Short track to stardom

Head coach Li Yan said on Sunday that China's short-track speed-skating team for next year's Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, has almost been finalized.

Hanyu hungers for Helsinki haul

HELSINKI - As Yuzuru Hanyu prepares for his Olympic title defense, the Japanese star said conditions are perfect for him to recapture the men's world figure skating championship from reigning two-time champ Javier Fernandez of Spain.

Score board

Feisty Federer focuses on fitness

MIAMI - Roger Federer's impressive return from injury has sparked speculation of his possible return to No 1 in the world, but the 18-time Grand Slam champion said looking after his body is far more important than chasing the rankings.

Sharp Spurs shred Cavaliers

SAN ANTONIO - The Cleveland Cavaliers acknowledged having heavy legs, but there is something far weightier on the minds of the defending NBA champions.

Westbrook shows Cuban who's boss

DALLAS - Russell Westbrook rescued Oklahoma City with a stunning rally on Monday night and guaranteed the first losing record for Dallas in 17 full seasons under owner Mark Cuban.

Digest

Golf

Rafa rallies for memorable mark

MIAMI - Rafa Nadal celebrated his 1,000th tour-level match on Sunday with a hard-fought victory over Philipp Kohlschreiber to reach the fourth round of the Miami Open.

Harden's relentless Rockets muffle Thunder

HOUSTON - James Harden was Houston's fourth-leading scorer on Sunday against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Digest

Combat Sports

Mercedes in the mood for Shanghai showdown

MELBOURNE - Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes vowed to come back hard in China after being ambushed by resurgent Ferrari in Formula One's season-opener in Australia on Sunday.

Spotlight shifting to young swingers

Being able to drive the green on a par-3 is not unusual for a 14-year-old girl accustomed to a daily training regimen that includes 1,000 practice swings.