* Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain defeated Canada's Denis Shapovalov in a rollercoaster of a five-setter to reach the US Open semi-finals early on Wednesday (Sep 9). The 20th seed overcame his 12th-seeded opponent 3-6, 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (7/4), 0-6, 6-3 in 4 hours 8 minutes inside Arthur Ashe Stadium.
* Serena Williams was forced to dig deep to secure a 4-6 6-3 6-2 US Open quarter-final victory over unseeded Bulgarian Tsvetana Pironkova on Wednesday (Sep 9), keeping alive her latest bid for a record-tying 24th Grand Slam singles title.
* A loose and confident Victoria Azarenka overpowered Elise Mertens 6-1 6-0 on Wednesday to advance to the semi-finals of the US Open, where she'll face a familiar foe in Serena Williams.
* Aston Villa have signed striker Ollie Watkins from Championship side Brentford on a five-year deal, the Premier League club said on Wednesday. Financial details of the deal were not disclosed but British media reported Villa paid a club record fee of 28 million pounds (US$36.2 million) plus a potential 5 million pounds in add-ons.
* Wolverhampton Wanderers have signed Portuguese midfielder Vitinha on a season-long loan from Porto with the option of a permanent deal, the Premier League club said on Wednesday.
* The draws for this season's Champions League and Europa League group stages have been moved from Athens because they would break local COVID-19 rules about large indoor gatherings, UEFA said on Wednesday (Sep 9). The European football body said that the Champions League draw would instead take place without guests - such as club representatives - at its own headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, on Oct 1 with the Europa League.
* Lionel Messi looked back in his comfort zone during training with his Barcelona team mates on Wednesday (Sep 9) in preparation for the new La Liga season as he continued to move on from his aborted attempt to leave the club last month.
* Australian Caleb Ewan claimed his second victory in this year's Tour de France when he prevailed in a tightly contested sprint to win the 11th stage, a 167.5km ride from Chatelaillon-Plage on Wednesday (Sep 9).
* Brooks Koepka will miss next week's US Open due to his ongoing knee injury, the two time champion said on Wednesday (Sep 9). Koepka, who won the tournament in 2017 and 2018, has been plagued by a knee problem all season and skipped this year's FedExCup playoffs.
* Fulham have signed goalkeeper Alphonse Areola on a season-long loan deal from French Ligue 1 champions Paris St Germain with the option to make the move permanent, the promoted Premier League side said in a statement on Wednesday (Sep 9). French World Cup-winner Areola, 27, spent the previous season on loan at Spanish champions Real Madrid as part of a deal that took Keylor Navas to Paris.
* England will face New Zealand at Wembley for the first time, in a friendly match on Nov. 12, the Football Association said on Wednesday. Gareth Southgate's team will take on the 'All Whites' in the build up to their two UEFA Nations League matches away to Belgium and at home to Iceland on Nov. 15 and 18 respectively.
* Mexican driver Sergio Perez will leave Racing Point at the end of the Formula One season, he and the team announced on Wednesday (Sep 9), with four-times world champion Sebastian Vettel set to replace him.
* Mick Schumacher will drive his father Michael's 2004 Ferrari around the Mugello circuit on Sunday ahead of a Tuscan Grand Prix celebrating the Italian team's 1,000th Formula One championship race. The car took German great Michael Schumacher to his record seventh and last world title.
