TENNIS: Former world No. 1 Victoria Azarenka (picture) said yesterday she is “ready to start competing” again after the birth of her son and intends to target Wimbledon by taking part in one of grass events that precede it. The 27-year-old Belarusian won the Australian Open in 2012 and 2013 and was beaten by Serena Williams in the US Open final in both years. Williams will miss Wimbledon this year after announcing her own pregnancy last month.

OLYMPICS: Australia’s federal sports minister Greg Hunt has thrown his weight behind a push for a national lottery to boost funding for athletes and arrest the country’s slide down the Olympic medals table. Australia had its worst medal haul in 24 years at the 2016 Rio Games, finishing 10th in the standings to continue a decline that has set in since consecutive top-five finishes at the home 2000 Sydney Games and in Athens four years later. The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) and the Australian Sports Commission (ASC), the government’s funding agency, have pushed for a national lottery fund similar to the model that has underpinned Britain’s roaring success at recent Games.

RUGBY: The British and Irish Lions must head to New Zealand without one of the most destructive forwards in world rugby after England number eight Billy Vunipola withdrew from the squad through injury. The Lions said that Saracens star Vunipola had been managing an ongoing shoulder injury which now requires further medical treatment. He will be replaced in the squad by his 32-year-old England back-row colleague James Haskell, who is set to link up with the 41-man playing party next Sunday.

BASKETBALL, NBA: Avery Bradley’s three-pointer in the last second of Game Three touched every part of the rim before bouncing in, giving the Celtics an improbable 111-108 road win over the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference finals on Sunday. The surprise loss means Cleveland leads the best-of-seven series 2-1 ahead of Game Four tonight.

ATHLETICS: Discus thrower Philippa Roles has died at the age of 39, UK Athletics has announced. The two-time Olympian - who represented Great Britain in Athens in 2004 and Beijing in 2008 - died at the weekend. Niels de Vos, chief executive of UK Athletics, said: “All at UK Athletics send our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Philippa at this sad time.” The cause of death has not been confirmed.

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