Rafa Nadal hammered Dutch 26th seed Botic van de Zandschulp 6-3 6-2 6-4 in the French Open third round on Friday to remain on course for a potential mouth-watering showdown against world number one Novak Djokovic in the quarter-finals. Nadal has 13 Roland Garros titles among his 21 majors -- the highest among men -- but the Spaniard was denied last year when he went down in the semi-finals to eventual champion Djokovic.

Around the same time on nearby Court Philippe Chatrier, the Serb also put on a prolific display to book his spot in the fourth round with a 6-3 6-3 6-2 win over Slovenia`s Aljaz Bedene to stay in the hunt for a record-equalling 21st major. While Djokovic will next meet Argentine Diego Schwartzman, Nadal will take on Canadian ninth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime before their potential clash in the last eight.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/french-open-stefanos-tsitsipas-survives-zdenek-kolar-scare-to-enter-third-round-in-paris-482693">French Open: Stefanos Tsitsipas survives Zdenek Kolar scare to enter third round in Paris</a>

Van de Zandschulp began the match on a strong footing, breaking Nadal`s serve in the first game, but the Spaniard`s delivery looked almost impregnable for the remainder of the contest on Court Suzanne Lenglen. 
In his first career meeting against the Dutchman, Nadal dictated terms from way behind the baseline, absorbing his opponent`s power and then bringing out his venomous forehand when required.

Van de Zandschulp, currently at a career-high ranking of 29th, staged a brief fightback in the third set when he won three games in a row from 4-0 down but Nadal, who will turn 36 next week, had the cushion to not be threatened. Nadal broke the 26-year-old`s service twice in each of the three sets, hit 25 winners while keeping a lid on his unforced errors. The left-hander closed out the contest with an overhead smash down the middle on his second match point.

"I had my chance with a break point for 5-0 then match was over but he made a great second serve," Nadal said on court. "Then I played a bad game with my serve and he started to play aggressive and you feel a bit of nerves to finish the match. "Straight sets, it was my best match of the tournament for two sets and a half."

Rafa Nadal hammered Dutch 26th seed Botic van de Zandschulp 6-3 6-2 6-4 in the French Open third round on Friday to remain on course for a potential mouth-watering showdown against world number one Novak Djokovic in the quarter-finals.

Rafa Nadal hammered Dutch 26th seed Botic van de Zandschulp 6-3 6-2 6-4 in the French Open third round on Friday to remain on course for a potential mouth-watering showdown against world number one Novak Djokovic in the quarter-finals. Nadal has 13 Roland Garros titles among his 21 majors -- the highest among men -- but the Spaniard was denied last year when he went down in the semi-finals to eventual champion Djokovic. Around the same time on nearby Court Philippe Chatrier, the Serb also put on a prolific display to book his spot in the fourth round with a 6-3 6-3 6-2 win over Slovenia`s Aljaz Bedene to stay in the hunt for a record-equalling 21st major. While Djokovic will next meet Argentine Diego Schwartzman, Nadal will take on Canadian ninth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime before their potential clash in the last eight. ALSO READ | French Open: Stefanos Tsitsipas survives Zdenek Kolar scare to enter third round in Paris Van de Zandschulp began the match on a strong footing, breaking Nadal`s serve in the first game, but the Spaniard`s delivery looked almost impregnable for the remainder of the contest on Court Suzanne Lenglen. In his first career meeting against the Dutchman, Nadal dictated terms from way behind the baseline, absorbing his opponent`s power and then bringing out his venomous forehand when required. Van de Zandschulp, currently at a career-high ranking of 29th, staged a brief fightback in the third set when he won three games in a row from 4-0 down but Nadal, who will turn 36 next week, had the cushion to not be threatened. Nadal broke the 26-year-old`s service twice in each of the three sets, hit 25 winners while keeping a lid on his unforced errors. The left-hander closed out the contest with an overhead smash down the middle on his second match point. "I had my chance with a break point for 5-0 then match was over but he made a great second serve," Nadal said on court. "Then I played a bad game with my serve and he started to play aggressive and you feel a bit of nerves to finish the match. "Straight sets, it was my best match of the tournament for two sets and a half."

French Open: Spaniard Rafael Nadal stays on course for possible face-off with Novak Djokovic in quarters

After a successful campaign in the Chessable Masters online rapid chess tournament, Indian Grandmaster Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa lost to China`s Ding Liren in the final on Friday. The last encounter of the final match saw Ding getting a 49-move deciding victory. A clear rating favourite, Ding Liren of China defeated the Praggnanandhaa in the final match`s tiebreaks, taking a 2.5-1.5 lead after the opening day of the match on Thursday. The Chinese had won the first set and forced Praggnanandhaa to face a must-win situation in the second set which the Indian managed to bounce back.

Despite losing the match, it was a remarkable performance by Praggnanandhaa. India`s 16-year-old Chess prodigy had defeated China`s Wei Yi in the quarter-finals of the Chessable Masters online rapid chess tournament. Notably, the Indian Grandmaster had also defeated World Champion Magnus Carlsen in the fifth round of the Chessable Masters online rapid chess tournament. It was Praggnanandhaa`s second victory over Carlsen in just three months.

After a successful campaign in the Chessable Masters online rapid chess tournament, Indian Grandmaster Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa lost to China`s Ding Liren in the final on Friday.

After a successful campaign in the Chessable Masters online rapid chess tournament, Indian Grandmaster Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa lost to China`s Ding Liren in the final on Friday. The last encounter of the final match saw Ding getting a 49-move deciding victory. A clear rating favourite, Ding Liren of China defeated the Praggnanandhaa in the final match`s tiebreaks, taking a 2.5-1.5 lead after the opening day of the match on Thursday. The Chinese had won the first set and forced Praggnanandhaa to face a must-win situation in the second set which the Indian managed to bounce back. Despite losing the match, it was a remarkable performance by Praggnanandhaa. India`s 16-year-old Chess prodigy had defeated China`s Wei Yi in the quarter-finals of the Chessable Masters online rapid chess tournament. Notably, the Indian Grandmaster had also defeated World Champion Magnus Carlsen in the fifth round of the Chessable Masters online rapid chess tournament. It was Praggnanandhaa`s second victory over Carlsen in just three months.

Indian grandmaster Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa loses Chessable Masters' title to Ding Liren

World No. 4 Stefanos Tsitsipas had to work hard for a win on Thursday, the Greek overcome Czech qualifier Zdenek Kolar in the second round of the French Open 2022. The Greek held off a hard challenge from Czech qualifier Zdenek Kolar to advance 6-3, 7-6(8), 6-7(3), 7-6(7).

Tsitsipas won the opening set in a comprehensive manner, but both the players were toe-to-toe to win the match. After losing the first two sets, pretty Kolar made a strong comeback and won the third set. Even in the fourth set, in the qualifier, Tsitsipas had to fight hard to claim the match.

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Tsitsipas will face Mikael Ymer, who matched his best Grand Slam result with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 upset over No. 29 seed Dan Evans.Earlier, Daniil Medvedev advanced to the third round at the ongoing French Open 2022 with a straight-sets win over Serbia`s Laslo Djere at Court Philippe-Chatrier. The second-seeded Russian defeated Djere 6-3, 6-4, 6-3.

World No. 4 Stefanos Tsitsipas had to work hard for a win on Thursday, the Greek overcome Czech qualifier Zdenek Kolar in the second round of the French Open 2022.

World No. 4 Stefanos Tsitsipas had to work hard for a win on Thursday, the Greek overcome Czech qualifier Zdenek Kolar in the second round of the French Open 2022. The Greek held off a hard challenge from Czech qualifier Zdenek Kolar to advance 6-3, 7-6(8), 6-7(3), 7-6(7). Tsitsipas won the opening set in a comprehensive manner, but both the players were toe-to-toe to win the match. After losing the first two sets, pretty Kolar made a strong comeback and won the third set. Even in the fourth set, in the qualifier, Tsitsipas had to fight hard to claim the match. ALSO READ | French Open: Romanian star Irina-Camelia Begu apologises after throwing racquet on a young kid - WATCH Tsitsipas will face Mikael Ymer, who matched his best Grand Slam result with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 upset over No. 29 seed Dan Evans.Earlier, Daniil Medvedev advanced to the third round at the ongoing French Open 2022 with a straight-sets win over Serbia`s Laslo Djere at Court Philippe-Chatrier. The second-seeded Russian defeated Djere 6-3, 6-4, 6-3.

French Open: Stefanos Tsitsipas survives Zdenek Kolar scare to enter third round in Paris

Teams from Belarus and Ukraine will be prevented from being drawn against each other in any UEFA competition going forward, the Executive Committee of European soccer`s governing body said on Friday. 
The move comes following Russia`s invasion of Ukraine for which Belarus has been a key staging area. Teams from Russia and Ukraine were already prevented from being drawn against each other well before the conflict began earlier this year.

In March, UEFA had said Belarusian clubs and the national team will have to play all their home matches in UEFA competitions at neutral venues with no spectators allowed. "Today`s further decision is made to ensure the smooth running of UEFA competitions as the safety and security of the teams, officials and other participants may not be fully guaranteed due to the existence of a military conflict," UEFA said. 
"The UEFA Executive Committee will remain on standby to convene further meetings to reassess the legal and factual situation as it evolves and adopt further decisions as necessary."

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UEFA also approved special rules for the July 6-31 women`s European Championship in England that allows teams to name unlimited replacements in case of serious injury or illness but only before the first match. The rule change allows teams to replace players who test positive for COVID-19 but once a player is replaced, they cannot be re-admitted to the list.

Teams from Belarus and Ukraine will be prevented from being drawn against each other in any UEFA competition going forward, the Executive Committee of European soccer`s governing body said on Friday.

Teams from Belarus and Ukraine will be prevented from being drawn against each other in any UEFA competition going forward, the Executive Committee of European soccer`s governing body said on Friday. The move comes following Russia`s invasion of Ukraine for which Belarus has been a key staging area. Teams from Russia and Ukraine were already prevented from being drawn against each other well before the conflict began earlier this year. In March, UEFA had said Belarusian clubs and the national team will have to play all their home matches in UEFA competitions at neutral venues with no spectators allowed. "Today`s further decision is made to ensure the smooth running of UEFA competitions as the safety and security of the teams, officials and other participants may not be fully guaranteed due to the existence of a military conflict," UEFA said. "The UEFA Executive Committee will remain on standby to convene further meetings to reassess the legal and factual situation as it evolves and adopt further decisions as necessary." ALSO READ | Argentine great Diego Maradona's tribute plane unveiled, set to fly for 2022 Qatar World Cup UEFA also approved special rules for the July 6-31 women`s European Championship in England that allows teams to name unlimited replacements in case of serious injury or illness but only before the first match. The rule change allows teams to replace players who test positive for COVID-19 but once a player is replaced, they cannot be re-admitted to the list.

UEFA to prevent Ukraine and Belarusia teams from being drawn against each other

The BCCI selection committee announced an 18-member Team India T20I squad for the forthcoming five-match series versus South Africa at home. In the KL Rahul-led Indian team, many regulars such as all-format skipper Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah have been rested whereas some seniors have missed out while other key players such as Suryakumar Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja are injured.

Shikhar Dhawan was one notable omission in the young squad. While the senior player has been out of the T20I side since being dropped from the squad for the last year's World Cup, many thought a comeback was on the cards for him after amassing 460 runs for Punjab Kings (PBKS) in 14 league stage matches. Nonetheless, the selectors preferred youngsters in place of Dhawan as Ishan Kishan, Ruturaj Gaikwad, etc. made the cut. As per a report in InsideSport, Dhawan was informed about his non-selection before the team was announced by head coach Rahul Dravid.

“Shikhar has been a great servant of Indian cricket for over a decade. But in T20s, you have to give chances to youngsters who have been doing well. Rahul had to make the tough call and we all agreed. Shikhar was informed by Rahul before the team was announced on Sunday,” a senior BCCI official was quoted as saying by InsideSport.

<section>
ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/hardik-pandyas-stocks-go-up-as-captain-star-player-could-lead-team-india-in-ireland-t20is-report-482360">Hardik Pandya's captaincy stocks on the rise, star player could lead Team India in Ireland T20Is: Report</a>

After the SA home T20Is, India will play Ireland in two matches in the latter's own backyard. As KL Rahul will join the Rohit-led Indian Test squad at that time, for the one-off Test versus England on July 01, Dhawan might get a look-in for the Ireland series.&nbsp;

India have a lot of T20Is lined up in the run-up to the 2022 T20 World Cup. Thus, doors aren't completely shut for Dhawan but it looks like juniors will be preferred over him.
</section>

The BCCI selection committee announced an 18-member Team India T20I squad for the forthcoming five-match series versus South Africa at home. In the KL Rahul-led Indian team, many regulars such as all-format skipper Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah have been rested whereas some seniors have missed out while other key players such as Suryakumar Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja are injured.

The BCCI selection committee announced an 18-member Team India T20I squad for the forthcoming five-match series versus South Africa at home. In the KL Rahul-led Indian team, many regulars such as all-format skipper Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah have been rested whereas some seniors have missed out while other key players such as Suryakumar Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja are injured. Shikhar Dhawan was one notable omission in the young squad. While the senior player has been out of the T20I side since being dropped from the squad for the last year's World Cup, many thought a comeback was on the cards for him after amassing 460 runs for Punjab Kings (PBKS) in 14 league stage matches. Nonetheless, the selectors preferred youngsters in place of Dhawan as Ishan Kishan, Ruturaj Gaikwad, etc. made the cut. As per a report in InsideSport, Dhawan was informed about his non-selection before the team was announced by head coach Rahul Dravid. “Shikhar has been a great servant of Indian cricket for over a decade. But in T20s, you have to give chances to youngsters who have been doing well. Rahul had to make the tough call and we all agreed. Shikhar was informed by Rahul before the team was announced on Sunday,” a senior BCCI official was quoted as saying by InsideSport. ALSO READ | Hardik Pandya's captaincy stocks on the rise, star player could lead Team India in Ireland T20Is: Report After the SA home T20Is, India will play Ireland in two matches in the latter's own backyard. As KL Rahul will join the Rohit-led Indian Test squad at that time, for the one-off Test versus England on July 01, Dhawan might get a look-in for the Ireland series. India have a lot of T20Is lined up in the run-up to the 2022 T20 World Cup. Thus, doors aren't completely shut for Dhawan but it looks like juniors will be preferred over him.

India vs SA T20Is: Shikhar Dhawan was informed about his omission by coach Rahul Dravid - Report

In what can be termed a&nbsp;shocking incident, Indian athlete Aruna Budda Reddy has alleged that she was videographed without her consent by one of the coaches at the Sports Authority of India (SAI). Reacting to the unfortunate turn of events, SAI has taken prompt action&nbsp;and has formed a three-member committee to look into the matter.

"The Sports Authority of India has constituted a three-member committee to look into a matter brought to notice through a media article in which gymnast Aruna Budda Reddy has alleged that she was videographed without her consent during a fitness test conducted at the national camp on March 24, organised by the Gymnastics Federation of India. The test was conducted prior to the athlete's participation at the FIG Apparatus World Cup in Baku, in the presence of a committee constituted by GFI," SAI said in a statement.

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Talking more about the incident, Aruna -- who claimed the historic bronze medal at the 2018 World Cup in Melbourne -- alleged she was videographed by one of her coaches during a fitness test that was conducted ahead of&nbsp;the gymnast’s participation at the FIG Apparatus World Cup in Baku, held early this year. The fitness test was held in front of a committee constituted by the Gymnastics Federation of India.

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The accusation from Aruna has surely made heads turn and it remains to be seen what conclusion comes of this unfortunate event. As of now, SAI has reacted quickly and the follow-up from the newly-formed committee is awaited.

In what can be termed a shocking incident, Indian athlete Aruna Budda Reddy has alleged that she was videographed without her consent by one of the coaches at the Sports Authority of India (SAI).

In what can be termed a shocking incident, Indian athlete Aruna Budda Reddy has alleged that she was videographed without her consent by one of the coaches at the Sports Authority of India (SAI). Reacting to the unfortunate turn of events, SAI has taken prompt action and has formed a three-member committee to look into the matter. "The Sports Authority of India has constituted a three-member committee to look into a matter brought to notice through a media article in which gymnast Aruna Budda Reddy has alleged that she was videographed without her consent during a fitness test conducted at the national camp on March 24, organised by the Gymnastics Federation of India. The test was conducted prior to the athlete's participation at the FIG Apparatus World Cup in Baku, in the presence of a committee constituted by GFI," SAI said in a statement. ALSO READ | French Open: Romanian star Irina-Camelia Begu apologises after throwing racquet on a young kid - WATCH Talking more about the incident, Aruna -- who claimed the historic bronze medal at the 2018 World Cup in Melbourne -- alleged she was videographed by one of her coaches during a fitness test that was conducted ahead of the gymnast’s participation at the FIG Apparatus World Cup in Baku, held early this year. The fitness test was held in front of a committee constituted by the Gymnastics Federation of India. ALSO READ | Tokyo 2020 bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain elected as IBA's Athletes' Committee Chair The accusation from Aruna has surely made heads turn and it remains to be seen what conclusion comes of this unfortunate event. As of now, SAI has reacted quickly and the follow-up from the newly-formed committee is awaited.

SAI constitutes three-member committee after shocking incident with gymnast Aruna Budda Reddy

MS Dhoni is a crowd-puller. The 40-year-old remains a big name in world cricket despite retiring from international cricket on August 15, 2020. The former Indian captain has a humongous fan-following across the globe. He not only led India to all major ICC titles, but also created a niche for himself with his unorthodox-yet-effective keeping skills, power-hitting, finishing knocks and helping many current superstar Indian cricketers' careers flourish.

Recently, Dhoni was seen in the ongoing IPL 2022 edition where he represented the Chennai Super Kings (CSK). While the Yellow Army failed to enter the playoffs, Dhoni's presence on the field continued to attract eyeballs.

CSK's throwdown specialist Kondappa Raj Palani recently narrated an unheard story where he was in awe of Dhoni's charisma and was even scolded by the&nbsp;legendary cricketer.

"The first time, the camp started when Dhoni retired. I saw him for the first time then. He asked if you were the throwers. He asked me to throw balls at him. The team was pleased after that. The net bowlers were speaking about his retirement. After two or three weeks, he came to play sidearm. Everybody was arriving," Palani said on the Chennai Super Kings website.

"Fleming, Hussey and everyone said Dhoni was coming and asked me to bowl carefully. The first two balls were wides. The next ball was a full toss. Dhoni came to me and said 'Stop looking at me and bowl'. He asked me to play naturally. I then started bowling wherever he wanted and then he was very happy. He started addressing me everyday since with my name," he added.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/csk-legend-ms-dhoni-confirms-participation-in-ipl-2023-says-will-be-unfair-not-to-say-thank-you-to-chennai-480762">CSK legend MS Dhoni confirms participation in IPL 2023, says 'will be unfair to not say thank you to Chennai'</a>

On the other hand, Palani's fellow throwdown specialist, Murugan, had a much smoother and easier encounter with Dhoni.

"He mostly asks me to bowl front foot. He used to say picking wickets is next. First, get the feel of it. We started giving him that," Murugan mentioned.

Dhoni, who has close to 5,000 runs in IPL, is set to return for thw 16th season next year. His ardent fans will certainly come in large numbers to support him and hope for CSK's revival in IPL 2023.

MS Dhoni is a crowd-puller. The 40-year-old remains a big name in world cricket despite retiring from international cricket on August 15, 2020. The former Indian captain has a humongous fan-following across the globe.

MS Dhoni is a crowd-puller. The 40-year-old remains a big name in world cricket despite retiring from international cricket on August 15, 2020. The former Indian captain has a humongous fan-following across the globe. He not only led India to all major ICC titles, but also created a niche for himself with his unorthodox-yet-effective keeping skills, power-hitting, finishing knocks and helping many current superstar Indian cricketers' careers flourish. Recently, Dhoni was seen in the ongoing IPL 2022 edition where he represented the Chennai Super Kings (CSK). While the Yellow Army failed to enter the playoffs, Dhoni's presence on the field continued to attract eyeballs. CSK's throwdown specialist Kondappa Raj Palani recently narrated an unheard story where he was in awe of Dhoni's charisma and was even scolded by the legendary cricketer. "The first time, the camp started when Dhoni retired. I saw him for the first time then. He asked if you were the throwers. He asked me to throw balls at him. The team was pleased after that. The net bowlers were speaking about his retirement. After two or three weeks, he came to play sidearm. Everybody was arriving," Palani said on the Chennai Super Kings website. "Fleming, Hussey and everyone said Dhoni was coming and asked me to bowl carefully. The first two balls were wides. The next ball was a full toss. Dhoni came to me and said 'Stop looking at me and bowl'. He asked me to play naturally. I then started bowling wherever he wanted and then he was very happy. He started addressing me everyday since with my name," he added. ALSO READ | CSK legend MS Dhoni confirms participation in IPL 2023, says 'will be unfair to not say thank you to Chennai' On the other hand, Palani's fellow throwdown specialist, Murugan, had a much smoother and easier encounter with Dhoni. "He mostly asks me to bowl front foot. He used to say picking wickets is next. First, get the feel of it. We started giving him that," Murugan mentioned. Dhoni, who has close to 5,000 runs in IPL, is set to return for thw 16th season next year. His ardent fans will certainly come in large numbers to support him and hope for CSK's revival in IPL 2023.

'Stop looking at me' - CSK's throwdown specialist narrates unheard story of MS Dhoni

Former Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone denied on Friday he had been arrested in Brazil and said an illegal gun found in his luggage before boarding a flight was never used and had no ammunition. 
The 91-year-old Briton, now in Portugal, told Reuters a "silly, tiny little incident" had caused a lot of aggravation as he and his family tried to leave Sao Paulo by private plane on Wednesday night.

"I haven`t had any publicity lately and I thought I ought to do something to get some," he joked in a telephone conversation. Sao Paulo state public security office confirmed in a statement to Reuters on Thursday that a businessman was arrested for possession of a firearm at Campinas` airport, but did not name him directly.

"I was never arrested," said Ecclestone, who does not speak Portuguese and confirmed that he had to pay 6,060 reais ($1,260) bail before being allowed to leave. "They wanted it in local currency which we never had," he added. "So there was another drama trying to find the money. I was leaving the country, I didn`t have any local money. "It was a bleeding drama, unnecessary, over a nothing."

Ecclestone said he had bought the handgun, a LW Seecamp .32, from a Formula One mechanic or tyre man in Brazil years ago without ammunition and for use purely as a deterrent. "They said you need something like this," he explained. "It might work if someone tried to mug you or something. So I bought it from the guy.

"I had it in the house and used to muck around with it if people came to visit me or something, we would joke around," he added. The billionaire has a coffee plantation near Sao Paulo where he regularly spends time when not in Europe.

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Ecclestone said he had been joking around with his son Ace and had left the gun in a shirt pocket and the people packing his luggage put it in a suitcase without being aware of the gun. An airport scan then revealed the firearm, which had not been registered.

"It was never going to be shot, it never had any bullets so I never bothered to register it. I didn`t know you had to," said Ecclestone. The billionaire said he then spent from 8pm until 5am at the airport making statements and completing paperwork before leaving in the morning. 
"It was good that they picked it up because if I`d come into Portugal and they`d found it, it would have been another mystery here," he said.

Ecclestone is married to Brazilian-born Fabiana Ecclestone, an FIA vice-president and member of the World Motor Sport Council. Her mother Aparecida Schunck was kidnapped in Sao Paulo in 2016, with criminals demanding 120 million reais ($25.07 million) in ransom before she was freed nine days later in a police raid without any money being paid.

The Ecclestones attended several events in the South American country in May, including a local Stock Car race in the countryside near Sao Paulo and a meeting with triple world champion Nelson Piquet in Brasilia.

Former Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone denied on Friday he had been arrested in Brazil and said an illegal gun found in his luggage before boarding a flight was never used and had no ammunition.

Former Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone denied on Friday he had been arrested in Brazil and said an illegal gun found in his luggage before boarding a flight was never used and had no ammunition. The 91-year-old Briton, now in Portugal, told Reuters a "silly, tiny little incident" had caused a lot of aggravation as he and his family tried to leave Sao Paulo by private plane on Wednesday night. "I haven`t had any publicity lately and I thought I ought to do something to get some," he joked in a telephone conversation. Sao Paulo state public security office confirmed in a statement to Reuters on Thursday that a businessman was arrested for possession of a firearm at Campinas` airport, but did not name him directly. "I was never arrested," said Ecclestone, who does not speak Portuguese and confirmed that he had to pay 6,060 reais ($1,260) bail before being allowed to leave. "They wanted it in local currency which we never had," he added. "So there was another drama trying to find the money. I was leaving the country, I didn`t have any local money. "It was a bleeding drama, unnecessary, over a nothing." Ecclestone said he had bought the handgun, a LW Seecamp .32, from a Formula One mechanic or tyre man in Brazil years ago without ammunition and for use purely as a deterrent. "They said you need something like this," he explained. "It might work if someone tried to mug you or something. So I bought it from the guy. "I had it in the house and used to muck around with it if people came to visit me or something, we would joke around," he added. The billionaire has a coffee plantation near Sao Paulo where he regularly spends time when not in Europe. ALSO READ | Former Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone arrested in Brazil for illegally carrying a gun Ecclestone said he had been joking around with his son Ace and had left the gun in a shirt pocket and the people packing his luggage put it in a suitcase without being aware of the gun. An airport scan then revealed the firearm, which had not been registered. "It was never going to be shot, it never had any bullets so I never bothered to register it. I didn`t know you had to," said Ecclestone. The billionaire said he then spent from 8pm until 5am at the airport making statements and completing paperwork before leaving in the morning. "It was good that they picked it up because if I`d come into Portugal and they`d found it, it would have been another mystery here," he said. Ecclestone is married to Brazilian-born Fabiana Ecclestone, an FIA vice-president and member of the World Motor Sport Council. Her mother Aparecida Schunck was kidnapped in Sao Paulo in 2016, with criminals demanding 120 million reais ($25.07 million) in ransom before she was freed nine days later in a police raid without any money being paid. The Ecclestones attended several events in the South American country in May, including a local Stock Car race in the countryside near Sao Paulo and a meeting with triple world champion Nelson Piquet in Brasilia.

Ex-F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone denies arrest, says gun had no bullets

French Open 2022 edition has kept the tennis fans engaged across the globe with plenty happening on and off the court at regular intervals. On Thursday (May 26), Romania's&nbsp;Irina-Camelia Begu made heads turn for all the wrong reasons during her second-round match, where she locked horns with Russia's Ekaterina Alexandrova. In frustration, Irina had thrown her racquet into the crowd, which hit a child's face. Thus, she issued an apology and play was delayed for five minutes due to the incident.

"It's an embarrassing moment for me, so I don't want to talk too much about it. I just want to apologise," reported news agency AFP quoting Begu as saying. The world no. 63 further added that she felt bad for what she did. "My whole career I didn't do something like this, and I feel really bad and sorry. So I'm just going to say again, sorry for the incident and it was just an embarrassing moment for me,"&nbsp;Begu added.

Here's the video of the unfortunate incident:

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Irina-Camelia Begu just bounced her racket into the crowd, supervisor has been called. <a href="https://t.co/EiIBNDAH2I">pic.twitter.com/EiIBNDAH2I</a>
— Damian Kust (@damiankust) <a href="https://twitter.com/damiankust/status/1529781776532525057?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 26, 2022</a></blockquote>
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ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/former-champion-simona-halep-knocked-out-by-chinese-teen-sensation-zheng-qinwen-482585">Former champion Simona Halep knocked out by Chinese teen sensation Zheng Qinwen</a>

The 31-year-old Romanian player had thrown her&nbsp;racquet at her chair. However, it bounced and hit the young kid who sat&nbsp;close to umpire Anis Ressaissi's chair. As the boy started crying, the tournament referee had to join in to cool things down between his parents and Begu.&nbsp;The world no. 63 had taken the child in her arms after the entire episode.

Post the incident, Begu was only given a warning and&nbsp;not defaulted with the tournament. "It was a difficult moment. You hit the clay with the racquet, but you never expect to fly that much," reported the news agency quoting the Romanian player as saying.

Despite all the unwanted chaos, Begu beat her opposition to win&nbsp;the match 6-7 (3/7), 6-3, 6-4.

French Open 2022 edition has kept the tennis fans engaged across the globe with plenty happening on and off the court at regular intervals. On Thursday (May 26), Romania's Irina-Camelia Begu made heads turn for all the wrong reasons during her second-round match, where she locked horns with Russia's Ekaterina Alexandrova.

French Open 2022 edition has kept the tennis fans engaged across the globe with plenty happening on and off the court at regular intervals. On Thursday (May 26), Romania's Irina-Camelia Begu made heads turn for all the wrong reasons during her second-round match, where she locked horns with Russia's Ekaterina Alexandrova. In frustration, Irina had thrown her racquet into the crowd, which hit a child's face. Thus, she issued an apology and play was delayed for five minutes due to the incident. "It's an embarrassing moment for me, so I don't want to talk too much about it. I just want to apologise," reported news agency AFP quoting Begu as saying. The world no. 63 further added that she felt bad for what she did. "My whole career I didn't do something like this, and I feel really bad and sorry. So I'm just going to say again, sorry for the incident and it was just an embarrassing moment for me," Begu added. Here's the video of the unfortunate incident: Irina-Camelia Begu just bounced her racket into the crowd, supervisor has been called. pic.twitter.com/EiIBNDAH2I — Damian Kust (@damiankust) May 26, 2022 × ALSO READ | Former champion Simona Halep knocked out by Chinese teen sensation Zheng Qinwen The 31-year-old Romanian player had thrown her racquet at her chair. However, it bounced and hit the young kid who sat close to umpire Anis Ressaissi's chair. As the boy started crying, the tournament referee had to join in to cool things down between his parents and Begu. The world no. 63 had taken the child in her arms after the entire episode. Post the incident, Begu was only given a warning and not defaulted with the tournament. "It was a difficult moment. You hit the clay with the racquet, but you never expect to fly that much," reported the news agency quoting the Romanian player as saying. Despite all the unwanted chaos, Begu beat her opposition to win the match 6-7 (3/7), 6-3, 6-4.

French Open: Romanian star Irina-Camelia Begu apologises after throwing racquet on a young kid - WATCH

Rishabh Pant has now become a regular for Team India across formats. While Pant made his name with his IPL heroics and was being seen as the next-big-thing in white-ball formats, the 24-year-old has achieved more success in Test cricket so far at the international level.

In 30 Tests, Pant has 1,920 runs at an average of 40.85 and has scored hundreds in England, Australia and South Africa. Thus, former Indian opener Virender Sehwag -- who also defied odds by doing exceeding well in red-ball format when many deemed him to be fit for the shorter forms of the game -- has made a big statement on Pant.&nbsp;

Sehwag stressed the importance of Test cricket and claimed that Pant won't be known for long if he only excels in white-ball formats but will etch his name in the history books by playing 100, or more, Tests for India.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricketers-must-ensure-harmony-between-india-pakistan-akhtar-on-sehwags-chucking-allegations-480737">'Cricketers must ensure harmony between India-Pakistan' - Akhtar on Sehwag's 'chucking' allegation</a>

“If he goes on to play 100+ Tests, his name would be etched in the history books forever. Only 11 (12) Indian cricketers have achieved this feat, and everyone can recall those 11 names,” Sehwag told Sports 18 while speaking&nbsp;about the Delhi Capitals (DC) skipper.

“Why does Virat Kohli emphasise so much on playing Tests? He knows that if he plays 100-150 or even 200 Tests, he will be immortalised in the record books,” Sehwag added.

In Indian cricket history, only 12 cricketers have played 100 or more Tests. The list includes Sachin Tendulkar, Dravid, VVS Laxman, Anil Kumble, Kapil Dev, Sunil Gavaskar, Dilip Vengsarkar, Sourav Ganguly, Virender Sehwag, Harbhajan Singh,&nbsp;Kohli and Ishant Sharma.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nobody-would-remember-me-if-i-scored-tons-at-sachin-gangulys-pace-says-ex-indian-opener-virender-sehwag-479904">Nobody would remember me if I scored tons at Sachin, Ganguly's pace, says ex-Indian opener Virender Sehwag</a>

Pant was last seen in action on the 22-yard cricket strip during the IPL 2022 edition, while leading the Delhi franchise who ended fifth on the points table and missed out on qualifying for the playoffs with one victory less under their belt. He will now be KL Rahul's deputy during the India-South Africa T20Is at home, which gets underway on June 09.

Sehwag&nbsp;amassed 8586 runs in Tests averaging 49.34 at an whopping&nbsp;strike rate of 82.23 and also ended with 8,273 runs in ODIs at 35.05, striking at&nbsp;104.33

Rishabh Pant has now become a regular for Team India across formats. While Pant made his name with his IPL heroics and was being seen as the next-big-thing in white-ball formats, the 24-year-old has achieved more success in Test cricket so far at the international level.

Rishabh Pant has now become a regular for Team India across formats. While Pant made his name with his IPL heroics and was being seen as the next-big-thing in white-ball formats, the 24-year-old has achieved more success in Test cricket so far at the international level. In 30 Tests, Pant has 1,920 runs at an average of 40.85 and has scored hundreds in England, Australia and South Africa. Thus, former Indian opener Virender Sehwag -- who also defied odds by doing exceeding well in red-ball format when many deemed him to be fit for the shorter forms of the game -- has made a big statement on Pant. Sehwag stressed the importance of Test cricket and claimed that Pant won't be known for long if he only excels in white-ball formats but will etch his name in the history books by playing 100, or more, Tests for India. ALSO READ | 'Cricketers must ensure harmony between India-Pakistan' - Akhtar on Sehwag's 'chucking' allegation “If he goes on to play 100+ Tests, his name would be etched in the history books forever. Only 11 (12) Indian cricketers have achieved this feat, and everyone can recall those 11 names,” Sehwag told Sports 18 while speaking about the Delhi Capitals (DC) skipper. “Why does Virat Kohli emphasise so much on playing Tests? He knows that if he plays 100-150 or even 200 Tests, he will be immortalised in the record books,” Sehwag added. In Indian cricket history, only 12 cricketers have played 100 or more Tests. The list includes Sachin Tendulkar, Dravid, VVS Laxman, Anil Kumble, Kapil Dev, Sunil Gavaskar, Dilip Vengsarkar, Sourav Ganguly, Virender Sehwag, Harbhajan Singh, Kohli and Ishant Sharma. ALSO READ | Nobody would remember me if I scored tons at Sachin, Ganguly's pace, says ex-Indian opener Virender Sehwag Pant was last seen in action on the 22-yard cricket strip during the IPL 2022 edition, while leading the Delhi franchise who ended fifth on the points table and missed out on qualifying for the playoffs with one victory less under their belt. He will now be KL Rahul's deputy during the India-South Africa T20Is at home, which gets underway on June 09. Sehwag amassed 8586 runs in Tests averaging 49.34 at an whopping strike rate of 82.23 and also ended with 8,273 runs in ODIs at 35.05, striking at 104.33

'His name would be etched in history books if....' Virender Sehwag's big statement on Rishabh Pant

Former world number one Simona Halep crashed out of the French Open on Thursday as she failed to deal with the aggressive game of Chinese teenager Zheng Qinwen and suffered a 2-6 6-2 6-1 second-round loss.

Halep, who lifted the trophy at Roland Garros in 2018 before winning Wimbledon the following year, came into the match on Court Simonne Mathieu having won her only prior meeting against the 19-year-old Zheng in straight sets in Melbourne in January. The 30-year-old Romanian got off to a flying start by dominating play from the baseline, breezing through the opening set and going up a break before Zheng, ranked 74th in the world, took control.

Winners started flowing from the Chinese player`s racket as the unforced error count soared for Halep and Zheng did not look back. Zheng, who hit 28 winners to her opponent`s nine, won eight games in a row to go up 3-0 in the deciding set and Halep won just one more game.

"I have been working really hard, and it was really nice, that was my best performance. I am happy today," Zheng said in an interview on court. Halep also seemed to struggle with her breathing during the third set and had her pulse and blood pressure checked on court. She said she had suffered a panic attack. 
"I didn`t know how to handle it, because I don`t have it often," a smiling Halep told reporters.

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"I don`t really know why it happened, because I was leading the match. I was playing well. I couldn`t focus. After the match, (it) was pretty tough. But now I`m good. I`m recovered, and I will learn from this episode." 
Zheng, playing only her second major after making her Grand Slam debut at the Australian Open, will next meet the winner of the match between local hope Alize Cornet and former champion Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia.

On another day of upsets for the seeded players in the women`s draw, American Shelby Rogers beat compatriot and Australian Open finalist Danielle Collins, the ninth seed, 6-4 6-3. Local wildcard Leolia Jeanjean earlier swept away former world number one and eighth seed Karolina Pliskova in straight sets.

Halep suffers panic attack during defeat

The former world number one and 2018 French Open champion called for the doctor during the third set of her loss to Chinese teenager Zheng Qinwen on Court Simonne Mathieu. "It was just a panic attack. It happened," she told reporters with a smile afterwards. "I didn`t know how to handle it, because I don`t have it often. I don`t really know why it happened, because I was leading the match, I was playing well."

"I lost it. I couldn`t focus. After the match, was pretty tough. But now I`m good. I`m recovered, and I will learn from this episode. Nothing like dangerous, in my opinion." The mental health of top women athletes has been brought into focus over the last year after Naomi Osaka and American gymnast Simone Biles spoke out about their struggles.

Halep, who lost three Grand Slam finals before winning majors at Roland Garros and Wimbledon, said last year she sometimes struggled to handle the pressure of being an elite athlete. The 30-year-old Romanian said she had been given the all clear by doctors after her panic attack and was determined to learn from the experience.

"It`s just a tennis match, so I have to (be) a little bit more relaxed. I probably put pressure on myself too much, because I really wanted to do well," she added. "I felt good. I practiced. I worked hard. But just didn`t happen, and probably I got a little bit of panic during that thinking, overthinking. "It happened. I have to accept it. It`s something normal that everybody has. I will be better next time, for sure. I don`t have these things so it was new for me."

Former world number one Simona Halep crashed out of the French Open on Thursday as she failed to deal with the aggressive game of Chinese teenager Zheng Qinwen and suffered a 2-6 6-2 6-1 second-round loss.

Former world number one Simona Halep crashed out of the French Open on Thursday as she failed to deal with the aggressive game of Chinese teenager Zheng Qinwen and suffered a 2-6 6-2 6-1 second-round loss. Halep, who lifted the trophy at Roland Garros in 2018 before winning Wimbledon the following year, came into the match on Court Simonne Mathieu having won her only prior meeting against the 19-year-old Zheng in straight sets in Melbourne in January. The 30-year-old Romanian got off to a flying start by dominating play from the baseline, breezing through the opening set and going up a break before Zheng, ranked 74th in the world, took control. Winners started flowing from the Chinese player`s racket as the unforced error count soared for Halep and Zheng did not look back. Zheng, who hit 28 winners to her opponent`s nine, won eight games in a row to go up 3-0 in the deciding set and Halep won just one more game. "I have been working really hard, and it was really nice, that was my best performance. I am happy today," Zheng said in an interview on court. Halep also seemed to struggle with her breathing during the third set and had her pulse and blood pressure checked on court. She said she had suffered a panic attack. "I didn`t know how to handle it, because I don`t have it often," a smiling Halep told reporters. ALSO READ | Wimbledon set to remove 'Miss' and 'Mrs' from honours boards: Report "I don`t really know why it happened, because I was leading the match. I was playing well. I couldn`t focus. After the match, (it) was pretty tough. But now I`m good. I`m recovered, and I will learn from this episode." Zheng, playing only her second major after making her Grand Slam debut at the Australian Open, will next meet the winner of the match between local hope Alize Cornet and former champion Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia. On another day of upsets for the seeded players in the women`s draw, American Shelby Rogers beat compatriot and Australian Open finalist Danielle Collins, the ninth seed, 6-4 6-3. Local wildcard Leolia Jeanjean earlier swept away former world number one and eighth seed Karolina Pliskova in straight sets. Halep suffers panic attack during defeat The former world number one and 2018 French Open champion called for the doctor during the third set of her loss to Chinese teenager Zheng Qinwen on Court Simonne Mathieu. "It was just a panic attack. It happened," she told reporters with a smile afterwards. "I didn`t know how to handle it, because I don`t have it often. I don`t really know why it happened, because I was leading the match, I was playing well." "I lost it. I couldn`t focus. After the match, was pretty tough. But now I`m good. I`m recovered, and I will learn from this episode. Nothing like dangerous, in my opinion." The mental health of top women athletes has been brought into focus over the last year after Naomi Osaka and American gymnast Simone Biles spoke out about their struggles. Halep, who lost three Grand Slam finals before winning majors at Roland Garros and Wimbledon, said last year she sometimes struggled to handle the pressure of being an elite athlete. The 30-year-old Romanian said she had been given the all clear by doctors after her panic attack and was determined to learn from the experience. "It`s just a tennis match, so I have to (be) a little bit more relaxed. I probably put pressure on myself too much, because I really wanted to do well," she added. "I felt good. I practiced. I worked hard. But just didn`t happen, and probably I got a little bit of panic during that thinking, overthinking. "It happened. I have to accept it. It`s something normal that everybody has. I will be better next time, for sure. I don`t have these things so it was new for me."

Former champion Simona Halep knocked out by Chinese teen sensation Zheng Qinwen

There is now only one match left before the IPL 2022 final, set to be held on Sunday evening (May 29). The Qualifier 2, en route to the summit clash, will see the three-time runners-up Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) lock horns with each other at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, Ahmedabad on Friday evening (May 27).

RCB is looking at its threatening best. After winning their last league stage encounter, versus Gujarat Titans (GT) -- who are already in the final, the Faf du Plessis-led franchise was helped by Mumbai Indians (MI), who beat Delhi Capitals (DC) to eliminate them and take RCB to the playoffs. In the Eliminator, RCB posted 207-4, riding on Rajat Patidar's 112 not out, and defended the total by restricting Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) to 193-6. With this, RCB have booked a place in Qualifier 2 and they will look to topple the RR franchise, against whom they have had a good record in the last few&nbsp;seasons.&nbsp;

RR, on the other hand, ended at the second spot in the league stage and went on to lose to Gujarat in Qualifier 1, at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata. While RR have relied on five bowlers, they may have to find a way to curtail the run-flow in the death overs. For now, RCB's batting depth and death-over specialists bowlers might give them an edge ahead of the marquee clash.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rcbvslsg-kolkata-cop-turns-john-cena-to-force-out-intruder-leaves-virat-kohli-in-disbelief-watch-482393">RCBvsLSG: Kolkata cop turns John Cena to force out intruder, leaves Virat Kohli in disbelief - WATCH</a>

Match prediction for RCB vs RR clash: The&nbsp;pitch and overall conditions are expected to be a lot different than what it was in Kolkata.&nbsp;It is more about dry heat than&nbsp;humidity in Ahmedabad when compared to Kolkata. The ground has six red soil pitches and five black soil pitches, hence,&nbsp;the nature of the pitch could come down to the characteristics of the soil. In the past, the curator has left a covering of grass for a T20 game. Nonetheless, expect a pitch with more even bounce for Qualifier 2. Anything around 155-160 can be a winning total. Batting first team to win?

There is now only one match left before the IPL 2022 final, set to be held on Sunday evening (May 29). The Qualifier 2, en route to the summit clash, will see the three-time runners-up Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) lock horns with each other at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, Ahmedabad on Friday evening (May 27).

There is now only one match left before the IPL 2022 final, set to be held on Sunday evening (May 29). The Qualifier 2, en route to the summit clash, will see the three-time runners-up Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) lock horns with each other at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, Ahmedabad on Friday evening (May 27). RCB is looking at its threatening best. After winning their last league stage encounter, versus Gujarat Titans (GT) -- who are already in the final, the Faf du Plessis-led franchise was helped by Mumbai Indians (MI), who beat Delhi Capitals (DC) to eliminate them and take RCB to the playoffs. In the Eliminator, RCB posted 207-4, riding on Rajat Patidar's 112 not out, and defended the total by restricting Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) to 193-6. With this, RCB have booked a place in Qualifier 2 and they will look to topple the RR franchise, against whom they have had a good record in the last few seasons. RR, on the other hand, ended at the second spot in the league stage and went on to lose to Gujarat in Qualifier 1, at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata. While RR have relied on five bowlers, they may have to find a way to curtail the run-flow in the death overs. For now, RCB's batting depth and death-over specialists bowlers might give them an edge ahead of the marquee clash. ALSO READ | RCBvsLSG: Kolkata cop turns John Cena to force out intruder, leaves Virat Kohli in disbelief - WATCH Match prediction for RCB vs RR clash: The pitch and overall conditions are expected to be a lot different than what it was in Kolkata. It is more about dry heat than humidity in Ahmedabad when compared to Kolkata. The ground has six red soil pitches and five black soil pitches, hence, the nature of the pitch could come down to the characteristics of the soil. In the past, the curator has left a covering of grass for a T20 game. Nonetheless, expect a pitch with more even bounce for Qualifier 2. Anything around 155-160 can be a winning total. Batting first team to win?

RCB vs RR, IPL 2022 Qualifier 2 prediction today: Who will win Bengaluru vs Rajasthan match?

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