As Formula One prepares to race in Ferrari's home grand prix at Monza this weekend, safety still dominates discussion.

Championship leader and Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso nearly had his head clipped when Romain Grosjean's Lotus flew over him in a wild multi-car accident at the start of last weekend's Belgian Grand Prix.

Former Italy and Juventus forward Alessandro Del Piero is joining Sydney FC in a deal that will make him the highest-profile player in the A-League.

"I'm happy to announce that a few hours ago I signed a deal with the Sydney Football Club," Del Piero said on Wednesday. "So for the next two years I suppose I can say that I'll be Australian. I'm starting a splendid and fantastic adventure. I couldn't have chosen a better situation or a better place."

Cristiano Ronaldo is still "feeling sad" at Real Madrid but denies it's because of money as he committed himself to the Spanish club on Tuesday.

Ronaldo revealed his feelings after scoring twice in a 3-0 victory against Granada in the Spanish league on Sunday, saying professional reasons had made him unhappy at Madrid without revealing them.

Belgian driver Jerome d'Ambrosio was called up on Tuesday to drive in place of the suspended Romain Grosjean for the Lotus team in Sunday's Italian Grand Prix at Monza.

D'Ambrosio is Lotus's reserve driver and gets his chance after Grosjean was penalized for his reckless start in last Sunday's Belgian race which provoked an accident that saw Lewis Hamilton and series leader Fernando Alonso's races end at the first corner.

Spain's two-time Tour de France champion Alberto Contador stands tantalizingly close to a stunning win in the Tour of Spain, his first major race since returning from a two year doping ban.

But while the 29-year-old - who still protests his innocence over the minute trace of clenbuterol found in his urine on the 2010 Tour de France - is just 28 seconds behind overall leader Joaquim "Purito" Rodriguez, he admits it will be tough for him to claw the deficit back.

Former England striker Michael Owen has joined Stoke City on a free transfer, subject to Premier League Board approval, the club announced Tuesday.

Owen, who made his name at Liverpool before joining Real Madrid, has signed a one-year deal following his release from Stoke's Premier League rivals Manchester United at the end of last season.

Victoria Azarenka kept chiding herself — "Don't be a chicken" — while cobbling together a 6-1, 4-6, 7-6 (5) rain-interrupted win that eliminated defending champion Sam Stosur and put the top-seeded Belarusian in her first semifinal at Flushing Meadows.

Tuesday's win also assured Azarenka of retaining the No. 1 ranking no matter what happens the rest of this week.

British swim queen Ellie Simmonds broke her own world record twice on Monday, cementing her place as the host nation's Paralympic poster girl in claiming her second gold of the London Games.

The 17-year-old won the SM6 200m individual medley in a record 3min 5.39sec, just hours after beating her own personal and world best in the heats with a time of 3min 6.97sec.

Olympic champion Andy Murray advanced safely to the last eight at the U.S. Open on Monday night.

Seeking his first Grand Slam title after four runner-up finishes, he defeated Canadian 15th seed Milos Raonic 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 in a night match at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Ana Ivanovic believes Serb compatriot Novak Djokovic could tip the balance in her favor when she takes on red-hot title favorite Serena Williams for a place in the U.S. Open semifinals.

Ivanovic has never beaten 14-time Grand Slam title winner Williams in three meetings, failing even to win a set, with two of those defeats coming in New York in 2006 and 2011.