World Sports News in Brief

Nadal rides out Kyrgios challenge to reach quarter-finals

World number one Rafa Nadal lost his first set of the tournament but rode out a spirited challenge from Nick Kyrgios to move into the quarter-finals of the Australian Open for the 12th time with a 6-3 3-6 7-6 (6) 7-6(4) victory on Monday.

Tennis - Australian Open - Fourth Round - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 27, 2020. Spain's Rafael Nadal celebrates after his match against Australia's Nick Kyrgios. (Reuters)
Tennis - Australian Open - Fourth Round - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 27, 2020. Spain's Rafael Nadal celebrates after his match against Australia's Nick Kyrgios. (Reuters)

* Seventh seed Alexander Zverev of Germany strolled past Andrey Rublev 6-4 6-4 6-4 on Monday to end the Russian's 15-match winning streak and book his maiden quarter-final spot in the Australian Open.

* Former champion Stan Wawrinka battled past Russian fourth seed Daniil Medvedev in five sets to reach the Australian Open quarter-finals with a 6-2 2-6 4-6 7-6(2) 6-2 victory on Monday (Jan 27).

* Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova stayed brave in the face of a spirited fightback from former champion Angelique Kerber to move into the quarter-finals of the Australian Open with a 6-7(5) 7-6(4) 6-2 win on Monday.

* Anett Kontaveit became the first Estonian woman to reach the Australian Open quarterfinals after fending off unseeded 18-year-old Iga Swiatek 6-7 (4/7), 7-5, 7-5 on Monday (January 27).

* Arsenal teenager Bukayo Saka scored one goal and set up another as the Londoners sealed a place in the FA Cup fifth round with a 2-1 win over Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium on Monday.

* An outpouring of grief over the death of Kobe Bryant continued on Monday (Jan 27) as thousands of fans gathered by murals of the NBA legend's face and brought tributes of basketballs, sneakers and candles to the arena where he made his name.

* Coaches have welcomed the WTA Tour's decision to allow them to help players from the stands this season after the issue became a hot-button topic in the wake of the 2018 US Open final when Serena Williams was controversially penalised.

* The VAR system had an unhappy debut in the Colombian championship (Dimayor) when it took around 10 minutes to make a key decision in the match between Millonarios and Deportivo Pasto on the opening weekend of the season.

* Premier League leaders Liverpool will face Chelsea in the FA Cup fifth round if Jurgen Klopp's understudies win their replay against Shrewsbury. Third-tier Shrewsbury fought back to draw 2-2 with Liverpool on Sunday, earning a replay at Anfield that falls during the Premier League winter break.

Reuters, CNA