MatchPoint Times

After public scrutiny sparked by FMT, nine sportsmen and sportswomen of the year finally see a long-standing promise honoured.

Imane Khelif reaffirms she is not transgender, noting she has the SRY gene, located on the Y chromosome that indicates masculinity.

The Puerto Rican singer, a vocal critic of President Donald Trump, is set to perform the halftime show entirely in Spanish.

Cordell Tinch and Cole Hocker won titles at the 118th Millrose Games indoor track meet.

The American-born pontiff noted that the modern Olympic Games were founded on a credo of international peace and “fraternity”.

In the main event of Ultimate Fighting Championship 325 (UFC 325), Alexander Volkanovski defended his 145-pound belt with a unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 50-45) to prevail in a five-round slugfest.

A five-point swing narrowed the Bavarian’s lead as Dortmund moved within six points, sparking fresh belief in a title fight.

The Gunners could stretch their lead to nine points, as City last won away at Liverpool during the 2021 Covid restrictions.

Raffaele Palladino’s side reach the last four alongside Serie A leaders Inter Milan after a 3-0 quarter-final win.

Favourites for all four competitions, Arsenal surely must hit at least two targets from here.

New manager Gary O’Neil secures his fourth win in five games with Strasbourg since replacing Liam Rosenior in a 3-1 victory.

New signing Ademola Lookman finishes a counter-attack on 37 minutes in an emphatic 5-0 win over Real Betis.

After a slow start, the Spaniard was imperious in dismissing the 38-year-old 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-5 on Rod Laver Arena to claim a seventh Grand Slam title and cement his status as undisputed world number one.

Kazakhstan’s fifth seed Elena Rybakina held her nerve to beat world number one Aryna Sabalenka 6–4, 4–6, 6–4.

Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz meet in Sunday’s match, with Djokovic chasing a 25th Grand Slam and Alcaraz aiming to win all four majors.

Sixth seeds Neal Skupski and Christian Harrison beat Australia’s Jason Kubler and Marc Polmans 7-6(4), 6-4 to win the Australian Open men’s doubles.

Belgium’s Elise Mertens and Chinese partner Zhang Shuai downed Anna Danilina and Aleksandra Krunic 7-6 (7/4), 6-4.

The 38-year-old Serb rolled back the years to battle past reigning champion Jannik Sinner 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4.

Wong Ling Ching beats India’s Isharani Baruah in the quarter-finals and will meet compatriot Goh Jin Wei in the semi-final.

The Malaysian decides not to continue after taking the first game and losing the second against the much-younger Indonesian Alwi Farhan.

BAM performance committee chairman Lee Chong Wei says the experience and expertise of these coaches will add significant value to the national training programme.

All three women’s singles players in the tournament, K Letshanaa, Wong Ling Ching and Goh Jin Wei, have qualified for the quarter-finals.

This was his best performance yet since his return from a six-month injury layoff.

K Letshanaa, Wong Ling Ching and Goh Jin Wei shine in the opening round at Bangkok.

Lando Norris returned to the track as McLaren made their first appearance at Formula One’s private testing sessions in Barcelona.

Media reports have speculated about a problem with the car passing the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile crash tests required to participate.

The 27-year-old Spaniard had two revision surgeries on his left wrist and right collarbone last month and has not fully recovered.

Formula One endured a rainy day of private testing in Barcelona, with only Red Bull and Ferrari braving the wet conditions.

Isack Hadjar lost control at the final corner and spun backwards into the barriers during a session being held behind closed doors.

Principal Graeme Lowdon said the team had advertised 595 positions and hired 520 new staff by the end of December last year.