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Denis Shapovalov vs Marin Cilic preview
Denis Shapovalov at the French Open 2026. (Source: Getty)
Seventh seed Denis Shapovalov will face Marin Cilic in the first round of the Libema Open 2026.
Shapovalov was sent packing in the second round of the Australian Open by Cilic. His title defense at the Dallas Open concluded in the semifinals with a three-set loss to Ben Shelton. A third-round finish at the Indian Wells Masters was squeezed in between opening-round exits from the Dubai Open and the Miami Open.
Shapovalov’s clay swing was quite disappointing. He made the quarterfinals of the BMW Open in Munich, the only tournament where he won matches on clay. He wrapped up his time on the red dirt with a first-round exit from the French Open, his fourth consecutive loss on the surface.
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A semifinal at the Dallas Open, followed by third-round appearances at the Australian Open and the Miami Open, were Cilic’s best results on hardcourts. The clay swing was quite underwhelming for the former US Open champion.
Cilic went out in the second round of all three Masters 1000 tournaments on clay. He then lost to 17-year-old Moise Kouame in the first round of the French Open, thus leaving the clay court Major without a win for the second year in a row.
Denis Shapovalov vs Marin Cilic head-to-head
Their rivalry is tied at 3-3. Cilic won their previous encounter at the Australian Open 2026 in straight sets.
Denis Shapovalov vs Marin Cilic odds
Player
Moneyline
Handicap Bets
Total Games
Denis Shapovalov
+130
-1.5 (+270)
Over 23.5 (-110)
Marin Cilic
-165
+1.5 (-450)
Under 23.5 (-135)
(Odds via BetMGM)
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Denis Shapovalov vs Marin Cilic prediction
Marin Cilic at the French Open 2026. (Source: Getty)
Both players will be eager to bounce back after a forgettable clay swing. Shapovalov has put together an 8-11 record this year. He’s currently on a four-match losing streak as well. He won only one of his three matches on grass last year.
Cilic’s record for the season stands at 11-10. He won a Challenger title on grass last year, and followed it up with a fourth-round finish at Wimbledon. He’s a former Wimbledon finalist as well, losing to Roger Federer in the 2017 final. This will be his third appearance at the Libema Open. He lost in the first round on his debut in 2006, and made the semifinals in 2017.
Shapovalov lost his first meeting against Cilic, and then won their next three matches. Cilic has fought back to even the rivalry by winning their last two matches. The Croat won their only showdown on grass at the Stuttgart Open 2021.
Only one of their six matches has gone the distance. Cilic has already beaten Shapovalov once this season, and given their results this year, another win for Cilic wouldn’t be surprising in the least.
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Yet another iteration of Apocalyptic Shadow has been introduced in Honkai Star Rail 4.3. The cycle features two new bosses, Cocolia and Ichor Memosprite: Judge of Oblivion, whom you must defeat to earn all the rewards. Since this particular iteration features the Starward Mode, the last stage is quite challenging to complete.
That said, this article takes a look at the best teams for Honkai Star Rail 4.3’s Apocalyptic Shadow.
Note: Some aspects of this article are subjective and reflect the author’s opinion.
Best teams for Honkai Star Rail 4.3 Apocalyptic Shadow, explored
Here are the node buffs that you can use in the Honkai Star Rail 4.3 Apocalyptic Shadow:
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Node 1
All Node 1 buffs (Image via HoYoverse)
Comic Relief: When an allied character unleashes an attack that deals Elation damage, the targets of the ability will be vulnerable for two turns.
Exploit Opening: When an ally inflicts a debuff on an opponent, their CRIT DMG increases by 75% for two turns.
Collapse of Sight: All enemies receive 10% extra Break DMG. When an adversary’s weakness is broken, all allies’ SPD increases by 15% for two turns.
Node 2
All Node 2 buffs (Image via HoYoverse)
Armed Up: All allies deal 200% extra Physical damage, while the enemies’ Physical RES is lowered by 20%.
Beaming Bliss: All enemies take 30% extra Elation damage. If there is an Elation unit in the team, all allies’ Weakness Break Efficiency increases by 50%.
Moment of Opportunity: All allies’ Ultimate and Follow-Up ATK damage receive a 50% boost. Moreover, when the enemies are in the weakness broken state, they take 50% more damage from the aforementioned abilities.
Node 3 (Starward Mode exclusive)
All Node 3 buffs (Image via HoYoverse)
Knowledge and Decorum: All allies’ All-Type RES PEN increases by 25% if an allied unit follows the Erudition Path.
Tarsus Infection: When an ally deals DoT damage, they regenerate 1 Energy. Furthermore, the DoT damage ignores 40% of the adversary’s All-Type RES.
Brand of Anamnesis: At the beginning of the battle, if there are 2/3/4 Remembrance characters in the team, all allies will take 5% / 10% / 20% extra damage, respectively.
Best teams for Node 1
Evanescia (Image via HoYoverse)
In Node 1, regardless of the stage, you will face Ichor memosprite: Judge of Oblivion. Since the boss and the other enemies are weak to Physical, Fire, and Imaginary elements, you should use the following teams to complete the node:
Evanescia, Yao Guang, Elation Trailblazer, and Huohuo
Sparxie, Silver Wolf LV999, Yao Guang, and Huohuo
Here, both Elation teams can prove to be useful with the help of the Comic Relief buff. The former composition can deal explosive damage to the adversaries. Since Evanescia can accumulate Certified Bangers faster than most, her damage will be off the charts. Furthermore, Huohuo will help the Elation unit utilize Ultimate more, as the former can regenerate Energy for her teammates.
On the other hand, Silver Wolf LV999’s dual DPS team featuring Sparxie will be useful in this node, as both can deal an absurd amount of damage. If you don’t have Evanescia, then this is a good alternative.
Best teams for Node 2
Ashveil (Image via HoYoverse)
As mentioned, you’ll fight Cocolia in Node 2 of every Honkai Star Rail 4.3 Apocalyptic Shadow stage. Here are the best teams for this node:
Ashveil, Mortenax Blade, Feixiao, and Hyacine
Phainon, Sunday, Cerydra, and Bronya/Dan Heng Permansor Terrae
Here, if you are using the team follow-up team featuring Ashveil, then it’s better to use the Moment of Opportunity node buff. It can boost both FUA character, as well as Mortenax Blade’s damage by a substantial amount.
Moreover, to fully utilize the first node buff, Armed Up, you can use Phainon’s hypercarry composition. The team can be used without a sustainer. However, if you want to have one just in case, then Dan Heng Permansor Terrae is the best for the job.
Best teams for Node 3
Castorice (Image via HoYoverse)
With the new Starward mode getting implemented, the last stage of Honkai Star Rail 4.3 Apocalyptic Shadow features an extra stage. If you wish, you can turn the new mode off and complete the normal version, but you won’t get any of the additional rewards, which are 100x Stellar Jade, 100x Jade Feather, and 20,000x Credit.
Here are the best teams you can use to fight Flame Reaver in Honkai Star Rail 4.3’s Apocalyptic Shadow:
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Castorice, Cyrene, Evernight, and Hyacine
Kafka, Hyacine, Black Swan, and Huohuo
To utilize the full power of the Brand of Anamnesis node buff, you should use the premium Castorice team. Besides Quantum, the characters in this team wield the Ice element, which the Flame Reaver is weak to. Moving on, if you want to use a DoT team, the aforementioned one works the best. If you do use this composition, then utilize the Tarsus Infection buff.
For more articles related to this gacha title from HoYoverse, Honkai Star Rail, check out the following section:
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Bellingham missed just 29 minutes of England’s Euro 2024 campaign, starting all seven matches, but his fortunes have changed under Gareth Southgate’s replacement.
The 22-year-old missed two qualifying matches last September because of a shoulder injury but was overlooked for October’s international camp, including a qualifier against Latvia.
He returned to the squad in November but was forced to miss friendlies in March with a persistent hamstring issue.
His relationship with Tuchel has frequently come under scrutiny, with the manager describing Bellingham’s on-field behaviour during last June’s defeat by Senegal as “repulsive” – a remark Tuchel later apologised for.
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In November, Tuchel said he would “review” Bellingham’s behaviour following his reaction to being substituted during a qualifier against Albania.
However, he was impressed with Bellingham’s performance in Saturday’s World Cup warm-up match against New Zealand in Tampa, believing he has hit a “sweet spot” heading into the tournament.
Bellingham took the captain’s armband after coming on at half-time in the 1-0 win.
“You can see Jude has for sure the decisiveness and bite,” Tuchel said. “This is his key characteristic, but you can see that he comes from an injury and is full of energy and happy to be back on the pitch.
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“He had his break, unfortunately, in a decisive part of the season, the Champions League season and campaign for the championship in Spain, so this was very unfortunate for Real Madrid and for him personally.
“But you can see now that he is actually in a sweet spot. He comes back, he’s fresh, he wants to play and he’s in top shape.”
Thea Gagate and Alyssa Valdez during Alas Pilipinas’ victory over Kyrgyzstan in the AVC Women’s Cup.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
CANDON CITY, Ilocos Sur — Thea Gagate played her best game yet in the 2026 Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Women’s Cup ahead of Alas Pilipinas’ big game against powerhouse South Korea.
With Alas needing to bounce back from a five-set meltdown against Australia less than 24 hours ago, Gagate stood tall with 11 points in a 25-9, 25-11, 25-17 domination of Kyrgyzstan to improve to a 2-1 record in Pool A on Monday at Candon City Arena here.
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“I always look back at the things I still need to improve and where I can gain more confidence, especially when it comes to my blocking,” said Gagate in Filipino after scattering eight kills, two blocks, and an ace.
The former PVL Rookie of the Year from ZUS Coffee is eager to share her experience with the new-look team after representing the national squad in their 2024 breakthrough bronze-medal run in the AVC and reaching the final last year before losing to defending champion Vietnam.
“I think I can share the lessons I learned from my previous stints with the national team, especially with the younger players. At the same time, I’m doing my best to give everything I can for the team,” said Gagate.
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“It’s about giving my best and applying everything I’ve learned from my previous national team tournaments. Hopefully, I can show even more in the upcoming games because those matches are very important,” she added.
Gagate and the rest of the Nationals have also kept their focus on winning despite the issues surrounding the suspended Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF).
“We’re really just focused on ourselves and our teammates. There’s a lot of trust within the team, and especially in our coaches. They’ve played a huge role in helping us come together and become more united,” said the former La Salle star.
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Gagate braces for a crucial game against the 2-0 Korea, which was relegated from the Volleyball Nations League and is currently World No. 38 and sixth in Asia.
“For us, it’s about executing what we’ve been working on in training. We know they’re a very fast team, so we need to adjust quickly and match their pace,” she said.
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According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Oliver Glasner has made Milan his preferred destination and is awaiting a fresh approach from the Rossoneri, while David Alaba‘s chances of moving to San Siro will increase if the ex-Crystal Palace boss is appointed along with Ralf Rangnick.
Milan are rebuilding their club’s structure after sacking their coach and prominent directors at the end of the 2025-26 campaign.
Milan revolution: latest on Glasner, Rangnick and Alaba
Milan are also due to appoint a technical director, and Austria coach Rangnick is among their primary options.
The German has already made it clear that he wants to develop his project with his own ideas and trusted men, including Southampton director Johannes Spors and Manchester United head scout Christopher Vivell.
Just like Glasner, Rangnick also expects a call from Milan in the coming days.
LEIPZIG, GERMANY – MAY 27: Oliver Glasner, Manager of Crystal Palace, looks on prior to the UEFA Conference League Final 2026 match between Crystal Palace FC and Rayo Vallecano de Madrid at Football Arena Leipzig on May 27, 2026 in Leipzig, Germany. (Photo by Alex Grimm/Getty Images)
MADRID, SPAIN – DECEMBER 20: David Alaba of Real Madrid warms up prior to the LaLiga EA Sports match between Real Madrid CF and Sevilla FC at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on December 20, 2025 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
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According to Gazzetta, if both Glasner and Rangnick join Milan, Austria international Alaba will have a greater chance of moving to San Siro as a free agent.
The 34-year-old has already been offered to Milan as well as Inter and Juventus, but he’s on very good terms with Rangnick, so he’d naturally be glad to join his national team coach in Milan next season.
Milan are aware that Alaba has had physical issues in the 2025-26 campaign, but are confident that his experience would help the team next season.
Germany’s Alexander Zverev has won the French Open final against Flavio Cobolli, and with it his first Grand Slam title.
Also in this sports roundup:
Morocco and Norway drew 1-1, just a few days before the World Cup. Denmark‘s Christian Eriksen once again collapsed on the pitch.
In Formula 1, Kimi Antonelli secured his fifth win of the season in Monaco. Metz won the first Women’s Champions League in the history of French handball. The French Rugby Sevens team won the final stage of the World Championship in Bordeaux.
The UFC had promised the greatest card in its history, with US president Donald Trump (who will turn 80 on the day of ‘UFC: Freedom 250’) predicting “eight to nine” fights – all of them for world titles.
Left to right: Ilia Topuria, Alex Pereira, Sean O’Malley and Michael Chandler (Getty Images)
Instead, fans will get seven, six of which will feature US stars and two of which will be title bouts. Is the card good enough? Let’s grade the fights themselves, then the event on the whole.
Ilia Topuria vs Justin Gaethje
A title-unification fight in one of the UFC’s most-stacked divisions?! That sell makes it feel like a strong grade is incoming… but Gaethje is a heavy underdog here, with many fans expecting him to be knocked out by the unforgiving fists of Topuria. Of course, anything is possible in MMA, and in piecing up Paddy Pimblett for five rounds to collect the interim lightweight belt, Gaethje showed what he can do as an underdog. But Topuria is not Pimblett; he is a generational talent. Plus, Gaethje’s tendency to take huge risks and immense damage mean he’s tailor made for “El Matador” to add another highlight-reel KO to his unbeaten record.
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Furthermore, Gaethje isn’t even the second-best lightweight in the world; that’s Arman Tsarukyan, who even has a claim to being the UFC’s best 155lb-er. Then there’s Islam Makhachev, who left the division to win welterweight gold, but whom many fans wished to see paired with Topuria in a battle of the top two pound-for-pound fighters in the world. Given those options were out there, it’s hard to grade this main event too highly. Grade: C+
Ilia Topuria knocked out Charles Oliveira to win the vacant lightweight belt in June (Getty Images)
What works in this bout’s favour is that it’s interesting stylistically – Gane, a fleet-footed big man, against Pereira, a powerhouse moving up in weight – and marks Pereira’s long-awaited heavyweight debut. Furthermore, he could become the UFC’s first-ever three-weight champ (albeit with an interim belt), so there’s history on the line. Grade: B
Alex Pereira has given up the light-heavyweight title to chase heavyweight glory (Getty Images)
Sean O’Malley vs Aiemann Zahabi
As with Topuria and Pereira, US star O’Malley is one of the biggest names in the UFC and definitely should be fighting at this event. But against Zahabi? The Canadian is a more-than-competent opponent for ex-champ “Suga’ Sean” in this bantamweight clash, but O’Malley vs Cory Sandhagen was the obvious play here. That bout would’ve been an all-American contest between two sharpshooters, with real ramifications in the title picture. Or, you could have put O’Malley in a rematch with reigning champion Petr Yan, although Merab Dvalishvili claimed that Russian fighters were always unlikely to feature at the White House. Grade: C
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Fan favourite ‘Sugar’ Sean O’Malley meets an unexpected foe (Getty Images)
Mauricio Ruffy vs Michael Chandler
Chandler is a big American name who always delivers excitement, and after he was teased with the prospect of a Conor McGregor fight for three years, God knows he deserves a spot at the White House. But here, he should have been given that bout with McGregor, who was pining for a place at this event, and who said he’d gladly face Chandler – two years after a broken toe ruled the Irishman out of their planned match-up. Instead, Chandler will take on flashy Brazilian striker Ruffy.
The bout is sure to deliver fireworks, so we’ll give the UFC credit there, but the expectation is that “Iron Mike” will fall victim to the rising star. It just feels a bit unfair… That said, we do understand that the UFC is operating at a loss on this event, and hypothetically saving McGregor for International Fight Week in July makes more financial sense. Grade: B-
Michael Chandler was long linked to Conor McGregor (Getty Images)
Bo Nickal vs Kyle Daukaus
This is perhaps the flattest match-up on the card. Yes, it’s an all-American bout; and yes, it sees two exciting middleweight prospects square off. But fans have soured somewhat on wrestler-turned-power-puncher Nickal, while they respect but don’t care too much about Daukaus. The winner will edge towards the title picture at 185lb, but this is hardly the kind of big-stakes fight that we were promised for 14 June. Grade: C
Rising middleweight contender Bo Nickal (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)
Derrick Lewis vs Josh Hokit
A late addition in April, and a personal request by Trump, who watched from cageside as Hokit won an instant classic with Curtis Blaydes in Miami. Hokit has emerged as a controversial, rising star courtesy of his WWE-style promos, and he will take on one of Trump’s favourite fighters in Lewis. This could go either way: it could be a slugfest to match Hokit’s last outing, or it could be a cumbersome encounter; it is unlikely to be anything in between. In any case, it did get two extra American fighters on the card. Grade: C+
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Divisive American heavyweight Josh Hokit (Getty)
Diego Lopes vs Steve Garcia
Here are the positives: Lopes always excites, and the match-up makes divisional sense at 145lb. Lopes is aiming to bounce back from two title-fight losses in his last three fights, and the Brazilian’s opponent here is a rising contender who represents the US. Tick, tick, tick. But while our counter-point isn’t especially dynamic, it holds true: this one just doesn’t get the juices flowing enough for the White House fight card. Lopes vs Garcia? Come on, now… This was meant to be the greatest card in UFC history. Grade: C+
Diego Lopes is 0-2 in featherweight-title fights (Getty Images)
Overall event grade: C+. We can see what the UFC was trying to do. Seven fights is a smarter move than doing too many, especially given title bouts are scheduled for 25 minutes. And of the seven fights, six feature US stars, including big homegrown names in Gaethje, O’Malley and Chandler. What’s more, Topuria and Pereira are two of the UFC’s biggest stars regardless of nationality. But while we’ve praised the UFC for the good elements it’s bringing to the White House, it’s so difficult not to focus on what is lacking.
Above are clear examples of better match-ups, and that’s without even disregarding some of these fights altogether to mention totally different athletes. By usual standards, this would be an A grade card for the UFC – maybe an A+ at a push. But not for an event of this magnitude.
Best hitter matchups for this week include the Mariners, Athletics and Giants
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Whether you’re in need of an injury fill-in or just a hot-hand play, Scott White has you covered with 10 sleeper hitters for the upcoming scoring period, all rostered in less than 80 percent of CBS Sports leagues. They’re not must-starts by any estimation, but they’re often the best you’ll find off the waiver wire.
The New York Knicks practice prior to Game 3 of the NBA Finals basketball series against the San Antonio Spurs, Sunday, June 7, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
NEW YORK — Madison Square Garden has seen just about everything in sports and entertainment, from the first Muhammad Ali-Joe Frazier fight to the first Wrestlemania.
It just hasn’t seen much of the NBA Finals.
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The New York Knicks have brought the finals back to their home court for the first time since 1999 and can make sure they don’t leave again this year. Fans are spending astonishingly high prices for tickets and the potential to witness a celebration more than five decades in the making.
With a 2-0 lead over Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs, the Knicks are halfway to their first championship since 1973. They are the biggest thing in the Big Apple, and it seems everyone is caught up in the hoopla except the Knicks themselves.
“I know the fan base is really excited, as they should be,” captain Jalen Brunson said. “But as a team, us inside the locker room, we have more work to do.”
Game 3 is Monday, with President Donald Trump in the building. Whether they’ve played in the arena or sat way up in the cheap seats — not that there is such a thing this time with tickets reselling for more than $10,000 — people know this night will be different.
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“I think it’s going to be through the roof,” Spurs guard Dylan Harper said. “I think it’s going to be everything that I’ve kind of seen or dreamed of times 10.”
It will be the first NBA Finals game at Madison Square Garden since June 25, 1999, which ended with the Knicks watching the Spurs celebrate their first championship after winning Game 5.
That series, and one in 1994, were the only finals games played at MSG since the Knicks won the 1973 title. They were rarely close again until this 13-game winning streak, the second longest by any team in one playoffs, with the atmosphere around the city seemingly becoming more raucous with each victory.
“Fans have earned the right and deserve the right to see finals basketball be played here at Madison Square Garden,” Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns said. “For this to be the first game in a long time that they have seen finals basketball, it’s up to us to bring it, give them something to cheer for, give them something to get loud for and also give them something to believe in.”
Wembanyama, Brunson and the rest of the players will be only part of the scene Monday, sharing it with the first sitting president to attend an NBA Finals game and the celebrity fans who surround the court. Some of them were already there Sunday for practices, with Knicks coach Mike Brown finally getting to meet actor Ben Stiller, then having his news conference extended when rapper Fat Joe insisted on a chance to speak from the back.
Wembanyama got to show his stuff at MSG in his second season, when the Spurs were given the leadoff game on the NBA’s marquee Christmas schedule and he scored 42 points. Opportunities like that, which the Spurs increasingly have been treated to since drafting the 7-foot-4 phenom from France, could help them with what they will face Monday.
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“This arena’s like no other. The added circumstances will be on top of that,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said. “We’ve been fortunate to play some games in this arena recently that have been, again, not finals, but a Christmas game. Again, I just think added attention around Victor and being in this arena a few times, we’ve experienced that. I would expect tomorrow will be more than that.”
The Knicks have been so dominant during this run that they haven’t gotten to see MSG much. They have played only four home games since May 4, when they opened the second round of the playoffs. So even the home team struggles to put into words exactly what Monday will look and sound like.
“I’ve seen a lot of crazy atmospheres,” guard Deuce McBride said. “I don’t think I’m going to know what to expect, but I’m just proud to be here, I’m so blessed to play here and I know the fans are going to bring it and we’re going to do everything we can.”
The arena that shook when Willis Reed walked onto the court for Game 7 in 1970 will be rocking again Monday. The current MSG had opened just a couple of years earlier, and the previous one never even saw the NBA Finals. The Knicks made it three straight years from 1951-53, but those games were played at the 69th Regiment Armory on Lexington Avenue because the Garden was hosting the circus.
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Game 3 kicks off a massive sports week in the New York region, with a World Cup game scheduled for Saturday in nearby East Rutherford, New Jersey, which will host the final. Knicks forward Josh Hart had signed on in an ambassador role for the local World Cup committee but knows the Knicks have put even the world’s biggest sporting event on the back burner for the moment.
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“I love football, man, so obviously a little bummed I can’t go to some of those matches, but I have something a little more interesting right now going on in my life,” Hart said. “It also adds to the energy of the city.”
As Nelly Korda stared down a 9-foot-2-inch putt on the 71st hole of the U.S. Women’s Open at Riviera on Sunday, she knew exactly what was at stake: the grandest title in the women’s game and one that had eluded her in 11 previous attempts. Hole the putt for a birdie 4 and Korda would take a one-shot lead into the home hole; miss and . . . well, she’d need to make par on Riv’s brutish par-4 18th just for a spot in a playoff. “I knew that I needed to make it,” Korda said later.
She also knew the putt would move quickly and hard from left to right. Leaning on a tactic she’d been employing all week, Korda picked an immediate target between her ball and the hole, locked in on that spot and coolly jarred the birdie — moving her to two under for her round and eight under for the tournament, one clear of clubhouse co-leaders Charley Hull and Gaby Lopez. Later, in her winner’s press conference, Korda said, “That putt is the reason why I’m here.”
Really, though, every one of Korda’s other 68 shots on Sunday mattered just as much, including all four of the swipes that came after her clutch 4 at 17: her smashed tee shot on 18 that left her just 145 yards into the green; her smooth approach to the fat of the green that left her 35 feet from glory; and, from there, her solid lag putt that all but sealed the deal when it petered out just 2 feet 10 inches from the hole. Thirty-four inches. A kick-in. A formality. A gimme, if only there were such a thing in the professional game.
You’d be forgiven for thinking that Korda is flawless, this year especially. Her graceful swing, which deserves its own wing at the Met, is one thing. But her stats are even more awe-inspiring: In eight starts in 2026, Korda has now won four times (including two major titles) and finished runner-up on four other occasions; she is gaining more than 4 strokes per round on her “competition”; and her 68.26 scoring average is a stunning 1.15 shots clear of her closet rival. If this LPGA season were a boxing match, the referee would have called it weeks ago.
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And yet no golfer is perfect. Not Babe. Not Hogan. Not Jack. Not Tiger. Not Nelly Korda. Her humanness surfaces on the greens, often over short putts in nervy moments. In March, at the Fortinet Founders Cup, Korda’s hopes of victory were spoiled when she missed a two-and-a-half footer on the 71st hole. “Stupid mistake,” she said after the round. Missed shorties also cost her dearly at the 2021 AIG Women’s Open and at the 2023 Chevron Championship. Korda’s short-putt shakiness was evident even at this year’s Chevon, which she won by five. Korda’s victory could have been even more dominant if not for three missed 4-footers over her last 11 holes. “I want to show kids at home that it’s okay to miss shorts putts and still win a major championship,” Korda said afterward. “You’re gonna do it. You’re gonna make mistakes but you have to mentally still be in it 100%.”
Not all 34-inchers are created equal, and the one Korda left herself on Riviera’s 18th green on Sunday — with thousands of fans and the ghost of Hogan peering down on her from the natural amphitheater above — fell somewhere between a tickler and a terrorizer. “I had to honestly a couple times tell myself, okay, stay in the moment, because I was dreaming of hoisting the trophy a little too early,” Korda said. “I kept reverting back; I’m like the job’s not done.”
Her final task: a delicate left-to-righter, wind off her left, golf history in the balance.
“I was like, good lord,” Korda said. “Pretty much, like, why did I leave myself such a long putt to make par?”
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As Korda addressed her putt, her ball sat in the shadow created by her right leg. Also between her putterhead and the hole was the shadow created by her left leg — insignificant distractions under most circumstances but . . . yeah, not optimal given the weight of the moment. Korda said she had one stroke thought, and it wasn’t a positive one.
“I knew that I didn’t want to miss it right,” she said.
So she played prevent defense.
“Maybe had aimed a little bit too far left and pulled it,” she said. “I mean, your heart rate is going.”
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Same was true for anyone watching from home.
The ball came off Korda’s blade left and stayed left. Inches from the hole, it looked like she’d yanked it. An inch from the hole, it was clear she had yanked it. Mercifully, the ball grabbed the hole’s edge and horseshoed around it like a skateboarder peeling around a swimming pool. Korda’s Titleist didn’t quite complete a 360 but it came close before finally disappearing. The new champion raised her right hand to her mouth, the international sign for OMG.
“She thought she’d missed it,” NBC analyst Morgan Pressel said on the telecast.
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