Sports News Roundup: Nadal signs off with win, avoids matching worst run; World Cup tickets in Qatar most expensive ever - study and more

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Soccer-World Cup tickets in Qatar most expensive ever - study

Soccer fans attending World Cup matches in Qatar will fork out nearly 40% more for match tickets compared to those who watched the 2018 edition in Russia, with tickets for the final costing an eye-watering 684 pounds ($812) on average, a study shows. While fans in Russia paid an average of 214 pounds for a seat, tickets to matches in Qatar cost an average 286 pounds, according to a study by Keller Sports.

Cricket-Australia win Adelaide ODI, Malan ton for England in vain

Australia's top order fired in unison to secure a six-wicket win over England with Dawid Malan's career-best 134 for the tourists in vain as in the first one-day international on Thursday. The home side's victory against the ODI and T20 world champions, which came with 19 balls to spare, marked the beginning of Pat Cummins' tenure as Australia's one-day captain succeeding Aaron Finch, who quit the format in September.

Tennis-Nadal signs off with win, avoids matching worst run

Rafa Nadal may be heading home but he made sure he avoided matching his worst ever losing sequence with a 7-5 7-5 victory over Norway's Casper Ruud at the ATP Finals on Thursday.

Back-to-back straight sets defeats in the Green Group by Taylor Fritz and Felix Auger-Aliassime meant the 22-time Grand slam champion missed out on the semi-finals.

Soccer-France striker Giroud hopes it's third time lucky for World Cup goals

France's Olivier Giroud hopes World Cup goals will finally start flowing for him in Qatar with the 36-year-old having just one to his name from his previous 12 matches at the global tournament. Giroud is France's second top all-time scorer, two goals shy of Thierry Henry's national team scoring record of 51.

Motor racing-Russell says morale at Mercedes booming after Brazil win

Morale at Mercedes is booming after the team's first win of the Formula One season in Brazil last weekend and they will be going for it again in the finale in Abu Dhabi on Sunday, George Russell said. The 24-year-old Briton led seven times world champion team mate Lewis Hamilton one-two at the chequered flag at Interlagos after also winning the Saturday sprint and setting the fastest lap.

Soccer-Iran's World Cup winger says focus on playing, not political issues

Iranian soccer player Alireza Jahanbakhsh said on Thursday that the focus of the team at the World Cup in Qatar was resolutely on the competition and not on political issues related to the nationwide protests in his country. Several Iranian sportsmen and women have used international competition to indicate their support for the protests that have rocked the country since the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in the custody of the morality police in September.

Greek court acquits activists over 2021 protest against Beijing Olympics

A Greek court has acquitted three activists detained in October 2021 after unfurling banners at the Athens Acropolis opposing the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, their lawyer and activists said on Thursday. Those acquitted were 19-year-old Tibetan student Tsela Zoksang, 22-year-old Hong Kongese-American Joey Siu and a 35-year old Vietnamese-American activist.

Tennis-Wimbledon relaxes dress code to allow women to wear dark undershorts

Wimbledon will relax its strict rules on white clothing at the championships and allow women players to wear dark undershorts and relieve a potential source of anxiety when they have their periods, the All England Club said on Thursday. Organisers of the grasscourt Grand Slam said the decision was taken following talks with women's tennis organising body WTA, clothing manufacturers and medical teams on how best to support women and girls competing in tournaments.

Exclusive-Brittney Griner taken to penal colony in Russia's Mordovia region - source

U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner has been taken to a penal colony in the Russian region of Mordovia, a source familiar with the case told Reuters on Thursday. In August, Griner was sentenced to nine years in a penal colony on drugs charges following her arrest at a Moscow airport in February with vape cartridges containing cannabis oil in her luggage. She was moved from a detention centre near Moscow on Nov. 4 to be taken to an undisclosed prison location.

Motor racing-Ricciardo says Abu Dhabi could be his last race in F1

Australian Daniel Ricciardo recognised on Thursday that the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix could be his last in Formula One as well as a farewell to McLaren. The 33-year-old driver is leaving the former champions by mutual agreement after Sunday's race at Yas Marina, with no race seats available at any other team for the eight times race winner.