Kyrie Irving missed the Brooklyn Nets' 106-98 loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday due to tightness in his right calf.
Irving, who has now played in 32 of the Nets' 43 games this season, is averaging 25.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game, and he has already eclipsed the 29 games he managed in the 2021-22 campaign.
The Nets were already without superstar Kevin Durant due to his knee injury, and were left even more shorthanded when Irving was withdrawn in the hours before tip-off against the Spurs.
In his absence, Brooklyn suffered their third loss in a row as no Nets players were able to reach 20 points.
Ben Simmons collected a triple-double with 10 points, 11 assists, 10 rebounds, four steals and two blocks, while T.J. Warren led the team in scoring with 19 points off the bench.
Meanwhile, 23-year-old Nets center Nic Claxton became the youngest player since 22-year-old Rudy Gobert in 2015 to block at least three shots in nine consecutive games.
In comments before the game, head coach Jacque Vaughn called the injury "day to day".
"[Irving] just reported a little tightness," Vaughn said. "It's essentially just day to day. We'll check on him [Wednesday], and hopefully this is short-term."
The Nets are hopeful Irving will be able to return when they travel to take on the Phoenix Suns on Thursday.
World number one Iga Swiatek had no problem dealing with Camila Osorio during Wednesday's second round, advancing with a 6-2 6-3 victory.
Swiatek, 21, is seeking her fourth grand slam title and her first at the Australian Open, having already won the French Open twice before claiming her first US Open crown this past season.
Against Osorio, it was Swiatek's ability to consistently return that was the difference, holding the Colombian to just a 31 per cent success rate on her service points in the opening set (eight-of-26).
It resulted in a lightning-quick start for the Polish superstar, winning the first four games of the match, and despite giving back a couple breaks of serve, Swiatek did not allow Osorio to hold serve a single time in the opening frame.
Osorio was able to finally hold serve to begin the second set, before Swiatek again rattled off four consecutive games to collect a double-break and a winning lead.
In a remarkably clean performance from the tournament favourite, Swiatek landed 80 per cent of her first serves fair while committing no double faults, and both players finished with more winners than unforced errors.
With the victory, Swiatek will now face the winner between Cristina Bucsa and Bianca Andreescu in the third round.
Data Slam: Swiatek in legendary company
Swiatek has now won 53 of her first 65 grand slam matches – the sixth-best total through 65 attempts in the Open Era.
She trails only Margaret Court (61), Monica Seles (60), Chris Evert (57), Martina Hingis (56), Billie Jean King (56) and Tracy Austin (54).
WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS
Swiatek – 19/16
Osorio – 16/14
ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS
Swiatek – 0/0
Osorio – 0/2
BREAK POINTS WON
Swiatek – 6/8
Osorio – 3/5
Ran Carthon has landed his first general manager job with the Tennessee Titans.
News of Carthon's hire in Tennessee was reported by NFL Network on Tuesday.
The 41-year-old had been the San Francisco 49ers' director of player personnel, having previously held a similar role with the Los Angeles Rams.
He had also been a scout with the Atlanta Falcons.
Carthon is replacing Jon Robinson, who was fired in early December.
Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk said in a statement explaining that decision: "I am proud of what we have accomplished in my eight seasons of ownership, but I believe there is more to be done and higher aspirations to be met."
Robinson had been the GM since 2016, with the team reaching the playoffs in four of his seven seasons.
Gregor Townsend knows the upcoming Six Nations could be his last in charge of Scotland as he revealed he has been contacted by France.
Townsend named his Six Nations squad on Tuesday with four uncapped players included in the 40-man selection.
That includes Ben Healy, who has qualified to play for Scotland through his mother, as well as Ruaridh McConnochie, who has previously played for England.
The 49-year-old has been in charge of Scotland since 2017, but his contract is up after this year's Rugby World Cup in France, which starts in September.
Townsend told reporters he would like clarity on his situation before the tournament begins but knows he might "have to wait and see".
"No discussions have been had, and I don't see them taking place until after the Six Nations," he added.
When asked if this could be his last Six Nations as Scotland coach, Townsend replied: "I'm not contracted beyond this year, so of course."
Meanwhile, Townsend confirmed reports he had been contacted over the possibility of joining France's set-up in the wake of the World Cup.
"I did get a contact from France," he said. "It was just an initial enquiry and there was nothing further from that because we obviously play France in the Six Nations, so I didn't want to talk any further with them about that."
Scotland take on England at Twickenham in their opening Six Nations match on February 4.
Scotland's Six Nations squad
Forwards: Ewan Ashman, Josh Bayliss, Simon Berghan, Jamie Bhatti, Fraser Brown, Dave Cherry, Andy Christie, Luke Crosbie, Jack Dempsey, Matt Fagerson, Zander Fagerson, Grant Gilchrist, Jonny Gray, Richie Gray, Cameron Henderson, WP Nel, Jamie Ritchie (captain), Pierre Schoeman, Javan Sebastian, Sam Skinner, Rory Sutherland, George Turner, Hamish Watson.
Backs: Chris Harris, Ben Healy, Stuart Hogg, George Horne, Huw Jones, Blair Kinghorn, Sean Maitland, Ruaridh McConnochie, Stafford McDowell, Ali Price, Cameron Redpath, Finn Russell, Ollie Smith, Kyle Steyn, Sione Tuipulotu, Duhan van der Merwe, Ben White.
Tennis great Chris Evert has revealed she is cancer-free, just over a year after she began her fight against the illness.
Evert began chemotherapy in January 2022 after she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer.
Doctors caught Evert's cancer early after she had a preventative hysterectomy following the death of her sister, Jeanne, from the same disease.
The 68-year-old, who concluded her course of chemotherapy last May, confirmed the positive news on Tuesday, writing for ESPN: "A year ago, I started a journey to protect myself and my loved ones from the risks associated with the BRCA-related ovarian cancer that took my sister Jeanne's life.
"It is only because of the genetic road map my sister left behind and the power of scientific progress that we caught my cancer early enough to do something about it.
"My doctor said if left undiscovered, in four months' time I would probably have been Stage Three like Jeanne, with very few options. Instead, I was diagnosed with Stage Three ovarian cancer, and I immediately began six rounds of chemotherapy.
"Today, I'm cancer-free, and there's a 90 per cent chance that the ovarian cancer will never come back."
However, Evert added her "story isn't over" and confirmed that on December 1, a year to the day since her hysterectomy, she underwent a double mastectomy in order to reduce the risk of developing breast cancer.
Evert said she is "well on the road to recovery".
She explained: "I have one more surgery left to complete reconstruction. They say this part is easy, but I can assure you, the last five years have not been.
"As relieved as I will be to get to the other side of this, I will always have a heavy heart. I will never heal from losing Jeanne, and I will never take for granted the gift she gave me in the process.
"My sister's journey saved my life, and I hope by sharing mine, I just might save somebody else's."
Evert won 18 grand slam titles across her illustrious career and enjoyed an on-court rivalry with Martina Navratilova.
When Navratilova confirmed her own cancer diagnosis earlier this year, Evert was among those to offer their support.
Evert posted on Twitter: "Thinking of @Martina today and supporting her journey, like she did mine, with love and prayers. This is a woman who takes on challenges with strength and resilience…You got this, Martina."
Aaron Rodgers is yet to decide if he will play again in 2023 but will only do so in a team bidding to win the Super Bowl, whether with the Green Bay Packers or elsewhere.
Rodgers won his third and fourth MVP awards in the 2020 and 2021 seasons before becoming the subject of significant speculation heading into this year.
After suggestions the quarterback might look to either retire or leave Green Bay, he returned to the Packers for a disappointing campaign.
An 8-9 record in the NFC North saw the team narrowly miss the playoffs, prompting more debate around Rodgers' future as backup QB Jordan Love continues to wait in the wings.
Appearing on The Pat McAfee Show, Rodgers outlined his belief he can still be among the NFL's best, comparing his situation to after the 2019 season.
"A lot of people said I was washed, I couldn't play anymore, wasn't the same," the 39-year-old said. "Then I won two MVPs in a row – without really doing anything different.
"I'm sure there's a lot of the same sentiment this year. I have a lot of comments about a lot of that that I'd like to keep to myself.
"Do I still think I can play? Of course. Can I play at a high level? Yes. The highest. I think I can win MVP again in the right situation.
"Is the right situation in Green Bay or is that somewhere else? I'm not sure, but I don't think you should shut down any opportunity."
Rodgers detailed the lengthy talks he held with the Packers before heading away for the offseason, but those conversations are not done.
"I think there's still conversations to be had," he added. "I think no player wants to be part of any type of rebuild.
"Reloads are a lot of fun, because you feel like you're close, like you're only a couple of guys away."
Rodgers recognises Love would likely be the Packers' QB of choice if they were to rebuild, anyway.
"If there's a rebuild going on, I won't be a part of that," he said.
"It's a mindset. If they want to go younger and think Jordan's ready to go, that might be the way they want to go.
"If that's the case and I still want to play, there's no other option: I have to play somewhere else."
But Rodgers still does not know if he does want to play, adding: "I still need to mentally get to a point where I feel 100 per cent locked in to play a 19th season.
"If I do, we'll rock and roll and figure that out; if I don't, we'll head into the jungles for a while."
He is certainly not signing up for another season like 2022.
"It would have to be the right situation with the roster to feel like we can win it all," Rodgers said. "There's no point in coming back if you don't feel like you can win it all."
Fabien Galthie has included eight uncapped players in France's Six Nations squad.
Les Bleus ended a 12-year wait for both a Six Nations title and a Grand Slam last year.
The holders won all 10 matches they played in a glorious 2022 and must kick on as they gear up for a Rugby World Cup on home soil that starts in September.
Emilien Gailleton, Louis Bielle-Biarrey, Leo Coly and Nolann Le Garrec are among the players who will be hoping to make their debuts in the Six Nations.
The same goes for Paul Boudehent, Julien Delbouis, Romain Buros and Ethan Dumortier.
Galthie will have to do without the injured Cameron Woki, Peato Mauvaka, Maxime Lucu, Baptiste Couilloud and centre Jonathan Danty.
He will be able to welcome, however, be able to welcome back Paul Willemse and Francois Cros.
France start their quest to retain the title with a trip to Rome to face Italy at Stadio Olimpico on February 5.
France Six Nations squad
Forwards: Gregory Alldritt, Uini Atonio, Cyril Baille, Gaetan Barlot, Teddy Baubigny, Alexandre Becognee, Paul Boudehent, Yacouba Camara, Bastien Chalureau, Dylan Cretin, Francois Cros, Sipili Falatea, Thibaud Flament, Mohamed Haouas, Anthony Jelonch, Thomas Jolmes, Thomas Lavault, Sekou Macalou, Julien Marchand, Charles Ollivon (captain), Dany Priso, Romain Taofifenua, Reda Wardi, Paul Willemse.
Backs: Louis Bielle-Biarrey, Romain Buros, Leo Coly, Julien Delbouis, Ethan Dumortier, Antoine Dupont ,Gael Fickou, Emilien Gailleton, Antoine Hastoy, Matthieu Jalibert, Melvyn Jaminet, Matthis Lebel, Nolann Le Garrec, Pierre-Louis Barassi, Yoram Moefana, Romain Ntamack, Damian Penaud, Thomas Ramos.
Monti Ossenfort was introduced as the Arizona Cardinals' new general manager on Tuesday as the team prepare to hire a new head coach.
Ossenfort, previously the Tennessee Titans' director of player personnel and before that a New England Patriots employee in various roles, was appointed on Monday.
Predecessor Steve Keim had stepped away from the position last week after initially taking an indefinite, health-related leave of absence in December.
The Cardinals still need a coach, however, as the announcement of Keim's departure was twinned with the firing of Kliff Kingsbury.
That topic was unsurprisingly prominent as Ossenfort met the media alongside Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill.
Bidwill confirmed the team had interviewed seven GM candidates before settling on Ossenfort as the man to take them forward as they turn their focus to the coaching vacancy.
"It became clear Monti was going to be the best fit for us, with his well-defined vision of turning this organisation around on the field and assisting us in identifying our new head coach, which we will embark on in a matter of days," Bidwill said.
The Cardinals were a miserable 4-13 this year, with Kingsbury unable to even oversee the sort of strong starts that had raised hopes in previous ultimately underwhelming seasons.
Another key issue centred around quarterback Kyler Murray, whose relationship with Kingsbury reportedly deteriorated in 2022.
Ossenfort's message on the sorts of players he wants to see in Arizona colours was clear.
He promised a "unified message across the general manager, the head coach and ownership" and identified the profiles of the playing personnel as key.
"We are going to look for the right type of players," Ossenfort said. "Ego will not be tolerated in this organisation.
"We are going to look for focused, driven people who are willing to put the team first at every step of the way."
Mark Cavendish has joined Astana for a 2023 campaign in which he will be hoping to make history at the Tour de France.
Legendary sprinter Cavendish left Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl last year, but the Brit will continue his illustrious career with Kazakh team Astana.
The 37-year-old from the Isle of Man was not selected for the 2022 Tour de France, denying him the opportunity to surpass a record tally of 34 stage wins in the most prestigious Grand Tour race that he shares with the great Eddy Merckx.
Cavendish will have high hopes of taking the record outright this year with his new team.
He said: "I am really excited for this adventure. I raced with Alexandr Vinokurov for many years, and now I'm racing with his two boys!
"I remember when they were children the same age as my own, dreaming to be bike racers.
"Astana is going to be a great place to be successful, with a strong team led by Alexandr, a champion on the bike and a gentleman off the bike.
"I've enjoyed a long career already, but the joy of riding my bike and the hunger to continue winning are as bright as ever.
"So I'm looking forward to being part of a successful team, whether working with the team for wins, crossing the line first myself, or cheering on my team-mates. As always, the objective will be for us to stand on the top podium."
While Cavendish was overlooked for the Tour de France, he was able to win the Milano-Torino as well as Giro d'Italia, Tour of Oman and UAE Tour stages.
Eddie Jones will ignore Rugby Football Union (RFU) administrators if his Australia side face England at the World Cup in France this year.
Jones was sacked as England head coach last month and has been replaced by his former assistant Steve Borthwick.
The 62-year-old has not had long to wait for another opportunity, as he was sensationally appointed for a second spell in charge of the Wallabies on Monday.
Jones was given a long-term deal by Rugby Australia to take over from fired New Zealander Dave Rennie.
Australia and the Red Rose could meet at the quarter-final stage of a World Cup that starts on October 8 and Jones will be selective over who he talks to if that showdown comes to fruition.
"I'm not thinking about England," Jones told the Sydney Morning Herald.
"The most important thing is to get Australia playing really well and consistently well.
"If we happen to meet England on the way, well and good. I might have a conversation with some of the players and not with the administration. Then we'll get on with the battle.
"Maybe age helps but once the chapter closes, it closes."
The Los Angeles Chargers have fired offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi and quarterbacks coach Shane Day following their dismal playoff defeat to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Pressure had been building on underperforming Chargers coach Brandon Staley even before he oversaw a 27-point collapse in a stunning Wild Card loss on Saturday.
Lombardi and Day, who came in alongside Staley in 2021, have paid the price for that early exit, the team announced on Tuesday.
Led by Justin Herbert, the Chargers should have the talent to be a contender in the AFC, but the third-year quarterback is yet to win a playoff game.
Indeed, the Jaguars clash represented Herbert's postseason debut, and he looked to be on course for an impressive win after racing into a 27-0 lead.
But the Chargers added just three points in the second half as they lost 31-30, undone as so often by their subpar run game, which yielded only 20 yards and a single first down from eight carries after halftime.
That makes for an obvious area for improvement under the next OC, who will surely relish the opportunity to work with Herbert.
Novak Djokovic set off on his Melbourne mission to match Rafael Nadal's haul of 22 grand slams, promising: "I know how to handle it."
The title favourite and nine-time champion swept through his first Australian Open match in two years, beating Spain's Roberto Carballes Baena 6-3 6-4 6-0.
Deported from Melbourne last year amid a vaccination saga, and denied the chance to defend his title, Djokovic received a rousing welcome on Rod Laver Arena.
"I felt very welcome on the court," Djokovic said. "Especially the Serbian community that is big here in Australia has welcomed me in an incredible way. So much support. So much love."
The 35-year-old from Belgrade dropped just four points in the closing set, with the hamstring injury that hampered his preparation seemingly giving him no fresh cause for concern.
"The leg is good. It's not ideal, but it's getting there. Today was a really good test," he added.
Djokovic will join Nadal at the top of the men's all-time list of slam triumphs should he pick up a 10th title at Melbourne Park next week. He may soon be looking at overtaking Margaret Court, who won 24 singles slams, the most by any player.
"They're just numbers in the end of the day," Djokovic said, when asked about the targets in his sights.
"I've been in the situations before where I've played for some really big historic things, and I've been blessed to have I would say more success than failures in those particular situations.
"I know how to behave, I know how to handle it. Let's see how far I can go."
Mother Dijana and father Srdan have joined Djokovic in Australia this year, as has brother Marko.
His parents have not made the trip to Melbourne since 2008, the year Djokovic won a first grand slam in Australia.
"Well it's really not around the corner from Serbia. Australia is a pretty long way," said Djokovic, explaining why they usually stayed away.
"That's probably the biggest reason. They've come to watch me in Paris, Roland Garros, and Wimbledon, US Open. In particular, Australian Open has been a bit of a trip for my parents particularly.
"I'm really glad to have them here. The last time they were here, actually the only time they were here, was back in 2008. We have some great memories and considerations about the time that they spent here together now 15 years ago. Hopefully they can stay all the way, I can stay all the way, and we can have another great celebration."
Ken Owens will captain Wales in the Six Nations and Warren Gatland has included four uncapped players in his 37-man squad.
Hooker Owens takes over as skipper from Justin Tipuric, who led the side for the Autumn Nations Series encounters last year.
The fit-again Wyn Jones, Dewi Lake and Liam Williams return in Gatland's first squad since he returned for a second spell as head coach, replacing the sacked Wayne Pivac.
New Zealander Gatland has recalled Leon Brown, Rhys Carre, Rhys Patchell, Aaron Wainwright, Rhys Webb and Owen Williams.
The uncapped Rhys Davies, Keiran Williams, Mason Grady and Teddy Williams also got the nod, while Rio Dyer, Joe Hawkins and Dafydd Jenkins are in line to make their Six Nations debuts.
Gatland said of naming Owens as captain: "Ken's incredibly experienced and a passionate Welshman – it means a lot to him to play for Wales. He's also very popular with the players.
"He came back from injury and was absolutely outstanding during the autumn campaign. Probably, if you're picking a team at the moment he's the number one in that position. But he's going to have some competition with Dewi and Bradley [Roberts] as well, which is going to be great."
Gatland has completed his coaching team by appointing Jonathan Thomas, who will take responsibility for the contact area.
Wales face Ireland at the Principality Stadium in their first match of the tournament at the Principality Stadium on February 4.
Wales Six Nations squad:
Forwards: Rhys Carre, Wyn Jones, Gareth Thomas, Dewi Lake, Ken Owens (captain), Bradley Roberts, Leon Brown, Tomas Francis, Dillon Lewis, Adam Beard, Rhys Davies, Dafydd Jenkins, Alun Wyn Jones, Teddy Williams, Taulupe Faletau, Jac Morgan, Tommy Reffell, Justin Tipuric, Christ Tshiunza, Aaron Wainwright.
Backs: Kieran Hardy, Rhys Webb, Tomos Williams, Dan Biggar, Rhys Patchell, Owen Williams, Mason Grady, Joe Hawkins, George North, Nick Tompkins, Keiran Williams, Josh Adams, Alex Cuthbert, Rio Dyer, Leigh Halfpenny, Louis Rees-Zammit, Liam Williams.
Novak Djokovic swept through his first Australian Open match in two years as his mission to create more tennis history began in impressive style.
Chasing a 10th Australian Open title, and the major that would take him level with Rafael Nadal's record of 22 men's singles grand slams, Djokovic beat Roberto Carballes Baena 6-3 6-4 6-0.
Deported from Melbourne last year amid a vaccination saga, and denied the chance to defend his title, Djokovic received a rousing welcome on Rod Laver Arena.
The contest did not begin until shortly after 2230 local time, with Andy Murray's five-set afternoon battle against Matteo Berrettini having been followed by a three-set struggle for Ons Jabeur in the first night match.
Djokovic began with an ace, but all eyes were on how he would cope with a left hamstring problem that has been affecting his preparation. It required strapping, but ultimately it did not prove a worrying factor.
Entering the contest, world number 75 Carballes Baena had a 0-9 career record against top-10 players, so the match went much as expected.
The underdog had three break points in the fifth game but could not capitalise as Djokovic came from 0-40 behind to stay on serve. There was no escape from 0-40 for Carballes Baena in the next game, though, as Djokovic sealed the first break with a brutally brilliant forehand.
That established the tone, with Djokovic breaking in game seven of the second set on his way to a firm stranglehold. Once the second set was won, Djokovic steamed through the third, dropping only four points.
Data slam: Never in doubt
Djokovic is now 67-2 in grand slam first-round matches. His only losses have come in Australia, against Marat Safin in 2005 and Paul Goldstein a year later.
WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS
Djokovic – 41/21
Carballes Baena – 14/16
ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS
Djokovic – 9/1
Carballes Baena – 4/1
BREAK POINTS WON
Djokovic – 5/9
Carballes Baena – 0/3
Alexander Zverev believes the Australian Open is already a success for him after his five-set victory against Juan Pablo Varillas on Tuesday.
It was the German's first win since his foot injury at the French Open in June during his semi-final against Rafael Nadal.
Zverev only returned to tour-level tennis in December at the United Cup, where he lost to Jiri Lehecka and Taylor Fritz.
He fell a set behind twice against the Peruvian lucky loser Varillas, before fighting back to win 4-6 6-1 5-7 7-6 (7-3) 6-4.
The world number 12 hit 69 winners and won 83 per cent of his first serve points in the contest, which lasted four hours and nine minutes.
"I am extremely happy because I missed this over the past seven months," Zverev said after his victory.
"This match alone pays off for all the hard work and suffering that I have had. To win in front of this kind of crowd again.
"I can't wait for the rest of the tournament. No matter what happens from now, the tournament is already a success for me."
Zverev will face the winner of Michael Mmoh or Laurent Lokoli in the second round, with their match suspended at two sets all on Tuesday due to rain.
Formula One has decided against replacing the cancelled Chinese Grand Prix in the 2023 calendar, which remains a 23-race season.
Shanghai was set to host China's first race since 2019 on April 16, making it the fourth date on the calendar.
But the race was cancelled in December due to China's zero-COVID policy, with the country still implementing strict rules in an attempt to curb the spread of coronavirus.
It was deemed unfeasible to host a race in Shanghai, with F1 subsequently considering potential replacement destinations elsewhere.
Portimao in Portugal and Istanbul in Turkey were apparently in contention, but it was confirmed on Tuesday that the season will remain 23 races instead.
That leaves a four-week gap between the third race in Australia on April 2 and the fourth race in Azerbaijan on April 30.
"Formula 1 can confirm that the 2023 season will consist of 23 races," a statement read.
"That means the season will kick off with the Bahrain Grand Prix on March 5, and finish in Abu Dhabi on November 26, with the brand new Las Vegas Grand Prix joining the calendar a week before the season finale."
In November 2021, F1 signed a contract extension through 2025 with the Chinese Grand Prix.
However, this will be the fourth year in a row that China has been unable to host a race on the F1 calendar due to COVID-19.
Pre-season testing will commence on February 23 after the 10 teams unveil their new cars for the year earlier that month.
Ons Jabeur said a knee problem presents her with "a great challenge" at the Australian Open as she looks to reach a third successive grand slam final.
Tamara Zidansek, the world number 98, gave Jabeur plenty to think about in round one on Tuesday, but the Slovenian eventually faded as the second seed came through a 7-6 (10-8) 4-6 6-1 winner.
Two hours and 17 minutes will have been longer than Jabeur wanted to stay out on Rod Laver Arena, but she was pleased to at least finish strongly.
The Tunisian is making a habit of getting through to major finals, losing to Elena Rybakina at Wimbledon and Iga Swiatek at the US Open, but she dearly wants to be a winner on such an occasion.
That may still happen in Australia, but Jabeur had taping on her right knee and may find it is beyond her to go deep into the tournament this fortnight. She said the performance was "not the way I wanted to play", and there seems little doubt the knee was a factor.
"It's not a big injury, but sometimes it might bother me," Jabeur said.
"I try to take it one day at a time. It's a great challenge. I'm going to challenge myself and see if I cannot play 100 per cent, but we'll try to push and be able to do something with it for sure."
Her back has also been an issue in recent weeks, and Jabeur had the crowd in creases by saying she would demand a late-night massage from her husband. She quickly clarified that was all she was asking from him, pointing out he is her fitness coach.
Jabeur expects to have a "light practice" on Wednesday ahead of facing Marketa Vondrousova or Alison Riske-Amritraj in round two the following day.
In the second set, she trailed 5-3 but snatched a break back and would have hoped to then get the job done in straight sets, only to be broken herself.
Iga Swiatek, the top seed, was in a similar situation in her opener against Jule Niemeier on Monday, managing to get the job done in two rather than go to a decider.
"It's nice to see Iga from 5-3 [winning] 7-5. I wanted to do that today, but I'm not Iga," Jabeur said. "Better 6-1 in the third set."
The Jamaica American Football Association (JAAFA), the island’s governing body responsible for presenting all forms of American Football in Jamaica since 2009 says the development of the sport may be at a standstill.
This, as the organization grapples to fill a JM$800,000 shortfall in time for Jamaica’s female national Flag Football team to participate for the second time in the International Women’s Flag Football Association (IWFFA) tournament in Keywest, Florida from January 24th through 31st .
According to JAAFA’s director of football, Roger Salmon, “Since placing third at our first IWFFA appearance in January last year, all eyes are on Jamaica for what appears to be a source for players with tremendous potential. When local players compete internationally, it opens the opportunity for scouts to come to the island to draft players and offer scholarships - because the game is played at the high school and global levels.”
In 2022, JAAFA received assistance from Courts Jamaica Limited and Caribbean Assurance Brokers; and in 2023, support from repeat sponsors Emkay Sports and Mushe Holdings have helped JAAFA with a portion of the JM$1.5 million budget. However, more support is needed to help JAAFA cover airfare and other expenses for a delegation of 10 players and two directors to represent Jamaica at the upcoming IWFFA tournament.
Salmon underscored that the girls’ appearance this time around will help Jamaica to secure a global ranking for Flag Football. “It will put us on the map as a country that is participating in yet another sporting event. We have done ice hockey andnumerous others ... you name it, Jamaica has done it. So, American Football is another one of that magnitude that we are trying to develop on the island.”
The prospects for sports tourism through Flag Football are also great as JAAFA has already been approached to host international tournaments on the island. However, the organization is forced to decline until it is afforded a proper pitch for training and hosting games.
JAAFA remains in preparation mode to enter male and female teams for the Olympics in 2028. Kevaun Hinds, JAAFA’s director of communications highlighted that, “Our male teams have been training for many years now. We have received invitations for them to participate in tournaments but financial constraints have denied them the opportunity. However, we continue to harness and develop their skills.”
The Jamaica American Football Association is currently based in East Kingston and seeks to engage children, youth and adults in the foundational and professional aspects of American Football in Jamaica. The association is also committed to nation building through the development of sports, mentorship and creating local and international opportunities for young people.
Andy Murray savoured a landmark win at the Australian Open as Tuesday's five-set triumph against Matteo Berrettini gave him a 50th career victory at Melbourne Park.
The world number 66, formerly an ATP rankings leader, slugged out a 6-3 6-3 4-6 6-7 (7-9) 7-6 (10-6) success against 13th seed Berrettini, who reached the semi-finals last year.
It handed Berrettini a first opening-round exit at a grand slam since the 2019 Australian Open.
Murray said he "wouldn't expect to feel perfect" for his next match on Thursday, given the effort that went in over the four hours and 49 minutes on Rod Laver Arena.
However, the 35-year-old, who will face Fabio Fognini or Thanasi Kokkinakis next, will want to be back to somewhere near full health for that tussle.
Last year in Australia, Murray beat 21st seed Nikoloz Basilashvili in another gruelling first-round five-set marathon, before losing tamely to Japanese qualifier Taro Daniel in his second match.
In all, Tuesday's scalp of Berrettini gave Murray his fourth five-set win at the Australian Open. The other two came in semi-finals, beating Roger Federer in 2013 and Milos Raonic three years later. He lost in the subsequent final both times to Novak Djokovic.
Djokovic has beaten Murray in four Australian Open finals, with the Briton also sunk by Roger Federer in the 2010 title match, meaning he has been runner-up five times and never come away with the trophy.
Federer has won the most men's singles matches in Australia, with 102 victories, landing six titles along the way. Djokovic, with nine, has the most titles.
A weary Murray said after finishing off Berrettini: "In the last few years, I've certainly questioned myself at times. There's certainly a lot of people who have questioned me and my ability, whether I could still perform at the biggest events and the biggest matches.
"I felt very proud of myself after the match. That's not something that I generally felt over the years at the end of the tennis matches.
"I was impressed with myself, which again is not something... I'm hard on myself usually."
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