Stefanos Tsitsipas revealed he had defied the expectations of his doctor after surging into the Australian Open semi-finals.
The world number four underwent surgery on his right elbow in November and barely had any competitive court time leading into the tournament in Melbourne.
His doctor suggested that taking part in the first grand slam of 2022 was a remote prospect, but the Greek reached the last four on Wednesday after a 6-3 6-4 6-2 win over Jannik Sinner.
"I'm pretty sure my doctor is watching right now," the 23-year-old said in his on-court interview.
"We both didn't expect for me to be here, it was not part of our plan. He told me he didn't see me playing in Australia but I proved him wrong.
"He's a big tennis enthusiast and I am happy I found the right person to bring me back even stronger."
Tsitsipas outclassed Sinner on Rod Laver Arena to move into a second consecutive Australian Open semi-final and third in four years.
The Greek fourth seed broke early in each set on his way to a third win in four meetings with 11th seed Sinner, who was playing his second grand slam quarter-final.
Not even a brief rain delay that led to the roof being closed early in the second set could slow Tsitsipas, who delivered his best performance of the tournament so far.
"I am very, very happy with the way I served and used my tactics," he said. "Having the crowd support, it is truly unbelievable.
"It is part of the game. You never know what to expect from the weather. I knew I was heading towards the right direction.
"The conditions might have changed a little bit – slightly faster, not as bouncy – so my mind did. I tried to adapt and it just worked."
Tsitsipas will face either Daniil Medvedev or Felix Auger-Aliassime in the semi-finals.
Joel Embiid has no plans to let up after putting on another dominating performance as the Philadelphia 76ers defeated a depleted New Orleans Pelicans side on Tuesday.
Embiid had 42 points alongside 14 rebounds and four assists for the 76ers, who ran out 117-107 victors at the Wells Fargo Center.
Having been criticised in the past for missing games, Embiid recently revealed he has altered his diet in order to compete more regularly.
It certainly seems to have done the trick. Tuesday's game was his 19th in a row, helping Philly to a 13-6 run in that time, during which he is averaging 33.3 points to enhance his MVP credentials having finished runner-up last season.
"That was one of my goals, just to be available. I don't plan on stopping," said Embiid, whose 76ers side are now 28-19 and sixth in the East.
The Pelicans actually led 58-50 at the break despite missing starters Devonte Graham, Josh Hart, and Brandon Ingram with ankle injuries, while Jonas Valanciunas was rested. Zion Williamson is also still out with the foot injury that has kept him out all season.
Asked what the thought process was for the second half, Embiid said: "Just win.
"Just being aggressive because in the first half everything was easy for them."
Embiid was not the only player to go off on Tuesday, with Nikola Jokic leading the Denver Nuggets in their 110-105 defeat of the Detroit Pistons, which leaves them sixth in the West with a 25-21 record.
Jokic had 28 points, 21 rebounds and nine assists but was uninterested in re-watching the film to try and find an extra assist that would have given him a triple-double.
"I'm not worried about that," he said.
"It was a good game for me and a huge win for our team. I knew I was having a big night, but I wasn't thinking about the stats."
During the game, Jokic chalked up a 3,000th career NBA assist. He is now the only Denver player to record 3,000 assists and 5,000 rebounds in the NBA.
"It's hard to keep track of all the milestones he's passing," head coach Michael Malone said.
"He just won Western Conference Player of the Week, and then he has 28, 21 and nine tonight."
Team-mate Jeff Green, who had 20 points himself, added of Jokic: "It's incredible to play with Jokic – he's one of the best players I've ever been on the floor with.
"When you are out there with him, you know that if you do your job, you're going to get open shots. The defense has to focus on him."
Klay Thompson said "it felt good to be myself again" after playing a season-high 25 minutes in the Golden State Warriors' 130-92 rout of the Dallas Mavericks.
Thompson is still getting up to speed having missed two and a half years, first with a serious knee injury then with a torn Achilles.
He sat out the Warriors previous two matches to rest his surgically repaired left knee but was part of a well-rounded offense that downed Luka Doncic and the Mavericks to help Golden State clock up a third straight win.
Thompson had 15 points alongside six assists, while Stephen Curry had 18 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. Jonathan Kuminga added 22 points, while Jordan Poole had 17 off the bench for the title contenders.
"I really pride myself on my efficiency, so it felt good to be myself again," Thompson said of his performance.
"My mindset is just to play with energy, great focus and joy."
Head coach Steve Kerr believes it was Thompson's best performance since his comeback.
"I think this was Klay's best game in terms of his patience and allowing things to happen, he wasn't forcing it at all," Kerr said.
Doncic scored 25 points on an otherwise forgettable night for the Mavericks, whose misery was compounded by Tm Hardaway Jr going off court with a broken fifth metatarsal in his left foot with seven minutes and 16 seconds remaining in the second quarter.
"I just want to say how sorry we are to hear that. You hate to see anybody get injured," Kerr said.
"I just want to send him our regards from the organisation and hopefully he’s back sometime soon. I don’t know what the prognosis is. We feel terrible for him."
Doncic added of his team-mate: "That's just bad luck. I talked to him. He's disappointed. Every time you get injured you are sad, so we tried to cheer him up."
Stefanos Tsitsipas produced a strong performance to brush aside Jannik Sinner and move into his third Australian Open semi-final.
Tsitsipas outclassed the talented 20-year-old from Italy with an impressive 6-3 6-4 6-2 victory on Rod Laver Arena on Wednesday.
The Greek fourth seed broke early in each set on his way to a third win in four meetings with 11th seed Sinner, who was playing his second grand slam quarter-final.
Not even a brief rain delay that led to the roof being closed early in the second set could slow Tsitsipas, who delivered his best performance of the tournament so far.
Tsitsipas will face either Daniil Medvedev or Felix Auger-Aliassime in the semi-finals.
Tsitsipas made an impressive start, landing an early break following a pair of forehand errors from Sinner, moving into a 3-0 lead.
Spurred on by a contingent of singing Greek fans, Tsitsipas closed out the opening set, set up by his fast start.
Tsitsipas created another opportunity for an early break in the second set after firing a backhand winner down the line at 30-30 in the third game.
Sinner was unable to deny the Greek star, a backhand cross-court flying wide to hand Tsitsipas the upper-hand.
Not even an unexpected rain delay on a hot and humid day in Melbourne could disrupt Tsitsipas' momentum, with the roof closed after the third game.
Like the first set, there was little pressure on either player's service games, but Tsitsipas' single break was again enough for him to take a two-sets-to-love lead.
A brilliant backhand pass down the line set up break points in the third game of the third set for Tsitsipas, converted when Sinner sent a forehand into the net.
Tsitsipas broke again to take a 4-1 lead on his way to a convincing victory and the semi-finals, starting to find the form to suggest he could be a threat for the title in Melbourne.
DATA SLAM: Tsitsipas stays perfect in major quarter-finals
The quarter-finals have proven to be no hurdle for Tsitsipas.
He improved to 5-0 in grand slam quarters, including 3-0 at Melbourne Park. Tsitsipas is playing his fifth Australian Open main draw and has reached the semis three times.
WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS
Tsitsipas – 30/28
Sinner – 18/22
ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS
Tsitsipas – 4/2
Sinner – 4/1
BREAK POINTS WON
Tsitsipas – 4/4
Sinner – 0/0
Los Angeles Clippers coach Ty Lue branded his side's stunning comeback win over the Washington Wizards as "crazy".
The Clippers roared back from 66-31 down in the second quarter to claim a thrilling 116-115 triumph at Capital One Arena.
In doing so, they became the first team in NBA history to score under 40 points in the first half of a game and follow up by posting 40 or more points in both the third and fourth quarters.
And Lue, who was without injured leading duo Kawhi Leonard (ACL) and Paul George (elbow), was delighted by the Clippers' astonishing feat.
"It's crazy," he said. "Because when I looked at the score in the first half, I thought we were down 19. And I looked again, I said, 'We're down 29!' I said, 'Oh s***!' It happened so quick.
"We kept chipping away. I know when it was like 17 going into the fourth, and I think when we got to 10, I was like, okay, we got a real shot."
Luke Kennard landed a three-point pullup jump shot with 1.9 seconds remaining, tying the game.
He was fouled in the process, earning a free throw, and made no mistake from that opportunity as he landed the game-winning point.
Amir Coffey was one of the players who came in for the second half to help instigate the fightback, adding 29 points, and he echoed his coach's sentiments regarding the mad nature of the contest.
"Probably the craziest game I've ever been a part of," he said. "January's been wild.
"You never know when the game is over. Play through the buzzer.
"Like tonight, anything can happen."
On the losing side, the Wizards' Bradley Beal was left humiliated.
"I have no words, besides 'embarrassing'," he said, having put up 23 points.
"I was frustrated when I had to go back in. This should have been a game where the starters get their rest. Plain and simple."
Anthony Davis joked he was more concerned about LeBron James than his own recovering knee following a celebration during the Los Angeles Lakers' 106-96 triumph over the Brooklyn Nets.
Superstar James put up 33 points as the Lakers moved to 24-24 in an inconsistent season, but it was the return of Davis after a 17-game absence with a sprained knee that will have been a particularly pleasing sight.
Davis contributed eight points to go with two assists and two rebounds from 25 minutes on court and the Lakers will hope his return can help spark a strong run in the latter half of the season.
There was one moment of concern for Davis, though, who knocked James off balance after his illustrious team-mate managed a couple of steals and dunks in quick succession during the fourth quarter.
"Can't think about it. When I’m on the floor I try not to think about it," Davis said about his knee and the celebrations.
"I was what, a month, five weeks, doing a lot of weightlifting. So, I hit him, he kind of like fell over. I was more worried for him than my knee!"
Davis took little time getting back up to speed and blocked three shots in a first quarter that saw the Lakers leading 33-25.
James was delighted to have his team-mate back on court.
"Obviously right away you see what he's capable of," James said.
"We draw a play right to start the game, I was able to turn the corner and threw a late lob that he was still able to throw home. So very exciting to have him back."
The Nets were still without Kevin Durant (knee), while Kyrie Irving was again unavailable. Irving is unvaccinated against COVID-19 and therefore is not eligible to play in matches in New York under the city's health protocols.
James Harden had 33 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists but was later asked about reports he is frustrated at the Nets.
"Listen, I don't know about any reports," Harden said. "Of course I'm frustrated because we're not healthy, there's a lot of inconsistency for whatever reason.
"Injuries, COVID, whatever you want to call it, so yeah, it is frustrating. I think everyone in this organisation is frustrated because we are better than our record is and we should be on the way up. So that's all it is."
The reports suggested Harden is frustrated by Irving's mixed availability and the rotations of head coach Steve Nash, who said he cannot imagine his player making such comments.
"So I'm not sure what to believe," Nash said.
"James and I speak all the time and I think we have a great relationship, so I'm not sure the validity of these comments to be honest with you."
Alize Cornet "felt out of breath all the time" during her Australian Open quarter-final loss to Danielle Collins.
Collins was too good for Cornet in a 7-5 6-1 victory on Rod Laver Arena on Wednesday, reaching her second Australian Open semi-final in four years.
The American 27th seed hit 28 winners and 29 unforced errors in a strong performance against Cornet, who was playing her maiden major quarter-final.
Cornet said Collins, who will face Iga Swiatek in the last four, never allowed her to settle at Melbourne Park.
"Well, she's very powerful, even more than what I expected. Her ball is going really fast in the air and she takes the ball super early," the Frenchwoman said.
"All the time you feel really oppressed. I felt out of breath all the time. I couldn't, like, place my game. She just never let me do it, never gave me the time to do it. Yeah, she's impressive.
"But today she was pretty quiet. She didn't scream that much. When I see her playing on TV, sometimes she's yelling, 'C'mon.' She looks like a lion.
"Today I don't think I gave her enough battle so she could express herself."
Collins was playing her first quarter-final since the 2020 French Open and dictated from the outset against Cornet.
The 28-year-old hopes her experience in the latter stages of tournaments helps her late in the Australian Open.
"Yeah, I think now that I've made quarter-finals at French and semi-finals here before, I think I can use those experiences to certainly help me in the tight-pressure moments on court. I can use that to my advantage," Collins said.
"Last time I was here in the semi-finals I had never done that before. I've made some deeper runs in tournaments since then. Hopefully I can carry the confidence that I've gained over the last couple years and be able to use that to my advantage."
LeBron James starred and Anthony Davis made a successful return to action as the Los Angeles Lakers earned a convincing 106-96 win at the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday.
Superstar James clocked up 33 points to go alongside seven rebounds and six assists as the Lakers moved to 24-24 in an uneven season.
James Harden had 33 points, 11 assists and 12 rebounds for a Nets side still without the injured Kevin Durant (knee), while Kyrie Irving – who is unvaccinated against COVID-19 – is again absent with the Nets back on home court as he does not meet the required protocols to play games in New York.
Malik Monk (22 points) and Carmelo Anthony (13 points) made valuable contributions off the bench for the Lakers but it was the return of Davis, who missed 17 games with a sprained left knee that was the most welcome sight of the night.
Davis managed 25 minutes, scoring eight points and providing two assists and two rebounds. He showed he is feeling healthy again by jumping into, and knocking back, James when he made two steals and dunks in quick succession during the fourth quarter.
History for the rallying Clippers
Trailing 66-31 during the second quarter of their contest with the Washington Wizards, no one could have predicted the Los Angeles Clippers running out 116-115 victors.
Still behind 66-36 at half-time, the Clippers became the first team in NBA history to score under 40 points in the first half of a game and follow up by posting 40 or more points in both the third and fourth quarters.
The visitors had closed to 93-76 adrift by the end of the third quarter, before bossing the fourth 40-22 against flagging opposition.
Amir Coffey finished with 29 points and Luke Kennard contributing 26 points, eight rebounds and six assists against a Wizards team who had seven players in double figures.
Curry and Co. down Doncic and the Mavs
The Golden States Warriors had an inconsistent 3-6 stretch over nine games but have now chalked up three straight wins as Stephen Curry led the way in a balanced attack as the Dallas Mavericks were routed 130-92.
Curry had 18 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, while Jonathan Kuminga (22 points, five rebounds), Klay Thompson (15 points, six assists, two rebounds), and Jordan Poole (17 points, three assists and two rebounds) all contributed heavily.
The Warriors managed just 82 points in a losing effort the last time these teams met on January 5, but it was a different story here as the Mavericks were soundly beaten despite Luka Doncic's best efforts.
Doncic put up 25 points, eight rebounds and three assists for a Mavs side who are fifth in the West (27-21), three places and eight games back of the second-place Warriors (35-13).
Iga Swiatek came through a huge battle against Kaia Kanepi to advance to the Australian Open semi-finals on Wednesday.
Swiatek, the Polish seventh seed, made her second grand slam semi after a 4-6 7-6 (7-2) 6-3 victory over Kanepi on a warm day on Rod Laver Arena.
The 2020 French Open champion held off Kanepi, who suffered a seventh defeat in as many grand slam quarter-finals.
Swiatek fought hard and needed three hours, one minute to progress to a meeting with American 27th seed Danielle Collins.
The steadier start was made by Swiatek, with Kanepi saving break points in each of her opening three service games.
But the Pole was having some trouble with her serve, a fifth double fault giving Kanepi a break point in the seventh game, the Estonian converting with a fine forehand return winner.
Swiatek held after a gruelling 16-minute ninth game, saving four set points as the Rod Laver Arena crowd started to come to life.
Kanepi had won only one set in her six previous grand slam quarter-finals, but she eventually served out the opener against Swiatek, converting her ninth set point.
After Kanepi broke in the opening game of the second set, Swiatek – who was starting to move the veteran around the court – reeled off four straight games.
However, Kanepi responded, a pair of Swiatek double faults helping her break back in the seventh game on the way to a tie-break.
Swiatek was the more consistent of the two players in the tie-break to send the quarter-final into a deciding set.
After the players traded breaks early in the third set, Swiatek took a 3-2 lead after Kanepi sent a forehand narrowly wide before managing a tough hold in the sixth game.
Swiatek charged into a 5-2 lead and while her attempt at serving it out did not go to plan, she sealed her win with another break after a tremendous defensive point.
DATA SLAM: Swiatek hard to beat at majors
It takes a fair bit to beat Swiatek at a grand slam.
The 20-year-old is now 30-2 at majors against opponents ranked outside the top 30 after getting past world number 115 Kanepi.
WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS
Swiatek – 31/50
Kanepi – 35/62
ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS
Swiatek – 5/12
Kanepi – 5/4
BREAK POINTS WON
Swiatek – 6/13
Kanepi – 5/13
Michael Venus hit out at Nick Kyrgios after bowing out of the men's doubles at the Australian Open on Tuesday.
The Kiwi and Tim Putz were beaten 7-5 3-6 6-3 by Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis in the quarter-finals at a loud Kia Arena.
But Venus was unhappy with Kyrgios, slamming the Australian for his antics.
"There'll always be his supporters and he'll always spin it in a way that helps him, but at the end of the day he's just an absolute k***," he told 1News.
"I think it just speaks for him. His maturity level, it's probably being generous to a 10-year-old to say it's at about that level."
Kyrgios and Kokkinakis have embarked on a memorable run to the semi-finals of the men's doubles, with crowds flocking to their matches.
Despite his criticism of Kyrgios, Venus also praised the two-time grand slam singles quarter-finalist's talent.
"He's an unbelievable tennis player, what he does on the tennis court, what he can do out there, his tennis IQ on the court, it is amazing and he's definitely on that side of things one of the best players in the world," he said.
"But from the maturity side of things you see why he's never fulfilled his potential and probably never will."
The Los Angeles Clippers pulled off a comeback for the ages as they rallied from 66-31 behind during the second quarter to beat the Washington Wizards 116-115.
At Capital One Arena, the first half was almost all one-way traffic as the Clippers started shockingly slowly.
Yet they turned the game around from a half-time deficit of 66-36, with Amir Coffey finishing with 29 points and Luke Kennard contributing 26 points, eight rebounds and six assists.
Washington, who had seven players in double figures, were left stunned when Kennard landed a three-point pullup jump shot with 1.9 seconds remaining, tying the game.
He was fouled in the process, earning a free throw, and made no mistake from that opportunity as he landed the game-winning point.
The visitors had closed to 93-76 adrift by the end of the third quarter, before bossing the fourth 40-22 against flagging opposition, with Kennard's late heroics stunning the home crowd.
It made the Clippers the first team in NBA history to score under 40 points in the first half of a game and follow up by posting 40 or more points in both the third and fourth quarters.
Kennard posted on Twitter: "What just happened… crazy fight in this group! What a win!"
Ryan Poles got straight down to work as general manager of the Chicago Bears on Tuesday, interviewing Jim Caldwell for the role of head coach.
After landing the GM job earlier in the day, Poles set about the process of securing a successor to Matt Nagy, with veteran former Colts and Lions coach Caldwell just one figure in the frame.
While the 67-year-old Caldwell already has plenty of top-level experience, Poles is a man on the rise. He joins the Bears having previously served as executive director of player personnel with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Bears chairman George H. McCaskey said of the appointment of the 36-year-old Poles: "We are thrilled to be able to add someone of Ryan's background and football expertise to our organisation.
"His accomplishments with the Chiefs speak for themselves and amplified the team's standing as one of the premier franchises in professional sports. We are confident that under his leadership, we will reach our goal of bringing a Super Bowl championship to Chicago."
That is the target that Poles pointed to, also, although the Bears have only previously won the Super Bowl once before, in the 1985 season. Poles was born in 1985.
The new general manager said on the team's website: "I am extremely grateful to George, the McCaskey family and the rest of the Bears organisation for this opportunity.
"Together with my family, I'm looking forward to hitting the ground running to help get this organisation, its fanbase and the city what they deserve: a winning team and a Super Bowl trophy."
The highly rated Poles had also been on a list of candidates for GM jobs with the New York Giants and Minnesota Vikings.
The Bears limped in third in the NFC North this season with a 6-11 record, their worst performance since going 5-11 in 2017.
Coach Nagy and GM Ryan Pace were sacked at the season's end, and Nagy's replacement has yet to be confirmed, with Dan Quinn, Matt Eberflus and Caldwell reportedly three contenders for that post.
Chicago lost Super Bowl XLI to the Indianapolis Colts after the 2006 season and reached the NFC Championship Game - where they were beaten by the Green Bay Packers - in 2010, both under the guidance of Lovie Smith.
They are winless from just two post-season appearances since, as the Packers continue to dominate the NFC North.
Barry Bonds missed out again on baseball's Hall of Fame as David Ortiz was elected in his first year on the ballot.
For a 10th year, the vote of the Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA) did not give sufficient backing to San Francisco Giants great Bonds, the player with the most home runs in Major League history (762).
Bonds will no longer feature on future BBWAA ballots, but he could still reach the Hall of Fame through a different route.
Players required votes from 75 per cent of the baseball writers, and Ortiz got there after securing 77.9 per cent support. That amounted to a vote of approval on 307 of the 394 ballots, but Bonds could only draw 66 per cent (260 votes).
Boston Red Sox great Ortiz, a Dominican-American who struck 541 home runs across his MLB career, began his career with the Minnesota Twins but came to the fore in Boston where he spent 14 seasons from 2003 to 2016.
Now 46, Ortiz was a 10-time All-Star and three-time World Series winner during his Red Sox career. Players are eligible for Hall of Fame nomination after five years in retirement.
Popularly known as 'Big Papi', Ortiz's election was praised by Bonds, who wrote on Instagram: "CONGRATULATIONS Big Papi on your induction into the Hall of Fame! Well deserved…I love you my brother."
Joining Bonds in missing out during a 10th year of eligibility were Roger Clemens (65.2 per cent), Curt Schilling (58.6 per cent) and Sammy Sosa (18.5 per cent).
They and Bonds could yet secure Hall of Fame status via the Today's Game Era Committee, which will meet in December to consider players who have made an impact on the sport since 1988.
Ortiz will be joined in being officially inducted in Cooperstown this July by six selections from the Golden Days and Early Baseball Era committees. They are Jim Kaat and Tony Oliva, along with the late Bud Fowler, Gil Hodges, Minnie Minoso and Buck O'Neil.
Bonds was a seven-time National League MVP in a career that spanned 1986 to 2007, beginning at the Pittsburgh Pirates before he moved on to San Francisco from 1993. He experienced controversy surrounding performance-enhancing drugs allegations, but Bonds has always insisted he did not knowingly use any such substances.
The San Francisco Giants expressed disappointment at Bonds missing out, posting on Twitter: "We remain hopeful that he will gain election into the National Baseball Hall of Fame through the next phase of the voting process."
Danielle Collins ended Alize Cornet's dream run and reached her second Australian Open semi-final with a straight-sets win on Wednesday.
Collins moved into the last four in Melbourne for the second time in four years thanks to a 7-5 6-1 victory on Rod Laver Arena on Australia Day.
The American 27th seed, who will face either Iga Swiatek or Kaia Kanepi in the semi-finals, was in solid form in warm conditions.
Collins was the aggressor throughout against Cornet, who was playing her maiden grand slam quarter-final in her 63rd main-draw appearance.
It was Collins who dictated the majority of points from the baseline early and landed a break of serve in the fourth game.
Cornet saved three break points, but there was no denying Collins on her fourth opportunity, a powerful return setting up a simple volley winner for a 3-1 lead.
Collins looked the more comfortable in the warm weather, but Cornet hung in there and broke back when her opponent was trying to serve out the first set, the American's backhand letting her down with three unforced errors.
But Cornet dropped the first set when serving to stay in it, saving two set points but not a third – set up with a Collins forehand winner down the line – as she framed a forehand long.
Collins crushed a forehand return winner to break serve in the second game of the second set to take complete control of proceedings.
She broke to love to grab a 4-0 lead, cruising through the second set on her way to another last-four appearance in Melbourne.
DATA SLAM: Contender Collins finding consistency
The dangerous Collins has found consistency since the back end of last year.
She is now 31-7 since July 12, 2021 and will be hard to stop by either Swiatek or Kanepi in the semi-finals.
WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS
Collins – 28/29
Cornet – 11/17
ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS
Collins – 5/4
Cornet – 2/0
BREAK POINTS WON
Collins – 4/9
Cornet – 1/3
England suffered a blow to preparations for their Six Nations opener against Scotland after Joe Marler tested positive for COVID-19, while a fire near the team hotel also caused disruption.
Eddie Jones is readying his side for the Calcutta Cup tussle at Murrayfield on February 5, as England bid to improve on last season's disappointing Six Nations performance.
The Red Rose finished fifth in the tournament after just two wins, and preparations for this year's edition have been hit by injury, with captain Owen Farrell set to miss the Scotland game.
Courtney Lawes – initially one of the favourites to deputise as captain – is sitting out training this week because of head injury protocols. Nick Isiekwe has joined up with the squad as cover for Lawes, while George Ford has also been added, and it was revealed on Monday that Elliot Daly is in for Jonny May, who is out with a knee injury.
England announced a fresh blow, with a team statement saying: "Joe Marler has tested positive for COVID and has withdrawn from the training camp in Brighton. All of the other England players and staff have undergone daily lateral flow testing – all of which returned negative results."
England are training in Brighton this week; however, a suspected electrical fire close to their seafront hotel on Tuesday caused the team to seek alternative accommodation, with a 30-metre cordon enforced and nearby premises evacuated.
Sean Payton called it a day as head coach of the New Orleans Saints on Tuesday, bidding the NFL franchise an emotional farewell after 15 seasons in charge of the team.
Payton said he had met with team president Dennis Lauscha, owner Gayle Benson and general manager Mickey Loomis to tell them he had decided to go.
"I don't know what's next and it kind of feels good," said Payton in a news conference.
The 58-year-old Payton joined the Saints in 2006 and, in tandem with newly acquired quarterback Drew Brees, began to turn the team into a formidable force, peaking with a Super Bowl XLIV triumph in the 2009 season. Payton's team beat the Indianapolis Colts 31-17 in the NFL showpiece game.
Payton was close to tears as he explained why it was now time to move on. But he had prepared for that eventuality.
"The last thing I did before I went to bed was I Google-searched how not to cry during a speech," Payton said, "and one of the items was drink water and yawn. Well I didn't want to yawn, but it worked a little bit."
He said stepping down had been in his thoughts for some time, and Payton was not minded to go back on his decision.
"Last week I had a great visit, a tough visit with Mickey Loomis and Mrs Benson, and Denis Lauscha, relative to just looking ahead with what I want to do," Payton said.
"Mickey and I are of course now 16 years [with New Orleans] so that was challenging, because of our friendship more than our professional relationship, and then Mrs B was awesome. I love this about her, she said, 'Well go away for two or three months and come back for training camp, and we'll be ready to go'. And I thought that sounded pretty good, actually.
"But I'm glad she told me to spend some time away and give this some thought, because this is a big decision, and it certainly affects a lot of people.
"It's not often you as a coach have the opportunity to possibly leave. We coach, we coach, we coach, and at some point they tell you to leave.
"And as difficult as being fired is, it sure seems easier to thank everyone and move on your merry way."
Payton thanked the "amazing" New Orleans support and recalled having taken charge while the city was still recovering from the damage caused in 2005 by Hurricane Katrina.
Payton will be moving on after a 2021 campaign in which the Saints failed to reach the postseason, finishing with a 9-8 record.
It still marked another fine coaching performance from Payton, who had his team evacuated early in the year due to a hurricane and later had to deal with a number of coronavirus and injury absences.
Brees retired last year, and Payton decided it was time to follow suit.
"He and I never discussed when his last game would be, or when I'd be finished. I just felt like this season it was challenging for everyone, but man I felt like it was time," Payton said, explaining the timing of his departure.
"I knew maybe heading into training camp, but you don't share that with anyone. It's something I've been thinking about. You have close friends in the industry, and I've lost close friends in the industry in the last few years.
"Not many get to choose their terms, and I looked on it as an opportunity to see my kids more, to travel more, to get in better shape.
"I think the attention to details are so important, it can be so exhausting. I felt as this season was winding down it was the right thing."
Payton's career with New Orleans included an NFL suspension for the entire 2012 season after the Saints' 'Bountygate' scandal blew up, with players said to have been rewarded by fellow team members for injuring and knocking opponents out of games.
He returned to lead the team with distinction again, albeit unable to secure a return to the Super Bowl.
From 2017 to 2020, New Orleans achieved regular-season performances of 11-5, 13-3, 13-3 and 12-4, finishing top of the NFC South on each occasion. This season they wound up as runners-up to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Payton, who was under contract through 2024, has a 152-89 regular-season record – the 13th-best of all time (minimum 100 games) – while he is 9-8 in the playoffs.
Sean Payton is stepping down as head coach of the New Orleans Saints after 15 seasons in charge, reports said on Tuesday.
The franchise called a news conference for 15:00 local time (21:00 BST) at which Payton's departure was expected to be confirmed.
Payton will be moving on after a 2021 campaign in which the Saints failed to reach the postseason, finishing with a 9-8 record.
The 58-year-old Payton joined the Saints in 2006 and, in tandem with newly acquired quarterback Drew Brees, began to turn the team into a formidable force, peaking with a Super Bowl XLIV triumph in the 2009 season. Payton's team beat the Indianapolis Colts 31-17 in the NFL showpiece game.
Payton was suspended for the entire 2012 season after the Saints' 'Bountygate' scandal blew up, with players said to have been rewarded by fellow team members for injuring and knocking opponents out of games.
He returned to lead the team with distinction again, albeit unable to secure a return to the Super Bowl.
From 2017 to 2020, New Orleans achieved regular-season performances of 11-5, 13-3, 13-3 and 12-4, finishing top of the NFC South on each occasion.
Payton, who was under contract through 2024, has a 152-89 regular-season record – the 13th-best of all time (minimum 100 games) – while he is 9-8 in the playoffs.
Ryan Poles will be the new general manager of the Chicago Bears, according to NFL Network.
An agreement is said to have been reached to hire the 36-year-old, who will step up after serving as executive director of player personnel with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Reporting the deal, the NFL's official website said Poles had also been on a list of candidates for GM jobs with the New York Giants and Minnesota Vikings.
The Bears have yet to finalise the deal that is set to see Poles, who was interviewed on Friday, step up to a general manager position for the first time.
Bears chairman George H. McCaskey has led the search for the new general manager, and interviews were also held with 12 other candidates: Glenn Cook, Champ Kelly, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, Jeff Ireland, Monti Ossenfort, Joe Schoen, Ed Dodds, Ron Carthon, Omar Khan, Morocco Brown, Reggie McKenzie and Eliot Wolf
The Bears limped in third in the NFC North this season with a 6-11 record, their worst performance since going 5-11 in 2017.
Coach Matt Nagy and GM Ryan Pace were sacked at the season's end, and Nagy's replacement has yet to be confirmed, with Dan Quinn, Matt Eberflus and Jim Caldwell reportedly three contenders for that post.
Poles joined the Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2008, but his playing career was short-lived. He switched to the Chiefs and served in a range of roles, impressing in scouting duties of increasing seniority, before becoming assistant director of player personnel in 2018 and executive director of player personnel in June of last year.
The new Bears regime will build around quarterback Justin Fields - a 2021 first-round pick - in a bid to end an 11-year drought without a win in the play-offs.
Chicago lost Super Bowl XLI to the Indianapolis Colts after the 2006 season and reached the NFC Championship Game - where they were beaten by the Green Bay Packers - in 2010, both under the guidance of Lovie Smith.
They are winless from just two post-season appearances since, as the Packers continue to dominate the NFC North.
Rafael Nadal almost pulled out of the Australian Open just days before heading to Melbourne, according to his uncle.
The 35-year-old battled past Denis Shapovalov on Tuesday to reach the semi-finals of the tournament for just the third time since 2016.
Nadal, who is chasing a record 21st grand slam title to break the three-way tie with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, has only won the first major of the year once in his career – back in 2009 – and lost at the quarter-final stage in 2020 and 2021.
Even with nine-time champion Djokovic not competing after being deported by border authorities over a visa dispute, few considered Nadal to be the favourite for the title this year given he went from August to December in 2021 without playing a match, having undergone surgery on a foot injury.
Nadal has looked in strong form, though, even recovering from apparent stomach trouble and difficulty in the heat to beat Shapovalov 6-3 6-4 4-6 3-6 6-3 after more than four hours of action on Rod Laver Arena.
Toni Nadal, his coach for most of his professional career, said his nephew nearly decided against competing at all in Australia as he did not feel ready.
Asked if he were surprised by Nadal's form, he told Cadena SER: "Yes, I'm surprised, because I remember when three days before the start, Rafa called my youngest son to hit a few balls after being quarantined due to coronavirus.
"At nine o'clock, we went to train and during training, he said, 'I don't know if I'm going to go or not because at the moment I'm not in condition for an Australian Open'. They only had three days to get a flight.
"The following day, he perked up and said 'Okay, come on, I'm going'. I think it was more the excitement of competing and returning to competition than believing in himself."
Speaking about the quarter-final, Toni Nadal said his brother in Australia told the family about the problems with the heat on court.
"He looked good. In the first two sets, he played at quite a good level against a tough opponent," he said.
"Everything changed as a result of heatstroke. We were watching the game with the family and at one point, after the second set, I said, 'well, I think this is done', and my brother in Australia said no, he's literally exhausted, and he'd told them he had had heatstroke."
Shapovalov lost his temper with umpire Carlos Bernardes during the match for refusing to give Nadal a time violation during a change of ends, proclaiming "You guys are all corrupt" before claiming post-match that players such as Nadal receive preferential treatment on court.
"I think he is totally wrong," said Toni. "When you have to change, you need time and the umpire normally looks at the players and sees the time and starts the clock later. He pressed too soon, realised it and that's why he gave Rafa more time.
"Young people sometimes act without thinking. How could an umpire be corrupt?"
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