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MELBOURNE, Australia -- Montreals Eugenie Bouchard is out of the Australian Open. Chinas Li Na defeated Bouchard 6-2, 6-4 on Thursday in the semifinal of the womens singles tournament. The 19-year-old Bouchard is the first Canadian woman to reach the final four of a Grand Slam tournament in 30 years. "Im proud of how Ive improved as a player throughout the tournament. But Im never satisfied with losing. Im always disappointed," said Bouchard, who received a fifth stuffed Aussie animal -- an Emu named Sheila -- from her Australian fans dubbed the Genie Army. "I always want to go further and do better. I wouldnt say I exceeded my expectations, but Im happy with how I did." Li, the No. 4-seed and the 2011 French Open champion, is the only major winner and the highest-ranked player still in contention after the fourth-round upsets of Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova. Defending champion Victoria Azarenkas lost in the quarter-final to Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland. No. 5 seed Radwanska was playing Dominika Cibulkova in the second semifinal later Thursday. Bouchard was determined to build off the success she experienced at the Australian Open. "Ive been working hard my whole life to do this, play at Grand Slams and do well," said Bouchard. "Its not an overnight thing. So Im just going to go back to the practice courts and keep working hard." Li, who lost last years final to Azarenka, was aggressive from the start against Bouchard, who started nervously and didnt win a point in her first three service games. Fittingly, Li finished off the match with a backhand crosscourt, one of 16 backhand winners in the match and her biggest weapon against Bouchard. "I think maybe she will be best player in the world. But today (Im) so lucky," said Li during a court-side interview after the match. Li jokingly apologized to the Genie Army after the match, undoubtedly increasing her own huge support base at Melbourne Park. "Sorry about that," she said. "If you guys be happy, I will go home." Bouchard said she changed her strategy to get out of her early slump. "I just wanted to get into the match a little bit more. I felt like she was really hitting her shots. I was just letting her do all these winners side to side, it wasnt really my game," said Bouchard. "I tried to get into the rallies more, try to step in a little bit more, and try to put more pressure on her because she was just putting a lot of pressure on me. "She didnt give me much breathing space, much room to do what I want to do on the court. I tried to put pressure, but she just played too good at moments." Зарегистрируйтесь, чтобы увидеть ссылку! . Every. Single. Game. Thats 1,230 in total to cover the regular season. The man is Corey Sznajder, a soft-spoken 23-year-old Salisbury University grad who lives in Annapolis, Maryland and has been charting zone entries and zone exits throughout the NHL. I love big projects, he said. No kidding. At the 2013 Sloan Sports Analytics Conference, I met Eric Tulsky, who presented research on the value of controlled zone entries (short answer: about twice as valuable to enter with control of the puck rather than dumping it in) and Sznajder had charted a couple hundred games that were included in that study. Зарегистрируйтесь, чтобы увидеть ссылку! . James Jones got his turn Sunday. And the lift he brought, combined with the expected playoff showings from LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, have the Heat off and running in these playoffs. Зарегистрируйтесь, чтобы увидеть ссылку!. Curlings version of the Ryder Cup will introduce a new format beginning with the 2015 event, set for Jan. 8 to 11 in Calgary, as itll be Team Canada taking on Team Europe this season and in the 2017 event, while itll be Team Canada against Team World (including the U. Зарегистрируйтесь, чтобы увидеть ссылку! . Henry, who missed three games with a knee injury, was charged with a handball in the penalty area in the 82nd minute as he went to block a strike from Patrick Mullins. On the ensuing penalty kick, Lee Nguyen picked up his fourth goal of the season, giving the Revolution a 2-1 win Saturday afternoon. Зарегистрируйтесь, чтобы увидеть ссылку! .ca. The NHL Play of the Year showdown kicks off with some slick moves going head-to-head with a combination of soft hands and endless patience.It is the Premier League title race very few expected, five points separate league leaders Leicester and second place Tottenham with eight games to go. Leicesters latest win against Newcastle on Monday Night Football saw Arsenal drop 11 points back with Man City a further point behind, leading Sky Sports Jamie Carragher and MNF guest Ronald Koeman to assert that they now believe its a two-horse race.So how do these unlikely title rivals compare? We take a look at their squads, signings, form, fixtures and more... Monday Night Football guest Ronald Koeman believes Manchester City and Arsenal are now out of the Premier League title race How do their squads compare?Despite Tottenhams European commitments, the two sides have used a similar amount of players in the league this season. Twenty three have made Premier League appearances for Leicester, and three - Jamie Vardy, Kasper Schmeichel and Wes Morgan - have started all 30 games so far.Spurs have used 24 in the league, with Toby Alderweireld and Harry Kane the only ever-presents. To keep things fresh Mauricio Pochettino likes to swap his full-backs. Danny Rose and Ben Davies have featured 17 and 15 times, respectively. Kieran Tripper is their Europa League right-back, with Kyle Walker favoured in the league. Toby Alderweireld has been one of the signings of the season, says Jamie Redknapp Claudio Ranieri hasnt needed to rotate often, and although he was known as the Tinkerman during his first spell in the Premier League with Chelsea, one of the secrets to Leicesters success has been consistency in selection. They may have used 23 players so far, but Ranieri knows his first-choice XI.All eleven players from the starting line-up that beat Newcastle 1-0 on Monday Night Football have started at least 21 of their 30 matches this season. Dele Alli has emerged as a key player under Mauricio Pochettino They have 12 internationals to Tottenhams 15, while as expected Pochettino, who has a reputation for youth development, has placed a much greater reliance on his young players.Tottenhams four U21s, Nabil Bentaleb, Eric Dier, Dele Alli and Josh Onomah, have made a combined 138 career top-flight appearances. In contrast, Leicester have used just two U21 players, Daniel Amartey and Joe Dodoo have made just three appearances between them.Have their signings impressed? First-team signings 2015/16 (summer and January windows) Leicester Tottenham Shinji Okazaki Heung-Min Son Robert Huth Toby Alderweireld NGolo Kante Clinton NJie Yohan Benalouane Kevin Wimmer Gokhan Inler Kieran Trippier Daniel Amartey Demarai Gray Christian Fuchs Daniel Iversen It been a mixed bag for Ranieri. The summer additions of Robert Huth, Shinji Okazaki and NGolo Kante, from Stoke, Mainz and Caen respectively, have proved masterstrokes. So much so that Kante has kept Gokhan Inler out of the team. Yohan Benalouane, meanwhile, has moved on loan to Fiorentina.In all, Leicester reportedly spent just under £33m in the summer, a figure exceeded by their title rivals. Spurs biggest purchase was Heung-Min Son from Bayer Leverkusen, but the South Korean has struggled to earn a starting spot with 12 substitute appearances compared to nine starts. Heung-Min Son was signed by Tottenham from Bayer Leverkusen That hasnt been a problem for Alderweireld, signed from Atletico Madrid, and described by Sky Sports Jamie Redknapp as one of the signings of the season.Trippier, Kevin Wimmer and Clinton NJie completed their main summer business, but each has been supplemental, rather than key to the squad.The January transfer window opened with Leicester second and Tottenham fourth as Arsenal topped the table. In an effort to bolster an unexpected push for Champions League qualification, Ranieri spent around £8.7m on two signings - Demarai Gray from Birmingham City and Amartey from FC Copenhagen. Daniel Amartey was a January addition for Leicester But so far neither has made a significant contribution with Leicester now 11 points better off than the Gunners. Amartey lacked matched fitness when he joined following a Danish Supaliga winter break and has played just twice, while Gray is yet to start a league game.Its a similar story for Pochettino, who was happy to keep the balance as he resisted the urge to spend, and Tottenham ended the month making a profit on departures as Andros Townsend and Emmanuel Adebayor left the club.Both sides have relied on shrewd summer signings, rather than splashy January purchases.Whos got the edge in the dugout?Born two decades apart, neither Ranieri nor Pochettino has won a top-flight league title as a manager.Now in his 30th year of management, Ranieri is something of a promotion specialist, having taken teams up in France and Italy, and hes won the Coppa Italia, Copa del Rey and UEFA Super Cup. Claudio Ranieri has finished as a league runner-up four times in his managerial career Leicester are his 14th club, after two spells at Valencia and a brief time in charge of Greece, but hes still looking for that elusive league crown. Despite managing some of Europes biggest clubs he has finished runner-up four times - with Chelsea, Juventus, Roma and Monaco.Meanwhile, Pochettino is looking for his first taste of silverware following stints at Espanyol and Southampton. Mauricio Pochettino has Tottenham challenging for the Premier League title Can Ranieri finally get over the line? Or will Pochettino make Spurs history? If either happens, itt will undoubtedly be their biggest managerial achievement to date.ddddddddddddho have they got on their staff?Ranieri didnt change much when he arrived at Leicester in July 2015. Craig Shakespeare and Steve Walsh, who both worked under Nigel Pearson and helped steer the club to League One and Championship promotions, were kept in place as assistant managers. Paolo Benetti, who worked with Ranieri at Juventus, Roma and Monaco, was the main addition as the Foxes boss avoided the temptation to tinker. Paolo Benetti discusses tactics with Claudio Ranieri ahead of a preseason friendly It is to the managers credit that he did not just come in with all his own people and change absolutely everything, Schmeichel said back in November. Steve Walsh is assistant manager at Leicester, and previously scouted for Chelsea Walsh has arguably been the key figure. He was described by Sir Alex Ferguson as the most influential person in the Premier League this month. Before Leicester, he spent time scouting for Chelsea, where he played a part in signing Gianfranco Zola, Didier Drogba and Michael Essien.His midas touch has continued at the King Power, where hes helped identify Vardy, Kante and Riyad Mahrez.Pochettino took a different approach upon taking charge at White Hart Lane, bringing in his own team after Tim Sherwoods departure. Miguel DAgostino, Toni Jimenez and Jesus Perez all assisted Pochettino at Espanyol and Southampton, and are now in place at Tottenham. Spurs goalkeeper coach Toni Jimenez worked with Mauricio Pochettino at Espanyol and Southampton Have they been here before?Surprisingly, the answer is yes - Leicester and Spurs were in this exact position 53 years ago. With eight games to go in the English First Division, league leaders Leicester were one point clear of Tottenham in second. Leicester led the First Division during the 1962/63 season But the Foxes title challenge faltered as they won just one of their final eight matches to drop to fourth. Tottenham stayed second as champions Everton came through to finish the 1962/63 campaign top of the table. But Leicester fell away to eventually finish the 1962/63 season in fourth If Leicester can hold on this season, they will be top flight champions for the first time in the clubs history. Meanwhile, Tottenham are twice winners of the First Division, most recently in 1961, but theyve never finished higher than fourth in the Premier League era.Leicester, who were down in League One as recently as 2009, achieved their best Premier League finish under Martin ONeill when they finished eighth in 2000, the same year they won the League Cup, their last major trophy.Who is on the treatment table?The two clubs are currently the healthiest in the Premier League, according to PhysioRoom.com. Leicester have just one concern at the moment, Matty James, who is nearing a return after missing the entire season with an ACL injury. Jan Vertonghen has been absent with a knee ligament injury Tottenham have two players missing, NJie expected back in March and Jan Vertonghen penciled in for an April return.Spurs have coped well with the Belgians absence so far, and the title could go to whichever team maintains their impressive injury record over the final few weeks of the season better.Who is in form? Premier League form (last seven games) Leicester Tottenham Games won 5 5 Games drawn 1 1 Games lost 1 1 Goals scored 11 12 Goals conceded 5 5 Clean sheets 4 3 Points won 16 16 Leicester and Spurs have posted nearly identical records over their last seven league games, capitalising on Arsenal and Man Citys stuttering form to pull away at the top.Both have won five and lost one, with five goals conceded for each. Tottenham have scored a goal more (12), and Pochettinos side have collected the most points in 2016, so far, to keep the pressure on the Foxes. Leicester Citys Riyad Mahrez celebrates his sides win over Man City at the Etihad But it was Leicesters ability to handle the heat and emerge with six points from February fixtures against Liverpool, Man City and Arsenal that led many to take their title bid seriously.Since then, theyve made a happy habit of winning games 1-0, with victories against Norwich, Watford and most recently Newcastle by a single goal.Spurs stumbled against West Ham and Arsenal in early March, and have given themselves a mountain to climb in the Europa League after a 3-0 defeat to Borussia Dortmund, but they got back on track with a win over Aston Villa on Sunday.It all sets up an eight-game race to May 15, which brings us on to their remaining fixtures…Who has the better run-in?Ranieris side are in pole position and will look to put as much distance between themselves and their title rivals before they finish the season with a difficult triple header against Manchester United, Everton and Chelsea.Before that, they play three of the bottom six - Crystal Palace, Sunderland and Swansea - and Southampton and West Ham at the King Power. That should give them the chance to build on their five-point cushion before things get tough in May. Leicesters final eight games of the Premier League season Tottenhams run-in looks more challenging on paper, with tricky trips to Liverpool, Stoke, Chelsea and Newcastle - potentially needing points to survive - on the final day. Tottenhams final eight games of the Premier League season But if it does go down to the wire, many may favour Spurs over Leicester, who face the prospect of needing a result from a visit to Stamford Bridge. Could we get more final-day drama?Its all set up for a frantic sprint to the finish line. Who do you think will end the season as champions? Leave a comment or tweet us @SkyFootball… Also See: 2016 Premier League table Arsenal, City out of title race Five more PL fixtures on Sky Title race predictions ' ' '