World Sports News in Brief

Federer cruises past Ramos-Vinolas in Shanghai

Roger Federer eased past Albert Ramos-Vinolas 6-2 7-6(5) to reach the last-16 of the Shanghai Masters on Tuesday, avenging a defeat to the Spaniard in their last meeting at the same stage of the tournament in 2015.

Tennis - Shanghai Masters - Men's Singles - Shanghai, China - October 8, 2019 - Roger Federer of Switzerland in action against Spain's Albert Ramos-Vinolas. (Photo: Reuters)
Tennis - Shanghai Masters - Men's Singles - Shanghai, China - October 8, 2019 - Roger Federer of Switzerland in action against Spain's Albert Ramos-Vinolas. (Photo: Reuters)

Federer, a twice Shanghai champion, will next meet Belgium’s David Goffin or Kazakh Mikhail Kukushkin for a place in the quarter-finals. Meanwhile, former world number one Andy Murray showed some more positive signs in his injury comeback but eventually went down in a bruising battle with Italy’s Fabio Fognini.

* England have called up Sheffield United goalkeeper Dean Henderson for the first time following Tom Heaton's withdrawal through injury for the Euro 2020 qualifiers against the Czech Republic and Bulgaria, the FA said on Tuesday. The 22-year-old Henderson, on loan at Sheffield United from Manchester United, will link up with Gareth Southgate’s 24-man squad on Wednesday after Heaton returned to Aston Villa after suffering the injury in their win at Norwich City last weekend.

* France striker Kylian Mbappe has been ruled out of their Euro 2020 qualifiers against Iceland and Turkey through injury, the French football federation said on Tuesday. Paris St Germain's Mbappe, who has been struggling with a recurring thigh problem, has been replaced in the squad by Borussia Moenchengladbach forward Alassane Plea. France travel to Iceland in Group H on Friday before hosting Turkey at the Stade de France on Monday.

* Three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka and this year's U.S. Open runner-up Daniil Medvedev will both take part in the inaugural Diriyah Tennis Cup in Saudi Arabia in December. The three-day event starting on Dec.12, featuring a US$3 million prize pot, will take place on the outskirts of Riyadh.

* The Faroe Islands will step up its bid to become members of the Olympic family rather than compete under the flag of mother country Denmark, Prime Minister Bárður á Steig Nielsen has said. The archipelago located between Scotland and Iceland in the north Atlantic and self-governing since 1948 already competes as a soccer nation after being recognised by governing body FIFA, and has competed at the Paralympics since 1984.

* Germany's 2014 World Cup winner Bastian Schweinsteiger on Tuesday announced his retirement at the age of 35, following the end of the American MLS season. Schweinsteiger, who has played for Chicago Fire since 2017, is among the most decorated German footballers, having won many titles with Germany's Bayern Munich and the national team over a 17-year professional career.

* Former world number one Andy Murray will play at next year's Australian Open in what will be his first Grand Slam singles appearance since undergoing hip surgery, organisers confirmed on Tuesday. Murray, 32, who has finished runner-up at Melbourne Park five times, was knocked out in the first round at last year's Australian Open having said before it started that it could be his last tournament.

* Uruguay striker Cristhian Stuani has been ruled out of back-to-back friendlies against Peru for personal reasons, the Uruguayan Football Association said on Tuesday. The 32-year-old, who plays his club football for Spanish second division side Girona, joins Paris Saint-Germain forward Edinson Cavani and Barcelona striker Luis Suarez on the list of absentees for Celeste head coach Oscar Tabarez.

* Spanish Liga Santander strugglers, RCD Espanyol presented Pablo Machin as the replacement for coach David Gallego who was sacked in the wake of Sunday's 2-0 defeat in Mallorca which left the Barcelona -based outfit second from bottom of the table.

* Paraguay will play their final friendlies of the year against South American rivals Venezuela and Argentina next month as the teams prepare for the South American zone World Cup qualifiers.

* Chile will finalise their preparations for the 2022 World Cup qualifiers with friendlies against Bolivia and Peru. The Roja will meet Bolivia at a yet to be confirmed venue in Chile on November 15 before confronting Peru in Lima four days later.

* AC Milan sacked coach Marco Giampaolo after the team lost four of their first seven Serie A games of the season, the club said on Tuesday. Giampaolo was appointed in June and tasked with trying to end the club’s eight-year trophy drought and take them back to the Champions League after a six-season absence. Yet his tenure got off to a terrible start and he was ousted despite the club ending a three-match losing streak with victory over Genoa on Saturday.

Reuters, Xinhua