The trophy every player in the NFL wants to lift will be hoisted in Arizona a week on Sunday, when the Kansas City Chiefs face the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII.
On the preceding Thursday, a host of players and coaches will receive recognition for their individual efforts at the annual NFL Honors ceremony.
The candidates for the awards are furiously debated throughout each season, though this year the field has been trimmed for each prize with the NFL releasing list of finalists for the first time.
In the case of MVP, the top two candidates are the quarterbacks facing off in the Super Bowl, with Patrick Mahomes and Jalen Hurts also going head to head for the game's most illustrious award.
But who does Stats Perform's advanced data say should be the recipients of the prizes on offer at Symphony Hall in Phoenix? Here we name our award winners for 2022, including one not among the finalists who'll be on the red carpet next week.
MVP: Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
Though these are regular-season awards, Mahomes' heroics on one leg in the AFC Championship Game were the perfect illustration of why he is the most valuable player in the league.
Even when physically impaired by a sprained ankle, Mahomes can produce magical plays through the air and on the ground in the biggest moments, and this season he has elevated a supporting cast shorn of the downfield threat of Tyreek Hill.
Only Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills averaged more yards over expected in true passing situations than Mahomes' 1.66 (minimum 100 such plays). Mahomes, though, had the edge in terms of accuracy, delivering a well-thrown ball on 82.1 per cent of his pass attempts, outperforming both Allen (79.7%) and Hurts (81).
Surpassing 5,000 passing yards and 40 passing touchdowns in a single season for the second time in his career, Mahomes was the best regular-season player in the NFL in 2022, and the reality is it wasn't especially close.
Offensive Player of the Year: Davante Adams, Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders' acquisition of Adams in a blockbuster trade with the Packers did not produce the team results they desired in 2022, but individually his debut season with Las Vegas ranked as one of the finest of his career.
Adams' 14 receiving touchdowns led the NFL and, though his 1,516 receiving yards trailed Justin Jefferson and Tyreek Hill, his combined open percentage across man and zone coverage of 52.18 was superior to both Jefferson and Hill.
With 10 touchdown receptions of 20 yards or more in 2022, Adams was the NFL's most explosive receiving threat in a season where he once again reaffirmed his status as one of the finest route-runners of his generation. The Raiders may want to forget this season in a hurry, but Adams' campaign was one well worth remembering.
Defensive Player of the Year: Chris Jones, Kansas City Chiefs
This award will almost certainly go to Nick Bosa of the San Francisco 49ers next week, but there's a strong case for Jones as a more impactful defender on a down-to-down basis in 2022.
Indeed, Jones' pass rush win rate of 58 per cent and his run defense win rate of 72.7 per cent outstrip those of Bosa, who finished a season in which he led the NFL in sacks (18.5) with a pass rush win rate of 51.4 per cent and 63.6 per cent run block win rate.
Like his quarterback, Jones shines when the situation is at its most pressurised, with his ability to create pass rush working on the interior and off the edge making him a ceaseless nightmare for opposing offensive lines. If the Chiefs are celebrating under confetti in Arizona next Sunday, Jones will likely have been a big reason why.
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers
Sample size be damned! Purdy not only kept the 49ers afloat after Jimmy Garoppolo joined Trey Lance in heading to the sideline with a serious injury, but helped the offense improve as San Francisco won all five of his regular-season starts as part of a 10-game winning streak to end the 17-game campaign.
Albeit undoubtedly aided by the cavalcade of offensive talent at San Francisco's disposal and the play-calling of head coach Kyle Shanahan — Purdy threw to an open target on 84.7 per cent of his attempts — the last pick in the 2022 draft piloted at an offense that was remarkably efficient in expected passing situations.
Purdy averaged 1.2 yards over expected in true passing situations, fifth among quarterbacks with at least 100 such plays.
Other rookies may have played well for a longer period, but in terms of level of influence on his team's performance, no first year offensive player matches Purdy, who unfortunately now faces a long recovery after tearing an elbow ligament on the first offensive series of the Niners' NFC Championship Game loss in Philadelphia.
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Sauce Gardner, New York Jets
Ahmad 'Sauce' Gardner backed up his ostentatious nickname by quickly establishing himself as one of the league's premier defenders and a lockdown corner at the highest level.
Gardner lost just 19 of his 92 matchups in man coverage and 24 of his 92 in zone. His combined open percentage allowed of 18.8 was bettered by only four defenders across the entire NFL.
In addition to his remarkably impressive coverage skills, Gardner showed a knack for finding the football in the air, registering a league-leading 20 pass breakups.
If he can improve on his interception tally of two, Gardner will be in the Defensive Player of the Year discussion in the coming years.
Comeback Player of the Year: Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks
From the forgotten man whose hopes of becoming a starter in the NFL looked to be over, to the most accurate quarterback in pro football.
Smith led all quarterbacks with at least 100 attempts with a well-thrown rate of 87.1 per cent, improbably guiding a Seahawks team that appeared to be rebuilding to a playoff berth.
The former New York Jet also had the best passer rating (125.8) on throws of at least 21 air yards among all signal-callers with at least 10 such attempts. Smith threw for 13 touchdowns and one interception on his 52 attempts of that distance.
Smith unexpectedly emerged as the answer at quarterback for the Seahawks in the wake of the Russell Wilson trade. With a better ecosystem around him in 2023, he could be the leading man for a true contender.
Coach of the Year: Kyle Shanahan, San Francisco 49ers
Brian Daboll and Doug Pederson deserve a great deal of credit for transforming also-rans into playoff teams in short order, while Nick Sirianni's case is an extremely compelling one after turning the Eagles into the favourite to win the Super Bowl next week.
But for a combination of overcoming adversity and leading a Super Bowl-contending team, no coach can compete with Shanahan.
Shanahan calmly navigated his team through the stormy waters of losing not one by two starting quarterbacks during the regular season, putting Purdy in a position to succeed, with the rookie's readiness and the support he received from the NFL's best defense a testament to the 49er head coach's ability to assemble a top-tier staff.
Winning 13 games, 15 when counting the pair of playoff victories, in the circumstances the 49ers faced on offense is a remarkable achievement. San Francisco finished the season first in overall Efficiency Versus Expected, doing so after being forced to turn to Purdy is a feat worthy of Coach of the Year recognition.
Formula One world champion Max Verstappen expects Lewis Hamilton to challenge him for the title next year "if he has the car to do it".
Hamilton, a seven-time drivers' championship winner, was blighted by car issues with Mercedes last season as he failed to win a race for the first time in his career.
Red Bull star Verstappen tallied a record-breaking 15 wins to finish 146 points ahead of closest rival Charles Leclerc in a dominant title-winning 2022 campaign.
But the Dutchman does not envisage a third straight F1 crown coming with such relative ease in 2023.
"He's been one of the greatest drivers ever in the sport, so for sure if he has the car to do it, he can fight for the title again," Verstappen told Sky Sports of Hamilton.
He added: "But that's the same for George [Russell], it's the same for Charles, it's the same for Lando [Norris] – if you give them the car that's capable of winning the championship, they can.
"But it's also about when you have the car then the pressure comes you cannot afford big mistakes.
"That's a bit of a different pressure you have but I'm confident once these guys get onto a roll like that it is all possible, they all have talent to do so."
Red Bull cruised to the constructors' championship last year, winning the title for the first time since 2013.
However, the team have been hit with wind tunnel testing restrictions and CFD limitations after they were judged to have breached financial regulations.
The full impact of those punishments is unclear but a reduction in time allowed in the wind tunnel could lead Red Bull to fall behind their rivals in aerodynamic developments.
"You always try to go for it, but I don't know if we're going to be good enough," Verstappen added.
"Of course as a team we believe we are, we are very motivated, we come off the back of a very strong year and we are working flat out to try and achieve that."
Ford will return to F1 this year for the first time since 2004 and partner with Red Bull from 2026.
Verstappen cannot wait for the partnership after seeing success in a collaboration with Honda, having also witnessed first-hand the struggles with the Renault combination.
"I signed twice without actually fully knowing what was coming in terms of engines, and people said maybe that's a crazy thing to do," he continued.
"I believed in the project and I believed that everyone involved would make the right decisions for the team.
"The first one they made going with Honda, I think that worked out really well and now for the future this is the next step – Ford in 2026 – and I believe in it.
"If we all believe in it, I'm sure we can create something really cool."
Devin Booker said he is "rounding third" on his road to recovery in a big boost for a Phoenix Suns side who defeated the out-of-form Boston Celtics on Friday.
The Suns triumphed 106-94 against the Eastern Conference leaders to move to 28-26 for the season and sixth in the West.
Mikal Bridges scored 25 points, while Dario Saric tallied 14 and 13 rebounds to consign the Celtics to a fourth loss in their past six games.
Booker has not played since Christmas due to a groin injury, with the Suns losing nine of the first 11 games without their All Star before rebounding to win seven of the next nine.
Donning a Detroit Red Wings knit cap, Booker was asked how his recovery was going to which he replied: "Rounding third."
Center Jock Landale welcomed the impending return of Booker and also acknowledged the importance of beating the Celtics without him.
"For us to win it without Book is big for everyone's confidence, because he will be back shortly," Landale said.
"We would have liked to win a few more games, but now that we're winning a lot of games and he's on the verge of coming back, it's big for us."
The Celtics had beaten the Brooklyn Nets by 43 points on Wednesday and defeated the Suns by 17 as recently as December, but came up short on this occasion despite Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum putting up 27 and 20 points respectively – albeit the duo were a combined 12-for-36 from the floor and six-for-22 from downtown.
"I thought we had some solid looks for the majority of the game," Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said.
"But I just thought we were inconsistent in our detail."
Brown added: "We just didn't have the enthusiasm tonight. Just kind of going through the motions as a unit."
Marcus Smart missed a sixth straight game with a right-ankle sprain, with the Celtics 2-4 without the reigning Defensive Player of the Year.
"Marcus brings energy to the game," Brown said.
"He brings pace to the game. He gets us easier shots, easier looks for our guys. And defensively, he adds that tenaciousness that gets us going and picks us up in games like this."
The Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups says his side perform "when our backs are against the wall" after a late comeback against the Washington Wizards.
Washington looked set to extend their winning streak to seven games on Friday, only for Portland to stage a third-quarter fightback in a 124-116 victory over the Wizards.
Anfernee Simons scored 20 of his 33 points in the third quarter, making six of Portland's nine three-pointers in the third, as he went on to finish 9-of-12 beyond the arc.
"Our team is just so much better when our backs are against the wall," Billups said. "I've been on teams like that before, so I understand it, but it's a dangerous place to live."
A fine comeback saw the Trail Blazers fire nine field goals from long distance after going in at the second quarter 69-51 down.
Simons hit the first five of those shots before hitting another three-pointer to reduce the deficit to seven points after scores for Damian Lillard and Jerami Grant.
The Trail Blazers eventually snatched the lead at 102-101, but Portland could not have fought back without Simons.
"We ran plays for him. We started off the third quarter kind of running his play," Billups said. "He came off and got a couple of looks.
"Then I thought Dame and Josh and those guys, they all just did a really good job of continuing to keep the ball in his hands."
A fight broke out between Austin Rivers and Mo Bamba during Friday's game between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Orlando Magic, resulting in five ejections.
The situation occurred late in the third quarter as Rivers took exception to some words from the Magic bench, and while the play continued, Rivers stayed down the other end of the court jawing with Bamba before punches started to fly.
It appeared Rivers and Bamba were the only players to throw punches, before Magic guard Jalen Suggs was also ejected for pulling Rivers to the ground, while the Timberwolves' Jaden McDaniels and Taurean Prince were also given their marching orders for getting too involved.
The Magic went on to win the game 127-120 away from home in a well-balanced performance, with 10 players scoring at least nine points each, led by Cole Anthony with 20 off the bench.
Rivers was still fired up after the contest, posting an Instagram story about Bamba saying "we only know about you from an old rap song" – referencing Sheck Wes' 2018 hit titled Mo Bamba.
His post read: "Buddy I went at you one-on-five! With no backup! You needed your team-mates otherwise you would of been choked out.
"We only know you from an old rap song, not hoops… and Orlando my city, ask around and actually find out. They don't mess with you there… facts!"
He deleted that post after a short period of time, and he explained the situation further when addressing the media afterwards.
"I’m just like, 'Yo, what are you doing?'," Rivers said. "I went up to him and I pressed him, and at that point, it can go one of two ways.
"I didn’t think we were going to get in a fight, but when you stand up that fast and put your hands up – he threw a punch and missed, thankfully. At that point I've got to protect myself. Ain’t no one worried about him."
Orlando center Moritz Wagner said it is difficult to know what to do when a situation like that breaks out, but he was proud of his team-mates supporting each other.
"You obviously want to have your teammate's back and at the same time, you’ve got to be a professional," he said. "So, that’s a challenge for a young team like us.
"I think this time around we did a good job compared to last time [when Wagner was ejected against the Detroit Pistons in December]. So, yeah, I don't really know. It's a weird dynamic.
"You don't really want to be in those situations and it's not really the best look… at the same time, there is something in me that appreciates the team sticking together like that."
The incident comes the night after both Dillon Brooks and Donovan Mitchell were ejected for a skirmish between the Memphis Grizzlies and Cleveland Cavaliers, with Brooks receiving a one-game suspension for instigating it.
The Philadelphia 76ers have now won nine of their past 10 games after Joel Embiid overpowered the San Antonio Spurs in a 137-125 road victory on Friday.
Embiid, who is leading the league in scoring at 33.5 points per game, put together what seemed like an effortless 33 points on 10-of-18 shooting. He also added 10 rebounds, four assists and two steals.
His 1.1 steals per game this season are tied for his career-high, while Embiid is also one of six players averaging at least one steal and one block per game, joining Anthony Davis, Kristaps Porzingis, Jaren Jackson Jr, Jaden McDaniels and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
The 76ers took control of the game with a 47-point second quarter, jumping ahead by 12 at half-time, and the margin never got any closer than nine points the rest of the way.
Embiid was supported well by Tyrese Maxey off the bench with 25 points (eight-of-15 shooting) in 27 minutes, while James Harden finished with 16 points (four-of-10) and eight assists.
For the Spurs, it was an impressive showing from first-round rookie Malaki Branham as he scored a career-high 26 points on 11-of-16 shooting, just two days after setting a career-high of 22 points (nine-of-13) against the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday.
With the win, the 76ers improved to 34-17 – the fourth-best record in the NBA.
Suns resurgence continues
The Phoenix Suns (28-26) have climbed back into the Western Conference's top-six after a strong 106-94 road win against the league-leading Boston Celtics (37-16).
Phoenix's season was on life support a couple of weeks ago as they collected only two wins from a 14-game stretch while both Devin Booker and Chris Paul sat out with injuries, but Paul's return has ignited a 7-2 run from their past nine.
Against the Celtics, Paul led both teams with a game-high eight assists to go with 15 points (six-of-15) and six rebounds, while Mikal Bridges's 25 points on nine-of-20 shooting led the Suns in scoring.
It was a night to forget for Celtics MVP candidate Jayson Tatum, shooting just three-of-15 from the field.
Pacers claim bragging rights over trade partner
In a clash between All-Stars who swapped places last season, it was Buddy Hield leading the Indiana Pacers to a 107-104 home win against the Sacramento Kings.
These teams engaged in one of the biggest trades of the 2021-22 campaign when the Pacers sent Domantas Sabonis to the Sacramento Kings for point guard Tyrese Haliburton and Hield, with Sabonis and Haliburton both earning All-Star nods this season on their new teams.
But it was Hield rising to the occasion against his former side, scoring a team-high 21 points on eight-of-15 shooting while also collecting his third double-double of the season with 10 rebounds, and his six assists were his most since October.
Both Dillon Brooks and Donovan Mitchell will pay the price for their part in an on-court altercation on Thursday night.
The NBA announced Friday that Brooks was suspended one game without pay and Mitchell was fined $20,000 for their roles in a scuffle.
Brooks swung and struck Mitchell in the groin area during the third quarter after the Grizzlies guard had fallen to the floor. Mitchell retaliated by throwing the ball at Brooks and then shoving him.
Both players were ejected in Cleveland's 128-113 win.
"That’s just who he is," Mitchell said after the game. "We’ve seen it a bunch in this league with him. Him and I have had our personal battles for years. There's no place for that in the game. This has been brewing for years with me and other guys in the league. This isn't new."
The league said Brooks will serve his suspension on Sunday, when the Grizzlies host the Toronto Raptors.
"I'm not typically someone who gets ejected for stuff like that," Mitchell said. "But at the end of the day, I think my reaction was reacting to a cheap shot. If punishment doesn't come from that, he's just going to keep doing it.
"It's just dumb to be honest with you and I'm going to appeal it because I don't think I should've gotten ejected for defending myself."
Before his ejection, Mitchell had scored just six points in 22 minutes while being guarded by Brooks. The two had matched up regularly when Mitchell played for Utah.
"That was cool when we were just talking, but that right there, a line has to be drawn," Mitchell said. "The NBA has to do something about it. I'm not the only person this has happened to and there's no place for that in this game."
Sean Payton gave his first interview as head coach of the Denver Broncos on Friday, with the focus clearly on building a winning culture.
The Broncos are coming off a disappointing 5-12 season after a tumultuous campaign with first-time head coach Nathaniel Hackett.
They are hopeful Payton will be able to turn things around in a hurry, since he never went worse than 7-9 during his 15-year run as head coach of the New Orleans Saints, with an overall record of 152-89.
He finished his tenure in New Orleans with five consecutive winning seasons, and after a year off, Payton said he feels "recharged and challenged again".
"It's certainly exciting," he said. "I'm looking forward to the challenge, the tradition here is amazing.
"It's going to take a lot of hard work, but our plan is to win, and that's really begun today. We're in the midst of hiring staff – the process was outstanding… it's exciting, it's what I love to do.
"I think we were fortunate enough for a long period of time to [have a winning culture] in New Orleans, and I think it begins with the details – it really begins with the people.
"It's about finding not only the coaches, but all the people involved in this process to be successful. It's really an organisational goal.
"We're planning to win, but then 'here's how'. That involves a lot of details, and it involves a lot of hard work, and that's the exciting part about it.
"When you do this long enough, and all of a sudden you're away for a year, it's not like you jump straight back into it again, you actually start over again from the beginning.
"I'm on the grease board with coach's names up, and you're organising interviews, it can feel overwhelming, but I certainly feel recharged and challenged again."
In a statement, Broncos owner and CEO Greg Penner said he appreciates the rare opportunity to hire such a decorated head coach.
The statement read: "Sean Payton is an outstanding leader and Super Bowl champion with a brilliant offensive mind. He shares our commitment to winning championships for Broncos Country and we're excited to welcome him as our new head coach.
"It is rare in any sport to hire a head coach with Sean's credentials and we appreciate the first-class manner in which the Saints approached this process. We also appreciated the opportunity to meet and learn from other highly qualified, outstanding coaches we interviewed.
"Our goal was to identify a strong leader for the Denver Broncos who is focused on winning, and we found him in coach Payton."
Payton will be tasked with getting production out of franchise quarterback Russell Wilson, who struggled with the worst season of his career after being acquired in a blockbuster trade from the Seattle Seahawks.
Kurt Kitayama sits alone atop the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am leaderboard after Friday's second round with a score of nine under.
Kitayama enjoyed a strong seven-under 64 on his opening round at Monterey Peninsula Country Club – the easiest of the three courses being used – and backed it up with a two-under 70 at the flagship Pebble Beach Golf Links.
He shot three birdies and one bogey on the championship course, which has hosted six U.S. Open tournaments, and will also be the site of Sunday's final round this weekend.
Kitayama will look to remain in pole position after playing the Spyglass Hill course in his third round, with the cut to take place after all players have played all three courses.
First-round leader Hank Lebioda found the Pebble Beach track far more difficult than Monterey Peninsula, opening the week with an eight-under 63 before following it with an even par 72 to remain at eight under, tied for second.
He is joined by fellow Americans Brandon Wu, Keith Mitchell and Joseph Bramlett – who all played at Monterey Peninsula on Friday. Of the five players to shoot rounds of five under or better, all took place at Monterey Peninsula.
Ireland's Seamus Power is one further back at seven under, and he is joined in a five-man group that includes Japan's Satoshi Kodaira and the USA's Scott Stallings, who both sit in a strong position.
Both Kodaira and Stallings have already got the two difficult courses out of the way, and will have a chance to slingshot to the top when they tee up at Monterey Peninsula on Saturday.
Of the big names, world number 11 Viktor Hovland pulled to within three strokes of the lead at six under, while three-time major champion Jordan Spieth is two further back at four under.
The Dallas Mavericks will be without franchise centrepiece Luka Doncic for their five-game road trip due to a heel injury.
Doncic damaged his right heel when he fell during a 111-106 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday.
The four-time NBA All-Star was unable to return after leaving the court in the third quarter, and he did not make the journey west with his team-mates on Friday.
Doncic will miss an encounter with the Golden State Warriors on Saturday and will also be absent for a game against the Utah Jazz and a meeting with the Los Angeles Clippers next week.
He will also sit out back-to-back showdowns with the Sacramento Kings along with Davis Bertans (calf).
Dallas are 0-6 without Doncic this season, although he played only four minutes of a win over the Phoenix Suns due to a sprained left ankle on January 26.
Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd said of Doncic's injury: "We'll see how that turns out, then we'll be able to give an update. No participation, nor will those two go on the trip.
"As we get the MRI [results], I think we'll be able to give an update on their status."
Dallas are seeded fourth in the Western Conference standings.
The Las Vegas Raiders have granted quarterback Derek Carr permission to speak with teams who have agreed to their trade demands.
Carr, 31, has spent his entire nine-season career with the Raiders, but he found himself benched for the final two weeks of a disappointing 6-11 campaign.
Something had to give in Vegas, and previous reports had indicated head coach Josh McDaniels would not be fired after the first season of his four-year contract, in part because the franchise can not afford another massive contract buy-out.
NBC Sports reported in November that the Raiders were still feeling the effects of their fallout with former head coach Jon Gruden, who signed a 10-year, $100million contract in 2018. He only completed three-and-a-half years before resigning when racist and misogynistic emails were unearthed, with the franchise settling the rest of his contract for an undisclosed figure.
With McDaniels sticking around, the other franchise-altering move the team can make is at the quarterback position, and to get Carr out of the way they have allowed the veteran to speak to clubs who have already met their demands for a potential trade.
Crucially, Carr's current contract includes a no-trade clause, which he said he would enforce if he deemed it necessary. This means the Raiders can not simply send him to the team with the strongest offer, as Carr will need to sign off on it.
Things could move quickly in the next 10 days, as his $40million guaranteed for this season will become triggered on February 15, or they could cut him and eat a relatively minor cap hit of $5.6m, while getting nothing in return.
Carr already bid farewell to Raiders fans in emotional social media post on January 13, making it exceedingly unlikely he remains on the roster beyond February 15.
Sean Payton has signed his contract to become the Denver Broncos' head coach until the end of the 2027 season, according to reports.
ESPN said the deal was officially signed on Friday.
Reports earlier in the week had revealed the Broncos had agreed a trade package with the New Orleans Saints for Payton, including a first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Payton, who described the move as "the opportunity I was looking for", quit the Saints after the 2021 season.
But there was understandable interest at the start of this year in a coach who won the Super Bowl in New Orleans.
Following interviews with a number of teams, Payton headed for Denver, whose 2022 season was underwhelming to say the least.
The Broncos traded for Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson and appointed Aaron Rodgers' Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett as coach.
The result was a 5-12 season in which Wilson struggled badly and Hackett was eventually fired.
Payton faces a sizeable task to turn around the fortunes of the worst team in the highly competitive AFC West.
Bianca Andreescu survived a wobble near the finish line to reach the Thailand Open semi-finals and edge a step closer to a long-awaited title.
The Canadian had a stellar campaign on hard courts in 2019, winning tournaments at Indian Wells and Toronto before topping those with a US Open triumph, denying Serena Williams a 24th singles grand slam in what would be the American's last major final.
Injuries and inconsistency have blighted progress since then, and there have been no more trophy celebrations, but Andreescu is still only 22 and believes she has a lot of winning still to do.
She was cruising at 6-0 5-1 against Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk in Friday's quarter-final, before her opponent found inspiration and took the second set to a tie-break.
Andreescu was not to be denied, though, closing out a 6-0 7-6 (7-3) victory, and it will be another player from Ukraine next, with Lesia Tsurenko earning a shot at the top seed after a 6-1 6-1 drubbing of German sixth seed Tatjana Maria.
Addressing the fightback from Kostyuk, Andreescu said: "I don't think I started playing bad in the second set, I think she just raised her level a little bit. She's always a tough opponent. I definitely wasn't expecting anything easy."
On her own ambitions, Andreescu said: "I'm hoping to win the tournament, I really believe in myself."
The other semi-final in Hua Hin will be an all-Chinese battle between Zhu Lin and Wang Xinyu after they saw off Slovenia's Tamara Zidansek and Britain's Heather Watson respectively.
At the Lyon Open, French top seed and home favourite Caroline Garcia fended off Italian Jasmine Paolini 7-5 7-5 and faces a semi-final against Colombian Camila Osorio, who had a 6-4 7-6 (7-3) victory against 18-year-old Czech Linda Noskova.
American Alycia Parks, who won two WTA 125 tournaments in December while many players were enjoying an off-season, has brought that form to this week's event. The 22-year-old, ranked 79th in the world, scored a 7-5 6-2 win against seventh seed Danka Kovinic and will face Maryna Zanevska next after the Belgian had a 3-6 6-1 6-2 win against Russian fifth seed Anastasia Potapova.
Eight-time All-Star Kyrie Irving wants to be traded by the Brooklyn Nets before the February 9 deadline, it was reported on Friday.
The 30-year-old point guard has told the Nets of his intentions, with Irving looking for a change after four years with the team.
According to The Athletic's Shams Charania, Irving has told the Nets he wants to leave now in a trade, otherwise he will depart in free agency in July.
The Nets were destroyed 139-96 by the Boston Celtics on Wednesday, with Irving on the team, and they sit fourth in the Eastern Conference with a 31-20 record.
They have lost seven of their last 11 games during Kevin Durant's injury absence.
Irving has averaged 27.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 5.3 assists this season, in keeping with his form from recent campaigns.
Reports have said the Nets have seen no need to rush talks over a contract extension for Irving, who scored a season-high 48 points in a win over the Utah Jazz on January 20.
The first overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft spent his formative years with the Cleveland Cavaliers, winning a championship in 2016 and becoming a near lock-in for All-Star recognition.
He then spent two years with the Celtics before arriving in Brooklyn in free agency in July 2019, signing a four-year contract.
Now it remains to be seen whether teams are in a position to move for Irving, and whether those that are keen figure in Irving's own plans, with time at a premium.
The Nets are next in action on Saturday when they face the 24-26 Washington Wizards.
Anthony Joshua will make a "statement" when he returns to the ring against Jermaine Franklin in April knowing he has a "major problem" if he suffers another defeat.
So says the two-time world heavyweight champion's promoter, Eddie Hearn, who revealed Joshua is set to fight American Franklin at the O2 Arena in London on April 1.
The Briton is on a mission to reignite his career after losing his WBA, IBF and WBO belts to Oleksandr Usyk in September 2021 and failing to regain them in a rematch in Jeddah last August.
Official confirmation is expected next week for Franklin to be Joshua's next opponent, and Hearn expects the 33-year-old to put on a show.
He told BBC Sport: "It's a really tough fight with loads of pressure to come back, because if AJ doesn't win this fight, then we've got a major problem.
"I believe you'll see a statement from a guy who is very dangerous, very motivated to become a three-time heavyweight world champion."
Franklin was beaten by Dillian White in his last fight in November, and Hearn expects him to suffer another loss on his return to England.
Hearn added: "There's so much contradiction: 'Anthony Joshua is finished, mentally he's shot. But he'll knock out Jermaine Franklin inside three rounds.'
"The same people that say Jermaine Franklin beat Dillian Whyte, but he's a terrible opponent for Anthony Joshua in a comeback fight after two defeats to the pound-for-pound number one.
"What this guy has done from a resume perspective is unbelievable. And I'm telling you now, this guy [is] still top-three heavyweight, capable of regaining his heavyweight world title."
Ford will return to Formula One for the first time since 2004 and partner with Red Bull from 2026.
Red Bull revealed their RB19 car for the 2023 season at a launch event in New York City on Friday, with reigning F1 champion Max Verstappen, team-mate Sergio Perez and team principal Christian Horner in attendance.
Ford, meanwhile, will return to F1 after a 22-year absence, working with Red Bull to build a power unit for F1's next engine regulations.
"We are mavericks, we are pushing the boundaries. We are looking forward to this busy season in 2023," said Horner, whose team took the constructors' title off Mercedes last year, as well as seeing Verstappen win for a second straight year.
"It is going to be an incredible season; our rivals for sure haven't stood still. Ferrari are going to be competitive, Mercedes are going to be there; there are some other teams that could make some big progress as well.
"In Bahrain, in a couple of weeks' time, we will get to see everyone's car and see if we have missed something, have we not.
"There is going to be highs and lows along the way, but I think we are in a good place. We are going to have to be at the top of our game this season."
Of Red Bull's partnership with Ford, Horner added: "To welcome the Ford brand back into Formula One, to have the Red Bull Ford powertrain is going to be very exciting.
"There was a natural synergy between the two companies, it was an easy deal – 2026 seems like a long way away, but in the engine world, it is tomorrow.
"We have recruited some incredible talent and have some great people in the team. We are really excited about what we can achieve."
Ford's involvement in F1 began in the 1960s with a long-standing partnership with British firm Cosworth.
They are the third-most successful engine manufacturer in the history of F1, having played a part in winning 10 constructors' championships and 13 drivers' championships.
Ford chief executive Jim Farley said: "We don't want to make generic cars, faceless vehicles; we want vehicles with an attitude – this team represents that."
Horner said: "It's a huge era for the team. As Formula One moves to pretty much a 50-50 split between hybridisation and combustion power, we wanted to have a like-minded partner.
"It's great to see the Ford brand coming back into Formula One."
JOA President, Christopher Samuda, was in a “business unusual” mode in addressing the audience at the Tornadoes Swim Club’s recent 2022 Awards Ceremony held at its new home on the Mona campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI).
President Samuda challenged Jamaica’s aspiring Olympic swimmers to “deep dive into history and there you will find the inspiration of Tornadoes’ Olympians. Deep dive into the present and there you will discover you, the present generations of swimmers, images of yourself, as you aspire to be on the Olympic stage. Deep dive into the future and you will envision what you must become – the standard by which swimmers will be judged, a model athlete and a legacy creator.”
The past year for the club was very successful with Sabrina Lyn, Israel Allen and Rhiana Gayle receiving athlete of the year awards in their respective disciplines at the RJR/Gleaner National Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year Awards Ceremony, a feat which underscores the club’s prowess.
In exhorting the swimmers, President Samuda charged them “to possess a spirit of commitment, an uncompromising spirit to transform the sport by dint of your own performances and the standards which define those performances and to possess the character of a champion that goes beyond and above the podium on which you will receive that gold medal and the admiration of a national, regional and global sporting fraternity.”
But, like an experienced diver who surfaces with the pearl, President Samuda reminded Jamaica’s aspiring Olympians that “when you deep dive you can’t remain under water. You must rise like a phoenix with the prize held aloft in victory, in triumph. For it is only when you rise that you will have understood and overcome the challenges of the deep and appreciate the horizon of the human spirit and be able to tell your story.”
The narrative of sport is equally a national as it is a community story and this truism was emphasised by JOA’s boss in delivering his address. In encouraging Jamaica’s future, he said: “Outside of the household of the Tornadoes swim club there is a community to which you, swimmers, belong and have a duty to be model citizens. The principles of fair play and mutuality in sport, the value of friendships made in sport and the character of humility in victory and resilience in disappointment experienced in sport are priceless qualities which must never depart from you and your experience in your community.”
In the sport’s recent Olympic history, Alia Atkinson, has been carrying the national flag with distinction and President Samuda, in expressing optimism for the future, comments that “there is a reservoir of talent that can provide an Olympic stream but we must, in a structured and almost scientific way, unlock the talent pipeline when they are young in opening the floodgates when they become mature.”
France will begin their quest to become the first side in six years to retain the Six Nations when they travel to perennial wooden spoon winners Italy on Sunday.
Les Blues ended a 12-year wait to get their hands back on the trophy last year, doing so in style as they claimed a Grand Slam with a perfect five wins from five.
Italy also ended last year's tournament on a high as they broke a 36-game losing run with victory in Wales and are now out to avoid finishing bottom for the first time since 2015.
While France may be reigning champions and in good form, Ireland are top of the world rankings and are many people's favourites to go one better than last year by finishing top.
Up first for Andy Farrell's Ireland side is a trip to Wales, who are in action for the first time since Warren Gatland replaced Wayne Pivac on the back of some alarming results last year.
England also have a new head coach in Steve Borthwick, who replaced Eddie Jones in December, with his first test a mouth-watering Calcutta Cup clash with Scotland.
Ahead of the opening round of action, Stats Perform previews each match with help from Opta.
WALES V IRELAND
FORM
Wales' loss to Italy was their third in a row in the Six Nations – only once since the start of 2008, at the end of their 2020 campaign, have they endured a longer winless run – but Gatland's return has provided fresh hope.
The Dragons won their last seven on the bounce in the championship under Gatland, who landed three Grand Slams in his previous 12-year spell in charge before stepping down in 2019.
Ireland have won seven of their past eight games in the tournament, winning the past three of those by margins of at least 17 points and conceding just one try in total.
However, the away team have not come out on top in any of the past nine Six Nations encounters between these sides, with the nations sharing four wins each over that period and one draw.
ONES TO WATCH
Wales are without the injured Leigh Halfpenny, meaning Liam Williams will start at full-back, but they have plenty of other familiar and experienced faces in their starting line-up – George North among them.
He is one try short of matching Shane Williams' record haul of 23 for Wales in the Six Nations, and behind only Brian O'Driscoll (26) of all players in the tournament's history.
Plenty of eyes will be on Johnny Sexton in what will be his final Six Nations campaign, but Ireland have many other players for Wales to concern themselves with.
James Lowe, returning from a calf injury that ruled him out of the November fixtures, will be looking to push on from last year when he finished level with Damian Penaud and Gabin Villiere as the joint-highest try scorer with three.
ENGLAND V SCOTLAND
FORM
Jones may have bowed out with the best win rate of any England head coach (73 per cent), but the Red Rose won just two of their final five home matches under the now-Australia boss – not since November 2008 have they had a longer winless run at Twickenham.
With former skipper Borthwick now at the helm as head coach, England are aiming to avoid losing their opening fixture in the tournament for a fourth year running, following a streak of five successive round-one wins.
Scotland have a far better recent record on the opening weekend than their opponents, having won four of their past six such matches, including the past two in a row – both against England.
Indeed, Scotland have lost just one of their past five Calcutta Cup clashes, having lost each of the previous seven. A victory on enemy territory this weekend will make it three wins in a row for the first time since 1972.
ONES TO WATCH
Manu Tuilagi's absence will be felt by England, who have handed a debut to wing Ollie Hassell-Collins, but Joe Marchant will add pace alongside exciting Harlequins team-mate Marcus Smith.
Smith was the top points-scorer in last year's Six Nations (71) and also registered over twice as many running metres as any other fly-half in the tournament (412), as well as beating more defenders than anyone other number 10 (10).
Hamish Watson is not ready for a return to the Scotland side this weekend in a blow for coach Gregor Townsend. The 31-year-old was one of just three players to make 50 or more tackles without missing one in the 2022 edition (70), along with team-mate Grant Gilchrist and Ireland's Caelan Doris (both 53).
Gilchrist is available, though, and he resumes a partnership with Richie Gray in the second row that impressed during Scotland's November internationals.
ITALY V FRANCE
FORM
The signs of improvement were clear to see from an Italy perspective in 2022 as they picked up a first win in the tournament since 2015 and then beat Australia for the first time ever in November's Test.
The Azzurri have now won five of their past seven Tests, as many as they had won in their previous 36 combined, but they have not won at home in the Six Nations since 2013 and have won back-to-back games in the championship just twice previously.
France enter the competition boasting a team-record 13-match winning run after winning every game in a calendar year for the first time in 2022. They were not always at their best towards the end of the year, though, with three of their past four wins coming by margins of five points or fewer.
Les Blues have won their opening match in each of their past four campaigns as reigning champions, which does not bode well for an Italy side who have won only two of their 23 Six Nations home matches against this weekend's opponents.
ONES TO WATCH
Italy are without the pace and power of Monty Ioane after he returned to Australia and became unavailable for selection in this championship. No player made more line breaks (seven), beat more defenders (21), completed more offloads (eight) and made more dominant tackles (seven) than Ioane in last year's Six Nations.
The Azzurri still have Pierre Bruno and Ange Capuozzo at their disposal, with the latter impressing on his tournament bow in 2022 en route to winning World Rugby's men's Breakthrough Player of the Year award.
Even with the likes of regular starters Jonathan Danty and Cameron Woki ruled out, France still boast a number of top-class talents in their squad.
Gregory Alldritt, who will combine with Charles Ollivon and Anthony Jelonch in the back row, made more carries than any other player in last year's tournament (65) and was one of two players, along with team-mate Julien Marchand (50), to hit 50 or more defensive rucks with 59.
France coach Fabien Galthie has handed a debut to winger Ethan Dumortier for Sunday's Six Nations opener against Italy.
Les Bleus head to Rome for the first game of their title defence, after they completed the Grand Slam last year.
Dumortier, 22, is Lyon's top try scorer in the Top 14 this season and his fine form has seen him make Galthie's selection in the place of Gabin Villiere, who sustained a fractured fibula.
With Jonathan Danty also injured, Gael Fickou and Yoram Moefana have been named as centres. Damian Penaud will play on the right wing, with Dumortier on the opposite flank.
Romain Ntamack and captain Antoine Dupont will be paired together in the halves, while Nolann Le Garrec could make his debut from the bench.
"We finished second twice in a row before winning it with a Grand Slam but our journey is not finished," Galthie said in a press conference on Friday.
"We are going to get better because our team has not yet reached the age of maturity."
Italy have also confirmed their starting XV. They won five Tests across 2022 – a 45 per cent win ratio, their highest in a calendar year since 2007, and their best in a non-Rugby World Cup year since 1998. That included their first ever victory over Australia.
The Azzurri took the wooden spoon in last year's Six Nations, though did end a run of 36 straight defeats in the tournament by defeating Wales.
Full-back Ange Capuozzo impressed on his Six Nations bow last year, going over twice against Scotland.
Capuozzo went on to be named World Rugby's men's Breakthrough Player of the Year, and he gets a start against Les Bleus.
Monty Ioane's injury is a blow for coach Kieran Crowley, who has named Tommaso Menoncello and Pierre Bruno on the flanks.
Michele Lamaro will captain the side – he made 86 tackles in last year's Six Nations, 16 more than second-best Hamish Watson.
Italy team: Ange Capuozzo, Pierre Bruno, Juan Ignacio Brex, Luca Morisi, Tommaso Menoncello, Tommaso Allan, Stephen Varney; Lorenzo Cannon, Michele Lamaro, Sebastian Negri, Federico Ruzza, Niccolo Cannon, Simone Ferrari, Giacomo Nicotera, Danilo Fischetti.
Italy replacements: Luca Bigi, Federico Zani, Pietro Ceccarelli, Edoardo Iachizzi, Giovanni Pettinelli, Manuel Zuliani, Alessandro Fusco, Edoardo Padovani.
France team: Thomas Ramos, Damian Penaud, Gael Fickou, Yoram Moefana, Ethan Dumortier, Romain Ntamack, Antoine Dupont; Gregory Alldritt, Charles Ollivon, Anthony Jelonch, Paul Willemse, Thibaud Flament, Uini Atonio, Julien Marchand, Cyril Baille.
France replacements: Gaetan Barlot, Reda Wardi, Sipili Falatea, Romain Taofifenua, Thomas Lavault, Sekou Macalou, Nolan Le Garrec, Matthieu Jalibert.
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