All articles tagged with #sport
The Masters 2026 begins at Augusta National with Rory McIlroy defending the green jacket as live updates track opening tee-times, early birdies and the initial leaderboard, including Jose Maria Olazabal (-2) among early leaders and a pack of challengers led by Rahm, Fitzpatrick, Fleetwood and MacIntyre.
Jannik Sinner defeated Jiri Lehecka in the rain-delayed Miami Open final to complete the Sunshine Double, after taking the opening set 6-4 and sealing the title when play finished late at night. He becomes the eighth man to achieve the feat (first since Federer in 2017). The day also saw Katerina Siniakova/Taylor Townsend win the women’s doubles to complete their Sunshine Double, and Sinner even saluted F1’s Kimi Antonelli in his post-match speech.
Jannik Sinner and Jiri Lehecka waited on court as rain repeatedly delayed the Miami Open final; the women’s doubles finished first, start times were moved back, and Sinner and Lehecka finally took the court around 4:20pm local, with Sinner taking the first set 6-4 before further weather interruptions, while commentators noted the unclear scheduling and Sinner’s readiness.
Rain on the final day disrupted the Miami Open finals, moving the women’s doubles final from the Stadium Court to the Grandstand and delaying the men’s final; Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend won the doubles title 7-6(0) 6-1, completing the Sunshine Double amid a day of schedule chaos.
Jannik Sinner is aiming to seal the Sunshine Double by beating Jiri Lehecka in the Miami Open final, but wet weather threatens to derail the schedule again. With forecasts predicting rain for Sunday, Sinner says he’ll focus on the match and hope for a dry day to allow the final to go ahead, stressing he’ll give his best regardless of delays.
Arsenal defender Gabriel says his brand of 'beautiful football'—emphasizing energetic defending as well as technical quality—could deliver the club its first trophy since 2020, starting with the Carabao Cup final against Manchester City. Arsenal sit nine points clear in the Premier League and are chasing multiple trophies, with Gabriel contributing a high blocking tally this season and stressing humility while aiming for glory.
Everton hammered Chelsea 3-0 with a Beto brace and Ndiaye adding the third, while Fulham won 3-1 at Burnley and Brighton beat Liverpool 2-1 (Welbeck twice, Kerkez on target). Leeds United and Brentford played to a goalless draw.
Chelsea were beaten 1-0 by Newcastle at Stamford Bridge after Anthony Gordon's first-half strike. Robert Sanchez made a couple of key saves and looked solid, but Cole Palmer again failed to influence the attack as Chelsea's top-four hopes took a hit.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe praised Michael Carrick’s work as Manchester United’s interim head coach and declined to discuss a long-term appointment. United sit third with nine league games left and are aiming for Champions League qualification, which would boost Carrick’s case to stay beyond this season. Ratcliffe stressed the club must get the next appointment right after upheavals in recent years, including Erik ten Hag’s contract renewal followed by his sacking and Rui Amorim’s brief tenure and dismissal earlier this season.
Arsenal beat Brighton 1-0 at the Amex, with Bukayo Saka’s deflected volley proving decisive and marking his 300th Arsenal appearance. The Gunners’ defense was the story, led by Gabriel and Piero Hincapie, both rated 9, as Brighton were repelled and Arsenal kept a clean sheet to stretch their Premier League lead to seven points over Manchester City.
Arsenal ground out a 1-0 win at Brighton thanks to Bukayo Saka’s early goal and a fearless defensive display led by Gabriel, with Kai Havertz making a difference off the bench as they withstood Brighton’s pressure and late stoppage time. The result leaves Arsenal seven points clear of Manchester City with a game in hand, a pivotal if ugly night in the title race.
Miguel Delaney argues the World Cup faces an unprecedented political crisis after a US attack on Iran, threatening Iran’s participation and forcing FIFA to balance diplomacy, security, and tournament integrity. The piece probes possible FIFA responses—from cautious diplomacy and clarifications to sanctions or contingency plans—to manage the fallout and protect the World Cup’s legitimacy.
Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni, under UEFA review and with a provisional suspension, is set to claim Vinícius Júnior called him a 'dwarf' during the Champions League play-off with Real Madrid. Mbappé backs Vinínius’ account of the abuse, and Prestianni could face a ban of up to ten games for racial slurs and homophobic language under UEFA rules.
Paris Saint-Germain vice-captain Achraf Hakimi is set to stand trial for rape stemming from a 2023 allegation; he denies the charges and prosecutors in Nanterre ordered the proceeding, with Hakimi also serving as Morocco’s captain.
Gary Neville says Arsenal must beat Manchester City at the Etihad to win the Premier League, arguing the title could hinge on their April showdown as Arsenal’s five-point lead was extended by a north London derby win and City loom as a decisive test.