* Nine Japanese Governors believe Tokyo 2020 should be either cancelled or postponed
* Billie Jean King Cup, formerly Fed Cup, moved from Budapest due to Covid-19
The International Tennis Federation (ITF) is searching for a new host city for this year’s Billie Jean King Cup (formerly Fed Cup or the main annual international team competition in tennis) Finals after cancelling its agreement with Budapest. The finals of the tournament, previously known as the Fed Cup, is scheduled to take place later this year, but it will no longer be held in the Hungarian capital. According to reports, the Hungarian Tennis Association sent a letter to the ITF to confirm it was not feasible to stage the event due to Covid-19 safety concerns. Budapest’s withdrawal will be another blow to the ITF which has already had to postpone the tournament twice because of the coronavirus pandemic. “We have been working closely with the Hungarian Government and the Hungarian Tennis Association to review all feasible options to reschedule this year’s finals,” the ITF President David Haggerty had been quoted as saying in the international media on Wednesday (5).
* Alun Wyn Jones will be confirmed as Captain of the British and Irish Lions
Wales great Alun Wyn Jones will be confirmed as Captain of the British and Irish Lions when Head Coach Warren Gatland names his 36-man squad yesterday (6) for the tour of South Africa. Jones, 35, has been the favourite for the role since leading Wales to the Six Nations title in March. He will be going on his fourth Lions tour, after being a key part of the series in 2009, 2013 and 2017. The Lions squad too was confirmed Thursday. Jones has won a world record 157 international caps and has featured in the last nine Lions Test matches, including captaining the team to victory in the decisive third Test against Australia in Sydney in 2013.
* NBA playoff tracker: Bucks survive as Westbrook moves closer to history
After a tough battle against Brooklyn the night prior, Milwaukee was able to hang on at home against Washington in a 135-134 win yesterday in the ongoing NBA play-offs, despite Giannis Antetokounmpo fouling out with less than two minutes in the fourth quarter. Trailing by one, the Wizards had a chance to win as Garrison Mathews heaved a three-pointer from 50 feet away and it nearly went in. Russell Westbrook logged his 33rd triple-double this season as he closes in on Oscar Robertson’s all-time record of 181. He’s now just two away from tying the record with six games remaining in the regular season. The Bucks trail the second seed Nets by one game as Brooklyn will look to snap a three-game losing streak on Thursday (6) in Dallas. In the photo is Anthony Davis who will have to carry the load for the Lakers with LeBron James out.
* Eight fixtures in Round-5 of the season
The round-5 of the English County Cricket Season began yesterday (6). Durham and Derbyshire are the only two counties that are not playing in this round while James Anderson plays his first game of season, for Lancashire.