Rafael Nadal shot down questions over his potential retirement after losing to Cameron Norrie at the United Cup, saying he is "here to continue playing tennis".

As part of his preparation for next month's Australian Open, 22-time grand slam winner Nadal fell to a 3-6 6-3 6-4 defeat to Norrie as Great Britain seized a 2-0 lead over Spain in Sydney.

Norrie had not won a set against Nadal in their previous four matches, and the 36-year-old was asked afterwards how much longer he planned to continue before calling it a day on his historic career.

"Every time I come to a press conference, it seems like I have to retire," Nadal told reporters. "You're very, very interested in my retirement.

"At the moment, that's not the case. When this day comes, I'll let you know.

"But don't go on the subject of retirement because I'm here to continue playing tennis."

With just over two weeks until Nadal's Australian Open title defence gets underway, the Spaniard knows he will have to improve on his performance against Norrie, saying: "I need to be faster physically and a little more solid.

"There is a way to improve, but I have time before the Australian Open starts in two weeks."

While Nadal's shaky performance against Norrie could cause concern over whether he can defend his crown in Melbourne, he was keen to credit the British number one, stating: "He is a top player.

"He didn't impress me much because I know he is very good. He did a lot of things well, very solid, without mistakes, serving well. I can do things better and I need to."

Nadal will be in action again at the United Cup on Sunday, taking part in a doubles match with Paula Badosa against Daniel Evans and Harriet Dart.

Rory McIlroy will sit out next month's Tournament of Champions despite its status as one of the PGA Tour's "elevated purse" events.

The world number one is absent from the confirmed field of players set to take to Kapalua's Plantation Course for the traditional season opener on January 5.

The Tournament of Champions is one of several events with an increased pot, in what is viewed as an effort to combat the lucrative pay-outs offered by LIV Golf.

McIlroy, a vocal critic of the breakaway last year, will not be on hand for the curtain-raiser, however, having opted to pass on the event.

PGA Tour members are allowed to skip one "elevated purse" event per season, with the Northern Irishman opting to bow out of the tournament in Hawaii this time around.

It means he has still made just the one visit to the event, having finished T4 in 2019.

Three of last year's major winners will compete however, with Scottie Scheffler, Justin Thomas and Matt Fitzpatrick all included in the field.

11 first-time winners are included from 2022, while eight of the world top 10 and four FedExCup champions also make the cut, though Open Championship winner Cameron Smith is absent after his LIV Golf defection.

McIlroy is also expected to skip the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship in January, where he started his campaign this year.

The four-time major winner is set to start his campaign on the DP World Tour instead, with the Dubai Desert Classic, where he is a two-time previous winner.

Rafael Nadal's United Cup campaign began with defeat against Cameron Norrie as Great Britain established a 2-0 lead over Spain in Group D.

The 22-time grand slam winner surrendered a first-set lead before going down 3-6 6-3 6-4 against the world number 14, who secured his first victory in five meetings.

Norrie, who became only the second Briton after Andy Murray to beat the Spaniard, set the tone for his team, with Katie Dart also coming from behind to deny Nuria Parrizas Diaz 3-6 6-1 6-2 later on.

Meanwhile, Germany's Alexander Zverev lost in straight sets on his return to ATP action, going down 6-4 6-2 to Jiri Lehecka of the Czech Republic, who went 2-0 up in the tie after Marie Bouzkova defeated Jule Niemeier 6-2 7-5.

World number one Iga Swiatek got Poland off to a flying start against Kazakhstan in Brisbane with a commanding 6-1 6-3 victory over Yulia Putintseva, but defeat for Daniel Michalski against Timofey Skatov leaves the Group B tie finely poised.

Brazil enjoyed a flawless start against Norway in Group E. Beatriz Haddad Maia was a 6-4 6-2 winner over Malene Helgo, and Felipe Meligeni Alves overcame Viktor Durasovic 6-3 6-3.

The spoils were shared between Belgium and Bulgaria in Group A with Alison van Uytvanck beating Isabella Shinikova, before David Goffin was seen off by Grigor Dimitrov 6-4 7-5.

Croatia closed the day with a pair of victories against Argentina in Group F as Donna Vekic and Borna Coric defeated Maria Carle and Francisco Cerundolo respectively.

The 2022 NFL season heads into its final two weeks with battles for the postseason and for playoff seeding set to go right to the wire.

Nine teams have already clinched their place in the postseason, and there are seven teams with clinching scenarios in Week 17.

That should make for a fascinating slate of games in which the finer details that often prove decisive will be even more critical.

In a week where so many have so much to play for, Stats Perform has picked out the biggest games of the week and used its advanced data to break down the key matchups that could settle their outcomes.

Carolina Panthers @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Win Probability: Buccaneers 72.9 per cent

Key Matchup: Panthers' run game vs. Tampa Bay defense

The Buccaneers know the task in front of them at Raymond James Stadium: win and, despite an extremely underwhelming season, and they are in the playoffs as champions of the dismal NFC South.

Lose and the Panthers will have the lead of the division with the tiebreaker over Tampa Bay heading into the final week of the regular season.

Carolina stunningly prevailed 21-3 over Tampa Bay in Week 7 and the key to that win will again likely determine whether the Panthers can complete the sweep.

The Panthers averaged 6.4 yards per rush in that victory and head into this game on the back of racking up 320 yards on the ground in a dominant win over the Detroit Lions.

While Carolina had success running the ball against Tampa Bay in the previous meeting, the Buccaneers remain one of the better teams in the NFL defending the ground game. Indeed, their run success rate allowed of 33.7 per cent is tied for the fourth-best in the NFL.

If the Bucs can take away the Carolina ground game and force Sam Darnold to win the game on his arm, Tampa Bay figure to be excellently positioned to claim victory and the fourth seed in the NFC playoffs.

Minnesota Vikings @ Green Bay Packers

Win Probability: Vikings 56.3 per cent

Key Matchup: Justin Jefferson vs. Jaire Alexander

Way back in Week 1, the Vikings cruised to a 23-7 win over the Packers that set the tone for hugely contrasting seasons. The Vikings have usurped the Packers as the dominant force in the NFC North, though each of their 11 wins since the season-opening defeat of Green Bay have been by one score.

Though the Vikings' ability to close out tight games has been extremely impressive, their inability to put teams away earlier gives them an air of vulnerability that Green Bay will look to exploit as the 7-8 Packers aim to keep their playoff hopes alive.

Still looking over their shoulders at the hottest team in football, the San Francisco 49ers, in the race for the second seed in the NFC, and within touching distance of the Philadelphia Eagles in the fight for the one seed, the Vikings have no shortage of motivation to make it two wins out of two against their biggest rivals this season.

Their simplest route to claiming a comfortable win over the Packers is to feed the man who shredded Green Bay in the season opener. Justin Jefferson had nine catches for 184 yards and two touchdowns in that contest and has continued to embellish his resume as arguably the best wide receiver in football in 2022.

No receiver in the NFL has more receptions of 20 yards or more than Jefferson's 27 this season, and the Packers will be desperate to try to limit his impact at Lambeau Field.

The debate in Week 1 surrounded whether the Packers should have had cornerback Jaire Alexander shadow Jefferson and he will surely look to match up with the Vikings star this time around.

While not performing at his All-Pro level of 2020, Alexander is 23rd among outside cornerbacks with at least 200 coverage snaps for burn rate, which measures how often a receiver wins his matchup with a defender on a play where he is targeted. Alexander has allowed receivers to win their matchup on 33 of his 72 targets for a burn rate of 45.9 per cent.

Jefferson will still fancy he can get the better of Alexander and, coming off a strong performance against the Miami Dolphins, the latter's ability to contain one of the NFL's premier offensive weapons may have a significant bearing on whether the Packers are playing postseason football in the second full week of January.

Cincinnati Bengals @ Buffalo Bills

Win Probability: Bills 61.5 per cent

Key Matchup: Joe Burrow vs. Buffalo pass rush

The Bengals and Bills square off in one of the most significant Monday Night Football games in recent memory with both teams firmly in the mix for the one seed in the AFC.

Defeat for the Bills would likely give the Kansas City Chiefs, who face the Denver Broncos on Sunday, top spot going into Week 18, but it would also see the Bengals leapfrog them and put Cincinnati in position to potentially host two home playoff games. The Bengals also hold the tiebreaker over the Chiefs but are a game back on Kansas City.

Even with a win in Buffalo, the Bengals would likely need help from the Las Vegas Raiders against the Chiefs in Week 18 to top the AFC. Their path to keeping those hopes alive with victory in Orchard Park surrounds the man who propelled Cincinnati to the Super Bowl last season, Joe Burrow.

Though the Bengals' offensive line has improved this year, it still ranks 24th in pass block win rate. Buffalo's defense, missing Von Miller following his season-ending knee injury, is fourth in pass rush win rate.

It is a mismatch on paper, but one Burrow can negate with his ability to get the ball out quickly and accurately.

Only Tom Brady (2.35 seconds) has a quicker average time to throw from snap to release than Burrow (2.45 seconds) among quarterbacks with at least 200 pass attempts, and the Cincinnati quarterback has again been devastatingly accurate with his ball placement. He has delivered an accurate, well-thrown ball on 87.5 per cent of attempts, the third-best ratio in the league (min. 200 throws).

Burrow is a quarterback who in his still young pro career has shone while under the biggest spotlights. Both he and a Buffalo defense minus the player recruited in the offseason to help put the Bills over the top, will hope to prove they are ready to deliver in the pressure cooker of the playoffs by producing a decisive performance in a game that will go a long way to deciding how complicated each team's path becomes.

Pep Guardiola says he would not have signed his new deal at Manchester City if he felt the players were not showing enough "desire and hunger."

The former Barcelona head coach penned a two-year contract extension in November, keeping him at the Etihad Stadium until 2025.

Guardiola has lifted the Premier League four times, as well as five domestic cups, since arriving at the club in 2016, though the Champions League has so far eluded him with the Citizens, including a final defeat to Chelsea in 2021.

However, the signing of Erling Haaland has given Guardiola's side renewed vigour, with many feeling the Norway international could be the final piece of the puzzle as City bid to win European football's top prize for the first time.

Guardiola's new deal put an end to rumours his time at City may be coming to an end, with some suggesting he may seek new challenges or even take a sabbatical similar to the one he did after leaving Barcelona in 2012.

But Guardiola feels City's two displays since coming back from the World Cup break - a 3-2 EFL Cup win over Liverpool and a 3-1 league victory at Leeds United - have exemplified why he decided to stay on.

"It is the results [that matter]," Guardiola told reporters. "If we are tired of each other then I will not finish this contract. The contract is just paper.

"If I extend, it's because I have the feeling that we can still play good, like the last two games. We did many good things [in those games] and still have the desire and hunger to do it.

"The moment I feel something is broken, I will resign or not extend."

City's players totalled 4,572 minutes on the pitch at the World Cup in Qatar, nearly 1,000 more than any other Premier League team.

Yet, City have picked up a pair of important victories since their return to action, and Guardiola is delighted with how his players have resumed the season.

"You have no idea how people are going to come back from the World Cup," he added. "They are in 25 degrees.

"And then you come here with this weather, immediately to Elland Road against the most intense team in the Premier League. But they reacted really well. The commitment made me feel that 'let's try to do it again.'

"If we don't do that against these opponents then it won't be possible. That is the challenge, to do it again. What I'm proud of the most is that we are still there."

Despite the victory over Leeds, City remain five points behind leaders Arsenal, who are looking to lift their first Premier League title since the 'Invincibles' did so in 2004.

But Guardiola is confident his team are capable of catching the Gunners, managed by his protege Mikel Arteta, adding: "Arsenal have done brilliantly and have been better than us so far. Their lead is not 15 or 20 points, we are close.

"Winning four in five years and seeing the way we played at Leeds, after the contenders all won, I see the desire."

Trent Alexander-Arnold says he has "not helped myself in certain situations" this season but the Liverpool full-back vowed to keep working on the defensive side of his game.

Alexander-Arnold has often come under the microscope for his defensive abilities as much as his offensive capabilities throughout his career.

His mixed form amid a tough campaign for Liverpool saw questions over his inclusion in England's World Cup squad, but the 24-year-old impressed during his side's ragged 2-1 win over Leicester City on Friday.

Speaking afterwards, Alexander-Arnold said he feels his defensive capabilities have been overly focused on.

"Part of me thinks there's been a lot of spotlight on [my defending]," he told Sky Sports. "I think that was due to the World Cup coming up.

"People think that if I'm not playing then it is because of that reason and then people hone in on that.

"Some of it, I've not helped myself in certain situations. I'll hold my hands up to that.

"In certain situations I could have been better, but it is a part of my game I do try to work on, and I focus on to try and help the team win games.

"Sometimes you are up against a world-class winger, and he is going to get the better of you, but there have been times when I could have done better."

Jurgen Klopp praised Alexander-Arnold for his effort after a pair of Wout Faes own goals gifted Liverpool victory at Anfield, with the first deflected off the wing-back's cross.

The Reds next travel to Brentford on Monday, having now strung together a four-game winning streak to keep the pressure up on the top four.

Alexander Zverev recognised his game remains below expectations after ending a six-month competitive absence, but the German is unconcerned as he continues his recovery.

The two-time ATP Finals winner suffered a serious ankle injury during the semi-finals of the French Open against Rafael Nadal, ruling him out of the rest of the 2022 season.

Though he has played in a number of exhibition matches since, Zverev only made his competitive return to action on Saturday at the United Cup in Sydney.

There, he suffered a 6-4 6-2 straight sets loss to the Czech Republic's Jiri Lehecka, though he was philosophical about his performance afterward.

"My tennis is far away from the level I want it to be," he said. "I think it is normal, not playing for seven months. There are things that are different than I'm used to.

"[Am I] concerned? Probably not. Physically, I'm not at the level that I have to be. This is not even a question. I'm getting tired a lot quicker than I did. I'm not as fast as I probably was.

"I don't think it will be a matter of tomorrow, [or] after tomorrow. It will be a few weeks until I'm back to the level I want to be."

Zverev, an Olympic gold medallist and US Open finalist, is anticipated to figure in next month's Australian Open, where he will be chasing a maiden grand slam trophy.

The German is focused on reaching full fitness rather than putting undue pressure on himself, though, adding: "I think it's tough to set expectations right now.

"It would be unrealistic and quite stupid for me to set the expectations towards winning or something like that.

"Of course, I want to win. Everybody wants to win. [But] for me, it's about getting back the form that I'm used to."

Joe Marler has been banned for two weeks with a further four suspended over comments made by the England and Harlequins prop to Bristol Bears' Jake Heenan.

Marler, who has been capped 79 times by England, reportedly made a remark over Heenan's mother during Quins' 15-12 Premiership defeat to Bristol at the Stoop on Tuesday. 

The comment led to a melee on the field between the two sets of players and the Bristol flanker received a penalty in the aftermath.

Marler was given a six-week suspension on Friday but four of those have been suspended. He will also be required to give a presentation to a local club or school, as well as a Premiership academy, on what the core values of rugby are.

Gareth Graham, RFU disciplinary panel chair, said: "The player [Marler] accepted that his conduct was prejudicial to the interests of the game.

"Rugby's core values are not empty words or slogans which can be signed up to and then ignored. They are integral to the game.

"The insulting and offensive comments made by the player were wholly inappropriate; such comments should form no part of the modern game."

Marler is no stranger to controversy on the field, having been suspended and fined in 2016 for an incident with Wales prop Samson Lee, while he received a 10-week ban in 2020 for grabbing Alun Wyn Jones' genitals during a Six Nations match.

LeBron James thought he could become "one of the greatest players" in NBA history as a teenager after the Los Angeles Lakers man enjoyed a birthday game to remember.

The superstar forward celebrated his 38th birthday in style with a mammoth 47-point performance to steer his side to a 130-121 comeback win against the Atlanta Hawks on Friday.

In his 20th season now, James continues to build upon a legacy that already includes four championships, four MVP awards, and two Olympic gold medals, among other accolades.

Reflecting on his time in the NBA, he put himself into the shoes of his younger self and spoke of the ambition he had two decades ago to prove he could thrive in the sport.

"I feel better than [I felt at] 18," James said. "I didn't know what I could become at 18.

"But I just knew if I continued to put in the work, I continued to be true to the game, then I could be one of the greatest players to ever play this game.

"I just always believed that. There are times when I'm on the floor where I do feel like a kid again. That's for sure."

James' dominant performance, which also included 10 rebounds and nine assists at State Farm Arena, continued to showcase his age-defying skills on the court.

He is the third-oldest active player in the NBA right now, behind Udonis Haslem and Andre Iguodala, and he sees no reason why he cannot play on further.

"[I have got to] make sure my mind stays fresh, and my body, more importantly," he added. "As long as I keep my mind fresh, my body will follow."

Benfica head coach Roger Schmidt is not sure if Friday's 3-0 loss to Braga was Enzo Fernandez's last for the club amid reports that he has agreed to join Chelsea.

Fernandez starred for Argentina during their triumphant World Cup campaign, prompting speculation of a move during the January transfer window.

The 21-year-old, who joined Benfica from River Plate last year, was rewarded for his efforts by being named as the Young Player of the Tournament.

Reports on Friday claimed Fernandez had already agreed to join the Blues, with the ball now in Benfica's court as to whether they accept a bid.

"I don't know if it was his last game for Benfica," Schmidt told reporters. "He's an excellent player, he's been performing fantastically, he's identified with the club.

"Sometimes things happen and players have to make decisions. We'll see what happens in the coming weeks."

Schmidt opted to start Fernandez along with Nicolas Otamendi in Friday's game despite their short break after their World Cup triumph.

"Nico and Enzo were good today," he added. "They were at their normal level. As I said before the game, they came with rhythm, they were always playing.

"Others were at the World Cup, didn't play, didn't train much. They need some time to get back to their best form. Overall we weren't good enough. You can't change."

LeBron James celebrated his 38th birthday with 47 points in a near triple-double as the Los Angeles Lakers downed the Atlanta Hawks 130-121 on Friday.

James scored 47 points on 18-of-27 shooting from the field with 10 rebounds and nine assists, showing the four-time NBA MVP is evergreen.

The 18-time All-Star scored 16 points in both the second and fourth quarters on his way to a season-high points haul.

The Lakers rallied back from a 15-point deficit before getting the edge in a tight fourth quarter, with James' three-pointer giving them a 103-101 lead which they never surrendered.

James iced the game with a pair of free-throws amid chants of "MVP! MVP!" from the State Farm Arena crowd, who appeared to be willing to switch allegiance for the star on his birthday.

Thomas Bryant scored 19 points with a  season-high 17 rebounds, while Russell Westbrook added 14 points and 11 assists off the bench.

Trae Young returned from a calf contusion for the Hawks to top score with 29 points and eight assists, while Dejounte Murray contributed 20 points, seven rebounds and nine assists.

The result improves the Lakers to a 15-21 record, having lost nine of their past 13 games entering the game. The Hawks fell to 17-19 having lost their past three.

Giannis drops another 40-point game

Giannis Antetokounmpo powered an almighty third-quarter comeback from the Milwaukee Bucks, who won 123-114 over the Minnesota Timberwolves, dropping 40 points for the fourth time in six games.

The Bucks trailed 61-50 at half-time, but won the third 39-22 led by Antetokounmpo, who finished the game with 43 points on 14-of-23 shooting with 20 rebounds, five assists and two blocks.

Milwaukee had good contributions off the bench from Bobby Portis with 22 points and 14 rebounds and Joe Ingles with 14 points and 10 assists. Anthony Edwards top scored for the Wolves with 30 points and 10 rebounds.

McCollum hits franchise-record 11 threes

C.J. McCollum scored a franchise-record 11 three-pointers on his way to 42 points as the New Orleans Pelicans downed the Philadelphia 76ers 127-116.

McCollum shot 11-of-16 from beyond the arc in a dazzling display, well supported by Zion Williamson with 36 points on 13-of-19 shooting with five rebounds.

Joel Embiid was strong for the 76ers with 37 points on 14-of-22 shooting with eight rebounds and five assists, while James Harden added 20 points including four triples and 10 assists.

Los Angeles Lakers' All-Star Anthony Davis says the stress injury in his right foot that has sidelined him since mid-December is "healing pretty quickly".

Davis declined to discuss timelines for a return to play for the Lakers, having originally been ruled out "indefinitely", but was upbeat about the progress of the injury when he spoke to reporters prior to Friday's 130-121 win over the Atlanta Hawks.

The 29-year-old power forward had been enjoying a bounce-back season with the Lakers, averaging 27.4 points, with a career-best 12.1 rebounds and 2.1 blocks, prior to the injury which has halted his campaign.

"Feeling a lot better, pain has subsided tremendously," Davis said. "I think the next step is [the foot] healing right now. I don't want to use timetables because that's a whole different thing, but it's healing pretty quickly.

"When we get back to LA, we'll do another image of the foot, and see how far it's healed."

Davis said that the injury was identified before it turned into a stress fracture which was a "whole different ballgame", while he added that the pain had significantly subsided.

"I'm just really excited to get back on the floor," Davis said.

"[It] hasn't been a 'Man, it's going to take me X amount of games to get back in rhythm,' or, 'Might not be the same.' That's not even been a thought in my mind. My thought has been, whenever that day is, it's go time."

Lakers head coach Darvin Ham was equally bullish about Davis' progress, which would significantly boost the 15-21 Lakers' playoff hopes, having rebounded from a 2-10 start to the season.

"He's trending in the right direction," Ham said.

"Everything he's being asked to do he's done and continues to do. We all feel comfortable, starting with our medical staff."

Brentford manager Thomas Frank is worried but hopeful about the knee injury that saw Ivan Toney stretchered off late in their 2-0 win over West Ham United on Friday.

Toney, who has been in the news after being charged with 262 breaches of the Football Association's betting rules, scored the opening goal and got the assist for the other before being stretchered off in the 90th minute after landing awkwardly on his right knee.

The England forward appeared in significant pain, which Frank said was "worrying" but needing further assessment.

"Hopefully he's okay," Frank told SkySports. "I'm happy for the three points and another goal to add to his tally.

"I don't know exactly how he will be against Liverpool in three days' time, it's unlikely he's subbed off because of a knock or something.

"So, of course, that's a little bit worrying, but I've been in the game long enough that we need to assess him in the next two days.

"It could be nothing, it could be a little bit worse. It's never a good sign, but we don't know anything about it. It's his knee."

Toney, who was left out of England's World Cup squad, has netted 12 league goals this season, behind only Erling Haaland (20) and Harry Kane (13).

After the game, Toney tweeted about the injury: "Hopefully not too bad and be back out there in no time."