Defending champion Maria Sharapova will make her first appearance since Wimbledon at the San Diego Classic this week as she once again tests her long-standing shoulder injury.
The world No. 2, who beat Kim Clijsters in last year's final to capture the hardcourt title here, has been dogged by the injury problem since the spring.
Pain-killing shots helped her to the French Open semi-finals and a Wimbledon fourth-round loss to Venus Williams.
Following the wet fortnight at the All England Club, the 20-year-old Russian underwent a precautionary scan and controversially pulled out of Russia's Fed Cup semi-final win over the US.
Despite failing to win a trophy so far this season, and with her US Open title defense approaching, Sharapova does not seem worried.
"I'm 20 years old, I've won two Grand Slams. I've been No. 1 in the world," she said.
"I've got plenty more years to either win matches or find confidence," she said.
Serb Jelena Jankovic, who won a surprise Wimbledon mixed doubles title with Jamie Murray, has played just one Fed Cup rubber indoors since the All England Club.
She will get back on cement for the first time since March in Miami.
Along with the other eight leading seeds, she has a first-round bye at what will be the last edition of an event which has fallen victim to the WTA calendar shake-up.
Russians hold half of the top eight seedings, with Anna Chakvetadze at three, Nadia Petrova fourth and Dinara Safina eighth.
Wimbledon finalist Marion Bartoli of France will try to put behind last week's opening-match disappointment at Stanford when she was defeated by Lilia Osterloh.
The Frenchwoman has admitted to still being tired and overwhelmed by her surprise Grand Slam performance this month.
Slovak Daniela Hantuchova takes the sixth seeding with Martina Hingis at seven and playing for the first time since a back injury which hampered her Wimbledon.
Wimbledon champion Venus Williams, who will represent her family after sister Serena withdrew with her thumb injury, last played the event in 2002 when she lifted the title with a win over Jelena Dokic.
The Philadelphia 76ers, fueled by 36 points from Tyrese Maxey and a triple-double from Joel Embiid, on Thursday beat the Houston Rockets 128-122 in an NBA overtime thriller. Cameroonian big man Embiid scored 32 points, grabbed 15 rebounds and handed out 10 assists, posting the ninth triple-double of his career to help the Sixers end the Rockets’ three-game winning streak. Rockets star Kevin Durant scored 36 points and Amen Thompson added 17, but Thompson was scoreless in the fourth quarter. Even so, the Rockets led by nine midway through the final frame, Maxey tying it at 115-115 with 40.1 seconds left. Durant missed a
Luka Doncic on Monday produced a 46-point masterpiece as the Los Angeles Lakers snapped the Chicago Bulls’ four-game winning streak with a 129-118 victory on the road. Doncic rattled in eight three-pointers on 15-of-25 shooting from the field, finishing with seven rebounds and 11 assists to lead an impressive Lakers effort at the United Center. LeBron James chipped in with 24 points, five rebounds and three assists, while Rui Hachimura delivered an eye-catching cameo off the bench with 23 points from nine-of-11 shooting. The win was another encouraging result for the Lakers after a 116-110 defeat of the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday. “We did
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Taiwanese FORTUNES: Wu Fang-hsien and Hsieh Su-wei both advanced to the last 16 of the women’s doubles, but Ray Ho was ousted in the men’s doubles Carlos Alcaraz yesterday stepped up his quest to win a maiden Australian Open as he overwhelmed showman Corentin Moutet to reach the last 16, while Taiwan’s Wu Fang-hsien and Hsieh Su-wei both advanced to the last 16 of the women’s doubles. Three-time finalist Daniil Medvedev battled through on day six at a warm and sunny Melbourne Park, as did Coco Gauff. Top seed Alcaraz was never in danger against French 32nd seed Moutet, easing through 6-2, 6-4, 6-1 at Rod Laver Arena in 2 hours, 5 minutes. It was the Spaniard’s 100th Grand Slam match and he boasts a remarkable 87-13 win-loss record,
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