Tyson Fury and Dillian Whyte's heavyweight title fight will take place at Wembley Stadium on April 23.
WBC champion Fury was ordered to defend his belt against mandatory challenger Whyte, with the latter signing the contract on the brink of the deadline as he pushed for a higher share of the purse.
Frank Warren's Queensbury Promotions won the bid to stage the fight, which must take place by April 24, with Fury expected to pocket £24million to Whyte's £6m.
It will be Fury's first fight in the United Kingdom since 2018, with his previous five bouts taking place in the United States - three of those coming against Deontay Wilder who he displaced as WBC champion.
Whyte has long since been the WBC's top-ranked contender but has had to remain patient for his first crack at a world title, which he will now get in the all-British showdown.
Fury’s promoter Warren said upon confirmation: "Tyson Fury coming home to fight under the arch at Wembley Stadium is a fitting reward for the No.1 heavyweight in the world following his exploits across the Atlantic in his epic trilogy against Deontay Wilder.
"The fact that this mandatory defence of his WBC title comes against another Brit only adds to the occasion.
"They are two of the biggest characters in British sport and both normally have plenty to say for themselves.
"It is going to be an incredible night and a huge occasion for sport in this country that will capture the imagination of fans right across the world."
Meanwhile, Fury's US promoter Bob Arum believes Whyte has little chance of overcoming Fury.
"Tyson Fury conquered America, and it is only fitting that he defends the heavyweight championship in a packed Wembley Stadium," Arum said.
"Dillian Whyte has called for this fight for years, and while he is a deserving challenger, no heavyweight can match 'The Gypsy King.'"
Russia's Andrey Rublev wrote "no to war" on a camera lens as he joined compatriot Daniil Medvedev in calling for peace.
Rublev beat Hubert Hurkacz 3-6 7-5 7-6 (7-5) on Friday to progress to the final of the Dubai Tennis Championships.
After confirming his place in a showdown with either Denis Shapovalov or Jiri Vesely, the 24-year-old world number seven took a pen and scribed "no to war" on the lens of a television camera.
It is not uncommon for players to write messages on camera lenses, but a plea for peace was an emotive move from Rublev.
On Thursday, Russia invaded neighbouring Ukraine following weeks of rising political tensions. The conflict escalated further still on Friday, with reports of fighting within the capital city of Kyiv.
Rublev's actions came after Medvedev – who will succeed Novak Djokovic as world number one next week – said he wanted to "promote peace".
Medvedev has reached the final four of the Mexican Open in Acapulco.
Rublev had previously expressed his wish for peace in a news conference at the Dubai event.
"In these moments you realise that my match is not important," Rublev said, with a video clip shared to his official Instagram account.
"It's not about my match, how it affects me. What's happening is much more terrible.
"You realise how important it is to have peace in the world and to respect each other no matter what, to be united.
"We should take care of our Earth and of each other. This is the most important thing."
Jhaniele Fowler scored 37 goals as the West Coast Fever defeated GIANTS 47-41 in the Suncorp Team Girls Cup at the Parkville Stadium in Melbourne on Friday.
The International Olympic Committee has called on international sporting federations to relocate or cancel any events set to take place in Russia or Belarus.
After weeks of rising political tensions, Russia invaded neighbouring Ukraine on Thursday, with the conflict escalating further on Friday.
Russia's invasion has been widely condemned by governments, world leaders and sporting bodies.
UEFA has moved this season's Champions League final from St Petersburg to Paris, while Formula One has removed the Russian Grand Prix from its race schedule for this year.
On Thursday, the IOC condemned Russia for breaking the Olympic Truce and on Friday, the governing body urged sporting federations around the world to reconsider the hosting of any events in Russia or neighbouring Belarus, which has helped facilitate the Ukraine invasion.
It has also called for the Belarusian and Russian flags and national anthems not to be displayed or played at any sporting events.
"The IOC EB [executive board] today urges all International sports federations to relocate or cancel their sports events currently planned in Russia or Belarus," a statement read.
"They should take the breach of the Olympic Truce by the Russian and Belarusian governments into account and give the safety and security of the athletes absolute priority. The IOC itself has no events planned in Russia or Belarus.
"In addition, the IOC EB urges that no Russian or Belarusian national flag be displayed and no Russian or Belarussian anthem be played in international sports events which are not already part of the respective World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) sanctions for Russia.
"At the same time, the IOC EB expresses its full support to the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) for the upcoming Paralympic Winter Games Beijing 2022.
"The IOC EB expresses its deep concerns about the safety of the members of the Olympic Community in Ukraine and stands in full solidarity. It notes that the special IOC task force is in contact with the Olympic Community in the country to coordinate humanitarian assistance where possible."
New world number one Daniil Medvedev said he wants to "promote peace all over the world", after the Russian achieved a career highlight amid the crisis in Ukraine.
Medvedev's 6-2 6-3 victory over Japan's Yoshihito Nishioka saw him advance to the final four of the Mexican Open in Acapulco on Thursday, where he will face Rafael Nadal in a repeat of last month's Australian Open final classic.
The Russian advanced shortly after Novak Djokovic's shock loss to Jiri Vesely at the Dubai Tennis Championships, which ensured that he will start next week atop the ATP world rankings for the first time.
The news came shortly after Russian president Vladimir Putin launched a military assault on neighbouring Ukraine, an act that has attracted condemnation from across the sporting world.
"Watching the news from home, waking up here in Mexico, was not easy," Medvedev told reporters.
"By being a tennis player, I want to promote peace all over the world. We play in so many different countries. I've been in so many countries as a junior and as a pro.
"It's just not easy to hear all this news. I'm all for peace. In these moments, you understand that tennis sometimes is not that important.
"It was not easy to play and I'm happy that I managed to win the match, but it was a bit of a rollercoaster day for me."
Medvedev's compatriot Andrey Rublev had earlier spoken out in favour of peace, calling the situation "terrible" in an Instagram post.
"In these moments you realise that my match is not important," Rublev's post read. "It's not about my match, how it affects me. What's happening is much more terrible.
"You realise how important it is to have peace in the world and to respect each other no matter what, to be united.
"We should take care of our Earth and of each other. This is the most important thing."
Rublev teamed up with Ukrainian Denys Molchanov to win the Open 13 Provence doubles title in Marseille just days ago, having also won the singles title at the tournament in southern France.
The Russian Grand Prix has been cancelled for 2022, Formula One announced on Friday.
The decision was taken following a meeting on Thursday between organisers, teams and governing body the FIA to discuss the sport's position in relation to the Ukraine crisis.
Russia president Vladimir Putin ordered a military invasion of Ukraine, which continued into a second day on Friday. There were reports that fighting had reached the capital city of Kiev at around 14:00 local time (12:00 GMT).
"The FIA Formula One World Championship visits countries all over the world with a positive vision to unite people, bringing nations together," the F1 statement said.
"We are watching the developments in Ukraine with sadness and shock and hope for a swift and peaceful resolution to the present situation.
"On Thursday evening, Formula One, the FIA and the teams discussed the position of our sport, and the conclusion is, including the view of all relevant stakeholders, that it is impossible to hold the Russian Grand Prix in the current circumstances."
The race at the Sochi Autodrom was due to take place over the weekend of September 23-25. Reports suggest it will be provisionally replaced on the calendar by a race in Turkey.
Earlier on Friday, UEFA moved the Champions League final from St Petersburg to Paris and ordered all Russian and Ukrainian club and national teams to play home matches in UEFA competition at neutral venues, amid increasing pressure for sporting bodies to take action against Russian interests.
Stephen Curry is aiming to help the Golden State Warriors "peak at the right time" after Thursday's 132-95 rout of the Portland Trail Blazers.
Fresh from the All-Star break, where he hit 16 threes in a 50-point showing, Curry provided 14 assists and put up 18 points in Portland.
Steve Kerr's side had lost four of the previous five games, but Curry hopes the Warriors are set for a strong run leading into the playoffs.
"I'm just trying to enjoy the process, I'm trying to peak at the right time with my guys," he said.
"It's a strong start to the last home stretch and we've got to keep building.
"There's 22 games left where we've got to be our best selves come playoff time, and it's going to be nice to be back on that stage."
The dominant nature of the performance provided plenty of room for optimism for Curry, whose team shook off a slow start after trailing at the end of the first quarter.
"I'm very encouraged," he said. "I thought defensively we asserted our will after the first quarter, really understood how to get stops and turn it into easy offense.
"Portland's different now but they still require your attention, they've got a couple of guys that can light it up."
Curry's display helped seven of his team-mates reach double-figure points tallies and coach Steve Kerr was thrilled with his star man.
"Steph was brilliant," said Kerr. "I loved his patience and the way he ran the team. He played a beautiful game."
Scotland denied France glory in last year's Six Nations, with their dramatic victory in Paris meaning Les Bleus missed out on the title.
Now, France will be out for vengeance as they head to Edinburgh at the top of the standings with two victories from their opening two matches.
England, meanwhile, bounced back from their defeat to Scotland in round one with a hammering of Italy, and Eddie Jones' second-placed team host Wales at Twickenham.
Wales lost convincingly to Ireland in their first game, yet defeated Scotland 20-17 last time out, though the defending champions are down in fifth place as it stands.
The final match of the weekend sees Ireland take on Italy in Dublin. The Azzurri are staring down the barrel of a 100th Six Nations defeat.
Ahead of the third round of fixtures, Stats Perform previews each match with help from Opta.
SCOTLAND V FRANCE
FORM
Scotland have won four of their last six games against France in the Championship, including the last two in a row and a first win in Paris since 1999. They have not won three in a row against Les Bleus in the tournament since 1956-1958.
This will be the 99th meeting between Scotland and France in all competitions, with Les Bleus leading the head to head with 56 wins (L39, D3). However, honours are even across the last 10 clashes, with both sides picking up five wins each.
France opened their campaign with a pair of wins, something they also managed in 2021. The only time since 2011 when they have won their opening three games was in 2020, when they missed out on the title and a Grand Slam after a fourth-round defeat to Scotland at Murrayfield.
ONES TO WATCH
Darcy Graham has beaten a Championship-high nine defenders so far. He is just ahead of French duo Gabin Villiere, Damian Penaud, and Marcus Smith.
France's Gregory Alldritt has made more carries (30) than any other player, while he has also gained 83 post-contact metres, the most of any forward and fourth most of any player, after Ireland's Mack Hansen (107), Scotland's Graham (86) and team-mate Penaud (84), as well as hitting 10 more defensive rucks (36) than anyone else.
ENGLAND V WALES
FORM
The last four Six Nations matches between these sides have been won by the home side on the day. Indeed, England have won their last four home games against Wales in the Championship, only once since 1930 have they enjoyed a longer such streak, a nine-game run between 1990 and 2006.
England have lost just two of their last 24 home games in the Six Nations (W21, D1), defeats to Ireland in 2018 and Scotland in 2021. Wales' last win at Twickenham in the Championship was in 2012. Since the start of the 2016 tournament, Wales have picked up just one away victory outside of Scotland or Italy, a 24-19 win in Paris in 2019.
England (49) and Wales (34) have made more maul metres than any other sides so far in this edition of the Six Nations.
ONES TO WATCH
Jones has named Ben Youngs on England's bench. If he comes on, Youngs will win his 115th Test cap, overtaking Jason Leonard as the country's most capped men's player. The scrum-half has been involved in five tries in his last six starts against Wales (three tries, two assists).
Alex Cuthbert is set to play for Wales for a 50th time. He is looking to score his first try in the Six Nations since crossing against Italy in 2014.
IRELAND V ITALY
FORM
Ireland have won 21 of their 22 previous Six Nations matches against Italy, their sole defeat coming in 2013 (15-22), in what was the Azzurri's last home victory in the Championship.
Italy's next defeat will be their 100th in the Championship, they are currently on a record 34 match losing run, almost seven years since last claiming a victory (22-19 v Scotland, 28 Feb 2015).
Ireland hold a 100 per cent win rate against Italy at home in the Six Nations (W11), with the Azzurri the only side that has never won at the Aviva Stadium or Croke Park. Indeed, Ireland have scored 50 or more points in each of their last three home games against the tournament's whipping boys.
ONES TO WATCH
Hansen, Jamison Gibson-Park and Bundee Aki are three of just six players to both score and assist a try, the trio all scoring once and assisting one try after two rounds.
Italy's Federico Ruzza has won more lineouts (16) than any other player, including one steal, and team-mate Michele Lamaro has made the most tackles (41) in the tournament.
New world number one Daniil Medvedev says Friday's Mexican Open semi-final against Rafael Nadal is his "chance to get my revenge" after last month's epic Australian Open defeat.
Medvedev progressed to the final four in Acapulco on Thursday with a routine 6-2 6-3 victory over Yoshihito Nishioka, while Nadal triumphed 6-0 7-6 (7-5) over Tommy Paul to set up their semi-final meeting.
The Russian's win capped a fine day after Novak Djokovic's loss to Jiri Vesely at the Dubai Tennis Championships meant he would next week become the new world number one for the first time in his career.
Before then, however, Medvedev must take on Nadal in Acapulco, with the pair having not faced off since last month's epic Australian Open decider, where the Spanish fought back from two set downs to clinch a record-breaking 21st major title.
"It’s always special to play against him,” Medvedev said following his win over Nishioka. “Kind of a chance to get my revenge.
“I have to learn from the best, which is him, Roger [Federer], Novak [Djokovic], Andy [Murray]. Always when they were losing a tough fight, they were trying to get their revenge. Sometimes they managed to do it, sometimes not. That’s what I’m going to try to do if I play Rafa."
Medvedev revealed he did not realise that Djokovic's loss would mean he would become number one until he started receiving congratulatory messages on Thursday.
"It’s not easy to play a match when you get this news during the day," Medvedev said.
"The first goal for me was to still win today because I’m here to try to win every match I play. But it’s definitely some great news."
Nadal was full of praise for the new world number one, admitting his excitement at their re-match.
The Spaniard prevailed in five hours and 28 minutes over Medvedev in Melbourne, winning 2-6 6-7 (5-7) 6-4 6-4 7-5 and was ready for the re-match.
"Everybody knows how difficult it is to play against Daniil," Nadal said after Thursday's win over Paul.
"I know I have to play at my highest level if I want to have any chance, and that's what I'm going to try. I have to play my game.
"Everybody knows how difficult the final was in Australia. Tomorrow is going to be another battle.
"I know he's playing well, plenty of confidence... I am excited to play that match."
Rafael Nadal set up a semi-final meeting with new world number one Daniil Medvedev after cruising past Tommy Paul 6-0 7-6 (7-5) at the Mexican Open in Acapulco on Thursday.
The Spanish fourth seed, who won last month's Australian Open against Medvedev in a five-set epic for a record-breaking 21st Grand Slam title, beat the American in two hours and three minutes.
Nadal was at his tenacious best early, winning the first set 6-0 for the second consecutive match, before Paul hit back in the second.
The Spaniard dropped only 10 points in the opening set with errors creeping into his game early in the second set allowing Paul to get 2-1 up a break.
The pair exchanged a string of four games against serve, with Nadal breaking again with Paul serving for the set, before triumphing in the tie-break.
Top seed Medvedev secured his spot in the last four with a 6-2 6-3 victory over Japan's Yoshihito Nishioka.
Medvedev, who will officially become world number one for the first time in his career next week after Novak Djokovic's loss to Jiri Vesely in Dubai, brushed aside the Japanese in one hour and 10 minutes.
The Russian sent down 12 aces and won 69 per cent on his first serve, while he converted six of eight break points across the match.
Third seed Stefanos Tsitsipas will meet Briton Cameron Norrie in the other semi-final after both triumphed on Thursday.
Tsitsipas won his quarter-final against Marcus Giron 6-3 6-4 in one hour and 17 minutes, while sixth seed Norrie made light work of Peter Gojowczyk 6-1 6-0.
At the Chile Open in Santiago, local top seed Cristian Garin was stunned by countryman Alejandro Tabilo 6-3 6-3.
Sixth seed Miomir Kecmanovic won 6-2 6-0 over Matheus Pucinelli de Almeida, while Yannick Hanfmann eased past Thiago Seyboth Wild 6-1 6-3.
The short-handed Brooklyn Nets slumped to their 13th defeat from their past 15 games as Jayson Tatum led the Boston Celtics to a 129-106 victory on Thursday.
Tatum scored 30 points including four three-pointers along with seven rebounds and four assists for the Celtics who have won 10 of their past 11 games.
The Celtics' hot form is in contrast to the Nets, who have slumped to a 31-29 record in the absence of the injured Kevin Durant, unavailable Kyrie Irving and unfit Ben Simmons.
Boston led from start to finish, opening up a 35-22 quarter-time lead, with good support from big men Robert Williams III (12 points and 11 rebounds) and Al Horford (11 points and 13 rebounds).
Seth Curry top scored for the Nets with 22 points but only made two-of-seven from beyond the arc, while Patty Mills struggled with one point from 28 minutes, shooting none-of-nine from the field.
Morant hurt in tight loss
Ja Morant airballed a game-tying three-point attempt in the dying seconds and had a third-quarter injury scare as the Memphis Grizzlies lost 119-114 to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Morant finished with 20 points and eight rebounds but seemed to pick up a leg injury on a drive which impacted his final quarter. D'Angelo Russell scored 23 of his 37 points in the fourth quarter for the Timberwolves.
The ladder-leading Phoenix Suns had no issues without Chris Paul as they extended their winning streak to eight games with a 124-104 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder. Devin Booker scored 25 points with five rebounds, 12 assists and a career-high six steals.
Stephen Curry was benched late after 18 points and 14 assists as the Golden State Warriors won 132-95 over the Portland Trail Blazers, while Nikola Jokic had 25 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists in the Denver Nuggets' 128-110 triumph over the Sacramento Kings.
Trae wayward in Hawks loss
Trae Young struggled as the Atlanta Hawks went down 112-108 to the Chicago Bulls. The Hawks guard made three-of-17 from the field in his 14 points for the game. For the Bulls, who have won six in a row, in-form DeMar DeRozan scored 37 points while Zach LaVine returned from injury with 20 points.
Former US Open champion Sloane Stephens progressed into the quarter-finals at the WTA Abierto Zapopan in Guadalajara after a hard-fought win over Chloe Paquet on Thursday.
Stephens won in straight sets but it took almost two hours, triumphing 7-5 6-4 over the Frenchwoman ranked just outside the top 100.
The 28-year-old American was dominant on her first serve, while she broke her opponent five times throughout the match.
Stephens, who is the sixth seed, will play Daria Saville in the last eight after the Australian eased past qualifier Caroline Dolehide 6-1 6-3 in one hour and seven minutes.
Third seed and defending champion Sara Sorribes Tormo made light work of Poland's Magdalena Frech 6-0 6-2 to set up a quarter-final meeting with Marie Bouzkova.
Colombian fourth seed Camila Osorio needed just over two hours to get past Hailey Baptiste 1-6 6-3 6-3, fighting back after a lopsided first set.
Brooklyn Nets head coach Steve Nash concedes his side must have urgency to arrest their slide after Thursday's 129-106 loss to the Boston Celtics left them with a 31-29 record.
The Nets were billed as title contenders earlier this season but have endured a tough midseason period, winning only two of their past 15 games with Kevin Durant out injured, Kyrie Irving unavailable for home games and James Harden traded out.
Harden swapped places with Ben Simmons from the Philadelphia 76ers, with the new acquisition still yet to debut as he re-conditions having not played this season.
Nash admitted having a healthy roster would go a long way to fixing his side's issues but conceded they needed urgency as their season slips away.
"We understand the situation we're in. We know there's urgency," Nash said at the post-game news conference.
"We're not going to have half a season to figure this thing out. We're up against the clock.
"Our guys have been great. There's a lot of pressure and circumstances that make it difficult as you're dropping in the standings but their spirit has been outstanding.
"That's the spirit of taking it day-by-day game-by-game trying to improve. At the same time, we recognise the situation we're in."
Jayson Tatum starred for the in-form Celtics with 30 points and seven rebounds, while the Nets' best were Seth Curry (22 points and seven rebounds), Bruce Brown Jr (15 points, seven rebounds and five assists) and Kessler Edwards (13 points and five rebounds) off the bench.
Nash was pressed on ways to fix their struggles without their key players, with no timeframes on Durant and Simmons' availability but he reverted to a healthy roster.
"That's number one, two, three and four really," Nash said. "We could've played better tonight, but we can play better on nights when we have everybody too.
"In this league, you flip it, take four of the Celtics starters out, it's a different look."
Kurt Kitayama managed four straight birdies on his back nine to claim the lead ahead of Daniel Berger in a group of three after the opening day of the Honda Classic in Florida on Thursday.
The little-known American carded a six-under-round of 64, starting the day with three straight birdies, before his hot run on his back nine at Palm Beach Gardens.
Kitayama has enjoyed a good recent period, making the cut at his past five starts before Thursday's impressive feat as solo leader.
"I think when you're struggling, I think just that self-motivation to find keep getting better and finding a way to figure it out, it's kind of how you've got to keep going," Kitayama told reporters.
The 29-year-old leads by one stroke from Rory Sabbatini, Chris Kirk and hometown hero Berger who are five-under.
World number 20 Berger started his round brilliantly, with three birdies on his first four holes, while he also sunk a 28-foot birdie putt on the ninth hole with no ill-effects from a back problem that has been plaguing him lately.
Slovakian veteran Sabbatini made birdie on the 18th to jump into a share of second, with Kirk having eight birdies and three bogeys in an entertaining round.
Danny Willett, Matthias Schwab, Andrew Kozan, Aaron Rai and Peter Uihlein are all next tied for fifth at three under.
Four-time major winner and current world number 15 Brooks Koepka managed three birdies in his round of two-under-68 to be four shots off the pace.
Last week's Genesis Invitational winner Joaquin Niemann had an even round of 70, despite leading early after four birdies on his front nine, with a double bogey holding him up on the fourth hole.
Pre-tournament favourite Louis Oosthuizen will battle to make the cut after five bogeys on the front nine before a double bogey on the 17th hole left him with a five-over-75.
England will be without Manu Tuilagi for their Six Nations clash with Wales after the centre suffered a hamstring injury.
Tuilagi had been set to return from an injury lay off to feature at Twickenham on Saturday, having been named in the team that Eddie Jones confirmed on Thursday.
However, England have been dealt a blow as scans after training revealed a hamstring problem for the 30-year-old.
England have recalled Joe Marchant, who will train with the squad on Friday. However, an updated team will not be confirmed until the day of the game.
Tuilagi had been set to play alongside Henry Slade in midfield for Jones' team, who bounced back from their defeat to Scotland in the opening match by beating Italy last time out.
He has represented England in 46 Tests so far since making his debut in 2011.
Novak Djokovic has not lost any motivation for tennis, but believes he needs time to find some rhythm after a long break, as he conceded the world number one spot.
Djokovic's 86-week reign at the top of the ATP rankings will end on Monday, after the Serbian lost to qualifier Jiri Vesely 6-4 7-6 (7-4) in the Dubai Tennis Championships.
That means that Daniil Medvedev will leapfrog Djokovic regardless of whether or not he wins in Acapulco.
Using his official Twitter account, Djokovic congratulated both Vesely – who won his only previous meeting with the 20-time grand slam champion back in 2016 – and Medvedev.
"Well played @jiri_vesely, that was a great game. Wish you the best of luck for the rest of the tournament," Djokovic wrote, accompanying his post with a thumbs up emoji.
"Congratulations also to a very deserving @DaniilMedwed, who will now become world number one."
His appearance in Dubai was Djokovic's first competitive action of 2022, after he was unable to feature at the Australian Open due to his refusal to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
While suggesting he is still working his way back to full sharpness after not playing since December, Djokovic insisted he is fully motivated to carry on playing.
"My goal is to keep on playing tennis," Djokovic said in his post-match news conference.
"That's the ultimate goal. For as long as I really feel like it and as long as I can play. As long as my body allows me, as long as the circumstances in my life as well, the people that surround me [and] support me.
"I'm still motivated and I'm still p***** off when I lose a match. I care about it. I care about winning every match, as anybody else on the Tour, regardless of the age. I'm actually glad that I'm feeling a lot of emotions every single day because it means that I really want to be part of this sport, part of the Tour.
"Unfortunately, [it] wasn't my day. I congratulate Jiri. He played better.
"The more matches I play, the more comfortable I get on the court. I need the match play. I didn't have many matches at all last few months.
"I don't look at the age really as a restricting factor for my career. I still feel great in terms of my body and the way it's holding on, the way it's recovering. It's been serving me well, so to say. That's something that obviously encourages me to keep going."
Seth Curry does not want an apology from Ben Simmons as the pair start a new chapter with the Brooklyn Nets.
Curry and Simmons were team-mates on the Philadelphia 76ers, although the former first overall pick had not played this season.
Simmons has now cited a difficult period with his mental health as his reason for staying away from the 76ers until a trade was agreed with the Nets.
The Australian was the subject of intense criticism following the team's playoff defeat to the Atlanta Hawks last season, in which he was deemed to have shirked responsibility and passed up shooting opportunities.
With James Harden leaving the Nets for the 76ers, Curry and Andre Drummond joined Simmons in the deal going the other way.
It means Simmons must now play with team-mates he abandoned earlier in the season, but Curry does not see that as a problem.
"Business is business," Curry told ESPN on Thursday ahead of the NBA's resumption after the All-Star break.
"I said from day [one], even when he was out early in the season, people were asking me if I feel like, if Ben comes back, should he apologise to us or whatever?
"I understand the business; he doesn't need to apologise to anybody. When he's on the court, I know he's going to do his job and he's going to do what he does. So I understand the business.
"He was doing what he felt was best for himself business-wise and personal-wise. And the team's going to do the same thing as far as making trades or whatever, so I understand it, I've been around it; I don't take anything personal.
"When we're on the court, we're team-mates. Everything's fine, and we depend on each other to do good things. There's been nothing negative he's done to me personally, so I'm fine."
Anett Kontaveit remained on course for a sixth title in seven months, progressing to the Qatar Open semi-finals after defeating Ons Jabeur in straight sets.
Champion in St Petersburg two weeks ago, Kontaveit extended her winning run to eight matches following a 6-4 6-1 success.
The opening set was neck and neck until Kontaveit won 15 out of 16 points from 30-30 at 4-4 to draw first blood and establish a 2-0 lead in the second.
The Estonian, who registered just 12 unforced errors throughout the contest, then took 12 of the last 15 points to advance to the last four.
"At times, it was just kind of fun because I felt like the level was really good, and I was playing really well," said Kontaveit, who has won nine of her last 13 matches against top-10 opposition.
"I think I have this confidence that I can go deep every week that I'm playing, and I'm not setting these mental barriers to myself that I used to do.
"I'm very happy with being in the semi-finals, but I also feel like I can still go deeper, I can still do more. So, I'm not too satisfied yet with this result. I feel like if I play well or if I'm consistent, I have a chance with anyone.
"I'm really happy that I'm bringing a good level of tennis consistently every tournament. I think that's something that I'm just most pleased with."
In the semi-finals, Kontaveit will face another in-form player in Jelena Ostapenko, who saw off Garbine Muguruza in straight sets.
Having triumphed in Dubai last week, the 15th seed has now recorded nine successive victories for the first time in her career after prevailing 6-2 6-2.
Ostapenko struck 39 winners and claimed 15 of 18 points on her opponent's second serve as she moved a step closer to a maiden title in Doha, having reached the final six years ago.
Meanwhile, Iga Swiatek is through to her first WTA 1000 semi-final on a hard court after a 6-2 6-3 win over Aryna Sabalenka.
The former French Open champion won seven out of eight breakpoints, while reeling off six successive games in the second set to secure a comfortable victory.
Next up for her is Maria Sakkari, who recorded her third win against Coco Gauff in four meetings after prevailing 6-3 6-3.
The sixth seed is through to her sixth semi-final at WTA 1000 level or above – and targeting her first such title.
Daniil Medvedev will become the new world number one after Novak Djokovic was beaten by Jiri Vesely at the Dubai Tennis Championships.
Medvedev entered this week knowing victory at the Mexican Open would see him move to the top of the ATP rankings for the first time.
But the Russian was still waiting to play his quarter-final on Thursday when his ascension was confirmed courtesy of Djokovic's last-eight defeat in Dubai.
Djokovic, a seven-time year-end number one, had led the rankings for 86 consecutive weeks, boosting his record total to 361 weeks.
In his first tournament since missing the Australian Open, however, the five-time Dubai champion struggled to match 123rd-ranked Vesely and went down 6-4 7-6 (7-4).
Djokovic might have known what to expect, having lost his only prior meeting with Vesely in Monte Carlo in 2016.
The Serbian looked like getting to grips with his opponent at the start of the second set, applying pressure, but was then broken again and had to respond strongly to reach a tie-break.
Again, Vesely led, and Djokovic's match was summed up by a double-fault immediately after winning back the mini-break, allowing the Czech to prevail.
The victor hailed the end of Djokovic's reign, saying in his on-court interview: "It's great for tennis to have somebody new as world number one again.
"We all know Novak missed the Australian Open, but he's been such a champion, as world number one for 361 weeks.
"Tennis needs new number ones, new generations coming up, so I think it's just great."
As Vesely advances, second seed Andrey Rublev will fancy his chances of a second straight ATP Tour title after his win at the Open 13 Provence.
Rublev stretched his winning streak to seven matches in coming from behind to beat Mackenzie McDonald and make the semi-finals, where he will play Hubert Hurkacz, who defeated Jannik Sinner.
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