Jan 23, 2026; Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Daniil Medvedev in action against Fabian Marozsan of Hungary in the third round of the men’s singles at the Australian Open at Margaret Court Arena in Melbourne Park. Mandatory Credit: Mike Frey-Imagn Images
Third-seeded Daniil Medvedev won the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships on Saturday when Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherlands was forced to withdraw due to a hamstring injury in the United Arab Emirates.
Griekspoor defeated another Russian, fifth-seeded Andrey Rublev, in straight sets in the semifinals on Friday but fought through the injury suffered in that match. He said after his victory that he would have retired from the match if he had lost the second set.
For Medvedev, this is his 23rd career title and second in Dubai (2023). This is the first time he has won a tournament for a second time.
He defeated top-seeded Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada in the semifinal and didn’t drop a set in the tournament.
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“Not how I want to win a final. Hoping the injury for (Griekspoor) is not too bad and wishing him a speedy recovery,” Medvedev wrote on X.
BCI Seguros Chile Open
Germany’s Yannik Hanfmann upset top seed Francisco Cerundolo 6-3, 6-4 in Santiago, Chile, to advance to his first ATP Tour final in six years and be in position to win his first title on tour.
The unseeded Hanfmann, whose last final was in September 2020, won 79% (27 of 34) of his first-serve points while Cerundolo, who won the Buenos Aires title two weeks ago, was undone by 27 unforced errors.
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Hanfmann, 34, will face second-seeded Luciano Darderi of Italy, who topped third-seeded Sebastian Baez of Argentina 6-4, 6-3 in one hour, 29 minutes. Darderi saved four of six break points while Baez was 3 of 7. Baez, the 2024 champion, actually hit more winners (15 to 13) and had fewer unforced errors (29 to 31) and double faults (four to five).
MS Dhoni arrived in Chennai to a rousing reception from fans on Saturday, February 28. The veteran wicketkeeper landed in the city ahead of the upcoming 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL).
The 44-year-old is all set to play yet another season for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK). A big crowd gathered at the Chennai airport to catch a glimpse of the star cricketer.
The Chennai-based franchise posted a video on Instagram, announcing Dhoni’s arrival. The former CSK skipper signed an autograph for a fan before stepping into a car amid heavy security.
CSK captioned the post:
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“The helicopter has landed in Chennai!”
It is worth mentioning that MS Dhoni’s association with CSK started in the inaugural IPL edition in 2008. The forthcoming edition will be his 17th season with the team. The new retention rules allowed the five-time champions to retain him as an uncapped player for ₹4 crore prior to the mega auction in 2025.
Dhoni recently visited the Deori Maa Temple near Ranchi to seek blessings. He continued his tradition of praying at the ancient temple before major tournaments.
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MS Dhoni will be part of CSK’s pre-season camp for IPL 2026
CSK will kickstart their preparation for IPL 2026 with a pre-season camp in Chennai from Sunday, March 1. According to Cricbuzz, a total of 15 Indian players, including MS Dhoni, will take part in the camp at the team’s high-performance centre.
The team’s T20 World Cup 2026-bound Team India stars Shivam Dube and Sanju Samson will join the squad following the ICC event. Ruturaj Gaikwad will continue leading the side, while Stephen Fleming will remain their head coach.
Meanwhile, Chennai roped in nine players at the IPL 2026 mini-auction. They invested heavily in uncapped Indian players, signing Kartik Sharma and Prashant Veer at ₹14.20 crore each. Some of their other notable buys included West Indies spinner Akeal Hosein (₹2 crore), New Zealand pacer Matt Henry (₹2 crore), and Indian batter Sarfaraz Khan (₹75 lakh).
NEW DELHI: The race to the knockouts at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 has reached its decisive stage, with three semifinal spots already secured and one final berth still up for grabs.England cricket team, South Africa national cricket team, and New Zealand national cricket team have officially booked their places in the last four of the 10th edition of the tournament.
T20 World Cup: Ryan ten Doeschate press conference before IND vs WI
The fourth semifinalist will be determined after the high-stakes Super 8 clash between India national cricket team and West Indies cricket team on Sunday, with the winner advancing to the knockout stage.T20 WORLD CUP 2026: KNOCKOUT DATES CONFIRMEDThe semifinals are slated for March 4 and March 5, while the final will be played on March 8.T20 WORLD CUP 2026: QUALIFIED TEAMSEngland, South Africa, New Zealand and TBD (between India and West Indies)
Date
Match
Time
Venue
March 4, Wednesday
Semi-final 1
7:00 PM
Kolkata
March 5, Thursday
Semi-final 2
7:00 PM
Mumbai
ENGLANDEngland became the first side to seal a semifinal berth from Super 8 Group 2. The two-time T20 champions registered crucial wins, including a commanding 51-run triumph over Sri Lanka, a two-wicket victory against Pakistan, and a four-wicket win over New Zealand to confirm their progression.SOUTH AFRICASouth Africa advanced from Super 8 Group 1 after impressive performances, highlighted by key victories against India and West Indies.NEW ZEALANDNew Zealand emerged as the third semifinalist, progressing from Group 2 of the Super 8 stage with consistent performances.THE FINAL SPOT: INDIA OR WEST INDIESThe last remaining semifinal place will go to either India or West Indies from Group 1. Their Super 8 encounter effectively serves as a virtual quarterfinal, with qualification on the line.SEMIFINAL FORMAT: EXPLAINEDAs per tournament rules:The Group 2 winners will face the Group 1 runners-upThe Group 1 winners will take on the Group 2 runners-up
There are plenty of different avenues the Minnesota Vikings could pursue when choosing what to do with their 18th overall pick. The roster has significant depth holes, which could result in them simply choosing the best player available.
Combine Results Highlight Vikings’ Options for Pick No. 18
As things stand now, a pair of Oregon Ducks are expected to be available when they are officially on the clock, but both have raised their stock at the NFL Combine. Dillon Thieneman crushed multiple drills and then blazed a trail during the 40-yard dash.
It’s not just the safety that caused waves, though. Tight end Kenyon Sadiq has always been the most likely first-round pick from Oregon this cycle, and he matches up with Minnesota well.
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Feb 27, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq (TE23) during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
T.J. Hockenson carries a cap number north of $21 million this season. Despite the salary cap surpassing $300 million for the first time, the Minnesota Vikings still have plenty of hurdles to work through. They need to move more than $40 million around, and the veteran tight end is a boat anchor.
Last season, the Vikings did their tight end no favors by placing poor quarterbacks under center on a near-weekly basis. However, he is nowhere near the top end of the league and is a prime candidate to be restructured, traded, or outright cut. If and when that happens, Kenyon Sadiq becomes a shiny new toy for Kevin O’Connell.
The Oregon Ducks tight end turned 51 receptions into 560 yards and eight touchdowns last season. He was easily the most dynamic tight end in the nation and showed off athleticism, along with an ability to contribute in blocking schemes.
Showing out at the combine was never going to be surprising given how much of a physical freak he is, but he may have taken things up a notch. Not only did he post a blazing 40-yard dash time, but he leapt off the earth for his vertical jump, too.
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Minnesota needs to figure something out at tight end if they decide to move off of Hockenson. Josh Oliver is under contract, but little certainty remains beyond that. Sadiq would add another playmaking option to Kevin O’Connell’s offense, and he would pair well with Oliver in the same vein that Hockenson has.
Nov 29, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Oregon Ducks defensive back Dillon Thieneman (31) intercepts a pass against the Washington Huskies during the second half at Husky Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images
Most mock drafts have Sadiq lasting beyond the Vikings’ first-round pick, but that may no longer be the case after his showing in Indianapolis. Still, he may be a talent that Minnesota can’t afford not to prioritize, and he could wind up being the next significant difference maker at the position across the entire league.
Ted Schwerzler is a Minneapolis based blogger that covers the Minnesota Twins and Vikings. Sharing thoughts constantly on Twitter, … More about Ted Schwerzler
Sep 14, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs safety Bryan Cook (6) celebrates after a play against the Philadelphia Eagles during the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images.
Each offseason, right before free agency, we asked VikingsTerritory writers to pick one free agent apiece they expect Minnesota to sign — the guy they’re staking their reputation on for a prediction’s sake. As always, our contributors were all over the board.
These picks focus on realistic fits, contract costs, and where the Vikings still need help.
Question to our staff: If you had to put money on one external free agent signing with the Vikings, what’s that guy’s name? This is your prediction, not your preference.
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Our Predictions in Free Agency Largely Target Defensive Backs
Here’s what they said — our official free-agent predictions for the 2026 Vikings.
Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs (7) looks on during pregame warmups Aug. 16, 2025 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, before a preseason game between the Dallas Cowboys and Baltimore Ravens. Diggs prepared with teammates as Dallas evaluated defensive personnel and secondary depth ahead of the upcoming regular season. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images.
1. Trevon Diggs | CB, DAL
Predictor: Janik Eckardt
The Minnesota Vikings need at least two more cornerbacks, and they have a limited budget this offseason. Diggs has an impressive track record in the NFL, but injuries have limited him in recent years, which should significantly lower his asking price. The corner is a low-risk, high-reward type player and ideal for a franchise that has taken risks with injured athletes in the past.
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2. Coby Bryant | S, SEA
Predictor: Tony Schultz
With Harrison Smith either retiring this year or shortly after, the defense’s backend needs to be shored up. Smith is a smart player and still almost always in position at his age, and you need a guy who can bring veteran presence along with youth.
Bryant not only brings those attributes but also the stats to back them up. At 26, he’s young enough to team up with Theo Jackson for a nice duo roaming the zones and man coverage looking for picks and break-ups, and he brings Super Bowl credentials as well. Depending on the draft, he might be playing back there with Dillon Thieneman, and they could be a deadly pair for years to come.
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Safety isn’t a highly coveted position, but Brian Flores’s defense needs big, smart players there to make calls and tackles. While the cap is tight, they should be able to wiggle him in and get the most impact, rather than players who might not be attainable.
Breece Hall and Tyler Linderbaum would be nice, but an expensive running back might not add enough to the offense, and I think the team already has its center in Blake Brandel or Michael Jurgens.
3. Lloyd Cushenberry III | C, Free Agent
Predictor: Henrique Gucciardi
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The Vikings need a new center to complete their offensive line. If they decide to stick with J.J. McCarthy as QB, an experienced center makes more sense than a rookie, and Cushenberry has a case to be the best available.
4. Cade Mays | C | CAR
Predictor: Wes Johnson
The Vikings couldn’t have predicted the awful season that last year’s free-agent signing, Ryan Kelly, would have; a string of head injuries has likely ended his career. Minnesota, which enters the offseason in desperate need of depth, finds help on the O-line in Mays. With this draft deep at WR, DT, LB, S, and CB, shoring up other positions should be critical.
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5. Kamren Curl | S, LAR
Predictor: Steve Hoikkala
Curl is decent-sized at 6’2, only 27 years old, and after 6 years in the league, the big question will be if the Vikings can pry him away from the Rams. If we are going by Pro Football Focus grades, he has put together some solid seasons that put him in the Top 20 at his position, and he allowed only 1 TD in 2025 while also being known for his run defense.
The Vikings are likely to need to fill two safety spots, and Curl can play both FS and SS, with the ability to play in the box, which gives Brian Flores a versatile tool in the backfield.
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6. Leo Chenal | ILB, KC
Predictor: Kyle Joudry
Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Leo Chenal (54) runs onto the field before kickoff Dec. 25, 2023 at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, ahead of a game against the Las Vegas Raiders. Chenal joined teammates for pregame introductions as the Chiefs prepared for a late-season AFC West matchup. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports.
Great size, young, isn’t likely to break the bank, fills a need, and is coming out of a sophisticated, aggressive defense. Note that free agency is often used to address major needs ahead of the draft, ensuring a team doesn’t have to reach. In Mr. Chenal, the Vikings do so at linebacker.
7. Reed Blankenship | S, PHI
Predictor: Ted Schwerzler
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Reed Blankenship, you are a Minnesota Viking.
He will be 27 this year and has played in a strong Philadelphia Eagles defense. Regardless of Harrison Smith’s situation, Flores needs help at safety. That’s an immediate answer and plays both now and into the future.
8. Travis Etienne | RB, JAX
Predictor: Ali Siddiqui
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The Vikings will likely move on from Aaron Jones, given his age and cap number. Jordan Mason is a good complementary back to have, but is not an RB1.
9. Tutu Atwell | WR, LAR
Predictor: Brevan Bane
Minnesota may be able to get this Jalen Nailor replacement a little bit cheaper than the namesake, but Atwell comes with more big-play and gadget-play potential.
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10. D.J. Reader | DT, DET
Predictor: Josh Frey
Reader has never been overly productive by the box score numbers, but he’s an all-around solid veteran in the trenches. The Vikings will be looking to rebuild their defensive tackle position again, and Spotrac projects his contract to be worth just under $3.9 million. For a team that needs to be fiscally responsible this spring, the move makes sense.
11. Asante Samuel Jr. | CB, PIT
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Predictor: Dustin Baker
Samuel Jr. met with the Vikings on his free-agent tour midseason last year, but he picked the Steelers. There, he was coached by Gerald Alexander — who took over this offseason for Daronte Jones in Minnesota. Given the double connection here, plus Mike Tomlin gone from Pittsburgh, Samuel Jr. will sign with the Vikings for two years and $11 million.
With Byron Murphy Jr., Isaiah Rodgers, and Samuel Jr. in the house, the Vikings aren’t pigeonholed into drafting a Round 1 corner.
t12. Bryan Cook | S, KC
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Predictor: Adam New
Kansas City Chiefs safety Bryan Cook (6) walks onto the field during warmups Sep. 5, 2025 at Corinthians Arena in São Paulo, Brazil, before a game against the Los Angeles Chargers. Cook prepared with Kansas City’s secondary for an international contest as part of the NFL’s expanding global regular-season schedule. Mandatory Credit: Amanda Perobelli/Reuters via Imagn Images.
The Vikings need help in the secondary, and free-agent fits don’t come much better than Bryan Cook. He can fill the need for a deep safety, coming from a blitz-heavy defense in Kansas City, making him perfect for Flores’ defense.
t12.Bryan Cook | S, KC
Predictor: Cole Smith
The former Chief was one of the league’s best safeties last year, and the Vikings need to revamp their secondary.
The final round of the 2026 Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches gets underway Sunday, March 1, at PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. You can find full Cognizant Classic tee times for Sunday’s final round at the bottom of this post.
Featured tee time for Round 4
Shane Lowry hasn’t won an individual event on the PGA Tour since his marquee victory at the 2019 Open Championship and hasn’t won on U.S. soil in nearly 11 years.
But that could all change on Sunday as Lowry’s 63 on Saturday thrust him into a share of the 54-hole lead at the Cognizant Classic. All three of Lowry’s PGA Tour victories came with at least a share of the 54-hole lead.
He’ll have to contend with journeyman pro and 36-hole leader Austin Smotherman, who birdied his final hole at PGA National Saturday to join Lowry at 13 under.
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Lowry and Smotherman will play alongside each other in Sunday’s final grouping at 1:45 p.m. ET.
You can watch Sunday’s final round of the 2026 Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches from 1-3 p.m. ET on Golf Channel and then 3-6 p.m. ET on NBC. PGA Tour Live on ESPN+ will provide exclusive early streaming coverage beginning at 7:45 a.m. ET on Sunday, in addition to featured group and featured hole coverage.
Check out the complete Round 4 tee times and groupings for the Cognizant Classic below.
Cinderella stories are part of golf. Usually, though, they involve players, not places.
For years, Inverness Club — a six-time major championship venue and Donald Ross design in Toledo, Ohio — seemed an unlikely candidate to rejoin the modern U.S. Open rota. As the national championship increasingly gravitated toward a small circle of anchor sites and the modern game rendered many older courses obsolete for the best male players, Inverness came to be seen as a relic of an earlier era: a great design but not a national championship stage.
On Saturday, that changed.
The United States Golf Association, gathered in New York for its annual meetings, confirmed that Inverness will host the 2045 U.S. Open, the headliner in a trio of additional championships rounded out by the 2033 U.S. Girls’ Junior and the 2036 U.S. Women’s Amateur. The announcement had been anticipated after reporting by the Toledo Blade, which called the news a “monumental” coup, and a statement by Toledo mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz, who said the decision dispelled the “myth” that the Toledo market wasn’t strong enough to merit such an honor.
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The 2045 championship will mark the fifth U.S. Open contested at Inverness and the 13th USGA championship held at the club overall. The course is already scheduled to host the 2027 U.S. Women’s Open and the 2029 U.S. Amateur, underscoring what has become a renewed partnership between the governing body and one of the Midwest’s most storied venues.
USGA CEO Mike Whan said in a statement that Inverness provides a championship setting consistent with the organization’s competitive standards, noting its history of staging events ranging from national opens to elite amateur competitions.
For Inverness, the award represents a striking championship revival.
The club first hosted the U.S. Open in 1920, when Ted Ray captured the title in an event notable for featuring the U.S. Open debut of Bobby Jones. Subsequent U.S. Opens, in 1931 and 1957, ended in playoffs, before Hale Irwin won at even par in 1979, two strokes ahead of Gary Player and Jerry Pate.
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Despite that résumé — which also includes PGA Championships in 1986 and 1993 — Inverness gradually faded from the championship spotlight. As professional golf entered an era defined by distance and infrastructure demands, the course was regarded by some as too short to challenge modern players, while Toledo found itself competing for attention with nearby major-championship markets such as Detroit’s Oakland Hills Country Club and western Pennsylvania’s Oakmont Country Club.
Inverness’s prospects seemed to dim further when the USGA began emphasizing anchor venues for the U.S. Open — returning repeatedly to sites such as Pinehurst No. 2 and Pebble Beach Golf Links — with championships scheduled through 2044 already spoken for. Against mounting odds, though, Inverness pushed to reestablish itself as a championship stage.
Key to that effort was a 2017–2018 renovation by architect Andrew Green, who reworked the course to better reflect the strategic principles of Ross’s Golden Age design. The project reopened playing corridors, expanded greens, and reinstated design characteristics that had been altered during a 1970s overhaul undertaken ahead of the 1979 U.S. Open.
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The changes helped reshape perceptions. Inverness hosted the 2019 U.S. Junior Amateur and the 2021 Solheim Cup. Then came the USGA’s decision to award the club the 2029 U.S. Amateur. There was growing indication that the course was back in the governing body’s sights.
The latest announcement extends that trajectory while also delivering a significant moment for Toledo, a Rust Belt city hit hard by a waning industrial economy and decades-long population decline.
Saturday’s news is also another notch in the golf belt for Ohio. Through 2025, the state has hosted 41 USGA championships overall, among the highest totals in the country.
The Inverness announcement came as part of a broader slate of future championship site selections unveiled by the USGA. National Golf Links of America on Long Island will host the 2040 Walker Cup, while Cypress Point Club in California is slated to stage the 2042 Curtis Cup and the 2048 Walker Cup. Seminole Golf Club in Florida was awarded the 2046 Curtis Cup and the 2052 Walker Cup.
The busiest division was the boys Division three which had three finalists and multiple wrestlers going for state medals.
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The three finalists were in Division 3: Cedar Grove-Belgium’s Seth Race (175), Oostburg’s Liam Richards (165) and Mishicot’s Owen Schacht (190).
Oostburg’s Liam Richards works to pin Random Lake’s Wyatt Depies in a 165-pound match during the WIAA D3 team sectional at Cedar Grove-Belgium High School, Saturday, February 21, 2026 in Cedar Grove, Wis.
Schacht dominated his opponent in the state championship, winning a 14-5 major decision.
He became Mishicot’s fifth-ever state champion and first since Brant Cracraft in 2022.
Richards also capped his season by winning a state championship, rallying from a point down to earn a 4-1 decision.
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He becomes the sixth state champion in Oostburg history and 11th-overall individual title.
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Race was among the first matches of the evening with the state tournament beginning at 175 for the boys, losing a 5-0 decision for silver.
Cedar Grove-Belgium saw four Rockets earn medals after losing in the semifinals on Feb. 27 as Chase Heimerman (113) and Landon Heimerman (120), Carsen Voskuil (138) and Josh Anzia (215) all finished fourth.
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Also in Division 3 and winning state medals were five area wrestlers.
Placing fifth were Ozaukee’s Sterling Schanen (106) and Random Lake’s Simon Schwabe (190).
Reedsville’s Tristen Verbeten (165), Random Lake’s Caleb Schreiber (120) and Cedar Grove-Belgium’s Syrus Anderson (190) each placed sixth.
On the girls side seniors Angie Bianchi and Emjay Neumann, from Two Rivers and Manitowoc Lincoln were competing in their fourth finals of their high school careers.
Bianchi’s quest for an 11th state title for her family ended with an extremely close 4-3 decision which saw her opponent pick up a takedown with a minute left in their match to finish with a silver medal at 120 pounds.
Neumann, too, fell in the championship match via a 10-5 decision.
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There were three semifinalists in Division 2, Kiel’s Logan Schad (132), Plymouth’s Sawyer Dailey (190) and Two Rivers’ Max Matthias (215).
All three would finish second at their weights as Dailey was pinned in one minute and 48 seconds while Matthias dropped a 7-1 decision and Schad lost a 4-1 decision.
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Rounding out Division 2, Plymouth’s Landen Fick (144) made the consolation semifinals and won the fifth-place match via an injury default to finish with a state medal.
Women’s tennis legend Martina Navratilova weighed in on the U.S-Israeli strikes against Iran Saturday.
Navratilova, a frequent critic of President Donald Trump, labeled him a “psychopath” for the decision to attack Iran in a post on X.
“OMG… Trump is a psychopath- he totally doesn’t give a damn how many people he is personally responsible for killing,” Navratilova wrote in response to a post by Marjorie Taylor Green criticizing Trump for the strike.
Navratilova also expressed support for the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in a later post.
“That would be good news,” she wrote in response to an earlier news report that Khamenei might be dead.
Khamenei was confirmed dead on Saturday after an Israeli strike in Tehran after his compound was reduced to rubble. Khamenei ruled the Islamic Republic for more than three decades and oversaw an era of harsh internal repression and confrontation with the United States and Israel.
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Navratilova previously joined a coalition of athletes, along with Riley Gaines, signing a letter in November condemning the Iranian regime for its death sentence of boxing champion Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani.
Still, Navratilova levied similar criticism against Trump after the military strike on Venezuela and the capture of Nicolás Maduro in January.
“He is absolutely insane. Not to mention this is completely illegal,” Navratilova wrote on Jan. 4 of Trump after the Venezuelan strike. “Peace president my a–! Trump is breaking more laws than all the previous presidents combined. A serial criminal on so many different fronts!”
Navratilova has cited her background as a refugee who fled the former Czechoslovakia to escape a totalitarian communist government in her criticisms of Trump. Navratilova has said she left her homeland in 1975, citing her experience under Soviet rule, resenting the limitations on personal liberties.
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Navratilova has compared Trump to her home country’s authoritarian rule in the past, including in the tennis legend’s pinned post on X.
“I lived in a totalitarian authoritarian country growing up and I will not vote for that now or ever,” she wrote in October 2024, referencing Trump.
Saturday’s strikes on Iran prompted a growing bipartisan push in Congress to rein in Trump’s war powers, with lawmakers in both parties demanding votes on resolutions aimed at limiting his authority to use military force in the region.
Members in both chambers had already planned to force votes before the first bombs fell Saturday. Now, they are doubling down on calls to restrict the president’s military authority.
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Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., has repeatedly forced votes to curb Trump’s war powers abroad, and he was nearly successful in halting further military action in Venezuela until Republicans blocked the effort earlier this year.
In the House, Reps. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Ro Khanna, D-Calif., are preparing their own war powers resolution for a vote.
Massie said in a post on X he opposed “this war. This is not ‘America First.’”
Trump has called for the people of Iran to “take control” of the country’s government.
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“This is the single greatest chance for the Iranian people to take back their Country,” the president wrote. “We are hearing that many of their IRGC, Military, and other Security and Police Forces, no longer want to fight, and are looking for Immunity from us. As I said last night, ‘Now they can have Immunity, later they only get Death!’”
Trump said he hopes the IRGC and police will “peacefully merge” with Iranian patriots to stabilize the country.
“That process should soon be starting in that, not only the death of Khamenei but the Country has been, in only one day, very much destroyed and, even, obliterated,” he wrote. “The heavy and pinpoint bombing, however, will continue, uninterrupted throughout the week or, as long as necessary to achieve our objective of PEACE THROUGHOUT THE MIDDLE EAST AND, INDEED, THE WORLD!”
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Fox News’ Efrat Lachter, Ruth Marks Eglash, Alex Miller and Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.
Jackson Thompson is a sports reporter for Fox News Digital covering critical political and cultural issues in sports, with an investigative lens. Jackson’s reporting has been cited in federal government actions related to the enforcement of Title IX, and in legacy media outlets including The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Associated Press and ESPN.com.
Bangladesh’s veteran wicketkeeper-batter Mushfiqur Rahim has been stranded in Jeddah while returning from his Umrah pilgrimage, as US strikes on Iran have disrupted flight services in the region. The US and Israel launched a major offensive on Iran on Saturday, with American President Donald Trump calling on the Iranian public to overthrow the Islamic leadership that has ruled the nation since 1979. The military strikes have led to a closure of air space in the Gulf region and caused disruption to several flights, including Emirates and Air India.
“…I came to macca for the umrah hajj couple of days back…had finish my hajj and heading back to Bangladesh via Dubai (emirates) today..,” he wrote on his Facebook page.
“…we have flown this morning from jeddah to dubai via EK 0806 but unfortunately due to the war between USA, ISRAEL AND IRAN all the flight has return to Jeddah and now i am in jeddah airpot including thoushand of passengers…when and how we will able to go to Dhaka along with other Bangladeshi people.” Air India cancelled all its flight to and from the Gulf region, mainly to Abu Dhabi, Dammam, Doha, Dubai, Jeddah, Muscat, Riyadh, and Tel Aviv, Israel, the airline said in a statement posted on ‘X’.
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The 38-year-old Rahim has already retired from ODI and T20I cricket. He has scored 7,795 runs from 274 ODIs with nine centuries and 49 fifties.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Team USA Olympic hockey hero Jack Hughes spoke about his support for his country’s women’s hockey team after his team was the subject of backlash for laughing at a joke by President Donald Trump about the women’s team.
During an interview on ESPN’s “The Pat McAfee Show” Friday, Hughes opened up about his respect for the women’s team after McAfee appeared to reference the controversy by joking that Hughes and his teammates “hate” the women players.
“We are hanging out with them so much, the women’s team. We were supporting them. Like, we were at their games, they were at our games,” Hughes said.
Jack Hughes of the United States celebrates after a gold medal win during against Canadaat Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games Feb. 22, 2026, in Milan, Italy. (Elsa/Getty Images)
Hughes then appeared to address the recent criticism of his team for its response to Trump’s joke.
“Like all these people talking, how many of them watched their gold medal game? Me and Quinn Hughes were at the game. We were at the game until like overtime ended on the glass, and we were jumping up and down so excited for these girls, so excited they won,” Hughes said.
“And how many of these people watched the gold medal game, watched their semifinals game? Like 10 of the 10 of our players went to their game in the round-robin. Like, we supported them so much, and we’re so proud of them. We’re so happy that they won, and they brought a gold medal back and that, you know, I said it, the men’s and women’s team both brought gold medals back. So, just unbelievable for USA hockey.”
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Hughes, who scored the game-winning overtime goal against Canada to win gold, reflected on his interaction with the player on the U.S. women’s team who did the same, Megan Keller.
“Me and her had a great moment in the cafeteria after her gold medal game. We played Slovakia the next night, and it was like a late game. And we were in the pasta line — me and Megan. They were just getting ready to go out again, and I just gave her a massive hug, and I said, ‘I’m so happy for you. I’m so proud of you,’” Hughes said.
“A couple nights later, saw her again in the [cafeteria], and we took a great picture and, uh, she just gave me a big hug and was so pumped for me as well.”
Hughes told reporters after the game the first thing he thought about when the puck went in was Keller, who scored the golden goal for the United States women’s team against Canada three days earlier.
The controversy surrounding the men’s team stemmed from a locker room phone call between the players and Trump right after their gold medal win over Canada.
Trump told the men’s team after inviting them to Tuesday’s State of the Union address that he’d “have” to invite the women’s team, otherwise “I probably would be impeached.” The team laughed in response, prompting immense backlash.
Several mainstream media outlets penned op-eds condemning the men’s team for laughing at the joke and then visiting the White House to celebrate and Trump’s State of the Union address.
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The United States’ Jack Hughes (86), who scored the winning overtime goal, celebrates after defeating Canada in the men’s ice hockey gold medal game at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy Feb. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
U.S. women’s hockey captain Hilary Knight said on Wednesday’s edition of ESPN’s “SportsCenter” that Trump’s “distasteful joke” has “overshadow[ed]” the women’s success.
“I thought it was sort of a distasteful joke, and, unfortunately, that is overshadowing a lot of the success, the success of just women at the Olympics carrying for Team USA and having amazing gold medal feats,” Knight said.
“We’re just focusing on celebrating the women in our room, the extraordinary efforts, and continue to celebrate three gold medals in program history as well as the double gold for both men’s and women’s at the same time. And really not detract from that with a distasteful joke.”
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Hughes’ mother, Ellen, a former Team USA player and current player development staff member, said the players only cared about “bring[ing] so much unity to a group and to a country.”
Jackson Thompson is a sports reporter for Fox News Digital covering critical political and cultural issues in sports, with an investigative lens. Jackson’s reporting has been cited in federal government actions related to the enforcement of Title IX, and in legacy media outlets including The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Associated Press and ESPN.com.
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