Serena Williams pulls out of Madrid Open

MADRID • Women's world No. 1 Serena Williams has withdrawn from tennis' Madrid Open, which started yesterday, due to the flu, the WTA website said.

The American, who won the tournament in 2012 and 2013 and is the defending French Open champion, is now scheduled to open her clay-court season at the Italian Open next month..

REUTERS

Liverpool ordered to pay Burnley for Ings

LONDON • Liverpool will have to pay £8 million (S$15.7 million) to Burnley for Danny Ings, a record for a fee ordered by tribunal.

The striker joined Liverpool last summer after his contract at Turf Moor came to an end, but the clubs failed to agree compensation.

Burnley will receive £6.5 million with an additional £1.5 million in add-ons, as well as 20 per cent of any profit on a future sale.

THE TIMES, LONDON

Bayern poised to make league history

BERLIN • Bayern Munich can become the first German football club to win a fourth consecutive Bundesliga title by beating fifth-placed Borussia Moenchengladbach today.

Bayern hold a seven-point lead and, with three games left, a win over Gladbach will confirm a fourth straight German top-flight title.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Hackett admits drinks caused brawl

SYDNEY • Australian long-distance swimming great Grant Hackett has admitted binge drinking was behind his altercation with another passenger on a flight earlier this month and said he was seeking help to quit alcohol.

The former Olympic champion was spoken to by police after the incident on a flight from the Australian Olympic trials in Adelaide to Melbourne.

REUTERS

Amanda 10th at Queen Sirikit Cup

JEJU • Singaporean golfer Amanda Tan has finished joint 10th in the Queen Sirikit Cup tournament at the Ora Country Club in Jeju, South Korea.

The 16-year-old shot a 69 and finished on 219 to tie with Thailand's Paphangkorn Tavatanakit.

The tournament was won by Korea's Park Hyun Kyung, who shot a 70 and finished on 208 to emerge top among 42 golfers.