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Alcaraz, Sabalenka target AO glory | The Express Tribune
Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz is targeting a career Grand Slam at the Australian Open. Photo: AFP
MELBOURNE:
Carlos Alcaraz launches his bid for a career Grand Slam on Sunday “hungry” for an elusive Australian Open title, while Aryna Sabalenka is laser-focused on clinching a third Melbourne crown.
The first major of the year gets under way as a 15-day event for the third time running, aimed at cutting down on late-night finishes.
Top seed Alcaraz is desperate to win it, having failed to go past the quarter-finals in four previous trips to Australia.
The title is the only one missing from his major collection, which currently consists of two French Opens, two US Opens and two Wimbledons.
“This is my main goal for this year,” Alcaraz, who gets under way in the night match on Rod Laver Arena against home player Adam Walton, said.
“I’m just hungry for the title, hungry to do a really good result here.”
He has met the 79th-ranked Walton once before, at Queen’s in London last year, when he won 6-4, 7-6 (7/4).
Should the 22-year-old complete the career Slam he would join an exclusive club as just the sixth man to win all four major titles after Andre Agassi, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Rod Laver.
He would also become the youngest, surpassing Nadal, who was 24 at the time.
But he has a big roadblock in front of him, with Italy’s Jannik Sinner the two-time defending champion and in peak physical condition.
Sinner, who beat Alexander Zverev in last year’s final and went on to win Wimbledon, opens against France’s Hugo Gaston, who he has met twice before but not since 2021.
“We worked a lot physically,” Sinner said of his pre-season. “The physical part now is so, so important because the matches can get very long and also very intense.
“You have to be at the top physical level as long as you can.”
Assuming he gets that far, Sinner could meet 10-time champion Djokovic in the semi-finals before a potential clash with Alcaraz for the title.
Djokovic would surpass Margaret Court as the outright Slam leader on 25 titles should he turn back the clock and upstage his younger rivals.
He has a tricky opener against Spain’s Pedro Martinez.
Zverev, in the same half of the draw as Alcaraz, is also in action Sunday against Canadian Gabriel Diallo.
World number 10 Alexander Bublik takes on American Jenson Brooksby.
Sabalenka hot favourite
Top-ranked Sabalenka kicks off against French wildcard Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah, preceding Alcaraz onto Rod Laver Arena.
The Belarusian went into last year’s final aiming to become the first woman since Martina Hingis to win three consecutive Australian Opens.
But she was stunned by Madison Keys, a setback she admitted “took me a little time to recover” from.
“I’m not really focusing on that result last year,” said Sabalenka, who won the Brisbane title last week. “But of course I would like to do just a little bit better than I did last year.”
Keys failed to really kick on from clinching a maiden Grand Slam and is in Australia as the ninth seed.
She will need to improve after clocking up nearly 50 unforced errors in her early exit at the warm-up Adelaide International.
She meets debutant Oleksandra Oliynykova of Ukraine and could face Jessica Pegula in the last 16 and Amanda Anisimova in the last eight.
“I’m really trying to push myself to kind of evolve and add more things to my game,” said the American.
Sabalenka’s chief rival, six-time Grand Slam winner Iga Swiatek is, like Alcaraz, angling for a career Grand Slam in Melbourne.
“Obviously it would be a dream come true,” said the Polish star, who is yet to go beyond the semi-finals.
She will begin against Chinese qualifier Yuan Yue.
Seventh seed Jasmine Paolini, 12th seed Elena Svitolina and veteran Venus Williams are also in action on Sunday.
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Cameras showed former New York Giants co-owner Steve Tisch in the team’s draft room Thursday night during the first round.
At one point, Tisch was seen standing near Giants head coach John Harbaugh. Despite no longer holding a majority stake in the NFL franchise, Tisch remains the Giants’ chairman of the board.
ESPN obtained an NFL memo last month detailing plans by Steve Tisch and his siblings to transfer their stake in the Giants to trusts for their children.
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New York Giants co-owner Steve Tisch warms up before the NFL game between the Washington Redskins and New York Giants at Met Life Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., on Oct. 28, 2018. (Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire)
“Prior transfers to these Trusts were completed pursuant to 2023 and 2024 Finance Committee approvals,” the memo stated. “The Sellers now propose to transfer their entire remaining interests, totaling 23.1% of the Club, to the Trusts. … Following the transactions, the Sellers will no longer own any interest in the Club.”
It was not clear if the transfer requests were in any way related to Tisch’s name appearing in the Epstein files released by the U.S. Justice Department in January. Tisch’s name came up more than 400 times in the files. Tisch at the time said he knew Epstein but denied visiting Epstein’s island.
As for draft night, the Giants made what some viewed as an unconventional pick at No. 10, selecting offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa.
Francis Mauigoa of Miami celebrates after being selected as the tenth overall pick by the New York Giants during the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pa., on April 23, 2026. (Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
Before that, the Giants added another piece to their pass rush, selecting hybrid edge/off-ball linebacker Arvell Reese at No. 5.
Reese earned All-American honors at Ohio State and finished his first season as a full-time starter with 6.5 sacks.
Arvell Reese of Ohio State celebrates after being selected as the fifth overall pick by the New York Giants during the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pa., on April 23, 2026. (Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
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Reese is set to join a pass rush that includes Brian Burns, Abdul Carter and, likely, Kayvon Thibodeaux.
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One of the most intriguing stories entering the first round of the NFL Draft was where Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson might land. Well, fans got their answer sooner than they expected.
The Los Angeles Rams surprisingly selected Simpson with the No. 13 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
The selection isn’t completely out of left field and is arguably the best-case scenario for Simpson. The Rams have Matthew Stafford as their starter for 2026, but Stafford has flirted with the idea of retirement each of the past two offseasons. It’s clear the clock is ticking on his NFL career.
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The Los Angeles Rams pulled a stunner and drafted Alababam QB Ty Simpson with the No. 13 pick in the NFL Draft. (CFP/Getty Images)
Now, Simpson gets to sit behind one of the NFL’s best veteran quarterbacks, learn the position while adapting to life in the NFL, and not face immediate pressure to succeed. Additionally, the Rams are one of the most well-run franchises in the league right now. Sean McVay is an elite head coach who led the team to a Super Bowl victory to cap the 2021 season and just had the team within one win of another Super Bowl berth before falling to the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Championship.
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The most surprising aspect is the Rams looking toward the future, quite frankly. This is a team that has had no problem trading away first-round picks to make its team the best it can be each season. It seemed most likely the team would use the No. 13 pick to improve its team for next season, which could be Stafford’s last. Instead, the team decided to put itself in position for Stafford’s retirement without skipping a beat.
Los Angeles Rams QB Matthew Stafford, now 38-years-old, has flirted with retirement after each of the past two seasons. (Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
There were several surprises in the first 13 picks of the 2026 NFL Draft: the Cardinals taking Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love at No. 3, the Titans selecting Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate at No. 4, the Kansas City Chiefs trading up to take LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane at No. 6 and even the Cowboys trading up one spot to make sure they drafted Ohio State safety Caleb Downs at No. 11.
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But the Rams completely abandoning their recent strategy (usually trading away first-round picks and loading up for now) to select Stafford’s heir apparent is easily the biggest early shock of the 2026 NFL Draft.
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Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner considering factors before debuting new alternate uniforms: report
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The choice for the New York Yankees to wear their new alternate uniform is ultimately up to owner Hal Steinbrenner, who has shown a knack for change in recent years.
And according to The Athletic, Steinbrenner and others in the front office will decide when the time is right based on some factors.
The outlet noted that economic impact, how often they’ll be worn, and how fans feel about the jerseys will all be key considerations in deciding if, and perhaps when, the jerseys will be worn.
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Manager Aaron Boone of the New York Yankees makes a pitching change during the fifth inning of a spring training game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Charlotte Sports Park in Port Charlotte, Florida, on March 17, 2026. (Nick Cammett/Diamond Images)
Hours after The Athletic reported that players had gone to higher-ups about the idea, it was revealed that an alternate jersey had in fact been approved prior.
The Yankees’ navy blue batting practice tops, similar to their road spring training uniforms, were the ones that were approved to be worn in games.
The Yankees have taken part in wearing different jerseys in the past, including Players’ Weekend from 2017 through 2019, a nod to the 1912 team while playing in Boston on the 100th anniversary of Fenway Park’s opening, and jerseys commemorating the Black Yankees in 1996. The Yankees also wore replicas of their 1921 road uniforms for the first Field of Dreams game in 2021.
Paul Goldschmidt, Ben Rice and Cody Bellinger of the New York Yankees wait for the start of a spring training game against the Chicago Cubs at Sloan Park in Mesa, Arizona, on March 24, 2026. (Chris Coduto/Getty Images)
YANKEES ANNOUNCER SAYS TEAM SHOULD WIN A WORLD SERIES BEFORE BREAKING LONGSTANDING JERSEY TRADITION
However, none of those jerseys were ever officially put into the rotation, leaving them with just a home and road uniform from day one.
The Yankees also remain the only team to have no last names on the back of their jerseys, home or away, and they are also one of two teams, including the Athletics, without a City Connect jersey.
The Yankees added an advertisement patch on their jerseys in 2023, and beginning last year, “well-groomed” facial hair below the lip was reintroduced after a 50-year ban by Steinbrenner’s father, George.
Yankees players reportedly said they want the home pinstripes untouched and would wear the alternates on the road.
Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees bats against the Chicago Cubs during the first inning of a spring training game at Sloan Park in Mesa, Arizona, on March 23, 2026. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
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The Yankees sell navy blue “shirseys” that mimic the tone of their spring training uniforms, but the pinstripes have been even more prevalent in home spring games in Florida.
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