Reuters Sports Schedule at 1600 GMT on Thursday
Reuters sports schedule at 1600 GMT on Thursday:
SOCCER
Premier League
We look ahead to the return of domestic action this weekend, including one of the highlights of the Premier League season when Liverpool welcome arch-rivals Manchester United to Anfield in Saturday's early kick off, which is our Showcase game. (SOCCER-ENGLAND-TEAM/, expect throughout)
TENNIS
ATP: Shanghai Masters (to 15)
Nadal crushes Fognini, Federer joins him in quarters
SHANGHAI - Rafael Nadal continued to scythe his way through the Shanghai Masters on Thursday, reaching the quarter-finals with a 6-3 6-1 thrashing of temperamental Italian Fabio Fognini.(TENNIS-SHANGHAI/ (PIX, TV), moved, 350 words)
WTA: Tianjin Open (to 15)
Sharapova storms into Tianjin quarter-finals
Maria Sharapova overpowered Poland's Magda Linette to enter the quarter-finals of the Tianjin Open on Thursday and is targeting a first title since returning from a 15-month doping ban. (TENNIS-TIANJIN/, moved, 300 words)
GOLF
PGA Tour/ Asian Tour
CIMB Classic, Kuala Lumpur (to 15)
Eight birdie Smith upstages quality field at CIMB Classic
Australian Cameron Smith blitzed the TPC Kuala Lumpur with a flawless eight-under-par 64 to take a one-stroke lead over a top-quality field after the opening round of the $7 million CIMB Classic on Thursday. (GOLF-CIMB/, moved, 400 words)
BASEBALL
Cubs visit Nats for winner-take-all Game Five
The Washington Nationals will try to eliminate the World Series champion Chicago Cubs in a winner-take-all Game Five of the National League Division Series at Nationals Park in Washington D.C. (BASEBALL-MLB/PLAYOFFS, expect by 0415 GMT/12:15 AM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 800 words)
NHL
Pens face Lightning, Blues battle Panthers
Sidney Crosby and the reigning Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins take on the Tampa Bay Lightning while the undefeated St. Louis Blues battle the Florida Panthers in two of the seven games on the National Hockey League schedule. (ICHOCKEY-NHL/HIGHLIGHTS, expect by 0330 GMT/11:30 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 800 words)
NORTH AMERICAN SPORTS
Roundups of off-field developments in the major North American professional sports leagues. (expect by 0000 GMT/8 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 500 words) (Europe desk editor: Toby Davis)
