Marcus Smith does not blame England's narrow defeat to New Zealand on Saturday on George Ford, despite his late missed kicks.
Ford replaced Smith, who had scored 17 points and set up England's only try in their 24-22 loss, hitting a potential match-winning penalty against the post before narrowly missing a drop goal.
England had held an eight-point advantage when Smith left the field, but Mark Tele'a's 76th-minute try before Damian McKenzie added five late points proved enough to get the All Blacks over the line.
The hosts' autumn series got off to a losing start as Ford struggled to find his clinical edge in the dying moments, but Smith does not lay any blame at his team-mate's feet.
"Sometimes that's the life of a kicker, we've all experienced that. It's part and parcel of the job," said Smith.
"I've learned so much off George. He's an unbelievable kicker, both off the tee and out of hand. It was one of those days.
"It's nothing to do with him why we didn't win the game. It's a team effort. Every kicker in the world has experienced that.
"We practise [drop-goals] as kickers every single day, but sometimes it doesn't go for you. We're all human and people miss."
Saturday marked a third consecutive narrow loss to New Zealand for England, with their last win an emphatic victory over Japan in June.
Despite that run, Smith remains confident that England can take lessons from these defeats to set themselves up for success in the future.
"International rugby is very different to the Premiership and the experiences we're experiencing now are very painful, but we'll be better for them," Smith added.
"Keep the faith. We've fallen again on the wrong side of the result, but we'll learn from it 100%.
"These experiences will tighten us as a group, and it will be worth it in the long run. We will be better for it."
Aryna Sabalenka became the first player to book her place in the WTA Finals semi-finals after her straight-sets win over Jasmine Paolini on Monday.
The Belarusian had to dig deep in the second set but prevailed in 91 minutes, beating the Italian 6-3 7-5 in Riyadh to secure top spot in the Purple Group after two games.
While Sabalenka cruised through the first set, she was almost forced to a decider, but saved two set points in the 10th game of the second to level the score at 5-5 before going on to claim the victory.
In doing so, she became the first player to reach back-to-back semi-finals at the tournament as world number one since Serena Williams in 2013-14.
Having won three of her previous four tournaments and won 22 of her 23 matches in that time, Sabalenka is now just one win away from securing the year-end world number one spot for the first time, a feat she can achieve if she beats Elena Rybakina on Wednesday in the final round-robin match.
And she can go into it with confidence after improving her record against top-five opponents in 2024, with this her fifth such triumph.
"I'm proud of myself. Not only myself, my team," Sabalenka said.
"We were able to overcome a lot of things. To be able to show such great tennis and become World No. 1. It's teamwork. It's not only me. The behind-the-scenes work nobody sees.
"But they do a lot for me. I really appreciate them for everything they do for me. This is motivation for me to keep winning on this court. Those guys deserve to be called the best team ever."
In Monday's other match, Zheng Qinwen kept her hopes of reaching the final four alive with her win over Rybakina.
The Olympic champion was forced to go the distance though, despite getting the first break in the first and second sets, but eventually came out on top 7-6 (7-4) 3-6 6-1 in just under two-and-a-half hours.
Since the event's inauguration in 1972, Zheng is just the second Chinese player to win a match at the WTA Finals after Li Na.
It was a milestone victory for the 22-year-old as well as she earned her 50th win of 2024, improving her record to 50-17, making her the first Chinese player in the Open Era to hit that mark in a calendar year, though she acknowledged she could have made things easier for herself.
"I was the one to make the first break, and then I let her back in the first," Zheng said.
"Then it happened again in the second. But in the third set, I talked to myself. I broke her first and I stayed focused.
"Finally, in the third set, I start to play my tennis again. So, I'm really happy to win the match."
The San Antonio Spurs will be without head coach Gregg Popovich indefinitely after he reportedly suffered a health issue prior to the team’s last game.
The 75-year-old Popovich didn’t coach the Spurs (3-3) during Saturday’s 113-103 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves due to what the team said was an undisclosed illness.
Mike Johnson took over as head coach against Minnesota and will remain in the role while Popovich is sidelined.
“He's not feeling well,” Johnson said prior to Saturday’s game. “This has happened before.
“I think everybody's just always got to be ready for the next man up. We've had it with injuries and sometimes people get sick or don't feel well or things come up in life.
“He's just not feeling well.”
Popovich is the NBA's all-time leader with 1,391 victories and has won five NBA titles while coaching San Antonio since the 1996-97 season.
J.B. Bickerstaff believes the Detroit Pistons are "getting better at everything" after bouncing back to beat the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday.
The Pistons suffered a heavy defeat to the New York Knicks on Friday but made it two wins from three with their 106-92 victory over the Nets after they lost their opening four games of the NBA season.
Detroit finished with six players on double figures, with Cade Cunningham leading the charge with 19 points. It was the second time this season they have had that many players score 13 points or more in a single game, after doing it just once last term.
And while their attack was impressive, they also held the Nets to just 15 points in the fourth quarter, showing a vast improvement to their defense.
Bickerstaff was impressed with how his team have grown already since the start of the season.
"The guys did a great job of bouncing back," Bickerstaff said. "The conversation around the group has been to be better than we were the other night.
"Every single night we step on the floor, we aim to improve. The guys, just from a grit standpoint, how hard they played and how they shared the ball, it was unbelievable.
"We're getting better at everything. I feel our guys have embraced the system. They're really competing on that end of the floor. Individually, everybody's taking the challenge.
"There are still small things systematically, we're going to continue to improve on things. I'm learning what guys are capable of, but guys' willingness to take the challenge has given us an opportunity to put ourselves in a position that now we have a foundation of that, and we can grow from there."
Malik Beasley, who was another to finish on double figures as he scored 18 points, including two critical 3-point shots, believes their more proactive approach to defending pushed them towards the win.
"We started the game physical," Beasley said. "Last game, New York came out and just got whatever they wanted to get to.
"We made a point today to be physical and if we get fouls called early, it is what it is. We need to be known for a grit team, the Bad Boys, that whole thing. We did that [on Sunday]."
The Pistons are in action again on Monday when they face the Los Angeles Lakers.
The New Orleans Saints fired head coach Dennis Allen on Monday, one day after the team’s losing streak reached seven games with a 23-22 defeat to the lowly Carolina Panthers.
New Orleans got off to an unexpected strong start to the 2024 season by outscoring its first two opponents 91-29 in a pair of victories.
The Saints lost their next two games by just a combined five points, but then it really started to unravel for the team.
New Orleans’ next four defeats all came by 13 points or more, and on Sunday, the Panthers pulled out a 23-22 win over the Saints after Carolina entered the meeting with a 1-7 record.
Allen was promoted from New Orleans' defensive coordinator to head coach after the 2021 season, and the Saints posted an 18-25 record under him with no play-off appearances.
The Saints (2-7) are expected to name special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi as interim head coach ahead of their Week 10 visit from the NFC South-leading Atlanta Falcons (6-3).
Lewis Hamilton says he "could happily go and take a holiday" instead of finishing the season after a dismal showing at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
He made early exits in both qualifying sessions and started the race at Interlagos from 15th on the grid.
However, unlike Max Verstappen, who impressively won the race having started in 17th, the Brit struggled to mount much of a fight, coming away from the weekend with just one point after finishing in 10th.
His performance was made to look worse as team-mate George Russell had been battling for the lead but narrowly missed out on a podium place as he finished fourth.
Hamilton only has three races left with Mercedes before his move to Ferrari next season, bringing an end to their 12-year partnership.
But he was left frustrated in Brazil, expressing his disappointment with the car.
"We were just slow," Hamilton told Sky Sports F1. "The car was really, really tough. I do really want to say still a big thank you to the guys in the garage. They turned up super early this morning and still did a great job throughout the weekend.
"The team could have won also, so at least one car was behaving a lot better.
"The car is like a plank of wood. It's like no suspension.
"It's bouncing on the tyres everywhere, and you can't get on the power anywhere. It's just the worst ride, I think the worst ride that we've definitely ever had, particularly through corners. It's just so stiff.
"But hopefully we won't have any more bumpy tracks. I think the last three aren't so bumpy. But yeah, I could happily go and take a holiday."
Luka Doncic hailed a "real fun" performance from the Dallas Mavericks after they bounced back from Thursday's loss to the Houston Rockets with a comfortable win over the Orlando Magic.
Coming off the back of their second defeat of the season, the Mavs downed a short-handed Magic side by a 108-85 scoreline to improve to 4-2 for 2024-25.
Doncic had 32 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, while team-mate Daniel Gafford added a season-high 18 points and eight rebounds in just 20 minutes on court.
But it was a suffocating defensive performance that kept out an Orlando team deprived of injured star Paolo Banchero and won Dallas plaudits, and Doncic enjoyed his role.
"Today was real fun," he said. "We were guarding everybody, defending, rebounding, playing with a lot of pace. So that's fun for me."
Four-time NBA champion Klay Thompson, who arrived from the Golden State Warriors during the offseason, had a quiet night with just nine points for Dallas.
However, head coach Jason Kidd was pleased with his all-round contribution, saying: "I thought he played a great game.
"I know we look at him for scoring and shooting threes, but I thought his playmaking, his energy was high. He was moving on both ends at a very high level."
Dallas are next in action against the Indiana Pacers on Monday, while the 3-4 Magic visit the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Lando Norris said Max Verstappen benefitted from a rule "no one agrees with" as he won a dramatic Sao Paulo Grand Prix to leave the McLaren's title hopes hanging by a thread.
Verstappen surged to a terrific victory from 17th on the grid in Brazil, with Norris faltering after starting on pole.
Norris and Mercedes' George Russell – who were vying for the lead – both pitted on lap 29, but that strategy backfired as the red flag was shown following a crash involving Franco Colapinto.
With the race suspended, Verstappen was also able to change tires for the restart, negating Norris' advantage from pitting as the world champion raced to a commanding victory.
Norris had cut Verstappen's drivers' championship lead to 44 points by winning Saturday's sprint race but now sits 62 points adrift with just three races of the season remaining.
The Brit refused to hit out at McLaren's strategy after the race, though, putting his struggles down to bad luck.
"I have faith in the team in what they are saying and they have trust in me," he told Sky Sports F1.
"It was just unlucky. I don't care about the hindsight side of things, that's luck for them, nothing more.
"They got lucky on a rule that no one agrees with. Probably they agreed with it today but every driver has disagreed with it in the past.
"Today it benefitted them, it could have benefitted us if we just stayed out, but that's a stupid thing to think of.
"Just a bit unlucky today, nothing more. Of course, disappointing. Max drove well. He got a bit lucky but that's life."
Saquon Barkley has made several sensational plays in his career, but his amazing backward hurdle in the Philadelphia Eagles' 28-23 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday may go down as one of the most incredible plays by any player ever on an NFL field.
Early in the second quarter on a third-and-six, Jalen Hurts dumped off a short pass to Barkley. The first-year Philadelphia running back promptly lowered his shoulder to break one tackle and used a spin move to beat another Jacksonville defender before performing an amazing reverse hurdle over Jaguars cornerback Jarian Jones to cap off a 14-yard gain.
Barkley had a touchdown on the ground and one through the air, finishing with 159 rushing yards and another 40 receiving yards for 199 scrimmage yards - his most since amassing 279 in Week 16 of 2019.
DeVonta Smith also made a spectacular play for Philadelphia, hauling in a one-handed 25-yard touchdown grab. He finished with four receptions for 87 yards.
Hurts threw for 230 yards with a pair of touchdowns and scored on an 18-yard run for the Eagles (6-2), who won their fourth in a row.
Trevor Lawrence completed 16-of-31 passes for 169 yards with two interceptions for a 40.9 passer rating - his lowest since his rookie season - as the Jaguars fell to 2-7.
Lions win at Green Bay to improve to 7-1
The Detroit Lions did enough to stay firmly atop the NFC North, beating the Green Bay Packers 24-14 at rainy Lambeau Field.
The Lions converted two fourth downs into touchdowns and scored on a Kerby Joseph 27-yard interception return en route to a sixth straight win. Detroit improved to 7-1 for the first time since 1956.
Despite being out-gained 411-261 in total yards, the Lions' defence stood firm, holding the Packers (6-3) without a point on three drives that moved inside Detroit's 35-yard line.
Jared Goff only passed for 145 yards, but was efficient with his throws, with only four incompletions on 22 attempts for a 109.3 passer rating. He is the first player in NFL history to record six consecutive games with a completion rate of 72 per cent, a passer rating of at least 105 and a TD pass.
The Lions scored their first points on the first play of the second quarter on Goff's 3-yard touchdown pass to Amon-Ra St. Brown on a fourth-and-goal. Detroit went up 24-3 on its first possession of the second half, when Jahmyr Gibbs scored on a 15-yard touchdown run on a fourth-and-1.
Jordan Love was 23 of 39 for 273 yards with the pick-six in a game he was uncertain to play after exiting Green Bay's win last week with a strained groin.
Daniels helps Commanders to best start in nearly 30 years
Rookie sensation Jayden Daniels helped deliver another win for the Washington Commanders, throwing a pair of touchdown passes to Terry McLaurin in a 27-22 triumph over the New York Giants.
Winner of just four games in 2023, the Commanders improved to 7-2 for the first time since 1996.
Daniels finished 15 of 22 for 209 yards with TD passes of 1 and 18 yards in the first half.
He also rushed for 35 yards, while Chris Rodriguez Jr. ran for 52 yards and Austin Ekeler gained 42 rushing yards with a touchdown.
Linebacker Dante Fowler set up Washington's first touchdown with a strip-sack of Daniel Jones, who finished with 174 passing yards and two touchdowns.
The Giants lost their fourth straight game and fell to 2-7.
Bills beat Dolphins on Bass' late 61-yard field goal
Buffalo and Miami traded blows in a back-and-forth thriller, but it was the Bills who had the final score.
Tyler Bass kicked a 61-yard field goal with five seconds to play to send the Bills to a 30-27 win over their AFC East rivals.
Josh Allen drove Buffalo into field goal range after Miami took the lead on a seven-yard touchdown pass from Tua Tagovailoa to Jaylen Waddle with 1:45 to play.
The teams traded leads four times and combined to score on seven consecutive possessions in the second half.
Allen threw three second-half touchdowns in leading the division-leading Bills (7-2) to a fourth straight victory.
Tagovailoa had two passing TDs for the Dolphins (2-6), who lost their third in a row.
Falcons deal Cowboys third straight loss; Prescott exits with injury
Kirk Cousins threw three touchdown passes to lead the Falcons to a 27-21 win over the struggling Dallas Cowboys.
Cousins, who completed 13 consecutive passes at one point, had a nine-yard touchdown to Drake London, a 36-yard TD to Darnell Mooney and an 11-yarder to Ray-Ray McCloud.
The Falcons (6-3) won for the fifth time in six games to move 1 1/2 games ahead of the second-place Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC South.
The Cowboys (3-5) not only lost their third straight game, but also lost their quarterback to injury with Dak Prescott exiting after three quarters due to a hamstring injury.
Cooper Rush stepped in and completed 13 of 25 passes for 115 yards with a touchdown but couldn't rally Dallas all the way back.
The Cowboys have now equaled their loss total from each of the last three seasons.
Cardinals bottle up Bears to move atop NFC West
The Arizona Cardinals overwhelmed the Chicago Bears, rolling to a 29-9 victory for a third straight win.
The winning streak - the Cardinals' longest since 2021 - moved Arizona (5-4) into sole possession of first place in the NFC West.
The Cardinals won behind their running game and defence, as Kyler Murray threw for just 154 yards and didn't throw a TD pass for the first time in 16 games.
James Conner rushed for 107 yards and Emari Demercado ran for 59 yards - including a 53-yard TD run just before half-time to change the momentum of the game and give Arizona a 21-9 lead at the break.
The Cardinals held the Bears to just 241 yards and hounded Caleb Williams all game, sacking the No. 1 overall pick six times.
Williams finished 22 of 41 for 217 yards without a touchdown or interception as Chicago (4-4) lost its second game in a row.
The Dallas Mavericks used suffocating defence to easily defeat the Orlando Magic, rolling to a 108-85 victory on Sunday.
Luka Doncic had 32 points, nine rebounds and seven assists and Daniel Gafford added a season-high 18 points and eight rebounds in just 20 minutes.
The Mavericks (4-2) used a 30-9 run in the second quarter to take a 65-40 lead into half-time. Their lead grew to as many as 33 points at one point.
The Magic (3-4) were playing their second game since Paolo Banchero suffered a torn right oblique last Wednesday, and the offence struggled mightily.
Orlando finished with a season low in points, field-goal percentage (33.3) and three-point percentage (19.5).
Franz Wagner's 13 points were the most by any player for the Magic, who came in averaging 111.7 points.
Hawks beat short-handed Pelicans to snap skid
The Atlanta Hawks rode a 14-0 run in the fourth quarter to pull out a 126-111 win over a New Orleans Pelicans team playing without Zion Williamson.
The Hawks (3-4) made more than half of their shots for the first time all season, shooting 56.8 per cent to snap a four-game losing streak.
Jalen Johnson led Atlanta with 29 points, while Trae Young finished with 23 points on 5-of-10 shooting from 3-point range to go with 12 assists.
Already playing without starters Dejounte Murray, CJ McCollum, and Herb Jones, the Pelicans (3-4) announced shortly before tip-off that Williamson was scratched due to right hamstring tightness.
Brandon Ingram had 32 points on 12-of-19 shooting, but the only other New Orleans starter to score in double figures was Jordan Hawkins, who scored 19.
Without Williamson, the Pelicans were also overpowered under the basket, as the Hawks held a 66-32 scoring advantage in the paint.
Balanced Pistons get past Nets
Cade Cunningham was one of six players to score in double figures for the Detroit Pistons in their 106-92 win over the Brooklyn Nets.
Cunningham paced the Pistons with 19 points, while Tobias Harris and Malik Beasley had 18 points apiece. Jaden Ivey scored 15, Tim Hardaway Jr. finished with 14 and Jalen Duren added 13.
It was the second time this season Detroit had six players score 13 points or more in a game after having one such game all of last season.
The Pistons (2-5), who held the Nets to just 15 points in the fourth quarter, won for the second time in three games after starting the season 0-4.
Cam Thomas entered the game leading Brooklyn (3-4) with an average of 28.2 points, but finished with a season-low 17 on 6-of-17 shooting.
The only other Net to score in double figures was Cameron Johnson, who had a season-high 26.
Max Verstappen revealed he wanted to destroy the Red Bull garage in the hours before he delivered a wet-weather performance for the ages to win the Brazilian Grand Prix.
Verstappen had been left frustrated after Sunday's delayed qualifying session, when a crash by Lance Stroll and subsequent red flag saw him drop out of Q2.
The Dutchman's early exit saw him finish 12th, but a five-place grid penalty for an engine change dropped him to 17th, presenting an opportunity for Lando Norris to take a seismic chunk out of his drivers' championship lead.
But a determined Verstappen then overcame the rain-affected conditions at Interlagos, climbing to P11 on the very first lap before making his charge into the top 10.
His remarkable comeback, which included five consecutive fastest laps, culminated in him passing Alpine’s Esteban Ocon for the lead on lap 43 before romping to victory.
“My emotions were all over the place, from wanting to destroy the garage (after qualifying) to winning the race,” said Verstappen. “It has been a roller coaster.
“It is unbelievable to win here from so far back on the grid. I was expecting to lose points in the championship.
"Now, I just want clean races. But I am not thinking about clinching the title in Vegas.”
A rain-affected race saw several incidents, with Lance Stroll, Alex Albon, Nico Hulkenberg, Franco Colapinto and Carlos Sainz all failing to finish the race.
But Verstappen remained calm in those conditions, snapping his 10-race winless streak, while also becoming the first driver since Kimi Raikkonen at the Japanese Grand Prix in 2005 to emerge victorious after gaining 16 positions.
And the three-time world champion believed his latest win, which was his 62nd in the competition, was his best one to date.
“The rain came, we stayed out, which was very sketchy, and I had to just keep the car on track,” continued Verstappen.
“It was undriveable in the conditions. I felt like I was driving a boat, or a jet-ski.
“There was a lot at stake because I had to be aware of the championship, so for me this is the best one (victory).
"And it is a massive boost for the team because it has been a tough period.”
Verstappen is now 62 points clear of Norris in the drivers' championship with just 86 points remaining, and can win a fourth consecutive drivers' title at the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
However, he insisted that the season was far from over, acknowledging he must remain perfect in the final three races to get over the line after an up and down season.
“Now it’s of course a great result, which if you look a few hours ago, was definitely the other way around, looking like we were going to lose a lot of points," he said.
“So I’m very happy, but still three tough races [to go], so we just need to stay calm and make no mistakes.
Iga Swiatek began her bid to regain the world number one ranking by recovering from a set and double break down to beat Barbora Krejcikova in her first match at the WTA Finals.
Swiatek, playing in her first competitive game since her US Open quarter-final exit, emerged a 4-6 7-5 6-2 victor against the Wimbledon champion in Riyadh.
The Pole is the third player in the last 30 years to achieve three or more seasons in a row with over 60 wins, after Martina Hingis (1997-2001) and Caroline Wozniacki (2009-2011).
Only Elina Svitolina (12) has played fewer matches at the WTA Finals than Swiatek (13) to achieve 10 wins at this event since the reintroduction of the Round Robin format in 2003.
But the Pole acknowledged the difficulties she faced against Krejcikova, saying she must improve if she is to retain her WTA Finals crown.
“Even though I played a lot of those [practice] matches,” Swiatek said afterward. “I kind of forgot for a while how it is to feel all those things, a bit different stress and emotions.
"For sure, I needed some time to adapt. The most important thing was that even though it happened, I managed to fight through that. And was patient enough to wait to get better.”
In Sunday's other match, Coco Gauff beat fellow American and doubles partner Jessica Pegula 6-3 6-2 in the second Orange Group match.
Gauff moved to a win-loss record of 51-16 in 2024, including the Olympics and team events, equalling her career-high from 2023 for WTA-level match wins in a calendar year.
She is now only the fifth player to claim 20 or more WTA top 10 wins before turning 21, along with Kim Clijsters (45), Maria Sharapova (39), Ana Ivanovic (26) and Wozniacki (23) since 2000.
"I think maybe I served better than previous times and this is our first time, I think, playing each other on indoor hard, so maybe that had something to do with it," Gauff said.
"I don't know. I think I know I've lost to her a lot, but it doesn't feel like it sometimes.
"Because we do practice a lot, and obviously, when we're playing sometimes I win practice sets, sometimes she does. So it doesn't feel like the head to head is as bad as it was."
Max Verstappen surged to a remarkable victory at a frenetic Sao Paulo Grand Prix, climbing from 17th on the grid to extend his championship lead over Lando Norris.
Pole-sitter Norris could only manage sixth place after a series of errors on the slippery surface in Brazil, and is now 62 points behind Verstappen in the standings.
The Dutchman can seal a fourth world title in Las Vegas simply by finishing ahead of Norris, who now needs to take more than 20 points from the final three races.
Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly took the final two podium places to transform Alpine’s season and move the team up from ninth in the constructors’ championship to sixth.
A chaotic, incident-strewn, wet race that involved a red flag, two safety car periods and a series of crashes and incidents, saw the top 10 change throughout the race.
George Russell, who overtook Norris to take the lead at the first corner, finished fourth, ahead of Ferrari's Charles Leclerc.
Oscar Piastri helped McLaren improve their lead in the constructor's fight by finishing eighth, with the RB's of Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson ending just ahead of Lewis Hamilton to round out the top 10.
Data Debrief: Mad Max edges closer
Verstappen's triumph earned him his 62nd win in Formula One. It is his first in the competition since the Spanish Grand Prix earlier this year, breaking a 10-race winless streak.
And he sealed the win in some style. It is the sixth time in the competition's history that a driver has climbed at least 16 places to end up winning the race, and the first since Kimi Raikkonen in Japan in 2005 (also 16).
Verstappen also set the fastest lap, his third this year. He now has 33 in his career and brings Red Bull to within one of 100 in the competition.
He is the first driver in F1 history to win from 10 different positions, surpassing the record he previously shared with Fernando Alonso (nine).
Top 10
1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
2. Esteban Ocon (Alpine)
3. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)
4. George Russell (Mercedes)
5. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
6. Lando Norris (McLaren)
7. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
8. Yuki Tsunoda (RB)
9. Liam Lawson (RB)
10. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
Drivers'
1. Max Verstappen - 393
2. Lando Norris - 331
3. Charles Leclerc - 307
Constructors'
1. McLaren - 593
2. Ferrari - 557
3. Red Bull - 544
Alexander Zverev soared to the Paris Masters title following a commanding 6-2 6-2 victory over home favourite Ugo Humbert in the final.
The German took just 75 minutes to seal his seventh career ATP Masters triumph, and second silverware of the season.
Humbert received a raucous reception as he aimed to become the first Frenchman to win this event since Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in 2008.
However, the crowd were silenced when Zverev broke in the third and fifth games on his way to taking the opening set.
The Italian Open champion also dominated the second set, dropping just five points on serve as he wrapped up a comfortable victory.
"I knew I had to play like this to win today," Zverev said. "Ugo is an incredible player, but here in Paris, he plays even better than he usually does, and I knew that.
"Once the crowd gets involved, it's going to be difficult. So, I had to take that away early, and I did, so I'm happy about that."
Zverev was also delighted to triumph in Paris, and demonstrate the strides he has made since suffering a horrifying ankle injury during his 2022 French Open semi-final against Rafael Nadal.
"It was not 100% guaranteed that I would be back at this level," he added. "So, to win this title here in Paris means the world to me, and I'm sure it means everything to those in my box, because they have done so much for me."
Data Debrief: Zverev surpasses Medvedev and matches Sinner
Runner-up to Daniil Medvedev in 2020, Zverev went one better at the Accor Arena four years later, and will be seeded second at the season-ending Nitto ATP Finals.
The second German to win this event after Boris Becker, he surpassed Medvedev (six) with his seventh ATP Masters crown the outright most of any player born since the format's inception in 1990.
Zverev also matched world number one Jannik Sinner for the joint-most match wins in ATP Masters events this season with 28.
For most children in and around St Ann, golf is more than just a game. Instead it is viewed as a lifeline, a discipline, and an opportunity.
At the heart of this transformative journey stands Bill Williams, a man deeply committed to changing the lives of young Jamaicans through the Sandals Foundation Care for Kids Junior Golf Programme.
Williams, the lead professional golfer at the Sandals Golf and Country Club, has for years been dedicated to empowering boys who are at risk of straying down troubled paths, introducing them to the game of golf, not just as a sport but as a means of character building and personal development.
“I love kids. There’s a duty in me to take care of kids. I always tell myself, if you can grow kids, you grow the country, and you’re growing something good. The guys tell me they love it because I take them off the streets and... them things,” Williams said in a recent interview.
“I’ve been doing this programme since 2002; that’s when I started. I went into my village where I live in Exchange and I see kids... and I bring them over and [guide] them,” he added.
Williams sees golf as more than a series of strokes and strategies. For him, it is a way to teach young men about patience, discipline, and respect—qualities that they can carry well beyond the green.
Bill Williams (centre) shares a photo opportunity with members of Team 13 during the Sandals US Travel Advisors Tournament.
The success stories he tells are numerous, as many of the boys who once faced uncertain futures have gone on to compete at the national level, among them are Zandre Roye, Romaine Evans, and Oshae Haye, just to name a few.
“I turn out some very good kids out of this thing here. And they are all over the world, global now. There [are] so many kids because I used to do this for eight years on my own before Sandals Foundation came on board. And even though they leave the programme at the age of 18, they still come back here, and I still try to offer advice because there is always room for improvements,” Williams shared.
Williams is especially enthusiastic about the future of the programme, as funds raised through the three Sandals Travel Advisors Golf Tournaments—Latin America, Canada, and the United States—the programme is set for significant expansion.
This funding will allow Williams and his team to reach more young men across the island, providing resources to further develop their skills and broaden their opportunities. The latest United States Travel Advisors tournament raised US$800 (about $127,000 Jamaican) for the programme.
“This is a very important tournament every year for us to get a little extra for the foundation because the kids [have] got to play tournaments and we use the money to fund them. We help who cannot really afford to go to school—we do help with that too. So, I think this programme will go much further and impact more youths,” Williams ended.
Diana Shnaider knows she will have a target on her back next year after capping her breakout season by beating Katie Boulter in Sunday’s Hong Kong Open final.
Top seed Shnaider cruised to a 6-1 6-2 victory over second seed Boulter in 72 minutes, claiming her fourth WTA Tour title of the year.
Only Iga Swiatek (five) and Aryna Sabalenka (four) have matched that number, but the Russian knows being in that company will take away her element of surprise next season.
"It's nice to be in that company," Shnaider said after her win. "I will definitely push harder to be on the same stage as them, to win more tournaments and at even higher categories.
“That's the future. This year I did an amazing job. Next year, everyone will be getting ready, knowing my game, 'Oh she's tough,' stuff like that.
“But it's important for me to play against the best in the world. Even if there are a lot of losses, I'll be as positive as possible, just keep building my game, my mentality, my physical strength.
“There are a lot of things I can improve and achieve to be, say, a Top 10 player. It's not a rush, I'll have to be patient."
Shnaider also revealed four was her lucky number, having ended a year that saw her rise from world number 97 to 14 with that number of trophies.
"Well, I was born second of April and I just love those combinations with two and four. Obviously it’s the season of 2024," she said. "There are crazy circumstances, like the Hua Hin title I won was happening for the fourth year.
"Then I won Bad Homburg and that was happening for the fourth year. The number just keeps following me. I guess it's like a lucky charm for me."
Trinidad & Tobago is set to create history next month when it plays home to the first-ever Special Olympics Regional Beach Games.
The Games is scheduled to run from November 8 to 10 and is being facilitated by Special Olympics T&T (SOTT), with the Digicel Foundation as one of the event’s main sponsors.
This new regional event will bring together 130 athletes, 70 coaches, and delegates from Special Olympics programmes across the Caribbean and North America to compete in a variety of beach sports, including Aquathlon, Beach Bocce, Beach Soccer, Beach Volleyball and Open Water Swimming, at venues in both Trinidad and Tobago.
Digicel Foundation Chief Executive Officer Penny Gomez said the company was pleased to be associated with such an important event.
“The dedication and commitment demonstrated by our special athletes and coaches is nothing short of inspiring.
“It’s a great honour for T&T to have been selected to host the inaugural Special Olympics Regional Beach Games, and this recognition of our very own SOTT is very well-deserved,” Gomez said.
Special Olympics T&T (SOTT) is the only Special Olympics programme that currently includes the Beach Games as an annual multi-sport event and has done so since 2016.
The Milwaukee Bucks are struggling to sustain their performance levels over a full game amid their five-game losing streak, says coach Doc Rivers.
The Bucks have failed to win since triumphing in their season opener against the Philadelphia 76ers, going down 114-113 to the perfect Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday.
They raced into a 38-30 first-quarter lead at Fiserv Forum before tailing off badly, prompting Rivers to question their fitness.
“We don’t sustain the game,” Rivers said. “We haven’t been able to sustain 48 minutes.
“We’ve got to figure that out. That’s on us. We have not found the correct rotation yet.”
Damian Lillard was unfortunate to be on the losing team after scoring 41 points with nine assists and shooting 10 of 15 from 3-point range, and he pointed out that several opponents had benefitted from having strong bench options against them.
“I think every team that’s hurt us, they’ve had somebody come in off the bench and have an impact on the game,” Lillard said.
“They had a guy come in and knock down three 3s when they were bleeding and we had them down and our energy was right. He comes in and, ‘Bang, bang, bang.’"
However, Giannis Antetokounmpo – who had 34 points, 16 rebounds and nine assists – believes the Bucks’ results will soon turn, claiming their displays have improved.
“It doesn’t mean we’re going to go to a five-game winning streak or a 10-game winning streak,” Antetokounmpo said.
“But I know that we’re playing better. We trust one another better. The ball is moving. There’s a lot of good things that we can do. That’s all we can control.”
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