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http://ift.tt/2qG7Mnz Novak Djokovic of Serbia reacts during the semi-final match against Dominic Thiem of Austria at the ATP Tennis Open tournament, on May 20, 2017 at the Foro Italico in Rome. TIZIANA FABI / AFP Novak Djokovic overcame having to play twice in a day before cruising into his eighth final of the Rome Masters with a ruthless 6-1, 6-0 win over Dominic Thiem on Saturday. Djokovic, the former four-time champion, was forced to finish his quarter-final over Juan Martin del Potro earlier in the day after their match was rained off late on Friday. But the setback seemed only to inspire the 30-year-old Serbian second seed, as he set up what is expected to be a mouthwatering final, and first meeting, with Germany’s rising star Alexander Zverev. “It was my best performance of the year,” said Djokovic after his 59-minute win over Thiem who had knocked out Rafael Nadal in the quarter-finals. “I’m overjoyed and happy with every minute that I spent on the court today, eve...

http://ift.tt/2pQhynS Tottenham Hotspur's English striker Harry Kane shoots past Leicester City's English defender Danny Simpson (R) to score his third goal, their fifth, during the English Premier League football match between Leicester City and Tottenham Hotspur at King Power Stadium in Leicester, central England on May 18, 2017. Adrian DENNIS / AFP Harry Kane staked his claim to finish as the Premier League’s top scorer with a scintillating four-goal blast in Tottenham’s 6-1 demolition of Leicester on Thursday. Although Tottenham were unable to overhaul champions Chelsea in the title race, Mauricio Pochettino’s vibrant young side look certain to make a renewed challenge next term and Kane is the figurehead of that bright future. Kane is hunting the league’s golden boot and the England striker was at his predatory best as he plundered the Leicester defence four times to move to the top of the scoring charts with 26 goals. Everton’s Romelu Lukaku is second on 24 go...

http://ift.tt/2pZMOR7 Juventus' forward from Argentina Gonzalo Higuain reacts after scoring a second goal during the UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg football match Monaco vs Juventus at the Stade Louis II stadium in Monaco on May 3, 2017. Pascal GUYOT / AFP Gonzalo Higuain scored both goals as an imperious Juventus beat Monaco 2-0 in their Champions League semi-final first leg on Wednesday to take a huge step towards next month’s final in Cardiff. Both of Higuain’s goals came from Dani Alves assists, with the Argentine hitman rounding off a breathtaking team move to open the scoring just before the half-hour mark and converting the second from close range after the break. While the second leg in Turin next Tuesday will be no formality, Juventus have never lost a two-legged European tie to French opposition and so impressive were they at the Stade Louis II that it is hard to imagine Monaco recovering. Higuain, who now has 31 goals this season, received applause fro...

http://ift.tt/2pCSGwx Real Madrid's Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo (L) shoots against Atletico Madrid's Slovenian goalkeeper Jan Oblak (R) to score a goal during the UEFA Champions League semifinal first leg football match Real Madrid CF vs Club Atletico de Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, on May 2, 2017. OSCAR DEL POZO / AFP Cristiano Ronaldo proved Atletico Madrid’s Champions League dream destroyer once more with a hat-trick as Real Madrid took a commanding 3-0 semi-final, first leg lead on Tuesday. Ronaldo extended his lead as the all-time top scorer in Madrid derby matches by taking his tally to 21 and put Real firmly on course to defend their title in the final in Cardiff on June 3. The Portuguese rewarded a bright Real start by heading home Casemiro’s deflected cross after just 10 minutes. Ronaldo then smashed home from just inside the area and turned home Lucas Vazquez’s cross in the final 20 minutes as Real continued their domination ...