Striker Mario Balotelli is a doubt for Italy's Confederations Cup opener against Mexico on Sunday after a thigh injury cut short his training session, the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) announced on Friday.

The AC Milan striker, 22, complained of pain behind his right thigh as coach Cesare Prandelli put his side through their paces at the Joao Havelange Stadium in Rio de Janeiro.

Roger Federer blew past Mischa Zverev 6-0, 6-0 to reach the Gerry Weber Open semifinals on Friday, teaching a painful lesson to a player trying to serve and volley on grass.

Federer will play defending champion Tommy Haas, who beat him in last year's final. The German came from behind to beat Gael Monfils 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-3.

Lleyton Hewitt rolled back the years as the Australian moved into the Queen's Club semifinals with a surprise 6-2, 2-6, 6-2 victory over Argentine third seed Juan Martin del Potro on Friday.

Hewitt is a four-time Queen's champion and this year he is bidding to become the oldest man to win the pre-Wimbledon warm-up event, surpassing American legend Jimmy Connors, who lifted the trophy aged 30 years and 284 days in 1983.

Manchester City has hired Manuel Pellegrini as the club's new manager to replace the fired Roberto Mancini.

The 59-year-old Chilean has been courted for months by City following impressive spells in Spain with Villarreal and Malaga.

Italian club Fiorentina have announced the signing of Spanish international winger Joaquin Rodriguez from La Liga side Malaga.

Joaquin, 31, has signed a three-year deal that will keep him with the club until June 30, 2016.

Malaga announced Friday they have signed former Real Madrid boss Bernd Schuster as their new coach.

"Malaga trust that the German-born coach will help to develop and achieve the team's long term goals, as a five-year contract has been signed," the club said in a statement online.

Swedish tennis star Robin Soderling, the former world number four sidelined by illness for nearly two years, said in an interview published on Friday that he still hopes to return to the circuit.

"I will come back when I feel 100 percent but I don't know when. That's how it is, unfortunately," he was quoted as saying by the Aftonbladet daily.

Something was clearly wrong with Tiger Woods in the opening round of the U.S. Open and it showed every time he had to deal with the treacherous high grass at Merion.

It therefore appeared merciful when play was halted for darkness Thursday evening with Woods at 2 over through 10 holes.

David Warner heaped more embarrassment on Australia's embattled cricket team ahead of the Ashes when the hot-headed batsman was suspended Thursday and fined for the second time in a month after punching England player Joe Root in the face in an alcohol-fueled late-night bar incident.

Warner escaped being sent home in disgrace from the tour of England and can return from his ban in time to play in the first Ashes test at Trent Bridge in Nottingham, starting July 10.

Miami's LeBron James scored 33 points while making the impact everyone expects of the four-time Most Valuable Player, leading the Heat to a 109-93 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday that leveled the NBA Finals at two games each.

James also had 11 rebounds and four assists and finally got some much-needed help from his struggling All-Star teammates. Dwyane Wade scored 32 points, Chris Bosh had 20 points and 13 rebounds and the defending champions made sure the series will head back to South Beach.