Muguruza beats Kvitova in Wimbledon

Spain’s Garbine Muguruza beat twice Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova 6-4 4-6 7-5 to reach the semi-finals of the WTA Finals in Singapore.

Muguruza, 22, topped her group with a 100% record to set up a last-four tie with Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska.

Despite her defeat, Kvitova also went through thanks to a 6-4 6-3 victory by fellow Czech Lucie Safarova over Germany’s Angelique Kerber.

Kvitova, 25, will meet Russia’s Maria Sharapova, 28, in the semi-finals.

World number three Muguruza won her first meeting with Kvitova after five breaks of serve in the last set to continue her flawless run in her first appearance in the tour finals event.

Safarova was unable to qualify but kept Kvitova’s interest alive with her straight-sets win over Kerber, 27.

Safarova, 28, said: “Teamwork! I’m happy for her that she went through to the semis. I’m happy for my win as well.”

Whitehead breaks world record

Richard Whitehead smashed his own T42 200m world record as he reached Wednesday’s final at the IPC Athletics World Championships in Doha.

Whitehead powered through to win in 24.10 seconds, beating the 24.38 he set to win gold at London 2012.

Also through to the final is team-mate Dave Henson, who captained GB at last year’s Invictus Games.

Henson, a double amputee after stepping on an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan in 2011, finished third in his heat in 26.61 – just short of his personal best.

Whitehead had admitted he was disappointed at missing out on a medal in Sunday’s T42 100m final, where he finished fourth.

Although, as usual, he started slower than his rivals, he put in a devastating burst of speed over the second 100m of the race, finishing over a second clear of Australia’s 100m champion Scott Reardon.

Meanwhile, Jo Butterfield added discus bronze to the gold she won in the club throw on Saturday for Britain’s only medal of the day.

Butterfield managed a best of 8.96m with gold going to American Rachel Morrison in a new world record of 12.86m.

But the 36-year-old was still thrilled with her performance in her weaker event.

Champagne Intends to Stand for FIFA Presidency

Sepp Blatter’s former adviser Jerome Champagne says he intends to run for the Fifa presidency.

Champagne tried to run against Blatter at the last election in May, but failed to gain enough support to be nominated.

The suspensions of Blatter and Uefa president Michel Platini pending an inquiry into a £1.35m payment have persuaded Champagne to have another go.

He has pledged to publish the salaries and benefits of executives at world football’s governing body.

Champagne said: “At a time when Fifa needs more than ever an open debate about its future, its reform and the reform of football, we are witnessing the first months of the electoral campaign being dominated by controversy and deals made behind closed doors.”

His announcement comes before Monday’s deadline for the February 26 vote.

Champagne joins Platini, Prince Ali bin al-Hussein, former Trinidad and Tobago player David Nakhid and Asian Football Confederation president Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa in standing.

Arsenal Beat Bayern at Emirates

After they lost their opening two games away to Dinamo Zagreb and at home to Olympiakos, The Gunners hopes of reaching the knockout phase were in serious jeopardy.

Arsene Wenger’s side responded by beating Pep Guardiola’s Bayern – clear favourites to win Group F – and make a nonsense of those dismal earlier performances.

Bayern dominated possession but Arsenal dug out the win that keeps their hopes alive when substitute Olivier Giroud bundled home from close range in the 77th minute after goalkeeper Manuel Neuer made a rare error as he missed Santi Cazorla’s free-kick.

The win was secured in the dying seconds when Mesut Ozil turned in Hector Bellerin’s cross, Neuer clawing the ball out only for the officials to adjudge it had crossed the line.

Arsenal were indebted to keeper Petr Cech, restored after replacement David Ospina’s mistake in the defeat by Olympiakos, saving superbly from Thiago Alcantara and Arturo Vidal.

Neuer also excelled before his mistake, particularly with a sensational save from Theo Walcott’s first-half header.

Everton Takeover, Americans Explore

Everton are the subject of renewed speculation over a potential takeover. City of London financial have told that American investors, with links to Major League Soccer side Sporting Kansas City, are exploring purchasing the Premier League club.

An asking price of £225m is believed to have been set by Everton’s owners although it is unknown if the US consortium are prepared to match that.

The possible deal has also been reported in Kansas City.

SKC representative Mike Illig has publicly stated he is an Everton fan, posting pictures of a visit to Goodison Park on his Twitter account on Thursday.

Illig attended former Everton striker Duncan Ferguson’s testimonial against Villarreal at Goodison Park in August. His picture of the stadium was retweeted by Robb Heineman, Sporting Kansas City’s CEO, increasing speculation that a deal is under discussion.

Cliff Illig, Mike’s father, is the principal investor in the group of Kansas City entrepreneurs that purchased Kansas City Wizards from the Hunt Sports Group in 2006. He is also co-founder of the Cerner Corporation health care information technology group.

Everton chairman Bill Kenwright has openly admitted the club is for sale and has been seeking investment but failed to attract a buyer.

The theatre impresario, who bought the club from former owner Peter Johnson for £20m on Boxing Day 1999, said as far back as November 2007: “If the right person stands in front of me and wants to take this club forward then I will sell.”

Everton, who did’nt comment when contacted about suggestions that a takeover deal is under discussion.

Federer loss to Ramos-Vinolas

World number three profesional tennis player, Roger Federer is out of the Shanghai Masters after a 7-6 2-6 6-3 beaten by Albert Ramos-Vinolas.

The defending champion has playing his first match since losing in the US Open final to Novak Djokovic, having received a bye into the second round.

World number 70 Ramos-Vinolas, who has only won 1 Grand Slam match in the past three seasons, never thought beaten a top-10 opponent.

The Spaniard will faces Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France in the next round in Shanghai Masters.

Injured Aguero Out of a Month

Sergio Aguero was stretchered off with a hamstring problem during the match between Ecuador in the first half. Ecuador wins against Argentina 0-2 in World Cup 2018.

Argentina ruled Aguero out of next week’s World Cup qualifier against Paraguay but did not speculate how long he would be sidelined for.

However, a grade-two tear to the hamstring can require anything from two to eight weeks to recover from and the striker has a history of hamstring problems.

The injury is expected to see Aguero miss the Manchester derby on October 25 and Champions League matches with Sevilla on October 21 and November 3.

Aguero is Argentina’s fourth highest all-time scorer and his absence comes at a bad time for his country, who are already missing injured Lionel Messi and face Brazil in a key qualifier on November 13.

The 27-year-old, who scored five goals against Newcastle last weekend, has suffered several hamstring injuries during his time in the Premier League.

He was replaced as a precaution after his five-goal haul and later admitted he had felt his hamstring in City’s previous game against Borussia Monchengladbach.

But, Argentina boss, Gerardo Martino claimed that his latest problem was unrelated.

Beckham Recalls Old Trafford Debut for Manchester United

It’s David Beckham 21 years to the day since he played his first senior game at Old Trafford – Manchester United’s 2-0 League Cup win over Port Vale

“It was always my dream to grow up as a young Manchester United player and be successful with the club, so that first game at Old Trafford was so special for me.

“The League Cup was a competition we’d all hope we’d play in because the manager [Sir Alex Ferguson] liked to give young players a chance. He’d change the first team and bring younger players in… he told us the day before so we didn’t sleep that night!

“Playing for Manchester United is never easy and when you get your chance you never know if it’s going to be your last game, but luckily the manager had faith in us as young kids and the fact he threw us all into the first-team squad at the same time showed the vision he had for the future.

“As well as myself, he brought through Butty, Scholesy, Giggsy, Gary and Phil Neville, Keith Gillespie, Simon Davies and others. He was good at doing that and it’s one of the reasons why he was successful.”

Beckham will play at Old Trafford again on 14 November 2015 for a special charity game to raise money for UNICEF. Sir Alex Ferguson will also be back, as manager of a Great Britain & Ireland XI taking on world legends such as Zinedine Zidane.

Preview As Roma Vs Barcelona – Champions League

Barcelona will travel to Rome to measure forces with AS Roma at Stadio Olimpico for the opening match of the UEFA Champions League group stage.

Barcelona were forced to put in some extra work during their last Saturday’s visit to Vicente Calderón. Atlético Madrid even scored first by Fernando Torres, but a flawlessly scored free-kick from Neymar and a superb effort from Lionel Messi gave the Catalan team a deserved win.

As for AS Roma, the Italian team are currently on a very positive run at Serie A after a somehow disappointing 1-1 draw at Verona in the opening day of the new season.Last weekend, AS Roma experienced an unexpected difficulty during their travel to Frosinone, but ended up winning the match by 2-0, with goals from Iago Falque and Juan Iturbe.

Last meeting, AS Roma wins against Barcelona 3-0 in 2002. Goals from Emerson, Vincenzo Montella and Damiano Tommasi condemned the Blaugrana to UEFA Champions League elimination, as a Barca side featuring the likes of Luis Enrique, Patrick Kluivert and Rivaldo slumped to an emphatic loss at the Stadio Olimpico.

Prediction Starting LineUp :

AS Roma : Szczesny, Ruediger, Digne, Florenzi, Manolas, Nainggolan, Totti, De Rossi, Keita, Gervinho, Salah.

Barcelona : Stegen, Mascherano, Alba, Roberto, Mathieu, Rakitic, Busquets, Iniesta, Suarez, Messi, Neymar.

Market Asian Handicap : AS Roma 1 : 0 Barcelona
Market Over/Under : 2 1/2

David de Gea in talks to extend Manchester United contract

                 Manchester United are in talks to extend David de Gea’s Contract

The Spaniard’s present deal expires in 2016 and United had previously indicated they had abandoned hope of the 24-year-old signing an extension.

But following the collapse of a proposed move to Real Madrid on transfer deadline day, negotiations have begun, with De Gea’s agent Jorge Mendes attending the club’s training complex on Thursday. De Gea is yet to play this season.

Manager Louis van Gaal refused to pick the former Atletico Madrid man until the end of the transfer window, such was the uncertainty surrounding his future.

De Gea, United’s player of the season for the past two years, was upset at Van Gaal’s claim he did not want to play in the opening games of the season, although club sources have since indicated any damage to the pair’s relationship will be easily repaired.