Indians struck back in style in Round 7 as D Gukesh and R Praggnanandhaa delivered crucial victories while Divya Deshmukh bounced back from her previous-round setback to beat compatriot Koneru Humpy, reigniting the country’s challenge as the Norway Chess title race entered its decisive phase here.

World champion Gukesh salvaged 1.5 points from his clash against American Grandmaster Wesley So, securing victory in the Armageddon tie-break after letting a winning opportunity slip in the classical game, to move to eight points overall.

He, however, remained rooted to the bottom of the six-player double round-robin standings.

Praggnanandhaa, meanwhile, handed French Grandmaster Alireza Firouzja a second successive classical defeat to collect the full three points and climb to nine, but the gains did little to alter the standings, with the young Indian GM remaining fifth and Gukesh sixth.

However, both Indians stayed within touching distance of the leaders and could yet make a late charge with three rounds still to be played.

Wesley So continued to lead the standings with 12.5 points, while Alireza held second place on 10. A tightly packed chasing group of three players — Praggnanandhaa, world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen and Germany’s Vincent Keymer — shared third spot on nine points, keeping the title race wide open heading into the final three rounds.

Seven-time champion Carlsen, meanwhile, continued his resurgence after an inconsistent start, defeating Keymer in the Armageddon tie-break to stay firmly in contention.

Few would discount the Norwegian from the title race, given his proven ability to recover from early setbacks and mount late surges, a trait that has underpinned many of his triumphs over the years.

Gukesh, playing with the white pieces, had worked his way into a winning position by activating his king and steadily pressing his advantage, but severe time trouble — with just 18 minutes remaining compared to So’s hour on the clock — proved costly as the American defended well to force a draw in the classical game.

The world champion, however, made amends in the Armageddon tie-break, where the Indian displayed sharp calculation to seal victory with a courageous pawn grab on the queenside.

Praggnanandhaa, also playing with the white pieces, seized the initiative by the 26th move when he won an extra pawn and gradually tightened his grip.

With Alireza increasingly under time pressure, the Indian kept probing for weaknesses before unleashing a full-blooded attack at the critical juncture of the game.

Reduced to just two minutes on his clock, the French GM had little chance of mounting an effective defence as Praggnanandhaa converted his advantage into position of command.

Divya Deshmukh beats Koneru Humpy 
Divya Deshmukh produced another fearless display, sacrificing a pawn early and obtaining full compensation through her aggressive play. Starting the day just a point behind leader Bibisara Assaubayeva, the World Cup winner kept herself firmly in the title hunt by winning the all-Indian clash against veteran Koneru Humpy.

The classical game ended in a draw, but Divya managed to strike in the Armageddon tie-break to seal the win, keeping her hopes alive and setting up a crucial Round 8 clash where a classical victory over Bibisara could see her overtake the leader.

However, Assaubayeva maintained her blazing form, defeating China’s Zhu Jiner in the classical game to take the full three points and surge to 12.5, with Divya moving to 10 and remaining 2.5 points behind the in-form Kazakh as the tournament heads into its decisive stretch.

“I started seeing ghosts and that’s the only reason I didn’t win in the classical game,” Divya said in her post-match interview. “I saw every winning move, but I don’t know, my mind just hallucinated and after that it was equal.” 
Results: (Round 7) 
Open: R Praggnanandhaa (Ind, 9) bt Alireza Firouzja (Fra, 10); Vincent Keymer (Ger, 9) lost to Magnus Carlsen (Nor, 9); D Gukesh (Ind, 8) bt Wesley So (USA, 12.5).

Women: Koneru Humpu (Ind, 6.5) lost to Divya Deshmukh (Ind, 10); Ju Wenjun (Chn, 9) lost to Anna Muzychuk (Ukr, 9.5); Bibisara Assaubayeva (Kaz, 12.

Wales international Hannah Cain is leaving Leicester City following the club’s relegation from the Women’s Super League.

The 27-year-old forward is one of three players who will leave the Midlands club when their contracts expire at the end of the month, but Leicester have confirmed Wales goalkeeper Olivia Clark will remain with the Foxes for 2026-27.

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Cain joined Leicester from Everton in 2020 and helped the club gain promotion to the WSL in her first season.

“After six unforgettable years, I feel that now is the right time for me to say goodbye,” Cain wrote on social media.

“This club has been so much more than just a place to play football. It’s been a place where I’ve grown, learned, created lifelong friendships, and made memories that I’ll cherish forever.”

Cain is currently with the Wales squad preparing to face Montenegro and the Czech Republic in their final Women’s World Cup qualifying fixtures and is yet to indicate where she will play next season.

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“While it was always going to be difficult to leave, I’m incredibly grateful for everything this club has given me,” she added.

“I’ll always look back on these years with pride and appreciation.”

There will be live commentary on every World Cup game (except for the clashing final group games, when one of the two matches being played simultaneously will be broadcast live in full, with updates from the other) on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds.

And there will be podcasts galore.

The BBC will have a Football Daily podcast every day of the World Cup, released at 06:00 BST, while from then until 09:00, Rick Edwards will be live in Los Angeles for 5 Live Breakfast.

There will be two episodes of The Wayne Rooney Show every week – and a 606 every week too.

BBC Radio Scotland will will have a daily podcast every morning – plus YouTube live shows throughout the group stages – and extended programming on the radio on game days.

Special editions of The Saturday Show from Boston, Off the Ball and Breaking the News are on the agenda.

There are also offerings on BBC Radio nan Gàidheal and BBC ALBA’s YouTube page.

And Sunday League manager Steve Bracknall has six World Cup specials of Game’s Gone: The Steve Bracknall Podcast, plus reaction to home nations games.

To find a home nations commentary, you can say to your smart speaker ‘ask BBC Sounds to play the England or Scotland match’ or request it to play the radio station you want.

And BBC World Service will have a Global World Cup podcast three times a week. The Sport Today (Monday to Friday) and Sportsworld (Saturday and Sunday) shows will be broadcast to more than 66 million listeners worldwide on location from host cities.

The third-place playoff of the Unity Cup 2026 will see India take on Zimbabwe at The Valley Stadium in South East London, home of historic English club Charlton Athletic. Both sides enter the contest after suffering defeats in their respective semi-finals and will be eager to finish the tournament on a positive note.

India Looking to Bounce Back

The Blue Tigers endured a frustrating semi-final defeat against Jamaica. After conceding early through Courtney Clarke, India fought hard to get back into the game but saw a potential equaliser ruled out. Jamaica later sealed the result when Kaheim Dixon found the net in the closing stages.

India’s recent form remains a concern. Apart from a victory over Hong Kong, their last notable success came nearly seven months ago when they secured a bronze medal at the CAFA Nations Cup. Defensive consistency has also been an issue, with India struggling to keep clean sheets in recent matches.

The attacking department has faced challenges as well, managing only four goals in their last five outings. Head coach Khalid Jamil will be hoping his side can overcome those struggles and secure a morale-boosting victory on English soil.

Zimbabwe Aim to End Campaign on a High

Despite sitting only a few places above India in the FIFA rankings, Zimbabwe possess several experienced players who regularly feature in competitive European leagues.

Under head coach Kaitano Tembo, the Warriors recently lifted the Four Nations Football Tournament title after overcoming Botswana and Zambia. They also earned an impressive victory over reigning Asian champions Qatar national football team in Doha and will be confident of repeating a similar performance against India.

Team News

India could be without Ryan Williams after the forward reportedly suffered a hamstring injury during the semi-final defeat to Jamaica. His absence would be a significant blow to India’s attacking options.

Zimbabwe are expected to have a fully fit squad available, giving coach Kaitano Tembo plenty of options heading into the playoff encounter.

Zimbabwe vs India probable playing 11: 

India playing 11: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu (GK), Roshan, Pramveer, Sandesh Jhingan, Akash Mishra, Ricky, Macarton, Lallianzuala Chhangte, Rahim Ali, Edmund Lalrindika, Sanan

Zimbabwe playing 11: Sibanda (GK); Mthunzi, Garananga, Maroodza; Fusire, Nakamba, Fabisch, Zemura; Munetsi, Zindoga, Chirewa

India vs Zimbabwe Unity Cup 2026 3rd place playoff Live Telecast and Live Streaming Details

When will the India vs Zimbabwe encounter in the Unity Cup take place?

The India vs Zimbabwe clash will be played on May 30.

What time will the India vs Zimbabwe football match begin?

The India vs Zimbabwe football match will kick off at 7:00 PM IST on May 30.

Where will the live telecast of the India vs Zimbabwe football match be available in India?

The live telecast of the India vs Zimbabwe football match will not be available in India.

Where will the live streaming of the India vs Zimbabwe football match be available in India?

The live streaming of the India vs Zimbabwe football match will be available on the FanCode app and website in India.

The defending champions Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) will take on Arsenal at the Puskas Arena in Budapest, Hungary, in the UEFA Champions League (UCL) 2025-26 final, with hopes of becoming only the second team after Real Madrid to win the prestigious UCL title in consecutive years since its rebranding.

On the other hand, Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal will be looking to end their season with their first UCL trophy after ending their 22-year-long wait to win the Premier League title earlier this month.

PSG beat Bayern Munich 6-5 in the semi-finals to take their title defence to the final, while Arsenal edged past Atletico Madrid 2-1 to reach the Champions League final for only the second time in the club’s history.

UCL 2025-26 Final: Team news

Paris Saint-Germain team news:

Paris Saint-Germain have received a major boost ahead of the final, with Ousmane Dembele expected to be fit despite suffering a calf concern during the final Ligue 1 match of the season.

The French star’s substitution was described as precautionary, and he is set to lead PSG’s attack alongside Desire Doue and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. Left-back Nuno Mendes is also likely to overcome a thigh issue in time to start. Achraf Hakimi has recovered from a hamstring problem, though his place in the XI is not guaranteed.

Goalkeeper Matvey Safonov is expected to continue as Luis Enrique’s first-choice keeper.

Arsenal team news:

Arsenal head into the final with a few injury concerns, particularly at right-back. Jurrien Timber has not featured since before the March international break because of a groin issue, although manager Mikel Arteta insists the Dutch defender is available.

Backup option Ben White remains sidelined with a knee problem, meaning Cristhian Mosquera could be handed the task of containing PSG’s dangerous left flank. Noni Madueke is expected to recover from a minor hamstring concern but is likely to make way for Bukayo Saka in the starting XI.

Declan Rice should return to his preferred midfield role alongside Myles Lewis-Skelly.

UCL 2025-26 Final: Paris Saint-Germain vs Arsenal probable starting 11

Paris Saint-Germain starting 11 (Probable): Safonov; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Mendes; Vitinha, Neves, Fabián; Doué, Dembélé, Kvaratskhelia

Arsenal starting 11 (Probable): David Raya; Ben White, William Saliba, Gabriel, Piero Hincapie; Martin Zubimendi, Declan Rice; Bukayo Saka, Eberechi Eze, Leandro Trossard; Viktor Gyokeres

Paris Saint-Germain vs Arsenal: Head-to-head

• 
  Total matches: 7
• 
  Paris Saint-Germain won: 2
• 
  Arsenal won: 2
• 
  Draws: 3

UEFA Champions League final: Paris Saint-Germain vs Arsenal live telecast and streaming details

When will the UCL 2025-26 final between Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal be played?

The UCL 2025-26 final between Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal will be played on Saturday, May 30.

What time will the UCL 2025-26 final between Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal begin on May 30?

The UCL 2025-26 final between Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal will start at 9:30 PM IST on May 30.

What will be the venue for the UCL 2025-26 final match between Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal?

The Puskas Arena in Budapest will host the UCL 2025-26 final match between Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal.

Where will the live telecast of the UCL 2025-26 final between Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal be available in India?

The live telecast of the UCL 2025-26 final between Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal will be available on Sony Sports Network.

Where will the live streaming of the UCL 2025-26 final between Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal be available in India?

The live streaming of the UCL 2025-26 final between Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal will be available on the SonyLIV app and website.

Adolfo Daniel Vallejo of Paraguay returns to Moise Kouame of France during their second round men’s singles tennis match at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, Thursday, May 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Emma Da Silva)

PARIS — Adolfo Daniel Vallejo was fined $65,000 at the French Open after he said his second-round match should not have been umpired by a woman, organizers announced on Monday.

Vallejo lost to French teenager Moise Kouame last week after a tense five-set battle that lasted nearly five hours. He later told the tennis website Clay that “this sort of match needs to be umpired by a man.”

Following his 6-3, 7-5, 3-6, 2-6, 7-6 (8) loss, Vallejo added: “It’s very difficult for a woman to do it.”

READ: Australian Open: Daniil Medvedev fined $76,000 for outbursts

Players reaching the second round at the French Open receive 130,000 euros ($151,000). Roland Garros director Amelie Mauresmo told reporters at the French Open that “a 65,000 euros” fine was handed down to the player, “representing roughly half of his prize money.” Organizers later clarified that the fine was in dollars, not euros.

“This is clearly unacceptable,” Mauresmo said. “Once again, such remarks have no place here.”

Vallejo, from Paraguay, said the umpire, Ana Carvalho from Brazil, did not control the spectators.

READ: Nick Kyrgios fined for spitting, obsenities at US Open

“It has to be refereed by a man, because it’s a very demanding crowd and you need a lot of strength to go against the crowd,” he said. “The crowd was very out of line, but I understand they’re supporting their compatriot. It’s quite an intense crowd and that’s why I was prepared; I already knew it would be like that and, to be honest, it didn’t harm me, but rather strengthened him.”

Vallejo added that Kouame “took up a lot of time on many occasions, lying on the floor or stalling.”

“And it’s not normal for the crowd to be shouting for a full minute without any play. In a match where the physical aspect matters so much, if you give a player a lot of time he’s obviously going to take advantage of it. The truth is it’s also difficult for a referee to manage this situation.”

Rivers United reached the next round of the President Federation Cup after beating Rangers International 3-2 in a thrilling match played in Uyo on Monday.

The Port Harcourt club made a bright start and took the lead after just five minutes. Chijioke Mbaoma finished well to put Rivers United ahead.

Rivers United continued to control the game and scored a second goal in the 34th minute. Wisdom Samuel cut inside and fired a low shot into the bottom corner to give his side a 2-0 lead at half-time.

Rangers International came out stronger in the second half and almost gifted Rivers a third goal in the 50th minute. A poor back pass from Monday Daniel fell to Mbaoma, but goalkeeper Lucky Jimoh reacted quickly to make the save.

The NPFL champions pulled one back on the hour mark after winning a penalty. Godwin Obaje stepped up and scored with a powerful strike to make it 2-1.

Rangers International completed their comeback in the 71st minute when Precious Agu reacted fastest inside the box and scored from close range to level the match at 2-2.

With extra time looking likely, Rivers United grabbed a dramatic winner deep into stoppage time. The goal led to protests from Rangers International players, who believed their goalkeeper had been fouled in the build-up.

After speaking with his officials, the referee allowed the goal to stand, giving Rivers United a 3-2 lead.

Despite the complaints from Rangers International, Rivers United held on to secure victory and knock the NPFL champions out of the competition.

The win sends Rivers United into the Round of 16 of the President Federation Cup, while Rangers International bow out after fighting back from two goals down.

South Africa legend AB de Villiers heaped praise on Virat Kohli after the latter guided Royal Challengers Bengaluru to their second IPL title on Sunday against Gujarat Titans. Chasing 156 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, RCB found themselves in trouble after losing wickets in quick succession. However, Kohli held firm, remaining unbeaten on 75 off 42 balls, as he steered the team to victory with two overs to spare and five wickets in hand. With this victory, RCB clinched the IPL 2026 trophy and successfully defended their title.

De Villiers, Kohli’s former teammate and opening partner at RCB, lauded the right-hander’s match-winning innings in the final, and also spoke about Shubman Gill and Co’s poor strategy with the ball.

“He knows how to pace a chase right through the innings and finish it off. And it’s very fitting that he was there right at the end, scoring the winning runs. GT were a bit naughty in feeding him into his strengths.

“A lot of deliveries were on the legs in his first 20-30 runs. If you give one of the best players of all time a start like that, he’s always going to punish you. Once he started flowing, it was just plain sailing, one-way traffic. To be there at the end and call those final moments was absolutely phenomenal,” said de Villiers on JioHotstar.

Kohli will be next seen in action when India take on Afghanistan in a three-game ODI series starting on June 13 in Dharamshala. De Villiers also lauded RCB’s composure and confidence in sealing back-to-back title wins. “It was a lot easier than last year, that’s for sure. Last year was emotional, and we weren’t sure what was going to happen.

“This year, when I saw Virat before the start of the game, there was quiet confidence. We’ve been here before, we know how it works and what the formula is. And what a remarkable achievement, back-to-back champions. I couldn’t be prouder,” he added.

(With IANS Inputs)

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IPL 2026 News | RCB Outplay CSK For 2nd Win On Trot, Ruturaj Gaikwad & Co Suffer 3rd Loss

Anthony Joshua has made a bold suggestion for who Tyson Fury should take on before their battle later this year.

Long-term rivals Joshua and Fury are finally set to do battle towards the end of 2026, provided that Joshua can first overcome Kristian Prenga in a warm-up bout on July 25.

Fury had a comeback fight of his own back in April when he defeated Arslanbek Makhmudov by unanimous decision, and while it initially seemed ‘The Gypsy King’ would turn his attention immediately to Joshua, he is now set to compete again in the interim too.

No opponent has yet been announced, and that has led Joshua to tell TalkSport that he thinks Fury should take on rising star Moses Itauma, referencing what he’d been told himself when deciding on who to face in his warm-up bout.

“Is he fighting Itauma? He was saying to me when I was looking for an opponent ‘fight Wardley, fight Itauma, these fights are easy to be made.’

“That would be a perfect name because they’re all under the same promotion. If Fury is what he says he is then he should step forward and Frank should put his fighter forward instead of worrying what I’m up to.”

Itauma is viewed by many as a future world heavyweight champion, and he currently holds an unbeaten record of 14-0 with 12 knockouts, the latest of those coming in March when he dispatched of Jermaine Franklin inside five rounds.

Despite the mischievous comments from Joshua, a fight between Itauma and Fury is highly unlikely, with a much less dangerous opponent expected for Fury, while Itauma looks set to take on Filip Hrgovic this summer.

US tennis giant Serena Williams confirmed on Monday that she will return to the sport, after it became known that she would compete in doubles at the HSBC Championships at Queen’s Club next week.

“Guess everybody heard the news,” she wrote in an Instagram video post, which showed her walking on the court, racket in hand.

Williams won her last Grand Slam singles title in 2017. She has not competed in tennis since the 2022 US Open. Since then, she gave birth to two daughters.

The tennis legend never actually used the word ‘retirement’ when she stepped away from tennis, saying instead that she would be “evolving away” from the sport. 

Speculation ‌around Williams’ return to tennis was fueled by her re-entry in December into the anti-doping program, which is a prerequisite to play on the tour again.

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“Queen’s Club feels like the perfect place to begin this next chapter,” Williams said in the statement.

“Grass has given me some of the most meaningful moments of ‌my career, and I’m excited to be back competing on one of the sport’s most iconic stages,” she added.

‘Exciting moment’ for women’s tennis

Williams stepped away from the court with 23 grand slams, having earned nearly $95 million (€81 million) in prize money and she is believed to be the highest-paid female athlete of all time.

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Since then, she has focused on entrepreneurial projects through her venture capital fund Serena Ventures, which has stakes in a number of sports teams.

Lawn Tennis Association and tournament director Laura Robson celebrated Williams’ return to the court.

“Serena Williams is one of the greatest athletes the world has ever seen, and we’re delighted that she will be making her return to tennis at the LTA’s HSBC Championships,” Robson said.

“Women’s tennis made a historic return to The Queen’s Club last year and now we have an icon of the game stepping back on to court at this prestigious venue – it’s very exciting for the tournament and the fans,” she added.

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The chair of the women’s tennis body WTA, Valerie Camillo, said the tour was thrilled to have her back.

“Serena is one of the greatest athletes of all time, with a legacy that extends far beyond the court… I cannot wait to see her face a new generation of top players,” Camillo said.

“We are thrilled to welcome her back to the WTA Tour at this hugely exciting moment for women’s tennis,” she added.

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Edited by: Roshni Majumdar