Leicester City's Kelechi Iheanacho celebrates scoring a goal on Mar 14, 2021. (Photo: Reuters)   

Leicester City striker Kelechi Iheanacho was named the Premier League player of the month for March while Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel claimed the manager's award for the first time, the league announced on Friday (Apr 2).

Iheanacho scored five goals in three games last month, including a hat-trick in a 5-0 demolition of Sheffield United, as Leicester maintained their grip on third place and Champions League qualification.

* Italian teen Jannik Sinner advanced to the Miami Open final on Friday, rallying past Spanish seventh seed Roberto Bautista Agut to reach the biggest championship match of his young career. Sinner, who reached last year's French Open quarter-finals, defeated Bautista 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 after two hours and 28 minutes to become only the fourth teen to reach the men's final in the 36-year history of the ATP Masters 1000 hardcourt event.

* World number one Ash Barty and former US Open champion Bianca Andreescu completed contrasting semi-final victories in the Miami Open, setting up a mouth-watering first career meeting between the Grand Slam winners in Saturday's (Apr 3) final.

* Jack Miller, Francesco Bagnaia and Johann Zarco helped Ducati dominate free practice at the Grand Prix of Doha on Friday (Apr 2). Australian Miller, on a factory Ducati, chalked up a time of 1 minute 53.145 seconds during the most optimum conditions in the second session under the Losail circuit floodlights.

* Serie A said on Friday it has awarded sports marketing agency Infront the management of most of its international broadcasting rights for the next three seasons in a deal worth EUR417 million (US$490.39 million). Owned by China's Wanda Sport Group, Infront will manage Serie A's global media rights for all platforms, excluding the United States, the Middle East and North Africa regions.

* Preston North End midfielder Brad Potts scored deep into added time to help his side hold Championship leaders Norwich City to a 1-1 draw on Friday while second-placed Watford overcame Sheffield Wednesday 1-0 to reduce the gap at the top.

* Manchester City are unlikely to prioritise the signing of a new striker for next season despite all-time leading scorer Sergio Aguero leaving the Premier League club at the end of the campaign, manager Pep Guardiola said on Friday. Aguero, who has netted 257 goals in 384 appearances and won four Premier League titles, one FA Cup and five League Cups at the club, is set to leave when his contract expires.

* Inter Milan coach Antonio Conte has welcomed back a group of players who had recently contracted COVID-19 and said he needs all his squad available to keep the Serie A leaders on course for the title. Inter were hit with a COVID-19 outbreak three weeks ago that meant their final league match before the international break, against Sassuolo, was postponed.

* Manchester United are hopeful fit-again forwards Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood can feature in Sunday's (Apr 4) Premier League match against Brighton & Hove Albion but doubts remain over Frenchman Anthony Martial, manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said on Friday.

* Tottenham Hotspur manager Jose Mourinho said on Friday (Apr 2) that forward Son Heung-min is back from injury ahead of Sunday's Premier League trip to Newcastle United, but he steered clear of speculation on Harry Kane's future at the club.

* The captain's armband that Cristiano Ronaldo flung to the ground in disgust after Portugal were denied an injury-time winner against Serbia was sold at a charity auction for EUR64,000 (US$75,000) to an anonymous bidder.

Reuters, CNA