Antonio Conte insists his outburst following Tottenham's recent loss to Burnley was "strategic" rather than emotional as he reiterated his commitment to the Premier League side.

The 52-year-old appeared to question his own future after last week's 1-0 defeat at Turf Moor when stating he was "not good enough" to fix Spurs' problems.

Conte, who signed an 18-month contract with Tottenham in November, later took aim at his squad on the back of a fourth defeat in five league matches.

That led to reports that the Italian could be heading for an early exit from Spurs, but he backtracked on those comments ahead of Saturday's 4-0 win at Leeds United.

Conte has now further explained his remarks, admitting there is a specific intention behind what he says in news conferences.

"I think that you have to understand when there is a strategy or not and not only an emotional moment," he said.

"It is not right to stay here and explain why I talk in a way and after three days I spoke in another way. 

"Maybe I can explain to you, every time we have a press conference there is a strategy behind it, not an emotional moment.

"I understood that was the right moment, after four defeats in five games and winning the game against Manchester City three days ago, to send the right message, a clear message to myself, the club and also the players.

"We have to know we are here to enjoy football, at the same time to improve ourselves, to ask to ourselves for 100 per cent commitment and desire and also to underline that a team like Tottenham does not exist to lose four games in five.

"If someone understood that my words were from an emotional moment, no. In that moment I sent a specific message to the whole environment and it has happened in the past, when I want to push the situation and the environment in the same direction, because I am seeing we can do better, it is not because it is an emotional moment, it is because there is a strategy behind it.

"Maybe I can explain to you, every time we have a press conference there is a strategy behind it, not an emotional moment."

Tottenham moved back up to seventh with their morale-boosting victory at Elland Road, five points off fourth-placed Manchester United with two games in hand.

Spurs switch focus to the FA Cup on Tuesday with a fifth-round tie away at second-tier side Middlesbrough, who eliminated United on penalties in the previous round.

The north London side have not reached the quarter-finals of the competition since 2017-18 and have not won any silverware since lifting the EFL Cup in 2008.

Conte has made clear that he intends to win at least one trophy during his time with Spurs, but he accepts he has a big task on his hands with Chelsea, Manchester City and Liverpool still involved.

"For sure it's a big challenge for me, for my players because maybe you start this tournament as underdog," said Conte, who has lost only one of his 11 domestic cup matches against sides from a lower division (W8 D2).

"But at the same time you know when you arrive to play this game and you know that there are only four games to reach the final and you start to feel the possibility to see the target, to see the goal close to you and then for this reason we have to try to push ourselves to go ahead in this competition and to try to create problems for the team that usually at this moment they are favourites to win this trophy."

Including replays, Tottenham have never lost to Middlesbrough in the FA Cup (W4 D2), though those two draws have come as the away side in February 1905 and January 2020.

Ja Morant chalked up a first ever career 50-point game for the Memphis Grizzlies and was labelled a "beautiful player" and "special kid" by San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich.

It was the first time in Grizzlies franchise history a player had achieved the target, and his overall haul of 52 helped Memphis – who sit third in the Western conference –  to a 118-105 triumph on Monday.

Morant's performance followed a previous career-best 46 against the Chicago Bulls on Saturday, as he went 22-for-30 from the field and drained each of his four three-point attempts.

Popovich, at the age of 73, has seen plenty of the NBA's best during his illustrious coaching career and he waxed lyrical about Morant's talents.

"He's a beautiful player," Popovich said. 

"What else can you say about him? It's not just that he's athletic. Everybody says 'he’s athletic'. Somebody says 'he's a freak of nature' because he's so fast. But he makes decisions. He knows what is going on on the court.

"So, you combine that cerebral part of his game with his athleticism and you've got a special kid."

There was no shortage of highlights on the reel for Morant, including him dunking over the seven-footer Jakob Poeltl and landing a buzzer-beater for a 68-58 half-time lead after catching a huge launch forward from Steven Adams in mid-air.

He also executed a sensational three-pointer from near the logo, but for Morant it was clear what the highlight of the night was.

"It's got to be the 50 [points],"he said.

"I'm thankful for my teammates, my coaches. They believe in me and have all the confidence in the world that I’ll make the right plays."

De'Anthony Melton, who scored 15 points for the Grizzlies, said of Morant: "He's at the rim every night, but the way he put it together tonight, he was just in attack mode from the jump.

"He got whatever he wanted, and it looked easy out there. It was just special to be out there and watch that."

Of Morant's leap over Poeltl, Melton added: "That dunk was crazy. The way he rose, stared at him and dunked it."

US Open runner-up Leyla Fernandez cruised into the second round of the Monterrey Open after a straight-sets win over Anna Karolina Schmiedlova on Monday.

Monterrey Open defending champion Fernandez won 6-2 6-2 over the Slovakian, with the Canadian second seed dominant in all aspects as she triumphed in one hour and eight minutes.

In the longest match of the day, fourth seed Sara Sorribes Tormo needed more than three hours to edge Kamilla Rakhimova 7-5 6-7 (2-7) 6-1.

Fifth seed Camila Osorio defeated Magdalena Frech 6-3 7-6 (8-6), while Briton Heather Watson won 6-3 2-6 7-6 (7-4) over Jule Niemeier.

Harmony Tan, Marcela Zacarias, Viktoriya Tomova and Beatriz Haddad Maia were other winners on Monday.

All-Star Ja Morant scored a career-high 52 points including a massive dunk and a buzzer-beater as the Memphis Grizzlies won 118-105 over the San Antonio Spurs on Monday.

Morant's 52-point haul was the second highest of the NBA season, behind only Trae Young who scored 56 points for the Atlanta Hawks against the Portland Trail Blazers on January 3.

The 22-year-old guard went 22-of-30 from the field including four-of-four from beyond the arc. Morant also hit a ridiculous half-time buzzer-bester after Steve Adams' full-court pass, catching and shooting in one motion.

Earlier in the second quarter, Morant produced a monster one-handed dunk over Spurs center Jakob Poeltl.

Morant's half-century follows up his career-best 46 points against the Chicago Bulls on Saturday. It was also the first 50-point game in Grizzlies franchise history.

Bucks bounce back with Giannis starring

Reigning champions, the Milwaukee Bucks, had dropped four of their past five games but Giannis Antetokounmpo led the way as they bounced back with a 130-106 win over the Charlotte Hornets. Antetokounmpo scored 26 points with 16 rebounds, four blocks, two steals and six assists, with Bobby Portis adding 20 points and 10 rebounds.

The Miami Heat took some ground in the race for top seed in the Eastern Conference with a 112-99 victory over the Chicago Bulls, with Tyler Herro contributing 20 points, six rebounds and five assists off the bench. DeMar DeRozan's 10-game run of 30-point games was halted, managing only 18 for the Bulls.

D'Angelo Russell's good run of scoring continued with 25 points as the Minnesota Timberwolves boosted their playoffs hopes by beating the Cleveland Cavaliers 127-22, with Karl-Anthony Towns () draining a key late three-pointer.

Short-handed Nets blown away

The Brooklyn Nets slumped to their 14th loss from their past 17 games, going down miserably 133-97 to the Toronto Raptors at home. Scottie Barnes dominated with 28 points, 16 rebounds and five steals for Toronto while the Nets, missing Kyrie Irving who is ineligible to play home games and head coach Steve Nash in protocols, had few winners

Russia and Belarus have been suspended from all International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) competitions at both national and club levels.

The IIHF announced the sanctions on Monday following an extraordinary meeting of its Council in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Russian president Vladimir Putin ordered an invasion of Ukraine last Thursday, with neighbouring Belarus effectively used as a staging post for Russian military.

The suspension prohibits Russian and Belarusian national teams and clubs from "participation in every age category and in all IIHF competitions or events until further notice".

In addition, Russia has been stripped of hosting rights for the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship.

A statement from the IIHF read in part: "These two actions have been initiated by the Council in order to enable the IIHF to ensure the safety of IIHF Championships and all participating players, officials, and fans.

"The IIHF Council has not left out the possibility of further actions impacting future events or other IIHF activities but hopes above all for a swift and peaceful resolution to the war."

"The IIHF is not a political entity and cannot influence the decisions being taken over the war in Ukraine," said IIHF President Luc Tardif.

"We nevertheless have a duty of care to all of our members and participants and must therefore do all we can to ensure that we are able to operate our events in a safe environment for all teams taking part in the IIHF World Championship program.

"We were incredibly shocked to see the images that have come out of Ukraine. I have been in close contact with members of the Ice Hockey Federation of Ukraine and we hope for all Ukrainians that this conflict can be resolved in a peaceful way and without the need for further violence."

Ben Simmons will not make his debut for the Brooklyn Nets this week, though Kevin Durant is getting closer to a return from injury.

Simmons has yet to play for the Nets since this month's blockbuster trade that ended his stand-off with the Philadelphia 76ers, with James Harden going in the other direction.

During his introductory media conference, Simmons had said he hoped to be ready to make his season debut against the Sixers in Philadelphia or March 10.

That prospect appears less and less likely after Nets head coach Steve Nash revealed Simmons, who has struggled with a back issue since the Nets upped his workload in practice, is not close to being ready to play.

Speaking ahead of the Nets' clash with the Toronto Raptors on Monday, Nash said: "Ben is still working through a number of things and reconditioning so he's not gonna play this week but we'll keep working on his timeline and hopefully he can progress.

There is better news on Durant as he looks to make his return from a left knee sprain. He will not play in either of the Nets' successive games with the Raptors but could feature against the Miami Heat on Thursday or the Boston Celtics on Sunday.

"Kevin's getting close, we're hopeful that he can play this week," added Nash. "He won't play tonight or tomorrow but hopeful I guess that [his return] would be Thursday or Sunday."

The Nets are 32-29, eight games back of the Eastern Conference-leading Heat having lost seven of their last 10 games.

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has called an extraordinary meeting of the World Motor Sport Council to discuss a response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Ben Sulayem made the announcement on his social media page on Monday.

The council will meet on Tuesday "to discuss matters relating to the ongoing crisis in Ukraine", a Twitter post read.

The FIA was awarded full recognition status by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 2013. The IOC has recommended Russian and Belarusian athletes be suspended from all sports.

In Formula One, such a ban would impact Haas driver Nikita Mazepin, the only Russian driver on the grid for 2022.

The Russian Grand Prix has already been removed from the F1 calendar in the coming season.

Bryson DeChambeau described his battle with injury as "one of the hardest moments of my life" as he confirmed his withdrawal from the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

Hand and hip injuries that forced DeChambeau to withdraw from the Saudi International this month have kept the world number 12 out of action.

And he will not make his return at the prestigious PGA Tour event at Bay Hill this week, pointing to a desire not to risk re-injury by playing again before he is 100 per cent.

Setting his sights on The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass next week, the 2020 U.S. Open champion said in a video posted on Twitter: "Man, it's a tough decision right now.

"I have a lot of work to do to get everything back into order for this week and I just feel like it's too short of time for me to get back to 100 per cent and playing at 100 per cent capacity.

"Right now, I'm like 90 per cent. I don't want to go out there and hurt myself even more, and not be 100 per cent ready for the rest of the season.

"I don't want to come back early and then have to take more time off.

"It's a hard decision I have to make right now, but I'm going to have to unfortunately not play this week.

"At this point in time, I've got to take another week off and I'm going to try and get back and play for The Players.

"Right now, I just can't risk going out there and having it reaggravate. This has been one of the hardest moments of my life.

"I'm not able to do much, yes although I can hit some golf balls, it's not comfortable or fully comfortable.

"It's a bit frustrating but I appreciate your support. I want to get back out there as soon as possible but it's just not ready yet."

DeChambeau won the Arnold Palmer Invitational last year by one stroke ahead of Lee Westwood. That is his only victory since his sole major title at the U.S. Open two years ago.

Josh Taylor said he would be open to a rematch with Jack Catterall but at welterweight only as the British Board of Boxing Control said it was investigating the scoring of their controversial fight.

Taylor retained his world super-lightweight titles after a points win over Catterall that caused huge consternation.

The judges determined that Taylor had triumphed 112-113, 114-111, 113-112, despite his opponent dominating the first five rounds.

Taylor was also knocked down in the eighth round by 28-year-old Catterall, who stormed out of Glasgow's OVO Hydro following the judges' decision.

Catterall's trainer Jamie Moore, who spoke in the boxer's absence, said: "It's difficult to put into words.

"You're talking about a kid who has worked all his life for that moment, who waited three years for that opportunity. He then performs like that and beats the champion in his own backyard – and gets absolutely robbed."

The BBBofC announced on Monday it was investigating the scoring and would "advise accordingly".

Taylor, who said he took time off with his family before watching back footage of the fight, praised Catterall but insisted he felt the decision was fair.

"First and foremost, I want to congratulate Jack Catterall on a great fight. He rose to the occasion and fought a valiant fight. However, I believe I won a very close fight," Taylor said on Instagram.

"Many fans believe Jack deserved the decision, and that's fine. We both went in there and fought our guts out for 12 rounds… but the personal attacks on myself and especially my family are disgusting and uncalled for.

"My days at 140 are numbered. My future is at welterweight. Jack Catterall deserves another title shot, and as soon as possible. I've never ducked a challenge in my career, and I'd be happy to fight Jack again, but it would have to be at welterweight. Jack is a great sportsman, a helluva fighter, and deserves every bit of the admiration he's been receiving.

"Fighting as the undisputed champion on Scottish soil was a dream come true, but I'm only getting started. I'll be back and better than ever, this time ready to conquer the welterweight division."

Elina Svitolina will refuse to play Russian or Belarusian players unless tennis' governing bodies have them compete as neutral athletes in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The world number 15, who has committed to donating all of her prize money to Ukrainian military and humanitarian efforts, has been drawn against Russia's Anastasia Potapova in the first round of the Monterrey Open.

In a post on Twitter, Svitolina announced she would not contest that match or any other against players from Russia or Belarus unless the ATP, WTA and ITF follow the recommendation of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and remove any reference to their national identities.

Russian president Vladimir Putin ordered an invasion of Ukraine last Thursday, with neighbouring Belarus effectively used as a staging post for Russian military.

Svitolina wrote: "I believe the current situation requires a clear position from our organisations: ATP, WTA and ITF. As such, we – Ukrainian players – requested to ATP, WTA and ITF to follow the recommendations of the IOC to accept Russian or Belarusian nationals only as neutral athletes, without displaying any national symbols, colours, flags or anthems.

"Accordingly, I want to announce that I will not play tomorrow [Tuesday] in Monterrey, nor any other match against Russian or Belarusian tennis players until our organisations take this necessary decision."

Svitolina saluted the likes of Daniil Medvedev, Andrey Rublev and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Russian players who have all spoken out against the war.

She added: "I do not blame any of the Russian athletes. They are not responsible for the invasion of our motherland.

"Moreover, I wish to pay tribute to all the players, especially Russians and Belarusians, who bravely stated their position against the war. Their support is essential."

New York Mayor Eric Adams has ruled out the prospect of making an exception to coronavirus rules that would allow Kyrie Irving to play at home for the Brooklyn Nets.

Irving is unvaccinated which means he is unable to play for the Nets when they have games at Barclays Center under current guidelines, even though he can play in the NBA on the road.

A quirk in the rules means away players from other teams can play in New York City even if they have not had the vaccine, a situation Adams accepts "makes no sense" and is "ridiculous".

Adams hopes Irving can play for the Nets at home soon but will not change the rules early for one person because of the example it would set to the city's employees.

"These are the rules and I have to follow the rules," Adams said to CNBC. 

"If I don't, I'm going to open the door that is sending the wrong message to everyday employees.

"Listen, I want Kyrie on the court. I would do anything to get that ring. So badly, I want it. 

"But there's so much at stake here. And I spoke with the owner of the team. We want to find a way to get Kyrie on the court, but this is a bigger issue."

Adams added: "I can't have my city closed down again.

"It would send the wrong message just to have an exception for one player when we're telling a countless number of New York City employees, 'If you don't follow the rules, you won't be able to be employed'.

"Businesses have their vaccine mandates. City employees have their vaccine mandates. I have to follow the rules. And trust me, I want Kyrie on the court.

"We are here right now opening our city because of vaccine mandates. We can't close down again. I can't have my city close down again."

Irving said at the weekend he could see "light at the end of the tunnel" in his bid to play home games for the Nets and appreciated comments from NBA commissioner Adam Silver, who questioned the rules that allow unvaccinated road players to take to the court in New York.

The Nets (32-29) are at home against the Toronto Raptors (32-27) on Monday, having earned a key road win at NBA champions the Milwaukee Bucks last time out, Irving starring with a game-high 38 points.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta hopes Ousmane Dembele changes his stance and reconsiders the contract offer from the Catalan club.

Dembele has failed to agree an extension to his current contract, which is due to expire at the end of this season, leading to a spell on the sidelines in January as the winger became an unpopular figure with fans at Camp Nou.

The 24-year-old did not secure a move away from Barca last month, and head coach Xavi has slowly reintroduced him.

Dembele delivered a masterful attacking show in a 23-minute cameo against Athletic Bilbao on Sunday, scoring one and assisting two more as Barca cruised to a 4-0 victory.

That made him the first Blaugrana substitute to play a part in three goals in a single LaLiga game this century, and Laporta expressed his hopes the former Borussia Dortmund could yet stay.

"Dembele knows our offer and that we have always wanted him to stay. We hope that at the end of the season he will reconsider it," Laporta said on Monday, as quoted by Cadena SERe.

While Dembele shone against Athletic, Xavi also reserved special praise after the game for Pedri, who he compared to former team-mate Andres Iniesta.

The Spain midfielder attempted (92) and completed (86) more passes on Sunday than in any prior LaLiga match for Barca, also setting a new high for touches (107).

Laporta followed Xavi's plaudits as he hailed the former Las Palmas man's recent outings.

"[Pedri] is destined to be one of the best players in the world, if not the best, but he knows that he has to work hard," Laporta said.