Defending champions Juventus will take on Inter Milan for a place in the Italian Cup final after edging Lazio 1-0 in the quarter-finals Wednesday with goalline technology summoned to clarify the winning goal.

On the back of 10 wins in a row in Serie A, Juventus grabbed the only goal of the night in the 66th minute at the Stadio Olimpico.

Rafael Nadal's coach and uncle Toni Nadal hasn't ruled out the possibility that the 14-time Grand Slam champion may seek a new or expanded coaching team in a bid to arrest his slide in form.

Nadal lost in the first round of a Grand Slam for just the second time in his career to fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco at the Australian Open on Tuesday.

Barcelona star Lionel Messi and his father's trial for tax fraud will begin on May 31 at a court in Barcelona, a regional superior court said Wednesday.

Messi, recently crowned Ballon d'Or winner for a record fifth time, and his father Jorge have been charged with tax fraud for allegedly failing to declare 4.16 million euros ($4.69 million) in taxes related to his image rights between 2007 and 2009.

Roger Federer said he hoped to erase his shock defeat in last year's Australian Open third round on Wednesday as he set up an eye-catching last-32 showdown with Grigor Dimitrov -- the Bulgarian once dubbed "Baby Fed".

Federer, the 17-time Grand Slam record-holder, was never in trouble against his Ukrainian practice partner Alexandr Dolgopolov in a clinical 6-3, 7-5, 6-1 win in one hour 33 minutes on Rod Laver Arena.

Australia's Jay McCarthy claimed his biggest win as a professional when he took a thrilling second stage of the Tour Down Under in the South Australian town of Stirling on Wednesday.

McCarthy, from the Tinkoff team, beat Italian Diego Ulissi (Lampre Merida) by a matter of centimeters as both lunged for the line at the end of the 132-kilometer stage, finishing in 3hr 26min 40sec.

World number one Serena Williams Wednesday said she was eager for a rematch with Italian veteran Roberta Vinci, who crushed her hopes of a calendar Grand Slam at the U.S. Open last year.

"Always," she said, when asked if she was looking forward to facing her again. "It doesn't matter who I play, when I play. Win or lose, there is always a next time for me and for them.

Kevin Durant extended his remarkable scoring record on Tuesday with his 28th consecutive 20-point game as the Oklahoma City Thunder rolled past the Denver Nuggets 110-104.

Durant, who finished with 30 points, 12 rebounds and four assists, has now scored 20 points or more in every game since returning from a hamstring injury in late November.

He was recently again named the best footballer on the planet and now Barcelona star Lionel Messi has set his sights on an even bigger prize -- the end of poverty.

The Argentine and Colombian singer Shakira head a list of 17 well-known names recruited by the United Nations to promote its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Maria Sharapova Wednesday said she expects to be playing for years to come in her quest for Grand Slam glory after sweeping past Aliaksandra Sasnovich and into the Australian Open third round.

The on-song Russian, 28, shook off any early-season rust in the opening round and continued her impressive form against Sasnovich, crushing the 105th-ranked Belarusian 6-2, 6-1 with the roof shut on Rod Laver Arena as rain came down.

Furious Inter Milan coach Roberto Mancini blasted Napoli counterpart Maurizio Sarri a "racist" and claimed his rival called him a "poof" following a fiery finish to Inter's 2-0 Italian Cup victory on Tuesday.

Mancini and Sarri clashed on the touchline after Adem Ljajic killed off the quarter-final tie at the San Paolo stadium in Naples in injury time to add to Stevan Jovetic's opener.