Former World No. 1 MARIA SHARAPOVA's Australian Open
preparations "suffered a blow" after a thigh injury forced her to retire
from the Shenzhen Open quarterfinal against ARYNA SABALENKA on Friday (REUTERS, 1/4). ... British No. 1 JOHANNA KONTA pulled
out of the Sydney Int'l with a neck injury -- "just a week before the
Australian Open starts." Konta, 27, retired from her second-round
qualifying match against Russian EKATERINA ALEXANDROVA "when 4-1 down" (BBC, 1/6). ...Former All Black REGAN KING was accused of "tricking former partners out of thousands of dollars which was used on gambling." BBC Wales reported two women said that they loaned King "thousands" after he pleaded for help with cash flow problems, but "failed to pay them back." King, 38, refused to comment "but did not deny the allegations" (STUFF, 1/4). ... DIEGO MARADONA was released from the hospital after being admitted earlier on Friday with internal bleeding in the stomach which was discovered during routine examinations, his daughter DALMA said. She said, "For those who were really worried about my dad I can tell you that he is well. He is going home soon" (REUTERS, 1/4). ... Former Formula 1 champion NIKI LAUDA is in the hospital in Vienna with the flu, five months after undergoing a lung transplant (REUTERS, 1/6).
