Latest - For the second straight year the Breakers will get to play NBA opposition in pre-season.
The Breakers are one of three Australian NBL teams that will travel to the United States in October with the Auckland franchise to play the Memphis Grizzlies and Steve Adams' Oklahoma City Thunder.
Armani Moore of the New Zealand Breakers passes the ball around Davon Reed of the Phoenix Suns during the first half of their game. Photo: AFP
The Adelaide 36ers and Melbourne United are the other teams from Australia to take part while the LA Clippers, Sacramento Kings and Utah Jazz are the other teams involved from the NBA.
"That this series is now heading into a third consecutive year is a reflection of the strength of partnership between the NBL and the NBA and the incredible growth and success of basketball in Australia and New Zealand," said NBL Chief Executive Jeremy Loeliger. "The NBL is now one of the premier basketball leagues in the world outside the NBA and we can't wait for October."
"There's never been a better time to be a basketball fan in Australia and New Zealand," said Francesco Suarez, Vice President of Global Partnerships, NBA Asia. "Excitement around the game is an all-time high, and for the third consecutive year, fans can look forward to a competitive series of games featuring some of the best players in the NBL and NBA."
The Breakers play the Grizzlies on October 8th and the Thunder on October 10th.
Last year the Breakers played the Phoenix Suns.
Dutch into World Cup final
The Netherlands beat Sweden 1-nil in extra time to reach the FIFA women's World Cup final for the first time.
Midfielder Jackie Groenen scored in the 99th minute with a long strike to put them into Monday morning's final against holders the United States.
The game marked the first time a women's World Cup semi-final had gone to extra time and it proved a tight contest between the two sides, who last met in the quarter-finals of Euro 2017 when the Dutch won 2-0 before going on to win the competition.
Gaugh wins again
Cori Gauff's dream Wimbledon run continued as the 15-year-old American swept past former semi-finalist Magdalena Rybarikova into the third round.
Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Playing under the lights of the new Court One roof, Gauff, who defeated Venus Williams in round one, put in another nerveless display to win 6-3 6-3.
It may have been approaching her bedtime but the young American stayed utterly focused as she won in an hour and nine minutes to set up a clash with world No.60 Polona Hercog of Slovenia after she beat 17th seed Madison Keys.
Gauff, who was filmed having a brief chat with Roger Federer before the match, told the BBC: "I think I played well, especially on the pressure points. She was serving amazing so it was hard to return sometimes.
Mixed results for Kiwis at SW19
A win and a loss for New Zealand tennis players at Wimbledon.
New Zealand doubles player Artem Sitak. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Third seed Michael Venus and his South African partner Raven Klaasen won their opening men's doubles match.
They beat British pair Luke Bambridge and Jonny O'Mara in straight sets and will meet Australian veteran Lleyton Hewitt and Jordan Thompson in the second round.
Artem Sitak and Israeli partner Jonathan Erlich were beaten in straight sets by ninth seeded Argentinians Maximo Gonzalez and Horacio Zeballos.
Marcus Daniel is the third New Zealander in the men's doubles and he and his Dutch partner Wesley Koolhof play tonight.
Erin Routliffe also plays her first round women's doubles tonight.
Rore confident of playing World Cup
The Silver Ferns defender Katrina Rore is confident she will be fit and ready for the Netball World Cup.
Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The Pulse skipper missed last week's International Series in Auckland with a calf strain - with Mikaela Sokolic-Beatson brought in as injury cover.
Rore needs to be good to go in four days time- ahead of the Ferns tournament opener next Friday - and she believes she's very close to being back to full fitness.
The Silver Ferns flew out for the UK from Auckland last night.
Big Stan gone
American Reilly Opelka overcame three-time Grand Slam winner Stanislas Wawrinka in five sets to reach the third round of Wimbledon.
Stan Wawrinka. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Former world number three Wawrinka had the upper hand against the 2015 boys' junior champion after three sets.
But 6ft 11in Opelka fought back with ferocious serving and broke the Swiss in the 14th game of the deciding set to win the three-hour match.
Opelka, 21, will play Robin Haase or Milos Raonic in the third round.
Russian Karen Khachanov got through a tricky test against Queen's champion Feliciano Lopez.
The 10th seed came from a set down to win in four and make it through to the third round for the third year in a row.
Fellow Russian Daniil Medvedev, the 11th seed, defeated Australian Alexei Popyrin in five..
In the women's draw world No.3 Karolina Pliskova claimed a commanding 6-0 6-4 victory over Puerto Rico's Monica Puig, while seventh-seeded Simona Halep survived a scare to beat fellow Romanian Mihaela Buzarnescu 6-3 4-6 6-2 and advance to the third round at Wimbledon.
Boks remain cautious about skipper
South Africa are to take a "conservative approach" with injured captain Siya Kolisi ahead of the Rugby World Cup in Japan and may send him to play some provincial matches before he returns to the Springbok jersey.
Kolisi injured his knee playing for the Stormers in Super Rugby at the end of May and is almost certain to miss to first two of the Boks' Rugby Championship matches, home to Australia on July 20 and away to New Zealand a week later.
"We will probably be a bit conservative with Siya to make sure he is ready for the World Cup, which is the most important part of the year," Bok coach Rassie Erasmus told reporters on Wednesday.
"We will wait for the results of his scans on Friday, and then we will take it from there and see what the return to play protocol will be."
Erasmus added it was likely that Kolisi would play domestic Currie Cup rugby for Western Province while the Boks are in New Zealand, with the aim to have him back for one-off home test against Argentina in Pretoria on Aug. 17.
-Reuters
De Gea gets better offer
Manchester United have made goalkeeper David de Gea an improved contract offer in a bid to keep the Spain international at Old Trafford.
De Gea's current deal runs out in 12 months and efforts to get the 28-year-old to agree an extension have failed.
It is understood United's latest offer would make De Gea the highest-paid goalkeeper in the world.
He came very close to joining Real Madrid in 2015.
Whilst it is felt the former Atletico Madrid man wants to remain in Manchester, it is understood his advisors believe his status as one of the key figures in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's squad, and United's player of the year in four seasons out of five, should make him one of the club's highest earners.
