Tennis

Badosa slams quarantine conditions before Australian Open

MADRID (Reuters) - Spanish tennis player Paula Badosa has described her extended period of quarantine ahead of the Australia Open following a positive novel coronavirus test as the worst moment of her career, adding she felt abandoned by organisers.

Rugby

Worcester sign former England winger Ashton

(Reuters) - Worcester Warriors have signed Harlequins' former England winger Chris Ashton, one of the Premiership's most-prolific try-scorers, on a deal until the end of 2021-22 season, the club said on Monday.

Football

Allardyce is a football genius, says Man City's Guardiola

(Reuters) - Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has described his West Bromwich Albion counterpart Sam Allardyce as a "genius" for his ability to guide struggling Premier League clubs away from relegation danger.

Football

Factbox: Soccer-Former Chelsea manager Frank Lampard

LONDON (Reuters) - Factbox on Frank Lampard, who was sacked as Chelsea manager on Monday.

Football

Scolari leaves Cruzeiro after brief second spell

(Reuters) - Former Brazil and Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari has left Cruzeiro by mutual consent after a brief three months in charge during which he saved the Serie B club from the threat of a second consecutive relegation.

Rugby

Launchbury and Marler withdraw from England's Six Nations squad

(Reuters) - England have been forced to withdraw second row Joe Launchbury and prop Joe Marler from their Six Nations squad ahead of next month's opening match against Scotland, the Rugby Football Union said on Monday.

Tennis

Djokovic, Nadal to begin 2021 campaigns on February 2

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Top-ranked Novak Djokovic and Rafa Nadal will start their 2021 seasons on Feb. 2 when they lead Serbia and Spain respectively in the team-based ATP Cup ahead of the Australian Open.

Cricket

Sri Lanka must learn to bat like Joe Root, says skipper after loss to England

GALLE, Sri Lanka (Reuters) - Sri Lanka must learn to bat like Joe Root if they are to return to winning ways on home soil, captain Dinesh Chandimal said on Monday after losing the second test to England.

Football

New Chelsea era under Lampard was just an illusion

LONDON (Reuters) - When club great Frank Lampard returned to Stamford Bridge to replace the unpopular Maurizio Sarri in the summer of 2019 it felt like the perfect fit for a club seemingly moving in a refreshingly new direction.

Football

While Barca forwards flounder, Suarez keeps scoring for Atletico

(Reuters) - Barcelona said Luis Suarez had reached the end of his cycle when they let him join Atletico Madrid last summer, yet the Uruguayan continues to show he has plenty to offer while the Catalans' forwards, aside from Lionel Messi, struggle for goals.

Cricket

England test success in Sri Lanka a boost for India next: Root

GALLE, Sri Lanka (Reuters) - England's performances in sweeping the test series in Sri Lanka gives the team a major lift for their four test series in India, said victorious captain Joe Root after Monday’s second test win.

Rugby

Welsh union receives £13.5m COVID-19 rescue package

(Reuters) - Welsh rugby has secured a 13.5 million pounds ($18.48 million) funding package from the government that will help soften the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Welsh Rugby Union's (WRU) chief executive Steve Phillips has said.

Motorsport

Mercedes F1 boss Wolff out of quarantine after COVID-19 positive

LONDON (Reuters) - Mercedes Formula One team boss and co-owner Toto Wolff has revealed he tested positive for COVID-19 and had to isolate in Austria this month but is now out of quarantine.

Football

Serie A title race closest in 10 years at halfway stage

ROME (Reuters) - A weekend of upsets has made it harder than ever to predict the winners of this season’s Serie A title, with little separating Italy’s top seven sides halfway through the season.

Football

Reaction to Chelsea's sacking of manager Frank Lampard

LONDON (Reuters) - Reaction to the sacking of Chelsea manager Frank Lampard on Monday:

Cricket

Poor past vs South Africa does not concern Pakistan captain Babar

(Reuters) - Pakistan captain Babar Azam is aware that his side have a poor a record against South Africa in tests but he is confident that the past will count for nothing when the two teams meet in the opening test in Karachi from Tuesday.

Football

Chelsea sack manager Lampard after New Year slump

(Reuters) - Chelsea dismissed manager Frank Lampard after 18 months in charge on Monday after the man at the heart of much of their greatest success as a player failed to deliver as coach despite spending over 200 million pounds in the summer transfer window.

Rugby

Prop Furlong named in Ireland Six Nations squad, Stockdale misses out

DUBLIN (Reuters) - Ireland included Tadhg Furlong in their squad for this year's Six Nations, with coach Andy Farrell saying on Monday that the British and Irish Lions prop was ready to join the group despite last playing almost a year ago.

Football

Chelsea set to sack manager Lampard - reports

(Reuters) - Chelsea are on the verge of sacking manager Frank Lampard after a run of five defeats in eight league games left the London side ninth in the Premier League standings, British media reported on Monday.

Cricket

England to begin home summer with test series against New Zealand

(Reuters) - England will host New Zealand in a two-test series in June to kickstart their home summer, the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said on Monday.