Six years from delivering the most important strike of a football in Spanish history, Andres Iniesta remains the cornerstone of a La Roja side hoping to rekindle former glories at Euro 2016.

The head of Asia’s biggest golf tour said a proposed alliance with Europe cannot compromise its “independence and identity”, apparently ruling out a full-blown merger.

Roger Federer’s Rome Masters bid ended with a 7-6 (7/2), 6-4 third-round defeat to Austrian 13th seed Dominic Thiem, as world number one Serena Williams sailed into the Italian Open quarters yesterday.

Roger Federer is out of the Italian Open, one of the few titles he has never won during his 18 years on the Tour, but there are more pressing matters on his mind.

Belgium’s Tim Wellens enjoyed a red letter day on the Giro d’Italia yesterday with his maiden Grand Tour stage win as Tom Dumoulin held onto the leader’s pink jersey.

Four wins from four races this campaign in a run of seven straight victories has given Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg total command of the Formula One season heading into Sunday’s Spanish Grand Prix but teammate Lewis Hamilton is not about to throw in the towel as yet.

French investigators said yesterday they suspect that $2 million paid to a son of disgraced athletics supremo Lamine Diack was to get support for Tokyo’s 2020 Olympics bid.

US sprinter Justin Gatlin yesterday praised the new generation of track competitors, particularly fellow American Trayvon Bromell, as the 34-year-old veteran preps for the Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

Two-time former champions Finland consolidated their Group B lead at the world ice hockey championship with a confident 3-0 win over promoted Hungary at Saint Petersburg on Wednesday.

Former Georgia Southern assistant Mike Mutz always felt like he had an extra set of eyes on the field in linebacker Antwione Williams.

In the latest display of his otherworldly, dominant stuff, former Detroit Tigers All-Star Max Scherzer allowed two runs on six hits in a complete game effort.

The St. Louis Blues advanced to the Western Conference finals for the first time since 2001 after beating Dallas 6-1 in Game 7 of their semi-final series at American Airlines Center on Wednesday.