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Messi Says Not Certain to Play 'Much Longer' after Father's Death

(FILES) Argentina's forward #10 Lionel Messi reacts during the 2026 World Cup football tournament final match between Spain and Argentina at the New York/New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford on July 19, 2026. (Photo by Jewel SAMAD / AFP)
(FILES) Argentina's forward #10 Lionel Messi reacts during the 2026 World Cup football tournament final match between Spain and Argentina at the New York/New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford on July 19, 2026. (Photo by Jewel SAMAD / AFP)
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Messi Says Not Certain to Play 'Much Longer' after Father's Death

(FILES) Argentina's forward #10 Lionel Messi reacts during the 2026 World Cup football tournament final match between Spain and Argentina at the New York/New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford on July 19, 2026. (Photo by Jewel SAMAD / AFP)
(FILES) Argentina's forward #10 Lionel Messi reacts during the 2026 World Cup football tournament final match between Spain and Argentina at the New York/New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford on July 19, 2026. (Photo by Jewel SAMAD / AFP)

Argentina superstar and inspiration behind his country's 2022 World Cup victory Lionel Messi said Wednesday he has "serious doubts" about continuing to play football for "much longer" after the death of his father Jorge Messi.

"I don't know what I'll do without you, I don't know how to go on. I just played football, and now I have serious doubts about continuing to do so for much longer," Messi, 39, wrote in a message on social media after his father, who was also his agent, died last week aged 68.

In the message, Messi, whose contract with Major League Soccer outfit Inter Miami runs till the end of the 2028 season, reflected on the final months of his father's life, which coincided with the 2026 World Cup.

"I kept telling you we would reach the final so you could make the trip," said Messi, who returned to the United States on Tuesday night following his father's funeral on Sunday.

"We made it to the final, but you couldn't be there. I wanted to win it to bring it to you and show you a new one. I couldn't, my legs just gave out.

"This time I tried to push past my physical limits, but I couldn't. I never felt right," Messi said in his first comments after the 1-0 loss to Spain in the final in New Jersey.

Messi highlighted his father's pivotal role in his life and career: "You were a father, a friend, and an agent. You were always exactly who you needed to be in every moment, and you never put a foot wrong."

Jorge Messi's unusual absence from the World Cup in June had already attracted attention.

Messi's family asked the media for "humanity" during the tournament amid persistent rumours over Jorge's health.

After bursting into tears after scoring against Algeria in a group match, Messi had admitted to dealing with "a situation outside of sports".

On Sunday, the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner bid farewell to his father during a private ceremony with close family and a few Argentina teammates in the town of Perez, adjacent to Rosario.

The cause of death was not disclosed, but local media reported that Jorge Messi had been suffering from cancer.

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Marquez Wins Japanese GP to Cut Martin's Lead

Ducati Lenovo Team rider Marc Marquez of Spain displays his Ducati team's 100th victory sticker at the Parc Ferme during the MotoGP Japanese Grand Prix at the Mobility Resort Motegi in Motegi, Tochigi prefecture on October 4, 2026. (Photo by Toshifumi KITAMURA / AFP)
Ducati Lenovo Team rider Marc Marquez of Spain displays his Ducati team's 100th victory sticker at the Parc Ferme during the MotoGP Japanese Grand Prix at the Mobility Resort Motegi in Motegi, Tochigi prefecture on October 4, 2026. (Photo by Toshifumi KITAMURA / AFP)
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Marquez Wins Japanese GP to Cut Martin's Lead

Ducati Lenovo Team rider Marc Marquez of Spain displays his Ducati team's 100th victory sticker at the Parc Ferme during the MotoGP Japanese Grand Prix at the Mobility Resort Motegi in Motegi, Tochigi prefecture on October 4, 2026. (Photo by Toshifumi KITAMURA / AFP)
Ducati Lenovo Team rider Marc Marquez of Spain displays his Ducati team's 100th victory sticker at the Parc Ferme during the MotoGP Japanese Grand Prix at the Mobility Resort Motegi in Motegi, Tochigi prefecture on October 4, 2026. (Photo by Toshifumi KITAMURA / AFP)

Ducati's Marc Marquez won his fourth Japanese Grand Prix to complete a sprint-race double at the Motegi Circuit on Sunday and cut title rival Jorge Martin's championship lead to two points.

After several riders experienced extreme degradation of their soft rear tires during Saturday's sprint, the entire grid opted for hard rear tires and the first few laps of the race were a cagey affair.

Polesitter Martin managed to hold on to his advantage off the line and appeared comfortable in the opening eight laps as Marquez waited ⁠for the perfect ⁠moment to pounce.

That opportunity came on the 11th lap when Martin left a sliver of space on his inside, which Marquez exploited to take the lead.

The reigning champion then controlled the race to the chequered flag, finishing ahead of Aprilia's Martin and Marco Bezzecchi.

"The race was ⁠tough, especially when I was behind Jorge, but I knew that if I was able to lead the race, my pace was good," Reuters quoted Marquez as saying.

"Jorge tried to attack, but then I just increased a bit more the pace and it was enough to do the last two laps more relaxed."

Martin is on 333 points, ahead of Marquez on 331, with six rounds remaining in the season.

"I wanted to win but I think today it was really ⁠difficult to ⁠beat Marc," Martin said. "I rode almost perfectly. I was really smooth, really confident and even then I couldn't win."

Martin's teammate Bezzecchi also kept his slim title hopes alive, fending off a late charge by Tech3's Enea Bastianini to finish third.

LCR Honda's Diogo Moreira, who clinched his first-ever podium on Saturday, crashed out, as did Gresini's Alex Marquez after serving a double long lap penalty for his role in a three-rider collision during the sprint.

Japan's Ai Ogura (Trackhouse) finished sixth after a thrilling battle with teammate Raul Fernandez and KTM's Pedro Acosta.

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Sabalenka Knocked Out of China Open in Straight Sets by Nikola Bartunkova

Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus in action against Nikola Bartunkova of Czech Republic during their women’s singles match at the China Open tennis tournament in Beijing, China, 04 October 2026. EPA/ANDRES MARTINEZ CASARES
Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus in action against Nikola Bartunkova of Czech Republic during their women’s singles match at the China Open tennis tournament in Beijing, China, 04 October 2026. EPA/ANDRES MARTINEZ CASARES
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Sabalenka Knocked Out of China Open in Straight Sets by Nikola Bartunkova

Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus in action against Nikola Bartunkova of Czech Republic during their women’s singles match at the China Open tennis tournament in Beijing, China, 04 October 2026. EPA/ANDRES MARTINEZ CASARES
Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus in action against Nikola Bartunkova of Czech Republic during their women’s singles match at the China Open tennis tournament in Beijing, China, 04 October 2026. EPA/ANDRES MARTINEZ CASARES

Second-ranked Aryna Sabalenka was bundled out in the third round of the China Open in straight sets by the Czech Republic's Nikola Bartunkova on Sunday.

The No. 34-ranked Bartunkova defeated the four-time Grand Slam champion 6-4, 6-3 in just over an hour and a half leaving the tournament without its two top seeds in the first week.

Newly-crowned world No. 1 Elena Rybakina was ousted from the tournament on Saturday and will now be joined by Sabalenka in exiting WTA-1000 event in Beijing early.

Sabalenka, who was denied a three-peat at the US Open last month by Rybakina, squandered five break points in the first set as her historic struggles in Beijing continued. The 28-year-old Belorussian has never progressed past the quarterfinals at the event.

“First of all, I focused on myself, to be calm,” Bartunkova said. “And Aryna, she’s great, she’s a legend, she’s a Grand Slam champion. So, yeah, I’m really happy that I won the match ... I’m not a girl who celebrates too much.”

Bartunkova will next play 24-year-old Sinja Kraus of Austria, who earlier defeated Dayana Yastremska 6-1, 6-4, The Associated Press reported.

Fifth-ranked Mirra Andreeva eased into the fourth round with a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Polina Kudermetova. This year's French Open winner fired six aces and took five of her seven break point opportunities to overwhelm her Uzbek opponent in just in 68 minutes.

In the men’s tournament, Hubert Hurkacz beat Karen Khachanov 7-6 (2) 6-2 to make the final four.

Later Sunday, top seed and US Open champion Alexander Zverev plays his quarterfinal match against Novak Djokovic.

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Alcaraz Through to Japan Open Semis after Shapovalov Injury

Carlos Alcaraz of Spain gives his wristband to a fan after his quarterfinal match against Denis Shapovalov of Canada during the Japan Open tennis tournament at Ariake Colosseum in Tokyo, Japan, 04 October 2026. EPA/KIYOSHI OTA
Carlos Alcaraz of Spain gives his wristband to a fan after his quarterfinal match against Denis Shapovalov of Canada during the Japan Open tennis tournament at Ariake Colosseum in Tokyo, Japan, 04 October 2026. EPA/KIYOSHI OTA
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Alcaraz Through to Japan Open Semis after Shapovalov Injury

Carlos Alcaraz of Spain gives his wristband to a fan after his quarterfinal match against Denis Shapovalov of Canada during the Japan Open tennis tournament at Ariake Colosseum in Tokyo, Japan, 04 October 2026. EPA/KIYOSHI OTA
Carlos Alcaraz of Spain gives his wristband to a fan after his quarterfinal match against Denis Shapovalov of Canada during the Japan Open tennis tournament at Ariake Colosseum in Tokyo, Japan, 04 October 2026. EPA/KIYOSHI OTA

Carlos Alcaraz qualified for the semi-finals of the Japan Open on Sunday after an ailing Denis Shapovalov retired to hand the world number three a 7-6 (7/3), 2-1 victory.

His Canadian opponent was forced to withdraw after suffering an injury to his upper right thigh in the first game of the second set, AFP reported.

Defending champion Alcaraz will play fellow Spaniard Jaume Munar for a place in the final after the world number 64 ended the impressive run of 86th-ranked Kyrian Jacquet of France.

The match was hard-fought until Shapovalov's retirement, with Alcaraz troubled by the variety of his game as the world number 46 mixed deep shots with drop shots, and power with spin.

Alcaraz, who saved four set points against Matteo Arnaldi on Saturday, salvaged another here at 5-4 down and went on to seal the tie-break with a passing shot before Shapovalov's injury.

The Australian Open champion is playing only his third event since returning from a months-long wrist injury, having reached the quarter-finals of the US Open last month.