Niklas Sule has offered his support to Borussia Dortmund team-mate Sebastien Haller after he discovered a testicular tumour, insisting on-pitch matters are "one hundred per cent in the background" while he recovers.
Haller, a new signing at Dortmund, was forced to leave the club's pre-season training camp in Switzerland after feeling unwell on Monday, with subsequent tests revealing the tumour.
Dortmund boss Edin Terzic then revealed the striker had returned to Germany for further tests, describing the news as "brutally difficult".
Haller's former Ajax and Utrecht coach Erik ten Hag was among those to wish the Ivory Coast international a speedy recovery yesterday, sentiments which have now been echoed by fellow Dortmund new boy Sule.
"The sporting aspect is one hundred per cent in the background," the defender told Dortmund's media channels. "It is the man Sebastien Haller that we miss.
"We wish him all the best, that he gets well again quickly and a lot of strength for the time that will come now.
"How he handled the news was very positive. As a team, we wanted to give him a small sign that we were with him. I wish that he will get well very soon."
Juventus new boy Gleison Bremer is drawing inspiration from Bianconeri legend Giorgio Chiellini after replacing Bayern Munich-bound Matthijs de Ligt at the Allianz Stadium.
With Massimiliano Allegri's side losing De Ligt to the Bundesliga champions on Tuesday, they have swiftly gone about bolstering their backline with a move for Serie A's 2021-22 Defender of the Year.
Playing for Juve's local rivals Torino, Bremer led players across Europe's top five leagues for interceptions (105) last season, making 33 Serie A appearances and contributing to eight clean sheets.
Juventus have reportedly committed to paying €40million plus add-ons for the Brazilian, who will take Chiellini's number three shirt after the Euro 2020 winner left for Los Angeles FC.
And Bremer told the club's media channels he is seeking to emulate the 37-year-old, who he described as the finest defender Italy had to offer.
"Juventus is a team that always wants to win, and I also have the ambition to win," Bremer said.
"I also talked a bit with Chiellini and I decided that Juventus were the best team.
"I also have a dog that is black and white! It was in my destiny.
"Chiellini is the best Italian defender, I've always said that. So I'm inspired a little by him, and I'll try to do what he did."
After winning nine consecutive league titles between 2011-12 and 2019-20, Juventus have since finished fourth in successive Serie A campaigns.
But Bremer believes the acquisitions of players such as Angel Di Maria and Paul Pogba served to convince him of Juve's chances winning of silverware next season.
The centre-back, who was also strongly linked with Inter, added: "When I saw that Pogba and Di Maria arrived, I had no doubts about who to choose.
"We are a team built to win.
"I always want to win, the Scudetto, the Champions League. This is my goal."
Anett Kontaveit cruised into the quarter-finals of the Hamburg European Open with a straight-sets win over Rebecca Peterson, while third seed Zhang Shuai was forced out of the Palermo Ladies Open through injury.
World number two Kontaveit recorded a 6-3 6-2 victory over Peterson on the clay in Germany, setting up a last-eight meeting with eighth seed Andrea Petkovic.
The Estonian's win was her third over Peterson and maintained her 100 per cent career record against Swedish opponents, taking her to seven such successes.
Kontaveit was joined in the quarter-finals by fellow seeds Aliaksandra Sasnovich, who beat Aleksandra Krunic 6-3 6-2, and Maryna Zanevska, who downed Alexandra Cadantu-Ignatik 6-4 6-1.
They will face off for a semi-final spot on Thursday, while Anastasia Potapova will meet 2021 French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova after beating Maria Carle in straight sets.
At the Palermo Ladies Open, meanwhile, third seed Zhang withdrew from her last-16 clash with home favourite Jasmine Paolini before taking to the court, citing an unspecified injury.
Fellow seeds Sara Sorribes Tormo and Anna Bondar both reached the quarter-finals with straight-sets wins, however, with the pair set to face off for a semi-final berth on Friday.
Pablo Carreno Busta saw his title defence at the Hamburg European Open come to an early end as he crashed out on Wednesday, while Andrey Rublev progressed with ease.
Carreno Busta fell to a 6-3 1-6 7-6 (7-5) second-round defeat against Slovakian Alex Molcan, who progressed to a fourth ATP Tour quarter-final this season.
World number 48 Molcan will next meet Borna Coric after the Croatian eased past Tallon Griekspoor 6-3 6-4, registering back-to-back tour-levels wins for the first time in 17 months.
Second seed Rublev coasted through his first-round clash with Ricardas Berankis, triumphing 6-3 6-4 as he improved his record at the ATP 500 clay-court event in Germany to 10-2.
"I am happy with my performance. Ricardas is a really tough player," said world number eight Rublev, who is aiming for his fourth title of the season after success in Marseille, Dubai and Belgrade.
"He hits the ball really hard and plays fast, so I had to bring intensity from the first game. I am really happy with how I was serving today and I hit some great shots from the baseline.
"The game he broke me in the second set he played really well. He returned really aggressively and I don’t think I made one first serve. But then I kept [my] focus and broke him straight away again."
Alejandro Davidovich Fokina was another comfortable winner, easing past Jozef Kovalik 6-2 6-2 to set up a quarter-final contest with Lorenzo Musetti, who beat Emil Ruusuvuori 6-4 7-5.
Play was suspended early at the Swiss Open due to bad weather, with Spaniard Jaume Munar downing Alexander Ritschard 6-3 6-3 in the only match of the day to reach the last eight.
That meant top seed Casper Ruud will have to wait until Thursday to face Jiri Lehecka in Gstaad, with third favourite Roberto Bautista Agut also seeing his match with Juan Pablo Varillas pushed back a day.
Serena Williams has been named on the entry list for the US Open.
The 23-time grand slam champion withdrew from last year's tournament at Flushing Meadows with a torn hamstring, but she has entered this year's with a protected ranking of 16.
Williams has also been named among the initial entry list for August's Cincinnati Masters as she returns to the US Open Series.
Former US Open champions Naomi Osaka, Bianca Andreescu and Emma Raducanu will also be present in Ohio.
Williams returned to action after almost a year away from the game in the WTA event in Eastbourne in June in the women's doubles, before competing in the singles at Wimbledon.
Following an exciting defeat to Harmony Tan in the first round on Centre Court at SW19, Williams said she was aiming for a US Open return.
"When you're at home, especially in New York, and the US Open, that being the first place I've won a grand slam, is something that's always super special" she said. "There's definitely lots of motivation to get better and to play at home."
The 40-year-old will also compete at the Canadian Open next month as she ramps up her preparations for the US Open.
The St Lucia Athletics Association has moved to dispel the notion that they failed to supply 100m sprinter Julien Alfred with apparel for her campaign at the 2022 World Athletics Championship in Eugene, Oregon.
The 20-year-old Alfred, the 2022 NCAA 100m champion, wore a plain white singlet with a Nike logo and black tights while getting to the semi-finals on Sunday when she failed to advance to the final after being disqualified for a false start. Perhaps triggered by the disappointing end to her campaign, fans, primarily on social media, targeted the SLAA accusing it of not furnishing the athlete with the appropriate uniform for the championships.
In a statement released Monday, the association’s secretary Lisa Joseph sought to dispel any notion that that was the case, explaining that Alfred was provided with a national uniform for both the Caribbean Games and the World Championships.
“In the past few days, Julien’s accomplishments have been overshadowed by allegations that the association failed to supply her with competition apparel and that the president (Cornelius Breen) was conspicuously taciturn on the matter,” Joseph said in the statement.
“As it concerns Team St Lucia's competition uniforms, the St. Lucia Athletics Association never has and will never send any athlete to represent our beautiful island without bearing the colours of our national flag which we cherish so much.”
According to Joseph, Alfred, whose time of 10.81, made her the fourth-fastest woman in the world this year, was provided with a competition kit from a local supplier ahead of the Caribbean Games in Guadeloupe two weeks prior to her competing in the World Championship in Eugene Oregon, which was amended to the comfort of the athlete.
Following the Caribbean Games, another kit was procured for her, this time for the World Championship.
“When she was presented with the other kit, she intimated that she was not comfortable with it,” Joseph revealed. “To solve this untimely situation, she was taken to a supplier where the St. Lucia Athletics Association was able to procure apparel which she said she was comfortable with.
“Moving forward, persons must not jump to hasty conclusions. Firstly, they should find out and clear the facts from the relevant governing body of the sport before posting or presenting news articles,” the SLAA secretary concluded.
Novak Djokovic looks set to miss the US Open after the USTA confirmed it would respect the United States government's policy regarding unvaccinated travellers from outside the country.
Djokovic has already missed one grand slam this year, with the 21-time major champion absent from the Australian Open after a protracted saga surrounding his visa ended with him being deported on public health grounds.
The Serbian was permitted to play at the French Open and Wimbledon, winning the latter for the seventh time in his career, despite being unvaccinated against COVID-19.
However, he is unlikely to have a chance to compete for a fourth singles title at Flushing Meadows.
Djokovic was included on the entry list for the final slam of 2022, but the U.S. government does not permit unvaccinated non-U.S citizens to enter the country.
In a statement released alongside the entry lists, the USTA said: "Per the ITF Grand Slam rulebook, all eligible players are automatically entered into the men's and women's singles main-draw fields based on ranking 42 days prior to the first Monday of the event.
"The US Open does not have a vaccination mandate in place for players, but it will respect the U.S. government's position regarding travel into the country for unvaccinated non-U.S. citizens."
Should Djokovic miss the New York major, it will mean he will not get the chance to play in a grand slam until the 2023 French Open.
Having had his visa to enter Australia cancelled, Djokovic is banned from re-applying for three years. Unless that ban is reversed or reduced, the 35-year-old may well have played his final Australian Open.
Djokovic is one major title shy of Rafael Nadal's record of 22 following his four-set win over Nick Kyrgios in the Wimbledon final.
He reached the final of last year's US Open but lost to Daniil Medvedev in straight sets, preventing him from claiming the calendar Grand Slam.
A month later, the White House issued a presidential proclamation declaring that non-U.S. citizens must be vaccinated to enter the country, effectively ending his hopes of going one better in 2022.
Juventus have signed defender Gleison Bremer from Torino for a reported €40million fee, plus add-ons.
Massimiliano Allegri's side lost Matthijs de Ligt to Bayern Munich on Tuesday but have swiftly acted to bring in Serie A's Defender of the Year from the 2021-22 season.
Bremer looked set to join Inter after announcing his intention to leave Torino, seeking Champions League experience to boost his World Cup squad hopes for Brazil in Qatar in November.
But the 25-year-old will still be playing his football in Turin next campaign after Juve confirmed Bremer's arrival on a five-year contract from their city rivals.
Bremer caught the eye in Serie A last season, making the most recoveries (284) and leading the charts for aerial duels won (132).
The centre-back also led the way across Europe's top five leagues for interceptions (105), averaging 3.3 per 90 minutes.
Bremer will hope to get his first taste of Serie A action for Juve when Allegri's side start their league campaign at home to Sassuolo on August 15.
Robert Lewandowski declared "I want to make history" as he addressed Barcelona supporters in Miami following his move from Bayern Munich.
The Poland international pushed for a move to Camp Nou throughout the close season, with Barca finally securing the talisman in a deal worth up to €50million, including add-ons.
Lewandowski, who scored the most goals in Europe's top-five leagues across all competitions last season (50), has signed a four-year contract with the Blaugrana, with a €500m buyout clause included.
The 33-year-old appeared alongside Barca president Joan Laporta in the United States, where the Blaugrana are on a pre-season tour, and was quick to outline his ambitions to leave a legacy with the LaLiga giants.
"I am very happy to be here. It took a lot to get here, but I have finally arrived," Lewandowski said on Wednesday, a day after watching his new team-mates beat Inter Miami 6-0.
"This is wonderful. Yesterday I saw the team win and I saw that it is a team with a lot of potential and great quality.
"I love belonging to this club with so much history. I am very happy, it is a club with many titles.
"As a striker, I want to score goals to help the team, that's the best solution. It's a new challenge for me. In football, you always have to be hungry and I am.
"I always want to score and I always want to win. I want to make history here."
Lewandowski scored the most goals in each of the past five seasons in the Bundesliga, where he is the competition's second-highest scorer in history (312), behind only Bayern legend Gerd Muller (365).
Xavi will hope Lewandowski can partner with new arrivals Raphinha, Franck Kessie and Andreas Christensen as Barca look to remove the gap to LaLiga champions Real Madrid in the upcoming campaign.
Noted Trinidadian attorney, Dr. Emir Crowne, has described his appointment to the Sports Resolutions’ Commonwealth Games Federation Court as a privilege.
The GCF Federation Court will be responsible for determining disputes that may arise during the Games such as disciplinary, anti-doping, eligibility, safeguarding and selection disputes.
If a case arises, Sport Resolutions will appoint a three-person panel to determine the case. The Federation Court is comprised of members of Sport Resolutions’ highly regarded International Panel from fourteen Commonwealth countries (Australia, Canada, England, Fiji, Guyana, India, Kenya, Malta, New Zealand, Nigeria, Northern Ireland, Saint Lucia, Scotland, and Trinidad and Tobago), who will provide a wide range of relevant skill-set and experience.
Dr Crowne’s advocacy in representing Caribbean athletes in contravention of the World Anti-Doping Association (WADA) code and other sports-related disputes has earned him a sterling reputation. The New City Chambers attorney will bring that experience to the GCF Federation Court.
“As a member of Sport Resolutions' International Panel of Arbitrators and Mediators, it was a genuine privilege to have been invited to sit on the Federation Court for the upcoming Commonwealth Games. I look forward to helping resolve disputes as they may arise," Dr Crowne told Sportsmax.TV on Wednesday.
The SR-administered Federation Court will be operating primarily remotely, and be active from July 20, 2022, to August 10, 2022.
Sport Resolutions’ Pro Bono Service will also be providing specialist sports law support to the Birmingham Law Society which is offering a free legal advice service to Commonwealth Games participants who need legal advice during the Games.
Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie is relishing a "great opportunity" to play alongside Paul Pogba after the former Manchester United man made his Bianconeri return.
Having spent six seasons at Old Trafford following a then-world record £89million (€105m) move in 2016, Pogba re-signed for the Turin giants on a free transfer earlier this month.
The 2018 World Cup winner has declared his move to be a return "home", having won four consecutive league titles with Juventus between 2012 and 2016.
Pogba scored 28 league goals during his first spell with the Bianconeri, making him the third-highest French goalscorer in the club's Serie A history after David Trezeguet (123) and Michel Platini (68).
The midfielder has also registered 22 Serie A assists, leaving McKennie excited by the prospect of playing alongside the creative 29-year-old.
"It's a great opportunity," he told GOAL. "He can play a lot of passes that a lot of people can't play, and I feel like I make a lot of runs that a lot of people have to be able to play those passes to get it to me.
"To have someone of his calibre in the midfield, it's definitely something that I'm looking forward to. But at the same time, for me, it's as important on the field as off the field.
"His energy, his vibe, his personality, I can kind of relate to it in so many ways and I think it's good for the players here and good for me.
"He knows how to let loose sometimes and joke around sometimes but also when it's time to work, it's time to work. It's something that I can definitely feed off."
Meanwhile, having made just 21 Serie A appearances for Juventus last season, McKennie was touted for a potential move away, with a number of Premier League clubs suggested as possible destinations.
But Massimiliano Allegri declared last week the club have no intention of selling the midfielder, and while McKennie admits he finds it difficult to ignore transfer speculation, he expressed gratitude for the his coach's support.
"That's one of the biggest things as an athlete and as a player, you want to be where you're wanted, where you're valued," the United States international added.
"I've seen things that I didn't even know about, that I see on the transfer rumours. It's stuff that I'm like, 'oh, wow. I've never heard of that' and, obviously, it's very hard to ignore."
Venus Williams will make a long-awaited singles comeback at the Canadian Open next month.
The seven-time grand slam champion has not played a singles match since she lost to Hsieh Su-Wei in the first round at the Chicago Women's Open last August.
But she returned from a leg injury to partner Jamie Murray in the mixed doubles at Wimbledon earlier this month, reaching the second round.
The 42-year-old will be back in singles action in Toronto, where the Canadian Open begins on August 8.
Williams' sister, Serena, will also play in the tournament three weeks before the US Open gets under way.
After being handed a wild card, Venus will join the likes of world number one Iga Swiatek in a strong field.
The American made her debut in the hard-court event as a 15-year-old back in 1995, losing to Sabine Appelmans in the first round.
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