Football

Soccer-FIFA boss Infantino condemns Senegal players and staff's behaviour in Africa Cup of Nations final

PARIS, Jan 19 (Reuters) - FIFA ‌president Gianni Infantino condemned the behaviour of Senegal players and ‌members of the coaching staff after a chaotic end to ‌the Africa Cup of Nations final, saying violence and walk-offs had no place in football.

Tennis

Tennis-Players hit by cramp as heat and heartbreak strike at Australian Open

MELBOURNE, Jan 19 (Reuters) - Players struggled with cramp and ‌injuries on the second day of the Australian Open on Monday, headlined by the retirement of seventh seed Felix Auger-Aliassime ‌while his compatriot Marina Stakusic needed a wheelchair to leave the court.

Badminton

Indonesian Harry Hartono could be on BAM's shortlist of new coaches

PETALING JAYA: The Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) could be bringing in another coach from Indonesia as part of their ongoing coaching restructuring.

Badminton

Zii Jia has familiar but tricky foe Prannoy to clear in first hurdle in Indonesia

 PETALING JAYA: A tricky path once again awaits former Asian champion Lee Zii Jia as he faces world No. 38 HS Prannoy in the Indonesian Masters, which gets underway Tuesday (Jan 20) at the Istora Senayan in Jakarta.

Badminton

Axelsen shares inspiring tale of how he reached pinnacle

PETALING JAYA: Difficult moments often come before a breakthrough, and once it arrives, success begins to gather momentum.

Football

Soccer-Senegal fans dance in the streets after Africa Cup of Nations win

DAKAR, Jan 19 (Reuters) - Overjoyed ‌Senegalese football fans set off fireworks and danced in the streets of Dakar ‌into the pre-dawn hours on Monday after their national team secured their second Africa ‌Cup of Nations title in the last three editions.

Football

Soccer-Mane leaves Cup of Nations stage at the top

RABAT, Jan 19 (Reuters) - Senegal ‌talisman Sadio Mane emerged with more than just the Player of the Tournament award ‌after Sunday's Africa Cup of Nations final, earning widespread respect for persuading his aggrieved ‌side to complete the match against Morocco.

Cricket

Cricket-Australia rest Cummins and Hazlewood from Pakistan T20 series

MELBOURNE, Jan 19 (Reuters) - Australia's Pat ‌Cummins will be kept on ice until a few games ‌into the Twenty20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka as ‌selectors take a cautious approach with the pace veteran's recovery from a lower back injury.

Tennis

Tennis-Djokovic leads old guard through in Melbourne, Swiatek and Gauff progress

MELBOURNE, Jan 19 (Reuters) - Novak Djokovic safely ‌negotiated the first hurdle in his quest for a 25th Grand Slam title at the Australian Open on Monday as women's title challengers Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff ‌also eased into the second round on day two of the championships.

Tennis

Tennis-Cilic thrashes Altmaier for fast Melbourne start, Wawrinka advances

MELBOURNE, Jan ‌19 (Reuters) - Former Australian Open finalist Marin Cilic turned back ‌the clock with a ruthless display to beat Germany's ‌Daniel Altmaier 6-0 6-0 7-6(3) in the first round at Melbourne Park on Monday.

Tennis

Tennis-Defending champions Sinner and Keys on court, Fritz tests knee

MELBOURNE, Jan 19 (Reuters) - The first round of the ‌Australian Open continues on Tuesday with Jannik Sinner getting his 'three-peat' bid underway against Hugo Gaston, while Madison Keys takes on Oleksandra ‌Oliynykova as she begins the defence of her first Grand Slam title.

Other Sports

Rallying-Ogier eyes potential 10th WRC title in another partial campaign

PARIS, Jan 19 (Reuters) - Less than two ‌months after clinching his record-equalling ninth World Rally Championship (WRC) title, Sebastien Ogier is set to embark on another partial ‌campaign, starting with the Monte Carlo Rally on Thursday, and aims to maintain his "exceptional level of performance".

Tennis

Tennis-Tennis Australia defends prize money amid player complaints

MELBOURNE, Jan 19 (Reuters) - Governing ‌body Tennis Australia (TA) has defended the amount of prize money on offer at ‌the Australian Open as twice Grand Slam champion Coco Gauff warned that players ‌would raise the pressure if their demands were not met.

Tennis

Tennis-Medvedev turns up the heat to beat De Jong at Australian Open

MELBOURNE, Jan 19 (Reuters) - Daniil Medvedev was ‌looking forward to plunging into an ice bath on Monday after the former world number one ‌overcame the Melbourne heat and serving issues to beat Jesper de Jong 7-5 6-2 ‌7-6(2) in the first round of the Australian Open.

Tennis

Tennis-Gauff crushes Rakhimova to reach Australian Open second round

MELBOURNE, Jan 19 (Reuters) - Coco Gauff ‌started her quest for a maiden ‌Australian Open title with a 6-2 6-3 win over Kamilla Rakhimova at Rod Laver ‍Arena to reach the ‍second round on ‌Monday.

Football

Soccer-Blow for Africa Cup of Nations after farcical final

RABAT, Jan 19 (Reuters) - African football would ‌have been hoping for a thrilling end to a slick and competitive Cup of Nations tournament but will wake ‌up on Monday with a major headache after the final between Senegal and hosts Morocco descended into farce.

Basketball

Basketball-Heckler interrupts US anthem at NBA London game with Greenland protest

Jan 18 (Reuters) - A spectator shouted "Leave ‌Greenland alone!" during the U.S. national anthem before an NBA ‌regular-season game in London on Sunday, drawing scattered applause from the ‌crowd as singer Vanessa Williams continued her performance.

Football

Soccer-Senegal coach Thiaw jeered by journalists, walks out of press conference

RABAT, Jan ‌18 (Reuters) - Senegal coach Pape Bouna Thiaw was roundly ‌jeered and then walked out of his scheduled ‌post-match press conference as the drama of Sunday's contentious Africa Cup of Nations final continued well after the final whistle.

Football

Soccer-Disappointment for Morocco fans after Africa Cup of Nations final defeat

RABAT, Jan 18 (Reuters) - Moroccan fans ‌were left crestfallen on Sunday after their team lost the Africa Cup of Nations final ‌1-0 to Senegal after extra time in a tense encounter at Rabat's Moulay Abdellah Stadium.

Football

Soccer-Senegal stormed off in heat of the moment but football won, says keeper Mendy

RABAT, Jan 18 (Reuters) - ‌Senegal's decision to storm off the pitch during the Africa Cup of ‌Nations final came in the heat of the moment but football won ‌in the end, goalkeeper Edouard Mendy told reporters after they beat Morocco 1-0 on Sunday.