Dominic Thiem's run at the Winston-Salem Open came to a halt as Jack Draper claimed a comfortable straight sets victory on Wednesday.

In the first meeting between Draper and Thiem, it was the 20-year-old Brit who sealed his place in the last eight with a routine 6-1 6-4 victory.

Draper charged ahead in the first set, creating five chances to break and taking two of them, while his sole successfully converted break point in the second set paved the way for the Winston-Salem debutant to serve out the match.

World number 55 Draper has now reached three Tour-level quarter-finals this season, while 2020 US Open champion Thiem had been on a run of making it to the last eight in his last three tournaments, in Bastad, Gstaad (where he made the semis) and Kitzbuhel.

Draper did not offer up a single break opportunity, and said: "I was really good behind serve, really solid. In the second set it was tough because he was coming up with some amazing shots. It was a real honour to be on court with Dominic. He's an amazing player.

"I started confidently, I started well. I was hitting through the ball, felt good in the conditions. It was a difficult start because I felt like everyone was supporting Dominic and I knew that I needed to come out confidently and sharp, and that's what I did."

Draper will meet Marc-Andrea Huesler in the quarter-finals, after the world number 102 overcame Ilya Ivashka.

Botic van de Zandschulp is the favourite after Grigor Dimitrov's retirement due to illness with the Dutchman progressing to the last eight by defeating Spain's Jaume Munar in straight sets. He will face Benjamin Bonzi after the Frenchman's 7-5 6-2 defeat of Thiago Monteiro.

Maxime Cressy will face Adrian Mannarino after coming from a set down to beat Lorenzo Sonego 6-7 (4-7) 6-2 7-6 (7-3), while Richard Gasquet and Laslo Djere make up the other quarter-final tie after respective victories over Steve Johnson and Jason Kubler.

Bernarda Pera stunned former French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova at Tennis in the Land as the top three seeds tumbled out in Cleveland.

Pera has enjoyed an excellent 2022, winning her first career WTA title in Budapest and then following that up with her second at the Hamburg European Open.

And the Croatian-born American is two wins away from a third final after thrashing top seed Krejcikova 6-4 6-1.

It sets up an enticing last-eight clash with another former grand slam champion in compatriot Sofia Kenin.

Second seed Martina Trevisan from her clash with Zhang Shuai, while third seed Ekaterina Alexandrova lost 3-6 7-5 7-5 to Maidson Brengle.

Some high seeds also tumbled out at the Granby Championships.

Third seed Jasmine Paolini surrendered a lead in a three-set loss to Rebecca Marino and there were also defeats for fourth seed Anna Bondar and eighth seed Tereza Martincova to Tatjana Maria and Diane Parry respectively.

Marta Kostyuk, the 10th seed, had to come from a set down to beat Marina Stakusic but ninth seed Daria Saville lost just one game in her demolition of Katherine Sebov, winning 6-1 6-0.

Formula One's midseason break delivered drama that the title race so far perhaps had not.

The first half of the campaign had its own intriguing narratives, with Ferrari's frequent collapses and Mercedes' unprecedented struggles, but those strands only served to allow Max Verstappen to build a healthy lead at the top of the standings.

Attention has turned to those in the midfield in recent weeks, though, with Sebastian Vettel's imminent retirement prompting a series of developments that have not yet slowed.

Alpine have been at the heart of the drama, losing Fernando Alonso to Aston Martin in Vettel's place and then failing to secure Oscar Piastri as his replacement.

Piastri instead seems set for McLaren, who have announced Daniel Ricciardo will be leaving the team.

For Alpine then, there will be some relief that focus can now return to the track at the Belgian Grand Prix, with Verstappen set to resume his role at centre stage.

Qualifying key to Red Bull repeat

For those hoping to reel in Verstappen's 80-point lead, they will hope to get more opportunity to attack him than at Spa in 2021, when he started from pole and completed just two laps behind a safety car to claim victory amid a deluge at the circuit in Stavelot.

That result actually continued a recent trend in Belgium, where recovering from a poor qualifying session has proven increasingly tricky.

The past seven winners of the Belgian GP have started from the front row of the grid, with Verstappen among six of those to line up on pole.

Repeating the feat has not been quite so straightforward, however, as Verstappen will be looking to become the first driver to win this race from pole in consecutive entries since Ayrton Senna did so a remarkable four years in a row between 1988 and 1991.

Senna had five Belgian GP wins in total, behind only Michael Schumacher (six). Lewis Hamilton (four) will be bidding to join the Brazilian this weekend.

In-demand Fernando on top form

Alonso will hope his shock move to Aston Martin does not knock his final season with Alpine off course, as the Spaniard had refound form before stunning his team during the break.

The two-time world champion has earned points in each of his past eight races for his best run since another sequence of eight in 2018.

Alonso has not finished in the points in more than eight straight races since 2014, when he put together 15 in a row – the last of them being in Belgium.

But perhaps this could instead be a strong weekend for Alonso's future employers and the man he will replace.

Vettel's best qualifying performance at Aston Martin was fifth at Spa in 2021, finishing fifth on race day, too. Only in Azerbaijan last year (second) has he enjoyed a better result with the team.

Major League Baseball teams will face every opponent across both leagues for the first time in 2023 under the schedule revealed by the league on Wednesday.

The revised format is intended to provide a more balanced schedule that will make races for the three Wild Card spots in each league more equitable, as well as providing fans a more diverse option of visiting opponents and players in an effort to boost attendance.

Teams will now play a total of 46 interleague games, a substantial increase from the 20 games on the 2022 slate. Divisional play will be de-emphasised as a result, with teams now set to play 13 games per season against each opponent within their division after having 19 such games in recent years.

MLB has used the unbalanced format with increased intra-divisional play since 2001.

"This new format creates more common opponents, both in the division and among your league opponents, so that typically when you're competing for the Wild Card, there's a much higher percentage of common opponents across divisions," MLB chief operations and strategy officer Chris Marinak told The Associated Press. "And we think that equity is good for the competition on the field.

"On the marketing side, we think that the new schedule gives our fans more opponents at home, so they get to see a broader array of clubs in their ballpark. And probably more importantly, it gives us a chance for our star players to get exposure more nationally and be seen in more places throughout the season."

Travel is expected to be only minimally impacted by the revisions, as teams will have the same amount of total road series as previously.

Teams will now play one three-game series per season against all interleague foes with the home site alternated year to year, as well as home-and-home series of two games against a designated opponent from the other league that is usually determined geographically.

Most of those series include natural interleague rivals such as the New York Mets and Yankees, Chicago Cubs and White Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers and Angels, San Francisco Giants and Oakland Athletics, Cincinnati Reds and Cleveland Indians, Miami Marlins and Tampa Bay Rays, Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals, Kansas City Royals and St. Louis Cardinals and Milwaukee Brewers and Minnesota Twins.

For teams that have less-defined interleague rivals, the Boston Red Sox and Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies and Toronto Blue Jays and San Diego Padres and Seattle Mariners are among the most notable pairings.

Opening day will be March 30 – the earliest since 2019 – with all 30 teams scheduled to play. Three interleague series are slated for opening weekend, with the Giants visiting the Yankees, the Cardinals hosting the Blue Jays and the Phillies visiting the Texas Rangers.

Other highlights include a two-game series in London between the Cardinals and Cubs from June 24-25 and the Phillies and Nationals meeting in Williamsport, Pennsylvania on August 20 for the Little League Classic.

The 2023 All-Star Game will take place on July 11 at Seattle's Safeco Field, which will be followed by a two-day break before the resumption of the second half.

Victoria Azarenka will not play in the Tennis Plays for Peace Exhibition at Flushing Meadows on Wednesday, the United States Tennis Association (USTA) has announced.

The former world number one was due to participate in the charity event set up in support of Ukraine ahead of next week's US Open.

The Belarusian's involvement in the exhibition came under scrutiny from Ukrainian player Marta Kostyuk, who subsequently declined the opportunity to compete alongside the likes of Rafael Nadal, Iga Swiatek and John McEnroe.

Azarenka had called for player unity following Russia's Belarus-assisted invasion of Ukraine earlier this year, with the two-time Australian Open winner saying Wimbledon's ban on Russian and Belarusian players made no sense.

Following the recent criticism led by Kostyuk, who was bemused by the presence of Azarenka, the USTA decided it would be in the best interest of the event if she was not involved.

In a statement, the governing body said: "In the last 24 hours, after careful consideration and dialogue with all parties involved, Victoria Azarenka will not be participating in our 'Tennis Plays for Peace Exhibition' this evening [Wednesday].

"Vika is a strong player leader and we appreciate her willingness to participate. Given the sensitivities to Ukrainian players, and the ongoing conflict, we believe this is the right course of action for us."

Rory McIlroy believes the announced enhancements to the PGA Tour are "a great step in the right direction" as the battle with the LIV Golf Invitational Series rages on.

On Wednesday, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan introduced several changes to the Tour, with the key emphasis on bringing the leading players together more often.

The announcements came after Tiger Woods and other leading players met last week to discuss what the PGA Tour should do going forward.

LIV Golf has sent shockwaves through the sport with many high-profile players making the switch to the Saudi-backed tour, including Phil Mickelson, and the Open winner Cameron Smith is reportedly set to follow suit.

Other alterations announced included a commitment from top players to feature in at least 20 PGA Tour events per year, an expansion to the player impact program and the guarantee of minimum earnings for full Tour members.

Four elevated events with purses of at least $20million have been added, taking the schedule up to 12 such tournaments next season, and the top players have agreed to compete in all of them.

McIlroy was encouraged by the changes, telling reporters ahead of the Tour Championship: "I care deeply about our sport. I care about its history. I care about its legacy. I care about the integrity of the game. 

"We all sort of are our own little independent businesses and we sort of try to compete against each other, and I think this is the first time in a long time where we sort of all sat down and were like, let's try to be business partners.

"How can we all pull in the same direction here to benefit everyone and to help the entire TOUR and to help each other basically.

"Unfortunately, Tiger Woods doesn't play as much as he used to. Tiger Woods was the single biggest draw that the PGA Tour had, amongst other things. We have to recognise that.

"So for the 23 of us that were in that room last Tuesday, including Tiger, we all have to sit down [and ask], okay, what is the best thing for our Tour going forward?

"What can we do to help put forward the best product possible so that in 50 years' time the PGA Tour is still thriving and we can safeguard the future of the Tour? That was basically what last week was about.

"Obviously that has culminated in some of the announcements that have been made today [Wednesday]. I'm sure there will be some changes going forward, as well, but I think today was a great step in the right direction."

When questioned on how the changes would benefit the Tour, the four-time major winner replied: "If you're trying to sell a product to TV and to sponsors and to try to get as many eyeballs on professional golf as possible, you need to at least let people know what they're tuning in for.

"When I tune into a Tampa Bay Buccaneers game, I expect to see Tom Brady throw a football. When I tune into a Formula 1 race, I expect to see Lewis Hamilton in a car.

"Sometimes what's happened on the PGA Tour is we all act independently and we sort of have our own schedules, and that means that we never really get together all that often.

"I think what came out of the meeting last week and what Jay just was up here announcing is the fact that we've all made a commitment to get together more often to make the product more compelling."

McIlroy also revealed he had spoken to Smith about his reported defection to LIV Golf.

"I had a conversation with Cameron Smith two days after the Open. Firstly, I wanted to congratulate him," McIlroy disclosed.

"But I would at least like people to make a decision that is completely informed and basically know this is what's coming down the pipeline. This is what you may be leaving behind.

"I just don't want people making decisions – hearing information from one side and not from another. So I think that's sort of been my whole thing this entire time.

"I've always said guys can do whatever they want. Guys can make a decision that they feel is best for themselves and their families. But I want guys to make decisions based on all of the facts."

Marc Soler secured a surprise victory on stage five of the Vuelta a Espana, charging clear on the final climb and coming home unopposed after indecision from those behind him.

Soler looked like he could be cruelly denied victory in the final kilometre with a group of six chasing and appearing to be in striking distance, but there was little support as they looked to bridge the gap in the closing stages.

The 28-year-old's victory secured Spain's first stage win on any Grand Tour for almost two years, the last being Ion Izagirre in 2020 - bringing an end to a 121-stage barren run for the home nation.

The UAE Team Emirates rider finished four seconds ahead of a group of 10 riders behind him, which included Rudy Molard - who climbed to the top of the standings with a fourth-place finish to take the red jersey, with former leader Primoz Roglic finishing five minutes and nine seconds behind Soler.

Molard's lead puts him at the top for the first time since 2018, when he led on four occasions, and boasts five of the seven stage leads that French riders have had since 2018.

Daryl Impey came second ahead of Fred Wright, the latter still waiting for his first stage win of the competition this year but sitting just two seconds behind Molard in the standings.

Wright holds regret

Still seeking a first stage win this year, Wright was frustrated by the fact he was unable to catch Soler for the lead.

"I was feeling strong but I'm disappointed, I was just too marked. We should have caught him, plain and simple, but it just didn't happen," he told Eurosport.

"It's a shame that I'm close to that win again. I'm sure there will be better days."

STAGE RESULT

1. Marc Soler (UAE Team Emirates) 4:15:23

2. Daryl Impey (Israel-Premier Tech) +00:00:04

3. Fred Wright (Bahrain Victorious) +00:00:04

4. Rudy Molard (Groupama-FDJ) +00:00:04

5. G Lawson Craddock (Team Bikeexchange-Jayco) +00:00:04

CLASSIFICATION STANDINGS

General Classification

1. Rudy Molard (Groupama-FDJ) 16:07:02

2. Fred Wright (Bahrain Victorious) +0:02

3. Nikias Arndt (Team DSM) +1:09

Points Classification

1. Sam Bennett (Bora-Hansgrohe) 127

2. Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo) 118

3. Marc Soler (UAE Team Emirates) 47

King of the Mountains

1. Victor Langellotti (Burgos-BH) 13

2. Roger Adria Oliveras (Equipo Kern Pharma) 6

3. G Lawson Craddock (Team Bikeexchange-Jayco) 5

Top players have made an "unprecedented commitment" to the PGA Tour by agreeing to further enhancements to the schedule.

PGA TOUR commissioner Jay Monahan on Wednesday detailed four key items that will be introduced to bring the game's leading players together more often.

The latest enhancements were announced a week after Tiger Woods met fellow PGA Tour players amid the ongoing threat posed by LIV Golf.

There will be additional elevated events for 2023, a commitment from top players to compete in at least 20 PGA Tour events per year, an expansion to the player impact program and guaranteed league-minimum earnings for full Tour members.

The addition of four elevated events - which will have purses of at least $20million - brings the total to 12 for next season and the top players have agreed to tee off in all of them.

Changes to the player impact program will see 20 rather than 10 golfers rewarded, with the bonus pool also doubling to $100m.

The launch of an earning assurance program will guarantee fully exempt members earn $500,000, provided they play in 15 events.

Monahan said at the TOUR Championship: "Our top players are firmly behind the Tour, helping us deliver an unmatched product to our fans, who will be all but guaranteed to see the best players competing against each other in 20 events or more throughout the season."

He added: "Today is a culmination of a strengthened partnership between the Tourand the players, and amongst the players themselves

"It's unprecedented for our Tour and a testament to who these guys are and what they believe in."

Len Dawson, one of the American Football League's most renowned players who quarterbacked the Kansas City Chiefs to their first Super Bowl title, died Wednesday at the age of 87.

Dawson's family announced his death in a statement released through Kansas City television station KMBC. No cause of death was given, though the Pro Football Hall of Famer was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1991 and had entered hospice care earlier this month.

"With wife Linda at his side, it is with much sadness that we inform you of the passing of our beloved Len Dawson," the statement read. "He was a wonderful husband, father, brother and friend. Len was always grateful and many times overwhelmed by the countless bonds he made during his football and broadcast careers."

Following an unsuccessful five-year stint in the NFL with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns, Dawson jumped to the upstart AFL with the Dallas Texans in 1962 and found immediate success when reunited with head coach Hank Stram, a former assistant during the quarterback's collegiate career at Purdue. 

The Texans won the first of the franchise's three league titles in Dawson's debut season and he was named the AFL's MVP after leading the league in touchdown passes (29) and yards per pass attempt (8.9).

Dawson led the Chiefs to two more AFL titles in 1966 and 1969 following the franchise's move from Dallas to Kansas City, and that latter season would be capped by a 23-7 victory over the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl IV in which he was named the game’s MVP.

With the AFL merging with the NFL the following season, Dawson finished as the league's all-time leader in passing touchdowns (182) and ranked fourth in passing yards (18,899). He led the AFL in passer rating six times, topped the league in touchdown passes four times and was selected to the AFL's All-Time team. 

Dawson remained with the Chiefs until his retirement in 1975 and still holds franchise records for passing yards (28,507), touchdown passes (237) and games started by a quarterback (157). The Ohio native was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a player in 1987.

"Len grew up only a few miles from where the Pro Football Hall of Fame later was built, and fans in the area have always taken a special pride in seeing one of the greats from this region enshrined in Canton," Pro Football Hall of Fame president Jim Porter said in a statement. "Fans connected with Len's story of perseverance, appreciating how he gave the game one more try after five nondescript seasons when many others would have quit.

"The American Football League, and Hall of Fame coach Hank Stram, gave Len a true opportunity, and he made the most of it, building the Chiefs into a Super Bowl contender, and eventually a world champion."

Dawson remained ingrained in the Kansas City community after his retirement and gained further notoriety as a broadcaster, serving as the co-host of HBO’s 'Inside the NFL' programme from 1977-2001 and working as an analyst on AFC games for NBC from 1977-82. He provided color analysis for the Chiefs' radio broadcasts from 1985-2017 and was KMBC-TV's sports director – a role he began while still a player in 1966 – until stepping down on a full-time basis in 2009.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame later inducted Dawson as a broadcaster in 2012.

"My family and I are heartbroken," Chiefs chairman and CEO Clark Hunt said in a statement. "Len Dawson is synonymous with the Kansas City Chiefs. Len embraced and came to embody Kansas City and the people that call it home. You would be hard-pressed to find a player who had a bigger impact in shaping the organisation as we know it today than Len Dawson did."

Dawson was born in Alliance, Ohio on June 20, 1935 as the ninth of 11 children and starred locally in high school before embarking on a standout collegiate career at Purdue, where he led the nation in passing efficiency as a sophomore in 1954 and guided the Boilermakers to No. 1 Notre Dame that season.

The Steelers selected Dawson with the fifth overall pick of the 1957 NFL draft, though he never broke through as a starter in three seasons with Pittsburgh and had similar results with the Browns after being traded following the 1959 campaign. 

Dawson is survived by his second wife, Linda, and two children from his previous marriage. He was married to his first wife, Jackie, from 1954 until her death in 1978

Emma Raducanu is making a "natural transition" to the WTA Tour, says former British number one Laura Robson.

Raducanu became a grand slam winner in just her second major appearance when she defeated fellow teenager Leylah Fernandez in last year's US Open final, and the first qualifier to win the women's singles at Flushing Meadows.

Since then, the 19-year-old has cracked the top 10 of the WTA Rankings, but has otherwise endured a mixed run of form, with a last-16 exit in the Western and Southern Open her latest result ahead of a return to New York, while she has also changed coaches in a season that has so far failed to produce a trophy.

But Robson thinks they are mere teething troubles for Raducanu, arguing that her difficulties have been blown out of proportion.

"I wouldn't say she struggled," Robson told Stats Perform. "I think she's making it a natural transition to the main tour.

"Emma came through so quickly, then struggling to catch up to the day-to-day life of being a professional tennis player, which is a lot of time away from home, a lot of training weeks, a lot of travel.

"She hasn't been able to put that time in. I thought she played great last week in Washington, and unfortunately, had a very tough draw against Camila Georgi in the first round last night.

"But I think she's playing some great tennis. So, I feel when she's back on the courts at US Open, they really suit her and hopefully some positive vibes will help as well."

Robson, a former Junior Wimbledon champion in 2008, won the WTA Newcomer of the Year prize in 2012 after claiming a silver medal alongside Andy Murray in the mixed doubles at London 2012, but ultimately struggled with a succession of injuries before her retirement this year.

She is loathe to draw parallels between her own experiences and those of Raducanu but hopes time can be afforded to the youngster.

"I mean, I wouldn't even compare my situation to hers, because Emma came through so quickly that it feels like she's only just catching her breath," she added.

"She just needs time to manage her own expectations. I hope she's not even thinking about anyone else's expectations because they really don't matter in the grand scheme of things.

"I think she just needs a good amount of training work, which I know she has been doing anyway. And the results will come because they think she's an incredible ball striker and a great athlete as well."

Play Your Way to Wimbledon, Powered by Vodafone is the largest individual mass participation tennis competition in the UK – delivered by Vodafone in partnership with the LTA and The All England Lawn Tennis Club.

McLaren have announced that Daniel Ricciardo will be leaving the team at the end of the 2022 season, freeing up a spot for Oscar Piastri.

The Australian was contracted with McLaren until the end of the 2023 season but, amid disappointing results, that agreement has been cut short and Ricciardo's final race for the team will be in Abu Dhabi later this year.

Ricciardo's frustrating spell at McLaren will be a disappointment for all parties and comes following an equally frustrating stint at Renault, where he moved after his time with Red Bull.

It remains to be seen whether Ricciardo will continue in Formula One, with the 33-year-old stating he will announce his next move in due course.

"Regardless of what this next chapter brings, I have no regrets and am proud of the effort and work I gave McLaren, especially the win in Monza, last season," he said.

"I've enjoyed working with everyone at McLaren both trackside and back in Woking [at the factory] and will be giving my all on and off track as we enjoy the remainder of the season together.

"I've never been more motivated to compete and be a part of a sport that I love so much and look forward to what comes next."

Ricciardo has been consistently outperformed by team-mate Lando Norris this season and his position was clearly under threat, with McLaren widely reported to have an agreement in place with Piastri.

The battle for Piastri has seen McLaren tussle with Alpine, who announced during the season break that he would drive for the team in 2023, though that was later denied on social media by the driver himself.

While an agreement between the teams will have to be reached, it is expected Piastri will indeed wear the orange of McLaren as he has no desire to race for Alpine, who have also lost Fernando Alonso for next season.