Sports News Roundup: WTA Finals to be held in Cancun; Ducati's Bagnaia passed fit for San Marino GP and more

The season-ending tournament, which features the top eight singles players and doubles teams, returns to Mexico after one year, with the 2021 edition taking place in Guadalajara. Tennis-Sinner, Berrettini withdraw from Italy's Davis Cup team Italy's Davis Cup hopes suffered a major blow on Thursday as Jannik Sinner and Matteo Berrettini withdrew from the team for this month's group stage.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Athletics-Jackson plans to take aim at Flo-Jo's 200m world record in Brussels

Jamaican sprinter Shericka Jackson will take aim at the women's 200 metres world record, one of the oldest athletics records on the books, on Friday at the Memorial Van Damme, the penultimate event on the Diamond League schedule. "At the world championships I was so close," Jackson told reporters at a press conference on Thursday in Brussels. "Coach and I have spoken and we are going after (the record) this year. I hope to get it (Friday)."

Rugby-World Cup banking on bunkers to avoid controversial red cards

Despite the Owen Farrell farce during a less-than-auspicious trial, the TMO "bunker review system" will be in place at the Rugby World Cup in France in a bid to avoid controversial red cards potentially ruining matches in the sport's shop window. The system means that if a referee considers an offence not to be a "clear and obvious" sending off, he can show a yellow card and, while the player is serving his 10 minutes in the sin-bin, a TMO reviews the offence and has the option of upgrading the yellow to a red.

Motorcycling-Ducati's Bagnaia passed fit for San Marino GP

Ducati's MotoGP championship leader Francesco Bagnaia was passed fit to take part in the San Marino Grand Prix on Thursday, only days after his leg was run over at the previous race in Spain. The Italian said he had watched footage of his fall at Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya last Sunday and felt fortunate to have escaped without serious injury after being thrown off his bike into the path of others.

Soccer-Oscar winner Portman praises Spain team's resilience amid kiss scandal

Oscar-winning actress and soccer club co-owner Natalie Portman on Thursday praised Spain's World Cup-winning players, saying they showed great resilience against "harassment, abuse and assault". Their World Cup victory last month has been overshadowed by the furore over the behaviour of Spanish soccer federation president Luis Rubiales, who at the medals ceremony in Sydney grabbed player Jenni Hermoso's head and kissed her on the lips.

Tennis-Sabalenka targets second Grand Slam final in stellar season

Aryna Sabalenka will go into her U.S. Open semi-final with local favourite Madison Keys on Thursday hoping it will be a launch pad and not a familiar stumbling block as the Belarusian continues her quest for a second Grand Slam crown. Sabalenka fell at the last-four hurdle in her previous two visits to New York and, although the 25-year-old made her major breakthrough by winning the Australian Open in January, she then lost her semi-finals at the French Open and Wimbledon.

France's Macron: there can be no Russian flag at Paris 2024

French President Emmanuel Macron said no Russian flag should fly at next year's Paris Olympics, with Russian athletes' participation an issue for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to decide. Ukraine has threatened a boycott of the Games though it may drop that if athletes from war allies Russia and Belarus compete under a neutral flag rather than national colours.

Tennis-Alcaraz downs Zverev to complete all-star US Open semi-final lineup

World number one Carlos Alcaraz vanquished Alexander Zverev 6-3 6-2 6-4 on Wednesday to complete an all-star U.S. Open men's semi-final lineup that features three Flushing Meadows champions and a big-hitting American wildcard. Daniil Medvedev, the 2021 winner, overcame brutal heat and fellow Russian Andrey Rublev 6-4 6-3 6-4 to set up a Friday meeting with defending champion Alcaraz.

Tennis-WTA Finals to be held in Cancun

The 2023 edition of the WTA Finals will be held in Cancun, Mexico from Oct. 29-Nov. 5 under a one-year agreement, the women's tennis body announced on Thursday, ending speculation that this year's event could be held in Saudi Arabia. The season-ending tournament, which features the top eight singles players and doubles teams, returns to Mexico after one year, with the 2021 edition taking place in Guadalajara.

Tennis-Sinner, Berrettini withdraw from Italy's Davis Cup team

Italy's Davis Cup hopes suffered a major blow on Thursday as Jannik Sinner and Matteo Berrettini withdrew from the team for this month's group stage. World number six Sinner struggled with cramp in his 6-4 3-6 6-2 4-6 6-3 loss to Alexander Zverev in the U.S. Open earlier this week.

Cricket-Hard to disagree with players turning down contracts to compete in T20 leagues, says Stokes

Test captain Ben Stokes said he understands the reasoning behind players turning down contracts with England in favour of playing in lucrative T20 tournaments. On Wednesday, England fast bowler Mark Wood told the Daily Telegraph that he was yet to make up his mind over whether he would accept a central contract, citing the financial incentives of playing in the UAE T20 League.

(With inputs from agencies.)