Top seed Cristian Garin will fly the flag for Chile in the quarter-finals of the Chile Open after beating compatriot Alejandro Tabilo in the second round.

The only two remaining home hopes in Santiago went head-to-head on Thursday and it was world number 22 Garin who came out on top 6-2 6-2.

Garin, a four-time ATP Tour winner, was forced to retire from the tournament in the last eight last year but will look to reach the semi-finals for the first time when he takes on Peruvian qualifier Juan Pablo Varillas.

The 24-year-old Garin is one of only three seeds remaining in the competition after Varillas' upset win over Federico Coria in straight sets and Daniel Elahi Galan's defeat of Pablo Andujar.

Garin cannot now play another seeded player until the final.

Elise Mertens came from behind to clinch a semi-final spot at the Dubai Tennis Championships but Coco Gauff bowed out on Thursday.

Mertens said she "just didn't want to let go" after coming back from the brink to end Jessica Pegula's fine run with a 5-7 7-5 6-0 victory.

The Belgian looked to be heading out when she faced a 5-2 deficit in the second set, yet saved three match points to force a decider.

"I kept on fighting and that was the spirit today," said world number 18 Mertens.

Former world number one Muguruza is Mertens' semi-final opponent, the Spaniard having come from a set down to beat third seed Aryna Sabalenka 3-6 6-3 6-2.

Muguruza lost out to Petra Kvitova in the final of the Qatar Open last week, but looks on top form as she closes in on another championship match.

Sabalenka fell foul of Muguruza in Doha, and the Belarusian was unable to gain revenge as the ninth seed earned a 16th win of the season.

There was to be no place in the last four for 16-year-old Gauff, who came up short against world number 54 Jil Teichmann.

Gauff, who defeated Teichmann twice in Australia in February, was broken to go 5-3 down in the first set and could not respond.

A second break in Teichmann's favour put Gauff on the back foot in the second, and the Swiss then saved three break points to nose into a 3-1 lead.

The contest was settled on Gauff's serve – Teichmann taking the match at the second time of asking to tee up a last-four clash with Barbora Krejcikova, who beat Anastasia Potapova 6-0 6-2 in a little over an hour.

Krejcikova was beaten in the doubles final last year, and has claimed her place in the singles semi-finals of a WTA 1000 event for the first time.

There were 124 years of All-Star experience at last weekend's showcase game between Team LeBron and Team Durant in Atlanta. 

The Chicago Bulls' Zach LaVine was responsible for one of those years. 

And of all the exceptional players at last weekend's event, the first-time All-Star from the Bulls is one of the more intriguing. 

While several All-Stars are future Hall of Famers – the Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James, Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry and Phoenix Suns' Chris Paul just to name a few – and others are young and established stars – the Dallas Mavericks' Luka Doncic, Utah Jazz's Donovan Mitchell, Philadelphia 76ers' Ben Simmons – LaVine is a veteran who is suddenly developing into a superstar. 

In fact, over the past five weeks, no one is scoring more than LaVine, who is averaging a league-best 32.3 points since February 6, while making exactly half of his 104 three-point attempts. 

He's been so spectacular he's played himself into max contract talk, although other discussions have had his name in various trade rumours if the rebuilding Bulls do not plan to sign him to an extension before his contract expires in 2022. 

Now in his fourth season in Chicago after spending his first three with the Minnesota Timberwolves, LaVine has the Bulls in position to participate in the Play-In Tournament and possibly earn their first postseason berth since 2016-17. 

He has the Bulls on the cusp of the playoffs behind a breakout season in which he is averaging career highs in every major category – 28.7 points per game, 5.2 rebounds per game, 5.1 assists per game and 3.5 made three-pointers per game, while shooting 52.5 per cent on all field goals and 43.5 per cent on threes. 

If those numbers look impressive, that is because they have only been reached once before in a single season in NBA history. 

LaVine joins Stephen Curry from 2015-16 as the only players ever to average 25-plus points, five-plus rebounds, five-plus assists and three-plus made three-pointers per game, while shooting 50 per cent on field goals and 40 per cent on threes. Curry won his second MVP that season while leading the Warriors to a record 73 wins. 

While Curry was already an established star at that point after winning league MVP honours and an NBA title the season prior, LaVine is unexpectedly proving that he also belongs among the upper echelon of players in the league. 

He has transformed himself into one of the league's most dangerous scorers, capable of knocking down a three-pointer, pulling up and hitting a mid-range jumper or beating his man off the dribble and finishing at the rim. 

Coming out of the All-Star break, his 167 dunks and layups are seventh-most in the NBA – and the most by any guard. And while the six-foot-six LaVine was also among the league leaders in dunks and layups last season (11th with 287), he is finishing at higher rate. 

He is converting 64.2 per cent of his dunk and layup attempts this season after making 57.4 per cent of his attempts last season, and that increase in field goal percentage of 6.8 is the eighth largest by any player six-foot-six or shorter. 

While many of the leaders among dunks and layups are big men – New Orleans Pelicans power forward Zion Williamson, Milwaukee Bucks power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jazz centre Rudy Gobert – who live in the paint, the dynamic LaVine is just as much of a threat to knock down a three-pointer. 

His 120 made three-pointers rank fifth in the league and he is the league's only player with more than 120 dunks and layups and 90 threes. 

It is one thing to have made a lot of threes but another to actually be an efficient shooter – the Sacramento Kings' Buddy Hield has made 20 more three-pointers than LaVine but has hoisted up 94 more attempts – and LaVine has refined his shooting touch and is deadly from beyond the arc. 

He is hitting 43.8 per cent of his three-point attempts from the wing and his 53.8 per cent shooting from the corner ranks sixth in the league among the 103 players with at least 30 attempts.   

Overall, LaVine is shooting 43.5 per cent on three-pointers, an increase of 0.55 per cent from the perimeter from last season – the eighth-largest improvement in the NBA among players with at least 150 three-point attempts this season and last. 

The mid-range shot is somewhat of a lost art in the current game with the added weight given to a shot from a few feet further back beyond the arc, but it still has a place and if a shooter can connect from mid-range with regularity he becomes all the more threatening to score. 

LaVine has found his touch from mid-range, making 44.6 per cent of those shots this season after hitting at a 31.9 per cent clip last season. That increase of 12.7 per cent is the sixth-largest in the NBA among 73 shooters who have attempted at least 50 mid-range shots this season and last. 

Shooters shoot, and LaVine is thriving. His effective field goal percentage of 61.5 ranks second in the NBA among all guards. 

His all-round offensive game is one of the most complete in the league, and opposing defences are tasked with game planning against him, giving him similar treatment as they would give Curry or James, as he is a threat to score from anywhere on the court. 

Curry and James, however, have won multiple MVPs and titles. LaVine is certainly putting up MVP-type numbers, but the Bulls are not in the championship conversation. 

At the moment, at least. 

Chicago are only two games back of the Boston Celtics for the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference and are viewed as a team on the rise under first-year Bulls coach Billy Donovan. Instead of trading LaVine as was being speculated weeks ago, it is possible Chicago will be buyers at the March 25 trade deadline in their pursuit of a playoff berth. 

And if LaVine continues to excel and Chicago continue to improve over the next few seasons, MVP awards and NBA titles might not be out of the question for LaVine and the Bulls. 

Roger Federer's return to the ATP Tour lasted just two matches at the Qatar Open as he was beaten in the last eight by the brilliant Nikoloz Basilashvili.

Silverstone is "absolutely" open to hosting one of the proposed new Formula One sprint races in 2021.

Plans have been drawn up to introduce shorter races on Saturdays at three circuits, which would precede the traditional grand prix a day later.

F1 president Stefano Domenicali told the Daily Mail that Silverstone was one of the proposed venues for the inaugural races, with teams said to be broadly in support of the new format.

The grands prix in Montreal, Monza and Interlagos are also reportedly under consideration to host sprint races.

Asked by Sky Sports if Silverstone welcomed the proposals, the circuit's managing director Stuart Pringle said: "Absolutely.

"If F1 should decide that Silverstone is the right venue for a sprint race then we would be totally supportive of that and feel it would be a fantastic spectacle for the fans."

The idea was first mooted in a meeting of the Formula One commission in February, after which F1 and governing body FIA issued a statement that said: "All teams recognised the major importance of engaging fans in new and innovative ways to ensure an even more exciting weekend format.

"There was, therefore, broad support from all parties for a new qualifying format at some races, and a working group has been tasked with creating a complete plan."

The proposal is for the sprint races, lasting roughly 30 minutes, to take place on the Saturday of a grand prix weekend. Qualifying would be moved to the Friday in place of the second practice session, with results determining the starting grid for the sprint event.

These shorter races would offer points for drivers and constructors, with the precise numbers yet to be determined, and decide the starting order for the main event on Sunday.

There would be no podium celebration after the sprint race, according to Domenicali, who is keen to preserve "the prestige of the grand prix itself".

Williams team principal Simon Roberts said this week, as per Race Fans: "We're all running carry-over cars [from 2020]. So fundamentally, we're not expecting massive shifts in the pecking order. So, let's try something.

"But there's a lot of detail being discussed in the background. The idea's cool, the concept's easy, but then in the detail, how do you actually [run] the weekend – how do you do tyres, what can you do, what can't you do – that's still in negotiation."

Max Malins will make his first Test start and Virimi Vakatawa returns to the France side for Saturday's mouthwatering Six Nations showdown at Twickenham.

Malins gets the nod at full-back, with Elliot Daly dropping to the bench in three changes made to the side by Eddie Jones.

Hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie is preferred to Jamie George, while Charlie Ewels takes Jonny Hill's place in the second row in an England side that will not be retaining their title after a defeat to Wales last time out.

Anthony Watson will win his 50th Test cap as the defending champions attempt to strike a blow to France's bid to claim the title with a victory in Le Crunch.

France return to action a month after they made it two wins out of two with a defeat of Ireland in Dublin, with their clash against Scotland postponed due to a coronavirus outbreak in the camp.

Head coach Fabien Galthie, who was among those to test positive for COVID-19, has named fit-again centre Vakatawa in midfield alongside Gael Fickou, with Arthur Vincent unavailable.

Teddy Thomas returns on the wing in place of the injured Gabin Villier, while Romain Taofifenua comes into the team after Bernard Le Roux was ruled out.

Dylan Cretin is preferred to Anthony Jelonch in the back row as the fit-again Romain Ntamack has to settle for a place on the bench when France go in search of a first win at Twickehham since 2007.

England: Max Malins, Anthony Watson, Henry Slade, Owen Farrell, Jonny May, George Ford, Ben Youngs; Mako Vunipola, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Kyle Sinckler, Maro Itoje, Charlie Ewels, Mark Wilson, Tom Curry, Billy Vunipola.

Replacements: Jamie George, Ellis Genge, Will Stuart, Jonny Hill, Ben Earl, Dan Robson, Ollie Lawrence, Elliot Daly

France: Brice Dulin, Teddy Thomas, Virimi Vakatawa, Gael Fickou, Damian Penaud, Matthieu Jalibert, Antoine Dupont; Cyril Baille, Julien Marchand, Mohamed Haouas, Romain Taofifenua, Paul Willemse, Dylan Cretin, Charles Ollivon, Gregory Alldritt.

Replacements: Camille Chat, Jean-Baptiste Gros, Dorian Aldegheri, Cyril Cazeaux, Cameron Woki, Anthony Jelonch, Baptiste Serin, Romain Ntamack.

Rafael Nadal has turned down a wildcard invitation to compete in next week's Dubai Tennis Championships as he does not feel ready to return to action.

The world number two has been struggling with a lower back injury sustained prior to the Australian Open, which he exited in the quarter-finals at the hands of Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Nadal has not competed since, having subsequently pulled out of the ATP Cup and Rotterdam Open after being advised to give his back time to heal.

And the 20-time grand slam winner will delay his return for a little while longer after deciding to skip the upcoming ATP 500 event in Dubai.

"I would like to thank the @DDFTennis for the wild card invitation sent to me," Nadal posted on his Twitter page on Thursday. 

"We seriously thought about coming to play, but I don't think I am ready to play yet. Once again thanks to the tournament's kind invitation and best of luck with the tournament."

The Spaniard added in a later tweet: "And special thanks to Tournament Director Salah Talak since I am aware of his efforts to ensure a smooth arrival to play Dubai during this unprecedented Coronavirus pandemic and difficult times for all."

Nadal won his only Dubai Tennis Championships title in 2006 with victory over Roger Federer – the competition's record eight-time winner – in the final.

Federer is scheduled to take part in this year's tournament after making his long-awaiting return from a 14-month injury lay-off at the Qatar Open this week.

Luka Doncic was happy to indulge in the feel-good factor after his stunning display in the Dallas Mavericks' win over the San Antonio Spurs.

Doncic put up his his eighth triple-double of the NBA season as the Mavericks were victorious for the fourth match running, downing the Spurs 115-104.

In a contest pitting seventh versus eighth in the West, the Slovenian posted 22 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists to complete his 33rd career triple-double.

The 22-year-old is now level with Bob Cousy in 11th on the all-time triple-doubles list.

He had defender Dejounte Murray tied up in knots at times and enjoyed getting the better of a quality opponent.

"It's a great feeling but I think he was doing an amazing job on me," said Doncic. 

"I think he's a really good defender but when you do a move, you feel good about it."

With Kristaps Porzingis regaining full fitness after knee surgery and top-scoring on 28 points, Doncic feels the best is yet to come from his Latvian team-mate.

"We are all progressing as a team," he said. 

"KP has been way better, he's getting the confidence after his injury. I think he's still going to build on his confidence and is going to be way better."

Those were sentiments echoed by the man himself, with Porzingis feeling good about his recovery.

"I feel like I'm getting there. I still have to keep working," he said.

"After surgery, the leg is not feeling the same, so you have to keep working on that strength and make sure it's strong and stable and you feel confident.

"It's non-stop work, but I'm feeling better with each game and looking forward to the second part of the season."

San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich has revealed the club and veteran LaMarcus Aldridge have mutually agreed to part ways.

The 35-year-old power forward/center will explore his trade options before the March 25 deadline.

"We've mutually agreed for him to work out some opportunities for him, and that'll be elsewhere," Popovich told reporters before Wednesday's 115-104 loss to Dallas.

"He's been a great team-mate. There was no problem there. We just think this is a win-win for LaMarcus and the club.

"When an opportunity arises, that'll be up to management, his agent, that sort of thing. We'll all move forward.

"He's done everything we've asked, and at this point we'd just like to do something that will work for him as much for our club because he deserves that."

Seven-time All-Star Aldridge had missed eight of San Antonio's final 11 matches prior to the All-Star break with a combination of hip and quadriceps injuries.

This season, Aldridge has averaged 13.7 points and 4.5 rebounds in 25.9 minutes per game.

Kevin Durant's return to play from a hamstring injury remains uncertain with Brooklyn Nets coach Steve Nash revealing he will undergo further scans.

Durant has not played for Brooklyn since the February 13 game against former team the Golden State Warriors due to the left hamstring injury.

Thursday's game with the Boston Celtics is set to be the 10th straight he has missed due to the injury.

Nash said Durant will undergo further scans which will dictate the next steps in his recovery.

"He hasn't played in a month," Nash said on Wednesday. "No matter what the scan says, there will still be an appropriate ramp-up time to make sure we put him in a position to finish the season strong.

"He's doing really well right now, and we all feel really positive about the direction he is going but we just need to be very cautious because he's a really important player for us."

Durant did not head to Atlanta for the All-Star break, instead remaining in Brooklyn to work with his physiotherapist.

The 32-year-old forward has participated in light on-court workouts but not high-speed running or drills with his team-mates.

Nash denied that the Achilles injury that Durant suffered in 2019 was related to his current problem.

"Through his history, through medical history and assessment, we don't feel like these two are related at all," Nash said.