Tsitsipas in ATP Finals semis
London: Stefanos Tsitsipas coasted past defending champion Alexander Zverev in straight sets to advance to the last four of the ATP Finals after Rafael Nadal came back from the dead to keep his title hopes alive. The Greek tyro, 21, broke his big-serving German opponent three times in the Group Andre Agassi match to seal a 6-3, 6-2 win and advance to the semi-finals at London’s O2 Arena. The straightforward victory, which took Tsitsipas’s head-to-head record against Zverev to 4-1, was in sharp contrast to the earlier match, in which Nadal produced an astonishing comeback to beat Daniil Medvedev. The Spaniard was on the brink of defeat when facing a match point at 5-1 down in the deciding set but stormed back to win 6-7 (3/7), 6-3, 7-6 (7/4). (AFP)
Moto GP champ Lorenzo retires
Valencia: Three-time MotoGP world champion Jorge Lorenzo said Thursday he would retire following the Valencia Grand Prix. The 32-year-old Spaniard, who rides for Honda and claimed the world title in 2010, 2012 and 2015, told a press conference that he was pulling out following Sunday’s Valencia race. The rider, who was also twice crowned 250cc champion, has suffered from poor form and injuries this season. (AFP)
South Korea pip China
Auckland: China lost to South Korea 81-80 in a close Group A match of the FIBA Women’s Olympic Pre-Qualifying basketball tournament for Asia-Oceania Region at the Trusts Arena here on Thursday.Huang Sijing led with 14 points for China and grabbed six rebounds, while 20-year-old Park Ji-su had 23 points and eight rebounds for South Korea, reports Xinhua news agency.Xu Limin, China’s head coach, admitted that the opponents performed much better.”Our young players didn’t show enough confidence and ability during the first three quarters,” coach Xu said. “We did very well in the fourth quarter, but it was already too late.”In Auckland, China will play against host New Zealand and the Philippines respectively at the weekend. (IANS)
Dravid cleared by ethics officer
New Delhi: National Cricket Academy head Rahul Dravid has been given a clean chit by the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) Ombudsman-cum-Ethics Officer Justice (Retd) D.K. Jain over the conflict of interest allegations leveled against him.Speaking to IANS, Jain said that he found there was no case of conflict against the former India skipper. “I have found no case of conflict against Dravid,” he said.In the order passed in the matter, accessed by IANS, Jain said: “For all the aforesaid reasons I am convinced that on facts at hand, a case of “conflict of interest” as enshrined in the Rules is not made out. Resultantly, the complaint is dismissed being bereft of any merit. This order will be communicated to Mr. Rahul Dravid, the Complainant and the BCCI. The signed copy of this Order shall be kept in the folder of the Complaint.” (IANS)
Jack Leach extends contract
Taunton: England spinner Jack Leach on Thursday signed a two-year contract extension with Somerset that will keep him at the club until the end of the 2022 season. The 28-year-old’s current deal was due to expire at the end of the 2020 season, but this new agreement will see Leach remain at his hometown club until at least the end of the 2022 campaign. Born and raised in Taunton, he successfully progressed through the Somerset age-group pathway before making his Somerset debut against South Africa in 2012. (ANI)