Eligibility for the program will take into account a player's ranking as well as previous prize money earnings according to criteria agreed by all stakeholders.

Becker backed the idea of merging the ATP and the WTA and said the ongoing pause is an opportunity for the sport's stakeholders to work together.

Roger Federer called for a merger between the two governing bodies last month, with both Simon and ATP Tour Chairman Andrea Gaudenzi welcoming the suggestion. But some top WTA players have said they want an equal standing for the women players in a combined body.

Next year's Australian Open could be cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic and even if the first Grand Slam of 2021 goes ahead fans from abroad will not be able to attend, Tennis Australia chief Craig Tiley said on Wednesday. The tennis season was halted in early March due to the spread of the novel coronavirus, which has infected more than 3.68 million people around the world while killing over 256,000 so far.

In March, Dybala confirmed he and his girlfriend, Oriana Sabatini, tested positive for coronavirus.

Daybell said that after a difficult few months a sense of normality was returning to the COVID-19 ward in the north London hospital where he works.

The French professional league (LFP) ended its season last week with 10 games left, awarding the title to Paris St Germain and leaving Lyon outside the placings for European competition next season.

South Korea's K League will have a profile it has never enjoyed before when the delayed 2020 season kicks off in Jeonju on Friday, providing top-flight soccer action to a world starved of live sport. Broadcasters from 10 countries, mostly in Asia and Europe, have bought rights for the season and Friday's match will be streamed live with English commentary on the league's Twitter feed and YouTube.

Professional soccer leagues around Europe are gearing up for a return to action following the novel coronavirus stoppage, but some are more advanced than others.

Viswanathan Anand was in Germany to play in the Bundesliga chess and before he could return, the travel restrictions came calling in wake of the pandemic.

India badminton coach Pullela Gopichand highlighted the importance of support from the top leadership to promote the need for Physical Literacy and see it as a key pillar for the national level development.

The Bundesliga season will restart on May 16 after a suspension of more than two months, the German Football League (DFL) said on Thursday, becoming the first European league to resume amid the coronavirus pandemic. The DFL said the season would restart under the terms of a strict health protocol that bans fans from the stadium, with six games on Saturday, including the high-profile Ruhr valley derby between Borussia Dortmund and Schalke 04.

A number of football leagues around the globe will resume after the COVID-19 stoppage in the coming weeks but the matches will be played without fans.

K-League season started on Friday with a match between Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors and Suwon Samsung Bluewings played without spectators

Senior international Olympics official John Coates said on Saturday the delayed Tokyo Olympics could end up being the greatest Games ever, coming next year as the world emerges from COVID-19 crisis. Coates, Australia's Olympic chief and head of the International Olympic Committee's inspectorate for the Games, cited the examples of positive Summer Games that followed the two world wars of the 20th century. The Tokyo Games were postponed for a year to 2021 in the aftermath of the new coronavirus outbreak.

There is no one more unbeatable in men's tennis than Novak Djokovic when the Serb is at his best, former world number four American Todd Martin said. Reigning world number one Djokovic has already established himself as one of the best ever to play the game and the Serb's Grand Slam haul of 17 is just three behind the 20 that Roger Federer has amassed. The Swiss player will be 39 in August.