Emma Hayes felt her team deserved more after a 1-1 draw against Barcelona in the Nou Camp was not enough to send them through to the Champions League final.

With Barca leading 1-0 from the first leg, Caroline Graham Hansen’s second goal of the tie proved enough despite Guro Reiten quickly equalising on the night and Chelsea pushing for more.

Hayes said on chelseafc.com: “I can’t ask any more of our players. I said to them at the end that they should all be proud to be Chelsea, because the better team lost tonight.

“Coming into the tie, with 72,000 fans here, we knew it wouldn’t be easy but, by not conceding early, we gave ourselves a chance to build. We grew into the game, we got more aggressive and we created some good chances.

“It wasn’t quite enough and I’m stood here now just absolutely gutted to be totally honest.”

Barcelona will take on either Arsenal or Wolfsburg in their third-straight Champions League final having won their only title with a 4-0 success against Chelsea in 2021.

Hayes’ side showed they have grown in stature since then and the aim will be to keep improving as they bid to turn domestic supremacy into a continental title.

“I want more in terms of the result but I can’t ask for more in terms of effort and heart,” said Hayes. “The girls gave everything and executed everything we asked for in terms of a game plan.

“There’s plenty of learnings we can take, especially from the first leg, but there’s also so many things to take heart from.

“It’s really gutting and we have to deal with the disappointment, learn from it and grow.”

Chelsea’s focus now returns to domestic matters and their bid to hold off Manchester United and win the league and cup double for a third-straight season.

Simona Halep has hit out at the delay in her doping case.

The former world number one and Wimbledon champion has been provisionally suspended since last October after testing positive for the blood-boosting drug Roxadustat at the US Open.

In her first interview since the news broke, Halep, one of the most high-profile players to fall foul of anti-doping rules, said the hearing that she hopes will clear her name has twice been pushed back and is now scheduled for the end of next month.

She told tennismajors.com: “The next step is a hearing at the end of May, the 28th, but it is very fragile because the ITF (International Tennis Federation) said that they might cancel it as well.

“If they do that, it will be almost eight months since I’ve been provisionally suspended for the first time and I believe that it’s not fair to spend eight months without even being judged by the tribunal.

“Emotionally, the whole period has not been easy and I just felt the need to speak out loud to my fans, to my supporters, and actually to the whole public.

“I’m sure they really want to know what’s going on and why it’s taking so long. I wanted to remain silent until the case was solved but it’s too heavy.

“It’s been seven months since I’ve been originally suspended even though I’ve had all the evidence since December. I’m not asking for special treatment. I just ask to be judged. How much longer is this going to take?”

Halep claims that analysis by experts has pinpointed a contaminated supplement as the cause of the positive test.

“After a lot of work, they found out that there was a contamination, a supplement contamination and that’s why the quantity was so, so low in my body,” said the Romanian.

Halep, who won the French Open in 2018 and Wimbledon the following year, has not played a match since losing in the opening round of the US Open last August.

Andy Murray insists he still believes he can win another Wimbledon title despite his losing run continuing with defeat by Italian qualifier Andrea Vavassori in the opening round of the Madrid Open.

The frustrated Scot’s 6-2 7-6 (7) loss to a player ranked 164 made it four consecutive defeats, equalling the worst run of his professional career.

Murray was so disillusioned by his performance against Alex De Minaur in Monte Carlo two weeks ago that he indicated he might sit out the rest of the clay season.

He decided against that but this was another demoralising result, with the only positive being how Murray found a way into the match in the second set.

He told reporters in the Spanish capital: “It wasn’t great. I started to play a bit better towards the end but the start was slow. He played very well at the beginning, and he’s serving huge. Some of the errors are hard to explain.”

Murray lost the first four games and went an early break down in the second set against 27-year-old qualifier Vavassori, who is at his highest career ranking.

The Italian was certainly playing well but Murray was making too many unforced errors and was unable to make any headway on his opponent’s serve.

He changed that in the eighth game, breaking Vavassori for the first time, and he took advantage of nerves from his opponent to save four match points in the tie-break only to twice net straightforward volleys.

The one he missed from on top of the net at 6-6 defied belief, and Murray said: “Obviously everyone misses bad shots throughout their career, but I don’t have too many like that.”

It is the first time since 2019, when his hip problems were at their worst, that Murray has lost four matches in a row and, having reached the third round in the Spanish capital last year, the 2013 and 2016 Wimbledon champion is set to drop back out of the top 60.

Given one of the main objectives for the 35-year-old playing on clay was to improve his ranking in a bid to be seeded for Wimbledon, things are clearly not going the way he would have hoped.

Murray is still intending to play at the French Open, adding: “Whilst I feel fit and healthy, I would like to give it a go.

“But I also have ambitions of competing for Wimbledon titles and that sort of stuff and, I know that sitting here today that probably doesn’t sound realistic, but I do believe that that’s a possibility.”

Murray’s defeat followed Emma Raducanu’s withdrawal and another loss for Kyle Edmund.

Edmund is trying to tread the difficult road back to the top of the game after a long spell out with knee problems but has not won a tour-level match this year.

The former British number one’s latest loss was a 6-4 6-1 defeat by former US Open champion Dominic Thiem, who is at last showing more encouraging signs nearly two years after suffering a wrist injury.

British number one Cameron Norrie was handed a first-round bye and will start his campaign against Yosuke Watanuki after the Japanese qualifier beat Frenchman Corentin Moutet 6-3 6-3.

Dominic Thiem cruised through the first round of the Madrid Open in straight sets on Thursday, while former winner Andy Murray suffered an early exit.

Thiem, who has twice finished as runner-up at this event, made short work of Britain's Kyle Edmund in a 6-4 6-1 win to set up a second-round meeting with fourth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas.

The Austrian won 86 per cent of points on his first serve (24 of 28) and saved all four break points against him as Edmund just could not get himself into the contest.

Elsewhere, Murray, who claimed titles in Madrid in 2008 and 2015, could not embark on another such run, with the veteran dispatched by Andrea Vavassori in a 6-2 7-6 (9-7) defeat.

The Italian was particularly dominant at the net against Murray, winning 13 of 17 such points, while the 35-year-old managed just five of 14.

Qualifier Roman Safiullin saw off a fightback from Chile Open winner Nicolas Jarry to progress 6-2 3-6 6-3, setting up a clash with Tommy Paul in the second round, while Dusan Lajovic followed up his win at the Srpska Open by beating Jason Kubler 6-3 6-3. 

Andy Murray’s losing run continued with defeat by Italian qualifier Andrea Vavassori in the opening round of the Madrid Open.

The frustrated Scot’s 6-2 7-6 (7) loss to a player ranked 164 made it four consecutive defeats, equalling the worst run of his professional career.

Murray was so disillusioned by his performance against Alex De Minaur in Monte Carlo two weeks ago that he indicated he might sit out the rest of the clay season.

He decided against that but this was another demoralising result, with the only positive being how Murray found a way into the match in the second set.

He lost the first four games and went an early break down in the second set against 27-year-old qualifier Vavassori, who is at his highest career ranking.

The Italian was certainly playing well but Murray was making too many unforced errors and was unable to make any headway on his opponent’s serve.

He changed that in the eighth game, breaking Vavassori for the first time, and he took advantage of nerves from his opponent to save four match points in the tie-break only to twice net straightforward volleys.

It is the first time since 2019, when his hip problems were at their worst, that Murray has lost four matches in a row and, having reached the third round in the Spanish capital last year, he is set to drop back out of the top 60.

Given one of the main objectives for the 35-year-old playing on clay was to improve his ranking in a bid to be seeded for Wimbledon, things are clearly not going the way he would have hoped.

Murray’s defeat followed Emma Raducanu’s withdrawal and another loss for Kyle Edmund.

Edmund is trying to tread the difficult road back to the top of the game after a long spell out with knee problems but has not won a tour-level match this year.

The former British number one’s latest loss was a 6-4 6-1 defeat by former US Open champion Dominic Thiem, who is at last showing more encouraging signs nearly two years after suffering a wrist injury.

Thiem, who will take on world number five Stefanos Tsitsipas in the next round, said on the ATP Tour website: “I have known Kyle since we were juniors. He has been a tough opponent since the young days, so I went in with a lot of respect.

“I had some crucial moments in the first set when I saved the break points and then I released a little bit and it got better and better.

“Once I was a very tough guy to beat on clay and it is not the case right now, but I am feeling that I am getting better and back to shape.”

British number one Cameron Norrie was handed a first-round bye and will start his campaign against Yosuke Watanuki after the Japanese qualifier beat Frenchman Corentin Moutet 6-3 6-3.

Jericho Sims will play no part in the New York Knicks' playoff run after having surgery on his right shoulder.

The Knicks confirmed Sims had undergone a procedure "to repair a torn labrum and cuff tendon in his right shoulder" on Wednesday, with an expected return date in time for the start of training camp ahead of next season.

The center – who was the 53rd overall pick of the 2021 NBA draft – has not featured since the Knicks' road loss to the New Orleans Pelicans on April 7 due to the injury.

A statement from the Knicks on Thursday read: "Jericho Sims underwent successful surgery yesterday to repair a torn labrum and cuff tendon in his right shoulder at the Hospital for Special Surgery. He's expected to be ready for the start of training camp in the fall."

New York secured a 4-1 first-round series win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday, and will face the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference semi-finals, with Game 1 taking place on Sunday.

Athletes could be given the right to refuse to wear gambling logos on their kit on religious or health grounds if a Government proposal is adopted into a new code of conduct.

The Government published its wide-ranging white paper on reform in the gambling sector on Thursday.

Some campaigners have called for the Government to introduce an outright ban on gambling sponsorship in sport, but the sports industry will be left to draw up its own “robust” code for socially responsible gambling sponsorship.

Work on the cross-sport code is already under way, but the white paper set out a series of ‘example principles’ the code could cover, including: “Kits without sponsor logos to be ensured for…adults who have religious or health reasons to object to wearing gambling sponsors.”

Former Newcastle forward Papiss Cisse initially refused to wear the club’s shirt in 2013 when it bore the logo of a payday lending firm, Wonga, because he said it offended his Muslim faith.

The player was initially left behind for the team’s pre-season training camp, and the matter was only resolved after complex negotiations which involved the Professional Footballers’ Association, with Cisse agreeing to wear the kit.

Gambling is forbidden in the Muslim faith.

The principle ultimately may not form part of the code if it is considered unworkable by the sports industry, but the white paper insists any code must spark “meaningful improvements” in making gambling sponsorship more socially responsible.

Other principles suggested were a commitment to reinvestment of funds from gambling sponsorship into development and grassroots activities and ensuring gambling advertising is not visible in or from dedicated family areas.

Earlier this month the Premier League announced its clubs had collectively agreed to voluntarily withdraw front-of-shirt gambling sponsorship from 2025-26 onwards, something which was welcomed in the white paper.

The white paper said that in spite of a ‘whistle to whistle’ ban on gambling adverts on television, “we recognise that sports sponsorship remains an environment where children may be exposed to gambling brands”.

“Overall, indirect exposure to gambling marketing around sport is high, including among children, and can be particularly challenging for those already suffering gambling-related harms,” the paper said.

The paper said a robust code would have the effect of ensuring that “where (gambling sponsorship) does appear, the public can have confidence in the social responsibility of the arrangement, and in turn its potential impact on children and vulnerable people.

“We are challenging the sports and esports sectors and the industry to set a high standard for social responsibility, with the potential not only to improve standards in gambling sponsorship but also to provide a model for responsible sponsorship by other sectors.”

The paper said the code would not apply to National Lottery branding in Lottery-funded sports to recognise “the major role” it plays.

The paper estimated the sports sector earns £190million a year from gambling sponsorship based on evidence submitted by industry bodies, with £45million of that going to the EFL and clubs across its three divisions, including the money it receives from its title sponsor Sky Bet.

That agreement between the EFL and Sky Bet drew specific praise in the paper, which said the social responsibility agreements in the contract offered other sports governing bodies “scope to learn from”.

An EFL spokesperson said: “Having submitted evidence to the Gambling Act Review, the EFL welcomes the long-awaited publication of the white paper which offers an updated vision for gambling regulation in this country.

“It is the league’s long-held view that it is for Government to determine what is the appropriate regulatory framework for the UK’s gambling sector, and while sports partnerships are just one small part of this white paper’s scope, its publication will help organisations determine how they can continue to work with responsible gambling operators moving forward.”

Chinese youngster Si Jiahui snatched a 5-3 lead in an intriguing first session of his World Championship semi-final showdown with Luca Brecel.

The 20-year-old, who came through qualifying at the Crucible to make the latter stages, lost the first frame, but produced back-to-back clearances of 125, 102 and 97 to punish Brecel for errors with a near-faultless display of break building.

However the Belgian, who beat seven-time champion Ronnie O’Sullivan in the last eight, scrapped his way back to 4-3 down before succumbing in a nail-biting conclusion to the afternoon’s final frame.

In a scrappy start to the opening frame, Brecel enjoyed the benefit of an outrageous fluke when he rattled the pink in the jaws and saw the ball run the length of the table down the cushion before dropping in.

He went on to make 50 before missing the blue off its spot, although Si, the youngest semi-finalist at the tournament since O’Sullivan in 1996, was unable to prevent him from going ahead.

However, the youngster announced himself in style in the second, sinking a tough red to get in before compiling an imperious 125 break, and he repeated the feat to take a 2-1 lead when, after the Belgian had missed the yellow at 33-0, he cleared the table once again in a visit of 102 to complete back-to-back centuries.

Si eased himself 3-1 in front at the mid-session interval after an arm-wrestle in the fourth frame with both players twice having missed difficult reds to the middle pockets before he prevailed 103-29 courtesy of a break of 97.

The world number 80 stuttered briefly, missing a regulation red as he applied right-hand side to the cue ball in an effort to develop the pack after Brecel had erred once again, but eventually tied up an untidy fifth frame 103-3.

Si’s first error of note arrived in the next when, 53 points into another seemingly decisive break, he jawed the black to allow his opponent to the table, and his break of 72 stopped the rot.

Having benefited from a mistake, Brecel handed it back almost immediately, following up a good long red with a careless blue, but the Chinese player was equally profligate, leaving himself unable to see a colour as he attempted to develop the pack and taking seven attempts to hit the nominated brown.

A second snooker and three more misses yielded 12 more points to leave the 28-year-old 38-33 ahead, and he eventually drew back to within one frame of his opponent with a visit of 69.

The final frame of the session unfolded with a sustained safety exchange, but it was Brecel who made the first move with a break of 33 before inexplicably missing the pink, although Si faltered at 43-34.

His opponent rattled a pink to the top pocket which would have levelled the match at 4-4 and saw it roll agonisingly over the middle for the younger man to go two up.

Charles Leclerc has brushed off reports suggesting he will replace Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes, reaffirming his commitment to Ferrari.

The Monegasque driver is in his fifth season with the Italian constructor and is looking for a first podium of the 2023 season after a muted start.

But amid lingering speculation over the future of seven-time world champion Hamilton at Mercedes, Leclerc has been linked with replacing the Briton.

Ahead of this weekend's Azerbaijan Grand Prix, however, Leclerc denied reports he is set to swap teams, though he did not explicitly rule out a future move.

"No, not yet," he said. "Not for the moment. For now, I am fully focused on the project I am in today, which is Ferrari and I fully trust and am confident for the future.

"Then we will see, but I am fully confident for the project of Ferrari. I'm fully committed to Ferrari and I love Ferrari.

"It has always been a dream for me to be in this team and my main priority is to win a world championship with this team. So it's not something in my mind."

Hamilton, who picked up a first podium of the year at the Australian Grand Prix, sees his contract expire with Mercedes at the end of the current season.

Speculation over Leclerc succeeding him has had no impact on his own negotiations though, with Hamilton stressing his own commitment to the Silver Arrows.

"I think maybe some of the drivers all have different relationships with different bosses and stuff," Hamilton said. "I like where I am.

"I love my team, and I'm grateful for the journey we've been on and what we're working on moving forwards."