TENNIS
Australian Open organisers are "confident" the first Grand Slam of the year will go ahead as planned on Monday, despite 160 players waiting for the results of coronavirus tests.
More than 500 people connected to the tournament were told to isolate by Melbourne health officials yesterday after a hotel worker tested positive.
Play at six warm-up events and the draws were postponed today so the draws will take place tomorrow.
Players will be allowed out of isolation once they return a negative test.
GOLF
Rory McIlroy has accused golf's rule makers of "reeking of self-importance".
They've announced plans to try to limit how far players can hit the ball.
McIlroy says it will have a negative impact on the sport - particularly for amateurs.
+++
Shane Lowry shot a level par opening round of 70 on day one of the Saudi International.
England's David Horsey tops the leaderboard after carding a 9 under par round of 61.
Defending champion Graeme McDowell was on 2 under par through the first 12 but a disastrous 13th saw him drop to a double bogey, meaning he’s now on level par.
Cormac Sharvin has just scored a birdie to make it back to par.
Paul Dunne carded a 3 over par round of 73.
Over on the US PGA Tour, Rory McIlroy and Padraig Harrington are among the starters for the Waste Management Phoenix Open, which tees off later.
I’m sure they’d love to have that trophy on the mantlepiece, McIlroy tees off at 3pm irish time while Harrington is out on the course at 7
SOCCER
Manchester City will go to Anfield on Sunday with a seven point advantage over Liverpool in the Premier League.
Leaders City extended their unbeaten run to nineteen games last night with a 2-nil win away to Burnley.
Gabriel Jesus and Raheem Sterling were on the mark at Turf Moor.
+++
Liverpool suffered back-to-back home defeats in the Premier League for the first time since 2012, going down 1-nil to Brighton.
Steven Alzate scored the winner in the second half at Anfield.
Reds manager Jurgen Klopp says it was a fair result.
Leicester City went above Liverpool and into third with a 2-nil win at Fulham.
West Ham's 3-1 win away to Aston Villa came courtesy of a debut brace from Jesse Lingard.
And Everton revived their hunt for Champions League football with a 2-1 win at Leeds.
Seventh plays eighth in the Premier League tonight, with Tottenham playing host to Chelsea.
Kick-off at the new White Hart Lane is at 8.
+++
Southampton have appealed against the red card issued to Jan Bednarek in Tuesday's Premier League defeat to Manchester United.
The defender was sent off after conceding a penalty for a foul on Anthony Martial.
However, contact appeared to be minimal and Bednarek could be heard saying the United striker had admitted it wasn't a foul as he headed off the pitch.
+++
Arsenal have also appealed against the red card shown to David Luiz in Tuesday's Premier League defeat to Wolves.
The defender was dismissed at the end of the first half after clipping the heel of Willian Jose and conceding a penalty.
RUGBY
Wales will be without winger Josh Adams for Sunday’s Six Nations opener with Ireland.
He’s been suspended for two games for breaking the team’s coronavirus protocols.
Adams has apologised for attending a family gathering last weekend.
Meanwhile, Jonathan Sexton has declared himself fit for Sunday’s game in Cardiff.
The Ireland captain has shaken off a minor hamstring strain.
====
England rugby union captain Owen Farrell will start at fly-half for their opening Six Nations game with Scotland on Saturday.
Head coach Eddie Jones has opted for a centre pairing of Ollie Lawrence and Henry Slade.
Bath's uncapped Beno Obano is likely to make his debut after being named on the bench.
+++
FRANCE HEAD COACH Fabien Galthié has named a strong team for their Six Nations opener against Italy. Les Bleus, who finished second to England in last year’s championship, begin their campaign in Rome on Saturday.
The French are still without Romain Ntamack who suffered a broken jaw in late December.
22 year old Mathieu Jalibert takes up the number 10 shirt outside electric scrum-half Antoine Dupont.
+++
Cameron Redpath will make his Scotland debut when they face England on Saturday in rugby union's Six Nations.
The Bath centre previously represented England at Under-20 level.
Finn Russell returns at fly-half having missed the Autumn Nations Cup through injury.
Hooker George Turner will make his championship debut.
+++
There will be a streamlined version of this year’s Women’s Six Nations.
Teams have been split into two pools of three, with Ireland facing Wales away and France at home.
The tournament will begin in April, having been postponed due to the pandemic.
The Under-20 Six Nations will follow the same format between June and July.
RACING
Trainer Willie Mullins says he's hopeful the twin issues of Covid and Brexit won't mean he has to reduce the size of his team for next month's Cheltenham Festival.
Dual Gold Cup winner Al Boum Photo is due to head what's normally a squad of more than 50 horses for next months meeting, but they will have Covid protocols and the extra regulations following Brexit to overcome.
There's a seven-race card at Down Royal today.
The first is off at 1.15.
