TENNIS: Serena Williams and Rafael Nadal breezed into the Madrid Open third round in defence of their titles.

Williams broke Shuai Peng three times in a 6-2, 6-3 win that was her 14th straight on the clay of the Magic Box centre and now faces Spain’s Carla Suarez Navarro.

Nadal swept to a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Juan Monaco of Argentina and now faces Finn Jarrko Nieminen who beat Dutch qualifier Igor Sijsling 6-3, 6-2.

BOXING: Ricky Burns has been handed a route back to world title level with a WBC eliminator against unbeaten Montenegran Dejan Zlaticanin on June 27 in Glasgow after the WBC approved the fight for the international lightweight title and as an official world title eliminator.

The main belt is held by Omar Figueroa. Burns conceded his WBO title in March when he lost in a unanimous points decision to unbeaten US boxer Terence Crawford.

RUGBY LEAGUE: The World Club Challenge will return to Britain in 2015, Australia’s National Rugby League has announced.

The annual clash of the champions was held in Australia in February for the first time since 1994, with Wigan losing 36-14 to Sydney Roosters at the Sydney Football Stadium.

The event had been hosted by Super League clubs each year from 2000 and it will be back in England on the weekend of February 21.

CYCLING: Peter Kennaugh has had to withdraw from Team Sky’s squad for the Giro d’Italia which begins in Belfast tomorrow.

The Manx rider said: “This bug laid me low and it was a tough one to shake off.”

Chris Sutton has been named as his replacement in the squad. Chris Froome and Sir Bradley Wiggins are also unavailable which leaves the team without an obvious leader as Richie Porte has already been forced to pull out.