Luke Littler became the youngest player ever to reach the final of the World Darts Championship when he defeated Rob Cross on Tuesday.
The 16-year-old now has a shot at claiming an historic place in the sport as he takes aim at the title at Alexandra Palace.
Here, the PA news agency looks at some of sport’s other teenage prodigies in recent years.
Wayne Rooney – 16 years old
Though his breakthrough moment undoubtedly came when he scored past David Seaman from 30 yards in October 2002 to end champions Arsenal’s 30-game unbeaten Premier League run, Rooney had actually made his senior Everton debut two months earlier against Tottenham, setting up a goal for Mark Pembridge in a 2-2 draw.
England’s Euro 2004 opener against France in Portugal shot him to international stardom before he signed for Manchester United later that summer, going on to become all-time top scorer for both United (253) and for England (53), though his international tally has since been surpassed by Harry Kane.
Ronnie O’Sullivan – 17
O’Sullivan became the youngest-ever winner of a ranking event when, aged 17, he beat Stephen Hendry to claim the 1993 UK Snooker Championship. Two years later, he was victorious in the 1995 Masters to add another record to his CV by the age of 19, both accolades that he still holds.
Victory in the 2022 Snooker World Championship was his eighth, drawing him level with Hendry for most wins, as he has lived up to the excitement that accompanied his arrival onto the scene more than 30 years ago to become one of the sport’s all-time greats.
Sky Brown – 13
The skateboarder became the UK’s youngest-ever Olympian when she competed at the Tokyo games aged just 13 and followed it up by becoming the country’s youngest medal winner when she took bronze in the women’s park skateboarding event.
She has continued to set records in the years since, most recently by becoming the first British winner at the skateboarding World Championships in Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates in February 2023.
Cesc Fabregas – 16
Fabregas became Arsenal’s youngest-ever player when he made his first-team debut in a League Cup tie against Rotherham at Highbury in September 2003 and clocked another club record when he scored his first goal in the next round in a 5-1 win over Wolves.
It was the following season though that his true breakthrough arrived, taking up a regular place in the team’s midfield aged 17 at the start of the 2003/04 season as they sought to defend the title won the previous campaign. He went on to win two league titles with Chelsea as well as the 2010 World Cup and two European Championships with Spain.
Gianluigi Donnarumma – 16
AC Milan were in the midst of their decade-long barren spell when Donnarumma was thrust into the first team at the age of 16 in 2015, preferred to the veteran club legend Christian Abbiati and former number one Diego Lopez.
Standing at a height of 6ft 5in, he took up the mantel of first-choice goalkeeper with a stature that defied his young years, and the following year became Italy’s second-youngest ever goalkeeper when he made his international debut in a friendly against France. He has since helped the team to win Euro 2020 where he saved two penalties in the final shootout against England.
Teenage star Luke Littler is one win away from completing his sensational World Championship dream as he cruised into the final.
The 16-year-old has set the Alexandra Palace alight over the last fortnight and is the youngest-ever player to reach the decider of the premier darts tournament.
He is now on the cusp of producing one of the greatest sporting stories of all time, which would rival Emma Raducanu’s US Open win in 2021.
Littler has already proved he is the real deal but produced his biggest statement yet as he downed eighth seed Rob Cross 6-2 in stunning fashion.
He bombarded the treble-20 16 times, produced three 130-plus checkouts and averaged 106.05 in a nerveless performance.
‘The Nuke’ is trying to emulate 2018 champion Cross by lifting the Sid Waddell Trophy on debut and few would bet against him as his juggernaut looks impossible to stop.
Whatever happens in Wednesday’s final he is the story of the tournament.
He has earned celebrity status and his exploits have transcended the world of darts, already appealing to a younger generation of fans, with broadcaster Sky Sports reporting they had an 18.5 per cent share of all under-35 viewing in the UK for his New Year’s Day quarter-final win over Brendan Dolan.
He only qualified for the tournament by winning the World Youth Championship in November and his fairytale run has put the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) under pressure to hand him a place in the forthcoming Premier League.
There is more immediate work to do, though, as his attention turns to Wednesday’s showpiece.
If he performs like this he will be a heavy favourite as he outplayed Cross, who was by no means under-performing.
When Cross took the opening set on throw, it saw Littler trailing for the first time in the tournament.
The former electrician was a livewire at the oche, peppering the trebles, and put the youngster under pressure, having darts to take a two-set lead.
But Littler showed he can perform when he needs to as he took out a vital 74 to level up and then produced a majestic 142 checkout to go 2-1 in front.
He took out a mammoth 149 on his way to a 3-1 lead and then got himself into a superb position to extend that even further but missed a dart at double top.
Cross took the same score out to make it 3-2 instead of 4-1, but Littler was not perturbed, showing composure and maturity to win the next two sets and move one away from the finish line.
Littler, 19 days from his 17th birthday, showed nerves of steel to close it out in style as his dream run continues.
There were joyous scenes at Ayr on Tuesday when 17-year-old Ben Smith rode his first ever winner on Follow Charlie, trained by his father, Mike.
Having just his fourth ride under rules, the teenager punched the air on crossing the line, delighted to get off the mark.
Sent off a 17-2 chance in the Ayr Completes Juilia’s Racecourse Journey Handicap Hurdle, he came home 10 lengths clear of Lewa House.
Ben Smith said: “It was just my fourth ride, my second at Ayr and I’m absolutely over the moon, I’m delighted.
“I nearly won on him on my first ever ride. I’d say he was runner-up to a well-treated winner (Gamigin) who has won again since, that filled us with a bit more confidence coming here today and the step up in trip was always going to suit him.”
On returning to unsaddle, the youngster performed a flying dismount and said: “I’m not quite Frankie (Dettori) yet but I’ll keep trying!
“I just naturally progressed through pony racing, point-to-points and showjumping there was never anything else I was going to do.”
Mike Smith said: “I was very emotional, I was nearly crying but if you can’t get emotional about that, what are you in the sport for.
“To do it here, almost home turf, ridden by my son, a horse we bought for handy money (£2,500) – it’s fantastic.”
There was not such good news for Derek Fox who was taken to hospital with a suspected shoulder injury after his mount, Clovis Bay, fell on the flat.
The rest of the card was dominated by Northern Ireland-based Stuart Crawford, who enjoyed a treble.
Ballycoose (13-8 favourite) won the Ayrshire Wedding Show Novices’ Handicap Chase while Joshua Des Flos (4-7 favourite) was an easy winner of the Quiz Night At Golf Inn Prestwick Maiden Hurdle, with both ridden by Daryl Jacob.
JJ Slevin came over to ride Ailie Rose (6-4 favourite) in the Golf Inn Prestwick Handicap Hurdle.
Crawford is a regular visitor to the track and told Racing TV: “Apart from Down Royal and Downpatrick, this is almost our local track.
“It’s quicker for us to get here than going to the south of Ireland and it’s very easy because for two hours of that journey you are asleep on the boat or reading the paper.
“Joshua Des Flos has been here the last twice and he’s been beaten by nice horses, the novice hurdles here are as competitive as you get anywhere, they take a bit of winning – the big difference today was the softer ground.”
Firefox and Ile Atlantique are on course to meet for a second time in the Lawlor’s of Naas Novice Hurdle on Sunday.
Gordon Elliott’s Firefox came out on top in a Fairyhouse bumper last April by three-quarters of a length from Willie Mullins’ Ile Atlantique.
Since then, Firefox has won another bumper at Down Royal in November before beating the highly-regarded Ballyburn, a winner recently, on his hurdling debut at Fairyhouse.
Ile Atlantique created a big impression on his first run over hurdles when winning by 19 lengths at Gowran.
Both trainers have other strong possible contenders, too.
Elliott has left in Croke Park and Jigoro, while Mullins could also run Chapeau De Soleil, Lecky Watson, Readin Tommy Wrong and Mystical Power, the son of Galileo and Annie Power.
The only other two possible runners are Tom Mullins’ Fascile Mode and Henry de Bromhead’s promising An Tobar.
The latter was last seen finishing third in the Royal Bond when sent off favourite. The winner, Farren Glory, looked like following up in the Formby Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree until falling late on.
“An Tobar is in good form and goes to Naas on Sunday, all being well,” said De Bromhead’s race planner Robbie Power.
“It has been a great Christmas for An Tobar’s owners, Robcour and the Acheson team.
“We had An Tobar and Slade Steel kept over Christmas for this race at Naas but it is just going to come a bit soon for Slade Steel, so An Tobar will go and try to emulate what Bob Olinger did in 2021, before he went on to win the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham.”
Barry Connell’s Marine Nationale has the rest of his season mapped out after a perfect start to his chasing career.
The gelding was flawless in bumpers and over hurdles, winning two National Hunt Flat starts before taking three successive novice hurdle races last season.
The latter two of those performances were at Grade One level, firstly in the Royal Bond at Fairyhouse and then the Supreme at the Cheltenham Festival, where he was a superb winner ahead of Facile Vega.
His chasing debut came in a beginners’ contest at Leopardstown on December 27, where he was steered by Michael O’Sullivan to a foot-perfect eight-and-a-half-length win.
The Irish Arkle, the Arkle and then the Punchestown Festival is the route drawn out for him and Connell reports the bay to be faring well as he moves towards his next engagement.
“We couldn’t be happier with the way he’s come out of the race,” the trainer said.
“He jumped great, never made a mistake and he seems to be in great nick.
“He’s had a couple of quiet days, he’ll start back riding out tomorrow and we’ll be building up to the Irish Arkle at the Dublin Racing Festival.
“From next weekend it’s only three weekends away, so it won’t be long at all coming around.
“The spin he had at Christmas should leave him spot on, it’s the exact same course and distance and the ground will hopefully be a bit drier, but he has proven he can run on any ground.
“We wouldn’t want to see him on bottomless but he’s probably a bit more ground versatile than we thought.
“He’s in a good place, he’s happy and we’re looking forward to him hopefully doing the same in Dublin and after that we’ll be on to the Arkle.”
The seven-year-old had to do more than just win to impress onlookers as his reputation is significant, but he still managed to surpass high hopes – particularly with the accurate round of jumping he produced.
“Even if you’re Constitution Hill, when the season ends and a new one starts you kind of have to go back to basics and prove yourself all over again,” Connell said.
“We liked what we were seeing at home but of course we were apprehensive going into the race, just hoping everything would go right and nothing silly would happen.
“He exceeded our expectations in how well he’s taken to fences, he’s going to be going to Cheltenham on the back of a beginners’ race and a Grade One and that’s the exact same profile he had last year when he went with a maiden hurdle win and a Royal Bond win.
“He won’t lack for experience when he’s been around Leopardstown for a second time, they’re big fences there and it’s quite a daunting thing for a novice to go around there, but if he can do similar there in three weeks, he’ll be well set up for the challenges afterwards.
“We have him back in the same order as last year and he’s proven he can jump really quickly and efficiently. I know he’s a short-priced favourite for the Arkle now but I think that’s probably justified based on what he’s achieved so far.”
With the dust settling on Hewick’s fairytale King George VI Chase victory at Kempton on Boxing Day, Shark Hanlon has finally had time to take in what victory in the showpiece race means to a yard of his size.
Hewick’s name now sits proudly on the roll of honour alongside some of the greatest chasers to have raced, like Arkle, Pendil, Wayward Lad, Desert Orchid and Kauto Star.
He was already a Galway Plate and American Grand National winner, but a Grade One at level weights against a field full of previous top-level winners took his achievements to a new level.
A crack at the Cheltenham Gold Cup now awaits, having run well until falling late in the contest last season, but after seeing Galopin Des Champs bounce back to his best over the Christmas period, Hanlon would only take on last year’s winner on his preferred good ground.
“It’s only when you get home and look at the trophy and remember some of the greats who have won it, all the right ones, that you realise what he has achieved,” said Hanlon.
“Good ground is so important to him. He’s not a big horse and he needs good ground. With the way the weather has been the last two years, he has been very hard to place.
“Had the race been at Leopardstown, I probably wouldn’t have run. The only reason we went over was for the good ground and it was only just good enough.
“Willie’s (Mullins) horse (Galopin Des Champs in the Savills Chase) was very, very impressive though. I’m hoping by the time March comes around the ground is good because I don’t think anything will beat Willie’s horse on soft ground.
“The only chance we’d have of beating him is on good ground. Cheltenham last year wasn’t good enough for him – hopefully this year the ground is good enough for him. If the ground was soft, I’d say we wouldn’t run.
“If it’s soft in March, I’d probably wait for the National, because usually the ground in Aintree is fairly good.”
Hewick has bounced out of the race in great form and Hanlon feels the strong pace throughout enabled the gelding’s endless stamina to come into play.
“He came home out of the race 100 per cent, he’s fresh as a daisy and I could run him again today,” he said.
“In my opinion, they all went too hard. We have a horse who made the running in the Galway Plate and the Gold Cup, and to make the running in those races you’ve got to go hard – and he couldn’t lie up.
“I think they went a million miles an hour. You had Ryanair winners (Allaho and Frodon) and an Arkle winner (Shishkin) taking each other on – they were going a two-mile pace.
“They jumped off, went a real good clip and Gavin (Sheehan) said they quickened again from six out. They were taking each other on the whole way. It happens every time, you’ve really got to stay.
“The only chance we have of beating Willie’s horse (at Cheltenham) is good ground, so we’ll be hoping it dries up. If it’s good ground, we’ll definitely take him on.”
Connections of Marie’s Rock appear to have abandoned ambitions of conquering the staying hurdling division in favour of another crack at the Mares’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
Her previous attempts at three miles have proved fruitless, but the team behind Nicky Henderson’s nine-year-old have always felt they needed further evidence over a staying distance before completely giving up on the Stayers’ Hurdle dream.
A run in the Cleeve Hurdle later in the month was mooted as the potential acid test of her staying credentials, but following a seven-length defeat by a resurgent Bob Olinger when trying to defend her Relkeel Hurdle crown, attentions will be turned to another run over two and a half miles at the Festival in March and an attempt to win the mares’ only Grade One for a second time.
“I think she ran a Marie’s Rock race. They went a good enough gallop. James (Bowen) was very happy with how she settled and she jumped very well,” said Middleham Park’s National Hunt racing manager Tom Palin.
“I think we were just beaten by a resurgent Bob Olinger and you can do nothing but tip your cap and go ‘well played’.
“We were discussing about going three miles again, but I would say at this point we are going to go for the Mares’ Hurdle. That would be the hot take, if you were.
“I think this tells us we should be looking back to what we know and to go and try to win the Mares’ Hurdle again. Hopefully, we get a truer-run race in it this year.”
Although surrendering her Relkeel crown to Henry de Bromhead’s on-song raider, the Middleham Park Racing team were pleased with Marie’s Rock’s efforts at Prestbury Park and will now return their star mare to her own sex for her Festival tune-up, which is likely to be Warwick’s Listed Hurdle on February 10.
“That performance she put in was the real Marie’s Rock and I think that performance is good enough to be competitive in a Mares’ Hurdle at the Festival,” continued Palin.
“I don’t think we will go to Ascot (for the Warfield) or the Cleeve Hurdle.
“I think we will go to Warwick for the Listed race she won before the Mares’ Hurdle at the Festival. That is in mid-February. That is about six weeks away now, then it is a month to the Festival and that appears the route we will go.”
Tuesday’s meeting at Fakenham was abandoned shortly before the first race as heavy rain prevented the emergency vehicles from being able to navigate a safe passage.
The jockeys had come out of the weighing room for the scheduled opener at 12.30 before any issues had arisen.
However, just before the off time, it became apparent there was a problem, with the meeting then called off shortly afterwards.
Clerk of the course David Hunter told Racing TV: “We’ve had forecast rain from 11am along with rain last night and my medical team have done some trials and they are concerned that the ground is so slippy they would not be able to get the ambulances around.
“We don’t have a service track at Fakenham, so we have to strategically deal with instances like that, they would not be able to get an ambulance to a stricken jockey in the required time, which is one minute.
“He (medical officer) has discussed it with the BHA and there’s been an inquiry – it’s just really hard luck.
“I’ve been doing this for 26 years, we’ve had wet days and this has been a torrid season so far – this is the thing we always consider, we’ve walked it two or three times this season and felt there was no problem at all.
“What we have got is rain throughout the afternoon, so the situation will only get worse, not better.
“It’s beyond regrettable, nobody is more disappointed than me and my team and I’m really sorry for everybody who has arrived, and we’ll be giving a full refund.”
There has also been heavy rain in Wales, forcing Chepstow to call an inspection for noon tomorrow ahead of their meeting on Sunday, January 7.
Last year’s winner Galopin Des Champs is one of 20 entries for the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup on March 15.
Trained by Willie Mullins, Galopin Des Champs came out on top in a terrific duel with Bravemansgame last season and the pair are on course to meet again.
Galopin Des Champs returned to winning ways at Leopardstown over Christmas with a spectacular display which propelled him back to the head of the betting, having suffered two defeats at the hands of the Martin Brassil-trained Fastorslow.
Brassil’s charge has also been entered for the blue riband this year, having gone close in handicap company at the Festival last season. He was a late absentee at Leopardstown.
Mullins has also entered the injury-plagued Monkfish, an impressive winner of the 2021 Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase, but limited to just three starts since then.
Hewick, Shark Hanlon’s King George winner, Gerri Colombe, Envoi Allen and Gentlemansgame are others from Ireland with the option.
Gary Moore’s hugely-impressive Welsh National winner Nassalam is entered along with the Venetia Williams-trained pair of L’Homme Presse and Royale Pagaille.
Shishkin, so unlucky when coming down two from home in the King George, and Paul Nicholls’ novice Stay Away Fay are also in.
There are 19 entered in the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase on March 13 in which last season’s first two from the Arkle, El Fabiolo and Jonbon, dominate the betting.
The pair are due to meet at Ascot in the Clarence House Chase later this month first.
Mullins has six contenders in total, including the now nine-year-old Ferny Hollow, who has not seen since December 2021, along with the mare Dinoblue and Appreciate It.
Boothill, Captain Guinness, Edwardstone and Editeur du Gite are others to note, with the last two runners also entered in the Ryanair Chase on March 14.
Mullins’ Allaho will be bidding for a third win in the race having gone close in the King George over Christmas. He is one of eight for the trainer, along with Sir Gerhard, in a total field of 32.
El Fabiolo, Fastorslow, Jonbon and Envoi Allen, winner of the race last season, are among those who have multiple options while Fugitif is in for Richard Hobson
Paul Nicholls has reported that Stage Star returned “a tad sore” after his disappointing run at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day.
A winner at the Festival in March, he also landed the Paddy Power Gold Cup in November and was having his first run since that success.
However, the combination of heavy ground and a handicap mark of 166 meant he was soon struggling and when his chance had gone coming down the hill, Harry Cobden took the decision to pull him up.
The champion trainer is not too concerned, though, and believes with over three months to go before his next target – the Ryanair Chase back at Cheltenham – he can get him fit and firing once more.
“He was a tad sore when he finished and when he trotted up this morning he wasn’t quite 100 per cent, so I’m guessing he’s pulled some muscles somewhere,” Nicholls told Betfair.
“He’s had a few little issues in the past. He made a couple of mistakes going up the hill and I wasn’t sure he was going that well before then in that ground.
“The vet is in this morning, he’ll give him a full MOT and we’ve plenty of time to get him sorted before the Ryanair. That’s why I was so keen to get a run into him now rather than in a month, as there weren’t many options really.
“We’ve got time to get him back to himself. He had a couple of runs last year when it didn’t go quite right.
“Yesterday morning I was looking for any excuse not to run him and that is unlike me because I’m always positive and always want to run, but when he trotted up and everything, it was all positive, he gave us no reason not to run.
“It wasn’t to be yesterday but I’ve been there a million times before with horses like this, we can just put a line through that run. We’ve loads of time before the Ryanair on spring ground and we’ll get him back for that.”
On a brighter note, Nicholls landed yet another edition of the Challow Hurdle through Captain Teague at Newbury a few days earlier.
“I was pleased with him, he’s improving physically and mentally all the time and he jumped a lot better than he did at Cheltenham – he just idles a little once he’s in front,” said Nicholls.
“I haven’t spoken to Johnny (de la Hey, owner) about what we’re going to do in the spring with him, but ultimately we’re building his career to be a novice chaser this time next year.”
Venetia Williams has confirmed L’Homme Presse is on track to make his eagerly-awaited return at Lingfield during the Winter Million Festival.
The Cheltenham Festival winner has been on the sidelines since unseating his big-race jockey Charlie Deutsch when booked for second place in the 2022 King George VI Chase, missing out on a return to Prestbury Park for a shot at the Gold Cup last spring.
L’Homme Presse is a general 16-1 chance for the blue riband this time around and his handler has the Fleur de Lys Chase on January 21 inked in as the race where the nine-year-old will be back from over a year off the track.
“He’s fine and Lingfield is the plan for the Fleur de Lys,” said Williams. “All being well, he is on course for that.”
Williams also has another talented chaser on her hands in the form of Djelo, who enhanced his growing reputation in Ascot’s Noel Novices’ Chase prior to Christmas.
The six-year-old won just one of his five starts for Williams over hurdles last term but has excelled since switching to fences and, after victories at Aintree and Newbury, took the step up to Grade Two company in his stride when an impressive six-length scorer over Paul Nicholls’ Kandoo Kid.
It was the first time the gelding had raced over further than two miles over the larger obstacles and his trainer is unconcerned about distance, as she assessed what her charge has done so far and what is possible in the future.
“I was very pleased with him and, like all these horses, it is one step at a time, but each question we’ve asked of him, he’s answered very positively,” said Williams.
“He’s a very different horse to L’Homme Presse, he’s much smaller and different, L’Homme Presse is a big wheel and this horse isn’t.
“I don’t think the trip is that important to him. For the time being, I’m not worried whether it is two or two and a half – I could have run him in the graduation chase (at Ascot) over two-miles-five.”
Rafael Nadal returned from his year-long injury absence with a bang by winning an engrossing first-round battle with Dominic Thiem at the Brisbane International.
The 22-time grand slam champion had not played since damaging his hip during a second-round match at the 2023 Australian Open.
But, with this year’s Melbourne major on the horizon, he gave a timely reminder of his talents with a box-office performance en route to an impressive 7-5 6-1 success in an hour and 29 minutes.
“Today is honestly an emotional and important day for me after probably one of the toughest years of my tennis career without a doubt,” Nadal said on court following the victory.
“To have the chance to come back after a year and play in front of an amazing crowd and play at a very positive level is something that probably makes us feel proud – myself, all the team, family that have been there every single day during the last year.
“I missed being healthy, I missed feeling myself competitive and playing in front of full crowds like this.
“Things went well and I’m excited to be back again tomorrow.”
Ahead of his long-awaited comeback, Nadal said it was “impossible” for him to contemplate winning tournaments.
There was little between the pair in the opening set before the Spaniard sealed a decisive break of serve by capitalising on his fourth set point.
Austrian Thiem, the 2020 US Open champion, had barely put a foot wrong at that stage but was quickly facing an early exit.
Nadal backed up seizing the initiative by asserting his authority on the contest with another break of serve early in the second set.
The 37-year-old, who underwent hip surgery last summer, then won four of the next five games to secure a statement victory at the end of his lengthy spell on the sidelines.
He will face either Russian eighth seed Aslan Karatsev or Australian wildcard Jason Kubler in round two.
“The support is super important, especially in the low moments,” added Nadal.
“I had the chance to receive thousands of messages during all of this year and having great people next to me every single day makes the difference without a doubt.
“I don’t have a real test about how the level was, I have been too long outside. The first set was very equal, both us serving very well.
“Then I was able to have that break at 6-5, so that makes the difference.
“I know Dominic has been going through some hard times with injuries too so I’m happy to see him on court and I wish him all the very best for the season.”
Paul George and James Harden were relieved to see Kawhi Leonard return from a four-game absence and help the Los Angeles Clippers stay hot with a win over the Miami Heat.
Leonard scored 24 points to pass 13,000 for his NBA career as the Clippers won 121-104 against the short-handed Heat on Monday.
George added 23 points, Norman Powell had 22 on 9-of-11 shooting while James Harden scored 15 points and provided 10 assists to aid in the Clippers' third straight victory and 12th in 14 games.
"You see the performance," Harden said about the return of Leonard, who had been sidelined by a hip contusion.
"Both ends of the ball, just elite. Shotmaking, defensively just being active, creating opportunities in transition. We needed that, for him to get well and get better. We missed him."
George feels Leonard adds so much more than his statistical production.
"He does all the little intangible stuff – it's just so reliable," said George.
"It's great to have 2 back in the lineup. He missed a little over a week and it was going to take a little time for him to catch his rhythm, but I thought he did and looked like himself."
Miami, playing without six-time All-Star Jimmy Butler and a few other key contributors due to injuries, held a 35-23 lead after one quarter and was up by as much as 14 points in the second before the Clippers began battling back.
Los Angeles outscored the Heat by a 32-17 margin over the final 9 1/2 minutes of the first half to take a 59-58 edge at the break. Leonard had 13 second-quarter points to spark the comeback and George then scored 12 points in the third as the Clippers extended their lead to 95-85 entering the fourth.
The Clippers have continued to find a way to win since their six-game losing streak in November.
"It is better when you try to figure it out winning than trying to figure out losing and that is what was happening earlier [in the season]," added Harden.
"Every single game, we are trying to find ways to win games. Then towards the end of the season we’ll understand what we’re really good at and what we are not."
Los Angeles is now 20-12 for the season, fourth in the Western Conference ahead of Wednesday's road game against the Phoenix Suns, who have won four straight games.
Bradley Beal scored 21 points as the surging Suns beat the Portland Trail Blazers 109-88, even with Kevin Durant sidelined by right hamstring tightness.
As for the Heat, they will stay in Los Angeles before playing the Lakers on Wednesday.
Bam Adebayo paced Miami with 21 points and 15 rebounds but the Heat have now dropped two straight following a four-game winning streak and are fifth in the Eastern Conference.
Owner Brian Acheson believes Galopin Des Champs is the best horse since Kauto Star and has conceded his Gerri Colombe will be running for second place when he tackles Willie Mullins’ defending champion in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Galopin Des Champs was an imperious winner of the blue riband in March but had since suffered defeat twice at the hands of Martin Brassil’s Fastorslow, with Acheson’s Gerri Colombe emerging as a real Gold Cup contender when making a winning return at Down Royal.
The two talented stayers clashed for the first time at Leopardstown in the Savills Chase and with the Closutton Cheltenham hero back to his very best, Gerri Colombe was helpless as Galopin Des Champs romped to a brilliant 23-length success.
That shot the eight-year-old back to the top of the Gold Cup market, with Gerri Colombe eased to a best price of 11-1 with Unibet, and Acheson – who runs his horses under the Robcour banner – feels there is no way of turning the tables when they meet again at Prestbury Park in March.
He said: “Galopin is the best horse since Kauto Star and I’ve said it since the day of the Turners (Novices’ Chase, at Cheltenham). He is an absolute rocket, a weapon.
“We lost nothing in defeat and I don’t think there is a horse in training that can stay with him, he’s just a machine.
“You are running for second place. In the era where we don’t have enough good horses, if I didn’t have Gerri in the race, then you would love him to win by half the track just to make him look a superstar – and he is a superstar, I would love to own him.
“Hats off to him and it was actually an honour to run against him, he’s so good.
“We will take him on but there is only one winner.”
Acheson also outlined plans for his plethora of stars in the staying hurdle division.
Bob Olinger and Irish Point have both thrown their names into the mix with victories over the Christmas period, but it is last year’s Stayers’ Hurdle third Teahupoo who is currently carrying his owner’s main hopes following his second Hatton’s Grace success last month.
“Bob Olinger will be going to Aintree,” said Acheson. “If you had three horses, would you run three horses in the Stayers’?
“At the moment, I have two horses who could run in the Stayers’ and the one horse who is going there if he is fit and well is Teahupoo.
“Irish Point won well last week, but Home By The Lee didn’t run his race and Asterion Forlonge was a great horse but is a little bit older now.
“Teahupoo’s run against Impaire Et Passe was better form-wise, so he’s number one, but this French horse (Theleme) is meant to be a superstar.”
Referee Russ Bray is proud of his tag as the ‘voice of darts’ as he gets ready to call his last World Championship final on Wednesday.
The 66-year-old has become one of the most imitated people in sport due to the trademark way he bellows ‘180’ every time a player hits a maximum in his gruff and booming voice, while his ‘game on’ to mark the start of play is also instantly recognisable.
He will take charge of his 28th and last final on Wednesday night before heading into semi-retirement, also taking up a role as an ambassador for the Professional Darts Corporation.
And he could be calling a momentous occasion if teenage sensation Luke Littler can continue his bid to become the youngest-ever world champion on Tuesday night.
Bray, who became a referee in 1996, has been a central figure in the sport as it has catapulted into the mainstream over the last 15 years.
He cannot walk down the street without someone shouting one of his catchphrases at him, but embraces the attention.
“It is a lovely feeling that people put a tag on you like the ‘voice of darts’,” he told the PA news agency.
“I have been very, very lucky because my voice has been so different so it makes it obvious.
“People walk down the street and shout ‘game on’ or ‘180’ and it’s lovely.
“It’s good, for someone to do that means they are recognising what you do and I take it as a compliment.
“My calls part of the game. Every referee says game on and every referee says 180. It’s just that mine has been recognised by everyone.
“You try to make a game as exciting as you can. My calls are all natural, nobody told me to do it like that, I just wanted to be different.
“It is a spectacle and to be part of that is very important.”
Bray has been standing beside the oche for many of the most memorable moments over the last 25 years and he has seen the sport change from a pub game watched by enthusiasts into a global phenomenon.
He refereed the famous World Championship final between Phil Taylor and Raymond van Barneveld in 2007 and lists it as his personal highlight.
“The Barney-Taylor final at the Circus Tavern, it was the last one there,” he remembers.
“It went to a sudden-death leg and Raymond hitting the bull, then Phil hits a 180 and Raymond follows with a 180 and takes out tops. That was very, very special.
“When I started you had one winner and that was Phil, he was the one who dominated for so many years.
“You come to this tournament here and there could be several winners.
“Now you could have a dozen winners that could take the title. In those days you only had one, so that is what makes it so good.
“I am going to finish at the very top, there is nothing bigger than calling the final of the World Championship on the Ally Pally stage, to finish there will be pretty nice.”
Emma Raducanu celebrated her long-awaited return from injury with a gutsy three-set win over Elena-Gabriela Ruse in the first round of the ASB Classic in Auckland.
The former British number one, who was playing her first match since April following operations on both her wrists and one ankle, held off a fightback from the Romanian qualifier to progress 6-3 4-6 7-5.
Her preparations for the upcoming Australian Open will continue with a tough last-16 tie against second seed Elina Svitolina.
Tournament wild card Raducanu, who had dropped to 301st in the world rankings, resumed her stalled career claiming to feel “reborn” and freed from the weight of her headline-grabbing US Open triumph in 2021.
Having managed only nine matches in 2023, she initially showed few signs of rustiness as she wrapped up the opening set in 37 minutes after capitalising on her third break point in game eight.
Yet any hopes of straightforward progression were quickly dashed as Ruse responded.
The world number 134 doggedly saved three break points in an 11-minute opening game of the second set before winning two of Raducanu’s next three service games to shift the momentum.
At 5-2 down, Raducanu demonstrated resilience to return the match to serve but then failed to hold as it went to a decider.
The 21-year-old showed flashes of her best throughout the contest, including a delightful backhand slice winner, and would not be denied, despite the best efforts of the determined Ruse.
She blew a 5-2 lead in the final set and failed to capitalise on two match points on her opponent’s serve before digging in to ensure eight months on the sidelines culminated in an encouraging comeback victory.
Julius Randle had 39 points and nine rebounds, OG Anunoby made a strong debut with his new team and the New York Knicks earned a 112-106 win over the Western Conference-leading Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday to end a three-game losing streak.
Anunoby was traded to the Knicks from the Toronto Raptors on Saturday and met his new teammates for the first time on Sunday.
Despite needing some occasional help to navigate coach Tom Thibodeau’s system, Anunoby finished with 17 points on 7-of-12 shooting and pulled down six rebounds.
Randle finished 14 for 24 from the field and made nine of 13 free throws for New York, which trailed by nine points after one quarter before outscoring Minnesota by a 38-17 margin in the second to build a 61-49 half-time lead.
Anthony Edwards led the Timberwolves, who had a two-game winning streak halted, with 35 points. Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 29 for Minnesota, while Rudy Gobert grabbed 15 rebounds to go along with 10 points.
Bench propels Pacers as Bucks' home winning streak ends
Tyrese Haliburton finished just short of a triple-double as the Indiana Pacers put an end to the Milwaukee Bucks' 15-game home winning streak with a 122-113 victory over their Central Division rival.
Haliburton compiled 26 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds to lead Indiana, which trailed by 15 points late in the third quarter to tie the game at 101-101 with under six minutes left.
The Pacers then embarked on an 8-0 run, with T.J. McConnell scoring six points during the spurt, to take the lead for good.
McConnell had 12 points in the fourth quarter to help the Pacers to a fourth straight win. He finished with 16 points off the bench, while Bennedict Mathurin had 25 along with a career-high 13 rebounds.
With Mathurin and McConnell leading the way, Indiana's bench outscored Milwaukee's reserves by a 70-16 margin.
The Central-leading Bucks were dealt their first defeat at Fiserv Forum since Oct. 29 despite Giannis Antetokounmpo's 30-point, 18-rebound, 11-assist triple-double.
Brook Lopez and Khris Middleton had 21 points each for Milwaukee, though Bucks star guard Damian Lillard struggled with a 3-of-16 shooting night while being held to 13 points.
Leonard returns to help Clippers top Heat
Kawhi Leonard returned from a four-game absence to score 24 points and help the Los Angeles Clippers stay hot with a 121-104 win over the Miami Heat.
Paul George added 23 points and Norman Powell had 22 on 9-of-11 shooting to aid in the Clippers' third straight victory and 12th in 14 games.
Miami, playing without six-time All-Star Jimmy Butler and a few other key contributors due to injuries, held a 35-23 lead after one quarter and was up by as much as 14 points in the second before the Clippers began battling back.
Los Angeles outscored the Heat by a 32-17 margin over the final 9 1/2 minutes of the first half to take a 59-58 edge at the break. Leonard, who had been sidelined by a hip contusion, had 13 second-quarter points to spark the comeback.
George then scored 12 points in the third quarter as the Clippers extended their lead to 95-85 entering the fourth.
Bam Adebayo paced Miami with 21 points and 15 rebounds. The Heat have now dropped two straight following a four-game winning streak.
Luke Littler will aim to move a step closer to World Darts Championship glory on Tuesday night and his path became clearer after tournament favourite Michael van Gerwen crashed out.
The 16-year-old has taken Alexandra Palace by storm and became the youngest semi-finalist ever after he beat Brendan Dolan 5-1 in the quarter-final.
A semi-final against 2018 winner Rob Cross is next up, but he will no longer have to meet Van Gerwen in the final after the three-time champion suffered one of the biggest shocks in recent times, going out 5-3 to unseeded Scott Williams.
It was a new year, but the same old brilliance from the precocious Littler, who is on the cusp of producing one of the greatest sporting stories of all time.
And the teenager believes it is going to “take a lot” to stop his juggernaut.
“It feels unbelievable. I would never have thought I would have got to the semis on my debut year,” he said. “Brendan was just another opponent in my way and I have brushed him aside and now I am into the semi-final.
“It’s going to take a lot to stop me, based on my performances so far. But it is about whatever Luke Littler turns up.
“I have got the ability to go all the way, if it’s not to be tomorrow night, it’s not to be.
“I know I have got a good chance and I have got a good feeling I could go all the way tomorrow.”
Cross has enjoyed watching Littler’s emergence, but says there will be no room for sentiment.
“Everyone loves an underdog story,” he said. “As the public and people looking at the game, everyone loves an underdog story.
“I am not being rude, I am on Luke’s side, I love an underdog story.
“It took a bit of pressure off me winning it first time as well.
“He’s fantastic and he deserves all the luck in the world, he is a nice, young boy. Tomorrow we play darts, though, and I have to go down to business.”
It has been quite a tournament for Williams, who had to apologise for insensitive comments about the war after beating Germany’s Martin Schindler earlier in the tournament, but he let his darts do the talking in a career-best performance, outscoring his illustrious opponent.
He will now meet pre-tournament favourite Luke Humphries, who breezed past Dave Chisnall in the other quarter-final.
Joey Daccord stopped 35 shots for his second career shutout as the surging Seattle Kraken registered a 3-0 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights on Monday to win the NHL’s Winter Classic.
Daccord recorded the first shutout in Winter Classic history and was supported by goals from Eeli Tolvanen, Will Borgen and Yanni Gourde as the Kraken delighted a crowd of 47,313 at T-Mobile Park, home of Major League Baseball’s Seattle Mariners.
Tolvanen added an assist to help Seattle to its fifth straight win. The Kraken also set a franchise record by earning a point in their ninth consecutive game (7-0-2).
Seattle jumped out to a 1–0 lead less than five minutes in when Tolvanen redirected teammate Vince Dunn’s shot past Vegas goaltender Logan Thompson.
Borgen extended the margin 2:19 into the second period with his first goal of the season, a drive off a loose puck that beat Thompson to the stick side.
Despite the Golden Knights owning a 15-6 shot advantage in the third period, the Kraken got the lone goal when Gourde forced a Vegas turnover and scored with 17:50 left to play.
Thompson finished with 24 saves for the defending Stanley Cup champion Golden Knights, who had their recent slump extended with a fifth loss in six games.
This was the first appearance for both teams in the Winter Classic, the NHL’s annual New Year’s Day outdoor event which was being held for the 15th time.
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