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MUMBAI: India cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar said on Thursday (Apr 8) that he has been released from hospital a week after he was admitted when he contracted COVID-19, but he will remain in isolation at home. Tendulkar, who turns 48 later this month, was previously quarantining at home after testing positive following mild symptoms. "I have just come home from the hospital and will remain isolated while continuing to rest and recuperate. I would like to thank everyone for all the good wishes

LONDON: Slavia Prague boosted their hopes of a first European semi-final since 1996 as Tomas Holes headed a stoppage-time equaliser in a 1-1 draw at Arsenal in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final on Thursday. It looked as though substitute Nicolas Pepe's 86th-minute effort had given the hosts a narrow advantage to take to the Czech Republic for next week's second leg. But defender Holes forced a header past Bernd Leno from a corner in the 93rd minute to deflate Arsenal

The Baylor Bears won their first men's NCAA basketball title with a 86-70 win over the previously undefeated Gonzaga Bulldogs in the championship game Monday night in Indianapolis. Baylor's win snaps Gonzaga's 35-game win streak, which was the longest active streak in the nation and dated back to last season. "We're really good defensively. I thought we made things tough tonight," Baylor coach Scott Drew said. "Gonzaga missed some shots that they probably normally make. But credit our guys for making everything difficult."

The French Open has been postponed by a week in the hope that more spectators will be permitted to attend. The Grand Slam tournament at Roland Garros will now run from 30 May to 13 June with qualifying the week before. France is in a third nationwide lockdown amid a surge in coronavirus cases, which president Emmanuel Macron previously said he expected to end in mid-May. The French Tennis Federation (FFT) said postponing was the "best solution". "I am delighted that the discussions

Toni Nadal, the uncle and former coach of 20-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal, has joined the coaching team of Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime. Nadal, widely known as 'Uncle Toni', coached his nephew from childhood and through his adult career until he stood down in 2017. He will now join the team of highly-rated Auger-Aliassime, 20, starting at next week's Monte Carlo Masters. "I never considered before to work for someone else," Nadal, 60, said. Nadal left his nephew's team after helping him to

The richest franchise tournament in world cricket is back on Friday as the Indian Premier League kicks off its 14th edition. Global cricketing superstars - including India icon Virat Kohli and England all-rounder Ben Stokes - will be on show in the Twenty20 tournament, with ball-by-ball radio commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live sports extra and online. The 2021 IPL returns to India after last year's competition took place in the United Arab Emirates because of Covid-19. This year, for at least the

AUGUSTA, Georgia: New dad Jon Rahm was the last of the 88 players in the Masters field to arrive at Augusta National, and he moved quickly to dispel a rumour that he had named his baby after Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga. Rahm's wife Kelley gave birth to a boy, Kepa, on Saturday morning, leaving the world number three to spend a few days helping out with parent duties before turning his attention to golf's first major of 2021. He arrived on-site at the

MUNICH - Paris St Germain forward Kylian Mbappe scored twice to steer the visitors to a 3-2 victory over holders Bayern Munich in a topsy-turvy Champions League quarter-final first leg on Wednesday. On a snowy evening in the Bavarian capital, Mbappe fired in his eighth goal of the competition in the 68th minute after Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting in the 37th and Thomas Mueller on the hour had cancelled out a two-goal PSG lead. It was Bayern’s first Champions League loss in more than two

SEVILLE, Spain - Chelsea coach Thomas Tuchel praised his side for overcoming the shock of last week’s 5-2 defeat to West Bromwich Albion as they beat Porto 2-0 in Wednesday’s Champions League quarter-final first leg. Chelsea conceded more than double the amount of goals against struggling West Brom as in their previous 14 games under Tuchel but looked like their usual selves against Porto, winning thanks to goals from Mason Mount and Ben Chilwell. “We had a lot of excellent results together, then

After thinking hard about hanging on another year to compete at the COVID-19 delayed Tokyo Olympics, four-time gold medallist gymnast Simone Biles said on Wednesday she just might stick around for another three years for the 2024 Paris Summer Games. Winner of the coveted all-around crown along with team, floor and vault gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics, Biles had given every indication that the Tokyo Games would be her competitive swan song. But the 24-year-old American hinted during her appearance at the

The NBA expects to have arenas packed full of fans when the 2021-22 season begins, with the chances of it happening increased by a deal with a COVID-19 screening company, ESPN reported. With vaccine distribution in full swing, the NBA will look toward the airport screening company Clear to provide COVID-19 screening technology at home venues around the league. Each team will be allowed to determine how the screening technology will best serve its fan base. The league will not require teams to

Sloane Stephens, looking to shake off a poor start to the season, notched her biggest victory of 2021 on Wednesday, upsetting eighth-seeded Madison Keys 6-4, 6-4 in the second round of the Volvo Car Open at Charleston, S.C. Stephens lost in the first round of each of her first four events of the year, including the Australian Open, before falling in the second round at the recent Miami Open. On Tuesday, she defeated China’s Xinyu Wang in straight sets before winning an all-United

Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel praised midfielder Mason Mount’s attitude after the England international scored his first Champions League goal in Wednesday’s 2-0 win against Porto in Seville. Mount and Ben Chilwell scored to put Chelsea in the driving seat ahead of the “home” leg of the quarter-final on April 13, which will also be played in Seville due to COVID-19 travel restrictions between Portugal and England. Since Tuchel replaced Frank Lampard at Stamford Bridge in January, Mount has scored five goals in all

Rangers midfielder Glen Kamara said he has been subjected to online racial abuse every day since his confrontation with Slavia Prague’s Ondrej Kudela in the Europa League last month. Kamara complained of being racially abused by Kudela in their last-16 match, with the incident sparking a furious response from his Rangers team mates and saw players clash on the pitch and in the tunnel afterwards. Kudela has denied the allegation and Slavia have stood by him, lodging an official complaint with Scottish police,

New father Jon Rahm arrived Wednesday at Augusta National on the eve of the 85th Masters, hoping an improved mindset could offset his late arrival and help deliver a first major victory. The world number three from Spain was with wife Kelley as she gave birth to baby boy Kepa on Saturday morning. He made sure both were well before leaving for his first look at the famed course since last November. "It was really hard to leave," Rahm said. "For the first

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta said on Wednesday he was uncertain whether Scotland international Kieran Tierney (pix) would play again for the club this season after he suffered knee ligament damage against Liverpool. The 23-year-old fullback limped off before halftime in a 3-0 Premier League loss at home to Jurgen Klopp's men on Saturday. Arsenal confirmed on Wednesday that Tierney suffered knee ligament damage during the game and could be sidelined for the next six weeks. If that is the case, he could return for the

Opener Fakhar Zaman smashed his second century in as many matches as Pakistan beat much-changed South Africa by 28 runs in the third and final one-day international in Pretoria on Wednesday to clinch the series 2-1. Fakhar followed up his scintillating 193 on Sunday with 101 as Pakistan posted 320 for seven in their 50 overs having been sent into bat. South Africa, missing five key players on their way to the Indian Premier League in Quinton de Kock, David Miller, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich

Thomas Tuchel had referred to defeat against West Brom, his first since becoming Chelsea coach, as a “slap in the face” and four days later his team might have been hit even harder in Seville. Porto though couldn’t land the punch they kept trying to throw and in the end it was Chelsea who delivered what could well prove the knockout blow, close now to a first Champions League semi-final in seven years. For much of the night Chelsea had held on to a slim lead given

Al Sadd defeated Al Rayyan 2-1 in a dramatic 'Qatar Clasico,' with Spaniard Santiago Cazorla scoring the winner to keep their undefeated run in the QNB Stars League alive (QSL). Despite their loss at Al Sadd Stadium last night, Al Rayyan will remain in third place with 34 points heading into the final round after Al Ahli (33 points), and Qatar SC (32 points) drew 1-1 earlier at the same venue. Al Khor stole a point against runners-up Al Duhail with a 1-1

Stephen Curry scored 41 points, including 30 in the second half, and the Golden State Warriors rallied late to beat the Milwaukee Bucks 122-121 on Tuesday in San Francisco. Kelly Oubre Jr. had 19 points and Kent Bazemore added 18 as the Warriors ended a three-game losing streak in the opener of a stretch of four home games. Oubre gave the Warriors the lead on two free throws with 7.7 seconds remaining. Golden State had lost seven of its previous eight games. Jrue