Sports News Roundup: Phillies stun Mets with 5-run eighth; Clijsters retires again as family life beckons and more

Clijsters, a four-times Grand Slam winner who retired twice in her career in 2007 and 2012, returned to action in February 2020 but did not win a single match and also had to undergo knee surgery in October that year. Tennis-Nadal skips Barcelona Open, return date still uncertain Rafa Nadal is still uncertain when he can return to competitive tennis after withdrawing from this month's ATP event in Barcelona as he recovers from a rib injury, his team told Reuters on Tuesday.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

MLB roundup: Phillies stun Mets with 5-run eighth

Didi Gregorius' RBI double capped a five-run eighth inning Monday night by the host Philadelphia Phillies, who stormed back to beat the New York Mets 5-4 in the opener of a three-game series. The Phillies had just four hits in the first seven innings before the comeback. Alec Bohm, who earlier committed three errors in the first three innings at third base, started the rally with a leadoff walk against Trevor May, who immediately left with what was later termed arm fatigue.

Tennis-Clijsters retires again as family life beckons

Former world number one Kim Clijsters has retired from professional tennis, the 38-year-old said on Tuesday, bringing the curtain down on her career for probably the last time. Clijsters, a four-times Grand Slam winner who retired twice in her career in 2007 and 2012, returned to action in February 2020 but did not win a single match and also had to undergo knee surgery in October that year.

Tennis-Nadal skips Barcelona Open, return date still uncertain

Rafa Nadal is still uncertain when he can return to competitive tennis after withdrawing from this month's ATP event in Barcelona as he recovers from a rib injury, his team told Reuters on Tuesday. The Spaniard, who has won 21 Grand Slam singles titles, was ruled out last month for up to six weeks with a stress fracture in his rib.

In Argentina, the mecca of polo, women swing mallets in first World Cup

Some of the world's top women polo players compete this week in Argentina in the sport's first-ever female World Cup, the culmination of years of growing opportunity in a game known for its equestrian allure and high-society sensibilities. The woman's polo World Cup got under way last Saturday at the Cathedral stadium in the leafy Palermo neighborhood of Buenos Aires, the Argentine capital, and will conclude on April 16 after the week-long tournament. The competition features teams from the home country, the United States, Brazil, England, Italy and Ireland.

Soccer-Blatter, Platini to face Swiss justice in June fraud trial

Former FIFA President Sepp Blatter and ex-UEFA President Michel Platini will go on trial in June to face Swiss corruption charges over a $2 million payment that world soccer's governing body made to Platini in 2011, the court announced on Tuesday. Both Blatter and Platini have repeatedly denied wrongdoing in the past over the incident, for which Swiss prosecutors indicted them https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/blatter-platini-indicted-by-swiss-authorities-over-2-million-swiss-francs-2021-11-02/#:~:text=ZURICH%2C%20Nov%202%20(Reuters),of%20Switzerland%20said%20on%20Tuesday in November.

Tennis-Djokovic loses to Davidovich Fokina in Monte Carlo

World number one Novak Djokovic crashed to a three-set defeat in only his fourth match of the season, falling 6-3 6-7(5) 6-1 to unseeded Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the second round of the Monte Carlo Masters on Tuesday. The 20-times Grand Slam champion endured a tough start to the year as he was unable to defend his Australian Open title in January after being deported from the country for being unvaccinated against COVID-19.

Speed skating-Japan's Olympic champion Kodaira to retire

Japan's former Olympic speed skating champion Nao Kodaira will retire from the sport in October following a final race in her hometown of Nagano, the long track speed skater said on Tuesday. The 35-year-old won Olympic gold in the women's 500 metres in Pyeongchang four years ago, as well as a silver in the 1,000 metres. She also won a silver in the team pursuit event in Vancouver 2010, alongside Masako Hozumi and Maki Tabata.

WNBA concerned over Brittney Griner situation

WNBA officials are growing concerned for Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner, who has been held captive nearly two months in Russia and faces up to 10 years in prison. "This is an unimaginable situation for BG to be in," WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert said. "She continues to have our full support. Certainly, we're trying everything we can, every angle, working with her legal representation, her agent, elected leaders, the administration. Just everybody in our ecosystem to try and find ways to get her home safely and as quickly as we can."

Soccer-Pagliuca hints at divesting interest in Atalanta to buy Chelsea

American investor Stephen Pagliuca hinted on Tuesday at being prepared to divest his interest in Italian club Atalanta to buy Premier League side Chelsea as he prepares to submit a bid this week. Pagliuca, who is the joint owner of NBA team Boston Celtics, agreed to buy into Serie A club Atalanta in February, buying 55% of La Dea, the holding owned by Italy's Percassi family, which owns around 86% of the club.

Motor racing-Ferrari's hopes run high after previous false starts

Ferrari fans know all about false dawns and dashed hopes but the first three races of the Formula One season have brought the good times back to Maranello and sent expectations soaring. Charles Leclerc, seeking to become the Italian team's first world champion since Kimi Raikkonen in 2007, has taken 71 of 78 points available from the opening races in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Australia.