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Pep Guardiola turned down Italy's vacant coaching job and remains committed to taking "at least one year" off from the game, ESPN and other outlets reported Friday.Guardiola stepped down in May after a decorated decade
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Oliver Bearman has made a spotty start to his Formula One career, but he told AFP he has "what it takes to become a world champion", hopefully for Ferrari.At just 21, the Englishman started his
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Wimbledon champion Jannik Sinner and 24-times Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic have withdrawn from next month's US Open tune-up event in Montreal, tournament organisers said on Friday.Sinner’s withdrawal is expected to make world number two
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UFC, in partnership with the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), returns to the UAE capital with a blockbuster light heavyweight main event as former champion Magomed Ankalaev faces rising
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Tyson Fury edged closer to a blockbuster heavyweight clash with Anthony Joshua after defeating Poland's Mariusz Wach by technical knock-out on Friday, but said he was "not convinced" his fellow Briton would face him.Fury, 37, outclassed Wach in front of 1,500 spectators in the Thai resort city of Pattaya in a bout that was not broadcast live on television.Former two-time world heavyweight champion Fury chipped away relentlessly at the 46-year-old until he was pulled out by his corner in the seventh round.It was Fury's second win in as many contests this year as he returns from a 16-month lay-off.Attentions now turn to fellow two-time heavyweight champion Joshua's bout on Saturday in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, against Albania's Kristian Prenga.Should the 36-year-old triumph, as he is expected to, it will set up a long-awaited clash with his compatriot Fury."I got through my test. Let's see if (Joshua) gets through his test," Fury said."In Tottenham in front of 70,000 people, he never had the guts to get in the ring and face me. Let's see if he ever does. I'm not convinced."Hopefully the next big fight is signed next week," he added.Fury quashed rumours that he would travel to Jeddah to face off with Joshua and potentially announce their long-awaited showdown, saying he was instead "going home to my wife and kids".Joshua's meeting with Prenga will be his first professional fight since being involved in a car crash in Nigeria in December that killed two of his close friends, Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele.His last competitive appearance in the ring was his knockout loss to IBF world champion Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium in September 2024. Related Story
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Michael Kim of the United States celebrates after making birdie on the 18th green during the second round of the 3M Open 2026 at TPC Twin Cities on July 24, 2026 in Blaine, Minnesota. (AFP)
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Novak Djokovic of Serbia returns a shot during the Wimbledon semi-final against Jannik Sinner of Italy. (Imagn Images) Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic have pulled out of next month's ATP Montreal Masters, organizers Tennis Canada said Friday.In a packed schedule, world number one Sinner and 24-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic both had deep runs at Wimbledon earlier this month, where Italian Sinner won the men's title and Serbian Djokovic reached the semi-finals."After carefully considering all the factors together with my team, we have made the difficult decision to withdraw from Montreal," Sinner said in a statement."It is never easy to miss such an important event, but we believe this is the right decision to prioritize my health."The Montreal men's event, which takes place August 1-13, is an ATP Masters 1000 tournament, and a key pre-US Open stopping point.The parallel women's WTA 1000 tournament takes place this year in Toronto, with the two competitions switching between the cities on alternate years.Organizers expressed disappointment at the last-minute withdrawals, noting that the two men also pulled out of last year's event in Toronto."We respect their decisions and understand that, with such a demanding schedule, players' health must remain the priority," tournament director Valerie Tetreault said in a statement."That said, we believe the frequency of these last-minute withdrawals in the last few years raises a broader issue for our sport.""Masters 1000 events are among the flagship tournaments on the tour, and fans rightfully expect to see the world's best compete."Tetreault said organizers are in discussions with the ATP over "adjustments" that are "needed in the near future to better protect the integrity of our Masters 1000 events while remaining mindful of the realities players face."World number two Alexander Zverev - this year's French Open champion and Wimbledon finalist - is now expected to be the Montreal top seed, followed by Quebec native Felix Auger-Aliassime.Third-ranked Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz had already withdrawn from Montreal over a lingering wrist injury.He is targeting a return at the Cincinnati ATP Masters 1000 tournament, which begins immediately after Montreal.The US Open, the year's final Grand Slam, starts on August 30 in New York. Related Story
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McLaren's British driver Lando Norris prepares to enter his car during the first practice session at the Hungaroring racetrack in Budapest on July 24, 2026 ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix. (AFP) Formula One has been driven too much by business decisions and needs to remember it is a sport, according to McLaren's world champion Lando Norris.With drivers chafing at new regulations that have cramped their speed, particularly at last weekend's Belgian Grand Prix, the Briton told reporters ahead of Sunday's Hungarian round that Formula One could do better."It's a business," said the Briton. "Everyone wants to make money, so in order for Audi and other teams to come in we had to change these things. It's a shame. It should never have been like that. But that's how businesses work." Audi have entered the sport this season after taking over Swiss-based Sauber, with the German carmaker encouraged by new rules that have increased the electrical element of the power unit to near-parity with the internal combustion engine. The rules have been tweaked for 2027 to reduce the electrical contribution."Formula One will always be great," said Norris, whose car has a Mercedes engine. "It can just be better. "Us as drivers just know it better than everyone else. The thing that's a shame is that Formula One is too heavily led by the fact it's a business nowadays and not how can you make the sport the best possible. It's 'how can you just make the most money as a business?'."And that's just not what it should simply be. That's not how a sport should be run. The fact we have hybrids, 50-50 and all that, that's just because more teams wanted to come in it and because you make more money." DIVIDED SPORTNorris said the Liberty Media-owned sport was also divided between fans who followed Formula One before the arrival of the popular Netflix docu-series "Drive to Survive" and those who have been drawn to it since."I think the fans you have nowadays, because they're a lot more personality-based... and not simply of Formula One as a whole sport, I think there's less interest in basically how the actual race goes, and more just 'has the driver done well or not?'," he added."I think that's just how the fans have changed over time, and that's completely fine. But the biggest voice should always be ours as drivers... we have the best idea of how racing should be, how it can be, what's possible, what's not."We would just want the best for everything, the best for the fans, the best viewing, the best racing for us, the most fun to drive. And at the minute, we don't... we have very, very little say, and a lot more of it's done because if you can have Audi and other teams in it, it's a bigger win than the drivers being happy."A Formula One spokesman responded to Norris's comments by saying drivers were listened to more than ever."The sport on track is, and always will be, the priority," he said. "Everyone has benefited from the commercial success of Formula One - the drivers included. Decisions are made for the best strategic outcome for everyone - the fans, teams and partners." Related Story
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Uzbekistan defender Abdukodir Khusanov. Manchester City defender Abdukodir Khusanov signed a five-year contract extension with the Premier League club on Saturday.Khusanov helped City win the FA Cup and League Cup last season, as well as finishing second in the Premier League.The 22-year-old centre-back joined City from French side Lens in January 2025.He has been capped 30 times for Uzbekistan and featured at the World Cup, playing in all three of their Group K matches."This is a great day for me and my family. I am really happy to extend my stay at City," Khusanov said."I've enjoyed every minute since I arrived in Manchester and I feel I am growing and learning a lot as a player."I have a new challenge now, which is to impress (new manager) Enzo Maresca and his staff and ensure I am in his team regularly. I am determined to do that."Khusanov is the second City star to commit his long-term future to the club this week after England forward Phil Foden signed a new four-year deal.City's director of football Hugo Viana said: "We've been really pleased and impressed by Abdukodir's development since he arrived in England."We're seeing him grow into a brilliant young man and an outstanding defender - but we know this is only the beginning. His physical and technical abilities are top, he has all the assets needed to be a world-class centre-back."At just 22, his best years are all in front of him and his potential to get even better is clear for all to see." Related Story
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India's Ishan Kishan watches the ball after playing a shot during the second T20I against Zimbabwe at Harare Sports Club in Harare, on July 25, 2026. (AFP) Ishan Kishan and Tilak Varma struck half centuries to overshadow teenage star Vaibhav Sooryavanshi as India beat Zimbabwe by 90 runs on Saturday to win a Twenty20 international series.Wicketkeeper Kishan made 81 off 44 balls and unbeaten Varma 60 from 29 deliveries at Harare Sports Club as the tourists took an unassailable 2-0 lead. The final match is scheduled for Sunday.A second victory in three days marked a turnaround for India who arrived in southern Africa after series losses in Ireland and England.Sooryavanshi, the 15-year-old batting prodigy who scored his maiden T20I half century on Thursday in Harare, scored 20 runs.Put in to bat, India posted 219-5 with whirlwind stands of Kishan and Varma tormenting the Zimbabwe bowlers. Zimbabwe were all out for 129 in reply.Batting at No. 3, Kishan put on 66 runs for the third wicket with captain Shreyas Iyer (25) and 95 for the fourth with Varma.Kishan struck two sixes and nine fours before slicing a Newman Nyamhuri delivery outside off stump. Brian Bennett darted forward from deep to pull off a superb catch.Varma, like Kishan, part of the 2026 T20I World Cup-winning team, struck three sixes and five fours in his undefeated knock.Sooryavanshi hit a six and three fours off nine balls before a sliced a pull off a Richard Ngarava delivery was caught by Blessing Muzarabani retreating from mid on.Zimbabwe lie 10 places below India in the world T20I rankings and were always struggling with only opener Bennett (32) and wicketkeeper Tadiwanashe Marumani (24) enjoying some batting success.Yash Thakur claimed his first T20I wicket by dismissing Bennett. His delivery outside off was lobbed behind the stumps and Kishan made a simple catch.Left-arm spinner Abhishek Sharma (3-17), another 2026 T20I World Cup winner, was the most successful Indian bowler. Brief scoresIndia 219-5 in 20 overs (I. Kishan 81, T. Varma 60 not out) v Zimbabwe 129 in 17.5 overs (B. Bennett 32; A. Sharma 3-17)Result: India won by 90 runsSeries: India have unassailable 2-0 lead before final match on SundayToss: Zimbabwe Related Story
