Russell Fuller
BBC tennis correspondent

Rafael Nadal believes tennis should set a positive example to the rest of society, and “wait a little bit” before resuming competition.

The 19 time Grand Slam champion says he currently has little desire to travel to New York in August to defend his US Open title, but admits the situation could improve.

The 34-year-old is of the view that tournaments should not restart until every single player is able to travel both freely and safely.

Image source, .

One of the big sporting stories during lockdown has been the proposed boxing returns of Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield.

In the fifth episode of the 5 Live 'Greatest Fights' series, Holyfield has sat down with Mike Costello and Steve Bunce to watch his first fight with Tyson in 1996.

This was the bout that led on to the infamous 'Bite Fight' you may recall.

Tyson started a huge favourite for their first bout.

"I had a good mother who was telling me never lose against a reputation," Holyfield recalls. "Everybody becomes a champion because they beat one."

You can listen to the podcast here.

And the Greatest Fights episodes released so far are available here.

Image source, Getty Images

Sixteen-year-old American tennis player Coco Gauff has given an emotional speech at a Black Lives Matter protest saying she "demands change now".

Gauff, one of the sport's rising stars, urged people to vote and speak out against racism, adding: "If you are choosing silence, you are choosing the side of the oppressor."

Protests have been held across the United States and globally since the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

The 16-year-old said: "It breaks my heart because I'm fighting for the future for my brothers. I'm fighting for the future of my future kids. I'm fighting for the future of my future grandchildren."

You can read more here.

David McDaid
BBC Sport

European Gymnastics have rescheduled their postponed men’s and women’s European championships for December.

The events were due to take place this spring but were called off because of the coronavirus crisis.

The men’s competition has been rearranged between 9-13 December in Baku - where it was due to be held originally.

But the women’s event, which was supposed to be hosted in Paris, will now take place in Kiev from 17-20 December.

European Gymnastics, though, have said that they will ‘react accordingly’ at a later date should the coronavirus situation still prove to be unsafe for gymnasts, coaches and spectators.

Southampton

Shane Long has just signed a new two-year contract with Southampton.

The new deal runs until the end of the 2021-22 season and Long, 33, says: “I love the way the club is run, I love what the club stands for and I’m excited about what the club will do over the next couple of years.

“I can see the club pushing up the league, back to where we all want to be, and I want to be part of that. I’m just delighted to get it done.”

Long and Saints will be back in action in less than two weeks when the Premier League resumes.

A reminder the clubs are meeting today and we will bring you news from that meeting as we get it.

Image source, PA Media

Earlier we brought you news on three West Indies players opting to stay away from the UK rather than form part of the Test team for their series with England, which starts on 8 July.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4, former England batsman Kevin Pietersen has been discussing the sport being played behind closed doors.

"All sports are getting back together again. Its going to be interesting. From a broadcasters view it will change the parameters for how you broadcast - the energy and entertainment you have to create from a commentary box.

"Players are used to playing in front of crazy crowds. In cricket, is the intensity going to be there? It will be strange. In some ways I am happy I am not playing anymore as I would not have wanted to play in front of no spectators and crowds."

Today should have seen the first day of the first Test of the summer between England and West Indies.

Instead, however, that match will be played behind closed doors on 8 July at the Ageas Bowl.

The Kia Oval was due to host today's Test and they say 85% of ticketholders have opted to rollover their tickets to next summer when India tour, rather than having a full refund.

Image source, PA Media

Four-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome is "optimistic" the event will go ahead in August.

The event was pushed back as a result of the coronavirus outbreak and is due to start on 29 August.

Some riders, including 2019 champion Egan Bernal, have raised concerns over whether they will be able to travel to France., external

But Froome told BBC Radio 4: “I’m optimistic, certainly all the figures over here in France are indicating that the event is going to go ahead, so I’m obviously putting in all the mileage now and doing everything I need to do to be physically ready for it all to start at the end of august.”

Image source, .

Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson says he always wanted to see the Premier League return to action during the coronavirus pandemic.

Hodgson, 72, also says he is pleased with the way players can now perform contact training.

"It will never be the ideal situation but it is every bit as good as I thought we would get if not better," Hodgson told Sky Sports.

"It's not going to be easy in two and a half weeks to be able to train them as a team but I think the Premier League have done a fantastic job to get to a situation where we can play the first game. I don't have any complaints.

"The major thing is going to be a lot of games in a short time and dealing with the injury situations which are bound to occur.

"It will take players a bit of time to get used to the conditioning elements really. We are not as used so much to the midweek matches as some of the teams who play Champions League or Europa League."

Brighton chief executive Paul Barber has told the BBC's Today Programme that he still hopes there is no immediate relegation for teams in the bottom three should the Premier League season be ended before each team has played 38 fixutures.

"Back in 2015 at this stage of the season, Leicester City were bottom then they went on to survive the following season. They won the Premier League the following season after that, and they had a great run in the Champions League," says Barber.

"So History for one club in a scenario where the league ended early and relegation was enforced would have, you know, completely been changed. So I hope that's not the case. We go into the competition wanting and expecting to play a full 38 game season.

"And obviously this particular year has been very, very difficult for all the reasons we know. But we would still expect there to be a fair outcome to the season, whatever that may be."

Image source, Reuters

So Brighton's chief executive Paul Barber has been speaking to the BBC this morning. More on his take on how relegation should be dealt with if the season cannot be completed next.

First though, we know Premier League clubs will have their most thorough discussion to date about what should happen if the season is curtailed at their latest meeting today.

All clubs will be given a say in a detailed debate over how to finalise the league table if the season cannot be completed, though it is widely expected that relegation will not be scrapped.

A fixture list for the first few rounds of the rebooted season are also due to be confirmed, along with kick-off times and broadcast plans, though it is understood there will be some leeway for clubs to offer feedback.

More on the meeting is available here.

The Times leads on news that three West Indies players have turned down the chance to tour England over fears relating to the spread of coronavirus.

Batsmen Shimron Hetmyer and Darren Bravo and all-rounder Keemo Paul opted out of a 25-man touring party.

You can read more here.

Image source, The Times

The Express claims the BBC will enjoy record viewing figures when it televises its first ever Premier League game.

Image source, Express

The Daily Star reports fans can opt to listen to fake cheers when they tune in to matches as soon as the Premier League returns.

Would you fancy a few fake cheers? Or is the sound of boot on ball satisfyin enough?

Image source, .

The Guardian's back page features news of one individual at Tottenham testing positive for coronavirus.

You can read more on that here.

Image source, Guardian

The Metro leads on news of Troy Deeney training with Watford and explains how the Premier League will announce its fixture list off the back of Thursday's meeting.

Image source, .

The big news today should - we think - come from the Premier League as they meet again to discuss bits and pieces around returning to action. We will of course bring you the fall out from that meeting in this live and across the site.

If you're just getting across things, more next what the morning papers are saying.

Image source, Getty Images

Good morning one and all.

Sport is back (well, partly) and if it isn't back it's on its way.

American tennis player Sophie Chang has taken to cracking volleys off a wall to get ready. I used to do that off the side of a garage wall, probably not as well as she does.This live is going to bring you all of the latest on the resumption of sport from the coronavirus pandemic.

Thanks for joining me.