SOCCER
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: The British government led calls for the Champions League final to be taken out of Russia on Tuesday to punish its deepening intervention in Ukraine, prompting UEFA to say it would reconsider hosting rights.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson highlighted concerns about the showpiece men’s game being played in St. Petersburg on May 28 as he urged Russian President Vladimir Putin not to conduct a full invasion of Ukraine. Russia sparked an outcry by announcing on Monday that its recognition of independence for areas in eastern Ukraine extended to territory currently held by Ukrainian forces.
In response, European football’s governing body for the first time acknowledged a risk to Russia staging the event.
“UEFA is constantly and closely monitoring the situation,” the Champions League organizer said in a statement, “and any decision would be made in due course if necessary.”
A person with knowledge of the situation said the Ukraine crisis was discussed by top-level officials at UEFA on Tuesday, including its president, Aleksander Ceferin. With four representatives in the round of 16 of the Champions League, England has the most teams remaining in the competition.
GOLF
APOLOGY: Phil Mickelson apologized for comments about the Saudis and a proposed super league, which he claims were off the record and not meant to be shared publicly.
Mickelson also said in a statement he has felt pressure and stress affecting him at a deeper level over the last 10 years and he needs time away. However, he did not say if he would be taking a break from golf.
“I’m beyond disappointed and will make every effort to self-reflect and learn from this,” he said.
Also, KPMG became the first of Mickelson’s corporate sponsors to announce an end to their partnership, a decision the company said was mutual.
Most damaging about Mickelson’s remarks to author and golf writer Alan Shipnuck was referring to the Saudis financing a proposed breakaway league as “scary mother (expletive)s.” He also told Shipnuck, who is writing a biography on Mickelson due out in May, that it was worth getting in bed with the Saudis, despite their history of human rights abuses, if it meant a chance to change the PGA Tour.
The interview took place last November.
TENNIS
MEXICO OPEN: Daniil Medvedev continued his pursuit of the No. 1 ranking with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Benoit Paire to move the second round at the Mexican Open.
The 26-year-old Russian can overtake Novak Djokovic and move into top spot if he wins the title here.
Medvedev, who won the 2021 U.S. Open and was a runner-up last month at the Australian Open, is playing in Mexico for the first time.
He’ll play either Alex Hernandez or Pablo Andujar in the next round.
If he wins this tournament, or if he reaches the Acapulco final and Djokovic does not win at Dubai, Medvedev will become the first player other than Djokovic, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal or Andy Murray to hold the top spot since 2004.
Earlier, Tommy Paul advanced when fifth-seeded Matteo Berrettini retired from their match in the second set because of an abdominal injury.
Berrettini, who reached the semifinals in the Australian Open, won the first set 6-4 but was down 5-1 in the second when he withdrew.
Paul will play Dusan Lajovic in the second round.
DUBAI CHAMPIONSHIPS: Second-seeded Andrey Rublev beat Daniel Evans 6-4, 7-5 in the first round in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, just two days after winning his ninth tour title.
The Russian, who defeated Felix Auger-Aliassime in the final at the Open 13 tournament in Marseille on Sunday, next faces Soonwoo Kwan after the South Korean beat Ilya Ivashka 6-3, 6-2.
Karen Khachanov will face top-seeded Novak Djokovic in the second round after the Russian beat Alex de Minaur 6-3, 6-7 (1), 7-5.
FIGURE SKATING
DOPING: Spanish figure skater Laura Barquero has become the fourth athlete to fail a doping test at the Beijing Olympics after testing positive for the banned steroid clostebol, the International Testing Agency said on Tuesday.
Barquero and her partner Marco Zandron finished 11th in the pairs competition, which finished on Saturday. The ITA said her positive sample was given after the short program on Friday and the case will be heard by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
As well as Barquero’s case, there were positive tests in Beijing for Iranian Alpine skier Hossein Saveh Shemshaki and two Ukrainians, cross-country skier Valentyna Kaminska and bobsledder Lidiia Hunko.
BOXING
HEAVYWEIGHT: Tyson Fury’s world heavyweight title defense against Dillian Whyte will take place on April 23, the WBC champion said while announcing a social-media blackout until after the all-British fight.
Details of the fight haven’t been announced by either boxer’s promoter.
However, Fury took to Twitter to reveal the date of the bout, hours after saying Whyte had signed a contract.
Fury (31-0-1, 22 knockouts) hasn’t fought since his dramatic 11th-round knockout of Deontay Wilder in Las Vegas in October, which completed their entertaining trilogy.
After months of drawn-out negotiations, Frank Warren, Fury’s U.K. promoter, won a purse bid for the bout at just over $41 million. That’s the richest purse bid in boxing history.
Whyte is the mandatory challenger for Fury’s belt and is getting his first world title shot.
BASKETBALL
WNBA: Sue Bird says all signs are pointing toward the 2022 season being her last in the WNBA with the Seattle Storm, but she does not want the upcoming season to be a farewell tour.
“I think it’s assumed to be my last and I do believe all arrows are pointing in that direction,” Bird said. “For some reason, I don’t necessarily want to operate in that space because I think for my personality … it doesn’t necessarily fit for every game I go into to be `this is Sue’s last game in this city. This is her last time putting her shoe on.’ I don’t really operate in that space well, but I understand that comes with it.”
Bird, a four-time WNBA champion, 12-time All-Star and the oldest player in the league at 41, previously announced she would return for one more season. She waited until Seattle finished its offseason maneuvers – including bringing back Jewell Loyd and Breanna Stewart – before signing her deal with the Storm last week.
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