Tsitsipas back to winning ways
MArseille: Rising Greek star Stefanos Tsitsipas bounced back from successive defeats with a comfortable win over Poland's Hubert Hurkacz to reach the quarter-finals in Marseille on Wednesday. The 20-year-old, who stunned Roger Federer en route to the Australian Open semi-finals last month, had lost his last two matches to Gael Monfils and Damir Dzumhur. But Tsitsipas, the top seed this week in France, was back in form as he brushed aside world number 78 Hurkacz 6-4, 6-2 in only an hour. He will next face a lucky loser — either Ukrainian world number 141 Sergiy Stakhovsky or the 130th-ranked Gregoire Barrere — in the last eight.
Breakdancing set for Olympics debut
Paris: Breakdancing is set to make its debut as an Olympic sport at Paris 2024, the head of the local organising committee said on Thursday. Skateboarding, sport climbing and surfing, which have already been added to the programme for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, have been invited to return in Paris four years later. Tony Estanguet, the head of the Paris 2024 organising committee and a former Olympic Gold medallist in canoeing, said the inclusion of the four sports responded to a need to make the Olympics "more urban" and "more artistic". "This is a major step forward in our ambition to organise a unique Olympic Games," Estanguet said.
Saxena's 122 puts indian colts in command
Thiruvananthapuram: A brilliant knock of 122 by left-handed opener Diyansh Saxena put India under-19 team in a command position against South Africa on the second day of the first 'Youth' Test on Thursday. The home team made 330 all out in 92.3 overs in reply to South Africa's 197 and prised out three wickets to gain the upperhand at stumps. The visitors closed the day's play at 34 for 3 in 15 overs having lost the openers and captain Matthew Montgomery. Saxena got better as the innings progressed as he hit some delightful shots and hammered a six. To South Africa's credit, they didn't allow the Rahul Dravid-coached India under-19s to run away with things as the bowlers struck at regular intervals to dismiss the host for 330 and limit the lead to 133.
Tendulkar to do pushups at IDBI Marathon
NEw Delhi: Cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar will join thousands of runners during the IDBI Federal Life Insurance New Delhi Marathon on Sunday to raise funds for the families of the martyrs of the Pulwama terror attack. Before the start of each of the four races at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Sunday, Tendulkar will do 5-10 push-ups as part of the #KeepMoving Push-up Challenge and the runners will join him in the exercise. For each of the participants in the challenge, IDBI Federal, the marathon organisers, will donate Rs 100 towards the fund for the martyrs' families. More than 18,000 runners are expected to take part in the four races — full marathon (2000), half marathon (6000), timed 10K (5500) and 5K Swachch Bharat Run (4500)—of the New Delhi Marathon.
Sevilla beat Lazio to reach Europa last 16
Seville: Wissam Ben Yedder scored his second goal of the tie as Sevilla eased to a 2-0 second-leg win over Lazio to reach the Europa League last 16. The record five-time winners had claimed a 1-0 first-leg victory in Rome last week thanks to a Ben Yedder strike, and the Frenchman doubled their overall lead on 20 minutes by tapping in after Pablo Sarabia's shot was saved by Thomas Strakosha. Sarabia wrapped up a 3-0 aggregate success by lashing home Jesus Navas' pass with 12 minutes to play.