Liege

Pogacar faces defiant Evenepoel at Liege-Bastogne-Liege

Liege-Bastogne-Liege has been won from the Redoute hill, 38km from the finish, twice by each of the favourites.

Remco Evenepoel has vowed to tame defending champion Tadej Pogacar at cycling's undulating Ardennes forest odyssey, Liege-Bastogne-Liege, on Sunday.
Liege-Bastogne-Liege has been won from the Redoute hill, 38km from the finish, twice by each of the favourites.

Remco Evenepoel has vowed to tame defending champion Tadej Pogacar at cycling's undulating Ardennes forest odyssey, Liege-Bastogne-Liege, on Sunday.

Between them the pair have won the past four editions of the 252km Monument first raced in 1892.

A passionate and daring racing style has made the 26-year-old Slovenian Pogacar cycling's most exciting asset, never faltering when accepting new challenges.

In the 111th edition of Sunday's slog through winding forest lanes, Pogacar faces a huge challenge against double Olympic champion and local hero Evenepoel, recently returned from injuries sustained when a postal van opened a door on him.

"I should be able to beat him, that's what my team pay me for," said the 25-year-old Belgian this week.

Pogacar managed to drop Evenepoel at La Fleche Wallonne on Wednesday on the steepest part of the final climb. Evenepoel said he had taken off a rain jacket too soon and was cold.

"It was a good team result and we expect something similar at Liege," said the affable Team UAE rider Pogacar at the finish.

His face however told another story as it was etched with fatigue.

Evenepoel and Pogacar were pipped to the line at the Amstel Gold by interloper Mattias Skjelmose last Sunday but in both recent races there was little between the star pair.

The Roche-aux-Faucons climb is the steepest Sunday at an average of 11 per cent, but this time it is 13km from Liege, potentially giving world and Olympic time-trial champion Evenepoel time to catch up on the run in.

The stocky Flemish rider won the Brabantse Pijl in astonishing style on his return from injury ten days ago, outpacing Wout van Aert who said that Evenepoel had killed him bit by bit.

"I'm delighted to find my form after only two months of training this year," he said.

He said he was in better form Wednesday in the Fleche but had stupidly ridden 70km without his rain jacket.

"After a hot shower that was dealt with. Now I'm ready. It's my favourite race and I want to win a third one."

Liege-Bastogne-Liege has been won from the Redoute hill, 38km from the finish, twice by each of the favourites.

"Get it right there and you make up a lot of time. Wrong and it feels like hours getting up there. I'm super motivated," said Evenepoel.

They head a field stacked with potential winners including Skjelmose and diminutive Englishman Tom Pidcock.

Ben Healy can become the third Irishman to win Liege after Sean Kelly and Dan Martin and has impressed in the classics this spring.

Absent are three heavyweights in Mathieu van der Poel, Wout Van Aert and Primoz Roglic.

The current Tour de France, Giro and world champion Pogacar has a daredevil side that has pushed him into the one day classics.

On Sunday, if he can win in Evenepoel's back yard the Slovenian will again show just how great he is.

dmc/pb

Sports

Chelsea eye great escape against Barcelona in Women's Champions League

BY JOHN WEAVER

The omens are not good for Chelsea, who have won only two of their previous 11 semi-final matches, while Barcelona have never lost a Women's Champions League tie after winning the first leg.

Quadruple-chasing Chelsea have a mountain to climb as they seek to overturn a 4-1 deficit against Barcelona on Sunday to reach the Women's Champions League final.
The omens are not good for Chelsea, who have won only two of their previous 11 semi-final matches, while Barcelona have never lost a Women's Champions League tie after winning the first leg.

Quadruple-chasing Chelsea have a mountain to climb as they seek to overturn a 4-1 deficit against Barcelona on Sunday to reach the Women's Champions League final.

Sonia Bompastor's side conceded two late goals in the first leg of the tie in Spain last week -- a hammer blow to their hopes.

Ewa Pajor put Barcelona in front at the Estadi Johan Cruyff and Claudia Pina doubled the hosts' advantage with 20 minutes left.

Sandy Baltimore pulled a goal back for the visitors but Irene Paredes struck in the 82nd minute and Pina scored again to put Barcelona in command of the tie.

The two clubs are meeting at the semi-final stage of the competition for the third straight year.

Barcelona have come out on top both times, going on to lift the trophy on both occasions.

Last week's painful defeat was just the second under Bompastor, who took over from Emma Hayes at the end of last season.

Chelsea bounced back strongly in midweek, beating Crystal Palace 4-0 to move within touching distance of a sixth successive Women's Super League (WSL) title.

They are six points clear of nearest challengers Arsenal with just three games left to play.

"Today, my plan was to be able to give the squad, first of all, the opportunity for some players to perform and show, but also to manage some players so they will have fresh legs going into the game on Sunday," Bompastor said after the Palace win.

"I think in those two aspects, everything was really positive too and there were no injuries."

Chelsea dominance

Chelsea have been the dominant force in English women's football in recent years and show no signs of easing up.

The League Cup winners appear certain to wrap up the WSL title and face Manchester United in the Women's FA Cup final next month.

But they have never won the Women's Champions League -- they finished as runners-up to Barcelona in 2021 and have lost four times at the semi-final stage.

The omens are not good for Chelsea, who have won only two of their previous 11 semi-final matches, while Barcelona have never lost a Women's Champions League tie after winning the first leg.

On the plus side, they have already shown their powers of recovery this season -- overturning a 2-0 first-leg deficit against Manchester City in the quarter-finals to win 3-2 on aggregate.

England midfielder Keira Walsh, who previously played for Barcelona, is certainly not giving up hope that Chelsea can pull off a comeback for the ages.

"We were probably a little bit too open in the second half and credit to Barcelona, they punished us," she said.

"But the tie isn't over. They've still got to come to Stamford Bridge and we're going to give it our all to turn things around.

"It's going to be tough to turn around a three-goal deficit, but we've done it before. We showed that against Manchester City, so we know we are capable of achieving this."

The winners will meet Arsenal or Lyon in the final in Lisbon on May 24.

jw/mw

Reds

'Energy and effort' pay off for Reds as Blues' woes continue

Kiss, who is shaping as favourite to take over as Wallabies coach when Joe Schmidt departs after the Rugby Championship this year, said their work on defensive tactics during the week paid dividends.

Queensland Reds coach Les Kiss praised his team's "energy and effort" after they piled more misery on Super Rugby champions Auckland Blues with a convincing 35-21 win.
Kiss, who is shaping as favourite to take over as Wallabies coach when Joe Schmidt departs after the Rugby Championship this year, said their work on defensive tactics during the week paid dividends.

Queensland Reds coach Les Kiss praised his team's "energy and effort" after they piled more misery on Super Rugby champions Auckland Blues with a convincing 35-21 win.

The victory at a soaked Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on Friday was built on the back of two converted tries from flyhalf Tom Lynagh and some stoic defence.

It snapped a two-game losing streak and left the Reds entrenched in the top four with five matches left in the regular season.

In contrast the Blues, who were dominant in their march to the title last year, have won just three from 10 this year and are flailing outside the play-off places.

Kiss, who is shaping as favourite to take over as Wallabies coach when Joe Schmidt departs after the Rugby Championship this year, said their work on defensive tactics during the week paid dividends.

"We denied them for a long time so defensively we had some excellent moments when it really mattered," he said.

"We certainly worked on some areas of our 'D' since our last game (a loss to the ACT Brumbies) that paid off.

"Those big 'E' words, effort and energy, were certainly way up and our aerial kicking caused a bit of havoc. Very happy," he added.

Lynagh, who is gunning to be the Wallabies No.10 when the British and Irish Lions tour in June-July-August, pulled the strings with 20 points.

The livewire 22-year-old crossed twice in the opening 10 minutes to put the hosts in the driving seat and the Blues, who were missing All Blacks Dalton Papali'i and Caleb Clarke, struggled to recover.

New Zealand wing Mark Tele'a's first-half red-card for a dangerous tackle compounded their woes and skipper Patrick Tuipulotu could only praise the Reds.

"They played physically and outplayed us right from the get-go," he told reporters.

"We struggled, put a lot of pressure on us, especially at set-piece and we couldn't really get back into it consistently."

mp/mtp

Sports

Albatross and closing birdie lift China's Liu to LPGA Chevron lead

A 90-minute morning fog delay led to the round being halted by darkness with nine players yet to finish.

China's Liu Yan made a stunning albatross and a closing birdie to seize a one-stroke lead when darkness halted Friday's second round of the LPGA Chevron Championship.
A 90-minute morning fog delay led to the round being halted by darkness with nine players yet to finish.

China's Liu Yan made a stunning albatross and a closing birdie to seize a one-stroke lead when darkness halted Friday's second round of the LPGA Chevron Championship.

The 27-year-old sank a 15-foot birdie putt at the par-five 18th hole to finish off a level par 72 and grab the lead on seven-under 137 for 36 holes at Carlton Woods in the year's first major women's tournament.

"I'm glad I made that last birdie," she said. "Today I had so many putts so close. Last hole was my first birdie today so I'm very happy."

Liu's most spectacular shot, however, came at the par-five eighth when she holed out her second shot from 170 yards with a seven-iron.

"There was helping wind and I hit a really solid driver on the fairway," Liu said. "I took my seven-iron and yeah, it was pretty crazy."

It was the first albatross in a women's major since American Morgan Pressel made one at the 2015 Women's British Open.

Liu hopes to make her first LPGA triumph a major victory but a host of rivals were hot on her heels.

American Lindy Duncan birdied her last three holes to shoot 66 and share second on 138 with compatriot Sarah Schmelzel, Japan's Mao Saigo and South Korean Kim Hyo-joo.

South Koreans Choi Hye-jin and Ryu Hae-ran, American Angel Yin and Belgium's Manon De Roey were on 139.

A 90-minute morning fog delay led to the round being halted by darkness with nine players yet to finish. They will complete the second round on Saturday morning before the cut is made and the third round played.

Among those still on the course, China's Zhang Weiwei was on five-under with three holes remaining.

Liu, who began playing golf with her mother 15 years ago, has a best LPGA career finish of third at the 2023 ShopRite Classic.

She had opened with a 65 to share the 18-hole lead, but stumbled with bogeys at the first and sixth holes only to answer with the albatross stunner.

After a bogey at the ninth, Liu's lead was down to one stroke. She parred the next six holes before making bogey at 16, missing an eight-foot par putt to fall back, only to surge into the lead alone again with her closing birdie.

"I think definitely I will feel a little bit (of pressure) because this is a major," Liu said. "I know the course going to be harder so I think I just stay patient, calm, because I'm a very emotional person."

js/bb

Grizzlies

Grizzlies' Morant 'doubtful' for must-win game 4 v Thunder

No NBA team has come back from 0-3 down to win a playoff series.

The Memphis Grizzlies listed star Ja Morant as "doubtful" for their must-win game four against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the NBA playoffs on Saturday.
No NBA team has come back from 0-3 down to win a playoff series.

The Memphis Grizzlies listed star Ja Morant as "doubtful" for their must-win game four against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the NBA playoffs on Saturday.

The Grizzlies did not confirm an ESPN report that Morant would definitely miss the contest because of the left hip contusion he suffered late in the second quarter of game three, when he struck the Thunder's Luguentz Dort as he soared toward the basket and fell face-first onto the court.

Morant stayed in the game long enough to take his free throws but then departed. With him sidelined, the Thunder made a stunning 29-point comeback to beat the Grizzlies 114-108 and take a 3-0 stranglehold on the best-of-seven Western Conference series.

No NBA team has come back from 0-3 down to win a playoff series.

It's not the first time this season Morant has battled a hip injury stemming from a fall. He missed eight games with a hip subluxation and pelvic muscle strains after a collision in the air during a November 6 game against the Los Angeles Lakers.

He sprained his right ankle in the Grizzlies' loss to the Golden State Warriors in the first Western Conference play-in game. But he received pain-killing injections and played as Memphis beat Dallas in their second play-in game to clinch a playoff berth.

bb/js

Sports

US rookies lead PGA pairs event with McIlroy and Lowry in hunt

McIlroy and Lowry were six-under after 12 holes but stumbled with bogeys on three of the last six holes to shoot 69 and finish on 11-under 133 entering Saturday's four-ball format third round and Sunday's alternate-shot final round.

US rookies Kevin Velo and Isaiah Salinda grabbed a one-stroke lead after Friday's alternate-shot second round of the PGA Zurich Classic while defending champions Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry charged into contention.
McIlroy and Lowry were six-under after 12 holes but stumbled with bogeys on three of the last six holes to shoot 69 and finish on 11-under 133 entering Saturday's four-ball format third round and Sunday's alternate-shot final round.

US rookies Kevin Velo and Isaiah Salinda grabbed a one-stroke lead after Friday's alternate-shot second round of the PGA Zurich Classic while defending champions Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry charged into contention.

Velo and Salinda, each seeking his first PGA Tour title, combined to fire a three-under par 69 to stand on 17-under 127 after 36 holes in the pairs event at TPC of Louisiana in Avondale, Louisiana.

"Overall really solid. We played really to our strengths today," Velo said. "We played pretty flawless. We feed off each other really easily."

Americans Ben Griffin and Andrew Novak, also chasing their first PGA wins, combined for a 66 with birdies on three of their final five holes to stand second on 128, one stroke ahead of Danish twins Rasmus and Nicolai Hojgaard.

"We're both in solid form right now, feeding off each other," said Novak, who lost a playoff to Justin Thomas at last week's Heritage event.

Back-nine starters Salinda and Velo, pals since their junior golf days, were one-over through nine holes but reeled off three birdies in a row to start their second nine and share the lead. Salinda's birdie putt from just inside 12 feet at the eighth put them alone at the top.

"I like our chances in alternate shot versus anyone in the field," Salinda said. "We just keep playing how we're playing, set ourselves up for Sunday and give ourselves a shot."

McIlroy and Lowry were six-under after 12 holes but stumbled with bogeys on three of the last six holes to shoot 69 and finish on 11-under 133 entering Saturday's four-ball format third round and Sunday's alternate-shot final round.

"We were six-under through 12 and cruising and then a bit of a bad finish but I didn't feel like we played that badly to have the finish that we did," McIlroy said. "A couple of loose shots here and there.

"Tomorrow it will be hard to stay patient because the four-ball format you just have to try to make as many birdies as you can."

Northern Ireland's McIlroy, in his first event since winning the Masters two weeks ago to complete a career Grand Slam, and Irishman Lowry want to become the event's first back-to-back champions.

'Disappointed'

McIlroy, who has already won three titles this year, sank an 11-foot eagle putt at the par-5 second but Lowry missed the green and a par putt to bogey the par-3 third.

McIlroy made a birdie putt from just inside 15 feet at the fourth and Lowry pitched from the rough to just inside five feet to set up a McIlroy birdie putt at the par-5 seventh.

Lowry dropped his approach inches from the hole at the eighth to set up a McIlroy tap-in birdie and landed his approach at the 10th inside four feet to set up another McIlroy birdie putt.

At 12, McIlroy sank a 14-foot birdie putt to lift the duo to 14-under and a share of second.

But at 13, McIlroy couldn't reach the green from the rough and missed a 20-foot par putt.

Lowry missed the green at the par-3 17th and they needed four shots to reach the green in taking a bogey at the par-5 18th.

"We're obviously disappointed. I feel like 11-under is the worst score we could be for two days," Lowry said.

js/bb

Sports

PSG lose unbeaten Ligue 1 record ahead of Arsenal showdown

BY ANDY SCOTT

PSG had been unbeaten in 30 Ligue 1 matches this season, and had not lost any of their last 41 games against French opposition since a 3-1 home loss against Toulouse on May 12 last year.

Paris Saint-Germain saw their unbeaten record in Ligue 1 this season finally ended in a 3-1 home defeat against Nice on Friday, just ahead of their Champions League semi-final showdown against Arsenal.
PSG had been unbeaten in 30 Ligue 1 matches this season, and had not lost any of their last 41 games against French opposition since a 3-1 home loss against Toulouse on May 12 last year.

Paris Saint-Germain saw their unbeaten record in Ligue 1 this season finally ended in a 3-1 home defeat against Nice on Friday, just ahead of their Champions League semi-final showdown against Arsenal.

PSG had been hoping to become the first team ever to complete a French top-flight season without losing a game, but Morgan Sanson scored twice for Nice as the visitors claimed all three points against the run of play.

Fabian Ruiz had brought PSG level late in the first half, cancelling out Sanson's opener. However, Sanson scored again just 22 seconds into the second half, and Youssouf Ndayishimiye later headed in to make it 3-1.

"For me the result is not fair but that's football, you have to accept it," said PSG coach Luis Enrique, who saw his side dominate the game with 76 percent possession and over 30 shots on goal.

PSG had been unbeaten in 30 Ligue 1 matches this season, and had not lost any of their last 41 games against French opposition since a 3-1 home loss against Toulouse on May 12 last year.

The result means PSG, who had already secured a fourth consecutive Ligue 1 title at the start of this month, fall short of equalling the record for the longest unbeaten run from the beginning of a French season.

That record is still held by Nantes, who went undefeated for 32 matches before suffering their sole defeat on the way to winning the title in 1994/95.

PSG must now quickly put this defeat behind them as they head to London for the first leg of their Champions League last-four tie against Arsenal on Tuesday, before the return at the Parc des Princes on May 7.

'Not worried'

"The possibility of beating a couple more records was an objective for us in these last few weeks," admitted Luis Enrique.

"It wasn't to be, but it does not in any way change our objective of carrying on in the Champions League and getting to the final."

PSG had started with a full-strength line-up but were denied by a string of fine saves by Nice goalkeeper Marcin Bulka.

"What I saw, I would take that again in London on Tuesday and in the return leg," Luis Enrique added.

"I am not worried at all. When you have a team that doesn't speculate, that tries to attack, presses, doesn't stop running, but doesn't take their chances and the opposition goalkeeper makes some incredible saves, well that's football and I accept it."

Sanson marked his first start of the season after injury to put Nice ahead only for Ruiz to fire in from Ousmane Dembele's assist to equalise before the break.

Sanson then adjusted his body to finish superbly from a Jonathan Clauss cross immediately after the restart, and Ndayishimiye headed in a Badredine Bouanani free-kick with 20 minutes left.

Nice also beat PSG in Paris last season and held Luis Enrique's side to a 1-1 draw in the reverse fixture at the beginning of this campaign.

The victory is a huge boost to their chances of qualifying for next season's Champions League, as they climb up to fourth place and are behind Monaco in third only on goal difference. Marseille in second are only one point better off.

The top three teams in Ligue 1 qualify directly for the league phase of next season's Champions League, with fourth entering in the preliminary rounds.

"It is quite an achievement to beat this PSG, with the season they are having, in their own ground," said Nice coach Franck Haise.

as/bsp

Warriors

Warriors coach Kerr 'relatively optimistic' injured Butler will play game 3

"I mean, it's Jimmy, and we know he's willing to play through anything.

Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr says he's "relatively optimistic" forward Jimmy Butler will play game three of their NBA playoff series against Houston despite suffering a pelvic contusion in game two.
"I mean, it's Jimmy, and we know he's willing to play through anything.

Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr says he's "relatively optimistic" forward Jimmy Butler will play game three of their NBA playoff series against Houston despite suffering a pelvic contusion in game two.

Butler took a hard fall on a first-quarter foul by Houston's Amen Thompson on Wednesday and had an MRI exam on Thursday that revealed the extent of the injury.

With the best-of-seven Western Conference first-round series tied at one game apiece, Butler was listed as "questionable" for Saturday's game three in San Francisco.

"I'm relatively optimistic," Kerr said Friday. "I mean, it's Jimmy, and we know he's willing to play through anything.

"So we'll see. This is a day-to-day thing for sure, and we'll see how he feels tomorrow.

"But I think there's a chance he plays."

Butler, who came down hard on his tailbone when Thompson hit him as he rose to grab a rebound, stayed in the game long enough to shoot two free throws then departed and didn't return.

The Rockets won 109-94 to level the series.

Butler averaged 17.9 points, 5.9 assists and 5.5 rebounds in 30 regular season games for the Warriors after arriving in a February trade from Miami.

He scored 25 points in the Warriors' game one victory over the Rockets.

Kerr acknowledged that his continuing absence would require adjustments, but wouldn't alter the Warriors' plan of attack against the Rockets.

"There's not two game plans, but two rotations," Kerr said. "The game plan doesn't change."

bb/sev

Pr

Postecoglou hopes 'Stonecutter's Credo' can inspire Spurs

Liverpool need just a draw to clinch the title and another negative result seems certain for Postecoglou, whose only hope of avoiding the axe lies in the Europa League.

Ange Postecoglou is hoping the 'Stonecutter's Credo' can help Tottenham salvage a season that has gone "disastrously wrong" by winning the Europa League.
Liverpool need just a draw to clinch the title and another negative result seems certain for Postecoglou, whose only hope of avoiding the axe lies in the Europa League.

Ange Postecoglou is hoping the 'Stonecutter's Credo' can help Tottenham salvage a season that has gone "disastrously wrong" by winning the Europa League.

Postecoglou is fighting to save his job after a dismal campaign that sees Tottenham head to Liverpool on Sunday languishing in 16th place in the Premier League.

Defeat for Tottenham at Anfield would match their record number of top-flight losses in a single season at 19.

Liverpool need just a draw to clinch the title and another negative result seems certain for Postecoglou, whose only hope of avoiding the axe lies in the Europa League.

Tottenham, who haven't won a major trophy since the 2008 League Cup, host Bodo/Glimt in the semi-final first leg on Thursday.

Amid a painful season of underachievement, Postecoglou brought up the story of the 'Stonecutter's Credo' -- first mentioned by Danish-American writer Jacob Riis more than a century ago -- as an example of how you never know when the breakthrough moment will arrive.

"I talk to the players a lot about the Stonecutter's creed," Postecoglou told reporters on Friday.

"Only the 101st blow cracks the rock, but no one sees the other 100 blows. And they think it's the last one that does it. It's not.

"So, time will tell whether what I've tried to do over the last two years gets us to crack that stone. If not, maybe I haven't, but you won't know that and you won't know how much I've had an impact until we get to that place.

"What it says is, if you keep doing the right thing, the impact it has is unseen because you won't break it with the 101st blow unless you've done a lot of things which, to the naked eye, seems like you're doing nothing or maybe the wrong thing,. But the stonecutter knows you need to keep doing it because it'll come."

Former Celtic boss Postecoglou boasted earlier this term that he always wins a trophy in his second season in charge.

Despite Tottenham's dismal form, they remain in with a chance of backing up the Australian's bold claim, to even his surprise.

"I'm trying to change the perception of the club. I think there is this narrative of trying to set this club up for some sort of fall, consistently and there is no allowance for any kind of building of foundations for something a bit different than before," Postecoglou said.

"The one thing you do know is you know what doesn't work here. Yes, I'm trying to do things very differently.

"It hasn't all worked out, for sure - some of it has gone disastrously wrong, I accept that - but I said from the start, we need to chart a different course if we are ever going to break the cycle that this club has been in.

"Bizarrely, we're still in that position where we can do that."

smg/bsp

WTA

Sabalenka makes winning start at Madrid Open

BY REEM ABULLEIL

Meanwhile, Tunisian 2022 Madrid champion Ons Jabeur crashed out in her opener to Moyuka Uchijima 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 while Greece’s Maria Sakkari took a positive step towards recapturing her form by dismissing 29th-seeded Magda Linette 7-6(5), 6-3.

Aryna Sabalenka kicked off her quest for a third Madrid Open title with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Anna Blinkova in second-round action at the Caja Magica on Friday.
Meanwhile, Tunisian 2022 Madrid champion Ons Jabeur crashed out in her opener to Moyuka Uchijima 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 while Greece’s Maria Sakkari took a positive step towards recapturing her form by dismissing 29th-seeded Magda Linette 7-6(5), 6-3.

Aryna Sabalenka kicked off her quest for a third Madrid Open title with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Anna Blinkova in second-round action at the Caja Magica on Friday.

The world number one improved her record at the tournament to 18-4, having lifted the trophy in 2021 and 2023, alongside her runner-up showing to Iga Swiatek last year.

After racing to a double-break 5-0 advantage against Blinkova in the opening set, Sabalenka lost one of her breaks before taking the lead on her third set point on the 48-minute mark.

The second set was a straightforward affair, with an early break of serve enough for Sabalenka to punch her ticket to the third round, where she awaits either her former doubles partner Elise Mertens or Colombia’s Camila Osorio.

Sabalenka’s three Grand Slam titles have all come on hard courts, but the Belarusian power-hitter has shown she can contend on clay, with two trophies clinched from nine finals reached on the surface.

The 26-year-old admits the French Open has proven to be a "challenge" for her and she feels she has unfinished business there after losing in the 2023 semi-finals to Karolina Muchova and the 2024 quarter-finals to Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva.

"Every time I go there, it's like a challenge for me, even though I love playing on clay and I feel really good," said Sabalenka of Roland Garros.

"But I like to accept tough challenges. So I really hope that one year I'll be able to get that beautiful trophy in my collection."

Earlier in the day, world number nine Paula Badosa delivered another blow to the tournament as she was forced to withdraw from her home event due to a lower back injury.

Badosa joins her fellow Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, who pulled out of the Madrid Open on Thursday citing a left hamstring issue and a right adductor injury.

Meanwhile, Tunisian 2022 Madrid champion Ons Jabeur crashed out in her opener to Moyuka Uchijima 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 while Greece’s Maria Sakkari took a positive step towards recapturing her form by dismissing 29th-seeded Magda Linette 7-6(5), 6-3.

Zverev basks on favourite court

On the men’s side, last week’s Munich champion Alexander Zverev fired 32 winners against just 24 unforced errors in a dominant 6-2, 6-2 win over Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut.

"For me, I always say that this is my favourite centre court in the entire world," said Zverev, who is a two-time Madrid champion.

"I only lost twice in my entire life here, so I hope that stays that way, throughout the next 10 days, and I can continue playing good tennis. As long as I do that, I’m happy."

The top-seeded Zverev will face Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the third round.

Recent Barcelona champion and Madrid eighth seed Holger Rune retired after dropping the first set of his second round encounter with Flavio Cobolli with a right knee injury, while Gael Monfils withdrew ahead of his clash with defending champion Andrey Rublev due to illness.

Last year’s finalist Felix Auger-Aliassime stumbled at the first hurdle, losing to Argentina’s Juan Manuel Cerundolo 7-6(5), 6-4.

The Canadian former world number six had a good start to 2025, winning two titles and reaching the final in Dubai but is currently on a four-match losing streak.

Auger-Aliassime is projected to drop out of the top 25 when the new rankings are released after the tournament.

It was a good day for Argentines overall as Cerundolo’s brother, Francisco, also advanced to the third round with a 6-3, 6-4 result against qualifier Harold Mayot.

Francisco Cerundolo will next take on his compatriot Francisco Comesana, who rallied back from 1-5 down in the opening set to upset 13th-seeded Arthur Fils 7-6(4), 6-4.

Fils criticised the live electronic line calling that is being used at clay tournaments for the first time this season, noting how the marks on the court do not match the ones shown on screens in the video replays.

Comesana agrees with Fils regarding the inaccuracy of the technology, but says he still prefers live electronic line calling to having line judges and chair umpires make the call.

"I looked at the marks as well and some marks were like 1cm out. But it’s for both of us," said the 70th-ranked Comesana, who is through to a Masters 1000 third round for the first time.

"I prefer the electronic line calling because sometimes the line judges are late in making the calls."

str/lp

Sports

Own goal takes Sundowns to African final against Pyramids

Ahly and Sundowns drew 1-1 before a capacity 73,000 Cairo crowd and, after a 0-0 semi-final first leg, Sundowns qualified on the away-goal rule and will host the first leg of the final on May 24.

Al Ahly defender Yasser Ibrahim conceded a 90th-minute own goal to give Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa a place in the CAF Champions League final, where they will face another Egyptian club, Pyramids.
Ahly and Sundowns drew 1-1 before a capacity 73,000 Cairo crowd and, after a 0-0 semi-final first leg, Sundowns qualified on the away-goal rule and will host the first leg of the final on May 24.

Al Ahly defender Yasser Ibrahim conceded a 90th-minute own goal to give Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa a place in the CAF Champions League final, where they will face another Egyptian club, Pyramids.

Ahly and Sundowns drew 1-1 before a capacity 73,000 Cairo crowd and, after a 0-0 semi-final first leg, Sundowns qualified on the away-goal rule and will host the first leg of the final on May 24.

Democratic Republic of Congo-born Fiston Mayele was the hero as Pyramids came from behind twice to beat Orlando Pirates of South Africa 3-2 in the return match and on aggregate.

In stark contrast to the earlier match, only a few thousand spectators watched Pyramids qualify in only their second Champions League appearance as they lack the huge fan base of Ahly.

Title-holders Ahly, seeking a historic third consecutive title in the premier African club competition, led from the 24th minute of the second leg through a clinical Taher Mohamed finish.

Sundowns were dispossessed in midfield and Emam Ashour sent unmarked Mohamed through with a superb cross-field pass.

Mohamed, whose previous Champions League goal this season came last September, took the ball to the edge of the area, then beat goalkeeper Ronwen Williams at his near post with a fierce shot.

If record 12-time African champions Ahly erred it was believing that the goal would suffice to take them to a seventh final in eight seasons.

Stunned

They seldom threatened to increase their second-leg lead while Khuliso Mudau came close to levelling after half-time with a glancing header off a corner.

With the match about to enter added time at the Cairo International Stadium, disaster struck for Ahly and their supporters, virtually all of whom wore red replica shirts.

The ball was crossed into the Ahly goalmouth, where a desperate scramble developed that ended with the ball striking Ibrahim and landing in the net.

Ahly were stunned and the crowd silenced. A match they were convinced had been won had slipped from their grasp with no further goals during 10 minutes of added time.

Ibrahim had been involved in an earlier second half drama as he appeared to foul Lucas Ribeiro in the area, but the Mauritanian referee disagreed after checking the incident on a VAR monitor.

Meanwhile, Pirates' failure to hold on to a lead cost them dearly at the June 30 Stadium as goals by Relebohile Mofokeng and Mohau Nkota gave them advantages that lasted just four minutes.

Mayele made it 1-1 in first half added time and substitute Ramadan Sobhi made an instant impact to bring the clubs level again on 57 minutes.

The decisive goal for Pyramids came after 84 minutes when a Sodiq Ougola header after a corner was saved by Sipho Chaine and Mayele reacted quickest to slam the rebound into the net.

dl/bsp

ESP

Rovanpera takes control of Rally Islas Canarias

"It's surprisingly nice to have this kind of tarmac rally - we haven't had it in a long time.

Two-time world champion Kalle Rovanpera produced a irresistible drive on Friday to win all six special stages and take an impressive lead in the Rally Islas Canarias into the weekend.
"It's surprisingly nice to have this kind of tarmac rally - we haven't had it in a long time.

Two-time world champion Kalle Rovanpera produced a irresistible drive on Friday to win all six special stages and take an impressive lead in the Rally Islas Canarias into the weekend.

The Finn, who won the title in 2022 and 2023, headed a quintet of Toyotas, leading his semi-retired team-mate Sebastien Ogier by 26.8 seconds.

Championship leader Elfyn Evans is almost 10 seconds further back in third.

Rovanpera has made a slow start to the season, with a best of fourth in Monte Carlo, and lies 57 points behind Welshman Evans in the standings.

But the 24-year-old roared around the winding asphalt roads in the Gran Canaria mountains as the locals watched the first ever WRC rally there.

"It feels quite good," said Rovanpera.

"It's surprisingly nice to have this kind of tarmac rally - we haven't had it in a long time.

"Now hopefully we know for tomorrow what to do with the car. We tested some small things here, so it should be quite okay."

His compatriot Sami Pajari and Japan's Takamoto Katsuta complete the Toyota top five.

Defending champion Thierry Neuville and his Hyundai teammates Ott Tanak and Adrien Fourmaux struggled to get the best out of their cars, with the tyres a particular problem.

"I don't know what to say," said Neuville who is sixth, over 1min 13sec behind Rovanpera.

"Obviously, days like this are really hard to swallow. But in the end, they are not the end of the world.

"I'm not sure we learned anything today. We know we have two more days to go, and we need to keep positive and continue working."

The event continues on Saturday with seven special stages and concludes at midday on Sunday.

hdy/bsp/pb

IPL

Patel and Mendis help Sunrisers beat Kings in Dhoni's 400th T20

Earlier, Chennai Super Kings were rocked by Sunrisers's pacer Patel who ripped through the middle and lower-order batting.

Fast bowler Harshal Patel grabbed four wickets and Kamindu Mendis showed his allround skill as Sunrisers Hyderabad upstaged Chennai Super Kings by five wickets in Chennai on Friday.
Earlier, Chennai Super Kings were rocked by Sunrisers's pacer Patel who ripped through the middle and lower-order batting.

Fast bowler Harshal Patel grabbed four wickets and Kamindu Mendis showed his allround skill as Sunrisers Hyderabad upstaged Chennai Super Kings by five wickets in Chennai on Friday.

Patel grabbed 4-28 and was ably assisted by skipper Pat Cummins and Jaydev Unadkat -- both finishing with identical figures of 2-21 -- to dismiss the home team for a below-par 154 in 19.5 overs.

South African youngster Dewald Brevis was the top scorer for the Kings with a blistering 25-ball 42, cracking four sixes and a boundary on his debut for the franchise.

Skipper M.S. Dhoni failed to make his 400th T20 a memorable occasion, managing just six runs and coming out on the losing side.

Sunrisers achieved the target in 18.4 overs for the loss of five wickets with Ishan Kishan leading the way with a solid 34-ball 44 with five boundaries and a six.

Mendis struck an unbeaten 32 off 22 balls, adding 49 in an unbroken sixth wicket stand with Nitish Kumar Reddy who finished with a 13-ball 19 not out.

The victory lifted Sunrisers to eighth on the 10-team table topped by Gujrat Titans with 12 points in eight matches while five-time champions Kings are at the bottom with four points in nine.

Patel, declared man-of-the-match, attributed discipline as the key for his fine bowling.

"I figured out pretty early that hitting it on a good length around the stumps was important because it was hard to hit with the horizontal bat," said Patel.

Dhoni blamed losing a cluster of wickets for the poor batting show.

"I think we kept losing wickets and another thing is in the first innings the wicket was slightly better," said Dhoni. "A total of 157 wasn't a justifiable score."

Earlier, Chennai Super Kings were rocked by Sunrisers's pacer Patel who ripped through the middle and lower-order batting.

The home team started on a wrong note when opener Shaik Rasheed was caught in the slip off the very first delivery of the match by fast bowler Mohammad Shami.

Seventee-year-old Ayush Mhatre was impressive in his 19-ball 30, which was studded with six boundaries, while Ravindra Jadeja managed 21 with a six and a boundary.

Jadeja's dismissal brought Dhoni to the crease as the crowd roared to welcome their hero in his 400th T20 match but Dhoni's stay lasted for just ten balls.

It was Brevis who assured Kings get past 150 with some lusty hitting.

Deepak Hooda also chipped in with a 21-ball 22 with a six and a boundary.

str/bsp

Cup

Copa del Rey ref statements 'unacceptable': Real Madrid after boycotting final build-up

Real Madrid refused to take part in planned Copa del Rey final related activities on Friday because they were angry at comments made by the match officials earlier in the day, the club told media in Seville.

Real Madrid said complaints made by Copa del Rey final referees against pressure from the club's television channel were 'unacceptable' on Friday, after pulling out of planned pre-match activities.
Real Madrid refused to take part in planned Copa del Rey final related activities on Friday because they were angry at comments made by the match officials earlier in the day, the club told media in Seville.

Real Madrid said complaints made by Copa del Rey final referees against pressure from the club's television channel were 'unacceptable' on Friday, after pulling out of planned pre-match activities.

"These statements... made in a premeditated manner 24 hours before the final against one of the participants, demonstrate, once again, a clear and manifest animosity and hostility of these referees towards Real Madrid," said the Spanish champions on the eve of Saturday's cup final in Seville.

Real Madrid refused to take part in planned Copa del Rey final related activities on Friday because they were angry at comments made by the match officials earlier in the day, the club told media in Seville.

The referee for Saturday's match against rivals Barcelona, Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea, welled up when speaking about pressure officials have faced from Real Madrid TV this season.

Spanish champions Real Madrid boycotted the press conference, the open training in front of media, the traditional presidents' dinner and a pre-match photo-call.

"Real Madrid considers the public statements made by the Copa del Rey final referees unacceptable," said the club in their statement.

Madrid took particular issue with the final's VAR referee Pablo Gonzalez Fuertes suggesting referees were "united" and looking to take collective action against the pressure they had received from Real Madrid TV.

"Even more surprising statements, in a threatening tone... to announce supposed measures or actions that are far removed from the principles of fairness, objectivity and impartiality that should prevail just hours before (the final)," continued Madrid's statement.

"In view of the seriousness of what has happened, Real Madrid hopes that those in charge of the RFEF and the refereeing profession will act accordingly, adopting the relevant measures in defence of the prestige of the institutions they represent."

Spanish media report Madrid want the referees changed for the final and could even refuse to play if that does not happen.

This week the club's television channel launched a new video attacking the referee for the final, something they have done to various officials this season.

"Real Madrid told the RFEF they will not take part in the press conference or the official training session looking forward to the (final)," said the Spanish football federation.

Los Blancos also published an open letter in February claiming Spanish refereeing was "rigged" and "completely discredited".

Real Madrid have form when it comes to boycotts: in October they stayed away from the Ballon d'Or ceremony because their winger Vinicius Junior was not named the best player in the world.

"Real Madrid does not go where it is not respected," the club said at the time.

'It's totally messed up'

De Burgos Bengoetxea had spoken about the effect criticism from Real Madrid's television channel was having on his family life.

"When a child of yours goes to school and there are kids telling him that his father is a 'thief' and comes home crying, it's totally messed up," De Burgos Bengoetxea told a news conference.

"What I do is try to educate my son, to say that his father is honest, above all honest, who can make mistakes, like any sportsperson," he continued, becoming emotional.

"This is really messed up... but the day I leave (the job), I want my son to be proud of what his father is, and what refereeing is, it has given us many values."

Wiping away tears, the 39-year-old called for deeper thought on the issue of referee abuse.

"It's not right what we are going through, many colleagues, and not just in professional football, but also at grassroots level," he added.

"Everyone should reflect about where we want to go, about what we want from sport and from football."

Gonzalez Fuertes had suggested officials could take further action over Real Madrid TV's broadcasts in the coming weeks.

"Have no doubt that we are going to have to start taking much more serious measures than we are taking," said Gonzalez Fuertes.

"We will not continue to allow what is happening. Soon, you will hear from us.

"We are going to make history, because we are not going to continue to bear what we are putting up with."

rbs-ati/lp/bsp/pb

Cup

Real Madrid boycott Copa del Rey build-up over referee complaints

"Real Madrid told the RFEF they will not take part in the press conference or the official training session looking forward to the (final)," said the Spanish football federation.

Real Madrid refused to partake in planned Copa del Rey final related activities on Friday because they were angry at complaints made by the match officials earlier in the day, the club told media in Seville.
"Real Madrid told the RFEF they will not take part in the press conference or the official training session looking forward to the (final)," said the Spanish football federation.

Real Madrid refused to partake in planned Copa del Rey final related activities on Friday because they were angry at complaints made by the match officials earlier in the day, the club told media in Seville.