SPORTS

Italy's Francesca Schiavone is now preparing for her next match with World No.1 Carolline Wozniacki of Denmark, after beating Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova at the Australian Open over the weekend.

Number 3 Serbian ace, Novac Djokovic advanced to the fourth round of the Australian Open Friday as he defeated his best friend and Davis Cup teammate, Viktor Troicki, who complained of stomach problem, forcing him to retire after the first set of the game.

He thought he would again lose to French top ace, Gilles Simon, but Swiss Roger Federer was on top of his game during their third battle at the Australian Open Wednesday with 6-2, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 in the second round.

Defending men's champion Roger Federer finally defeated his nemesis Gilles Simon although it took him five demanding sets to reach the third round of the Australian Open.

Rebecca Marino of Canada remains calm - at least that's how she appeared to be - after being defeated by reigning French Open Champion Francesca Schiavone during the two-hour battle in the second round of the Australian Open Wednesday.

Former world number one Ana Ivanovic blamed an injury setback for her shock early exit from the Australian Open on Tuesday.

Many a top women tennis player have held the No. 1 ranking but have not won any Grand Slam tournament.

Rafa Nadal begins his quest on Tuesday to equal a 42-year-old record and holding all four Slams at the same time. Nadal is currently world number one and holds the Wimbledon, Roland Garros and US Open titles.

Despite her ferocious effort in the first round of the Australian Open Thursday night and a gleaming endorsement from Tennis Australia who dubbed her as a future hope for local tennis, Australia's Department of Immigration has ruled the Russian-born Arina Rodionova will remain a Russian and denied her petition for an Australian citizenship.

Australian commercial law firm Middletons has announed it has entered its sixth year as the official supplier of legal services for the Australian Open, a partnership that is now confirmed for another four years.

Not a single Australian player made it through the Australian Open qualifying.

David Beckham and LA Galaxy contingent is now in NewCastle, NSW, Asutralia.

The Australian Open Tennis Championships from 2011 up to 2014 will also air on Fox Sports, upon reaching an agreement with Seven Network.

David Beckham is included in LA Galaxy contingent to Australia for friendly against Newscastle United Jets.

Australian tennis star Mark Philippoussis is facing bankruptcy notice following the reported default on his $1.2 million mortgage for his Williamstown townhouse near the Port Philip Bay in Victoria.

Baseball's Sparky Anderson is now under hospice care, at the age of 76.

Manchester club captain Gary Neville said that Manchester United players had already forgiven Wayne Rooney for doubting that the players have what it takes for more wins for Manchester United.

NBA has banned from its courts the use of Athletic Propulsion Labs’ Concept 1 shoes by its professional players in the coming 2010-2011 NBA season.

Former NFL star linebacker Junior Seau was hospitalized with minor injuries Monday, after driving off a embankment.

The Brett Favre-Jenn Sterger sexting scandal is slowly taking its toll on the Minnesota Viking quarterback's football career as jeans brand Wrangler stopped airing commercials of the NFL star during televised games.

Australian boxing writer Paul Upham argues in his latest book UNDISPUTED: A Golden Era in Australian Boxing that the recent achievements of Australian boxers in the last decade elevated the boxing as a sports to an extremely high level in the country.

More distractions are in the offing for the Minnesota Vikings as its star quarterback, Brett Favre, is under investigation by NFL if he really sent obscene text messages and photos to former New York Jets reporter Jenn Sterger in 2008.

Long-time Atlanta Braves manager and former baseman Bobby Cox said goodbye to his team and to baseball on Monday after the San Francisco Giants eliminated them 3-2 in Game 4 of the best-of-five NL Division Series at the Turner Field.

Four-time winner of Bathurst 1000 Craig Lowndes will take readers for an inside look on the Bathurst 1000 and V8 Supercar championship (which Lowndes won three times) with his new bookTHE INSIDE LINE, written by Lowndes with Mark Fogarty.

Starting pitcher Roy Halladay of the Philadelphia Phillies shut out the Cincinnati Reds, 4-0, in the first game of the National League division series on Wednesday to book a historic second no-hitter in a postseason. The right-hander's fastballs and slow curves allowed only a walk by Jay Bruce before striking out eight Reds.

Future Hall of Famer and seven-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Randy Moss returned to the NFL team where he became a superstar after the New England Patriots traded him to the Minnesota Vikings on Wednesday.

Australia's cyclists dominated the debut velodrome events of the 2010 Commonwealth Games bagging all three golds up for grabs at the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex on Tuesday.