Djokovic shocks Sinner in late-night thriller to reach Australian Open final

• Serb keeps dream of record 25th grand slam title alive

• 38-year-old battles past world No 2 in five gripping sets

Never before had Novak Djokovic been such an underdog in such a significant match. His mere presence in the Australian Open semi-finals, after all, had been the result of a significant slice of good fortune. As he faced off against one of the dominant players in his sport, for many a competitive match would be close enough to a win.

This special champion has achieved so much for so long, but in the early hours of Saturday morning the 38-year-old pulled off one of the greatest upsets of his remarkable career, recovering from a two-sets-to-one deficit to topple Jannik Sinner, the two-time defending champion and second seed, 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 to return improbably to the Australian Open final.

Published: January 30, 2026, 2:47 pm

Maye v Stafford for MVP and Aaron Rodgers getting flattened: NFL end of season awards

With the Super Bowl on the horizon, we pick the outstanding players and moments from the season just gone

Drake Maye struggled through a blizzard as the New England Patriots dragged themselves past the Denver Broncos and into the Super Bowl. But he endured, holding on to execute in the critical moments, as he had done against the Houston Texans the week before.

Published: January 30, 2026, 10:30 am

Teófimo López and Shakur Stevenson set for high-stakes clash at Madison Square Garden

• American stars meet at sold-out Madison Square Garden

• Stevenson rises to 140lb in bid for title in fourth division

• López enters in rare underdog role that suits his history

When Teófimo López and Shakur Stevenson come together on Saturday night inside the big room at Madison Square Garden, a junior welterweight title and a claim to American fistic supremacy will be on the line before a sold-out crowd of more than 20,000 spectators.

Two of the finest US-born fighters of their generation are set to collide in a delicious matchup that pits volatility against control, power against precision, chaotic ambition against measured discipline. Both men arrive as world champions across multiple weight classes, both are 28 and prime, and both view the contest as a gateway to pound-for-pound recognition and the untold opportunities it confers.

Published: January 30, 2026, 8:30 am

Lindsey Vonn airlifted from course after crash in final downhill before Olympics

• Vonn crashes into nets and clutches left knee

• Race in Crans-Montana abandoned after early falls

• US star’s Olympic fitness now under scrutiny

Lindsey Vonn crashed out of the final World Cup downhill before the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics on Friday, leaving the American skiing great limping and clutching her left knee as organizers abandoned the race amid worsening conditions.

The 41-year-old lost control after landing a jump on the upper section of the course in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, skidding sideways into the safety netting as snow fell steadily and visibility deteriorated. Vonn’s airbag deployed on impact and she remained down for several moments while medical staff attended to her on the piste.

Published: January 30, 2026, 11:17 am

Pitch Points: Which Arsenal narrative will prevail, and how has Carrick reset Man United?

The world of soccer throws up no shortage of questions. In today’s column, we endeavor to answer three of them

One narrative has been set: Arsenal are bottling it. Last weekend’s home loss to Manchester United confirmed what the Gunners’ biggest doubters always suspected: that Mikel Arteta and his players don’t have it in them to win the Premier League title. Arsenal’s haters already started their victory lap.

Published: January 30, 2026, 2:48 pm

Carlos Alcaraz breaks Zverev’s heart after surviving cramp to win five-set epic

• Zverev served to reach Australian Open final in fifth set

• Spaniard holds out in epic 6-4, 7-6 (5), 6-7 (3), 6-7 (4) 7-5

• As it happened: look back at an epic semi-final clash

Murmurs around Melbourne Park had been building. That the men’s Australian Open draw had not met expectations. That matches had been one-sided, and lacking memorable moments. That so-called SinCaraz was a foregone conclusion. That ­tennis had lost its touch.

Murmur no more. In the first match this year on Rod Laver Arena to go five sets, Carlos Alcaraz leapt off the canvas to outlast Alexander Zverev 6-4, 7-6 (5), 6-7 (3), 6-7 (4), 7-5 over five hours and 27 minutes – the third longest match in Australian Open history.

Published: January 30, 2026, 9:35 am

Cooper Flagg’s 49-point eruption sets teenage NBA record in Dallas defeat

• Flagg scores 49, most ever by an NBA teenager

• Knueppel drops 34 as Hornets steal road win

• Aguirre honored at halftime as rookie mark falls

As Dallas rookie Cooper Flagg set the NBA record for points by a teenager with 49 on Thursday night in a 123-121 loss to Charlotte, he broke the franchise rookie scoring record he shared with Mark Aguirre – whose jersey was retired at halftime.

“Mark Aguirre is special. Such a special night for him and the whole organization,” said Flagg, who turned 19 in December. “I just feel blessed. It’s a pretty cool thing.”

Published: January 30, 2026, 11:51 am

Champions League playoffs: Benfica get Real Madrid rematch, Newcastle face Qarabag

• Benfica goalkeeper Trubin scored in 4-2 win over Madrid

• Eddie Howe’s men face 3,000-mile trip for first leg

Real Madrid have been dealt an instant rematch with José Mourinho’s Benfica in the Champions League playoffs. The Portuguese club will seek a repeat of Wednesday’s astonishing 4-2 victory against the Spanish giants, when their goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin scored deep into injury time to send them through, and host the first leg in Lisbon.

It is the headline tie in a draw that also gives Newcastle a 3,000-mile journey to Azerbaijan for a first leg against Qarabag. Eddie Howe’s side will feel confident after an impressive display in holding Paris Saint-Germain, last season’s winners, to a 1-1 draw at Parc des Princes on Wednesday, although they will be aware that the Azeri champions, beaten 6-0 at Liverpool, held Chelsea to a 2-2 draw on home soil in November. They will face Barcelona or, in an all-Premier League clash, Chelsea if they go through.

Published: January 30, 2026, 12:11 pm

Premier League: 10 things to look out for this weekend

Nico O’Reilly gives Manchester City options, Sunderland miss Granit Xhaka’s grit and West Ham find a way

Just when Brighton supporters were hoping their side was building some momentum after a run of five games undefeated in all competitions, Saturday’s stoppage-time loss at Fulham arrived. Fabian Hürzeler’s side led at half-time but their collapse was typical of performances on the road this season. Securing only two away wins – against Chelsea in September and Nottingham Forest in November – has undermined their challenge for Europe. Their next two games at the Amex, against Everton on Saturday and arch-rivals Crystal Palace next week, are an opportunity to make up some ground. Only seven points separate them from Chelsea in fifth place, but Brighton’s record against Everton at home is terrible, having failed to beat them since 2019 when a late Lucas Digne own goal sealed the points for Graham Potter’s hosts against a team managed by Marco Silva. Ed Aarons

Brighton v Everton, Saturday 3pm (all times GMT)

Leeds v Arsenal, Saturday 3pm

Wolves v Bournemouth, Saturday 3pm

Chelsea v West Ham, Saturday 5.30pm

Published: January 30, 2026, 12:01 am

Benfica v Madrid again in Champions League; Bobb joins Fulham for £27m: football – live

⚽ News and previews heading into the weekend’s action
⚽ Premier League preview | Football Daily | Email John

Mikel Arteta and Eddie Howe will be speaking soon. Two titans of management speak.

This was interesting from Slot. He was asked why Premier League teams are becoming so dominant in Europe, with Liverpool particularly impressive in the Champions League this season especially compared to many of their domestic showings. See also: Spurs.

Published: January 30, 2026, 4:49 pm

The Arsenal fan psychodrama: Big Defeat Headloss hits hard after United setback | Chris Godfrey

I played out a torturous, all-too-familar dance after the Gunners’ title-race stumble. But if we’re suffering like this in January, how will we feel in May?

I sometimes joke that I’m not sure I actually like football, just Arsenal. Hate-watching rivals aside, if a game doesn’t concern the Gunners it probably doesn’t concern me, such is my one-club tunnel vision. Even then, there are occasions where my love of Arsenal appears debatable. As a friend recently put it to me: “I’ve watched Arsenal games with you. I’m not sure you like Arsenal and yet you’re possibly the most fervent Gooner I know.”

Ah, the torturous dance between joy and torment. I relived it again last Sunday evening, when Arsenal lost to Manchester United. On paper, it should have been simple enough to compartmentalise: you can’t win them all and we’re still four points clear at the top of the league table and looking strong in all three cups. And yet, for the first time this season, I succumbed to true result-induced head loss.

Published: January 30, 2026, 12:00 pm

Arteta compares Arsenal’s Max Dowman to young Messi as teenager commits future

• 16-year-old signs pre-agreement for first pro contract

• ‘What Max has done age 15, I haven’t seen before’

Mikel Arteta has likened Max Dowman to a young Lionel Messi after the teenager committed his future to Arsenal.

Dowman, who in November became the youngest player to play in the Champions League at 15 years and 308 days, has signed a pre-agreement for his first professional contract when he turns 17 in December. It is understood several clubs were interested in the England Under-19s forward but there was never real doubt over whether the player who joined Arsenal aged six would stay.

Published: January 30, 2026, 12:20 pm

Football Daily | Transfer deadline day awaits – will any desperate clubs go wild in the aisles?

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There are approximately 72 shopping hours left in this transfer window and, once again, it’s been a bit of a weird one so far. The bean-counting boffins over at Transfermarkt reckon that Premier League sides have splurged a collective £300m on players, on course for the second-biggest January spend in the last 10 years (behind only the chaos of 2023, when Chelsea splurged £270m on their own). It doesn’t really feel like that, does it? Even the list of the top flight’s biggest outlays this month quickly descends into a cluster of players we’ve only heard of from Football Manager, if at all. If anyone can tell us who Brian Madjo, Rayan and Kaye Furo signed for without consulting Big Transfer Guide, you’ll win our much-coveted respect.

Stranraer short on headlines (yesterday’s Football Daily, full email edition)? Have a listen to the Proclaimers’ Cap in Hand and the classic couplet: ‘I can understand why Stranraer lie so lowly/ They could save a lot of points by signing Hibs’ goalie.’ How about the terrible twins re-record a new version to raise money and alter that second line to: ‘They’ve just lost a load of cash by signing Hearts goalie.’ They wouldn’t even have to change the song title” – Morgan Armstrong.

I resent the suggestion that Michael Hann (and others) think I was unaware Barry Bannan had played in the Premier League (yesterday’s Football Daily letters). I knew that perfectly well. My letter specifically said a ‘last shot’, which at 36 seems a reasonable expectation for him. The reference to Promised Land is that, for the Owls, he was a Moses-like figure, roaming the outer leagues, performing minor miracles and coming close but never taking us back up. To those who eventually let him come to the Owls for free, Wednesday fans extend our thanks” – Chris Goater.

This is an extract from our daily football email … Football Daily. To get the full version, just visit this page and follow the instructions.

Published: January 30, 2026, 3:09 pm

Crystal Palace leave Mateta out of squad for Forest trip as they weigh up Milan deal

• Serie A club have offered £35m for France strker

• Palace yet to firm up bid to Wolves for Strand Larsen

Oliver Glasner has said Jean-Philippe Mateta will not be in Crystal Palace’s squad to face Nottingham Forest on Sunday because the striker is “not at his best”, owing to uncertainty over his future.

Milan are understood to be hopeful of completing a deal for Mateta, having entered the race to sign him, though they have yet to reach the £40m asking price. The Italian club have offered a deal worth up to £35m for the 28-year-old, who has made no secret of his desire to leave to further his ambitions of a World Cup call-up in the summer.

Published: January 30, 2026, 3:52 pm

Manchester City reborn: how Andrée Jeglertz has put WSL title in reach already

Well drilled, well balanced and boasting enviable depth, City can move closer to dethroning Chelsea on Sunday

After six consecutive years as champions, Chelsea find their once firm grip on the Women’s Super League crown has been reduced to a little finger clinging to the side of the trophy. They head to the Etihad Stadium on Sunday nine points behind their opponents and surely sensing that only a win could prevent the title from transferring to Manchester City’s outstretched arms.

City have endured plenty of near misses since they last won the WSL 10 years ago, finishing second five times – or six, if we include 2017’s shorter Spring Series. They have frequently made it look as if “next year” would finally be their year, so there is something incongruous about their flourishing form arriving after they finished 17 points behind Chelsea last season.

Published: January 30, 2026, 12:05 pm

David Moyes resigned to being without Jack Grealish for rest of Everton’s season

• Manager expects forward to need surgery on foot injury

• Grealish loan from Manchester City has £50m buy option

David Moyes has said Jack Grealish is unlikely to play for Everton again this season, ending the winger’s outside hopes of making England’s World Cup squad.

Everton’s worst fears over Grealish have been realised with the 30-year-old expected to require surgery on a fractured foot. A final decision will be taken in conjunction with his parent club, Manchester City, but Moyes has resigned himself to being without the influential forward for the rest of the campaign.

Published: January 30, 2026, 12:47 pm

Passion, prospects and a thrilling title race: why Polish football is booming

Four points separate first from eighth in the Ekstraklasa and the aim is to establish Europe’s most interesting league as its sixth biggest

The temperature will be far below zero when Zaglebie Lubin and GKS Katowice restart Poland’s top flight on Friday evening. A bitter new wave of winter is about to hit central and eastern Europe, forecasts suggesting this is only the start. When the surprise Ekstraklasa leaders, Wisla Plock, play Rakow Czestochowa two days later the thermometer may plummet to -12C. It will take serious resolve to make these games happen but, after a break of almost two months, appetites to get back up and running are strong.

Why would they not be? The Polish league is in its best shape for at least 30 years, feeling the benefit of a booming economy that is outperforming most of its European Union peers. Attendances are soaring and its football infrastructure, whose transformation was catalysed by co-hosting Euro 2012, sets standards for much of the continent. Then there is the remarkable way in which this season’s competition is poised. The gap between first and eighth is only four points; even Bruk-Bet Termalica Nieciecza, at the bottom, are only 11 points from the summit.

Published: January 30, 2026, 8:00 am

Sri Lanka v England: Sam Curran takes hat-trick in first men’s T20 international – live

First T20 in Kandy, reduced to 17 overs a side after rain
T20 row sounds alarm for India’s Olympic bid | Mail James

Harry Brook calls the coin correctly at a soggy looking Pallekele, England choose to chase. No brainer.

Here we go – official news of a toss in fifteen minutes (2.55pm) and a 3.10pm start.

Published: January 30, 2026, 4:46 pm

Novak Djokovic stuns Jannik Sinner in five sets: Australian Open 2026 semi-final – as it happened

Djokovic set up a final against Carlos Alcaraz after defying age and logic to beat the defending champion 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 and move to within one win of a record 25th slam title

We’ll have a bit of a delay before the next semi-final as the spectators leave and the night session ticket holders come in.

So what does this mean for Sinner sorry Sinner or Djokovic in Sunday’s final? Well if either of them wins the title, they owe Zverev a huge favour for beating up Alcaraz tonight. “It’s one of the most demanding matches I have ever played,” says Alcaraz, whose brother then helps him carry his bags as he hobbles off court. Alcaraz looks like Djokovic did after his five-hour, 53-minute 2012 Australian Open final against Nadal; absolutely spent. But Alcaraz has somehow got to find a way to play another match in less than two days’ time.

Published: January 30, 2026, 3:01 pm

Breakdown in cricket relations with Bangladesh rings alarm bells for India’s Olympic bid

• Concern raised over politicisation of sport

• Bangladesh pulled out of men’s World T20 after row

Bangladesh’s withdrawal from the men’s T20 World Cup could have implications for India’s 2036 Olympic bid amid concern at the International Olympic Committee over the potential politicisation of sport.

Bangladesh pulled out of next month’s tournament last weekend after the International Cricket Council declined a request to move their group matches from India to the cohosts Sri Lanka, after a long-running political row triggered by Kolkata Knight Riders’ decision to remove the Bangladeshi bowler Mustafizur Rahman from their Indian Premier League squad.

Published: January 30, 2026, 12:58 pm

Alexander Zverev fumes over Alcaraz’s timeout for cramp in semi-final thriller

• Medical breaks for cramp against Australian Open rules

• German says: ‘I didn’t like it, but it’s not my decision’

A weary Alexander Zverev described the decision to allow a medical timeout for a cramping Carlos Alcaraz in their epic Australian Open semi-final as “bullshit”, but did not want the matter to take the focus off the quality of their memorable encounter.

The German failed to capitalise on breaks in the second and fifth sets, as the world No 1 rallied from his physical ailments to win 6-4, 7-6 (5), 6-7 (3), 6-7 (4) 7-5 in five hours and 27 minutes.

Published: January 30, 2026, 11:45 am

Lindsey Vonn airlifted from course after crash in final downhill before Olympics – video

Lindsey Vonn crashed out of the final World Cup downhill before the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics on Friday, leaving the American skiing great limping and clutching her left knee as organisers abandoned the race amid worsening conditions.

The 41-year-old lost control after landing a jump on the upper section of the course in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, skidding sideways into the safety netting as snow fell steadily and visibility deteriorated.

She was later airlifted from the finish area by helicopter, suspended by a rope as she was transported away across the Swiss Alps.

• Lindsey Vonn airlifted from course after crash in final downhill before Olympics

Published: January 30, 2026, 3:10 pm

USWNT great Crystal Dunn announces retirement after decorated career

• Versatile talent helped US to World Cup, Olympic gold

• Dunn starred in striker, midfield and left back roles

• 2015 NWSL MVP also won three league titles

Crystal Dunn, an Olympic champion and World Cup winner who made 160 appearances for the US women’s national team, announced her retirement from professional soccer on Thursday.

A key figure in the United States’ 2019 World Cup win and their 2024 Olympic triumph, Dunn hoisted the NWSL championship trophy three times, with the North Carolina Courage in 2018 and 2019 and with the Portland Thorns in 2022.

Published: January 29, 2026, 5:26 pm

Gauff’s racket rage fallout: are players right to feel like they’re on Big Brother? | Tumaini Carayol

After the American’s venting went viral, players’ privacy has become a serious issue and deserves to be respected regardless of their income

The court access corridor at Melbourne Park is buried inconspicuously underneath the tournament grounds. A long, spacious walkway, it connects the east and west points of the vast Australian Open venue, allowing competitors to move unaccosted between the courts, player areas and media facilities. Right in the middle of the corridor, a large pair of automatic doors open up to the various private player areas.

Those same doors also lead straight to the entrance of Rod Laver Arena. On Tuesday, in the immediate aftermath of her excruciating 6-1, 6-2 loss to Elina Svitolina, Coco Gauff removed a racket from her bag, exited the double doors into the vacant corridor and up a ramp that she believed was hidden by a wall. She then proceeded to obliterate her racket on the concrete floor. Two days later, the force of that racket smash continues to reverberate around the tour.

Published: January 29, 2026, 4:47 pm

‘I’m battling Father Time’: LeBron James reflective and tearful in possible Cleveland farewell

The future Hall of Famer was given a warm welcome against the team where he began his career. But Wednesday’s game felt particularly poignant

A 60-second tribute video honoring LeBron James has become routine over the past eight years whenever he returns to Cleveland, the city where his NBA journey began.

But Wednesday night at Rocket Arena was different – and it felt that way long before James’s Los Angeles Lakers fell 129-99 to the Cavaliers in a nationally televised game.

Published: January 29, 2026, 3:56 pm