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Messi Won't Play for Miami in Leagues Cup Match at Columbus

Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi waves as he walks off the field after being honored for his 45 career trophies before an MLS soccer match against the Chicago Fire, Saturday, July 20, 2024, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi waves as he walks off the field after being honored for his 45 career trophies before an MLS soccer match against the Chicago Fire, Saturday, July 20, 2024, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
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Messi Won't Play for Miami in Leagues Cup Match at Columbus

Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi waves as he walks off the field after being honored for his 45 career trophies before an MLS soccer match against the Chicago Fire, Saturday, July 20, 2024, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi waves as he walks off the field after being honored for his 45 career trophies before an MLS soccer match against the Chicago Fire, Saturday, July 20, 2024, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Argentine star Lionel Messi was ruled out on Monday by Inter Miami coach Gerardo Martino for the defending champions' Leagues Cup knockout match on Tuesday at reigning MLS champion Columbus, AFP reported.

Messi remains sidelined after suffering a right ankle injury a month ago in Argentina's 1-0 victory over Colombia in the Copa America final.

Messi has not yet trained with his Miami teammates since escaping a walking boot.

The Leagues Cup is a tournament with MLS and Liga MX Mexican clubs, with Messi helping lift Miami to last year's inaugural title.

The showdown match between the Columbus Crew, last year's MLS kings, and Miami, this year's top overall team in the league table, is among eight matches that will decide quarter-final pairings on Friday and Saturday.

In Monday's round-of-16 opener, the host Seattle Sounders blanked Mexican side Pumas 4-0.

Paul Rothrock's header off a centering pass from Albert Rusnak in the 32nd minute gave Seattle a 1-0 lead and Jordan Morris doubled the Sounders' edge in the 58th with Rusnak again on the assist.

Slovakian Rusnak scored on a penalty shot in the 71st minute and Morris added a final goal from the spot in the fifth minute of stoppage time.

Seattle, which also defeated Pumas in the 2022 CONCACAF Champions League final, will next host the winner of a Tuesday match between San Jose and Los Angeles FC.

Other knockout matches on Tuesday include Philadelphia at Cincinnati, Cruz Azul against Mazatlan, Tigres against New York City, Toluca at Colorado and Club America at St. Louis.

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Novak Djokovic Breaks a Tie with Roger Federer for Most Grand Slam Matches in Tennis History

Tennis - Australian Open - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 15, 2025 Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates winning his second round match against Portugal's Jaime Faria. (Reuters)
Tennis - Australian Open - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 15, 2025 Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates winning his second round match against Portugal's Jaime Faria. (Reuters)
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Novak Djokovic Breaks a Tie with Roger Federer for Most Grand Slam Matches in Tennis History

Tennis - Australian Open - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 15, 2025 Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates winning his second round match against Portugal's Jaime Faria. (Reuters)
Tennis - Australian Open - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 15, 2025 Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates winning his second round match against Portugal's Jaime Faria. (Reuters)

Novak Djokovic added yet another record to his lengthy list, breaking a tie with Roger Federer for the most Grand Slam matches played in tennis history by reaching 430 on Wednesday at the Australian Open in what was a tougher-than-expected second-round victory.

Djokovic improved to 379-51 for his career at major tournaments, a .881 winning percentage, by defeating 21-year-old Portuguese qualifier Jaime Faria 6-1, 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-2 in a match briefly interrupted by light rain before Rod Laver Arena's retractable roof was shut.

“Grand Slams, of course, they are the pillars of our sport. They mean everything for the history of the sport. ... Definitely the most important tournaments,” Djokovic said. “I’m just blessed to be making another record, I guess, today.”

Oh, yes, Djokovic already holds so many marks, many of which used to belong to Federer — who went 369-60 during his 429 Slam matches, a .860 winning percentage — and there are more on the horizon.

As it is, Djokovic has won the most Grand Slam singles titles of any man, 24, ahead of Rafael Nadal's 22 and Federer's 20 (those other two members of the Big Three are now retired). The 37-year-old Serb has spent more weeks at No. 1 in the rankings than any other player. He's played in 37 Slam finals, six more than Federer's old record. And so on and so on.

Consider, too, what could possibly await for Djokovic.

A title at the end of the 15 days at Melbourne Park would be his 25th at a major, a number never reached by any man or woman. It would also be his 11th at the Australian Open, equaling Margaret Court for the most. It would make him the oldest man in the Open era — which began in 1968 — to collect a Grand Slam singles trophy (Ken Rosewall was about six months younger when he won the 1972 Australian Open).

And it would be Djokovic's 100th tour-level tournament title, a nice round number behind only Jimmy Connors' 109 and Federer's 103 in the Open era among men.

Not everything has gone perfectly this week in Australia for Djokovic in his first tournament working with former on-court rival Andy Murray as his coach.

Both of Djokovic's matches so far came against a young player making his Grand Slam debut. And both times, he was pushed to four sets.

In the first round, it was against Nishesh Basavareddy, a 19-year-old American who turned pro only last month and is ranked 107th. In the second, it was Faria, who is ranked 125th, giving him a bit of a hard time, especially during a four-game run in the second set.

“He was playing lights-out tennis. ... I had to weather the storm,” Djokovic said. “I think I responded very well in the third and, particularly fourth, (sets).”