Alexander Zverev insists his latest split from a high-profile coach ended on amicable terms after David Ferrer cut ties with the US Open finalist.
Spaniard Ferrer's decision to walk away leaves Zverev yet again, now at the age of 23, looking for a coach with whom he might establish a long-term partnership.
The German ditched former world number one Juan Carlos Ferrero in early 2018, after six months together, claiming the coach had been "very disrespectful" to other members of his team.
He then linked up with Ivan Lendl in August 2018 but that lasted just under a year, with Zverev reportedly criticising the eight-time grand slam winner's focus.
This time, Zverev and former world number three Ferrer have not hinted at any animosity or disagreements.
They teamed up in July 2020, and Zverev said of their break-up: "I would like to thank David for the months we have shared, the times on and off the court, wishing him only the best in the future.
"I also want to thank his family for giving me the chance to spend precious weeks with David during these difficult times. I have tremendous respect for the way David played and coaches tennis."
Ferrer helped Zverev battle through to the US Open final in September, where he led by two sets but was ultimately beaten by Dominic Thiem.
Zverev also won a pair of titles in Cologne in October and reached the final of the Masters 1000 event in Paris.
But they are going their separate ways as the new season begins, with the Australian Open just weeks away.
Ferrer said: "At the end of the year, a decision had to be made, I spoke with Sascha [Zverev] and told him that I preferred not to continue, that we were not going to continue next season. Not for anything special, I just didn't think it was time."
Speaking to tennis website Punto de Break, Ferrer added: "Absolutely nothing has happened between us, everything is still fine, in fact I am very grateful to him for the opportunity he gave me to travel with him during that stretch of the season.
"During those months we had a good coexistence, everything was perfect."
Tate Russell's second-half thunderbolt ultimately proved crucial for Western Sydney Wanderers in their gutsy 2-1 A-League triumph at Newcastle Jets on Friday.
Wanderers, who earned a first win under boss Carl Robinson against his old club, led 2-0 thanks to Ziggy Gordon and Russell only for Nigel Boogaard to ensure a nervy finish at McDonald Jones Stadium.
Centre-back Gordon headed home James Troisi's seventh-minute corner to get Wanderers rolling.
The impressive Nicolai Muller, who finished with three shots, three key passes and 80.6 per cent pass accuracy, thought he had doubled the lead with a tremendous effort from range, only for Simon Cox (two shots, two key passes) to be ruled offside in the build-up by VAR.
Newcastle had their chances, but Thomas Aquilina somehow failed to make contact with Muller's teasing cross before the break.
Russell was far more clinical when he drilled in Cox's lay-off from the edge of the box just before the hour in an effort of sublime technique.
Boogaard headed the Jets back into the contest when he finished from Ramy Najjarine's assist, the winger proving a great creative force throughout (five chances created, three shots, 79.1 per cent successful passes).
The Jets peppered the visitors' goal from there on in but were unable to find a leveller and have started the campaign with two defeats.
International Olympic Committee (IOC) member Dick Pound is uncertain whether the Tokyo Games will be able to go ahead.
After the Olympics were postponed in 2020 amid the coronavirus pandemic, they have been rescheduled for this year, with events due to run in Japan's capital from July 23 to August 8.
However, COVID-19 has continued to surge globally with new variants of the virus forcing multiple countries back into lockdown situations.
The outcome of the debate about whether athletes are given priority access to vaccinations, which have just begun to be rolled out in major nations, could prove decisive.
"I can't be certain because the ongoing elephant in the room would be the surges in the virus," Pound said, per BBC Sport, about whether the Games would go ahead.
The comments from Pound came as Japan declared a one-month state of emergency for Tokyo and surrounding regions.
"The situation has become increasingly troubling nationwide and we have a strong sense of crisis," said Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, who had recently vowed to hold a "safe and secure" Olympics.
Pound, who is the longest-serving member of the committee, added the vaccine debate might be different in each competing nation.
He said to Sky News: "It is a decision for each country to make and there will be people saying they [athletes] are jumping the queue [for a vaccine].
"But I think that is the most realistic way of it going ahead.
"In Canada, where we might have 300 or 400 athletes, to take 300 or 400 vaccines out of several million in order to have Canada represented at an international event of this stature, character and level – I don't think there would be any kind of a public outcry about that.
"Athletes are important role models, and by taking the vaccine they can send a powerful message that vaccination is not only about personal health, but also about solidarity and consideration for the wellbeing of others in their communities."
Carlos Sainz compared Ferrari and McLaren to LaLiga heavyweights Real Madrid and Barcelona, and is confident of a successful transition to the Scuderia.
The Spaniard spent the past two seasons at McLaren, making the podium on two occasions, but is Ferrari-bound for 2021, replacing Sebastian Vettel.
Sainz spoke about how the objective for both teams is to cut the gap to dominant Mercedes, while he feels the fact he will have raced for both teams proves he is doing something right in his career.
Asked by AS if racing for Ferrari is like playing for Real Madrid, the team Sainz supports, he replied: "It's one way of saying it…but McLaren is Barca, which is also a very good team to be on.
"It cannot be compared, because in addition both are in a restructuring to try to dethrone Mercedes in the future.
"But they are the two best teams in history and when you go from one to the other it means that you are doing something right in Formula One."
At Ferrari, Sainz is joining a team where the pressure is always on to be a success and internal politics have historically always been a lingering presence in the background.
But Sainz is confident of being able to bring a harmonious atmosphere like the one he was part of at McLaren.
"That I managed to do it at McLaren means I can do it at Ferrari. If I could create a good team, generate good dynamics at McLaren, why not do it at Ferrari? I can do it," he added.
"I like the people out there, I like Mattia [Binotto, Ferrari team boss] and I like what I see, what we have talked about.
"There was no hesitation when it came to signing the contract and going forward. In my head there is no possibility that this environment and similar situation cannot be generated.
"If I could at McLaren, I can at Ferrari."
Sainz's predecessors at Ferrari Vettel and Fernando Alonso arrived with huge reputations as two of the most gifted drivers of their generations and with world titles to their name.
Neither man was able to end Ferrari's wait for a champion dating back to 2007 but Sainz believes it is wrong to judge their success at Maranello based on titles.
"They leave with a few victories and podiums, if you call that going empty…I only have two podiums," he said.
"Are they leaving without a championship? Yes. But the same has happened to nineteen drivers, every season for the last 10, when Red Bull or Mercedes have dominated.
"There are nineteen drivers a year who have gone empty, but I do not include those who have raced for Ferrari. Nobody leaves Ferrari empty."
Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James condemned the scenes in Washington, D.C. and shared the feeling that the response by law enforcement could have been far worse had the perpetrators been black people.
On Wednesday, a large number of violent protestors stormed the US Capitol after descending on the city for a rally held by Donald Trump, who has repeatedly claimed, without evidence, his presidential election loss to Joe Biden was fraudulent.
Five people are confirmed to have died and dozens arrested after appalling scenes at the seat of democracy in the United States on the day the electoral college certified Biden's victory, with some individuals able to force access into private offices and take pictures in the chair of vice president Mike Pence while members of congress were forced to flee under escort.
Tear gas was used in the Capitol Rotunda as part of non-lethal means to disperse the crowd, and Washington Wizards star Russell Westbrook claimed the outcome would have been "totally different" had the vast majority of aggressors been African-American.
Team-mate Bradley Beal said, compared with the police handling of Black Lives Matter protests last year, the response lacked the same "sense of urgency".
Philadelphia 76ers coach Doc Rivers shared that sentiment, saying: "It basically proves the point about a privileged life in a lot of ways. I'll say it because I don't think a lot of people want to: could you imagine today if those were all black people storming the Capitol and what would have happened?"
And James, who hit 27 points, six rebounds and 12 assists in the Lakers' 118-109 loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday, said the black community has endured a hard week following the Capitol riots and the news that the police officer who shot and paralysed Jacob Blake in Wisconsin in August will face no charges.
"Obviously, the last few days have been very, very tough on anybody in the black community," James said.
"We got the news in Memphis with the Jacob Blake announcement and the cop being let off and then seeing what happened in our national capital, inside the Capitol.
"We live in two Americas. That was a prime example of that yesterday, and if you don't understand that or don't see that after seeing what you saw yesterday, then you really need to take a step back, not even just one step, maybe four or five or even 10 steps backwards.
"Ask yourself: how do you want your kids, or how do you want your grandkids, how do we want America to be viewed as, how do we want to live in this beautiful country? Because yesterday was not it.
"Being part of a household with three kids, two boys, a daughter, a wife, a mother-in-law, so many black folks in my household during that time and it's on the TV, couldn't help but wonder if those were my kind storming the Capitol... what would have been the outcome? I think we all know."
The Los Angeles Lakers' four-game winning streak was snapped in the NBA on Thursday, while the Philadelphia 76ers also fell.
Despite a double-double of 27 points and 12 assists from LeBron James, the Lakers were beaten by the San Antonio Spurs 118-109.
Anthony Davis also had 23 points and 10 rebounds, but the Lakers slipped to 6-3.
LaMarcus Aldridge posted a game-high 28 points for the Spurs.
After five straight wins, the 76ers fell to a 122-109 loss to the Brooklyn Nets.
Joel Embiid had a double-double of 20 points and 12 rebounds for the 76ers (7-2).
The Nets were without Kevin Durant (quarantine) and Kyrie Irving (personal reasons), but Caris LeVert posted 22 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds as they improved to 5-4.
Lillard lifts Trail Blazers, Doncic dominates
Damian Lillard's 39 points, seven rebounds and seven assists saw the Portland Trail Blazers past the Minnesota Timberwolves 135-117.
Luka Doncic dominated with 38 points, 13 assists and nine rebounds as the Dallas Mavericks overcame the Denver Nuggets 124-117 after overtime.
Andre Drummond had a double-double of 22 points and 15 rebounds as the Cleveland Cavaliers edged the Memphis Grizzlies 94-90.
Terrible Timberwolves
After back-to-back wins to start the season, the Timberwolves have suffered six straight losses. Malik Beasley struggled against the Trail Blazers, going three-of-13 from the field for 12 points in 28 minutes.
Cool Jokic
Nikola Jokic forced overtime for the Nuggets against the Mavericks with a long two. He finished with 38 points and 11 rebounds in the overtime loss.
Thursday's results
Brooklyn Nets 122-109 Philadelphia 76ers
Cleveland Cavaliers 94-90 Memphis Grizzlies
Portland Trail Blazers 135-117 Minnesota Timberwolves
San Antonio Spurs 118-109 Los Angeles Lakers
Dallas Mavericks 124-117 Denver Nuggets
Clippers at Warriors
The Los Angeles Clippers (6-3) and Golden State Warriors (4-4) meet for the second time in three days on Friday. The Clippers claimed a 108-101 victory on Wednesday.
Steve Nash labelled Joe Harris "a stud" after he helped the Brooklyn Nets beat the Philadelphia 76ers in the NBA on Thursday.
Harris was 11-of-19 from the field and six-of-nine from three-point range for 28 points in 30 minutes in a 122-109 victory.
The Nets were without Kevin Durant (quarantine) and Kyrie Irving (personal reasons), but Harris delivered off the bench.
Nash hailed the 29-year-old for his performance after the Nets improved to 5-4.
"Joe's a stud. He makes shots, he makes plays, he battles physically, defends, rebounds, he does a bit of everything," he told a news conference.
"He's not just a shooter. He makes other plays and makes his team-mates better because of his energy, effort and shot-making."
Durant and Irving are set to be absent again when the Nets face the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday.
A report claimed Irving simply did not want to play against the 76ers (7-2), but Nash dismissed those suggestions.
"I haven't spoken to him yet. I can't really comment because I haven't spoken to him and it's personal reasons so it'd have to come from Kyrie, but I don't believe that to be the case," he said.
Kevin Durant could return for the Brooklyn Nets against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday, head coach Steve Nash said.
Durant missed Tuesday's win over the Utah Jazz and was expected to be absent for another three games after reportedly being exposed to someone who tested positive for coronavirus.
But the star may return early, although he will still miss the Nets' next two games – including Thursday's clash against the Philadelphia 76ers.
"I think Kevin's situation is that if he continues to test negative he can play Sunday," Nash told a news conference.
"That's all I have on that, but can't wait for Sunday to come."
The Nets will also be without another star, Kyrie Irving, against the 76ers due to personal reasons.
"I just found out. I just sent him a message in the last half hour and I haven't heard back yet," Nash said.
"But obviously thinking about him and hope all is well. It's a private matter."
Durant is averaging 28.2 points, seven rebounds and 4.8 assists per game for the Nets (4-4) this season.
Irving, meanwhile, is averaging 27.1 points, 6.1 assists and 5.3 rebounds.
Lonzo Ball is looking forward to taking on his brother LaMelo Ball when the Pelicans face the Charlotte Hornets on Friday - but getting New Orleans back on track is his primary concern.
The Pelicans are 4-4 after suffering back-to-back narrow defeats against the Indiana Pacers and the Oklahoma City Thunder, while the Hornets ended a three-game losing skid by beating the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday, improving to 3-5.
LaMelo was the third overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft and the rookie is already pushing for a spot in Charlotte's starting lineup, averaging 12.1 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.9 assists through his first eight games in the league.
In his fourth appearance, LaMelo had 22 points, eight rebounds and five assists in a 118-99 victory over the Dallas Mavericks. He became first rookie to post such a stat line (at least 20 points, eight rebounds and five assists) within their first four games in the league since Lonzo in 2017, and only the fifth since 1985-86 - Kevin Durant, Grant Hill and Lloyd Daniels the others to achieve the feat.
Eight games into his NBA career, Lonzo was averaging 9.1 points, 6.8 rebounds and 6.6 assists from eight starts for the Los Angeles Lakers – the last of which saw him fail to score a single point in a loss to the Portland Trail Blazers.
The game between the Pelicans and Hornets will be broadcast nationally in the United States but Lonzo does not intend to let a family reunion detract from greater objectives.
"I think it's gonna be a lot of fun. It's our first time matching up in a real game, but I think it's gonna be an opportunity to just get back on track. We've lost the last two so we want to turn it around starting tomorrow," said Lonzo.
"It's just about getting the win. It'll be cool seeing him out there and everything but he's gonna do what he can for his team and I'm gonna do what I can for my team and go from there."
Asked if he was planning to treat LaMelo to some trash talk, he added: "No, I'll just play my game. Wherever coach puts me I'll do the best I can to get stops for my team and push the break the other way."
Despite spending their formative years together, Lonzo may be in for a surprise when he finally faces up to LaMelo having played minimal one-on-one during their youth.
"Not really too much one-on-one; a lot of two-on-twos, three-on-threes, though, pretty much our whole life," he said.
"One-on-one I was just always a little too big for him. As far as playing in the back yard, we played three-on-three pretty much every day. We always went at it and I think you see that in his game. He's not afraid of anybody. He's always played up and it's always been that way for him."
Lonzo and LaMelo enjoyed a single season as team-mates alongside their other brother LiAngelo – who has reportedly signed a contract to play in the upcoming G League season – during high school at Chino Hills in 2015-16, going 35-0 and winning a state championship.
"It was a lot of fun. We went undefeated that year. It was the only time we all got to play together in high school and we made the most of it," said Lonzo.
"It was just a fun time all around, being with them before I took off on my journey and they went their ways as well."
While Lonzo spent a year at UCLA before being drafted second overall by the Lakers in 2017, LaMelo opted against playing in college.
He turned professional and played in Lithuania and Australia either side of participating in the Junior Basketball Association - a league that was set up by his father LaVar Ball to offer an alternative to college.
"Everybody has to find their own way. Obviously, I went the more traditional route, he didn't, but at the end of the day we both ended up where we wanted to be," said Lonzo.
"Hard work definitely pays off. No matter who you are, you put your mind to something and you can do it. I really believe that. It worked for me, it worked for him, so that's what I'd tell kids growing up today as well."
Now the pair are on the same stage, Lonzo declared: "It just shows all the hard work paid off ... and we both ended up where we wanted to go."
Hansi Flick has told his Bayern Munich stars to show "a different attitude from the start" as he bids to achieve a feat only Pep Guardiola has achieved before.
On Friday evening, Flick can reach 100 points from his first 39 Bundesliga games in charge of the Bavarian giants, needing a win at Borussia Monchengladbach to hit that landmark.
But head coach Flick is unwilling to tolerate any repeat of the shaky first-half performance that saw his team trail Mainz 2-0 on Sunday, before turning the game around to register a 5-2 win.
Guardiola, who joined Bayern ahead of the 2013-14 season, brought up his century of points in the same number of games.
That saw Guardiola lead Bayern to a championship with 90 points before beginning the following season with three wins and two draws.
The Manchester City boss amassed 101 points from his first 39 Bundesliga matches, the first Bayern head coach to achieve a three-figure points haul so quickly.
Flick knows if he is to add an immediate three points to his current 97 points, the European champions will need to pull their weight.
"We have addressed it very clearly and want to go into the game with a different attitude and dynamic," Flick said on Thursday in a pre-match news conference.
"We want to be more present in the duels. We can't just hope for Manu [goalkeeper Manuel Neuer] at the back.
"We need a different attitude from the start. We have to show what we are capable of. The team have this mentality. Gladbach have high individual quality and great tempo."
Flick's side have scored 119 goals in their 38 league games during his tenure, winning 31 times, drawing four and losing only three times.
But there is no certainty they will get the better of Gladbach, having lost to the Foals in the first half of the season in each of the last three campaigns before winning the reverse game.
Indeed, Bayern have only won 13 of 52 previous away games against Friday's opponents, losing 21 times and drawing on 18 occasions.
Flick's recent record in Friday night games bodes well for Bayern.
They began this season with an 8-0 thrashing of Schalke on a Friday, and their previous Friday game was the 8-2 humbling of Barcelona in the Champions League quarter-finals.
Bayern have won 16 of their last 20 Friday games in all competitions (D3 L1), Opta said.
The Football Association (FA) is still hopeful Aston Villa's meeting with Liverpool can go ahead as planned on Friday, with a final decision to be made after further coronavirus testing.
Villa announced on Thursday they had closed their Bodymoor Heath training ground after "a significant coronavirus outbreak" at the club, with first-team training cancelled after players and staff returned positive results.
Their FA Cup third-round clash with Premier League leaders Liverpool was consequently thrown into doubt, though it is hoped the fixture will not have to be postponed.
An FA statement read: "The Football Association and Aston Villa are working closely together to try to ensure that the club's FA Cup third round proper fixture with Liverpool can go ahead as planned at Villa Park.
"Final confirmation will be made tomorrow pending the results of additional COVID-19 testing."
It was announced earlier on Thursday that the third-round clash between Shrewsbury Town and Southampton would not go ahead on Saturday after "several" members of the League One side returned positive coronavirus results.
Derby County this week revealed they will select a side made up of Under-18 and Under-23 players for their tie at non-league Chorley on Saturday, with interim boss Wayne Rooney and his first-team squad staying at home following a coronavirus outbreak at the Championship club.
Francisco Lindor's time in Cleveland has come to an end, as the Indians moved the four-time All-Star to the New York Mets in a blockbuster six-player trade announced on Thursday.
The Mets will also receive starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco in the deal, with Cleveland getting infielders Amed Rosario and Andres Gimenez and a pair of prospects in pitcher Josh Wolf and outfielder Isaiah Greene.
Lindor has been one of the game's premier shortstops, and the face of the Cleveland franchise, since breaking into the majors in 2015. The 27-year-old was the runner-up in voting for the American League's Rookie of the Year in 2015 and has won two Silver Slugger awards as well as a pair of Gold Gloves during his six-year career.
The Puerto Rico native is set to be a free agent after this season, however, and an inability to agree to terms on a contract extension forced Cleveland to field offers from interested teams.
Lindor joins a Mets organisation with grand designs under new owner Steve Cohen and who have been one of the more aggressive teams this offseason. New York previously added catcher James McCann and reliever Trevor May in free agency, while pitcher Marcus Stroman accepted an $18.9million qualifying offer to return.
A career .285 hitter, Lindor has averaged 29 home runs, 86 RBIs and 21 steals over his six major league seasons.
The Mets also add a valuable piece to the rotation in Carrasco, who went 88-73 with a 3.77 ERA in 11 seasons with Cleveland. The 33-year-old right-hander won 35 games between the 2017 and 2018 seasons before missing most of the 2019 campaign when diagnosed with leukaemia.
Carrasco successfully fought off the disease to make 12 regular-season starts in 2020, going 3-4 with a 2.91 ERA and winning a second straight AL Comeback Player of the Year award.
Rosario is the most experienced of the players Cleveland got in return and figures to slot in as Lindor's replacement at shortstop. The 25-year-old's last full season in the majors was a solid one as he batted .287 with 15 homers, 72 RBIs and 19 stolen bases.
Gimenez, 22, made his major league debut last season and hit .263 with three homers and 12 RBIs in 49 games.
Wolf and Greene were ranked as the Mets' number nine and number 10 overall prospects by MLB.com. Wolf was a second-round pick by New York in 2019, while Greene was taken in the second round of the 2020 draft and has yet to make his professional debut.
Dayana Yastremska says she is "astonished" after the world number 29 was provisionally suspended for failing an out-of-competition doping test.
The International Tennis Federation (ITF) on Thursday revealed Yastremska was charged on December 22, having tested positive for mesterolone metabolite in a sample taken on November 24.
Ukrainian Yastremska, who reached a career-high 21st in the rankings 12 months ago, says she is not guilty of any wrongdoing and will do all in her powers to clear her name.
The 20-year-old posted on Twitter: "I firmly state that I have never used any performance-enhancing drugs or any prohibited substances.
"I am astonished and under shock, particularly given that two weeks prior to this test - on 9 November 2020 - I tested negative at the WTA event in Linz. After this last tournament of the year, I stopped practising to rest prior to the start of the new season.
"Only a very low concentration of mesterolone metabolite was detected in my urine. Given that low concentration and given my negative test two weeks earlier, I have received scientific advice that the result is consistent with some form of contamination event.
"Besides, I have been informed that this substance is meant for use as medication by men and that women are advised not to use it due to the adverse effects it causes."
Yastremska said she was "resolutely determined to do everything to clear my name".
Rising star Yastremska has three WTA singles titles to her name.
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