England international Harry Newman admits representing his country has been a “dream come true” but did not think it would happen after suffering some serious injuries.
The 23-year-old has played each of England’s last two games which have seen them take an unassailable 2-0 lead over Tonga in their autumn international series and will be looking for the whitewash when the two teams meet for a final time at Headingley on Saturday.
It was the first time Newman got called up to the squad and he received his first cap with his debut appearance at the Totally Wicked Stadium, where England took a 22-18 victory.
The Leeds centre is in disbelief of his recent achievements and credited his family for playing their part.
He told the PA news agency: “It has been a dream come true already to represent my country.
“It is the biggest thing you can do as a player. Receiving that first cap off my mum and dad was special and brought a tear to their eyes – and I was stood there trying not to start up myself.
“We’ve been back home for a couple of days and I went to see my grandad who is in a care home with dementia. I went in and showed him my shirt and my cap. It’s things like that which make it even more special.
“Without those sort of people around you, a caring family, caring girlfriend, brothers and sisters, it will be a lot more difficult but they have stood by me and they always will. I guess it’s as much for them as it’s as much for me.”
Newman has been riddled with several injury problems during his short career which has seen his playing time limited. He has suffered multiple hamstring issues, resulting in surgery, as well as a horrific double leg break in 2020.
He admitted the England dream was a long way from reality and thought there were times where he did not think he would be in this situation now.
Newman added: “Especially some of the injuries I’ve had, the leg break, the hamstring operations, it has been tough mentally but I’ve stuck at it.
“There are days when it’s like that and if you didn’t think that you would be lying. You try and stay positive and that’s something I’ve have always prided myself on…sticking at it, working really hard and the rewards will come.
“I’ve still got a lot of improvement in me. I know that myself because I think I’ve been at higher levels on the pitch before but getting the experience from these games – I’ll be a different player next year.”
The international camp has allowed Newman to link up with the English NRL players such as John Bateman, Elliott Whitehead, and Tom Burgess whilst also facing several opposition players who play in the Australian league.
Newman insists he has learned a lot during the camp, underlining Bateman as the one he has leaned on most.
He said: He’s (Bateman) been great with me, (I’ve) talked with him a lot off field. He said he can see some similarities in me from when he was younger and he’s played in grand finals, won grand finals, worn the England shirt many times and is now playing in the NRL.
“It’s been a challenge, but I think that’s when I’m at my best. I thrive off a challenge, when I get too comfortable it’s when you probably don’t see the best of me and I knew it was going to be a challenge.
“I’ve been opposite Mosese Suli for the last two games and he’s a big boy but I’ve really enjoyed that test and think I’ve stood up well and shown what I can do in glimpses as well.”
Leading official Wayne Barnes has announced his retirement five days after refereeing the Rugby World Cup final.
The English official’s last match was one of his most challenging, with Barnes showing the first ever red card in a men’s World Cup final to New Zealand captain Sam Cane during South Africa’s 12-11 victory in Paris.
It was among a number of contentious decisions made by Barnes, who was later reportedly the subject of death threats.
The 44-year-old said he would be working to ensure referees receive adequate support amid such pressures but cited family reasons for his decision.
In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Barnes wrote: “Over the past 20 years, I have been in the middle of some of the greatest rugby matches in history.
“I have seen some of the world’s best players and worked with some of the finest coaches the game has ever produced.
“Last Saturday, I was privileged to referee the Rugby World Cup final between two of the most iconic teams in sport; the All Blacks and the Springboks. People often say you will know when it is the right time to retire, and this is clearly the right time for me and for my family.
“My children have missed out on time with their dad for far too long and I am now looking forward to family weekends, sports matches, school assemblies and birthday parties.
“My wife, Polly, has sacrificed more than anyone so that I have been able to achieve some of my personal goals.
“While I have been away most weekends and for decent chunks of the year, she has had to juggle being an amazing mum with two active children, along with holding down a hugely successful career of her own.
“I will continue to advocate for referees and work closely with the International Rugby Match Officials association to ensure match officials across the globe not only have a collective voice but also the appropriate support network for them and their families, particularly as online abuse and threats have become far too regular for all of those involved in the game.
“I am extremely proud that my career has spanned five Rugby World Cups, 26 Six Nations matches, three European Champions Cup finals and 10 Premiership Finals, and I’m grateful for all of those who have helped me along the way, in particular, Chris White, Tony Spreadbury, Brian Campsall, Nigel Yates and Phil Keith-Roach. It’s been an incredible journey.”
Barnes bows out having refereed a record 111 Tests, and he was praised by World Rugby chairman Bill Beaumont, who said on www.world.rugby: “Wayne has been a truly fantastic ambassador for rugby, both on and off the pitch.
“What makes him so special is not only his stellar refereeing career, but his wider contribution to the game, making refereeing more accessible to more people. He will rightly be remembered as one of the greats – a credit to the game, his nation and his family.”
Ed Crisford is confident Carla’s Way will be “bang there at the finish” in Friday’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita.
The daughter of Starspangledbanner proved her class with victory in the Group Two Rockfel Stakes at Newmarket in late September, since when she has been kept fresh for her trip to California.
Carla’s Way is part of a strong European contingent that also includes Donnacha O’Brien’s Cheveley Park Stakes heroine Porta Fortuna and Aidan O’Brien’s Content – and Crisford, who trains in partnership with his father, Simon, believes their filly has plenty in her favour.
He said: “It’s a really good race and Donnacha’s filly is a very good filly who has won a Group One, but Carla’s Way also brings sort of Group One form into the race having beaten the first and second in the Fillies’ Mile (Ylang Ylang and Shuwari).
“She will suit this track and a two-turn mile extremely well. We just didn’t want to run her on a straight mile on soft ground in the Fillies’ Mile so we opted to come here and we thought it would suit her down to the ground – she can just ping off that quick ground.
“Her draw (stall nine) isn’t too bad and you have options from there at least. I always thought five to 10 is where I wanted to be so it is OK.
“She is in really good form and has taken to Santa Anita extremely well. She’s been on the track in a morning and for a two-year-old it can be quite a lot going to a new place and seeing all the horses training on the track there, but she is just loving it and is like an old pro.
“She’s taken everything in her stride, I couldn’t be happier with her and I think she goes in with a favourite’s chance. Hopefully she gets a clean trip and I’m sure she will be bang there at the finish.”
Porta Fortuna has won four of her six starts, with her Cheveley Park success preceded by Group Three triumphs at Naas and in the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot.
She has not yet won beyond six furlongs and tackles a mile for the first time, but O’Brien is happy to roll the dice.
“She’s been fantastic for us and has had a great year,” he said.
“She’s in great form and seems to have travelled over well. We are not sure if we will stay the mile, but she will handle the ground and the track should be fine so we are excited.
“Ever since the day the owners bought her after her maiden this has been sort of a long-term plan. Obviously you can never expect to be at the Breeders’ Cup, but if she turned out to be good enough this was always the plan and thankfully she has.
“We’re just keeping her safe and happy and healthy until the race and hopefully we get a bit of luck on the day.”
O’Brien senior saddled Meditate to claim victory in last year’s renewal and will be hoping Content can raise her game following a surprise Group Three win at the Curragh four weeks ago.
Leading contenders for the home team include Cherie DeVaux’s She Feels Pretty and Hard To Justify, who looks to provide her trainer Chad Brown with a fifth win in the last 11 runnings.
James Harden "wants to be part of something bigger than himself" with the Los Angeles Clippers, so says the team's president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank.
Harden, a 10-time All-Star and one-time league MVP, has joined the Clippers in a blockbuster trade with the Philadelphia 76ers.
The 34-year-old had fallen out with the Sixers leadership and requested a move away from Philadelphia.
Harden had branded the Sixers' president of basketball operations Daryl Morey "a liar" in August.
Now in his hometown of Los Angeles with the Clippers, Harden is targeting "something really special", according to Frank.
"James Harden should have been an All-Star last year," Frank said, as per ESPN.
"But he's a 10-time All-Star. He has an elite skill set, and all he cares about is one thing: He wants to win a championship for the LA Clippers.
"He wants to be part of something bigger than himself. He's had all the individual awards. He's about doing something really special."
Harden is in line to make his debut against the New York Knicks on Monday, and Paul George – one of the Clippers' star names along with Kawhi Leonard and Russell Westbrook – revealed he has previously spoken with the former Houston Rockets and Brooklyn Nets guard about how they can make things work in LA.
"I mean, we've talked leading up to it," George said after the Clippers' 130-125 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.
"[That's] the reason why he's here. We wanted him here. We all said we think we can make it work, [that] we'll figure it out.
"But we obviously got to practice. We got to play for us to really get on the same page and understand how to play on the floor with one another.
"What better story to be told than for four Southern Cal guys to do what's never been done before and be champions?"
Leonard, a two-time NBA champion, suggested the four stars in the Clippers roster will have to make sacrifices to fit in for the team.
"I think we still have to come in kind of like with a selfish mindset," Leonard said.
"Meaning we can't look over our shoulder and say this guy is going to win the game, or this guy's going to win the game for us.
"We still have to step on that floor like we are out there by ourselves, and from there, it is going to be sacrifice. It's only one basketball, and we just got to figure it out from there.
"But I think we all are old enough to understand what we want to do here and we'll see what happens."
Jac Morgan will captain a team containing 12 Rugby World Cup squad members when Wales tackle the Barbarians in Cardiff on Saturday.
Wales head coach Warren Gatland fields four players who started the World Cup quarter-final defeat against Argentina last month – Morgan, centre George North, lock Adam Beard and number eight Aaron Wainwright.
Dragons prop Lloyd Fairbrother, 31, makes a first Wales appearance in the non-cap fixture, with wing Tom Rogers and lock Ben Carter also gaining opportunities.
Fairbrother starts in the tighthead position, where Gatland was without the services of France-based pair Tomos Francis and Henry Thomas, Harlequins forward Dillon Lewis, plus injured duo Kieron Assiratti and Leon Brown.
Assiratti was ruled out by an ankle injury, while Brown has a calf muscle problem, meaning call-ups for Fairbrother and Scarlets prop Harri O’Connor, who is among the replacements.
The Principality Stadium encounter is being staged to pay tribute to Wales’ record cap holder Alun Wyn Jones. He retired from Test rugby in May after making 158 Test match appearances for his country.
And joining him in international retirement will be full-back Leigh Halfpenny, who makes his final Wales appearance this weekend. Halfpenny won 101 caps and scored 801 points.
Gatland said: “Playing a Barbarians side filled with quality players is a good challenge for this group and a chance for players to put their hands up and show what they are about.
“It will be the last game in a Wales jersey for Leigh Halfpenny, but also a chance for fans to see and celebrate Alun Wyn Jones and Justin Tipuric playing international rugby one last time.
“We are looking forward to getting back out in front of a home crowd on Saturday.”
Team: L Halfpenny (unattached); T Rogers (Scarlets), G North (Ospreys), J Williams (Scarlets), R Dyer (Dragons); S Costelow (Scarlets), Tomos Williams (Cardiff); C Domachowski (Cardiff), D Lake (Ospreys), L Fairbrother (Dragons), B Carter (Dragons), A Beard (Ospreys), D Lydiate (Dragons), J Morgan (Ospreys, capt), A Wainwright (Dragons).
Replacements: E Dee (Dragons), N Smith (Ospreys), H O’Connor (Scarlets), Teddy Williams (Cardiff), T Plumtree (Scarlets), K Hardy (Scarlets), C Evans (Dragons), M Grady (Cardiff).
The British horseracing industry has launched a petition urging the UK government to halt the planned introduction of what are seen as intrusive affordability checks.
By 11am on Thursday over 10,000 had already signed the online petition just hours after it had been posted, which it says could push punters towards black markets.
The Gambling White Paper published in April outlined plans to introduce blanket affordability checks which the industry as a whole has come together to rally against.
Racing industry experts have warned of a “catastrophic” impact on horse racing, with more than half of 14,000 people who recently took part in a survey suggesting they would walk away from the sport rather than provide personal financial information.
Independent estimates say up to £250million could be lost in revenue over the next five years.
Although it is registered in the name of Nevin Truesdale, chief executive of the Jockey Club, the petition is launched on behalf of Britain’s horseracing industry, which supports more than 85,000 jobs and contributes £4.1billion to the UK economy each year.
Its online citation reads: “We want the government to abandon the planned implementation of affordability checks for some people who want to place a bet. Such checks – including assessing whether people are ‘at risk of harm’ based on their postcode or job title – are inappropriate and discriminatory.
“The proposed checks could see bettors having to prove they can afford their hobby if they sustain losses as low as £1.37 per day. We accept the need to help those with problem gambling but more intrusive checks triggered at a higher threshold risks bettors moving to the black market where there are no consumer protections or safer gambling tools. There will also be a negative impact on British horseracing’s finances due to a reduction in betting turnover and resulting fall in Levy yield.”
Truesdale said: “The horseracing industry is hugely supportive of changes which directly address problem gambling, especially in the digital age we are in and we welcome the reform of the gambling laws which will result from the white paper, once it passes through the Parliamentary legislative process.
“However, the proposed and ongoing affordability checks are a significant infringement on personal freedom and have the potential to impact unfairly on two groups of people – the millions who gamble responsibly every year and the tens of thousands whose livelihoods depend directly and indirectly on horseracing.
“It is deeply disturbing that racing fans may have to prove they can afford to lose what amounts to less than £10 a week having a flutter on the sport they love, in particular when you consider the extremely low percentage of problem gambling in relation to horseracing. Nowhere else in society do we see this level of intrusiveness from the government when it comes to people’s legitimate hobbies.”
Truesdale added that a major concern regarding the government’s plans is that the checks themselves will not actually succeed in addressing the biggest issue they have been designed to tackle.
“If you introduce these blanket checks as they have been proposed, all it will actually do is create issues and friction for people, most of whom bet perfectly responsibly,” he said.
“We would like to see a much more targeted system of checks, which specifically respond to other markers of harm rather than just a blanket affordability check that will do nothing to address the underlying issue.”
Should 100,000 sign the petition it will be considered for debate in parliament.
Dual Group One winner Mostahdaf will retire to the stallion ranks at Shadwell’s Beech House Stud after his final career start in the Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf on Saturday.
The Frankel colt is trained by John and Thady Gosden for owner-breeder Shadwell, the racing operation of Sheikha Hissa.
His five-year-old campaign has been a great success with victories in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Juddmonte International at York, performances that see him lining up at Santa Anita on a mark of 128 with nearly £2.5million in prize-money earnt so far.
Beech House Stud in Newmarket is newly refurbished and will become the home of all Shadwell’s UK-based stallions, meaning Mostahdaf will stand alongside Baaeed, Tasleet and Mohaather.
Angus Gold, Shadwell’s racing manager, said: “Mostahdaf has been a top-class horse for the last three seasons, from showing his speed when winning five of his six races as a three-year-old between seven furlongs and a mile; he then displayed his clear versatility and ability over further.
“Since winning the Neom Turf Cup in Saudi Arabia by seven lengths earlier this year, he has come from behind to beat the best 10-furlong horses in Europe at Royal Ascot, and then made all in the Juddmonte International. At York he highlighted both his speed and class by running six of the last eight furlongs under 12 seconds.
“Mostahdaf never missed a day’s training and was a thorough professional throughout his career; his enthusiasm for his work, together with his outstanding physique and speed, should make him a very attractive prospect for breeders.”
John Gosden added: “Mostahdaf has always been a pleasure to train. Sound and always positive and generous in his work. His action is superb and fluent with a high cruising speed and electric acceleration. A horse who has been very consistent throughout his career.”
In other stallion news, Juddmonte have announced the Ralph Beckett-trained Irish Derby winner Westover has been sold and will stand at Yushun Stallion Station in Hokkaido, Japan for the 2024 season.
He will be syndicated, and a fee is yet to be determined.
Hamish will attempt to successfully complete an unbeaten 2023 season when he lines up in the rearranged Betfred St Simon Stakes at Newmarket on Friday.
William Haggas’ stable stalwart, who is owned by the trainer’s father, Brian, has won all three outings this term and was last seen winning easily at the Qatar Goodwood Festival.
He will now race on the Rowley Mile for the very first time, bidding to go one better than when second in the race when held at its usual home of Newbury 12 months ago.
“We need some more rain really, but I think the ground will be pretty soft,” said Haggas.
“Newmarket is a completely different test for him. He’s a quirky horse so it will be interesting to see how he copes. We have never contemplated running him here, but there is a first time for everything I suppose.
“He is a useful horse. He’s in good form, so we’re hopeful.”
It was Max Vega who denied Hamish in the race last year and he is one of two in the race for trainer Ralph Beckett, alongside stablemate Lone Eagle.
Charlie Appleby’s King Of Conquest steps up in trip having pushed Haggas’ My Prospero close at Goodwood in September while Karl Burke’s Al Qareem has been in brilliant order since returning from a layoff and adds extra spice to the contest in search of a hat-trick.
“We chose to run here rather than go to France (for the Prix Royal-Oak). We just felt near enough two miles on heavy ground would be hard work for him when you add in the travelling as well,” explained Nick Bradley, managing director of owners Nick Bradley Racing.
“I think the race is strong enough, the last two times he has been headed and fought back and I would be pretty hopeful, but Hamish is obviously in there as a very good horse.
“We go there expecting a big run and soft ground over a mile and a half might be perfect for him. I don’t quite know what his optimum is, when he won his Group Two it was over further on soft ground, but right now this is what I would choose – a mile and a half and soft ground.”
The Bradley silks will be carried for the first time by Grant Tuer’s Nottingham scorer Je Ne Sais Quoi in the supporting Irish EBF “Bosra Sham” Fillies’ Stakes, a race that has attracted 15 two-year-old fillies.
Chief among some talented youngsters in the field is Richard Hannon’s Serene Seraph who was placed behind a number of quality operators in her first two starts before opening her account in style at Newbury.
She now makes her first start for new owners Wathnan Racing and connections are confident she will handle the drop back in trip as they search for some end-of-season black type.
“She will take her chance coming back a furlong but I think she will get away with it,” said Richard Brown, racing adviser for the owners.
“It looks like very testing ground as it was at Newbury when she won last time.
“She has some very strong form in the book and we were keen to have a go at some black type before putting her away for next year.
“She’s a big filly and she will only be better next year, but Richard is very happy with her and we are happy to take a chance.”
An emotional Ons Jabeur announced she will donate some of her WTA Finals prize money to help Palestinian victims of the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
After beating Marketa Vondrousova 6-4 6-3 in a reversal of the Wimbledon final for her first victory at the tournament in Mexico, Tunisian Jabeur broke down in tears during her post-match interview.
“I am very happy with the win but I haven’t been happy lately, to be honest with you,” said Jabeur.
“The situation in the world doesn’t make me happy. It’s very tough seeing children, babies, dying every day. It’s heartbreaking. So I’ve decided to donate part of my prize money to help the Palestinians.
“It’s not a political message, it’s just humanity. I want peace in this world and that’s it.”
Jabeur will need to beat Iga Swiatek in her final group match to have a chance of reaching the semi-finals.
Second seed Swiatek has been in fine form in Cancun, defeating Coco Gauff for the ninth time in 10 meetings on Wednesday night.
The US Open champion double-faulted four times in a row during the second set in a 7-5 6-0 loss, with errors costing her dearly.
The win means Swiatek, who can overtake Aryna Sabalenka to reclaim the world number one spot this week, is the first female player to record 65 or more tour-level wins in back-to-back seasons in nearly two decades.
Swiatek is the only player to record 65 wins in 2023, with Daniil Medvedev and Carlos Alcaraz on 64 and 63 wins respectively.
Royal Ascot winner Bradsell has been scratched from the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint.
In a huge blow to connections the King’s Stand Stakes hero will not be taking his place in the field.
He had been seen in action on the Santa Anita track on Wednesday but overnight trainer Archie Watson informed Breeders’ Cup officials Bradsell would not be running.
In the absence of usual partner Hollie Doyle, who is suspended, he was due to be ridden by Luke Morris but unfortunately for those concerned Bradsell will be absent when the field lines up on Saturday.
European interest in the race now rests with Nunthorpe winner Live In The Dream and Aidan O’Brien’s Aesop’s Fables.
Great Britain sprinter Joe Truman knows he has a point to prove as he targets an Olympic debut in Paris next summer.
The 26-year-old saw his Tokyo dream dashed by a back injury which hampered him for the best part of two years, and his return to action did not go smoothly either – he was knocked out cold in a high-speed crash in the keirin at the Commonwealth Games last summer.
But those frustrations are now fuelling Truman as he looks to fulfil his long-standing ambition to represent Great Britain at the Olympics.
“I feel like I’ve missed a lot of opportunities,” Truman told the PA news agency.
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“Even at the Commonwealth Games last year, I was looking forward to racing in the sprint and the kilo (time trial) which I never got to do.
“I think I’ve got a point to prove but I’m just going out to make myself better. If for the next eight months I can go into every week smashing it, doing whatever I can, leaving no stone unturned, then I’ve nowhere to hide really.
“My main motivation is to put right the opportunities I’ve missed for various reasons. It is very good fuel really. You don’t want to end your career with any ‘what ifs’ so I’m really putting my best into every session.”
Truman’s ambitions have led him to the UCI Track Champions League, the made-for-TV series which is midway through its third season, as he looks to build up his race experience.
This is the first year the Champions League has taken place in a pre-Olympic year and although organisers moved it forward by a month, a number of star riders nevertheless chose to sit out this season to not disrupt their training. Truman took the opposite view.
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“(Getting to Paris) would be massive,” he said. “It would be making good on eight years’ work. That’s what I want most out of the next year, and that’s the reason I’m here.
“Some others didn’t want to do it because they didn’t think it would be good preparation but I saw it as the opposite. It’s a good opportunity to get some race practices in. For me, in the keirin, the Commonwealth Games I’ve only ridden the keirin once.
“I really need to get some more experience because I want to go to the Games competitive in all events, not just the team sprint, so something like this has a lot of positives in it.”
After years of setbacks, Truman feels like he is approaching his best form again at just the right time.
He surprised himself with a time of 59.092 in the one kilometre time trial at the World Championships in Glasgow in August, narrowly missing out on a medal.
At the opening round of the Champions League in Mallorca last month, he made it to the semi-finals of the sprint and came out of the night in fourth place overall in the men’s sprint standings.
Although there was disappointment a week later in Berlin, Truman will approach Paris this weekend with optimism before his primary target – the closing two rounds in London on November 10-11.
And Truman said the competition, which is an invitation-only event based on results, was a good environment to try new things.
“It’s a big occasion, televised worldwide and good crowds, especially in London where I want to show my nose, but it’s a strange mix – you’re not expecting much from yourself physically but mentally you want to go well,” he said.
“The best training is when you’ve got a number on your back. That’s when you get the best out of yourself.”
The Boston Celtics remained perfect on the season and scored the second-most points in their storied history in a 155-104 drubbing of the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday.
Jayson Tatum had 30 points and 12 rebounds in three quarters as one of eight Celtics to score in double figures.
Derrick White scored 18 points, Jaylen Brown added 16 and Jrue Holiday had 15 as Boston won its fourth straight and joined Dallas as the only unbeaten teams left in the NBA.
The only time the Celtics scored more points in a regular-season game came in a 173-139 win over the Minneapolis Lakers on Feb. 27, 1959.
The Celtics made 16 of 21 shots in the first quarter with eight 3-pointers and had 75 points by halftime for the second straight game.
Mavericks hit 20 3s to stay unbeaten
Grant Williams matched career highs with 25 points and seven 3-pointers as the Dallas Mavericks defeated the Chicago Bulls 114-105 to improve to 4-0 for the first time since 2004-05.
Tim Hardaway Jr. had 24 points with seven 3s and Luka Doncic added 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Mavericks, who went 20 of 48 from long range and limited the Bulls to 11 for 33.
Zach LaVine scored 22 points and Nikola Vucevic added 21 and 20 rebounds as Chicago failed to win two straight for the first time this season.
Thompson lifts Warriors with last-second basket
Klay Thompson drained a 17-footer with less than a second remaining and the Golden State Warriors got past the Sacramento Kings, 102-101.
Domantas Sabonis hit a 20-footer with 15 seconds left to give the Kings a one-point lead, but Thompson answered from just inside the key with 0.2 seconds left.
Stephen Curry led Golden State with 21 points, Dario Saric added 15 and Thompson and Andrew Wiggins had 14 points apiece.
Sabonis finished with 23 points and 11 rebounds as Sacramento dropped its seventh straight regular-season road game in the series.
Four-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek has beaten American Coco Gauff at the WTA Finals in Mexico.
The American world number three felt the pressure from her Polish opponent, double-faulting four times in a row during the second set on Wednesday in Cancun.
The errors cost Gauff dearly as she gifted the upper hand to Swiatek.
Gauff could not mount the comeback as Swiatek secured the win 7-5 6-0 as she hopes to take back the world number one crown from Aryna Sabalenka.
The win means she is the first female player to record 65 or more tour-level wins in back-to-back seasons in nearly two decades.
Swiatek is the only player to record 65 wins in 2023 with Daniil Medvedev and Carlos Alcaraz with 64 and 63 wins respectively.
She will take on Ons Jabeur in her final group match on Friday, Jabeur having beaten Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova 6-4 6-3.
It was the first game between the pair since the Wimbledon final, Jabeur saving six of seven break points in the first set.
Jabeur took the second set after she broke Vondrousova at 3-3 and again after holding serve to set up a crucial match against Swiatek.
Nathan Eovaldi and two relievers combined to five-hit the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Texas Rangers won the franchise’s first World Series title with a 5-0 victory in Game 5 on Wednesday.
The Rangers finished the postseason a major league-record 11-0 on the road, capping the first title in their 63-year history with three straight wins in Arizona.
Mitch Garver broke a scoreless tie with an RBI single in the seventh and Marcus Semien capped Texas’ four-run ninth with a two-run homer.
Eovaldi walked five in six innings but wiggled out of trouble each time to improve to 5-0 with a 2.95 ERA in this postseason.
Aroldis Chapman got two outs before Josh Sborz fanned four over the final 2 1/3 innings for his first save in the playoffs.
The Diamondbacks had plenty of chances to score but went 0 for 9 with runners in scoring position and left 11 runners on.
Arizona starter Zac Gallen took a no-hitter into the seventh inning before Corey Seager led off with an opposite-field single.
Evan Carter followed with a double and Garver’s single gave Texas all the offense it would need.
Seager became the fourth player in history to win two World Series MVPs, along with Reggie Jackson, Sandy Koufax and Bob Gibson.
The Texas Rangers have won baseball’s World Series for the first time after clinching a 4-1 series victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks.
A 5-0 win in game five sealed the series, capped off by a two-run home run from Marcus Semien in the ninth inning.
Mitch Garver’s RBI single in the seventh inning opened the scoring after Corey Seager had claimed the Rangers first hit of the night, following six innings without one against Diamondbacks starter Zach Gallen.
They stretched that to 3-0 in the ninth inning before Semien added the final blow.
After splitting the first two matches of the series, the Rangers won all three of the games in Arizona as they went through the entire postseason unbeaten in 11 games on the road.
Starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi, who won a World Series ring with the Boston Red Sox in 2018 and moved to the Rangers before the start of the season, threw six scoreless innings and the bullpen completed the job.
Corey Saeger became just the fourth player ever to win the World Series MVP award twice, alongside hall of famers Reggie Jackson, Sandy Koufax and Bob Gibson.
The series win comes after 63 years of trying and 12 years after they were twice one strike away from winning against the St Louis Cardinals.
It is a fourth success for manager Bruce Bochy, who won three World Series in charge of the San Francisco Giants – including victory over the Rangers in 2010.
American Andrew Arft led all three days to capture the 56th Jamaica Open Golf Championship at the Tryall Golf Course in Hanover.
Arft posted scores of six under par 66, even par 72, and one under par 71, for a combined score of seven under par 209. He expressed pleasure with the win while giving credit to his caddy Jason Richards for helping him to win the event on his first attempt.
He also pointed out that his late decision to enter the championship was justified, as he pocketed the US$20,000 top prize.
Second place went to Dominic Piccirillo, who was just one shot back on 210. He posted under par scores of 71, 71 and 68 for all three days, while Josh Anderson was relegated to third place on 211 along with Blake Wagoner (72,70, 69).
The top six golfers in the professional category are all Americans.
Jamaica's Sean Morris roared back from second place on the second day to take the amateur section ahead of Oshae Haye. They were joint leaders on the first day.
Morris ended on 17 over par 233 (75, 82, 76), while Haye was two strokes back on 235 (75, 78, 82). Junior player Trey Williams grabbed third place on 245 (78, 81, 82).
Chris Richards of Trinidad & Tobago won the Senior Pro section for the second year running with a total score of two over par 218 (70, 76, 72). Second went to Canada's Kent Fukushima on 222 (74, 78, 70), while Jamaica's Ian Campbell was third on 240 (80, 79, 81).
The final category, the Senior Amateur section went to Canada's Robert Sterling who had a combined score of 244 for the three days. Jamaica's Dr. Mark Newnham and Dr. William Lee were second and third with scores of 245 and 250, respectively.
Motor racing fans in Guyana will be in for a treat as the Caribbean's only International female race car driver, Sara Misir, will be in action at the Guyana Motor Racing & Sports Club’s (GMR&SC) Caribbean Clash of Champions on Sunday, November 5.
The year-end showpiece event is being touted as the greatest Caribbean race event of all time based on the number of champions from across the Caribbean, the USA, Canada and the UK that will be competing.
The action races off at 11 a.m. at the South Dakota Circuit in Timehri, Guyana.
Misir, who last tasted victory at JRDC's "Heroes of Speed" on October 16, is gearing up for some fierce and intense racing from a stacked field in Group 4.
Group 4, dubbed "the Clash of the Titans", will also feature veteran racer and JRDC's MP4 Champion, Doug "Hollywood" Gore. The other titans are Mark Maloney from Barbados; Kristian Boodosingh and Frankly Boodram from Trinidad and Tobago; and a Guyanese contingent that includes Mark Vieira, Andrew King, Vishok Persaud, Kevin Jeffrey, Mohan Rangasammy and Denzel Hopkinson.
President of the GMR&SC, Mahendra ‘Raj’ Boodhoo is looking forward to Sara's participation,
"We haven't had a female racer from Jamaica since Natasha Chang in 2015, so Sara will add to the excitement for motor racing enthusiasts. We are certain it will be a spectacle, a never before seen event at the South Dakota Circuit."
"We always have the largest grid of drivers and spectators for motor racing in the region, South Dakota is considered to be the Mecca of motorsports in the Caribbean." He added.
In addition to the groups of race car drivers, bikers from the United Kingdom, around the Caribbean, the USA and Guyana will be in action.
The LA Clippers have announced the arrival of guard James Harden from the Philadelphia 76ers.
The 10-time NBA All-Star guard has been in a dispute with the 76ers and, as a result, has missed their first three games of the NBA season.
The terms of the trade see Harden joined in Los Angeles by 76ers team-mates P.J. Tucker and Filip Petrusev, while Clippers players Marcus Morris, Nico Batum, Robert Covington and K.J. Martin switch to Philadelphia.
Clippers president Lawrence Frank said: “James is one of the most prolific and efficient playmakers in the NBA.
“With his size and vision, he possesses an extraordinary ability to create for himself and others.
“The Los Angeles area has produced so many elite players in recent years. With Kawhi (Leonard), Paul (George), Russ (Westbrook) and James, we’re excited to bring four of them together, and eager to see what they can accomplish with the rest of our group.”
The Clippers are currently fourth in the Western Conference after winning three of their opening four games.
Daniil Medvedev denied raising his middle finger to the crowd after being booed during his defeat to Grigor Dimitrov at the Rolex Paris Masters.
The Russian was beaten 6-3, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (2) in the round of 32 and even stopped playing in the second set until the boos stopped inside the Accor Arena, which prompted an argument with umpire Renaud Lichtenstein after he was given an official time violation.
The world number three admitted he did not want to carry on playing but also knew he risked being disqualified from the match if he refused to do so.
The drama started in the second set when, with the scores level at five apiece, the 27-year-old received jeers from the Parisian crowd after throwing his racket while stepping up to serve.
Medvedev gestured to the crowd to be quiet and walked back to his bench in protest and told the umpire he would not play until they stopped. In turn, Medvedev received the time violation for delaying the game.
In the end, Bulgarian Dimitrov battled to a three-set win after he let six match points slip before finally dispatching his opponent on the seventh to advance through to the last 16.
Medvedev received more boos as he walked off the court and appeared to give the middle finger to the crowd, something he later denied.
After the match, he told a press conference: “I just checked my nails, like this, no really it’s nothing more than that. Why would I do that to this beautiful crowd in Paris Bercy?
“I threw the racket, I get booed, normal. I don’t see a problem with that. I go to serve and they applaud or something but I want to serve so they shouldn’t applaud, so I still serve and the referee was talking during this, so Grigor wasn’t ready.
“This happens, but I get booed, I didn’t see why so I didn’t want to play and that’s actually the end of the story.
“I was like okay, until they boo I’m not going to play but the Bercy crowd doesn’t stop to boo and then when I got the code I was like ‘do I really want to get disqualified and finish the match on this note?’ So I just went on to play.”
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