SPORTS

Italy won the Davis Cup for the first time since 1976 as Jannik Sinner crushed Alex de Minaur 6-3, 6-0 to seal a 2-0 win over Australia on Sunday in Malaga.

Bulgaria's failure to qualify for Euro 2024, extending the 1994 World Cup semi-finalists' absence from major finals to two decades, has sparked demands from fans and analysts for radical change at the helm of the football federation.

Max Verstappen on Thursday rejected the notion, rumoured and reported in recent days, that his Red Bull team were considering approaching Lewis Hamilton to partner him in a dream line-up.

Liverpool will become the latest team to attempt to storm Manchester City's Etihad fortress this weekend as Everton focus on Premier League survival following a punishing points deduction for breaching financial rules.

Chinese basketball great Yao Ming says that criticism of the men's national team has gone too far after some players were abused online following a series of disappointing results.

The government of Venezuela lambasted Peru on Wednesday following a controversial football match, at one point accusing Lima of kidnapping its national team by refusing to allow the aircraft bringing the players home to refuel.

One year after the Qatar World Cup, billboards emblazoned with the tournament's official slogan, "All is now," still stand by Doha's roadsides.

Just five days after winning in Las Vegas, Max Verstappen will climb into his Red Bull for the final time this year on Friday when he begins his bid for another record-extending triumph at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Argentina defeated Brazil 1-0 on Tuesday in an ill-tempered 2026 World Cup qualifying clash marred by pre-match crowd trouble that forced kick-off to be delayed.

The UN General Assembly called Tuesday for the observance of a traditional "Olympic Truce" during the next year's Paris summer games, as Russia again condemned what it called "political interference" in sport.

Next year's 48th edition of the Copa America, featuring 10 South American nations and six North American teams, will start in Atlanta and end in Miami, organizers said Monday.

Reigning champions Italy secured their ticket for Euro 2024 on Monday after holding on for a nervy goalless draw against Ukraine in their final qualifier, while the Czech Republic and Slovenia also clinched places at next year's finals.

Australia beat India by six wickets to lift their sixth title in the Cricket World Cup in Ahmedabad on Sunday.

South Korean powerhouse T1 take on China's Weibo Gaming in the League of Legends world final in Seoul on Sunday, aiming for a record fourth win in an event widely known as the Super Bowl of e-sports.

Hungary and Slovakia booked their tickets for Euro 2024 on Thursday while 16-year-old sensation Lamine Yamal scored again for already-qualified Spain.

Formula One's push to conquer America enters a new phase this weekend as the sport brings its high-octane show to the neon lights of the Las Vegas strip.

Virat Kohli scored a record-breaking 50th one-day international hundred before Mohammed Shami took a sensational seven wicket-haul as India sealed a place in the World Cup final with a 70-run win over New Zealand in Mumbai on Wednesday.

Daniil Medvedev booked his place in the last four of the ATP Finals on Wednesday after beating Alexander Zverev 7-6 (9/7), 6-4, while Carlos Alcaraz cruised past troubled Andrey Rublev to get his campaign up and running.

Liverpool striker Luis Diaz had a tearful reunion Tuesday with his father, freed last week after a 12-day kidnapping ordeal at the hands of Colombia's ELN guerrilla group.

South Africa insist they will not be burdened by scarring from their chequered record in World Cup knockout matches when they face old rivals Australia on Thursday for a spot in the final.

Manchester City were thwarted by Cole Palmer's 95th minute penalty as Chelsea salvaged a 4-4 draw from an incredible clash on Sunday, while Mohamed Salah fired Liverpool up to second in the Premier League.

Novak Djokovic will finish the year as world number one for a record-extending eighth time after beating Holger Rune 7-6 (7/4), 6-7 (1/7), 6-3 in his opening match at the ATP Finals on Sunday.

Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv beat Zorya Luhansk of Ukraine 3-1 in Thursday's Europa Conference League tie in Lublin, Poland between two teams united in a time of conflict in their countries.

Premier League leaders Manchester City travel to Chelsea on Sunday with Erling Haaland in ominous form as Arsenal and Tottenham seek to recover from their first defeats of the season.

Manchester United are on the brink of an early exit from the Champions League after blowing a 2-0 lead to lose 4-3 on Wednesday to FC Copenhagen as Marcus Rashford was sent-off in the Danish capital.

Off the pace in Serie A, Roma may once again be relying on Jose Mourinho to lead them on a long European run in order to save their season.

Holders Manchester City and RB Leipzig became the first teams to reach the last 16 of this season's Champions League on Tuesday while Danylo Sikan's goal allowed Shakhtar Donetsk to claim a stunning win over Barcelona.

Chelsea ended nine-man Tottenham's unbeaten start to the Premier League season as Nicolas Jackson's hat-trick inspired a 4-1 win in a chaotic clash filled with VAR drama on Monday.

Irish-trained Vauban heads into Tuesday's Melbourne Cup as favourite in Australia's "race that stops a nation", but faces a looming threat from in-form Gold Trip who is targeting back-to-back wins.