Sports News Highlights: Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev Enter French Open Third Round

Welcome to the highlights of our coverage of Thursday's sports news and events. PV Sindhu's mouth-watering round of 16 clash ended in a narrow defeat at the hands of Rio 2016 gold medallist Carolina Marin at Singapore Open. The result assumes significance in the run-up to Paris Olympics, and Marin now has the psychological advantage of victory ahead of the quadrennial showpiece. In the men's category, HS Prannoy went down fighting to Japan's Kenta Nishimoto in another crucial encounter. Meanwhile, the T20 World Cup warm-up matches continued, with Nepal meeting hosts United States and Scotland facing Uganda. At the French Open, top seed Novak Djokovic and world number 4 Alexander Zverev both advanced to the third round with easy wins. Catch all the highlights from the sports world on Thursday, May 30, 2024, as they happened.

A blockbuster PV Sindhu vs Carolina Marin second-round clash will be the day 3 highlight of the ongoing Singapore Open 2024. Often hailed as one of the fiercest rivalries in the women's badminton circuit, Sindhu Vs Marin fixtures always set the court on fire! Watch the Singapore Open, a BWF Super 750 event, matches live. Both Sindhu and Marin navigated their first-round matches at Kallang's Singapore Indoor Stadium on Wednesday with relative ease. Expect a thrilling encounter. The tentative start time is 9:30am IST.

Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa has defeated Magnus Carlsen for the first time ever in Classical Chess.

Lionel Messi scored yet again. It was the lone real highlight for Inter Miami, as its 10-match Major League Soccer winning streak was ended by an Atlanta United side that got its first league win in nearly two months. Saba Lobjanidze scored once in each half, Jamal Thiaré helped put the game away with a goal in the 73rd minute and Atlanta United snapped a nine-match MLS winless streak with a 3-1 victory on Wednesday night.

The organisers at the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 will be looking to intensify the security at the at the Eisenhower Park Stadium in New York for the crucial India vs Pakistan tie after reports emerged of threats for the game to be played on June 9.

Read more here -

Bronny James is keeping his name in the NBA draft, with the hopes of joining his father in the league next season.

"He's a really good prospect who has a lot of room for growth," Rich Paul, the CEO of Klutch Sports Group, told ESPN, which first reported the decision. Paul later confirmed the decision to The Associated Press.

LeBron James, Bronny's father and the NBA's all-time scoring leader, posted his reaction on his social media accounts, including one Instagram story that had the simple caption: "BRONNY STAYING IN DRAFT!" The decision was not unexpected, given that Bronny James had given no sign in recent weeks that he would exercise his option of returning to college and postponing his NBA plans. (AP)

It's very tight between PV Sindhu and Carolina Marin at the Singapore Masters 2024.

Despite taking the first game, PV Sindhu could not get things going in the second and third as she lost to Carolina Marin of Spain 21-13, 11-21, 20-22.

India's HS Prannoy is level at the break against his Japanese opponent, K Nishimoto. The score reads - 21-13, 14-21

India's HS Prannoy's Singapore Open sojourn ends as he was ousted by Japan's Nishimoto, 21-13, 14-21, 21-15.

On March 23 this year, Pant wore the blue of Delhi Capitals while making an emotional comeback after the horrific car crash in 2022 but he is more eager to wear a different shade of blue -- the 'India Blue' to be specific.

"Getting back on the field with an Indian jersey on is a different feeling altogether. this is something I missed a lot...Hopefully I (can) make it count and make it better from here," Pant told BCCI.TV on the sidelines of India's first net session ahead of the warm-up game against Bangladesh on June 1. (PTI)

India concluded their junior hockey teams' tour of Europe with a gritty shootout win over Germany by the men's side, while the women were held to a 2-2 draw by Orange Rood club. The men's team won 3-1 on penalties after a 1-1 stalemate in the regulation time in their match at the Bredase Hockey Vereniging Push on Wednesday.

Gurjot Singh, Dilraj Singh, and Manmeet Singh scored one each in the shoot-out after Mukesh Toppo struck off a rebound from a penalty corner in the 33rd minute.

The Indian Colts held their lead in regulation time until Germany equalised four minutes into the fourth quarter, adding excitement to the game. (PTI)

Check India's fixtures, squad, schedule and much more, right here -

Check Rohit Paudel-led Nepal's fixtures, squad, schedule and much more, right here -

Indian women's doubles pair of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand stunned world no 2, Baek Ha Na and Lee So Hee of South Korea in the Round Of 16. They won 21-9, 14-21, 21-15 and advanced to the quarter-finals.

Indian Super League side FC Goa on Thursday said midfielder Brandon Fernandes will leave the club after his contract ends this summer. The 29-year-old Fernandes, who joined FC Goa in 2017, netted 17 goals in 130 outings for the club. He helped the Gaurs win the Indian Super Cup in 2019, the ISL League Shield in 2019-20 and the Durand Cup in 2021. Fernandes also holds the record for most assists in the club's history (31). (PTI)

Daniil Medvedev has progressed to the French Open third round as Miomir Kecmanovic is forced to retire injured in their round-two clash at Roland-Garros. The former US Open champion prevails in just 55 minutes at 6-1, 5-0 ahead on Court Suzanne-Lenglen, with his opponent unable to continue.

World number two Aryna Sabalenka has followed suit from Daniil Medvedev in proceeding to the third round of French Open with ease. It only takes 62 minutes for Sabalenka to secure a 6-2 6-2 win over qualifier Moyuka Uchijima at Roland Garros.

Indian pugilist Jaismine has kicked off her Boxing World Olympic Qualifiers campaign at Bangkok with a convincing 5-0 victory over Azerbaijan's H Mahsati in the 57kg round of 32.

Nepal cricketer Sandeep Lamichhane has reportedly been denied USA visa once again. And with that, the 23-year-old leg-spinner's hopes of playing the upcoming T20 World Cup appear to have been dashed.

Meanwhile, the denial of visa to Lamichhane has triggered protests in Nepal's capital Kathmandu.  

Both Alexander Zverev and Novak Djokovic's second-round matches are currently underway at Roland Garros. Fourth seed Zverev is leading by two sets against David Goffin, while the top-ranked Djokovic is level at 3-3 in the first set against Roberto Carballes Baena.

Scotland captain Richie Berrington has won the toss and elected to field first against Uganda, in his team's first warm-up match of ICC T20 World Cup 2024. The match is being played at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, Trinidad.

World number 4 Alexander Zverev sails into the third round of French Open. The 27-year-old German, who had dispatched Rafael Nadal in the opening round, beats David Goffin 7-6, 6-2, 6-2 to march ahead.

USA captain Monank Patel has won the toss and elected to bat first against Nepal, in his team's second and final warm-up match of ICC T20 World Cup 2024. The match is being played at the Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium in Dallas, Texas. Nepal will meet Netherlands in their opening game on June 4, while USA will kick-start the tournament against Canada on June 2.

Following multiple instances of players dismayed by fan behaviour at Roland Garros, the French Open organizers have imposed an alcohol ban to try and stem unruly behaviour. Earlier, Belgium's David Goffin had chewing gum spat at him during a match against France's Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard. The top-ranked Iga Swiatek too pleaded with fans to keep quiet during points and not to shout out.

World number one Novak Djokovic brushes aside the challenge of Roberto Carballes Baena, winning 6-4, 6-1, 6-2 to enter the third round at Roland Garros.

Kieran McKenna has signed a new four-year contract at EFL Championship club Ipswich Town. McKenna took over at Ipswich in December 2021, with the club in League One, and has since led them to back-to-back automatic promotions. The Tractor Boys finished the Championship season in second, just one point behind champions Leicester City, to secure English Premier League football promotion for the first time in 22 years.

England captain Jos Buttler has won the toss and opted to bowl first against Pakistan in the fourth and final T20I at the Kennington Oval in London. England are 1-0 ahead and cannot lose the series.

Playing XIs

England: Jos Buttler (wk/c), Philip Salt, Will Jacks, Jonny Bairstow, Harry Brook, Moeen Ali, Liam Livingstone, Chris Jordan, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood.

Pakistan: Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan, Usman Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Shadab Khan, Azam Khan (wk), Iftikhar Ahmed, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Amir.

As many as six Indians will take the ring tomorrow (Friday) for their respective bouts at the World Olympic Boxing Qualifiers in Bangkok. Ankushita Boro (60kg) and Nishant Dev (71kg) will contest quarter-finals, while Sachin Siwach (57kg), Sanjeet Kumar (92kg), Amit Panghal (51kg) and Arundhati Choudhary (66kg) will be in round of 16 action.

Uganda have set a target of 91 runs for Scotland to win in 18 overs in a rain-shortened fixture. The T20 World Cup warm-up match is being played at at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, Trinidad.

That concludes our coverage of today's sports news and events. We will be back tomorrow with all that is current in various fields of play. Until then, goodbye.