A Brazil team playing in the Copa America at home on the back of a seven-game winning streak would normally be hot favourites to triumph but this is no ordinary year and no ordinary Copa.

This year's Copa America gives Argentina another chance to break a 28-year trophy drought, which has been made even harder by a venue switch from home turf to that of arch-rivals Brazil.

Rafael Nadal shrugged off his epic loss to Novak Djokovic at the French Open insisting "life goes on" as the 13-time champion suffered just his third ever defeat in 108 matches in Paris over 16 years.

Devon Conway and Will Young scored half-centuries as New Zealand finished the second day on 229-3, 74 runs behind England's first innings score in the second and final Test against at Edgbaston on Friday.

South Africa's relentless pace attack left the West Indies facing the prospect of an innings defeat inside three days as they limped to 82 for four, still needing 143 runs to make the tourists bat again, at stumps on the second day of the first Test in St Lucia on Friday.

Italy kicked off the European Championship in emphatic style on Friday as they delivered a commanding performance to sweep past toothless Turkey 3-0 in the Stadio Olimpico and stamp their early authority on Group A.

Novak Djokovic handed 13-time champion Rafael Nadal only his third defeat in 16 years and 108 matches at the French Open on Friday to reach his sixth Roland Garros final after an epic showdown which even beat the country's Covid-19 curfew.

Seamer Lungi Ngidi showed all his guile to take five wickets for 19 runs as South Africa skittled West Indies for 97 and seized the initiative on the first day of the first test in Saint Lucia on Thursday.

“Rio is a giant hospital,” screamed one headline. “No doctors, no medicine,” said another. “Government criminally negligent,” decried a third.

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Barbora Krejcikova, two of the most unlikely Grand Slam finalists of the modern era, meet in Saturday’s French Open title match at the conclusion of a shock-heavy tournament.

Dear fans and followers, I am extremely sorry for losing my temper and ruining the match for everyone and especially those who are watching from home.

The historic battle between archrivals Abahani and Mohammedan SC may have faded over the years but Shakib Al Hasan certainly felt the heat of the rivalry and took it to new heights, or depths based on how you look at it, during a Dhaka Premier League T20 encounter yesterday.

Greek fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas staved off a fightback from German Alexander Zverev to win 6-3 6-3 4-6 4-6 6-3 in a scintillating French Open clash on Friday and book a maiden Grand Slam final spot.

Bangladeshi archers bagged two silver medals and one bronze medal in Asian Cup Stage-1 which ended in Gwangju, South Korea today.

Mohammedan Sporting Club emerged as winners against arch-rivals Abahani Limited in a Bangabandhu Dhaka Premier Division T20 League game that was embroiled with Shakib Al Hasan-related controversy at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur today.

Premier all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan was apologetic after losing his cool during his side Mohammedan Sporting Club's Bangabandhu Dhaka Premier Division T20 League game against Abahani Limited at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur today, but the tournament authority promised to 'act accordingly' upon receiving match referee and umpires' reports.

Ace all-rounder and Mohammedan skipper Shakib Al Hasan was furious when umpire did not give Abahani Limited's Mushfiqur Rahim out leg-before the previous over and proceeded to kick the stumps at the bowler’s end while fuming at the umpire.

The Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) is contemplating the introduction of a salary structure for the national footballers in hope that it will enhance the performance of the national football team.

BURNS CONTINUES GOOD FORM

Joe Salisbury ended Britain’s 39-year wait for a main draw title at the French Open when he combined with American Desirae Krawczyk to win the mixed doubles at Roland Garros on Thursday.