Today's sports news: What you need to know

Latest - World tennis number one Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from this Cincinnati Open, saying he needed more time to recuperate from a season in which he won three Grand Slam tournaments and competed at the Tokyo Olympics.

"I'm taking a bit longer to recover after quite a physically taxing journey from Australian Open up to Tokyo," he wrote on Twitter.

"Sadly, this means I won't be ready to compete in Cincinnati this year so I'll be turning my focus to the U.S. Open and spending more time with my family.

Djokovic, a 20-time Grand Slam champion, is a two-time champion at the Masters 1000 hardcourt event played in Ohio.

Djokovic had won all three of the Grand Slam tournaments he entered this year and had sought to be the first man to win all four and an Olympic gold in a calendar year.

But those plans were dashed when he lost to eventual gold medallist Alexander Zverev of Germany in the Olympic semi-final and then to Spain's Pablo Carreno Busta in the bronze medal match.

Last week Roger Federer said he wouldn't be competing at the Toronto or Cincinnati Masters tournaments because of a knee injury, casting doubt over his participation in the US Open.

-Reuters

NZ cyclist dies suddenly

Cyclist Olivia Podmore who competed at the Rio Olympics in 2016 has died suddenly.

The young woman posted an emotional message yesterday on social media talking about the pressures of high performance sport.

The New Zealand Olympic Committee has issued a statement saying it is deeply saddened by her death and is offering condolences to family and friends.

Podmore, a track sprinter, represented this country at both the Rio Olympics and the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in 2018.

The Committee says it is providing support for her team members and those returning from Tokyo.

In a statement, Cycling New Zealand, our riders and staff, are deeply saddened with the loss of one of our young cyclists. Olivia was a much loved and respected rider in our Cycling New Zealand squad.

Bangladesh too good for Australia

All-rounder Shakib Al Hasan triggered a middle-order collapse as Bangladesh thrashed Australia by 60 runs in the fifth Twenty20 international in Dhaka to secure a 4-1 series win over the touring side.

Set a target of 123, Australia were bowled out for 62 in 13.4 overs -- their lowest total in T20s -- as Shakib completed figures of 4-9, superbly assisted by Mohammad Saifuddin (3-12) and Nusum Ahmed (2-8).

Bangladesh won the toss and openers Mahedi Hasan (13) and Mohammad Naim (23) got their innings off to a quick start with a partnership of 42 before Australia fought back, giving away just 20 runs in the last five overs as the hosts finished on 122-8.

It was Australia's second straight T20 series loss following defeat in the West Indies last month. The T20 World Cup starts in October.

-Reuters

Barca fans farewell Messi

Barcelona fans have gathered outside Lionel Messi's house eager for a glimpse of the club's greatest ever player and spoke of their sadness at the Argentine leaving the club after 21 years.

Yesterday a tearful Messi bid farewell to the club he has spent his entire career at and said he was talking with French club Paris St Germain over a possible move.

"I feel devastated," said Cristian Garcia, wearing a Barca shirt with Messi's name and number 10 on the back.

Messi said he had agreed a 50% pay cut in order to stay at Barca and sign a new contract but was unable to finalise the deal due to the Spanish league's financial control rules and the club's huge debts.

There were no signs of movement around his house in the hills of the wealthy district of Castelldefels where he has made his home with his wife and three sons, although the player was expected to fly to Paris within a day or two.

Meanwhile Barcelona striker Sergio Aguero has been ruled out of action for 10 weeks witha calf injury.

Aguero, a close friend of Messi and his international team mate with Argentina, joined Barca as a free agent in June after 10 years with Manchester City.

-Reuters

Russia celebrates Olympic success

Russia has welcomed home its Olympic medallists from the Tokyo Games with pomp, hosting celebrations on Moscow's Red Square after the Russian Olympic Committee clinched its highest number of medals since the 2004 Athens Olympics.

Russians competed at the Tokyo Olympics as representatives of the ROC without their flag and anthem because of doping sanctions against the country.

Russian gold medallists were serenaded with music from composer Pyotr Tchaikovsky and wrapped themselves in a white flag with ROC's emblem - three flames in the colours of the Russian flag with the Olympic rings below.

The ROC declared the Games a success after its athletes won a total of 71 medals, including 20 golds.

To make up for its absence in Tokyo, the country's anthem was played over Red Square as athletes celebrated their victories and the Olympians were driven across Moscow in open top buses.

Russian successes at the Games included male gymnasts winning gold in the team event for the first time since 1996, swimmer Evgeny Rylov's two golds in the 100 and 200 metres backstroke and high jumper Maria Lasitskene's Olympic title at her first Games.

-Reuters

No comeback for Vettel

Formula One stewards have rejected Aston Martin's request to review Sebastian Vettel's disqualification from second place at the Hungarian Grand Prix after his car failed a post-race fuel check.

The German, a four-times world champion, was stripped of the 18 points after a required litre of fuel could not be extracted following the Aug. 1 race.

The disqualification meant Mercedes' seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton inherited the position and increased his overall lead over Red Bull's Max Verstappen to eight points from six.

The FIA said Aston Martin had discovered a malfunctioning fuel system, "which would have resulted in the ejection of fuel during the race", was to blame.

Aston Martin had said at the time of the disqualification that there should have been 1.44 litres left in the car, according to their calculations.

-Reuters

Marcell Jacobs not bothered by suspicions of doping

Italy's double Olympic champion Lamont Marcell Jacobs has insisted he is not bothered by suspicions of doping raised by the media, and that hard work is to thank for his record-breaking exploits in Tokyo.

Jacobs became the first Italian to win 100 metres gold, setting a European record time of 9.80 seconds in the final, and was part of his country's triumphant 4x100 metres relay team.

The 26-year-old's performances led to media reports highlighting doping cases involving breakout stars in athletics, stories Giovanni Malago, the president of the Italian Olympic Committee, described as "unpleasant".

"These controversies do not affect me," Jacobs said.

"I know that I got here by making many sacrifices. I have been through disappointments and defeats, but I always got back up and rolled my sleeves up.

"If I have reached this point, it is only thanks to hard work. They can write what they want."

Jacobs said on Saturday he had split from his former nutritionist once he heard that Giacomo Spazzini was allegedly being investigated for a connection with performance-enhancing substances.

-Reuters