Jabeur suffers injury scare days before Australian Open

SYDNEY: In-form world number seven Anett Kontaveit cruised into the Sydney Classic semi-finals Thursday after top-10 opponent Ons Jabeur retired hurt, days before the Australian Open.

The Estonian won a tight first set 6-4 before the Tunisian called for a medical timeout. After lengthy treatment on her lower back, Jabeur forfeited the match.

It is a big setback for Jabeur, with the opening Grand Slam of the year starting on Monday. She had a breakthrough 2021, when she won her maiden WTA singles title and surged into the top 10 for the first time.

Kontaveit will now play world number four and French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova, with the Czech crushing France’s Caroline Garcia 6-0, 6-2. —AFP

African nations face Beijing Olympics skeleton shutout, coaches say

PARIS: The international Olympic Committee said Thursday it was studying a plea from the coaches of a Ghanaian skeleton racer that African competitors be included in the sliding events at the Beijing Olympics.

The coaches of Ghanaian skeleton competitor Akwasi Frimpong fear the sports will suffer a huge setback if qualification spots are not kept open for African nations in skeleton and bobsleigh at next month’s Games.

Frimpong and Nigeria’s Simidele Adeagbo made history at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games when they became Africa’s first skeleton racers to compete at the Winter Olympics.