Reuters sports schedule at 0600 GMT on Friday (times GMT):
TENNIS
Australian Open (to 29)
MELBOURNE - World number one Novak Djokovic's title defence runs into its toughest test yet with a semi-final against number four Andy Murray for the right to play Rafa Nadal in Sunday's title match. (TENNIS-OPEN/, play starts at 0830, pix, 800 words)
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MELBOURNE - Victoria Azarenka is fed up with the hubbub surrounding her serial grunting but admits the noise from her Australian Open final against Maria Sharapova will be heard far and wide. (TENNIS-OPEN/AZARENKA expect by 0700, pix, by Peter Rutherford, 400 words)
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MELBOURNE - Victoria Azarenka and Maria Sharapova have trodden a similar path to the Australian Open final, though neither is prepared to accept the Russian's greater experience on the big stage will be a factor. (TENNIS-OPEN/WOMEN (PREVIEW), expect by 0800, pix, by Greg Stutchbury, 700 words)
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CRICKET
Australia v India, fourth test (to 28)
ADELAIDE - India reached 92 for two at tea after Australia declared at 167-5 to leave the tourists chasing an improbable 500 runs for victory on the fourth day of the fourth test at a sweltering Adelaide Oval. (CRICKET-INDIA/, tea lead moved, pix, by Nick Mulvenney, 500 words)
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Pakistan v England, second test, Abu Dhabi (to 29)
ABU DHABI - England resume day three on 207 for five, 50 runs behind Pakistan's total as they seek to build a first innings lead. (CRICKET-ENGLAND/, expect by 0800, pix, by Matt Smith, 500 words)
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GOLF
Abu Dhabi Championship
ABU DHABI - Rory McIlroy and Robert Karlsson take a one-shot lead into the second round of the Abu Dhabi Championship with 14-times major winner Tiger Woods three shots off the pace and world number one Luke Donald a further stroke back. (GOLF-EUROPEAN/, expect by 1000, pix, 500 words)
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PGA Tour: Farmers Insurance Open, San Diego (to 29)
SAN DIEGO - Little-known Americans Kyle Stanley and Spencer Levin will take a joint one-shot lead into the second round at Torrey Pines after opening with sizzling 10-under-par 62s on the North Course. Three-times champion Phil Mickelson trails by a distant 15 strokes. (GOLF-PGA/, expect first lead by 2300, pix, by Mark Lamport-Stokes, 400 words)
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NFL
EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey - The New York Giants began serious preparations for their hotly-anticipated Super Bowl matchup against the New England Patriots with a simple message to the players. (NFL-SUPERBOWL/GIANTS, moved, by Larry Fine, 400 words)
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NBA
The Boston Celtics overcame a 27-point deficit with a remarkable second half rally to stun the Orlando Magic 91-83 at the Amway Center, inflicting a second defeat on the hosts in less that a week. (NBA-MAGIC/, moved, pix, 250 words)
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SOCCER
African Nations Cup, Equatorial Guinea & Gabon (to Feb. 12)
Niger v Tunisia, Libreville (1600)
Gabon v Morocco, Libreville (1900)
LIBREVILLE - Co-hosts Gabon and 2004 winners Tunisia can reach the quarter-finals if they win their Group C games which would leave Morocco as the tournament's second major casualty after Senegal's exit. (SOCCER-AFRICA/NATIONS, expect by 1800, pix, by Brian Homewood and Mark Gleeson, 400 words)
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English FA Cup fourth round
Watford (II) v Tottenham Hotspur (1945)
Everton v Fulham (2000)
LONDON - Tottenham Hotspur kick off the weekend's fourth round FA Cup matches against Championship (second division) club Watford before Everton host Fulham in an all-Premier League clash. (SOCCER-ENGLAND/CUP, expect by 2145, pix, 400 words)
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Bundesliga
Hanover 96 v Nuremberg (1930)
Copy on merit
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Dutch championship
PSV Eindhoven v Vitesse Arnhem (1900)
Copy on merit.
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OLYMPICS
LONDON - London 2012 chairman Sebastian Coe runs the rule over preparations for the Summer Olympics as the countdown enters the final six months. (OLYMPICS/LONDON, expect by 1200, pix, tv, graphic, by Alan Baldwin, 500 words)
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Canada takes on Mexico and the United States plays Costa Rica in Vancouver in the semifinals of the CONCACAF women's Olympic qualifying tournament with the winners securing spots in the 2012 London Summer Game. (SOCCER-OLYMPICS/WOMEN expect by 0500, pix, 400 words)
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ALPINE SKIING
World Cup: Women's super-combined, St Moritz, Switzerland (0945/1245)
ST MORITZ, Switzerland - American Lindsey Vonn, the fastest in training, aims to increase her World Cup lead in a weekend of women's alpine skiing starting with a super-combined on Friday. (ALPINE SKIING-WOMEN/, expect by 1400, pix, by Manuele Lang, 400 words)
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FIGURE SKATING
European championships
Copy on merit.
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