Melbourne: Spanish superstar Rafael Nadal on Sunday pulled out of the Australian Open with a “micro tear on a muscle” barely a week after making his comeback from a year-long injury absence, but said he remained positive.
The 37-year-old had been out of the game since injuring his hip at the 2023 Australian Open, undergoing surgery before making his comeback at the Brisbane International.
He won his opening two matches, but needed a medical timeout toward the end of his quarter-final loss to Jordan Thompson after feeling pain in his upper left thigh.
“During my last match in Brisbane I had a small problem on a muscle that as you know made me worried,” he said on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“Once I got to Melbourne I have had the chance to make an MRI and I have micro tear on a muscle, not in the same part where I had the injury and that’s good news.
“Right now I am not ready to compete at the maximum level of five-set matches. I’m flying back to Spain to see my doctor, get some treatment and rest.”
Injuries have been a recurring theme of Nadal’s record-breaking career, a painful by-product of his all-action, brutal-hitting style that has led to struggles with serious knee, wrist and foot problems.
The 22-time Grand Slam champion stressed in Brisbane that he did not come into the tournament expecting to win, and hinted that the Australian Open was coming too soon for him.
“I have worked very hard during the year for this comeback and as I always mentioned my goal is to be at my best level in three months,” he said.
“Within the sad news for me for not being able to play in front of the amazing Melbourne crowds, this is not very bad news and we all remain positive with the evolution for the season.
“I really wanted to play here in Australia and I have had the chance to play a few matches that made me very happy and positive. Thanks all for the support and see you soon.”
During his career, Nadal dominated the French Open, where he won 14 of his majors, his first arriving just days after his 19th birthday in 2005, his last in 2022 making him the event’s oldest champion.
He is a four-time champion at the US Open, won Wimbledon in 2008 and 2010, and is a two-time winner at the Australian Open — with 13 years spanning his first triumph at Melbourne Park in 2009 and his second in 2022.
The injury absence saw Nadal’s ranking slip to 672 while rival Novak Djokovic has passed him in the Grand Slam title count with 24.
Nadal out of Australian Open with muscle tear
https://arab.news/b5dz6
Nadal out of Australian Open with muscle tear
- The 37-year-old had been out of the game since injuring his hip at the 2023 Australian Open
- At the Brisbane International Nadal won his opening two matches, but needed a medical timeout toward the end of his quarter-final loss to Jordan Thompson
Trump hopeful of ‘great’ PGA-LIV golf merger
- Trump: You’ve got the PGA Tour, you’ve got the LIV tour. And I think having them merge would be a great thing
- PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan said earlier this month that Trump’s intervention in ongoing negotiations had “significantly bolstered” hopes of reunifying the sport
MIAMI: President Donald Trump said Thursday he is optimistic of an eventual merger between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf following a new report of a stalemate in negotiations to reunify the game.
Speaking on Air Force One as he traveled to Florida ahead of this weekend’s LIV Golf Miami event at Trump National Doral, the US leader said he believed a merger was inevitable.
“Ultimately, hopefully the two tours are going to merge,” Trump told reporters. “That’ll be good. I’m involved in that, too, but hopefully we’re going to get the two tours to merge.
“You’ve got the PGA Tour, you’ve got the LIV tour. And I think having them merge would be a great thing.”
Trump, a keen golfer, has hosted two rounds of recent talks at the White House between leaders of the PGA Tour and the Saudi Arabia-financed LIV as the sport attempts to move on after LIV’s entry in 2021.
PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan said earlier this month that Trump’s intervention in ongoing negotiations had “significantly bolstered” hopes of reunifying the sport.
However, a report in Britain’s The Guardian newspaper on Thursday said negotiations had reached an impasse after the PGA Tour failed to deliver “serious concessions” in exchange for a $1.5 billion investment from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), the sovereign wealth fund which bankrolls LIV.
The Guardian report citing unidentified sources said PIF had sought assurances from the PGA Tour that the LIV circuit would continue following any deal, and that the fund’s governor, Yasir Al-Rumayyan, would be appointed as co-chairman of PGA Tour Enterprises.
However, the PGA Tour rejected both of those requests in a response to LIV sent on Monday, according to The Guardian.
News of the deadlock comes ahead of the first major of the year at next week’s Masters at Augusta National, where 12 players from LIV Golf will tee off against top rivals from the PGA Tour.
Five-time major winner Brooks Koepka, one of the highest-profile players to defect to LIV Golf, admitted this week that he was disappointed that the Saudi-funded circuit had not progressed further in its four seasons.
“I think we all hoped it would have been a little bit further along, and that’s no secret,” he said. “But they’re making progress and it seems to be going in the right direction.”
Enzo Fernandez grabs winner as Chelsea beats Tottenham to climb to 4th in Premier League
- Chelsea climbed above Newcastle and Manchester City into fourth place in the Premier League
Enzo Fernandez sent Chelsea back into the Champions League qualification positions with a second-half header that secured a 1-0 win over Tottenham in a typically feisty Premier League derby between the London rivals on Thursday.
The Argentina midfielder got in between defenders to nod home Cole Palmer’s cross in the 50th minute at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea climbed above Newcastle and Manchester City into fourth place in the Premier League, which should have five spots in next season’s Champions League. There are eight rounds left in the league.
This fixture has been wild and chaotic in recent years and while the latest edition was hardly a classic, there were 10 yellow cards and a melee to go with two goals disallowed after video review — one for each side.
Moises Caicedo thought he had put Chelsea 2-0 ahead in the 56th when he volleyed home sweetly after a free kick was only partially cleared, but the goal was ruled out for offside against Levi Colwill in the buildup after long VAR check that frustrated fans.
Tottenham substitute Pape Sarr then had a long-range strike scrubbed off because he fouled Caicedo before surging forward to take his shot. In the end, Sarr lost his goal and was booked for his challenge.
Tottenham captain Son Heung-min had a chance saved by Robert Sanchez before 12 minutes of stoppage time.
“If we want to become an important team, we need to win in a dirty way, ugly way,” Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca said, “and (I’m) quite happy.”
Tottenham stayed in 14th place, with its priority now clearly the Europa League after reaching the quarterfinals. This was another below-par league performance that will pile the pressure on its under-fire manager, Ange Postecoglou, who was unhappy at Sarr’s goal being disallowed and faced some criticism from fans for his substitutions during the second half.
“My subs have been booed, it’s not the first time,” Postecoglou said. “They are allowed to boo.”
The match saw the return from injury of Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson after two months out.
Pakistan assumes Asian Cricket Council presidency, vows to accelerate sport’s global influence
- Defending champions India are scheduled to host Asia Cup later this year in T20 format
- ACC, governing body for cricket in Asia, includes Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chief Mohsin Naqvi on Thursday assumed the presidency of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), the board confirmed, vowing to enhance the sport’s global influence.
The ACC is the governing body for cricket in Asia, established in 1983, to promote and develop the sport across the continent. It organizes major tournaments like the Asia Cup and works to improve cricket standards, provide financial support and strengthen ties between member countries including India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
Sri Lanka held ACC’s presidency before Pakistan officially took over the post from it on Apr. 3, according to the PCB.
“In accordance with the decision of the Asian Cricket Council, Pakistan has officially taken over the presidency from Sri Lanka Cricket,” the PCB said in a statement.
“Effective immediately, Pakistan will lead the council in its mission to promote and expand cricket across the Asian continent.”
It added that the ACC was “poised to strengthen and expand” cricket’s presence across Asia by fostering growth and unity within the sport.
Meanwhile, in a press release, the ACC quoted Naqvi as saying that he was honored to assume the regional cricketing body’s presidency.
“Asia remains the heartbeat of world cricket and I am committed to working with all member boards to accelerate the game’s growth and global influence,” he said.
“Together, we will unlock new opportunities, foster greater collaboration and take Asian cricket to unprecedented heights.”
The PCB chief also extended his sincere wishes to outgoing ACC president Shammi Silva from Sri Lanka for his leadership and contributions during his tenure.
India will host the next edition of the Men’s Asia Cup cricket tournament in the T20 format in 2025 as a precursor to the T20 World Cup scheduled in the country in 2026.
The 2023 edition, hosted by the PCB, was held in a “hybrid model” as India refused to travel to Pakistan and played their matches in Sri Lanka.
India are the defending Asia Cup champions, and have won three of the last four editions of the tournament. They beat Sri Lanka by 10 wickets in the final of last year’s 50-overs edition in Colombo.
UK set to host 2035 Women’s World Cup as sole bidder
- “We are honored to be the sole bidder for the FIFA women’s World Cup 2035,” FA CEO Mark Bullingham said
- “Hosting the first FIFA World Cup since 1966 with our home nations partners will be very special“
LONDON: The United Kingdom appears set to host the 2035 Women’s World Cup after FIFA President Gianni Infantino on Thursday described its interest as the “one valid bid” for the tournament.
England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales announced last month that they would submit a joint bid to host the finals.
England’s men won the World Cup for the first and so far only time when the country hosted the finals in 1966. It has never staged the women’s tournament.
“We are honored to be the sole bidder for the FIFA women’s World Cup 2035,” FA CEO Mark Bullingham said in a statement.
“Hosting the first FIFA World Cup since 1966 with our home nations partners will be very special. The hard work starts now, to put together the best possible bid by the end of the year.”
The United States, with the possibility of other countries in the CONCACAF region joining the US, is also poised to be named host of the 2031 Women’s World Cup as the only bid.
Infantino said the tournament will increase from 32 teams to 48 in time for the 2031 World Cup to match the men’s event.
“We received one bid for 2031 and one bid — one valid bid I should add — for 2035,” he added at the UEFA Congress in Belgrade. “The 2035 bid is from Europe, from the home nations.”
The US hosted the 1999 and 2003 Women’s World Cup.
Brazil will host the 2027 event featuring 32 teams.
FORMAL BIDS
Member associations must formally submit bids to FIFA in the final quarter of this year. The world governing body currently plans to confirm the Women’s World Cup hosts for 2031 and 2035 at the 76th FIFA Congress in the second quarter of next year.
“So, the path is there for the Women’s World Cup to be taking place in ‘31 and ‘35 in some great countries, in some great nations, to boost even more the women’s football movement,” Infantino said.
FIFA said last month that members associated with the Confederation of African Football and CONCACAF were eligible to bid for the 2031 World Cup, while CAF and UEFA member associations could bid for the 2035 tournament.
Reports had suggested Spain, Portugal and Morocco, who are jointly hosting the 2030 men’s World Cup, planned to launch a rival bid for 2035 before Infantino’s comment on Thursday that the UK had the only valid bid.
England’s women’s manager Sarina Wiegman said hosting the tournament will be a big boost to the women’s game.
“It’s the biggest female event we have in the world, that’s so exciting,” she told a press conference on Thursday.
“We know with the experience of the Euros (the women’s European Championships in 2022, which England won) how big the game is already here, and what that momentum did here in the country, but also worldwide.
“So another tournament, even on an even bigger stage, would be incredible, and that will give another boost to the game.”
Expanding to 48 teams will help, the Dutchwoman added on the eve of England’s Nations League game against Belgium.
“It will grow the game again in different countries, because different countries have opportunities to come, because countries are at different stages of their development,” she said. “So it will help empower women in football, women in sport and women in society.”
Pakistan fined again for slow ODI over-rate in New Zealand
- Pakistan players fined 5 percent of match fees for being one over short of target on Wednesday
- Visiting team was two overs short, fined 10 percent after losing first ODI by 73 runs on Saturday
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates: Pakistan has been penalized for a slow over-rate against New Zealand in their second one-day international in Hamilton this week.
Match referee Jeff Crowe fined the Pakistan players 5 percent of their match fees after they were one over short of the target on Wednesday after the time allowances were taken into consideration. New Zealand won by 84 runs.
Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan “pleaded guilty to the offense and accepted the sanction, eliminating the need for a formal hearing,” the International Cricket Council said on Thursday.
It was the second consecutive match after which Pakistan was fined for a slow over-rate.
The visiting team was two overs short of the target and fined 10 percent after losing the first ODI by 73 runs at Napier last Saturday.
The third and last ODI is at Mount Maunganui on Saturday.
