title clash against Belgium's Yanina Wickmayer.
India players paid for their under-performance in the opening Test against New Zealand in Auckland as most of them saw a drop in their rankings.
India face a daunting task of scoring 407 runs to win the first cricket Test after New Zealand suffered a dramatic batting collapse in the second innings and were skittled out for 105. Images from the third day's play in Auckland on Saturday.
Images from Day 1 of the first Test between India and New Zealand, at Auckland, on Thursday.
Images from the third ODI between India and New Zealand at Eden Park in Auckland on Saturday.
Williams playing at a 'better level' after injury-hit start to season
Trent Boult was named in the New Zealand squad for part of the upcoming Twenty20 series against Australia on Wednesday, indicating that the veteran fast bowler is still in the frame for the World Cup in June.
Ana Ivanovic claimed her first WTA Tour title in more than two years with a 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 victory over fellow former world number one Venus Williams to clinch the Auckland Classic on Saturday and boost her confidence ahead of the Australian Open.
Chile's double Olympic champion Nicolas Massu advanced to the second round of the Auckland Open with a 6-4 6-2 victory over New Zealand qualifier G.D. Jones as persistent rain prevented much of Tuesday's play.
Their morale low after a 52-run drubbing at the hands of Delhi daredevils, IPL champions Kolkata Knight Riders will look to bounce back when they take on rampaging qualifiers Auckland in a Group A match of the Champions League Twenty20 in Cape Town on Monday.
Senior spinner Ravichandran Ashwin's five-wicket haul in the second innings has helped him narrow the gap with top-ranked Jasprit Bumrah to 21 rating points at 846 after the fast bowler was rested for the Ranchi Test.
New Zealand opener Martin Guptill said his team will look to pump up the aggression against Indian spinners during the second ODI in Auckland on Saturday in pursuit of an early series win against the visitors. Guptill said the key to New Zealand's victory was playing well against the spinners. Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja were taken to the cleaners in Hamilton by Kiwi batsmen and leaked 148 runs in total.
World Cup's perennial 'chokers' South Africa, having taken the group stage by storm with their power-packed batting, fell short in the semifinal
Former US Open champions Dominic Thiem and Emma Raducanu will headline the qualifying field for the Australian Open as they look to reignite their careers in 2024 following struggles with injuries.
Stand-in skipper Matthew Wade has lauded the depth of Australia's T20 team and says selectors will have a headache picking a World Cup squad following the whitewash in New Zealand.
Statistical highlights from Day 1 of the opening Test between India and New Zealand in Auckland on Thursday.
Former world number ones Venus Williams and Ana Ivanovic endured a humbling start to the season after the top two seeds were dumped out of the Auckland Classic in the first round by unheralded opponents.
Venus Williams became one of the oldest players to win a WTA title when she beat Caroline Wozniacki in the final of the Auckland Classic on Saturday.
Yuan broke Stephens when the American was serving for the match at 6-5. Stephens led 5-4 in the tie-break but could not hold on to her advantage and crashed out.
Having suffered back-to-back defeats, World champions India are desperate to bounce back with a victory in the must-win third One-Day International against New Zealand, in Auckland, on Saturday.
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