It used to be that Venus Williams was the one who was highly ranked, the one considered a title contender, the one who would dominate foes so thoroughly that matches would be tidily wrapped up in an hour.

Now 31, and figuring out from day to day how to handle an illness that saps her strength, Williams was on the wrong end of a lopsided 60-minute defeat in the second round of the French Open on Wednesday.

Liverpool were poised to wrap up their two-week search for a manager later Thursday by completing the signing of Brendan Rodgers from Swansea.

Rodgers, 39, was offered the Anfield job on Wednesday and his employers at the Welsh club have agreed to release the highly rated coach from his position at the Liberty Stadium.

Germany are looking to avoid their third straight friendly defeat and pick up a much-needed pre-Euro 2012 confidence booster in Thursday's warm-up game against Israel in Leipzig.

Despite their billing amongst the pre-tournament favorites, a second string German side were beaten 5-3 by Switzerland last Saturday in Basel as their defense showed some glaring weaknesses, which coach Joachim Loew needs to fix against Israel.

Fernando Torres celebrated his return to the Spain team with a first half goal as the World and European Champions continued their preparation for Euro2012 with a 4-1 win over South Korea.

Fresh from capturing the Champions League with Chelsea, Torres' fortunes appear to be turning after what was generally a poor campaign where he scored just eleven goals and was dropped from the Spain squad in February.

Roger Federer dropped a set before earning his record-breaking 234th Grand Slam match victory to reach the third round of the French Open.

Federer eliminated 92nd-ranked Adrian Ungur of Romania 6-3, 6-2, 6-7 (6), 6-3 Wednesday to break a tie with Jimmy Connors for most career wins at major tournaments in the Open era, which began in 1968.

The president of the Syrian Olympic Committee says nine athletes from the war-torn country have qualified for the London Olympics and will compete "despite all pressures, media war and threats to ban them."

Gen. Mowaffak Joumaa says Syria plans to send up to 10 athletes and several officials even though a travel ban looms against top officials.

Exercising their NBA contract option, the Los Angeles Clippers retained Vinny Del Negro as coach for the 2012-2013 season, the club announced.

No terms of the deal were announced, but the move had been expected after the Clippers, long-time losers, went 40-26 in a season shortened by a 2011 money dispute between players and club owners.

Tony Parker scored 34 points and the San Antonio Spurs stretched their win streak to 20 games, defeating Oklahoma City 120-111 to seize command of their NBA playoff series.

The Spurs took a 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven Western Conference final and moved halfway toward booking a place against the Eastern Conference winner, either the Miami Heat or Boston Celtics, in next month's NBA Finals.

Serena Williams crashed to the worst Grand Slam defeat of her career on Tuesday when she slumped to a dramatic and thrilling 4-6, 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 French Open loss to France's world 111 Virginie Razzano.

It was the 30-year-old American's first ever exit at the opening round stage of her 47-event Grand Slam career and her earliest loss at a major since she was knocked out of the Australian Open second round by sister Venus in 1998.

Maria Sharapova was nearly perfect in the first round of the French Open, winning all 12 games to produce a "double bagel."

The second-seeded Russian easily beat Alexandra Cadantu of Romania 6-0, 6-0 Tuesday, needing just 48 minutes to advance to the second round. She finished the match with 18 winners, while Cadantu had zero, but had to save three break points.