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Top tennis players, including world number ones Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka, have ended their protest over perceived low prize money at Wimbledon, their representatives said Monday.

The players had said they would limit their press conferences to 15 minutes for the first week of Wimbledon, expanding a similar protest for pre-tournament media duties at the French Open in May.

Players have claimed they are currently only paid 15 percent of the revenue from the Slams, asking for 22 percent instead, AFP reported.

Wimbledon has increased its prize money by 20 percent, a move the players described as a "welcome step forward.”

They later released a statement before the grass-court Grand Slam event saying "that Wimbledon currently pays slightly below 15 percent of revenues to players as prize money,” confirming their protest.

But their representatives said on the opening day of the tournament that "players have confirmed they will resume normal tournament media duties" after holding "constructive meetings.”

"This decision is based on Wimbledon's commitment to return with specific proposals... The underlying matters remain unresolved and players will carefully evaluate the proposals once received," the statement said.

"Dialogue with Wimbledon and the other Grand Slams will continue."

All England Club chief Sally Bolton expressed relief the protest would not continue during the tournament.

"I think it's great news that we and they can now just concentrate on the championships and on the tennis," she told reporters.

"We've had some really fruitful conversations over the weekend, they've been really positive, we've effectively agreed what we had agreed before, which is that we want to continue in positive dialogue."

The Wimbledon singles champions will bank £3.6 million ($4.76 million), an increase from the £3 million earned by 2025 champions Iga Swiatek and Sinner.

"I really hope we can finally get to the table and really get it done, come to a conclusion that everyone is going to be happy with," three-time semi-finalist Sabalenka said last week.

"Hopefully we'll never have to do this again."

Brazil's quest to win a record sixth World Cup heads into the knockout stages on Monday as Carlo Ancelotti's team face Japan in the last 32, before four-time champions Germany play Paraguay and Morocco take on the Netherlands in perhaps the tie of the round.

The Brazilians are desperate to win the World Cup again, 24 years after they last lifted the trophy, and they eased through the group stage in first place above Morocco, with Vinicius Junior playing a starring role by scoring four goals, said AFP.

The South Americans may be the favorites to progress to the last 16, but Japan are dangerous opponents and unlikely to make life easy in the first game of the day in Houston.

"We need to play with our heads and hearts, and be clear about what we want to do. We need to be ready for everything that can happen in a knockout tie," said Ancelotti, who insisted his players were "confident" but prepared for the prospect of extra time and penalties.

Brazil are well aware of the threat posed by Japan, having lost 3-2 when the teams met in a friendly last October.

"I think that really was a learning experience for us," said the Brazil captain, Marquinhos.

The last non-European nation to knock Brazil out of a World Cup was Argentina, in 1990, but Japan come into this tie with confidence.

"The team is united and that feeling is getting even stronger now," said Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu, whose side finished second in Group F behind the Netherlands -- they drew with the Dutch and Sweden, either side of beating Tunisia.

The winners will advance to a last-16 tie on Sunday against Ivory Coast or Norway in New Jersey.

Germany takes on Paraguay at the Gillette Stadium near Boston in what will, remarkably, be their first knockout match at a World Cup since they beat Argentina in the 2014 final.

The Germans did enough to top their group as they hammered Curacao and edged out Ivory Coast before an inconsequential defeat by Ecuador.

Currently ranked 10th in the world, Germany are not widely seen as genuine contenders to win the trophy, even if coach Julian Nagelsmann insists that has to be their aim.

"When you talk about the German national team, it is all about trying to win every game. It is all about winning the game tomorrow," Nagelsmann said on Sunday.

- Canada oust South Africa -

His side are expected to defeat the Paraguayans, who progressed as one of the best third-place finishers after recovering from a heavy opening loss to the United States to beat Türkiye and draw with Australia.

They are appearing in the knockout phase for the first time since 2010, but it is a tough ask for Paraguay who have had to rapidly relocate for this game after being based on the West Coast of the US during the group stage.

Whoever emerges victorious will advance to a last-16 clash against either France or Sweden.

The meeting of three-time World Cup runners-up the Netherlands and 2022 semi-finalists Morocco in Monterrey, Mexico, is surely the hardest tie of the round to call.

These are the teams ranked eighth and seventh in the world respectively, with both squads filled with talent based in major European leagues.

The Moroccan side includes the Dutch-born defender Noussair Mazraoui, of Manchester United, and the forward Ismael Saibari who was the best player in the Dutch league last season with champions PSV Eindhoven and is joining Bayern Munich.

The knockout stages began on Sunday as co-hosts Canada struck late to beat South Africa 1-0 in Los Angeles and reach the last 16 for the first time.

Captain Stephen Eustaquio scored the only goal in the second minute of injury time at the SoFi Stadium, settling a tight contest between two nations who had never previously gone beyond the group stage at a World Cup.

"The timing of the goal means that the win is incredibly dramatic, and I think the effect that it will have in Canada and the inspiring of people will be immense," said Canada coach Jesse Marsch.

His team will play either the Netherlands or Morocco in Houston in the next round.

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