Luke Littler bulldozed his way to a second consecutive Betfred World Matchplay title as he crushed Gerwyn Price 18-9 in Blackpool.

The 19-year-old averaged 111.53 in the final, setting an average for the tournament as a whole of 111.04 to break Phil Taylor’s record of 106.31.

Littler also broke his own competition record for 180s as he hit 12 in the final to reach 66 for the week.

Littler became only the third man to successfully defend the Matchplay final after Taylor and Michael van Gerwen, who did it most recently in 2016.

It keeps Littler on course for a clean sweep of trophies in 2026, having already won the World Championship, UK Open, Premier League and the Masters, while he will defend the Grand Slam, Grand Prix and Players Championship Finals.

Littler was on a charge from the start, taking a 3-1 lead with a 167 checkout to leave Price feeding on crumbs.

A third bullseye finish of the night made it 11-3, but he twice missed double 10 to allow Price a brief moment of hope, as the Welshman cut the deficit to 14-7.

Price hit a nine-darter to get to 15-9 but Littler responded with a 148 before finishing it off in short order.

“It’s been a crazy week, one of the best weeks of my life with the darts I’ve played,” Littler said. “It’s not been easy, it’s been tough.

“The stats make it look easy but when you’re on this stage with how hot it is, I’ve definitely played some of the best darts of my life.

“I feel like it’s the best version of myself. I have just played so well.”

Littler is eyeing a clean sweep of the majors, and will now turn his attention to the Pro Tour in order to qualify for the Player Championship Finals.

“I don’t think my dad is too happy because we were meant to be going to Spain but now we will be going to Leicester for some Pro Tours!” he said.

Price, appearing in his first final since 2022 having never won the trophy, had said earlier in the week that if he brought his best to the final he could beat Littler, but it was not the case as, even averaging 104.97, the Welshman was blown away.

“Luke is one in a million,” Price said. “I think I played pretty decent.

“In that game I missed a couple of opportunities but the bull checkouts, the 167, it was a big turning point even though it was early in the game.

“I didn’t play brilliant, but I played decent.”

Earlier Beau Greaves claimed her third Women’s World Matchplay title in four years as she edged out Fallon Sherrock 6-5.

Greaves started the final with finishes of 148 and 144 in consecutive legs, but Sherrock kept pushing, and took back-to-back legs to level at 5-5 and force a decider.

They shared maximums but Greaves came out on top with a checkout of 56 to secure the crown.

“I’m not one to celebrate but it was relief in the end,” Greaves said. “Fallon is a great lass and an even better darts player. I knew I had to play well but to hit that last dart was an outpouring of relief.”

Luke Littler warned he can still get better after crushing Gerwyn Price 18-9 to retain his Betfred World Matchplay title in Blackpool.

Littler was in imperious form as he set a new record for the final with an average of 111.53, lifting his average for the tournament as a whole to 111.04 to break Phil Taylor’s previous high mark of 106.31.

Littler also broke his own competition record for 180s as he hit 12 in the final to reach 66 for the week.

The win keeps Littler on course for a clean sweep of trophies in 2026 having already won the World Championship, UK Open, Premier League and the Masters.

But while the 19-year-old said this was the best version of himself to date, there is still plenty more to come.

“I can still get better,” Littler said. “I can get a lot better. Through the matches, I was up to a 120 average at one point and I didn’t make it stick. Maybe in a few years’ time I will stick it and go up to a 120 average.

“At the minute I’m playing some of the best stuff and I’ve just got to keep it there…

“The main goal was to win every major once. I don’t know how many years are left in me. We’re still only two and a half years into my professional career. It’s far from done.”

Littler suggested his relentless scoring reflected his deep desire to become only the third man to successfully defend the Matchplay title after Taylor and Michael van Gerwen, who achieved it 10 years ago.

“I’ve come out with the best outcome there is in any tournament by lifting the trophy, but the way I’ve done it, I’ve definitely surprised myself but it’s down to the commitment I’ve got.

“I wanted to win this trophy more than anything, go back to back, put my name on that list and that’s what I’ve done. I wasn’t playing the best (in the World Series) but I’ve come here with a different mindset.”

Price, appearing in his first final since 2022 having never won the trophy, had said earlier in the week that if he brought his best to the final he could beat Littler, but it was not the case as, even averaging 104.97, the Welshman was blown away.

“Luke is one in a million,” Price said. “I think I played pretty decent.

“In that game I missed a couple of opportunities but the bull checkouts, the 167, it was a big turning point even though it was early in the game.

“I didn’t play brilliant, but I played decent.”

Earlier Beau Greaves claimed her third Women’s World Matchplay title in four years as she edged out Fallon Sherrock 6-5, taking the win with a checkout of 56 in the deciding leg.

“I’m not one to celebrate but it was relief in the end,” Greaves said. “Fallon is a great lass and an even better darts player. I knew I had to play well but to hit that last dart was an outpouring of relief.”

One of MLB’s top trade candidates ahead of the Aug. 3 deadline might be out for the remainder of the season.

Athletics catcher Shea Langeliers, who was enjoying a career year behind the dish and in the batter’s box, suffered a torn meniscus that could force him to miss the rest of the season, per ESPN.

The 28-year-old hurt his knee while running on the basepaths, and now he and the team are deliberating over whether he should undergo surgery to repair the tear in the knee.

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Shea Langeliers of the Athletics is seen in the dugout after hitting a solo home run in the eighth inning during a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, in Phoenix, Ariz. (MLB Photos)

If surgery is the decision, ESPN reports it would be the end of Langeliers’ 2026 campaign.

But either way, teams that were interested in potentially trading for the All-Star catcher are very likely out of the running now. Langeliers is considered one of the best at his position in MLB, which is why the A’s had no plan to move him despite a 44-60 record on the year that puts them on the outside looking in at playoffs.

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Langeliers has been the team’s top player, representing them at his first-ever All-Star Game earlier this month. And he’s doing so while others like Nick Kurtz, Brent Rooker and Jacob Wilson are dealing with injuries themselves.

Langeliers is slashing .263/.332/.497 this season with a .829 OPS, 23 home runs and 51 RBI. These are the numbers the A’s were hoping Langeliers would post this season after a successful 2025 campaign that included 31 homers and a career-high .861 OPS.

Shea Langeliers of the Athletics bats during the third inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on July 21, 2026, in Phoenix, Ariz. The Diamondbacks defeated the Athletics 6-5. (Getty Images)

He was on pace to break some more career highs, but this injury puts a damper in it all.

And those postseason contenders are just as bummed if they were hoping the A’s would change their position about moving Langeliers before the deadline. The New York Yankees, for one, are a team that’s expected to be in the catching market before the deadline, and calling the A’s about Langeliers would likely have occurred.

Now, catchers like Colorado Rockies’ Hunter Goodman and Baltimore Orioles’ Adley Rutschman could see an uptick in interest among teams hoping to bolster that position for a playoff push.

Shea Langeliers #23 of the Athletics gets ready in the batter’s box against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field in Phoenix, Ariz., on July 20, 2026. (Getty Images)

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The A’s will have to go with Jonah Heim moving forward with Langeliers sidelined, and he himself has been among trade conversations as well due to his veteran prowess. He vaults to a starting role, though, and may not be as available.

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Britain’s Francesca Jones made it back-to-back wins on the Challenger Tour by successfully defending her title at the Palermo Ladies Open.

The top seed beat Fiona Ferro 6-0 4-6 7-6 (8-6) in two hours and 43 minutes.

Jones, who had dropped one set all tournament, took the opener in just 21 minutes.

The 25-year-old then fought back from 3-0 down to lead 4-3 in the second, but Ferro reeled off three straight games to level the match.

A tight deciding set went all the way to a tie break, where the French seventh seed spurned match point at 6-5, allowing Jones to close out victory.

It was her fourth career win on the Challenger Tour and second in eight days, following a victory at the ATV Rome Open.

“We both deserved to win. It was a close match until the end, and we did everything we could,” said Jones, who beat Anouk Koevermans of the Netherlands to win the title in 2025.

Bradford-born Jones will rise from 113 to 110 in the WTA rankings on Monday following this success.

3M Open final leaderboard

-25 J Koivun (US); -22 S Scheffler (US); -20 D McCarthy (US), B Harman (US), C Phillips (US), H Matsuyama (Jpn)

Selected others: -17 S Power (Ire), G Woodland (US) M Kim (US); -16 Knapp (US); -13 J Parry (Eng)

Full leaderboard

American rookie Jackson Koivun held his nerve to beat Scottie Scheffler by three strokes and claim his first PGA Tour win at the 3M Open on Sunday.

Playing in just his third tournament since turning professional, Koivun surged into a three-shot lead on Saturday during a round of 10-under 61.

The 21-year-old then stretched his lead to five in the final round at TPC Twin Cities in Minnesota, before world number one Scheffler applied pressure.

The four-time major winner began the back nine with three straight birdies, then claimed two more in the final three holes to finish with an eight-under 63 and trail compatriot Koivun by two strokes.

Former world amateur number one Koivun could have wobbled at that point, with holes left to play, but instead he made his fifth birdie of the day at 16 before wrapping up a five-under 66 to finish on 25 under par overall.

“I had some nerves coming down 18,” said Koivun. “All throughout the crowd I kept hearing ‘Scottie’s coming, Scottie’s coming’.

“I just tried to tune that out and keep playing the golf I knew I could and was able to find some good putts coming down the stretch.”

American trio Denny McCarthy, Brian Harman and Chandler Phillips finished five strokes behind Koivun, in a tie for third with Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama.

Michael Kim fired a 12-under 59 on Friday, but the American finished in a tie for 10th after closing with rounds of 70 and 69.

The Ciaron Maher-conditioned galloper, Tennessee Bound, has successfully maintained its winning form with a courageous performance at Caulfield.

Tennessee Bound extended its unbeaten run to six races with its victory in the Sportsbet Caulfield Cup Carnival Hospitality Handicap (1100m) held on Saturday, though the triumph was preceded by early race-day drama.

The Written Tycoon filly faltered slightly as the starting gates opened, requiring apprentice jockey Jabez Johnstone a few moments to find her rhythm.

“It wasn’t smooth sailing, that’s for sure,” Johnstone stated.

“She stepped awkward and had a bit of a trip but recovered well.

“I was under pressure coming into the straight and for that reason she did lay-out marginally, but for a horse to win six in a row, it’s a pretty fair effort.”

Sent to the post as the commanding $1.45 favourite, Tennessee Bound held off a tenacious Behaviour ($11) by a mere short head, with Luna Cat ($5.50) finishing a further two lengths adrift in third.

Maher indicated his intention to proceed with a measured strategy for Tennessee Bound, suggesting he would likely seek another handicap-based race in the coming weeks.

Saturday’s win was achieved in a Benchmark 84 event.

“We’ve been patient with her,” Maher remarked.

“She had a three-month break before this preparation, and I think that really helped her.

“I thought she stripped pretty well today, and I think the claim for Jabez definitely helped and getting close to the line, it got a bit interesting, but all she can do is win, so we can’t be too hard on her.

“We’ll see how she comes up, she’s progressive and keeps winning and it certainly gets tougher every time she steps out.

“However, she handles the track, so we’ll raise the bar again, but we won’t get too carried away and look for ratings races.

“She’ll probably jump up four or five points, so we’ll continue to use Jabez’s claim.”

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As portions of a WNBA All-Star record crowd booed her introduction Saturday night, Caitlin Clark maintained her smile and focus.

“Don’t lose that joy,” a former sitting U.S. President had reminded her one day earlier.

Clearly, Clark listened.

Of course, Barack Obama might not have approached Clark individually if she weren’t already tough enough to be transcendent. With the ball in her hands – and then quickly spinning through the air at the United Center in Chicago – Clark embraced and seized a moment she aims to experience regularly.

“You’re kind of just like a young kid running around out there and having fun and shooting whatever shots and being creative and playing with flow, and I really enjoy that about the game of basketball,” she said. “So, it was really fun for me to get back out there.”

Clark was an All-Star months after the Indiana Fever selected her with the top pick of the 2024 WNBA Draft. Still, she reflected Saturday that the format influenced the feeling of that game seeming less like a usual midseason showcase.

The U.S. Women’s National Team faced a team of league All-Stars including Clark in a leadup to the 2024 Paris Summer Olympic Games.

Two years later, a WNBA All-Star Game-record 19,783 fans packed an NBA venue to watch teams that were drafted by Hall of Famers and league pioneers Cynthia Cooper and Teresa Weatherspoon as the “W” hailed its 30th anniversary.

Clark was one of eight Team Spoon players to finish in double figures in a 129-122 victory. She scored 11 of the team’s first 13 points on the way to a 17-point, four-rebound, five-assist effort.

She delivered a trio of deep 3-pointers in the first 2:23, connecting from a few feet inside the half-court line with the final trey of that sequence.

Grinning and occasionally sticking her tongue out as she jogged back down the floor in a familiar gesture, Clark channeled the jubilation of the moment plus some on reserve.

An injury kept her from the 2025 All-Star Game hosted by the Fever. The rival Chicago Sky last summer also shifted two regular-season games against Indiana from Wintrust Arena to United Center, but Clark was sidelined for those, too.

“Obviously, last year really stunk in it being in our home city. Like, you never want to miss that for the fans,” Clark said. “So, you know, I love to show up and get to compete and play.”

Clark’s popularity after a stellar collegiate career at Iowa has helped drive a surge in WNBA interest. Chicago also hosted the 2022 All-Star Game but kept it at Wintrust, where 9,572 fans showed up.

With fame comes what Obama called “immersion in nonsense” in a candid conversation with Clark that an observer shared to social media. The former president surprised All-Stars on Friday during practice at the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago. Obama also playfully attempted to defend New York Liberty center Jonquel Jones, later the All-Star MVP.

Clark was set to travel back to Indiana after the game with the team flying to Seattle on Sunday ahead of Tuesday’s second-half opener.

With Indiana on a 5-1 tear entering the break, the joy figures to follow. Clark became the first player in league history to notch a 45-point, 10-assist game on July 17.

She and the Fever are set to return to the United Center when they face the Sky on Aug. 8.

“The reality is that that young lady brought so many people and so many eyes,” said Indiana’s Kelsey Mitchell, who scored 28 points for Team Coop, “but I think the transformation for us and the Indiana Fever was that we brought culture back. We brought a sense of purpose and the game.”