Sports
Şengün records 4th triple-double in Rockets’ loss to Bulls
The NBA’s packed slate delivered fireworks across both conferences on Monday night, with Turkish talents at the heart of the action even as results split in different directions.
At the United Center, the Chicago Bulls outlasted the Houston Rockets 132-124 in a high-tempo clash that showcased offensive firepower on both sides. The loss did little to dim the brilliance of Alperen Şengün, who produced one of the performances of the night.
The 23-year-old center controlled the game with poise and precision, registering his fourth triple-double of the season with 33 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists, adding two steals and two blocks across heavy minutes.
Şengün dictated Houston’s offense, operating as both scorer and facilitator, and repeatedly punished Chicago inside.
Still, the Rockets could not keep pace defensively. Veteran Kevin Durant led all scorers with 40 points, while Amen Thompson added 23, but Chicago’s balanced attack proved decisive.
Collin Sexton paced the Bulls with 25 points, and rising forward Matas Buzelis contributed 23 as Chicago secured its 29th win of the campaign.
Houston, meanwhile, slipped deeper into a difficult stretch, absorbing its 28th defeat despite one of Şengün’s most complete outings.
In Oklahoma City, the Oklahoma City Thunder underlined their status as Western Conference leaders with a commanding 123-103 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander steered the hosts with 22 points, while Jalen Williams and Jaylin Williams each added 18 in a controlled, methodical performance.
The Thunder’s depth and defensive discipline overwhelmed Philadelphia early, allowing them to cruise to their 57th win and further cement their place atop the standings.
For the 76ers, rookie VJ Edgecombe provided a bright spot with a team-high 35 points, supported by Trendon Watford’s 15.
Turkish big man Adem Bona saw limited minutes but contributed across the board, finishing with three points, five rebounds, three assists, a steal and two blocks in a compact display of defensive activity.
Elsewhere around the league, the night delivered a mix of tight finishes and blowouts.
The Detroit Pistons edged the Los Angeles Lakers 113-110, while the Indiana Pacers narrowly beat the Orlando Magic 128-126.
The San Antonio Spurs rolled past the Miami Heat 136-111, and the Atlanta Hawks dismantled the Memphis Grizzlies 146-107.
The Golden State Warriors outgunned the Dallas Mavericks 137-131, the Toronto Raptors handled the Utah Jazz 143-127, and the Portland Trail Blazers crushed the Brooklyn Nets 134-99. In one of the most emphatic results, the LA Clippers overwhelmed the Milwaukee Bucks 129-96.
Galatasaray has confirmed that Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen has successfully undergone surgery to repair a fractured right forearm sustained during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 second-leg clash against Liverpool.
The operation was carried out by club chief physician Op. Dr. Yener İnce at Maslak Acıbadem Hospital in Istanbul on March 23, 2026.
The club expressed optimism about Osimhen’s recovery and hopes to see the forward back on the pitch within five to six weeks.
Osimhen, 27, on loan from Serie A side Napoli, suffered the injury in the first half at Anfield on March 18 during an aerial challenge.
Despite the pain and swelling, he initially attempted to continue before being substituted at halftime on medical advice. Immediate assessments in Liverpool confirmed a fracture involving the ulna, and a temporary cast was applied while plans for surgery were arranged.
Following the match, Osimhen provided his own update during a Twitch livestream with Nigerian influencer Carter Efe, stating: “I need to go under the knife… my arm is broken. It will take a maximum of five to six weeks. Six weeks at most, and I will be back to football.”
He outlined his rehabilitation plan, which includes approximately four weeks of rest and healing, followed by two weeks of individual training before rejoining full team sessions.
The injury comes at a critical time for Galatasaray, who had already suffered a setback when Dutch winger Noa Lang underwent thumb surgery after the same Liverpool match.
The Reds dominated the return leg 4-0, overturning Galatasaray’s slim 1-0 first-leg advantage and advancing 4-1 on aggregate to face Paris Saint-Germain in the quarterfinals. Goals from Dominik Szoboszlai, Hugo Ekitike, Ryan Gravenberch, and Mohamed Salah sealed the result.
Osimhen has been a standout performer for Galatasaray this season, netting seven Champions League goals and providing crucial attacking firepower in both domestic and European competitions.
His absence leaves a significant gap, though the club remains confident that structured rehabilitation under its medical team will see him return to full fitness.
Turkish media reports align with the player’s timeline, targeting a possible return in late spring for key Super Lig fixtures.
Zinedine Zidane is allegedly edging closer to taking charge of France, with multiple reports indicating a verbal agreement with the French Football Federation to succeed Didier Deschamps after the 2026 World Cup.
The anticipated appointment would close one of the most decorated managerial eras in international football.
Deschamps, in charge since 2012, has delivered sustained success built on structure, discipline and depth.
He guided France to the 2018 World Cup title in Russia, added the 2021 Nations League crown and led the team to two more major finals, Euro 2016 and the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, narrowly missing out on both.
Now 56, Deschamps has made clear his intention to step aside after the 2026 tournament, choosing to end his tenure after 14 years at the helm.
His decision has given the federation room to quietly craft a succession plan, one long pointing toward Zidane, Deschamps’ former Les Bleus teammate from the 1998 World Cup-winning side on home soil.
Zidane’s path to the role has been deliberate.
Since leaving Real Madrid in 2021, the former France captain has resisted repeated offers across Europe and beyond, prioritizing the national team job. His patience now appears set to be rewarded.
French federation president Philippe Diallo recently confirmed he already knows who will lead the team into the next cycle, stopping short of naming Zidane but reinforcing the sense that the transition is effectively settled.
The formal announcement is expected only after the World Cup to avoid disrupting Deschamps’ final campaign.
Zidane steps in with elite pedigree, even without international coaching experience.
His time in Madrid produced an unprecedented three straight Champions League titles between 2016 and 2018, along with two La Liga triumphs.
Beyond trophies, his defining strength has been man management, balancing egos and extracting peak performances from world-class players in high-pressure environments.
That skill will be vital with a France squad entering another golden phase. Kylian Mbappe remains the focal point and likely long-term leader, while Ousmane Dembele has rediscovered consistency and impact.
Emerging talents such as Michael Olise, Rayan Cherki and Warren Zaïre-Emery add creativity and energy, supported by a core that blends experience with tactical versatility.
The timing also offers continuity. Rather than a disruptive mid-cycle change, Zidane would inherit a squad already shaped for success, allowing him to imprint his style gradually ahead of the 2030 World Cup cycle.
For Deschamps, the mission is clear. France will head into 2026 as one of the favorites, and the outgoing coach will be determined to leave with a second World Cup title, reinforcing a legacy that already ranks among the finest in the sport.
Organizers of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Games revealed the official visual identity Monday, showcasing a floral-themed design system that celebrates the city’s neighborhoods, landscapes and cultural spirit.
The branding will appear across competition venues, fan zones, citywide installations, signage, digital platforms and broadcast presentations during the Games, LA28 said.
At the heart of the design is the “Superbloom,” inspired by Southern California’s wildflower surges that follow seasonal rains. LA28 described it as a metaphor for the Games, where years of preparation culminate in a brief, high-profile global spectacle.
The core graphic is composed of 13 individual blooms, each symbolizing a different facet of Los Angeles, from its entertainment culture to its neighborhoods, people and native environment.
The color palette draws on the bird of paradise, the official flower of Los Angeles, and is grouped into four families, poppy, scarlet flax, bluebell and sagebrush, to evoke the region’s terrain and vegetation.
Organizers said the typographic style was inspired by Los Angeles street signage, including strip mall and hand-painted storefront lettering, in an effort to give the identity a distinctly local feel.
LA28 said the design was developed to work across a wide range of settings, from nearly century-old venues to new facilities, while also accounting for broadcast requirements, digital formats and lighting conditions.
The organizing committee partnered with design studio Koto on the project.
The identity was unveiled more than two years before the Olympic opening ceremony in what organizers described as an unusually early rollout, giving partners and stakeholders more time to incorporate the branding into their materials.
Los Angeles will host the Olympics for a third time in 2028, after staging the Games in 1932 and 1984. It will also host the Paralympics for the first time.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the editorial stance, values or position of Daily Sabah. The newspaper provides space for diverse perspectives as part of its commitment to open and informed public discussion.
Carlos Alcaraz’s Miami Open campaign came to a halt in the third round Sunday, as Sebastian Korda outlasted the world No. 1 in a gripping three-set battle.
The 22-year-old Spaniard, fresh off completing a career Grand Slam with his Australian Open triumph in January, slipped to 17-2 on the season.
The defeat follows his semifinal exit to Daniil Medvedev at Indian Wells last week, marking a rare dip in form for the tour’s top-ranked player.
Korda looked poised to finish the job in straight sets when he served for the match at 5-4 in the second, only for Alcaraz to surge back with five straight games and force a decider.
The 25-year-old American, however, steadied himself in the third, sealing a 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 victory in two hours, 19 minutes.
“It was a tough match,” Alcaraz said. “He was incredible today, played at a really high level. There were key moments I didn’t take, and he handled those situations better.”
Ranked No. 36, Korda became the lowest-ranked player to defeat Alcaraz since David Goffin, then No. 55, pulled off a similar upset at the same tournament last year, according to the ATP Tour.
“A lot of tense moments, for sure,” Korda said. “But I think today the ultimate thing was belief, going back to just believing, committing to every shot, and luckily I got it done at the end.”
Next up for Korda is qualifier Martin Landaluce, who advanced with a 6-3, 7-6 (2) win against 14th-seeded Karen Khachanov.
Americans Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul joined Korda in the fourth round. The sixth-seeded Fritz beat Reilly Opelka 6-3, 6-4, and No. 22 seed Paul eliminated Raphael Collignon with a 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (5) victory.
No. 21 Jiri Lehecka, No. 24 Valentin Vacherot and No. 29 Tomas Martin Etcheverry also were among the winners.
On the women’s side, top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka cruised to a 6-4, 6-2 win against Catherine McNally. No. 3 Elena Rybakina beat No. 27 Marta Kostyuk 6-3, 6-4, and No. 5 Jessica Pegula posted a 6-2, 6-2 win over No. 26 Leylah Fernandez.
No. 7 Jasmine Paolini, No. 9 Elina Svitolina, No. 11 Ekaterina Alexandrova, No. 15 Madison Keys and No. 18 Iva Jovic were eliminated. Paolini lost to No. 25 Jelena Ostapenko in three sets, and Svitolina was knocked out by Hailey Baptiste in straight sets.
Türkiye’s Toprak Razgatlıoğlu continued his baptism of fire in the MotoGP World Championship, finishing 17th at the Brazilian Grand Prix as the rookie navigates the sharp transition to the sport’s elite level.
Round two of the season at the Autodromo Internacional Ayrton Senna in Goiania on Sunday offered little respite.
Extreme heat and tire degradation forced race officials to shorten the contest to 23 laps, turning it into a survival test as much as a speed contest.
For Razgatlıoğlu, racing with Prima Pramac Yamaha on the new YZR-M1 V4 prototype, the challenge was relentless.
The 29-year-old crossed the line 17th, over 30 seconds behind race winner Marco Bezzecchi, repeating his result from his debut outing in Thailand earlier this month.
Yet the raw result only tells part of the story.
Across the weekend, Razgatlıoğlu showed flashes of the aggressive talent that made him a three-time World Superbike champion.
He pushed into Q2 during qualifying and briefly ran among the front-runners in tricky, changing conditions, signaling his growing confidence on unfamiliar machinery.
Race day, however, exposed the gap that still separates him from MotoGP’s established names.
The Turkish rider struggled with tire management and overall bike feel in the punishing Brazilian heat, key factors that define performance in the premier class.
The technical demands of the prototype Yamaha, particularly compared to the production-based Superbikes he once dominated, remain a work in progress.
His team also endured a difficult outing, with teammate Jack Miller retiring early, underlining the broader challenges facing the Pramac Yamaha setup.
Still, Razgatlıoğlu’s presence marks a milestone.
As MotoGP’s first Turkish rider, he carries both expectation and history, attempting to translate his Superbike success into competitiveness on the sport’s biggest stage. For now, progress is measured less in points and more in adaptation.
At the front, Bezzecchi’s victory secured back-to-back wins to open the season and extended his winning streak to four races, strengthening his early championship lead. But for Razgatlıoğlu, the focus remains inward, on closing the gap step by step.
The next opportunity comes quickly. The championship moves to Austin for the United States Grand Prix on March 29, where Razgatlıoğlu will aim to build on two demanding weekends and edge closer to the points.
Galatasaray’s Champions League hopes ended in heartbreak at Anfield, where Liverpool routed the Turkish champions 4-0 on March 18, 2026, completing a 4-1 aggregate to reach the quarterfinals.
The loss was compounded by the injury of Galatasaray’s star striker Victor Osimhen, who fractured his right forearm in an aerial collision with Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konaté early in the first half.
The 27-year-old Nigerian displayed grit by continuing briefly with a bandaged arm but was substituted at halftime as pain worsened.
Galatasaray confirmed the fracture after hospital evaluation and announced surgery would follow further assessment.
Osimhen traveled to Nigeria during Galatasaray’s brief break, appearing on a Twitch livestream with influencer Carter Efe.
He confirmed the need for surgery and outlined a 4-6 week recovery window.
“Six weeks at most. Most of the time, it’s four weeks, then two weeks to train alone, regain fitness, and rejoin the team,” he said, adding that two Liverpool players had apologized for the incident. His relaxed demeanor and occasional brace-free movements in Nigeria sparked mixed reactions online.
Back in Istanbul on March 22, Osimhen underwent further scans to finalize the surgery plan. Galatasaray and local outlets report that the operation could take place within 48-72 hours, depending on swelling and fracture assessment. While an initial conservative approach was considered, surgery is now deemed necessary.
Prominent Turkish commentator Levent Tüzemen noted in his Monday column that the specific surgical method could allow Osimhen an earlier-than-expected return.
He emphasized the striker’s importance: “Galatasaray has adapted to Osimhen’s style. Both scorer and goalkeeper matter. Uğurcan makes saves; Osimhen scores or sets up goals. Losing him will be felt for more than a month.”
Tüzemen expects Galatasaray to adjust with Lang on the left, a Yunus-Sane-Sallai option on the right, and Barış leading the attack.
Osimhen’s absence will impact upcoming Süper Lig clashes, including the Istanbul derby against Fenerbahçe on April 26.
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