Raonic splits with supercoach Moya
PARIS • Canadian tennis player Milos Raonic parted ways with coach Carlos Moya on Wednesday, despite a season which saw him reach his first Grand Slam final and finish No. 3 in the world.
The 25-year-old only teamed up with former French Open champion Moya in January before adding seven-time Major champion John McEnroe briefly to his coaching set-up in the summer.
"Under Carlos' direction and tutelage I have played my best yet to date. We will no longer be continuing our coaching relationship but remain close friends. I wish him all the best," Raonic said.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Froome to begin new season in Australia
SYDNEY • Three-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome will launch his 2017 season in Australia, announcing yesterday he will compete in the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race and the Herald Sun Tour.
But the Team Sky climbing and time-trial specialist will not line up in the Tour Down Under, which is longer and starts earlier than the other two races on Jan 17. The cyclist is expected to face stiff competition next year from Orica-BikeExchange's star Colombian rider Esteban Chaves, who will also race in the Herald Sun Tour.
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MMA star McGregor gets boxing licence
LOS ANGELES • Mixed martial arts superstar Conor McGregor has been issued a boxing licence in the state of California, US media reported on Wednesday in a development sure to revive talk of a McGregor-Floyd Mayweather meeting in the ring.
British tabloid The Sun reported in May that McGregor and Mayweather were "on the verge" of agreeing to fight. Mayweather did not shoot down the prospect at the time, but Leonard Ellerbe, chief executive of Mayweather Promotions, told ESPN on Wednesday that he did not see the fight happening.
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North Koreans may compete in Japan
SAPPORO • Winter Asian Games organisers are weighing up an application from North Korea to allow the country's athletes to compete in Sapporo next year as the secretive nation's citizens are currently banned from entering Japan.
North Korea has filed its registration to compete in the men's short track speed skating and the men's and women's figure skating events, the organising committee told Kyodo news agency.
REUTERS
