ZURICH (REUTERS) - Russia is “100% ready” to host the World Cup, FIFA president Gianni Infantino said on Wednesday as he addressed concerns about racism, human rights and security in the host country a week before the tournament begins.

SAO PAULO (REUTERS) - Brazil may be five-time winners of the World Cup and joint favorites to make it six in Russia this year but the South Americans do not yet have the right blend for success, three-time World Cup winner Pele said on Wednesday.

LONDON (REUTERS) - Spain's three times MotoGP world champion Jorge Lorenzo will leave Ducati and join compatriot Marc Marquez in a stellar lineup at the works Honda team next season after signing a two-year deal.

LONDON (REUTERS) - Everton's squad needs to be trimmed to generate funds for transfers and also help new manager Marco Silva work with a smaller group, the Premier League club's director of football Marcel Brands has said.

CAPE TOWN (REUTERS) - Egypt and Nigeria continued their recent poor form in World Cup warm-up games on Wednesday ahead of their bids to become the first African side to reach the semi-finals of the global showpiece event.

LONDON (REUTERS) - Brazilian midfielder Fred will need time to adapt to the demands of English football but has all the attributes to succeed at Manchester United, former World Player of the Year Rivaldo has said.

PARIS (REUTERS) - Former world number one Maria Sharapova hit back at Serena Williams’ criticism of her autobiography on Wednesday — two days after their much-anticipated showdown at the French Open was scuppered by an injury to her American rival.

NEW YORK (REUTERS) - American boxer Floyd Mayweather’s blockbuster fight against Conor McGregor has pushed him back to the top of the Forbes list of best paid athletes for the fourth time in seven years.

PARIS (REUTERS) - When he qualified for the last eight at the French Open, Marco Cecchinato said it was the happiest day of his life. He might want to re-assess, after he downed 12-times major winner Novak Djokovic on Tuesday to become the first Italian man to reach a Grand Slam semi-final in 40 years.

ZURICH (REUTERS) - Lukewarm Serbia stumbled to a 1-0 home defeat by Chile in a World Cup warm-up on Monday while Morocco were far more impressive in a 2-1 win over Slovakia in the other match involving a finalist.

PARIS (REUTERS) - Maximilian Marterer probably wondered what all the fuss was about when, two games into his first match against the best claycourt player ever on Monday, he led French Open champion Rafael Nadal 2-0 on the Spaniard’s favourite patch of red dirt. The German youngster quickly discovered just what it feels like to be on the receiving end of a pummelling by the veteran though, as Nadal swept to a 6-3 6-2 7-6(4) victory to reach the quarter-finals in Paris for a 12th time.