World number three Alexander Zverev crashed out of the ATP Indian Wells Masters on Sunday, beaten in his opening match 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (7/2) by 39th-ranked American Tommy Paul.

The 24-year-old Olympic gold medallist from Germany was playing his first tournament since he was disqualified from the Mexico Open in Acapulco after losing his temper and repeatedly smashing his racquet against the umpire’s chair.

Zverev was fined $40,000 for verbal abuse and unsportsmanlike conduct. A further $25,000 fine and an eight-week ban followed, but both were suspended provided he does not incur a further code violation for 12 months.

After dropping a first set, in which Paul mercilessly punished his second serve, Zverev levelled the match with the only break of the second set in the 10th game.

After holding his serve to love three times and breaking Paul in the sixth game of the third set, Zverev appeared to be on his way to victory.

But the German immediately gave the break back with a disastrous game that featured four double faults.

Paul took the set to a tiebreak that he dominated with the same aggression he showed in the opening set.

World football –ruling body, FIFA has effected minor changes in the list of match officials for this month’s FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 playoff showdown between the Super Eagles of Nigeria and the Black Stars of Ghana.

Both accomplished arch-rivals tango in a two-leg fixture that will determine who picks one of Africa’s five slots at this year’s FIFA World Cup finals, first in Cape Coast on Friday, 25^th March and then in Abuja on Tuesday, 29^th March.

In a fresh appointment sheet sent to the Nigeria Football Federation, Moroccans Rédouane Jiyed (referee), Lahsen Azgaou (assistant referee 1), Mostafa Akarkad (assistant referee 2) and Samir Guezzaz (fourth official) are retained for the first leg duel in Cape Coast, but Mandu Humphrey of Uganda has now replaced South African David Junse Van Vuuren as security officer.

Bernie Raymond Blom from The Netherlands will be the VAR official, to be assisted by compatriot Rob Dieperink while Athanse Nkubito from Rwanda will be the referee assessor. Gregorio Badupa from Guinea-Bissau will serve as match commissioner and Victor Lawrence Lual from South Sudan will be the general coordinator.

For the return leg in Abuja, FIFA has replaced former FIFA referee Essam Abdelfattah Abdelhamid who was to serve as referee assessor. His place will now be taken by Senegalese Badara Diatta, another former FIFA referee.

Sadok Selmi (Tunisian; referee); Khalil Hassani (Tunisia; assistant referee 1); Attia Amsaaed (Libyan; assistant referee 2) and Haythem Guirat (Tunisian; fourth official) are retained, as well as Frenchmen Jérôme Brisard (VAR) and Willy Louis Delajod (assistant VAR); Prince Kai Saquee (Sierra Leonean; match commissioner) and Kabelo Bosilong (South African; general coordinator).