Denis Shapovalov crashed out of the Qatar Open after losing in straight sets to France's Arthur Rinderknech in their quarter-final on Thursday.
The top-seeded Canadian lost in just an hour and 20 minutes as Rinderknech sealed a 6-4 6-4 victory to seal his place in the semi-finals in Doha.
Shapovalov struggled throughout, making nine double faults and having to face 10 break points, of which he managed to save eight.
Rinderknech will now face Nikoloz Basilashvili after the Georgian fought back to beat Marton Fucsovics 1-6 6-3 7-5.
The other semi-final will see Karen Khachanov take on Roberto Bautista Agut, with the Russian also coming from a set down in beating Marin Cilic 3-6 6-3 6-4.
Bautista Agut followed up Wednesday's 6-0 6-1 victory against Andy Murray by again winning comfortably against fellow Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, scoring a 6-1 6-1 success.
The number two seed won 74 per cent of points when landing his first serve as he sealed victory in an hour and 17 minutes.
At the Open 13 in Marseille, Rotterdam champion Felix Auger-Aliassime increased his winning streak to six matches after beating French veteran Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 7-6 (7-3) 6-2 to head through to the quarter-finals.
"It was a special moment," Auger-Aliassime said after his win. "When the match was coming to the end, I knew it was going to be a special moment, a full-circle moment. He was my top idol growing up and I saw myself in him at times."
Auger-Aliassime will play world number 49 Ilya Ivashka next, while top seed Stefanos Tsitsipas also went through after a 6-3 7-6 (7-4) win against Hugo Gaston. The Greek star will play Russian Roman Safiullin in the last eight.
Ninth seed Benjamin Bonzi beat fellow Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert 6-4 6-3 and will go up against Aslan Karatsev in the next round, while Lucas Pouille overcame Radu Albot 6-3 3-6 7-6 (7-2) and will tackle Andrey Rublev next.
Two-time champion Simona Halep strode through to the Dubai Tennis Championships semi-finals with a 6-4 6-3 win over eighth seed Ons Jabeur on Thursday.
A series of upsets meant Jabeur was the only seed left in the tournament going into Thursday, but she was outfought by Halep, whose win-loss record in 2022 now stands at 11-1.
The result followed two years on from Halep beating Jabeur in the second round at the same tournament, on that occasion needing a third-set tie-break to get the better of the Tunisia. Halep went on to win the title on that occasion.
"It was a very tough match. Even if it's in two sets, it felt much harder than that," Halep said of Thursday's win.
"I had in my mind big time the match from 2020, it was so close and I knew I'd have to fight till the end."
Quoted on the WTA website, former Wimbledon and French Open winner Halep added: "I've been focused on what I have to do, and I wanted just to push Jabeur back because she has such a big game."
Halep will face Jelena Ostapenko in the last four after the big-hitting Latvian overcame Petra Kvitova 5-7 7-5 7-6 (11-9).
Kvitova led by a set and a break, and twice served for the match, yet Ostapenko prevailed to add the 2013 Dubai champion to the scalps of Sofia Kenin and Iga Swiatek this week.
Ostapenko, who triumphed in two hours and 39 minutes, has now reached at least the semi-finals in four of her last seven tournaments.
The other semi-final will be contested by Veronika Kudermetova and Marketa Vondrousova.
Kudermetova reached her third career WTA 500 semi-final after beating lucky loser Jil Teichmann 6-2 5-7 6-4 in two hours and 23 minutes.
Vondrousova, meanwhile, became just the third ever qualifier to reach the last four of the tournament thanks to a 7-5 6-4 win over Dayana Yastremska.
The Cincinnati Bengals will look at ways to improve their team and help superstar quarterback Joe Burrow after an outstanding season ended in defeat at Super Bowl LVI.
The Bengals, who had not previously won a playoff game in 31 years, came within minutes of their first Super Bowl victory.
But a drive led by Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp put the Los Angeles Rams into a 23-20 lead, which three-time Defensive Player of the Year winner Aaron Donald protected when the Bengals attempted to come back down the field.
Donald finished with 10 pressures – a total only topped in a Super Bowl once since 2006 (Nick Bosa, 12, in Super Bowl LIV) – of the 23 Burrow faced.
In that same recent period, there have been six examples of a quarterback being pressured 20 or more times in the Super Bowl and only one (Patrick Mahomes, 28, also in Super Bowl LIV) has won.
Burrow's seven sacks tied the Super Bowl record (Roger Staubach in Super Bowl X) and followed his league-leading 51 in the regular season.
It is no secret that the Bengals' issues are on the offensive line, although that much was clear last year, too, when Burrow tore his ACL and MCL in his left knee after being hit by two Washington defenders.
Rather than address the problem with the fifth overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, the Bengals selected wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase, who had played with Burrow at LSU.
The Bengals were rewarded as Chase had 81 catches for 1,455 yards and 13 touchdowns in the regular season, earning Offensive Rookie of the Year honours, but their inability to protect Burrow proved costly in the closing seconds of the season.
Can they now belatedly find a fix? That certainly appears to be the plan.
"Joe is a smart player and that shines through," Bengals owner Mike Brown said. "He's accurate, he's tough as nails. We want to do some things to help him."
Brown added: "I think we have the core of a top team, we'll add to it and I think we can make it better."
If the Bengals can just keep Burrow clean a little more often, they have every chance of returning to the big game during the quarterback's tenure.
"We're a young team," Burrow said immediately after Sunday's defeat, "so you'd like to think we'll be back in this situation multiple times over the course of the next few years.
"We take this and let it fuel us for the rest of our careers."
Addressing the team's fans, Brown said: "My one regret is I'm not carrying a new trophy. The Bengals are real. The future is bright. You, our coaches and our players are going to have some trip."
Michael Masi will no longer serve as Formula One race director following a "detailed analysis" of last year's controversial Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Masi's call to unlap cars between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen to permit one lap of racing, allowing the Red Bull superstar to snatch the title, was widely criticised and has resulted in his removal from his role.
But that is not the only change to be introduced in 2022 as part of an "in-depth reform of the organisation of refereeing and race direction", which was presented on Thursday by FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem.
As the FIA aims to move on from an episode that marred one of the greatest seasons in F1 history, Ben Sulayem outlined four key areas for reform.
"These changes will enable us to start the 2022 Formula One season in the best conditions, and our sport will be even more loved and respected," he said.
But what are these changes – billed as offering a "new step forward in Formula One refereeing" – and why have they been made?
VAR IN F1
As well as to ensure competition rules are enforced, these changes have been made to ease the pressure on the race director.
Masi's decision was all about an interpretation of the regulations, rather than an error based on an absence of technology, but Ben Sulayem feels the race director moving forward will benefit from additional support.
For this reason, a "virtual race control room" will be created to "assist the race director in the decision-making process".
"In real-time connection with the FIA F1 race director, it will help to apply the sporting regulations using the most modern technological tools," Ben Sulayem said.
If this sounds like football's VAR being introduced to F1, the FIA thinks so too. In his speech on Thursday, Ben Sulayem drew parallels with VAR, which operates outside of stadiums but assists match referees. The virtual race control room will similarly be positioned away from the circuit at FIA offices.
RADIO EXCHANGES TAKEN OFF THE AIR
In the aftermath of the Abu Dhabi GP, as F1 fans on both sides of the title divide raged, Masi was not helped by the official broadcast.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff fumed at Masi's decision to expose Hamilton, and Masi replied: "Toto, it's called a motor race, okay?"
This conversation, as with numerous exchanges throughout races, was relayed to those watching on television.
Leaked footage in recent weeks has suggested Red Bull implored Masi to make that judgement, using the same term in asking for "a motor race".
This conversation was not actually heard at the time, but Masi certainly did not benefit from being on display to the world as he made the biggest call of his career.
These direct radio communications will no longer be broadcast, Ben Sulayem revealed, "to protect the race director from any pressure and allow him to take decisions peacefully".
"It will still be possible to ask questions to the race director, according to a well-defined and non-intrusive process," the FIA president added.
UNLAPPING RULE TO BE REASSESSED
Part of the difficulty in Abu Dhabi was that even seasoned F1 watchers were unsure if Masi had acted correctly. Red Bull clearly thought he had done; Mercedes, unsurprisingly, disagreed.
Should a similar scenario arise again, the FIA would hope its race director would have a clear idea of the process.
"Unlapping procedures behind safety car will be reassessed by the F1 sporting advisory committee and presented to the next F1 commission prior to the start of the season," Ben Sulayem said.
MASI OUT AND REPLACED BY TWO
Masi will be offered a role elsewhere in the FIA after he "accomplished a very challenging job" across three years, but rather than being replaced by a single new race director, the governing body is putting in place "a new race management team".
Masi had endured a draining season even before the Abu Dhabi drama, and the load will be shared moving forward.
Niels Wittich and Eduardo Freitas, the two race directors, will act alternately, supported by a permanent senior advisor in Herbie Blash.
With multiple officials now overseeing the 2022 title race, the FIA will hope for less scrutiny of any one individual. The focus on Masi alone at such a crucial stage last year was surely hugely unhelpful.
Michael Masi will no longer serve as race director in Formula One as the fallout from the 2021 finale in Abu Dhabi continues.
FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem announced on Thursday "an in-depth reform of the organisation of refereeing and race direction" in F1, which was unanimously supported by the teams.
This followed a "detailed analysis" of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, where Max Verstappen dramatically beat Lewis Hamilton to the drivers' championship last season.
Verstappen pipped Hamilton in the final lap of the final race, denying his rival a record-breaking eighth title.
However, the Red Bull superstar was only able to stage that late recovery after Masi let the cars between the pair – running first and second but separated by a series of lapped rivals – pass a safety car and allow one lap of racing.
Verstappen, on fresher tyres, prevailed, prompting a protest from Hamilton and Mercedes.
Although that bid failed, there has remained a great deal of discussion around Masi's decision-making, leading to Ben Sulayem unveiling his "new step forward in Formula One refereeing".
The most significant change made by the FIA chief is Masi's removal as race director, to be replaced by two men in Niels Wittich and Eduardo Freitas.
Starting from pre-season testing in Barcelona, the new pair will alternate as race director, assisted by permanent senior advisor Herbie Blash.
However, Masi is not necessarily out entirely, as Ben Sulayem added: "Michael Masi, who accomplished a very challenging job for three years as Formula One race director following Charlie Whiting, will be offered a new position within the FIA."
Other changes include a reassessment of the unlapping procedures that caused such controversy.
"Without the referees, there is no sport," Ben Sulayem said. "Respect and support of the referees is in the essence of the FIA.
"That is why these structural changes are crucial in a context of strong development and the legitimate expectations of drivers, teams, manufacturers, organisers, and of course, the fans.
"I warmly thank all those who contributed to this reform.
"These changes will enable us to start the 2022 Formula One season in the best conditions, and our sport will be even more loved and respected."
LeBron James says it was "sickening" to see Anthony Davis suffer an ankle injury during the Los Angeles Lakers' win over the Utah Jazz but hopes his team-mate can make a swift return.
Davis reportedly faces two weeks on the sidelines after sustaining a suspected sprained ankle in the Lakers' 106-101 victory on Wednesday.
The forward left the Crypto.com Arena on crutches and will undergo an MRI scan on Thursday heading into the All-Star break.
James, who scored a team-high 33 points, said: "Obviously it's sickening to see AD go down in that fashion
"I hope he's fine. Obviously, I mean, I know he's not great, but obviously his health is most important for him individually, for our ballclub.
"I've seen [injuries] too many times, obviously. So I just wish him the best."
Davis had 17 points on 7-for-9 shooting before his participation was cut short.
In the absence of Davis, who had only recently returned after missing 17 games with a sprained knee, the Lakers stepped up to snap a three-game losing run.
They trailed by 12 points midway through the fourth quarter, but went on a 19-4 run with James inspiring the comeback.
The Lakers superstar scored 15 points in the final quarter and has now scored 25 points or more in a career-best 23 straight games.
Frank Vogel's side are now 27-31 for the season but are still down in ninth in the Western Conference, while the 36-22 Jazz are in fourth after suffering a first loss in seven outings.
DeMar DeRozan vowed to remain grounded after breaking a 60-year NBA record held by Wilt Chamberlain in the Chicago Bulls' win against the Sacramento Kings.
The five-time All-Star scored a game-high 38 points in Wednesday's 125-118 victory at United Center as the Bulls won for a fifth game running to go 38-21 for the season.
In doing so, DeRozan became the first player to score 35 points or more and shoot 50 per cent or better in seven straight games.
That is a record previously held by legendary figure Chamberlain, who achieved the feat on separate occasions in 1960-61 and in 1962-63.
After writing his name in the NBA record books, DeRozan struggled to sum up his feelings.
"I can't. I'll be honest with you, I can't. I can't describe it," he said. "It's one of those things where I'm completely locked in as soon as I come to work."
DeRozan's run of at least 30 points in eight straight games is also the longest streak by a Bulls player since Michael Jordan in 1996.
"As a kid, as a fan of the history of the game, being in the league as long as I've been in this league – things like that continue to make me even more humble," he said.
"Being an NBA player and being able to have the privilege to be able to play this long and have these opportunities, it's something I never take for granted.
"And the crazy thing is I felt like I missed eight easy shots [against Sacramento] I normally would have made."
DeRozan is level with the Philadelphia 76ers' Joel Embiid for the longest streak of 30 or more points by a player this season.
He leads the Bulls this season with 1,547 points at an average of 28.1 through 55 games, which is the fourth-best tally of any player in NBA behind LeBron James (29.1), Embiid (29.3) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (29.4).
The Bulls are now guaranteed at least a share of first place in the Eastern Conference heading into the All-Star break, with the Miami Heat able to draw level when they face the Charlotte Hornets on Thursday.
While DeRozan has played a vital role in what has been an impressive campaign to date, head coach Billy Donovan has been pleased with the input from every player.
"I'm just really appreciative of this group of guys from top to bottom," Donovan said.
"The way they come to work every day, how professional they are, how they try to keep themselves ready, how it's all about the team, all about winning and what each individual can do to impact and help in winning."
Diego Schwartzman felt he played "an almost perfect match" to overcome Pedro Martinez in straight sets and reach the quarter-finals of the Rio Open.
The third seed advanced with a 6-1 6-1 victory, though that does not quite tell the whole story as the second game of the first set lasted a mammoth 24 minutes and 40 seconds.
Martinez saved eight break points in that lengthy game before finally being outdone by Schwartzman, who will now face another Spaniard in Pablo Andujar.
Incredibly, Martinez won 31 points in the first set but just one game.
"It was unbelievable," Schwartzman said. "This was probably the longest game in the history of the tournament
"I don't remember anything like this before. I played an almost perfect match, I played against an opponent that had as much confidence as me."
Andujar beat Albert Ramos-Vinolas 7-5 5-7 6-3, while fourth seed Pablo Carreno-Busta lost 5-7 6-4 6-3 to Fabio Fognini in the shock of the day.
Federico Coria awaits Fognini after following up his surprise win over defending champion Cristian Garin with a 7-6 (7-2) 4-6 6-4 victory against Fernando Verdasco.
At the Delray Beach Open, top seed Cameron Norrie beat Oscar Otte 6-3 7-5 and will face Sebastian Korda, who saw off Andreas Seppi 7-5 6-3, for a place in the semi-finals.
Tommy Paul and Stefan Kozlov are also through to the final eight in Florida after beating Denis Istomin and Steve Johnson respectively in straight sets.
The Los Angeles Lakers are awaiting news on the injury sustained by Anthony Davis in Wednesday's 106-101 victory over the Utah Jazz.
Davis had 17 points on 7-for-9 shooting when being forced to exit the game after turning his ankle and clutching his right leg in pain.
The 28-year-old was helped to the locker room by his team-mates and initial X-rays revealed no fracture, but he will be re-evaluated after the All-Star break.
In the absence of Davis, who had only recently returned after missing 17 games with a sprained knee, the Lakers stepped up to snap a three-game losing run.
Frank Vogel's side trailed the Jazz by 12 points midway through the fourth quarter, but they went on a 19-4 run – LeBron James scoring the last 10 of those points – to hit back.
James finished with a team-high 33 points, 15 of those coming in the final quarter, meaning he has now scored 25 points or more in a career-best 23 straight games.
The Lakers are now 27-31 for the season but are still down in ninth in the Western Conference, while the 36-22 Jazz are in fourth after suffering a first loss in seven outings.
Knicks blow 28-point lead against Nets
Rookie Cam Thomas impressed in the absence of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving to help the Brooklyn Nets match their biggest comeback in franchise history.
The Nets trailed the New York Knicks by 28 points before going on to win 111-106, with 16 of Thomas' 21 points arriving in the fourth quarter, including a 3-pointer to clinch the win with 7.7 seconds to go.
Julius Randle had seemingly put the Knicks in control with 31 points and 10 rebounds, but they were unable to hold on and suffered a third successive loss to stumble to 25-34 for the season.
DeRozan eclipses Chamberlain's streak
DeMar DeRozan scored 38 points in the Chicago Bulls' 125-118 victory over the Sacramento Kings to create some NBA history.
The five-time NBA All-Star became the first player to score 35 or more points and shoot 50 per cent or better in seven straight games, usurping Wilt Chamberlain's previous record of six.
Elsewhere on Wednesday, the Golden State Warriors lost 117-116 to the Denver Nuggets through Monte Morris' 3-pointer as the buzzer sounded.
Nikola Jokic had 35 points and 17 rebounds for the Nuggets, who have now won three in a row and five of their last six.
The NBA-leading Phoenix Suns beat the Houston Rockets 124-121 for a seventh successive win thanks to 24 points for Devin Booker and 23 for Deandre Ayton.
Rory McIlroy believes the identity of those rejecting the Super Golf League "has to tell you something", as both he and Jon Rahm remain committed to the PGA Tour.
A number of high-profile players are said to have been targeted by organisers of the lucrative Saudi-backed breakaway, including Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau and Phil Mickelson.
But the most prominent names to have discussed the league publicly – including McIlroy, Rahm and Collin Morikawa – have instead pledged their allegiance to the PGA Tour.
McIlroy referred to the rival series as the "not-so-Super League" on Wednesday, declaring himself "so sick" of the subject.
He added: "You look at the people who have already said no. You've got the top players in the world who are saying no, so that has to tell you something."
World number one Rahm also appears fed up with fielding questions on the Super Golf League but clarified his stance – speaking, like McIlroy, ahead of the Genesis Invitational.
"This is my official one and only time I'll talk about this, where I am officially declaring my fealty to the PGA Tour," Rahm said.
"I'm a PAC [Player Advisory Council] member, and I have a lot of belief in [PGA Tour commissioner] Jay Monahan and the product that they're going to give us in the future.
"There has been a lot of talk and speculation about the Saudi league. It's just not something I believe is the best for me and my future in golf, and I think the best legacy I can accomplish will be with the PGA Tour."
Jim Harbaugh has signed a new five-year contract with the University of Michigan after failing to secure a return to the NFL.
Harbaugh is now committed to Michigan through the 2026 season, despite interviewing with the Minnesota Vikings.
After leading the Wolverines to the 2021 Big Ten Championship, Harbaugh entered the running for the Vikings job.
However, the Vikings instead turned to Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Kevin O'Connell – whose appointment was confirmed on Wednesday – and Harbaugh headed back to Michigan.
The school for whom Harbaugh played quarterback in the 1980s remain delighted to have him, though.
And the coach said as new terms were announced on Wednesday: "My enthusiasm for tomorrow, the day after and every day following is as high as ever, and we are ready to get on the practice field and start preparations for the 2022 season."
Harbaugh's only head coaching job in the NFL to date was with the San Francisco 49ers between 2011 and 2014.
The 58-year-old had a 44-19-1 regular season record with the 49ers, reaching the NFC Championship Game in three of his four seasons and advancing in his second year to Super Bowl XLVII, where the team lost to the Baltimore Ravens.
Tiger Woods is growing frustrated that he still does not know when he will be able to competitively play golf again following his car crash.
The 15-time major champion was involved in a single-car accident a year ago that left him with open fractures to the tibia and fibula in his right leg.
Woods has not played competitively since and warned in December his return was a "long way off".
But the American superstar seemingly would have hoped to be able to provide a further update by now, as he revealed his irritation when speaking at the Genesis Invitational on Wednesday.
"I wish I could tell you when I'm playing again," he said. "I want to know, but I don't."
Woods revealed he still has difficulty walking, although he is "getting better" – just not as quickly as he would like.
"My golf activity has been very limited," he said. "I can chip and putt really well and hit short irons very well, but I haven't done any long stuff seriously.
"I'm still working. I'm still working on the walking part. My foot was a little messed up there about a year ago, so the walking part is something that I'm still working on, working on strength and development in that.
"It takes time. What's frustrating is it's not at my timetable. I want to be at a certain place, but I'm not. I've just got to continue working.
"I'm getting better, yes. But as I said, not at the speed and rate that I would like.
"You add in the age factor, too. You just don't quite heal as fast, which is frustrating."
Aaron Donald appeared to hint at a 2022 return during the Los Angeles Rams' Super Bowl LVI victory parade on Wednesday.
Ahead of Sunday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals at SoFi Stadium, it was suggested Donald could quit the NFL if he finally won a championship to go with his individual achievements.
And the three-time Defensive Player of the Year could scarcely have been more influential in a 23-20 Rams win.
Donald held up Joe Burrow and the Bengals on third and one and then fourth and one on their final drive, finishing with two sacks and three quarterback hits – tying the best marks of his playoff career.
The emotional defensive tackle refused to be drawn into comment on his future immediately after the game, instead saying he was "just going to live in the moment".
But Wednesday's parade provided a rather different setting, as head coach Sean McVay – whose 2022 status had also been the subject of speculation – chanted "run it back" before handing the microphone to Donald.
"We built a super team," Donald responded. "If we can bring the super team back, why not run it back? We could be world champs again!"
Lewis Hamilton appears to be back and ready to chase another Formula One title with Mercedes.
The contentious nature in which Hamilton was denied a record-breaking eighth drivers' championship in 2021 had prompted talk he would quit the sport.
Hamilton was pipped by Max Verstappen in the final seconds of the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix following a controversial decision from race director Michael Masi to let the cars between the pair – running first and second but separated by a series of lapped rivals – pass a late safety car and allow one lap of racing.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff warned it was "not possible" for Hamilton to get over the nature of that result, and little has been heard from the Briton since.
But the former McLaren man ended his social media silence earlier this month when he posted: "I've been gone. Now I'm back!"
And Mercedes' own Twitter posts have now revealed Hamilton is back with the team ahead of the launch of their W13 car.
After sharing a picture of Hamilton with the caption "Year 16", the Silver Arrows uploaded footage of new team-mate George Russell being fitted in his seat.
Hamilton appears in the video and greets Russell, and the team added: "Oh wait, Lewis is in this?" A picture of Hamilton with Russell followed.
Hamilton last year signed a contract that ties him to Mercedes through the 2023 season.
Andy Murray suffered one of the heaviest losses of his career in the second round of the Qatar Open, while Andrey Rublev escaped an early exit at the Open 13.
Former world number one Murray went down 6-0 6-1 to last year's runner-up Roberto Bautista Agut in Doha on Wednesday.
It was just the fourth occasion in which the three-time major champion has lost a match while winning only one game or fewer in his career – the last time being a defeat by the same scoreline to Roger Federer at the ATP Finals in 2014.
Murray's fellow Briton Dan Evans also endured a second-round loss, going down 4-6 7-5 6-4 to Alejandro Davidovich Fokina – Bautista Agut's next opponent.
Denis Shapovalov bounced back from his first-round loss to Jiri Lehecka in Rotterdam last week by dropping just eight points on serve as he claimed a 6-4 6-0 victory over Alex Molcan inside 52 minutes.
Next up for the Canadian will be Arthur Rinderknech after the Frenchman came from a set down to defeat seventh seed Alexander Bublik 6-7 (5-7) 6-1 6-4.
Nikoloz Basilashvili faced little trouble in overcoming Elias Ymer 6-4 7-5 and his reward is a quarter-final against Marton Fucsovics, who got the better of Kwon Soon-woo.
Karen Khachanov and Marin Cilic will meet in the last eight after they respectively eliminated Emil Ruusuvuori and Botic van de Zandschulp.
In Marseille, second seed Rublev was made to work hard for a place in the Open 13 quarter-finals by home hope Richard Gasquet.
Gasquet went a break up in the third set and, after surrendering his advantage, stopped Rublev serving out the match to force a tie-break.
However, the world number seven did not waste his next opportunity as he sealed a 4-6 6-4 7-6 (7-3) success.
Aslan Karatsev also booked his place in the last eight, while there were wins for Frenchmen Benjamin Bonzi and Lucas Pouille too.
Joe Burrow will not require surgery on the right knee injury he sustained in the Cincinnati Bengals' Super Bowl LVI defeat to the Los Angeles Rams.
Burrow endured a punishing second half behind the Bengals' below-par offensive line in Sunday's 23-20 defeat to the Rams at SoFi Stadium.
The Bengals quarterback finished with seven sacks, tying Roger Staubach's Super Bowl X record.
One hit saw Burrow hobble away, appearing to be in real pain with his knee.
Although Burrow later said the issue "feels good", head coach Zac Taylor – speaking on Wednesday as his Bengals contract was extended – recommended a period of rest for the former first overall pick.
It was an MCL sprain but not a new issue, Taylor revealed, with Burrow having merely aggravated an injury sustained against the Los Angeles Chargers in the regular season.
"Joe had the sprained MCL and that's really an aggravation of something he did in late December," Taylor said. "Rest is the best thing for him."
Burrow also injured his finger in December, with Taylor quizzed on the possibility of surgery for that ailment, too.
"Not to my understanding, no," the coach said.
Burrow was ruled out in Week 11 of the 2020 season, his rookie year, due to ACL and MCL tears in his left knee.
Defending champion Garbine Muguruza, 2021 finalist Barbora Krejcikova and top seed Aryna Sabalenka were all eliminated from the Dubai Tennis Championships on Wednesday.
A day of upsets left Ons Jabeur, the eighth seed, as the top remaining player in the draw.
Some big names helped deliver the shocks, though, with world number two Sabalenka usurped by two-time Wimbledon champion and 2013 Dubai winner Petra Kvitova in straight sets.
Muguruza did not look like being one of the scalps as her title defence continued against Veronika Kudermetova.
But after taking the first set, the reigning WTA Tour Finals champion went down 3-6 6-4 6-4.
French Open champion Krejcikova, beaten by Muguruza in the final last year, also exited the tournament at the hands of Dayana Yastremska 6-3 7-6 (7-3).
Iga Swiatek let a set lead slip to Jelena Ostapenko, while two-time Dubai champion Elina Svitolina collapsed to lucky loser Jil Teichmann 7-6 (7-0) 6-2.
Jabeur, a winner against Jessica Pegula, was the only seed to win in a ruthless round of 16.
However, her reward in a still stacked quarter-final draw is a meeting with Simona Halep, another who has twice won in Dubai.
The Minnesota Vikings have confirmed Kevin O'Connell as their new head coach.
An announcement was delayed due to O'Connell's involvement in the Los Angeles Rams' postseason as their offensive coordinator, which ended with them winning Super Bowl LVI on Sunday.
O'Connell joined the Rams in 2020 from Washington and helped lead Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp and Odell Beckham Jr. to the championship this year.
Under the 36-year-old's guidance, the Rams offense finished ninth in the league, averaging 372.1 yards per game in 2021, while ranking second in plays of 50-plus yards (10), fourth in yards per play (5.98) and eighth in offensive touchdowns (51).
O'Connell also played a role in helping Kupp – who was named MVP for the Super Bowl – have a standout season, leading the NFL in receptions (145), receiving yards (1,947) and receiving touchdowns (16).
Vikings co-owner and president Mark Wilf was effusive in his praise for O'Connell after his appointment was confirmed, saying: "We are ecstatic to add Kevin as our head coach. He is a strong leader, an innovative coach and an excellent communicator.
"Kevin played the game at all levels, which gives him a unique connection to players, and he is highly respected throughout the league. Vikings fans should be excited for the future of this team under Kevin's direction."
Wilf's co-owner and brother Zygi, who is also the chairman, added: "Kevin is an impressive and respected leader who has been a part of some explosive offensive schemes. He has a tremendous football IQ and is passionate about preparing, developing and communicating with his players.
"Beyond the Xs and Os, everyone we spoke with throughout this search process spoke highly of Kevin's ability to motivate players, coaches and staff."
The Vikings also recently appointed a new general manager in Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, whose first job was hiring a new head coach, and he also gave his thoughts on O'Connell and why he was chosen.
"As I spent time with Kevin during the interview process, it became immediately clear he will be a great partner in building this football team for long-term success," Adofo-Mensah said.
"He understands what is critical to leading a team that wins at the highest level, and he has an ability to simplify the complex, which will help us in problem-solving in all football areas. He is a genuinely positive person who will help create a high-energy internal environment."
The United States' Nick Goepper won his third successive Winter Olympics medal in the men's freeski slopestyle and became the oldest medallist in event in the process.
Goepper, who won bronze in 2014 and silver in 2018, is only the third freestyle skier to win three Olympic medals in the same event.
Aged at 27 years and 339 days, Goepper posted a best score of 86.48 to finish behind compatriot Alex Hall (90.10) as the USA continued its dominance in the sport.
The USA have won six medals in this event in the three times its has appeared at the Games, while the 31 medals won in freestyle skiing is four more than next-best Canada.
Jesper Tjader took bronze off his first run of 85.38 – Sweden's first medal in this event, and their third in men's freestyle skiing overall at Beijing 2022.
"It means a lot. My goal with the Olympics is to land my best run ever, and today I finally landed it. I couldn't be more stoked," Tjader said.
Stats Perform looks at some more of the standout numbers following the conclusion of Wednesday's action in Beijing.
2 - Erik Valnes and Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo led Norway to the team sprint gold medal, the latter becoming the first cross-country skier – male or female – to win two Olympic hold medals in the team sprint.
1 - The Russian Olympic Committee placed second to Sweden in the women's 4x6km relay, meaning they are the first nation to win an Olympic medal in all three biathlon relay events at a single Winter Games following their success in the mixed relay and men's relay.
3 - After helping Sweden to finish second in the cross-country team sprint, Jonna Sundling completed a full set of medals at Beijing 2022 as she added to the gold won in the individual sprint and bronze in the relay.
8 - France came out on top in the men's Alpine skiing slalom for the first time since 2006 thanks to Clement Noel. It is the eighth medal France have won in the event, matching Italy in second but still some way behind Austria (18).
3 - Korean athlete Choi Minjeong successfully defended her gold medal in the women’s 1500m in short-track speed-skating, which was her third medal in Beijing following silver medals in the 1000m and 3000m relay.
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