Olympic champion Katie Taylor opens her title defence at the AIBA World Women’s Elite Championships in Jeju, South Korea against Dominica’s Valerian Spicer today.

London-Dublin is now the world’s second-busiest international air route.

Seven-time champion Roger Federer put on an evening masterclass after world number one Rafael Nadal laboured his way through to the third round at Wimbledon.

Heather Watson became the first Briton to win a WTA Tour singles title in 24 years by winning a marathon match against Chang Kai-chen of Chinese Taipei in the final of the HP Open in Osaka.

Second seed Juan Martin Del Potro booked his place in the quarter-finals of the Farmers Classic in Los Angeles with a straight-sets win over James Blake.

Maria Sharapova avoided the drama of the second round as she saw off Chan Yung-jan 6-2 6-3 at the French Open today.

World number eight Maria Sharapova fought back from a set and two breaks down in her second-round match at the French Open before eventually beating teenager Caroline Garcia 3-6 6-4 6-0.

Padraig Harrington is on course for a first victory in two years after carding a four-under-par 68 today to open up a five-stroke lead heading into the final round of the Iskandar Johor Open.

Top seed Nadia Petrova moved into the second round of the Korea Open with a comfortable 6-3 6-2 victory over Jarmila Groth of Australia in Seoul.

Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki felt she had justified her position as top seed after setting up a fourth-round clash with former champion Maria Sharapova at the US Open.

Top seed Caroline Wozniacki and former champion Maria Sharapova will meet in the fourth round of the US Open after enjoying embarrassingly one-sided victories today.

Maria Sharapova will face the new hero of American tennis for the second year running at the US Open after booking her place in the third round at Flushing Meadows.

ROGER FEDERER wasted no time in powering to the third round at the US Open in Flushing Meadows last night.

ROMANIAN Victor Hanescu quit his Wimbledon third-round men’s singles match tonight after appearing to spit in anger at members of the crowd.

Germany’s Marcel Siem shot an eagle on his last hole to claim the clubhouse lead with an eight-under-par 64 midway through the opening round of the Avantha Masters today.

The Asian Tour announced their schedule for 2010 today with five new events added to the circuit and a total of almost $40m (€27m) on offer in prize money.

Race to Dubai leader Lee Westwood and nearest challenger, Irishman Rory McIlroy, both sit at four-under at the UBS Hong Kong Open today.

An ambitious Ian Poulter saw his five-stroke halfway lead at the Barclays Singapore Open disappear after just six holes of his third round today as Thomas Levet and Japan’s Kodai Ichihara took full advantage before play was suspended.

Ian Poulter established a five-shot lead at the half-way point of the weather-interrupted Barclays Singapore Open today after blitzing a flawless seven-under-par 64 second round at Sentosa Golf Cub.

A buoyant Daniel Chopra revelled in his bogey-free second round at the weather-affected Barclays Singapore Open today as the Swede set the halfway clubhouse mark with a welcome return to form following a frustrating year.

Lin Wen-tang overcame strong winds and heavy rain to capture his fifth Asian Tour title at the Mercuries Taiwan Masters today.

Former champions Kim Clijsters and Venus Williams stayed on course for a last-16 showdown at Flushing Meadows after both coming through their US Open second-round ties.

Rory McIlroy will make his debut for Ireland and Sergio Garcia will represent Spain for only the fourth time when golf’s World Cup takes place in China in November.

Oliver Wilson takes a one-stroke lead into tomorrow’s final round of the UBS Hong Kong Open as the Englishman looks to end his elusive search for a first European Tour victory.

Spain’s Pablo Larrazabal surged up the UBS Hong Kong leaderboard to share the lead with England’s Oliver Wilson and Lin Wen-tang of Chinese Taipei midway through the third round today.

Oliver Wilson shot a four-under-par 66 to take the clubhouse lead alongside South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen midway through the second round of the UBS Hong Kong Open today.

China’s Liang Wen-chong and South African Richard Sterne will take a one-stroke lead into the second day of the UBS Hong Kong Open after carding impressive opening rounds toda

Andy Murray looked set for early Olympics embarrassment in Beijing today as he trailed Yen-Hsun Lu of Chinese Taipei by a set and a break when his first round match was delayed by rain.

Darren Clarke maintained his challenge for the BMW Asian Open title by holding a share of the lead alongside Robert-Jan Derksen midway through the final round in Shanghai.

Darren Clarke admits he is revelling in his position at the top of the BMW Asian Open leaderboard as the Irishman heads into the final round chasing an overdue victory on the European Tour.

Darren Clarke is in prime position for a first win on the European Tour in five years after an impressive five-under-par 67 in the third round of the BMW Asian Open put him one stroke clear at the top of the leaderboard.

Top-seeded American Andy Roddick booked his place in the quarter-finals of the SAP Open with a 6-2 6-4 victory over in-form Japanese teenager Kei Nishikori.

After 10 years of having Padraig Harrington and Paul McGinley flying their flag, Irish hopes in golf’s World Cup rest this week with two players ranked 583rd and 622nd in the world.

Lorena Ochoa produced a superb seven-under-par 64 to go four strokes clear going into the final round of the Canadian Women’s Open.

Liang Wen-Chong parred the first extra hole of a play-off to defeat Iain Steel of Malaysia at Laguna National Golf and Country Club today to win the Clariden Leu Singapore Masters.

Britain’s Andy Murray set up a potential semi-final meeting with top seed Andy Roddick after beating Stefan Koubek 6-3 6-2 in the quarter-final of the Morgan Keegan Championships in Memphis.

Lee Westwood had a far from happy return to the Saujana Golf and Country Club today as he carded a disappointing three-over-par 75 in the opening round of the Maybank Malaysian Open.

South Africa withstood a surge by defending champions Sweden to win the 2006 Women’s World Amateur Golf Team Championships at Steelenbosch today, becoming the first victorious host nation since 1980.

Kelli Shean of Cape Town and Ashleigh Simon of Johannesburg each shot three-under-par 69s to propel South Africa into the lead by three strokes over Germany after the second day’s play at the 2006 Women’s World Amateur Team Championship. Stellenbosch, South Africa.

Tim Henman and Greg Rusedski have been drawn together in the first round of the US Open – with the victor facing the prospect of meeting world number one Roger Federer in round two.

Defending champion Svetlana Kuznetsova saw her reign brought to a crushing end on the opening day of the US Open at Flushing Meadows but top seed Maria Sharapova had an easy passage into the second round.

2006 World Cup qualifiers draw:

2006 World Cup qualifiers draw:

Mary Dundon, Jim Morahan and Dan Collins