January 28 saw key developments across cricket, tennis and football, with major updates from the T20 World Cup build-up, the Australian Open, WPL and European football.
Here are the top sports stories making headlines today:
1. Phoebe Litchfield Ruled Out of WPL, Amy Jones Named Replacement
UP Warriorz suffered a major blow as Australia batter Phoebe Litchfield was ruled out of the rest of the WPL with a quad injury. The league confirmed her exit, with England’s Amy Jones named as her replacement for the remainder of the season.
2. Jemimah Rodrigues Fined ₹12 Lakh for Slow Over Rate in WPL
Delhi Capitals captain Jemimah Rodrigues was fined ₹12 lakh for a slow over rate after her side’s narrow loss to Gujarat Giants in a WPL thriller in Vadodara. It was her first offence under the tournament’s code of conduct this season.
3. Sinner Beats Shelton, Sets Up Australian Open Semi With Djokovic
Jannik Sinner stayed on course for an Australian Open three-peat, defeating Ben Shelton 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 to reach the semi-finals. The world No. 2 will face Novak Djokovic after a composed straight-sets win.
4. Chelsea Fans Hospitalised Ahead of Napoli Champions League Clash
Two Chelsea supporters remain hospitalised in Naples after an incident on January 27, hours before their UEFA Champions League match against Napoli at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium. Chelsea confirmed the injuries were non-life-threatening, declining to comment further amid unverified reports circulating online.
5. Suryakumar Yadav Rises to No.7 in ICC T20I Rankings
India captain Suryakumar Yadav jumped five spots to seventh in the ICC men’s T20I rankings after strong scores against New Zealand. India dominate the charts, with Abhishek Sharma top and Tilak Varma third, just days before the T20 World Cup.
6. Swiatek Slams Behind-the-Scenes Cameras at Australian Open
Iga Swiatek criticised behind-the-scenes cameras at the Australian Open, saying players are watched “like animals in a zoo.” Her comments followed footage of Coco Gauff smashing a racquet in a restricted area, renewing calls for greater player privacy.