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Tennis: Argentina’s Juan Monaco (picture) announced his retirement from professional tennis on Monday at the age of 33. Monaco, who reached his highest ranking of number 10 in the world in July 2012, won nine ATP singles titles during his career, eight of them on clay. He also won three doubles titles. “Although it creates me a lot of nostalgia I am sure I am making the right decision,” Monaco said. “I retire from professional tennis. There are so many feelings that it is very difficult to write them down... Thanks for what tennis gave to me: education, friendship and unforgettable moments.”
Cycling: Holland’s Tom Dumoulin took control of the Giro d’Italia with a supreme victory in the stage 10 time-trial. Dumoulin (Team Sunweb) resumed following Monday’s rest day in third place, with a 30-second deficit to leader Nairo Quintana (Movistar). But the Dutchman overcame it with ease by winning the 39.8-kilometres time-trial from Foligno to Montefalco by 49 seconds from Geraint Thomas (Team Sky), taking the pink jersey in the process. Dumoulin now leads by two minutes 23 seconds from Quintana in second place ahead of today’s hilly 161km 11th stage from Florence to Bagno di Romagna.
Basketball, NBA: The Boston Celtics finally got the job done as they won their series decider with the Washington Wizards to advance to the NBA play-off conference finals. The Celtics had led 2-0 and 3-2 in the best-of-seven contest but were twice pegged back before a 115-105 win in game seven sent them through to a meeting with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Rugby Union: England will start the defence of their RBS 6 Nations Championship title away to Italy. Eddie Jones’ side begin their 2018 campaign in Rome on Sunday, February 4 before welcoming Wales to Twickenham the following weekend. England then have away tests in Scotland and France before finishing at home to Ireland on March 17 - the middle game of ‘Super Saturday’. Wales begin their programme at home to Scotland on February 3, while Ireland’s first game is away to France on the same day.
Cricket: India’s Deepti Sharma and Punam Raut smashed centuries against Ireland and combined in a stand of 320 runs to record the highest partnership in a women’s one-day international on Monday. It also marked the first 300-run stand in women’s cricket, eclipsing the 268-run partnership between England openers Caroline Atkins and Sarah Taylor against South Africa in 2008. Sharma hammered 24 boundaries and two sixes in her 160-ball innings to score 188, the second-highest score behind Australian Belinda Clark’s unbeaten 229.