Australian Open 2026: Djokovic and Rybakina in action, Osaka withdraws – live

Sinner battles cramp and heat in four-set victory
Osaka withdraws before Inglis match | Email Luke

Van de Zandschulp has only been broken once in the tournament himself, so Djokovic is unlikely to get anything for free there.

*Van de Zandschulp 0-1 Djokovic (*denotes next server)

Published: January 24, 2026, 10:12 am

NFL conference championship game picks: do the No 1 seed Broncos have any chance of victory?

The Super Bowl match-up will be set this weekend as a weakened Denver take on New England and two NFC West rivals clash in Seattle

What New England need to do to win: Clean up their act. Last week against the Houston Texans, Drake Maye was blindsided too often by edge rushers Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter. The pair wreaked havoc, sacking Maye five times and forcing him into three of his four fumbles. The Los Angeles Chargers also forced two from him in the wildcard round. Denver led the league in sacks (68) in the regular season, and will be intent on causing similar damage on Sunday. But Maye can mitigate that threat if he sharpens his awareness in the pocket and takes the sack rather than rushing into impossible passes. New England’s left tackle Will Campbell is very likely to lose a couple of duels with edge defender Nik Bonitto, so Maye needs to be ready for a helmet sandwich while holding on to the ball for dear life. Simply punting and giving Denver’s second-string quarterback, Jarrett Stidham, tough field position may be all it takes to reach the Super Bowl.

Published: January 23, 2026, 10:00 am

At home with Jakob Ingebrigtsen: ‘I’ve fed my obsession my whole life’

In an exclusive interview at his base, athletics’ ‘iron man’ reveals why his career feels like ‘99% losses’ but he plans to retire as the greatest distance runner in history

On a bone-cold new year’s morning, the world’s most compelling athlete is sweating so much that tiny puddles are starting to ooze across his treadmill.

For 40 minutes Jakob Ingebrigtsen makes 6min 40sec mile pace look like a Sunday stroll, breezily chatting away even as the heatbox in his home gym pushes the temperature inside to more than 32.4C (90F). Only when I ask the double Olympic champion what his super-strength is does he pause to take a proper breath. “In Norwegian we have a word for it,” he eventually replies. “Ingen kompromiss. No compromise.”

Published: January 23, 2026, 8:00 pm

UFC fighter Cameron Smotherman collapses after weigh-in in harrowing scene

• Smotherman collapses after making bantam limit

• Fight with Ricky Turcios canceled from prelim card

• Incident reignites debate over UFC weight cutting

UFC bantamweight Cameron Smotherman was taken for medical evaluation after collapsing moments after making weight ahead of Saturday’s UFC 324 card in Las Vegas, prompting the cancellation of his scheduled bout.

Smotherman, 28, appeared visibly unstable as he completed his weigh-in Friday morning at T-Mobile Arena. After stepping on the scale and registering at 135.5lb, the American fighter walked off the platform before losing consciousness and falling forward onto the stage floor.

Published: January 23, 2026, 9:19 pm

Former Eagles lineman Kevin Johnson killed at LA homeless encampment

• Medical examiner rules Johnson’s death a homicide

• Former Eagles defender was 55 years old

• Friends say health issues preceded homelessness

Former Philadelphia Eagles defensive lineman Kevin Johnson died from “blunt head trauma and stab wounds” at a homeless encampment, according to the Los Angeles county medical examiner.

The medical examiner said Johnson, 55, was pronounced dead Wednesday morning after being found unconscious. His death was ruled a homicide and is being investigated.

Published: January 23, 2026, 5:04 pm

Alex Honnold’s made-for-Netflix free solo of Taipei 101 draws awe – and unease

The Free Solo star will attempt to climb the 1,667ft skyscraper without ropes in a live Netflix broadcast, drawing awe, ethical concern and global attention

Alex Honnold has spent the past three months training for this moment: free soloing – climbing without ropes or a harness – one of Asia’s tallest skyscrapers, Taipei 101. It is an ambition that began more than a decade ago and is now close to being realized.

The climb will be broadcast globally on Skyscraper Live, Netflix’s latest foray into live sports programming. The star of the 2019 Oscar-winning documentary Free Solo insists that climbing Taipei 101 will feel no different from any other of his ascents.

Published: January 23, 2026, 8:00 am

Lewis Hamilton warns new F1 season will present biggest challenge of his career

• Ferrari unveil 2026 car amid regulation reset

• Williams not ready and will miss next week’s first test

Lewis Hamilton has emphasised the scale of the challenge facing drivers and teams as Formula One enters a new season with a regulation reset that the British driver described as the biggest of his career, as his Ferrari team look to a new start after a disappointing 2025.

The Scuderia launched their new car, the SF-26, with Hamilton driving it at the team’s test track at Fiorano for the first time on Friday. He was optimistic, having been involved in the development of a Ferrari for the first time but acknowledged that a huge task lay ahead.

Published: January 23, 2026, 5:01 pm

‘You can’t just remove the cloud’: US sprinting’s reckoning before LA 2028

Once a nearly man of US sprinting, Marvin Bracy-Williams’ ban has exposed a sport gripped by doping, distrust and whispered betrayals

Marvin Bracy-Williams dreamed of ranking in the pantheon of elite male US sprinters alongside Carl Lewis, Michael Johnson and Maurice Greene. He’s quick – 9.85sec for 100m – but his problem was he could only ever finish second: silver at the world indoors in 2014, silver at the world championships in 2022.

When he didn’t even make the USA team for the 2023 world championships he realized that, at 29, he was losing the most important contest of all, the race against time.

Published: January 23, 2026, 10:15 am

Premier League: 10 things to look out for this weekend

Mateus Fernandes steels West Ham, Dominic Calvert-Lewin faces a homecoming and Manchester City need Marc Guéhi

• Top scorers: check out the latest standings

The absence of the wantaway Lucas Paquetá has given Mateus Fernandes a chance to take on more responsibility for West Ham. Paquetá, who is said to be nursing a minor back problem, was unavailable again for last week’s win at Spurs but Nuno Espírito Santo’s struggling side coped without the Flamengo target. They called on Fernandes to dictate the flow in midfield and the diligent Portuguese did not disappoint. Fernandes moved the ball cleverly, picked up an assist and looked like that rarest of things: a smart signing from West Ham. They will need the 21-year-old, who joined from Southampton for £38m last summer, to shine again with Paquetá looking unlikely to return against high-flying Sunderland at the London Stadium. Jacob Steinberg

West Ham v Sunderland, Saturday 12.30pm (all times GMT)

Burnley v Tottenham, Saturday 3pm

Fulham v Brighton, Saturday 3pm

Manchester City v Wolves, Saturday 3pm

Bournemouth v Liverpool, Saturday 5.30pm

Published: January 23, 2026, 12:00 am

Manchester City and Spurs face vital games; Premier League and WSL news – matchday live

⚽ News, discussion and buildup before the day’s action
⚽ Today’s games | Tables | Team news | Email us here

In the WSL today, the two most successful women’s teams in England go head-to-head in a London derby as Chelsea host Arsenal at Stamford Bridge. A win today would see the Blues move within three points of league leaders Manchester City, while victory for Arsenal could prove huge in the race for Champions League qualification and potentially – though unlikely at this stage – the title race.

West Ham, who host Sunderland later, have agreed to terminate Guido Rodriguez’s contract by mutual consent. The Argentina midfielder is heading to Valencia. West Ham are also pushing to complete a deal for the Fulham winger Adama Traore.

Published: January 24, 2026, 10:12 am

Pressure firmly on Celtic in Scottish title race finally worthy of the name

Sunday’s table-topping clash with Hearts is a fixture that carries huge meaning for both clubs

It is instructive that Thursday evening’s Europa League clash in Bologna could be regarded by Celtic as an inconvenience. Aberdeen hold the Scottish Cup. St Mirren claimed the League Cup in December. Celtic find themselves involved in a title race worthy of the name. In short, domestic dominance is no longer a guarantee.

Much has been said – and screamed – about the flow of poor decision-making that at least has Celtic’s hitherto immovable position in Scotland under threat. There has also been wild exaggeration in respect of the current crop of Celtic and Rangers players being among the worst in living memory. Celtic finished fourth and adrift of Motherwell in successive seasons from 1993. Rangers rattled around unconvincingly in the lower divisions, including a failed attempt to win promotion from the second tier, after their financial meltdown of 2012. The relative weakness of others in Scotland’s top flight is a reasonable point for debate but Old Firm fans have encountered much, much worse than this.

Published: January 24, 2026, 8:00 am

Oliver Glasner calls Palace truce with Parish: ‘We stick together, we work hard’

Manager keen to finish season strongly after accusing chair of abandoning him and the squad by selling Marc Guéhi

Oliver Glasner was about 54 minutes into his latest press conference when he laid out the plan for how his truce with the Crystal Palace chair, Steve Parish, could work after they ate together this week.

“Steve and I left our dinner, and really both with a big smile we said: ‘Hey, we achieved so much all together here in the last 22 months. We don’t want and we don’t accept that this ends like the last three, four, five weeks have been. We don’t accept it.’ So we stick together, we work hard all together to get an ending this season that it deserves.

Published: January 24, 2026, 8:00 am

Trevoh Chalobah’s resurgence is proof Chelsea can look within for answers | Jacob Steinberg

Form of former Crystal Palace loanee has been huge plus amid fan unrest at relentless recruitment of young players

Trevoh Chalobah appeared to be fighting a losing battle during the summer of 2024. He was exiled from the Chelsea first team, omitted from the pre-season tour and put up for sale. Being diplomatic, it was made very clear to Chalobah that he had no future at his boyhood club. A solution had to be found and one finally arrived when the defender joined Crystal Palace on a season’s loan on the last day of the transfer window.

Within a year, though, Chalobah was starting for Chelsea when they beat Paris Saint-Germain in the Club World Cup final. It was quite the turnaround. Chalobah made his England debut last June. He is no stranger to being doubted. There were no guarantees he would make it at Chelsea when he was in the academy. Some anticipated a succession of loans followed by a sale, only for Chalobah to catch Thomas Tuchel’s eye and establish himself as a regular after scoring on his Premier League debut in a win over Palace at the start of 2021-22.

Published: January 24, 2026, 10:00 am

Brenden Aaronson enters peak form at the right time for Leeds and the US

The Philadelphia Union product has added end product to his trademark hustle – can he keep the good form going?

Timing is everything in a World Cup year, and Brenden Aaronson’s has been pretty much perfect.

Scoring a goal and putting in a top performance against your team’s biggest rival is something all players dream of. To do so when your family is watching in the stands and a reporter from your home town newspaper, the Philadelphia Inquirer, is in the press box makes it all the better. Aaronson did all of the above at Elland Road for Leeds United against Manchester United earlier this month.

Published: January 24, 2026, 10:00 am

The influencer World Cup: Fifa and the TikTok deal targeting an avalanche of posts

Partnership with tech giant speaks to push to engage younger fans but also has wider strategic goals in mind

In this World Cup year, Fifa has come out of the blocks quickly. In the past few weeks any number of initiatives have been announced or activated, from a data partnership with Opta to facilitate more betting, to the Fifa Pass for speeding up visa applications for the US this summer, to the unveiling of the official Lego World Cup trophy. Among the ever-expanding list is an intriguing deal with TikTok, a partnership that will give digital creators front-row seats at the 104-match tournament.

In Fifa language its partnership with the short-form video platform will make “the most inclusive event in football history … even more accessible”. According to TikTok’s global head of content, James Stafford, it will bring fans “closer to the action in ways they can’t get anywhere else”. It plans to do so by granting an unspecified number of online personalities behind-the-scenes access, giving them archive and highlights footage to use in their content and, in return, requesting an avalanche of posts that will make the World Cup inescapable for TikTok users.

Published: January 24, 2026, 8:00 am

‘We are fighters, it’s in our DNA’: Greenland find pride in rare tilt at futsal glory

Buffeted by political storms and excluded from continental federations, Greenland find their chances are limited but a tournament in Croatia is a priceless opportunity

Greenland’s futsal players string out in a line before angling their bodies to the left, facing the flag on the far wall. Nobody averts his gaze as the strains of their national anthem fill the hall. The red-and-white-halved banner, with its reverse-coloured semi‑circles, hangs comfortably among those of this week’s rivals. Scotland on the right, Morocco to the left; further along, there are even representations of Uefa and Fifa.

The moment always feels special. Their long-serving coach, Rene Olsen, has been imagining it for several days. His team also know these occasions, all too rare, are to be seized. “It gives me goosebumps,” Patrick Frederiksen, one of their stars, will say later. “It’s when you realise that it is time.”

Published: January 24, 2026, 6:00 am

Deadly deliveries and controlled chaos: how Arsenal became set-piece masters

Mikel Arteta’s side have scored 19 goals from corners this season. Why are their set pieces so effective and can they be stopped?

Set pieces are dominating the Premier League this season, with almost 30% of goals coming from corners, free-kicks, penalties or long throws. The leaders, Arsenal, are kings of the dead ball, scoring 17 of their 40 league goals from set pieces (including penalties). But what makes Mikel Arteta’s side so effective in these areas, and what can opponents do to stop them? The data provides some answers.

Published: January 23, 2026, 8:00 pm

Billionaire gambler Tony Bloom denies owing millions to former colleague

Brighton & Hove Albion football club owner confirms placing bets through accounts of Reform UK adviser George Cottrell, according to legal documents

The billionaire owner of Brighton & Hove Albion football club has confirmed his syndicate placed millions of pounds worth of bets through the gambling accounts of the Reform UK adviser George Cottrell.

The admission comes in a document filed to the high court by Tony Bloom, who also admits that he, Cottrell and a former employee, Ryan Dudfield, had an agreement under which winnings were due to be split between them.

Published: January 23, 2026, 4:41 pm

Sri Lanka v England: second men’s cricket one-day international – live

Second ODI at Premadasa Stadium starts at 9am GMT
Sign up for The Spin | Follow us on Bluesky | Mail Jim

3rd over: Sri Lanka 7-0 (Nissanka 4, Mishara 1) A decent maiden from Overton who beats a driving Mishara with one that jags away late off the seam. Bright sunshine beating down in Colombo, it looks a scorcher. If England have to chase leather for 50 overs they could be a bit cooked later on.

2nd over: Sri Lanka 7-0 (Nissanka 4, Mishara 1) Sam Curran zips in from t’other end. He starts with a wide outside off and then is too straight, flicked off the hip by Mishara for a single.

Published: January 24, 2026, 10:11 am

‘It breaks my heart’: Naomi Osaka pulls out of Australian Open with injury

• Two-time champion says ‘my body needs attention’

• Third-round match with Maddison Inglis scrapped

Naomi Osaka withdrew from the Australian Open just hours before she was due to take the court against the qualifier Maddison Inglis, citing an abdominal injury linked to body changes from her pregnancy.

The news landed late on a Saturday in Melbourne that had been heavily affected by soaring temperatures that triggered the tournament’s heat protocols, forcing arena roofs closed and suspending play on outside courts.

Published: January 24, 2026, 9:40 am

‘I got lucky’: Jannik Sinner overcomes cramps and extreme heat to hold off spirited Spizzirri

• Reigning champion beats world No 85 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4

• Italian makes most of suspension of play in Melbourne

The grim expression across Jannik Sinner’s face as he limped gingerly to the bathroom said enough. As play was briefly suspended in the overbearing Melbourne heat, the two-time defending champion was suffering from full-body cramps and at serious risk of also enduring one of the great Australian Open upsets.

The second seed survived thanks to the combined force of his mental toughness and a significant amount of luck, holding off a spirited challenge from Eliot Spizzirri to reach the fourth round with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 win.

Published: January 24, 2026, 6:11 am

Australian Open 2026: Sinner beats Spizzirri, Keys and Pegula ease through – as it happened

Keys, Pegula, and Anisimova all cruise into fourth round
Defending champion overcomes cramp amid extreme heat

Pliskova 0-1 Keys (9)* The 186cm Czech intersperses a trademark ace between a series of unforced errors to hand Keys a couple of break points. She saves the first but Keys secures the early advantage with a lovely in-to-out forehand winner. The champion has started strongly, striking the ball cleanly from the baseline. Pliskova, by contrast, looks a bit flat-footed and lacking timing.

The players are out on RLA. Key’s’s neon green Nike outfit is irridescent in the bright sunshine. Pliskova is serving in orange Adidas.

Published: January 24, 2026, 5:39 am

Australian Open suspends play as tennis stars suffer in extreme heat

• Sinner battles cramps in victory over Spizzirri

• Temperatures push towards 40C in Melbourne

Extreme temperatures triggered the Australian Open’s heat protocols on Saturday, wreaking havoc on the day’s schedule and forcing fans to go without tennis on the outside courts for much of the afternoon.

The defending champion, Jannik Sinner, was one of the beneficiaries of the heat protocols being implemented, the Italian struggling with cramps and down a break in the third set against American world No 85 Eliot Spizzirri.

Published: January 24, 2026, 5:32 am

Premier League news: Glasner clears air while Frank eyes Champions League reform

News from Friday’s press conferences, including Spurs, Chelsea, Manchester United and Aston Villa

Published: January 23, 2026, 10:30 pm

Tottenham in talks to sign Andrew Robertson from Liverpool

• Liverpool open to selling player with five months on deal

• Desire among all parties to get transfer over the line

Tottenham have made an approach to sign Andrew Robertson from Liverpool. The Premier League champions are open to allowing the long-serving left-back to leave, with only five months remaining on his contract.

Liverpool respect Robertson’s wish to sort his long-term future as soon as possible. There is a desire on all sides to get a deal done quickly as Thomas Frank wrestles with major availability issues at Spurs.

Published: January 23, 2026, 10:30 pm

‘A long time coming’: table tennis world hails Marty Supreme-fueled boom

Once dismissed as a basement game, table tennis is enjoying an unlikely US revival as the Oscar-tipped biopic Marty Supreme collides with a wave of new players

For decades in the US, table tennis has lived a double life: one of the most widely played sports in the country, yet still dismissed by many as a basement pursuit. Now, unexpectedly, it is having a cultural moment.

The release of Marty Supreme, a film steeped in obsession and myth, and loosely based on postwar American table tennis champion Marty Reisman, has pushed ping-pong into the pop-culture mainstream – just as US Major League Table Tennis sells out matches, clubs report growing interest, and younger players pick up paddles for the first time.

Published: January 24, 2026, 8:00 am

Patrick Reed unfazed by fines as he hits the front in Dubai Desert Classic

• American tops leaderboard but sanctions loom large

• Rory McIlroy toils seven shots off the lead

Patrick Reed finds himself in a curious situation. The former Masters champion could prevail this weekend in the Dubai Desert Classic and see a decent chunk of the $1.5m (£1.1m) first prize duly handed back to the DP World Tour in fines. Reed has joked that it will not be particularly easy for him to make a profit on this tour during 2026. Indeed, he basically starts his season in the red.

Reed’s membership of the DP World and LIV circuits leads to sanctions from the former every time he tees up on the latter. He lost an appeal over that situation in 2023 yet, unlike some others, opted to keep playing on what was once the European Tour. Reed’s position is further affected by the general understanding that LIV would no longer pay fines on behalf of its members from the end of 2025.

Published: January 23, 2026, 3:22 pm

Indiana quarterback and likely No 1 pick Fernando Mendoza declares for 2026 NFL draft

• Heisman winner led Hoosiers to perfect 16-0 season

• Mendoza sealed title with fourth-down TD v Miami

• Raiders hold top pick as draft buzz grows quickly

Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza announced Friday morning that he is bypassing his senior season and entering the 2026 NFL draft.

The university’s first Heisman Trophy winner effectively put himself in position to be selected with the top overall pick of the draft after announcing his decision in a video on his Instagram account. The Las Vegas Raiders hold the top pick.

Published: January 23, 2026, 3:15 pm

Australian Open 2026: Norrie out, De Minaur and Andreeva advance – as it happened

British hopes in the singles ended with Cameron Norrie’s four-set defeat by Alexander Zverev, on a night when Alex De Minaur and Mirra Andreeva won in straight sets

Norrie and Zverev are going through the pre-match formalities. The umpire tells the players to smile big for the cameras. Not sure how easy that is for Norrie, given the British No 2, the last Brit standing in the singles, has lost to Zverev in all six of their previous meetings. The last time they played at the Australian Open was in 2024, when Norrie was denied 7-6 in the fifth set. But Norrie will at least take something from the fact he was able to push Zverev all the way then, and the fact that this is a night match, with slightly slower conditions, may help Norrie, because the rallies will be longer and more attritional and that’s what he loves.

Up next: we’ve got De Minaur v Tiafoe on Rod Laver and Norrie v Zverev on John Cain and Svitolina v Shnaider on Margaret Court.

Published: January 23, 2026, 1:34 pm