SPORTS

Rafael Nadal says he will be facing "one of the toughest opponents possible" when he plays Alexander Zverev in the French Open first round on Monday, after Jannik Sinner eased through his opener.

Naomi Osaka swept to her first victory at the French Open in three years on Sunday, setting up a potential showdown with Iga Swiatek, as Carlos Alcaraz maintained his record of never losing in the first round of a Grand Slam.

Cricket's ability to grow its global presence beyond its heartlands, while still maintaining the quality at the highest level, will be tested over the coming month in the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and the United States.

Naomi Osaka swept to her first victory at the French Open in three years on Monday, setting up a potential showdown with world number one Iga Swiatek, as Roland Garros prepared to possibly bid farewell to Rafael Nadal.

Rafael Nadal admits he will be facing "one of the toughest opponents possible" when he plays Alexander Zverev in the French Open first round on Monday.

Alexander Zverev expects to face "peak Rafael Nadal" in their mouth-watering French Open duel as he prepares to deliver a heart-breaking, final blow to the 14-time champion's storied Roland Garros career.

Saudi Arabia is moving aggressively with its investments in more gaming companies, the Canadian industry veteran steering the kingdom's push to become a global hub for the sector told AFP Friday.

The detective who arrested top-ranked golfer Scottie Scheffler in Kentucky last week has been reprimanded for not turning on his body-worn camera during the arrest, the local police chief said Thursday.

Led by skipper and Spurs ace Son Heung-min, South Korea are on course to reach the next stage of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup.

Rafael Nadal will bring down the curtain on his 19-year French Open career with the likelihood of adding to his 14 titles greatly diminished before he leaves behind a record and reputation unlikely ever to be matched.

Japan is still grappling with the fallout of the graft-stained and pandemic-delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympics, serving as a warning to Paris ahead of the Games this summer in the French capital.

The women's tennis tour (WTA) on Monday announced "a multi-year partnership" with the Saudi Arabian sovereign wealth fund (PIF), emulating a deal made by the men's tour (ATP) in February.

Men's volleyball is flying high in Japan with the national team ranked fourth globally ahead of the Paris Olympics and the sport's soaring popularity fuelled by a manga blockbuster.

The 2024 French Open gets underway at Roland Garros on Sunday with Novak Djokovic and Iga Swiatek defending their singles titles.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky led the tributes to Oleksandr Usyk whose victory over British fighter Tyson Fury in Riyadh made him the first undisputed world heavyweight boxing champion in a quarter of a century.

Oleksandr Usyk beat Tyson Fury by split decision to win the world's first undisputed heavyweight championship in 25 years on Sunday, an unprecedented feat in boxing's four-belt era.

Top-ranked Scottie Scheffler struggled early in Saturday's third round of the PGA championship a day after being arrested while his attorney was denying charges the golfer assaulted a police officer.

At a sprawling vehicle test centre in the English countryside, a hydrogen-powered Grenadier 4x4 made by Ineos Automotive grips steep and rugged tracks, showcasing its off-road capabilities.

Scheffler was detained by a Louisville Metro police officer when he attempted to drive around the scene of an accident to get into the golf course, where he was scheduled to compete in the second round of the major tournament Friday morning.

Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk will face off in a historic clash billed as the fight of a generation on Saturday with the first undisputed heavyweight bout in 25 years.

The Women's World Cup will take place in South America for the first time after Brazil was chosen to host the 2027 edition at a FIFA congress Friday marked by debate about the war in Gaza.

French automaker Renault said Wednesday it will pursue developing autonomous minibuses for public transit but would stick to driving assistance features for personal cars for the time being.

Celebrities who have remained silent on the crisis in Gaza are feeling the wrath of angry fans wielding the "digital guillotine" to block them on social media and streaming platforms.

Leandro Trossard scored the only goal on 20 minutes as Arsenal won for just the second time in 17 games away at United to go a point clear at the summit.

Prince Harry and his wife Meghan wrapped up their three-day visit to Nigeria on Sunday, arriving in the country's economic capital Lagos during a trip to promote his Invictus Games for wounded military veterans.

Novak Djokovic described his shock third-round elimination from the Rome Open by outsider Alejandro Tabilo on Sunday as "concerning", two days after he was hit on the head by a bottle which he said has caused nausea and dizzy spells.

Rafael Nadal said Saturday that he is leaning towards playing at the French Open despite his second-round elimination in Rome, as Novak Djokovic laughed off being hit by a bottle which briefly cast doubt on his continued participation.

Panamanian lawyer Ramon Fonseca, co-founder of the now-defunct law firm at the center of the "Panama Papers" scandal, died while awaiting sentencing in his money-laundering trial, his lawyer said Thursday.

The Olympic torch relay began in Marseille on Thursday with the port city's football legend Basile Boli taking the flame in front of the iconic basilica of Notre-Dame de la Garde before passing it on to a number of other celebrity sports stars including Ukrainian gymnast Mariia Vysochanska.