With seven goals in his last two games, Bayern Munich striker Mario Gomez insists his purple patch is due to his hard-working team-mates as they prepare for Wednesday's Champions League tie at Villarreal.

Gomez scored four goals in Bayern's crushing 7-0 win over Freiburg last Saturday in the German league having netted a hat-trick on his previous appearance at Kaiserslautern.

Actor David Walliams has battled diarrhea, polluted waters and strong tides to complete a 140 mile (225 kilometers) charity swim along the River Thames.

Walliams, best known for his role in the television comedy show "Little Britain," raised more than one million pounds ($1.58 million) for the charity Sport Relief with his grueling, eight-day challenge.

Triumphant Formule One outfit Red Bull dedicated Sebastian Vettel's victory in Sunday's Italian Grand Prix to former member of staff Erin Pezzella, who lost her battle against cancer earlier this week.

Team chief Christian Horner said: "Earlier this week we lost a young girl who worked for the team for five years in accounts.

Arsene Wenger will be looking for Arsenal to deliver a performance against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League on Tuesday which can lift the gloom surrounding the club.

Aside from Wenger's side taking on the German champions the pick of the opening round of group matches is holders Barcelona hosting Italian giants AC Milan while former German captain Michael Ballack is in the mix to play for Bayer Leverkusen against one of his former clubs Chelsea.

Serena Williams went into the U.S. Open final vowing to honor the victims of the September 11 attacks, but ended it in disgrace by refusing to apologize for an ugly tirade during her defeat to Samantha Stosur.

The American star had lost the first set 6-2 to the Australian and faced a break point in the opening game of the second when she unleashed a huge forehand which she greeted it with a loud "c'mon".

Rafael Nadal paid a moving tribute to victims of the 9/11 attacks, telling 22,000 spectators at the U.S. Open and a global television audience that they'll be in his thoughts on Sunday's 10th anniversary.

"I just want to send all of my support to the families of the victims of September 11th. I have terrible memories of that day," said Nadal to loud cheers from the Arthur Ashe Stadium Court at Flushing Meadows.

Three-time champion Serena Williams stormed past world number one Carolie Wozniacki on Saturday to set up a showdown with Samantha Stosur in what promises to be an emotional U.S. Open women's final.

Williams, a 13-time Grand Slam champion, said she was thrilled to have a chance to represent America as the country commemorates the 10th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks -- an outrage that resonates in New York where the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center were destroyed.

Carlos Tevez's 'love hate' relationship with Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini took another turn for the worse on Saturday as the Argentinian was permanently stripped of the captaincy.

Tevez - who has recently spoken of his turbulent relations with Mancini - has been replaced by Belgian central defender Vincent Kompany, skipper in their three Premier League matches this season.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger confessed that the last few traumatic weeks have been like living in hell.

The 61-year-old Frenchman's close season and early part of the campaign has been the most turbulent period in his 15 years in charge with even his future at the club being cast into some doubt especially after the 8-2 hammering by Manchester United a fortnight ago.

Defending champion Rafael Nadal and world number four Andy Murray guaranteed a U.S. Open Super Saturday line-up on Friday, completing an all-star, top-four lockout of the semi-final places.

Second seed Nadal cruised past 2003 champion Andy Roddick, the American 21st seed, 6-2, 6-1, 6-3 and will tackle Murray for a place in Monday's final.