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Venus and Serena Williams are the latest celebrities to be named as presenters at the upcoming Academy Awards. Meanwhile, three-time Grand Slam champion Ashleigh Barty, who recently shocked the world with her retirement, has complimented Rafael Nadal for his longevity in the sport.
Simona Halap and Garbine Muguruza have both withdrawn from the ongoing Miami Open due to injuries. The duo are set to be sidelined for the next few weeks.
Dominic Thiem will return to action at next week's Challenger event in Marbella, while Bianca Andreescu, who has not played a match this season, has resumed training. Here's a round-up of the day's biggest news.
Venus and Serena Williams to present at the Oscars
King Richard, a biopic about the lives of the Williams sisters and their father, has done extremely well on the awards circuit. So it was no surprise when Venus Williams and Serena Williams were announced as presenters at the Academy Awards ceremony, to be held on 27 March.
The movie has bagged six Oscar nominations. Will Smith, who played the role of Richard Williams in the film, is the frontrunner to win the Best Actor award.
Barty hails Nadal's longevity, says it has been "a pleasure" to watch him for so long
Rafael Nadal has competed on the tour for over 20 years, and Ashleigh Barty has commended him for his longevity. The Australian said she was a big fan of the former World No. 1 and to see him stay at the top for "such an extended period" was a joy.
"You think of Rafael Nadal as someone whose longevity in the sport has been undeniable. He's been amazing for the sport of tennis," Barty said. "For me as a fan to see him do that over such an extended period has been a pleasure."
While Nadal is still dominating the tour at the age of 35, Barty has hung up her racquet for good at just 25 years of age. The Australian revealed she wanted to "chase after some other dreams."
"Now I want to chase after some other dreams I want to do and I've always had that healthy balance. I am really excited. There was a perspective shift in me in this second phase of my career that my happiness wasn’t dependent on the results," Barty said.
Halep and Muguruza withdraw from Miami, to be sidelined for the next 3 weeks
Simona Halep and Garbine Muguruza have both withdrawn from the Miami Open as well as their next scheduled tournaments, the Charleston Open and the Fed Cup. After undergoing an MRI, Halep revealed that she had a tear in her left thigh.
Muguruza suffered a left shoulder injury and is set to be out for three weeks.
"Hello everyone, I wanted to tell you that unfortunately I have had to withdraw from Miami, Charleston and BJKC due to an injury to my left shoulder that I have been dragging. After the tests we have done in recent days, the recommendations of my doctors is to stop and recover well," she said.
Thiem to return at ATP Challenger event next week
Dominic Thiem is set to make his long-awaited comeback at a Challenger event in Marbella next week. The 2020 US Open winner has been out of action since injuring his wrist in June last year.
Thiem took to Twitter to announce his participation in the Andalucia Open, where he has been granted a wildcard.
"Hi everyone, I wanted to let you know that I will be playing this upcoming week a tournament in Marbella, Spain," he wrote. "I want to start getting contact with the competition after all these months and I believe this is the right way to start."
Three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka is also set to compete in the tournament.
Andreescu back in training, prepares for her comeback
Bianca Andreescu, who hasn't played a match since Indian Wells last year, is gearing up for a return to tennis. The Canadian posted a video of herself training at the IMG Academy.
Andreescu withdrew from the Australian Open earlier this year as she felt the need to "recharge and reset" after a difficult two years. She last competed at the 2021 Indian Wells Open, where her title defense ended in the third round.
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