Tour de France champion Bradley Wiggins has confirmed that the Giro d'Italia is his main priority this year.

"The Giro d'Italia is my new challenge, my inspiration, the new fire burning inside me," Wiggins told race organizer Gazzetta dello Sport on Tuesday. "I think winning it, for certain aspects, will be more difficult than winning the Tour."

Novak Djokovic bounced back from a marathon five-setter just 48 hours earlier as he skated into the Australian Open semifinals with a untroubled win over Tomas Berdych on Tuesday.

The Serbian world number one, chasing a hat-trick of Australian crowns, showed no ill-effects of his torrid five-hour dogfight with Stanislas Wawrinka as he beat the Czech fifth seed, 6-1, 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 in 2hr 31min.

The Golden State Warriors came from seven points down in the closing minutes to beat the NBA-leading Los Angeles Clippers 106-99 on Sunday, closing the gap between the Pacific Division's top teams to six games.

In other key games, Indiana stayed clear top of the Central Division by pipping Memphis, Brooklyn beat New York to move within a game of their city rivals in the Atlantic Division, and San Antonio was too good for slumping Philadelphia.

Maria Sharapova continued her dominating form at the Australian Open with a straight-sets win over Ekatrina Makarova on Tuesday, conceding only nine games in five matches en route to a semifinal against Li Na.

No. 2-ranked Sharapova had a 6-2, 6-2 quarterfinal win over fellow Russian Makarova on Rod Laver Arena and has spent just 5 hours, 15 minutes on court so far in the tournament. That's an unprecedented run in Australia.

The toughest sides of the men's and women's draws at the Australian Open are progressing true to form. A consequence of that smooth sailing is the likelihood now of some semifinals worthy of any Grand Slam title matches.

Second-seeded Roger Federer and Andy Murray stayed on course Monday for a semifinal in their half of the draw, with No. 1 and defending champion Novak Djokovic possibly waiting for the victor in next Sunday's final.

Music fans will soon get to hear the symphonic-like shrieking that Victoria Azarenka brings to her tennis.

The No. 1-ranked player and reigning Australian Open champion is known as one of the more vocal players on the women's tour, accompanying almost every whack of the ball with a high-pitched "Ooooooouuuuuuuuuuuu."

Oklahoma City Thunder dropped into a tie for the NBA's best record when they lost 121-118 at the Denver Nuggets in overtime on Sunday.

Kenneth Faried scored the go-ahead layup in overtime, dropping the Thunder equal with the Los Angeles Clippers on 32-9 records.

Alberto Contador, a two-time winner of the Tour de France who was stripped of a third title for using a banned substance, says cycling needs to take something positive from the Lance Armstrong scandal and move forward.

Contador spoke to reporters on Sunday on the eve of the Tour de San Luis in Argentina.

The African Cup of Nations returned to something more like its normal order on Sunday when sunshine, empty stands, reckless yet eye-catching football and politics were all thrown in at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.

Seydou Keita ensured Mali was the first team to win at the tournament then called attention to his conflict-torn country by wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with a slogan calling for peace.

David Ferrer beat Japan's Kei Nishikori to reach his third straight Australian Open quarterfinal Sunday, but he then insisted he didn't deserve to be counted among the sport's "Big Four".

Ferrer, who will usurp celebrated fellow Spaniard Rafael Nadal as world number four after the Open, baulks at talk that he belongs to the exclusive group alongside Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Andy Murray.