MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA – MARCH 26: Coco Gauff of the United States celebrates after defeating Karolina Muchova of Czechia during their semi final match on day 10 of the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium on March 26, 2026 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images)
Coco Gauff ran through Karolina Muchova 6–1, 6–1 at the Miami Open 2026 to reach her first final in Miami.
After a week of long, good matches, Gauff produced her most straightforward performance when it mattered most.
She’s now: 6–0 against Muchova, into her first Miami Open final and into her 6th WTA 1000 final.
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She came into this tournament off an injury and a retirement at Indian Wells. No expectations. Just trying to feel good on court again.
Now she’s in the final.
After the match, she said:
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“I’m super excited to be in the final of this tournament.” “Like I’ve said the whole week, I didn’t expect to be here . I’m really happy.” “I’ve just been trying to find the joy in the sport.” “Through the battles I was having fun.”“It’s nice to get through in 2 sets today.”
She becomes the youngest American woman to reach the Miami final since Serena Williams (2003) and will move up to World No. 3, overtaking Iga Swiatek.
Team Penske’s Austin Cindric explained how NASCAR’s horsepower bump will produce extreme tire falloff at Martinsville Speedway. He expects drivers to step off the throttle to preserve rubber.
NASCAR’s 750-horsepower package at Darlington led to 16 lead changes among eight drivers. Many drivers praised the package for its passing ability, but maintained that the front-end nose wash was still a predominant struggle. Joey Logano, in particular, wanted more tire falloff for better racing.
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The onus is now upon Goodyear to deliver the right balance between degradation and durability. The last time Goodyear brought softer sets was at Bristol, where tire wear and corded sets produced a chaotic race.
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Cindric believes in a similar occurrence at Martinsville this year.
“We’ve trended over the last few years of going to tires that definitely wear out more and more at Martinsville,” he said via X/SiriusXM,”On top of that, now we’re adding adding the power and you know, there were times last year Martinsville where you start to get a full throttle as the right rear and the right front tires fall off, so I definitely think it’s going to make an impact, probably more so than maybe anywhere else.”
“We’re doing two u-turns and coming from a stop in comparison to most the places we go. So from what I did on the sim today and everything else, I think it’s definitely going to make an impact and you’re definitely going to have to be pretty nice to those tires,” Cindric added.
Austin Cindric finished among the top-5 at Darlington, making it his maiden top-10 of the season as well. His teammate Ryan Blaney finished among the podium places and took home 42 points.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. shares verdict on NASCAR’s horsepower package at Darlington
Dale Earnhardt Jr. dropped an honest take on NASCAR’s 750-horsepower package at the recently concluded Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway. The Cup Series veteran believes NASCAR can ‘move forward’ with the change.
He also noted that removing downforce from underneath the car and stripping away the diffuser aided the racing product. On the latest episode of Dalr Jr. Download, Earnhardt said,
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“It didn’t do anything bad. It didn’t produce anything extraordinary. I think it’s Darlington….Goodyear’s done some great work on the tire. We had guys that were able to pass, able to make moves.”
The 293-lap event saw Tyler Reddick win his fourth trophy in six races, a feat last achieved by Bill Elliott in 1992. The 23XI Racing driver had to overcome a multitude of issues and managed to beat a dominant Brad Keselowski by more than five seconds.
KOCHI: The Indian men’s football team faced fresh embarrassment on Thursday, this time even before they could take the field. National head coach Khalid Jamil and the team were denied entry to Kochi’s Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium, the venue for India’s Asian Cup qualifier against Hong Kong on March 31. Jamil had reached the stadium to inspect the pitch and attend a scheduled press conference, but officials of the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) refused him entry.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!GCDA security staff also stopped the Indian team from training at the stadium. The team had to later train at Kerala Blasters’ training ground in Trippunithura, 10 kilometres away from the stadium. GCDA staff said they were acting on instructions from the secretary and chairman not to allow anyone into the stadium complex until the full rent and security deposit was paid by the Kerala Football Association (KFA), the host association for India’s Asian Cup Qualifier with Hong Kong here on March 31.
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Football returns to Delhi! SC Delhi gear up for first ISL home game
KFA president Navas Meeran said, “The Asian Cup qualifier will go ahead as planned. What happened on Thursday was a minor technical problem and it will be sorted out soon,” he said.The GCDA is seeking a security deposit of Rs 25 lakh and a match rent of Rs 3 lakh. The KFA agreed to pay, but the GCDA demanded the full amount on Thursday itself, before allowing the scheduled press conference and practice session to proceed. Although the KFA asked for more time, the GCDA refused.Meanwhile, coach Jamil arrived at the stadium for the press conference and ground inspection, but after waiting for a long time at the KFA office amid the dispute, he was left with no option but to leave. Security personnel also stopped journalists from entering for the press conference, saying they had orders from higher authorities not to allow anyone in. The main gate was later locked.
The International Olympic Committee said on Thursday it was re-introducing testing for gender to determine eligibility to compete in the female category, preventing transgender women from competing. The screening will mean Olympic women’s sports from the 2028 Los Angeles Games will be limited to biological females, which would also rule out those with differences in sexual development (DSD). FRANCE 24’s Selina Sykes reports.
Heimir Hallgrimsson was left feeling only pain as the Republic of Ireland’s World Cup dream was shattered in a heart-breaking penalty shoot-out.
Ireland saw a 2-0 lead evaporate on a dramatic night at Prague’s Fortuna Arena as the Czech Republic fought their way to extra time and after a 2-2 draw, edged through 4-3 on penalties to set up a winner-takes-all clash with Denmark on Tuesday evening.
For head coach Hallgrimsson and his players, who were bidding for a first trip to the finals since 2002, it proved an agonising conclusion to a campaign which had blossomed late in the day.
Asked to sum up his emotions, the Icelander said: “One word, just pain. I feel pain, I feel pride for the performance of the players. They gave it all. I feel gratitude towards the supporters who showed up and supported us the whole game, even after the loss.
“I feel pride being a part of that group, but personally – and I know the players will feel pain now, only pain, I would say.”
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Twenty-three minutes into a pulsating contest, Ireland led 2-0 through Troy Parrott’s penalty and an own goal from keeper Matej Kovar and looked to have one foot in Tuesday’s final.
Patrik Schick’s spot-kick reduced the deficit almost immediately, but Hallgrimsson’s side were within four minutes of victory when Czech skipper Ladislav Krejci – currently playing his club football in the Premier League with Wolves – headed his side level to force extra time and ultimately penalties.
Caoimhin Kelleher saved Mojmir Chytil’s attempt to hand Finn Azaz the chance to make it 4-2, but Kovar saved his and Alan Browne’s attempts to set up Jan Kliment to complete the comeback.
For Hallgrimsson, who signed a contract extension last week, the back-to-back victories over Armenia, Portugal and Hungary which booked their trip to Prague will provide a source of optimism for what lies ahead.
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He said: “First of all, we take that with us, that we can play teams higher than us in the FIFA ranking, punch above our weight whether it’s Portugal, Hungary or here, and compete with these teams.
“We came here with three wins in a row – it’s a long time since that happened for this national team, so I think there’s growth in the squad, I think it’s maturing.
“These have been the biggest games most of these players have played, so that’s encouraging, to know that we are growing.”
Hallgrimsson and his players headed home without Derby striker Sammie Szmodics, who was carried off on a stretcher after being knocked unconscious within minutes of his introduction, but is expected to fly back to Ireland on Friday.
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Czech boss Miroslav Koubek was delighted with the outcome of his first game in charge, but admitted there was room for improvement.
He said: “I said it would be a war and it was a war.
“It was a battle indeed, but we proved that we have the right mindset.
“Obviously it was not without mistakes. It was a very raw match. It was an epic battle.”
Back in the 1980s, the aforementioned quartet were all involved in epic fights with one another, with boxing fans regularly debating who they deem to be the best of the four legends.
Just over 30 years later, Crawford became a legend in his own right, claiming world titles in multiple divisions before retiring from the sport back in December following his victory over Canelo Alvarez.
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Having now begun to settle into life after boxing, Crawford has been reflecting on his own career whilst speaking to The Ring, and was asked how he believes he shaped up compared to each of Leonard, Hagler, Hearns and Duran.
“To be honest, I had a little bit of all of them. I wouldn’t say I only had one of their styles because I do so much in the ring.
“Like Marvin Hagler, I’m a southpaw. Like Sugar Ray Leonard, I can box on my toes. Like Roberto Duran, I can roll with the punches, catch, shoot, and throw from underneath. With Tommy Hearns, I can fight from the outside with a good, sharp jab.
I’m all of that in one. … [I would fight] any of them – just pick one of them.”
Kylian Mbappe’s recent knee injury at Real Madrid has taken a concerning turn, with a medical error allowing the French forward to continue playing despite an undiagnosed ligament issue.
The problem began after a knock during Madrid’s La Liga defeat to Celta Vigo last December, but an initial MRI scan was mistakenly conducted on his right knee instead of the injured left one.
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With no damage detected, Mbappe remained in action and went on to feature in multiple matches, even as he experienced discomfort, before a later scan finally revealed the true extent of the injury.
Wrong scan delays accurate diagnosis
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The issue dates back to December when Mbappe first experienced discomfort following a La Liga defeat to Celta Vigo. Club medical staff conducted an MRI scan, but it was mistakenly performed on his uninjured right knee. As a result, no problem was detected initially, and Mbappe remained available for selection.
According to a media report from The New York Times, Mbappe continued playing despite showing signs of inflammation in his left knee, which had not yet been properly assessed.
Injury confirmed after fresh examination
A subsequent scan on the correct knee later revealed a partial tear in the posterior ligament. Real Madrid officially communicated the injury on December 31, describing it broadly as a knee sprain while opting for a conservative recovery approach.
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Despite the underlying issue, Mbappe went on to play three matches after the initial incorrect scan and featured regularly in the following weeks.
Continued involvement despite discomfort
Even after the diagnosis, Mbappe remained involved in several fixtures. He played through a packed schedule, managing appearances across domestic and European competitions while his condition was closely monitored by the coaching staff.
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There were indications that his fitness fluctuated, with some days pain-free and others more problematic. However, the absence of knee instability allowed the medical team to clear him for matches when symptoms were manageable.
Managed workload under new coaching setup
Under new head coach Alvaro Arbeloa, Mbappe’s training intensity was reduced, and his minutes were carefully controlled. The forward missed a short stretch of games in early March and also travelled for further evaluation and treatment.
Real Madrid maintained their stance on a conservative recovery plan, with no surgical intervention deemed necessary.
Gradual return
Mbappehas since made a gradual return to action, coming off the bench in recent matches, including key fixtures in the Champions League and La Liga.
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He has now joined the France national team for upcoming international friendlies, with his fitness continuing to be monitored closely as he works towards a full recovery.
With the Sweet 16 underway, the most tuned-into game may be No. 4 Arkansas against No. 1 Arizona. For Razorbacks’ coach John Calipari, tonight’s game is his 17th appearance in the Sweet Sixteen. If Calipari were to coach his way into the Elite Eight, it would be his 13th time reaching the stage.
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Tonight’s game also has significant value for the Arizona Wildcats. If they were to win, it would be the team’s first appearance in the Elite 8 in over 10 years, when they lost in the round during the 2015 NCAA Tournament. With Wildcats’ coach Tommy Lloyd being linked to UNC’s head coaching vacant spot, tonight’s game may be his last with Arizona if the team were to lose.
En route to tonight’s Sweet 16 matchup, the Razorbacks easily defeated No. 13 Hawaii 97-78 in the opening round, and ended No. 12 High Point’s brief Cinderella run in the Round of 32 with a 94-88 win. On the other side, for the Wildcats, they cruised to a 92-58 win over the No. 16 LIU Sharks in the Round of 64. After briefly struggling against No. 9 Utah State in the Round of 32, Arizona held strong and finished the job 78-66.
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Arizona heads into this game as 7.5-point favorites against the Razorbacks on DraftKings.
Here is a look at the box score from Thursday’s Sweet 16 matchup from the Midwest Region in San Jose.
Mar 26, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Flyers center Sean Couturier (14) reacts after scoring a goal against the Chicago Blackhawks during the first period at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
Christian Dvorak, Noah Cates and Alex Bump each registered a goal and an assist as the Philadelphia Flyers thumped the visiting Chicago Blackhawks 5-1 on Thursday evening.
Samuel Ersson made 25 saves for Philadelphia (35-24-12, 82 points), which has won six of its last eight games to make some late noise in the Eastern Conference playoff picture. Denver Barkey and Sean Couturier also scored for the Flyers.
Chicago (27-32-13, 67 points) remains well out of postseason contention following its fifth loss in seven games. Connor Bedard scored the only goal for the Blackhawks, while Spencer Knight did his best to combat a furious Flyers offensive performance with 37 saves.
Philadelphia scored twice in the first three minutes, beginning with Bump’s third career goal. Less than a minute after the opening faceoff, Knight turned over the puck behind the net to Dvorak, who promptly fed Bump in front for a wide-open tally.
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Just over a minute and a half later, another Chicago turnover — this time by Andre Burakovsky — led to Couturier’s ninth of the season. The Blackhawks winger passed the puck right to Luke Glendening, who sent a puck to the net that Couturier redirected for a 2-0 lead.
Barkey deposited a rebound past Knight 5:14 into the second period to make it 3-0.
Midway through the middle stanza, Bedard scored his 30th goal of the season to cut into the Blackhawks’ deficit. However, the Flyers added two more goals before the period ended.
First, Matvei Michkov’s blind pass unleashed Cates on a breakaway that ended with a backhander over a sprawling Knight. Then, in the final minute, Dvorak redirected a terrific pass from Owen Tippett into the net for a 5-1 cushion.
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Neither team scored in the final period as the Flyers swept the two-game season series with the Blackhawks by a combined 8-2 margin.
Tommy Berry has voiced his strong interest in riding the upwardly mobile stayer Soul Of Spain in the Sydney Cup, actively seeking the partnership and committing long-term through the autumn series.
This decision is paying dividends already, with the Chris Waller-conditioned gelding even-money favourite alongside others for April’s two-mile prize, and presenting a viable upset possibility in Saturday’s elite weight-for-age Tancred Stakes (2400m) at Rosehill.
The previous Irish raider emerged prominently in spring via successive confidence-building wins in Queensland, followed by a win in the Newcastle Cup (2300m) and second spot in the Metropolitan (2400m).
He has turned heads with powerful late surges at his latest two starts, placing sixth to champion Autumn Glow second-up in February’s Verry Elleegant Stakes (1600m), then runner-up to Vauban alone in the March 14 Sky High Stakes (2000m).
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Berry remains excited by the gelding’s displays and indicates the Tancred Stakes weights could be challenging, yet the rise to 2400m will favour Soul Of Spain en route to richer targets.
“Obviously, the step up to 2400 metres is going to suit on the way to a Sydney Cup . . . although, he’s got to meet some pretty handy horses at around the same weight,” Berry said.
“Last ‘prep’ he was doing things on raw ability when he was coming through the grades, but he is a lot more seasoned.
“Chris Waller got to travel him a little bit last preparation, up in Queensland and back to Sydney, and usually that’s very good for stayers. He has come back a more professional racehorse, and he’s got a really good turn of speed.”
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A Tancred Stakes triumph would be gratifying according to Berry, but he deems the fixture ideal seasoning for Soul Of Spain’s Sydney Cup campaign, as the five-year-old benefits from dropping to 53.5kg from 59kg in the weight-for-age race on Saturday for the handicap.
“He’s ready to take the next step and Chris always uses a method getting to his grand finals, and the race on Saturday is one he’s used previously to get his better horses to a Sydney Cup,” he said.
Discover betting sites with the best racing odds for the Sydney Cup.
One of AEW’s top stars, MJF, took aim at a former WWE World Champion on social media recently after the latter critiqued his performance on Dynamite. Now, the self-proclaimed generational talent is officially scheduled to face off with the talent in question, Nic Nemeth (fka Dolph Ziggler).
For some time now, seeds were being planted for a potential showdown between Maxwell Jacob Friedman and Nic Nemeth, especially after The Wolf of Wrestling issued a public challenge to the “Most Wanted Man” to lock horns with him in an AEW World Title match this past January. Following on the heels of Wednesday Night Dynamite this week, the erstwhile Dolph Ziggler offered some words of criticism to Friedman while appearing on Busted Open. This prompted MJF to explosively lash out at the ex-WWE superstar, going so far as to call the latter an “overhyped” mid-carder.
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It appears that a showdown between the AEW Men’s World Champion and the former WWE World Heavyweight Champion is finally set to take place. The matchup will go down at Create A Pro Monumental Moment on May 1, at Melville, New York.
“. @Myers_Wrestling just hit me up and said this clowns down to throw hands. See ya there Nicky.” – posted MJF on X/Twitter.
This will seemingly be the first-ever in-ring singles encounter between MJF and the “Show-Off”.
MJF has a massive AEW title match scheduled for next month
Maxwell Jacob Friedman survived one of the biggest threats to his current World Title reign earlier this month at Revolution 2026, where he managed to retain his belt against Hangman Page in a Texas Death Match, and managed to lock him out of the World Championship picture as per the challenger’s own stipulation.
As he was celebrating his victory over The Cowboy this week on AEW Dynamite, The Salt of The Earth was interrupted and confronted by Kenny Omega, who earlier that night had become the new #1 contender for the “Triple B” by beating Swerve Strickland. The two stars exchanged words, leading to a World Title match between them being scheduled for Dynasty 2026.
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Match graphic for Maxwell Jacob Friedman vs Kenny Omega at Dynasty (Image via X @WrestlePurists)
It remains to be seen whether the so-called “God of Pro-Wrestling” will be able to dethrone The Devil this coming month.
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