Rio games: Cypriot tennis player Marcos Baghdatis has withdrawn from next month’s Rio Olympics after failing to recover from an elbow injury, the world number 42 said. The 31-year-old Baghdatis, runner-up in the 2006 Australian Open, lost to eventual champion Andy Murray in the round of 16 at the 2012 London Olympics. “It is clear that unless I am 100 per cent fit and healthy to compete, I shall not participate at the Olympics because I would be doing injustice to my country,” Baghdatis told reporters yesterday.
Snooker: Ali Carter reached his first ranking event semi-final in over two years by thrashing John Higgins 5-0 at the Hanteng Autos World Open, in Yushan, yesterday. Carter last appeared in the semis of a full ranking event at the 2014 China Open. In the semi-finals Carter will meet Thailand’s Thepchaiya Un-Nooh, who continued his superb run with a 5-2 victory over Anthony McGill.
Tennis: Rafael Nadal appears on course to play at this summer’s Olympics after an encouraging update on his fitness. Nadal is due to be Spain’s flag-bearer at the Games in Rio but is battling a wrist problem – he previously missed out on the honour due to injury in London four years ago. Team-mate David Ferrer said this week that the 14-time Grand Slam winner will definitely travel to Brazil, while Nadal’s coach and uncle Toni was encouraged by a hit-out on Wednesday with Wimbledon champion Andy Murray. Nadal is scheduled to play singles, doubles and mixed doubles in Rio.
Golf: German Stephan Jaeger completed a historical first when he shot a 12-under-par 58 on the PGA Tour’s secondary Web.com Tour in California. Jaeger became the first player to shoot 58 on either of the main North America-based circuits, bettering the 59 recorded six times on the PGA Tour and five times on the secondary one. Playing at the Ellie Mae Classic at TPC Stonebrae in Hayward, he made 12 birdies and six pars in the first round to open a four-shot lead on the field.
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Rugby Union: England forward Nick Easter (picture, right) has retired from Rugby Union at the age of 37, his club Harlequins announced. He will take up a coaching role with Harlequins, three months after becoming a player-coach. “I real-ised that whether I’m playing or coaching, there was no possible way that I would be able to give 100 per cent to both of my roles at the same time,” he said. Easter won the first of his 54 England caps in 2007, playing in the World Cup final that year. In 2015 he returned to international rugby after a four-year absence, scoring three tries against Uruguay in a World Cup match.