Raducanu withdraws from Madrid Open as illness absence nears two months

Emma Raducanu will extend her absence from the WTA Tour because of a viral illness to two months after she withdrew from the coming week’s Madrid Open.Raducanu has not competed since a 6-1, 6-1 loss to Amanda Anisimova in the second round of the Indian Wells Open on 8 March. She briefly trained on-site at the Miami Open just over a week later before citing lingering symptoms from an earlier viral illness as the reason for her withdrawal. Raducanu had been affected by a viral illness during the Middle East swing in February, which she said had contributed to her poor performances on the court.In the aftermath of her withdrawal from the Miami Open, Raducanu took a considerable amount of time off from training

Humanoid robots show rapid advances as they race past humans in Beijing half marathon

They can already carry the shopping, cook and clean. Now they can run and win half marathons.In perhaps the most unusual spectacle ever seen at the end of the 13.1-mile (21.1km) race, robots flew over the finish line ahead of the humans for the first time in Beijing on Sunday

‘Last year is over’: Oklahoma City launch title defense as NBA’s parity era faces test

The league hasn’t had a repeat champion since the 2017-18 Warriors. The level-headed, consistent Thunder may be the ones to change thatThe NBA has not seen a reigning champion take its title defense as far as the conference finals, let alone hoist a second consecutive Larry O’Brien trophy, since the Golden State Warriors were cut off at the ankle and calf by the Toronto Raptors in the 2019 Finals. That’s seven straight seasons in which parity has ruled supreme, for better or for worse, and dynastic runs seem fated to be a thing of the past.Not if one team in America’s heartland has anything to say about it. The Oklahoma City Thunder embark on these 2026 playoffs in search of historic greatness, trends be damned

The Crucible holds tribute to former player and commentator John Virgo

A minute’s applause was paid in tribute to John Virgo, who died in February aged 79, as the World Snooker Championship got under way at the Crucible in Sheffield.Virgo, who won the UK Championship in 1979, enjoyed a successful playing career but was best known for his broadcasting. During his 18 years as a professional, he reached the World Championship semi-finals in 1979. He went on to work for the BBC in 1994 and his voice became a distinctive feature of the national broadcaster’s snooker coverage for three decades.This article includes content hosted on embed

‘That’s a guppy’: Baumgardner swats aside Britain’s Dubois as feud escalates

A dismissive Alycia Baumgardner said Britain’s Caroline Dubois still has more to prove before the American will entertain a fight between the two unified champions.That was the curt assessment from Baumgardner early Saturday morning after she retained her WBA, WBO and IBF junior lightweight world titles with a controlled, at times punishing display across 10 three-minute rounds against Bo Mi Re Shin in a main event that started well past midnight at Madison Square Garden.“Like I said, I’m a piranha,” said Baumgardner, a world champion at 130lb since 2021. “That’s a guppy. Get her out of here

AFC Bournemouth’s owner Bill Foley behind US takeover of Exeter Chiefs

Bill Foley, owner of AFC Bournemouth, is poised to take control of Exeter Chiefs in a multimillion-pound deal that will bring Premier League and Hollywood glamour to English club rugby.The Guardian revealed this week that Exeter’s chair, Tony Rowe, had agreed to sell the club to a wealthy American investor, and can now disclose the club’s new owner will be Foley’s multisport investment company, Black Knight Sports and Entertainment.The Black Knight Football Club that owns Bournemouth includes the Hollywood actor Michael B Jordan, who won this year’s best actor Oscar for his role in Sinners, as a minority shareholder.Foley’s investment vehicle, Cannae Holdings, provides most of the multi-club group’s funding, however, and is understood to be behind the bid for Exeter. Cannae’s chief executive, Ryan Caswell, was captured by TNT Sport’s cameras sitting next to Rowe at Sandy Park during Saturday’s 35-28 home defeat by Northampton