Sports News Roundup: Athletics-World champion Thiam a doubt for world champs; Tennis-Murray wins first match in Washington since tearful 2018 appearance and more

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

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Athletics-World champion Thiam a doubt for world champs

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Double world and Olympic champion Nafi Thiam is a doubt for this month’s World Athletics Championships in Budapest, having pulled out of the Belgian championship at the weekend and still to confirm her entry, the Belgian athletics federation said. Thiam has been struggling with her Achilles tendon and missed recent Diamond League meetings in Monaco and London, and pulled out after two events at last weekend’s Belgian Championships.

Tennis-Murray wins first match in Washington since tearful 2018 appearance

Three-times Grand Slam champion Andy Murray showed he is still relishing competition at the elite level after battling to his first victory at the Washington Open since his tearful pullout ahead of the 2018 quarter-finals due to exhaustion. The 36-year-old former world number one recovered from 2-5 in the opening set tiebreak to defeat American Brandon Nakashima 7-6(5) 6-4 on Wednesday and will take on home favourite and top seed Taylor Fritz in the third round.

ATP roundup: Yosuke Watanuki records upset in Washington

Japan’s Yosuke Watanuki prevailed in a wild first-set tiebreaker en route to a 7-6 (10), 7-6 (3) upset of No. 3 seed Felix Auger-Aliassime on Wednesday in a second-round match at the Mubadala Citi DC Open in Washington. Watanuki jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the opening set’s tiebreaker, but Auger-Aliassime stormed back and eventually held leads of 5-4 and 9-8. But Watanuki held firm, and on his fifth set point, he was finally able to get past the Canadian.

Soccer-Italian keeper Buffon hangs up his gloves after 28 years

Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon has retired from football, the 45-year-old announced on Wednesday, after 28 years in which he reached exceptional milestones for club and country.

Buffon, who in 2006 lifted the World Cup, won 10 Serie A titles with Juventus and a Ligue 1 title with Paris St Germain.

WTA roundup: Liudmila Samsonova continues D.C. title defense

Eighth-seeded Russian Liudmila Samsonova continued her title defense with a clean 6-1, 6-3 victory over Sorana Cirstea of Romania on Wednesday to advance to the quarterfinals of the Mubadala Citi DC Open. Samsonova won 25 of 29 (86 percent) first-service points as she continues her quest to earn back-to-back titles at the event, where she beat Kaia Kanepi of Estonia 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 in the final a year ago.

Soccer-Messi volleys Inter Miami into Leagues Cup last 16 with two goals against Orlando

Lionel Messi scored in his third consecutive match for Inter Miami in a 3-1 victory over Orlando City on Wednesday as his Major League Soccer team moved into the final 16 of the Leagues Cup. Kickoff was delayed by 95 minutes because of a thunderstorm, but once the match got under way, Messi took little time to settle down and opened the scoring in the seventh minute.

Soccer-US approaching knockout stages as fresh start, says Horan

The United States are using their trip to the knockout stages to make a fresh start at the Women’s World Cup, as the four-times champions try to shake off a frustrating group stage before facing formidable rivals Sweden. The Americans are going for an unprecedented third consecutive title but just squeezed into the round of 16 after being held to a draw by both the Netherlands and Portugal.

Soccer-Galatasaray sign midfielder Demirbay from Bayer Leverkusen

Galatasaray have signed German midfielder Kerem Demirbay from Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen on a three-year contract, the Turkish Super League champions said on Thursday. Galatasaray said they would pay Leverkusen 3.7 million euros ($4.04 million), while Demirbay would earn one million euros per season.

Soccer-Chelsea’s Nkunku injures knee, Pochettino refuses to blame pitch

Chelsea’s new signing Christopher Nkunku was substituted with a knee injury early in Wednesday’s pre-season draw with Borussia Dortmund at the Soldier Field stadium in Chicago, which had hosted an Ed Sheeran concert at the weekend. The French forward went down clutching his leg after a challenge in the ninth minute of the 1-1 draw, but Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino refused to blame the state of the pitch, which was less than ideal following the concert.

MLB roundup: Marlins rally repeatedly, beat Phils in 12

Jesus Sanchez hit a walk-off single in the 12th inning as the Miami Marlins rallied multiple times to defeat the visiting Philadelphia Phillies 9-8 on Wednesday night. The Marlins trailed 5-0 in the sixth but came back to tie the game in the ninth. They also fell behind in the 10th and 11th innings before winning on Sanchez’s bloop hit. The teams scored a combined seven runs in extra innings.

(With inputs from agencies.)