* Third-seeded Marin Cilic recorded his 500th career ATP Tour-level victory on Thursday with a 6-1, 7-6 (5) win over Croatian countryman Ivo Karlovic in the second round of the VTB Kremlin Cup in Moscow.
* Veronika Kudermetova ousted top seed Elina Svitolina 6-1, 2-6, 7-5 in the second round of the Kremlin Cup in Moscow on Thursday, winning her first-ever match against a top-five opponent.
* Roger Federer committed Thursday to play in the French Open, where the 20-time Grand Slam winner returned this year after a three-year Paris absence.
* Luol Deng, who made a journey from South Sudan to NBA stardom, is calling it quits after a 15-year career after signing a one-day contract with the Chicago Bulls. The deal announced on Thursday (Oct 17) allows the 2012 London Olympian to close out his NBA days with the same club where he debuted after being selected seventh overall in the 2004 NBA Draft.
* Two-time reigning world champion Nathan Chen goes for a third consecutive Skate America title when the opening event of the International Skating Union Grand Prix season begins on Friday.
* Chelsea manager Frank Lampard sees no need for more European club matches, he said on Thursday, as discussions continued over the future of UEFA competitions.
* Liverpool and Manchester City have both been fined by UEFA for incidents in recent Champions League matches. European champions Liverpool were fined €10,000 (US$11,000) for "field invasion by spectators" after a couple of fans ran onto the pitch both during and at the end of their game at home to Red Bull Salzburg.
* Spain's La Liga has renewed its efforts to host a league game in Miami, officially requesting a change of venue for December’s fixture between Villarreal and Atletico Madrid. The request, made to Spain’s football federation (RFEF), follows the league’s unsuccessful attempt to host Girona’s January meeting with Barcelona in the US city.
* Defending champion Brooks Koepka needed a late eagle to card a three-under par first round at the CJ Cup on Thursday (Oct 17) but found himself five shots behind local hero An Byeong-hun, who had the galleries rocking.
