hello. latest advance for now. a flight carrying 150 britons be allowed

to leave the chinese city at the centre of this coronavirus a break tonight. it is due to land in 0xfordshire before passengers are taken to a facility for a quarantine period of 14 facility for a quarantine period of 1a days. the chancellor said you javid there his support behind hs two is a number of tory mps consider rebelling against the government. the number of rape prosecutions in england and wales has fallen again at the number of suspects charged rises slightly. the man has been found guilty of trying to steal a copy of the magna carta smashing the protective glass around the age of five—year—old document using a hammer. a royal marine who died after being injured in training two weeks ago has been named as recruit ethanjones. ina in a moment for sports day but first a look at what else is coming up

this evening on bbc news. as the plane leaves china carrying britons caught up in the coronavirus outbreak will be spring speak —— speaking to anxious relatives. some bleeding team grants think so, it will get thoughts of it tea expert at 1040 and again at half past 11 reviewing tomorrow public papers withjohn reviewing tomorrow public papers with john stevens reviewing tomorrow public papers withjohn stevens the deputy political editor of the daily mail. that's all head on bbc news. but now it's time for sports day. hello. i'm ben croucher and you're watching sportsday live at the bbc sport centre. 0ur headlines this thursday. beating roger federer. just a win away from becoming world number one. can anybody stop novak djokovic claiming a 17th grand slam title?

and i'mjohn and i'm john watson in melbourne on day 11 of the australian open where it the party is over. we are set to see a first—time winner in women's singles. also coming up on sportsday. big name foreign signings. a new team from canada. all aiming to topple the saints. we look ahead to the start of the 2020 super league. and we reflect on the life and the legacy robert archibald — the only scot to play in the nba. it's really horrible that we have lost scotland's most prolific basketball figure. the latest six nations and premier league transfer news to come too but let's bring you up to speed from melbourne where an injury hit roger federer said it was a match to forget

as novak djokovic blew him away to reach the australian open finalfor the 8th time. he's won the other seven. the favourites in the women's draw though were both beaten in their semi finals. with a round up of thursday's action — including a couple of brits through to finals — here'sjohn watson. yes, hello, and welcome to a daily event of the australian open here in melbourne. temperatures a scorching 39 degrees and it said to get hotter tomorrow. plague under way though, the party is over this year. beaten by sofia kenin of the united states, and there was another upset any second women's semi final, simona halep beaten by garbine muguruza. it means that we will see a first time winner in the women's singles this year. the defending chevy and in the men's singles novak djokovic marches on, a comfortable straight sets victory over roger federer in the end, reflect on that

match is alex. for over a decadal attendees to play each other is when it matters. roger federer‘s quest to keep on making history came with caution. a groin injury did not show any signs of restricting him early on as he raced into a first set lead. but novak djokovic a seven—time champion in melbourne did not let him get out of sight. back he came on the cusp of losing the first set djokovic turned this all around. forcing this to it tie—breaker and finishing the job. he had to be at his best the second set, roger federer kept pace until his opponent found the winning spot. the first break of the set the first and most important point. now up by two. one of the greatest players of all time were that title with pride and fight on. forcing chocolates to play some of the best in us of his career to stay on course for his 17th grand slam title.

bbc news. co mforta ble 17th grand slam title. bbc news. comfortable for novak djokovic who is run to another australian opal final continues. the tennis correspondent russell is with me, how much of the injury that roger federer still seem to be carrying from his last match, how much of that with defector today? given very little chance from the word go. he said he felt he had a 3% chance of winning the match if it had been any lower than that he probably wouldn't have ta ken to lower than that he probably wouldn't have taken to the court in the first place. we also after a member that djokovic has been playing brilliantly and roger federer not been at his best and so he's had the succession of long matches and djokovic was always a very strong favourite for me from a very odd first to set and wasn't it? really strange. novak djokovic faced by having to play a man he knew was not moving as well as he should be, and it affected him in effect if he had not recovered from 1140 down he would be 5—1 down in that first set. once he won that it was pretty

straightforward. slightly uncomfortable to watch. the atmosphere in the arena it was not what you would expect from a beta between those two. carrying on 16 grand slam titles. but novak djokovic being six years his junior it's a bit of the debate about how many more grand slam titles he can win if he goes on to surpass roger federer, it will he be classed as the greatest of all time? that's a debate that's going to ramble on, we have been getting the thoughts from max on who he feels will be classed as the greatest of all time. max on who he feels will be classed as the greatest of all timelj max on who he feels will be classed as the greatest of all time. i think roger federer has popularized the game when any player, i think since being the most important player in the history of the game because the way he plays from the way he carries himself and i don't think it matters ifa himself and i don't think it matters if a british player in 2050 has 130 majors, i don't think you can surpass his impact on the game, it's going to be very,

very difficult. yes it's a debate that's going to rub along. a few upsets in the women's semi finals today. we saw the party party and did. sofia kenin beating the world number one and simona halep knocked out by garbine muguruza. and they are both wondering how they lost i'm sure. ash party was in a very useful position in the first set. yet sofia kenin so ministerwhen position in the first set. yet sofia kenin so minister when the two tight sets. brilliant effort from her at the age ofjust 21, not remotely faced by being in the arena playing in the first grand slam semi final, may be the occasion got to her after all she was trying to become the first australian women to reach the single final here after 40 years but not at her best at all. and simona halep made a lot of the running in her match. she had four set points in the first set, she served for the second set of 5—3 but garbine

muguruza who isjust grown second set of 5—3 but garbine muguruza who is just grown and confident so much after a fairly flexible of years, not been in a grand slam finals she won wimbledon in 2017, just seize the opportunity. as far as british hopes concerned with saw that was england —— and did in the first week. a fabulous effort with the american, when the semi final against two cassette players and they lost the first set, they we re and they lost the first set, they were a breakdown in the third set it has to be said helped by managing to serve five double faults in one game. can you imagine? and he had served three and his previous game with those five double faults came on the decider, so that helps about fabulous effort will be salisbury's first grand slam final, he got to wimbledon semi finals with freddie nielsen from denmark in 2018 and it will be if a verse against ashley and wildcards. an order read in the final of the wheelchair signals

coming through today against gerard andl coming through today against gerard and i will now play in the final and hoping to win a second ashley in open title for the first was back in 2016. we will see how they get on heading into the weekend, thanks very much for that. all is tomorrow on the second man semi final we know novak djokovic awaits. who willjoin him? dominic or alexander zverev? that's the aussie open ta ken care of. let's quickly run through some of the transfer news catching our eye today. bruno fernandes has finally completed his move to manchester united. the portuguese playmaker joins from sporting lisbon in a deal that could be worth nearly seventy million pounds. manager 0le gunnar solskjaer has hailed his personality and leadership qualities. one in, one out at old trafford. defender marcos rojo hasjoined argentinian side estudiantes on loan until the end of the season. it's believed he wants to boost his chances of making argentina's copa america squad. sheffield united have

broken their transfer record to sign norwegian midfielder sander berge from genk for more than £20 million. the 21—year—old played twice against liverpool in the champions league earlier this season. there's huge excitement surrounding the new super league season — that kicks off tonight. the arrival of a couple of the southern hemisphere's biggest names has raised eyebrows. we wait to see how toronto will fair in theirfirst season. and we want to know if st helens can do something they've not done in 20 years. retain the title. adam wild joins me now. so many talking points adam yes, this really is the most highly anticipated rugby league season i can remember. so often had to find recognition but there is a real buzz around the game that's getting new kind of attention it has been craving for years. in recent weeks we have had prince harry making the draw for the world cup at buckingham

palace. additions like sonny williams, israel full out making headlines not just here williams, israel full out making headlines notjust here but around the world. this feels like a huge moment both for superleague and for the sport. of course, the team to beat once again this season will be st helens. last years champions they were so dominant. 16 points clear at the end of the regular season before winning in the grand final at old trafford. there is only one real change for them this year — but it is a big one — this man, kristian wolff takes over as head coach. he comes with a real pedigree, most recently, as the coach of the tongan national team. under him they've become a real force in the world game, you'll remember them beating great britain and australia in recent months. so thats st helens, the stand out team and their new coach the other side that everyone will be watching for different reasons — toronto wolfpack. it is an incredible story.

the first transatlantic team in superleague. all eyes on this man, sonny bill williams — one of the greats of his generation in both rugby union and rugby league. he is a global superstar. he admits he perhaps isn't at the peak of his powers but such a coup to have him play in superleague. he hopefully makes his debut against castleford on sunday at headingley. before that — it all gets underway in roundabout an hours time. a real mouthwatering way to get things started with two of the biggest clubs. wigan warriors, champions two years ago against the challenge cup holders warrington. commentary on 5live sports extra — kris radlinski played more than 300 times for wigan, he's now the clubs executive director. yeah, it feels great. we have been talking about it for weeks now. feels

like a real strong excitement during the super league this year, a lot of teams recruiting very well and has been hyped up in re ce nt very well and has been hyped up in recent weeks on social media and across the media, so we cannot wait for tonight to open the super league and super league 25 against our arch rivals, it's going to be an epic game. he talked about recruitment, you've done a bit of business yourself against jackson hastings, are they going to help you get even closer to st. helens this season because they really are stilted team to catch are they? st. helens is a wonderful rugby league club and they we re wonderful rugby league club and they were super terrific as a team last year. the other ones we have to catch, we are very lucky to recruit jackson the current made of steel, been huge for us so far in preseason already. looking forward to what he brings to our team and he openly admits he probably lost as much a little bit but it has felt rejuvenated in the coming weeks and apps expecting huge things from him.

a perfect night for these kinds of players to thrive on occasions like this. and as we said this feels like an important watershed moment for super league. winter stand where we're at as a sport and as a game. the signings in the clubs are promoting themselves in marketing themselves, it's very important for themselves, it's very important for the future broadcasting deals so it's a very important season and exciting season and a very unpredictable season. i tried to write down this and it cannot do it. i think write down this and it cannot do it. ithink we're write down this and it cannot do it. i think we're in for a thrilling layer. super league never disappoints, and wonderful product that this year feels better than ever. what are your hopes for wigan this season, what would success look like for you? i'm not going to lie, we finished second in the table last year but driving away from here after hours semi final defeat was a painful experience and i felt really disappointed with the season. and we expect big things, so we need to

get to finals and we need to win trophies. if we don't, ultimately that a disappointing season. it's going to be difficult because there are a lot of teams vying for the same positions and same ambition. so bring it on, i'm excited where we are at as a club and it's unpredictable. it's unpredictable but super. so thats kris radlinski, wigan against warrington this evening. let me take you through one or two other things to look out for this season. this man of course, israel folau. we've talked about sonny bill williams as one of the big cross—code global stars, folau is another. his move to catalans was announced this week, a huge amount of anger within the game about his signing after he was sacked by australian rugby for his homophobic views. he won't play this weekend, catalans are playing huddersfield, but he could play next week, potentially making his debut against wakefield. there will be lots of attention on him and on catalans

dragons.