Naomi Osaka saved two match points and Serena Williams was taken to three sets as two of the favourites reached the Australian Open quarter-finals.

But she won four games in a row to win 4-6 6-4 7-5 against the Spaniard, who is also a former world number one.

Williams then came through 6-4 2-6 6-4 against Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka.

The American surged into a 4-1 lead in an entertaining final set, before 22-year-old seventh seed Sabalenka broke back and levelled at 4-4.

But Williams held serve and then broke her opponent's serve to clinch the win and keep alive her hopes of a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam singles title.

"I am happy to get through that one because it wasn't easy," the 39-year-old 10th seed said. "I felt like I was there, even the games I lost were super close and just one shot here or there."

Williams will face the winner of Sunday's match between Simona Halep and Iga Swiatek next.

Osaka, who won the first of her three Grand Slams at the Australian Open in 2019, will face Hsieh Su-Wei in the last eight.

The Taiwanese 35-year-old beat 19th seed Marketa Vondrousova 6-4 6-2 to become the oldest player to make a Grand Slam quarter-final debut in the Open era.

"I just knew it was going to be tough," said 23-year-old Osaka, who was facing 14th seed Muguruza for the first time.

"I feel like I was a bit intimidated because I knew that she was playing really well coming into this match. I feel like in the stressful points I just had to go within myself."

Unified lightweight titleholder Teofimo Lopez isn't shying away from the business of boxing.

In an interview Saturday night on ESPN, Lopez addressed a report about a contract dispute between himself and Top Rank Promotions for a future fight against mandatory challenger George Kambosos.

Lopez is looking for more than the guaranteed purse of $1.25 million to defend his IBF belt in the 135-pound division. He said he is prepared to face Kambosos in a fight not promoted by Top Rank, if the price is right.

"I'm looking forward, and I'm moving forward," Lopez told ESPN's Mark Kriegel. "If you can't meet the terms, then like I said, I'm taking my talents somewhere else."

According to a report by The Athletic, Top Rank is not willing to pay more than $1.25 million for a fight against Kambosos (19-0, 10 KOs). The IBF has scheduled a purse bid on Thursday that gives the bid's winner the right to promote the fight. It puts the onus on ESPN to produce the rest of the money for Lopez's purse. In 2018, Top Rank signed a seven-year contract with ESPN to produce fights for the network.

Lopez (16-0, 12 KOs) is four months removed from defeating Vasiliy Lomachenko in October to win the WBA, IBF and WBO lightweight titles.

Before the Lopez-Lomachenko bout, Top Rank founder Bob Arum praised ESPN's efforts to make that fight financially viable during the COVID-19 pandemic. The match was staged in Las Vegas without any paid fans.

In his interview on Saturday, Lopez explained why his financial situation is different than it was four months ago.

"Because you got the best fighter in the world on that display," Lopez said. "It's all paid dues. And that's what we did. We paid our dues. I am your favorite fighter's favorite fighter. That sets the tone, and I think that everybody needs to realize that. I am the truth. I am the best in the division."

Lopez said he is currently planning on staying at 135 pounds as he waits for the winner of the junior welterweight bout between Jose Ramirez and Josh Taylor. Ramirez and Taylor each have two of the major four titles in the 140-pound division; their fight has yet to be announced.

Ramirez and Taylor also fight on ESPN and are promoted by Top Rank. Lopez said he hopes his next fight is on the network. However, he said he believes he is worth more than what is currently being offered, which puts his immediate future in jeopardy.

"I can't take it or leave it no more," Lopez told ESPN on Saturday. "It's more so about it's a takeover. I earned it. It's not something that's given. You've gotta earn it."

New Zealand opener Martin Guptill will have to prove his fitness in order to be part of the T20I series against Australia, which begins on February 22 in Christchurch. The 34-year-old Guptill, who had missed the final two games of the Super Smash season with a hamstring injury, assembled with the squad in Christchurch on Friday even as Finn Allen continued to be in the 13-man squad a cover for him.

Guptill has not enjoyed particularly good form this summer, making just 46 in three T20Is against Pakistan in December before making three single-digit scores in his last four Super Smash innings. Uncapped 21-year-old batsman Allen, meanwhile, was impressive in the Super Smash, where he was the highest scorer overall with 512 runs in 11 innings, including six fifties.

"Finn's been in outstanding form and he's certainly an exciting talent," New Zealand selector Gavin Larsen said in a statement. "Martin's our incumbent opener and our highest T20 International run scorer, so we're backing him to do the job at the top of the order, but he will need to prove his fitness and it's good to know we have a ready replacement in Finn on stand-by."

Devon Conway, Glenn Phillips and Mark Chapman, who were all part of the T20Is against Pakistan, have been backed to continue in the batting line-up after impressing in their international stints. James Neesham, who underwent a finger surgery last month and returned to the Super Smash on February 6 after gaining fitness, is also part of the squad.

Larsen said this series would serve as a great starter to the T20 World Cup scheduled later this year in India. "Australia will provide a really stern test for our guys who I know will relish the chance to test themselves against the number two T20 side in the world. A five-game series also allows us to really nail down our game-plans and the way we want to play as we look ahead to the World Cup later this year.

"We've got a great rivalry with Australia. With the prospect of full houses up and down the country, I'm sure this series will be the biggest yet."

Squad: Kane Williamson (capt), Hamish Bennett, Trent Boult, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Martin Guptill (pending fitness test), Kyle Jamieson, James Neesham, Glenn Phillips. Mitchell Santner, Tim Seifert (wk), Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Finn Allen (stand-by for Guptill).

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

Welcome to day two of our live report of the second India-England Test from Chennai. Join us for updates, analysis and colour. You can find our traditional ball-by-ball commentary here

*Most recent entry will appear at the top, please refresh your page for the latest updates. All times are local

9.40am: Moeen gets going

Two wickets in three balls for Moeen Ali, bowling just the second over of the morning, have got England smiling. Although Moeen's grin was slightly sheepish after a full toss did for Ishant Sharma. The other man to go was Axar Patel, who overbalanced and was smartly stumped by Ben Foakes as the pitch again demonstrated its spinning nature. Pant has so far faced one ball, scored one single, and lost two partners.

9.30am: How good was Rohit?

Just to reflect a little longer on the performance that may have set the course of this match, Rohit Sharma's fabulous innings meant his home average now sits at 83.55 - second only to the Don. Okay, you might quibble that his away record (average: 27.00) could do with improving, but there's not many that could have played the innings he did on Saturday. Never mind Bradman, it was right in the Sehwag bracket. In these conditions, you can't get much higher praise.

9.20am:

#AskMatchDay - What's a good first-innings score for India?@Ian_Bell and @sanjaymanjrekar answer your queries on Match Day Live#INDvENG pic.twitter.com/kQgwEl7YgQ

— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) February 14, 2021

Morning and welcome back. Hands up who likes it spicy? India looked to have got themselves into a good position at the end of day one thanks to a Rohit Sharma masterclass, and they'll hope to add a few more this morning before it's England turn to tango on this dancing Chepauk deck. The suspicion is that 300-plus could already be a defining total, but Rishabh Pant won't want to stop there - and if the pitch continues to snap, crackle and pop, it should be plenty fun to watch. Buckle up.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

The Brooklyn Nets annihilated the Warriors in Kevin Durant's return to the Bay Area on Saturday night, defeating Golden State 134-117.

It was Brooklyn's league-high seventh 130-point game.

Before the game, Nets coach Steve Nash said that while he believes this game against his former team carries extra weight for Durant, the former league MVP hasn't shown it.

"We haven't talked about it," Nash said. "If there's ever a comeback game that is less than what it may have been in a normal situation, it's this one where we have no fans, it's getting closer to two years from his last game here. So it's not gonna have the same -- I don't think -- rawness that sometimes these games can present; but I still think it means something to him."

Durant, who played for the Warriors for three seasons, finished with 20 points. James Harden added 19 points and 16 assists. Kyrie Irving led the way in scoring for Brooklyn with 23 points. All five of the Nets starters finished in double figures.

Stephen Curry scored a game-high 27 points for Golden State.

During a first-quarter timeout, a tribute video played on the jumbotron in Chase Center, thanking Durant for his tenure in Golden State. During his three years with the Warriors, the team won two NBA championships and Durant was named Finals MVP twice.

A team spokesman said the Warriors intend to play another thank you video for Durant next season when the team plans on having fans in back in the arena.

After building a 15-point halftime lead, a 42-point third quarter propelled the Nets to a 108-82 lead entering the final quarter. Their 26-point advantage was the Nets' second largest lead of the season through three quarters, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.

The Nets' largest lead heading into the fourth quarter this season was also against the Warriors, when the team led by 28 on opening night in Brooklyn.

The Nets 'Big Three' of Harden, Durant and Irving scored or assisted on 100 of Brooklyn's points.

As Durant walked off the court, he gave hugs and handshakes to former teammates and Warriors coaches.

Left-hander James Paxton and the Seattle Mariners are in agreement on a one-year, $8.5 million deal, sources told ESPN's Jeff Passan on Saturday.

The contract includes reachable bonuses that could take its value up to $10 million, sources said.

Paxton, 32, returns to the city where he spent the first six years of his career. The Mariners traded the pitcher to the New York Yankees in the winter of 2018.

After a successful 2019 with the Yankees, Paxton's 2020 season was cut short because of a strained left flexor tendon in his throwing arm. He finished the year 1-1 with a 6.64 ERA in five starts.

Paxton is 57-33 with a 3.58 ERA across eight seasons in the majors.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. – Stephen Nasse won the battle and Derek Griffith won the war on the final night of racing during the 55th World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing at New Smyrna Speedway Saturday evening.

Nasse led every lap of the annual Orange Blossom 100 that closed out the week for the Super Late Model division, allowing him to complete a sweep of the 100-lap features for the Super Late Model and Pro Late Model divisions at New Smyrna Speedway on consecutive days.

“The 51 car was pretty good tonight,” Nasse said in victory lane. “We worked real hard this weekend. We’re still off a little bit. We pulled through and got a lucky starting spot tonight being able to start on the front row. I feel like the key to winning something this week was starting on the front row.”

Griffith, meanwhile, finished ninth to clinch his second-straight World Series Super Late Model championship.

While the record books will show Nasse led every lap of the Orange Blossom 100 after starting on the pole, Nasse didn’t go unchallenged. Jesse Love, the reigning ARCA Menards Series West champion, hounded Nasse for the majority of the race.

At one point with less than 40 laps left Love managed to get alongside Nasse and the duo ran side-by-side, with Nasse edging Love at the start-finish line to lead the lap. Nasse was able to pull back ahead of Love shortly thereafter and within a few laps was able to pull away and build a comfortable gap.

With no caution flags to help Love close back in, Nasse cruised to his first victory in the Orange Blossom 100.

“I wasn’t really ever confident,” Nasse admitted. “The 21 car (Love) was really good all night. He definitely put some pressure on me and luckily we hit some lap cars and I was able to get a pretty good gap.”

Griffith wrapped up his second-straight World Series title thanks in large part to three victories in seven races. He’s the first driver to win consecutive Super Late Model championships during the World Series since Pete Orr accomplished the feat from 1992-94.

Pete Hamilton (1974-75), Junior Hanley (1980-81) and Dick Trickle (1984-86) are the only other drivers to win consecutive Super Late Model championships in World Series competition.

“We work our butts off. We’re a small team from New Hampshire,” Griffith said. “To come down here and get a couple of race wins and a championship consecutively just means the world.”

Griffith, who hails from Hudson, N.H., noted that he hopes his success the past two years at New Smyrna Speedway has proven just how good he and his small team can be against some of the nation’s top Super Late Model competitors.

“I think that we’re a really good team with the Super Late Model program,” Griffith said. “You look who won tonight, Nasse, and Bubba (Pollard) was in the field. Some of these guys have won the biggest races in the country multiple times.

“Nasse has won everything there is it seems like and so has Bubba, so to race with those guys all week and beat them a couple of times means the world.”

The finish:

Stephen Nasse, Jesse Love, Sammy Smith, Brad May, Bubba Pollard, Dan Frederickson, Ryan Moore, Jacob Goede, Derek Griffith, Mason Diaz, T.J. Duke, Justin Mondeik, Kelly Moore; Michael Hinde, Kody Swanson, Steve Weaver, Bobby Good, Patrick Thomas, Connor Mosack, Daniel Dye.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Defending NASCAR Xfinity Series champion Austin Cindric held off Brett Moffitt in overtime to capture Saturday’s season-opening Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. 300 at Daytona Int’l Speedway.

Cindric, who led four times for a race-high 29 laps, wrested control of the race away from Harrison Burton on a restart with eight to go and controlled the proceedings the rest of the way.

The 22-year-old native of Mooresville, N.C., was pushed to the lead by A.J. Allmendinger at the start of the two-lap overtime period and blocked like a veteran for nearly four miles en route to the win.

Moffitt worked past Harrison Burton for second in turns three and four on the final lap, but couldn’t get enough of a run to pull alongside Cindric’s No. 22 Verizon 5G Ford Mustang to challenge.

That left Cindric alone out front by .104 seconds for his ninth career Xfinity Series win and second in a row, following the win at Arizona’s Phoenix Raceway last November that gave him the series title.

It was also Team Penske’s first-ever win on the 2.5-mile Daytona oval in Xfinity Series competition.

“What an awesome race,” Cindric said in victory lane. “What a really fast Verizon 5G Ford Mustang. That was an unbelievable effort by everyone at Team Penske. Obviously, we were coming off a lot of momentum from winning the championship last year, but nothing is guaranteed and, because of that, we just had to keep working hard.

“It feels great (to win on the Daytona oval for Team Penske). Our guys have brought us some extremely fast race cars,” Cindric added. “Forget who hasn’t been able to do it, because we’ve got some amazing drivers in our camp and tonight, I was just in the right place at the right time to get this Verizon 5G Ford Mustang in victory lane on the biggest stage in NASCAR.”

The run to the checkered flag was set up after the Big One occurred on lap 105, when Ty Dillon tried to shoot the middle to pass his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate, Daniel Hemric, and was turned in the pack.

Dillon’s spinning car sparked a 14-car melee in turns three and four, eliminating contenders like Riley Herbst, Josh Berry, Justin Allgaier and Justin Haley from contention for the victory.

It left a reduced pack to take the green flag with eight laps left, led by Harrison Burton and Austin Cindric on the front row. Moffitt shoved Cindric to the lead on lap 113, but Jeb Burton hooked Landon Cassill into the outside wall in the tri-oval next time around – leading to the race-deciding overtime attempt.

Moffitt did all he could to make a run at Cindric on the final lap, but had nothing to work with and settled for second with the No. 02 Our Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro one night after crashing out of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series opener.

Asked if he could have done anything differently at the end, Moffitt’s answer was simple: “Start up front.”

At the end, the draft and the battle came down to track position, tipped the 2018 Truck Series titlist.

“With how few cars we had (left), the energy (and) runs weren’t huge, so you can only do so much,” Moffitt explained. “The 10 (Jeb Burton) did an awesome job pushing me. Thank you to him. But once the 22 (Cindric) got out front, any time I’d get within a car length of his bumper, I’d just push him further forward. I can’t thank everyone on this team enough, though. They’ve worked extremely hard to turn a very small team into a very successful team in a pretty short amount of time.

“I can’t wait for more and we’ll go on to the [Daytona] road course here next week and see what happens.”

Harrison Burton crossed the line third in a Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Camry, followed by the Kaulig Racing Chevrolet Camaros of Jeb Burton and Allmendinger.

Brandon Brown, Myatt Snider, Brandon Gdovic, Hemric and Jason White filled out the top 10.

Dillon came back from his involvement in the Big One for a 14th-place finish in JGR’s No. 54 Toyota.

The NASCAR Xfinity Series season continues Feb. 20 on Daytona’s 3.61-mile road course layout.

To view complete race results, advance to the next page.

Max Homa did something Saturday at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am that only six players before him since 1983 had done: Birdie all four of Pebble's par-3s in the same round.

Homa's third-round, 4-under 68 included birdies at Nos. 5, 7, 12 and 17. On those holes, Homa drained putts of 6, 7, 10 and 16 feet, respectively.

Informed of his accomplishment after the round, Homa was at a loss for words. "Sick," he replied.

Homa enters Sunday at 9 under, four shots back of leader Jordan Spieth.

Jurgen Klopp conceded that Liverpool's Premier League title hopes are all but gone after a self-inflicted 3-1 loss at Leicester City on Saturday.

Now with just two wins from 10 league games, the champions capitulated in the final 12 minutes at King Power Stadium, giving away three quickfire goals and falling to a third successive league defeat.

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It is the first time they have gone on such a run in the league since 2014, when coached by Brendan Rodgers. They had not even lost back-to-back league games under Klopp until last Sunday's 4-1 loss to Manchester City.

Liverpool are now 13 points off the top, having played one game more than leaders City, and the German believes the gap is now insurmountable.

Asked if he is conceding the title this season, Klopp said: "Yes. I can't believe, but yes."

"I don't think we can close that gap this year. We have to win football games. Today was really good in parts. We have to avoid mistakes and misunderstanding.

"We have to make steps, to perform again and results are related to that. We are good enough to win it [the title], for long periods, but not until the end."

Defensive frailties were their undoing again. Much has been made of Liverpool's injury problems at the back, but in the space of a week, first-choice goalkeeper Alisson, normally so dependable, has become erroneous in the extreme.

It was two woeful Alisson passes that cost Liverpool last weekend. This time, three minutes after Leicester had cancelled out Salah's opening goal, the Brazil international's decision to come way out of his goal led to Jamie Vardy turning the match on its head.

"Alisson had a super game and then at that moment he came out. I didn't hear him shouting," Klopp added.

"We are not looking for excuses. A lot of things happen. We should have done better. We spoke about that, in the moment, it's tough. The only way out is to play good football, fight and work hard."

Liverpool have now conceded 32 goals in 24 league games this season, just one fewer than they did in the whole of 2019-20.

Injuries have certainly not helped matters, but mistakes like Alisson's in the last few weeks are inexcusable at this level.

The Merseysiders had to wait 30 years to win the title last season. Their hopes of retaining the top-flight crown for the first time since 1984 now seem forlorn, however, with City looking back to their imperious best.

Reuters was used in this report.