Tsitsipas Sizzles as Team Europe Close in on Laver Cup Triumph

Team Europe's Stefanos Tsitsipas, of Greece, returns the ball to Team World's Nick Kyrgios, of Australia, during Laver Cup tennis, Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021, in Boston. (AP)
Team Europe's Stefanos Tsitsipas, of Greece, returns the ball to Team World's Nick Kyrgios, of Australia, during Laver Cup tennis, Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021, in Boston. (AP)
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Tsitsipas Sizzles as Team Europe Close in on Laver Cup Triumph

Team Europe's Stefanos Tsitsipas, of Greece, returns the ball to Team World's Nick Kyrgios, of Australia, during Laver Cup tennis, Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021, in Boston. (AP)
Team Europe's Stefanos Tsitsipas, of Greece, returns the ball to Team World's Nick Kyrgios, of Australia, during Laver Cup tennis, Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021, in Boston. (AP)

Stefanos Tsitsipas won his singles contest before returning to court with Andrey Rublev to triumph in doubles as Team Europe swept all matches on Saturday and are one victory away against Team World to maintain their iron grip on the Laver Cup.

Team Europe have won all three editions of the Laver Cup so far and were on the cusp of a fourth after the Bjorn Borg-captained side went ahead 11-1 at the end of second day's play at Boston's TD Garden.

The absence of Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic for this year's event has proved to be no hindrance as Team Europe maintained a spotless record in the six singles matches over the first two days.

Named after Australian great Rod Laver, the three-day team event pits six of Europe's top players against six of their counterparts from the rest of the world, with four matches played each day - three singles and a doubles.

Each win is awarded one point on Friday, two points on Saturday, and three points on Sunday, with the first team to reach 13 points declared winner of the event, which was cancelled last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In Saturday's first match, world number three Tsitsipas did not leave the court against Nick Kyrgios but required some time to replace a worn-out pair of shoes during a 6-3 6-4 win.

Tsitsipas came under scrutiny at the US Open for both the timing and length of his mid-match bathroom breaks, which critics considered unfair gamesmanship. But this time he was in control of the match and had a clear reason for the stoppage.

Early in the second set, Tsitsipas interrupted his own service game at 15-15 and took several minutes installing new laces before ultimately deciding to put on fresh shoes, given the original pair did not stand up well to the indoor surface.

"It's not the best advert for the shoe I guess, but look at it, it's absolutely battle-weary from the amount they slip and slide around," the Eurosport commentator said.

"I wonder if Kyrgios is tempted to say something like, 'Is this going to take about eight minutes? What's going on here?!'"

The Greek returned to the multipurpose indoor arena - also used by the NBA's Celtics and NHL's Bruins - with Russian world number five Rublev for the final match on the second day and rallied to beat the pairing of American John Isner and Australian Kyrgios 6-7(8) 6-3 (10-4).

Germany's Alexander Zverev, ranked fourth in the world, also needed the 10-point match tiebreaker in the final set to tame big-serving Isner 7-6(5) 6-7(6) 10-5.

US Open champion Daniil Medvedev had a more comfortable outing in the night session against Canada's Denis Shapovalov and won 6-4 6-0.

Zverev and Rublev will look the settle the fate of the Laver Cup early on Sunday when they team up for the opening doubles match against Shapovalov and American Reilly Opelka.

Following the doubles, the German is scheduled to be back on court soon for his singles contest against Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime.

Medvedev will play Argentina's Diego Schwartzman in the third match before Tsitsipas draws the curtains on the event, which moves to the O2 Arena in London in 2022, with his contest against Isner.



Premier League's Nottingham Forest Fires Head Coach Sean Dyche

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Premier League - Nottingham Forest v Wolverhampton Wanderers - The City Ground, Nottingham, Britain - February 11, 2026 Nottingham Forest manager Sean Dyche reacts Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Premier League - Nottingham Forest v Wolverhampton Wanderers - The City Ground, Nottingham, Britain - February 11, 2026 Nottingham Forest manager Sean Dyche reacts Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers
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Premier League's Nottingham Forest Fires Head Coach Sean Dyche

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Premier League - Nottingham Forest v Wolverhampton Wanderers - The City Ground, Nottingham, Britain - February 11, 2026 Nottingham Forest manager Sean Dyche reacts Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Premier League - Nottingham Forest v Wolverhampton Wanderers - The City Ground, Nottingham, Britain - February 11, 2026 Nottingham Forest manager Sean Dyche reacts Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers

Nottingham Forest has fired Sean Dyche and the Premier League team is looking for its fourth head coach of the season.

Dyche was relieved of his duties late Wednesday following a goalless draw with the last-place Wolves, having been in charge for just 114 days. Forest’s failure to convert any of their numerous chances against Wolves left them three points clear of the relegation zone.

“Nottingham Forest Football Club can confirm that Sean Dyche has been relieved of his duties as head coach," the club said in a statement early Thursday. "We would like to thank Sean and his staff for their efforts during their time at the club and we wish them the best of luck for the future.

“We will be making no further comment at this time,” The Associated Press quoted the club as saying.

Forest finished seventh in the Premier League under Nuno Espirito Santo last season, missing out on a Champions League spot after a poor end to the campaign. Nuno signed a new three-year deal at the City Ground in June 2025, but was fired in September after a breakdown in his relationship with owner Evangelos Marinakis.

Former Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou was swiftly brought in as the Portuguese coach’s replacement, but lasted only 40 days in the job with Marinakis ending his tenure within minutes of a 3-0 defeat to Chelsea.

The draw Wednesday’ left Forest with just two wins from their last 10 matches in the Premier League — a run during which they also exited the FA Cup to Championship side Wrexham.


Messi Suffers Muscle Strain, Miami Reschedule Preseason Finale

Argentine soccer player Lionel Messi waves to supporters before a friendly soccer match between Inter Miami and Atlético Nacional at the Atanasio Girardot Stadium in Medellín, Colombia, 31 January 2026. EPA/Carlos Ortega
Argentine soccer player Lionel Messi waves to supporters before a friendly soccer match between Inter Miami and Atlético Nacional at the Atanasio Girardot Stadium in Medellín, Colombia, 31 January 2026. EPA/Carlos Ortega
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Messi Suffers Muscle Strain, Miami Reschedule Preseason Finale

Argentine soccer player Lionel Messi waves to supporters before a friendly soccer match between Inter Miami and Atlético Nacional at the Atanasio Girardot Stadium in Medellín, Colombia, 31 January 2026. EPA/Carlos Ortega
Argentine soccer player Lionel Messi waves to supporters before a friendly soccer match between Inter Miami and Atlético Nacional at the Atanasio Girardot Stadium in Medellín, Colombia, 31 January 2026. EPA/Carlos Ortega

Inter Miami’s ‌Lionel Messi did not participate in training on Wednesday due ​to a muscle strain in his left hamstring, with his injury leading to the postponement of what was supposed to be the reigning MLS Cup ‌champions' preseason ‌finale.

Inter Miami, ​who ‌are ⁠scheduled ​to open ⁠their MLS campaign on February 21, said the two-time reigning league MVP sustained the injury during a preseason game last weekend against ⁠Barcelona Sporting Club in ‌Ecuador, ‌where he scored but ​was substituted ‌in the second half.

Messi ‌underwent additional medical tests that confirmed the diagnosis.

"His gradual return to training will depend on ‌his clinical and functional progress in the coming days," Reuters quoted ⁠Inter ⁠Miami as saying.

As a result of the injury, the friendly between Inter Miami and Ecuadorian club Independiente del Valle, scheduled to be played on Friday at Juan Ramon Loubriel Stadium in Puerto Rico, has ​been postponed ​to February 26.


Tottenham Hotspur Sack Head Coach Thomas Frank

(FILES) Tottenham Hotspur's Danish head coach Thomas Frank gestures on the touchline during the English Premier League football match between Burnley and Tottenham Hotspur at Turf Moor in Burnley, north-west England on January 24, 2026. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP)/
(FILES) Tottenham Hotspur's Danish head coach Thomas Frank gestures on the touchline during the English Premier League football match between Burnley and Tottenham Hotspur at Turf Moor in Burnley, north-west England on January 24, 2026. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP)/
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Tottenham Hotspur Sack Head Coach Thomas Frank

(FILES) Tottenham Hotspur's Danish head coach Thomas Frank gestures on the touchline during the English Premier League football match between Burnley and Tottenham Hotspur at Turf Moor in Burnley, north-west England on January 24, 2026. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP)/
(FILES) Tottenham Hotspur's Danish head coach Thomas Frank gestures on the touchline during the English Premier League football match between Burnley and Tottenham Hotspur at Turf Moor in Burnley, north-west England on January 24, 2026. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP)/

Thomas Frank was fired by Tottenham on Wednesday after only eight months in charge and with his team just five points above the relegation zone in the Premier League.

Despite leading Spurs to the round of 16 in the Champions League, Frank has overseen a desperate domestic campaign. A 2-1 loss to Newcastle on Tuesday means Spurs are still to win in the league in 2026.

“The Club has taken the decision to make a change in the Men’s Head Coach position and Thomas Frank will leave today,” Tottenham said in a statement. “Thomas was appointed in June 2025, and we have been determined to give him the time and support needed to build for the future together.

“However, results and performances have led the Board to conclude that a change at this point in the season is necessary.”

Frank’s exit means Spurs are on the lookout for a sixth head coach in less than seven years since Mauricio Pochettino departed in 2019.