Koen Bergs, the father of Jannik Sinner‘s Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters doubles partner Zizou Bergs, is reporting on social media that Sinner is withdrawing from doubles. He says the Bergs and Sinner team will not play in Round 2.
The blue checkmarked X account seemingly belongs to Bergs’ dad. Koen is his father’s name, and the description mentions Zizou’s name as a family member and Koen’s role as an entrepreneur and ATP coach.
Though it is not validated by the Tennis Channel or members of Sinner’s team, it appears to be true. It is unfortunate because fans enjoyed seeing Sinner’s playful side on the doubles court.
Sinner has been playing a lot of tennis this spring
Bergs told the media that Sinner reached out to him and asked him to play in Monte Carlo.
This may be the result of how much tennis the World No. 2 has played in the past month. He won the Sunshine Double so he has logged a lot of matches in Indian Wells and Miami.
Advertisement
The clay court season brings new challenges, and perhaps Sinner wants to pull back from doubles to focus on the surface change.
Singles players withdraw from doubles competition all the time, and some are criticized for it. It is a tightrope they walk in wanting more competitive matches on court without overplaying.
AUGUSTA, Ga. — Fred Ridley had his annual State of the Masters press conference Wednesday morning. (Tradition, tradition.) The club chairman sat in the middle of a windowless auditorium with a familiar face sitting to his left, Tom Nelson, the tournament’s media chairman. But to his right there was a new one, in that seat: Geoff Yang, an Augusta National member and a longtime USGA rules official. Yang, a tech investor from Northern California, is in his first year as the chairman of the competition committees, a position Ridley had all through the years Billy Payne was chairman of the club.
In this role, Yang serves as the ultimate rules official for the tournament, among other duties, including course setup. It is the ultimate behind-the-curtains position. You won’t see him, but you’ll see what he does.
Ridley took questions from 14 different media members Wednesday. Yang took one. It came from Jerry Tarde, the longtime editor of Golf Digest.
“We have the portraits of the founders staring at us on the wall here,” Tarde said. “What do you think would surprise Jones the most if he came back?” There was a little more after that, but that was the thrust of it.
There are two founders of the club, Cliff Roberts, a Midwestern banker, and Bob Jones, the great amateur who designed the course with the architect Alister MacKenzie.
“I think Jones would be amazed by a lot of things,” Yang said, “including how far people are hitting the ball and the level of athlete involved in the game. And I think the conditions have adapted to try to maintain those skills. I don’t think it would be any one thing. I think everything is a little bit of a reaction to where the game has gone.”
The response alone tells you that Yang can do careful and thoughtful when his public life calls for careful and thoughtful. What you wouldn’t know from that response is that Yang, who studied engineering at Princeton, has wry sense of humor with any eye for nuance and irony. Top rules officials — and Yang is now the Masters’ top rules official — typically seek to settle any rules debate in a binary way. A rule was broken, or not. When any of the four men’s Grand Slam events has a rules controversy it reverberates throughout golf, and that is especially true at the Masters.
There are still people talking about a drop Arnold Palmer took on Masters Sunday on the par-3 12th hole in 1958. Ken Venturi, Palmer’s playing partner that day, groused about the legality of that drop for decades, even though Bob Jones said Palmer’s drop was done correctly during play. That was the first of Palmer’s four wins in the tournament.
Advertisement
There are still people talking about the 1968 Maters, won by Bob Goalby after the great Argentine golfer Roberto De Vicenzo signed an incorrect Sunday scorecard. Had he signed for a correct score, Goalby and De Vicenzo would have played in an 18-hole playoff for the title. But that did not happen and Goalby walked off with a green club coat. Roberts sat with both men during a Butler Cabin interview and said to De Vicenzo that “in our hearts we will always regard you as one of the two winners of this tournament, without taking anything away from the new Masters champion.” That comment got deeply under Goalby’s skin — there was, under unfortunate circumstances, one winner — and remained there for years, until the annoyance finally gave way to acceptance.
In 2013, in the Saturday round, Tiger Woods took an incorrect drop after his second shot into the 15th green ricocheted off the flagstick and into a water hazard. Per the rules then, he could have been disqualified for signing an incorrect scorecard. Ridley, in the role Yang has now, ultimately decided to give Woods a two-shot penalty. Still gets discussed and analyzed.
This week, and in the years to come, Yang will face new rules questions, ones that will influence the outcome of the tournament. You won’t see much of Yang or hear much from him. But the rulebook rides herd over every aspect of this event, and any serious golf event. The Augusta National philosophy is to try to prevent rules problems before they happen or get out of hand. That’s what Jones did with Palmer in 1958. Yang, in his own way, will be asking a long series of questions: what do the rules say — and what would Jones do?
David Miller was visibly distraught following Delhi Capitals’ (DC) narrow one-run loss to the Gujarat Titans (GT) in their IPL 2026 clash at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Wednesday. Miller, who slammed an unbeaten 41 off just 20 balls, took a massive gamble on the penultimate ball of the contest, but the decision backfired. With two runs needed off as many balls, Miller refused a single on the second-to-last ball of Prasidh Krishna‘s over. However, it turned out to be the defining moment of the contest as Krishna bowled a slower bouncer to beat Miller.
Miller and Vipraj Nigam, who was at the non-striker’s end, attempted to steal a quick bye, only for Jos Buttler to affect a direct hit at the striker’s end to dismiss Nigam.
Miller was completely heartbroken after the result and had to be consoled by DC captain Axar Patel, who shook hands with his teammate and gave him a pat on the back.
Meanwhile, DC finished agonizingly short on 209 for 8 in pursuit of 211.
Jos Buttler (52 off 27) returned to his ballistic ways with a six laden half century before captain Shubman Gill (70 off) and Washington Sundar (55 off 32) powered Gujarat Titans to 210 for four.
Rahul (92 off 52) and Pathum Nissanka (41 off 24) provided an ideal platform for Delhi Capitals with a 76-run stand off 49 balls. However, Rashid Khan struck thrice in the middle overs to wrest the momentum from Delhi Capitals.
Titans had all under control until the 19th over with the home needing 36 off the last two overs.
Advertisement
It was a tough ask but with Miller (41 not out off 20) returning to the centre after treating his finger in the dressing room, there was hope.
Miller singlehandedly brought back Delhi Capitals in the game with a couple of cracking sixes and a four in a 23-run penultimate over from Mohammed Siraj.
(With PTI Inputs)
Featured Video Of The Day
IPL 2026 News | Shami’s Sensation Leads Lucknow to First Win of Season
Gujarat Titans (GT) stole victory over Delhi Capitals (DC) by just 1 run in a dramatic IPL 2026 encounter on Wednesday. Needing 2 off the final ball, DC batter David Miller missed Prasidh Krishna‘s delivery. However, GT wicket-keeper batter Jos Buttler made a terrific direct hit, resulting in Kuldeep Yadav getting run-out as he looked to scramble a single. Needing 13 off the final over, DC brought the equation down to 2 off 2 balls. But Krishna roared back with two excellent final deliveries to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
Gujarat Titans edged Delhi Capitals by one run in a humdinger finish in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, which will be replayed in the minds of everyone inside the Arun Jaitley Stadium for a long time to come. David Miller very nearly pulled off the impossible, but the run-out of Kuldeep Yadav on the last ball led to one of the great IPL finishes going in GT’s favour, as they got their first win of IPL 2026.
Miller had been extraordinary. Arriving at the crease with Delhi still some distance from the target, he retired hurt on 12 due to an injured left hand. When he came back, boundaries came in clusters off his bat. Miller ended up at 41 not out off 20 balls in the end, and yet it wasn’t enough to give Delhi Capitals a win, as they ended up at 209/8.
The pivotal moment came with two runs needed off two balls: Miller turned down a single off the penultimate ball, gambling on finishing it himself rather than trusting Kuldeep with the equation. Prasidh, with nerves of steel, denied him the winning finish with a short, slower ball, as Kuldeep was run out by a sharp throw from Jos Buttler, leaving Miller and DC heartbroken.
KL Rahul had given Delhi every reason to believe with a fluent 92 off 52 balls, laced with 11 fours and four sixes. But Rashid Khan had done the bulk of the damage with the ball to keep GT in the game, and eventually won the match at the end in a dramatic fashion.
Advertisement
With IANS inputs
Featured Video Of The Day
Delhi vs Mumbai IPL 2026: Fans Flood Arun Jaitley Stadium for High-Voltage Clash
The cognitive boost from exercise can last until the following day according to a study by the
University College London (UCL), published in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition
and Physical Activity.
It sees Benn back in action for the first time since his two fights with bitter rival Chris Eubank Jr in 2025. Eubank came out on top in the first meeting, but in the rematch Benn dropped his opponent on his way to a dominant unanimous decision win.
Advertisement
Those two contests took place at 160lbs, with Benn now planning to return to the welterweight division, starting with this catchweight bout against Prograis on Saturday.
Benn has now spoken out about the matter, telling Boxing News that the outcome will be the same irrespective of the condition of Prograis.
“Whether he’s injured or not isn’t my problem….I ain’t bothered about if he’s injured or not. If he’s injured it’s not a smart move on his end. He’s getting paid a fortune. If he isn’t injured, it’s not going to make a difference regardless, the outcome will still be the same.”
This weekend’s card will be broadcast live on Netflix, and also includes a British heavyweight title fight between Jeamie TKV and Richard Riakporhe, and another heavyweight battle as Justis Huni meets Frazer Clarke.
Randy Orton’s rivalry with Cody Rhodes ahead of WWE WrestleMania 42 may get even more heated on the next episode of SmackDown.
Things have been heating up in WWE lately, which is expected considering the fact that WrestleMania 42 is just around the corner. Several storylines appear to be reaching their conclusion at The Showcase of The Immortals. One of the most anticipated climaxes of a rivalry is the one between Randy Orton and Cody Rhodes. Meanwhile, Pat McAfee was revealed to be the mystery man whom Orton was talking to on the phone in recent weeks. McAfee appeared on SmackDown last week and assisted The Viper in fending off an attack from Rhodes before revealing his alliance.
Advertisement
Thanks for the submission!
Interestingly, CM Punk recently fired shots at Pat McAfee in a pipebomb promo on RAW, while also targeting other names like Roman Reigns and even Vince McMahon. The involvement of Pat McAfee has clearly transcended brands. Furthermore, in a recent episode of The Pat McAfee Show, the veteran also noted that he had some things to say on the upcoming episode of SmackDown, confirming his appearance and teasing an escalation in the feud between Orton and Rhodes.
Advertisement
“Friday Night, live from San Jose, I think I got some things to say. I think we will have a good time there on SmackDown,” McAfee said.
Pat McAfee also fired back at CM Punk after WWE RAW
CM Punk’s promo on RAW also got a response from Pat McAfee in kind.
Taking to X/Twitter, McAfee noted that he had heard Punk’s pipebomb promo, calling him a Punk a** b**ch. He also claimed that Randy Orton was the saviour who was going to bring the pro wrestling scene back on track, listing his various achievements in WWE over the years.
With how things have been going so far, it appears that the match between Randy Orton and Cody Rhodes at WWE WrestleMania 42 will be one of the most intense matches in recent memory. For now, it remains to be seen what Pat McAfee has to add to the situation on the next episode of SmackDown.
If you use any quotes from this article, please credit the source and give an H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription.
Advertisement
Why did you not like this content?
Advertisement
Was this article helpful?
Thank You for feedback
Read all the hottest WWE news from Sportskeeda by choosing us as your preferred source. Click HERE.
NEW DELHI: The absence of crowds in Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2026 matches has sparked debate after Islamabad United owner Ali Naqvi offered an unusual explanation, linking it to Pakistan’s role in global diplomacy. His remarks suggested that empty stadiums were part of a larger national effort, though this version differs from what officials, including Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi, had earlier stated.
Watch
Fleming explains where CSK lost the match in final 4 overs
Ali Naqvi’s claim and reaction
In a post on X, Naqvi argued that Pakistan prioritised peace efforts over cricket entertainment, especially due to its involvement in ceasefire discussions.“Not hosting matches in Pindi makes complete sense — Islamabad was clearly the chosen venue for sensitive ceasefire discussions, and the unpredictable timing demanded absolute flexibility on logistics and security,” he added.He remarked that security resources were focused on bigger priorities, ading, “When forced to weigh entertainment against helping deliver global peace, I believe every Pakistani would have made the exact same call.”Naqvi also dismissed comparisons with other leagues, saying, “Also, comparisons with another league that has allowed fans, are simply not valid.”
Advertisement
Official version and criticism
However, this explanation clashes with the Pakistan Cricket Board’s earlier statement. PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi had said the no-crowd policy was due to a fuel shortage limiting public movement.“The [Pakistan] Prime Minister [Shehbaz Sharif] has requested restricted movements of people because of the fuel crisis, so we have decided that the PSL would continue as per the original schedule but without crowds,” he had said.Critics argue that linking empty stadiums to global peace efforts stretches the narrative too far. What appears to be a practical issue, fuel shortages and logistics, has been reframed as a major diplomatic sacrifice.
NEW DELHI: Rajasthan Royals youngster Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is quickly making a name for himself in IPL 2026, especially after his fearless hitting against top bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah. In a recent match against Mumbai Indians, his aggressive batting helped RR secure a convincing win and extend their strong run in the tournament.
Watch
Devdutt Padikkal press conference: Chinnaswamy pitch, Tim David’s power & RCB’s batting strategy
Steyn on Sooryavanshi’s fear factor
Former South Africa pacer Dale Steyn believes the young opener is already getting into bowlers’ heads. After Sooryavanshi smashed Bumrah for a six off the very first ball, Steyn said,“I think that’s what he’s done,” he told ESPNCricinfo. “I mean, honestly, he’s created and instilled the fear into bowlers that he’s going to hit you for boundaries.”He pointed out that even a world-class bowler like Bumrah looked under pressure, adding, “That delivery from Bumrah, that’s in the slot. That’s so rare of Bumrah. So even the great Bumrah is thinking in the back of his mind: ‘don’t get it wrong, because if I get it wrong, this guy’s going to hit me for six’.”Steyn explained that this fear can lead to mistakes: “I feel, if you think like that, more often than not, you do get it wrong.”
Advertisement
Fearless batting driving RR’s success
Steyn also highlighted that Sooryavanshi’s confidence makes him dangerous against any bowler.“And this kid’s not scared, man. If you miss a half-volley, he’s going to hit you out of the ground… It doesn’t matter who you are, Bumrah or Jofra Archer,” he added.In the match, Sooryavanshi scored a quick 39 off just 14 balls, while Yashasvi Jaiswal added an unbeaten 77. Their explosive start helped Rajasthan Royals beat Mumbai Indians by 27 runs, marking their third straight win of the season.
Minnesota’s high school softball season will be under a national spotlight for the second year in a row, and a hotter one than in 2025.
As the U.S. Department of Justice has launched a Title IX lawsuit against the state’s education agencies for letting biological male trans athletes play in girls’ sports, Champlin Park High School is set to be a political target.
The high school rosters a trans pitcher on its softball team, who emerged as a dominant force en route to a state championship last year.
Now, that pitcher is playing for Champlin Park again this year while President Donald Trump’s administration tries to crack down.
The Anoka-Hennepin School District, which oversees Champlin Park, is standing by the athlete amid the renewed national scrutiny.
“The Champlin Park Softball team will compete in compliance with Minnesota State High School League rules and applicable Minnesota law this upcoming season. All participating student-athletes will meet the criteria for eligibility which aim to elevate standards of sportsmanship and encourage the growth of responsible citizenship for all involved. Because the school district is named in an active lawsuit involving last season, the District is limited in what additional information can be shared on this matter,” the district said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
Advertisement
A girls’ softball player, who is anonymously part of a lawsuit with Alliance Defending Freedom that challenges the state laws on trans athletes, shared her thoughts on the distracting political dynamic of this season with Fox News Digital.
“I just want a fair and competitive season. My hope for this season is that the focus stays on the game, while also making sure girls’ sports remain a place where female athletes have equal opportunities to compete and succeed,” she said.
Meanwhile, another anonymous plaintiff in that lawsuit shared gratitude for the DOJ’s intervention.
“Thank you, President Trump! I’m so grateful for the support towards girls in sports in Minnesota,” she said.
Advertisement
The lawsuit was originally struck down by a federal judge, but ADF has filed an appeal in appellate court and is awaiting a decision there.
Former Minnesota high school and current NCAA softball player Kendall Kotzmacher lost a 3-2 heartbreaker to Champlin Park last season, in what was her final high school game.
But Kozmacher’s younger sister, who lost with her in that game, is still set to play this season, and could be on a collision course with the trans pitcher again.
Advertisement
“My little sister, she played with me last year. She’s still playing, so it’s really hard,” Kotzmacher said. “I’m lucky enough that it’s not allowed at the NCAA level. But there’s all of these girls that I do not want them to ever have to go through the situations that I did, and I do not want my sister to have to deal with what I had to do and what she had to deal with last year again.”
Minnesota has faced its own internal conflict over the issue dating back to early 2025, when Democratic lawmakers in the state legislature struck down a bill that would have prevented biological males from competing in girls’ sports.
State Republicans renewed that effort in recent weeks amid the DOJ crackdown, but were once again unsuccessful due to Democrat control, as they failed to push a bill forward on the House Floor Tuesday.
“Protecting girls is not hate,” said state representative Krista Knudsen. “When biological males enter girls’ sports, girls lose. They lose medals, they lose roster spots, they lose college scholarships and they lose their safety.”
Advertisement
Democrat state representative Kelly Moller dismissed concerns over the issue.
“My colleagues across the aisle say that you are bringing this to protect women and girls and that couldn’t be further from the truth. The real threat to women and girls is sexual assault and gender-based violence,” Moller said.
Meanwhile, 326 school board members in 125 school districts in the state signed a letter pleading with the state’s leadership to comply with Trump’s mandate to protect girls’ sports.
Jackson Thompson is a sports reporter for Fox News Digital covering critical political and cultural issues in sports, with an investigative lens. Jackson’s reporting has been cited in federal government actions related to the enforcement of Title IX, and in legacy media outlets including The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Associated Press and ESPN.com.
The Minnesota Vikings booted two starting defensive tackles from their roster this offseason, and that’s usually something a franchise does before drafting a rookie replacement. So when Clemson’s Peter Woods found his way back into the Vikings’ mock-draft orbit this week, well, it made sense.
Minnesota still needs interior defensive line help, and Peter Woods keeps surfacing as a logical first-round fit.
Pete Prisco did the honors, giving Minnesota a rest from the nonstop Dillon Thieneman mock-draft takes.
Advertisement
Woods Checks Some Boxes for Minnesota at a DT Need
Yes, the Vikings need a defensive tackle.
Clemson football defender Peter Woods speaks with reporters at the Smart Family Media Center, sharing thoughts with media members Aug 27, 2024, in Clemson, South Carolina, as the Tigers prepare for a high-profile matchup against Georgia at Mercedes-Benz Stadium later that week in Atlanta. Mandatory Credit: Ken Ruinard-USA TODAY NETWORK
Pete Prisco: Peter Woods to Min at 18
Two weeks remaining before the 2026 NFL Draft, and if Prisco has it right, Woods will be a Viking. He wrote this week in a just-published mock draft, “The interior of their defensive line needs a boost after they let go of Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave. Woods was dominant in 2024, but his play tailed off some last year. The talent is there.”
Most mock drafts expect Minnesota to pick a safety in Round 1, either the aforementioned Thieneman from Oregon or Toledo’s Emmanuel McNeil-Warren.
Advertisement
Some others believe Minnesota could select a cornerback like Avieon Terrell (Clemson) or Jermod McCoy (Tennessee).
The Bio for Woods
Woods is 6’2″ and 300 pounds. He runs a 4.75 forty — pretty fantastic for a defensive tackle — and is known for his first-step explosion and flexibility. His swipe move is also impressive, and on the whole, he’s a freak athlete for DT standards. Woods banked 5 sacks in the last two seasons at Clemson.
The Athletic‘sDane Brugler on Woods: “Woods flashes the ability to win with quickness, strength and hand usage — and the next step in his development is for him to do so more consistently. He offers scheme diversity, although he projects best as a three-/4i-technique DT.”
Advertisement
“A two-and-a-half-year starter at Clemson, Woods shuffled up and down the line in defensive coordinator Tom Allen’s four-man front. After earning Freshman All-American honors in 2023, he received All-ACC honors in each of the last two seasons.”
Woods is also young; he just turned 21.
Brugler added, “He was tabbed as a potential top-five draft pick entering his junior season, but he struggled to match that hype in 2025, posting up-and-down tape and poor production (14 pressures, 3.5 tackles for loss and two sacks over 12 games). Draft projections for Woods will depend on a team’s willingness to grade to his flashes.”
“He moves with big-man twitch and has the foot quickness to elude blocks in tight quarters. However, for a player with his explosive traits, he doesn’t have many quick wins on his tape and needs to learn how to diversify his rush approach.”
Advertisement
Vikings’ DT Setup for 2026
It’s not breaking news, but it’s unfinished business: the Vikings need a defensive tackle. The franchise parted ways with two starters last month, cutting Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave, a pair that played over 1,300 snaps in Brian Flores’s 2025 defense.
Clemson defensive lineman Peter Woods (11) lines up during the second quarter at Memorial Stadium, working against the offensive front Sep 6, 2025, in Clemson, South Carolina, as he battles in the trenches during game action with teammates surrounding the line of scrimmage. Mandatory Credit: Ken Ruinard-Imagn Images
Without Woods, a different rookie, or a free agent like Christian Wilkins or D.J. Reader, Minnesota would roll into 2026 with this interior defensive line group:
Jalen Redmond
Levi Drake Rodriguez
Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins
Elijah Williams
Taki Taimani
Jaylon Hutchings
That might work; it might not. The DT unit is one Redmond injury away from disaster. Therefore, an extra defensive tackle is probably on the way.
Other Draft DT Options
It’s a safe bet to assume the Vikings leave the draft with a defensive tackle; it’s just unclear if Woods will be the guy. If not, these are the DT options before the end of Round 4, according to the Consensus Big Board in early April:
Advertisement
Kayden McDonald (Ohio State)
Caleb Banks (Florida)
Lee Hunter (Texas Tech)
Christen Miller (Georgia)
Domonique Orange (Iowa State)
Gracen Halton (Oklahoma)
Darrell Jackson Jr. (Florida State)
Kaleb Proctor (Southeastern Louisiana)
Chris McClellan (Missouri)
Dontay Corleone (Cincinnati)
Xzavian Harris (Mississippi)
Rayshaun Benny (Michigan)
Zane Durant (Penn State)
Vikings fans have taken a shine to Hunter from Texas Tech because he should be available at Minnesota’s 49th pick, and he’s huge at over 330 pounds, known for stopping the run as a true-blue nose tackle.
Sep 11, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; New England Patriots linebackers coach Brian Flores stands on the sideline during a game against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium, tracking defensive alignments and communicating with players as New England edges Arizona in a close early-season matchup. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Brugler noted on Hunter: “Hunter doesn’t have the pass-rush skill set to consistently impact the quarterback, but he is instinctive as a run defender and has heavy hands to make stops at the line of scrimmage. He projects as a scheme-diverse, two-gapping nose.”
The Vikings have drafted three players from Clemson in the last decade: safety Jayron Kearse, cornerback Mackensie Alexander, and cornerback Andrew Booth. So, too, did elite DT Dexter Lawrence, a trade candidate, go to Clemson. Maybe a Woods/Lawrence twosome materializes at some point.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login