Juventus remained on course for their first Serie A crown in nine seasons after crushing relegation-threatened Novara 4-0 on Sunday as AC Milan stayed three points adrift with a 4-1 win at Siena.

A brace from Mirko Vucinic and goals from Marco Borriello and Arturo Vidal helped unbeaten Juventus record their eighth success in a row to reach 77 points with three matches left.

The defining plot twist of the most enthralling title race in years could be written on Monday as Manchester City attempt to seize control of their Premier League destiny against leaders Manchester United.

Three weeks ago, United already had one hand on a record 20th title after City's defeat at Arsenal left Sir Alex Ferguson's team a hefty eight points clear with only six games remaining.

The Los Angeles Lakers may not be the force they were in winning back-to-back NBA titles in 2009 and 2010, but star Kobe Bryant says it would be a mistake to under-rate their playoff chances.

"I expect to win it, absolutely," Bryant told an ESPN radio call-in show this week. "We've been shooting the ball extremely well, and our biggest key is our perimeter shooting, limiting our turnovers, and keeping the game at our pace. If we can do those things in the post-season, I like our chances."

Maria Sharapova needed more than three hours to complete a marathon three-set comeback against U.S. Open winner Sam Stosur to reach Saturday's semifinals at the Stuttgart WTA clay-court tournament.

With Sharapova, Victoria Azarenka, Petra Kvitova, and Agnieszka Radwanska all in Saturday's semifinals, this is the first time since Wimbledon in 2009 that the world's top four players have reached the last four at a WTA tournament.

Rafael Nadal served up back-to-back finishing aces on Friday as the Spaniard's clay court juggernaut headed closer to a seventh title at the Barcelona Open with a 6-2, 6-2 thrashing of Janko Tipsarevic.

Nadal's quarterfinal win in 83 minutes, with five breaks of serve, helped the French Open champion take his record here to 33-1, with 32 straight wins.

In front of some of the players he has molded into one of the greatest football teams of all time, Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola stepped down on Friday, bringing to a close a four-year reign of unprecedented success.

Guardiola announced he will leave the club at the end of the season, explaining at a news conference held at the Camp Nou stadium that the demands of the job were too high and his energy levels too low to continue.

Rafael Nadal recorded his 31st consecutive win at his home Barcelona Open on Thursday to reach the quarterfinals at the expense of Colombian qualifier Robert Farah 6-2, 6-3.

Spain's world number two improved his near-impeccable record at the event to 32-1 as he aims to lift a seventh title from his last eight appearances.

The Chicago Bulls will open the postseason Saturday against Philadelphia, just before Miami and New York renew their playoff rivalry.

Oklahoma City hosts defending NBA champion Dallas later Saturday, while Indiana faces Orlando in the early Saturday night game.

Michael Jordan's No. 23 has long been synonymous with greatness. Now that number has a completely different meaning for him.

As Jordan watched from his luxury box, his Charlotte Bobcats lost their 23rd consecutive game Thursday night 104-84 to the New York Knicks and finished the shrunken season with the worst winning percentage in NBA history (.106). That means the man recognized globally as the greatest basketball player ever is the not-so-proud owner of the worst NBA team ever.

World number one Victoria Azarenka said she was sorry to reach the quarterfinals of Stuttgart's WTA tournament on Thursday as Germany's Andrea Petkovic exited with a serious injury.

Azarenka took the first set 6-2, but with the scores tied at four-all in the second, Petkovic shouted in pain after twisting her right ankle and was in great distress as she was helped off in their second-round tie.