Top seeds Djokovic, Azarenka advance, Federer falls

MIAMI: Top seeds and defending champions Novak Djokovic and Victoria Azarenka advanced Monday while third seed Roger Federer crashed out of the ATP/WTA Miami Masters tournament.

Djokovic defeated No. 27 seed Viktor Troicki 6-3, 6-4 in an all-Serb third round matchup on Monday.

American Andy Roddick upset 16-time major winner Federer 7-6 (7/4), 1-6, 6-4, snapping the Swiss star's win streak at 16 matches.Tennis Results Today

The world number one Djokovic, who won Miami titles in 2007 and 2011, saved seven of eight break point opportunities as he beat Troicki for the 11th consecutive time.

Djokovic finished with two aces, one double fault and won 73 percent of his first-serve points in the 85 minute match.

Djokovic next plays 17th seed Richard Gasquet of France.

Azarenka survived a scare from 16th seeded Dominika Cibulkova, gutting out a 1-6, 7-6 (9/7), 7-5 victory in the fourth round Monday.

Cibulkova made Azarenka, of Belarus, work to protect her season long match win streak which now stands at 26.

World No. 1 Azarenka struggled in the first set then needed a tiebreaker in the second to get back into the marathon two hour, 47 minute match. She finished with two aces and seven double faults, compared to Cibulkova's 10 double faults.

Azarenka advances to face France's Marion Bartoli, who easily defeated Maria Kirilenko 6-1, 6-2 earlier in the day.

Roddick beat Federer for just the third time in 24 career meetings.

Roddick hammered 12 aces and won 74 percent of his first-serve points to outlast Federer in the two hour, one minute third round match.

After losing the first set tie-break, Federer broke Roddick three times to even the match at one-set all.

Roddick saved four break points to hold serve in his first service game of the final set.

Federer's 16-match win streak, included titles in Rotterdam, Dubai and Indian Wells.

World No. 2 Maria Sharapova defeated fellow Russian Ekaterina Makarova 6-4, 7-6 (7/3) to set up a quarter-final clash with China's Li Na.

Sharapova, the 2011 Miami runner-up, is chasing her first title at the event after finishing second three times. She lost in the final last year to Azarenka.

Sharapova saved break point 11 of 15 times and converted on five of eight of her break point opportunities to advance into a matchup against Li, who rallied to beat Sabine Lisicki 3-6, 6-4, 6-2.

American 10th seed Serena Williams defeated Australian sixth seed Samantha Stosur 7-5, 6-3 in a rematch of the 2011 US Open final.

Qatar to host Asian Champion Trophy

Qatar will host Asian Champions Trophy hockey this year which expected to be held in the end of 2012.

Pakistan, India, Malaysia, South Korea, China and Japan will participate in the event, however the Asian Hockey Federation is yet to finalise the dates of the event.Hockey News

“This is a huge boost for Qatar and for the sport of hockey here. Conducting a major event like this will certainly increase the popularity of the sport,” Qatar Hockey Federation (QHF) Secretary-General Mohamed Nazer Abdul said.

“With plenty of Asian expatriates in Qatar, you can expect a full house and if there is an India-Pakistan clash, the euphoria can cross all levels,” Gulf Times quoted him as saying.

Federer suffers rare loss to Roddick

World number three Roger Federer was feeling the pace of his busy start to the year after suffering a surprise 7-6 1-6 6-4 defeat to Andy Roddick in the Sony Ericsson Open on Monday.

The third round loss to the American ended a 16-match winning streak for the Swiss, which included his titles in Rotterdam, Dubai and Indian Wells.

"I came out a bit flat today, I was a bit tired, I guess, but it was more mental than physical," the 16-times grand slam winner told reporters.Tennis News Latest

"That's maybe 30 matches for the season. I am just feeling like it's taken its toll a bit, which is normal," he said.

"But I've played more tired in the past, so this was not the most tired I have ever been, but you just start to feel it a bit. I didn't just get the lucky break today that I got in Indian Wells."

After sharing the opening two sets, Roddick saved three break points against his serve in the opening game of the decider, went on to break his opponent immediately and maintained the advantage through to the end of the match.

"I have been playing so much. I tried to push myself and gave myself a fighting chance, and then when things were under control, he fought off those break point chances... and had the perfect game after that," Federer added.

Roddick, who has slumped to 34th in the world, had his powerful forehand back to its best and was strong on serve, winning 69 percent of first service points.

The win was Roddick's first over a top three player since beating Novak Djokovic in Cincinnati in 2010 and his first against Federer since a 2008 win here at Key Biscayne.

"The game that I played for the break in the third set was one of the best return games I've ever played. I think I hit four forehand winners," the 2003 U.S. Open champion said.

The 29-year-old American said that despite the euphoria of victory the result needed to be kept in perspective.

"It would be a little presumptuous to go from people retiring me to all of a sudden talking about winning a Master's event. Let's take it for what it's worth.

"It probably wasn't as bad as it seemed two weeks ago and it's probably not all the way turned around because of one match".

Pakistan vs Sri Lanka 3rd Test Live Streaming 2011

Pakistan vs Sri Lanka 3rd Test Live Streaming 2011: Watch Pakistan vs Sri Lanka Live 3rd Test Day 1 on 3rd November 2011 at Sharjah. Watch Pakistan vs Sri Lanka Live Score Card of 3rd Test Day 1 on November 3, 2011 from Sharjah. Watch Live Ball by Ball Commentary of Pak vs SL 3rd Test First Day on 03-11-2011 at Sharjah International Cricket Stadium, Sharjah. Pakistan vs Sri Lanka 3rd Test Day1 Live Streaming 3 Nov 2011. 3rd Test 1st Day Live Pakistan vs Sri Lanka 3 Nov 2011. Pakistan vs Sri Lanka Live Cricket Series 2011-12.Pakistan vs Sri Lanka Day 1 Highlights 2nd Test 2011. Pakistan (Pak ) vs Sri Lanka (SL) Highlights 2nd Test Day 1 Cricket Highlights. Pak vs SL, Test Cricket Highlights. Sri Lanka vs Pakistan Day 1 Highlights 2nd Test Dubai 26 Oct 2011. Watch Pakistan vs Sri Lanka Test Cricket Highlights.


Pakistan announced the itinerary on Tuesday for their autumn series against Sri Lanka, to be played in the neutral territory of the United Arab Emirates.

Pakistan have been forced to play on foreign soil since a terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore two years ago shattered the global cricketing community's faith in the nation being able guarantee the safety of touring sides. Eight people died while seven Sri Lankan players and a coach were wounded in the attack, which ended already-fragile hopes of the insurgency-wracked nation hosting international cricket.

Pakistan, who have been playing their home matches in the UAE since 2008, offered to host Sri Lanka at home, but the invitation was rejected after a military base in Karachi was attacked in May this year.

Pakistan and Sri Lanka will play three Tests - one each in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah - while three ODIs will go ahead in Dubai and one each in Sharjah and Abu Dhabi. Abu Dhabi will stage the only Twenty20 match.

Genk vs Chelsea 1-1 UEFA Champions League Highlights

Genk vs Chelsea 1-1 UEFA Champions League Highlights: Genk (4-4-2): Laszlo Koteles; Daniel Tozser, Jose Ferreira, Anele Ngcongca, Anthony Vanden Bore; Khaleem Hyland, Fabien Camus, Kevin de Bruyne, Thomas Buffel; Kennedy Nwanganga, Jelle Vossen.

Substitutes: Mohamed Sarr, Dugary Ndabashinze, Elianiv Barda, Timothy Durwael, Anthony Limbombe, Grzegorz Sandiomierski, Marvin Ofori.Genk vs Chelsea 1-1 UEFA Champions League Highlights

Chelsea (4-3-3): Petr Cech; Ashley Cole, David Luiz, Branislav Ivanovic, Jose Bosingwa; Oriol Romeu, Ramires, Raul Meireles; Florent Malouda, Fernando Torres, Nicolas Anelka.

Substitutes: Ross Turnbull, John Terry, Frank Lampard, Josh McEachran, Juan Mata, Daniel Sturridge, Salomon Kalou.

A win here would more or less guarantee the group stages for Chelsea. Let's put last weekend behind us and get the three points!

Chelsea obliterating Racing Genk at Stamford Bridge. Coming into Tuesday's Matchday 4 encounter in Belgium, Genk had yet to score a goal in the Champions League. That changed in this match, as Belgian international striker and lethal finisher Jelle Vossen scored against Chelsea, giving his team the equalizer in a 1-1 draw.

Chelsea were easily the better team in the first half and were the better team for most of the second half as well, but could only find one goal. Ramires scored that only tally in the 25th minute, assisted by Fernando Torres. Chelsea had a chance to double their lead through a penalty kick in the 39th minute, but László Köteles made an excellent save on David Luiz.

The Blues seemed to take their foot off the gas and Genk looked more threatening through the second half, though a goal never looked absolutely imminent. Vossen found a chance and capitalized in the 61st minute, though, scoring a close-range goal assisted by Fabien Camus. The entire back line was in shambles on the goal, and Jose Bosingwa in particular was caught completely out of position.

Chelsea pushed forward and created a number of half chances between then and the end of the match, with substitute Frank Lampard missing the best one in the 78th minute, but they ultimately failed to score. With this 1-1 draw, Chelsea are now just two points ahead of Bayer Leverkusen and three points ahead of Valencia.

Check out our UEFA Champions League Tuesday, Matchday 4 StoryStream for coverage of all of the Champions League action. For more on the Blues, check out Chelsea FC blog We Ain't Got No History. For more on the entire world of football, check out SB Nation Soccer.

Viktoria Plzen 0-4 Barcelona Champions League Highlights

Viktoria Plzen 0-4 Barcelona Champions League Highlights: A Lionel Messi hat-trick smoothed FC Barcelona's progress into the knockout stages as the holders eased to a 4-0 win against ten-man FK Viktoria Plzeň.

The unlikely hopes raised by the Czech champions' breathless start were dashed following Marián Čišovský's 22nd-minute dismissal, which afforded Messi the opportunity to score his 200th goal for Barça with a nonchalant penalty. He then brought up a half-century of strikes for 2011 just before the break and claimed a second hat-trick in as many games in added time after Cesc Fàbregas had headed in the third. It means both Barcelona and AC Milan have sealed their places in the last 16 with two games to spare.Viktoria Plzen 0-4 Barcelona Champions League Highlights

Prior to kick-off, Plzeň captain Pavel Horváth had joked his team were eyeing a shock victory, but the hosts' punchy opening suggested there was substance to his light-hearted banter. When Barcelona conceded possession cheaply, Milan Petržela's devastating burst of speed took him clear only for Víctor Valdés to foil him before Daniel Kolář shot over.

There was a limit to Barça's generosity, though, and they snapped into their stride when Plzeň's guard dropped. The hosts were vulnerable when they gave the ball away outside their own box – Čišovský's desperate lunge stopped Messi as he shaped to shoot, but also sent the Argentinian tumbling. With the Slovakian defender sent off, Messi retained his poise to side-foot in from the spot.

With his team-mates seemingly content to allow him to hog the limelight, Messi kept Roman Pavlík warm on a chilly evening in the Czech capital. The 35-year-old goalkeeper, who was making his group stage debut, turned aside a pair of Messi drives, but when the impish forward exchanged passes with Adriano inside the box, Pavlík could not prevent the Barça star doubling his team's lead.

Fàbregas came within a whisker of fluffing Barça's cushion to a comfortable three goals shortly after the restart, and only an imperious flying save from Pavlík halted a dipping Messi free-kick as their pair resumed their personal duel.

Plzeň's forward forays were understandably limited, but when David Limberský's cross found Petržela unmarked at the back post, the Czech international should have done better than volley into the side netting. Fàbregas did not make the same mistake when Isaac Cuenca's flighted centre found him six metres out before Messi latched on to Gerard Piqué's back-heel to make it four and seal a two-point lead over Milan ahead of their matchday five meeting in Italy.

Aldershot Town v Manchester United - English Carling Cup 2011

Aldershot Town v Manchester United - English Carling Cup 2011: Manchester United avoided further humiliation after their derby drubbing as they breezed through tonight's Carling Cup clash at Aldershot.


An entirely different starting XI to the side thrashed 6-1 on Sunday by Manchester City made sure there was no hangover thanks to Dimitar Berbatov and Antonio Valencia's first goals of the season and another competition strike from Michael Owen.

Aldershot tried their best to bridge the gulf in class between npower League Two also-rans and the Barclays Premier League champions, but they failed until late on to seriously test a rearguard that had looked vulnerable in the extreme in recent weeks.Aldershot 0 – 3 Man Utd

United arrived in Aldershot to witness a town buzzing for the club's biggest game since they reformed in 1992 following the demise of Aldershot FC, and one of the biggest since the latter hosted a star-studded United team in the same competition 41 years earlier.

Their 7,300-capacity ground was full to bursting and the home fans arrived hoping to see one of the biggest shocks in League Cup history against a side who had never lost to a club from the fourth tier of English football.

United had also not suffered as bad a derby defeat as City inflicted on them in 85 years, a result manager Sir Alex Ferguson branded the worst of his entire career.

Dean Holdsworth's Shots were looking to compound his misery and there were a few minor scares early on as the visitors gave the ball away in midfield.

But United soon took charge and Tom Cleverley, back after six weeks out with a foot injury, curled over the bar from 20 yards.

Returning captain Nemanja Vidic was booked for felling Alex Rodman in the 10th minute but that was a false dawn for the home side as the visitors showcased their superior class five minutes later.

Park Ji-sung played a one-two with Cleverley on the edge of the box before finding Dimitar Berbatov, who passed the lay-off into the net.

The home fans responded with chants of ''We're going to win 6-1'', which looked optimistic when Fabio dragged wide and Luke Guttridge was forced to clear Berbatov's knock-down from in front of goal.

But Aldershot almost levelled through a superb solo effort from the dangerous Jermaine McGlashan, who ran at the heart of United's defence before unleashing a rising drive that just cleared the crossbar.

Berbatov and Mame Diouf both powered headers over under pressure before Michael Rankine failed to make the most of a free header from a corner and Danny Hylton sent a turn and shot straight at Ben Amos from a tight angle.

That was in the 41st minute and United immediately broke down the right with Berbatov squaring for Owen, whose shot straight down the middle managed to beat Ross Worner for his third goal in two League Cup ties this season.

Rodman failed to emerge for the second half after taking a knock to the shoulder towards the end of the first, with Bradley Bubb coming on.

The contest was over three minutes later as United scored with the first attack of the half, a 20-yard Antonio Valencia piledriver leaving Worner clutching air.

Aldershot looked determined to salvage some pride but that left them wide open on the counter and Berbatov dragged wide when he really should have made it 4-0.

Cleverley's comeback lasted just short of an hour as United brought on Paul Pogba, who was joined on the field by Ravel Morrison and Michael Keane 10 minutes later, Diouf and Ezekiel Fryers being replaced.

Aldershot introduced Jamie Collins for Peter Vincenti, while their fans continued to give as good as they got in the banter stakes with the small pocket of United supporters.

With 10 minutes remaining, Worner produced arguably the only world-class moment of Aldershot's night with a sensational save from Berbatov's 20-yard free-kick.

Adam Smith came on for Rankine and a late rally saw Guttridge drill inches wide and force a brilliant stop from Amos with a curling free-kick before Valencia blazed over when clean through on the break. Source http://soccernet.espn.go.com