Three-peat for Azarenka in vanquishing Stephens

Victoria Azarenka is in an unfamiliar position as the Australian Open gets underway - unseeded after a long injury layoff and no longer a heavy favorite to capture a title she's already won twice.

Tidbits

Maria likes to be spoiled: Maria Sharapova said Li Na would be a great mom when the Chinese star announced to the Melbourne crowd that she was pregnant this week - a revelation that prompted the Russian to recall her own childhood.

Serena's dress draws rave reviews

Australian Open top seed Serena Williams' fashion sense has once again been making waves on court, with fellow players enthusiastic about the backless dress she sported in her first - round match at Melbourne Park.

Venus pleased with her progress

Venus Williams has long been hindered by illness and injury, but the seven-time Grand Slam champion is feeling more upbeat this year than she has for some time.

'Lucky' ballboy touts China to pull an upset

The "lucky" ballboy who helped China save a penalty and sparked its run to the Asian Cup quarterfinals has backed Alain Perrin's men to upset his beloved Australia on Thursday.

Ronaldo confirms breakup rumors

Portugal and Real Madrid soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo confirmed on Tuesday he has broken up with his longtime girlfriend, Russian model Irina Shayk.

Hoisting sails on the journey to recognition

Cheng Ying-kit always dreamed of racing across distant oceans as a professional offshore sailor, despite limited access to the sport in China.

Digest

Golf

Score board

Chengdu GDP hits 1 trillion yuan

At a recent economic meeting in Chengdu, officials announced that the western city's GDP surpassed the 1 trillion yuan ($161.1 billion) benchmark for the first time last year.

Slow growth to put banks under pressure

Increasing nonperforming loans, rise of Internet finance among major challenges for sector this year JIANG XUEQING

Series of policy changes loom for financial institutions

Regulators are expected to further cut interest rates and reserve requirement ratios, ease the rules on loan-to-deposit ratios and continue opening up the financial sector by giving a green light to the establishment of more private banks this year. Here are some policy changes that economists and banking analysts are widely expecting: