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Naomi Osaka revitalised in Madrid thanks to new travel partner

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Naomi Osaka hopes travelling more with daughter Shai can help her find the work-life balance she is looking for.

The Japanese star cast doubt on her future in the sport after losing to Talia Gibson in her opening match at the Miami Open, saying: “I’m not going to stay on tour if I’m losing in the first round. I’d rather just be a great mom and be there for my daughter.”

Osaka subsequently took a month off and has returned to the tour at the Madrid Open with two-year-old Shai in tow and a more positive perspective.

“I was able to go home, pretty much be a mom,” said the former world number one.

“So I would take her to school, pick her up from school, and it was really cool. She’s here with me so just getting to see her face and going to practises and coming back, it’s been really special to me.

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“I think her growing older and just being able to figure out her schedule, with school, it’s been really helpful, and I also just really love travelling with her, showing her the world and just exploring.

“She loves travel. She loves the airport, she loves aeroplanes.”

Osaka struggled for consistent results after coming back to the tour at the start of 2024 but appeared to have positioned herself as a potential grand slam champion again when she reached the US Open semi-finals last summer.

However, she has not been able to kick on from there, with recurrent abdominal problems causing frustrating hiatuses.

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Osaka is confident she has the right approach on clay, though, saying after beating Camila Osorio 6-2 7-5 in her opening match in Madrid: “I think, for me, on clay, I have one goal, which is to go out on my own terms.

“I did OK in Australia, was doing OK in Indian Wells. I played (Aryna) Sabalenka. I think from there I learned a lesson of just trying to be more aggressive, and I’m trying to implement it here.”

Osaka has made more headlines for her outfits than her tennis this season, with Australia’s extravagant jellyfish-inspired look followed by a leopard-print dress at Indian Wells.

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In the Spanish capital, she paired an orange dress with a patterned headscarf, describing it as a “nod to European summers”.

“I know it’s weird to say it was a little simple for me given all the extraness that I’ve been doing recently, but I think it’s a really elegant look, and I’m excited because there’s different themes and stuff to do in Rome, so I’ll just keep trying to switch it up a little,” added Osaka.

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McLaughlin: Do the Ducks Have the Nation’s Best QB Room?

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Big Ten logoOregon’s quarterback room blends a mix of talent, experience, and depth, unlike most in college football.

The Ducks have the best room in the country.

On today’s episode of Locked On Ducks, I break down the tight end room that Oregon’s QBs will throw the ball to this Fall.

Jamari Johnson is going to have a lot of weight on his shoulders.

espn%2Bohio%2Bstate.pngJosh Pate recently discussed the Oregon-Ohio State matchup this Fall and said that it feels like a rivalry.

Is that really the case, or is that title only reserved for Washington?

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00:00 Oregon’s quarterback lineup details
03:03 Dylan Raiola as Oregon’s backup
07:29 Quarterback depth chart discussion
13:15 Analyzing Oregon’s tight end options
17:28 Evaluating tight end performance
23:24 Oregon vs Ohio State analysis

/ @lockedoncollegefootball  

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David Benavidez says one man ‘must face him’ after Zurdo Ramirez: “I’m taking all his belts”

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David Benavidez challenges for Gilberto Ramirez’s unified cruiserweight crown next weekend and should he pass that test, there is only one man on the mind of ‘The Mexican Monster’.

Benavidez has established himself as one of the most fan-friendly fighters in the sport, not only through his enthralling fight style but also because of his mentality to take on all comers and accept the most arduous challenges.

Having ruled at both super-middleweight and light-heavyweight, the reigning WBC 175lb champion is now stepping up to cruiserweight, hoping to hand ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez a second career defeat, in what will be the titleholder’s 50th career outing.

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The only other man to have defeated Ramirez is unified light-heavyweight ruler, Dmitry Bivol, and in an interview with Ariel Helwani, Benavidez made it clear that he intends to move back down to light-heavyweight and take on the Russian next.

“I don’t want to make it seem like he is scared or nothing, but he knows what it is when it comes to David Benavidez. He has seen me up close and personal and I have seen him up close and personal, as well.

“He is a great fighter, we have had some great sparring sessions but he knows I am not coming to play. He knows that, when David Benavidez steps in that ring, all of those belts are leaving with David Benavidez.

“I think that he knows the dangers and the severity of this fight and that is why he took a tune-up fight first. I respect Dmitry Bivol, he is a great fighter, but he is definitely going to have to come see me after this fight.”

Whilst Benavidez fights next weekend, Bivol makes a mandatory defence of his titles against Germany’s Michael Eifert on Saturday, May 23, in what will be his first fight on home soil since 2021.

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Date, teams, prize pool, and FFWS slots

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The Grand Finals of the Free Fire Bangladesh Pro League (FFBPL) Season 2 are scheduled for April 24, 2026, where the top 12 teams from the Knockout Stage will compete in a Champion Rush format. The top six teams from the overall rankings will progress to the World Series (FFWS) 2026 Bangladesh Spring. The FFBPL event boasts a total prize pool of 8,100 US dollars.

The Knockout Stage of the Free Fire Bangladesh Pro League was held from April 20 to 22, 2026. A total of 18 teams battled across three days in 12 matches each. The top 12 teams moved to the Grand Finals, while the remaining six were eliminated from the FFBPL S2.


Qualified teams for Free Fire Pro League Bangladesh S2 Finals

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Here are the 12 finalists:

  1. Team 2XD
  2. Red Hawks
  3. Enternal Dominators
  4. Extreme Ex
  5. The Goat
  6. Reflex United
  7. Straw Hats Esports
  8. Team Unionized
  9. Max Gang
  10. Team Electro
  11. Flame Esports
  12. Team Infinity

Prize pool distribution

All 18 teams that participated in the Knockout Stage are entitled to a share of the total prize pool in the FFBPL S2, with the bottom six receiving 122 US dollars each. Here is the prize pool distribution:

  • 1st Place – 2,444 US dollars
  • 2nd Place – 1,222 US dollars
  • 3rd Place – 814 US dollars
  • 4th Place – 488 US dollars
  • 5th Place – 448 US dollars
  • 6th Place – 448 US dollars
  • 7th Place – 366 US dollars
  • 8th Place – 366 US dollars
  • 9th Place – 244 US dollars
  • 10th Place – 244 US dollars
  • 11th Place – 162 US dollars
  • 12th Place – 162 US dollars
  • 13th Place – 122 US dollars – Neo Flash
  • 14th Place – 122 US dollars – VEXIS
  • 15th Place – 122 US dollars – Bangladesh Top 1
  • 16th Place – 122 US dollars – From The Future
  • 17th Place – 122 US dollars – Shadow X Phantoms
  • 18th Place – 122 US dollars – GE Esports

How to watch

The official YouTube channel of Free Fire Esports Bangladesh will broadcast all matches of the finale live from 15:00 BST onwards.

Team 2XD had a brilliant run in the Knockout Stage of the Free Fire Bangladesh Pro League. The squad ranked first after playing consistently well across 12 games.

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Defending champion Red Hawks placed second in the previous stage. The club has been performing well in regional competitions in the past few years, and recently earned third place in the Ramadan Cup 2026.

Enternal Dominators and Extreme Ex were third and fourth, respectively, in the Knockout Stage. Team Goat and Reflex United also did well in their last six matches of the stage.

Meanwhile, Straw Hats and Unionized had an average run in the Knockout Stage. Flame and Team Infinity ranked 11th and 12th, respectively, and entered the Grand Finals of this Free Fire contest.