National Sports

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Canada's Denis Shapovalov beat Germany's Jan-Lennard Struff 6-1, 6-3 in the second round of the Dubai Tennis Championships on Tuesday. The third-seeded Shapovalov, from Richmond Hill, Ont.

Since the world championships were wiped out a year ago by COVID-19, it's been a stop-and-start season of cancellations and uncertainty for Canadian figure skaters.

When Dave Mercer was in high school, a poster adorned his locker. But it wasn't of a big-name pro athlete or a favourite actor. Rather, it was of pro angler Hank Parker with his '89 Bassmasters Classic trophy.

TORONTO — The CFL has denied a claim from the United Football Players Association suggesting the league will likely cancel its 2021 and '22 seasons. The UFPA made the claim Tuesday in an update posted on Twitter regarding the CFL-XFL partnership.

Nate Riech pumped a fist and let out a loud "Yes!" when he crossed the finish line Saturday. His voice surely carried like a loudspeaker on full volume in the near-empty stadium.

LONDON — Canadian international forward Adriana Leon will miss the rest of the FA Women's Super League season after undergoing surgery to repair a fractured foot. The English league runs through May 9.

One Canadian player will be on each of the four top-seeded teams in the NCAA women's basketball championship tournament. Aaliyah Edwards of Kingston, Ont., plays for Connecticut, Laeticia Amihere of Mississauga, Ont.

TORONTO — Veteran linebacker Henoc Muamba, the CFL's top Canadian in 2019, signed with the Toronto Argonauts on Tuesday. Muamba, a 32-year-old from Mississauga, Ont., became a free agent last month.

Ratings for the Canadian men's curling final tumbled significantly compared to the championship game in the 2020 season.

MOSCOW — A 19-year-old Russian hockey player has died after being hit in the head by the puck during a game, his club and the league said Tuesday. Defenceman Timur Faizutdinov was playing for Dynamo St.