Murray defeats Del Potro in Tour Finals opener

LONDON - Andy Murray marked the beginning of London's five-year hosting of the ATP Tour Finals with a 6-3 3-6 6-2 win over U.S. Open champion Juan Martin del Potro in front of 17,500 fans inside the spectacular o2 Arena on Sunday. The Briton withstood a ferocious comeback by Argentine Del Potro, who lost the opening five games, to open his account in Group A which also contains world number one Roger Federer and Fernando Verdasco who play later.

Collingwood and Trott lead England to victory

CENTURION, South Africa - Paul Collingwood marked his record 171st one-day appearance with an unbeaten century to lead England to a commanding seven-wicket victory over South Africa in the second match of the series on Sunday. The all-rounder scored 105 not out as England reached their target of 251 with four overs to spare to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match contest after the first game in Johannesburg was washed out by rain on Friday.

Five goals for Defoe as Spurs stun Wigan 9-1

LONDON - England striker Jermain Defoe scored five second-half goals as an irresistible Tottenham Hotspur demolished Wigan Athletic 9-1 to go fourth in the Premier League on Sunday. Defoe stunned the hapless visitors with a mesmerising second-half blitz at White Hart Lane after Spurs had gone in 1-0 up at the break thanks to a ninth-minute Peter Crouch header.

Inspired Westwood lands spectacular double

DUBAI .

RFU backs Johnson despite another defeat

LONDON - Six years ago England won the rugby World Cup to cement their position as the sport's dominant power but that success now seems to belong to a distant era after another hugely disappointing November series. As the captain who lifted the Webb Ellis Cup, and the last man to skipper a side to victory over New Zealand earlier that year, Martin Johnson was a national hero. Now, as the manager of a team struggling on all fronts, he is fighting a desperate rearguard.

Blackburn beat Bolton 2-0 in Allardyce's absence

LONDON - Blackburn Rovers shrugged off the absence of manager Sam Allardyce, who is awaiting heart surgery, to beat his former club Bolton Wanderers 2-0 in the Premier League Sunday. Victory in the Lancashire derby ended Blackburn's run of 10 successive away defeats, the team's first points on their travels this season lifting them to 11th place.

France does not deserve to be in World Cup - poll

PARIS - Most people in France do not think their soccer team deserves to be in the 2010 World Cup and did not approve of Thierry Henry's handball that helped secure a finals place, according to an opinion poll published on Sunday. Henry clearly handled the ball when setting up a late, decisive goal in the second leg of their playoff against Ireland last week, winning France a place in the World Cup finals.

Chelsea and Man Utd win while Arsenal lose

LONDON - Chelsea trounced Wolverhampton Wanderers 4-0 to stay five points clear of champions Manchester United at the top of the Premier League on Saturday. United kept pace with the leaders by beating Everton 3-0 at home in the late match to move up to second after Arsenal's 14-match unbeaten run ended with a 1-0 defeat at Sunderland.

France recalls Boks winners to face All Blacks

MARCOUSSIS, France . Ouedraogo, who was injured and missed the two test wins against world champions South Africa and Samoa, replaces Alexandre Lapandry while Mermoz, who started the game against the Springboks, also comes in.

Muralitharan aims to add spin to India farewell

KANPUR, India - Muttiah Muralitharan will be hoping the bowlers get more favourable conditions when Sri Lanka face India in the second test from Tuesday after a flat pitch consigned the first to a high-scoring draw. The 37-year-old Sri Lanka spinner, 14 short of extending his world record test wicket haul to 800, claimed just three wickets in 63.5 overs in the first test in Ahmedabad.