Shaun Murphy broke Ronnie O’Sullivan’s 12-year record for the most unanswered points in a professional match as he thrashed Matthew Selt 6-0 at the China Open in Taiyuan.
Murphy, who also equalled the record of four consecutive centuries, opened the first-round tie with breaks of 18, 61, 132, 103, 139, 113 and 41 for a new record of 607 points without reply.
“It’s like a cricket score isn’t it?” Murphy told WST. “I can’t believe it, I’m over the moon.
“I knew I was close at the interval, but I didn’t want to go looking for it on any sites or anything, As a sportsperson, when you do find yourself in that bubble, in that flow, you just want to stay in it.
“Ideally I wouldn’t have had the interval, I would have just carried on. But it was a delight to play for a great crowd out there. Thrilled.
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“I haven’t set many records throughout my career and I’m sure someone at some stage will come along and beat that one, but to be part of snooker history in that way is a great thrill.”
O’Sullivan set the previous record of 556 unanswered points in a 6-0 win against Ricky Walden at the 2014 Masters.
Murphy compiled successive century breaks in frames two to five and joins Mark Allen and Neil Robertson as the only players to have achieved the feat twice.
Meanwhile, O’Sullivan won six straight frames after falling 2-0 behind to beat Jackson Page 6-2, but world number one Judd Trump’s unbeaten start to the season was halted in a 6-3 defeat to Noppon Saengkham.
Sporting platforms do not just produce gruelling contests; they also generate off-the-field stories that are revered for decades. One such story was shared by Indian boxer Narender Berwal, who returned from the Commonwealth Games with a silver medal. During a felicitation ceremony at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence, Berwal shared an anecdote from 2015, when he fought a boxer from Pakistan in the World Military Games. After Berwal won the match, he engaged in a hilarious conversation with his Pakistani opponent. As he recounted the exchange, even PM Modi was left in splits.
Political relations between India and Pakistan have been tense for decades. Narrating the story, Berwal revealed how he was cautioned by the Indian military not to lose against his opponent, given the ongoing border conflicts between the two nations.
“Since we were talking about Pakistan, a story came to my mind, sir. It was the 2015 World Military Games, and my first fight was scheduled against a boxer from Pakistan. Because it was the Military Games, I received calls from officials telling me, ‘You must not lose to Pakistan,’” he revealed.
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Berwal went on to win the bout, but both fighters suffered facial cuts, which led to them visiting a hospital together.
“I won the first round 4-1 and the second round 3-2, but both of us got cuts. I won the fight, and afterwards, we both went to the hospital to get stitches.”
Berwal continued: “In 2014, you [referring to PM Modi] became the Prime Minister for the first time. The army coach who was with us was named Narendra Rana. The Pakistani boxer thought about it for a while and then said to me, ‘Brother, can I say something?’ I said, ‘Yes, go ahead.’”
#WATCH | “Pakistani boxer said to me ‘Aapka naam Narender hai, aapke coach ka naam Narender hai, aapke Pradhan Mantri ka naam Narendra hai. Mujhe Narendra naam se nafrat ho gayi hai’…” says Heavyweight boxer and silver medallist Narender Berwal narrating his conversation with a… pic.twitter.com/qvmwO5D2sz
The Pakistani boxer then remarked: “Aapka naam Narender hai, aapke coach ka naam Narender hai, aapke Pradhan Mantri ka naam Narendra hai. Mujhe Narendra naam se nafrat ho gayi hai” (“Your name is Narender, your coach’s name is Narender, and your Prime Minister’s name is Narendra. I have started to hate the name Narendra”). As Berwal shared the story, PM Modi could not hold back his laughter.
At his residence, PM Modi held one-on-one conversations with several athletes, lauding their contributions to taking India’s sporting journey to new heights.
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Yamal Laughs At Paredes vs Gavi ‘Fight Of The Year’ Poster During Parade
Demi Vollering won the final stage of the Women’s Tour de France and retained her yellow jersey. This is her second Tour victory, following her win in 2023.
In football, Monaco pulled off an upset against Liverpool in a pre-season friendly, whilst Marseille beat Bilbao. Manchester City beat Atlético Madrid, whilst Arsenal lost to Dortmund. In tennis, Jannik Sinner has withdrawn from the Cincinnati tournament.
CM Punk is one of the most popular stars in WWE. While the fans love him, some members of the roster are not so fond of the Second City Saint. One such star is former Intercontinental Champion, ‘Dirty’ Dominik Mysterio.
During a recent Meet & Greet ahead of the SummerSlam Premium Live Event, the self-proclaimed King of the Luchadors was seen demanding a kid stop wearing any Punk merchandise. Mysterio said that if the kid wants to come and get an autograph from him, then the young fan should not be wearing any Punk merchandise.
Thanks for the submission!
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“Hey man! I know you got me to sign this ‘Dirty Dom’ card, but you got to get into a different shirt. No more. You can’t come up to me with those CM Punk merch on. Alright? Anything… I’ll take Penta, anything else, but CM Punk. You promise me on that.” Dominik Mysterio said.
Dominik Mysterio still gave the kid an autograph, but he made the young fan to promise that next time he would not be wearing any Punk merchandise during the next Meet & Greet.
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When Will CM Punk Defend His WWE Undisputed Title?
A couple of weeks ago, on Night 1 of the SummerSlam Premium Live Event, the Second City Saint managed to retain his championship against the American Nightmare, Cody Rhodes.
The following night, a new number one contender for Punk’s title was determined. It was none other than a returning Kevin Owens. On the following episode of SmackDown, Owens confronted the Second City Saint and promised that he would be the one to dethrone Punk.
Following the war of words, Kevin Owens ran into SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis backstage and named the date and place when he wanted to challenge CM Punk for the Undisputed title. Owens demanded that he wanted to wrestle the self-proclaimed Best in the World in his home country, Canada.
WWE is prepping for its Canada tour, and as part of that tour, an episode of SmackDown is set to take place in Toronto, Canada. It will take place on the 21st of August. Thus, Owens will be challenging Punk on that episode of SmackDown.
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Having put the Nusa option on hold due to its excessive costs, Tony D’Amico has confidently focused on other options.
For example, according to a report in Corriere dello Sport, he’s reopened the possibility of signing Gabriel Martinelli, 25, a Brazilian national team and Arsenal winger, whom Roma could approach because his contract with the Gunners expires in a year.
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The biggest obstacle? His salary. Martinelli earns €11 million gross, and the Giallorossi wouldn’t want to go above €9 million, given the Friedkins’ self-imposed salary cap.
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The agency representing him, Roc Nation, also has Lyon’s Malick Fofana and Real Madrid’s Endrick in its stable, players for whom Roma has made enquiries, making a more determined bid in the case of the Belgian.
Arsenal remain convinced that an agreement isn’t so impossible to reach: Tzolis has already arrived in that role, and Martinelli, as mentioned, has a contract that expires in less than twelve months, which could persuade the seller to offer a discount, reaching €40-45 million.
The World No 1 missed the Canadian Open in Montreal – ending his hopes of becoming the first player to win all nine Masters 1000 events in the same year – and has not competed since winning his fifth Grand Slam win at Wimbledon earlier this summer.
Alcaraz also pulled out of the Cincinnati Open as a precaution but Sinner seemed confident that the issue would not hinder his participation in New York.
Sinner said: “After consulting with my doctors and my team, I have to announce that I need to withdraw from the Masters 1000 tournament in Cincinnati.
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“My right knee has been bothering me and even though we have been working hard with my medical team, I have to accept that I’m not ready to compete yet…I’m now focusing on getting ready for the US Open.”
The 24-year-old Italian, who defeated Alexander Zverev in the Wimbledon final, will bid for his sixth major singles title at the US Open, which starts on 30 August.
Following what he describes as a “good bit of business”, Eddie Hearn has offered his thoughts on the vacant title clash between Moses Itauma and Filip Hrgovic.
While they were already scheduled to collide at London’s O2 Arena on August 29, the two heavyweights are now fighting for the IBF world title.
This additional incentive was made possible by promoter Frank Warren, who cut a deal with mandatory challenger Frank Sanchez and persuaded him to step aside.
Up to this point, Itauma has shown signs of generational talent but against mostly limited opposition, perhaps with the exception of Jermaine Franklin in March.
But even then, the ferocious 21-year-old dispatched the fringe contender in five rounds, while Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte went the distance with Franklin in previous fights.
Hrgovic, however, is considered a proven world-level operator, with his only defeat resulting in an eighth-round stoppage on cuts to Daniel Dubois in 2024.
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But even when considering the difference in experience, Matchroom promoter Hearn has told IFL TV that Itauma is a “massive favourite” for good reason.
“I think it’s a good bit of business from Frank Warren. Obviously they’ve managed to get Frank Sanchez to step aside, and I think he has to fight the winner.
“I think Moses is a massive favourite and, if he wins, he becomes world heavyweight champion.”
If he claims the IBF title, Itauma would also become the youngest heavyweight champion since Mike Tyson defeated Trevor Berbick in 1986.
National senior record holder high jumper Pooja Singh failed to live up to the expectations, finishing seventh in the final, as India ended their World Athletics U20 Championships campaign with three medals here.
The 19-year-old Pooja could only clear 1.84m, way below her national senior record height of 1.93m. She failed to sail over 1.87m in three attempts.
Izobelle Louison-Roe of Australia won the gold with 1.92m, while Lilianna Batori (1.90m) of Hungary and Aitana Alonso (1.90m) of Spain bagged the silver and bronze respectively.
In May, Pooja had won gold in the Asian U20 Athletics Championships with the senior national record height of 1.93m. She is also the reigning gold medallist at the Senior Asian Athletics Athletics Championships.
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The Indian women’s 4x400m relay team, meanwhile, finished ninth and last in the final, clocking 3 minute 45.28 seconds. The team comprised Bhoomika Nehate, Tahura Khatun, Tanu Chaudhary and Thiya Arumugam.
USA won the gold with a time of 3:29.15s, while Australia (3:31.39s) and Great Britain (3:32.08s) took the silver and bronze respectively.
With two silver and one bronze here, India equalled the medal haul of the 2021 and 2022 editions.
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Ashish Yadav had opened India’s medal account with a silver in the men’s javelin throw. Basant Kumar Meghwal and Shahnavaz Khan added a silver and bronze respectively in the men’s high jump and long jump.
From 2002 to 2018, India won just four medals in the World Athletics U20 Championships, including a gold each from Neeraj Chopra (men’s javelin throw in 2016) and Hima Das (women’s 400m race in 2018).
Discus thrower Seema Antil won India’s first ever medal in the World Athletics U20 Championships with a silver in the 2002 edition in Jamaica, before Navjeet Kaur Dhillon won a bronze in the same event in 2014 in the USA.
In 2021 edition, Amit (men’s 10,000m race walk) and Shaili Singh (women’s long jump) won a silver each while the mixed 4x400m relay team bagged a bronze.
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In 2022, Selva Prabhu Thirumaran (men’s triple jump) and mixed 4x400m relay team clinched a silver each while Rupal Chaudhary (women’s 400m) bagged a bronze.
India won one medal in the 2024 edition, a bronze through Aarti in the women’s 10,000m race walk event.
Best hitter matchups for this week include the Rangers, Cubs 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.
Coming in a fallow year between World Championships and Olympics the Europeans are the major target for most eligible athletes over the outdoor season and the competition is set to be fierce as ever.
Here are the major athletes and races to watch ahead of the week’s action.
Race of the season: the women’s 800m
The women’s 800m is the headline event, even in a stacked programme. Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson has had a stop-start outdoor season, suffering surprise back-to-back defeats and withdrawing in tears from British national championships earlier this summer after tweaking her hamstring. But she returned to winning ways on home soil at the London Diamond League last month, and starts as one of the favourites in a glittering field.
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Switzerland’s Audrey Werro has been the surprise package of the season and is the outright favourite after running the fastest in the world this year, but Femke Broeders-Bol – having converted her brilliance in her normal discipline of 400m hurdles to the 800m – is also a potent force. Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium could yet see one of track and field’s oldest world records fall: the controversial 1:53.28 set by Czechoslovakian athlete Jarmila Kratochvilova in 1983.
Hodgkinson had initially targeted the London Diamond League to attempt to break the record, having smashed the world indoor record in March last year. But it now looks as though Werro, who became the first woman since Kratochvilova to run under 1:54 – twice – in Paris and Stockholm this year, is the best placed to finally topple that mark.
The stage is set for a hugely entertaining race – the only drawback is that newly crowned Commonwealth 800m champion Georgia Hunter Bell is opting not to compete over the distance in Birmingham, focusing on the 1500m instead and avoiding a mouthwatering four-way clash.
Hodgkinson returned to winning ways at the London Diamond League last month (Getty)
Jakob Ingebrigtsen makes long-awaited return
Norwegian great Jakob Ingebrigsten has not raced at all in 2026 after undergoing surgery on his Achilles tendon in January, with his grand comeback taking place this week as he runs in the 5,000m. The injury also heavily impacted his 2025; he obviously struggled with it at the World Championships in September, when he failed to make it out of the 1,500m heats and finished a distant 10th in the 5,000m.
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He is the reigning European champion in both the 5,000m and 1,500m but has opted to focus on the longer distance only as he returns to competition, writing on social media: “Anyone who has watched me race over the years will know that competition is what drives me. I am healthy, training has been going well and after discussing with my team, we reached the conclusion that there is no reason not to race.
“What better way than to return to the European Championships, where I have so many golden memories. I’ll be lining up for the 5000m August 10th.”
Ingebrigtsen has never been defeated at a European Championships, winning both the 1,500m and 5,000m titles at each of the last three editions, going back to when he was just 17 in Berlin in 2018, and made history in Rome two years ago as the first man to win six gold medals.
Jakob Ingebrigtsen will make his comeback in Birmingham (Getty)
Mondo Duplantis bids to shake off rare defeat
One constant of athletics in recent years has been Mondo Duplantis’ crushing supremacy in the pole vault. But the world record holder suffered a shock defeat – his first in three years – at this summer’s Diamond League event in Stockholm, with Australian Kurtis Marschall beating him on Duplantis’ home soil.
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The Swede never really looked himself and failed at 6m and 6.05m, only finishing second as he cleared 5.80m with two-time world bronze medallist Marschall clearing 5.90m.
Duplantis set a new world record of 6.28m at the same arena last year but his aura of invincibility took a huge dent this time around, while he then withdrew from the London Diamond League with a thigh strain, after a long conversation with his father and manager on the sidelines.
With the European Championships looming the decision was made to withdraw as a precaution, but the events of the last few weeks mean that – for once – the men’s pole vault title isn’t sewn up before the athletes even step onto the runway. Duplantis arrives in Birmingham looking to win a fourth successive European title and re-establish his supremacy after that blip, setting up a fascinating battle with the likes of major rival Emmanouil Karalis of Greece.
Duplantis’ aura of invincibility was dented by defeat in Stockholm before he pulled out with a minor strain in London (Reuters)
Brits renew rivalry in stacked 100m
While Hodgkinson and Hunter Bell headline the longer distance races for the home nation, there is a raft of British interest in the sprint events, most notably in a stacked women’s 100m field.
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Defending champion Dina Asher-Smith has won six European golds and could become the most successful athlete in the history of the event if she wins one more, doubling up after glory in Rome two years ago. She pulled out of the Commonwealth Games with a focus on defending her title but will face opposition from rival Daryll Neita, who is second behind Asher-Smith in the all-time list of fastest Brits over the distance and is a two-time European individual medallist herself.
World 200m silver medallist Amy Hunt is competing in both events in Birmingham; her slow start may rule her out of contention over the shorter distance but her immense closing speed makes her a major favourite in a fascinating 200m race, where she will also come up against former world champion Asher-Smith. British national champion Success Eduan will also be in action, giving the home crowd in Birmingham multiple athletes to cheer on.
Commonwealth 100m silver medallist Amy Hunt is among several British contenders (Getty)
Josh Kerr holds off on more records
One major absence from Birmingham is new mile world record holder Josh Kerr. The Scot won the 3,000m world indoor title in March, but his season was entirely built around a tilt at Hicham El Guerrouj’s 27-year-old mile record, which he shattered in stunning fashion at the London Diamond League, running it in 3:42.66.
The 28-year-old is always one to talk a big game and his tilt at the record was rarely out of the spotlight as he shared his training for the catchily named ‘Project 222’ – the number of seconds he would have to run to break it – in the build-up. He wrote “I ran 3.42 at the London Diamond League. July 18th, 2026” in his notebook every day; he would plunge in an ice bath for 222 seconds, living and breathing the project.
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His superb form carried him into the Commonwealth Games, another important target for him, especially as they were held on home soil in Glasgow. The mile there was a very different race – he won in 3:54.12 and had time to gee up the crowd as he surged clear down the home straight – but the gold was what he came for.
New mile record holder Josh Kerr will not compete in Birmingham (PA Wire)
There had been talk that having completed those two goals he would turn his attention to the 1,500m world record, also held by El Guerrouj, of 3:26 flat. But that is unlikely to happen this year, despite his blistering form, and nor is an appearance in Birmingham at all. He told The Guardian: “I will hold the 1500m world record in my career. But I’m not in a rush to do that. I think we are flying a little close to the sun at the moment.” His absence opens the door to compatriot Jake Wightman, who was sixth in the mile in Glasgow.
The 2027 NHL scouting season has officially launched.
Several prospects made an impression at last week’s Hlinka Gretzky Cup, an annual under-18 tournament that was hosted in Edmonton by Team Canada. The competition will return to Czechia and Slovakia next summer, with future host cities still to be determined. Canada won gold after routing the U.S. 8-1 in the gold-medal game on Saturday night, while Finland downed Slovakia to take the bronze.
It’s early in my process, but several prospects caught mine and colleague Sam Cosentino’s attention. With an eye towards next June’s draft, here are some quick notes on players who stood out:
DuPont captained Canada to gold. He was deployed in key offensive- and defensive-zone scenarios, competed physically, executed at an elite level with the puck and ended the tournament with two goals and six assists (including four helpers in the gold-medal game).
DuPont, in my opinion, is a complete player and a future top-pairing NHL defenceman. He doesn’t just produce offence — he’s a fantastic skater who never backs down in the hard areas of the ice, net front and along the boards. He reminds me, in many ways, of a young Drew Doughty.
England plays with pace, skill and tenacity. His quick release, and overall puck skill in small areas, was on full display in Edmonton. He ended the tournament with five points (four goals, one assist) and appears poised to have a very productive year with the Thunderbirds. England has the hockey sense and commitment to be deployed in all situations if required and projects as a top-six NHL forward.
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Jaakko Wycisk – six-foot-one, 204 pounds – Right Shot Center – Guelph Storm (OHL)
Wycisk was outstanding for Canada as his combination of skating ability, skill and overall physical presence stood out throughout the tournament. Wycisk’s power along the boards and in front of the opponent’s net makes him extremely difficult to defend and opens up space for his linemates. He tied teammate Maddox Schultz for the scoring title with two goals and eight assists for the Canadians and currently projects as a first-round prospect.
Brock Cripps – five-foot-11, 166 pounds – right-shot defenceman – Prince Albert Raiders (WHL)
NHL teams covet right-shot defencemen, especially elite skaters and playmakers who project as potential power-play quarterbacks — and Cripps fits the description. He’s currently undersized and will need time to add more weight to his frame, but his quickness and hockey sense already stand out and lead to Cripps winning pucks and launching the attack. He produced one goal and five assists and projects as a two-way/transitional defenceman with top-four potential.
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Kayden Stroeder – six feet, 165 pounds – left-shot centre – Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL)
Stroeder was playing on home ice in Edmonton and stood out for a variety of reasons. He contributed offence (four goals, five assists), but it was his relentless compete level that stood out for me. Stroeder battled for possession and drove to the net off the flank. He played with pace, was reliable defensively, and won most of his shifts throughout the tournament.
Cooper McAslan – six-foot-two, 195 pounds – right-shot defenceman – London Knights (OHL)
I could have written about almost every Canadian player for this piece, and their time will come between now and next June, but London Knights defenceman Cooper McAslan is a prospect who deserves recognition to start the season.
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McAslan spent most of last year playing for London’s Junior “B” affiliate, the London Nationals, and only suited up for four games with the Knights. He contributed 10 goals and 37 assists in 45 combined regular season and playoff games with the Nationals. McAslan is long and rangy, a solid skater with well-above-average puck skill. He was generally used in a depth role for Canada, but did contribute three assists. I feel like McAslan is just scratching the surface of his potential and should compete for significant minutes with the Knights this season.
Johnsson is another intriguing and undersized right-shot defender. He’s an outstanding skater who has the ability to track down pucks in his zone and launch the attack on his own or outlet the puck and join the rush as an extra attacker. He quarterbacks the power play and competes defensively. The Swedes were underwhelming overall at this tournament but Johnsson stood out for long stretches, contributing one goal and two assists.
Milan Sundstrom – six-foot-two, 207 pounds – left-shot centre – Modo J20 (Sweden)
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Sundstrom is a pre-season top-five prospect who projects as a top-line NHL forward with significant offensive upside. He produced six points (two goals, four assists) for the Swedes and was their most consistent offensive threat. There were times his shift length was too long, leaving him exhausted and cutting some corners defensively, but he left me with a positive impression overall.
Neuenschwander played to his identity in Edmonton and appears prepared for a big season in his draft year. He’s the kind of prospect who has to be dissected shift-to-shift with a sense of reality in relation to the team around him. The Swiss lack depth at the top of their lineup, but Neuenschwander ended the tournament with three goals and three assists while having to compete against opponents’ top lines and defensive pairings every shift. He’s another prospect whose combination of size, skill, pace and elite shooting ability stands out.
Santala is making his way to North America to play in the OHL for the Knights and projects as a prospect who leans more shooter than distributor. He’s aggressive directing pucks on net and has the size to create issues for defenders who attempt to push him off pucks. One area of Santala’s game I’m monitoring is his overall pace, as he has the ability to play fast but seems to pick his spots at times. Santala produced two goals and four assists.
Burcar was fantastic for Team USA as the Spokane Chiefs centre dominated offensively (five goals, four assists) and, like Santala, was aggressive directing pucks on net. He shoots the puck a ton, but what stood out was the way he stationed himself around the net and walked to open space after winning plays off the boards.
I’m pretty sure Cosentino grew tired of me pointing out all of the positive things Mares was doing for Czechia on a shift-to-shift basis. He’s a hulking centre who plays a straightforward power game. When he wins offensive zone draws, he heads to the crease to set screens and hound for tips and rebounds. Mares was selected by Rimouski in the first round (fifth overall) in the CHL import draft. He contributed three goals and three assists in Edmonton and has my full attention heading into the fall.
It would be irresponsible of me to end my piece without acknowledging the under-age prospects (2028 draft eligible) who had significant impact at the tournament:
Maddox Schultz – five-foot-10, 183 pounds – left-shot centre – Regina Pats (WHL)
Schultz was outstanding for Canada. He contributed three goals and seven assists, but it was his complete game that impressed me most. Schultz doesn’t cut corners. He competes in all three zones and isn’t shy to battle in traffic. He’s trending towards being the top prospect for the 2028 draft.
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Liam Pue – six feet, 188 pounds – right-shot winger – Regina Pats (WHL)
Pue also plays in Regina and he has undeniable synergy skating alongside Schultz. He owns a lethal release — if he identifies a lane to the net, no matter how small, he has the ability to rip pucks in the blink of an eye. Pue produced six goals and three assists for Team Canada.
Joey’s brother, Wyatt, was selected by the Nashville Predators 10th overall in June and Joey appears to have the same upside. He’s dynamic with the puck on his stick and plays with a confident swagger that produced three goals and two assists for Team USA.
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