Anthony Joshua remains confident he will beat Oleksandr Usyk in the pair's rematch in August and feels a win will give him the "credit he deserves".
The two-time unified heavyweight champion lost his belts in a one-sided defeat to Usyk (19-0) at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last September and neither of the duo has been in the ring since.
That loss ended any immediate hope of an all-British heavyweight unification bout between Joshua (24-2) and Tyson Fury, with the former also receiving a wealth of criticism for the manner of the loss.
Changes were therefore needed for the rematch, which will take place in Saudi Arabia on August 20, and Joshua parted ways with long-term coach Rob McCormack – now partnering with Robert Garcia.
However, Joshua suggests he has been treated unfairly since that defeat and believes a win against Usyk will secure him legendary status within boxing.
"I feel when I go and beat Usyk, I'll get the credit I deserve again. And I'll get the admiration for being a true boxing legend," he told ESPN.
"I fought for the heavyweight championship in my 16th fight; I felt like it's kind of overlooked. This is my 12th title fight in a row.
"I just feel like sometimes even though we're selling out arenas and it's good to be popular, I don't really care for that stuff. I'd just want the respect in the division."
Joshua identified that changes were necessary following the loss to Usyk, the second of his professional career after a defeat to Andy Ruiz Jr in 2019 – who he then beat in a rematch to reclaim his belts.
That means Joshua has defeated every opponent he has faced for a heavyweight title in his career, with the exception of Usyk, and is confident he can correct the record in Jeddah.
"It makes me feel more comfortable knowing that I've been in a ring with a fighter before, but ultimately he might come completely different," he added.
"I definitely feel my training approach changes because I knew where I wasn't good enough, you know, areas where I was exposed.
"And look, I've got a third chance to become heavyweight champion of the world. I'm not just gonna go in there thinking it's gonna be easy. I will address the weaknesses and then I'll make sure I get it right and become champion again. I think it's a task that's definitely possible.
"Now, it's all about, 'oh, he's not good enough anyway,' so that's the motivation to prove I'm good enough. Cause when you are doing it and you're on top, it's hard to get the credit."
The Philadelphia 76ers have traded Danny Green and their number 23 pick in Thursday's NBA Draft to the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for De'Anthony Melton.
It was a trade the Sixers had been expected to offer around various teams, and they may well be pleased with the outcome as Melton brings a strong three-point game in particular, averaging 41.2 per cent in 2020-21, and 37.4 per cent in the campaign just gone.
The 24-year-old also averaged 10.8 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game last season, and is due to make $8.25million next year, and $8m in 2023-24.
The experienced Green heads to Memphis after two years in Philadelphia. The shooting guard has a career average of 8.7 points per game, but managed only 5.9 per game last season from 62 appearances, though only 28 of those were starts, and he suffered tears to his ACL and LCL in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference semi-finals against the Miami Heat.
The number 23 pick obtained by the Grizzlies was used to obtain Colorado State's David Roddy, who was Mountain West Player of the Year in 2022.
Roddy averaged 19.2 points last season, 37th of college players, while also recording 7.6 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game.
Red Bull boss Christian Horner fears that the Formula One title fight in 2022 could be "decided in law courts" due to global inflation and the season's budget cap.
The 10 teams on the grid have an annual maximum spend of £119million for the 2022 season, but amid rising costs across the globe, some have pushed for an increase to be announced – including Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes.
Others, such as Aston Martin, disagree, resulting in a difficult situation for F1 officials on what approach to take, but Horner has continued his push for a budget increase, warning the title battle could be decided in the courts.
"The way you design your car is within your control. That is something that you, together with your group of designers, you create. You're in control of your own destiny," he told Sky Sports.
"What we're seeing in the world at the moment, we're not in control of the inflationary costs that are affecting households around the world. In the UK, we're seeing predicted inflation at 11 per cent.
"That's a direct effect on staff, on raw materials, on electricity, on commodities, on supplied parts. I think it genuinely is a force majeure situation that the FIA need to deal with.
"There's probably about 50 per cent of the teams who are going to breach the cap at the end of the year if it continues the way things are. Probably even more.
"We don't want a championship decided in law courts, or in Paris in front of the FIA. We've got six months of the year to address this, we need to act now."
Horner also warned that failure to address the issue could result in the loss of hundreds of jobs within Formula One, while it may also lead to the budget cap being scrapped further down the line.
"I think the top teams would have to get rid of circa two, three hundred people each, to get anywhere near addressing it. Is that right?" He added.
"The problem is if the cost cap fails badly, it'll be gone forever.
"We need to find a solution to this issue. Nobody could have predicted this. We lowered the cost cap by $35m during the pandemic, and nobody could have predicted the issues that we've got."
Red Bull currently lead both championships, with Max Verstappen ahead of team-mate Sergio Perez by 46 points in the drivers' championship, while Red Bull holds a 76-point lead over Ferrari in the constructors' championship.
Aaron Judge hit a game-winning single to cap a four-run ninth inning for the New York Yankees in their 7-6 win over the Houston Astros on Thursday.
Aaron Hicks started the late rally for the Pinstripes, tying the game with a three-run home run off Astros closer Ryan Pressly.
Alex Bregman and Giancarlo Stanton traded three-run homers in the first inning, while Yordan Alvarez also added a three-run shot in the third off Jameson Taillon to put the Astros ahead.
The Yankees took the opener of a highly anticipated four-game series between the American League's two best records with the win, as the Astros kick off a six-game stand in New York, taking both games from the Mets earlier this week in Houston.
The American League leaders moved to 52-18 for the season and claimed their 19th win in the past 22 games, heading into Judge's in-season salary arbitration on Friday.
Swanson seals win for Braves
Dansby Swanson hit two home runs for the Atlanta Braves, who were able to hold out against the San Francisco Giants in a 7-6 victory.
Swanson had three hits and three RBIs as the Braves built a 7-1 lead coming into the fifth inning. Six Giants players scored multiple hits, with Austin Slater's home run starting the rally in the fifth.
They were not able to capitalise on the higher hit count however, as the Braves moved 11 games over .500 with their 18th win in the past month.
Freeman fires Dodgers to victory
Freddie Freeman's form continued in the absence of Mookie Betts, leading the way for the Los Angeles Dodgers in their 10-5 win over the Cincinnati Reds.
Freeman claimed a home run and three RBIs, moving his OBP for the season to a team-leading .386, while Max Muncy and Trea Turner each tallied three hits.
Clayton Kershaw allowed just one run and seven hits in six innings for the National League West leaders, striking out seven in 80 pitches and lowering his ERA for the season to 2.00.
To echo Kevin Durant's thoughts during Thursday's 2022 NBA Draft, it is a wing's league as size, length and shooting proved desirable for front offices, with the Orlando Magic taking Paolo Banchero first.
The NBA's stylistic pivot towards skill and versatility since the introduction of the defensive three-second rule has necessitated the recruitment of more skilled and flexible players on both ends.
Banchero serves as an apt first selection in this respect - a 6-foot-9 forward with the ability to create his own shot and make decisions with the ball in his hands, as well the versatility to switch on the defensive end.
From the likes of Mario Hezonja to Aaron Gordon and Jonathan Isaac, the Magic have had a predisposition towards rangy forwards who struggle to stretch the floor in recent years, though. Whether Banchero can improve on his outside shooting could again prove definitive in their rebuild.
The Duke freshman averaged 17.2 points per game but connected on 33.8 per cent of shots from three-point range, with their elimination in the Final Four characterised by defenders sagging off him.
A slight improvement at NBA level would be needed in this respect, to force close-outs and help maximise his ability to get to the basket.
Size and shooting are the primary characteristics for others in the lottery however, with Chet Holmgren and Jabari Smith Jr. the other standouts in this year's draft class.
The 7-foot-1 Holmgren has reportedly set a goal of achieving 50/40/90 shooting splits in the NBA, which previously would have been unheard for someone his size.
Meanwhile, the 6-foot-10 Smith presents a similar spacing threat for his size, with ability to quickly get shots up off the catch or when putting the ball on the floor.
Eight of the top ten picks were within the 6-foot-5 to 6-foot-10 range, before even considering the added dynamics of wingspan on the defensive end.
Shooting took over as the most sought-after skill in the late stages of the first round and early parts of the second, with the Golden State Warriors and Miami Heat respectively going for Patrick Baldwin Jr. and Nikola Jovic.
TyTy Washington is yet another example of the value placed in shooting and skill for the Houston Rockets, seemingly seeking their own answer to the Philadelphia 76ers' Tyrese Maxey.
2022 NBA Draft first-round picks
1. Orlando Magic - Paolo Banchero (Duke)
2. Oklahoma City Thunder - Chet Holmgren (Gonzaga)
3. Houston Rockets - Jabari Smith (Auburn)
4. Sacramento Kings - Keegan Murray (Iowa)
5. Detroit Pistons - Jaden Ivey (Purdue)
6. Indiana Pacers - Bennedict Mathurin (Arizona)
7. Portland Trail Blazers - Shaedon Sharpe (Kentucky)
8. New Orleans Pelicans - Dyson Daniels (G League Ignite)
9. San Antonio Spurs - Jeremy Sochan (Baylor)
10. Washington Wizards - Johnny Davis (Wisconsin)
11. Oklahoma City Thunder - Ousmane Dieng (New Zealand)
12. Oklahoma City Thunder - Jalen Williams (Santa Clara)
13. Detroit Pistons - Jalen Duren (Memphis)
14. Cleveland Cavaliers - Ochai Agbaji (Kansas)
15. Charlotte Hornets - Mark Williams (Duke)
16. Atlanta Hawks - AJ Griffin (Duke)
17. Houston Rockets - Tari Eason (LSU)
18. Chicago Bulls - Dalen Terry (Arizona)
19. Memphis Grizzlies - Jake LaRavia (Wake Forest)
20. San Antonio Spurs - Malaki Branham (Ohio State)
21. Denver Nuggets - Christian Braun (Kansas)
22. Minnesota Timberwolves - Walker Kessler (Auburn)
23. Memphis Grizzlies - David Roddy (Colorado State)
24. Milwaukee Bucks - MarJon Beauchamp (G League Ignite)
25. San Antonio Spurs - Blake Wesley (Notre Dame)
26. Dallas Mavericks - Wendell Moore Jr. (Duke)
27. Miami Heat - Nikola Jovic (Serbia)
28. Golden State Warriors - Patrick Baldwin Jr. (Milwaukee)
29. Houston Rockets - TyTy Washington Jr. (Kentucky)
30. Denver Nuggets - Peyton Watson (UCLA)
After the Orlando Magic won the NBA draft lottery, the franchise’s front office insisted they would keep their options open and hold their cards close to the chest.
The Magic succeeded, even surprising the player they picked first overall in Thursday’s draft.
Duke forward Paolo Banchero said he found out he would be the top selection just seconds before NBA Commissioner Adam Silver took the stage to announce the pick.
“The information that I was being told was just that it was up in the air, Orlando wasn’t really sure yet and to just be ready for whatever,” Banchero said.
“I didn’t find out I was actually getting picked until about 20 seconds before the commissioner got on the stage. I didn’t really even have time to think about it or anything. It just kind of happened.”
While Banchero was part of a consensus top tier with Gonzaga’s Chet Holmgren and Auburn’s Jabari Smith, Smith was considered the favourite to go first.
Magic president Jeff Weltman had hinted to the media that the team’s moves could be a surprise, but many dismissed those comments as gamesmanship.
“I think that it's important that people know that information is managed discreetly with us from every corner of this business, from agents to other teams to the media,” Weltman said. “And obviously, when you're playing poker, you don't put your cards on the table, right?”
Now that the pick has been made, however, all that matters is that Banchero produces on the court.
“We feel he was the best player in college basketball, and we feel that he will continue to grow every year for many years to come,” Weltman said.
Widely considered the most polished offensive player in the draft, Banchero showed the ability to create his own shot and to make plays for others during his freshman season at Duke, which ended in the Final Four.
The versatile 6-foot-10 forward believes he fits perfectly in Orlando.
“I feel like I will fit in great. The Magic have a lot of talent. They’re very deep,” Banchero said. “They also have a lot of dynamic forwards like myself, like Wendell [Carter], Franz Wagner.
“Adding myself, I feel like that’s going to give teams a lot of problems. That’s three 6-9, 6-10, 6-11 guys that can all dribble, pass and shoot, and have a high IQ.”
Banchero holds an Italian passport and said earlier this week that he plans on playing internationally for the Italy over the United States. However, he downplayed the significance of being the first player linked to Italy to be taken first overall since Andrea Bargnani in 2006.
“I don’t know if that’d be fair to Bargnani,” Banchero said. “Bargnani’s born and raised in Italy; I’m born and raised in Seattle, Washington, so I don’t want to take anything away from him.
After the Orlando Magic won the NBA draft lottery, the franchise’s front office insisted they would keep their options open and hold their cards close to the chest.
The Magic succeeded, even surprising the player they picked first overall in Thursday’s draft.
Duke forward Paolo Banchero said he found out he would be the top selection just seconds before NBA Commissioner Adam Silver took the stage to announce the pick.
“The information that I was being told was just that it was up in the air, Orlando wasn’t really sure yet and to just be ready for whatever,” Banchero said.
“I didn’t find out I was actually getting picked until about 20 seconds before the commissioner got on the stage. I didn’t really even have time to think about it or anything. It just kind of happened.”
While Banchero was part of a consensus top tier with Gonzaga’s Chet Holmgren and Auburn’s Jabari Smith, Smith was considered the favourite to go first.
Magic president Jeff Weltman had hinted to the media that the team’s moves could be a surprise, but many dismissed those comments as gamesmanship.
“I think that it's important that people know that information is managed discreetly with us from every corner of this business, from agents to other teams to the media,” Weltman said. “And obviously, when you're playing poker, you don't put your cards on the table, right?”
Now that the pick has been made, however, all that matters is that Banchero produces on the court.
“We feel he was the best player in college basketball, and we feel that he will continue to grow every year for many years to come,” Weltman said.
Widely considered the most polished offensive player in the draft, Banchero showed the ability to create his own shot and to make plays for others during his freshman season at Duke, which ended in the Final Four.
The versatile 6-foot-10 forward believes he fits perfectly in Orlando.
“I feel like I will fit in great. The Magic have a lot of talent. They’re very deep,” Banchero said. “They also have a lot of dynamic forwards like myself, like Wendell [Carter], Franz Wagner.
“Adding myself, I feel like that’s going to give teams a lot of problems. That’s three 6-9, 6-10, 6-11 guys that can all dribble, pass and shoot, and have a high IQ.”
Banchero holds an Italian passport and said earlier this week that he plans on playing internationally for the Italy over the United States. However, he downplayed the significance of being the first player linked to Italy to be taken first overall since Andrea Bargnani in 2006.
“I don’t know if that’d be fair to Bargnani,” Banchero said. “Bargnani’s born and raised in Italy; I’m born and raised in Seattle, Washington, so I don’t want to take anything away from him.
To open up salary cap room, the New York Knicks guard Kemba Walker has been traded to the Detroit Pistons, as part of a three-team deal with the Charlotte Hornets.
The Athletic's Shams Charania reported Walker will move to Detroit along with Jalen Duren, who was taken with the 13th pick by the Hornets in Thursday's NBA Draft.
Meanwhile, the Pistons are sending the Hornets the 2025 first-round pick, after acquiring it as part of the Jerami Grant trade to the Portland Trail Blazers earlier in the week.
Amid struggles with knee injury, Walker averaged 11.6 points, 3.5 assists and three rebounds in 37 games for the Knicks last season.
Although ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Walker is expected to discuss a buyout that will allow him to become a free agent, Pistons general manager Troy Weaver has taken two of his reported top targets in Duren and Jaden Ivey in the draft, at the sole cost of a future first-round pick.
The Orlando Magic sprung a surprise on Thursday, taking Paolo Banchero with the top pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.
The Oklahoma City Thunder followed up by selecting Chet Holmgren second overall and although many projected him to be the top pick coming into Thursday, the Houston Rockets took Jabari Smith third.
Reflecting the evolving nature of the NBA, the Magic looked to the wing this time in Banchero, selecting front-court prospects with their previous three top selections in franchise history, in the form of Shaquille O'Neal, Chris Webber and Dwight Howard.
"I don't even know what to say. I really can't believe what just happened," Banchero said on ESPN's draft broadcast. "I never would have thought that this would happen. I wanted to be in the NBA, but I didn't know I would be here. This is unbelievable.
Banchero is the fifth top selection to come from Duke University, following Art Heyman, Elton Brand, Kyrie Irving and Zion Williamson, also making for the 13th consecutive freshman to be taken at first.
The 19-year-old averaged 17.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists as he led the Blue Devils to the Final Four, earning first-team All-ACC selection and the ACC Rookie of the Year.
As a big who can stretch the floor, the 7-foot-1 Holmgren exhibited unique shooting ability for his size in his freshman year at Gonzaga University, potentially creating more space for the likes of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey to make plays.
Simiarly gifted for his size, the 6-foot-10 Smith is arguably the most NBA-ready of the three coming out of Auburn University, with his ability to score off the catch and off the dribble, along with a versatile defensive skill-set.
Rory McIlroy continued to lead the way both on and off the course, shooting a bogey-free eight-under 62 at the Travelers Championship on Thursday.
After defending his title at the Canadian Open for a 21st PGA Tour win a fortnight ago, following up with a top-five finish at the U.S. Open, McIlroy opened with five birdies over the front nine on the TPC at River Highlands course.
The most vocal of critics against the LIV Golf Invitational Series, the in-form Northern Irishman then closed with two birdies over the final four holes, including a birdie on the par-four 18th to punctuate a blistering opening round.
The birdies were flying at the opening day in Cromwell however, with JT Poston taking a share of the opening-round lead with an eight-under of his own.
They hold a one-stroke lead over Xander Schauffele, who closed with four birdies over the final six holes on Thursday to finish on a seven-under 63, tied for second with Scotsman Martin Laird.
Schauffele was in fine touch with his approach game, hitting the ball particularly cleanly and could have finished with an even lower score had he capitalised with his putter.
They were followed by a three-way tie for third, with Patrick Cantlay, Webb Simpson and Charles Howell III all posting scores of six-under in the opening round.
Meanwhile, Cam Davis and Matthew NeSmith share fourth place after the opening 18 holes, finishing on five-under for the round.
While others shone in Cromwell, Jordan Spieth had a tough day out for his opening round despite three birdies over the last five holes, finishing with a five-over 75 for the day.
He will have plenty of work to do on Friday just to make the cut, while world number one Scottie Scheffler posted a two-under 68.
Chun In-gee coasted with an eight-under 64 on Thursday, to take a five-stroke lead after the opening round of the Women's PGA Championship.
Scoring a bogey on the opening hole of the Blue Course at the Congressional Country Club in Maryland, the world number 33 quickly responded with four birdies over the rest of the front nine.
Birdieing the par-five 11th, Chun then closed the round out with four consecutive birdies to post a 64 for the day, putting her ahead of compatriot Choi Hye-jin, who finished Thursday with three-under 69.
In an otherwise challenging day in wet conditions on the Blue Course, following heavy rain overnight, the world's top three players finished some way off as Chun blitzed the field.
Ko Jin-young ended Thursday with an even score of 72, while world number two and defending champion Nelly Korda finished on one-under.
After taking out the U.S. Women's Open earlier in the month, Minjee Lee had a tough day out, posting three bogeys to eventually finish on one-over.
The Brooklyn Nets could be set to lose their two biggest stars with Kyrie Irving eyeing up other teams and Kevin Durant monitoring the situation, according to multiple reports.
By June 29, Irving must decide whether to take up his $36.5million player option for the 2022-23 season or opt out and test free agency or sign a new deal with the Nets.
Talks are understood to be at an impasse and ESPN reported on Thursday that if an agreement cannot be reached, the seven-time All-Star would pursue a sign-and-trade.
It was claimed the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, New York Knicks, Miami Heat, Dallas Mavericks and Philadelphia 76ers were on Irving's list of favoured destinations.
According to The Athletic, the uncertainty surrounding the Nets has led to Durant considering his future with the franchise.
Durant signed an extension through the 2025-26 season last year, but would reportedly seek a trade if Irving departed.
Irving is said to have engaged in conversations with former Cleveland Cavaliers team-mate LeBron James about a reunion at the Lakers. The pair led the Cavaliers to the NBA championship in 2016, but parted ways the following season.
Across the three seasons they have both been in Brooklyn, Irving and Durant have only played a total of 58 games together.
Durant sat out the entire 2019-20 season due to an Achilles injury, while he missed significant time in each of the following two campaigns through hamstring and knee problems respectively.
Irving, meanwhile, was a bit-part player for much of 2021-22 after he refused to comply with the New York City COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
Top seed Daniil Medvedev crashed out of the Mallorca Championships following a straight-sets defeat by Roberto Bautista Agut in the quarter-finals.
Reigning champion Medvedev was a commanding winner when he locked horns with Bautista Agut in Halle last week.
But the Spaniard gained revenge this time around, prevailing 6-3 6-2 for his fourth victory in five meetings with the world number one.
"I had to play very good to beat Daniil," said the former Wimbledon semi-finalist. "He’s the number one; the last champion here in Mallorca. He just beat me a few days ago.
"I played a really compete match. I was more convinced with my game, hitting strong, very solid. I think I did a really good match."
Next up for the Doha champion is Antoine Bellier after the Swiss qualifier came from behind to defeat Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor 5-7 7-6 (7-5) 6-2.
Elsewhere, Stefanos Tsitsipas is through to his first tour-level semi-final on grass after eventually seeing off Marcos Giron 7-6 (7-5) 4-6 6-3.
The former Roland Garros runner-up, who hit 13 aces, claimed the crucial break in game eight of the deciding set to extend his record tally of wins for the campaign to 38.
The world number six will play Benjamin Bonzi in the last four after the Frenchman overcame Daniel Altmaier 6-3 6-4.
Meanwhile, Cameron Norrie was beaten in the quarter-finals of the Eastbourne International, the top seed going down 7-5 7-5 against Maxime Cressy.
The debutant hit 10 aces and won 80 per cent of points on his first serve to advance to a second tour-level semi-final of the season.
There, he will play Jack Draper, who built on his victory over Diego Schwartzman by downing compatriot Ryan Peniston 6-3 6-3 to seal his maiden ATP semi-final appearance.
Reigning champion Alex De Minaur overcame Tommy Paul 6-2 4-6 6-4 to set up a clash with 2019 winner Taylor Fritz, who claimed his seventh successive victory at Eastbourne after seeing off Alexander Bublik 6-3 6-2 in just 67 minutes.
Carlos Alcaraz does not believe he should be considered among the favourites to win Wimbledon given his lack of experience playing on grass.
The teenage Spaniard is enjoying a breakout season, having won a pair of ATP Masters 1000 titles in Miami and Madrid and picked up further silverware in Rio de Janeiro and Barcelona.
Alcaraz has been seeded fifth for just his second main-draw appearance at Wimbledon. Last year, he beat Yasutaka Uchiyama in five sets before falling to a straight-sets defeat against Daniil Medvedev.
They are Alcaraz's only ATP Tour-level matches on grass, so his main focus heading to the All England Club is to simply improve his feel for the surface.
"I don't mind being in the spotlight, I don't see it as pressure, but I've seen that I'm considered one of the favourites for Wimbledon. I don't see it that way at all," Alcaraz told the Spanish media.
"There are many players who play better than me on grass. [Novak] Djokovic, Rafa [Rafael Nadal], [Matteo] Berrettini... We are going to try to gain experience on this surface.
"Knowing how to move well on grass is very important. I think it's the key to being able to get good results. We're trying to improve in mobility and the small details that are more important on this surface.
"Being more aggressive, trying to take advantage of the fact that I volley well – those things."
Alcaraz is playing an exhibition tournament at Hurlingham this week and lost his opening match against Frances Tiafoe 6-4 6-2 on Thursday.
The world number seven has been struggling with an elbow issue, but experienced no discomfort during his defeat.
"A week ago, I couldn't train at all," he added. "I came here unsure if I was going to be able to play normally.
"The days I've been able to train I've felt quite well – zero pain in the elbow – and today there was no pain in the match with Tiafoe."
Bianca Andreescu dismantled top seed Daria Kasatkina to reach the semi-finals of the Bad Homburg Open, while Beatriz Haddad Maia moved a step closer to a third straight title in Eastbourne.
A resounding 6-4 6-1 win over Kasatkina saw Andreescu advance to the last four of a WTA Tour grass-court tournament for the first time.
The last time she reached the semi-finals in any event was the 2021 Miami Open, where she finished as runner-up after retiring with an ankle injury in the second set of the final against Ash Barty.
Andreescu limited Kasatkina to just 17.6 per cent of the points behind the Russian's second serve and saved four of the six break points she faced to book a meeting with Simona Halep.
Former world number one Halep sent down 10 aces and converted all three of the break points that came her way in a 6-2 6-1 success over Amanda Anisimova.
The other semi-final will be an all-French affair after Alize Cornet and Caroline Garcia downed home hopes Angelique Kerber and Sabine Lisicki respectively.
After going all the way in Nottingham and Birmingham this month, Haddad Maia progressed to the semi-finals of the Eastbourne International courtesy of a walkover against Lesia Tsurenko.
Next up for Haddad Maia is Petra Kvitova, who she beat in straight sets in the first round in Birmingham, after the Czech ended Harriet Dart's run to the quarter-finals with a 6-3 6-4 win.
Jelena Ostapenko cruised to a 6-3 6-2 victory against Anhelina Kalinina and will take on Camila Giorgi for a place in the final. Giorgi comfortably overcame lucky loser Viktoriya Tomova 6-2 6-1 in 64 minutes.
Li Haotong admits he did not expect to finish the first day of the BMW International Open at 10 under par, after he shot a sublime round to tie the course record at Golfclub Munchen Eichenried.
The Chinese 26-year-old has put himself on the front foot for a first European Tour title since the 2018 Omega Dubai Desert Classic, after a superb start in Munich.
Li took a one-stroke lead over Dutchman Daan Huizing into the clubhouse at the end of play, having notched a pair of eagles in the final four holes.
Having last played at the Porsche European Open earlier this month, he returned to the course after a brief period of rest - and admitted that he did not see his record-equalling feat coming.
"It's just been an incredible day for me," Li stated. "I didn't expect that [after] a couple of weeks off in Dubai. But I had a good start, two birdies in the first three holes. I hit every fairway, I think.
"The last few weeks, I've played solid, but just couldn't put [it all] together. Hopefully this week, I can get some experience there and put things together."
Heralded quarterback prospect Arch Manning has committed to sign with the University of Texas, ending one of the most anticipated recruiting decisions in recent memory.
Manning, the nephew of Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks Peyton and Eli Manning and the grandson of Ole Miss legend Archie Manning, revealed his decision with a short message on his Twitter account.
"Committed to the University of Texas. #HookEm,” Manning tweeted.
Texas was one of three schools, along with Alabama and Georgia, that Manning made official visits to earlier this month.
The 17-year-old New Orleans native is the consensus number one quarterback of the 2023 class, and his ties to his famous family added further interest and intrigue to his recruitment.
Arch’s decision would also continue the legacy of Manning quarterbacks within the Southeastern Conference, as Texas is currently scheduled to join the SEC from the Big 12 in 2025 – a move that could theoretically come sooner if the Longhorns and Oklahoma can negotiate buyouts from their present leagues.
Both Archie and Eli Manning played collegiately at Mississippi, while Peyton starred at Tennessee before embarking on his Hall of Fame NFL career. Additionally, Arch’s father, Cooper, committed to Ole Miss as a wide receiver before a diagnosis of spinal stenosis ended his playing career shortly after high school.
Manning will be joining a Texas program that is already well-stocked at the quarterback position after landing Ohio State transfer Quinn Ewers, the consensus number one recruit of the 2021 class, in December.
The Longhorns also have two other highly regarded quarterback prospects in rising sophomore Hudson Card and incoming freshman Maalik Murphy.
The Tampa Bay Lightning’s quest for a third straight Stanley Cup championship is perilously close to ending, due in part to a goal that coach Jon Cooper believes should not have counted.
Nazem Kadri’s overtime goal in Wednesday’s Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final put the Colorado Avalanche at a decided 3-1 advantage in the best-of-seven series, though an emotional Cooper implied during the post-game media conference the Avalanche had an extra skater on the ice at the time of the deciding tally.
"This one is going to sting much more than others,” Cooper said of the Lightning’s 3-2 loss. "It's going to be hard for me to speak. I'll speak with you [Thursday]. You're going to see what I mean when you see the winning goal."
Cooper did not answer any additional questions, stopping the conference just over two minutes in.
The NHL's official scoresheet had six skaters listed on the ice for Kadri’s game-winner, which occurred 12:02 into overtime, but later said in a statement the discrepancy could have been due to players jumping off the bench to celebrate the goal.
Too many men on the ice penalties are not able to be reviewed under league replay rules.
"A too many men on the ice penalty is a judgment call that can be made by any of the four on-ice officials," NHL Hockey Operations said in the statement.
"Following the game, Hockey Operations met with the four officials as is their normal protocol. In discussing the winning goal, each of the four officials advised that they did not see a too many men on the ice situation on the play.
"This call is not subject to video review either by Hockey Ops or the on-ice officials."
Cooper began his brief news conference lauding his players’ resolve for reaching a third consecutive Cup Final in a salary-cap era before alluding to his disapproval to the no-call on Kadri’s goal.
"I've been part of some heartbreaking losses and defeats to the teams that took us out, and been with a group that just fights, fights and fights," he said.
"And they fought their way to a third Stanley Cup Final in a row. And in a cap era when it’s so damn hard and the rules are put against you because the league wants parity.
“My heart breaks for the players, because we should probably still be playing.”
The series now shifts back to Denver for Friday’s Game 5, in which the Avalanche will attempt to clinch the franchise’s first Stanley Cup title since 2001.
Jake Paul and Tommy Fury are set to finally meet in the ring on August 6 in New York after months of going numerous rounds on social media, with Amanda Serrano also featuring as co-main event against Argentinian veteran Brenda Carabajal.
The pair were due to fight in December last year but Fury (8-0), the younger half-brother of heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, withdrew from the fight due to illness and injury.
Attempts to reschedule the bout were initially fruitless, with Paul (5-0) declaring his rival had blown his chance and focusing on the promotion side of his boxing endeavours – setting up Serrano's (42-2-1) defeat to Katie Taylor at Madison Square Garden.
However, a breakthrough has finally been reached after both fighters confirmed on social media that they were set to face-off.
"Just to let you all know, the fight on August 6 is going ahead," Fury said in an Instagram video.
"The contract has been signed after weeks and weeks of waiting for Jake Paul to sign up to the drugs testing and potentially putting the fight at risk, he’s finally signed up to the drugs testing.
"We’ve agreed a contract that we’re happy with, so the fight is going ahead and I’ll see you August 6."
Paul then followed suit on Twitter, adding: "Okay people he grew a set overnight. It’s official, I’m taking this little Fury’s head off. Amanda Serrano and I dual main-event at the Mecca of boxing."
The bout has garnered plenty of attention on social media, with Fury keen to establish himself in the professional scene while Paul has slowly proven himself early on – although this is the first true boxing opponent he will face.
Build-up began in August last year when Fury beat Anthony Taylor on the undercard of Paul's win against Tyron Woodley, with the pair then exchanging barbs in the post-fight press conference.
With Serrano also tied to the August bout and set to face Carabajal (18-5-1), the clash sets the stage for a huge month – with Anthony Joshua's rematch with Oleksandr Usyk taking place in Saudi Arabia on August 20.
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