- Myanmar rebels take the road to Mandalay
- Taiwan president says 'won't yield an inch' in defence of island's territory
- Thunder roll past Jokic's Nuggets to open NBA campaign
- Bezzecchi quickest in opening practice for Thai MotoGP
- Commonwealth struggles to overcome splits over brutal past
- Stafford throws four touchdowns as Rams beat Vikings
- More than 150 Rohingya refugees rescued off Indonesia: UN
- Thai massacre families demand justice as charge deadline expires
- Asia markets split after Tesla boosts Wall Street
- Stung in Europe, Bayern and Dortmund face tricky away trips
- Confident Barca visit unpredictable Liga champions Madrid
- Arsenal face must-win match against Premier League pacesetters Liverpool
- Parra's Stade Francais 'lacking confidence' before hosting Clermont
- 'Our pride': Lone child brings hope to Japan's puppet village
- Thompson nets first USA goal in 3-1 friendly win over Iceland
- Biden to issue historic apology for abuse of Native American children
- Baseball blockbuster as Yankees, Dodgers clash in World Series
- Loud US election barges into quiet Amish country
- It's the economy, say voters in swing state Nevada
- Trump vs Harris: Competing visions for a warming world
- Colombia's Awa people resist violence, maintain 'spiritual bond' with nature
- Split Gen Z: Gender divide grows in US youth vote
- Harris joined by Obama, Springsteen at star-studded rally
- Judge relishing World Series duel with 'best player' Ohtani
- Calls to charge tourists to enter Paris' Notre-Dame cathedral
- 'Sho-time' arrives as relaxed Ohtani prepares for World Series bow
- Thai massacre families left without justice as charge deadline expires
- Cricketer David Warner's lifetime leadership ban lifted
- Springsteen, at Harris rally, warns of 'American tyrant' Trump
- Menendez brothers could be freed after prosecutor urges resentencing
- Tottenham teen Moore compared to Neymar after Europa League starring role
- 'Freedom': Russian anti-war sisters find new home in exile
- Ten Hag bemoans United's lack of 'killing' instinct, Spurs march on
- Commonwealth presses UK to atone for brutal past
- Pacers' Wiseman suffered torn Achilles tendon in season opener
- Google urged to step up efforts to demonetize climate falsehoods
- Norris says 'I'll do what I think is right' in Verstappen battle
- USA Volleyball names Kiraly men's coach through '28 Olympics
- Spurs march on as Mourinho red-carded against Man Utd in Europa League
- LA prosecutor to ask for resentencing of Menendez brothers
- Spurs march on in Europa League as Mourinho sees red against Man Utd
- US court blocks Coach owner's $8.5 bn buyout of Versace parent
- Unbeaten NFL Chiefs welcome Hopkins before facing Vegas
- 'Heroes': WNBA champions Liberty feted with NY parade
- IMF official calls on international community to bring end to Lebanon conflict
- Felix double fires Chelsea in Conference League rout, TNS make history
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- Sainz insists leaving Ferrari does not mean farewell to winning
- Huge US lithium mine gets govt approval
- Prolonged strike clouds new Boeing CEO's turnaround
Swiatek battles into Rome last 16, Djokovic 'fine' after bottle strike drama
Iga Swiatek fought past Yulia Putintseva 6-3, 6-4 to reach the last 16 of the Rome Open on Saturday, as Novak Djokovic said he was "fine" to continue his tournament after being hit in the head with a water bottle.
World number one Swiatek will next face either Angelique Kerber or Aliaksandra Sasnovich as she bids to become the first person since Serena Williams to claim a third title at the Foro Italico.
Swiatek won the 2021 and 2022 editions before exiting a year ago in the quarter-finals to eventual champion Elena Rybakina, who withdrew with illness on Friday.
The 22-year-old came into the event having won the Madrid Open last weekend and will also be gunning for a fourth French Open crown later this month.
She made harder work than expected of Saturday's match after comfortably taking the first set, finding herself 4-1 down and having to save four break points to stop unseeded Puntintseva from serving for the second.
However Swiatek broke back before levelling the set and rattled off five games in a row to take her record against Puntintseva to four wins without dropping a set.
Swiatek is one of a host of stars to grace a baking centre court on Saturday, as she will be followed by Rafael Nadal who continues his comeback in a second-round clash with seventh seed Hubert Hurkacz.
Nadal has said that he will only play at the French Open, where he has won 14 times, if he feels competitive after a raft of injury problems over the last two years which have left him languishing 305th in the world rankings.
Second seed Daniil Medvedev kicks off his title defence against Briton Jack Draper before women's third seed Coco Gauff takes on lucky loser Jaqueline Cristian.
Four-time Grand Slam champion Noami Osaka has a third-round clash with 10th-seed Daria Kasatkina in the Grand Stand Arena.
Osaka is ranked at 173 in the world after taking a break from the tour to have her first child but has looked in good form in straight-set wins over Clara Burel and Marta Kostyuk.
- Djokovic 'fine' -
World number one Djokovic's continued presence in Rome was in doubt on Friday evening after being left crouched on the ground in agony as a bottle struck him on the back of the head while he greeted fans after his second-round win over France's Corentin Moutet.
"Thank you for the messages of concern," Djokovic wrote Saturday on X, formerly Twitter. "This was an accident and I am fine resting at the hotel with an ice pack. See you all on Sunday."
Djokovic was later seen arriving for training wearing a cycling helmet.
The 36-year-old will face Chile's Alejandro Tabilo on Sunday as the Serb warms up for Roland Garros with a great chance to add to his six titles in Rome, where only Nadal has won more with 10.
There had been fears that Djokovic might join the list of players to withdraw from the tournament after the 24-time Grand Slam winner was covered by security staff as he was led from the arena on foot.
However organisers later released a short statement saying Djokovic's "condition is not a cause for concern", and shared a video showing that the bottle had accidentally slipped from a spectator's grasp.
Djokovic's absence would have been a blow for the tournament which is already without Italian world number two Jannik Sinner and third-ranked Carlos Alcaraz.
Home fans have also been deprived of cheering on former Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini and Lorenzo Musetti who both pulled out, Musetti while losing to France's Terence Atmane on Friday morning.
P.Costa--AMWN