Aryna Sabalenka hits out at umpire after grunting penalty in win over Svitolina

• Sabalenka powers into final with brutal 6-2, 6-3 win

• World No 1 penalised for mid-point grunt in first set

Aryna Sabalenka has dared officials to penalise her again for grunting after she rumbled over the top of Ukrainian Elina Svitolina in the Australian Open semi-final on Thursday to reach her fourth straight final at Melbourne Park.

The world No 1 suppressed Svitolina’s mid-match momentum in a 6-2, 6-3 victory in just 77 minutes on Rod Laver Arena thanks to a dominant display of power tennis.

Published: January 29, 2026, 1:28 pm

Teófimo López: ‘Anything that has haunted me from the past, I’ve let all those things go’

Ahead of his blockbuster Madison Square Garden clash with Shakur Stevenson on Saturday night, boxing’s most mercurial star reflects on pressure, purpose and parenthood

Teófimo López’s boxing career has unfolded in untidy extremes, and few places have captured those contradictions like Madison Square Garden. It’s the building where he boat-raced Richard Commey inside two rounds to win his first world title aged 22, saw his fast track to superstardom abruptly derailed as a heavy favorite, then returned two years later to dismantle Josh Taylor as the underdog and stamp himself as a two-division champion. Now on Saturday night, when he defends his junior welterweight title against Shakur Stevenson in a clash of arguably the two best American fighters active today, the Garden may finally make it clear which version of López is here to stay.

“It’s the magnitude of it all,” says López, one of boxing’s most charismatic and mercurial personalities, filling my screen with warmth and effortless third-person bravado during the final days of his training camp in Hollywood, Florida. “Who’s going to really set the tone for the sport? You’ve got Shakur Stevenson, who wants that baton, and you’ve got Teófimo López who believes he’s the better representation for boxing.”

Published: January 29, 2026, 8:00 am

The ‘Rodman Rule’ threatens to undermine what makes the NWSL great | Jonathan Liew

While the desperation to keep Trinity Rodman is understandable, tweaking the salary cap could be a big mistake

Perhaps it was all worth it in the end. As a tearful Trinity Rodman signs the most lucrative contract in the history of women’s football – flanked by the Washington Spirit owner, Michele Kang, and a young fan called Emma in pink braids – the internet is already burning white hot. The podcasters will feast for days. After months of bungling US soccer finally has its money shot and, in more ways than one, the numbers are going to be stratospheric.

But then Rodman has always been an effortless creator of content: a true footballer for the TikTok generation. From the spectacular strikes to the famous Trin Spin, from the vivid streaks in her hair to the viral goal celebrations, Rodman’s ability to convey the joy of the game in snackable morsels is the root of her appeal. Aged 23 she already has an Olympic gold medal and 49 international caps, to which she can now add a £1.5m-a-year deal and her very own rule.

Published: January 29, 2026, 10:00 am

Serena Williams open-minded about return to tennis: ‘I’m gonna see what happens’

• 44-year-old last played professionally at 2022 US Open

• American refuses to be drawn on future in TV interview

Serena Williams has refused to rule out making a shock return to tennis. The 44-year-old has not played professional tennis since losing to Ajla Tomljanovic at the 2022 US Open, although she branded her departure as “evolving away” from the sport rather than a retirement.

Williams brushed off speculation in December she is considering a comeback despite reentering the sport’s drug testing pool. But the 23-time grand slam singles champion was not as dismissive about a return in an interview on NBC’s The Today Show.

Published: January 29, 2026, 1:33 pm

Boxing star Gervonta Davis arrested on kidnapping charges after two-week manhunt

• Davis arrested after US Marshals surveillance operation

• Warrant alleges battery, false imprisonment, kidnapping

• Arrest follows lawsuit and cancelled Jake Paul bout

Gervonta Davis, a three-division world champion and one of boxing’s biggest stars, was taken into custody in Miami on Wednesday, nearly two weeks after police issued an arrest warrant accusing the fighter of battery, false imprisonment and attempted kidnapping in connection with an alleged domestic violence incident last fall.

Miami Gardens police said Davis was apprehended following a multi-day surveillance operation conducted across three counties in coordination with the US Marshals Fugitive Task Force. Authorities said he was arrested without incident in Miami’s Design District and booked into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center late Wednesday night.

Published: January 29, 2026, 7:12 am

Four big predictions for the USWNT lineup after 2026’s first games

With the year’s first games out of the way, open questions remain for Emma Hayes’ side in each position

The first international window of 2026 has come and gone for the US women’s national team – though you’d be forgiven if it felt like a continuation of a familiar, looping theme.

Once again, Emma Hayes used the window to examine fresh faces among her incredibly deep player pool. Even considering the constant shuffling under Hayes after the 2024 Olympics, this was an especially experimental squad. Per the federation, the lineup for Saturday’s 6-0 thrashing of Paraguay featured the fewest average caps for a starting 11 (9.6) in a quarter of a century. On Tuesday, that record was broken again: a 5.2 cap average across the lineup.

Published: January 29, 2026, 11:00 am

Football as a content machine: 18 Champions League games was fun but overstuffed | Max Rushden

The joy of the game is that big moments are rare – the climax of the UCL group phase felt like too much of a good thing

It’s half an hour after attempting to watch 18 football matches at the same time on the final match day of the Champions League group stage, so it’s still a little early to tell whether I think it was a brilliant night of football or not.

The information overload from a TV, laptop and phone means I may need a couple of weeks to really process it – by which time of course this will all be forgotten and we’ll be wondering whether one point from three Premier League games is enough for Thomas Frank to keep his job.

Published: January 29, 2026, 12:06 pm

Patrick Reed quits rebel LIV Golf tour in latest blow to Saudi-backed breakaway

• American becomes latest major winner to exit

• 2018 Masters champion will be eligible for PGA Tour

Patrick Reed has delivered the ­latest high-profile blow to LIV Golf by announcing he will leave the circuit before the start of its 2026 season.

The 35-year-old American former Masters champion joins Brooks Koepka by instead focusing on the PGA Tour. Reed will spend his immediate time on the DP World Tour, where he won the Dubai Desert Classic on Sunday. Reed tees up in Bahrain from Thursday.

Published: January 28, 2026, 5:30 pm

‘Fascism is here now’: the US athletes pushing back on Trump’s America

World Series winner Sean Doolittle, Super Bowl champion Doug Baldwin and college star McKenzie Forbes have strong opinions on a troubled era

At 6.38pm CST on Saturday January 24, Indiana Pacer star Tyrese Haliburton posted on X: “Alex Pretti was murdered.”

The NBA star was one of the first athletes to respond to what can only be described as the public execution by Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials of 37-year-old nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. Pretti’s death was the culmination of a weeks-long campaign of terror conducted against residents of the city, including Renee Good, who was herself killed by DHS forces just two weeks earlier. Indeed, “Operation Metro Surge” in Minneapolis has accounted for two-thirds of homicides in the city in 2026.

Published: January 28, 2026, 11:00 am

Crystal Palace agree £50m Strand Larsen deal and close on Guessand loan

• Forwards in line to sign from Wolves and Aston Villa

• James Ward-Prowse seals loan move to Burnley

Wolves have agreed to sell Jørgen Strand Larsen to Crystal Palace after receiving a bid totalling £50m for the Norway striker.

The agent Jorge Mendes has been leading negotiations on behalf of Wolves, who have accepted an initial £45m, plus £5m in add-ons. Strand Larsen would represent Palace’s record buy, eclipsing the £35m they paid to take Brennan Johnson from Tottenham this month.

Published: January 29, 2026, 2:40 pm

O’Neill aims for ‘renewed enthusiasm’ as Celtic seek Europa League relief

In a tumultuous campaign and three-way Scottish title fight, the 73-year-old manager still has ambitions on the European stage

Martin O’Neill’s involvement in celebrated European moments in Celtic’s history means he is entitled to bridle at the belief that domain is no longer a priority. O’Neill used pre-match media duties for the Europa League visit of Utrecht on Thursday to point towards what has the potential to be an uplifting few days for the Scottish champions.

“We got a result in Feyenoord and fought our guts out in Bologna,” he said. “We don’t now want to just throw it away. We want to try and go for it if we can. We could still lose the game. We might not win the match and we might go out of the competition, but we want to give it a go.

Published: January 29, 2026, 8:00 am

Football transfer rumours: Rafael Leão or Iliman Ndiaye to Manchester United?

Today’s rumours embrace chaos

There is plenty of plotting to be done at Old Trafford and they are keen to bring in some young talent. One man on the Manchester United shortlist is Chelsea’s 19-year-old Tyrique George, who has become something of a fringe figure at Stamford Bridge in recent times. Other options for the recruitment bods are Milan’s Rafael Leão and Everton’s Iliman Ndiaye.

Randal Kolo Muani scored in Tottenham’s win over Eintracht Frankfurt on Wednesday night but his future looks uncertain. That was his only his third goal for the club in an underwhelming loan. Juventus are in search of a striker and could bring him back to Turin for a second spell. Another option for i bianconeri is Manchester United’s Joshua Zirkzee, who does not look as if he will be prolific in the Premier League and is available this month.

Published: January 29, 2026, 8:00 am

Kolo Muani fires Tottenham through in Frankfurt one day after car accident

Randal Kolo Muani was lucky to be on the field. The Tottenham striker had endured a moment of indescribable panic when the front right tyre on his Ferrari blew out on the motorway on Tuesday as he drove to Stansted airport for the team flight to Frankfurt.

The car was a write-off but Kolo Muani walked away from it. He had to take a later flight to make this Champions League game and he was plainly determined to make his mark on it.

Published: January 28, 2026, 10:00 pm

‘A great marker’: Rosenior lauds young Chelsea side for comeback win at Napoli

• Chelsea get first Champions League away win since 2022

• Head coach praises Cole Palmer for ‘magnificent’ showing

Liam Rosenior praised his young Chelsea side’s ability to deal with adversity after they produced a spirited comeback against Napoli to reach the last 16 of the Champions League.

An excellent double from João Pedro and a devastating cameo from Cole Palmer ensured Rosenior’s side secured a 3-2 win at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona and avoided the inconvenience of having to go through next month’s two-legged playoff for a place in the knockout phase.

Published: January 28, 2026, 11:39 pm

Brave Newcastle fall short but Willock leveller sends PSG to playoffs too

On a chilly, fun, boisterous night in Paris, with the Champions League mega-table scrolling away in the background, Newcastle produced a fine performance at the home of the European champions that left both teams outside the automatic qualification slots, but Newcastle much the happier of the two.

A 1-1 draw means Eddie Howe’s team finished 12th overall. They will now enter the knockout phase in the last two weeks of February, as had always seemed likely, to face either Qarabag or Monaco. More surprisingly, Paris Saint-Germain will join them there after some late score-ticker malarkey nudged them out of the top eight.

Published: January 28, 2026, 10:03 pm

Mohamed Salah back among goals as Liverpool roar past Qarabag into last 16

Liverpool are having to stomach “a very bad cocktail” in the Premier League of wasted chances and cheap goals conceded, according to Arne Slot. To extend the mixologist’s analogy, his team are enjoying life with a few margaritas in the Champions League.

Slot’s side cruised into the last 16 for the second successive season with a demolition of Qarabag at Anfield. Mohamed Salah was among the goalscorers for the first time since accusing Liverpool of throwing him under the bus, while Alexis Mac Allister, Florian Wirtz, the potent Hugo Ekitiké and substitute Federico Chiesa were also on the scoresheet.

Published: January 28, 2026, 10:04 pm

Champions League: Benfica keeper earns playoff place; Liverpool, Spurs and City book top-eight spots – as it happened

Anatoliy Trubin’s 98th-minute goal was the highlight of a dramatic night on which all the English teams bar Newcastle finished in the top eight

Napoli Meret, Di Lorenzo, Juan Jesus, Buongiorno, Spinazzola, Lobotka, McTominay, Olivera, Vergara, Elmas, Hojlund.

Subs: Contini, Spinelli, Gutierrez, Lukaku, Beukema, De Chiara, Garofalo.

Published: January 28, 2026, 10:39 pm

Champions League: Benfica keeper’s last-gasp header sends side into playoffs

• Anatoliy Trubin scores dramatic goal against Real Madrid

• Barça and Sporting in last 16, Bodø/Glimt make playoffs

Goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin scored a 98th-minute header as Benfica defeated Real Madrid 4-2 to secure a Champions League knockout place on Wednesday and deny their opponents an automatic spot in the last 16.

Benfica were heading out despite leading 3-2 with seconds of stoppage time remaining before Trubin met a free-kick to score the goal they needed to get into the playoff round on goal difference.

Published: January 28, 2026, 10:37 pm

Napoli 2-3 Chelsea: Champions League – as it happened

Joao Pedro’s two goals were enough to take Chelsea into the top eight and dump out Antonio Conte’s team

Liam Rosenior spoke to TNT ahead of kick-off: ““It’s been a positive start. Firstly the players and their engagement and attitude and willingness to learn, I think they have enjoyed it as well. Tonight is another big test for us and if we manage to come through it , it gives us a great chance of being in the top eight.”

“They are very good on transition. They are very organised in their press. From what I’ve seen they will press us really, really high, whether that is from a 3-4-3 or a 5-4-1. They have outstanding players. They build well from the back. It is going to be a difficult game and we are prepared for it.”

Published: January 28, 2026, 10:31 pm

Fulham to sign Manchester City’s Bobb for £27m, Paquetá heading to Flamengo

• West Ham do Paqueta deal and sign Fulham’s Traoré

• Ward-Prowse poised for Burnley loan from West Ham

Manchester City have agreed a £27m deal to sell Oscar Bobb to Fulham, with the terms including a 20% sell-on clause. City also have matching rights to buy the Norwegian back should a fee be agreed for his sale in future.

An identical agreement allowed City to bring back James Trafford from Burnley last summer for the amount Newcastle had agreed to pay for the goalkeeper. Trafford left City for Turf Moor in July 2023.

Published: January 28, 2026, 5:13 pm

Raheem Sterling leaves Chelsea by mutual consent and seeks fresh start

• Winger was highest earner at £325,000 a week

• He has not played this season after being frozen out

Raheem Sterling is looking to revive his career after departing Chelsea by mutual consent. The 31-year-old winger was the club’s highest earner but has been out of favour since the summer of 2024. Sterling had 18 months left on a deal worth £325,000 a week.

Sterling struggled to produce his best form after joining from Manchester City in 2022. He was the first player to arrive under the Todd Boehly-Clearlake Capital ownership and was hailed as a marquee signing.

Published: January 28, 2026, 4:30 pm

Leon Goretzka says Donald Trump ‘makes us feel not only German but European’

• Midfielder speaks out on politics before World Cup

• Goretzka open to summer move to England from Bayern

The Germany international Leon Goretzka has said Donald Trump’s actions have left him feeling “not only German but also European”. The US president has recently threatened to take Greenland by force and called Europe “weak” and “decaying”.

Goretzka, who hopes to make the Germany squad for the World Cup in the US, Canada and Mexico this summer, told Die Zeit: “Of course, I’m aware of the political debates. I still expect it to be a great tournament – it will promote football there, and show many people want an incredibly exciting game. Donald Trump makes us feel not only German but also European.”

Published: January 28, 2026, 3:44 pm

Sinner set for ‘toughest challenge’ in semi-final against Djokovic after swatting Shelton

• No 1 seed eases past American 6-3, 6-4, 6-4

• ‘It’s a grand slam, it’s always very difficult against Novak’

Jannik Sinner is under no illusion about the difficulty of his semi-final meeting with Novak Djokovic after defeating Ben Shelton on Wednesday. “It’s one of the toughest challenges we have in our sport,” he said. “It’s great to have Novak playing at this very, very high level. It’s a grand slam, it’s always very difficult against Novak. Let’s see what’s coming.”

Sinner’s 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 quarter-final victory over the seventh seed extended his commanding record against Shelton to 9-1, with Sinner winning 22 consecutive sets since the 23-year-old American won their first meeting. Such dominance over one of the best young players indicates just how far ahead Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are of the rest of the field.

Published: January 28, 2026, 2:34 pm

Champions League review: discontent for Real Madrid in a chaotic conclusion to group play

Álvaro Arbeloa’s team have concerns as they look ahead to the knockout stages, while Jamie Carragher has concerns about the draw

It was billed by broadcasters as “Matchday Mayhem”. Finally, after 17 of the 18 final day matches had finished, came a chaotic denouement. Not even José Mourinho’s long Champions League heritage had included a moment like this, though his wild celebration was familiar. Benfica were beating Real Madrid 3-2, and Mourinho’s former club were already dropping out of the top eight. “I was told [the scoreline] is enough, so let’s close the door,” said Mourinho.

Published: January 29, 2026, 2:38 pm

Why are ICE agents going to the Winter Olympics in Italy? – video explainer

A unit of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents will join a US delegation to the Winter Olympics in Italy, sparking confusion and uproar in the country.

Guardian reporter Jakub Krupa looks at what role the agency, which is embroiled in a violent US immigration crackdown, might have at the Milan-Cortina Games.

ICE said agents would 'vet and mitigate risks from transnational criminal organisations' but not run enforcement operations.

Milan’s mayor, Giuseppe Sala, said the the agents would be unwelcome in the city. 'This is a militia that kills,' he said

Published: January 29, 2026, 2:01 pm

Sabalenka v Svitolina, Pegula v Rybakina: Australian Open 2026 semi-finals – as it happened

Aryna Sabalennka, twice Australian Open champion, walloped Elina Svitolina, then Elena Rybakina saw off Jess Pegula to set up a repeat of the 2023 final

Sabalenka to serve, ready … play.

You can’t argue with Svitolina’s run to the last four. She’s beaten Shnaider, Andreeva and Gauff – who, admittedly, had her absolute worst day – without losing a set, won in Auckland before that, and won’t ever have felt better about her game. I’m excited to see what her plan is, because we can be sure she’ll have one.

Published: January 29, 2026, 12:44 pm

ICE agents expected to be deployed for Super Bowl in California, officials say

Local officials confirmed that ICE will conduct immigration operations during 8 February game in Santa Clara

US Customs and Immigration Enforcement (ICE) agents are expected to conduct immigration enforcement operations during next month’s Super Bowl game in Santa Clara, California.

Local officials confirmed to media that ICE is expected to deploy for the game between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots. ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations team has long worked the Super Bowl and other major sporting events, largely focused on preventing human trafficking and stopping the sale of counterfeit goods, but immigration operations would be unusual.

Published: January 28, 2026, 7:37 pm