Novak Djokovic made a winning return nearly a month after suffering a wrist injury, starting the Rome Masters on a rainy Tuesday with a 6-3, 7-5 defeat of Radek Stepanek.

The second-round victory after a bye was the first match for the world number two Serb since losing a Monte Carlo semifinal on April 19 to Roger Federer while suffering with his right wrist problem.

A German banker has told a Munich court that he accepted a multi-million dollar bribe from Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone to facilitate a business deal.

Gerhard Gribkowsky, the prosecution's star witness in Ecclestone's corruption trial, testified Tuesday that Ecclestone initially approached him suggesting the deal be made in Singapore.

Belgium coach Marc Wilmots on Tuesday unveiled a 24-strong World Cup squad that included young talents Adnan Januzaj and Divock Origi.

Wilmots called up 20 outfield players and four goalkeepers given the injury to Hoffenheim stop-shotter Koen Casteels.

Joachim Loew plans to coach Germany for at least two more years, regardless of results at next month's World Cup, with his contract to expire in 2016.

Having taken charge in 2006, the 54-year-old Loew signed an extension with the German Football Association (DFB) last October and says he plans to at least fulfill his contract which expires after Euro 2016 in France.

Tim Sherwood has been sacked as manager of Tottenham Hotspur, the English Premier League club announced Tuesday.

Sherwood, appointed mid-season to replace the axed Andre Villas-Boas, had long been tipped to be on his way out of the north London club at the end of the season.

Spain manager Vicente del Bosque on Tuesday named the uncapped David de Gea, Dani Carvajal and Ander Iturraspe in his provisional list of 30 players for the World Cup in Brazil next month.

Del Bosque will announce his final squad of 23 players to defend the trophy they won for the first time four years ago on May 25, a day after Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid have disputed the Champions League final in Lisbon.

An interview that was supposed to be an attempt at rehabilitation instead had Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling facing fresh rebukes as he went from apologizing for recent racist remarks to slamming Magic Johnson.

Sterling repeatedly brought up the ex-NBA star's HIV status and celled him an unfit role model for children.

LeBron James equaled his playoff career high with 49 points and Chris Bosh made the tiebreaking 3-pointer with 57 seconds left as the Miami Heat beat the Brooklyn Nets 102-96 on Monday for a 3-1 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Later, Damian Lillard scored 25 points as the Portland Trail Blazers staved off elimination in the Western Conference semifinals with a 103-92 victory over the San Antonio Spurs.

Viktor Tikhonov scored twice and Alex Ovechkin added a goal and two assists Monday as Russia routed the United States 6-1 for its third straight victory at the ice hockey world championships.

In the day's other big matchup, Canada downed the Czech Republic 4-3.

Rio Ferdinand brought his trophy-filled, 12-year stay at Manchester United to an end on Monday by announcing he would be leaving Old Trafford to continue his playing career.

The 35-year-old Ferdinand, who became England's most expensive player when he joined United from Leeds for 29.1 million pounds in 2002, has not been offered an extension to his contract that expires next month.