Emma Raducanu is one win away from her maiden WTA Tour title after reaching the final of the Transylvania Open.

The British number one beat Oleksandra Oliynykova 7-5 3-6 6-3 in an epic semi-final to take her place in Saturday’s showpiece in Cluj.

She now has a shot at winning her first tournament since her incredible US Open success in 2021 and announcing herself as a real force on the WTA Tour.

It completed an impressive day for home tennis as Katie Boulter made it into the final of the Ostrava Open, meaning that two British women will compete in different WTA Tour finals on the same day for the first time.

What sort of physical or mental condition top seed Raducanu will be in for the final against either Sorana Cirstea or Daria Snigur remains to be seen after she made it through one of the toughest matches of her career.

It was a war of attrition for Raducanu against the eccentric Ukrainian, who, adorned in face tattoos, adopted some frustrating tactics, including heavy use of ‘moon balling’ and slices.

The teary Briton was left physically shattered after a near three-hour battle.

“What an incredible match,” she said during her on-court interview. “I think all props to my opponent today.

“She played incredible makes it so tricky to put any ball past her. You think it’s past her, and then the ball is on your baseline or on your sideline so it’s so difficult.

“I’m just most proud of how I competed, how I came back in the third set, how I managed the match.

“I honestly don’t know if I could have done it without everyone’s support.”

The world number 91 adopted her infuriating tactics especially well late in the first set after Raducanu had broken to go 5-4 up.

It paid off as she broke back, but Raducanu stayed strong to claim another break in a mammoth game at 5-5 and then served the set out with relative ease.

She then broke in the opening game of the second set to raise hopes of a more comfortable route to victory as the Briton opened up a 3-1 lead.

But her Ukrainian opponent would just not go away and turned the set on its head with a run of five successive games to level up as Raducanu had no answers to her unusual style.

Raducanu showed her fighting spirit after trailing 2-1 in the decider to took back control of the match, winning 16 straight points to move on the brink of victory.

She missed three match points on Oliynykova’s serve, but finally finished the job to wrap it up.

Earlier, British number four Boulter beat American Katie Volynets 6-1 6-3 to secure a place in the Ostrava Open final.

Boulter broke in the opening game and then the fifth to establish a 4-1 lead, before taking the set as Volynets’ serve faltered again.

World number 96 Volynets regrouped for the start of the second set, forcing an early break in the first game, but Boulter responded immediately to level at 1-1.

Boulter then went on the offensive with some power hitting across the court.

Another break in game eight left her serving for the match, which she closed out after recovering from 0-40 down to hold her nerve and progress to a fifth career WTA final.

Adidas has built a special suit for the Winter Olympics that warms up its athletes from the inside.

From the outside, the Climawarm System looks like a normal tracksuit. But on the inside are a series of heating pads, aimed specifically at important muscles, that are intended to ensure that athletes stay at the right temperature after they complete their warm-ups.

Adidas has been working on similar systems for years. At the London Olympics in 2012, it introduced similar tools for track cyclists to “achieve optimal muscle temperature for power expression”, says Margherita Raccuglia, director of athlete performance at Adidas.

But it has now built a new version of the suit specifically for the Winter Olympics, allowing its athletes to cope with the specific challenges posed by chasing world-best performance in sub-zero conditions. Those heat pads are specifically focused on the muscles that need to stay warm, and it comes with a range of additional features such as “boost” mode in times that it is particularly needed.

The system has been built in collaboration with those athletes, says Raccuglia. “We have data supporting what kind of temperature we need to provide from a physiological point of view, but it was important to also gather their perceptual feedback as well,” she says, in a process that took about a year and a half.

The conditions at the Winter Olympics are almost perfectly calibrated to make such technology difficult: batteries perform badly in the cold, and electronics struggle in the wet. Adidas also built a series of safety mechanisms, to ensure that it did not overheat, and a special charging bag to make sure that it is always ready to go.

But athletes were “never worried” about the safety of the suit, she said. Instead, their concerns were primarily about performance – whether they would be able to get out of it quickly and easily enough to undertake their discipline, for instance, and testing including coaches timing athletes taking it off to make sure.

At the moment, the suit is only available to those professional athletes at the Winter Olympics. But “this is a technology we want to further explore for more and more athletes and consumers,” says Raccuglia – “staying warm in cold environment is something that resonates with lots of our consumers”.

Adidas has also worked on similar technology for cooling. That has included building a jacket that has something like an in-built air conditioning system, including fans that eject air and create a cooler microclimate around its wearer, that has been used by athletes including the Mercedes Formula 1 team.

Away from that work, Raccuglia says that the other “pillar for performance” is movement, and the company is working on new technologies that support athletes as their muscles work. That might include clothing that is able to support the muscles and joints as they work, especially through fatigue – though that work, for now, is remaining largely secret.

Father-and-son trainers Anthony and Sam Freedman are well-versed in capturing Victoria’s flagship two-year-old prize.

They dominated the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes at Caulfield, first with Artorius in 2021 and then Daumier the year after.

This season, the pair looks to slot High Alert into the February 21 1200m spectacle, pinning hopes on a strong showing in the Group 3 Blue Diamond Prelude (1100m) at Caulfield on Saturday.

Making his second start, High Alert comes off a fourth in the Blue Diamond Preview (1000m) at Caulfield on January 24.

Barrier one proved troublesome that day, as High Alert was held up on the inside, checked in the straight, but rallied late for fourth position.

Rider Luke Currie and Sam Freedman weighed lodging a protest but passed, the main relief being High Alert’s flawless recovery.

Freedman disclosed the colt added five to six kilos post-race, but the co-trainer stresses the need for some breaks to crack the Blue Diamond field.

“He’s probably going to have to run first two to get into the race I would say,” Freedman said.

“He’s going to be a proper horse in time.

“He put on weight, so it didn’t hurt him at all. He pulled up super and really, he ended up with a dash home.

“Hopefully he gets a bit of even luck, and we can see where he sits, but I don’t know if that’s the ‘A’ grade form.

“We’re always wary of the unlucky horse in a bad race, but he does work like a nice horse, so hopefully he can show it.”

The debut showcased High Alert’s quickening ability, ideal for escaping binds, according to Freedman.

“It was still enough of a run leading to the Blue Diamond,” Freedman said.

“The horse went off next to him in the gates, but that’s why he will be a nice horse, because nothing really fazes him.”

Saturday sees High Alert in gate five of eight, with Craig Williams taking the mount.

Visit leading racing betting markets for the upcoming Blue Diamond Stakes.

The post High Alert to show Blue Diamond Stakes credentials first appeared on Just Horse Racing.

Nick Ball has insisted he is “most comfortable” against taller opponents, as he prepares to fight Brandon Figueroa on Saturday.

Ball will headline in front of a home crowd in Liverpool, defending the WBA featherweight title at M&S Bank Arena. And, not for the first time, the diminutive brawler will be the shorter boxer as he takes on his American challenger.

The pair tipped the scales on Friday, with Ball (23-0-1) weighing in at 125.1lb after Figueroa (26-2-1) came in at 124.1lb.

After their successful weigh-ins, 28-year-old Ball said: “One more sleep and then it’s go time. We’ll find out tomorrow, but it’s gonna be an exciting one, that’s for sure […] All action from the first bell.”

Addressing the height difference, which sees the 5ft 9in Figueroa loom somewhat over the 5ft 2in Ball, the latter said: “It’s nothing new to me, to be honest with you. It’s where I’m most comfortable, so I can’t wait for it.”

And on the fight being his third title defence in Liverpool, Ball said: “Yeah, it’s special times, and I wouldn’t be here today without everyone who’s been supporting me from day one, so it means everything to me. I appreciate it.”

Meanwhile, 29-year-old Figueroa addressed the pair’s long, intense face-off from moments before, saying: “I’m just ready, I’m just leting him know that I’m ready and that belt’s coming home with me.

open image in gallery

“This is the best version of Brandon you guys are gonna see. Of course [it will be a firefight], I’m coming with everything, and I plan to leave it all in the ring.

“I’ve got my family with me, my team. We’re ready, I’ve got the whole backing of the valley, 956. I’m just ready, man.”

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Figueroa was addressing his Texan upbringing, before he acknowledged his Mexican parentage by delivering a message in Spanish. But he signed off in English: “And the new.”

If Figueroa pulls off the victory on Saturday, he will become a three-time world champion, having previously held the WBA Regular and WBC super-bantamweight titles, as well as the WBC featherweight belt.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (Photo by @BCCI on X)

NEW DELHI: Teen cricket prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi stole the show in India’s U-19 World Cup final on Friday, smashing a breathtaking 175 off just 80 balls to guide India to a 100-run win over England and a record-extending sixth title. After the match, he dedicated his Player of the Final award to the team’s support staff.“I can’t express what I am feeling but the way we have all been working hard for the last 7-8 months and our support staff who have been with us for a long time and always made sure we are alright, I would like to dedicate the award to them,” Sooryavanshi said.

“For the last eight to nine months, the support staff and the team have been working together. That preparation has played a huge role in getting us to where we are today.”The 14-year-old became the first player in U-19 World Cup history to win both the Player of the Final and Player of the Tournament awards. His innings included 15 sixes and 15 fours, and he reached the fastest 150 in Under-19 cricket in just 71 balls, propelling India to a commanding 411 for 9 after winning the toss.England fought valiantly, with Caleb Falconer scoring a 115 off 67 balls, but regular wickets prevented them from keeping up with the required rate. They were eventually bowled out for 311, handing India a dominant victory.Sooryavanshi, who had already made waves in last year’s Indian Premier League, now holds the record for the highest individual score in any ICC tournament final, further cementing his reputation as one of cricket’s brightest young talents.This remarkable performance not only secured India’s sixth U-19 World Cup title but also showcased the impact of preparation, teamwork, and raw talent on the world stage.

Ronaldo joined Al-Nassr after leaving Manchester United in December 2022, becoming the best-paid player in football history with an annual salary of £177m.

The club, who have won 10 Saudi Pro League titles, called the signing “history in the making” but Ronaldo has only won the Arab Club Champions Cup in 2023 since the move.

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner signed a new two-year contract in June 2025.

Both Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal – the country’s most successful club with 19 league titles – are among the teams controlled by the PIF, which also backs Newcastle United.

BBC Sport has been told former Real Madrid team-mate Karim Benzema’s move to league leaders Al-Hilal from Al‑Ittihad earlier this week was the principle reason for Ronaldo’s frustration at Al-Nassr.

French striker Benzema, 38, scored a hat-trick on his debut for Al-Hilal in a 6-0 win over Al-Okhdood on Thursday.

Al-Nassr are third in the league, four points behind leaders Al-Hilal.

Colts legends Reggie Wayne and Frank Gore were among the 11 Pro Football Hall of Fame modern-day player finalists on this year’s ballot who won’t be sporting gold jackets at this summer’s induction ceremony. And from the looks of next year’s potential first-time ballot members, the pair may very well remain on the outside of the Hall for a bit longer.

Longtime Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri – arguably the best kicker in NFL history – was among the five members voted to make up the Class of 2026, unveiled Thursday night during the NFL Honors ceremony. The Class’s other modern-day players included Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald, Saints quarterback Drew Brees and Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly. Vinatieri and Kuechly were voted in on their second years of eligibility, with Brees and Fitzgerald joining the esteemed list of first-ballot Hall of Famers.

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Gore, along with Brees, Fitzgerald and longtime Cowboys tight end Jason Witten, was in his first year of eligibility for the Hall. Wayne, on the other hand, was tied this year with fellow star wideout Torry Holt for being a finalist the most times (7) without being voted into the Hall. Wayne has been a finalist in each of his seven years of eligibility.

But he continues to struggle to break the threshold – particularly with the Hall’s new more exclusive voting process. Under the new Pro Football Hall of Fame voting rules, each year a group of 25 (and ties) of semifinalists is whittled down to 15 finalists, and that group then shrinks through subsequent rounds of voting to 10 and then seven. The Hall’s pool of 50 voters have five picks among that pool of seven modern-day players, and the top-three vote-getters will be inducted into the Hall of Fame with as many as two more players able to join the group if they garner 80% of the vote.

Longtime Colts beat writer Mike Chappell, who is on the Hall’s voting committee as the Indianapolis-area representative, lifted the curtain a bit on X Thursday night regarding how the voting process went this time around. Wayne, he said, did not make the first cut-down from 15 to 10, meaning, at best, he remains the seventh-highest returning vote-getter for next year with Vinatieri, Brees, Fitzgerald and Kuechly off the list.

Gore, according to Chappell, made the cut-down to 10, but was not among the seven ‘final’ finalists who were among the Hall-deciding vote. The three ex-players from that final seven who weren’t voted into this year’s class – Bengals tackle Willie Anderson, Ravens edge rusher Terrell Suggs and Ravens offensive lineman Marshal Yanda – will automatically advance to become finalists for the Class of 2027.

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Those who made the initial cut from 15 finalists down to 10, according to Chappell, included the aforementioned seven plus Gore, Witten and Cowboys safety Darren Woodson.

After last year’s 3-9 campaign, Colorado football has played 136 seasons, dating back to 1890.

The Buffs have compiled a record of 735–556–36 (.577) through the 2025 season.

The program ranks 27th on the all-time win list and 40th in all-timewinning percentage.

Colorado also has two Heisman Trophy winners in Rashaan Salaam (1994) and Travis Hunter (2024).

Since the program’s initial season, the Buffaloes have appeared in 29 bowl games, winning 27 conference championships, five division championships, and an AP National Championship in 1990.