Britain's Andy Murray is still gunning for the end-of-season ATP World Tour Finals despite crashing out of the Shanghai Masters to David Ferrer Thursday.

The 27-year-old Scot is among a raft of players who are fighting for the remaining five berths for next month's London tournament, which features the world's top eight players.

Felipe Massa on Thursday described last weekend’s tragic Japanese Grand Prix, in which Jules Bianchi suffered life-threatening injuries, as “the worst race of my life”.

As he and other drivers reacted to the crash, in which Frenchman Bianchi of Marussia collided with a recovery vehicle, Brazilian Massa – who survived terrible head injuries in an accident in Hungary in 2009 – revealed his emotions.

Everton and England defender John Stones could be sidelined for nearly four months after the Premier League club announced Thursday he needed an ankle surgery.

The 20-year-old withdrew from the England squad for this week's Euro 2016 qualifiers with San Marino and Estonia after he was carried off on a stretcher during Everton's defeat by Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday.

Despite a mounting injury list, world champions Germany are targeting three points against Poland in Saturday's Euro 2016 qualifier in Warsaw to go top of their group.

Arsenal star Mesut Ozil was the latest Germany star to drop out on Wednesday having partially torn his cruciate knee ligament, which will sideline him for up to 12 weeks.

Luxembourg's Andy Schleck, winner of the 2010 Tour de France, on Thursday announced his retirement after failing to recover from a knee injury.

"I'm obviously disappointed to end my career like this," said the 29-year-old Schleck.

Marc Marquez can retain his MotoGP title in Japan this weekend but safety fears loom large as another typhoon approaches, days after a horror crash left a Formula One driver fighting for his life.

With Jules Bianchi battling severe head injuries after losing control in treacherous conditions at Suzuka, sympathy for the Frenchman and worries over another accident will overhang Sunday's two-wheel race.

Two-time world champion Fernando Alonso on Thursday added his voice to calls for Formula One to consider the introduction of closed cockpits,

In the wake of Jules Bianchi’s life-threatening accident at the Japanese Grand Prix, the Spaniard told a news conference ahead of this weekend’s inaugural Russian Grand Prix that he welcomed proposals to look at the plan.

Spanish great David Villa's 10-match loan stint has galvanised his rebranded Melbourne City club into one of the favourites to land this season's Australian A-League title ahead of Friday's kick-off.

World number 17 Fabio Fognini was fined $2,000 for making an obscene gesture to fans following his embarrassing exit from the Shanghai Masters, a tennis official said Thursday.

Borussia Dortmund striker Ciro Immobile insists absent compatriot Mario Balotelli won't be missed when new-look Italy host Azerbaijan for the first of two Euro 2016 qualifiers on Friday.