Today's sports news: What you need to know

Latest - Squash world No 2 Paul Coll has been beaten in the semifinals of the Mauritius Open by fifth ranked Diego Elias of Peru in straight games.

Elias dominated much of the match playing with confidence and hitting winners, while New Zealand's Coll tried to play longer rallies.

The first game saw the South American ease to an 11-4 scoreline, however in the second there was more of a battle with Coll levelling the score at 8-8 before two errors from the Kiwi handed Elias the second game 11-8.

Elias, who defeated the Kiwi in the final of the Qatar Classic in November, continued to find himself with a number of options in the third game as he sped into a 6-2 lead. Coll, who was unable to fix the issues he'd been having all game with his accuracy, tried to stay in the match on the back of his flawless and constant movement.

After going 10-6 and four match balls down, Coll summoned all his energy to save the first two but it was to no avail, as Elias produced the perfect crosscourt winner to cap a remarkable performance, ending 11-4, 11-8, 11-8 in 52 minutes .

The next tournament for Coll is the World Tour Finals, top eight player event in Cairo starting 21 June before he returns home for the NZ Champs at the beginning of next month.

Another motorcyle death

The death toll at the 2022 Isle of Man TT motorcycle races has risen to five after organisers said British father and son sidecar riders Roger and Bradley Stockton were killed in a crash.

The pair, 56 and 21 respectively, were competing as driver and passenger in the second sidecar race when the incident happened on the final lap at Ago's Leap.

They had finished eighth in the first sidecar race of the event on closed public roads around the island.

French sidecar driver Cesar Chanal died in a crash at Ago's Leap last Saturday.

The event has been run since 1907 and ranks among the most dangerous in motorsport, with 265 deaths to date in the TT races, Manx Grand Prix and Classic TT.

The only year without a fatality was 1982. It is the first time since 1989 that five TT competitors have died in the same year.

While critics have condemned the races as a terrible anachronism, with riders skimming past stone walls and lamp posts at breathtaking speed, those competing say they are fully aware of the risks.

-Reuters

DeChambeau jumps on LIV series

Bryson DeChambeau became the latest big-name American to abandon the PGA Tour and join the LIV Golf Invitational Series as the Saudi-backed breakaway competition flexed its financial muscle.

The 28-year-old former U.S. Open champion, one of the longest hitters the sport has ever seen, joins the likes of six-time major champion Phil Mickelson and former world number one Dustin Johnson on the LIV bandwagon.

Signing up DeChambeau is a major coup for the $393 million series which is bankrolled by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund and has rocked golf to its core.

DeChambeau, like Johnson, had initially distanced himself from LIV, saying only last week that jumping ship at this stage of his career was too much of a risk.

He has made a complete U-turn, however, despite the PGA Tour on Thursday announcing that it would suspend any member who had joined the new circuit or would join in the future.

DeChambeau, who won the 2020 U.S. Open and whose swashbuckling style boosts TV audiences, will make his debut in the LIV Invitational at the next event in Portland, Oregon at the end of June.

Meanwhile South African Charl Schwartzel and compatriot Hennie Du Plessis led the chase for the record $6 million winners' cheque with a round to play of the opening LIV Invitational event near London.

-Reuters

Breakers sign kiwi guard

The Breakers have added Tall Blacks Guard Izayah Le'afa to their roster for the next two Australian NBL seasons.

The former Breakers' Development Player has spent the last two seasons at the Phoenix in Melbourne.

He predominantly came off the bench in his first year, but last season, he started all 26 games he played.

He averaged 8.9 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in 28 minutes a game, with a career-high 29 points in just 28 minutes (including eight three-pointers) coming in his rookie year.

Coach Mody Maor has now filled nine roster spots, with Le'afa joining Tom Abercrombie, Rob Loe, Sam Timmins, Tom Vodanovich, Dan Fotu, Will McDowell-White, Cam Gliddon, and Rayan Rupert.

Imports will fill the remaining three spots.

Pakistan take series

All-rounder Mohammad Nawaz bagged four wickets as Pakistan defeated West Indies by 120 runs in the second one-day international in Multan to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

Chasing 276, the visitors were bundled out for 155 within 33 overs as Nawaz excelled with his spin bowling and finished with career-best ODI figures of 4-19. Mohammad Wasim also chipped in, taking 3-34 on his comeback.

Earlier, Pakistan captain Babar Azam (77) and opener Imam-ul-Haq (72) formed a formidable partnership of 120 for the second wicket to hand the hosts a par score after they opted to bat.

Pakistan, who won the opening match by five wickets, will look to complete a clean sweep of the series when the third ODI takes place on Sunday.

They have now 10 consecutive ODI series against the West Indies.

-Reuters

Leclerc quickest in Baku

Charles Leclerc pushed Red Bull rival Sergio Perez off the top of the timesheets to end the opening practice for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix with the fastest time for Ferrari.

The Monegasque, who had trailed Perez at the end of the first session, pulled out a one minute, 43.224-second lap in the second hour of running to end the day 0.248 seconds clear of the Mexican.

Championship leader Max Verstappen was third 0.356 seconds off the pace.

The Dutchman leads Leclerc by nine points in the overall standings after seven of this season's 22 rounds.

Perez, winner in Monaco two weeks ago who is bidding to become the first repeat winner in Baku this weekend, is third 15 points behind his Red Bull team mate.

Behind the top-three, Fernando Alonso went fourth quickest for Alpine ahead of compatriot Carlos Sainz who was fifth for Ferrari. The double world champion showed promising pace in both sessions, having been fifth quickest in the opening hour.

Frenchman Pierre Gasly ended the day sixth for AlphaTauri ahead of George Russell in the Mercedes and team mate Yuki Tsunoda.

-Reuters

Ecuador confirmed for World Cup

Ecuador will play at the 2022 World Cup after FIFA dismissed Chile's claims that they had fielded an ineligible player in the qualifiers.

The Chilean Football Federation last month said it had proof that Ecuador's Byron Castillo was born in Tumaco, Colombia in 1995, and not in the Ecuadorean city of General Villamil Playas in 1998 as stated on his official documents.

Castillo played in eight of Ecuador's 18 qualifiers, matches in which they picked up 14 of their 26 points. If they had lost points for the games in which Castillo appeared, they would have missed out on a place in Qatar.

"After analysing the submissions of all parties concerned and considering all elements brought before it, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee has decided to close the proceedings initiated against the FEF (Ecuadorean Football Association)," it said in a statement.

Ecuador are one of four South American teams who have already qualified for the World Cup finals later this year, along with Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay. Fifth-placed Peru face a playoff next week.

-Reuters

Murray beats Tsitsipas

Former world number one Andy Murray secured his first victory over a top-five opponent in six years with a 7-6(4) 6-3 win over Greek top seed Stefanos Tsitsipas to reach the semi-finals of the Stuttgart Open.

The two-times Wimbledon champion stepped up his preparation for the grasscourt major starting this month by battling through a tight opening set against world number five Tsitsipas before rolling back the years in the second set to complete the win.

The Scot's biggest win by ranking since he overcame Novak Djokovic at the 2016 ATP Finals set up a semi-final meeting with either Hungarian Marton Fucsovics or Australian Nick Kyrgios.

"I thought I did well. He served unbelievably well in the first set and I had very few chances when I was returning," the 35-year-old Murray said in his post-match interview.

"But when he was creating opportunities on my serve I stayed strong. I played a really solid tiebreak and in the second set, I served well while his dropped a little bit.

-Reuters

Tiger joins exclusive club

The billionaire club reportedly has another member.

Forbes has estimated Tiger Woods' net worth at least US $1 billion, which would allow the 15-time major winner to join Michael Jordan and LeBron James as the lone athletes in that club.

Per Forbes, Woods has amassed over $1.7 billion in salary, endorsements and other income over his career.

Forbes reported that less than 10 percent of Woods' net worth, however, comes from earnings on the golf course.

Woods has sponsorship and endorsement deals with Nike, Gatorade, Monster Energy and TaylorMade, and also has a golf design business (TGR Design), a live events production company (TGR Live) and a restaurant (The Woods).

Last week, Forbes estimated James' net worth at US $1 billion. The Los Angeles Lakers star is the first active NBA player to reach the status.

Jordan, whose net worth Forbes has pegged at $1.7 billion, didn't reach billionaire status until 11 years post-retirement.

-Reuters

Zidane linked with PSG job

Reports in France say Zinedine Zidane will replace Mauricio Pochettino as Paris St Germain coach next season.

PSG were not immediately available for comment.

French radio station RMC said that Zidane and PSG were "close to finding an agreement", also without citing any source.

Pochettino, who was appointed 18 months ago, has failed to help the Ligue 1 club break new ground in the Champions League, with PSG being eliminated in the last 16 by Real Madrid this season.

They wrapped up the Ligue 1 title in April to secure their only trophy of the campaign.

Zidane, 49, has been without a club since he departed Real Madrid at the end of the 2020-21 season.

-Reuters