The Seattle Kraken are not settling for a first playoff win despite stunning the defending Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday.
In their second season, the Kraken have made the postseason for the first time and began their campaign with a 3-1 Game 1 win on the road against the Avs.
That made Seattle the first team in the expansion era to beat the defending champions in their first playoff game, with the previous three debutants playing such matchups losing both Game 1 and the series.
This was especially impressive as Colorado had won the first game in each of their previous six playoff series, the longest Game 1 winning streak in the NHL.
Now, the Kraken are in a great position to advance as the 10th expansion team to win their first playoff game. Eight of the previous nine won the series.
Alex Wennberg, who had a goal and an assist, knows there is a long way to go, though, even if Seattle enjoyed shutting up their critics.
"Obviously, we played a good game, getting the first franchise win in the playoffs," Wennberg said. "But right now this is Game 1.
"Obviously, we are happy about this performance, but we've got to do it again and do it again.
"[The critics] can do whatever you want. Obviously it comes down to the belief in the group right here.
"Everyone is going to have an opinion about the way we play now, but the focus is always going to be on us. We have a belief in this group."
Previous games between the Kraken and the Avs had hinted at Tuesday's upset, with Seattle winning on both of their trips to Denver this season but losing their sole home game against Colorado.
Avalanche coach Jared Bednar added: "Our whole team just wasn't quite good enough. I thought we did some good things. They obviously did more good things."
Former NFL defensive lineman Chris Smith has died aged 31.
Smith was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars out of Arkansas in the 2014 draft and spent eight years in the league, representing teams such as the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns.
He last played in the NFL for the Houston Texans in 2021 before signing for the Seattle Sea Dragons in the XFL in March of this year.
Smith's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, confirmed his death on Twitter, saying: "Rest in Peace Chris. Condolences to all his family, friends and loved ones. We will miss you."
Smith's cause of death has not been released.
Several former teammates paid tribute, with Browns tight-end David Njoku declaring on Twitter: "Rest in paradise Chris Smith.
"Hometown hero and a brother to everyone. Such a kind soul. This is heartbreaking."
Smith also played for the Las Vegas Raiders and their former quarterback Derek Carr posted a photo of the two together and wrote: "Love you bro."
AGI (Advantage General Insurance) defeated Almost Capable 2-1 in the final of the KPMG Squash League recently at the Liguanea Club in Kingston to be crowned league champion.
AGI’s Julian Morrison defeated Almost Capable's top player Adam Lee 3-1 (10-21, 21-18, 21-20, 21-20) to give his team an early lead. Tahjia Lumley secured the title when he beat Alan Roper 3-0 (21-18, 21-15, 21-18) in their best of five match-up.
With the title already lost, Daniel Chung clawed back some pride when he beat Stephan Morrison 2 -1 (21-18, 15-21, 21-18).
"Firstly the entire KPMG League was a successful league. I think it was a very good opportunity for everybody who’s playing to be able test their skills at deficit - playing better players,” said Morrison the AGI captain afterwards.
"I love it. I think it was great. I think that everybody played well throughout the entire thing because everybody has gotten through with three-game win.”
Cereal Killers, who lost to AGI in the semi-final, was third while Big Shot was the plate winner that was decided between the top two losing teams. AGI's Dave Morrison was named the Most Valuable Player.
President of the Jamaica Squash Association, Karen Anderson was pleased with how the tournament played out.
"It was fantastic. It brings out everything, the competitiveness, the sportsmanship, the cheering for the underdog, the underdog trying to bring down the big gun,” she said.
“The uniqueness of the event (the handicap system of play) is what makes it and what captures people's enjoyment with it and so we are very excited about the tournament."
Anderson said that the league was very important for the game locally, especially for the juniors who get to play against various types of players at different skill levels as they prepare for the upcoming Caribbean Championships.
According to Rajan Trehan, country managing partner of title sponsor KPMG, "We are thrilled with how the tournament went. I think the format of the game is so interesting. This along with the junior trials and the senior trials within the time period of this tournament, has really given the juniors a lot of practice and given them a basis to step up their game. I think the timing is just perfect for this tournament."
Trae Young is confident he will return to his best after being showered with "overrated" chants by opposition supporters in the Atlanta Hawks' Game 2 defeat to the Boston Celtics.
The Hawks fell 119-106 at TD Garden on Tuesday to go 2-0 down in the series ahead of back-to-back home games.
Young averaged 26.2 points during the regular season – only nine players performed better – but he fell short of that with 16 points in Atlanta's latest loss.
The 24-year-old point guard also struggled in the postseason last year as he averaged just 15 points against the Miami Heat in a five-game first-round defeat.
Celtics fans took aim at Young as he lined up for a free throw attempt during the fourth quarter, but the two-time NBA All-Star will not let the criticism get the better of him.
"I didn't play my best today, and I know I will going forward. I'm not worried," he said.
"I could be better. I didn't shoot the ball really well. I had some turnovers where I was just driving, and [the ball] left my hands. I'm gonna be better at home.
"The last two years we've played the number one and number two seeds. Everybody knows the defenses are keyed towards me, and it's up to me to make the right decisions."
Young shot just 9-of-22 from the field and had nearly as many turnovers (five) as assists (six), as his disappointing run of postseason performances continued.
"I know Trae," Celtics head coach Quin Snyder said. "He'll be the first one watching the tape on the plane, trying to figure out ways where he can play better.
"I think we have a lot of guys that are gonna do that, and certainly I'm gonna do it, too."
Darius Garland says showing a more "aggressive" side to his game was the key to his inspirational display in the Cleveland Cavaliers' Game 2 victory against the New York Knicks.
After making a limited impact in Saturday's Game 1 loss, Garland was far more involved in Tuesday's contest at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
The 2022 NBA All-Star posted a game-high 32 points on eight-of-17 shooting, draining six-of-10 from long range, and he also chipped in seven assists in a masterful offensive showing.
Asked about the key to his improved performance in his side's 107-90 triumph to level the series, Garland said: "Everybody in the building told me to go be aggressive.
"They said to shoot the ball. So I watched the film from the first game and seeing some opportunities where I can and be aggressive, and that's what I just tried to do today.
"They showed a couple clips where I had open shots and I didn't shoot them. So it's really the entire organisation telling me to shoot the ball; it's not just one person."
Garland averaged 21.6 points during the regular season, with that tally bettered only by Donovan Mitchell (28.3) among Cavs players.
Mitchell, who added 17 and a career playoff-high 13 assists, praised the showing of young point guard Garland.
"That's the All-Star we all know, and it was great to see," Mitchell said. "I told him at the end of the day, that's what we're going to need, continue to be aggressive."
Garland became the third player in the Cavs' franchise history, after LeBron James and Kyrie Irving, to score 26 points or more in a half.
While the 23-year-old was widely praised for his performance, Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff was equally as impressed by what he saw from Mitchell.
"What he did tonight is make sure that everybody had belief, that everybody played to their strength," Bickerstaff said.
"When they had it going, he could've very easily decided it was time for him to take shots, but he didn't; he made sure those guys kept going so they could keep that confidence.
"We have to continue to hammer this home. We got our a** kicked on the boards the other night, and tonight those guys took it personal and made a huge change."
Cleveland now travel to Madison Square Garden for Games 3 and 4, which take place on Friday and Sunday respectively.
Kevin Durant said Devin Booker "can do everything at an elite level" after scoring 38 points on 64 per cent shooting in the Phoenix Suns' first round playoffs Game 2 win over the Los Angeles Clippers.
Booker was in scintillating form, making 14-of-22 from the field including four-of-seven from the beyond the arc, with nine assists as the Suns triumphed 123-109 to level the series after two games at Footprint Center in Arizona.
Durant contributed 25 points on 10-of-19 shooting with five assists, but was quick to praise his team-mate.
"He's an all-around player," Durant told reporters about Booker. "He can do everything at an elite level on a basketball court."
Booker's display came after a minor dip in offensive output late in the regular season where he averaged 24 points in their final six games, failing to have any 30-point games during that stretch.
Suns head coach Monty Williams insisted he was never worried about Booker's form and added to the praise.
"Book scores in a number of ways and when he's going like that, I think the team feeds off his high level play," Williams told reporters.
Booker scored or assisted 28 of the Suns' 33 third-quarter points as they pulled clear after scores were locked 59-59 at half-time.
"I was planning on taking him out the first two minutes of the fourth, then he got going, and then I said 'one more play', then 'one more play' and he kept hitting shots, so I just let him go," Williams said.
"When he's attacking like that, knocking down big shots from outside it just keeps everybody off balance."
Game 2 was Phoenix's ninth win from 10 games with Durant in the side, having been traded in from the Brooklyn Nets in February.
Williams added: "I thought the spacing was a lot better. Just having the balance of [Booker] and Kevin being able to get to their spots with a live ball helps. I thought Chris [Paul] did a really good job of putting the ball in Book's hands and saying 'you go'."
Tampa Bay Lightning coach Jon Cooper made it clear this is not his side's first rodeo after an overpowering 7-3 road win against the Toronto Maple Leafs to open their first-round series on Tuesday.
The Lightning are coming off three consecutive Stanley Cup Finals appearances – including championships in 2020 and 2021 – and are trying to become the first team to reach four in a row since the New York Islanders' five from the 1979-80 season through 1983-84.
Against the Maple Leafs, Tampa Bay opening the scoring 78 seconds into the action through Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, before Anthony Cirelli and Nikita Kucherov added first-period goals to reach the intermission at 3-0.
Toronto clawed it back to 3-2 thanks to goals from Ryan O'Really and William Nylander, but that would be as close as they would get as the Lightning struck quickly with three goals of their own before the end of the second period to put the game away.
Brayden Point scored twice, Kucherov and Corey Perry collected a goal and two assists each, while Cirelli and Ross Colton also both scored and assisted in a stat-stuffing night for the Lightning.
Cooper said he knew his squad would be energised by the playoff atmosphere, even in a road environment.
"We've been there before," he said. "We've been down this road.
"To be honest, you embrace these moments, and the atmosphere at the beginning of the game, the anthems and the crowd going nuts, it's a wonderful experience. It's not something you should shy away from, and we talked to the guys about that.
"I will never question the guys in that [locker] room, and as the coach, you always want the best, but deep down inside you know there’s a whole bunch of gamers in that room… we knew they would come out to play."
Goal scorer Colton said he was hoping the Lightning would be able to "flick the switch" now that the important games have arrived.
"I think we were excited for it," he said. "I think for a while there we weren't playing the way that we wanted to play.
"We kept saying that we were going to flick the switch, and at some point we had to stop talking about it and start doing it.
"So the playoffs, against the Leafs, in this building – it was obviously electric."
Perry agreed, adding: "We had a tough March, a tough end of the season, but it's about the playoffs, and that's what we were doing. We're trying to get our game into shape to come in here and play."
Game 2 will remain in Toronto, before the series heads to Tampa Bay for Games 3 and 4.
Clayton Kershaw brought up his 200th career win with a shutout as the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the New York Mets 5-0 on Tuesday.
The Dodgers left-hander moved to 22nd on the all-time major league strikeout list with nine K's across seven scoreless innings, allowing only three hits and no walks.
Kershaw joined Don Sutton and Don Drysdale as the only pitchers with 200 wins in a Dodgers uniform, while he becomes one of four active players to reach the mark, alongside Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer and Zack Greinke.
J.D. Martinez blasted home runs in the first and third innings, before adding an eighth-inning RBI single to finish with four RBIs.
Freddie Freeman went one-for-four, with one run and one RBI from a sacrifice fly.
The win was the Dodgers' first shutout of the season, led by Kershaw who produced a vintage performance to bring up his milestone.
The three-time Cy Young ward winner's career record improved to 200-88 in 405 games.
Ohtani laser sets up Angels win over Yankees
Shohei Ohtani blasted a two-run laser beam homer in the first inning as the Los Angeles Angels downed the New York Yankees 5-2 on the 100th anniversary of Yankee Stadium.
Ohtani's early blast sparked the Angels' triumph in a star-studded encounter featuring three AL MVPs where Aaron Judge went none-for-three, struck out twice while he drove in one with a fourth-inning sacrifice fly.
Mike Trout went two-for-four scoring in the fourth inning from Anthony Rendon's single. Rendon also drove in Ohtani in the fifth with a sacrifice fly, opening up the decisive 5-2 lead.
Verdugo delivers bizarre walk-off hit
Alex Verdugo produced a bizarre walk-off hit as the Boston Red Sox edged the Minnesota Twins 5-4 in a dramatic 10th inning thriller.
Verdugo's fly ball to right field barely stayed fair, catching outfielder Max Kepler unaware as it bounced off the wall just short of Pesky's Pole and back into play. The umpires reviewed the drive for several minutes, deeming it fair to clinch the walk-off win.
Red Sox starter Chris Sale had 11 strikeouts across six innings, while Verdugo went three-for-five with one run and the decisive RBI for Reese McGuire to score after the Twins had gone 4-2 up at the top of the 10th.
The Cleveland Cavaliers played some role reversal with their star backcourt on Tuesday as Darius Garland led the scoring charge to defeat the New York Knicks 107-90.
The Game 2 victory tied the series at 1-1 after the Knicks took the opener on the road, but following his 38-point performance in Game 1, Cavaliers All-Star Donovan Mitchell assumed point guard responsibilities.
Mitchell dished a career-high 13 assists to go with 17 points as he went six-of-11 from the field, setting up Garland to shoulder the scoring workload.
After 17 points in Game 1, Garland posted a game-high 32 on eight-of-17 shooting, draining six-of-10 from long range, and he also chipped in seven assists in a masterful offensive showing.
Evan Mobley, who was third in Defensive Player of the Year voting, blocked two shots and snatched two steals to go with his 13 points and 13 rebounds, while his interior partner Jarrett Allen racked up three steals and three blocks as they controlled the paint throughout.
For the Knicks, who found themselves down 59-39 at half-time and could not claw their way out, Jalen Brunson shot a disappointing five-of-17 from the field for his 20 points, although he added six assists and four steals.
Julius Randle was not much better, finishing with 22 points on eight-of-20 shooting with eight rebounds and six turnovers, and the Knicks shot seven-of-29 (24.1 per cent) from three-point range.
After splitting the first two games, the Knicks will head to Madison Square Garden for Games 3 and 4 with home court advantage now in their favour.
Boston's White knight delivers
Complimentary guard Derrick White gave the Boston Celtics a match-winning cameo in their 119-106 Game 2 victory over the Atlanta Hawks.
White, who was one of only 10 players this season to play all 82 games in the regular season, put together a terrific game with 26 points (11-of-16 shooting), seven rebounds, three blocks and a steal after starting and playing 34 minutes.
His hot-shooting night saw him usurp Jaylen Brown for the evening in shot attempts as the Celtics' second All-Star chipped in 18 points (seven-of-14), three steals and two blocks, while First Team All-NBA candidate Jayson Tatum led the way with 29 points (12-of-22), 10 rebounds and six assists.
Dejounte Murray was strong for the Hawks with 29 points (11-of-24), six rebounds, six assists and four steals, finishing with a dead-even plus/minus in his 40 minutes, but Trae Young was minus 15 and Atlanta were torched when he was left on the floor without Murray.
While the Celtics will take a 2-0 lead to Atlanta for Games 3 and 4, the Hawks can put all the pressure back on Boston by holding serve at home.
Booker shines for the Suns
Devin Booker stepped up and helped his Phoenix Suns tie their series at 1-1 with a 123-109 triumph over the visiting Los Angeles Clippers.
Booker put up a game-high 38 points on 14-of-22 shooting, playing 45 out of a possible 48 minutes while also leading the Suns with nine assists.
Kevin Durant was excellent in support with 25 points (10-of-19), six rebounds, five assists, two blocks and a steal, while Deandre Ayton added 14 points with 13 rebounds and Chris Paul chipped in eight assists to go with his 16 points.
It was another ubiquitous performance from two-time NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard as he embarks on his quest to join LeBron James as the only Finals MVP-winner with three different teams.
He had a team-high 31 points (11-of-20), a team-high seven assists and a team-high three steals, while Russell Westbrook posted 28 points (nine-of-16), five rebounds and five assists, but they did not have enough help.
The series will head to Los Angeles for Games 3 and 4.
The NBA league office issued Golden State Warriors defensive anchor Draymond Green with a one-game suspension for his stomp on Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis.
The incident occurred in Game 2 of their first-round series, when Sabonis appeared to grab at Green's leg after falling to the ground.
Green responded by lashing out with a stomp onto Sabonis' ribs, and while Sabonis was issued a technical for his part, Green was ejected with a flagrant two.
The Athletic had reported earlier on Tuesday that sources indicated it would be unlikely Green would be suspended for Game 3, but that turned out to be false.
The NBA's statement read: "Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green has been suspended one game without pay for stepping on the chest of Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis, it was announced today by Joe Dumars, executive vice president, head of basketball operations.
"The suspension was based in part on Green's history of unsportsmanlike acts.
"Green's actions were in response to Sabonis grabbing and holding Green's right ankle after falling to the floor. Green received a Flagrant Foul Two and was ejected, and Sabonis was assessed a technical foul."
Already facing a 2-0 series deficit, the Warriors will now have to claw their way back without their future Hall of Fame defensive specialist.
The Cincinnati Reds made a long-term commitment to second-year pitcher Hunter Greene on Tuesday, as the sides agreed to a six-year, $53million contract extension.
The contract begins this season and buys out two years of Greene’s free agency. The deal includes a $21m club option for a seventh season, with a $2m buyout.
The 23-year-old Greene is the hardest-throwing starter in baseball, featuring a fastball that sits around 99 mph and has topped out at 102 this season. He also throws a slider that may be his most effective pitch.
Greene struggled at times during his 2022 rookie season but also showed flashes of his potential.
He went 5-13 with a 4.44 ERA in 24 starts, striking out 164 in 125 2/3 innings with 48 walks. Greene became the only major league rookie since 1900 to have at least three appearances in which he threw six or more innings and had eight or more strikeouts.
The 6-foot-5, 240-pound right-hander has no decisions in four starts this season, compiling a 4.24 ERA with 24 strikeouts in 17 innings.
"The commitment we made to Hunter reflects his commitment to this organization and to our community," Reds CEO Bob Castellini said in a statement. "He is part of the foundation of young players who will continue to help us build a successful major league team."
Cincinnati is banking on Greene and 25-year-old pitchers Nick Lodolo and Graham Ashcraft to form the core of the team’s rotation for years to come.
Greene’s signing represents a change in philosophy for the Reds, who have one of baseball’s lowest payrolls. More than half of Cinncinnati’s $83m payroll is going to longtime star Joey Votto, who is currently on the injured list, and Mike Moustakas, who was released in January and now plays for the Colorado Rockies.
The Reds lost 100 games last season and haven’t won a playoff series since 1995.
Sacramento Kings All-Star De'Aaron Fox was named the first ever winner of the new Clutch Player of the Year award on Tuesday.
Fox, 25, enjoyed a breakout season as he led the Kings to their first playoff appearance since 2006, snapping what was the longest active postseason drought in any of the United States' top four professional sports.
The former fifth overall pick from the 2017 NBA Draft shot a career-best 51.2 per cent from the field while also making a career-high 1.6 three-pointers per game, averaging 25.0 points, 6.1 assists and 4.2 rebounds in the process.
But while he was excellent all year, Fox went up a level late in close games, leading the NBA with 192 'clutch' points – which means points scored in the last five minutes in a game where the margin is within five points.
In clutch situations, Fox led the league in usage rate, accounting for 42.8 per cent of the Kings' offensive possessions, all while putting up a strong true-shooting percentage of 61.4 per cent.
That 61.4 per cent figure is the eighth-best among all players with a clutch usage rate above 25 per cent, and when his clutch scoring rate is extrapolated out to a per-36 minutes number, his mark of 43.7 points per-36 is nearly five points ahead of second-placed Bradley Beal (38.9).
Fox earned 91 out of 100 possible first-place votes, and 460 out of a possible 500 total points to cruise to the award, which he was seen as the massive favourite to win.
He was followed in the voting by Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler (one first-place vote, 104 total points) and Chicago Bulls wing DeMar DeRozan (80 total points).
Fox is the second recipient of the NBA's annual regular season awards, after Memphis Grizzlies big man Jaren Jackson Jr was named Defensive Player of the Year on Monday.
Memphis Grizzlies All-Star guard Ja Morant will be a game-time decision for Game 2 of their first round playoff series against the Los Angeles Lakers due to the hand injury he suffered in Game 1.
Morant exited Sunday's 128-112 loss at FedExForum in the fourth quarter after trying to break his fall on a drive with his right hand, with his wrist bending unnaturally. He said afterwards he was "in jeopardy" for Game 2 to be played on Wednesday.
An MRI on Monday revealed a re-aggravation of soft tissue in Morant's hand, having previously picked up an issue against the Milwaukee Bucks on April 7.
"He's dealing with some pain and some soreness," Memphis head coach Taylor Jenkins told reporters on Tuesday. "Symptoms are slightly improving from the other night.
"He's going to be a game-time decision. He's going to come in, get working in the morning, test it out and see how he's feeling."
Morant joined in Grizzlies' practice on Tuesday albeit on a restricted basis with shooting and dribbling on his right hand, although notably he did not wear any wrap for protection.
"He's progressing," Jenkins said. "He's dribbling and shooting as much as he can. As I said, he's got some pain he's dealing with, so it's kind of a tolerance thing.
"He's got some stiffness in his hand that he's kind of slowly getting through. We'll see how he wakes up."
The Grizzlies have officially listed Morant as questionable for Game 2. Morant averaged 26.2 points and 8.1 assists per game during the regular season.
Giannis Antetokounmpo failed to practice on Tuesday and was listed as doubtful for Game 2 of the Milwaukee Bucks' first round playoffs series against the Miami Heat.
MVP candidate Antetokounmpo suffered a lower back contusion in Sunday's 130-117 Game 1 defeat after falling on the floor awkwardly as Miami's Kevin Love slid in front of him to take a charge in the first quarter.
Antetokounmpo initially tried to play on but was ruled out at half-time, however a subsequent X-ray and MRI scan came back clean.
Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer said on Monday he was "mostly optimistic" about Antetokounmpo's availability with Milwaukee desperate to square the ledger on their home court.
"There's an optimism," Budenholzer told reporters on Tuesday. "Time is a little bit on our side, but that equation will flip. But yeah, I would say we're optimistic."
It had been anticipated the two-time MVP would require a period of rest in the lead-up to Wednesday's game at Fiserv Forum. Antetokounmpo may still get some practice in given Game 2 is a 9pm local time tipoff.
The Greek forward averaged 31.1 points and 11.8 rebounds per game during the regular season, sitting in the NBA's top five for both categories.
Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro is set for surgery on his broken hand on Friday, which will keep him out of action for between four and six weeks.
Herro, the reigning Sixth Man of the Year winner, has averaged 20.1 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game this season in his first campaign as a full-time starter.
He suited up for a career-high 67 regular season games, but suffered a broken hand during the first half of Game 1 in Miami's first round playoff series against the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Heat went on to win Game 1 without Herro, as Milwaukee's two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo also left in the first half following a hard fall onto his back, but while Antetokounmpo could return in Game 2, Herro is set for a lengthy stint on the sidelines.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Herro said he likely will not play again this postseason unless the Heat reach the NBA Finals.
"That's the hope," he said. "Get to the Finals and I can get back for that.
"I watched the video, and I still don't know, like, where I hit my hand. I still don't know.
"I probably shouldn't have dove on it, but I was trying to create some energy. We were on the road, in my hometown. Just trying to play hard.
"Being in the playoffs, you work so hard all year to be in this moment. I feel like I had some things to prove this postseason. It was a tough moment – I still can't believe it."
Game 2 will be played in Milwaukee on Wednesday, before the series heads to Miami for Games 3 and 4.
Paula Badosa believes she can break back into the world's top three after cruising past Daria Kasatkina at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, where Emma Raducanu crashed out on Tuesday.
Seventh seed Kasatkina had no answers in Stuttgart as she fell to a 6-1 6-1 defeat against Badosa, who recorded the ninth top-10 victory of her career and first in exactly 12 months.
Badosa has won 29 clay-court matches in the last three seasons – only Ons Jabeur (35) and Iga Swiatek (30) have won more – but the Spaniard had to enter this tournament as a wildcard.
The 25-year-old was as high as second in the world last year but has fallen to 31st, and she outlined her goal to reach the top once more after her first-round win set up an all-Spanish meeting with Cristina Bucsa.
When asked about her ambitions to return to the world's top three, Badosa said: "That's what I'm working on every day. That's one of my goals – I want to be back on the top.
"I like to play big matches, I like to be in the last rounds of the tournaments. I still know I have that level. I still know I was that player. I still believe in myself, and I hope I'm back there very soon."
Jelena Ostapenko eased into the second round with similar dominance after downing Raducanu 6-2 6-1 in just 58 minutes, teeing up a meeting with world number four Ons Jabeur on Wednesday.
Latvian Ostapenko powered 19 forehand winners and went unbroken, acknowledging in her on-court interview that familiar aggression was key to her success in the battle of two one-time grand slam winners.
"I knew against her the main thing was to step in the court," said former French Open winner Ostapenko. "I missed some balls, but I tried to be aggressive all the time when it was possible.
"Just try to take the ball early, don't give her many chances. And finally, I'm back on clay, my favourite surface."
Barbora Krejcikova was another straight-sets winner, scoring a 6-2 6-0 triumph over Liudmila Samsonova, with the reward for the 2021 Roland Garros champion being a tricky clash against second seed and Australian Open winner Aryna Sabalenka.
There was no such ease for Anastasia Potapova in a battling 6-3 3-6 7-6 (7-4) victory over Petra Martic, the Russian's ninth third-set win in 2023 – no WTA Tour player has managed more.
Tatjana Maria overcame Ylena In-Albon 6-2 4-6 7-6 (7-4) in another enticing clash, while Beatriz Haddad Maia advanced after Martina Trevisan was forced to retire when trailing 7-5 1-1 due to a right thigh injury.
Roger Schmidt called on Benfica to "prove we belong here" as he targets a comeback in the Champions League quarter-finals.
Benfica face Inter at San Siro on Wednesday, trailing 2-0 from the first leg in Lisbon last week.
The Portuguese giants have already won away to Italian opposition in the Champions League this season, beating Juventus 2-1 during the group stage, though they were winless in six such games prior to that match (D1 L5).
Schmidt's team are also unbeaten in seven Champions League away matches; they have won their last two games on the road and will need to win three in a row for the first time since March 1990 if they are to progress to the final four.
Benfica have been one of the standout performers in this season's tournament, and Schmidt wants his side to prove their credentials.
"We need to score, which we've proved that we can do in important Champions League matches," he said at a press conference on Tuesday.
"We had our chances last week too but didn't make the most of them.
"We need motivation, sharp minds and leave all emotions off the pitch. It is time to prove we belong here, otherwise we'll be out of the Champions League.
"I've seen my team play at their best and there were big margins of improvement from the performance I saw last week.
"I believe in my team and anything is possible in football, even if we are not starting from 50-50 odds. It's not easy, but it is not impossible either."
Benfica's defeat last week was wedged between domestic losses to Porto and Chaves.
Schmidt added: "It is very strange to have lost three games in a row in all competitions, and unexpected.
"The players did fantastic things all season. Even if Inter won 2-0, the statistics show it was a fairly balanced match and we had our chances too.
"It's impossible to be too downbeat after a season like this."
Allen Robinson is on the move again, reportedly being traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers from the Los Angeles Rams.
The 29-year-old wide receiver is travelling to Pittsburgh on Tuesday for a physical, according to reports, and the trade will be completed if he passes.
There is no word on what the Rams are getting in return.
Robinson requested a trade out of Los Angeles last month and a move to Pittsburgh would mark a third team in as many seasons for the former Pro Bowler.
Robinson signed a three-year, $46.5million contract with the Rams in March 2022, but he added little to the offense, finishing with 33 catches for 339 yards and three touchdowns in 10 games last season as Los Angeles endured a dismal defence of their Super Bowl title.
He spent the previous four years with the Chicago Bears after playing his first four professional seasons for the Jacksonville Jaguars, who selected him in the second round of the 2014 draft.
A nine-year veteran, Robinson has three 1,000-yard receiving seasons – most recently with the Bears in 2020, when he had a career-high 102 receptions for 1,250 yards and six touchdowns.
In the two seasons since then, however, he’s caught just 71 passes for 749 yards and four TDs in 22 games.
His most receiving yards came during his Pro Bowl season of 2015, when his 1,400 receiving yards ranked sixth in the league.
Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz cruised into the third round of the Barcelona Open with a 6-3 6-1 straight sets rout of Nuno Borges.
The world number two thrilled his home crowd with a ruthless performance against his Portuguese opponent to reach the last 16, converting five break points along the way.
Alcaraz will be joined in the next round by third seed Casper Ruud, after the Norweigian overcame American Ben Shelton in a 6-2 7-6 (7-1) victory.
Roberto Bautista Agut will not join them, however, after he suffered a 6-2 6-2 loss to Bernabe Zapata Miralles.
At the BMW Open, Dominic Thiem set up a second-round clash with Marc-Andrea Husler after receiving a walkover against Constant Lestienne.
The 2020 US Open winner had been leading 6-3 when the match was abandoned at 0-0 in the second set, as fifth seed Sebastian Baez slipped to a 6-3 7-5 loss against home favourite Oscar Otte in Munich.
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