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Rybakina dominates Alexandrova after Keys withdrawal at WTA Finals | The Express Tribune
Elena Rybakina reacts after her win over US’ Madison Keys in their WTA Finals tennis tournament in Riyadh on November 5. PHOTO: AFP
RIYADH:
Elena Rybakina stayed unbeaten at the WTA Finals with a 6-4 6-4 victory over second alternate Ekaterina Alexandrova on Wednesday after Madison Keys withdrew from their final round robin meeting with illness and Mirra Andreeva was not fit to play.
Rybakina arrived for the clash after victories over Amanda Anisimova and Iga Swiatek but the former Wimbledon champion came under pressure against a fresh Alexandrova, before breaking in the ninth game and then claiming the opening set with a hold.
The Kazakh, who staved off three breakpoints in the first set, cranked up her big serve and heavy hitting early in the second to go 3-1 up and applied the squeeze to close in on another win ahead of the semi-finals.
Another break courtesy of a powerful return of serve left Rybakina one game away and the 26-year-old eventually wrapped up the victory despite some struggles on her own delivery late in the clash at King Saud University Sports Arena.
Swiatek and Anisimova meet later on Wednesday in a winner-takes-all match to decide who joins Rybakina in the last four as the second-best player from the Serena Williams Group at the end of the round robin stage.
It will be their third meeting this season, with Swiatek having crushed Anisimova 6-0 6-0 in the Wimbledon final in July to claim her first All England Club title before the American gained revenge in the U.S. Open quarter-finals in September.
Keys withdraws
Madison Keys has withdrawn from her WTA Finals clash against Elena Rybakina on Wednesday due to a viral illness and has been replaced in the draw by Ekaterina Alexandrova.
The Australian Open champion suffered two defeats in round-robin play this week in Riyadh, to Swiatek and Anisimova, and had no chance of advancing to Friday’s semi-finals.
At the end of her match against Anisimova on Monday, Keys wouldn’t shake her opponent’s hand, indicating she was feeling unwell and didn’t want to pass on the virus.
“I’m really disappointed to not be feeling my best and ultimately having to withdraw from the tournament. It’s a huge accomplishment to make it this far and I’m very proud of myself for doing that and having a great year. I hope to be back next year,” said Keys in a statement.
Alexandrova is the second alternate in Riyadh. The first alternate, Mirra Andreeva, who is already competing in the doubles at this year’s WTA Finals, elected not to sign in due to not being fit to play on Wednesday.
Andreeva has a doubles match on Thursday, alongside her partner Diana Shnaider, and might be called in for duty as an alternate to replace Jasmine Paolini in singles, given the Italian is no longer in contention for a semi-final spot and is also feeling unwell.
Wednesday’s schedule features the third and final set of round-robin matches in the Serena Williams Group, with Rybakina taking on
Alexandrova and Swiatek facing off with Anisimova.
Rybakina has already secured her place in the semi-finals as the group winner, while Swiatek and Anisimova will battle it out for the other ticket to the final four.
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New Orleans Saints defensive end Chase Young made an incredible play on Sunday against the Tennessee Titans.
Titans rookie quarterback Cam Ward dropped back to pass in the second quarter, but the Saints’ pass rush quickly descended on him. Ward tried to make a move around one defender but didn’t see Young in his blind spot.
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New Orleans Saints defensive end Chase Young (99) returns his strip for a touchdown in the first half of an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans, Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in Nashville, Tennessee. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Young ripped the ball out of Ward’s hands and took the ball to the end zone for a Saints touchdown. It helped cut their deficit to 13-10.
Young, the No. 2 pick of the 2020 NFL Draft, joined the Saints after the 2023 season. He only had one fumble return for a touchdown in his career — his rookie season when he was with the Washington Commanders. He was the Defensive Rookie of the Year that season.
He came into the game with seven sacks, three pass breakups and 28 tackles.
New Orleans Saints defensive end Chase Young (99) celebrates his strip and touchdown return with cornerback Alontae Taylor (1) in the first half of an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans, Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in Nashville, Tennessee. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
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Young’s play would be the lone highlight for the Saints’ defense in the first half. Tennessee took a 20-10 lead into the locker room after Ward bounced back with a touchdown pass to Elic Ayomanor before the break.
New Orleans has struggled for most of the season, but the defense was supposed to be something to take pride in. The Saints entered the game eighth in yards allowed and 14th in points allowed.
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So far, that kind of defense hadn’t shown up in Nashville.
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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Matthew Tkachuk was back on the ice with the Florida Panthers on Sunday, appearing at practice for the first time this season and more than four months after he had surgery to repair a sports hernia and torn adductor muscle.
Tkachuk has not played since Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final, when the Panthers clinched their second consecutive title by again topping the Edmonton Oilers. He went through the summer trying to rehab but eventually decided that he needed the surgery.
“He looks awesome,” Panthers forward Carter Verhaeghe said. “Good to see him back out there. He brought us some energy today, that’s for sure.”
Tkachuk was wearing a yellow noncontact jersey, an indication that he’s not yet ready for game action. Florida plays host to Washington on Monday and Montreal on Tuesday, then will be the home team for the NHL Winter Classic at the Miami Marlins‘ ballpark against the New York Rangers on Friday.
The Panthers are scheduled to practice at the ballpark on Thursday, but there’s no guarantee that Tkachuk will play Friday.
“There’s a whole bunch of things he’s got to get through. The question is, is there enough time,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. “He might be healthy enough or close to enough that he could play, but we’re not guessing on this. … As much as we like the spectacle of it and we’d love for him to be a part of it — it would be great for the game to see him out there — the Florida Panthers need him healthy for the rest of the year.”
After the Panthers won their second straight Stanley Cup in June, Tkachuk revealed that he had sustained the injuries while playing for Team USA in the 4 Nations Face-Off in February. He missed the final 25 games of the regular season but returned for Game 1 of the Panthers’ first-round series against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Tkachuk had 23 points — eight goals and 15 assists — in 23 playoff games, including seven points in the Stanley Cup Final.
The Panthers have been without a slew of key players all season, including captain Aleksander Barkov. They entered Sunday tied for the second and final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, only five points out of the lead in the Atlantic Division.
Florida has gone through this season with the expectation that Tkachuk would be back on a “December-ish” timeline. He has said he wants to play in the Winter Classic, the Panthers’ first outdoor game, and for Team USA at the Milan Cortina Olympics in February.
“We will enjoy the talent upgrade,” Maurice said. “He’s a great player. But it’s the personality more. He’s chirping on the ice, right? He’s giving it to guys. They’re laughing. He’s bringing a little joy to everyone. He’s funny on the bench. He has an incredible emotional IQ in terms of the game of hockey. When nothing needs to happen, he doesn’t do anything. When something needs to happen, he figures out the right way.”
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Denver Broncos linebacker Jonathon Cooper piled onto the Kansas City Chiefs’ dismal season on Saturday night.
The Broncos clinched the AFC West title for the first time since 2015 after the Los Angeles Chargers lost to the Houston Texans. The Chiefs have been on top of the division since 2016 with Alex Smith and Patrick Mahomes leading the charge.
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Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Chris Oladokun (19) throws a pass as he is hit by Denver Broncos linebacker Jonathon Cooper (0) and Denver Broncos linebacker Nik Bonitto (15) during the first quarter at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on Dec. 25, 2025 (Denny Medley/Imagn Images)
Cooper made his feelings about the Chiefs clear with explicit posts directed at the franchise.
“F— the Chiefs,” he wrote on X. “B—h made a– pansies.”
Cooper has been a bright spot for the Broncos’ defense over the last three seasons. He hasn’t missed a game since 2022. This year, he has eight sacks and 49 total tackles in 16 games. He’s a big reason why Denver’s defense has been one of the best throughout the season.
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Denver Broncos linebacker Jonathon Cooper (0) during warmups against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on Oct. 5, 2025 (Eric Hartline/Imagn Images)
The Broncos are third in points allowed and yards allowed this season.
Denver defeated Kansas City on Thursday night to move to 13-3 on the season.
It was the first time the Broncos had hit the 13-win mark in a single season since 2013. In that season, the John Fox-led squad made the Super Bowl but lost to the Seattle Seahawks.
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The Broncos are hoping to replicate the 2015 season rather than 2013 with their impending playoff run this year.
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