Novak Djokovic saw off Roman Safiullin to reach his 10th Shanghai Masters quarter-final with a straight-sets win on Wednesday.
The Serb, a four-time champion in the tournament, rallied to a 6-3 6-2 victory in just 74 minutes.
Djokovic made a lightning-quick start, serving to love to win the opening game, but had to remain patient as he waited for an opening, which he found with a three-game winning streak at the end of the first set.
Any hopes Safiullin had of a comeback were then squashed as he saw his serve broken first in the second.
Djokovic was clinical from that point, defending a break point – his third in the match – before claiming another break on his way to a comfortable victory.
As his hunt for a 100th tour-level title goes on, Jakub Mensik now stands between Djokovic and a place in the last four.
Data Debrief: Djokovic continues Shanghai dominance
At his 95th at ATP Masters 1000 events overall, Djokovic has become the first player to reach 10 quarter-finals at the Shanghai Masters, since its inauguration in 2009.
It was also his 37th win at the tournament, extending his own record as he keeps the title in his sights.
If he can get his hands on the trophy, he would be just the third man to win 100 tour-level titles in the Open Era (after Jimmy Connors and Roger Federer).
Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve says she is "overwhelmingly proud" of her team after reaching the WNBA Finals for the first time in seven years.
The Lynx capitalised on a strong start, claiming an 88-77 win over Connecticut Sun in Game 5 of the semi-finals.
It will be Minnesota's seventh WNBA Finals, a record for a team in the league. They have previously won four titles, the joint-most in the competition's history, and a win over the New York Liberty would move them outright top of the list.
Reeve, who has led the Lynx to all four of those previous titles, was full of praise for how the team saw out the win.
"I'm so proud. I can't tell you how badly our staff wanted it for them," she told reporters.
"It's a really special group. The number of people who have reached out to tell me how much they enjoy watching them play and that they're rooting for them is incredible.
"I feel overwhelmingly proud. We played Lynx basketball, and it was good to get back to it."
Napheesa Collier led the team, tallying 27 points and 11 rebounds, with Courtney Williams also contributing 24 points to help them to the win.
Reeve was impressed by both players, but in particular by the work that Collier has put in this season.
"What makes [Collier] special is her consistency and the way she shows up every single day," Reeve added.
"She's always the same, her work ethic, her demeanour, her passion for improving. She's just been incredible.
"It's more than scoring how she helps this team. When she plays like the MVP, our team is where it needs to be."
The Lynx, who finished second in the league and two games behind the Liberty during the regular season, have won three of four matchups with New York this year. That includes the WNBA Commissioner's Cup on June 25 to take the in-season tournament title.
The Finals begin with Game 1 on October 10.
Jamaica has selected a youthful squad to compete in the 2024 Fast5 Netball World Series, which will take place from November 9-10 at the Wolfbrook Arena in Christchurch, New Zealand. The team, led by a mix of emerging talent, is eager to make its mark in this high-intensity, fast-paced tournament format.
The squad includes Tiffany Langley, Amanda Pinkney, Simone Gordon, Kimone Shaw, Cornelia Walters, Paula Ann Burton, Kestina Sturridge, Roxana McLean, Zaudie Green, and Shadene Bartley. These players will represent Jamaica in the two-day competition, where the unique Fast5 rules – such as power plays and shortened quarters – bring an added level of excitement to the game.
The tournament format features a round-robin stage, where each team plays each other once. The top four teams will advance to the finals on the second day. The 1st-ranked team will face the 4th-placed team, while second will play third, with the winners progressing to the Grand Final. The remaining teams will contest third- and fifth-place playoffs.
Jamaica has a proud history in the Fast5 series, finishing as runners-up in 2009, 2017, and 2018, and securing third place in 2010 and 2013. Currently ranked fourth in the world, Jamaica will be looking to improve on their past performances and push for a podium finish.
This young team represents the next generation of Jamaican netball talent, and although relatively inexperienced, they are determined to bring their flair and skill to the competition and make their country proud on the global stage.
As the tournament approaches, fans of Jamaican netball will be eagerly awaiting the team's performance, hoping that this new-look squad can continue the nation’s strong tradition in Fast5 netball and perhaps bring home their first-ever title in the tournament.
Coco Gauff cruised through her first-ever match at the Wuhan Open with a comfortable straight-sets win over Viktoriya Tomova.
Fresh from winning the China Open on Sunday, Gauff returned to action with a 6-1 6-2 victory in 76 minutes.
The American was given an early scare as her serve was broken in the first game, but she recovered brilliantly, storming through the next six in a row to take the first set.
She picked up where she left off in the second, winning 10 games on the bounce. Despite Tomova showing some late fight after Gauff was 4-0 up, the world number three had already done enough.
Gauff won 15 of 32 first return points (47%), and dominated on her own serve after the early blip, hitting five aces, and winning 83% of her first serve points (24/29).
She will face Magda Linette or Daria Kasatkina in the round of 16.
Data Debrief: Gauff defies age once again
Only Caroline Wozniacki in 2010 (27) has won more WTA-1000 matches in a year than Gauff in 2024 (22) before turning 21, since the format was introduced in 2009. She has equalled Iga Swiatek's record from 2022 (also 22 wins).
In fact, only Swiatek (30) and Aryna Sabalenka (24) have won more WTA-1000 matches than her in 2024, as she extended her winning streak to seven matches.
Among players to have played 10 or more matches in China in the 21st century, Gauff has the highest winning percentage in events played in the country (91.7%, 11-1).
Jamaica's Owen Samuda made a triumphant return to competitive golf, clinching the Brooklyn Open title at the Marine Park Golf Course in Brooklyn, USA. After an eight-year hiatus from the event, Samuda won the championship division with a stellar performance, shooting a four-under-par 68 on the par-72 course. His victory came by the narrowest of margins, finishing just one stroke ahead of Gabe Lee, who shot a 69. Andrew Giuliani and fellow Jamaican Luke Watson both tied for third, with scores of one-under-par 71.
The championship division featured 29 highly competitive players, including professional golfers like 40-year-old Gabe Lee, a Korean golfer based in Queens, and 38-year-old Andrew Giuliani, a former professional who competed for seven years.
Samuda, at 54 years old, is a caddy at Pine Valley Golf Course in New Jersey, a course often ranked among the best in the world. Reflecting on his victory, Samuda expressed his joy, especially after such a long break from the tournament.
“It’s been about eight years since I last played the Brooklyn Open,” Samuda shared. “When I heard about the tournament, I decided to enter and played a practice round just to get familiar with the course again. The day before the tournament, it rained heavily for two days, so the course was soft, but in great condition. The greens were rolling fast, so controlling the speed of my putts was crucial."
He added that his strong start on the front nine helped him maintain momentum. "By the 13th hole, I was five under par but made bogeys on holes eight and nine before birdying hole ten to finish at four under. I started on hole twelve because of the shotgun start and finished on hole eleven. I didn’t realize how close the competition was, so winning by one stroke was a great surprise. It feels amazing to win the Brooklyn Open for the first time.”
Carlos Alcaraz battled past Gael Monfils, becoming the first Spaniard to reach the Shanghai Masters quarter-final since 2017 as he kept his winning streak alive.
Having lost to the Frenchman in Cincinnati earlier this year, Alcaraz won 6-4 7-5 on Wednesday, which was his 12th victory on the bounce.
Monfils was bidding to become the second-oldest ATP Masters 1000 quarter-finalist in history at 38 years old and matched Alcaraz through the early stages, almost forcing a break.
But he could not hold onto a lead in the ninth game of the first set, and the 21-year-old took advantage.
Alcaraz did not have it all his own way in the second set despite an assured performance, which saw him serve three games to love overall.
Monfils could only defend two of three break points in the penultimate game as Alcaraz pressed home his advantage. He will meet Tomas Machac on Thursday.
"The main thing I tried in this match was to stay calm, to control my emotions and wait for my chances," said Alcaraz.
"That helped me a lot to show my best tennis during the match. I am feeling the ball really well, much more than I was during the American swing. So, I am happy to be able to do it and keep going."
Data Debrief: No stopping Alcaraz
Alcaraz has improved his record to 51-9 for the season with this win over Monfils and is into his 14th ATP Masters 1000 quarter-final.
Since the format's inception in 1990, Alcaraz (76.5%, 62-19) only trails three players for win percentage at ATP Masters 1000 events: Novak Djokovic (82.02%), Rafael Nadal (82.00%) and Roger Federer (77.9%).
Aryna Sabalenka maintained her perfect record at the Wuhan Open and clinched her 50th tour-level win of the year as she beat Katerina Siniakova in straight sets on Wednesday.
The Belarusian returned to winning ways after her shock exit at the China Open, with the score 6-4 6-4 after 94 minutes to reach the third round.
Sabalenka weathered an early storm as Siniakova pushed her at the start before the pair traded breaks just when it looked like she had gained an edge.
However, the world number two broke her serve again in the final game to take the set, and it was a similar story in the second.
The Czech valiantly defended her serve as the pair traded blows, but Sabalenka showed her edge by winning the final two games to set up a meeting with Yulia Putintseva in the next round.
"I missed Wuhan a lot," Sabalenka said. "I just have really good memories of winning, two times, the title here. Just Wuhan brings me a lot of great memories, good vibes.
"Siniakova, who is fighting for every point, it's really good that I was able to finish this match in two sets."
Data Debrief: Posting big numbers
The Wuhan Open has been out of the calendar for the last five years, but Sabalenka has settled back in quickly.
She has won all 13 of her matches played at the tournament (winning the title in both 2018 and 2019) and is the first player to win their first 13 matches in a single city hosting a WTA event since Maria Sharapova in Stuttgart (13-0 between 2012 and 2014).
The victory over Siniakova is her 50th of the WTA Tour in 2024, a number she will be pleased to reach after having her 15-match winning streak snapped in Beijing last week.
Jannik Sinner avenged last year's Shanghai Masters exit to Ben Shelton, beating him in straight sets to progress to the quarter-final on Wednesday.
The American was hoping for another upset to mark his 22nd birthday, but Sinner triumphed 6-4 7-6 (7-1) in 88 minutes.
Shelton started strongly, showing off a 95% first serve accuracy in the first set, as he matched the Italian in the opening games but could not force a vital break before Sinner's three-game winning run took the set away from him.
Sinner then had to dig deep as Shelton went on the attack once more, but he successfully defended all seven break points, five of which came in the second set.
He ramped up the pressure in the tie-break, cruising through to reach his 14th ATP Tour quarter-final of 2024.
"It was very tough. He played only first serves, except one second serve," Sinner said.
"But if I look at the positive picture, how I ended the match, I tried to stay a bit more aggressive, which I've done, and this hopefully can give me confidence for the next round."
He will face Daniil Medvedev in the final eight after the Russian saw off Stefanos Tsitsipas with a commanding performance.
Medvedev triumphed 7-6 (7-3) 6-3, hitting 28 winners and making just 20 unforced errors to the Greek's 34 as he came from 2-0 down in the second set, winning six of the last seven games to progress.
Data Debrief: Staying perfect
Sinner has made a 14th quarter-final from 14 ATP events in 2024, becoming only the fourth player aged 23 or under to do so in a single season after Jimmy Connors (1974), Guillermo Vilas (1976) and John McEnroe (1982).
Stefanos Tsitsipas (10) is now the second opponent Daniil Medvedev has defeated 10+ times head-to-head at ATP level, along with Alexander Zverev (12), while he will be searching for an eighth win against Sinner in the next round, having also beaten him at Wimbledon earlier this year.
Fernando Tatis Jr.'s two-run home run capped a six-run second inning, and the San Diego Padres held on for a 6-5 victory over the rival Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday night to take a 2-1 lead in a tense NL Division Series.
The Padres moved within one victory of eliminating the Dodgers in the NLDS for the second time in three seasons. Game 4 is Wednesday night at Petco Park, which was packed with a rally towel-waving record crowd of 47,744.
Tatis' impressive homer gave the Padres a 6-1 lead, but Teoscar Hernández hit a grand slam with one out in the third off Michael King to bring the Dodgers within a run.
Mookie Betts also homered for the Dodgers to break an 0-for-22 playoff slump, but apparently thought left fielder Jurickson Profar had robbed him like he did in Sunday night's 10-2 Padres win at Dodger Stadium, when tempers flared on the field and in the stands. Betts rounded first and headed toward the dugout before teammates and even King motioned that it was a homer.
Tatis' shot into the left-field seats was his third of the series, leaving him one shy of the NLDS record held by Carlos Beltran (2004, Houston) and Nick Castellanos (2023, Philadelphia). Tatis had two of San Diego's six homers Sunday night. The flamboyant Tatis stood for a few seconds and watched the ball sail out of the yard, flipped his bat and gestured toward the dugout before beginning his trot.
King got his second win in as many playoff starts after allowing five runs and five hits in five innings, with three strikeouts and one walk.
Jeremiah Estrada, Jason Adam and Tanner Scott pitched one-hit ball over the next 2 2/3 innings and Robert Suarez got the final four outs for his first save.
David Peralta delivered a two-run double during San Diego’s big second inning and Kyle Higashioka lofted a sacrifice fly before Tatis homered off Walker Buehler with two outs.
Manaea stifles Phillies to put Mets up
Pete Alonso homered again off Aaron Nola, and Sean Manaea pitched brilliantly into the eighth inning as the New York Mets beat the Philadelphia Phillies 7-2 in Game 3 of their NL Division Series.
Jesse Winker also went deep and Starling Marte added a pivotal two-run single to help the wild-card Mets, playing their first home game in 16 days, grab a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five series.
Game 4 is Wednesday at Citi Field, with All-Star Ranger Suárez scheduled to start for Philadelphia against fellow lefty Jose Quintana.
A win would send New York to the National League Championship Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers or San Diego Padres.
Manaea was lifted after allowing a leadoff single to start the eighth. The left-hander received hearty pats on the chest from teammates and a standing ovation from the towel-waving sellout crowd of 44,093 as he strolled off the mound.
Manaea allowed just two hits, struck out six and walked two for his first playoff win after entering 0-3 with a 10.66 ERA in his postseason career.
Clinging to a 2-0 lead, Manaea escaped major trouble in the sixth. After issuing consecutive walks to start the inning, he received a mound visit from pitching coach Jeremy Hefner and struck out star slugger Bryce Harper on three off-speed pitches.
Nick Castellanos then lined into an inning-ending double play, as the Mets' middle infield doubled off Kyle Schwarber at second base.
Alonso led off the bottom of the second by sending Nola's first pitch deep to right field. He flipped his bat high in the air on his way to first base when the ball reached the front row of the second deck.
It was Alonso's second home run of the series and third in New York's past four playoff games.
Nola and Alonso have been squaring off since their college days in the Southeastern Conference, but the matchup has been one-sided in the majors. It was Alonso's sixth career homer off the right-hander, after entering with a .320 batting average and 1.050 OPS in 54 career plate appearances against him.
Napheesa Collier tallied 27 points and 11 rebounds and Courtney Williams contributed 24 points and both-ends-of-the-court energy to lead the Minnesota Lynx past the Connecticut Sun 88-77 and into the WNBA Finals for the first time in seven years on Tuesday night.
Kayla McBride fueled a strong start with 10 of her 19 points in the first quarter for the Lynx, who advanced to face the top-seeded New York Liberty in Game 1 on Thursday night.
The Lynx, who finished second in the league and two games behind the Liberty during the regular season, have won three of four matchups with New York this year. That includes the WNBA Commissioner's Cup on June 25 to take the in-season tournament title.
DiJonai Carrington had 17 points and 12 rebounds and Brionna Jones added 16 points and 10 rebounds for the Sun, who shot 38.5% from the field (25 for 65) and were forced into 19 turnovers that the Lynx converted into 22 points.
DeWanna Bonner had 14 points on 4-for-13 shooting for the Sun, who were ousted in the semifinals for the fourth time in six years. They lost in the finals in those other two seasons, 2019 and 2022, when Williams was part of the core that still hasn't cleared that last hurdle to the franchise's first title.
The New Orleans Saints will be without starting quarterback Derek Carr for multiple games, multiple media outlets reported Tuesday.
Carr suffered an oblique injury in the fourth quarter of the Saints’ 26-13 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday night, leaving backup Jake Haener to finish the game.
It remains unclear whether Carr will be placed on injured reserve.
Haener, a fourth-round pick in 2023, could be the temporary starter in the coming weeks, but New Orleans could go with fifth-round rookie Spencer Rattler.
Neither has started an NFL game.
Carr has been one of the healthiest quarterbacks in the NFL since he entered the league in 2014. He started all 17 games for the Saints last year despite an injury to his throwing shoulder.
In his second season in New Orleans, Carr had the Saints off to a dream 2-0 start, outscoring opponents 91-29. The Saints have lost three straight games since, however, and face the NFC South rival Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 6.
In Weeks 7 through 9, the Saints play against the Denver Broncos, at the Los Angeles Chargers and at the Carolina Panthers.
Carr ranks eighth among qualifying quarterbacks with a 100.7 passer rating this season. He has completed 70.3 percent of his passes for 989 yards, eight touchdowns and four interceptions.
Despite leaving Monday’s game with an injury, Carr reached a pair of milestones by going over 40,000 career passing yards and throwing his 250th touchdown.
Having long aspired to represent Jamaica’s senior Sunshine Girls, Zaudi Green is on the brink of realising that long-awaited dream.
Green’s selection to debut at the upcoming Fast5 Netball World Series, scheduled for November 9 and 10 in New Zealand as part of an inexperienced squad, marks a significant milestone in her netball journey, one that has been defined by hard work and overcoming personal setbacks.
For Green, playing for the Sunshine Girls is a source of immense pride, as she is well aware of the legacy of excellence built by numerous players over the years. As such, she is honoured to be among the next generation of players striving to make their mark.
“Making the Fast5 team is a very big deal for me. I'm so grateful and honoured to have been selected to represent my country. It has been a big dream of mine to represent Jamaica, and I am so happy that I am now getting the opportunity to do so,” Green told SportsMax.Tv.
“It’s such a privilege to be a part of the legacy built by past and present players, and this serves as encouragement to work even harder. I’m here to learn, to improve, and to be a positive influence for the team. This opportunity is also a stepping stone for me to really push my career in netball, so I intend to go out there, showcase my talent, and represent my country,” she added.
Ever since she took up the sport in primary school, Green nurtured the thought of making it to the world stage. Now as she gets closer to parading her skills in fast-paced, high-energy Fast5 format, Green knows that every step of the journey has prepared her for this moment. But getting to this point was anything but easy.
Back in 2017, Green, a past student of Excelsior High and GC Foster College, suffered a severe patellar injury that threatened to derail her dreams.
Forced to spend months away from the sport she loves, Green, who won numerous titles during her school days, was left with a choice—give up or fight back harder than ever. She chose the latter, embarking on a grueling rehabilitation process that not only healed her knee but also strengthened her resolve.
“It was a really tough time for me,” Green recalled.
“I remember feeling so frustrated because I wanted to be out on the court playing and improving. But looking back, that injury taught me patience and perseverance and increased my faith in God, knowing that without Him, nothing is possible. It made me realize how much I love the sport and how much I’m willing to push myself to get better,” the Manchester Spurs representative shared.
“It shows that whatever I put my mind to, I can achieve it because when I got that injury, I thought that was the end of my career before it even took off. But I chose not to wallow in self-pity, instead, I saw it as an opportunity to bounce back stronger, which I did, and here I am now,” Green noted.
That determination has shaped her approach ever since. When Green eventually returned to the court, she was more focused and determined to achieve her goals. Her performances in local competitions quickly caught the attention of national selectors, and her relentless drive paid off when she received the call-up for the Fast5 squad.
“All the sacrifices, the pain, and the struggles were worth it. I'm really excited and happy to really go somewhere else and showcase my talent, so I'm preparing myself both mentally and physically to go hard when I get to New Zealand to ensure that I am ready and strong to give my best for the team and for my country,” she said with an air of confidence.
The mid-court player is well aware that the Fast5 Series is not only a chance to prove herself on the international stage but also a potential gateway to a professional career.
With scouts from the ANZ Premiership and the Suncorp Super Netball League always on the lookout for emerging talent, Green knows that a strong performance in New Zealand could open doors to an overseas contract—a coveted milestone for many aspiring netballers.
“Representing Jamaica is my dream, but I also want to go further and compete at the highest levels, like the ANZ and Suncorp Leagues. Those competitions have some of the best players in the world, and to be part of that would be incredible. I want to show that I belong on that stage and hopefully earn an opportunity to play professionally,” she admitted.
For now, though, Green is keeping her focus on the task at hand, which is to help the Sunshine Girls put in a strong performance in New Zealand. She knows that her debut will be a learning experience and, as such, is eager to soak up every moment on and off the court.
“I’m just trying to take everything in, learn as much as I can, and play my role for the team. The Fast5 format is intense and requires quick thinking and adaptability, but I’m ready to give it my all. I just want to do my best and make my family, my coaches, and my country proud,” Green stated.
“I really think we have a great chance of making it to the finals once we continue to have faith in each other, work hard, hold each other accountable, and, more importantly, have fun; we should give a good account of ourselves,” she ended.
Squad: Shadine Bartley, Paula-Ann Burton, Simone Gordon, Zaudi Green, Tiffany Langley, Roxanna McLean, Amanda Pinkney, Kimone Shaw, Kestina Sturridge, Corneilia Walters
Drake Maye's time has come.
Maye will start at quarterback for the New England Patriots this Sunday against the visiting Houston Texans, according to multiple reports on Tuesday.
The Patriots selected Maye with the third overall pick of this year's draft, and it was only a matter of time before they would name him a starter.
The struggles of Jacoby Brissett may have sped up the decision.
In leading New England to a 1-4 record, Brissett ranks 29th in passer rating (74.2), 30th in average passing yards (139.2), 30th in completion percentage (58.5) and 31st in yards per attempt (5.16) with only two passing touchdowns and one interception.
Maye's only regular-season action came in mop-up duty in the Patriots' 24-3 loss to the New York Jets in Week 3. The 22-year-old was 4 of 8 for 22 yards and also ran twice for 12 yards.
Maye will become the fourth quarterback from this year's rookie class to start in 2024, joining top overall pick Caleb Williams of the Chicago Bears, No. 2 pick Jayden Daniels of the Washington Commanders and the Denver Broncos' Bo Nix, who was selected 12th overall.
Those QBs are a combined 13-5 in their starts.
Jamaica will host New Zealand in the Davis Cup World Group II Playoffs from January 31-February 2 next year at the Eric Bell National Tennis Centre in Kingston.
The Jamaicans, who lost to Barbados in the World Group II Playoffs at home in February, have been given a lifeline in the form of an automatic promotion back to the Group II Playoffs.
This is due to a recent restructuring of the Davis Cup competition giving a fourth qualifying spot to the Americas region.
As a result of this, Jamaica, who were the highest ranked team who didn’t get promoted, earned the new slot.
They will now host a New Zealand side led by world number 559 Kiranpal Pannu. Jamaica could be without the services of their top player, Blaise Bicknell, who is currently injured.
The New York Jets have seen enough of Robert Saleh as coach of the team.
The Jets decided to fire Saleh on Tuesday after the team opened the 2024 season 2-3.
Saleh, 45, took over as coach of the Jets in 2021, and went 20-36 in his three-plus seasons at the helm.
He will be replaced by defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, who will serve as the interim coach.
This is the first time Woody Johnson has fired a coach mid-season during his 25 years as the team's owner.
The decision to fire Saleh came two days after the Jets managed just 254 yards in Sunday's 23-17 loss to the Minnesota Vikings at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.
New York has scored two offensive touchdowns in its last two games and has been held to fewer than 275 yards in four of five games this season.
Aaron Rodgers has struggled early in his return from a torn left Achilles tendon, and it's been reported Saleh had a rocky relationship with the veteran quarterback.
Saleh took issue with Rodgers' cadence following a 10-9 loss to the Denver Broncos in Week 4, and in New York's win over the New England Patriots in Week 3, Saleh attempted to give Rodgers a hug on the side-line, but the 40-year-old QB appeared to push him away.
The Jets, who have the NFL's longest active play-off drought at 13 seasons, next play Monday at home against the Bills, and they can move into a tie with Buffalo atop the AFC East with a win.
Jamaican Alex Powell, Mercedes-AMG F1 Team Junior, claimed his first European F4 victory in one of the most exciting races of the year at the famed ‘Temple of Speed’, Autodromo Nazionale di Monza in Monza, Italy, on Sunday.
Ninth on the grid for the first race of the weekend, Powell had a blistering start, which saw him move up four positions on lap one, before the first of several Safety Car appearances paused racing. It was a race with multiple incidents and re-starts, but Powell remained focused and was consistently sharp for every start.
After a three-way battle, the Jamaican sensation executed a breathtaking pass for the race lead, before a final incident brought out the Safety Car again, with Powell crossing the line first as the race finished.
In addition to the outright race win, Powell also secured first among rookie drivers, claiming the two top trophies in the race. His performance also assisted Prema Racing to secure the team title for the 2024 Euro 4 Championship.
Novak Djokovic's hopes of claiming a 100th tour-level title are still alive after cruising past Flavio Cobolli at the Shanghai Masters.
After being pushed all the way by Alex Michelsen in his opener, the Serb looked much more comfortable as he triumphed 6-1 6-2 in the third round in just 64 minutes.
He got an early break to take control in the first set, racing into a 3-0 lead before Cobolli got on the board, but another three-game winning streak for Djokovic gave him the first set.
The Italian started the second set brighter, going toe to toe as they traded blows in the opening games.
However, Djokovic soon regained control, and though Cobolli managed to save five of the nine break points he faced during the match, he could do little as the 37-year-old won the final five games to progress.
Djokovic will now face Roman Safiullin in the fourth round.
Data Debrief: Cruise control
Since the format's inception in 1990, Djokovic (82.02%, 406-89) has surpassed Rafael Nadal (82.00%, 410-90) for the highest winning percentage of any player at ATP Masters 1000 events - minimum 10 matches.
And he did so in dominant fashion. He struck 11 winners in the first set (19 overall), and won 20 of his 24 first-serve points throughout the game (83%).
The Connecticut Sun must dig deep to claim a place in the WNBA Finals when they face the Minnesota Lynx in Game 5 of their semifinal matchup, says coach Stephanie White.
The Sun pulled out a dramatic 92-82 win in Game 4 on Sunday and tee up a decider for Tuesday, evening up the series at 2-2.
Alyssa Thomas led Connecticut with 18 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds in Game 4, keeping the Sun's hopes of a fifth finals appearance – and a second in three years – alive.
White expects both teams to step things up a gear for the decider, warning the Sun have no margin for error if they are to advance.
"Both of these franchises have been here," White said. "We have a lot of players on our roster that have been here that understand certainly what it takes and that effort is not going to be good enough.
"We expect them to make adjustments. We'll make some tweaks and adjustments as well. ... It's about players making plays.
"It's about the extra efforts, the hustle plays. It's about not being denied and finding something deep inside of you that just allows you to come out on top."
Napheesa Collier carried Minnesota in Game 4, finishing with 29 points and 13 boards, and she believes having home advantage at Target Center could be crucial on Tuesday.
"You work so hard in the regular season because you want this advantage," Collier said.
"Obviously you want to go home for that game and since we are, it's really nice to have that homecourt advantage."
Coco Gauff believes she has proven to herself that she is going in the "right direction" after winning the China Open in Beijing.
Gauff triumphed 6-1 6-3 in Sunday's final, beating Karolina Muchova in just 76 minutes to claim her second title of 2024, after winning the Auckland Open in January.
She is also now the first player to win each of her first seven WTA hard-court finals in the Open Era.
However, after winning the Cincinnati Open and her maiden grand slam at the US Open last year, Gauff struggled at the start of the hard court swing this time around.
After an early exit at the Paris Olympics, she only won once across at Toronto and Cincinnati before seeing her US Open title defence ended in the last 16 by Emma Navarro.
"Everybody can do everything in practice," Gauff told WTA Insider. "This time, when the pressure is on the line, I was just trying to force myself to do things I was uncomfortable with.
"So yeah, I think the result is now reassurance that I am in the right direction.
"A lot of times people forget that I'm still in the developmental phase of my career and nothing is going to be great.
"Most of the people doing well are 25 and older in the top 10, maybe with the exception of Iga [Swiatek]. We have a long way to go, and I still have a lot that I need to work on, and I'm proud of myself thus far.
"I didn't have a complete game at 15, and I don't have one right now, but I've been on tour playing every week almost, trying to be better. I'm just super proud of that."
Gauff will be in action next at the Wuhan Open, making her first appearance at the tournament.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
