National Sports

In the midst of an unusual season punctuated by a gruelling schedule, the Vancouver Whitecaps are taking on yet another challenge this week — game day travel.

LONDON — Even the world's richest soccer league is worried that it can't function as normal much longer without fans in the stands.

It cost the CFL it's 2020 campaign. Now the COVID-19 pandemic is creating challenges for football personnel to prepare for next season. Many CFL scouts would usually be on the road now evaluating Canadian and American university talent.

PARIS — Canada's Peter Polansky was eliminated in the first round of French Open qualifying on Tuesday after dropping a 7-6, 6-0 decision to Argentina's Leandro Mayer. Polansky, from Thornhill, Ont.

TORONTO — Bianca Andreescu says she is taking the remainder of the tennis season off to focus on her health and training. The Canadian tennis star made the announcement Tuesday on Twitter.

HAMBURG — Montreal's Felix Auger-Aliassime advanced to the second-round of the Hamburg Open clay-court tennis tournament with a 6-2, 7-6 (2) win over Italian Lorenzo Sonego on Tuesday.

Canadian bantamweight Brad (Superman) Katona, winner of Season 27 of "The Ultimate Fighter," has signed with Europe's Elite MMA Championship (EMC) and will fight for its 135-pound title next month.

EDMONTON — Jeff Paulus is stepping down as head coach of FC Edmonton, but is staying on with the CPL team as manager of player development. Edmonton placed last in the group stage of the recent Island Games, finishing eighth with an 0-6-1 record.

MIAMI — CPL champion Forge FC has been drawn against El Salvador's CD Municipal Limeno in the preliminary round of the 2020 Scotiabank CONCACAF League.

TOKYO — The only thing more difficult than staging next year's Tokyo Olympics in a pandemic might be convincing sponsors to keep their billions of dollars on board in the midst of economic turbulence and skepticism.