Sports

England won the toss and opted to bowl in the second test against India at Edgbaston on Wednesday, with the tourists making three changes and resting pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah as they manage his back for the series.

Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso said Kylian Mbappe was edging closer to full fitness ahead of the Club World Cup quarter-finals after his side eliminated Juventus 1-0 in the last 16 on Tuesday.

Seven-time Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic was made to work hard after a strong start as he began his bid for a 25th Grand Slam title by beating unseeded Frenchman Alexandre Muller 6-1 6-7(7) 6-2 6-2 to reach the second round on Tuesday.

Alexander Zverev cut a forlorn figure after he became the highest men's seed to fall in a brutal first round for top players at Wimbledon as the German lost a five-set marathon to France's Arthur Rinderknech.

World number one Jannik Sinner eased effortlessly into the second round at Wimbledon, as neither the stifling heat nor fellow Italian Luca Nardi could knock him out of his comfort zone in a 6-4 6-3 6-0 victory on Tuesday.

All-rounder Corbin Bosch took a first five-wicket haul in test cricket to go with his maiden century as a much-changed South Africa defeated hosts Zimbabwe by 328 runs on day four of the first test in Bulawayo on Tuesday.

Marcos Leonardo scored his second goal of the match in the 112th minute to give Al Hilal a 4-3 upset victory over Manchester City on Monday night in Orlando, sending the Saudi Arabian side into the quarterfinals of the Club World Cup.

Four-times Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka overcame some first-round jitters to survive a scrap with Australian qualifier Talia Gibson and advance at Wimbledon with a battling 6-4 7-6(4) first-round win on Monday.

Daniil Medvedev found the roasting conditions and a French opponent who had not won a match on grass for three years too hot to handle on Monday as the ninth seed suffered a 7-6(2) 3-6 7-6(3) 6-2 loss to Benjamin Bonzi in the Wimbledon first round.

Top seed Aryna Sabalenka overcame Canadian qualifier Carson Branstine on a sweltering Court One to get her quest for a first Wimbledon title up and running with a 6-1 7-5 win on Monday.

Harry Kane scored twice as Bayern Munich tamed Flamengo 4-2 in a tense affair at the Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday to set up a much-anticipated all-European quarter-final against Paris St Germain at the Club World Cup.

Defending Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova will step into the All England Club this week carrying both the weight of expectation and a lingering injury concern, yet the Czech appears utterly unfazed by either.

Lando Norris won the Austrian Grand Prix from pole position in a McLaren one-two on Sunday after fending off championship-leading team mate Oscar Piastri in an early wheel-to-wheel duel and then withstanding intense pressure to the end.

His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, has announced the ‘World Sports Summit’ will take place in Dubai from December 29-30.

The Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring will stay on the calendar through 2041 after announcing on Sunday a contract extension that equals Miami as the longest in Formula One.

Chelsea scored three times in the second period of extra-time to hand 10-man Benfica a 4-1 defeat in Charlotte in their weather-affected last 16 Club World Cup clash on Saturday as the English side set up a quarter-final meeting with Brazil's Palmeiras.

Substitute Paulinho scored his second goal of the FIFA Club World Cup 10 minutes into extra time to lift Brazil's Palmeiras to a 1-0 victory over domestic rivals Botafogo in Saturday's second-round clash at Philadelphia.

Australia ruthlessly completed a 159-run victory over West Indies in the first test on Friday as Nathan Lyon swept up the tail after Josh Hazlewood's five-wicket masterclass broke the hosts' resistance on a pitch that deteriorated into a bowler's paradise.

Alexandra Eala became the first Filipino to reach a WTA Tour final as she beat fellow qualifier Varvara Gracheva 7-5 2-6 6-3 at the Eastbourne Open on Friday, while lucky loser Jenson Brooksby will meet holder Taylor Fritz in the men's final.

World number one Aryna Sabalenka's quest for her first Wimbledon title will begin against Canadian qualifier Carson Branstine while second seed Coco Gauff's opener will be versus Ukraine's Dayana Yastremska.

Al-Hilal beat Mexico's Pachuca 2-0 to reach the knockout stage of the Club World Cup on Thursday, the big-spending Saudi club's first win of the tournament enough to send them through as Group H runners-up behind Real Madrid.

Lionel Messi, arguably the most recognisable player in the Club World Cup, is steering viewership to his underdog team.

The Spanish team secured a 3-0 victory over Austrian Red Bull Salzburg on Thursday to seal top spot in Group H and advance to the Club World Cup round of 16.

Al-Hilal beat Mexico's Pachuca 2-0 to reach the knockout stage of the Club World Cup on Thursday, the Saudi club's first win of the tournament enough to send them through as Group H runners-up behind Real Madrid.

Cristiano Ronaldo has signed a two-year contract extension with Al Nassr, the Saudi Pro League side said on Thursday, which will keep the Portugal forward at the club past his 42nd birthday.

Inter Milan coach Cristian Chivu has praised the adaptability and commitment of his team after they beat River Plate 2-0 in an intense group match to reach the last 16 of the Club World Cup.

Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson has said any reports of his impending departure from the club in the close season are fake news as he enters the final year of his contract.

Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova saved match points for the second successive day against a British opponent to reach the quarter-finals of the Eastbourne WTA 250 event on Wednesday.

Goals from Tosin Adarabioyo, Liam Delap and Tyrique George saw Chelsea’s second-string side secure a place in the round of 16 at the Club World Cup with a 3-0 victory over Esperance de Tunis in their final Group D match on Tuesday.

England registered a sensational five-wicket win in the first test against India after a thrilling day five on Tuesday, with the hosts reaching a target of 371 - the 10th highest successful run chase in test history.

Wimbledon will soon feature a permanent tribute to one of Britain's sporting greats, as the All England Club announced plans to honour Andy Murray with a statue at the iconic tennis venue.

Al Ahly and Porto shared a 4-4 in their final game at the Club World Cup on Monday but both will head home after Inter Miami and Palmeiras drew to progress to the round of 16 from Group A.

Atletico Madrid will have to pack their bags and head home earlier than expected from the Club World Cup, after being knocked out in the group stage following a heavy 4-0 defeat against Paris Saint-Germain.

Another India lower-order collapse gave England a fighting chance of a thrilling victory in the first test at Headingley on Monday, with the hosts 21-0 in their second innings at the close of play on day four, chasing 371 to win.

Briton Emma Raducanu said she felt reassured about her safety after Wimbledon prevented a man who had been stalking her from buying tickets for the Grand Slam.

Ilkay Gundogan scored two goals as Manchester City comfortably dispatched Emirati club Al-Ain 6-0 on Sunday to ease into the knockout stage of the Club World Cup from Group G along with Juventus.

India finished day three on 90-2 to lead England by 96 runs at stumps in the opening test at Headingley on Sunday after England were dismissed for 465 in the first innings on the back of Ollie Pope's century and Harry Brook's knock of 99.

Top seed Carlos Alcaraz edged powerful Czech Jiri Lehecka 7-5 6-7(5) 6-2 to claim his second Queen's Club title and send out a powerful statement ahead of his Wimbledon defence on Sunday.

Dubai Basketball Club has been selected to compete in the prestigious EuroLeague for the first time, after the organisers announced its expansion from 18 to 20 teams in late May. 

India dismissed England's overnight centurion Ollie Pope early on the third day of their opening test at Headingley on Sunday but Harry Brook helped the hosts to reach 327-5 in their first innings and they trailed by 144 runs at lunch.

Jobe Bellingham said his first goal for Borussia Dortmund was a surreal experience as the new signing from Sunderland made an immediate impact at the Club World Cup on Saturday.

The UAE has defeated South Korea 38-36 in the second round of the Asian qualifiers for the 2027 Rugby World Cup.

Bruno Henrique, Danilo and Wallace Yan scored as Flamengo rallied for a 3-1 victory over Chelsea in the FIFA Club World Cup's Group D play on Friday at Philadelphia.

Centuries from opener Yashasvi Jaiswal and captain Shubman Gill, his first as skipper, fired India to a commanding position in their series opener against England, closing day one of the first test on an imposing 359-3 on Friday.

Al Ain will host the 6th IMMAF Youth World Championships in July, marking the first time the event is held in the Al Ain Region.

Lionel Messi connected on a free kick in the 54th minute to propel Inter Miami to a 2-1 victory over FC Porto in a Group A match of the FIFA Club World Cup on Thursday afternoon.

After denying that TPC River Highlands is too easy, Scottie Scheffler was on pace for a round of 59 there Thursday in the opening round of the Travelers Championship in Cromwell, Conn.

Brazil's Palmeiras scored twice in the space of 10 second-half minutes to beat Al Ahly of Egypt 2-0 in their Group A Club World Cup clash at MetLife Stadium on Thursday.

Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe has been discharged from the hospital after suffering from gastroenteritis during the Club World Cup, the Spanish club said on Thursday.

JJ Spaun's news conference Wednesday ahead of the Travelers Championship might have been the longest he has sat still since winning the US Open on Sunday.

Phil Foden's second-minute strike sparked Manchester City's 2-0 victory over Morocco's Wydad AC in the Club World Cup opener for both teams on Wednesday in Philadelphia.

India's new Test captain Shubman Gill will drop down one spot in the order to take Virat Kohli's old position at number four, vice skipper Rishabh Pant said on Wednesday ahead of their series opener against England.

Briton Jack Draper once viewed himself as a Ferrari with reliability issues but the world number six said on Wednesday his hard work away from the court has given him the engine to cope with the physical demands of the Grand Slams.

Randal Kolo Muani and Francisco Conceicao both scored twice as the young guns of Juventus made a statement in their Club World Cup opener with a dominant 5-0 win over Emirati club Al-Ain on Wednesday.

Fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah said he told India's cricket board (BCCI) that he did not want to be considered for the test captaincy as his workload has to be carefully managed due to his back problems.

UEFA Champions League finalists Inter Milan were held 1-1 by Mexican side Monterrey in their opening Group E game at the Club World Cup in Pasadena on Tuesday.

Nine of the world's top-10 men and nine of the top-10 women have officially entered into the US Open's revamped mixed doubles event, with former singles champions Carlos Alcaraz and Emma Raducanu teaming up.

Shubman Gill's style of captaincy blends the fire of Virat Kohli with the ice-cool composure of Rohit Sharma but India's new test skipper will carve out his own identity as he leads them in the upcoming test series in England, Jos Buttler said on Tuesday.

Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernandez each scored goals to propel Chelsea to a 2-0 victory over Los Angeles FC in the Group D opener for each team in the Club World Cup on Monday afternoon.

The Netherlands beat Nepal but needed a record-breaking three Super Overs to clinch victory in their Twenty20 tri-series match in Glasgow on Monday, the first time a triple Super Over has been seen in T20 or limited-overs cricket.

Giorgian de Arrascaeta and Luiz Araujo scored and Jorginho had an assist in his Flamengo debut in a 2-0 win over Esperance Sportive de Tunis in their Group D opener of the Club World Cup at Philadelphia on Monday.

JJ Spaun drained a 64-foot birdie putt that snaked across a sodden 18th green to win the US Open by two shots from Robert MacIntyre on Sunday as the Californian claimed his first major after a chaotic final round at Oakmont Country Club.

Fabian Ruiz and Vitinha scored first-half goals and Paris Saint-Germain opened Club World Cup Group B play with a 4-0 victory over Atletico Madrid on Sunday afternoon at Pasadena, Calif.

George Russell celebrated Mercedes' first win of the Formula One season in Canada on Sunday while McLaren's Oscar Piastri went 22 points clear in the championship after teammate Lando Norris smashed into him and retired.

German qualifier Tatjana Maria capped an incredible week in London as she defeated American eighth seed Amanda Anisimova 6-3 6-4 on Sunday to become the first woman to win a title at Queen's Club in over half a century.

Lionel Messi drew vast crowds and showed flashes of his brilliance when his Inter Miami side were held to a goalless draw by African giants Al-Ahly as the revamped Club World Cup got off to a festive start on Saturday.

Sam Burns moved closer to a major breakthrough as he held a one-shot lead over Australian Adam Scott, who turned back the clock to enter the mix, and JJ Spaun after the third round of the US Open on Saturday at Oakmont Country Club.

George Russell put Mercedes on pole position in Canada for the second year in a row on Saturday with Formula One champion Max Verstappen alongside for Red Bull two weeks after they clashed in Spain.

South Africa’s batting hero Aiden Markram has taken longer than expected to deliver on his promise, but a match-winning century against Australia in the World Test Championship final is being hailed as the biggest in the country’s cricketing history.

Slovenian world champion Tadej Pogačar led UAE Team Emirates-XRG to an impressive victory in Stage Six of the Critérium du Dauphiné, a major multi-day cycling race in France.

The Japanese team Utsunomiya Brex captured the Basketball Champions League Asia (BCL Asia) 2025 title with a 94–93 victory over Lebanon’s Al Riyadi in the final match held at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai.

Sam Burns earned the halfway lead at the US Open on Friday to boost his hopes of a breakthrough at Oakmont Country Club, where Rory McIlroy battled late to make the weekend and holder Bryson DeChambeau missed the cut.

Aiden Markram scored an unbeaten century as South Africa edged tantalisingly close to an unlikely success in the World Test Championship final, needing 69 runs to dethrone Australia after reaching 213-2 at stumps on the third day at Lord’s on Friday.

Saudi Arabia and Qatar have been awarded the hosting rights for the fourth round of Asia's 2026 World Cup preliminaries in October, the Asian Football Confederation said on Friday.

South Africa insist they are confident of chasing down a tough target to win the World Test Championship at Lord’s even if the contest against Australia has been dominated by the bowlers.

Belgian playmaker Kevin De Bruyne has joined Serie A champions Napoli as a free agent on Thursday, following the end of his glittering 10-year spell at Manchester City.

South Africa were reeling on 43-4 at stumps on the first day of the World Test Championship final at Lord’s on Wednesday after dismissing defending champions Australia for 212.

India's bowling attack will need regular contributions from all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy on the tour of England with Mohammed Shami absent due to fitness concerns and Jasprit Bumrah's workload to be managed, bowling coach Morne Morkel said.

Manchester City confirmed the signing of midfielder Tijjani Reijnders from AC Milan on a five-year contract on Wednesday and said the Netherlands international will be available for this month's Club World Cup.

Abu Dhabi has created sporting history by attracting the sailing regatta Cowes Week to its shores in January 2023, consolidating its position as the Middle East's sports capital.

Dutch football legend Ruud Gullit has outlined exactly why football is failing to properly address racism within the game in an exclusive interview with Off Script on Dubai Eye 103.8.