March of 2026 is turning into a memorable one for PGA Tour pro Austin Smotherman. His wife is expecting their third child within days. Not only that, but Smotherman holds a share of the lead at the 2026 Players Championship.
On Thursday night following the end of play at TPC Sawgrass, Smotherman revealed that should the baby come early this weekend, “the plan is to stay” and fight for a Players victory. Even if it means missing his baby’s birth.
Here’s what you need to know.
Austin Smotherman explains ‘wild’ plan if baby is born during Players
While Smotherman faces a tricky situation this week, it’s mostly positive. If all goes well, he’ll soon be a dad for the third time. And after shooting an opening-round 67 at TPC Sawgrass, he’s leading the PGA Tour’s biggest tournament, with a winner’s prize of $4.5 million.
Advertisement
That last fact would have been unthinkable to the veteran pro one year ago. That’s because last year Smotherman didn’t play on the PGA Tour.
Now he’s firmly in contention at the Players Championship. A win this week would be life-changing, both for the huge payout the Smothermans will receive for their growing family, and for the career security and opportunity it would provide.
After play was suspended Thursday evening, Smotherman talked to reporters and shared how he and his wife had decided to deal with the impending birth of their child and his burgeoning career.
“Her due date is March 23rd, Monday of Houston. I left a couple weeks ago to go play the Florida Swing, and my job was just to go play golf until I got back to hopefully Houston and could just drive up to Dallas if the baby came then,” Smotherman began.
As for this week, Smotherman said his wife has approved the plan to “keep rolling” no matter what. Even if the baby comes early.
Advertisement
“My wife’s giving me the okay to play this week, just keep rolling no matter if I was shooting five-under or five-over, I guess.”
Austin Smotherman’s wife is due March 23.
The plan? Keep playing golf and figure out the baby part later. (third child 🤝)
Oh yeah… he is also 5-under and tied for the lead at the Players Championship. pic.twitter.com/a1w7q78C0m
“The plan’s to still play Valspar next week. We’ll reassess, depending upon whatever goes on here,” Smotherman said. “It’s still just 17 and a half holes in, so just keep playing golf, go have a baby whenever the baby shows up. She’s not getting induced or anything, so we’re just kind of letting it roll. Our first two were a week and two weeks late, so at least an on-time arrival would be early enough, late enough.”
If the baby does arrive during Players week, Smotherman isn’t sure whether his wife will even tell him. That’s because, as he shared, “she doesn’t know” what she’ll do.
“I don’t know what she’s going to do. She doesn’t know if she’s going to try and contact me, contact my caddie, and then figure out if he relays the info or if I just play. We just we don’t know. I’m just playing golf.
Advertisement
He concluded, “Yeah, yeah. The plan is to stay. Wild.”
All quarterfinal matches will be contested on Day 5 (Friday, April 3) of the Copa Colsanitas Colsubsidio 2026 in Bogota. A new champion will be crowned following the loss of two-time defending champion Camila Osorio in the second round.
Only two seeded players have made the quarterfinals, top seed Marie Bouzkova and eighth seed Panna Udvardy. With some interesting matches set in store, here’s a look at the predictions for all the singles matches lined up on Day 5 of the Copa Colsanitas Colsubsidio:
Thanks for the submission!
Advertisement
#1. Varvara Lepchenko vs Emiliana Arango
Lepchenko scored three-set wins over Lia Karatancheva and second seed Jessica Bouzas Maneiro to make the quarterfinals of the Copa Colsanitas Colsubsidio. She hadn’t won a main draw at the WTA level since October 2024 prior to her wins this week. She’s also through to her first quarterfinal since September 2018.
Advertisement
Arango beat Maria Lourdes Carle and Guiomar de Reales to reach the last eight here. She now has a 3-8 record this year. This will be her first meeting against Lepchenko. The latter managed to score her biggest win in years by beating Bouzas Maneiro. However, stringing together three wins in a row, a feat she hasn’t accomplished in nearly a decade, could prove to be a tall order for her.
Winner: Emiliana Arango
#2. Jazmin Ortenzi vs Julia Riera
Julia Riera at the French Open 2025. (Source: Getty)
Qualifier Ortenzi took down two-time defending champion Camila Osorio to reach the Copa Colsanitas Colsubsidio quarterfinals, her first at the WTA level. Riera upset sixth seed Anna Blinkova in the previous round to book her spot in the last eight.
While this will be the first meeting between them on the WTA Tour, Riera won both of their previous matches, also on clay, at the ITF and Challenger levels. She will be favored to triumph once again based on her record in this rivalry.
Winner: Julia Riera
Advertisement
#3. Marie Bouzkova vs Darja Semenistaja
Bouzkova won her second-round match in Bogota after her opponent, Hanne Vandewinkel, retired after losing the first set. She’s through to her first quarterfinal of the season. Semenistaja hadn’t even won a main draw match prior to this week, and she has now reached the first WTA quarterfinal of her career.
This will be the first career meeting between them. Bouzkova has a 7-8 record this season, and Semenistaja hasn’t even won that many main draw matches in her career at the WTA level thus far. The Czech player will be favored to win this duel.
Winner: Marie Bouzkova
#4. Panna Udvardy vs Katarzyna Kawa
Panna Udvardy at the US Open 2025. (Source: Getty)
Udvardy needed three sets to dispatch Maria Torres and Julieta Pareja to make the Copa Colsanitas Colsubsidio quarterfinals. She improved her record for the season to 3-3 with her run here. Competing in the main draw of a tournament for the first time this year, Kawa beat Carole Monnet and fourth seed Tatjana Maria to make the last eight here, that too without losing a set.
While they’ve never crossed paths on the main tour prior to this, Kawa won all three of their previous matches at the ITF and Challenger levels. Two of those wins were on clay as well. As such, the Pole will fancy her chances of scoring yet another win.
LOS ANGELES — The Nashville Predators defeated the Los Angeles Kings in a shootout, 5-4, on April 2, 2026 at Crpto.com Arena and The Sporting Tribune’s Jordan Teller was there to capture the following TST Images.
Anze Kopitar #11 of the Los Angeles Kings on the ice during warm ups before an NHL hockey game against the Nashville Predators, Thursday April 2, 2026 in Los Angeles, Calif.
Jordan Teller – The Sporting Tribune
Advertisement
Anze Kopitar #11 of the Los Angeles Kings on the ice during warm ups before an NHL hockey game against the Nashville Predators, Thursday April 2, 2026 in Los Angeles, Calif.
Advertisement
Anze Kopitar #11 of the Los Angeles Kings is greeted by his family before being honored by the team before an NHL hockey game against the Nashville Predators, Thursday April 2, 2026 in Los Angeles, Calif.
Jordan Teller – The Sporting Tribune
Anze Kopitar #11 of the Los Angeles Kings is greeted by his family before being honored by the team before an NHL hockey game against the Nashville Predators, Thursday April 2, 2026 in Los Angeles, Calif.
Anze Kopitar #11 of the Los Angeles Kings is honored for his twenty years with the franchise before an NHL hockey game against the Nashville Predators, Thursday April 2, 2026 in Los Angeles, Calif.
Jordan Teller – The Sporting Tribune
Anze Kopitar #11 of the Los Angeles Kings is honored for his twenty years with the franchise before an NHL hockey game against the Nashville Predators, Thursday April 2, 2026 in Los Angeles, Calif.
Advertisement
Former Los Angeles Kings player Luc Robitaille gives Anze Kopitar #11 of the Los Angeles Kings a golden stick before an NHL hockey game against the Nashville Predators, Thursday April 2, 2026 in Los Angeles, Calif.
Jordan Teller – The Sporting Tribune
Advertisement
Former Los Angeles Kings player Luc Robitaille gives Anze Kopitar #11 of the Los Angeles Kings a golden stick before an NHL hockey game against the Nashville Predators, Thursday April 2, 2026 in Los Angeles, Calif.
1,308 foam pucks are dropped on the ice to honor Anze Kopitar #11 of the Los Angeles Kings before an NHL hockey game against the Nashville Predators, Thursday April 2, 2026 in Los Angeles, Calif.
Jordan Teller – The Sporting Tribune
Advertisement
1,308 foam pucks are dropped on the ice to honor Anze Kopitar #11 of the Los Angeles Kings before an NHL hockey game against the Nashville Predators, Thursday April 2, 2026 in Los Angeles, Calif.
Darcy Kuemper #35 of the Los Angeles Kings dives on the puck during an NHL hockey game against the Nashville Predators, Thursday April 2, 2026 in Los Angeles, Calif.
Jordan Teller – The Sporting Tribune
Darcy Kuemper #35 of the Los Angeles Kings dives on the puck during an NHL hockey game against the Nashville Predators, Thursday April 2, 2026 in Los Angeles, Calif.
Anze Kopitar #11 of the Los Angeles Kings handles the puck during an NHL hockey game against the Nashville Predators, Thursday April 2, 2026 in Los Angeles, Calif.
Jordan Teller – The Sporting Tribune
Advertisement
Advertisement
Anze Kopitar #11 of the Los Angeles Kings handles the puck during an NHL hockey game against the Nashville Predators, Thursday April 2, 2026 in Los Angeles, Calif.
Zachary L’Heureux #68 of the Nashville Predators scores a goal during an NHL hockey game against the Los Angeles Kings, Thursday April 2, 2026 in Los Angeles, Calif.
Jordan Teller – The Sporting Tribune
Zachary L’Heureux #68 of the Nashville Predators scores a goal during an NHL hockey game against the Los Angeles Kings, Thursday April 2, 2026 in Los Angeles, Calif.
Advertisement
Zachary L’Heureux #68 of the Nashville Predators celebrates after scoring a goal during an NHL hockey game against the Los Angeles Kings, Thursday April 2, 2026 in Los Angeles, Calif.
Jordan Teller – The Sporting Tribune
Zachary L’Heureux #68 of the Nashville Predators celebrates after scoring a goal during an NHL hockey game against the Los Angeles Kings, Thursday April 2, 2026 in Los Angeles, Calif.
Alex Laferriere #14 of the Los Angeles Kings and Erik Haula #56 of the Nashville Predators line up for a face off during an NHL hockey game, Thursday April 2, 2026 in Los Angeles, Calif.
Jordan Teller – The Sporting Tribune
Advertisement
Advertisement
Alex Laferriere #14 of the Los Angeles Kings and Erik Haula #56 of the Nashville Predators line up for a face off during an NHL hockey game, Thursday April 2, 2026 in Los Angeles, Calif.
Matthew Wood #71 of the Nashville Predators and Scott Laughton #21 of the Los Angeles Kings get chippy during an NHL hockey game, Thursday April 2, 2026 in Los Angeles, Calif.
Jordan Teller – The Sporting Tribune
Matthew Wood #71 of the Nashville Predators and Scott Laughton #21 of the Los Angeles Kings get chippy during an NHL hockey game, Thursday April 2, 2026 in Los Angeles, Calif.
Steven Stamkos #91, Ryan O’Reilly #90, and Zachary L’Heureux #68 of the Nashville Predators celebrate a goal during an NHL hockey game against the Los Angeles Kings, Thursday April 2, 2026 in Los Angeles, Calif.
Jordan Teller – The Sporting Tribune
Advertisement
Steven Stamkos #91, Ryan O’Reilly #90, and Zachary L’Heureux #68 of the Nashville Predators celebrate a goal during an NHL hockey game against the Los Angeles Kings, Thursday April 2, 2026 in Los Angeles, Calif.
Darcy Kuemper #35 of the Los Angeles Kings on the ice after giving up a goal during an NHL hockey game against the Nashville Predators, Thursday April 2, 2026 in Los Angeles, Calif.
Jordan Teller – The Sporting Tribune
Advertisement
Darcy Kuemper #35 of the Los Angeles Kings on the ice after giving up a goal during an NHL hockey game against the Nashville Predators, Thursday April 2, 2026 in Los Angeles, Calif.
Advertisement
Reid Schaefer #49 of the Nashville Predators takes a fist to the face from Drew Doughty #8 of the Los Angeles Kings during an NHL hockey game, Thursday April 2, 2026 in Los Angeles, Calif.
Jordan Teller – The Sporting Tribune
Reid Schaefer #49 of the Nashville Predators takes a fist to the face from Drew Doughty #8 of the Los Angeles Kings during an NHL hockey game, Thursday April 2, 2026 in Los Angeles, Calif.
The Los Angeles Kings celebrate a goal during an NHL hockey game against the Nashville Predators, Thursday April 2, 2026 in Los Angeles, Calif.
Jordan Teller – The Sporting Tribune
The Los Angeles Kings celebrate a goal during an NHL hockey game against the Nashville Predators, Thursday April 2, 2026 in Los Angeles, Calif.
Advertisement
Los Angeles Kings mascot Bailey throws popcorn on fans during an NHL hockey game against the Nashville Predators, Thursday April 2, 2026 in Los Angeles, Calif.
Jordan Teller – The Sporting Tribune
Advertisement
Los Angeles Kings mascot Bailey throws popcorn on fans during an NHL hockey game against the Nashville Predators, Thursday April 2, 2026 in Los Angeles, Calif.
Joel Armia #40 of the Los Angeles Kings ties the game in the third period during an NHL hockey game against the Nashville Predators, Thursday April 2, 2026 in Los Angeles, Calif.
Jordan Teller – The Sporting Tribune
Advertisement
Joel Armia #40 of the Los Angeles Kings ties the game in the third period during an NHL hockey game against the Nashville Predators, Thursday April 2, 2026 in Los Angeles, Calif.
The Los Angeles Kings celebrate the game-tying goal during an NHL hockey game against the Nashville Predators, Thursday April 2, 2026 in Los Angeles, Calif.
Jordan Teller – The Sporting Tribune
The Los Angeles Kings celebrate the game-tying goal during an NHL hockey game against the Nashville Predators, Thursday April 2, 2026 in Los Angeles, Calif.
A young Los Angeles Kings fan looks on during an NHL hockey game against the Nashville Predators, Thursday April 2, 2026 in Los Angeles, Calif.
Jordan Teller – The Sporting Tribune
Advertisement
Advertisement
A young Los Angeles Kings fan looks on during an NHL hockey game against the Nashville Predators, Thursday April 2, 2026 in Los Angeles, Calif.
Juuse Saros #74 of the Nashville Predators makes a save in the shootout against Artemi Panarin #10 of the Los Angeles Kings during an NHL hockey game, Thursday April 2, 2026 in Los Angeles, Calif.
Jordan Teller – The Sporting Tribune
Juuse Saros #74 of the Nashville Predators makes a save in the shootout against Artemi Panarin #10 of the Los Angeles Kings during an NHL hockey game, Thursday April 2, 2026 in Los Angeles, Calif.
Advertisement
Luke Evangelista #77 of the Nashville Predators scores the game-winning goal in the shootout during an NHL hockey game against the Los Angeles Kings, Thursday April 2, 2026 in Los Angeles, Calif.
Jordan Teller – The Sporting Tribune
Luke Evangelista #77 of the Nashville Predators scores the game-winning goal in the shootout during an NHL hockey game against the Los Angeles Kings, Thursday April 2, 2026 in Los Angeles, Calif.
The Nashville Predators celebrate a shootout win over the Los Angeles Kings during an NHL hockey game, Thursday April 2, 2026 in Los Angeles, Calif.
Jordan Teller – The Sporting Tribune
The Nashville Predators celebrate a shootout win over the Los Angeles Kings during an NHL hockey game, Thursday April 2, 2026 in Los Angeles, Calif.
SAN JOSE, Calif. — Three in the net, three tacos you get.
The game wasn’t 22 minutes old when SAP Center’s 15,000-plus burst into a thunderous roar.
Not only had the plucky home team built a 3-0 lead, but San Jose’s shooters had already met Taco Bell’s promotional quota for everyone who paid to watch the up-and-coming Sharks outskate the downtrodden Maple Leafs to redeem their ticket for a savoury snack.
Yes, on the night Toronto’s nine-year playoff streak was officially crunched, it was raining tacos in Northern California.
Advertisement
What happened in The Tank Thursday night was also good for the tank in Toronto.
“They come out hot. They were buzzing. They got two goals right off the bat,” Simon Benoit said, following a 4-1 loss the wild-card-hunting Sharks.
“They have momentum. They’re fighting for that spot. So, everything is urgency for them — and for us. You know, everybody’s playing for something, even though… I think we’re eliminated, right?”
Anyone in Toronto who stayed up late for a 10:08 p.m. ET puck drop saw two franchises passing each other in the natural competitive cycle that is the NHL’s salary cap era.
Advertisement
The Sharks bottomed out not so long ago and were rewarded with saviour Macklin Celebrini, not unlike the Maple Leafs pulling the plug in 2016 to scoop Auston Matthews. They’ve missed the playoffs six straight times, watching attendance and interest and talent drain away.
But today, they’ve won four in a row straight. They’re playing fast and free and find themselves playing house-money hockey with two weeks left on the calendar.
Amazing what the hope of youth can do to energize a building, to say nothing of free fast food.
“It’s a great building,” Leafs coach Craig Berube said. “Back in the day, coming in here was a tough place to play. First period was like, ‘Woah.’ I mean, you gotta get out of the first period. But they’re definitely getting that attitude back here with their team.”
Advertisement
The Maple Leafs mustered merely six shots in the first period and five in the second. They were so hesitant to advance the puck and to rip it on net.
The Sharks, who’d just won an emotional comeback game here less than 24 hours prior, attacked the night with abandon.
Berube noted how San Jose’s young legs blow the zone as soon as they gain possession, looking to spring breakaways and odd-man rushes. Goalie Anthony Stolarz mentioned the challenge of blind behind-the-net passes to the F3 barrelling into the slot.
Their recoveries are speedy, their O-zone attacks dynamic and energetic.
Advertisement
“No doubt, they’ve been building. They got a lot of speed, a lot of skill up front. They use the width of the ice and the length very well,” John Tavares said.
“And when you when you get a player like 71 — one of the best in the game as a teenager — it’s pretty amazing how things can turn for a franchise.”
The mood around the ’26 Sharks is not so different than the vibes that percolated around the ’16 Leafs. Heck, the way things are trending, we might be saying this about the ’36 Leafs, too.
“They’re quick,” Berube said. “They got some good skill over there, and they try to extend the rink quickly.”
Advertisement
The veteran Maple Leafs have struggled this season when facing opponents that lean into a high-pace attack.
“They have their routes, and they’re kind of committed to it. Every time they would dump it in, there’s always a guy waiting for it,” Stolarz said. “As soon as their D touch the puck in the defensive zone, their wingers are flying.
“They have a lot of skill, a lot of speed, a lot of youth on that team. And it’s extremely impressive how they’ve meshed and how they can find one another.”
Funny, not funny: the losing room used to say similar things about the Maple Leafs’ emerging stars.
Advertisement
Unburdened, yet, by outside expectations or complicated by contract demands.
“I mean, they’ve drafted well. And they’ve progressed in that sense of they rebuilt — but it didn’t take them 10 years. They took a couple years, and then it’s been working out for them.”
• As the Maple Leafs and Sharks were asleep, a magnitude 4.6 earthquake rocked the Bay Area. No one was harmed. Some didn’t even notice.
Advertisement
“I guess I’m an earthquake survivor again,” smiled ex-Shark Steven Lorentz, who has endured seven of them. “A little bit scary.”
“I’m rattled,” Jake McCabe added. “I woke up to the alert on my phone, and I was pissed that I didn’t wake up (in the middle of it). I’ve always been wanting to feel one.”
• What is the most unique thing about Celebrini?
“A kid of that age and what he’s doing, it’s right here,” Berube replied, pointing to his head. “He’s smart. He’s a very intelligent player. He goes to the Olympics to play with a guy like (Connor) McDavid and (Nathan) MacKinnon and stuff, and the coach keeps putting him out there with those guys and using him — and they want to play with him. You have to have intelligence.”
Advertisement
You see that hockey sense watching the kid anticipate plays with and without the puck from up high. Go see him if he comes to your town.
As impactful as San Jose’s MVP candidate was in this one, he did not register a point, marking just the second time all season the Sharks have won without their phenom splashing the scoresheet. They improved to 2-16-3 on the season when Celebrini gets shut out.
“We did a decent job on him today,” Tavares said.
• Celebrini rightly hogs headlines for painting this town teal, but the breakout of sophomore Collin Graf is intriguing.
Advertisement
The undrafted Quinnipiac University product quadrupled his rookie goal total Thursday, sniping his 20th on the season. It stood as the winner.
No, Graf won’t always convert on 18 per cent of his shots, but doing so in his first contract year is smart timing.
• Easton Cowan says he missed George Springer and Ernie Clement’s mic’d-up moment last week, as the two Blue Jays gushed over the Leafs rookie when attending a game at Scotiabank Arena. They met up in the Leafs’ room as well.
“Easton Cowan, that’s my guy,” Clement tells Springer in the clip. “He’s a grinder.”
Advertisement
“Clement’s my favourite player, too, so that was pretty cool,” Cowan says. “We had a good talk and just hearing some stories from Springer too, it was awesome.”
Cowan says he appreciates Clement’s versatility and attitude.
“Can play wherever, brings good vibes, and he was really good in the post-season,” Cowan says. “Definitely super cool.”
• Meanwhile, in the OHL playoffs…
Advertisement
Maple Leafs prospect Sam McCue scored a beautiful Michigan goal in Game 4 of Ottawa’s first-round series versus Kingston. McCue, 20, was a seventh-round pick by Toronto in 2024.
Around 40% of clubs in England’s top four divisions of men’s football have changed their manager this season, and one in four of those teams have made more than one change.
With those stats still so high, I am sure people outside the game must be wondering about the process of appointing a manager.
In my day, I never once put on a presentation in front of a chairman or board of directors as part of any interview process.
Usually it was your management record, and your relative success with the respective budgets you’d been given, that would seal the deal.
Advertisement
Today, that has all changed. Many managers and coaches, I’m told, pay to have these presentations professionally prepared for them.
Before you get to that stage, however, club owners and chairmen will rely on their sporting director and chief executive to compile a list of names.
As I’ve mentioned in previous columns about the lack of opportunities now for British managers, with so many foreign owners in our game, there are lots of foreign sporting directors too, so it is not surprising they appoint managers and coaches they know.
Also, the agents who have assisted the owners when they purchased the club, will often have a big say on who the sporting director is too.
Advertisement
Players will also flow into some clubs in a similar fashion, I’m sure, and I’m afraid all of this impinges on managers and coaches from this country, who are not part of that network.
Academy coaches from the top clubs are finding a way through the system, as I am sure their contacts with clubs’ young players is part of their appeal.
It is definitely a route into management that is worth following but I am sure any ex-professionals who have followed it will have quickly been exposed to the key difference between managing at academy level and being in charge of a club’s first team.
Unlike academy football, which is about development, first-team football is about winning.
Advertisement
Every week you will be judged on your result and, no matter what philosophy you employ, the fanbase and the people above you will react accordingly.
On Wednesday at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, Bailey Shoemaker went viral. The ANWA’s Golf Channel broadcast showed the USC junior as she stood over her approach shot at the 8th hole at Champions Retreat and struggled to pull the trigger, starting her backswing several times but balking pre-impact.
The video played into a specific type of frustration that golfers — and golf-watchers — feel about the sport. Here, in one 75-second clip, was a perfect encapsulation of the way young golfers play slow and disrespect the game — and the way tournaments fail to rein it in. This is nothing new; recreational golf is plagued by slow play, tournament golf even more so, and pros who take a long time over the ball continually catch viewers’ ire.
Shoemaker didn’t dispute what the video showed. But she also knows there’s more to the story.
Speaking to GOLF’s Claire Rogers on site, Shoemaker explained that her struggle to take the club away traces back to an arm injury she dealt with last year that required playing through pain and numbness before she elected to have surgery. She has struggled to align communication between her brain and body since returning to competitive play.
Advertisement
“I’ve been battling injury for over a year now, and so, I mean, I’ve got some things bugging me. But, I mean, when you have nerve surgery, you aren’t in control,” Shoemaker said. “Like, it doesn’t matter what my brain says or does — you think I want to do it intentionally? Of course not.”
“It was better today. And, I mean, that was the worst one yesterday, of course it went viral,” she said. “And I mean, you clearly don’t see the rest of the round. You don’t see me at home working out five hours a day, going to rehab, waking up before practice to go to rehab. You don’t see what’s behind the scenes.”
Shoemaker’s bid to make the cut fell short after a second consecutive 73; her two-round total of 146 was three shots too many. Shoemaker finished runner-up at this event in 2024 and will be disappointed not to play a competitive final round at Augusta National, although she will play there Friday during the event’s in-between day. In the meantime, she’s hoping to keep her focus on the big picture.
Advertisement
“I put a lot of faith in USC and my coaches and trainers and whatnot, and I mean, they got me to here, where I am today,” she said. “I know I keep saying it, and I sound like a broken record, but like a year ago, I didn’t know if I’d be playing golf anymore. This was like, a pretty substantial injury, given it was my nerve. And I’m happy to have motor function over my hand.
“I thought I was going to like, lose my hand, basically, y’know? So that’s pretty scary to think about. So, I mean, to have control over my body is nice, for once. And just being out here playing is good.”
Rogers also asked whether Shoemaker had been affected by the attention after her first round. Of course she had — how could anyone not be? — but did her best to channel that into determination.
“If anything it was fuel. I mean, my dad has trained me right, to use that as fuel to ignite me a little bit. But I didn’t play too much mind to it. I mean, I’m happy where I am, and I’m making leaps and bounds in my health, and that’s all I really care about.”
Advertisement
Shoemaker found a clear silver lining — “I’m playing Augusta National tomorrow” — even if it was a trying week.
MCG will play host to Monday’s
Round 4 AFL game between Hawthorn Hawks and
Geelong Cats. The game kicks off at 3:15 pm with Hawthorn Hawks heading into the game as favourites with the bookmakers. Continue reading for our in-depth preview of the Hawthorn Hawks vs.
Geelong Cats
game and give you our free tips and bets.
All eyes will be on the Hawks as they return from a strong showing and look to maintain their upward trajectory. Their attacking flair and willingness to take the game on have been key features, but consistency remains the next step. Their opponents will look to disrupt ball movement and apply pressure, setting up a compelling contest. Expect moments of high intensity, with transitions and execution inside 50 likely to prove decisive. For Hawthorn, it’s another chance to validate their progress and continue building belief.
Mohamed Salah’s long goodbye to Liverpool begins on Saturday in the quarterfinals of the FA Cup, the competition which represents his best chance of a trophy in his final year at Anfield.
The Egypt winger announced last week that he will be leaving Liverpool at the end of the season after nine years at a club where he has broken scoring records and established himself as one of the world’s best players.
Salah potentially has 15 games left in the famous red shirt: Seven in the Premier League as well as three in the FA Cup and five in the Champions League, should Liverpool reach the final in both of those competitions.
Advertisement
That won’t be easy.
In the Champions League, defending champion Paris Saint-Germain is up next in the two-leg quarterfinals and it’s pretty much as tough in the FA Cup, with Liverpool handed an away match at Manchester City.
Salah, who has 255 goals in 435 appearances for Liverpool, missed the Reds’ last game before the international break – a 2-1 loss at Brighton in the league – with a muscle injury but has told manager Arne Slot he should be healthy enough to return this weekend.
“He just does so much for his body for such a long time that he recovers so fast,” Slot said on Wednesday. “So, he will train with the team again tomorrow and if everything works well then he’s available to be with us at City.”
Advertisement
The 33-year-old Salah was left out of the Liverpool team for four straight games at the end of 2025 in what appeared to be a breakdown in his relationship with Slot and the club.
Since returning from the Africa Cup of Nations, Salah virtually has been an ever-present in the lineup, seemingly winning the Dutch coach round.
“That hunger never drops,” Slot said of Salah. “It’s the thing I find most special about him. So many good players around the world – he’s definitely one of them in the last 10 years – and to show that hunger every three days, that professionalism, that commitment to the club and to the team, wanting to score again, always wanting to play …
“When you take him out three minutes before the end, he’s like, Ah, maybe I could have scored one extra.’”
City, meanwhile, is seeking a domestic cup double after beating Arsenal in the English League Cup final on March 22. Pep Guardiola’s team is also chasing Arsenal in the Premier League, which takes a break this weekend to give the FA Cup its own space in the calendar.
Advertisement
Key matchups
The other FA Cup quarterfinals take place across Saturday and Sunday.
After City-Liverpool in the early kickoff on Saturday, Chelsea hosts third-tier Port Vale – the lowest-ranked team left in the competition – before Arsenal visits second-tier Southampton.
On Sunday, West Ham hosts Leeds in an all-Premier League matchup.
Players to watch
Manchester City midfielder Phil Foden has less than two months to persuade England coach Thomas Thomas he is worthy of a place in the World Cup squad.
Advertisement
Foden started both of England’s recent friendly games – a draw with Uruguay and a loss to Japan – but failed to impress either in the No. 10 role or as a “false nine,” prompting Tuchel to say it’s ” not a guarantee ” that Foden will be at the World Cup.
Foden was English soccer’s player of the year in the 2023-24 season but has not maintained his top form and has rarely started for City in recent months.
Out of action
Arsenal’s team sheet for the Southampton game will be heavily scrutinized, given 10 players missed games for their national team over the international break because of various issues.
Eberechi Eze, Jurrien Timber and Martin Odegaard already had injuries that caused them to miss the League Cup final, before Piero Hincapie, Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes and Leandro Trossard all pulled out of international duty.
Advertisement
England’s Noni Madueke and Spain’s Martin Zubimendi missed the second games for their respective countries after reporting injuries.
Off the fieldThere might be growing disharmony at Chelsea, going off recent comments by two of the team’s best players.
Enzo Fernandez said after elimination in the Champions League that he couldn’t guarantee being at Chelsea next season, while Marc Cucurella told The Athletic during this international break that the team was “more stable” under coach Enzo Maresca, who was fired in January, and, “If you asked me, I would not have made this decision.”
Liam Rosenior, the current Chelsea coach, is under big pressure after four straight defeats.
Anthony Joshua’s return to the ring seems to be edging ever closer.
The two-time unified world champion was last out in December of 2025, stopping YouTuber-turned-fighter Jake Paul inside six rounds in Miami, Florida.
Joshua’s team had made it clear that he would get back to the more traditional side of the sport thereafter, however tragedy struck in Lagos, Nigeria when he was involved in a car crash. Joshua survived with minor injuries but two of his closest friends, Sina Ghami and Latif ‘Latz’ Ayodele, sadly died.
Advertisement
It was unclear how long the British heavyweight’s physical and mental recovery would take, and there were even questions raised about retirement.
Promoter Eddie Hearn has said that talks have begun surrounding his charge’s return, and now an update from boxing powerbroker Turki Alalshikh has provided more clarity. Discussing his general plan for the rest of this year, the owner of Ring Magazine included this about Joshua:
“We are … planning to do two fights for Joshua.”
😂😂😂 Yes, I am very busy with other stuff. Thank God my country is safe and we are happy, even when we are close to war. Thank you for asking. Missile and drones coming to my country each day.
And to prove your point that I am too busy and not interested in boxing anymore,… https://t.co/GR894zig21
Another notable mention is Tyson Fury, who headlines a Ring card this month against Arslanbek Makhmudov. The long-awaited all-British clash between Fury and Joshua appears to be the target for the second fight for both men – at least that was the plan prior to the car accident.
Talk will now turn to when, where and who Joshua faces in the summer. A rematch with Dillian Whyte has not been ruled out, though Hearn recently said no discussions had taken place despite rumours.
Our senior Manchester United writer Tyrone Marshall answers your questions on the club and what is going on at Old Trafford.
06:00, 03 Apr 2026
Manchester United’s internationals are enjoying a few extra days off this week ahead of a return to Carrington over the weekend and then an intense training camp in Ireland next week.
Advertisement
The squad will travel to Dublin on Monday and stay until Thursday as Michael Carrick looks to get his players back up to speed in time for the Premier League resumption against Leeds on Monday, April 13.
That will finally bring to an end a 24-day gap between games, but although it seems quiet at the moment, planning for the summer is well underway and this week’s Q&A focuses on transfers.
Get MEN Premium now for just £1 HERE – or get involved in our United WhatsApp group by clicking HERE. You can also join our United Facebook page by clicking HERE and don’t miss out on our brilliant selection of newsletters HERE.
We run weekly question and answer sessions, so click here to submit your questions, and we’ll answer them next week. Here are the answers to some of this week’s questions:
Advertisement
Could United sign three midfielders this summer?
Yes, that is a possibility, but it will depend on several factors. If Manuel Ugarte leaves, there is certainly a case for three midfielders. Two to replace Casemiro and Ugarte and then another to offer back-up and competition for Kobbie Mainoo.
Up to 70% off Man United kits and merch
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
Fanatics has slashed the price of Man United kits and merch with up to 70% off select items.
But I would be surprised if United signed three midfielders. I think two is far more likely, even if Ugarte does go, with Mason Mount sometimes used in a deeper role and perhaps someone from the academy given first-team chances in cup competitions.
A new No.6 will cost big money and there are other areas being looked at, specifically left-back and left-wing. Doing everything in one summer will be difficult, but returning to the Champions League will help, as would selling Andre Onana, Marcus Rashford and Rasmus Hojlund.
Could we sign Bruno Guimaraes and Elliot Anderson this summer?
Advertisement
No, I don’t see this being likely. Anderson is the top target for that No.6 role, but United will face strong competition from Manchester City. It’s going to be a difficult deal to do, and it’s going to cost at least £80million, I would think.
Guimaraes’s name has cropped up recently, but he turns 29 in November and isn’t a typical Ineos signing. Newcastle might just about consider selling Sandro Tonali, but Guimaraes is their captain and the heartbeat of their team, and they will be desperate not to lose him, forcing the price up for a player with no resale value.
That isn’t the kind of deal United have been doing recently and if they spend big on Anderson, I would expect the second midfielder to come from a much lower price bracket.
Sandro Tonali is Premier League-proven, will that be important in signing a midfielder this summer?
Advertisement
Yes, I think it will be very important and I believe United’s primary midfield signing this summer will be Premier League-proven. We saw that with Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha last summer and it’s become a focus in recruitment at Old Trafford.
Tonali, Anderson, Adam Wharton and Carlos Baleba are all proven in the Premier League. United have also scouted Joao Gomes recently, with the Brazilian set to leave Wolves this summer, and have also monitored Bournemouth’s Alex Scott, while being linked with his teammate Tyler Adams.
There are midfielders on the continent that United are looking at as well, but I’d expect at least one to come from the Premier League this summer, and probably the elite-level signing.
Will Alejandro Garnacho ever come back to United?
Advertisement
Very difficult to see how this ever happens. Garnacho burnt plenty of bridges when he left United and he’s hardly pulled up any trees at Chelsea. Time is on his side still at 21, but he has to be careful he doesn’t waste his talent.
He was never a good tactical fit under Ruben Amorim but his attitude let him down as well and it wasn’t only Amorim who had had enough by the end of last season. That’s a shame, because had Garnacho knuckled down and stuck it out, he would probably be the club’s first-choice left-winger now.
Will the full-back positions be looked at this summer? I’m not convinced by Dalot and Shaw.
Long-term I think both full-back positions will be on the agenda, but this summer the focus will be on left-back. With Tyrell Malacia leaving on a free transfer, Patrick Dorgu likely to play more as a winger and Luke Shaw now in his 30s, depth is required.
Advertisement
Shaw has started every Premier League game this season but his fitness will be tested if the schedule gets more demanding next season and it’s clear he can’t be relied on.
United will look for competition for the 30-year-old this summer, with the idea being to sign someone younger who can also be Shaw’s long-term successor.
On the right, Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui are likely to continue into next season, but I would expect right-back to be looked at in the summer of 2027.
Content cannot be displayed without consent
Delhi Capitals’ Sameer Rizvi celebrates his fifty (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)
NEW DELHI: “Tayyar rahio, ek challenge aane wala hai”That was Axar Patel’s message to Sameer Rizvi ahead of IPL 2026. What Rizvi did not know then was how quickly that challenge would arrive—or how decisively he would stamp his authority on it.When it did, the 22-year-old delivered a statement.Chasing 142 against Lucknow Super Giants, Rizvi walked in at No. 4 and produced a composed, unbeaten 70 off 47 balls, guiding Delhi Capitals to a six-wicket win. He walked into a ring of fire, with his UP teammate Mohsin Khan and the rest of the LSG pace battery making life difficult for the batters. But Rizvi weathered the early storm before settling into his comfort zone and accelerating with control.‘No. 4 is his favourite position’Rizvi’s comfort at the position comes as no surprise. He entered IPL 2026 on the back of consistent domestic form—491 runs in the UP T20 League, where he primarily batted at No. 4.“I am comfortable batting at No 4. I wanted to bat at the spot and the coach had told me earlier that I would come in at No 4 and that they would back me,” he said. “He asked me to play my natural game and stay positive,” Rizvi had told reporters after the game.Axar’s reminder ahead of DC’s season opener was a validation of the trust the management had placed in him.As per his uncle and formative coach, Tankeeb Akhtar, Rizvi relishes batting at No. 4, with time in the middle being key to his game.“Tujhe 4 pe batting karni hai. Tayyar rehna [You have to bat at No. 4. Be ready]. That’s what Axar Patel told him,” Akhtar tells Timesofindia.com. “He was very happy. No. 4 is his favourite batting position. When he called me, he was extremely happy and said, ‘That was amazing, mamu’]”.
Sameer Rizvi with his uncle and formative coach,Tankeeb Akhtar
“Even last year, in the final match, he played a fine knock—scoring 58 runs to help Delhi win. That’s where it all started for him. Against LSG too, he played a very good knock. The only change was that he needed time at the crease, and Axar gave him that time yesterday. Once he got time to settle on the wicket, he batted really well. He was happy,” he added.’Mamu, you’ll see – I will play well this time’Rizvi was the second-highest run-getter in the UP T20 League, averaging 61.38 and striking at 161.51. He continued his rich vein of form in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, scoring 238 runs at an average of 59.50.Back home in Meerut, his preparation for IPL 2026 was intense and methodical.“When he is in Meerut, he bats for three hours on the centre wicket. Medium pacers, spinners, fast bowlers—everyone was used to prepare him for the IPL. He has worked extremely hard for this season. I am sure he will continue to play match-winning knocks this season. While leaving, he just said, ‘Mamu, you’ll see – I will play well this time’,” says Akhtar.‘8 crore ho ya 20 lakh – cricket khelna hai bass’Rizvi’s IPL journey has already seen sharp turns. Picked by Chennai Super Kings for Rs 8.40 crore in 2024, he struggled to convert his opportunities and managed just 51 runs in eight matches.He was released the following season – a move that raised eyebrows and brought with it an inevitable dip in valuation. Delhi Capitals picked him up for Rs 95 lakh. That massive drop in price could have easily unsettled the youngster, but as Akhtar says, for Rizvi, it was always about playing the game, not the price tag attached to it.“Dekhiye bura bahot lagta hai but Sameer ne kabhi dikhaya nahi wo apne shakal pe [Look, it does hurt a lot, but Sameer never showed it on his face]. Cricket comes first for him. He never talks about the price tag. He used to say whether it is Rs 8 crore or a Rs 20 lakh base price, he just wants to play cricket, no matter which IPL team it is,” says Akhtar.In 2025, after starting in the playing XI for the initial matches, Rizvi lost his place to the likes of Abhishek Porel and Ashutosh Sharma, and eventually managed just five games the whole season – scoring 121 runs at 40.33 and striking at 153.16, including a fifty in DC’s final game.Making an Impact This year, though, as an impact substitute, Rizvi has made his mark with a match-winning knock in the first game itself. He will now hope for a consistent run – something Akhtar also believes is within reach.“Mauka bahut kam mila tha usko CSK mein [He didn’t get many opportunities at CSK]. Even in the IPL now, this was only his second or third chance, and he played a very good innings,” says Akhtar, adding that the CSK stint did help Rizvi evolve as a cricketer. “He learned a lot from MS Dhoni – both his approach to the game and his thinking evolved. But when Dhoni stepped down as captain, everything changed. I had even asked him about opportunities or moving up the batting order. He said the captain is different now. He just didn’t get enough chances, that’s all,” remembers Akhtar.At DC, Rizvi seems to have found the ideal support system – a captain who trusts him and a senior pro he can lean on.“Axar has supported him a lot. He treats him like an elder brother. He also spends time with KL Rahul. He has told him one thing: ‘Be focused on your goal,’” says Akhtar about the DC setup.From a quiet heads-up before the season to taking on the challenge head-on, Rizvi has shown early signs that he could seize his moment in his third IPL year.
;)
You must be logged in to post a comment Login