Digest

SOCCER

Neymar 'very keen' on switch to MLS

Paris Saint-Germain and Brazil superstar Neymar has said he would be "very keen" on playing Major League Soccer in the US at the end of his career.

The 30-year-old striker said Saturday on a YouTube broadcast with fellow Brazil icon Ronaldo that he was attracted by the MLS calendar.

"I don't know if I'll go back to play in Brazil. I'm very keen to play in the United States. At least for a season," he said.

"The championship there is short, you have three or four months off," he added with a laugh. "I could still play a lot of years like that."

In October, Neymar made headlines when he indicated he could end his international career after the 2022 World Cup, saying the psychological pressure was wearing him down.

He renewed his contract with PSG in May through June 2025, by which point he will be 33.

Pele extends hospital stay due to infection

Pele has extended a scheduled hospital stay due to a urinary infection.

The 81-year-old was admitted on Feb 13 to continue treatment for his colon cancer, and days later doctors found the infection, Hospital Albert Einstein in Sao Paulo said in a statement on Monday.

"His clinical conditions are stable, and his release should take place on the next few days," the hospital said.

Pele has had chemotherapy to treat the tumor that was found during routine exams at the end of August. He was briefly put in intensive care shortly after the surgery on his colon, and has since recovered.

He was discharged on Sept 30, almost one month after being hospitalized, but has spent more days in hospital since.

Pele won the 1958, 1962 and 1970 World Cups and remains Brazil's all-time leading scorer with 77 goals in 92 matches.

TENNIS

Djokovic wins on return from deportation saga

Novak Djokovic won his first match of the year when he beat Lorenzo Musetti 6-3, 6-3 to open the Dubai Championships on Monday.

Djokovic couldn't defend his Australian Open title last month because he was deported from the country for being unvaccinated.

The United Arab Emirates allowed him entry, and Djokovic cashed in at a tournament he's won five times.

"I have to be satisfied with my tennis, especially after not playing for two and a half, three months," Djokovic said on court. "Of course, there were moments when I played great, there were moments when I made a couple of unforced errors in a row uncharacteristically. But it's normal to expect that in my first match after a while."

Andy Murray won his first match in Dubai since his title run in 2017.He beat Australian qualifier Christopher O'Connell 6-7(4), 6-3, 7-5 after nearly three hours.

GOLF

Rahm holds razor-thin lead in world rankings

Jon Rahm retained his spot atop the Official World Golf Ranking this week, but the Spaniard's grip on No 1 is precariously thin.

Collin Morikawa entered The Genesis Invitational with his third opportunity to claim the top spot for the first time in his career. Morikawa, who also had mathematical chances to claim No 1 at the Hero World Challenge and the Tournament of Champions, needed to win on Sunday and have Rahm finish worse than solo fourth.

Rahm, who made the cut on the number, rallied to tie for 21st at Riviera Country Club. That still left the door open for Morikawa, who made a spirited Sunday run before settling for a tied second.

Morikawa is now just 0.3398 points behind Rahm for the top spot. Patrick Cantlay, who entered the week with the same equation to wrest No 1 away from Rahm, scuffled to a tied 33rd after also making the cut on the number.

Cantlay remains No 3, followed by Norwegian Viktor Hovland and Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy.

Agencies