Ukrainian 24th seed wins 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 to make third round Raducanu: ‘I found moving really difficult’ In the searing heat of the Spanish capital, the warmest day of this year’s Madrid Open so far, Marta Kostyuk stepped on to the clay courts of the Caja Mágica determined to make...
Mark Allen hits 147 then loses as Barry Hearn warns Crucible ‘not fit for purpose’
Allen makes history but loses 13-6 to Chris Wakelin Hearn: ‘We love the Crucible but it has to love us’ Mark Allen wrote his name into Crucible history with a maximum 147 break at the World Snooker Championship – but fell to a 13-6 defeat in his second-round match against...
Skelton v Mullins: ‘bouncer’ blocks path to title on final day of jumps season
Irish trainer sends 21 runners to Sandown in final-day attempt to overhaul rival in gripping championship duel Dan Skelton has been an immovable object at the top of the National Hunt trainers’ table since the opening day of the 2024-25 season on 4 May last year but, when he comes...
NFL draft: Shedeur Sanders still available in fourth round as stunning plunge continues
Colorado QB had been expected to go in first round Five QBs now selected ahead of Sanders Analysis: Sanders’s fall exposes cruelties of draft Shedeur Sanders is still waiting – after three rounds of the NFL draft, 102 picks and five quarterbacks selected ahead of Deion Sanders’s highly touted son....
Real Madrid deny they considered Copa del Rey final boycott over referee
Real Madrid refuse to turn up for pre-match events Club had previously demanded action from RFEF Real Madrid have denied that they ever considered refusing to play the Copa del Rey final against Barcelona after they boycotted the pre-match activities, prompting uncertainty that the game would go ahead. A statement...
Will Jacob Kiplimo be the first to run a marathon in less than two hours?
Hugh Brasher, the London Marathon race director, certainly thinks so but the Ugandan faces stiff competition from Eliud Kipchoge and Tamirat Tola Earlier this year Jacob Kiplimo produced a performance so staggering that it sent the jaws of even seasoned track and field watchers crashing to the floor. It came...
Mohamed Salah: a bridge between worlds in Liverpool
The Egyptian is more than simply a role model in his adopted home, he speaks to the city’s broader mythology There are occasional sightings of him around the city. A face is glimpsed; perhaps climbing out of a car, perhaps stepping into a mosque. A phone is surreptitiously brandished. The...
Eubank Jr v Benn feels like a mistake – bad TV pretending to be good sport | Barney Ronay
Without their fathers’ surnames there is zero chance the mixmatched catchweight contest would take place Back in his pomp as an era-defining, generational dog-torturer, the great Russian scientist Ivan Pavlov did an interesting experiment with shapes. This involved showing a dog called Vampire a combination of circles and ovals. Circles...
First Europe, then the world: Twickenham awaits in year of twin peaks for England
Grand slam clash is vital stepping stone in Red Roses’ quest to reclaim the World Cup crown they last held in 2014 There are two games to think about at Twickenham on Saturday, the one the Red Roses will play in, and the one they want to play in. The...
FA Cup semis, Celtic’s title chase, Copa del Rey final and more – matchday live
Premier League and FA Cup: 10 things to look out for Today’s fixtures | Latest tables | And mail us or post BTL Blackdogmax has asked for a little bit of focus on the Championship relegation battle. My colleague James Dart has pitched in BTL. My workings have it that...