Eight-time Grand Slam-winning Australian tennis player Ashley Cooper has died aged 83, the sport's governing body said Friday.
The former Australian, Wimbledon and US singles titleholder, was part of the golden era of Australian men's tennis in the 1950s winning four Grand Slams singles titles and four in doubles.
Tennis Australia announced the news, saying he would be remembered as "a giant of the game both as a brilliant player and an astute administrator." "Ashley was also the most humble of champions and a great family man," said Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley.
"Our hearts go out to his wife Helen and his family, along with his wide and international circle of friends, including so many of our tennis family.

Aussie Grand Slam winner Cooper dies

PTI Automatic

The BCCI has not made "any commitment" to tour South Africa in August and there have only been discussions about such a possibility, Board treasurer Arun Dhumal said on Friday, denying Cricket South Africa's claims of a confirmation.
CSA Director of Cricket Graeme Smith and Chief Executive Jacques Faul on Thursday said that India has agreed to tour the rainbow nation for three T20 Internationals in August, signalling resumption of cricket in the post COVID-19 world. But Dhumal disagreed.
"When South Africa's tour of India got cancelled due to coronavirus, we had discussions that if there is a possibility, we will make an effort to tour South Africa. But at no point have we made any commitment to Cricket South Africa about touring in August," Dhumal told PTI in an exclusive interaction.
The senior BCCI office-bearer then made it clear that unless the government issues clears international travel, BCCI won't be in a position to make a commitment to any country.
"Right now, we can't even 

We've made no commitment on South Africa tour: BCCI treasurer Arun Dhumal

The Olympic-qualifying India Open badminton tournament, which was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, will now be held here from December 8 to 13 after the BWF unveiled a revised calendar to salvage the disruption-hit season.
The World Tour Super 500 tournament, originally scheduled to be held in New Delhi from March 24-29, will now take place from December 8 to 13, the Badminton World Federation (BWF) said in a release.
The all-important event will be preceded by the Hyderabad Open (August 11 to 16) and the Syed Modi International (November 17 to 22).
As many as eight tournaments were rescheduled from their original dates, including important events such as New Zealand Open Super 300, Indonesia Open Super 1000, Malaysia Open Super 750, Thailand Open Super 500 and World Tour Finals in China.
"It has been a difficult task to plan for badminton's return. It is a condensed calendar but we are confident this provides the framework to allow us to start again when it is safe and ...

India open to be held in December, BWF announces revamped calender for remainder of 2020

Cricket South Africa on Friday played down its Director Graeme Smith's open backing of BCCI president Sourav Ganguly for the ICC chairman's post and said a protocol would be followed before offering support to any candidate.
Former skipper Smith, who is now CSA's director of cricket, on Thursday supported Ganguly for the ICC top job, saying a "cricket man" like the ex-India captain would be ideal to lead the apex body at this juncture.
However, a day after, the CSA was treading a different path.
"We must respect both the ICC protocol and our own protocol in deciding which candidate to back," said CSA president Chris Nenzani in a statement.
"There have been no candidates nominated as yet and once such nominations have been made the Board of CSA will take its decision in terms of its own protocol and give the chairman the mandate to exercise his vote as an ICC Board Director accordingly."
A day before, Smith had said: "From our perspective, it would be great to see a cricket man like ...

CSA downplays Smith's backing of Ganguly for ICC chairman's post

Ashley Cooper, who won four Grand Slam singles titles including the Australian, Wimbledon and U.S. championships in 1958, has died. He was 83.
Tennis Australia said Friday that the former No. 1-ranked player and long-time administrator had died after a long illness.
Cooper led Australia's Davis Cup team to victory over the United States to retain the title in 1957. But after the result was reversed in a loss to the Americans the following year he was so upset, according to Tennis Australia, that he considered withdrawing from a professional contract because he felt he owed the country more.
After a back injury ended his professional career in 1959, Cooper returned to Brisbane, Australia, to run a business and work as an administrator in the sport.
He was involved in moving the state's main tennis facility from Milton  which hosted an Australian Open and three Davis Cup finals  to Tennyson, where Pat Rafter Arena is now the venue for the annual Brisbane International.
Ashley was a ...

4-time Grand Slam singles champion Ashley Cooper dies at 83

The Premier League trophy should have been in Tom Werner's hands by now. This week should have featured a victory parade through the streets of Liverpool.
But the wait to end the 30-year title drought continues.
Instead, Liverpool's chairman is analyzing the health procedures required just to ensure it is safe for his team to practice together again. Then further tentative steps can be taken on the path to resuming the season during the coronavirus pandemic.
Reading through protocols I'm trying to absorb the words that I never thought I knew a month ago, Werner says.
Social distancing ... all this stuff. The words particularly dreaded in the red half of Merseyside are null and void -- if a decision is made to abandon the season with no champion declared. It took a global health emergency to halt Liverpool's title charge. Juergen Klopp's team had surged an unprecedented 25 points clear before the league was abruptly suspended in March with nine games remaining.
There's a hole in so ...

Liverpool chair Werner on virus delaying title

A senior Olympics official has warned that holding the postponed Tokyo Games next year faces "real problems", with even a vaccine unlikely to stave off the threat of the coronavirus.
John Coates, the International Olympic Committee's pointman for Tokyo 2020, indicated that officials would start deciding in October if and how the pandemic-hit Games could go ahead in July 2021.
He told a roundtable organised by Australian media giant News Corp that Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has been clear the Tokyo Olympics could not be delayed a second time.
"We can't postpone it again and we have to assume that there won't be a vaccine or, if there is a vaccine, it won't be sufficient to share around the world," he said.
Without the safety net of a widely available vaccine, there could be enormous challenges in screening tens of thousands of people from all corners of the world, he said.
"We've got real problems because we've got athletes having to come from 206 different nations," said ...

Olympics official sees 'real problems' in holding Games in 2021

When South Korea's domestic women's golf tour held its premier event last week -- without spectators because of the coronavirus pandemic -- no fewer than three of the world's top 10 players took part.
The country of 52 million people has a disproportionate share of the women's world golf rankings, providing eight of the current top 20.
In a demonstration of their prominence, Korean women have won at least one major every season since 2010, with coronavirus cancellations perhaps the biggest threat to their run this year.
The phenomenon, players and commentators say, is the result of several factors: driven parents, intense training, a highly competitive society, sponsorship money, and the shining example of 25-time LPGA winner Pak Se-ri.
Of those, one element is critical -- the unstinting support and relentless encouragement of parents, who wait for hours while children practise, shuttle them between venues and spend significant sums on coaching.
"All-out parental support" is vital for 

Drive to succeed: the endless golf dominance of South Korea's women

Pakistan is keen to tour England this summer but the cricket board does not plan to use the series as "leverage" to cut a deal for a reciprocal tour in 2022, PCB chief executive Wasim Khan said.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), which is estimated to lose as much as GBP 380 million if the entire season is wiped out due to the COVID-19 pandemic, hopes to resume cricket by rescheduling the series postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak, including the home series against Pakistan.
It seems to be an opportune moment for the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to cut a deal for a return tour with England, who like several countries hasn't toured Pakistan citing security concerns following the terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team bus in 2009.
"There is a lot of cricket to be played between now and 2022, I've had that question raised a few times; has there been a deal cut? Is something going to happen?" Khan said on Sky Sports' 'The Cricket Show'.
"But the simple fact is and it's a ...

Won't use Pakistan's tour of England as leverage for a return trip, says PCB CEO Khan

Boxing events in the country, as and when they resume, will be held without spectators at well-ventilated instead of air-conditioned venues where officials above 60 years of age won't be allowed inside competition arena owing to the COVID-19 threat.
In its 19-page Standard Operating Procedure for resumption of training as well as competitions, the Boxing Federation of India has mandated health protocols similar to what the Sports Authority of India has suggested.
But one page that stands out includes protocols to be followed when competitive action resumes in the national circuit.
"The competitions to be held closed doors. Only limited personnel as found  suitable to be allowed into the venue. Reduce the number of helper/volunteers," read "Guidelines for Boxing Federation of India -- State and National Tournaments/Events post COVID-19 lockdown."
"Open doors and windows so that the venue is well ventilated. Avoid air  conditioners/air curtains as they generate aerosols and help spread .

Officials above 60 years won't be allowed in competition arena: BFI in SOP for resumption

There is a 9 out of 10 chance that India will make the trip Down Under for a four-Test series later this year, Cricket Australia chief executive Kevin Roberts said trying to downplay the uncertainty triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic.
CA is currently under lot of financial stress and is desperate to have the India series, scheduled in  which will fill its coffers with AUD 300 million from broadcast rights after body had to cut costs due to the pandemic. The series is scheduled between October and January 2021.
"I guess there's no such thing as certainty in today's world so I can't say 10 (out of 10), but I'm going to say nine out of 10," Roberts told News Corp.
"With the variable being, who would know whether we can have crowds  I'd be really surprised if we can't get the Indian tour away.
"But I wouldn't, hand on heart suggest we'll have full crowds from the start. We'll just have to see how that goes," the under-pressure chief executive said.
However, when it comes to away tours, ...

On scale of 10, chance of India touring Australia is 9, says CA CEO Roberts

A Hollywood moment for NBA legend Kobe Bryant proved a big draw in a Beverly Hills auction of sport memorabilia, his handprints in concrete selling for $75,000.
Julien's Auctions said the handprints were tests that were made by Bryant in 2011, when he became the first athlete to leave his prints alongside those of some of Hollywood's biggest stars in the forecourt of the Chinese Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard.
The item fetched more than 18 times its presale estimate of $4,000-6,000.
Other highlights of the Julien's auction included a full uniform worn by Bryant during the 1999-2000 NBA Finals and embroidered with an official NBA logo under a black band worn in remembrance of Wilt Chamberlain that sold for $43,750 -- more than four times its estimate of $10,000.
Bryant, who won five NBA titles in a 20-year career with the Lakers, died in a helicopter crash in January that also claimed the life of his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others.
Memorabilia of his career is fetching ...

Bryant items fetch premium prices, Trout card sets record

Boxing could be back on in Las Vegas in June, with the Nevada State Athletic Commission to consider bout applications at a May 27 meeting.
The meeting, which will be via telephone rather than in-person as coronavirus social distancing measures remain in place, will be the NSAC's first since it shut down all combat sports in the state on March 14.
The meeting agenda lists consideration of formal protocols for protecting fighters and their camps from COVID-19 "for events held without the presence of a live audience."
The commissioners will also consider an application from Dana White's mixed martial arts Ultimate Fighting Championship to hold bouts in Vegas on May 30 and June 6.
And they will consider a request from Bob Arum's Top Rank to stage a boxing fight card on June 9 at the MGM Grand.
Approval of the applications will depend on whether the commission decides it can remove or modify the restrictions it imposed after Nevada governor Steve Sisolak closed the state, including all ...

Nevada officials mull return of boxing in Las Vegas

IndyCar updated a 2020 schedule hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, confirming cancellation of races at Richmond and Toronto.
The open-wheel racing series is still scheduled to open its campaign on June 6 on the 1.5-mile oval at Texas Motor Speedway.
But the race at Richmond, Virginia, scheduled for June 27 has been axed, and officials confirmed that the July 12 race in Toronto, already postponed, was cancelled.
The series will now feature a second race at Road America, the iconic track at Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, in a double-header July 11 and 12.
That's a switch from the track's previously scheduled race in June and makes the second race on the calendar the GMR Grand Prix on the road course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on July 4.
The season will conclude on the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida, on October 25. St. Pete had been set to host the season opener on March 15 before the COVID-19 pandemic brought global sports to a virtual standstill.

IndyCar updates coronavirus-hit schedule

The baseball players' association gave management a wide-ranging response to a 67-page proposed set of protocols for a season to be played during the coronavirus pandemic.
Management had presented the union and the 30 teams the proposed draft last Friday.
The union said Thursday it addressed: protections for high-risk players, access to pre- and postgame therapies, testing frequency, protocols for positive tests, in-stadium medical personnel and sanitization procedures.
Players viewed many of the concepts in the original draft as over-the-top, such as arriving in uniform at the ballparks, a prohibition on them leaving without team permission and a ban on guests other than immediate family members. Players also objected to a ban on the use of showers and hydrotherapy.
The union wants more frequent testing than management's proposed multiple times per week."
MLB is expected to make an economic proposal to the union within a few days. MLB hopes to start the season by early July.

Baseball players respond to MLB on virus protocols

The NFL is considering adding a booth umpire and a senior technology adviser to the referee to assist the officiating crew.
The league also is looking at other rules changes, including an alternative to the onside kick.
NFL clubs received a list of potential rules changes on Thursday. Owners will vote on the proposals at the upcoming league meeting to be held by video conference on May 28.
The league's competition committee told teams last month it supports studying ways to determine how officiating personnel who have access to a video feed could help on-field officials. A booth umpire would serve as an eighth game official.
If owners don't approve adding a booth umpire and/or a senior technology adviser, the league could test a version of both rules in the preseason for possible future implementation.
The proposal that would give teams another option instead of an onside kick permits a team to maintain possession of the ball after a score by substituting one offensive play. The ...

NFL looks at adding "booth umpire" and tech adviser for refs

It has been described as New Zealand cricket's darkest day, the 1955 Test against England when the Black Caps were skittled for just 26, a record low that still stands today.
Even 65 years later, the embarrassing score still rankles with New Zealand fans, who are always on alert during a major Test collapse and death-ride the batting team hoping the record falls.
"Frankly, as a New Zealand fan we'd be grateful for anyone to take this record away from us," Paul Ford, co-founder of Kiwi cricket supporters' group The Beige Brigade, told AFP.
"It's ignominious, it's shameful. It would be great if someone came along and scored 25 or fewer." The Test cricket landscape in 1955 was vastly different to today.
India had recorded their first Test victory only three years before, Pakistan debuted in the five-day game barely two years previously and Sri Lanka were still 27 years away from gaining Test status.
Australia and England were the undisputed heavyweights of the era with South Africa, the .

26 all out: the nightmare that still haunts New Zealand cricket

LPGA players will be free to decide whether or not they want to use a caddie when the tour gets up and running amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Players are being given the option of carrying their own golf bags for the remainder of the 2020 season as part of the LPGA Tour's new safety guidelines, the Golf Channel reported on Thursday.
The tour is scheduled to restart on July 23 at the Marathon Classic in Sylvania, Ohio.
Many of the players don't want to commit to the same caddie for the entire season so individual tournaments often provide local ones.
"This temporary option is meant primarily to avoid the local caddie situation where a player may have health concerns working with someone who they don't know," said tour spokesperson Kelly Schultz.
"We fully expect the overwhelming number of players to be using caddies and are encouraging them to do so.
"Caddies are a critical part of LPGA tournaments and competitions and we will resume our mandatory policy in 2021." Schultz insisted it ..

LPGA players permitted to carry their own bags: report

There's no meaningful link between an athlete having a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) and winning an Olympic medal, a study unveiled by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) found.
US tennis stars Serena and Venus Williams and reigning Olympic and world all-around gymnastics champion Simone Biles are among athletes who have used TUEs, special permission to take otherwise banned substances for medical needs.
Their WADA medical data, including use of TUEs, was revealed publicly by a hacker in 2016.
The WADA study examined athletes with TUEs at the 2012 London and 2016 Rio Summer Olympics and the 2010 Vancouver, 2014 Sochi and 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics to see if athletes with TUEs won more medals than those without.
"The number of athletes competing with valid TUEs (in individual competition) at the selected Games was less than 1%," said WADA medical director Dr. Alan Vernec said.
"The analysis suggests there's no meaningful association between competing with a TUE and the ...

WADA study: no meaningful link between TUEs, Olympic medals

Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson insists he has felt "very safe" since his club returned to training amid the coronavirus crisis this week.
Jurgen Klopp's side began socially-distanced training in small groups on Wednesday as the Premier League steps up its bid to resume the season in June.
Although all players and staff at top-flight clubs have been tested for the virus, Chelsea midfielder N'Golo Kante and Watford striker Troy Deeney opted against returning to work because of fears they would not be safe.
However, England midfielder Henderson is sure everything has been done to keep players as safe as possible at Liverpool's Melwood training base.
"I feel very comfortable with all the measures that the Premier League and the club have put in place, along with my team-mates," Henderson told Sky Sports on Thursday.
"The testing, the temperature control, the social distancing and disinfecting everything has been at a really high level since we've been back. They're doing everything ...

Henderson has felt 'safe' since return to Liverpool training

Indian Super League franchise Kerala Blasters on Thursday said it has retired the number 21 jersey worn by Sandesh Jhingan as a tribute to its inspirational player.
Blasters and Jhingan parted ways on Wednesday after a six-year association.
In a statement, club owner Nikhil Bharadwaj thanked Jhingan for his contribution.
"We would like to take this opportunity to thank Sandesh for his commitment, loyalty, and passion for the club and its supporters. KBFC respects Sandesh's desire to pursue a new challenge and we wish him all the best for this new journey," he said.
"We know that he will always remain a Blaster at heart. As a tribute to his contributions to the club, we will be permanently retiring his jersey number 21," said Bharadwaj.
The 26-year-old Jhingan has been like a rock at the centre of Blasters' defence since the club's inception in 2014, helping them reach the ISL final twice (2014 and 2016).
The Chandigarh-born Jhingan, a hugely popular figure for the Blasters' fans, has .

Page 13 -