Victoria Azarenka was not concerned by being shunned by Marta Kostyuk at the US Open, adding that she has tried to contact the Ukrainian throughout the year.
Kostyuk elected not to shake hands with Azarenka following a second-round defeat at Flushing Meadows, instead merely tapping rackets.
That came after Kostyuk criticised the Belarusian for participating in a charity match for Ukraine, before the United States Tennis Association announced she would no longer be involved.
Belarus maintains close ties with Russia and has been under sanction from western nations for supporting Vladimir Putin after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in March.
Both situations led to a frosty atmosphere following the conclusion of the tie, which Azarenka won 6-2 6-3.
"Well, I wasn't surprised. I don't believe that making a big deal out of it is important. I always shake hands with my opponents. I had the same situation with [Dayana] Yastremska in Washington. It is what it is. I just move on. I cannot force anybody to shake my hand. It's their decision," Azarenka said in a press conference.
Asked if she had spoken to Kostyuk, Azarenka added: "I've offered many times through WTA, because I believe that there is a sort of sensitivity. I've been told that that's not a good time.
"I don't have, or I never had a close relationship with Marta. I obviously knew who she is, but I've never practiced with her. I've never really had conversation with her.
"So in March when everything happened, I reached out to all the players that I personally know and I still have a good relationship with and, you know, I don't feel that forcing myself to speak to somebody who maybe doesn't want to speak to me for different reasons is the right approach. But I offered."
Kostyuk was asked about the decision not to shake hands and explained her reasons, saying she believed it was not "the right thing" in the current climate.
"I just don't think it's the right thing to do in the circumstances I'm in right now," she said.
"We had a great match, don't get me wrong. She's a great competitor, I respect her as an athlete but that has nothing to do with her being a human being."
Victoria Azarenka has played down the significance of being shunned by Marta Kostyuk at the US Open, adding that she has tried to contact the Ukrainian throughout the year.
Kostyuk elected not to shake hands with Azarenka following a second-round defeat at Flushing Meadows, instead merely tapping rackets.
That came after Kostyuk criticised the Belarusian for participating in a charity match for Ukraine, before the United States Tennis Association announced she would no longer be involved.
Belarus maintains close ties with Russia and has been under sanction from western nations for supporting Vladimir Putin after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in March.
Both situations led to a frosty atmosphere following the conclusion of the tie, which Azarenka won 6-2 6-3.
"Well, I wasn't surprised. I don't believe that making a big deal out of it is important. I always shake hands with my opponents. I had the same situation with [Dayana] Yastremska in Washington. It is what it is. I just move on. I cannot force anybody to shake my hand. It's their decision," Azarenka said in a press conference.
Asked if she had spoken to Kostyuk, Azarenka added: "I've offered many times through WTA, because I believe that there is a sort of sensitivity. I've been told that that's not a good time.
"I don't have, or I never had a close relationship with Marta. I obviously knew who she is, but I've never practiced with her. I've never really had conversation with her.
"So in March when everything happened, I reached out to all the players that I personally know and I still have a good relationship with and, you know, I don't feel that forcing myself to speak to somebody who maybe doesn't want to speak to me for different reasons is the right approach. But I offered."
Kostyuk was asked about the decision not to shake hands and explained her reasons, saying she believed it was not "the right thing" in the current climate.
"I just don't think it's the right thing to do in the circumstances I'm in right now," she said.
"We had a great match, don't get me wrong. She's a great competitor, I respect her as an athlete but that has nothing to do with her being a human being."
New Orleans Saints starting safety Marcus Maye was arrested for aggravated assault with a firearm on Thursday.
The Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office in Louisiana said Maye was arrested on a warrant that was obtained after he was identified as the driver of a black SUV that was involved in a road rage incident on Monday. Maye is accused of pointing a firearm at another vehicle that was occupied by several juvenile females.
He was released after posting a $30,000 bond.
"Marcus vehemently denies the allegation from a motor vehicle incident, and looks forward to defending himself when all the facts come out," Maye’s attorney, Eric Hessler, said.
Maye signed a three-year, $28.5million contact with New Orleans in March after spending his first five NFL seasons with the New York Jets.
The 2017 second-round pick has started all 60 of his career games and totaled 308 tackles (216 solo) with six interceptions, 3.5 sacks, 24 passes defensed and four forced fumbles.
The Saints open their season on September 11 with a visit to the Atlanta Falcons.
Iga Swiatek is through to the third round of the US Open after securing a routine victory against Sloane Stephens at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Stephens, who won the 2017 US Open, struggled to keep up with Swiatek as the latter showed her quality on Thursday to win 6-3 6-2.
The number one seed set the tone early by breaking her 29-year-old opponent, and though Stephens responded by breaking straight back, she lost her own service again immediately after.
Swiatek almost broke for a third-straight time but Stephens was able to rescue herself from 15-40 down in the fifth game of the match, though it just delayed the inevitable as the Pole sealed the first set after her opponent hit a backhand effort down the line too long.
There was little sign of a momentum shift as Swiatek broke twice more and raced to a 4-0 lead in the second set.
Though Stephens was taking several games to deuce, Swiatek showed her class to edge over the line in most of them and although the American made the score more respectable with two service holds, it was not enough.
Swiatek confirmed a routine victory with a service hold to love, and will now face another American, Laura Davis, in the next round.
Data Slam: Swiatek's impressive 2022 numbers grow and grow
Swiatek has now won 52 matches in 2022. The last players with more WTA-level wins in a single campaign were Ash Barty (57) and Kiki Bertens (55) in 2019.
The way she is playing at Flushing Meadows, it would not be a surprise to see her overtake Bertens before the end of the tournament.
WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS
Swiatek – 14/17
Stephens – 7/18
ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS
Swiatek – 1/2
Stephens – 1/3
BREAK POINTS WON
Swiatek – 4/12
Stephens – 1/2
Remco Evenepoel said his bike bore the brunt of the crash that gave the Vuelta a Espana leader a scare, as Richard Carapaz scored an eye-catching stage 12 victory.
The 192.7-kilometre ride from Salobrena to Estepona took the riders through the province of Malaga, and with just over 45km remaining there was a jolt for general classification front-runner Evenepoel when the Belgian took a chance on a corner.
Looking to take an inside line, Evenepoel's calculation failed to pay off as his wheels slipped, leaving him grounded and shaken momentarily, with his right leg having scraped on the road.
He was soon back in the race and finished strongly, preserving his lead of two minutes and 41 seconds over three-time reigning champion Primoz Roglic in the GC standings.
Asked about any after-effects, Evenepoel said on Eurosport: "Just my leg, but it's fine I think. My bike is much worse than myself.
"It was a super slippery corner. The motorbikes were slipping as well, and slowing down, so that's why I actually wanted to cut the corner, but it was a bit too much.
"Sorry for my words, but s*** happens. Now I'm just going to heal the wounds and try to recover for tomorrow as it will be a sprint stage."
It was largely flat on Thursday, until the steep ascent of Penas Blancas in the closing kilometres proved an arduous test of the riders' legs.
Carapaz, part of a breakaway that splintered as the race and the climb progressed, made his move with 2km remaining and surged clear to finish nine seconds ahead of Wilco Kelderman, with Marc Soler in third. Jay Vine, expected to make a push for the win, could only finish seventh.
Carapaz makes his presence felt
Three years on from winning the Giro d'Italia, this was Carapaz's first stage win of his Vuelta career. He has been the man in the red jersey before, eventually ceding it to finish runner-up to Roglic in 2020, but has not shown that level of consistent performance this year.
His dart to victory up the mountain was mightily impressive, though, serving as a reminder of the 29-year-old's great talent.
STAGE RESULT
1. Richard Carapaz (Ineos Grenadiers) 4:38:26
2. Wilco Kelderman (BORA-Hansgrohe), +0:09
3. Marc Soler (UAE Team Emirates), +0:24
4. Jan Polanc (UAE Team Emirates), +0:26
5. Marco Brenner (Team DSM), +0:34
CLASSIFICATION STANDINGS
General Classification
1. Remco Evenepoel (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl) 44:25:09
2. Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) +2:41
3. Enric Mas (Movistar) +3:03
Points Classification
1. Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo) 184
2. Marc Soler (UAE Team Emirates) 96
3. Samuele Battistella (Astana) 87
King of the Mountains
1. Jay Vine (Alpecin-Deceuninck) 40
2. Robert Stannard (Alpecin-Deceuninck) 21
3. Marc Soler (UAE Team Emirates) 20
Fernando Alonso said he is sorry for calling Lewis Hamilton an "idiot" on his team radio after their crash at Spa on Sunday, and will apologise the next time they meet.
Hamilton was sent airborne when he hit former McLaren team-mate Alonso during the Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday, suffering damage that ended his own race.
It initially sparked a furious reaction from Alonso, who was heard to exclaim: "What an idiot! We had a mega start, but this guy only knows how to drive and start in first."
Hamilton took full responsibility after the race for the crash, but it brought back memories of his intense rivalry with Alonso when racing alongside one another at McLaren, and the 37-year-old Briton revealed he was irritated by the Spaniard's reaction.
Asked whether he would be speaking to Alonso after hearing of his radio message, Hamilton said: "No. I would have, until I heard what he said.
"I know that's how things feel in the heat of the moment, but it's nice to know how he feels about me."
However, after several days to reflect, Alonso told the official Formula One website he intended to clear the air with Hamilton when they meet ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix, though the Alpine driver also suggested his comments were only scrutinised because of the British media.
"I will hopefully see him today," Alonso said on Thursday. "When we are doing the TV pen I will approach him and say sorry if he understood in that way. I have absolutely no problems with him and I have huge respect for him.
"First of all, it's Lewis – he's a champion, he's a legend of our time. And then when you say something – and I'm sorry to repeat this – against a British driver, there is a huge media involvement after that.
"They've been saying a lot of things to Checo [Sergio Perez], to Carlos [Sainz], to me. If you say something to a Latin driver, everything is a little bit more fun. When you say something to others, it's a little bit more serious.
"But anyway, yes I apologise. I'm not thinking what I said – I don't think that it was much to blame in that moment looking at the replays to be honest, because it was a first-lap incident and we are close together.
"The heat of the moment, the adrenaline of the moment, fighting finally for the top two, top three, made me say those comments that I should not say.
"At the same time, I said after the race that it was a racing incident in my opinion. When you say something on the radio, in that moment you think you are talking to your engineer, so you are preparing the strategy.
"Obviously you should be aware that it should be broadcasted, but it's like if someone makes a hard tackle or something in football. In that moment you say something to your team-mate or whatever, and in that moment it's not broadcasted.
"Before the race or after the race, I said what I was thinking. On the radio, I said something that I was not… I don't think that way."
Ian Foster has backed his New Zealand team to banish their home blues in Saturday's Rugby Championship tussle with Argentina at Waikato Stadium.
The All Blacks have lost their last three Tests at home for the first time in their history, with two defeats to Ireland followed by last week's shock 25-18 loss to Argentina in Christchurch.
They had only lost three times across their prior 73 games on home soil (W67, D3, L3), so this is a crisis and head coach Foster must find a solution.
He has picked an unchanged XV, saying his team have trained well this week and trusting them to deliver a display "everyone can be proud of".
"But we've been pretty ruthless and hard on ourselves behind the scenes," Foster said. "We are hurting with where the team's at."
His belief is that the players who suffered so badly last week should play again, with the purpose of them regaining confidence. That could always backfire.
While New Zealand and Argentina go head to head in Hamilton, Australia and South Africa clash at Sydney's new Allianz Stadium.
Here, Stats Perform previews the weekend clashes in round four of the championship using Opta data.
NEW ZEALAND v ARGENTINA
FORM
Foster would surely struggle to ride out the criticism if his team are beaten again by the Pumas, who will be aiming for back-to-back wins in men's Tests against New Zealand for the first time.
New Zealand have lost four of their six Tests in 2022 (W2) and only twice in their history have they lost more in a calendar year (L6 – 1949 and L5 – 1998).
The All Blacks have gained more metres (1,321) and made more offloads (27) than any other team in the Rugby Championship this year, but they have not made the most of those statistical wins.
Argentina are seeking a third consecutive win in the tournament, having never achieved such a run before, and they have the best success rate on lineout throws of any team (90 per cent – 37/41); however, no team have stolen more opposition lineouts in the competition this year than New Zealand (6).
ONES TO WATCH
New Zealand number eight Ardie Savea has made more carries (36) and offloads (6) than any other player in the tournament, while his 24 tackles ranks second among All Blacks (Sam Cane – 30).
Argentina are the kings of the tackle, making 145 tackles per game so far – the most by any team. Marcos Kremer (42), Tomas Lavanini (39), Julian Montoya (38) and Pablo Matera (33) have made more tackles than any other players across all the four competing teams.
AUSTRALIA v SOUTH AFRICA
FORM
The 25-18 win last week in Adelaide means Australia have won each of their last three men's Tests against South Africa after winning just one in six previously (D2, L3). The last time the Wallabies enjoyed a longer winning run against the Springboks was a five-match span from September 2010 to September 2012.
They remain without captain Michael Hooper, who has taken time out to deal with personal matters, but have two wins from three games so far in this competition. They had won just one of five games prior to the Rugby Championship getting under way.
Results in Sydney have not been kind to Australia of late, with just one win coming in their last 10 such games (D1, L8), but they have won their last seven matches on the bounce against South Africa in the city.
World champions South Africa have lost their last two Tests, as many as in their eight games prior (W6, L2). Curiously, the Springboks have led at half-time on the day just twice across that 10-game span.
South Africa have the best scrum success rate (19/22) and have won more scrum penalties (7) than any other team in the championship.
ONES TO WATCH
South Africa will be without key centre Lukhanyo Am who has made more line breaks – six – than any other player in this year's Rugby Championship. Jesse Kriel is set to take over from Am in midfield.
In wing Makazole Mapimpi, the Boks at least have the player next on that list with five line breaks. Eight changes to the Boks starting line-up have come about due to injuries and form, with the visitors looking to step up a level after last week's disappointment.
Australia have named an unchanged XV, and Fraser McReight's two tries in Adelaide make him a player to watch. Len Ikitau has made 11 tackle breaks in the campaign so far, the joint-most of any player in the campaign (also Rieko Ioane – 11 for New Zealand).
Russell Wilson has signed a lucrative contract extension with the Denver Broncos, tying him to the franchise for a further five seasons.
The 33-year-old moved to Denver from the Seattle Seahawks ahead of the 2022 season, with the Broncos parting with three players – two first-round picks and two second-round picks – to land the Super Bowl-winning quarterback.
Wilson penned a two-year deal with the Broncos upon his arrival but could now stay with the team into his 40s, with an extension tying him down for a total of seven seasons.
Widespread reports have confirmed the news, with the deal worth $245million and $165m guaranteed.
The move also serves as further evidence of the quarterback market skyrocketing, with Aaron Rodgers' recent extension with the Packers at $50m setting the bar.
Wilson will begin his career with the Broncos in familiar circumstances as Denver travel to face Seattle on the west coast on September 13.
During his time with Seattle, Wilson led the Seahawks to back-to-back Super Bowl appearances, winning Super Bowl XLVIII against the Broncos at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
He has also been a Pro Bowler in all but one of his 10 seasons in the NFL and should hit 300 career touchdowns with the Broncos, holding 292 ahead of the 2022 season.
Michael Hooper does not figure in Australia's plans for the rest of the Rugby Championship, coach Dave Rennie said on Thursday.
Captain Hooper pulled out of the Wallabies team for the series opener against Argentina at the start of August, citing personal reasons, and travelled home from South America.
He said he was unable "to fulfil my responsibilities at the moment in my current mindset", and Australia will not rush Hooper back.
Rennie said: "I've had plenty of contact with Hoops. I'm not going to comment on where he's at and what that looks like. We're not looking to include him in the rest of the Rugby Championship.
"We'll make decisions beyond that, but certainly not looking to rush him in. But he's certainly on the improve."
In Hooper's continuing absence, Australia's starting XV will be unchanged for Saturday's tussle with South Africa at Sydney's new Allianz Stadium, following a 25-17 win over the Springboks last weekend in Adelaide. Jake Gordon, the Waratahs captain, joins the replacements.
Australia and Argentina lead the way in the championship with two wins and one loss each. The Wallabies will wrap up their campaign with home and away games against the All Blacks.
Rennie said: "While rapt with last week's effort, we're well aware of the challenge a wounded Springbok poses and the intensity we will require again on Saturday night."
South Africa named their team on Tuesday, making eight changes, including bringing in Canan Moodie for a debut on the wing.
Wallabies team: Reece Hodge, Tom Wright, Len Ikitau, Hunter Palsami, Marika Koroibete, Noah Lolesio, Nic White; James Slipper (captain), Folau Fainga'a, Allan Alaalatoa, Rory Arnold, Matt Philip, Jed Holloway, Fraser McReight, Rob Valetini.
Replacements: David Porecki, Scott Sio, Taniela Tupou, Darcy Swain, Rob Leota, Pete Samu, Jake Gordon, Andrew Kellaway.
South Africa team: Willie le Roux, Canan Moodie, Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende, Makazole Mapimpi, Damian Willemse, Jaden Hendrikse; Steven Kitshoff, Malcolm Marx, Frans Malherbe, Eben Etzebeth, Lood de Jager, Siya Kolisi (captain), Franco Mostert, Jasper Wiese.
Replacements: Deon Fourie, Ox Nche, Trevor Nyakane, Kwagga Smith, Duane Vermeulen, Cobus Reinach, Frans Steyn, Warrick Gelant.
The NFL is all about evolution. The constant fight to gain a decisive advantage, in a league where those who can adapt fastest are kings, consistently leads to sweeping changes every offseason.
While it is the raft of head coaching changes that dominate the headlines when the regular season gives way to 'Black Monday', it is the more granular alterations to a team's approach that can often have the greatest influence on a franchise's fortunes in a given season.
Switches in scheme or a diversion away from a team's long-standing tendencies are regularly brought on by the arrival of a new coaching staff or a change in coordinator, but personnel moves also frequently dictate the approach coaches settle on as they plot a path towards success.
Schematic decisions that may not cause much of a league-wide stir can end up having a huge influence on the outcome of a season, and there are no shortage of such changes that figure to have a significant bearing on the race for the playoffs in 2022.
Here, with the help of its advanced data, Stats Perform looks at five switches in scheme or tendencies that could play a defining role in the coming campaign.
Can McDaniel transform Tua?
The Miami Dolphins' second-half surge in 2021 was tied to their reliance on the run-pass option as they tailored their offense to Tua Tagovailoa's strengths.
Not only were the Dolphins prolific in going to the RPO, they were very effective when they called them.
Miami called a RPO on 12.27 per cent of their pass attempts, the league average was 3.5 per cent. They averaged 7.25 yards per play on RPOs, comfortably above the league average of 5.85.
Given their success on those plays and Tagovailoa's comfort in executing them, RPOs will still be a part of the Miami attack in 2022.
But the usage numbers are unlikely to be as high under new head coach Mike McDaniel, who brings his take on the Kyle Shanahan offense to Miami afer serving as the San Francisco 49ers' offensive coordinator last year.
McDaniel will likely reduce the number of straight dropback pass plays for Tagovailoa. The Dolphins ran them on 34 per cent of passes last year, below the league average of 36.1 per cent but well above the 2021 49ers, who used such plays only 22.9 per cent of the time while utilising the quick game on 40.97 per cent of passes compared to 25.97 per cent for the Dolphins.
The arrival of McDaniel will likely tip the balance towards the quick game for Miami in 2022 as he looks to give Tagovailoa easy buttons in the same way Shanahan did for Jimmy Garoppolo, getting the ball into the hands of Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill to do damage after the catch.
McDaniel, who was San Francisco's run-game coordinator prior to his promotion last year, will undoubtedly lean on Raheem Mostert, Chase Edmonds and a ground attack certain to be heavily based around inside and outside zone runs to take the burden off Tagovailoa and set up play-action.
Miami used play-action on 14.57 per cent of their passes in 2021, above the average of 12.7 per cent but still trailing the 49ers (15.89 per cent). With Tagovailoa's ability to hit Hill and Waddle downfield with consistent accuracy in question, look for McDaniel to put significant stress on defenses by attracting linebackers up to the line of scrimmage with play-action and then running Hill and Waddle cross-field on horizontal routes at the intermediate levels that are well within his quarterback's range.
Under Shanahan, McDaniel has had an education into scheming his weapons into space, and he should thrive at doing so when running an offense himself for the first time. Tagovailoa's challenge will be to prove he can deliver and make the most of the advantageous situations in which his coach will put him. Fail, and the Dolphins may soon be searching for a new franchise quarterback.
More deep balls and diversity for Niners
The more things change, the more they stay the same. Shanahan has insisted nothing in his playbook has changed as he enters the season with a new starting quarterback, and the 49ers head coach will unexpectedly have the same top two signal-callers as he did last season.
It is the order that has flipped, with Jimmy Garoppolo agreeing a reworked contract for 2022 to be Trey Lance's backup. Regardless of what Shanahan says, the 49ers' approach is likely to be different with Lance under center.
Lance averaged 10.10 air yards per attempt across his 10 full quarters of action last season (he started two games and played the second half when Garoppolo was injured in Week 4), the second-most among quarterbacks with at least 50 pass attempts.
On the other end of the scale, Garoppolo's 7.38 air yards per attempt were well below the league average of 7.99. Garoppolo attempted just 26 passes of 21 or more air yards the entire season, while 11 of Lance's 70 passes were of that distance.
The scheme isn't changing, but the tendencies certainly will. Lance will be more aggressive and attack downfield more often, likely leading to explosive splash plays that are not necessarily reliant on receivers creating yardage after the catch.
Though the plays may have already been in Shanahan's playbook, there is certain to be more of an emphasis on the threat of the quarterback run with Lance at the helm.
Just 2.62 per cent of the 49ers' run plays came on the zone-read last year, below the league average of 4.2. That number should increase, as should San Francisco's usage of the RPO game, which the Niners used on only 1.09 per cent of pass plays last year but averaged 8.43 yards per play when they did.
With Lance and the running back both threats to run on such plays, defenses will have to account for three possibilites when defending RPOs against the 49ers, exemplifying how much more diverse their offense can become with the 2021 third overall pick under center.
San Francisco's attack will be even more varied and more aggressive in 2022, but it is also likely to be more volatile due to Lance's inferior precision to Garoppolo on the intermediate passes that set up the yards after catch opportunities on which the 49ers have done such damage in recent years. How that volatility impacts the win-loss column will determine whether Garoppolo gets on the field at any point in the final year of his contract.
Vikings look to the 3-4
The Vikings swapped out basically everything this offseason. New general manager, new head coach – who will also be the offensive play-caller – and new defensive coordinator.
Though head coach Kevin O'Connell's offense will be different to the one run by former offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, the systems are similar enough that Kirk Cousins and Co. are unlikely to endure too much pain in acclimating to the new scheme.
The biggest adjustments will come on the defensive side of the ball, which will be run by Ed Donatell, who spent the last three seasons coordinating Vic Fangio's defense for the Denver Broncos.
The Fangio defense has become the en vogue scheme in the NFL as acolytes such as Brandon Staley have put their spin on it and the two-high safety shells that have been a hallmark of the system have helped limit explosive plays and level the playing field a little in an offense-dominated league.
Denver played Cover 1 robber – which is where a safety from a two-high look drops down into the box to disrupt in-breaking routes in the congested area – as the defense's primary coverage in 2021. The Broncos ran Cover 1 robber 41.87 per cent of the time in a season where the league average was 14.17 per cent.
The Vikings were more varied but still used Cover 1 robber more than any other coverage, relying on it for 21.81 per cent of defensive snaps.
Whether Donatell uses that coverage to the same extent in Minnesota remains to be seen, but the transition for the Vikings' secondary may be a smooth one given how often they ultilised the same shell under Mike Zimmer.
The most significant change to the defense comes up front, with the Vikings switching from a 4-3 to a 3-4.
Though defensive fronts are much more hybrid in the modern NFL, the tenets of the 3-4 front are the same. The three-man line is tasked with holding ground and filling up gaps at the point of attack, offering more space to the four linebackers to take better pursuit angles against the run and opening a wide menu of blitz packages against the pass.
Minnesota's two starting outside linebackers are de-facto edge rushers and both players who should each theoretically thrive in that role. Za'Darius Smith has significant experience with the 3-4 from his time with the Baltimore Ravens and Green Bay Packers while the athletic profile of Danielle Hunter – whose 60.5 sacks since 2015 are tied for the seventh-most in the NFL – makes him an ideal candidate to excel as a stand-up pass rusher.
Possessing two impressive space-eating interior defenders in Harrison Phillips and Damon Harrison and an inside linebacker in Eric Kendricks who had five sacks last year, the Vikings have the personnel to continue to succeed rushing the passer despite the change in front. They were 10th in pass rush win rate in 2021, had the sixth-most pressures (291) and the second-most sacks (51).
Despite their joy in getting after the quarterback, the Vikings were 26th in yards per play allowed (5.66), with their struggles tied to a run defense that allowed 51 runs of at least 10 yards. Only 12 teams allowed more. If the switch to the 3-4 helps the Vikings grow more stout against the ground game, then a team with the talent on both sides of the ball to contend for the playoffs will be in a much better position to make noise as a potential Wild Card team.
The Raiders' overdue defensive switch
The Las Vegas Raiders will have a new offensive system after hiring Josh McDaniels as their head coach and will also have the benefit of expanded firepower following the blockbuster trade for All-Pro wide receiver Davante Adams.
Las Vegas will have the personnel and the offensive scheme to go blow for blow with their high-powered rivals in the AFC West.
The question is whether their defense can do enough to contain their divisional foes, and its success in doing so likely rests on how the Raiders adapt to new defensive coordinator Patrick Graham.
In 2021, the Raiders only gave up 5.2 yards per play, the ninth-fewest in the NFL; however, former coordinator Gus Bradley's steadfast commitment to single-high Cover 3 defenses saw Las Vegas shredded for 888 net yards in a pair of defeats to Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs.
Las Vegas played Cover 3 zone on an incredible 65.79 per cent of snaps last season. The league average was 23.75 per cent.
In his final year as the New York Giants' defensive coordinator, Graham relied heavily on Cover 3, which the Giants used 45.58 per cent of the time.
But Graham used a wider range of coverages more regularly than his predecessor. The Giants played Cover 1 robber, Cover 2 and Tampa 2 at a rate above the league average.
The Raiders' secondary talent is questionable, but Graham is a coordinator who predominantly plays the coverage with which they are most familiar but is more flexible than Bradley. As such, the transition to Graham should be a relatively smooth one for the Raiders' defensive backfield; however, it will be their ability to excel in a defense that promises to be much more multiple than it was a year ago that determines whether this unit improves.
Las Vegas' defense did not embrace the two-high revolution in 2021. With Graham running a unit that will be tasked with stopping three explosive downfield passers in Mahomes, Justin Herbert and Russell Wilson in the AFC West, such shells will almost certainly become a bigger part of the Raiders' gameplan. How their defenders adapt to playing those coverages more frequently will have a huge bearing on the Raiders' success in competing for top spot in a loaded division.
Will 'Big Red' turn to the run?
As the Raiders perhaps shift towards a more two-high heavy world, the Chiefs' hopes of regaining the Lombardi Trophy will in part be tied to their proficiency in attacking such defenses.
The Chiefs' often exaggerated struggles against two-high coverage shells dominated much of the discussion in the first half of last season as defenses looked for a way to take away the shot play to Tyreek Hill.
By the end of the year, the Chiefs appeared to have solved the riddle and averaged 33.2 points per game over the final six weeks of the regular season.
Yet with Hill gone, the Kansas City offense has lost the reason many opponents not named the Raiders defended them with such coverages.
Defenses are unlikely to suddenly move away from the two-high looks when playing Kansas City now Hill is a Miami Dolphin, and teams will continue to dare Mahomes to take what he is given underneath and attempt to limit his opportunities to go downfield to the deep threats the Chiefs do have, namely Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Mecole Hardman.
Mahomes will need to be patient and connect with tight end Travis Kelce and other receivers who should excel attacking the underneath areas such as Juju Smith-Schuster and rookie second-round pick Skyy Moore.
But the Chiefs may also look to run the ball more to get defenses out of those coverages and draw more defenders into the box, opening the deep areas of the field for Mahomes to attack.
Kansas City ran the ball on only 31.8 per cent of offensive snaps last season, and there is plenty of evidence to suggest they would succeed if they did so more often.
The Chiefs ranked first in run block win rate in 2021 – their exploits in that regard allowing Clyde Edwards-Helaire to average 3.08 yards before contact per attempt, the eighth-most among running backs with at least 100 attempts – and Kansas City were seventh in yards per play on the ground (4.54). Rookie undrafted free agent Isaiah Pacheco has caught the eye in training camp and could blossom into a dynamic threat out of the backfield.
It is tough to make the case for taking the ball out of Mahomes' hands. However, as defenses continue to present him with more varied and complex looks, there is a need for a greater balance in the Chiefs' offense.
Between using a first-round pick on Edwards-Helaire and building an O-line that can produce dominant run-blocking, the Chiefs have spent significant resources on players with the potential to help them achieve that balance by committing to what has been an efficient run game. A modest shift in their offensive tendencies could be the key to the Chiefs getting back to the top of the pile despite the loss of one the league's most fearsome playmakers.
Serena Williams revealed how Tiger Woods encouraged her to return to tennis for one last glory mission after she powered into round three of the US Open.
Golf great Woods was on his feet and rapturously celebrating as Williams beat number two seed Anett Kontaveit on Wednesday night in New York.
He had been invited to sit in Williams' player box and shared conversations with Venus Williams as they watched Serena push past Kontaveit with a dynamic display, coming through 7-6 (7-4) 2-6 6-2 on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
It was remarkable from the 40-year-old on court as she found an extra gear for the deciding set, teeing up a clash with Australian world number 46 Ajla Tomjlanovic.
Williams has firmly indicated this will be her final tournament before retirement, and a host of stars have come out to watch her in action, with former US president Bill Clinton in the crowd for her first-round match.
Woods, actress Zendaya and film director Spike Lee were among those watching the Kontaveit match, and Williams suggested afterwards that she and 15-time major champion Woods had helped each other with their respective comebacks.
At this time last year, Williams was sidelined by a leg problem sustained at Wimbledon, while Woods was recovering from the serious leg injuries he suffered in a car crash.
"He's one of the reasons I'm here, one of the main reasons I'm still playing," Williams said. "We talked a lot. He was really trying to get me motivated.
"There's a few people, but we were like, 'Okay, we can do this together'.
"It was good, because I didn't know what I wanted to do. I was just lost, so many questions. When you can rely on someone like that, I mean, my goodness, he's Tiger Woods, it was really helpful to get clarity."
What Williams is wary of at this stage is raising her own expectations.
She was charmingly dismissive of an on-court question when asked if she was surprised by how well she was performing.
As far as Williams is concerned, she has proven countless times she is the greatest player, certainly of her own era, so even with limited preparation she backs herself.
But thinking too intently about winning majors may have been costly in recent years, with Williams having lost her last four grand slam finals to remain on 23 singles titles, one short of Margaret Court's all-time record.
"I cannot think that far," when asked about the prospect of winning the tournament. "I'm having fun and I'm enjoying it. Honestly, I've had so many tough matches the last I don't know how long that I just feel like just being prepared for everyone that I play is just going to be really, really difficult. Get through those moments."
In typical Williams fashion, she has danced around the subject of retirement since writing in Vogue in early August she would be "evolving away from tennis".
She spoke of wanting to "relish these next few weeks" in the magazine article, and so far at Flushing Meadows she is savouring every moment.
Serena and Venus were due to play doubles on Thursday, again on the Ashe Stadium court, with more fanfare expected.
"I think I've mostly been kind of blocking everything out, but then at the same time I've been embracing a little bit of it, because I also want to enjoy the moment," WIlliams said.
"I just feel like I have had a big red X on my back since I won the US Open in '99. It's been there my entire career, because I won my first grand slam early in my career.
"But here it's different. I feel like I've already won, figuratively, mentally. It's just pretty awesome the things that I've done."
Britain's Jack Draper claimed one of the biggest scalps of the US Open so far after stunning sixth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime in a 6-4 6-4 6-4 victory to progress to the third round.
The 20-year-old defeated last year's Flushing Meadows semi-finalist to reach the last 32 in his first main-draw appearance at the final major of the season.
On the back of a second-round appearance at Wimbledon earlier this year, it represents Draper's best showing at a Grand Slam to date – and at few points did the Briton look at risk of letting the tie slip away from his grasp.
Draper saved all three of the break points he faced and took three of the 10 presented to him in a fine showing at Louis Armstrong Stadium.
For the Canadian, it brings a premature end to what the 22-year-old likely hoped would be a promising tournament that could have seen him go one better than last year.
He is the third top-10 seeded men's player to be eliminated, following first-round exits for Stefanos Tsitsipas and Taylor Fritz against qualifiers Daniel Elahi Galan and Brandon Holt respectively.
Serena Williams' remarkable run in her final grand slam continued to gather pace on Thursday as she reached the US Open women's singles third round with a 7-6 (7-4) 2-6 6-2 triumph over Anett Kontaveit.
The record-breaking 23-time major winner may be set to step away from tennis following the conclusion of this year's event at Flushing Meadows, where she is also partnered with sister Venus in women's doubles.
But her latest victory arguably ranks as one of the most impressive she has racked up in recent years, with the record-extending stats underneath her win backing up her place in the sporting pantheon.
Williams has now won 367 matches in grand slam tournaments, comfortably extending her Open Era record for women's tennis and moving her within two of Roger Federer's outright record of 369.
In turning over Kontaveit, she also made it 10 victories against top-two seeded opponents in grand slam tournaments on the trot, last losing such a match at the 2007 US Open against Justine Henin.
In addition, it also brought up 100 US Open match victories when winning the opening set, with Williams having only tasted defeat on a further three occasions when striking first at this major.
Shohei Ohtani became the first player in American League/National League history to record 10 wins on the mound and 30 home runs after his go-ahead blast in the Los Angeles Angels' 3-2 triumph over the New York Yankees.
The Angels two-way star homered at the bottom of the sixth inning off Gerrit Cole with two runners on and his side trailing 2-0.
Ohtani's three-run shot means he has three homers in his past four games and delivered the winning blast for the second time in the three-game series against the Yankees.
He also became the first Japanese-born player with multiple 30-homer seasons, after blasting 46 home runs last year.
Aaron Hicks had made a leaping catch on the wall in the first inning to deny Ohtani, who had four at-bats for his three RBI.
Left-hander Patrick Sandoval allowed two runs on three hits over seven innings for the Angels, while the Yankees move to 79-52.
Nimmo robs Turner with unbelievable catch
Brandon Nimmo plucked one of the catches of the season to rob Justin Turner a game-tying homer in the New York Mets' 2-1 triumph over the Los Angeles Dodgers.
At the top of the seventh inning, Turner blasted Jacob deGrom over his head to deep center field where a leaping Nimmo produced his moment of magic.
Starling Marte hit a two-run homer, while DeGrom was typically stingy with nine strikeouts across seven innings and only three hits, before Edwin Diaz closed it out.
US Open reigning champion and top seed Daniil Medvedev has put the pressure on 22-time grand slam winner Rafael Nadal who he believes is the frontrunner for the Flushing Meadows title.
Medvedev endured a 10pm start time playing on Arthur Ashe Stadium after Serena Williams' three-set win over Anett Kontaveit on Wednesday evening to defeat Arthur Rinderknech 6-2 7-5 6-3 in two hours and 11 minutes in the second round.
The Russian was not happy with his level early in Wednesday's match, admitting he did not adjust seamlessly to the late start time, but said he worked into it.
The win books a third-round clash with Chinese qualifier Wu Yibing but Medvedev was pressed on the favourites for the men's singles title in the absence of Novak Djokovic this year.
Medvedev claimed his maiden major at last year's US Open with victory over Djokovic in the final, while he lost to Nadal in a memorable five-set Australian Open decider earlier this year.
"First of all, I don't want to put pressure on anybody, but I think Rafa is a big favourite also," Medvedev told reporters.
"He won the last time he played here against me actually. He won two slams this year. I think Novak is better on grass, but Rafa didn't play.
"He actually didn't lose in a Grand Slam this year. He retired [in the Wimbledon semi-final against Nick Kyrgios], which is not the same.
"In my opinion Rafa is big, let's call it like this, I don't want to say favourite, big favourite, he's definitely big figure in this tournament.
"Then for sure there are many other good guys. I'm happy to see my name sometimes in the odds or something like this because I'm like, that's great. That means that I play some good tennis.
"Being amongst the favorites just brings me more motivation to try to do well."
Medvedev compared his 2022 form in New York (he beat Stefan Kozlov in the first round in straight sets) to last year's when he won the title, admitting he did not feel he was going as well as 12 months ago at this stage.
"These two matches felt a little bit less good comparing to last year, but at the same time I know I already played a lot of Grand Slams," he said.
"That's not the most important. The most important is to win, to stay in the tournament, to try to get as far as possible, for sure try to raise your level when the opponents go stronger and stronger.
"Finally you're going to play somebody who has a Grand Slam or something like this."
Nick Kyrgios has complained of the smell of marijuana during his second-round US Open victory over Benjamin Bonzi on Wednesday.
The 2022 Wimbledon finalist made the claim to the chair umpire late in the second set of his hard-fought 7-6 (7-3) 6-4 4-6 6-4 win over the Frenchman at Louis Armstrong Stadium.
The chair umpire remarked that the smell could be coming from the kitchen which Kyrgios retorted with "it was f***ing marijuana".
"People don't know I'm a heavy asthmatic," Kyrgios told reporters after the match.
"When I'm running side to side, I'm struggling to breathe, probably not something I want to be breathing in in between points.
"Yeah, US Open, it's a very different vibe to everywhere else. I feel like Wimbledon was so proper. Australian Open, you kind of expect it there, being an Aussie.
"But here, it's just like noisy. Point in, point out, I can't barely hear. Half the time I can't even hear my team because it's so noisy all the time."
The latter half of Kyrgios' second-round match coincided with major drawcard Serena Williams playing on Arthur Ashe Stadium against second seed Anett Kontaveit.
"Ashe was unbelievably noisy," Kyrgios added. "I couldn't hear anything. Constant jitter. Things going off, sirens.
"In Armstrong today, hearing trains and people. For someone that's struggled to focus in my career, I'm really trying hard to put my head down and play point by point, try to dig myself out of some certain situations.
"It's hard because there's a lot of distractions. Obviously a lot of heckling going on as well. People are saying things. I got to be very careful with what I say these days."
Kyrgios' win means he will take on American J.J. Wolf in the third round on Friday and the 23rd-seed Australian, who won August's Citi Open in Washington DC, said he was feeling motivated and more professional than ever.
"This year's been amazing in so many different ways," he said. "For my tennis, I kind of wanted to almost reinvent myself, get back to the top of the game where I know I belong.
"The Wimbledon final was a turning point I think for me mentally. If I won that match, I don't know where my motivation would have been at. Losing it and being so close, it was really tough for me to kind of swallow that.
"Winning Washington, winning so many matches, I just feel like I thought the pressure would be off me after winning Wimbledon. He's a Wimbledon finalist, he's nearly-over-the-hump-type thing.
"I didn't think I'd be putting this amount of pressure on myself. Every day I come in, I watch what I eat, I try and get sleep. Like every practice session I try and have good intent. I almost don't know who I am anymore, to be honest, because that's not me.
"I feel like I'm really professional right now. I never thought that the Wimbledon final would make me that way. I thought it would be the other way, the reverse, almost a bit lax and a bit chilled with it."
Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald has downplayed a brawl in their Thursday practice against the Cincinnati Bengals where he was seen swinging a Bengals helmet as a weapon.
Footage emerged of the incident from the practice session between last season's Super Bowl teams with three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year Donald at the center of it.
The situation led to calls for a suspension, but clubs, and not the league, are responsible for overseeing the players' conduct in practice, with no ban transpiring since.
Rams coach Sean McVay played down the significance of the fracas later in the day and Donald reiterated that on Wednesday.
"It was just a practice. It was football," Donald told AP Pro Football Podcast.
"I don't really want to go back to nothing negative that happened and talk about something that happened in a practice. My main focus is Buffalo."
Donald indicated he had addressed the incident with McVay and teammates but would not be drawn on it further.
The Rams start the new NFL season against the Buffalo Bills on Thursday night.
Serena Williams says this is the most free she has felt on a tennis court in over 20 years after shocking world number two Anett Kontaveit 7-6 (7-4) 2-6 6-2 to advance to the third round of the US Open.
Williams, 40, found another gear in the deciding set as she rode the wave of momentum that came from the raucous, sold-out Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd.
While Williams rose to the occasion, Kontaveit folded, posting three winners and 11 unforced errors in the third set, allowing the all-time great to secure the victory with a break-to-love.
On the court after the match – after a recorded video message from Oprah Winfrey also aired after Monday's win over Danka Kovinic – Williams said while everyone else may have been surprised by the result, she still has supreme confidence in her abilities.
"Well, I'm a pretty good player," she said playfully. "You know, this is what I do best.
"I love a challenge. I love rising to the challenge. Yeah, I haven't played many matches, but I've been practicing really well.
"In my last few matches, it just wasn't coming together. I'm like, this isn't me. The last couple matches here in New York, it's really come together."
Williams admitted that she thought to herself "this could be it" after dropping the second set, but highlighted the fact that this is the first time in over 20 years that she does not feel like she has a target on her back.
"Honestly, I'm just looking at [this run] as a bonus," she said. "I don't have anything to prove. I don't have anything to win. I have absolutely nothing to lose.
"Honestly, I never get to play like this since '98 really. Literally, I've had an 'X' on my back since '99. It's kind of fun.
"I really enjoy just coming out and enjoying it. It's been a long time since I've been able to do that."
Lastly, Williams talked about what it will be like to step back out onto the doubles court with sister Venus Williams on Friday night.
"I'm so excited for doubles," she said. "It's like, it's been so long. We got to play again, we got to bring the reunion back.
"I'm excited to play with Venus, get some more practice – because I could use the matches."
Carolina Panthers quarterback Baker Mayfield has denied saying he wants to "f*** them up" about his former side the Cleveland Browns who they will face in their September 11 season opener.
Mayfield has been given the nod as the Panthers' starting QB after a prolonged battle with Sam Darnold to start the 2022 NFL season.
Mayfield's exit from the Browns, who took him with the first pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, occurred after they traded for quarterback Deshaun Watson.
As a result, Mayfield requested that the Browns trade him, joining the Panthers in July, although he has been reluctant to criticise his former franchise publicly.
NFL Network analyst Cynthia Frelund claimed on Monday night's Around The NFL podcast that Mayfield echoed the remark to her, albeit innocuously, after last week's preseason finale against the Buffalo Bills.
"First, I didn't say it," Mayfield told reporters. "Everybody is going to write whatever story they want.
"There's history because I played there the last four years. I'm an extremely competitive person. Everybody knows that. If I wasn't wanting to win, then there would be a really big issue of me being the quarterback here.
"I want to win in everything I do. That'll never change. But it's not how I phrased it. It's not even what I said, so let's leave it at that."
He added: "I didn't even say anything. All I did was, 'Great, hope we win.' Pretty plain and simple. I'm competitive. I want to win. I don't think that should be harped on.
"That's the extent of it. It's obviously a bigger story because I haven't given the media what they've wanted me to give them this year in this offseason."
Mayfield conceded that the season opener against his former side meant something to him although he did try to downplay the narrative.
"Obviously, there's a lot of attachment there," he said. "I'm not going to sit here and be a robot and say it doesn't mean anything. It will.
"It's a great storyline. It really is because I wasn't expected to be out of Cleveland. But after Week 1, there's 16 more that really, really matter. That's how I'm approaching it."
Mayfield started 59 games in his four seasons in Cleveland and helped lead the Browns to their first playoff victory since the 1994 season in 2020. The QB went 29-30 in 59 regular-season starts with the Browns.
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