NOVAK DJOKOVIC is closing in on becoming the first $100M man in tennis "after clocking up yet another Masters series title." By defeating KEI NISHIKORI 6-3 6-3 in Sunday night's Miami Open final, the world No. 1 overtook ROGER FEDERER in official career prize money by reaching a total of $98.2M. Djokovic has "made plenty more from other sources such as endorsements" -- still not as much as "one-man corporation Federer" -- but ultimately it "still indicates his staggering consistency of results over recent seasons." The statistics behind his prize money surge "are becoming increasingly remarkable," and this was the fourth time that he has won the spring hardcourt titles of Indian Wells and Miami back to back, and the third time in succession (London DAILY MAIL, 4/4).
NOTABLE DEATH: The Korea Skating Union said that South Korean former short track world champion NOH JIN-KYU died of cancer. He was 23. Noh's sister, Olympic speed skater SEON-YEONG, wrote on her Facebook page that he had passed away at 8pm local time on Sunday. Noh set world records in the 1,500m and 3,000m in '11 and won the overall title at the Int'l Skating Union's World Short Track Speed Skating Championships that year. Tributes and condolences poured in on Monday, with Dutch Olympic champion JORIEN TER MORS saying on Twitter that the sport had "lost one of the greats." Italian Olympic Silver Medalist ARIANNA FONTANA said on her Facebook page that Noh had taught her "what it means to be a true champion" (REUTERS, 4/3).
NEYMAR CLEARED FOR OLYMPICS: Barcelona President JOSEP BARTOMEU said that as a condition of the club allowing NEYMAR to take part in the Olympics, he "will not play for Brazil at the Copa America this summer." Bartomeu said that Barcelona "officially notified" the Brazilian Football Federation (CBF) two weeks ago of its intentions "to allow Neymar to play in only one tournament" (ESPN, 4/2). Neymar's agent, WAYNE RIBEIRO, said that the player could join Paris St. Germain if the club pays his $220M buyout clause. Ribeiro: "Neymar has a contract with Barça until 2018. But the prospect of living in a city like Paris, and to play for a club like PSG is also a dream for every player. That's to say if PSG showed interest in Neymar we could talk about it" (AFP, 4/4).
