World Sports News in Brief

Tennis: Tsitsipas eyes opening in Miami with Big Three out

Stefanos Tsitsipas is keeping expectations low heading into the Miami Open but said the absence of Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic at the tournament gives players like him a better chance for success.

Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas in action during his final match against Germany's Alexander Zverev. (Reuters)
Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas in action during his final match against Germany's Alexander Zverev. (Reuters)

The 22-year-old Greek, who is ranked fifth, reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open last month and the final of the Mexican Open on Saturday, in a solid start to what he hopes will be his breakthrough year.

* Manchester City will install over 5,000 rail seats at the Etihad Stadium, the Premier League club said, a move that will allow spectators to stand safely during matches next season. The seats, which are designed to lock into a folded position and give fans space to stand, would be installed over the summer in the lower tier of the South Stand, City said.

* Former champion Andy Murray has pulled out of the Miami Open due to a groin injury, the ATP Tour confirmed on Tuesday. Murray is ranked 119th in the world after long injury lay-offs due to hip surgery but the former world number one had received a wild card for the Masters 1000 tournament after winning the title in 2009 and 2013.

* Real Madrid's Champions League quarter-final first leg at home to Liverpool in April will not have to be moved abroad after the Spanish government said on Tuesday it would lift restrictions on flights from Britain at the end of this month.

* Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos has left the Germany camp due to an adductor injury, the team said on Tuesday, meaning he will miss his nation's three opening World Cup qualifiers against Iceland, Romania and North Macedonia.

* Former US Open champion Bianca Andreescu said she was trying to dispel any doubt about herself as she prepared to make another return from injury this week at the Miami Open. Andreescu, who suffered a torn meniscus in her left knee in October 2019, returned to action after a 15-month injury layoff at last month's Australian Open but her comeback ended abruptly when she fell to Taiwan's Hsieh Su-wei in the second round.

* World number three Simona Halep said she is more interested in silverware than her ranking and will focus on the Grand Slams and the Olympics as she looks to add to her trophy cabinet this year after a chaotic 2020 rattled by COVID-19.

* Bayer Leverkusen parted ways with coach Peter Bosz on Tuesday after a poor run of results left them sixth in the Bundesliga. His departure comes after Sunday's 3-0 defeat at Hertha Berlin, Leverkusen's fourth loss in their last five games in all competitions.

* Gareth Bale intends to return to Real Madrid for the final 12 months of his contract next season, he said on Tuesday. Bale has been at Tottenham Hotspur on loan this season, initially struggling with fitness but playing regularly in recent weeks, but said ahead of the start of World Cup qualification with Wales this week that he plans to head back to Spain next season.

* Cesare Prandelli has resigned as manager of Fiorentina after a disappointing second spell in charge, the Serie A club confirmed on Tuesday.

Reuters, CNA