Daniil Medvedev is on a mission to avoid being remembered as a two-week wonder at world number one as he attempts to claw top spot back from Novak Djokovic.
The US Open champion climbed to the summit of the ATP rankings in late February of this year and had a fortnight there before surrendering the top rung to Djokovic, the long-time incumbent.
Djokovic remains there and has spent a record 371 weeks at number one across his career, while Roger Federer had 310 weeks on top and Rafael Nadal 209 weeks.
Their dominance has been at the extreme end of the sporting spectrum, and Medvedev will probably never get close to matching any of their totals, but there is a strong chance he will jump back to number one sooner rather than later.
Medvedev revealed on Saturday he had searched on the internet to learn which players had short runs at number one comparable to his own, such is his fascination.
He is closely tracking Djokovic in the current world rankings, and should he reach the French Open final next weekend he will overtake the 35-year-old Serbian – even if Djokovic successfully defends his Roland Garros title.
Then the decision by the ATP to strip Wimbledon of ranking points means Djokovic will lose 2,000 points after that tournament, having been champion last year, while Medvedev has only a handful to hand back. He is banned from Wimbledon, as all Russians are, and is unhappy to be missing out, but he stands to benefit on the rankings list.
"I for sure want to be there more than two weeks. I want to try to do it," Medvedev said. "We don't know how, this Wimbledon thing, but I want to try to make the best results possible."
Medvedev recalled being told by Tennis Channel how he could return to number one in Paris, saying that was "great to know".
"That's great motivation," Medvedev said. "It's not something that pressures me, because I'm really happy I managed to do it.
"I remember at Indian Wells I lost, I didn't like my match against Gael [Monfils], and that's when I knew I was going to lose the number one spot.
"I was like, well, just two weeks. I went on the internet and looked just like this on Google, who were the shortest number one players in the world, and the first I saw was Pat Rafter being there for one week, and he's an absolute legend, and Carlos Moya was somewhere there. Two weeks.
"If somebody would ask me, how long were Rafter and Moya number one, I'd say, I don't know, six months, one year."
After a 6-2 6-4 6-2 win over Djokovic's compatriot Miomir Kecmanovic, which set up a last-16 clash with Maric Cilic, the 26-year-old Medvedev spoke of his pride at having briefly lorded it over his tour rivals.
"It's something nobody can take away from me," he said. "Not that many players could take it while they play tennis. It's a great motivation to try to come back there."
Jai Hindley vowed to "die for" the maglia rosa in the final stage after he surged away from Richard Carapaz to lead the Giro d'Italia by a minute and 25 seconds on Saturday.
Alessandro Covi went solo to win a brutal stage 20 on the Passo Fedaia in his homeland, and there was huge drama behind the UAE Team Emirates rider.
Carapaz came into the penultimate stage with a three-second lead over Hindley, but his hopes of winning the prestigious race for a second time were surely dashed on a lung-busting final climb.
The INEOS Grenadiers rider cracked just under two kilometres from the end of the 168km route from Belluno, and Hindley capitalised to take the maglia rosa in the Dolomites.
Hindley is poised to become the first Australian winner of the Giro after he had plenty in the tank while Carapaz was suffering, finishing sixth having been given great support by BORA-Hansgrohe team-mate Lennard Kamna.
Kamna had been among a breakaway group but dropped back to assist Hindley on what looks set to be the decisive day of the race, which saw Koen Bouwman crowned the King of the Mountains.
The 2019 champion Carapaz crossed the line in 11th on a painful day for the Ecuadorian, with Mikel Landa remaining third in the general classification after finishing ninth.
With only a 17.4km time trial to come in Verona on Sunday, Hindley is ready to make history
He told Eurosport: "I knew this was going to be the crucial stage of the race, I knew it was a brutal finish and if you had the legs you can make a difference.
"It was perfect with Lennard up the road in the breakaway, and he couldn't have timed it better to drop back in help. When I knew Carapaz had cracked, I just went all out."
Asked if that should be mission accomplished, Hindley replied: "We'll see how it goes, it's always hard to say how a time trial will go on the last day of a three-week race. I'll die for the jersey."
Deja vu but surely no denying Hindley this time around
Hindley was wearing the maglia rosa at the start of the final stage two years ago but finished second behind Tao Geoghegan Hart.
It was a different story in 2020, though, as the 26-year-old did not have a time advantage to play with.
Hindley was a man on a mission on Saturday, and he will surely not be denied a maiden Grand Tour title this weekend.
It was also a day to remember for Covi, who secured a maiden Grand Tour stage win, finishing 32 seconds before Domen Novak.
STAGE RESULT
1. Alessandro Covi (UAE Team Emirates) 4:46:34
2. Domen Novak (Bahrain Victorious) +0:32
3. Giulio Ciccone (Trek-Segafredo) +0:37
4. Antonio Pedrero (Movistar) +1:36
5. Thymen Arensman (Team DSM) +1:50
CLASSIFICATION STANDINGS
General Classification
1. Jai Hindley (BORA-Hansgrohe) 86:07:19
2. Richard Carapaz (INEOS Grenadiers) +1:25
3. Mikel Landa (Bahrain Victorious) +1:51
Points Classification
1. Arnaud Demare (Groupama-FDJ) 254
2. Fernando Gaviria (UAE Team Emirates) 136
3. Mark Cavendish (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl) 132
King of the Mountains
1. Koen Bouwman (Jumbo-Visma) 294
2. Giulio Ciccone (Trek-Segafredo) 163
3. Alessandro Covi (UAE Team Emirates) 102
Charles Leclerc was "incredibly happy" to claim pole position in Monaco Grand Prix qualifying, leading a Ferrari one-two – although Carlos Sainz felt he could have pipped his team-mate if not for a dramatic crash.
Monegasque driver Leclerc qualified fastest at his home race after the final session was cut short due to a red flag.
Sergio Perez hit the barrier, prompting a yellow flag that Sainz saw only in time to brake as he careered into the Red Bull.
That brought a premature end to proceedings but ensured a fine result for Ferrari and, in particular, Leclerc, who secured a precious pole; while he has converted only four of his 13 previous poles into wins, some 15 of the past 17 winners in Monaco have started from the front row, including 12 from first place.
For Leclerc to add his name to the list of winners, he will have to overcome an awful record which has seen him never manage to finish the Monaco race. Despite taking pole last year, his car also crashed heavily in qualifying, and it meant Leclerc could not take an active part on race day.
This time it could be a different story.
"It is very special. I'm so incredibly happy," Leclerc said. "It's been a very smooth weekend until now – I knew the pace was in the car; I just had to do the job, and it went perfectly.
"That last lap, before the red flag, was really, really good, but it didn't change anything for us."
That may be true for Leclerc, but Sainz felt he was on course to top the timesheets prior to the collision with Perez.
"It's a shame – another year that a red flag cost us the end of a session, and we could not go for pole position," he said, "but it's typical Monaco."
Sainz added: "I think we are in a great position to score a great result for the team. The car has been amazing all weekend, so we'll go for it."
Perez still qualified in third, ahead of an out-of-sorts Max Verstappen, while Lewis Hamilton's practice woes shifted only enough for him to make eighth before his final flying lap was halted.
PROVISIONAL CLASSIFICATION
1. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) 1:11.376
2. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) +0.225s
3. Sergio Perez (Red Bull) +0.253s
4. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) +0.290s
5. Lando Norris (McLaren) +0.473s
6. George Russell (Mercedes) +0.736s
7. Fernando Alonso (Alpine) +0.871s
8. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) +1.184s
9. Sebastian Vettel (Aston Martin) +1.356s
10. Esteban Ocon (Alpine) +1.671s
Iga Swiatek insists she is unbothered by the focus on her remarkable winning streak as she continues to play with "nothing to lose" at the French Open.
World number one Swiatek progressed into the fourth round at Roland Garros with a 6-3 7-5 win over Danka Kovinic on Saturday.
The 20-year-old has won her last 31 matches, just one short of the tally achieved by former world number one Justine Henin in 2008.
Swiatek would match the longest winning streak of this century, set by Venus Williams in 2000 (35), should she go on to lift the trophy in Paris.
But the Pole says is focusing on playing with freedom as opposed to getting caught up in the furore surrounding her winning run.
"For sure nothing to lose. It's been always like that. I feel like every person plays better when they feel like they have nothing to lose," Swiatek told reporters.
"I mean, from my point of view, I don't really mind the streak. I'm just playing my tennis. I've gained so many points this season already that I try to look at it from that perspective that I actually have nothing to lose here.
"I just try to focus on the stuff that actually is going on. Thinking about all these stats, it's not really helpful.
"So basically I try to be really strict in terms of my thoughts and try to really focus on finding solutions.
"The thoughts are there, but I'm accepting that, and it's kind of the biggest part of the job is to manage them properly and to really shift the focus on the right things."
Swiatek won her first and only grand slam at Roland Garros in 2020, and has now won 17 of the 19 matches she has played at the French Open.
That feat ranks her just behind Margaret Court, Chris Evert and Monica Seles for the number of wins from their first 19 matches at Roland Garros in the Open Era.
Overcoming China's Zheng Qinwen is the next task for Swiatek, who expects a tough test against the world number 74.
"I'm not really familiar, honestly. Because I didn't watch a lot of tennis during the past couple of months, but I have heard some other players talking about her," she added.
"I'm sure that she's in the right place for her to be, because she's playing really well. Even when she lost some matches, people were really telling me that she has talent.
"But I didn't really watch a lot, so I'm not like tactically ready. For now I'm going to prepare, for sure."
World number one Iga Swiatek put herself among an illustrious group of tennis greats by claiming her 17th match win at Roland Garros.
Swiatek is the favourite for the French Open title this year, and the Pole has been in dominant form so far in Paris.
On Saturday, she defeated Danka Kovinic 6-3 7-5 to move into round four, tallying up a 31st consecutive win in the process – only three players Justine Henin (32), Serena Williams (34) and Venus Williams (35) have recorded longer winning streaks this century.
Swiatek won the first and only grand slam title of her career at Roland Garros in 2020, and of the 19 matches she has now played at the French Open, the 20-year-old has won 17.
That feat ranks her just behind Margaret Court, Chris Evert and Monica Seles for the number of wins from their first 19 matches at Roland Garros in the Open Era.
Evert, Seles and 24-time grand slam winner Court managed 18 victories from that number of matches.
Swiatek was beaten by Maria Sakkari at the quarter-final stage in Paris last year.
Iga Swiatek's quest to win a second French Open title continued as she progressed into the fourth round with a 6-3 7-5 defeat of Danka Kovinic.
Playing early on Court Philippe-Chatrier on Saturday, the top seed made ultimately got past the world number 95 Kovinic in straight sets, though the Montenegrin did not go down without a fight.
Kovinic took all three break points that Swiatek offered up, with two of those coming in the second set, halting what seemed set to be a procession for the favourite.
It has been over 100 days since Swiatek last lost a match, but the Pole temporarily lost her composure as Kovinic reeled off four straight games to go from 4-1 down to 5-4 up.
The final game of Kovinic's streak was settled by a poor Swiatek backhand into the net as the 20-year-old saw the momentum swing the way of her opponent, who was frustrating the world number one with some sublime drop shots.
Swiatek took a moment to recover, donning an extra layer, and responded in the next game by holding to 15, and a stray forehand from Kovinic then handed the 2020 champion a break and the chance to serve out the match.
It was an opportunity Swiatek grasped, and though Kovinic fended off the first match point with a powerful forehand, a return straight into the net confirmed her exit.
Swiatek will face Zheng Qinwen or Alize Cornet in round four.
Data Slam: Swiatek closing in on Henin
Swiatek's winning streak now stands at 31 matches, just one short of the tally reeled off by former world number one Justin Henin in 2008. Should she go all the way and triumph again at Roland Garros, then she will match the longest winning streak of this century, set by Venus Williams in 2000 (35).
WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS
Swiatek – 13/23
Kovinic – 13/31
ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS
Swiatek – 1/0
Kovinic – 3/4
BREAK POINTS WON
Swiatek – 5/10
Kovinic – 3/3
Jayson Tatum is full of confidence that the Boston Celtics will bounce back against the Miami Heat and seal a place in the NBA Finals.
Jimmy Butler turned in one of the great playoff displays for the Heat on Friday as a 111-103 away win forced the Eastern Conference Finals series to Game 7, tied at 3-3.
Butler scored a playoff career-high 47 points, claimed nine rebounds and provided eight assists, with 17 of his points coming in the final quarter.
While the momentum might now be with the Heat, who have home-court advantage for the final game of the series, Tatum believes the Celtics can step up.
Asked what his confidence level was heading into Game 7, Tatum replied: "On a scale from 1-10 – 10. It shouldn't be any less than that, right? You know, it's the last game. This is what it's all about.
"On a scale from 1-10, it's a 10 for my confidence level in myself and the group.
"It's no secret, it's Game 7. A trip to the NBA Finals – there's a lot on the line.
"A couple of us have been in this situation before, so we know what's at stake, we know how much this means to everybody. We know that going into the game."
Tatum led the way for Boston, scoring 30 points and finishing with nine rebounds and four assists, though he only made one shot in the fourth quarter while Butler took hold at the other end.
"I think it was just in the flow of the game, and how the game was going," Tatum said.
"Obviously I've got to watch the film, and things like that, but I think being out there, and the feel of the game, I was drawing a lot of attention.
"I was trying to find a mismatch, obviously, and when I find it, they sent a double, so I'd find the open man. I think it was just kind of how the flow of the game was going."
San Francisco Giants manager Gabe Kapler has explained that he will not stand for the United States national anthem due to concerns over the "direction of our country".
On Tuesday, 19 children and two teachers were killed in a shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.
The MLB paid tribute by holding a moment of silence before games, prior to playing the national anthem.
Kapler on Friday published an essay on his website detailing how on "the day 19 children and two teachers were murdered, we held a moment of silence at sporting events around the country, then we played the national anthem, and we went on with our lives."
He then explained that he will not be coming out to stand for the anthem, and that he wanted to take a knee during the playing of the Star-Spangled Banner on Wednesday.
"Every time I place my hand over my heart and remove my hat, I'm participating in a self-congratulatory glorification of the ONLY country where these mass shootings take place," he wrote.
"On Wednesday, I walked out onto the field, I listened to the announcement as we honoured the victims in Uvalde. I bowed my head. I stood for the national anthem. Metallica riffed on guitars.
"My brain said drop to a knee; my body didn't listen. I wanted to walk back inside; instead I froze. I felt like a coward. I didn't want to call attention to myself. I didn't want to take away from the victims or their families.
"There was a baseball game, a rock band, the lights, the pageantry. I knew that thousands of people were using this game to escape the horrors of the world for just a little bit. I knew that thousands more wouldn't understand the gesture and would take it as an offense to the military, to veterans, to themselves.
"But I am not okay with the state of this country. I wish I hadn't let my discomfort compromise my integrity. I wish that I could have demonstrated what I learned from my dad, that when you're dissatisfied with your country, you let it be known through protest. The home of the brave should encourage this."
Kapler told reporters on Friday: "I don't expect it to move the needle necessarily, but it's something I feel strongly enough about to take that step."
His decision follows on from an impassioned plea from Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, who used a pre-game news conference earlier this week to express his dismay over another school shooting and demand changes to gun laws.
Miami Heat point guard Kyle Lowry gushed over the performance of teammate Jimmy Butler as they avoided elimination with a 111-103 Game 6 victory over the Boston Celtics, tying the series at 3-3 with Game 7 headed back to Miami.
Butler played arguably the greatest game of his career in the must-win fixture, racking up 47 points on 16-of-29 shooting, including going four-of-eight from long range and 11-of-11 from the free throw line.
He added nine rebounds, eight assists, four steals and a block, becoming the first player since Michael Jordan in 1988 to have multiple games of at least 40 points and four steals in the same series.
After only producing a combined 14 points and eight assists in the three games he played this series, Lowry was superb, scoring 18 points and dishing 10 assists before fouling out late in the fourth quarter.
Speaking to post-game media, after Butler said he "did decent throughout the game", Lowry made it evident what he thought of his teammate's performance.
"[Butler was] f****** incredible – my bad, don't fine me NBA, that was really my mistake," he said.
"I just think he's such a humble basketball player, and the work he does put in – I witness it.
"It's incredible to have a guy like him next to me. I've played with some great players, and he's one of the best players I've played with.
"To do it on this stage – Game 6, win or go home, do or die – I wouldn't want to lace them up with many other people than this guy."
He later touched on his own struggles, and how he overcame them with everything on the line.
"I'm never going to make an excuse – I've played bad before – and I have opportunities to redeem myself," he said.
"I've got great guys in the locker room, great guys in my team, great organisation, great people in my life who just support me.
"Tonight was one of those chances – I think coach would have said it's a 'legacy game' – and I think having a guy like [Butler] next to me helped that."
Butler – as well as imploring the league to fine Lowry for his profanity, in jest – highlighted a phone call he had with Heat legend Dwyane Wade in the lead-up.
"D-Wade never hits me [up] until his voice is really, really needed – and it was," he said.
"I texted him and told him I appreciate him for it, just letting me know to go out there and continue to build on that legacy, and make sure we win… it just feels great to get one on the road.
"I think we just did our job – we've been saying it this entire series. It's not finished yet, we've got Game 7 at the crib, and we need to win."
Colorado Avalanche players were thrilled for center Darren Helm after he scored the series-winning goal in his side's 3-2 victory against the St. Louis Blues with just five seconds remaining in regulation.
With their Game 6 triumph away from home, the Avalanche secured a 4-2 series win, and will now play the Edmonton Oilers in the Western Conference Finals, with the winner earning a chance at the Stanley Cup.
It was far from a comfortable win for the Avalanche, needing to come from behind twice.
Firstly, after Justin Faulk gave the Blues a lead in the first period, Colorado's J.T. Compher equalised five minutes into the second frame.
That tie would last less than five minutes before Jordan Kyrou got on the end of a build-up by Andre Burakovsky and Josh Manson, making it 2-1 for the home side, and that score would hold through the second period and the first 10 minutes of the last.
After a penalty gave the Avalanche a power play, Compher capitalised with his second goal of the game, tying things up with just under 10 minutes to play.
With both teams pushing for a late winner, it would be the away side to produce the breakthrough, as Helm found his way past Blues goaltender Ville Husso in the dying seconds to deliver the series win to the Avalanche.
Speaking to post-game media, Avalanche forward Gabriel Landeskog said it was a joy to see Helm be the hero, scoring his first goal of the postseason when his team needed it most.
"There's no other guy that deserves it as much as he does," he said.
"You talk about his work ethic, but he's the guy that comes to the rink with a smile on his face, gets along with everybody."
Colorado goaltender Darcy Kuemper shared similar sentiments, calling it "a super-clutch goal".
He added: "It's always fun to see someone like Darren, who plays the game so hard, (but) always doesn't get rewarded with the points – to come up with a big goal like that is really special."
Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said he could tell from the jump his side was up for the challenge, and that there is still plenty of work to do.
"From the drop of the puck, we were ready to go," he said. "You could tell the belief was there."
"We're only halfway to our goal... we're just getting started."
The Blues were left licking their wounds, convinced they side were good enough, but just failed the test.
"We feel like we're a good team and we let that series slip," Blues center Brayden Schenn said.
St. Louis coach Craig Berube added: "It's tough, a tough way to end it. That's the way it goes. Our guys battle hard."
The Boston Red Sox could not finish the job with a six-run lead against the Baltimore Orioles, going down 12-8 after leading 8-2 through the sixth inning.
It was a red-hot start for the surging Red Sox, who had won seven of their past eight games leading into Friday's contest, jumping out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning thanks in large part to a three-run homer from Xander Bogaerts.
Boston's lead was extended to 6-0 in the second inning through a bases-loaded automatic double from Alex Verdugo, before the Orioles finally got on the board through a two-run home run from Anthony Santander in the fourth inning.
Those would be the only runs given up by Red Sox starter Garrett Whitlock, who pitched six full innings for two earned runs from five hits and one walk, striking out four; but when he was withdrawn, everything fell apart for the home side.
The Orioles would score 10 runs in the final three frames, as a three-run blast from Jorge Mateo in the seventh and a two-run homer in the eighth from Austin Hays quickly helped make it 8-8 heading into the final inning.
Baltimore racked up another five hits in the ninth as the Boston bullpen simply could not close the show, before Orioles closer Jorge Lopez showed them how it was done, retiring the last three Red Sox batters in order.
Taillon pitches a gem for Yankees
The New York Yankees have extended their league-best record to 33-13 after a 2-0 shutout win away at the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday.
It was all about Yankees starting pitcher Jameson Taillon, who proved nearly unhittable, pitching eight complete innings for just two hits and no walks, striking out five in the process.
The Yankees were kept scoreless in eight of their innings as well, but had a pair of game-winning swings of the bat in the fourth frame, with solo home runs to Gleyber Torres and Matt Carpenter.
Carpenter has only been with the Yankees for less than a week, being picked up in the midst of an injury crisis after he was released by the Texas Rangers.
Polar Bear delivers for Mets
New York Mets first-baseman Pete Alonso – nicknamed the 'Polar Bear' – was terrific in his side's 8-6 win against the Philadelphia Phillies, finishing with a game-high four RBIs.
Alonso drove in his first run in the first inning through a sacrifice-fly, before doing it in a more emphatic fashion in the third frame, hitting a 400-foot, two-run home run to left-field.
His fourth RBI came from another hard-hit ball, this time a double to deep right-field, opening up a 7-0 lead in the process.
The Phillies would threaten a comeback, cutting the margin back to 7-6, but the Mets' bullpen was able to shut things down in the final three innings.
Jimmy Butler played the game of his life to lift the Miami Heat to a 111-103 win away from home against the Boston Celtics in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Friday.
The win keeps the Heat's season alive, tying the series at 3-3, with Game 7 heading back to Miami on Sunday.
Butler had complete control of the game throughout, scoring 21 points, grabbing nine rebounds, and dishing six assists – and that was just in the first half, single-handedly carrying the Heat to a 48-46 lead at the long break.
He went on to finish with a playoff career high of 47 points on 16-of-29 shooting (four-of-eight from three, 11-of-11 free throws) with nine rebounds, eight assists and four steals – scoring 17 points in the fourth quarter – as he played 46 minutes, including the entire second half.
Butler was the driving force for the Heat, but they shot the ball well as a team, hitting 15-of-35 three-pointers (42 per cent) as Kyle Lowry and Max Strus hit big shots when they were needed, combining for seven made threes.
Lowry, after a combined 14 points and eight assists in the three contests prior to Game 6 he was healthy for, scored 18 points (five-of-14 from the field, four-of-nine from deep) and dished 10 assists, while Max Strus hit three-of-eight from long range for his 12 points.
Jayson Tatum finished with a strong stat-line, scoring 30 points with nine rebounds, four assists and two steals, but he had seven turnovers, only attempted 12 field goals (nine-of-12), and only scored one field goal in the fourth quarter when the Celtics were desperate for their superstar to impose his will.
Derrick White was arguably the Celtics' best performer, scoring 22 points (seven-of-14 shooting, four-of-seven from three) with five assists and three steals off the bench, while Jaylen Brown was also solid, scoring 20 (six-of-13 shooting) with six rebounds, five assists and three steals.
Ultimately, it will be remembered as Butler's greatest performance, attempting more field goals than Brown and Tatum combined, while having the best defense in the NBA entirely focused on him, and delivering efficiently from all areas while the lights shined their brightest.
With his Game 6 showing, he became the first player since Michael Jordan in 1988 to have multiple games in a playoff series with at least 40 points and four steals.
The Los Angeles Lakers have hired Milwaukee Bucks assistant Darvin Ham as their new head coach after he was brought in for a formal interview for the position on Thursday.
Ham, who will become a head coach in the NBA for the first time, was chosen ahead of former NBA head coaches Terry Stotts – who spent nine season in charge of the Portland Trail Blazers – and Kenny Atkinson, who oversaw the rebuild of the Brooklyn Nets before the arrival of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.
Before becoming a coach, Ham played 417 games across eight seasons in his NBA career, and earned his first assistant role in the league with the Lakers back in 2011.
After two seasons with the Lakers, Ham moved on to the Atlanta Hawks, where alongside head coach Mike Budenholzer he helped them become the top seed in the Eastern Conference in 2014-15, despite their top-scorer being Paul Millsap at 16.7 points per game.
When Budenholzer was fired in 2017 and took the head role with the Bucks, Ham followed, and was a key member in the staff that won the 2021 NBA Championship.
Long-considered a head-coach-in-waiting, Ham was viewed as a front-runner for the vacancies with the Washington Wizards and the Sacramento Kings before ultimately being passed on, leaving him as the man tasked with mounting another championship run while LeBron James remains near the top of his game.
James tweeted his excitement about the hiring, saying: "So damn EXCITED!!!!!!!! Congrats and welcome coach DHam!!"
Ham will also be only the third African American coach to enter an NBA season as head coach of the Lakers, after Mike Brown did so in 2011-12 – getting fired after five games – and Byron Scott in 2014-15 and 2015-16.
World number one Scottie Scheffler remained in a tie for the lead after his second consecutive bogey-free round at the Charles Schwab Challenge, going one stroke better than his Thursday 66 to sit at nine under.
Scheffler's 65 was one shot off the round of the day, and he did it with back-to-back birdies on holes one and two, before also making gains at 10, 12 and 17 down the back nine.
Fellow round one leader Beau Hossler matched Scheffler again – but after two eagles on par-fours in his first round, he did it in much more traditional fashion this time around, also going bogey-free with five birdies.
Joining that pair atop the leaderboard was Scott Stallings, one of two players to shoot Friday's best score of 64, along with New Zealand's Danny Lee, who improved to sit six off the lead after a 73 on Thursday.
Speaking to Golf Channel after stepping off the 18th green, Scheffler said improvements he has made this season are paying off after traditionally struggling at Colonial Country Club.
"I've worked really hard, just creating a lot of different shots for myself," he said.
"This golf course is a lot about the approach play, and at first it didn't suit my eye, but I've really changed and improved my iron play and created a lot of different shots for myself, and it looks like the hard work is paying off here.
"I think I like it when the conditions are really hard, I'd rather it be very difficult than very easy.
"I feel like it's one of those things where if you're playing really good golf you can kind of extend yourself, so I'm excited for the challenges this weekend."
Patrick Reed sat one stroke back from the lead, alone at eight under after his second 66 of the week, with fellow Americans Pat Perez and Chris Kirk rounding out the top five at seven under.
Next came a five-man group at six under consisting of Americans Max McGreevy, Harold Varner III and Davis Riley, with Australian Cam Davis and Norway's Viktor Hovland.
Pre-tournament favourite Jordan Spieth, Webb Simpson and John Huh stood at five under, while Mito Pereira headlined the logjam at four under, still in the mix after his capitulation at the US PGA Championship last weekend.
Max Homa finished three strokes inside the cut line at two under, while Tony Finau and Rickie Fowler were at one under, and Im Sung-jae was one inside the line at even par.
Collin Morikawa and Talor Gooch made the weekend on the number, finishing at one over, while the US PGA Championship playoff pairing of Will Zalatoris and Justin Thomas were both at three over, out of the hunt this time.
Carlos Alcaraz put on a mesmerising show for the late-night Court Philippe-Chatrier crowd as the teenage sensation of men's tennis raced into the French Open fourth round.
In a performance described by former British number one Tim Henman as "an absolute clinic", Alcaraz swept to a 6-4 6-4 6-2 win against American Sebastian Korda.
Korda, 21, is widely expected to be a star of the men's tour for years to come, and he beat Alcaraz on clay in Monte Carlo only last month.
This time he found 19-year-old Spaniard Alcaraz too hot to handle on the surface, with the fast-rising world number six demonstrating the form that has brought him a tour-leading four titles in 2022 already.
Tournament organisers were giving the Paris crowds a glimpse into the future by handing Korda and Alcaraz the hot-ticket night session slot. They are both becoming increasingly a factor in the present, too, and Alcaraz is rated a strong contender for the title this fortnight.
Victory made him the youngest man to reach round four at the French Open since Novak Djokovic in 2006, the ATP said. After winning titles in Barcelona and Madrid, Alcaraz is on a 13-match winning run.
It took him two hours and six minutes to get the job done this time, flashing 18 passing shot winners past his opponent, the son of one-time Roland Garros runner-up Petr Korda.
"It's amazing to play in front of such a great crowd, a great atmosphere here in Philippe-Chatrier," Alcaraz said. "I think the night session is fun to play, the whole people enjoyed the match, and I'm grateful to play in front of such a good crowd.
"Of course, in early matches I'm trying to have fun out there. I love playing this kind of tennis court. I love playing in France. I'm enjoying every single second."
Baseliner Alcaraz surprised many by bringing out a rush of serve-volley points, and revealed that was at the behest of coach Juan Carlos Ferrero.
He also revealed how Ferrero, who was briefly a world number one and won the 2003 French Open men's title, remained in great nick on the practice courts at the age of 42.
"I think not too far away, a couple of months ago or a year ago, he beat me in a training set," Alcaraz said. "He's in good shape, and he could beat a lot of players now in a training set."
Henman, analysing the match for Eurosport, said Alcaraz was the complete package. It was a performance that suggested Alcaraz's five-set struggle against Albert Ramos-Vinolas in round two was a blip.
"I thought his performance was absolutely incredible," former world number four Henman said. "Korda perhaps didn't play as well as he would have liked, but he wasn't allowed to play because of the sheer quality of Alcaraz in every area.
"All credit to Alcaraz, it was an absolute clinic out there."
Henman said the youngster turned "defence into attack in the blink of an eye", adding: "I think he came in expecting a really difficult match, and he destroyed Korda."
Alcaraz reached round three on his Roland Garros debut last year, and has now gone a step further, with Russian Karen Khachanov awaiting him next.
Swedish great Mats Wilander, who won the French Open three times in the 1980s, said Alcaraz on the backhand was "very much like Novak Djokovic".
"The forehand side I'm not really sure, I can't explain it," said Wilander, "because the speed of his arm and when he decides to go full... when he goes full it is unbelievable when the ball hits the clay and bounces."
The Cleveland Browns have reached an agreement with tight end David Njoku on a four-year contract extension.
Cleveland placed the franchise tag on Njoku in March and have now come to terms with a player they hope will be pivotal to their offensive success.
According to NFL Media's Ian Rapoport, the Browns and Njoku have agreed a deal in principle worth $56.75million.
He will receive $28million guaranteed, according to the report, with an average annual salary of $14.18million making him the fifth-highest paid tight end in the league.
The Browns are betting on Njoku's upside, with the 2017 first-round pick yet to live up to expectations since Cleveland took him with the 29th overall selection five years ago.
His best season in terms of receiving yards came back in 2018 when he finished with 56 catches for 639 yards, but Njoku has since struggled with injuries.
He played in only four games in 2019 and 13 in 2020 as the Browns reached the Divisional Round of the playoffs.
Njoku started 11 of his 16 games in 2021 and finished with 475 yards and four touchdowns in a campaign that saw a disappointing Browns team fail to qualify for the postseason, though his average of 13.2 yards per reception ranked fourth among all qualifying tight ends.
Lamar Jackson hit back at criticism of his absence from Baltimore Ravens' OTAs as he enters the final year of his rookie contract.
The 2019 NFL MVP has shown no willingness to engage in discussions with the Ravens over a contract extension.
He has insisted he has no desire to part company with Baltimore, but Jackson has not been present as the Ravens have started early on-field preparations for the 2022 campaign with the OTAs – organised team activities.
Jackson was criticised by former NFL quarterback Chris Simms, who referenced previous comments from the Ravens star, who previously said he wanted to be the Tom Brady of his era.
Simms said on PFT Live: "Brady wouldn't be missing OTAs in year four of his career. ... Brady didn't miss an OTA until he had played in four Super Bowls."
Responding to those comments quoting a tweet featuring a clip of Simms' remarks, Jackson wrote: "Lamar wants to be Lamar Chris.
"This part of OTAs is voluntary my guy I will be there, just not on your watch. It's probably other QBs not attending voluntary OTAs either but since it's Lamar it's a huge deal. Find something else to talk about."
Simms responded, saying: "That’s all good my man. You be you. I am rooting for you. Yes I would like to see you at OTAs. But you got to do what’s best for you. Not singling you out.
"We have discussed all QBs who have not attended OTAs. You are Lamar freaking Jackson!! Of course we r gonna talk bout you."
Jackson won the MVP award in his second season after throwing for 3,127 yards and 36 touchdowns with just six interceptions. He also ran for 1,206 yards and seven scores.
However, the Ravens suffered a shock Divisional Round loss to the Tennessee Titans to end that season, and were eliminated at the same stage of the 2020 campaign by the Buffalo Bills.
Jackson endured an injury-hindered 2021 season, throwing 16 touchdowns to 13 interceptions and adding a career-low two touchdowns on the ground as the Ravens missed the playoffs with an 8-9 record.
No player in the NFL has a higher yards-per-carry average over the course of the last three seasons than Jackson's 6.36.
Lewis Hamilton suggested the problems with his Mercedes W13 were being exacerbated in Monaco on "the bumpiest track I've ever driven".
Seven-time Formula One champion Hamilton has endured a difficult season, complaining right from the outset about his "bouncing" 2022 car.
There had been some signs of progress in recent weeks, however, with Hamilton finishing fifth in Barcelona despite a first-lap puncture.
But things have taken another turn for the worse for the Silver Arrows in Monaco, where Hamilton finished in P10 in Friday's first practice session and P12 in the second.
The circuit itself has contributed, the Briton says, as he said: "Firstly, it's the bumpiest the track [has] ever been. It's probably the bumpiest track I've ever driven.
"So, one, that makes it difficult, and two, just generally our car bounces a lot.
"It's different bouncing to what we've experienced in the past; it's in the low speed also, but it's not aero[-related]. I think the bumps on the track just make it worse.
"I'm not really having to learn the track differently, just fighting the car. To put a lap together is... wow, holy c**p! I don't remember experiencing it like that before."
Team-mate George Russell was only a little better in P8 and P6, beaten in both sessions by McLaren's Lando Norris (P5 twice).
"I'm a little bit surprised to say we're ahead of Mercedes," Norris said. "I expected them to maybe be ahead of us at the minute.
"But the plan is to be ahead of them, and if we can be, I'll be very happy with that."
Yet McLaren colleague Daniel Ricciardo has work to do after hitting the barrier in FP2.
"We pushed a little too far probably in a couple areas with the set-up," Ricciardo said. "We had a good morning, and obviously you try a few things for FP2 to try to maximise a bit more performance, but let's say we overstepped it – you don't know until you try it.
"It was my first lap, so I couldn't really get much of a read on it; it happened straight away.
"I tried my best to save it, but I couldn't. We missed all of the session, but I'm okay. We'll be ready to go tomorrow."
Toni Nadal's loyalties will be split between nephew Rafael and current charge Felix Auger-Aliassime after the French Open served up a delicious last-16 clash.
Known popularly on the tour as Uncle Toni, the man who was at superstar Nadal's side for so many of his greatest triumphs signed up to coach Canadian Auger-Aliassime last year.
Nadal and 21-year-old Auger-Aliassime have had just one past competitive meeting, three years ago on clay in Madrid, but they will go head to head in Paris in the fourth round, and the prospect could hardly be more appetising.
According to Rafael Nadal, who says he has "zero problem" with the scenario, Uncle Toni "wants the best for me".
But Toni Nadal has been hired by Auger-Aliassime, so in theory, he should want the best for the man who grew up in Quebec, too.
Auger-Aliassime earned a hard-fought 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (7-2) 7-5 win over Serbian Filip Krajinovic on Friday, while Nadal fended off Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp for the loss of only nine games.
There is seemingly no prospect of the Nadals staying away from one another ahead of the tussle.
"I already talked with Toni after my match," said Rafael Nadal after sinking the hopes of Van de Zandschulp.
"For me, it's very simple. He's my uncle. I don't think he will be able to want me to lose, without a doubt, but he's a professional and he's with another player.
"I don't know what's gonna happen, if he's gonna stay in the box or not, but I don't care. I have zero problem with that. So it's not a story at all for me. I know what the feelings are that we have between each other. I know he wants the best for me."
Nadal said he had no issue with Uncle Toni working for another player, adding: "He's old enough to make his own decisions, no?
"I can't thank him enough for all the things that he did for me during so many years. I don't have any problem with any position that he's making. I want the best for him, and he wants the best for me. We are family more than anything else.
"Not only family; we are a family that stay together all the time. We are in the same village. We spend time in the academy together. We lived incredible emotions together. So he's not only an uncle. He's more than that."
All of which may have made for interesting listening for Auger-Aliassime, who has joined Nadal in the world's top 10 since their meeting three years ago, with the Canadian at a career-high ninth in the rankings.
Auger-Aliassime's clay-court form has been patchy this season, and it would be a major surprise if he took the scalp of the 13-time French Open champion, who is defying ongoing foot pain to keep his career going.
Toni Nadal joined Frederic Fontang in Auger-Aliassime's coaching set-up, and it may be the latter who does much of the tactical planning for the next match.
"I don't know if I need insight on how Rafa plays, to be honest," said Auger-Aliassime. "I think we all know what he does well.
"It was black and white from the first time we started working together. We knew it was a possibility that eventually I would play Rafa when I'm working with Toni. And actually now he's present here in this grand slam. But I think Toni will watch from a neutral place and enjoy the match.
"From my part it's another match, another opportunity to try to play a good match and win, but of course it's very difficult. I don't know how Toni feels. Maybe we should ask him, but he hasn't talked to me about it."
Auger-Aliassime called for observers to consider the "bigger picture", and what Toni and his nephew, the record-holding 21-time men's grand slam winner, achieved together.
"It's one match, let's play, but his career and everything is much bigger than this," said the Canadian.
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
