Latest - The Football Ferns have received a huge confidence boost ahead of the FIFA Women's World Cup in France with their first-ever win over World No 3 England in Brighton.
Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The World No 19 Ferns, who survived a nervous start in front of a record crowd of 20,076 fans at The Amex Stadium, delivered a determined second-half performance to upset one of the FIFA Women's World Cup favourites in their final game at home before the tournament kicks off next week in Paris.
The Phil Neville coached England dominated possession and territory, but could not convert their chances. Football Ferns forward Sarah Gregorius made them pay when she scored against the run of play in the 50th minute and the OFC Champions held on for a memorable win.
It is the first time a New Zealand football team has beaten England (male or female) at any level.
Osaka and Williams beaten at Roland Garros
Two of the biggest names in women's tennis have exited in the third round of the French Open.
Naomi Osaka's 16-match winning streak in Grand Slam tennis tournaments came to an end in straight sets at the hands of Katerina Siniakova.
Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The top-seeded Osaka was beaten by Czech Siniakova, the world's top-ranked doubles player, 6-4 6-2 on a hot day at the Court Suzanne-Lenglen at Roland Garros.
Osaka, who has yet to reach the second week in four appearances in Paris, got broken three times and failed to take her chances. Despite entering Roland Garros as world No. 1 for the first time, Osaka was taken to three sets in her first two matches.
Serena Williams's quest for a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam singles title was put on hold after the former world number one was knocked out in straight sets by fellow American Sofia Kenin.
Chasing Margaret Smith Court's all-time record, which was built over the amateur and professional eras, Williams failed to recover from a woeful opening set on Court Philippe Chatrier.
Williams, who won the last of her 23 major singles titles at the 2017 Australian Open, suffered her earliest Grand Slam exit since Wimbledon 2014.
Defending champion Simona Halep marched into the fourth round, dropping just three games against Lesia Tsurenko.
Meanwhile men's top seed Novak Djokovic barely broke sweat as he coasted through the third round 6-3 6-3 6-2 against Italian qualifier Salvatore Caruso.
Djokovic is bidding to win his 16th Grand Slam title.
-Reuters
All Blacks Sevens into Paris quarter-finals
The All Blacks Sevens have gone through the first day of the final World Series tournament in Paris unbeaten.
The New Zealanders beat Scotland 14-12, Japan 31-14 and France 17-10.
They'll meet Argentina in the quarter-final, while Fiji play France, the USA play Kenya and South Africa play Samoa.
Fiji lead the USA by just two points in the series standings, while New Zealand are third.
Black Sticks women down US
New Zealand have beaten the United States 3-0 to record their fifth win in the nine-team women's hockey Pro League.
Olivia Merry Photo: Photosport
Tarryn Davey's 20th minute goal gave the Black Sticks a 1-0 lead at half-time in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, today.
Shiloh Gloyn doubled the lead at 32 minutes, then Olivia Merry made it 3-0 with a 51st minute strike.
The New Zealanders, who have played 12 games in the home-and-away competition, sit sixth overall. Their next game is against fifth-placed hosts Germany in a week.
Captain Stacey Michelsen said afterwards that the result was encouraging.
"We were able to get in behind the opposition and executed well tonight in the front third of the field. The next few games are going to be important if we are going to make the top four and grand final weekend."
Dixon crashes out in Detroit
New Zealand driver Scott Dixon has been forced out out of the latest IndyCar race in Detroit after crashing into a tire wall while sitting third.
The five-time and reigning IndyCar Series champion hit the inside wall late in the 75-minute timed race and stuck his No.9 PNC Bank Honda in the tire barrier at turn six of the 3.78km, 14-turn temporary street circuit. The car was towed back to the garage.
It was the first time in two years that he has failed to finish a race. Dixon was uninjured and will contest the second race in the weekend's double-header tomorrow.
"It was unfortunate," he said afterwards.
"I just clipped the inside wall and got into the tire barrier. It was driver error. I think we broke the suspension and upper toe link.
"We were setting up for a good finish. I'm glad the tire barrier was there. Whenever you go right toward a wall, you never know. But I'm fine. We will bounce back stronger tomorrow."
A timely pit stop catapulted Josef Newgarden to victory in the rain-shortened opener, the American winning by 0.8237sec over Alexander Rossi.
Marquez takes another pole
Honda's world champion Marc Marquez secured his fourth pole position of the MotoGP season ahead of the Italian Grand Prix, edging out Fabio Quartararo at the end of a dramatic qualifying session.
Marc Marquez. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Championship leader Marquez smashed the lap record at Mugello with his final effort of one minute, 45.519 seconds, eclipsing Quartararo on the Petronas Yamaha by 0.214 seconds.
Danilo Petrucci, who had emerged as the pole favourite following his strong morning practice pace, will start third on his Ducati to complete the front row at the race.
Franco Morbidelli made it two Petronas bikes in the top four, while Jack Miller (Pramac Ducati) and Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) completed the second row.
-Reuters
Carapaz about to win Giro
Richard Carapaz is on the brink of winning the Giro d'Italia after he retained the overall leader's pink jersey in the penultimate stage in the Dolomites.
The Ecuadorian comfortably held off two-time champion Vincenzo Nibali in the 194-km ride from Feltre as the 20th stage was won by Spaniard Pello Bilbao.
It was a chaotic ride throughout, with Colombian Miguel Angel Lopez, who holds the white jersey for the best Under-25 rider, lashing out at a fan after tangling with him in the final few kilometres.
The Astana rider could face an exclusion from the race, which ends in Verona with a 17-km individual time trial on Sunday.
Overall, Carapaz leads Nibali by 1:54.
-Reuters
Reyes dies in car accident
Spanish footballer Jose Antonio Reyes has died in a traffic accident, aged 35, in the southern province of Seville.
"We couldn't be announcing any worse news. Our beloved former youth player Jose Antonio Reyes has died in a traffic accident. Rest in peace," his former club Sevilla said on Twitter.
The accident that took place at 11:40 am when his car went off the road and caught fire.
Reyes last played for Spanish second-tier side Extremadura. He also played for Arsenal, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid among other sides and won 21 caps for Spain.
-AAP