Ryan Lochte downed Michael Phelps in the men's 400m medley at the U.S. Olympic swimming trials in a race that gave a glimpse of the fireworks they could produce at the London Games.

Lochte seized control on the breaststroke leg and held on to beat Phelps for the first time in the punishing four-stroke event.

Roger Federer swatted a stray ball toward a ball girl but misjudged the distance, and his leisurely lob bounced past her and over the backstop into a photo pit, drawing titters from the Wimbledon crowd.

Federer's first-round match was a laugher. Aside from the errant lob, he had few lapses and drubbed Spaniard Albert Ramos with stylish symmetry Monday, 6-1, 6-1, 6-1.

Defending champion Novak Djokovic has won his opening match at Wimbledon by beating former No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero 6-3, 6-3, 6-1.

In keeping with custom, the defending men's champ played the first match Monday on Center Court. Djokovic was broken in his second service game but held the rest of the way, losing only nine points on his first serve. He hit 13 aces.

Justin Gatlin and Tyson Gay served notice they will be ready to challenge Usain Bolt at the London Olympics in the 100 meters after qualifying for the Games with impressive times.

Gatlin, the 2004 Olympic champion who could not defend his crown in Beijing while serving a four-year doping ban, won the 100 final at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials in 9.80 seconds, the third-best time in the world this year.

Saudi Arabia, where public sports events for women are banned, will allow females to compete in the Olympic Games for the first time, its embassy in London said in a landmark statement.

The Saudi Olympic Committee will "oversee participation of women athletes who can qualify", the BBC quoted the statement as saying.

Fernando Alonso of Ferrari won an incident-filled European Grand Prix on Sunday to become the first driver to win two races this season, while Michael Schumacher earned a first podium finish since his comeback by coming third.

Alonso jousted his way up from 11th on the starting grid to claim an emotional victory for the Spaniard in front of his home fans after pole sitter Sebastian Vettel's Red Bull stalled on the track midway through the race.

Italy rounded off the quartet of Euro 2012 semi-finalists on Sunday as England once again exited a major finals in a penalty shootout.

Both sides had failed to find the net in 120 minutes of play, though Italy had been unfortunate not to win it well before they prevailed 4-2 on penalties as England's Ashley Young and Ashley Cole failed to convert their spot kicks.

Spain moved a step closer to an unprecedented treble of consecutive major international honors by beating France 2-0 in Donetsk on Saturday to reach the Euro 2012 semi-finals.

Goals in each half from Xabi Alonso, on his 100th international appearance, sent the world and European champions into a semi-final with Iberian rivals Portugal in the same Donbass Arena stadium on Wednesday.

French Open champion Maria Sharapova has warned her rivals for the Wimbledon title that she is determined to cap her remarkable return to the top with back to back grand slam triumphs.

After several years struggling to recover from shoulder surgery, Sharapova defeated Sara Errani in the French Open final at Roland Garros earlier this month to secure her first major since 2008 and complete a career grand slam.

Seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong asked a US Anti-Doping Agency review board on Friday to dismiss "spurious" allegations brought against him last week.

Armstrong's attorney Robert Luskin replied to USADA's claims that the famed U.S. cyclist was part of a doping conspiracy in an 18-page letter obtained by the Washington Post and linked to Armstrong's Twitter account.