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Osaka Joins List of Big Names Missing Australian Open

Tennis - Yarra Valley Classic - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia, February 5, 2021 Japan's Naomi Osaka celebrates after winning her quarter final match against Romania's Irina-Camelia Begu. REUTERS/Loren Elliott
Tennis - Yarra Valley Classic - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia, February 5, 2021 Japan's Naomi Osaka celebrates after winning her quarter final match against Romania's Irina-Camelia Begu. REUTERS/Loren Elliott
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Osaka Joins List of Big Names Missing Australian Open

Tennis - Yarra Valley Classic - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia, February 5, 2021 Japan's Naomi Osaka celebrates after winning her quarter final match against Romania's Irina-Camelia Begu. REUTERS/Loren Elliott
Tennis - Yarra Valley Classic - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia, February 5, 2021 Japan's Naomi Osaka celebrates after winning her quarter final match against Romania's Irina-Camelia Begu. REUTERS/Loren Elliott

Two-time Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka became the latest star to pull out of the opening Grand Slam of the year Sunday, leaving the tournament deprived of some of the biggest names in the game.

No reason for the Japanese player's withdrawal was given with organizers Tennis Australia tweeting: "We will miss her at AO2023."

Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska was promoted to the main draw at Melbourne Park in her absence, AFP reported.

Osaka has not played a competitive match since September and reports last week said that, despite being on the official entry list, Tennis Australia were having trouble verifying her whereabouts.

The 25-year-old's social media accounts indicated that she had been travelling in Europe with her on-again, off-again boyfriend rapper Cordae.

Her no-show was another blow for the tournament starting on January 16 after US Open champion and world number one Carlos Alcaraz withdrew on Friday with a right leg problem.

Veteran American Venus Williams will also be missing after picking an injury at last week's Auckland Classic and handing back the wildcard she had been awarded.

Open organizers were already reeling from the retirements last year of reigning women's champion Ashleigh Barty and legends Serena Williams and Roger Federer.

Former world number one and two-time Grand Slam winner Simona Halep is another not playing after she was provisionally suspended in October for taking the banned substance roxadustat.

But nine-time champion Novak Djokovic is back after missing last year's event when he was deported over his vaccination status.

Spanish superstar Rafael Nadal, who won the 2022 title in Djokovic's absence, will also line up, taking over the top seeding from Alcaraz.

Osaka, the champion in Melbourne in 2019 and 2021, last played at a tournament in Tokyo in September before pulling out with abdominal pain, slumping to 42 in the world rankings.

The four-time Grand Slam winner has previously talked about struggles with her mental health and spent all of 2022 outside the top 10, enduring first-round defeats at both the French and US Opens. She withdrew from Wimbledon with an Achilles' injury.

Speaking at the Pan Pacific Open in September, she admitted she had gone through "more down than up" in 2022.

"This year has been not the best year for me but I've learned a lot about myself," said Osaka, who also won Grand Slams at Flushing Meadows in 2018 and 2020.

"Life is ups and downs, and this year was more down than up, but overall I'm pretty happy with where I am now."

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Makkah Deputy Governor Attends Gulf Cup Opening Ceremony in Jeddah

The ceremony was attended by Minister of Sport Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki bin Faisal, FIFA President Gianni Infantino, heads and representatives of sports federations from the Arab Gulf states, and several officials - SPA
The ceremony was attended by Minister of Sport Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki bin Faisal, FIFA President Gianni Infantino, heads and representatives of sports federations from the Arab Gulf states, and several officials - SPA
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Makkah Deputy Governor Attends Gulf Cup Opening Ceremony in Jeddah

The ceremony was attended by Minister of Sport Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki bin Faisal, FIFA President Gianni Infantino, heads and representatives of sports federations from the Arab Gulf states, and several officials - SPA
The ceremony was attended by Minister of Sport Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki bin Faisal, FIFA President Gianni Infantino, heads and representatives of sports federations from the Arab Gulf states, and several officials - SPA

Under the patronage of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and on his behalf, Deputy Governor of Makkah Region Prince Saud bin Mishaal bin Abdulaziz attended the opening ceremony of the 27th Arabian Gulf Cup (Khaleeji 27) at Alinma Stadium in King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah.

The ceremony was attended by Minister of Sport Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki bin Faisal, FIFA President Gianni Infantino, heads and representatives of sports federations from the Arab Gulf states, and several officials, SPA reported.

Prince Abdulaziz, who is also President of the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee (SOPC), expressed his sincere thanks and gratitude to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques for his generous patronage of the championship.

In a press statement, he said: "The patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques of the championship reflects the special place this Gulf gathering holds for the leadership of this country, as well as the championship's rich sporting legacy, which over the decades has contributed to bringing brothers together and strengthening ties among the peoples of the region."

"Today, we are delighted to see the launch of the 27th edition of the championship in the city of Jeddah, in a manner befitting the status of this prestigious cup and its enduring value in Gulf sports. We once again welcome our brothers to their second home, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and wish all the participating national teams success," the sport minister said.

The championship is being held from September 23 to October 6, 2026, with eight national teams competing in 15 matches. Group A comprises Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Oman, and Kuwait, while Group B comprises Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Yemen.

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Berlin Confirms Withdrawal from Race to Host Summer Olympics

Berlin on Thursday confirmed its withdrawal from the race be part of Germany's bid to host the summer Olympics and Paralympics (Reuters)
Berlin on Thursday confirmed its withdrawal from the race be part of Germany's bid to host the summer Olympics and Paralympics (Reuters)
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Berlin Confirms Withdrawal from Race to Host Summer Olympics

Berlin on Thursday confirmed its withdrawal from the race be part of Germany's bid to host the summer Olympics and Paralympics (Reuters)
Berlin on Thursday confirmed its withdrawal from the race be part of Germany's bid to host the summer Olympics and Paralympics (Reuters)

Berlin on Thursday confirmed its withdrawal from the race be part of Germany's bid to host the summer Olympics and Paralympics, leaving only Munich and the western Rhine/Ruhr region as potential hosts.

The Berlin senate confirmed the withdrawal at a press conference in the German capital on Thursday, a day after reports emerged the city would no longer take part.

"Today is a sad day for Berlin, because the Olympic and Paralympic Games would have been a tremendous opportunity -- for Berlin, for East Germany, and for future generations," Berlin mayor Kai Wegner told reporters.

On Saturday, the German Olympic Committee (DOSB) will make a call on a preferred region as part of a bid to the International Olympic Committee to host one of the 2036, 2040 and 2044 Summer Games.

Berlin was one of the three remaining regions in the race after Hamburg's withdrawal, however support to host the games in the German capital flatlined after elections last Sunday.

Elif Eralp, the lead candidate for the far-left Die Linke which topped the polls, said Monday she did not support a bid for Berlin to host the Games.

"Naturally, political stability was a key concern for the leading sports associations," AFP quoted Wegner as saying.

"When Ms. Eralp stated that the bid was effectively off the table... the leading sports associations made it clear: we cannot give you our approval under these circumstances.

"I deeply regret this."

Kaweh Niroomand, the head of the Berlin bid, said: "We simply could not offer the political stability required."

On Tuesday, a DOSB evaluation committee had ranked the Munich and Rhine/Ruhr bids highly, with the Berlin bid coming in third place.

Hamburg withdrew in May after failing to win support at a public referendum.

The summer Olympics have been held on German soil twice. Berlin hosted the Games in 1936 with Germany then under Nazi leadership, while Munich played host to the 1972 Games, then as part of West Germany.

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Antonelli Aims to Stay on Target for F1 Title in Baku

Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli of Italy walks through the paddock ahead of the Azerbaijan F1 Grand Prix, in Baku, Azerbaijan, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)
Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli of Italy walks through the paddock ahead of the Azerbaijan F1 Grand Prix, in Baku, Azerbaijan, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)
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Antonelli Aims to Stay on Target for F1 Title in Baku

Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli of Italy walks through the paddock ahead of the Azerbaijan F1 Grand Prix, in Baku, Azerbaijan, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)
Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli of Italy walks through the paddock ahead of the Azerbaijan F1 Grand Prix, in Baku, Azerbaijan, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

Kimi Antonelli insists the Formula 1 title race is “not over” as he takes a vast 81-point lead into this week's Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

It looks as good as over, but Baku has sprung surprises before.

A year ago, that was where Oscar Piastri's title shot began to fall apart. The Australian was leading the standings when he almost stalled on the grid, dropped to last and crashed, all in the space of about a minute on the opening lap.

That kicked off a run of six races without a podium finish for Piastri, who had to watch the title race become a fight between eventual champion Lando Norris and Max Verstappen.

Antonelli is sounding cautious as he aims to become F1's youngest-ever champion.

“Until you cross that finish line, it’s not over. It’s like tennis, one point at a time, here one race at a time," he said. “The sooner it’s over, the better it is. Still a long way and it’s not going to be easy. It’s going to be intense but I’m ready to give my best and to keep having fun.”

There are key differences this year. For one thing, Antonelli’s lead is more than double the biggest advantage Piastri had last year. He’s coming off back-to-back wins, not the team orders controversy which was dogging Piastri and Norris a year ago.

As for Piastri, he says it's “love-hate in some ways” as he returns to a venue where he won in 2024 and endured a nightmare 2025.

“I think probably my best race ever has been at this track and probably my worst race ever has been at this track, so always eventful,” Piastri said.

Antonelli's title rivals need to bounce back The three British drivers behind Antonelli are all trying to recover from disappointing races at the Spanish Grand Prix two weeks ago.

Antonelli's teammate George Russell all but ruled himself out of the title race after an uncompetitive run to fifth in Madrid, while Lando Norris was left ruing a badly-timed virtual safety car which cost him the win. Lewis Hamilton retired, making it five races off the podium for the Ferrari driver.

“I’m going to keep fighting every single race until it’s mathematically impossible, but it doesn’t change how I go about my job," Russell said Wednesday. "There’s obviously a huge deficit, but it’s not even really a consideration right now.”

Red Bull's double bet on Isack Hadjar Red Bull is backing Isack Hadjar's health and his potential in the hope the young French driver develops into one of F1's top talents.

Hadjar returns for Baku despite saying he still feels pain from the wrist fracture which ruled him out of the last three races. And he has a contract extension to partner Max Verstappen for 2027, too.

Wrist injuries can have long-term consequences. Lance Stroll rushed back from wrist fractures sustained in a preseason cycling crash in 2023 but ended up missing a race after all in 2025 when he needed a follow-up operation to deal with lingering pain.

A rare Saturday race amid broader F1 schedule uncertainty It's an unusual race week in a very unusual F1 season, as the Azerbaijan Grand Prix is held on a Saturday to make way for a national day of remembrance on Sunday. That means Thursday practice and Friday qualifying.

This starts a run of three races in three weeks because of the extra round next week in Malaysia, still carrying branding of the called-off Bahrain Grand Prix.