Digest

TENNIS

'Exhausted' Medvedev stunned by Dimitrov

Daniil Medvedev

Reigning US Open champion Daniil Medvedev is out of the ATP Indian Wells Masters, falling in the fourth round to No 23 seed Grigor Dimitrov 4-6, 6-4,6-3 in California on Wednesday.

Medvedev, who won his first Grand Slam title last month at Flushing Meadows, hadn't lost a set heading into the fourth round but dropped eight straight games against Dimitrov en route to a stunning early exit for the top seed.

World No 2 Medvedev did not take a break after his emotional US Open victory and said his busy schedule may have finally caught up to him.

"I did feel exhausted in this tournament. Now I can say it. I couldn't say it before my matches. There are a few physical things that have come up," said Medvedev.

SOCCER

Bayern's Hernandez facing imprisonment

A Madrid court on Wednesday announced it had ordered the imprisonment of France and Bayern Munich defender Lucas Hernandez for violating a restraining order in 2017.

Hernandez, a 2018 World Cup winner, has been summoned to appear before a court next Tuesday but he has appealed against the sentence. He will have 10 days from Oct 19 to enter prison "voluntarily".

In Spain, those sentenced to less than two years do not usually go to prison, but in this case, as it is a repeat offense, Hernandez has been ordered to. The 25-year-old was arrested four years ago for violating a court order banning him from contacting his partner after a violent altercation between the two.

Hernandez was part of the France squad that won the Nations League title last weekend. He became the most expensive player in Bundesliga history when he joined Bayern from Atletico in 2019 for 80 million euros ($92.5 million).

Sao Paulo parts ways with coach Crespo

Brazilian club Sao Paulo announced Wednesday it has parted ways with Argentine coach Hernan Crespo after a string of poor results.

Crespo joined Sao Paulo in February after leading tiny Argentine club Defensa y Justicia to the Copa Sudamericana title and signed a contract until the end of 2022.

His stint started well with a Sao Paulo state league title, ending a nine-year trophy drought for the club. But Sao Paulo is only in 13th position in the Brazilian championship with 30 points after 25 matches.

The former striker had a decorated career as a player, shooting to prominence at Parma before winning three Serie A titles with Inter Milan and the English Premier League with Chelsea. He scored 35 goals for Argentina from 1995 until 2007.

The 46-year-old Crespo started his coaching career in 2015 at Italy's Modena, then moved to Argentina's Banfield in 2018 and Defensa y Justicia in 2020.

United's Varane out for weeks with groin injury

Raphael Varane

Manchester United has confirmed it will be without French central defender Raphael Varane for a "few weeks" with a groin injury which he suffered while playing in the UEFA Nations League final against Spain on Sunday.

"Raphael Varane sustained a groin muscle injury in the UEFA Nations League final and has commenced rehabilitation at the club. He will be out for a few weeks," confirmed United on Wednesday.

Varane's injury comes at a bad time for United with England defender Harry Maguire likely to miss Saturday's visit to Leicester City with an injury and a tough series of games in the coming weeks.

United hosts Atalanta in the Champions League next Wednesday and then visits Anfield to play Liverpool in a crunch game on Oct 24, before traveling to face Tottenham on Oct 30.

ATHLETICS

Kenyan runner Tirop found dead at home

Kenyan Olympic runner and two-time world championship bronze medalist Agnes Tirop was found dead at her home Wednesday with stab wounds and her husband was missing and wanted for questioning, police said.

Elgeyo Marakwet County police chief Tom Makori said they were searching for Tirop's husband after his family reported he had phoned them crying and asking for God's forgiveness for something he had done.

"There are revelations which came from her husband's family,"Makori said.

The 25-year-old Tirop was found dead at her home in Iten in western Kenya, a town renowned as a training base for distance runners. Kenyan media reported she was found with stab wounds in her abdomen and neck.

Tirop's car had its windscreen and windows smashed, which could indicate a domestic dispute before she was killed, police said.

SPEED SKATING

Olympic champ cut amid tripping probe

Two-time Olympic champion Shim Suk-hee has been cut from South Korea's short-track speed skating team after a reported text message exchange that suggested she may have intentionally tripped a teammate during the 2018 Winter Games.

The Korea Staking Union on Wednesday said it is preparing to launch an investigation and had barred the 24-year-old Shim from competing in the International Skating Union short-track World Cup series beginning next week.

The Seoul-based Dispatch online news outlet last week revealed what it described as text messages exchanged between Shim and her coach during the last Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

Shim on Monday issued a statement apologizing to Choi, Kim and all others who were disappointed and hurt by her "immature attitude, words and behavior".

Agencies