The Japan Times - Sports (English)

New Zealand fast bowler Boult takes 'significantly reduced' role

Trent Boult will have "a significantly reduced role" with the Black Caps after the fast bowler asked to be released from his central contract, New Zealand Cricket said on Wednesday.

Read more

Real Madrid hope stability breeds success as La Liga kicks off

Real Madrid are hoping a summer of stability sets them up for a successful defence of the Spanish title as the season kicks off in La Liga this weekend, despite some eye-catching moves in the transfer market from Barcelona.

Read more

Six to watch at the European Swimming Championships

The European Swimming Championships get underway in Rome's Foro Italico on Thursday.

Read more

Kyrgios lifts mental game for seventh straight win, Murray out

Wimbledon runner-up Nick Kyrgios let an early lead slip but regrouped on Tuesday for a 6-4, 6-4 first-round victory over Sebastian Baez at the ATP Montreal Masters.

Read more

Smith stays silent on report he's heading for LIV Golf

British Open winner Cameron Smith of Australia stayed silent Tuesday on reports he will jump from the US PGA Tour to the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Series.

Read more

Cane insists All Blacks can sidestep fourth straight loss

New Zealand captain Sam Cane insists the All Blacks can cope with the pressure of facing South Africa in Johannesburg on Saturday as the visitors seek to sidestep a fourth straight defeat this year.

Read more

LIV Golf trio denied chance to play in PGA playoffs

A federal judge on Tuesday denied a request by three LIV Golf players for a temporary restraining order allowing them to play in this week's US PGA Tour FedEx Cup playoffs.

Read more

Kyrgios lifts his mental game for seventh straight win

Wimbledon runner-up Nick Kyrgios let an early lead slip but regrouped on Tuesday for a 6-4, 6-4 first-round victory over Sebastian Baez at the ATP Montreal Masters.

Read more

Teen stars hail Serena as inspirational game changer

Teen stars Coco Gauff and Emma Raducanu hailed Serena Williams as an inspiration and a game-changing tennis legend on Tuesday, hours after the 23-time Grand Slam champion revealed impending retirement plans.

Read more

Osaka retires in Toronto opener with back pain

Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka retired from her opening match on Tuesday at the WTA Toronto Masters with lower back pain, raising injury concerns with the US Open looming.

Read more

Benfica, Kyiv, Eindhoven and Rangers into Champions League play-offs

Two-time former champions Benfica will play Ukraine's Dynamo Kyiv while Ruud van Nistelrooy's PSV Eindhoven will face Glasgow Rangers after they all qualified for the final Champions League qualifying play-off round on Tuesday.

Read more

US teen Gauff says Serena 'can inspire many more generations'

US teen star Coco Gauff, inspired to play tennis by Serena Williams, said Tuesday she was shocked to hear about the impending retirement plans of the 23-time Grand Slam champion.

Read more

Raducanu rolled in Montreal first round

Reigning US Open champion Emma Raducanu on Britain exited on Tuesday in the first round of the WTA Toronto Masters, losing 7-6 (7/0), 6-2 to Italy's Camila Giorgi.

Read more

NFL owners approve Broncos sale to Wal-Mart heir Walton

NFL club owners voted unanimously on Tuesday to approve the sale of the Denver Broncos to Wal-Mart store heir Rob Walton and his family.

Read more

LIV trio's lawsuit for PGA playoff spots frustrates No.1 Scheffler

World number one Scottie Scheffler says he's frustrated at a trio of players from the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Series suing for berths in the US PGA's FedEx Cup playoffs.

Read more

Berkane set to face Nigerian club in quest for third CAF Cup title

Moroccan club Renaissance Berkane will launch their bid for a record-equalling third CAF Confederation Cup title against Kwara United of Nigeria or AS Douanes of Niger.

Read more

Jackson still trying to figure out Fraser-Pryce ahead of 100m clash

Newly-minted world 200m champion Shericka Jackson hopes that Jamaican teammate Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce will bring the most out of her when they go head-to-head in the 100m at Wednesday's Diamond League meet in Monaco.

Read more

Nigerian clubs out of luck in CAF Champions League draws

Hopes of Nigerian clubs making an impact in the CAF Champions League this season were dealt a double blow when the draws for the preliminary and last-32 rounds were made in Cairo on Tuesday.

Read more

Chelsea's Werner returns to RB Leipzig

RB Leipzig said on Tuesday they had signed former striker Timo Werner from Chelsea on a four-year deal.

Read more

Tributes for South African umpire Koertzen after he dies in car accident

Fellow umpires and former players paid tribute on Tuesday to former South African umpire Rudi Koertzen, who died in a car accident on Tuesday morning.

Read more

England head coach Jones rebuked by RFU for private school criticism

England head coach Eddie Jones was reprimanded by his employers at the Rugby Football Union (RFU) on Tuesday for criticising what he saw as the English game's reliance on the private school system.

Read more

Serena rose from mean streets to Grand Slam tennis queen

Serena Williams went from learning tennis on public courts in a notorious American gangland neighborhood to becoming a superstar for a generation and perhaps the greatest player in history.

Read more

Former Wales captain Thomas sued over claims he gave ex-partner HIV

Former Wales rugby union captain Gareth Thomas has been accused of "deceptively" transmitting the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) to an ex-partner.

Read more

'Show pony' Lyles ready to take on 'quarter horse' Norman

Two key members of the feted US team at the world championships, Noah Lyles and Michael Norman, will revive a long rivalry when they go head-to-head in the men's 200m at Wednesday's Diamond League meet in Monaco.

Read more

Serena Williams says 'countdown' to retirement has started

US tennis great Serena Williams announced on Tuesday that "the countdown has begun" to her retirement from the sport.

Read more

Serena Williams: Six memorable Grand Slam finals

Serena Williams announced on Tuesday the countdown to her retirement had begun from tennis after a career which brought her 23 Grand Slam singles titles.

Read more

Serena Williams says 'countdown' to retirement has begun

US tennis great Serena Williams announced on Tuesday that "the countdown has begun" to her retirement from the sport.

Read more

British athletics coach Minichiello gets life ban for sexual misconduct

Toni Minichiello, one of Britain's leading track and field coaches, has been given a life ban after an investigation found he had engaged in "sexually physical behaviour" with athletes.

Read more

Everton sign Belgium's Onana from Lille

Everton have signed Belgium international Amadou Onana for an undisclosed fee from Lille, the Premier League club announced Tuesday.

Read more

Former South African umpire Koertzen dies in car accident

Former South African umpire Rudi Koertzen, labelled the 'slow finger of death' by the media, has died in a car accident, a family member told AFP on Tuesday. He was 73.

Read more

Springboks recall 'massive' Vermeulen for All Blacks rematch

Veteran loose forward Duane Vermeulen will make his first appearance of the season for South Africa in a Rugby Championship second-round clash with New Zealand in Johannesburg on Saturday.

Read more

Keightley to stand down as England women's cricket coach

Lisa Keightley is to leave her role as coach of the England women's team at the end of the home season, the England and Wales Cricket Board announced on Tuesday.

Read more