Forward LaMarcus Aldridge tallied 25 points and 11 rebounds as San Antonio matched the best start in franchise history with a 106-79 rout of Brooklyn on Monday.

The Spurs improved to 33-6, matching the team's best 39-game start, a mark set during the 2010-11 season. San Antonio also posted its league-leading 14th win by at least 20 points while stretching its winning streak to eight games.

German world number seven Angelique Kerber withdrew from the Sydney International on Tuesday, adding to a lengthy list of ailing women stars ahead of next week's Australian Open.

The fourth seed, who won her first round match against Ukraine's Elina Svitolina in fierce heat over three sets on Monday, pulled out of the tournament citing a gastrointestinal illness.

Holders Barcelona will be looking to seal their place in the Copa del Rey quarter-finals on Wednesday in the final installment of three heated Catalan derbies against Espanyol over 10 days.

The European champions hold a commanding 4-1 lead from the first-leg which Espanyol ended with nine men after red cards for Hernan Perez and Papakouli Diop, whilst goalkeeper Pau Lopez escaped punishment for stamping on newly crowned Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi.

Arsene Wenger says Arsenal will face a stern test of their Premier League title credentials when they take on Liverpool on Wednesday.

Wenger's side head to Anfield two points clear at the head of the table and having won five of their last six league games.

Louis van Gaal admits there have been times this season when even he has been left feeling bored and angry by Manchester United's lackluster displays.

United ended an eight-match winless run by defeating Swansea nine days ago and then followed that victory up with a narrow success in the FA Cup against third tier Sheffield United.

France midfielder Mathieu Valbuena indicated on Sunday that he would be willing to play alongside Karim Benzema in the national team at Euro 2016 despite the ongoing blackmail case involving the Real Madrid striker.

"We will see how it goes, but yes, no problem, anything is possible. It wasn't like it was a murder," the Lyon midfielder told television station TF1.

Atlanta center Al Horford made sure the Hawks measured up on Saturday, scoring 33 points in a 120-105 victory that ended the Chicago Bulls' winning streak at six games.

Horford also pulled down 10 rebounds, handed out six assists and blocked four shots as Atlanta led throughout.

Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska triumphed in the final of the Shenzhen Open, beating American Alison Riske 6-3, 6-2 to claim her 18th WTA title.

By reaching the Shenzhen final Radwanska ensured that she will unseat Russian Maria Sharapova as world number four when the new WTA rankings are announced on Monday.

Novak Djokovic will begin the defense of his Australian Open title from January 18 with the ominous warning to flagging rivals that he is in the form of his life.

Speaking after his destruction of Rafael Nadal at the Qatar Open on Saturday -- with both players saying afterwards that the Serb played perfect tennis -- the world number one said he "expected" to play at the same level at this year's first Grand Slam.

Zinedine Zidane has urged Gareth Bale to maintain his sensational form after the Welshman got the Frenchman's reign as Real Madrid boss off to a flying start with a hat-trick in a 5-0 demolition of Deportivo la Coruna on Saturday.

Madrid moved to within two points of La Liga leaders Barcelona on Zidane's bow in senior management at the Santiago Bernabeu as Bale registered his second hat-trick in four games in between Karim Benzema's double.