NBA players and club owners met for talks in small groups on Tuesday as an ongoing lockout approached three months with no sign of a new contract while the planned November 1 start of the season looms.

After about two hours of meetings, negotiations were halted until Wednesday with progress needed to spark more sessions before the weekend.

Australian tennis star Jelena Dokic has reunited with her volatile father Damir, eight years after severing ties due to his bizarre behavior.

"I would like to confirm media reports that I have reconciled with my father Damir Dokic," she said in a statement.

AC Milan have received a boost ahead of their Champions League clash against Czechs Viktoria Plzen as star forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic returned to full training on Monday.

The big Swede had spent two weeks on the sidelines with a groin problem since being ruled out of their opening European encounter against Barcelona, which ended in a 2-2 draw.

Chelsea striker Juan Mata will set old loyalties aside here on Wednesday as he bids to put one over his former Valencia team-mates in their Champions League clash on Wednesday.

The 23-year-old moved to Stamford Bridge in August and is the latest big money buy for Chelsea as they continue their Champions League quest.

Schalke 04 have appointed popular Dutchman Huub Stevens as the replacement coach for Ralf Rangnick, who quit his post last week after complaining of fatigue.

Stevens coached Schalke in 1996-2002, steering the club to their greatest ever achievement -- victory in the UEFA Cup final, now the Europa League, against Inter Milan in 1997.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has been hit by a triple injury blow ahead of Wednesday's clash against Olympiakos after Theo Walcott, Gervinho and Laurent Koscielny were all ruled out of the Champions League tie.

England winger Walcott is sidelined after suffering a knee injury in Saturday's 3-0 win over Bolton, while French defender Koscielny has an ankle problem sustained in a challenge with Bolton's Nigel Reo-Coker.

The United Arab Emirates soccer player who became an Internet sensation this year when he scored a backheeled penalty kick was killed in a car accident.

Theyab Awana died when a car he was in collided with a truck late Sunday while on the way back to Abu Dhabi after national team training in Al Ain. He was 21.

Barcelona's club members ratified the $230 million, five-year shirt sponsorship deal with the Qatar Foundation and voted to ban smoking at Camp Nou.

The team shirt began bearing the Qatar Foundation logo this season, but the club's general assembly needed to approve the agreement.

The experienced Michael Schumacher was given a reprimand Sunday for his part in a collision with Mexican Sergio Perez during an incident-packed Singapore Grand Prix.

The 42-year-old seven-time champion, driving for Mercedes, clipped the back of Perez's Sauber as he prepared to pass him on lap 28 of a 61-lap race won by his fellow German Sebastian Vettel.

Troubled Lewis Hamilton's father Anthony suggested his son needed a change of management to help him break free of the problems that have beset him in 2011.

Hamilton finished a brilliant fifth at Sunday's Singapore Grand Prix after racing through the field from 19th, but came under fire afterwards from Brazilian rival Felipe Massa for causing a needless collision.