MARTINA HINGIS announced her retirement from tennis for a third time. The 37-year-old Swiss revealed the news at the WTA Finals in Singapore, where she is playing in the doubles event with partner CHAN YUNG-JAN. Hingis said, "It's the right time for me. It's better to stop at the peak and I can say I had a very good time" (PA, 10/26). ... W-League side Canberra United's search for reinforcements could see ISOBEL DAVY become the second-youngest player in league history "if she gets on the field" in the season opener on Saturday. Davy turned 15 last month and will start on the bench as the reserve goalkeeper behind American HALEY KOPMEYER (CANBERRA TIMES, 10/26). ... ISRAEL FOLAU "created new history," winning the John Eales Medal as Australia's best rugby player "for an unprecedented third time." Wallabies teammate SEKOPE KEPU said that there is "no chance the triple-code star will ever return" to the National Rugby League. No Wallabies player has ever won three Eales medals, yet Folau achieved that feat "within just five years of joining the code" (Sydney DAILY TELEGRAPH, 10/26). ... Indian Super League franchise Pune City on Thursday announced Bollywood actor ARJUN KAPOOR as the new co-owner of the club. Pune City CEO GAURAV MODWEL said, "His involvement with the club will surely give an impetus to us to connect with a larger audience across the state as well as nationally" (ECONOMIC TIMES, 10/26). ... Former NBA player ANDRE MILLER "will pay his first ever visit to India to promote the game in the country." Miller's itinerary includes a visit to the NBA Basketball school in Delhi on Monday (PTI, 10/26). ... Serie A side Genoa President ENRICO PREZIOSI was acquitted of tax evasion by the appeals court. Preziosi and club CEO ALESSANDRO ZARBANO were charged in ’13 for the alleged non-payment of €8M worth of VAT (FOOTBALL ITALIA, 10/26). ... Australian swimmer-turned-same-sex-marriage-advocate IAN THORPE said that a “no” vote would not only be “hard to stomach but is not the future he wants for Australia.” He said that he is “confident Australia will be voting yes.” Thorpe: “It would be really difficult to be in a country where we haven’t voted for equality, where we haven’t voted for fairness” (AFP, 10/26). ... Five former rugby players will be inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame at a ceremony in Rugby, England, on Nov. 10. The inductees are: FELIPE CONTEPOMI (Argentina), AL CHARRON (Canada), ROB ANDREW (England), FABIEN PELOUS (France) and PHAIDRA KNIGHT (U.S.) (World Rugby).
DREAMING OF GOAL: Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund "could be on the cusp of igniting" USAIN BOLT's "football dreams." Club CEO HANS-JOACHIM WATZKE confirmed "talks will be held between the club and Puma," a mutual sponsor for the club and the player. He said, "Our word is our bond. I will meet [Puma CEO] BJØRN GULDEN this week. And that's on our list." The 31-year-old eight-time Olympic Gold Medalist accepted there might be some skepticism but said that it "had always been his boyhood dream" (FOX SPORTS, 10/25).
