Digest

BASKETBALL

Hawks fire McMillan as Prunty promoted

Nate McMillan was fired as coach of the Atlanta Hawks after guiding the NBA club to a 29-30 start to the 2022-23 campaign, the team announced Tuesday.

Hawks general manager Landry Fields said assistant coach Joe Prunty would serve as the interim head coach.

"Decisions like these, especially in season, are always extremely difficult, but we believe it's in the best interest of our team to move forward with another voice leading the way," Fields said.

McMillan finished with a 99-80 record as coach of the Hawks, having started as an interim coach after a midseason firing in 2021 and guiding Atlanta to the Eastern Conference finals.

"I would like to thank Nate for his leadership and professionalism during his time with the Hawks," Fields said. "He's truly a class act and we appreciate the graciousness and work ethic he brought."

McMillan, who played 12 NBA seasons as a guard for the Seattle SuperSonics, was in his 19th season as an NBA head coach after stops in Seattle, Portland, Indiana and Atlanta from 2001.

RUGBY

Foster 'highly unlikely' to stay with All Blacks

All Blacks coach Ian Foster admitted Wednesday it was "highly unlikely" that he would be in charge next year, as speculation grows in New Zealand about his future.

Foster's contract expires following this year's Rugby World Cup in France and he doesn't expect it to be extended.

"I think it's pretty highly unlikely that I will be in this job next year," Foster told Newstalk ZB radio. "I keep getting asked about it, if I am going to apply, but the question (for me) is what is best for the All Blacks in 2023."

New Zealand Rugby reportedly want to have the All Blacks coaching staff for 2024 finalized by April.

Canterbury Crusaders coach Scott Robertson and Japan boss Jamie Joseph have been tipped as possible replacements.

Foster is concerned that debate about his future could overshadow World Cup preparations and wants any announcement about the 2024 All Blacks coach made only after the tournament.

AWARD

Gu Ailing nominated for Laureus prize

Olympic freeski champion Gu Ailing was nominated for the Laureus World Action Sportsperson of the Year award, according to a shortlist released on Tuesday.

Gu, aged 18, became the youngest Olympic champion in freestyle skiing history at Beijing 2022 with gold-medal performances in Big Air and halfpipe representing Team China.

Following Beijing 2022, Gu took a break from competition to begin her studies at Stanford University. She returned to competition on Jan 19, winning two halfpipe titles at the FIS Freeski World Cup in Calgary, Canada. However, she pulled out of the X Games Aspen after sustaining a knee injury in training.

The Action Sportsperson of the Year shortlist is headed up by Chloe Kim, who won her second straight halfpipe Olympic gold in Beijing.

TENNIS

Mirza downbeat on Indian players' chances

Sania Mirza said on Tuesday she does not see an Indian talent emerging at the top echelons of women's tennis in the immediate future, but is hopeful that can change down the road.

The Indian tennis icon played the final match of her 20-year professional career earlier in the day, losing alongside Madison Keys 6-4,6-0 to Russian pair Liudmila Samsonova and Veronika Kudermetova at the Dubai Open.

A former doubles world No 1 and six-time Grand Slam champion in doubles and mixed doubles, 36-year-old Mirza's trailblazing journey has inspired countless young people from her country to take up tennis.

"Every time that we see a glimmer of hope, we see either they go to college, and after college they never sort of come back to competing, or they're just not able to make that next jump," Mirza told reporters. "If you're talking about someone trying to achieve, not just me as a benchmark, but more than what I have, I honestly feel that it will probably be someone who's maybe five or six years old today."

The highest-ranked Indian woman in singles at the moment is 30-year-old Ankita Raina, who is No 245 in the world, and the only other player in the top 300 is Karman Thandi at 265.

Agencies