THE first round of the Australian Open continues on Monday (13) at Melbourne Park where top seed and defending champion Jannik Sinner seeks a third Grand Slam title while Novak Djokovic begins his quest for a record-extending 25th major.
World number one Sinner is playing under the cloud of a potential two-year ban due to his doping case while 37-year-old Djokovic, a 10-times champion in Melbourne, returns to his favourite hunting ground as the seventh seed.
Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek are also in action while four Australians, including Nick Kyrgios, will get their chance to shine on the showcourts.
Kyrgios returns to Grand Slam action for the first time in two years when the Australian takes on Briton Jacob Fearnley.
Kyrgios has been sidelined due to knee, foot and wrist problems and he returns to his home Slam as an unranked player, still struggling with an abdominal strain and 'niggles' that forced him to pull out of an exhibition event.
The 29-year-old spent some time in the broadcast booth during his break from the game but he is confident tennis has not left him behind.
"People are always going to say, 'Be realistic, you're not going to be the same'. I unfortunately don't have that mindset. I always have utmost confidence in my ability," said Kyrgios, whose best result in Melbourne was a quarter-final run in 2015.
"If I'm playing my style of tennis, my unpredictability, I have a chance against anyone."
The Australian Open marks Fearnley's second main draw appearance at a Grand Slam but he made his mark at his first at Wimbledon last year, winning his opening round match and then taking a set off Djokovic on centre court.
American third seed Gauff begins her campaign against compatriot and 2020 champion Kenin, whose career has nosedived since reaching a career-high number four in the world.
Kenin fell outside the top 200 due to a poor run of form and injuries before slowly making her way back into the top 100.
However, Gauff is still wary of the 26-year-old, who beat her en route to the 2020 title and holds a career 2-1 record over her.
"I lost to her at Wimbledon (in 2023). She's obviously a great player, she won this tournament," Gauff told reporters.
"I think she's a great mover, has great groundstrokes, pretty steady player, can play aggressive, also play really good defence. It's going to be a tough match ... I think it's good for me, though."
Japan's twice Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka faces Caroline Garcia in a repeat of last year's first-round match where the Frenchwoman advanced after a straight-sets win.
"New year, same draw... This is starting to be a classic," Garcia said on X, while Osaka thought her agent was joking when she was informed of the first-round match-up.
Osaka is not at 100 per cent after pulling out of her first WTA Tour final in almost three years in Auckland and the 27-year-old said the results of a scan on an abdominal injury were not "fantastic".
An inspiring evening of sport, solidarity, and celebration unfolded on Friday (13) as Her Excellency Nimisha J Madhvani, High Commissioner of Uganda to the UK, hosted a dynamic fundraising event for the Tritons Uganda Rugby Tour 2025. The fundraiser drew attention to a groundbreaking moment in UK and Ugandan rugby relations, the first ever UK women’s rugby team set to tour Uganda.
The high-energy evening included guest appearances by celebrated rugby personalities Simon Shaw, a former England lock and British & Irish Lion, and Shaunagh Brown, an inspirational former England Red Roses international.
Set to take place from 19th to 23rd November 2025, the Tritons Uganda Tour will see both a men’s and women’s UK team travel to the "Pearl of Africa" to face the Uganda Club Select and National Select XVs. The tour, organised by Tritons Sports in collaboration with the Uganda Rugby Union, is poised to make history, marking the first ever UK women’s rugby team to play in Uganda.
Last year’s men’s match against the Ugandan National Veterans XV left an indelible mark. The 2025 tour is expected to build on that legacy with renewed purpose, inviting players and supporters alike to “Play. Explore. Make History.”
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Temba Bavuma of South Africa lifts the ICC World Test Championship Mace with teammates following his team's victory on Day Four of the WTC final against Australia at Lord's Cricket Ground on June 14. (Photo: Getty Images)
AIDEN MARKRAM's century helped South Africa secure a five-wicket win over Australia in the World Test Championship final at Lord’s on Saturday. With this result, South Africa claimed their first major global title in men’s cricket.
Set 282 to win, South Africa reached the target before lunch on the fourth day, finishing on 282-5. Markram was dismissed for 136 after bringing his team to within six runs of victory.
The Proteas resumed on 213-2, needing 69 runs more. Markram, who had been out for a duck in the first innings, was unbeaten on 102 at the start of the day. Captain Temba Bavuma was on 65 despite struggling with a hamstring injury.
South Africa’s history in knockout games had often been marked by defeats, including 18 failed attempts in previous ODI and T20 World Cups. They had only reached one final before this – last year’s T20 World Cup in Barbados, where they lost to India after requiring just 30 runs from the last 30 balls with six wickets in hand.
On Saturday, however, South Africa held on to win. A team without many big names succeeded where players like Allan Donald, Shaun Pollock, AB de Villiers and Jacques Kallis had not.
South Africa had an early setback when Bavuma, adding only one run to his overnight score, was caught behind off Australia captain Pat Cummins. His partnership with Markram ended at 147, but South Africa were still in control at 217-3.
With clear skies and a flat pitch, conditions were in the batters’ favour. Markram continued, cutting Cummins for four and later pulling him again to bring the target down to 50.
Cummins brought on Nathan Lyon, hoping for spin. But it was Mitchell Starc who got a breakthrough, bowling Tristan Stubbs for eight with a delivery that cut in sharply.
Australia took the new ball with South Africa at 268-4, needing just 14 more runs. Markram then drove Josh Hazlewood’s first ball for four and followed it up with three more runs off the next.
He fell shortly after, pulling Hazlewood to Travis Head at midwicket. His 207-ball innings included 14 fours.
Markram walked back to a standing ovation. Several Australian players shook his hand.
Kyle Verreynne then scored the winning run. He might have been out had Australia had any reviews remaining. South Africa’s 282-5 became the second-highest fourth-innings chase in a Lord’s Test, behind the West Indies’ 344-1 against England in 1984.
Kagiso Rabada also played a key role in the victory, finishing with match figures of 9-110.
(With inputs from agencies)
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Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Virat Kohli (C), along with his teammates, celebrates with the trophy after winning the Indian Premier League (IPL) Twenty20 final cricket match against Punjab Kings at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on June 4, 2025. (Photo by ARUN SANKAR/AFP via Getty Images)
BRITISH giant Diageo is exploring the sale of its controlling stake in India's Royal Challengers Bengaluru cricket team, potentially valuing the newly-crowned champions at up to £1.6 billion ($2bn).
The maker of Guinness and Johnnie Walker whisky is weighing its options for the Indian Premier League franchise, including selling part or all of its ownership through United Spirits, its Indian subsidiary where it holds a 55.9 per cent controlling interest, reported the Bloomberg.
Reports said that the London-based company has been in talks with potential advisers about various possibilities for the team, though no final decision has been made and Diageo may choose to keep the franchise.
United Spirits quickly dismissed the speculation in a stock exchange filing, calling reports of a potential sale "speculative in nature" and adding it was "not pursuing any such discussions". Diageo declined to comment when approached.
The timing of these discussions coincides with mounting pressure from India's health ministry, which is pushing to ban all tobacco and alcohol advertising from the IPL. Current Indian law already prohibits direct promotion of these products, forcing companies like Diageo to advertise alternative products using cricket stars instead.
However, the triumph was overshadowed by tragedy when a deadly stampede during the team's victory celebrations in Bengaluru killed at least 11 people, creating reputational challenges for the franchise owners.
Diageo's connection to the team traces back to troubled aviation entrepreneur Vijay Mallya, once known as "India's Richard Branson" and "the king of good times".
Mallya was forced to sell his spirits empire to Diageo for £60 million thirteen years ago to raise funds for his failing Kingfisher Airlines, which eventually collapsed in 2012 owing roughly £1bn to banks.
The potential disposal fits with Diageo's broader strategy to streamline its global portfolio. Finance chief Nik Jhangiani recently outlined plans for "substantial" disposals beyond the "usual smaller brand disposals" as part of a £400m cost-cutting programme.
"It's clearly going to be above and beyond the usual smaller brand disposals you've seen over the last three years," Jhangiani said during the company's third-quarter update.
The company has already begun reducing its exposure in various markets, selling its Nigerian and Ghanaian Guinness operations last year and swapping Cîroc vodka rights for basketball star LeBron James-backed tequila brand Lobos 1707 in April.
Any sale would come at a time when IPL team valuations are soaring, making franchises among the most coveted assets in global sport. The league has grown into a commercial powerhouse rivalling the NFL and Premier League, with its short three-hour matches attracting hundreds of millions of viewers worldwide.
Diageo aims to generate around £2.4bn in free cash flow from 2026, supported by its cost-saving programme, to fund further investments and improve its financial position amid challenging market conditions in key regions like the US.
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Kagiso Rabada celebrates with teammate Kyle Verreynne after taking the wicket of Alex Carey during day two of the WTC Final 2025 between South Africa and Australia at Lord's on June 12, 2025. (Photo: Getty Images)
SOUTH AFRICA remain confident about chasing down a big target in the World Test Championship final at Lord’s, despite the match being dominated by the bowlers so far.
David Bedingham, who top scored with 45 in South Africa’s first innings total of 138, said the team believed they could chase whatever target Australia set.
Australia, who lead by 218 runs with two second innings wickets remaining, will resume on Friday aiming to stretch their lead further and put South Africa under more pressure.
“I think it's just an amazing chance. And I think we're all very, very excited about the opportunity to win,” Bedingham said after the second day’s play.
“Like I said, it could go either way, but I think us as a team are very, very excited and there's a lot of belief in the dressing room.”
With 28 wickets falling over the first two days, bowlers have dominated the contest so far. South Africa’s chances of chasing down the target appear challenging.
“I think when you have six quality seamers on a tricky pitch, it obviously makes batting tough. But I think the way the game's going, I think the wicket has slowed down a bit. The nicks aren't carrying," Bedingham said.
“So I think in the fourth innings, they'll maybe come a bit straighter, and hopefully we can get those runs.”
He said Australia’s bowling, led by Pat Cummins who took six wickets on Thursday, had been difficult to handle.
“Personally, I don't think the Australians gave us any bad balls. That's why they're the best in the world.
“But hopefully, going forward, we can just counteract that and win the World Test Championship. The main thing is just to 100% commit if you are defending or attacking. I think as soon as you get caught in two minds against this attack, you get found out,” he said.
The third-highest successful chase at Lord’s is England’s 277 against New Zealand three years ago. West Indies chased down 342 against England in 1984, while England scored 282 against New Zealand in 2004.
England also chased 218 against New Zealand in 1965, which is the fourth-highest successful chase at the venue.
GRASSROOTS sports education platform Sportzprix last Saturday (7) announced the launch of a digital sports marketing master’s degree for Indian talent in collaboration with UAX Rafa Nadal University School in Spain.
The nine-month course, developed by UAX Rafa Nadal University School, combines global expertise with local insight through an India module co-created by Sportzprix. The online programme will be open to graduates, working professionals and sports entrepreneurs.
“I’ve always believed in the transformative power of sport – and when paired with education, its impact becomes truly enduring,” said tennis legend and mentor Nadal.
“Sport shapes character, resilience and ambition, but academic grounding gives it direction and depth.
“The UAX Rafa Nadal School of Sport excites me because it reflects this powerful synergy – combining education, specialisation and realworld relevance. With the incredible team behind this initiative, I’m confident we’ll equip future professionals with the skills and mindset the global sports industry demands.”
Prasad Mangipudi, co-founder and CEO of Sportzprix, said, “With India bidding for global events like the Olympics and Commonwealth Games, and domestic leagues becoming bigger and more professional, the country is poised for a sports revolution.
“Shaping sports professionals in the field of marketing will play a central role in determining its future.