During a news conference, Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic expressed his admiration for American player Danielle Collins after she stood up to hecklers at the Australian Open. The 10th seed in the women's singles draw, Collins received backlash from the crowd for beating a local player, but Djokovic applauded her response to the situation, stating that he would not have been as polite.
Rising UFC lightweight star Arman Tsarukyan has been forced to withdraw from his scheduled title bout against Islam Makhachev at UFC 311 due to a back injury. Despite the disappointment, Tsarukyan remains grateful for the support from fans and the understanding shown by the UFC. With Renato Moicano stepping in on short notice, the question remains whether Tsarukyan will still have a shot at the title once he is fully recovered or if he will need to earn another opportunity.
Top-ranked UFC fighters Merab Dvalishvili and Umar Nurmagomedov will face off in the first title fight of 2025, with Dvalishvili defending his bantamweight gold against undefeated challenger Nurmagomedov in a heated grudge match. Both fighters successfully made weight for the championship fight, with Nurmagomedov entering as the favored betting choice. The event will take place at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, and MMA fans can follow along on the MMA Junkie Instagram and YouTube channels for coverage and discussion.
The UFC lightweight title fight between Islam Makhachev and Arman Tsarukyan was highly anticipated, but a last-minute injury forced Tsarukyan to withdraw. Veteran fighter Renato Moicano stepped up to take his place, leaving Makhachev to adjust his game plan. Despite the unexpected change, Makhachev is determined to defend his title and prove his dominance in the lightweight division.
In a Betway SA20 match at Kingsmead in Durban, Durban's Super Giants faced off against Sunrisers Eastern Cape. Despite a great performance from Noor Ahmad, who claimed a superb 4/25, Sunrisers still managed to amass a challenging 165 for five thanks to the contributions of Zak Crawley and David Bedingham. However, Noor's bowling proved to be a major threat as he took wickets in crucial moments, ultimately leading to Durban's Super Giants' loss.
Ahead of India's squad announcement for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy, ODI captain Rohit Sharma has been honing his skills through rigorous training sessions. Despite a poor performance in the recent Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia, Sharma remains a top pick for the team and has been seen practicing with his Mumbai Indians teammates, including captain Hardik Pandya. India's batting machinery will rely on Sharma's white-ball touch and remarkable track record in the upcoming tournament.
Pakistan's struggles in the first test match against West Indies were compounded by a rain delay and poor lighting. After winning the toss and opting to bat first, Pakistan lost four wickets in just 13.3 overs and were struggling at 46 for 4. However, Saudi Shakil (56) and Mohammad Rizwan (51) managed to steady the innings and take the team to 143 for 4 when play was stopped due to bad light. West Indies' bowler Jaden Seales was the most successful in the first day, taking 3 wickets for 21 runs in 10 overs.
Pakistan and West Indies face off in the first Test of the two-match series in Multan, with Pakistan currently holding a strong position in the 2023-25 cycle of the World Test Championship. Despite a recent defeat in South Africa, Pakistan aims to continue their winning streak at home after a successful series against England. West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite is determined to put up a strong fight and end their previous record of finishing in eighth place in the WTC.
Recent claims on social media have circulated images of cricket player Ishan Kishan alongside IPL team owner Kavya Maran and cricketer Smriti Mandhana in front of Hyderabad's iconic Charminar. However, after thorough research, these claims have been proven false as the images were generated using AI. Further investigation through AI-detection websites showed that the images had 99% AI-generated content. This is a reminder to not believe everything seen on social media without verification.
Despite her father's initial denial, it has been revealed that the family of India cricketer Rinku Singh has sent a marriage proposal to Lok Sabha MP Priya Saroj. Priya's father has confirmed that discussions have taken place with the cricketer's family and they are seriously considering the proposal. While neither Rinku nor Priya have officially confirmed the development, Rinku is set to return to action in the upcoming T20I series against England. Priya, the 26-year-old first-time MP, comes from a family of politicians and had initially aspired to become a judge.
In a special function at Rashtrapati Bhavan, President Draupadi Murmu bestowed the Arjuna Award upon para-archer Rakesh Kumar from Jammu and Kashmir. Kumar, who hails from Reasi district, is the third para-archer to receive this prestigious award, and his exceptional performance in the 2020 Summer Paralympics in Tokyo made him a top contender. He represented India at the Paralympics and has a world ranking of No. 1 in compound archery. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha have both congratulated Kumar on his achievement.