SPORTS

Washington, United States | AFP |  Three-time Grand Slam champion Andy Murray moved closer to a singles return six months after right hip surgery while Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas rolled into the world’s top five Friday at the ATP Washington Open. Britain’s Murray and his brother Jamie, in their first doubles …

London, United Kingdom | AFP | Pep Guardiola has urged Manchester City to prepare for the “incredible challenge” of battling Liverpool for the Premier League title by landing an early blow against their rivals in Sunday’s Community Shield. Guardiola’s side pipped Liverpool to the Premier League by one point last season …

Glasgow, United Kingdom | AFP |  Steven Gerrard says Rangers will not let arch-rivals Celtic land a record-equalling ninth consecutive Scottish Premiership title without a fight as the new season gets under way this weekend. Celtic finished nine points clear of second-placed Rangers last season after turning the title race …

London, United Kingdom | AFP | Nicolas Pepe has taken a winding road to the top, but Arsenal’s club-record signing is unlikely to be fazed by his new-found fame and fortune. Pepe became Africa’s most expensive footballer on Thursday after the Ivory Coast winger completed his blockbuster move from French club …

Berlin, Germany | AFP |  Bayern Munich resume their power struggle with Borussia Dortmund on Saturday for the German Super Cup with the Bavarians chasing Manchester City star Leroy Sane to reinforce their squad. The blockbuster Bundesliga curtain-raiser in Dortmund once more pits Germany’s top clubs together after Bayern held off …

New York, United States | AFP |  The US women’s football team is the best on the planet, but the sport’s domestic league is virtually unknown. Players, organisers and fans hope that is about to change as the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) is looking to capitalise on the national team’s …

Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP |  The 2019/2020 South African Premiership season kicks off Saturday with Mamelodi Sundowns favourites to complete a hat-trick despite uncertainty over the future of multiple title-winning coach Pitso Mosimane. He is reportedly upset that the 2016 CAF Champions League trophy-holders want to hire an unnamed Spanish …

  Munich, Germany | AFP | French striker Karim Benzema scored a hat-trick as Real Madrid defeated Fenerbahce 5-3 in a pre-season friendly on Wednesday which temporarily lifted the summer gloom which has engulfed the Spanish giants and coach Zinedine Zidane. However, problems remain for Real as they have now conceded 16 goals in just …

Kolkata, India | AFP |  When England and Scotland play rugby each year, the winner hoists the Calcutta Cup — a relic of the sport’s roots in India, and a nod to the city where it is still thriving to this day. In the 1870s, when the Calcutta Rugby Football Club …

Tokyo, Japan | AFP |  For Japanese breakdancer Shigeyuki Nakarai, the prospect of winning a gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics has become something of an obsession. The proposal by Paris organisers in February to include the street dance lit a fire under the 17-year-old, aka Shigekix, who took bronze …