Category: Sports

Caitlin Clark, the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s (NCAA) Division I women’s single-season and career scoring record-breaker, clinched her second consecutive Naismith National Player of the Year Award.

The senior from Iowa was given the honour in Cleveland prior to her team’s trip to the Final Four. Stanford’s Cameron Brink, UConn’s Paige Bueckers, and USC’s JuJu Watkins were among the nominees.

Clark acknowledged gratitude while highlighting the importance of competing for her team in the Final Four. With 32 points, nine assists, and 7.3 rebounds per game, she is leading the nation in points. Throughout her four-year career, she has earned 3,900 points, with 1,183 points this season.

Along with Breanna Stewart of UConn, Clark is one of the few women’s basketball players to have won two Naismith trophies. After recovering from an injury, Buecker averages 22 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.9 assists. With 27.1 points, USC’s Watkins set a freshman scoring record, and Stanford’s Brink finished with 17.4 points, 11.9 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and a league-high 3.7 blocks per game. In the upcoming match, UConn will be facing Iowa.

Italian qualifier Fabio Fognini surprised top-seeded Serbian Laslo Djere 7-6 (1), 2-6, 6-4 in the Grand Prix Hassan II’s second round in Marrakech, Morocco. Fognini overcame Djere’s strong second set to win the match in the third set.

Fognini advances with fellow Italians Lorenzo Sonego and Matteo Berrettini, while Pavel Kotov of Russia defeats Flavio Cobolli. Spanish qualifier Pablo Llamas Ruiz upset No. 8 seed Dominik Koepfer in the Millennium Estoril Open, advancing him to face David Jorda Sanchis in the second round. Defying Portuguese wild cards, Arthur Fils and Gael Monfils advanced with other victors such as Botic Van De Zandschulp, Jan Choinski, Marton Fucsovics, Cristian Garin, and Pedro Martinez.

Ben Shelton, ranked #1 in the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship, overcame Zizou Bergs of Belgium in the second round, winning 3-6, 6-4, 6-3. Both Brandon Nakashima and Marcos Giron, two other Americans who advanced to the quarterfinals, matched Shelton’s tenacity.

Giron defeated J.J. Wolf, and Nakashima defeated Rinky Hijikata. The biggest upset of the day came from Italy’s Luciano Darderi, who defeated Argentina’s second-seeded Francisco Cerundolo 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (4).

On Friday, the official stamp for the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games was unveiled ahead of the highly anticipated event.

The stamp was created in cooperation with La Poste Group and the Paris 2024 organising committee, and it was unveiled at the esteemed French Postal Museum. It features famous sites like the iconic Eiffel Tower and the serene River Seine, taking inspiration from the vivid visual identity of the Paris Olympics. Its design is energised by sporting features like athletic tracks and bouncing balls, including exceptional finishes with hot stamping.

The Paris 2024 organising committee president, Tony Estanguet, expressed excitement about the stamp’s ability to spread the games’ spirit around the world. Commemorating Olympic events in France has been a tradition for La Poste Group since 1924. Since then, the company has produced stamps that are particularly designed for each edition.

The official Olympic stamp, which costs 1.96 euros (2.12 USD), will be circulated in 800,000 copies, providing fans with a concrete memento of excitement for the upcoming event. It is scheduled to go on sale on March 29 and represents the excitement and prestige of the Paris Olympics, captivating viewers worldwide.

On Monday, the Esports Federation of India (ESFI) announced the commencement of the National Esports Championships (NESC) on April 18, offering a platform for gamers nationwide to exhibit their skills in DOTA 2, eFootball, and Counter-Strike 2 across open and female categories. 

The tournament’s online qualifiers, adopting a double-elimination format, will kick off on April 18, paving the way for participants to compete for spots in the regional qualifiers. These regional contests will see Indian gamers competing against counterparts from other Asian nations to secure berths for the prestigious 16th World Esports Championships (WEC), scheduled to begin on November 11 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The International Esports Federation (IESF) is in charge of organising WEC 2024, which promises fierce competition across a variety of game genres, including Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, the eFootball series, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, and PUBG Mobile. Additionally,  this year’s championship boasts a substantial USD 1 million prize pool, a testament to the growing significance and popularity of esports globally.

ESFI President Vinod Tiwari expressed his enthusiasm for NESC 2024, reflecting on India’s remarkable debut at the Asian Games 2022 and the success of last year’s female CS:GO qualifiers.

Formula One’s parent company, Liberty Media, has made headlines with its recent announcement of acquiring MotoGP’s parent company, Dorna, in a significant deal valued at $4.53 billion.

According to a statement released by MotoGP on Monday, Liberty Media will gain control of approximately 86% of Dorna, while the existing management will maintain a 14% equity stake. The acquisition is estimated to value Dorna/MotoGP at €4.2 billion ($4.53 billion) in terms of enterprise value, with an equity value of €3.5 billion.

Liberty Media’s President and CEO, Greg Maffei, expressed the company’s excitement about adding MotoGP to its roster of leading live sports and entertainment properties in a statement. Similarly, Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of Dorna, also welcomed the acquisition as a significant milestone for MotoGP and racing enthusiasts globally.

However, the acquisition is subject to regulatory clearances and approvals, with an expected completion timeline by the end of the year. The deal might attract regulatory scrutiny, given the historical conditions associated with Dorna’s ownership. In the past, CVC Capital Partners’ acquisition of Formula One in 2006, has faced similar regulatory checks.

India’s badminton chances at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris seem bright, and the country is predicted to send its largest-ever team. The top-seeded pair of Satwik and Chirag are considered India’s main competitors after showcasing their abilities at the French Open, which was recently held at the Olympic stadium.  Their coach, Pullela Gopichand, expresses confidence in their abilities.

Lakshya Sen’s comeback in the men’s singles has inspired hope thanks to his noteworthy wins at the All England and French Open. Sen, who is under Vimal Kumar’s coaching, is in good physical and mental health, which might help him perform well in Paris. Despite Prannoy’s early health problems in 2024, Gopichand’s guarantees indicate that he is recovering and preparing for future competitions.

Prakash Padukone is mentoring Sindhu, and she is improving, especially in terms of her physical conditioning and resilience. Padukone highlights that, to succeed in Paris, she must strengthen her mental toughness. Furthermore, Tanisha and Ashwini’s doubles partnership adds depth to India’s lineup, as Ashwini’s background and Tanisha’s chemistry maximise their potential.

India looks to have more promising badminton possibilities than ever before, with athletes peaking at the right time and a strong contingent set to compete.

Carlos Alcaraz, a Spaniard, claimed his second consecutive Indian Wells ATP title by defeating Daniil Medvedev 7-6 (7/5), 6-1. This marked his return to form after a slow start to the season, including an early exit at the Australian Open and an ankle injury in February’s Rio de Janeiro tournament.

Alcaraz, 20, initially had doubts about entering the tournament, given his longest title drought since winning the 2022 US Open. Notably, Alcaraz prevented Medvedev from claiming the only ATP Masters 1000 title missing from his collection. Alcaraz overcame a beehive of opponents to upset Jannik Sinner, the winner of the Australian Open, and advance past Alexander Zverev in the quarterfinals.

Reflecting on his victory, Alcaraz acknowledged the significance of winning a Masters 1000 tournament, boosting his motivation and confidence for upcoming events, notably the Miami tournament. His win also solidified his place alongside Rafael Nadal as one of the few players to win five Masters 1000 titles before turning 21.

Despite Medvedev’s strong start, Alcaraz rallied back in the first set, eventually dominating the tiebreaker and securing control of the match. With entertaining rallies showcasing his skills, Alcaraz sealed his victory with a remarkable forehand passing shot, captivating the audience and solidifying his status as a rising star in tennis.

Cricket Australia (CA) has unveiled the schedule for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024–25, featuring five Tests between India and Australia. The series will start on November 22 with a high-stakes match at Perth Stadium. In early December, there will be a day-night pink-ball test at Adelaide Oval. India will play their second day-night Test match against Australia since 2020 and their fifth overall. 

Australia and India will play a five-match series as part of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for the first time since 1991–1992, allowing both teams to secure their spots in the ICC World Test Championship final.

A three-match ODI and T20I series will follow Pakistan’s visit, which will mark the start of Australia’s domestic summer. India’s women’s team will also tour Australia, playing three ODIs in December.

Australia will play three one-day internationals (ODIs) against New Zealand after the Women’s T20 World Cup, and then on December 5, they will play against India in Brisbane and Perth. The Women’s Ashes series against England, which consists of three ODIs, three T20Is, and a historic day-night Test at the MCG in January, will thereafter take the front stage.

Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) has secured the television and digital broadcasting rights for all New Zealand-based men’s (blackcaps) and women’s (white Ferns) matches in India and related territories for the next seven years. From May 1, 2024, to April 30, 2031, this agreement will cover India’s summer tours to New Zealand in 2026–27 and 2030–31, as well as bilateral Tests, ODIs, and T20Is.

All matches will be live telecast on SPNI’s sports channels and streamed on Sony LIV. The deal, valued between $90 million and $100 million (Rs 749-Rs 833 crore), enhances SPNI’s sports portfolio. Additionally, it already includes agreements with the ECB and SLC.

Sony Pictures Networks India’s managing director and CEO, NP Singh, expressed excitement about the partnership, highlighting New Zealand’s esteemed cricket team and its passionate fan base in India. NZC CEO Scott Weenink emphasised the shared values between the two organisations, while NZC GM Commercial Chris Smith highlighted India’s significance as a key market and the substantial nature of the partnership.

The deal allows Indian cricket enthusiasts to witness matches against top teams like India, Australia, England, and Pakistan until 2031. Furthermore, SPNI’s digital rights in India will be co-exclusive with Amazon Prime for the 2024–25 and 2025–26 seasons.

Virat Kohli made history by notching his 100th fifty-plus score in T20 cricket, a feat unmatched by any other Indian player and achieved by only two others globally. During the IPL match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) at Chinnaswamy Stadium, Kohli’s outstanding 77 off 49 balls, including 11 boundaries and two sixes, highlighted his return to form after a previous disappointing performance.

Throughout his brilliant 378-match T20 career, Kohli has accumulated 12,092 runs at an average of 41.26, adorned with eight hundred and 92 fifties. His best score to date is an undefeated 122. Australia’s David Warner (109) and the West Indies’ Chris Gayle (110) are two of the finest players with the most fifty-plus scores.

Batting first, PBKS failed to build on their beginnings and finished at 176/6. Glenn Maxwell (2/29) and Mohammed Siraj (2/26), of the RCB bowling team, made significant strides. Kohli’s starring performance and late-inning heroics from Dinesh Karthik (28*) and Mahipal Lomror (17*) saw RCB secure a four-wicket victory with four balls remaining, despite mistakes in their chase.