Sports
Two sentences on every notable free agency signing
Parameters are pretty simple: two sentences for all contracts signed on July 1st that were worth a million dollars in AAV or more. Let’s get to it!
When the Ducks lost Gudas, Trouba, and Carlson, they were gonna need a few reliable adults back there. Not sure it moves the needle much, but Jensen can at least plug some leaks.
Seems like goalies who’ve played NHL games cost at least a million. Here’s some cheap/credible insurance for the Dobes and Fowler.
At first glance, it seems like an absolutely mental number for a guy who’s been a fringe sixth- or seventh-man in the league. Like, how many teams were all over Desharnais? But at second glance … OK, it’s still high, but he’s got all the desirables, from size to handedness to age to underlying numbers.
Bjorkstrand is one of those guys who, with favourable deployment, can get some numbers. He can shoot it. Don’t think he moves the needle much without help, though.
Marchment has made more money than I’d bet even he ever thought he’d make in the league as a former ECHL guy. But it’s a cool story (his Dad’s former team, same number), and he’s got both skill and toughness, which show in flashes before periods of dormancy.
Has played good minutes with Dakota Joshua in the past, kills penalties and knows his role. Nothing special or flashy for the Leafs, but a good bet on a short deal to improve a formerly putrid bottom-six.
His goaltending brain is elite, so it’ll be up to what his body — something he takes good care of — can do over the next few years. A bounce-back after a write-off year in Florida isn’t out of the question, but there’s risk here for the Leafs (as there is with about 50 of the 64 goalies in the league).
At some point, the Canucks need NHL bodies in their lineup, and Cotter can skate and has put up a little offence in New Jersey in the past. He’s young enough that if he finds his game there, the Canucks can use him past this contract.
Goalies with NHL experience, signed to provide insurance, cost a million as the floor. As noted with Kaapo Kahkonen, that’s all this is here.
Schwartz, surrounded by some talented Avalanche forwards, has the skills and brains to make the most out of his roster spot. He’s a Cup champ to go with many in that room, so I like this as a depth add for the Avs.
Hey, they traded for the guy; it only makes sense to pay him to stay. He’s young and has upside, and should fit in perfectly with the Kraken (take that however you like).
This is one of those contracts that everyone knows isn’t serious — that the player has no intention of playing through — so it keeps the AAV down. But Gudas has struggled to defend as he’s gotten older, and I can’t believe there’s going to be much value pulled from the deal anyway.
Good pro, respected, valuable contributor. You can see the way numbers are going for top-end guys, so this falls in line comfortably.
The value of anybody with an ounce of snarl to their game has gone through the roof. Douglas has more than an ounce.
Truly cannot believe Bogosian is just 35, it’s felt like he’s been 35 for five straight years. A good competitor who defends his butt off, but a seventh D who’s starting to struggle with the pace.
Boone Jenner feels like a born Washington Capital, out of the Lars Eller mould. A solid depth guy and good pro, you worry about how his game will look as he keeps getting older, but you can see what the Caps like.
Feels like Dubas’ thing is to bet on high upside guys while their stock is low, and you’re bound to hit on a few winners that way. But they won’t all pan out, and when they don’t, you want the term to look like this: one single year.
Truly one of the NHL’s most fascinating, respectable, purely mid players. This will make it nine straight NHL seasons where Kerfoot has earned either three or three-point-five million, as he can do a little bit of everything and do it decently well.
Ah, the ol’ “teacher in the room while we’re bad” job. No better pro to choose for that role, but it could be a long year.
I have about as many Joe Veleno takes as you’d expect. Not yet had a 30-point season, but has enough NHL experience that he should be fine.
Arvidsson is one of those guys who, when he’s healthy, is easy to love. Small but lays it all on the line, goes to the net, but his availability will be a question mark.
As I said about toughness, it’s at a premium these days, as evidenced by the 32-year-old Johnston getting three years. He’s tough as nails, though, so if you’re going tough, you could do worse.
Mikheyev is fast, PKs and creates pucks to the net. I can see the Lightning thinking they’re getting “faster Nick Paul,” which is true in theory, but not sure he’s got the sense for the game that Paul does.
Toughness has value, and the fans in Columbus will love the Lomberg show. He works for everything he gets.
If you’re Connor Bedard, I’m sure you’re just dying for the team to turn the corner. Cole has done his share of winning and should help the Blackhawks get moving in the right direction.
Ersson is funny, because the numbers don’t like him any more than the next goalie, but the people who’ve watched him see potential. I’m not sure why he got the dollars he got, exactly, but it sounds like he’s got upside.
One of the several older UFAs the Kings signed, Haula was a player who made a difference for years. The bet that that’s going to continue to happen is getting harder to see.
Luostarinen is essentially the league’s most perfect third-line winger, alongside Anton Lundell. Assuming he’s good for another few years, the contract should age fine.
Anaheim lost Jeffrey Viel and wanted some toughness. Congratulations are in order, as they found some.
It’s a little funny how every team that signed a sorta-back-up, sorta-third-string guy just gave them about a million and called it a day. I like Comrie as a back-up.
See the above. Journeyman back-up banks another well-earned million.
You can’t just build a team out of the same player, and Sissons is your quintessential quality depth centre. Reliable guy who can PK, win draws and take some D-zone starts off Matthews’ plate.
Pretty unremarkable here, I like Clifton fine, pretty versatile D. Low-to-no-risk deal.
I’m seeing this deal get killed by just about everyone, and yeah — not pretty in terms of cost-to-value ratio. But he’s a better D-man than the Sharks’ past depth, so the team gets better in the short-term, which appears to be their goal.
I think the Isles lost Max Shabanov and just said, “let’s replace him with another smaller skill guy,” at least that’s the most sense I can make out of this. Maccelli is an NHLer, but if he’s playing meaningful minutes for your group, you’re probably not a great team.
This seems to be the going rate for reliable depth. Pens are trying to hodgepodge things together at the fringes again, and TVR is at least a good pro.
Actually quite like this bet. He’s a good age, he’s competitive, and they got him for a couple years at a nice price.
It’s crazy that Stu Skinner is only 27 — it feels like he’s been in NHL headlines for a decade already. Not many guys with his size/experience available out there. If he’s your backup, you’re doing pretty well.
I like Viel on a fourth line fine enough, and the Lightning have to deal with the Panthers, I get all that. But five years is crazy talk.
This rules for the Flyers. Good player locked up long-term for cheap.
I just cannot make sense of why a guy would sign up for eight years, given his talent and the direction of the cap. I think there’s a chance that in the last few years of this deal, he’s left five million on the table per season (which rules for Montreal).
Stenlund is an excellent depth forward, which is why I’m surprised he couldn’t get two years. Utah is loaded up front, as evidenced by Stenlund being a clear fourth-liner for the side.
Big, young, and actually had better numbers than Bobrovsky in Florida last year. The goalie market is a crapshoot, though, so who knows.
I really should’ve taken these backup goalie contracts out of this “analysis.” Daws, a million per year… Sure. Fits what the rest of the league is doing.
Not many players in the league are more solid than Acciari; players react to running into him like he’s pure granite. But he’s slowing down, and he already wasn’t fast, so I’m not sure what this will look like in year two.
The Leafs signed a bunch of grinders, so it’s tough to blame them for chasing some speed to go with the ability to transport the puck. But I’m not sure he fits in the top-six, or in the bottom-six exactly either, so I’m curious to see if he finds a steady home in the lineup.
If you’ve got talent for days, it’s good to have the odd thumper out there. Juulsen plays heavy and likely will occupy a sixth- or seventh-man role for Colorado.
If you played meaningful minutes for Vegas, aren’t a star, and are owed any additional money, you’re almost definitely gone. Smith was that, and should provide some steadiness to a Blackhawks team trying to go forward.
He had a great year, but it’s tough to love giving any goalie in the NHL five years who isn’t one of about five guys in the Hellebuyck/Shesterkin class. Still, they locked up a prime-aged good goalie for a low AAV, so here’s to hoping he’s the real deal.
This is top pair D UFA money. Checks out. Andersson probably leaves a few bucks on the table because he wants to be in Vegas, so it seems like everyone gets what they want.
A truly bonkers number, but he’s undeniably a help to their struggling roster, so they did what they had to do to keep him. It feels like he’s been one of those “never satisfied” guys so far. Now that he’s got the money and the top-pair role, I’d say the pressure is squarely on him.
Fascinating signing, in that Freddy just played 16 of 19 games for the Canes en route to a Cup win, and he only got a year and under three million. But it just shows that people aren’t sold on what he is at this point in his career, which might be a tandem goalie who struggles to stay healthy.
Love this for the Oilers, Shea was rock solid for the Penguins last year. With minimal responsibility, he should be a reliable guy.
The kinda signing that makes you take Utah more seriously. No asset cost but the money, and he’s a big, heavy guy who’s been a captain in the league. A great addition.
If you chase stars like Vegas, someone has to play cheap and hopefully contribute. “Vegas Vic” is back, and they’re hoping he shoots a few in the net yet again.
When I see all these signings, it blows my mind that Kapanen can’t get more than a year of term. As good as depth scoring gets in the NHL, and can be effective without getting points.
It’s quite a bit of money, but what should the Canucks care? You need some real players to keep from being a laughingstock, and Oleksiak is a big, mean defender.
Love this by the Devils, and what a concept, right? The idea that you’d take competitive action to get a player from another team, even though they won’t like it? Hayton would help down the lineup, is prime-aged, and will be the type of depth the Devils could use.
I like his skating for Edmonton in their bottom-six. Cheap, no-risk deal.
Laughton is a good dude and solid player, smart, versatile, and with more skill than you’d expect. The Kings are kinda old, but Laughton can still skate.
As noted, the Kings are old, but Zuccarello can still make plays. The Kings are creating the weirdest team, without much of a long-term forecast, but they should threaten the playoffs again next year.
Great deal for the Jets for a good, prime-aged competitor. Surprised he didn’t cost more, quite honestly.
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Kelsey Plum is headed to Phoenix.
The Los Angeles Sparks traded the five-time All-Star guard to the Phoenix Mercury late Saturday night in exchange for Monique Akoa Makani, a 2027 first-round pick and a 2028 second-round pick.
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The blockbuster deal came just hours before Sunday afternoon’s WNBA trade deadline and sent the biggest available name on the market to a Mercury team trying to make another postseason run.
LA Sparks guard Kelsey Plum (10) reacts at the end of the first half against the Golden State Valkyries at Crypto.com Arena. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)
Plum, a two-time WNBA champion, has not played since June 21 because of a lower left leg injury. She was expected to return Sunday against the Portland Fire on a minutes restriction, though it is not yet clear whether she will be available when Phoenix visits the Chicago Sky on Monday.
The 31-year-old was putting together one of the best statistical seasons of her career before the injury. Plum is averaging 23.9 points and 6.4 assists through 12 games — both career highs — and led the league in scoring earlier this season.
Her time in Los Angeles lasted only a season and a half.
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Los Angeles Sparks guard Kelsey Plum (10) drives past Chicago Sky guard Ariel Atkins (7) in the first half at Crypto.com Arena. (Jayne Kamin/Oncea-Imagn Images)
The Sparks acquired Plum before the 2025 season in exchange for the No. 2 overall pick, hoping the veteran guard could help accelerate a rebuild centered around Cameron Brink and Rickea Jackson. Seattle eventually used that selection on Dominique Malonga, who became an All-Star in her second season.
But the gamble never produced the turnaround Los Angeles envisioned.
The Sparks missed the playoffs in 2025 and currently sit at 10-17 after losing six straight games. They have gone just 2-9 during Plum’s latest absence and are in danger of missing the postseason for a sixth consecutive year.
MERCURY’S NOW-DELETED SOCIAL MEDIA POST MOCKING CAITLIN CLARK DRAWS SCRUTINY AFTER STAR’S INJURY
Los Angeles also parted ways with general manager Raegan Pebley in July, leaving assistant general managers Zach Knowlton and Nate Nielsen in charge on an interim basis.
Plum was set to become a free agent after the season and reportedly did not plan to re-sign with the Sparks, making her the league’s most prominent trade candidate ahead of the deadline. The New York Liberty and Atlanta Dream had also shown interest.
Alyssa Thomas side-steps ugly Caitlin Clark foul, claims to be receiving threats. (Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
Instead, she lands with a Phoenix team that appears determined to keep pushing forward despite its own disappointing record. The Mercury are 11-19 and six games behind the eighth-place Liberty for the final playoff spot.
So Plum has her work cut out for her.
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She should immediately provide Phoenix with another proven scorer, secondary playmaker and championship-tested guard. She could also take some of the offensive burden away from Alyssa Thomas, who leads the Mercury with 8.3 assists per game.
The move marks only the fourth time in WNBA history that an All-Star has been traded during the season.
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The rich get richer, or in the case of the Los Angeles Dodgers trading for Tarik Skubal, the best simply get better.
As first reported by ESPN late Saturday evening, the back-to-back American Cy Young winner with the Detroit Tigers is heading to play for the two-time defending World Series champions in a deal sending three prospects to the Motor City.
The Tigers are shipping Skubal to Los Angeles in exchange for outfielder Zyhir Hope and right-hand relievers Brady Smith and River Ryan. MLB currently ranks the 21-year-old Hope as the No. 25 prospect in baseball.
Tarik Skubal #29 of the Detroit Tigers delivers his 1,000th strikeout pitch against Taylor Ward of the Baltimore Orioles during the first inning at Comerica Park on July 29, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. (Duane Burleson/Getty Images)
MLB’S SALARY CAP PROPOSAL WON’T FIX THE LEAGUE’S NON-EXISTENT COMPETITIVE BALANCE PROBLEMS
Skubal, who is set to become a free agent this upcoming offseason, underwent arthroscopic elbow surgery in May after making seven starts for Detroit to begin the campaign. The 29-year-old ultimately missed just six months following the procedure and made his return to the bump in mid-June.
Tarik Skubal #29 of the Detroit Tigers looks on from the pitchers mound during the game against the Baltimore Orioles at Comerica Park on July 29, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. The Orioles defeated the Tigers 10-9 in 12 innings. (Mark Cunningham/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
Skubal, 7-5 as a starter this season, is owed the remainder of his $32 million salary, but will not be eligible to receive a qualifying offer from the Dodgers due to the trade taking place during the season.
With the Dodgers already being the favorite to win what would be a third-straight World Series title this fall, the organization acquiring one of the best arms in baseball doesn’t necessarily add excitement for fans of teams around the league with the postseason fast approaching.
The fact that the Dodgers were the team to land Skubal in exchange for just three prospects – a deal the majority of contenders around the league presumably could have also offered Detroit – is perhaps the most frustrating aspect of the situation for all non-Dodger fans looking on.
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Tarik Skubal #29 of the Detroit Tigers looks on during the game between the Baltimore Orioles and the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on Wednesday, July 29, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. (Izzy Rincon/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
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No fanbase in Major League Baseball is more dumbfounded by the move than Detroit fans themselves, with the Tigers sitting just 2.5 games out of the Wild Card in the American League. Meanwhile, the Dodgers have a 10-game lead in the National League West while boasting a 69-42 record.
Skubal made his last start for the Tigers on July 29 and could make his Los Angeles debut in the coming days with the Dodgers playing visitors to the Chicago Cubs for a three-game series beginning on Monday.
England tried to rally themselves following their semi-final defeat by New Zealand, but came up against a Diamonds team recovering from one of the biggest shocks in the tournament’s history.
Australia – who had previously been in every Commonwealth final and won the tournament four times – were stunned by Jamaica on Saturday afternoon, giving them less time to recover for the bronze-medal match than England.
The Roses worked hard to shut down the Diamonds’ forward-passing options from the start, but the team in green and gold found their rhythm with devastating consequences, overturning an early 9-7 deficit to lead 19-11 in a bruising first-quarter spell for the Roses.
Stembridge’s side, who lost 66-47 to the same opponents in the pool stage, then lacked impetus in the second period, showing signs of tired legs against one of the world’s most established shooting partnerships in Kiera Austin and Sophie Garbin.
A loose pass from England captain Fran Williams allowed Austin to calmly extend the gap to 28-16 and her side kept the margin steady, resulting in a half-time score of 35-24.
The presence of substitute shooter Eleanor Cardwell in the third quarter helped the Roses score five without reply to trail 45-34, but they were still 49-36 behind with 15 minutes left to play.
Bronze is not a colour of medal that Australia ever imagined they would be playing for, but what seemed just as important to them was reminding the world what they are capable of and why they have been such feared opponents.
In that sense, Stacey Marinkovich’s Diamonds shone as ultimate professionals, and England again came up short against a top side, losing by one less point than the pool stage match between the teams.
“It’s so tough after we lost yesterday and the disappointment of not making a final, to pull yourself up. I’m just so proud of the girls, the fight that we had through this 10 days to keep showing up and responding,” Williams told BBC Sport.
“Probably a few of our errors came through that fatigue and the mental drain that being in tournament netball is, and that is no excuse.
“For so many of us, 10 of us, that was our first Commonwealth Games experiencing that and maybe that showed in a final-day game where you’ve got to turn it on when medals are on that line.
“I’m not going away from that World Cup next year without a medal and standing on that podium, hopefully with a gold, so we’ll be doing as much as we can in the next 12 months to make sure that we are in a better position to fight in these final games.”
Jul 27, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Mitch Keller (23) delivers a pitch against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images In search of his first win in more than a month, Pittsburgh Pirates starter Mitch Keller hopes to recapture the good vibes from his last outing against the Cincinnati Reds.
The visiting Pirates look to even their four-game series against the Reds in Sunday’s finale.
In a 9-4 home win over the Reds on June 28, Keller gave up four runs (three earned) on five hits, walking one and striking out four over six innings.
The right-hander was 0-2 in four July starts. He settled for a no-decision in his home start on Monday against the Arizona Diamondbacks, allowing two runs on six hits with one walk and four strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings.
“When stuff is going well, your confidence is up a little bit,” said Keller (6-7, 4.83 ERA). “I’ve got to keep working. Keep going. We still have a lot to accomplish as a team.”
Keller has made 21 career starts against the Reds and is 5-6 with a 5.25 ERA.
The Pirates placed Ryan O’Hearn (left quad strain) on the 10-day injured list on Saturday. A first baseman and outfielder, O’Hearn is expected to miss six to eight weeks after he was injured running to first base in the ninth inning of the Pirates’ 8-7 loss on Friday.
O’Hearn is hitting .270 with 17 home runs and 69 RBIs.
Pittsburgh manager Don Kelly said Saturday’s 4-1 win that featured a 106-minute rain delay showed his club’s toughness.
“We’ve talked about the resilience of this team,” Kelly said. “The fight that is in that clubhouse. … (Friday’s loss) was a tough game, and so was losing O’Hearn.”
The Reds will counter with 23-year-old Chase Burns (12-1, 2.40). While Cincinnati is going for a series win, Burns is chasing history.
Burns, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, has had a breakout season. The right-hander is unbeaten (11-0) over his last 16 starts and has pitched at least five innings in all 20 of his starts this season. A win Sunday would move Burns within one victory of Brooks Lawrence, who won 13 consecutive decisions for the Reds in 1956, his lone All-Star season. Burns’ 16-game streak without a loss is the longest run by a Cincinnati pitcher since Ewell Blackwell racked up 16 wins in a 17-start span in 1947.
Burns took a no-decision in his last start, a 6-5 home loss to the Cleveland Guardians on Tuesday. He allowed five runs (one earned) on five hits with two walks and four strikeouts over five innings. Four Cleveland runs came in the first inning.
“It’s all about seeing how many zeros you can put up and getting through five innings,” Burns said.
At a career-high 112 2/3 innings in his second season, Burns earned his first All-Star selection but did not participate in the game because of a groin issue. Burns has made five career appearances, including four starts, against the Pirates. He is 1-0 with a 2.08 ERA, striking out 37 while walking five over 26 innings.
Sunday’s outing will be his fourth against Pittsburgh this season.
The Reds managed just three hits in Saturday’s loss.
“(Pirates starter Braxton) Ashcraft has got a fabulous arm,” Reds manager Terry Francona said. “I actually thought the rain might help us because it got him out of there. But (reliever) Carmen Mlodzinski is pretty good in that role.” –Field Level Media
It’s hard to find any real flaws in Dan Lanning’s first four seasons leading the Oregon football program.
He inherited a strong foundation left behind by Mario Cristobal but has taken the Ducks to new heights since taking over the flock.
Oregon has won 10-plus games in each of his first four seasons, including 13 in each of the last two seasons since the team made a leap up in difficulty by joining the Big Ten. The Ducks were the No. 1 seed in the 2024 College Football Playoff before making a quarterfinal exit and advanced to the 2025 CFP semifinals before running into the Indiana buzzsaw.
Since Lanning arrived for the 2022 season, Oregon’s 48-8 record is tied with Ohio State for the second-best in the country, trailing only Georgia.
This season, though, presents a new challenge for Lanning. Will Stein, his offensive coordinator the last three seasons, is now the head coach at Kentucky. Tosh Lupoi, his defensive coordinator for his entire Oregon tenure, is now the head coach at Cal.
Drew Mehringer and Chris Hampton were in-house promotions to replace them as offensive and defensive coordinator, respectively.
That makes this a year where Lanning can prove Oregon’s success has been firmly on his shoulders and that the Ducks will remain contenders as long as he’s in charge.
“Nobody’s going to have higher expectations for our team than us,” Lanning said Wednesday at Big Ten media days in Chicago. “We’re the guys in the building doing the work every single day. Certainly really proud of the team and the work they’ve put in. We have high expectations. We’ve got a lot that we want to accomplish.”
The good news for Lanning is that the 2025 roster is largely still intact in Eugene. Oregon returns 14 starters from last year’s team and sits 11th nationally in ESPN’s returning production rankings.
Lanning is already seeing the difference.
“Last year, I felt like we had a team that had a ton of talent. This year, we have a team that has a lot of experience returning,” Lanning said. “A lot of those young guys that played are guys that have great experience. I am excited to see what that looks like.”
Quarterback Dante Moore, who threw for 3,565 yards and 30 touchdowns last season, chose to run it back with the Ducks instead of almost certainly going to the New York Jets as the No. 2 overall pick in this year’s NFL Draft.
The public is clearly believing in Lanning’s squad, with Oregon tied for the third-best odds (+750) to win the national title this season, according to DraftKings.
Lanning likewise believes, telling ESPN on Wednesday that his team is “close” to bringing home the program’s elusive first national championship.
The 2026 season would be quite a time for him to break through and become the fifth active FBS coach who has won a national championship.
Annabel Sutherland’s unbeaten 59 goes in vain as Trent Rockets hold on to beat Sunrisers Leeds by five runs at Trent Bridge.
The Hundred women’s competition, Trent Bridge
Trent Rockets 139-7 (100 balls): Dunkley 56 (33); Jonassen 2-20
Sunrisers Leeds 134-5 (100 balls): Sutherland 59* (30); Phillips 1-10
Trent Rockets won by five runs
Trent Rockets held off a late assault from Annabel Sutherland and Lauren Winfield-Hill to beat defending champions Sunrisers Leeds by five runs and extend their winning streak to three matches.
Defending 139 at Trent Bridge after failing to capitalise on Sophia Dunkley’s 29-ball half-century, economical bowling helped Rockets reduce Sunrisers to 76-4.
However, with 55 runs required off the final 20 balls, Sutherland dispatched Georgia Elwiss for 23 runs, including sending two full tosses away for six, to drag Sunrisers back into the match.
She and Winfield-Hill reduced the equation to 17 off five but when the latter was run out with three deliveries remaining, she took Sunrisers’ hopes of victory with her.
Sutherland finished the match with a six to end unbeaten on 59 (30), with her partnership with Winfield-Hill (15) worth 50 off just 27 deliveries.
Earlier, Rockets had appeared well set for a sizeable total after Dunkley backed up her 57 against Manchester Super Giants on Friday with a knock of 56 (33), including nine fours, before being bowled by Sutherland.
Nat Sciver-Brunt and Ashleigh Gardner briefly maintained the pressure, including taking Dani Gibson’s second set for 18 to carry Rockets beyond three figures off just 65 balls, but Sunrisers fought back with the ball.
Jess Jonassen and Hannah Baker took two wickets apiece as Rockets slumped from 105-2 to 118-6, with the hosts also failing to hit a boundary for 32 deliveries as their hopes of a 150-plus total faded.
A trio of fours from Bess Heath in the final set proved crucial, putting Rockets’ total just out of Sunrisers’ reach.
Trent Rockets’ fourth victory of the tournament moves them to within four points of unbeaten Southern Brave at the top of the table. Sunrisers Leeds, who are without a win since their opener, slip to seventh.
Sports
CWG 2026 LIVE Updates, Day 11: Judoka Ishroop Narang To Fight For Bronze As India Eye 40th Medal
India’s CWG 2026 Day 11 Schedule:
JUDO
Women’s -78kg, Round of 16: Ishroop Narang vs Nicole Wood (Scotland), 2.30 PM onwards
Men’s -100kg, Round of 16: Avtar Singh vs Aristos Michael (Cyprus)
Men’s 100kg, Round of 16: Yash Ghangas vs Joshua Whitehouse (Wales)
Women’s -78kg, Medal Rounds: Ishroop Narang (subject to qualification), 7.30 PM onwards
Men’s -100kg, Medal Rounds: Avtar Singh (subject to qualification)
Men’s 100kg, Medal Rounds: Yash Ghangas (subject to qualification)
TRACK CYCLING AND PARA TRACK CYCLING:
Men’s 40km Points Race Qualifying Round: Harshveer Singh Sekhon (Heat 1), Dinesh Kumar (Heat 2), at 2.09 PM
Men’s 1000m Time Trial Final: Ronaldo Singh Laitonjam at 3.51 PM
Women’s C4-C5 1000m Time Trial Final: Lisha Das at 8.40 PM
Men’s 40km Points Race Final: Harshveer Singh Sekhon, Dinesh Kumar (subject to qualification), at 9.09 PM
The expanded format for the National Bank Open presented by Rogers returns for a second year in a row with the start of main-draw play on Sunday.
The 96-player tournaments, up from 56, now run over 12 days instead of seven. This year, the men are in Montreal while the women play in Toronto.
The 32 seeded players in each event get first-round byes, meaning they don’t hit the court until Tuesday or Wednesday.
Still, plenty of familiar names are in action over the first two days, including a big Canadian contingent trying to take advantage of an annual opportunity to play in top-level events on home courts.
Here’s a look at what’s in store on opening day:
Venus opens play on Centre Court
While Serena Williams won’t include Toronto as part of her comeback, her sister Venus is in the city.
The 46-year-old plays the opening match on Centre Court against Kamilla Rakhimova of Uzbekistan.
Williams has played a limited schedule this season, going 2-6.
The seven-time Grand Slam champion had her best finish in Canada in 2014 when she was runner-up to Agnieszka Radwańska in Montreal.
“I remember playing here the first time when I was like 15 or 16,” Williams told reporters in Toronto on Saturday. “I was such a young person. I played the night match and I didn’t know what was going on (laughing). But I learned a lot since that time. Folks in Canada are so nice.”
Bianca Andreescu produced a dramatic win with a terrible ending at last year’s NBO in Montreal. Andreescu badly injured her ankle in the final game of her first-round win over Barbora Krejcikova and then had to pull out of her next match.
Andreescu is now ranked 174th in the world after reaching No. 4 in her breakthrough 2019 campaign, which included tournament titles in Toronto and at the US Open. The native of Mississauga, Ont. has been hit hard by injuries in recent years.
Andreescu has a tough draw to open the NBO. facing world No. 41 Nikola Bartunkova of Czechia in the featured evening match. The 20-year-old, who was ranked outside the top 500 last June, has wins over Belinda Bencic and Madison Keys this year.
Diallo looks to reverse fortunes
It has been a miserable year for Gabriel Diallo, who is 9-17 in 2026. The Montrealer has dropped to No. 99 in the rankings, and needed a wild card to get into his home event.
Diallo is a long way down from his career-high No. 33 ranking, achieved last August. Diallo won his first career ATP Tour-level match at the 2023 NBO in Toronto. He hopes he can get a boost from playing at home as he opens in the featured night match against French qualifier Kyrian Jacquet on Sunday.
It’s a very winnable match for Diallo with Jacquet ranked 120th.
BROADCAST SCHEDULE (all times ET)
Women’s: 12:30 p.m. (Sportsnet 360, Sportsnet+); 7 p.m. (Sportsnet ONE, Sportsnet+)
Men’s: 11 a.m. (Sportsnet ONE, Sportsnet+); 7 p.m. (Sportsnet, Sportsnet+)
MATCH SCHEDULE (all times ET)
Centre Court (starts at 12:30 p.m.)
Kamilla Rakhimova (UZB) vs [WC] Venus Williams (USA)
[Q] Aoi Ito (JPN) vs [WC] Katherine Sebov (CAN)
Not before 7 p.m.: Nikola Bartunkova (CZE) vs [WC] Bianca Andreescu (CAN)
Yulia Putintseva (KAZ) vs Shuai Zhang (CHN)
Grandstand (starts at 11 a.m.)
Jessica Bouzas Maneiro (ESP) vs [WC] Ariana Arseneault (CAN)
[Q] Moyuka Uchijima (JPN) vs Cristina Bucsa (ESP)
Magdalena Frech (POL) vs [Q] Leolia Jeanjean (FRA)
Not before 5 p.m.: McCartney Kessler (USA) vs [WC] Cadence Brace (CAN)
Elena-Gabriela Ruse (ROU) vs Peyton Stearns (USA)
Court 1 (starts at 12:30 p.m.)
Kimberly Birrell (AUS) vs Viktorija Golubic (SUI)
[Q] Lucrezia Stefanini (ITA) vs Camila Osorio (COL)
Not before 4 p.m.: [Q] Emerson Jones (AUS) vs [Q] Lanlana Tararudee (THA)
Talia Gibson (AUS) vs Elisabetta Cocciaretto (ITA)
Court 4 (starts at 12:30 p.m.)
Xiyu Wang (CHN) vs Sara Bejlek (CZE)
[Q] Lois Boisson (FRA) vs Antonia Ruzic (CRO)
[Q] Rebecca Sramkova (SVK) vs [Q] Anna Blinkova (RUS)
Centre Court (starts at 11 a.m.)
Aleksandar Kovacevic (USA) vs Nuno Borges (POR)
Matteo Berrettini (ITA) vs Mariano Navone (ARG)
Marton Fucsovics (HUN) vs Corentin Moutet (FRA)
Not before 7 p.m.: [WC] Gabriel Diallo (CAN) vs [Q] Kyrian Jacquet (FRA)
[WC] Alexis Galarneau (CAN) vs Vit Kopriva (CZE)
Rogers Court (starts at 11 a.m.)
Jaume Munar (ESP) vs Rinky Hijikata (AUS)
[Q] Nicolas Mejia (COL) vs Martin Landaluce (ESP)
Luca Van Assche (FRA) vs [Q] Titouan Droguet (FRA)
Not before 6 p.m.: [Q] Sho Shimabukuro (JPN) vs Marin Cilic (CRO)
[Q] Benjamin Bonzi (FRA) vs Yannick Hanfmann (GER)
Court 5 (starts at 11 a.m.)
[Q] Michael Zheng (USA) vs Miomir Kecmanovic (SRB)
[Q] Aleksandar Vukic (AUS) vs Daniel Altmaier (GER)
Court 9 (starts at 11 a.m.)
Adolfo Daniel Vallejo (PAR) vs Juncheng Shang (CHN)
James Duckworth (AUS) vs [Q] Christopher O’Connell (AUS)
Sports
‘In map of India, our North East is missing’: CWG 2026 medallist Lovlina Borgohain reveals feeling ‘hurt’ in Glasgow | Commonwealth Games News
Indian boxer Lovlina Borgohain said she felt hurt after noticing that India’s Northeast was missing from a map used by a popular Indian restaurant in Glasgow. The Assam boxer spotted the issue during a celebratory dinner for India’s record-breaking Commonwealth Games boxing campaign and raised it with the restaurant management.The Indian boxing contingent visited an Indian restaurant after winning 10 medals: seven gold and three silver. The 28-year-old Indian boxer, who won silver, noticed that the map used on napkins and displayed outside the restaurant did not include the Northeast.“Please don’t take this the wrong way. I felt a little hurt by this. In the map of India, our North East is missing. Yes, even outside, the map that’s displayed has cut off the North East. As someone from the North East, that really hurts us. That’s all I wanted to say. Please keep this in mind next time. Thank you so much,” Lovlina said, as quoted by news agency PTI.
Restaurant promises correction
Boxing Federation of India president Ajay Singh, who was present at the dinner, said the matter was handled calmly, with no confrontation. He said the restaurant accepted the mistake and promised to correct it.“There was no confrontation. It was an aberration and we pointed that out, me and Lovlina. They accepted their mistake and assured us that it will be corrected,” Singh told PTI.The Glasgow restaurant is a popular Indian dining spot and has previously hosted visiting sports teams and other dignitaries.
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