Sports News Roundup: Soccer-Ronaldo has last chance to shine on World Cup stage in Qatar; Soccer-Spurs boss Conte slams 'crazy' post-World Cup schedule and more

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Soccer-Ronaldo has last chance to shine on World Cup stage in Qatar

Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo, who has been named the best player in the world five times, will arrive in Qatar with a mission to prove that he can still make a difference. It is indisputable that Ronaldo is one of the greatest forwards of all time but his latest struggles with Manchester United and Portugal have raised many questions about whether his brilliant career is nearing a bitter end.

Soccer-Spurs boss Conte slams 'crazy' post-World Cup schedule

Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte has criticized the post-World Cup fixture list in England, with League Cup ties set to be held a few days after the final in Qatar next month. The World Cup, which begins on Nov. 20, will conclude on Dec. 18, while the fourth round of the League Cup is scheduled to take place that week with the top-flight Premier League resuming on Dec. 26.

Tennis-Sakkari wins group to reach semis of WTA Finals, Sabalenka also advances

A relentless Maria Sakkari capped her perfect run through the round-robin stage of the WTA Finals with a 6-2 6-3 win over Ons Jabeur on Friday to reach the semi-finals in Fort Worth, Texas along with group runner-up Aryna Sabalenka. Sakkari broke twice for a 5-1 cushion en route to capturing the first set, which meant Tunisian world number two Jabeur had no mathematical chance of advancing even if she had rallied back to victory.

Tennis-Rune into Paris semis after Alcaraz retires, Djokovic advances

World number one Carlos Alcaraz retired injured against Holger Rune at the Paris Masters on Friday, sending his fellow 19-year-old through to the semi-finals, while Novak Djokovic and Felix Auger-Aliassime also sealed their places in the last four.

Rune outclassed Alcaraz to win the opening set 6-3 and held firm in the second when the top seed raised his game before the Spaniard retired at 3-1 down in the tiebreak having received medical treatment for an abdominal strain at 6-5.

Rugby-Kolisi vows 'beautiful' Boks won't change their style for anyone

South Africa captain Siya Kolisi admits not everyone enjoys his team's kicking style but says beauty is in the eye of the beholder and their reasons for going to the boot are well thought out as they face Ireland in Dublin on Saturday. The Springboks use their forward pack to grind down opponents and kick for territory with the boot, which is likely to be a key feature again in their opening autumn international clash this weekend.

Olympics-Canadian Olympic bobsledder de Bruin hit with three-year ban

Canadian Olympic bobsledder Christine de Bruin, winner of the monobob bronze at the Beijing Games, has been handed a three-year suspension after testing positive for a banned substance the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES) said on Friday. An out-of-competition test taken in August revealed the presence of SARM LGD-4033, a prohibited anabolic agent known to aid in the increase of muscle mass.

NBA-Nike suspends ties with Kyrie Irving, cancels next shoe release

Nike Inc. on Friday suspended its relationship with Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving and canceled its next Irving-branded shoe release in the aftermath of his promotion of an anti-Semitic documentary. The Nets had already suspended Irving at least five games after he stopped short of fully disavowing the documentary on two occasions. Irving later issued a more fulsome apology late on Thursday for promoting a project he said contained "false anti-Semitic statements."

Tennis-Kyrgios settles legal case with Wimbledon fan he accused of being drunk

Nick Kyrgios has apologised to a fan he accused of being "drunk out of her mind" during his loss in this year's Wimbledon final and donated 20,000 pounds ($22,750) to a charity of her choice following a legal case. Kyrgios, well known for his outbursts, complained to the umpire during his match against Novak Djokovic in July, saying that the fan had been talking to him during points.

Soccer-Cameroon's fortunes a long way off their 1990 heroics

Cameroon's image as World Cup gatecrashers, capable of taking down top contenders and wreaking havoc, has faded away after two decades of failure at the finals. There will be limited expectations of the Indomitable Lions in Qatar, where they are in a tough group with Brazil, Serbia and Switzerland, after their failure to make any impact since their fabled exploits at Italia '90.

Soccer-Arsenal dressing room united after Arteta's handling of Aubameyang - Elneny

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta's decisive handling of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has ensured there is no room for egos in the Premier League club's dressing room, midfielder Mohamed Elneny said. Aubameyang was stripped of the team's captaincy after falling out with Arteta over disciplinary issues last season. His contract was then terminated ahead of a February move to Barcelona.