MADRID -- Its been nearly a decade since Real Madrid was this dominant heading into the halfway point of the season.Not even in 2012, when it last won the Spanish league title.With Cristiano Ronaldo at his best and Zinedine Zidane flourishing in his first full season as a head coach, Madrid looks closer than ever to ending its title drought in the league.Madrid also had the lead after 16 matches in 2014-15, when it had also won the Champions League and the Club World Cup. That team eventually collapsed under coach Carlos Ancelotti and ended the season in disappointment.We all know what happened in 2014 after we won the Club World Cup. It can happen at any moment, said Zidane, who had been an assistant to Ancelotti. I think that the season will be long and difficult for us. If we work hard I dont think that things will change.With two more games without a loss, Madrid will match Barcelonas Spanish record of 39 games unbeaten, a mark set last season.---TITLE RACEAfter struggles by defending champion Barcelona and city rival Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid has a three-point lead going into the break. It also has a game in hand -- at home against Valencia -- because of its participation in the Club World Cup.Madrid, the only unbeaten team in the league, has been nearly perfect except for a spell of three consecutive draws beginning in September. It won seven of its last eight league games since then, with the only setback a 1-1 draw against Barcelona at Camp Nou when Sergio Ramos scored a 90th-minute equalizer.Second-place Barcelona has already lost twice, including at home to promoted Alaves. The Catalan club drew three straight -- including twice at home -- before finishing with two consecutive victories.Atletico, enduring its worse slump since coach Diego Simeone took over, is only sixth, nine points behind Madrid.---PICK OF THE PLAYERSCristiano Ronaldo enjoyed a remarkable year but had an up-and-down start in the league thanks in part to a knee injury that kept him from playing in the first few games.Lionel Messi also missed some matches because of an injury, but has been thriving recently and finished the year as the leagues leading scorer with 12 goals, along with Barcelona teammate Luis Suarez.On loan from Manchester City, Samir Nasri has been crucial in Sevillas third-place campaign, while Pablo Piattis first season with Espanyol has been highly successful with five goals and six assists, the most in the league.---EMERGING TALENTIago Aspas outstanding season with Celta Vigo helped him land a spot in Spains national team for the first time in his career.He is one of the tournaments leading scorers with 10 goals, three of them scored in the last three matches before the break. He has succeeded despite a Celta team that has been struggling and is only 13th in the standings.The 29-year-old Aspas, who had a stint with Liverpool in 2013-14, returned to Celta a season ago after a year on loan with Sevilla.---SURPRISESReal Sociedad started the league with a 3-0 home loss to Real Madrid and had only one victory in its first four games.It all improved quickly, though, and the team led by Brazilian striker Willian Jose heads into the break in fifth place, ahead of Atletico Madrid and just behind Sevilla and Villarreal.A two-time champion in the early 1980s, Real Sociedad had an emphatic 2-0 win over Atletico and drew Barcelona 1-1 in a game in which it deserved to win.---POINTS TO PROVECoach Diego Simeone needs to put Atletico Madrid back on track quickly if he wants the team to contend for another league title.After experimenting with different formations, the team struggled with inconsistency and has already conceded 14 goals, only four less than the 18 it conceded in all 38 games last season. Among its four losses -- which is two less than it had last season -- was a 3-0 setback against Madrid at home.Former Italy coach Cesare Prandelli also has to turn things around at Valencia, which is winless in seven league games and has won only twice under his command.In Barcelona, Neymar hasnt scored in nine official matches, his worst slump since coming to Spain.---Tales Azzoni on Twitter: http://twitter.com/tazzoni Garrett Temple Jersey . Murray beat Sam Querrey 7-6 (5), 6-7 (3), 6-1, 6-3 to clinch Britains opening-round victory against the United States on Sunday at Petco Park. "Im proud of the way Im playing just now, because I had to do a lot of work to get back to where I want to be," Murray said after celebrating with his teammates on the red clay court in a temporary stadium in left field of the downtown home of baseballs San Diego Padres. Spencer Dinwiddie Nets Jersey . The 31-year-old Spain midfielder hasnt played since Madrid lost in the Copa del Rey final to Atletico Madrid in May due to back and foot injuries. https://www.netsrookiesshop.com/Caris-Levert-City-Edition-Jersey/ . -- Matt Ryan needed one of the best games of his career to lead the Falcons and their depleted offence out of their three-game losing streak last week. Caris LeVert Jersey .C. -- Glenn Howard needed an extra end to move into the Masters Grand Slam of Curling final. Custom Brooklyn Nets Jerseys . Miikka Kiprusoff had just announced his retirement after a decade-long run in Calgary and it would be up to Berra and Ramo to fill the void. TROON, Scotland -- Henrik Stenson and Phil Mickelson went toe-to-toe for four hours Saturday at The Open, trading pivotal par saves and four lead changes in the cold wind and occasional rain at Royal Troon.And now they get to do it again, this time with the Claret Jug at stake.Stenson had a pair of two-shot swings on the inward par-3s and got up-and-down on the 18th for a 3-under 68, the second straight day that no one had a better score. It gave the 40-year-old Swede his first 54-hole lead in a major, by one shot over Mickelson, who is going for his sixth major.Links golf can deliver some strange finishes, though this had all the trappings of a two-man race on Sunday.Stenson had his third straight round in the 60s -- no one has ever won at Royal Troon with all four rounds in the 60s -- and was at 12-under 201. He is trying to become only the eighth player dating to Old Tom Morris in 1861 to win his first major after turning 40.Mickelson, winless since he lifted golfs oldest trophy at Muirfield three years ago, had a 70.Lefty had made only three bogeys in his past 103 holes at Royal Troon dating to 1997, and a 25-foot birdie putt on the 13th hole gave him a two-shot lead. Stenson answered with a 5-iron to 6 feet for birdie, and Mickelson three-putted for bogey. They were tied.Mickelson regained the lead with a pitch to 4 feet for birdie on the par-5 16th, only for the Swede to answer again, this time with an all-out 3-iron into the wind on the 220-yard 17th hole to 20 feet. Mickelson fell behind when he missed the green to the left, and failed to hole a par putt from 18 feet.Everyone else felt like mere spectators.Bill Haas, a seven-time winner on the PGA Tour who is rarely heard from at majors, was solid with a 69 and alone in third. Its his highest position ever in a major, yet he was six shots out of the lead. Another shot back was Andrew Johnston, the Englishman with a big belly and beard to match who goes by Beef. He broke par for the third straight day with a 70.It was unlikely to matter.This was all about Stenson and Mickelson, two powerful players with different styles and different credentials.Unless someone goes out there and posts a silly number, Stenson said. But as of now, I would pretty much think its a battle of Phil and myself.I knoow he never backs down and hes one of the best players to play the game.dddddddddddd Im just going to try my hardest to keep him behind.Mickelson finished three shots ahead of Stenson three years ago at Muirfield when Lefty closed with a 66 in one of the best final rounds of a major. He hasnt won another tournament since then, and at age 46, it appeared his time was running out.Troon is where he first figured out the secret to links golf, and he has managed to avoid big numbers all week. He has made only four bogeys in 54 holes as he goes after a sixth major that would put him alongside Nick Faldo and Lee Trevino.He also would be the third-oldest major champion behind Julius Boros (48) and Morris, with whom Mickelson shares a birthday (June 16) 109 years apart. The 1861 Open was held in September.Mickelson didnt swing as well as the first two days. His short game, as always, was magic. No save was more unlikely than the 12th, where he pushed his tee shot toward trouble and was fortunate the ball deflected off a piece of prickly gorse. He had just enough room to hammer it up the fairway, and then played a shot rarely seen in links golf -- instead of running it up along the ground, he used his quick hands to produce enough backspin to bring it back down a ridge to 6 feet from the hole.It was a battle, and Mickelson held his own.I was under par on a difficult day, he said. It could have easily got away from me. I found a way to hang in there.That wasnt the case for so many others.U.S. Open champion Dustin Johnson was working his way up the leaderboard until a shot into the gorse on the 11th led to a triple-bogey. Johnson made two double-bogeys the day before. Soren Kjeldsen of Denmark reached 8 under par until a double-bogey from thick grass on the 10th, and three more bogeys over the next four holes.Rickie Fowler started well until an 8 on the 11th hole.Mickelson-Stenson was the main event from the time they teed off. And it was like that when they finished. It was reminiscent of the 1997 PGA Championship at Winged Foot, when Davis Love III and Justin Leonard shared the 54-hole lead and were seven clear of everyone else. ' ' '