The latest edition of WWE RAW featured a sit-down involving IYO SKY and Asuka before their match at Backlash 2026. General manager Adam Pearce mediated the segment, but things eventually got out of hand.
During the segment, SKY said she was avoiding a fight with Asuka because she loved her. Meanwhile, The Empress of Tomorrow claimed that The Genius of the Sky was her biggest disappointment. In the end, the 44-year-old sprayed blue mist in her former Damage CTRL teammate’s face.
Thanks for the submission!
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Following the exchange, IYO SKY posted a picture of herself covered in blue mist on X. The former Women’s World Champion seemed disgruntled after Asuka attacked her. Rhea Ripley reacted to the unfortunate development, asking her longtime ally to take out The Empress of Tomorrow at Backlash.
On the RAW after WrestleMania 42, Rhea Ripley and IYO SKY defeated Asuka and Kairi Sane. It was later announced that SKY and the face-painted star will lock horns at Backlash on May 9, 2026. Since Mami is now focused on her Women’s Title reign on SmackDown, will SKY receive help from an unlikely ally in Tampa, Florida?
Kairi Sane could return during IYO SKY vs. Asuka at Backlash 2026
Kairi Sane was shockingly released from WWE following WrestleMania 42 despite being involved in the IYO SKY-Asuka rivalry. She even picked up a win over SKY in a singles match on the Road to ‘Mania. The Empress of Tomorrow and The Genius of the Sky were rumored to lock horns at The Showcase of the Immortals. However, the creative team didn’t book the duo to compete at WrestleMania.
A different report recently indicated that Kairi Sane had returned to Japan following her departure. Fans must stay tuned to find out if Sane shows up to possibly help SKY against The Empress of Tomorrow at Backlash.
Mumbai Indians (MI) coach Mahela Jayawardene lavished praise on 33-year-old spinner Raghu Sharma after he picked up his maiden wicket in the Indian Premier League (IPL), highlighting the bowler’s journey from being a net bowler last season to making a mark on the big stage. Raghu’s breakthrough came during the Mumbai Indians’ six-wicket win over Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the Wankhede Stadium, where the hosts chased down a daunting 229-run target in 18.4 overs. The victory was powered by a 143-run opening stand between Rohit Sharma (84) and Ryan Rickelton (83), helping MI register their highest-ever successful chase at the venue.
Jayawardene revealed that Raghu’s rise has been built on relentless hard work and determination, recalling how the youngster pushed himself even during a training stint in Sri Lanka.
“You guys remember he was a net bowler last year, worked really hard, got into the squad, never stopped working hard. He came to Sri Lanka; some people don’t know he came for a 10-day camp. He wasn’t bowling well, so he worked even harder in Colombo in that hot sun,” Jayawardene said in a video released by the Mumbai Indians on X.
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In a match dominated by big scores with LSG posting 228/5 after Nicholas Pooran’s explosive 63 off 21 balls, Raghu made his moment count by claiming his maiden IPL wicket of Akshat Raghuvanshi, providing a key breakthrough in the middle overs. Raghu delivered a composed spell against the Super Giants, returning figures of 4-0-36-1.
The former Sri Lanka captain added that Raghu had made a promise to return stronger this season, something he has now begun to deliver on.
“And he promised one thing, he said, ‘I’ll be ready for this year’. So a lot of hard work, well deserved to be here, a strong mind and a big heart, well done,” he added.
After taking his first wicket, Raghu pulled out a chit from his pocket and celebrated by holding it. “A very painful 15 years. By the divine mercy of Gurudev ended today. Thanks, Mumbai Indians (Blue and Gold), for giving me this opportunity. Ever grateful,” Raghu’s note read.
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Raghu came in as a replacement for Vignesh Puthur in IPL 2025, but didn’t get a chance to play a game in that season. He made his debut on Saturday against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) but returned wicketless.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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IPL 2026 | Delhi Capitals Wins By 6 Wickets Against Mumbai Indians: Redemption For Sameer Rizvi
The Vegas Golden Knights claimed Game 1 against the Anaheim Ducks by a score of 3-1 Monday night, but their game-winning goal in Monday’s series opener didn’t come without its share of controversy.
The goal in question — a Pavel Dorofeyev dish to Ivan Barbashev net-front to give Vegas a 2-1 lead late in the third — probably should never have happened, considering the play that launched it looked a lot like icing.
But it wasn’t called that way. Despite the fact that Barbashev hadn’t yet reached centre ice when he flipped the puck deep into Anaheim’s zone, officials deemed it no icing and allowed the play to continue.
An in-game explanation from ESPN’s rule analyst Dave Jackson pointed out that because it appeared Vegas forward Jack Eichel had a slight edge on Ducks defender Jackson LaCombe in the footrace to retrieve the puck, with LaCombe slowing, it was ruled not to be icing.
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Watch it again, and it’s hard to see how LaCombe didn’t have the edge there. On a call as subjective as this, the defender likely should’ve gotten the benefit of the doubt.
Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville was absolutely incensed on the bench, and, well, he had a point. It was an extremely consequential call, given how tight this game was (it was tied 1-1 at the time, and getting dangerously close to overtime). Vegas went on to secure the win with an insurance empty-netter by Mitch Marner to take a 1-0 series lead and leave a bad taste in Anaheim’s mouth.
“Clearly, I disagreed with the call. And it was clearly icing,” Quenneville said, adding that the officials didn’t give him an explanation. “Their guy stopped skating, which really made me annoyed.
“We just scored, it was a huge call and it was an easy call.”
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Big-Game Brett stays true to his nickname
Vegas Golden Knights forward Brett Howden is having himself a post-season. After a quiet start to the playoffs, the 28-year-old has gone on a scoring spree of late. He scored two short-handed goals against Utah in Round 1, including a double-OT winner, and now has at least one goal in four straight games thanks to his series-opening marker against the Ducks.
Howden’s chemistry with Marner has been on full display. And as impressive as Howden’s clutch goal-scoring has been, his goal against Anaheim was all Marner.
The centreman’s thread-the-needle pass to Howden was a special play, and a continuation of Marner’s playoff hot streak after scoring the game-winner to close things out against Utah on Friday.
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Ducks’ red-hot power play freezes up vs. Vegas
One of the biggest stories heading into the second-round series between Anaheim and Vegas was the state of the clubs’ special teams and how they stack up. In one corner, we’ve got a Ducks power play that capitalized on 50 per cent of its opportunities against the Oilers in Round 1, registering at least one PP marker in all six games. In the other corner, the Golden Knights’ penalty kill — a unit that not only shut down the Mammoth’s PP, but outscored it short-handed.
So far, with just one game’s worth of data to examine, the Golden Knights have the edge. In four power-play opportunities, Anaheim didn’t score with the man advantage. (The Ducks also held Vegas scoreless on two opportunities.)
Can Anaheim regain form for Game 2?
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Flyers bounce back, but can’t close out vs. Hurricanes
The Philadelphia Flyers learned some hard lessons Saturday night in Carolina. Turns out they’re quick studies — the squad that lost 3-0 in Game 1 got off to a flying start in Monday night’s Game 2 to change the tone of this series.
The Flyers came out doing everything right: hard forechecking, tons of pressure, finding shots. Everything head coach Rick Tocchett preached post-game on Saturday, they applied two days later. They were rewarded for the strong start, scoring twice early in the first frame, but then … the goals dried up.
Even despite the lack of scoring following the first period, the Flyers were still dictating much of the game. They lost their grip when Seth Jarvis tied things up in the third period, but bounced back yet again in overtime, dominating the offensive play.
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But all it takes is one good opportunity, and that’s what Carolina ultimately got as Taylor Hall buried the winner late in extra time to claim the 3-2 victory.
There are silver linings to be found in Philly’s outing, considering how well the Flyers adjusted their game, but silver linings don’t win you a series. Down 2-0 heading back home, the Flyers are already up against it.
Hall’s turning back the clock in Carolina
If you want to fall down a fascinating hockey rabbit hole, go give yourself a refresher on Hall’s career. Edmonton’s first-overall pick in 2010 and New Jersey’s Hart Trophy winner in 2018 became something of an NHL journeyman after his Devils tenure ended.
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The past few years have been defined by multiple stops and health setbacks, but this year in Carolina has felt different. In 80 games with the Hurricanes, he registered 18 goals and 48 points and looks right at home in Rod Brind’Amour’s system.
And this spring, he’s really heating up. Through six games of these playoffs, Hall has already hit a new career high in points in a single post-season with nine. (His previous personal best was eight in seven games with the 2022-23 Bruins.) The 34-year-old has registered at least one point in every playoff outing so far this year, with Monday’s overtime game-winner clearly the biggest.
His late-OT tally capped the Hurricanes’ three-goal comeback victory. Playing alongside Logan Stankoven and Jackson Blake, Hall has been one third of the club’s most electric, productive line — and his surge on the stat sheet has been a great story so far.
Flyers-Hurricanes is a tough one for power plays
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Elite as Carolina’s penalty kill is, the Hurricanes’ power play leaves something to be desired. Philadelphia’s has fared even worse all year, including in the post-season. So, imagine our surprise when both sides scored on their first power-play opportunity of the night.
Flyers defenceman Jamie Drysdale cashed in less than five minutes into Game 2, launching an offensive surge that saw Sean Couturier follow it up with an even-strength marker just 39 seconds later to take an early 2-0 lead.
Nikolaj Ehlers scored his first of the post-season midway through the first frame to get Carolina on the board.
Considering the flurry of first-period goals and special-teams action, you’d be forgiven for thinking we were in for a barnburner of an offensive showdown à la Sunday’s series opener between Minnesota and Colorado.
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But that’s not how this one played out at all. The Flyers and Hurricanes took turns going on the man advantage, with neither side able to build on the early success as goaltenders took over. The Flyers ended the matchup one-for-seven on the power players, with Carolina finishing one-for-six.
The second round of the 2026 NBA postseason began on Tuesday, and it gave severe “opposite day” vibes. The first matchup between New York and Philadelphia was supposed to be the start of what most expected to be the most competitive series of the round, a rematch of an epic 2024 series that went six games. Nope. New York blew the doors off of Philadelphia in a 137-98 Game 1 victory.
The second game, meanwhile, was the one we expected to be simple. The Timberwolves were hobbled. No Ayo Dosunmu. No Donte DiVincenzo. Anthony Edwards was playing on a minutes limit. Their first-round win over Denver was a tremendous accomplishment, but come on. They were seemingly built for Denver’s size. How would they react to the younger, deeper and more athletic Spurs team, playing at full strength in their home building? Well, we got our answer. Minnesota, a 9.5-point underdog, stole Game 1 in San Antonio.
Monday’s NBA playoff scoreboard
Game 1: Knicks 137, 76ers 98
Game 1: Timberwolves 104, Spurs 102
With half of the second round now underway, let’s pick some winners and losers from the two Game 1s we just witnessed on Monday.
Winner: Chris Finch
You could go in any number of directions for Minnesota. Mike Conley played 42 seconds in Minnesota’s Game 3 win over Denver, yet he started this game and made four 3s. Anthony Edwards hyperextended his knee and suffered a bone bruise nine days ago. He played 25 minutes, shot 8 of 13 and helped build the fourth-quarter lead that Minnesota carried across the finish line. Terrence Shannon gave them real minutes. The defense was spectacular. We’re not lacking for choices here.
But at a certain point, we have to extend some credit to the coach who’s making all of these playoff upsets possible. Something about Minnesota’s culture just seems more conducive to the postseason than the regular season. The Wolves are a team-wide playoff riser who has now won a playoff series as an underdog three postseasons in a row and just stunned one of the championship favorites on their home-court shorthanded.
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Some of that is cultural. Some of it is strategic. Finch coached an incredible Game 1 full of really creative wrinkles. He toyed with a three-big lineup against Denver featuring Rudy Gobert, Naz Reid and Julius Randle, and he had more success with it against San Antonio. For most of the fourth quarter, he played without Gobert on the floor so Minnesota could go five-out and draw Wembanyama away from the rim. They scored 35 in the final frame, their most of any quarter in the game. He managed Edwards carefully but effectively, allowing him to finish strong after a fairly light workload throughout the first three quarters.
Really, this is an organizational victory for Minnesota. They’ve had a lot of those recently. Somehow, the Timberwolves built a team that consistently outperforms playoff expectations. If we’re going to condense it to a single name, though, it has to be Finch.
Loser: Victor Wembanyama
Here’s how high of a standard Victor Wembanyama has set: entering tonight, the record for blocks in a single playoff game (at least since they were officially tracked dating back to the 1973-74 season) was 10. Wembanyama tied that record in the third quarter of his fifth playoff game. I struggle to imagine anyone breaking the new record of 12 he set on Monday — except, well, him. He finished the night with a triple-double (11 points, 15 rebounds and 12 blocks), but his offense still underwhelmed.
Wembanyama’s 3-point attempt rate dipped from 47% last season to 32.4% this season. It was a welcome change. He shouldn’t cut triples out of his shot diet, but he’s so dangerous near the basket that the bulk of his shots should be inside. Denver’s struggles against Gobert in the first round were tied to Nikola Jokić’s poor 3-point shooting. The idea, clearly, was to drag Gobert away from the basket to open the rim up for everyone else, and the Spurs did score well at the basket. But Wembanyama missed all eight of his 3-point attempts.
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Now, it’s hard to blame him too much for a bad shooting night. That will turn. But Wembanyama did have success attacking Gobert in pick-and-roll and as a driver. When Minnesota went away from Gobert in the fourth quarter, they were very intentional about packing the paint with help whenever he had the ball. The Timberwolves game-planned Wembanyama out of the paint offensively, and that’s the problem the Spurs need to solve in Game 2.
Winner: Jalen Brunson
You could pick pretty much any core Knick as the Game 1 winner. Mikal Bridges seems back on track after a 7-of-10 shooting night in which he defended Tyrese Maxey very well. Karl-Anthony Towns continues to thrive as a top-of-the-key hub, racking up six more assists in a role opposing defenses haven’t cracked yet. OG Anunoby took his playoff 3-point percentage up to… checks notes… 63.75%. Josh Hart just did Josh Hart stuff all night. You can’t really go wrong.
But I’d like to point out that Jalen Brunson has now scored 35 or more points in five consecutive playoff games against the 76ers:
Game 3, 2024: 39 points on 13-of-27 shooting.
Game 4, 2024: 47 points on 18-of-34 shooting.
Game 5, 2024: 40 points on 15-of-32 shooting.
Game 6, 2024: 41 points on 13-of-27 shooting.
Game 1, 2026: 35 points on 12-of-18 shooting.
Guard defense was a well-known problem for the 76ers coming into this series, and Joel Embiid’s mobility in pick-and-roll defense isn’t great. Philadelphia could take Embiid off of New York’s big men and instead let him serve as a helper off of Josh Hart, but the Knicks have seen plenty of that over the past two seasons and seem more comfortable than ever in dealing with it. Besides, Embiid wasn’t particularly active defensively in this game regardless.
What’s so scary about this outburst, specifically, is the number of shots. Brunson got his points without completely monopolizing the offense. Three other starters scored at least 17. If New York can keep Bridges in a rhythm and maximize Towns as a weapon away from the basket without sacrificing Brunson’s individual offense, that’s probably checkmate for Philadelphia. The Knicks are at their worst when they’re a one-man band. They found the proper balance in the last three games against Atlanta and are absolutely humming thus far against the 76ers.
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Loser: Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid
Boston is a juicy matchup for Maxey and Embiid. Derrick White is a great defensive guard, but more so in a help role than straight up against stars. Maxey was too quick for him. Boston’s center rotation consists of two players making minimum money in Neemias Queta and Luka Garza and a career-long defensive liability in Nikola Vučević. Queta couldn’t stop fouling him, Vučević was too slow to contest Embiid’s pick-and-pop jumpers. It’s not terribly surprising that Philadelphia’s two best players thrived in that series.
The Knicks represent an entirely different set of problems. Philadelphia got Karl-Anthony Towns into foul trouble, but Mitchell Robinson is far more defensively capable than anyone Boston had. The Knicks have a number of quick reserve guards who can at least keep pace with Maxey, most notably Deuce McBride and Jose Alvarado, and Mikal Bridges had one of his better defensive games of the postseason as his primary matchup.
Embiid and Maxey still managed to get to the line. They almost always will. But they combined to shoot 6 of 20 from the field. The volume there is as concerning as the efficiency. They took between 40 and 44 field goals combined in Games 5, 6 and 7 against Boston, which is probably around where the Sixers would like them in any big game. But the Knicks are so much better equipped to guard them and were so stout in help on Monday that very few easy points were available to them. Philadelphia played a Game 7 two days ago. They’re at a rest and game-planning disadvantage against a Knicks team that closed its own series out far less stressfully two days earlier. There’s plenty of room here for the old “play better” adjustment, but if they come out this flat in Game 2, this won’t be much of a series.
Fans pack U.S. Bank Stadium as the Minnesota Vikings host the Atlanta Falcons, with Sep. 14, 2025, in Minneapolis capturing a high-energy atmosphere as supporters in purple and gold filled the stands and fueled momentum throughout a lively NFC matchup early in the regular season. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images
The Minnesota Vikings drafted four defensive players before the end of Round 3 in the 2026 NFL draft, the most such selections before the start of Round 4 in franchise history. Now, according to ESPN, two of those rookies have outside chances of winning the Defensive Rookie of the Year award: defensive tackle Caleb Banks and linebacker Jake Golday.
Banks and Golday already have outside attention before playing a snap.
No Vikings player has won rookie of the year since 2009, when wide receiver Percy Harvin brought home the hardware.
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Minnesota’s Defensive Youth Movement Gets Early Buzz
Do you think Banks and Golday have a shot at DROY glory?
Florida Gators defensive lineman Caleb Banks celebrates a takeaway during second-half action, with Nov 16, 2024 centered at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville as he secures a fumble recovery against LSU, energizing the defense and swinging momentum in a physical SEC matchup late in the contest. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images
ESPN Names Banks a ‘Longshot” Contender for DROY
Ben Solak analyzed the Rookie of the Year chase at length last week, and on Banks, he noted: “No defensive tackle has won Rookie of the Year since Aaron Donald in 2014, and the only other tackle to do it this century was Ndamukong Suh. Banks is that sort of talent and an enticing bet accordingly. But he has a foot injury that’s impossible to overlook.”
“He also plays in a Brian Flores defense that doesn’t allow defensive tackles to play the sort of unhinged, penetration-oriented style that leads to sacks. Sure, the Vikings spent an early pick on Banks — but as head coach of the Dolphins in 2019, Flores used the No. 13 pick on Christian Wilkins, and he had two sacks as a rookie. It’s hard to see the path for Banks.”
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Banks broke a bone in his foot at the NFL Combine in late February, so fans will monitor whether he will be ready for Week 1, let alone contend for DROY.
Golday, Too
Calling Golday, a 2nd-Rounder from Cincinnati, an even longer long shot, Solak opined, “Golday is an off-ball/on-ball tweener who will be stuck behind established starters at both positions: Andrew Van Ginkel and Dallas Turner at outside linebacker; Eric Wilson and Blake Cashman at inside linebacker.”
“He will undoubtedly have flashy plays in subpackages, but he simply will not see enough snaps — barring injury — to contend for this award.”
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Cincinnati Bearcats linebacker Jake Golday works through contact drills during a spring session, with April 12, 2025 placed at Nippert Stadium as he strikes a pad in practice, focusing on technique, strength, and readiness while preparing for the upcoming college football season in a controlled training environment. Mandatory Credit: Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Many consider a Golday a “raw” prospect, and with the Vikings showcasing tremendous ILB depth, it’s unclear if Golday will carve out a meaningful role on defense as a rookie. Stay tuned.
The Other Contenders
From the Vikings’ rookie haul, four other men have outside chances of contending for OROY or DROY:
Domonique Orange (NT)
Jakobe Thomas (S)
Charles Demmings (CB)
Demond Claiborne (RB)
The league doesn’t typically acknowledge nose tackles for DROY, but in theory, if Orange logged 5-7 sacks as a rookie, he could move the needle. Thomas probably won’t win a starter’s job this summer, but if he pulled off that feat, he could, in theory, raise eyebrows.
On Demmings, if Byron Murphy Jr. or Isaiah Rodgers fell injured this summer, Flores could tap him on the shoulder to start as a rookie, casting his profile into a national spotlight.
Overall, after Banks, Claiborne is probably the most likely Viking to contend for OROY. If one pretends that he barnstorms the summer, so much so that he cannot be denied the RB1 job, he could turn heads in an offense tailor-made for offensive creativity.
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On the whole, Banks is the favorite Viking to win the award, assuming his injured foot is ready for Week 1.
A Draft Class That Must Hit
The firing of former general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah in January can be traced directly to the draft.
His draft success rate remained persistently low. Since 2022, only about 18% of Minnesota’s draft picks have proven successful, leaving too many gaps on a roster that desperately needs inexpensive, young talent. A stagnant draft pipeline forces reliance on costly free agency, which explains why the Vikings increasingly depended on older players to remain competitive.
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Florida defensive lineman Caleb Banks speaks with media members during a pre-draft event, with Feb. 25, 2026 set inside the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis as he outlines preparation, mindset, and expectations while meeting with reporters at the NFL Scouting Combine ahead of the upcoming draft. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The unsustainable approach eventually catches up. The next general manager, whether Rob Brzezinski or an external candidate, faces one critical mandate: the draft must yield results. Minnesota urgently needs an influx of starting-caliber players on rookie contracts to stabilize the roster and reset its long-term trajectory. The draft is only place in the NFL to find players for free.
The success of this strategy hinges on current prospects as well. Players such as Banks, Golday, Orange, Thomas, Demmings, and Claiborne must develop into legitimate contributors. If this group delivers, the roster will become younger, faster, and more sustainable. If not, the Vikings will remain trapped in the same cycle — absolutely required to win in free agency across the board to cleanse the draft sins. In 2024, that strategy worked. A year later, it flopped.
A fancy rookie of the year trophy would be the cake topper.
Manchester City star Phil Foden has struggled for form in recent months but has been backed publicly by his manager and now the club
Phil Foden is set to sign a new long-term deal that keeps him at Manchester City after a breakthrough in contract negotiations. The homegrown star will commit for at least another four years, ending uncertainty around his future with his current contract running out next summer.
Foden jointly holds the record as the club’s most decorated player, breaking into Pep Guardiola’s squad from the academy in the 2017/18 season and playing a major role in an unprecedented level of success. He was voted as the best player in the Premier League after guiding City to their fourth consecutive title in the 2023/24 season, although he has seen his form diminish sharply since.
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The player admitted to suffering from physical and mental burnout last season and appeared to be refreshed this season with excellent form shown between September and December, but his level has dropped again and the last league game he started was the disappointing draw with Nottingham Forest more than two months ago.
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Despite that, Guardiola has been adamant throughout that Foden will rediscover his best form and has regularly turned to him as a substitute in that time. The club have now shown their backing for the 25-year-old by handing him a new deal that ties him to the Etihad until 2023, with the option of another year.
As reported by the Athletic, the contract negotiations have been handled by Rafaela Pimenta – the super agent who represents Erling Haaland and agreed his nine-and-a-half-year contract extension last year. Foden is still hoping to be called into the England squad for the World Cup this summer, but faces a nervous wait as Thomas Tuchel weighs up his options.
A newly published, 95-page Human Rights Watch (HRW) report on Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) has revealed how the sovereign wealth fund has “facilitated and benefited from human rights abuses” and how sportswashing has helped “to whitewash reputational harm.”
The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Finals were held in Riyadh in November, the first installment of a three-year agreement. The prize money was $5.15 million (€4.87 million) for the tournament, matching that of the ATP Finals. This meant for the first time ever, the women’s and men’s year-end champions earned the same reward.
The sums of money being poured into golf, football and motor racing in Saudi Arabia have also been astoundingly high, too. As demand grows for more professionalism within women’s sports across multiple disciplines, the significant financial incentives being offered by the PIF are hard to turn down, especially in a sporting landscape where women’s teams often struggle for funding, sponsorships and visibility.
Saudi state oil giant Aramco is almost omnipresent in modern sportImage: Florent Gooden/DPPI media/picture alliance
“Investing in women’s sports sends great signals to both the domestic Saudi population and the rest of the world that they are doing great stuff for women,” Stanis Elsborg, head of Play the Game — an initiative promoting democracy, transparency and freedom of expression in world sport — told DW.
“Which then leads to more or less or no discussion about the continued human rights abuses of women in the country.”
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Reality different for women in Saudi Arabia
While the push for equality is supposedly evident, women in Saudi Arabia continue to live under strict male guardianship laws.
The system requires women to obtain permission from a male relative — usually a father, husband or brother — for many aspects of their lives, including marriage, travel and sometimes access to health care or education.
“There are still a number of women’s rights defenders, either in prison or under house arrest, serving long prison sentences for social media posts advocating for women’s rights,” Minky Worden, HRW’s director of global initiatives, told DW.
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Worden also believes the male guardianship system might have played a role in the poor crowd numbers for the WTA Finals in Riyadh.
“Moreover, the WTA did not do the work to make it safe for their players, because their players were being questioned about the women in jail. That’s not right,” Worden said.
“The players should have been concentrating on playing their best game, not worrying about whether a journalist is going to ask them why they aren’t doing more to get women’s rights defenders out of jail.”
Earlier in 2024, former tennis legends Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova wrote an open letter to WTA chief Steve Simon saying hosting the finals in Saudi Arabia “would represent a significant step backwards” and that it was “entirely incompatible with the spirit and purpose of women’s tennis and the WTA itself.”
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Eventual tournament winner Coco Gauff admitted she had her “reservations” about playing in Saudi Arabia, citing the country’s treatment of women and the LGBTQ+ community. Gauff said she was hopeful the WTA’s presence in Saudi Arabia for the next three years would help introduce more Saudi women to tennis and “enact more equality.”
Women central to much-publicized Saudi Vision 2030
Since 2018, Saudi Arabia’s PIF has invested billions of euros into men’s sports, and the country look set to host the 2034 men’s FIFA World Cup. The decision to diversify toward investing in women’s sports appears an equally considered move.
Women are central to the much-publicized Saudi Vision 2030, the country’s ambitious blueprint for economic and social reform, spearheaded by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. A key goal of the plan is to empower women to contribute more significantly to Saudi society and its workforce.
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Currently, though, as the HRW report found, there is no evidence that “PIF-funded projects advanced the government’s obligations to fulfill economic, social and cultural rights of its people.”
“I do believe that they have an interest in getting more women to do sports in Saudi Arabia and get a healthier population,” said Elsborg.
“I also think that one of the key factors behind their sport strategy is that they really don’t want people to talk about the lack of women’s or LGBTQ+ rights. They want us to talk about all the good things that they do for world sport and that they do for women’s sports as well.”
While the increased remuneration remains attractive, many female athletes have raised their voices against Saudi Arabia’s involvement in women’s sports.
In October, in response to an announcement that FIFA was entering into a partnership with Saudi Arabia’s state oil company Aramco, over 100 international players signed an open letter criticizing the deal as a betrayal of women’s sports values and human rights. The group suggested including female athletes on decision-making boards for future partnerships.
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“Players have no say when it comes to sponsorships and partnerships and that’s one of the big problems,” Elsborg said.
“What the players expressed in their letter to FIFA about having a review committee, where the players could have more say about sponsorships their organizations have, could possibly be a way forward for women’s sport.”
Former India player Ravi Shastri has opined that the IPL 2026 clash between the Delhi Capitals (DC) and the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) would be a great contest. He highlighted that CSK have gathered momentum lately, with Ruturaj Gaikwad’s return to form also helping his captaincy.
DC and CSK will square off in the 48th game of IPL 2026 in Delhi on Tuesday, May 5. Both sides have garnered eight points from nine games, with CSK placed a rung higher at sixth on the points table due to their superior net run rate.
During a discussion on JioHotstar, Shastri reckoned that Gaikwad and Sanju Samson’s form should make CSK competitive in their IPL 2026 clash against DC. However, he gave Axar Patel and company a slight edge in Tuesday’s game.
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“It will be a mighty contest because the Chennai Super Kings have got a little momentum. Having said that, the Delhi Capitals have been slightly unlucky this season. They have lost many close matches, with little, little mistakes, or else they would have had four more points. Mitchell Starc has returned. So their bowling has gotten strengthened a little,” the former India all-rounder said.
“Ruturaj Gaikwad coming in form makes a huge difference because there is a difference in his captaincy as well. Sanju Samson is in tremendous form. If the top three of any side fires, it means you are in the contest. I would give Delhi the slight upper hand because it’s a home game and because of the team they have. These are extremely important two points,” he added.
Sanju Samson has amassed 315 runs at a strike rate of 167.55 in nine innings in IPL 2026. Ruturaj Gaikwad has scored 245 runs, including unbeaten half-centuries in CSK’s previous two games, at a strike rate of 125.64 in his nine hits.
“Chennai would want to maintain the momentum, but it won’t be easy” – Harbhajan Singh on DC vs CSK IPL 2026 clash
CSK beat MI by eight wickets in their previous IPL 2026 game (Image via iplt20.com)
In the same discussion, former India spinner Harbhajan Singh highlighted the significance of Tuesday’s IPL 2026 clash and opined that it won’t be easy for CSK to maintain their winning momentum.
“As Ravi bhai said, these might be the two most crucial points because whichever team loses, their chances of qualifying would become minimal. You have to win every match now. Chennai would want to maintain the momentum, but it won’t be easy,” he said.
The former CSK player gave DC the edge, highlighting that the five-time champions haven’t fired as a unit with bat and bowl.
“Delhi will be a stronger team in Delhi. I feel Delhi have much better bowling options. Chennai have won, but they have won with great difficulty. Ruturaj Gaikwad and Kartik Sharma batted well. However, their batting or bowling hasn’t flourished fully as a team,” Harbhajan observed.
However, Harbhajan Singh acknowledged that the Delhi Capitals would have to work hard for the two points. He added that the home team needs to come up with better game plans, pointing out that they couldn’t defend even a 264-run total against the Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the same venue.
Aug 24, 2024; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; General view of Green Bay Packers helmets during warmups prior to the game against the Baltimore Ravens at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
The Green Bay Packers signed Tyrod Taylor on Monday, signaling the exit of former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Desmond Ridder. Ridder will now hit free agency and hope for a QB3 or practice squad job somewhere around the league.
Ridder’s Green Bay stay ended quickly, leaving his next NFL stop unclear.
Matt LaFleur’s team chose Taylor as the best QB2 choice to navigate life after Malik Willis, who is now the QB1 for the Miami Dolphins.
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Taylor Addition Changes Green Bay’s QB Room
Where will Ridder land?
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder shares a pregame moment with a teammate during warmups, with Sep 24, 2023 placed at Ford Field in Detroit as players prepare for kickoff against the Lions, capturing a calm exchange before competition begins in a regular-season road matchup. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-USA TODAY Sports
Ridder Gets the Ax from GB
It’s unemployment once again for Ridder, as NBC Sports‘ Josh Alper wrote, “The Packers’ move to sign Tyrod Taylor is going to cost another of the team’s quarterbacks his spot on the 90-man roster in Green Bay. Tom Pelissero of NFL Media reports that the team will be releasing Desmond Ridder. Ridder joined the team last December and did not play in any games.”
“Ridder’s departure will leave four quarterbacks on the roster. In addition to Taylor, they will have Jordan Love, Kyle McCord and rookie Kyron Drones. Ridder spent time with the Bengals and Vikings last year before finishing out the year with the Packers. His last regular season action came in six appearances for the Raiders in 2024 and the 2022 third-round pick made 17 starts for the Falcons in his first two NFL seasons.”
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Taylor ranked near the bottom of the NFL per efficiency in 2025, so Packers fans will hope that a geographical cure makes a difference.
The NFL Resume for Ridder
Ridder has 18 NFL starts with Atlanta and Las Vegas, where his teams went 8-10 — a record that largely aligns with his player profile.
He possesses mobility and isn’t afraid of contact, offering an offense some flexibility. However, defenses aren’t primarily focused on containing Ridder’s running.
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His passing game metrics are equally telling: 16 touchdowns, 14 interceptions, and roughly 160 passing yards per game. While this output can keep an offense somewhat afloat — given a strong run game, a solid offensive line, and well-performing skill players — it’s unlikely to elevate an offense significantly on its own.
Perhaps Ridder will eventually settle into a long-term role as a QB3. For now, however, 2026 is trending as an anonymous year.
His list of destinations since turning pro in 2022:
Atlanta Falcons (2022–2023)
Arizona Cardinals (2024)
Las Vegas Raiders (2024)
Cincinnati Bengals (2025)
Minnesota Vikings (2025)
Green Bay Packers (2025)
Rolling with Taylor
The Packers needed a new QB2 after Willis departed in March. Willis headed to Miami, following familiar Green Bay faces: Jon-Eric Sullivan, the Dolphins’ new general manager, and Jeff Hafley, Miami’s next head coach.
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After a standout 2025 season — where he even ranked No. 1 in EPA/Play — Willis sought a legitimate chance at a starting quarterback gig. Green Bay couldn’t offer that with Love firmly entrenched, but Miami could.
It made the Packers’ subsequent move straightforward. With Love missing games in the last two seasons, Green Bay required an experienced backup. In a division where quarterback stability is paramount, securing a solid backup was crucial. The NFC North no longer has weak teams. Enter Taylor.
Houston Texans quarterback Tyrod Taylor drops back to pass during early game action, with Dec 5, 2021 centered at NRG Stadium in Houston as he delivers a throw in the first quarter against the Colts, showing pocket presence and decision-making in a divisional matchup during the regular season. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Taylor is widely regarded as one of the league’s steadier backup quarterbacks. While he may not offer the same flash as Willis, he provides Green Bay a reliable safety net should Love miss time again.
However, Taylor’s recent performance metrics aren’t stellar. In 2025, he ranked 34th out of 43 qualifying quarterbacks in EPA/Play (minimum 180 dropbacks). His 2023 season with the Giants saw him place 26th among 40 passers in EPA/Play over 244 dropbacks.
Ultimately, the Packers opted for reliability over potential. Willis is gone, and Taylor is now Green Bay’s backup savior if Love goes down.
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LaFleur said about the backup quarterback spot a week ago, “I think we all know how we felt about Malik and his ability to go out there and give us a chance to go win games, and he did exactly that, so I think it’s a work in progress. I don’t want to speak too early.”
“We’ve only done classroom work with these guys. We had a limited exposure to Desmond last year. But what I can say is those guys are doing a great job in the meetings, and we’re looking forward to getting our hands on them as we progress into Phase Two.”
The Future for Ridder
As for Ridder, his career has sputtered. No team will give him a look as a QB1, and in Minnesota, he resided as the QB3-QB4. His days as a starter are kaput. Indefinitely, he’ll drift around the league, looking for employment, likely ending up on practice squads at the ripe old age of 26.
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Quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers and Desmond Ridder meet following international play, with Sep 28, 2025 set at Croke Park in Dublin as the two exchange words after a Steelers and Vikings matchup, capturing a rare overseas postgame interaction between veteran experience and a younger passer seeking long-term footing. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
In fact, so long as he is in the league, Ridder will be a Vikings’ emergency option in the event injuries arise, as they did in 2023 and 2025.
Anaheim Ducks coach Joel Quenneville was livid with the officials after they failed to call icing on the Vegas Golden Knights’ game-winning goal in Game 1.
The Ducks’ bench erupted in protest as Ivan Barbashev scored late in the third period following the controversial no-call. With the game tied 1-1 late in the third, Anaheim had pulled its goalie for an extra attacker.
On a play in the neutral zone, the puck was sent toward the Ducks’ end. Officials waved off icing, allowing Pavel Dorofeyev to make a nice pass to Ivan Barbashev, who scored the game-winner to take a 1-0 lead for Vegas in the series.
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Quenneville didn’t hold back in the post-game presser, stating:
“Clearly, I disagreed with the call. Clearly, it was icing. But their guy stopped skating, which really made me annoyed.”
Anaheim Ducks fall to Vegas Golden Knights in Game 1
On Monday, the Anaheim Ducks suffered a 3-1 defeat to the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena. The Golden Knights take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.
After a goalless first period, Brett Howden opened the scoring for the Golden Knights after putting them ahead 1-0 at 3:14 of the first period. This was the lone goal scored in that period.
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“I just tried to put the puck deep and I saw Jack on the far side going through,” Barbashev said via NHL.com. “I thought for a second he beat him, and that’s why they waved it off. Jack just put a little pressure on him. They turned it over, and (Dorofeyev) made a great play.”
Mikael Granlund tied it 1-1 for the Ducks at 13:57 in the third period. Ivan Barbashev increased the lead to 2-1 for the Golden Knights at 15:02 before Mitch Marner‘s empty-net sealed the win for them.
“It’s Game 1. It is (about) which team finds its game the quickest that has the advantage,” Golden Knights coach John Tortorella said. “We’re fortunate. Fortunate that we found a way to win. They played well. Some of it had to do with them. They played well, but we have some things to work on.”
Game 2 returns to T-Mobile Arena on Wednesday, with the puck dropping at 9:30 p.m. ET.
Emma Raducanu faces a potential rematch with Coco Gauff in the third round of the Rome Open, with the American responsible for her fourth-round exit at the tournament last year.
The British No 1 has not played since Indian Wells in March after struggling to shake off a viral illness, and has yet to play a clay-court match this season.
Her stop-start beginning to 2026 was complicated by an injury to her right hand, which she cited as her reason for pulling out of last week’s Madrid Open.
But she is slated to take part in Rome. She will begin her campaign in the second round – after receiving a first-round bye – against either world No 72 Solana Sierra or a qualifier.
All of the WTA top 20 are taking part in the final WTA 1000 event before the French Open, where Gauff is the reigning champion. The American will face either Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva or Czech teenager Tereza Valentova in her opening match in Rome.
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Should Raducanu replicate her strong run in Rome last year, her likeliest opponent in the quarter-finals would be world No 8 Mirra Andreeva, who has enjoyed a brilliant clay season so far, winning the Linz Open and finishing runner-up in Madrid.
World No 1 Aryna Sabalenka – who has been drawn in Raducanu’s half – willl play either 2021 French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova, who is returning from injury, or Elsa Jacquemot. Defending champion Jasmine Paolini has been drawn in the same quarter as Gauff, Raducanu and Andreeva.
Four-time Roland-Garros champion Iga Swiatek has yet to reach her usual heights this season and faces a tough draw in Rome, with Emma Navarro potentially awaiting in the third round and Naomi Osaka in the fourth.
British No 3 Katie Boulter will open against Eva Lys; should she win that encounter, she will play Osaka in the second round.
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While the women’s Rome field looks highly competitive, Sinner is the overwhelming favourite on the men’s side (Getty)
In the men’s draw, British No 1 Cameron Norrie, who reached the Barcelona Open quarter-finals on clay, has a bye to the second round. Jack Draper is out for the remainder of the clay season as he continues to battle a series of injuries.
World No 1 Jannik Sinner is on a record run of five consecutive Masters 1000 titles and looking to make that six at his home Masters, while Novak Djokovic will be relieved he can only face the Italian in the final.
Sinner is aiming to replicate Djokovic’s achievement as the only man to complete the career Golden Masters – winning all nine titles at this level – with Rome the only one the 24-year-old has yet to claim.
Sinner is seeded to meet Jakub Mensik – one of the few players to beat him this year, in the Qatar Open quarter-finals – in the third round and rapidly rising Frenchman Arthur Fils, whom he defeated in the Madrid semi-finals, in the fourth.
Djokovic, who has been out of action since Indian Wells as he recovers from injury, will open against Marton Fucsovics or a qualifier.
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