Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Tennis-Injured Monfils pulls out of Djokovic clash in Paris

Frenchman Gael Monfils withdrew hours before his match against Novak Djokovic in the Paris Masters on Thursday due to an adductor strain, sending the Serbian world number one into the quarter-finals. After his second-round win over compatriot Adrian Mannarino, Monfils said he got injured during the match and an ultrasound revealed a muscular lesion.

Olympics-Pentathlon must embrace change after horse riding axed, says UIPM chief

The decision to drop horse riding from the modern pentathlon from the 2028 Olympics may be “painful” for athletes and the equestrian community but the sport must change with the times, the president of its governing body told Reuters on Thursday. The Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM) said it would remove horse riding from the Los Angeles Games, with a consultation process beginning soon to find a suitable replacement.

Motor racing-Perez says everyone at Red Bull wants him to win in Mexico

Sergio Perez said he was sure Red Bull want him to win his home Mexico City Grand Prix after facing questions on Thursday about whether they would let him beat championship-leading team mate Max Verstappen. Verstappen is 12 points clear of Mercedes’ seven-times Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton with five races remaining, including Sunday’s, in one of the closest title battles in years.

Tennis-Australia to face Switzerland in Billie Jean King Cup semis

Storm Sanders and Ajla Tomljanovic won their singles rubbers to help Australia beat Belarus on Thursday and set up a semi-final against Switzerland at the Billie Jean King Cup finals. Australia, chasing an eighth title in the women’s team competition which was previously called the Fed Cup, had defeated Belgium in their opening tie and their unassailable 2-0 lead against Belarus ensured they will top Group B.

Motor racing-Andretti says ‘control issues’ killed Sauber F1 deal

U.S. motor racing entrepreneur Michael Andretti said on Thursday that ‘control issues’ had led to the collapse of takeover talks with the owners of Sauber, who run the Alfa Romeo Formula One team. Andretti — a former IndyCar champion, F1 racer and son of 1978 Formula One world champion Mario — had been in advanced talks with Sauber ahead of last month’s U.S. Grand Prix in Austin.

U.S. calls on China not to limit journalists’ freedom at 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics

The United States on Thursday urged China not to restrict access and movement for journalists reporting on next year’s Winter Olympics in Beijing. The Foreign Correspondents’ Club of China this week said it was concerned about a lack of transparency from organizers of the games, which begin in February.

Motor racing-I will win or lose title in the right way, says Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton vowed to win or lose “the right way” after fears the Formula One title battle with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen could be decided by a collision at the final race. The 36-year-old Mercedes driver is chasing a record eighth championship but is 12 points adrift of Dutch youngster Verstappen with five rounds remaining, including Sunday’s in Mexico City.

Baseball-Giants catcher Posey calls time on his career

San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey announced his retirement from Major League Baseball on Thursday after 12 seasons and three World Series championships, saying he had “fulfilled his lifelong dream”. The news came as a surprise after the 34-year-old led the Giants to an MLB-best 107 wins last season.

Cricket-Rafiq reiterates ‘institutional racism’ charge after Ballance admission

Former Yorkshire player Azeem Rafiq said on Thursday that the issue of institutional racism lay at the heart of his problems with the English county club, not “the words of certain individuals.” Rafiq’s statement on Twitter comes a day after Yorkshire batsman Gary Ballance said he regretted using racist language towards his former team mate.

Athletics-Olympic marathoners ready to go the distance in New York

Molly Seidel’s 2021 plans once seemed reasonable – the American would compete at the Tokyo Olympics and then prepare to line up in Sunday’s New York City Marathon. However, having won bronze in the marathon at the Games in August, the 27-year-old on Thursday conceded that the schedule had been “a lot harder than I thought it was going to be.”

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)