MARK BROWN / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / GETTY IMAGES VIA AFP
American John Isner has decided to skip next month's Australian Open as COVID-19 protocols mean he would be away from his family for an extended period, the Tennis Majors website reported on Monday.
Players must undergo a 14-day quarantine period after arriving in Australia for the first Grand Slam of the year. They will be allowed five hours outside their hotel rooms to train.
"I'm staying home," the website quoted the world number 25 as saying.
"At this stage of my career and in my life I've always had visions of being able to travel with my family.
"It really was just a situation where I didn't want to be away from my family for that long."
Isner did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The 35-year-old Dallas resident, who is known for his towering frame and massive serve, has been ranked as high as number eight in the world.
He has 15 ATP singles titles to his name but is still searching for his first major championship and has never advanced past the fourth round at Melbourne Park.
Isner lost in three sets to fellow American Sebastian Korda in the quarter-finals of the Delray Beach Open on Monday.
Manchester City's Erling Haaland sustained an ankle injury in their FA Cup quarter-final at Bournemouth over the weekend, the Premier League club said on Monday, with the striker requiring further tests to determine the full extent of the injury.
Rory McIlroy acknowledged he is dealing with an elbow injury as he prepares to head to Augusta for next week's Masters. The World No. 2 made a spirited run up the leaderboard at the Texas Children's Houston Open on Sunday, carding a 4-under 31 on the front nine that included an eagle.
WNBA star Caitlin Clark's 2024 Panini Prizm WNBA Signatures Gold Vinyl Prizm card, numbered 1-of-1, has set a record sale for a female sports card after going under the hammer for $366,000 (AED 1.3 million) at auction.
Arsenal's Bukayo Saka could make his long-awaited return against Fulham in the Premier League on Tuesday after recovering from a hamstring injury, his manager Mikel Arteta said.
Nineteen-year-old Czech Jakub Mensik beat his childhood idol Novak Djokovic 7-6(4) 7-6(4) in an upset for the ages on Sunday, claiming his first ATP title at the Miami Open as he denied the former number one his bid for a milestone 100th.