32 h. ago ‘Stressful’ debut as Daria Kasatkina appears as Australian player for first time

World No 12 switched allegiance from Russia last weekShe overcomes nerves to beat Lauren Davis 6-1, 6-1 in Charleston “And please welcome from Australia, Daria Kasatkina!” With those words from the MC introducing her on court at the Charleston Open on Wednesday, Australia’s latest tennis import admitted she was left feeling a bag of nerves about the advent of her new adventure.She need not have worried. For just over an hour later, following her consummate first triumph as an Australian player, Kasatkina was soaking up the cheers of the US crowd amid the strains of “I come from a land Down Under”, while beaming a smile of relief mixed with joy. Continue reading...

Sport

8 d. ago Godfather of Punk Ian Drury’s dark life from polio paralysis to tragic death

‘Ian’s spirit is on stage with us all the time’ Blockheads guitarist and keyboard player Chaz Jankal remembers his friend Ian - the Godfather of Punk - on the 25th anniversary of his death

Events

8 d. ago Blockheads star Ian Drury's dark life from polio paralysis to tragic death

‘Ian’s spirit is on stage with us all the time’ Blockheads guitarist and keyboard player Chaz Jankal remembers his friend Ian - the Godfather of Punk - on the 25th anniversary of his death

Events

1 week ago Emma Raducanu beats eighth seed Emma Navarro in gruelling clash at Miami Open

The British number two’s mammoth victory saw her win against a top-10 player on a hard court for the first time in her career.

Politics

1 week ago Aaron Rodgers visits with Steelers and ‘deal could be forthcoming’ – report

Free agent QB reportedly visited Pittsburgh on FridayRodgers, 41, was let go by New York Jets on 12 MarchQuarterback Aaron Rodgers is visiting with the Pittsburgh Steelers on Friday, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported.A deal with the four-time NFL Most Valuable Player “could be forthcoming”, per the report. The New York Jets released Rodgers on 12 March, making him a free agent for the first time in his career. Continue reading...

Economics

2 w. ago Outbreak of legal battle in tennis comes after years of increasing tension | Tumaini Carayol

The 163-page PTPA lawsuit contains some valid and not-so-valid criticism of the professional tours and major eventsThe Professional Tennis Players’ Association came into existence on the eve of the 2020 US Open and at the height of pandemic restrictions. After an inauspicious start, the association co-founded by Novak Djokovic has spent time building its professional structures, finances and player support while trying to gain influence in the sport. The PTPA ostensibly functions as a players’ union, but it is not legally recognised as such, since players are classed as independent contractors rather than employees.As the PTPA’s numerous attempts to gain a seat at the sport’s decision making table have been rebuffed, often vigorously, by the leading governing bodies – the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), the International Tennis Federation (ITF) and the four grand slam tournaments – it became increasingly likely that their acrimonious ...

Events

2 w. ago ‘We just tried to make what we thought was cool’: the story of Monolith Productions

As the 30-year-old studio behind many innovative and beloved video games shuts down, its founders, fans and designers discuss what made it so specialLate last month, Warner Bros announced it was closing three of its game development studios in a “strategic change of direction”: WB Games San Diego, Player First Studios, and Monolith Productions. At a time when the games industry is racked with layoffs and studio closures, the barrage of dispiriting headlines can be numbing. But the shutdown of Monolith cut through the noise, sparking fresh shock and outrage at the industry’s slash and burn approach to cost cutting. There are numerous reasons for this, but among them was a pervading belief that Monolith would be around forever. “I don’t think I ever really considered the possibility that it would shut down one day,” says Garrett Price, one of Monolith’s seven founding members.True to its name, Monolith was a singular presence. Founded in 1994, it was a prolific developer whose games d...

Politics

2 w. ago HBCU players struggle to make the professional leagues. Will an All

The last time a player from a historically black college made the NBA was in 2010. Work is underway to open up the pathway to the prosIn the coming weeks, tens of thousands of people will attend the Final Four of the men’s and women’s NCAA Tournaments. They’ll pack into raucous arenas and argue with strangers about the merits of college basketball stars – and then celebrate victory or mourn defeat with those same strangers hours later. At the center of the commotion and excitement will be eight teams, young men and women who are among the best in their sport.But there will be another group of athletes in San Antonio at the same time as the men’s Final Four is played there, and it will include the best basketball players from historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). The 48 players – 24 men and 24 women – are not going to be in Texas for the Final Four, but instead will compete in the 2025 HBCU All-Star Game & Experience, a six-day event that culminates in back-to-bac...

Sport

3 w. ago Kyle Walker's two Milan party girls revealed to be huge models and fashion moguls

Two women who were seen on a night out in Milan with footballer Kyle Walker are Serbian models who have spoken about how much the player, on loan from Manchester City, is enjoying his time in Italy

Culture

3 w. ago Jiffy tells WRU to 'step up and make big decisions' as he hits Wales nail on the head

The player-turned-presenter described it as a 'huge, huge time' for Welsh rugby with some big decisions that need to be made

Events