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Fognini Says This Italian Open Will Be His Last 

Fabio Fognini. (AFP)
Fabio Fognini. (AFP)
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Fognini Says This Italian Open Will Be His Last 

Fabio Fognini. (AFP)
Fabio Fognini. (AFP)

Former world number nine Fabio Fognini said this year's Italian Open in Rome will be his last appearance at the ATP Masters 1000 event.

The 37-year-old Italian will face Briton Jacob Fearnley in the first round on Thursday, marking his 18th main draw appearance at the tournament, having reached the quarter-finals in 2018.

"I think it's a good time to say goodbye in this beautiful city, special city," Fognini, who first played at the Italian Open in 2006, told the Tennis Channel on Wednesday.

"Since I was a kid I was coming here to say, 'Oh let's see, let's hope to play one day'. And now I’m in the opposite (end of my career).

"But I'm here with a smile on my face because I know that I had a really difficult time during my, I don't know, 20 years in Rome and I would like to enjoy the last lap."

Fognini has won eight of his nine ATP singles titles on clay, including the 2019 Monte Carlo Masters. He said one of his fondest memories in Rome was beating then world number one Andy Murray in straight sets in 2017.

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Report: France’s Ekitike Out of World Cup with Ruptured Achilles

Liverpool's Hugo Ekitike lies injured during the Champions League quarterfinal second leg soccer match between Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain in Liverpool, England, Tuesday, April 14, 2026. (AP)
Liverpool's Hugo Ekitike lies injured during the Champions League quarterfinal second leg soccer match between Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain in Liverpool, England, Tuesday, April 14, 2026. (AP)
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Report: France’s Ekitike Out of World Cup with Ruptured Achilles

Liverpool's Hugo Ekitike lies injured during the Champions League quarterfinal second leg soccer match between Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain in Liverpool, England, Tuesday, April 14, 2026. (AP)
Liverpool's Hugo Ekitike lies injured during the Champions League quarterfinal second leg soccer match between Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain in Liverpool, England, Tuesday, April 14, 2026. (AP)

France forward Hugo Ekitike suffered a ruptured Achilles during Liverpool's Champions League clash against Paris St Germain on Tuesday and will miss the World Cup, French newspapers Le Parisien ‌and L'Equipe ‌reported on Wednesday.

The ‌23-year-old ⁠pointed to his ⁠Achilles tendon as medical staff attended to him before he was carried off on a stretcher at Anfield, ⁠where Liverpool lost ‌2-0 ‌in their quarter-final second leg, ‌exiting the competition with ‌a 4-0 aggregate defeat.

The French football federation (FFF) was not immediately available for ‌comment.

Ekitike has 17 goals in all competitions this ⁠season ⁠since Liverpool signed him from Eintracht Frankfurt for 69 million pounds ($93.58 million) in July.

The World Cup is being held in the United States, Mexico and Canada from June 11-July 19.

Sports

Asia Cup Draw Set for May 9 in Saudi Arabia

A landmark is lit up in the colors of the national flag in Diriyah on the occasion of Saudi National Day. (SPA file)
A landmark is lit up in the colors of the national flag in Diriyah on the occasion of Saudi National Day. (SPA file)
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Asia Cup Draw Set for May 9 in Saudi Arabia

A landmark is lit up in the colors of the national flag in Diriyah on the occasion of Saudi National Day. (SPA file)
A landmark is lit up in the colors of the national flag in Diriyah on the occasion of Saudi National Day. (SPA file)

The draw for the 2027 Asian Cup will be held in Saudi Arabia next month, Asian football officials said on Wednesday, after being postponed when the Middle East war broke out.

The draw was supposed to take place on April 11 in Riyadh, but the event was moved "to ensure the full participation of all key stakeholders and participating member associations", the Asian Football Confederation said.

It will now be held on May 9 at the historic At-Turaif District in Diriyah, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Kuala Lumpur-based federation said.

The 19th edition of the Asian Cup is scheduled to take place from January 7 to February 5 next year, and 23 out of 24 participating nations have been confirmed.

The final berth is to be decided with a Group B tie between Lebanon and Yemen rescheduled to June 4, the AFC said.

Riyadh, Jeddah and Al Khobar are the host cities.

The 24 teams will be divided into six groups of four.

Sports

Arsenal Faces Pivotal Week with Key Games in the Champions League and Premier League

Arsenal's Spanish manager Mikel Arteta arrives to take a team training session at London Colney, north of London, on April 14, 2026, on the eve of their UEFA Champions League, quarter-final, second leg football match against Sporting Lisbon. (AFP)
Arsenal's Spanish manager Mikel Arteta arrives to take a team training session at London Colney, north of London, on April 14, 2026, on the eve of their UEFA Champions League, quarter-final, second leg football match against Sporting Lisbon. (AFP)
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Arsenal Faces Pivotal Week with Key Games in the Champions League and Premier League

Arsenal's Spanish manager Mikel Arteta arrives to take a team training session at London Colney, north of London, on April 14, 2026, on the eve of their UEFA Champions League, quarter-final, second leg football match against Sporting Lisbon. (AFP)
Arsenal's Spanish manager Mikel Arteta arrives to take a team training session at London Colney, north of London, on April 14, 2026, on the eve of their UEFA Champions League, quarter-final, second leg football match against Sporting Lisbon. (AFP)

A crucial week for Arsenal starts Wednesday night against Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League quarter-finals.

Mikel Arteta's team faces two huge games in its pursuit of a Premier League and Champions League double this season.

Leading 1-0 against Lisbon after the first leg in Portugal last week, Arsenal is closing in on a place in the semi-finals for the second successive year. Then on Sunday it faces Manchester City in a top two showdown in the Premier League.

Arteta said there was “zero fear” ahead of a potentially pivotal few days.

“We are in April, we have an incredible opportunity ahead of us. Let’s confront it, let’s go for it by really putting absolutely everything into it,” he said.

Arsenal's form has slumped in recent weeks — losing the English League Cup final against City and then being dumped out of the FA Cup by second division Southampton. Last weekend it was beaten at home in the league by Bournemouth, allowing City to close the gap at the top of the standings to six points with a game in hand.

For now, the focus is on the Champions League, a trophy Arsenal has never won.

“I said to the players, ‘guys, we are trying to do something that hasn’t been done in the history of the club in 140 years. So that tells you the difficulty of what you are doing,’” Arteta said.

Declan Rice faced a late fitness test after missing practice on Tuesday. Bukayo Saka and Jurrien Timber were also doubtful starters.

Arsenal or Lisbon will face Atletico Madrid in the semi-finals after the Spanish club beat Barcelona 3-2 on aggregate.