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Tennis: Czech Karolina Pliskova (picture) crushed Frenchwoman Alize Cornet 6-0 6-3 with a barrage of winners to win the Brisbane International title yesterday and signal her intent for this month’s Australian Open. Pliskova, who will rise to a career-high number five in the world rankings tomorrow, dropped one set all week and continued her dominance in the final, hitting 30 winners compared to her opponent’s 10. “It’s nice to join the other names on this trophy,” Pliskova said after winning the Evonne Goolagong Cawley trophy for her seventh WTA title. “Every day here it’s been a full stadium and I’ve loved to play in front of you and I hope I’ll be back next year.”

Rallying: The sixth stage of the Dakar Rally was cancelled yesterday due to extreme weather conditions in Bolivia, with competitors heading for a rest day in La Paz before resuming the race tomorrow. Scouts sent out by organisers to check the 786km stage from the mining town of Oruro to La Paz reported steadily deteriorating terrain. Friday’s fifth stage had already been cut short due to bad weather, with Britain’s Sam Sunderland leading the motorcycle standings on a KTM and Peugeot driver Stephane Peterhansel on top in the car category.

Cricket: Uncapped middle-order batsman Chris Lynn was rewarded for his Big Bash League (BBL) pyrotechnics with a place in the Australia squad for the five match one-day international series against Pakistan yesterday. The 26-year-old has been in impressive form in the domestic Twenty20 competition and hit a stunning 11 sixes in an unbeaten 49-ball 98 for the Brisbane Heat against the Perth Scorchers earlier last week. Pace bowler Billy Stanlake, who stands 2.04 metres tall and has been in fine form in the BBL for the Adelaide Strikers, also earned a call-up to the one-day squad for the first time.

Basketball, NBA: The Golden State Warriors blew a 24-point lead before going down to a shock 128-119 overtime defeat to the Memphis Grizzlies. The Warriors, for whom Stephen Curry poured in 40 points, looked to be cruising to victory as they led 90-66 midway through the third quarter and they still held a huge advantage heading into the final period. However, they were outscored 32-13 in the last 12 minutes to send the match to overtime where Memphis continued to dominate before inflicting only a sixth loss of the season on the 2015 NBA champions.

Rugby Union: Richard Cockerill has joined three-time European Cup winners Toulon’s coaching staff, just four days after being sacked by Leicester Tigers. The former England hooker has joined the Top 14 giants on a deal to run until the end of the season, at the request of head coach Mike Ford. Leicester sacked Cockerill on Monday.

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