Sports
World No. 1 Alcaraz falls to Korda in Miami 2nd round upset
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.
African football is grappling with a crisis that has shifted the narrative of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations from a dramatic final to a defining battle over governance, legitimacy, and the limits of authority, with Sadio Mane at the center after being ordered to return his Player of the Tournament award.
What unfolded in Rabat on Jan. 18, 2026 was initially remembered as a tense, hard-fought decider. Senegal edged Morocco 1-0 after extra time, sealing what appeared to be their second continental crown.
But that on-field result has since been erased, replaced by a ruling that has shaken the foundations of the tournament.
At the heart of the controversy is Confederation of African Football, whose appeals board determined nearly two months later that Senegal forfeited the match.
The decision stemmed from a flashpoint deep in stoppage time, when referee Jean Jacques Ndala awarded Morocco a penalty after a VAR review involving Brahim Diaz.
Senegal’s bench, led by coach Pape Thiaw, reacted by pulling players off the pitch in protest.
The match was suspended for over 15 minutes as tensions spilled into the stands.
Security forces intervened, and it took the intervention of Mane to restore order and bring his teammates back.
When play resumed, the moment that triggered the chaos appeared to dissolve.
Diaz missed the penalty, denied by Edouard Mendy, and Senegal regrouped to win the match in extra time through Pape Gueye.
In the immediate aftermath, Mane was named Player of the Tournament, recognized for both his performances and leadership in defusing a volatile situation.
That narrative has now been dismantled.
CAF ruled that Senegal’s temporary withdrawal constituted a violation of competition rules, specifically provisions governing refusal to continue play.
The result was annulled and replaced with a 3-0 default win for Morocco, handing the hosts their first AFCON title in nearly five decades.
What has elevated the dispute from controversy to crisis is what followed.
CAF did not stop at the team result. It moved to align every individual accolade with the revised outcome, triggering a rare and sweeping post-tournament recalibration.
In a directive that has stunned players and officials alike, Mane has been asked to return his MVP award, a decision that cuts to the core of how individual excellence is judged.
The award has now been reassigned to Diaz, whose tournament tally of five goals and consistent influence for Morocco positioned him as a leading contender even before the final.
With the revision, he is no longer just a standout performer but the official face of a tournament rewritten after its conclusion.
For Senegal, the response has been defiant. Federation officials have rejected the ruling outright, describing it as unjust and unprecedented.
Plans are underway to challenge the decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, a process that could take months and potentially redefine the outcome once again.
Reports indicate the disputed trophies, both team and individual, have been secured domestically, signaling a refusal to recognize CAF’s authority on the matter.
Beyond the immediate standoff, the broader implications are significant.
Critics argue that retroactively altering both results and awards undermines the integrity of competition, eroding the principle that matches are decided on the pitch.
The delay in CAF’s ruling has also drawn scrutiny, raising questions about consistency, transparency, and timing in disciplinary decisions.
Ronald Araujo rose highest to head Barcelona to a hard-fought 1-0 win over Rayo Vallecano on Sunday, stretching their La Liga lead over Real Madrid to seven points.
Real Madrid, coached by Alvaro Arbeloa, face city rivals Atletico Madrid later in a derby clash that could shape the title race.
Araujo powered in Joao Cancelo’s corner in the 24th minute at Camp Nou, a decisive moment in an otherwise tense contest in which goalkeeper Joan Garcia proved just as vital.
“We knew how important it was to win before the international break. We did, but we suffered more than we wanted,” Garcia told DAZN.
“They caused us problems, and we weren’t at our usual level on the ball. But we knew we had to win. What the other teams do is out of our hands.”
Hansi Flick’s side started sluggishly and were nearly punished early, but Garcia reacted sharply to deny Carlos Martin from close range, setting the tone for a resilient defensive display.
Recently called up by Luis de la Fuente to the Spain squad for upcoming friendlies, Garcia made several excellent saves to keep Rayo at bay, with the visitors dominant in the second half.
At the other end, Raphinha was guilty of wasteful finishing on several occasions. The winger scuffed wide after picking Pathe Ciss’s pocket and charging through on goal.
A few minutes later, Ciss appeared to bring down teenage star Lamine Yamal in the area, but the Barcelona player’s appeals were waved away by the referee.
Yamal’s superb outside-of-the-boot cross created another fine chance for Raphinha, but the Brazilian’s mis-hit effort was tipped over by Augusto Batalla.
Barcelona took the lead through Araujo’s header from Cancelo’s corner midway through the first half.
Araujo has not featured much since taking a mental health break late last year but came on as a substitute in Barcelona’s 7-2 Champions League rout of Newcastle in midweek.
With Eric Garcia rested because of a muscle issue, Flick started the Uruguay international at right back and was rewarded with what proved to be the winner.
Barcelona hold firm
The hosts came close to a second after the break, but Yamal dragged a low effort across the face of goal.
Rayo took control and began creating dangerous chances in search of an equalizer.
Joan Garcia denied Alvaro Garcia and then produced a spectacular save to push away Unai Lopez’s header.
Pacha Espino should have leveled for the visitors but, after beating Barcelona’s high line and staying onside, curled his effort over the bar.
Garcia pushed away a Jorge de Frutos drive before six minutes of stoppage time were added, but Barcelona held on.
“The second half was perfect, but we lacked the goal,” said Rayo coach Inigo Perez.
“(Joan Garcia) appeared at key moments when we might have been able to draw.”
The Premier League clash between Newcastle United and Sunderland was overshadowed by a racism incident that forced a second-half stoppage, before Sunderland sealed a dramatic late derby victory at St James’ Park.
Play was halted shortly after the restart when Lutsharel Geertruida, Sunderland’s defender, was subjected to reported discriminatory abuse from sections of the home crowd.
Referee Anthony Taylor paused the match for several minutes in line with the league’s anti-discrimination protocol after being alerted by Sunderland players, with Granit Xhaka among those raising the issue.
The Premier League confirmed the halt followed established procedures and pledged a full investigation, reiterating its zero-tolerance stance.
Newcastle echoed that position, vowing to identify and sanction those responsible, while authorities confirmed heightened pre-match tensions had already led to a police presence and at least one arrest.
The interruption came in a derby already charged with hostility, the first top-flight meeting between the rivals at St James’ Park in over a decade.
Disorder flared before kickoff as rival supporters clashed outside the stadium, with reports of objects thrown at the Sunderland team bus and isolated confrontations requiring medical attention.
On the pitch, the contest delivered the intensity expected of a Tyne-Wear derby.
Newcastle struck first through Anthony Gordon, who punished a defensive lapse early on, while Sven Botman came close to doubling the lead when he rattled the post.
Sunderland responded with growing authority after the break. Chemsdine Talbi leveled the score just minutes after the restart, reacting quickest in the box after a set-piece scramble.
Newcastle thought they had reclaimed the lead late on, only for a header to be ruled out for a foul on goalkeeper Melker Ellborg.
The decisive moment arrived in stoppage time. Enzo Le Fee carved open the defense with a sharp cutback, and Brian Brobbey pounced on the rebound after an initial save from Aaron Ramsdale to fire Sunderland to a 2-1 win.
The result completed a league double for Sunderland over their fiercest rivals and extended their long-standing derby dominance, while deepening Newcastle’s slide with another damaging defeat in a faltering campaign.
Movsar Evloev overcame a point deduction to earn a majority decision victory over Lerone Murphy at a UFC Fight Night in The O2 Arena Saturday, likely securing a title shot against featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski.
With the two fighters putting their undefeated records on the line to decide who will face the 37-year-old Australian Volkanovski for the belt, the bout turned into an intriguing clash of styles.
Evloev, who is known for his wrestling, tried to showcase his striking while Murphy displayed some superb defensive work on the ground.
Murphy evaded the fearsome grappling attack of his Russian opponent for the first two rounds of the five-round bout, using a selection of stiff right hands to keep him at bay.
Evloe, meanwhile, took the chance to exhibit some of the dangerous spinning strikes he has added to his repertoire since his last fight in December 2024.
He finally managed to take the fight to the mat early in the third round, but Murphy was quickly back to his feet, uncorking a spinning back kick of his own shortly afterward.
However, it was his opponent who finished the frame strongest with a big overhand right, followed up by a flurry of strikes.
His momentum was derailed somewhat when he landed a second kick to Murphy’s groin early in the fourth round and referee Marc Goddard deducted a point from Evloev for the foul.
Knowing that the deduction could be decisive if the fight went to the judges’ scorecards, Evloev turned up his energy-sapping grappling attack in the fifth and final frame as he chased a finish, but again Murphy was able to get back to his feet with relative ease.
Despite not really threatening to submit his opponent on the ground, it proved to be enough for the 32-year-old Evloev, with two of the judges scoring the fight 48-46 in his favor and the third scoring it a draw 47-47 after the point deduction was taken into account.
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