Roger Federer overcame his toughest test so far to reach the US Open semi-finals with a 7-6 (9-7) 6-0 6-7 (9-11) 6-4 win over James Blake. The top seed failed to serve out the match in the third set and missed a match point in the tie-break as he lost his first set of the tournament. Federer broke twice in the fourth but needed another two opportunities to close out the match on serve. The defending champion will play Nikolay Davydenko in Saturday''s semis. Full Article

David Beckham says he has not signed a new deal at Real Madrid but his camp insist talks are scheduled to resolve the 31-year-old's future. Beckham's current deal expires at the end of the season and reports claimed he had signed a new two-year contract. But a spokesman for the 31-year-old said: "He hasn't signed a new contract but we're due to sit down in September to hold talks." "There is intention on both sides to tie David to an extension." He added: "Madrid are happy and likewise David has gone on record to say he has enjoyed his time at Madrid." Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon was reported to have claimed a deal had already been done and said is had been done "for sporting reasons". Full Article

Tottenham have revealed that they could receive £18.6 million from Manchester United for Michael Carrick. The midfielder is due to arrive in Manchester on Monday to undergo a medical and agree personal terms with The Red Devils. A fee was agreed on Friday which allowed Carrick to head to Manchester and Spurs have now confirmed the size of the bid which persuaded them to give the green light to the transfer. "Tottenham Hotspur plc announces that agreement has been reached for the transfer of the player registration of Michael Carrick, subject to the player agreeing personal terms and passing a medical, to Manchester United Football Club for a total consideration of up to £18.6 million," read a statement on Spurs' official website. Full Article

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson expects Cristiano Ronaldo to return to training on 31 July and insists the winger is going nowhere. The 21-year-old Portugal star's future has been in doubt since he made it clear he wanted a move to Spain after his World Cup spat with Wayne Rooney. Ferguson said: "Without any question, Ronaldo will be our player next season and for the rest of his contract. "He'll be back in July to start training again with us," he said. "I haven't paid much attention to what Cristiano is supposed to have said about his future. "I haven't spoken to him since the World Cup." It has been reported that Ferguson despatched his assistant Carlos Queiroz, who has always enjoyed a close personal relationship with Ronaldo, to smooth relations. Full Article

Italy defender Marco Materazzi says he did insult France's Zinedine Zidane during the World Cup final, just before Zidane was sent off for a headbutt. But Materazzi denied reports he called Zidane a "terrorist" or used insulting language towards Zidane's mother. "It was the kind of insult you will hear dozens of times and just slips out of the ground," Materazzi is quoted in Italian paper La Gazetta dello Sport. "I didn't call Zidane a terrorist and certainly didn't mention his mother." Zidane, who was born and grew up in Marseille, is the son of Algerian immigrants and has suffered taunts about his heritage throughout his football career. Full Article

Freddie Ljungberg said he could not wait for Tuesday's crunch game against England, after his goal kept alive Sweden's hopes of winning Group B. Ljungberg's headed goal gave Sweden a 1-0 win over Paraguay and put the South Americans out of the World Cup. "It's going to be difficult but it will be a massive game as both teams want to win the group," said the Arsenal man. "I think we played well, better than against Trinidad and Tobago. We created enough chances to win the game." Ljungberg added: "But of course you get a little worried when you create that many chances and the ball doesn't want to go in. "It was absolutely the best match I have ever experienced. The fans are never this crazy when we play at home. All the Swedes were screaming like mad." Full Article

World Cup Inshallah, a film following the difficult formation, training and World Cup qualifying attempts of the Palestinian national team, will receive its UK premiere in London on Thursday. Of all the teams that battled it out on the pitch to qualify for this year's World Cup, the Palestinian national team had its own particular conflict to endure. Made up of a disparate group of players from the occupied territories, Lebanon, Kuwait, Chile and the United States, it was only recognised by Fifa in 1996 and has so far failed to qualify for any major international tournaments. "Sport is the only context in which you can officially refer to 'Palestine'," says the film's co-director Maya Sanbar, who shared the role with her business partner Jeffrey Saunders. Full Article

Thierry Henry is set to end months of speculation over his future by signing a new contract at Arsenal, inspired by their Champions League final display. Henry, whose contract runs out next year, had been linked with a move to Champions League winners Barcelona. "I hope to stay as long as I can keep running. I couldn't leave the fans. They're like family," he told The Sun. "I love Barcelona, but on Wednesday Arsenal showed they had heart. I hope to finalise details today." Gunners captain Henry, 28, joined from Juventus in August 1999 and has gone on to become the club's record goalscorer. Full Article

England will be allowed to replace Wayne Rooney in their World Cup squad up until 24 hours before their opening match against Paraguay on 10 June. Fifa confirmed that their regulations allow for a player to be substituted provided the governing body is supplied with evidence of serious injury. If a replacement is called up Rooney would take no part in the tournament. Eriksson has to name his 23-man squad for Germany on 15 May, but will announce a provisional squad on 8 May. A Fifa spokesman told BBC Sport: "It's the same as any other Fifa competition. "With a medical report, players who are on the official list, as of 15 May can be replaced up to 24 hours prior to each team's first match." Full Article

Luiz Felipe Scolari has been offered the job of England manager and is discussing terms with the Football Assocation, the BBC has learned. FA chief executive Brian Barwick was in Lisbon on Wednesday to thrash out a deal with Portugal's Brazilian coach. "We were speaking to Felipe as part of the process of recruiting the next coach and that process continues," said Barwick after flying back to London. Scolari, 57, is out of contract after the 2006 World Cup finals in Germany. Full Article

Arsenal reached the Champions League final for the first time on Tuesday when Germany goalkeeper Jens Lehmann saved a last-minute Juan Ramon Riquelme penalty. Lehmann's heroics secured a 0-0 second leg draw against Villarreal in Spain to send the north London club through 1-0 on aggregate. Villarreal were awarded the penalty when Jose Mari went down under a Gael Clichy challenge in the 89th minute but Lehmann dived to his left to block. Villarreal, playing their first season in the competition, made all the running in a ragged match but wasted their chances in front of goal. Full Article

Michael Schumacher won the San Marino Grand Prix for his and Ferrari's first victory of the Formula One season on Sunday. It was the seven-time world champion's 85th career success, and seventh at Ferrari's home circuit, but he was harried all the way by Renault's world champion Fernando Alonso. It was a reversal of last year's nose-to-tail thriller, Alonso having won in 2005 with Schumacher failing to find a way past. This time the German held on to win by two seconds. Schumacher's last victory was at the six-car U.S. Grand Prix last June, a race that turned into a fiasco when all the Michelin teams pulled out before the start. His last real win was the Japanese Grand Prix in October 2004, a season he dominated with 13 victories. Full Article

Olympic officials are getting a progress report today on how London is gearing up for the 2012 Games. A 16-strong co-ordination commission of the International Olympic Committee is in town to check on the capital's progress. They are expected to visit several sporting and transport venues but not the new Wembley Stadium, which will not be ready for this year's FA Cup Final. They will see building work at the Dome. Full Article

The two teams playing in the World Cup final in Germany on 9 July will use a specially produced "golden ball". A giant model of the football, with six of the 14 panels coloured gold, was unveiled in Berlin by the head of the World Cup organising committee. German football legend Franz Beckenbauer said it was a great idea to create a special ball for the match. The ball for the other 63 games will be black and white for the first time since the 1994 tournament. Full Article

Prince Edward has formally closed the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, bringing to an end 11 days of competition involving 4,500 athletes. Prime minister Tony Blair was also at the ceremony to witness Melbourne hand over the Commonwealth Games flag to 2010 host, New Delhi. Performers at the colourful ceremony included Dame Edna Everage, Indian actress Aishwarya Rai and John Farnham. A spectacular firework display provided a rousing finale. Melbourne 2006 chairman Ron Walker said the 18th Commonwealth Games had been a success. Full Article

Snowkiting is the latest adrenaline sport to hit the slopes in Europe. Sky News' interpid snow queen Rebecca Burgess gives it a try in Austria. Have you ever dreamt of skiing effortlessly up a mountain without the help of lifts? Then the latest craze to hit the snow-covered mountains of Europe will sweep you off your feet. Snowkiting is the perfect sport for skiers and snowboarders in search of fun, flying and fear. Full Article

Ronaldo has frequently mentioned his desire to end his career back in Brazil - specifically with Flamengo of Rio, the club he supported as a boy. There has recently been speculation that this might happen sooner rather than later. But if he does move back to his home town, Ronaldo will - as he is surely already aware - find himself in the land that time forgot. Full Article

World number one Roger Federer won his third straight Indian Wells ATP Masters Series title with a 7-5 6-3 6-0 victory over American James Blake. Federer rebounded from his three-set defeat by Rafael Nadal in the final at Dubai and kept intact his record of never losing in back-to-back finals. Blake sent a shiver of excitement around the 16,100-seat stadium when he broke twice in the opening set to take a 4-1 lead over Federer, who has held the top ranking for 111 straight weeks. Full Article

Michaela Breeze won Wales' first gold of the Commonwealth Games when she put in a record-breaking sequence of lifts to win the women's 63kg weightlifting. The 26-year-old, a silver medallist in Manchester four years ago, pushed Canada's Christine Girard and Miel McGerrigle into silver and bronze. She set three Games marks in the snatch and one in the clean-and-jerk for a 220kg total, eight ahead of Girard. Full Article

Evgeni Plushenko was well into his Olympic victory lap, waving his flowers and wrapping himself in the Russian flag, before the silver and bronze medalists even climbed off the podium. These were Plushenko's games. Everyone else just filled out the field, mere subjects to figure skating's new king. Plushenko, the silver medalist four years ago in Salt Lake City, skated safely but just strong enough to add his name to the Russian/Soviet dynasty that now has won the men's individual gold medal in five straight Olympics. Full Article

David Bentley hit a hat-trick for Blackburn in a dramatic 4-3 win over Manchester United on Wednesday while leaders Chelsea were held 1-1 at Aston Villa. United had Rio Ferdinand sent off two minutes from time while Liverpool, in third spot, conceded a late goal at Anfield allowing 10-man Birmingham to draw 1-1. Chelsea, who led through Dutch winger Arjen Robben's early goal, were pegged back but extended their lead to 15 points despite a second successive league draw. Full Article