Sports

As top tennis stars descended on Melbourne for the upcoming tennis grand slam, many Australians questioned the decision to host the tournament when thousands of citizens are stranded overseas due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley has confirmed the year's first Grand Slam will go ahead from Feb. 8 despite anger from players forced into hard quarantine in Melbourne due to positive COVID-19 cases on their charter planes.

The Detroit Pistons crushed Miami Heat 120-100 in Sunday’s game.

Joe Root’s timely return to form saw the England captain post a fourth test double-century, propelling his side to 421 all out on the stroke of lunch on day three of the first test against Sri Lanka in Galle, a commanding lead of 286 for the tourists.

Two coronavirus infections were reported on Saturday on a flight to the Australian Open, forcing two weeks of strict hotel quarantine for all the tennis players and entourage on board.

The third installment of UFC Fight Island in the space of seven months kicks off in Abu Dhabi on Saturday January 16. headlined by a featherweight bout between No. 1 ranked Max Holloway and No. 6 ranked Calvin Kattar.

India's injury woes deepened on the opening day of the fourth test against Australia at the Gabba on Friday with paceman Navdeep Saini coming off the field after lunch with a groin issue.

Portland center Jusuf Nurkic broke his right wrist during the Trail Blazers' 111-87 loss to the visiting Indiana Pacers on Thursday night.

The Japan Rugby Football Union said on Friday it will launch a three-tier professional league from January 2022 in a bid to raise the domestic game to a new level, though the changes fell short of the dramatic shake-up some had been calling for.

The UAE Football Association (UAEFA) and the Latvian Football Federation (LFF) on Wednesday signed an agreement for cooperation.

New Zealand captain Sophie Devine smashed the fastest hundred in women's Twenty20 cricket on Thursday, reaching the milestone in just 36 balls in the domestic Super Smash competition.

Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka made a strong start to her 2021 season by clinching the WTA 500 event in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.

The Arabian Gulf Super Cup match between Sharjah and Shabab Al Ahli will be held on January 22, UAE Pro League Technical Committee has announced.

A host of Major champions will tee it up at this month’s OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic as Shane Lowry, Ernie Els, Padraig Harrington, Graeme McDowell, Henrik Stenson, Danny Willett and Martin Kaymer add their firepower to an already stellar cast confirmed to play.

The second ODI between the UAE and Ireland has been suspended after four players tested positive for COVID-19.

Australia captain Tim Paine has apologised for his conduct during the final day of the third Test against India, saying his sledging of Ravichandran Ashwin fell short of the standards he has set for the team.

American John Isner has decided to skip next month's Australian Open as COVID-19 protocols mean he would be away from his family for an extended period, the Tennis Majors website reported on Monday.

India captain Ajinkya Rahane said his team's draw in the third Test against Australia felt like a victory after the touring side pulled off a great escape at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Monday.

Australia were closing in on victory and a 2-1 series lead at tea on the final day of the third Test after reducing India to 280 for five, still 126 runs in arrears.

Premier League side Leeds United suffered one of the FA Cup's biggest shocks with a 3-0 defeat by fourth-tier Crawley Town in the third round on Sunday.

Cricket Australia apologised to the India team on Sunday after visiting players alleged they had been racially abused by part of the crowd during the third Test at Sydney Cricket Ground.

Australia declared on 312 for two at tea on the fourth day of the third Test on Sunday, handing the injury-hit India team an unlikely victory target of 407 runs.

Emirates Cricket Board has confirmed that UAE player Alishan Sharafu has tested positive for COVID-19.

Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka will join Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic in playing a pre-Australian Open warm-up exhibition in Adelaide after serving their quarantine in the South Australian city, Tennis Australia (TA) said on Saturday.

Hall of Fame quarterback and NFL Network studio analyst Kurt Warner announced Friday that he tested positive for COVID-19.

Cyclists and staff of UAE Team Emirates have received the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine.

Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal will be among top men and women players heading to Adelaide to serve their 14-day mandatory quarantine before travelling to Melbourne for next month's Australian Open.

His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister of UAE, Minister of Presidential Affairs and Manchester City owner, is the new owner of the oldest existing version of the FA Cup trophy.

Three Indonesian players have been banned from all badminton-related activities for life after being found guilty of offences related to match fixing, match manipulation and betting.

Hot on the heels of being crowned European Number One for the third time in his career, European Tour legend Lee Westwood will return to the OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic at Emirates Golf Club from January 28 – 31.

Members of the UAE judo team are due to arrive in Qatar on Friday to take part in the Doha Masters 2021, after completing their training in Romania.

Will Pucovski made a bright start to his Test career but David Warner's return was a damp squib as Australia reached lunch on 21 for one after a rain-disrupted opening session of the third Test against India.

The NBA went ahead with its slate of games on Wednesday even as players said they were disturbed by images of chaos at the US Capitol.

Nick Kyrgios has paid the price for a year of inaction over COVID-19 concerns after he was ruled out of Australia's team for next month's ATP Cup after his world ranking slipped to number 46.

Fans attending this week's third Test between Australia and India at the Sydney Cricket Ground will have to wear masks at all times except when eating or drinking.

All members of England's travelling squad barring all-rounder Moeen Ali have tested negative for COVID-19 before their two-match test series in Sri Lanka starting on January 14.

South Africa coach Marc Boucher hailed a first series win for his side following a lean run of form over the last two years.

Dubai will be the focus of the esports world later this month as 16 top teams battle for glory at the PUBG MOBILE Global Championship (PMGC) 2020 Finals.

Skipper Kane Williamson smashed his fourth test double-hundred while Henry Nicholls and Daryl Mitchell notched up centuries to fuel New Zealand's bid for a 2-0 series sweep in the second and final test against Pakistan on Tuesday.

Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp said it was baffling that the Premier League champions were not awarded a penalty in Monday's 1-0 loss at Southampton.

Australian Open organisers have been forced to tear up a quarantine accommodation plan for players a month before the Grand Slam following a legal action threat from apartment owners at a luxury hotel in Melbourne.

KL Rahul's hopes of featuring in the Test series against Australia were snuffed out on Tuesday when the India batsman was ruled out of the last two matches with a wrist injury.

Apartment owners on the premises of a luxury Melbourne hotel are threatening legal action against plans by Australian Open organisers to use the hotel to quarantine players ahead of the Grand Slam.

New Zealand dismissed Pakistan for 297 at the close of play on the opening day of the second and final Test at Christchurch on Sunday.

Real Madrid beat an in-form Celta Vigo 2-0 at home on Saturday thanks to a goal and assist apiece from Spanish pair Lucas Vazquez and Marco Asensio.

Lionel Messi has recovered from an ankle injury and ready to take on Huesca on Sunday as Barcelona look to get their La Liga season back on track following last week’s surprise 1-1 draw at home to Eibar, coach Ronald Koeman has said.

South Africa fast bowler Dale Steyn has pulled out of the 2021 Indian Premier League (IPL) as he seeks some time away from the sport.

Norwegian footballer Omar Elabdellaoui was hospitalised with eye damage and facial burns after fireworks exploded in his hand at his home in Istanbul on New Year's Eve.

The Dakar Rally, the first major motorsport event of 2021, heads into the dunes and remote deserts of Saudi Arabia in a bivouac ‘bubble’ this weekend.

San Antonio Spurs assistant coach Becky Hammon made history on Wednesday, becoming the first woman to take charge of an NBA team when she took over after head coach Gregg Popovich was ejected.

Australian authorities are asking fans at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) not to cheer too loudly during the third test against India next week as the city grapples with an outbreak of COVID-19.

India have won the second Test match against Australia by 8 wickets at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Dutch football legend Ruud Gullit has outlined exactly why football is failing to properly address racism within the game in an exclusive interview with Off Script on Dubai Eye 103.8.