Battling painful blisters on his foot and severe cramps, a gritty Lakshya Sen overcame Canada’s Victor Lai to storm into the final of the All England Open here on Saturday, moving within one win of ending India’s 25-year wait for the prestigious title.

It turned out to be one of the finest matches of his career as Lakshya fought for one hour and 37 minutes before sealing a 21-16, 18-21, 21-15 win over the 21-year-old Lai, who had claimed a surprise bronze at last year’s World Championships in Paris.

It will be Lakshya’s second appearance in the All England final after finishing runner up at the 2022 edition.

The 24-year old from Almora will now chase history when he takes on world No. 11 Lin Chun-yi of Chinese Taipei in the summit clash on Sunday.

Prakash Padukone (1980) and Pullela Gopichand (2001) are the only Indians to have won the All England title.

Apart from them, only Prakash Nath (1947) and Saina Nehwal (2015 runner up) came close with runner up finishes.

Lakshya displayed immense mental fortitude, resolute defence and precise strokeplay as he endured punishing rallies clocking as many as 86 shots, against the dogged Canadian.

The contest opened with a bruising 52 shot rally, setting the tone for a gruelling encounter as the two shuttlers probed each other’s defence with high tosses and sudden bursts of pace, staying neck and neck at 3-3 and 4-4.

Lai’s subtle deception mixed with high tosses often caught Lakshya off guard, but the Indian relied on his superior strokeplay to stay level at 8-8.

Lakshya moved ahead 10-8 only for Lai to respond with a straight smash and a fine net shot to restore parity.

Lakshya managed to take a slender one point lead at the break with a forehand drive before stepping up the attack with a series of accurate smashes and clever net play to surge ahead 18-16.

He soon grabbed four game points when Lai hit long and miscued another shot, before unleashing a barrage of aggressive strokes to clinch the opening game.

The second game began evenly but Lakshya had to briefly leave the court at 3-4 for medical attention to treat blisters on his foot.

Once play resumed, Lai rode on immaculate defence to open up a 9-4 lead, highlighted by a draining 59 shot rally that ended with a fortunate net cord.

Lakshya slowly clawed back with a mix of drops, precise backline pushes and sharp net play, but Lai maintained a four point cushion at the interval. The Indian fought back to draw level at 16-16 after producing a precise backline return and pouncing at the net.

However, Lai kept his composure, regaining the lead at 18-16 before earning two game points and forcing a decider when Lakshya sent a return wide.

In the deciding game, Lakshya moved to a 4-2 lead before Lai took a medical timeout after bruising his finger during a dive.

The Canadian levelled at 4-4 after resuming, but the momentum swung again when an exhausting 86-shot rally ended with the chair umpire awarding the point to Lakshya after ruling that the shuttle had brushed Lai.

Lakshya gradually built a cushion as Lai began to show signs of fatigue, moving ahead 9-6 before a thunderous smash and a sharp net exchange took him to an 11-7 lead at the interval.

The Indian received treatment for cramps on his thighs during the break and was later shown a yellow card for returning late to the court.

Despite struggling with severe cramps and visibly stretching his legs between points, Lakshya pushed ahead to 15-9 as Lai sprayed a return wide.

Errors crept in as the contest crossed the one hour 30 minute mark, allowing Lai to narrow the gap to 14-16 while forcing Lakshya to move constantly with high tosses.

But the Indian found another burst of energy, hammering a smash to move to 17-14 before pushing the lead to 18-15 when Lai hit wide.

A brutal smash then took Lakshya within two points of victory and Lai’s net error handed the Indian five match points. He sealed the memorable win with yet another thunderous smash.

Safia Middleton-Patel, Mia Ross, Mared Griffiths and Carrie Jones – who is still only 22 – were the four players drafted into the side in Llanelli this weekend, with Olivia Clark, Gemma Evans, Angharad James and Ffion Morgan making way.

While goalkeeper Middleton-Patel and Ross – who was deployed as one of three centre-backs – were part of a defensive unit who did not have that much work to do, Jones impressed in a central midfield role.

But it was Griffiths, the Manchester United youngster who is currently on loan at Sunderland, who took most of the plaudits.

“She’s got it all,” Wilkinson said after Montenegro were hammered 6-1 in Llanelli.

“And she’s far from the finished product, which is very exciting for all Welsh people I’d imagine.”

Griffiths, sporting the number 10 shirt which was worn so often by Fishlock, scored Wales’ third goal, which was handed to her on a plate following an error by Montenegro keeper Ajsa Kala.

But there was nothing gift-wrapped about Griffiths’ second of the afternoon, which was Wales’ only goal during a second half in which Montenegro sat deep and defended with much more conviction than they had in the first period.

Fed by Jones, Griffiths had the composure to round the onrushing Kala before stroking the ball home with her left foot.

Anticipation is building as Caitlin Clark prepares for her first competitive action with the U.S. women’s national team. The Indiana Fever star is set to take the court in next week’s FIBA World Cup qualifier in Puerto Rico.

A string of injuries sidelined Clark for much of the past eight months, limiting the NCAA’s all-time scoring leader to 13 games in her second WNBA season.

Clark’s last WNBA appearance came in July. She said Saturday she may be rusty and slightly nervous for the qualifier. 

“It’ll probably take me a second to knock a little bit of the rust off,” she said.

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Caitlin Clark during the United States women’s basketball training camp at Duke University Dec. 13, 2025, in Durham, N.C. (Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)

“I’ll probably be a little bit nervous, which, I usually don’t get nervous, but that probably comes from I haven’t really played basketball in a while.”

But Clark projected that any rust would quickly wear off.

“I’m sure after the first minute of running around on the court, I’ll be just fine. But more than anything, just really excited. I know how much work and how much time I put in to make sure my body’s as healthy as it can be and to get back.”

Clark’s injury setbacks last year included a groin strain followed by an ankle bone bruise. The Fever’s medical staff closely monitored her recovery as she worked toward returning to the court.

Cameron Brink (33) celebrates with Caitlin Clark (17) during the United States women’s basketball team’s training camp at Duke University Dec. 13, 2025, in Durham, N.C. (Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)

Clark suggested that adversity has only reinforced her reliance on preparation and discipline.

“I’ve always been a person that’s going to just rely on my work. I feel like it’s certainly made me work harder,” the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year said, referencing her injury setbacks. 

“But that’s also probably the part that kind of stunk about it is I felt like I put in so much time and so much energy going into last season and then, obviously, only appeared in about 13 games.”

Clark did not compete at the 2024 Paris Olympics, but she reflected on the experience of seeing Team USA jerseys as a teenager and how that moment helped shape her dream of one day wearing one herself.

Caitlin Clark during the United States’ women’s basketball training camp at Duke University Dec. 12, 2025, in Durham, N.C. (Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)

“My eyes were so wide. Thought it was the coolest thing in the world of all,” she said. “[To see] the senior national jerseys of great men’s players and women’s players. It’s a 15- or 16-year-old’s dream of doing that one day.”

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With the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics on the horizon, Clark said she remains focused on steady progress rather than looking too far ahead. 

“There’s a lot to get to that point,” she said. “Obviously, that’s my goal, the World Cup before that. There’s a lot for me to learn.”

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Anticipation builds as Caitlin Clark’s Team USA debut nears following lengty injury layoff

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This is the UFC 326 live blog for Max Holloway vs. Charles Oliveira, the “BMF” championship main event bout Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Holloway is currently No. 12 in the MMA Fighting Pound-for-Pound Rankings, with Charles Oliveira at No. 19.

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This is a long-awaited rematch for the two future Hall of Famers, with Holloway getting the win in a featherweight bout all the way back at UFC Saskatoon in August 2015 when Oliveira suffered an injury to bring the contest to a disappointing end.

Holloway (27-8) went on to establish himself as one of the best featherweights of all time, winning a UFC title and successfully defending it three times. His list of conquests includes Jose Aldo, Dustin Poirier, Justin Gaethje, Frankie Edgar, The Korean Zombie, and Anthony Pettis, and many others considered among the best fighters of this generation. He knocked out Gaethje in the final seconds of a dominant performance at UFC 300 to snatch the BMF belt and became the only fighter to successfully defend it when he defeated longtime rival Dustin Poirier this past July.

“Do Bronx” hasn’t done bad for himself either. The UFC’s all-time leader in submission victories finally made it to the top of the mountain at 155 pounds when he defeated Michael Chandler for a vacant belt at UFC 262. Since that win, Oliveira has gone 5-3 while providing highlight after highlight whether in victory or defeat. Like Holloway, he aims to build on a UFC 326 main event win to earn one more shot at an undisputed title.

Check out the UFC 326 live blog for Max Holloway vs. Charles Oliveira below.

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Preamble

Here we go. Forget all the White House drama and the lackluster undercard, this is what we’re here for. Two of the best ever finally getting to see who is the better man. All in.

Always tell me the odds

Holloway has been the favorite since this one was announced, -196 on FanDuel. Oliveira the underdog at +164. But this feels closer to a pick ‘em, doesn’t it?

Walkouts

Former Chicago Blackhawks standout Troy Murray, who transitioned to the broadcast booth after his playing career, has died, the team announced Saturday. He was 63.

The Blackhawks said he died earlier in the day.

It’s unclear where Murray spent his final moments. Murray publicly disclosed his cancer diagnosis in August 2021. While he revealed he had been undergoing chemotherapy, details about the type of cancer he was fighting were kept private.

Murray, affectionately known as “Muzz,” continued to appear on Blackhawks broadcasts during his cancer battle, though his appearances eventually tapered off. He stepped away from the booth entirely ahead of the 2025-26 NHL season.

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Troy Murray is honored during Hockey Fights Cancer night during a game between the Chicago Blackhawks and the San Jose Sharks at United Center Nov. 28, 2021, in Chicago. (Chase Agnello-Dean/NHLI via Getty Images)

For more than a decade, Murray starred at center for the Blackhawks. CEO Danny Wirtz said the loss of one of the franchise’s most respected leaders left the team “deeply heartbroken.”

“Troy was the epitome of a Blackhawk so far beyond his incredible playing career, with his presence felt in every corner of our organization over the last 45 years,” Wirtz said.

“During his long and hard battle with cancer, it was often said that Troy didn’t have any ‘give up’ in him,” Wirtz added. “While our front office won’t be the same without him, we will carry that spirit forward every day in his honor. We’ll miss you, Troy.”

Troy Murray, a former player for the Chicago Blackhawks, is honored during the “One More Shift” campaign prior to a game against the Ottawa Senators at the United Center Feb. 21, 2018, in Chicago.  (Chase Agnello-Dean/NHLI via Getty Images)

After 12 seasons with the Blackhawks, Murray finished his NHL career with the Colorado Avalanche, winning the 1996 Stanley Cup.

After spending the following season with the International Hockey League Chicago Wolves, Murray stayed in the city to begin his broadcasting career in 1998. Murray was also named the president of the Blackhawks alumni association.

“Troy Murray is remembered for not only his contributions on the ice, but for his professionalism and humility and dedication to the city of Chicago,” the team said in a release. “He leaves behind a lasting legacy within the Blackhawks family and the broader hockey world.”

Chicago Blackhawks radio announcers John Wiedeman and Troy Murray wear lavender ties in honor of Hockey Fights Cancer night during a game against the Vancouver Canucks Oct. 20, 2010, at the United Center in Chicago.   (Bill Smith/NHLI via Getty Images)

From Calgary, Alberta, Murray topped 20 goals five times, but he also became known for his defensive play. In 1986, he became the Blackhawks’ first player to win the NHL’s Frank J. Selke Trophy, the award for the league’s top defensive forward.

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Murray finished with 197 goals in 688 games over two stints with the Blackhawks and also played for the Winnipeg Jets, Ottawa Senators and Pittsburgh Penguins. Overall, he had 230 goals in 915 career games.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Rory McIlroy has withdrawn from the Arnold Palmer Invitational in Orlando after suffering spasms in his lower back before he was due to start the third round.

The Northern Ireland player’s exit was announced by the PGA Tour about 30 minutes before his tee time.

In a later statement, the five-time major winner said: “While warming up in the gym this morning, I felt a small twinge in my back.

“As I started hitting balls on the range before the round, it worsened and developed into muscle spasms in my lower back. Unfortunately, I’m not able to continue and have to withdraw.”

McIlroy held a share of ninth place – nine shots back – after moving to four under on Friday with a round of 68, having shot level par on Thursday.

Having birdied four of the first seven holes on the back nine, McIlroy had said he was “really pleased”, adding he had played a “controlled, patient round of golf”.

The 36-year-old, who was competing in his third PGA Tour event of the season, is due to defend his titles at the Players Championship at Sawgrass next week and the Masters at Augusta from 9-12 April.

A play-off win at the latter against Justin Rose last year saw McIlroy become the sixth man to complete a career Grand Slam, ending an 11-year drought at the sport’s four biggest competitions.

Since 2022, T.J. Hockenson has been the top tight end in the Twin Cities. Getting him onto the roster involved Kwesi Adofo-Mensah pulling off a bold, unexpected trade deadline swap with an NFC North rival.

These past few years have included highs and lows for Mr. Hockenson. Great performance got interrupted by injury and a prolonged recovery.

He’s going to remain on Minnesota’s roster. ESPN’s Adam Schefter offers the update: “Vikings and T.J. Hockenson have agreed to a restructured contract that saves the team more than $5M in cap space in 2026. Interim GM Rob Brzezinski continues to clear cap space before free agency.”

Later on, Tom Pelissero offered more details. Check it out: “As part of Vikings TE T.J. Hockenson’s restructured contract, the team agreed to delete the final year of his deal, per sources. So Hockenson takes a $5 million pay cut that provides Minnesota cap relief, and now gets to be a free agent after this season.”***

Vikings Make T.J. Hockenson Decision

Lately, there have been all sorts of moves to get the finances into a decent spot.

Already, WR1 Justin Jefferson, CB1 Byron Murphy Jr., and LT1 Christian Darrisaw have seen their deals restructured (read more here and here). C1 Ryan Kelly is moving into retirement. DT2 Jonathan Allen, DT3 Javon Hargrave, and RB1 Aaron Jones are all going to be cut unless an unexpected trade gets figured out (not likely).

There are even rumors swirling around EDGE1 Jonathan Greenard. Lots going on.

Kevin Seifert chimed in with some added insight on why the decision was made. Consider his brief word to offer context: “Prior to the restructure, T.J. Hockenson was going to have a cap number of $21.3 million this season, highest in the NFL for tight ends.”

Consider a rough, simple summary of the cap savings that are known:

• Justin Jefferson: $18M
• Christian Darrisaw: $9M
• Byron Murphy: $11M
• Ryan Kelly: $8M
• T.J. Hockenson: $5M

And then with the upcoming cuts — Allen, Hargrave, and Jones — the Vikings will add another $25 million into the mix. Adding it all together means obliterating the $46 million in cap debt that was showing up on Over the Cap.

Rob Brzezinski, a numbers nerd who had been wrestling with Minnesota’s salary cap for decades, has injected $76 million into the mix. Debt is gone; cap space is available.

Other levers that can get pulled include trades. More likely, though, are the extensions. In particular, there’s Brian O’Neill, who can give back more than $14 million in 2026 with an extension.

So, the Vikings will be able to add talent if there’s a desire to do so. Can’t get too frisky in free agency but can join in the fun.

T.J. Hockenson, 28, is coming off a season where he turned 51 catches into 438 yards and 3 touchdowns. The 8.6 yards-per-reception average is modest. So is the scoring. He’ll look to improve in both areas, something that appears plausible since he’s further away from his serious knee injury. More importantly, Minnesota’s quarterback play should (note: should) take a large step forward next year.

Worth remembering, as well, that keeping Hockenson means sitting on a deep tight end position. Josh Oliver remains. So, too, is there Gavin Bartholomew, Ben Yurosek, and others in the mix. What happens with Ben Sims, someone whom the Vikings like quite a bit?

The Vikings won’t need to worry about adding at tight end unless there’s a great opportunity.

Mr. Hockenson comes in at 6’5″ and 248 pounds. A gifted athlete who was chosen at No. 8 in the 2019 NFL Draft, Hockenson has been getting better as a blocker. Returning to his old explosiveness would make a huge difference.

Look for him to work toward a bounce back in 2026 as the team more broadly endeavours to do likewise.

Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference and Over the Cap helped with this piece.

*** The Pelissero note was inserted into the story afterwards since the details weren’t known at original time of publication.

Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.

Over recent days, media outlets have leaked details of upcoming moves, suggesting a youth movement on the Vikings’ defensive line in Minnesota. It’s out with the old and potentially in with the new in Minnesota this spring.

Minnesota’s Interior Defensive Front Is Entering a Transition Phase

There have been three significant moves made at the interior defensive line position. Both Jonathan Allen and Javon Harhrave are going to be released just a year on from signing for Minnesota in big-money deals. Hargrave’s release was leaked first, along with veteran RB Aaron Jones, and both were moves I expected. The news regarding Allen came a few days later and was more of a surprise.

It was a big move when the Vikings signed Allen and Hargrave on the same day last March. Both were coming off injury problems, but had been very good players in the league. Surely one of them would recapture their old form? Both were ok but neither got close to being worth the two-year, $30 million (Hargrave) or three-year, $60 million (Allen) contracts they got from Minnesota.

Unless someone comes in with a trade offer, which would be a surprise at this point, their pair will be released, giving the Vikings a combined savings of $17.4 million against this year’s salary cap. Releasing Allen two years early will leave a huge dead cap hit of $17.3 million unless it is designated as a post-Jun 1, where a further saving of $4.7 million can be made, but it still leaves a hefty dead cap hit.

The Emergence of Jalen Redmond

One reason the Vikings can feel comfortable making these moves is the emergence of Jalen Redmond. Undrafted in 2023, Redmond was signed and then discarded by the Carolina Panthers before eventually landing in the XFL. Redmond got a second chance in Minnesota and has never looked back, playing in 30 games, including 17 starts, over the last two seasons.

Redmond comfortably outplayed both Allen and Hargrave, which has led the Vikings to place the exclusive rights tender on him. After a six-sack season in which he showcased his all-around ability, a long contract will soon be on its way.

Soon to be 27, Redmond is suddenly the senior man on the Vikings’ defensive line, alongside  Levi Drake-Rodriguez (25), Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins (22), and Elijah Williams (23), making up the rest of the depth chart. All of those are well thought of in Minnesota, but there certainly needs to be someone else added to the mix.

Adding via Free Agency or the Draft?

The question now is, do the Vikings add to the position via free agency or the draft? They probably do both, but my preference would be to add a cheap veteran via free agency – a Jonathan Bullard type – and then go early in the draft. No Jalen Carter or Aaron Donald is screaming to be picked near the top of this year’s draft – the Vikings wouldn’t be in position to get them if they were – but there are some good players.

The big names this year are Caleb Banks, Peter Woods, Kayden McDonald, and Lee Hunter, and they are the big names to look out for early in the draft.

I’m a big fan of Banks and have been banging the support for him as the Vikings pick at 18 – even more so since his impressive display at the NFL Combine. He is the only one of the four I’d take in the first round. If Minnesota goes with a different position on Day 1, then the other three are good options if available on Day 2.

A depth chart that reads Redmond, Banks, Drake-Rodriguez, Ingram-Dawkins, and Williams would signal a significant shift toward a Vikings defensive line youth movement. Depending on the group’s development, it could be an exciting prospect for a group that has been together for a significant amount of time.

Proud UK Viking. Family Man. Enjoy writing about my team. Away from football an advocate for autism acceptance.