International

The Scot, now ranked 125th, lost 6-2, 6-4 to 33-year-old Ukrainian Illya Marchenko, who is ranked 212th, in the hard-court event. Rome: Former world number one Andy Murray, forced to miss the Australian Open by a positive COVID-19 test, lost the final of the Biella Challenger event in Italy on Sunday. The Scot, now ranked 125th, lost 6-2, 6-4 to 33-year-old Ukrainian Illya Marchenko, who is ranked 212th, in the hard-court event. The indoor event in the foothills of the Italian Alps carried a modest overall

The 29-year-old added to her 3,000m steeplechase world record with a time of 14 minutes 43 seconds in Monaco. Paris: Kenya's Beatrice Chepkoech set a new road five-kilometre world best time on Sunday, beating the old mark on the streets of Monaco by one second. The 29-year-old added to her 3,000m steeplechase world record with a time of 14 minutes 43 seconds in Monaco. "Even though there was a lot of wind, I managed to run right on pace," she said. "In the end,

Novak Djokovic says it's a 'gamble' to keep playing the Australian Open and his abdominal injury could have an impact on the rest of his season, but the world number one is prepared to take the risk. The Serbian eight-time champion sustained a "muscle tear" during a thrilling five-setter against Taylor Fritz on Friday. He didn't train the following day but took to Rod Laver Arena on Sunday evening dosed up on painkillers to see off the threat posed by big-serving Canadian Milos

Lionel Messi and Francisco Trincao scored twice as Barcelona beat Alaves for a seventh consecutive La Liga win. Trincao opened the scoring from a pass by Ilaix Moriba - both players were making their first La Liga starts - and Messi doubled the lead via the inside of the post from outside the box. Luis Rioja gave struggling Alaves hope. Trincao scored again after Messi's shot was saved and then the Argentine netted an excellent 25-yard strike before Junior Firpo's close-range fifth. Messi

“Madness,” Lionel Messi called it, but even he hadn’t imagined it being this mad. One Friday in September Messi walked into the dressing room at Barcelona’s Sant Joan Despí training ground and it hit him. After six years his best friend wasn’t there, so he sent him a message. “It’ll be strange seeing you in another shirt,” it said, and two days on he discovered how strange when Luis Suárez made his Atlético Madrid debut. Introduced as a sub against Granada, 90 seconds later, Suárez

Injury looks like ruling PSG’s Brazilian forward out for a month and both legs of the Champions League tie with his former club. The sadness is huge, the pain is immense, and the weeping is constant.” Neymar had already been hit once and Mauricio Pochettino was about to take him off to protect him when he got hit again. As he left the field on Wednesday in Caen, the Paris Saint-Germain manager put an arm around the Brazilian but there was no consolation. He departed

Bayern Munich have signed the defender Dayot Upamecano from RB Leipzig with the French centre-back set to join the European champions in July before the 2021-22 season, the Bundesliga club said on Sunday. Upamecano, 22, agreed to sign a five-year contract that will keep him at Bayern until 2026. Financial details of the transfer were not provided but German media reported Bayern had triggered his release clause which is worth around €42.5m. “We’re happy that we’ve been able to sign Dayot Upamecano for

Naomi Osaka battled back from the brink to reach the quarter-finals of the Australian Open with a 4-6, 6-4, 7-5 victory over Garbine Muguruza on Sunday. Naomi Osaka saved two match points and came back to beat Garbine Muguruza in a big-hitting fourth-round matchup of Grand Slam champions at the Australian Open. The third-seeded Osaka grabbed the last four games to win 4-6, 6-4, 7-5 in Rod Laver Arena. That result puts her back in the quarterfinals of a tournament she won in

Jurgen Klopp conceded that Liverpool's title defense was over after the Reds suffered a 3-1 defeat at Leicester that the defending champions will not be catching Manchester City. Jurgen Klopp has conceded that conceded that Liverpool's title defense was over after the defending champions capitulated to a 3-1 defeat at Leicester after falling behind to a soft goal on Saturday.

Australian Open 2021: Serena Williams has advanced to the final eight round after a  6-4 2-6 6-4 win against Aryna Sabalenka, at the Rod Laver Arena, on Sunday. American 10th seed Serena Williams has advanced to the last eight after a close fight against Belarusian 7th seed, 22-year-old Aryna Sabalanka. The 39-year-old has entered the quarterfinals, on Sunday, with a 6-4 2-6 6-4 victory in the fourth round match at the Rod Laver Arena. Williams has passed one of her biggest tests during

With the win Leicester City went second ahead of Manchester United while Jurgen Klopp's side are fourth on the table, 10 points behind leaders Manchester City. Champions Liverpool faced an embarrassing loss to Leicester City on Saturday after looking like winning the game for most parts. After a goal-less first half, Mohamed Salah broke the deadlock in the 67th minute and put the champions ahead and it looked like they would go on to earn the much-needed win, but the defence imploded in

American professional golfer, Dustin Johnson has backed out of this week's CJ Cup after testing positive for COVID-19, the PGA Tour said on Tuesday. Dustin last competed at September's U.S. Open, notified Tour officials he was showing symptoms and was conducted a test, leading to his step down from the Las Vegas event as he begins to self-isolate, the Tour said. "I am very disappointed," Johnson said. "I was looking forward to competing this week but will do everything I can to return

Melbourne: American professional golfer, Tiger Woods has secured 15 majors and a record 82 US PGA Tour events. But the Woods admitted on Sunday that winning the Presidents Cup is extra special and honouring. After Hale Irwin in the inaugural Presidents Cup in 1994, Woods became the second playing-captain to lift the biennial matchplay trophy. Tiger Woods the 43-year-old secured all three matches he played, apart from the Saturday fourballs and foursomes to focus entirely on his captaincy duties. Tiger Woods competing in

Imola, Italy: British racing driver, activist, fashion designer and musician, Lewis Hamilton won the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix in Imola, Italy on Sunday for securing Mercedes an unprecedented seventh consecutive constructors' title. Hamilton's teammate and pole-sitter Valtteri Bottas concluded second with Daniel Ricciardo third for Renault. Hamilton's 93rd career success elongate his lead over Bottas in the championship race with four races remaining.

Australian Open: Dominic Thiem was in top form against Dominik Koepfer, who self-imploded on a hot day with the Austrian domination on his serve, returning well and owning the baseline. US Open champion Dominic Thiem stepped up a gear Wednesday to race past German Dominik Koepfer for the loss of just six games and into the Australian Open third round. The third seed was in the zone on Margaret Court Arena, cruising through 6-4, 6-0, 6-2 to set up a potential blockbuster clash next with crowd favourite Nick

Australian Open: Simona Halep was rattled by big-hitting Alja Tomljanovic, but won five games in a row to survive a major scare and reach the Australian Open third round. Second seed Simona Halep was rattled by big-hitting Alja Tomljanovic on Wednesday, but won five games in a row to survive a major scare and reach the Australian Open third round. The two-time Grand Slam winner was pushed to the brink by the gutsy Australian in a see-saw second round clash, before finally prevailing 6-4,

Australia is likely to tour Bangladesh this year for a T20I series, intended to serve as preparation for the upcoming T20 World Cup slated to be hosted by India. Australia is likely to tour Bangladesh this year for a T20I series, intended to serve as preparation for the upcoming T20 World Cup slated to be hosted by India. This tour will be Australia's first in Bangladesh since 2017. Earlier, the side was slated to go to Australia to play Tests as part of the World Test

Australian Open boss Craig Tiley says he is "absolutely confident" the Grand Slam will start as planned on Monday, despite 160 players waiting for the outcome of coronavirus tests. A total of 507 people connected to the event were told to isolate by Melbourne health officials on Wednesday after a hotel worker tested positive. Play at six warm-up events and the Slam draws were postponed on Thursday. "We fully expect to keep the original schedule after today," said Tiley. The warm-up events, which are all

Aspire is set to close its seating and play area on national sports day on February 09, 2021 the decision came into effect after the sudden spike in cases of Covid-19. Gatherings will be limited to four persons in the open. Families are allowed to come and enjoy the slight nip in the air provided it's all done following the precautions set out by the government, like for instance, wearing masks at all times.

Former champion Angelique Kerber made an early exit from the Australian Open and said spending two weeks in hard quarantine ahead of the grand slam had contributed to her first-round loss. Serena Williams showed no signs of a shoulder injury as she strolled through with a commanding win over German Laura Siegemund, while Japanese third seed Naomi Osaka was the first big gun to register a win on day one at Melbourne Park. Kerber, the German former world No 1, was one of 72 players