In a strategic move by GIANTS Netball, the team has successfully secured the talents of Jamaica’s Jodi-Ann Ward, touted as the league's best goal defense, after Collingwood admitted the failure of its netball program, leading to the cessation of Magpies' operations at the close of the 2023 Super Netball season.
Ward, who dazzled in black and white for Collingwood, will now sport the orange and charcoal colors of the GIANTS, having inked a long-term deal that will keep her in Sydney until at least the conclusion of 2026.
The 178cm Jamaican defender, recognized for her exceptional versatility and athleticism, particularly in goal defense, joins the GIANTS following a stellar season with the Magpies. Her outstanding performance, featuring 40 intercepts, 66 deflections, and 16 rebounds, earned her a well-deserved spot in the 2023 Suncorp Super Netball Team of the Year.
Ward, a Sunshine Girl representing Jamaica since 2017, played a pivotal role in her nation's rise on the world netball stage, securing a silver medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Her prowess extends beyond goal defense, as she seamlessly transitions between wing defense and goal keeper when required.
Expressing her sentiments on the transition, Ward acknowledged the unfortunate circumstances surrounding Collingwood's folding but expressed excitement about joining the competitive GIANTS.
“It is extremely disappointing to see how things ended with Collingwood and the timing of it, but change is good sometimes. GIANTS are a very competitive team, and I love a team that fights to the end."
Known for her aggressive and attacking style of defense, Ward brings a unique set of skills to the GIANTS, including her long arms and impressive vertical elevation. She emphasized her commitment to fostering a strong team dynamic, ensuring her teammates feel supported on and off the court.
"My goal is to always ensure that whoever I’m on court with at any time feels comfortable and protected knowing that I’ve got their back in any situation, especially as you develop new combinations or introduce younger players.”
GIANTS Head Coach Julie Fitzgerald expressed her enthusiasm about the newest addition to the team, citing Ward's exciting playing style and significant contributions during the previous season with Collingwood and Jamaica.
“She is such an exciting player, and I can’t wait to inject her into our lineup. After losing April (Brandley) to retirement at the end of the season, we knew we needed to bolster our defensive end with experience, and we thought Jodi-Ann would be a perfect fit for many reasons."
Ward becomes the ninth player to sign with the GIANTS for the 2024 season, joining both new and returning talents, as the team aims for a successful and competitive campaign.
After a challenging two-season hiatus due to a debilitating knee injury, three-time NSW Swifts MVP, Samantha Wallace, is set to make a triumphant comeback for the 2024 Suncorp Super Netball season. The Trinidad & Tobago attacker, who underwent knee reconstruction following an injury in Round 1 of the Swifts' 2022 campaign, has persevered through a rigorous recovery process and is eager to rejoin the competitive arena.
As a Grand Final MVP in 2019, Wallace played a pivotal role in securing two Swifts Premiership titles (2019 & 2021) and has proudly represented her home country at two World Cups and the Commonwealth Games.
Before her injury in 2022, Wallace notched up an impressive 77 appearances for the Swifts over five seasons, earning a reputation as one of the game's finest and most entertaining shooters, both under the post and from range.
Head coach Briony Akle acknowledged the emotional significance of Wallace's return, emphasizing the challenges of recovering from complex knee injuries. Briony expressed confidence in Wallace's potential to reclaim her status as the premier goal shooter in the game, praising her proven ability at the highest level.
“Having had so much heartache over the past two seasons, I know it will be an extra-special moment when Sammy steps on court in front of our home fans for the first time. She has a proven ability at this level, and I think she can be the greatest goal shooter in our game again,” Akle said.
Wallace herself expressed her gratitude for the support she received during her recovery, acknowledging the moments of doubt and the resilience of the Swifts community.
“I’m not gonna lie, there were times when I thought it may have been the end for me, but so many people at the Swifts helped me through, and I will be grateful to them forever.”
Despite being unable to play in the past two seasons, Wallace always felt a part of the Club, crediting the kindness of the medical staff and the unwavering support of teammates, coaches, and fans.
“Even though I wasn’t able to play over the past two seasons, I always felt part of the Club, both on game day and in the community, and the medical staff who looked after me were so kind.”
Reflecting on the last full game she played in the 2021 Grand Final win, Wallace sees it as a motivating force, driving her determination to return to peak performance.
“Before getting injured, the last full game I played was the 2021 Grand Final win, and that happy memory is a driving force for me.”
While acknowledging the challenges posed by formidable opponents, Wallace is confident in her understanding of the game's fundamentals and her ability to contribute strategically.
“I know it won’t be easy because there are so many brilliant players that you come up against, but the basics of the game, and how to read it, have not changed. I want my smarts to help me while I get up to speed.”
The Brix Hotel on Coblentz Avenue in Port-of-Spain Trinidad set the stage for the recent electoral congress that unfolded on Sunday, December 17, 2023, marking a pivotal moment for the Caribbean Zonal Volleyball Organisation (CAZOVA).
Mushtaque Mohammed of Trinidad and Tobago emerged victorious, retaining his position as President in a spirited contest against Ms. Margarette Graham, the Treasurer of CAZOVA.
The electoral congress, which determined the new board to guide CAZOVA until 2027, attracted the participation of 12 out of 14 National Federation members. The event was conducted under the supervision of Cristóbal Marte Hoffiz, President of the North, Central America, and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation (NORCECA).
The represented associations included Aruba, Bonaire, Cayman Islands, Curacao, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Jamaica, Suriname, Barbados, Bahamas, US Virgin Islands, and host country Trinidad and Tobago.
The newly elected executive comprises a mix of re-elected and fresh faces, demonstrating the organization's commitment to a diverse and dynamic leadership. The returning trio includes Kennedy McGowan of the Cayman Islands as First Vice-President, Gisette Emer of Bonaire as Second Vice-President, and Jacqueline Cowan of Jamaica as Secretary General.
Board Member Filomena Daniel-Curiel of Aruba also retained her position, while Kurtwood Green of the Bahamas and Mark Lewis of Barbados were newly appointed as Treasurer and Board Member, respectively.
In addition, Phillipe Lirus of Martinique was elected as an Honorary CAZOVA Board Member. Notably, Daymian K.E. Stewart, the President of T&T Volleyball Federation, retained his post as CAZOVA’s Executive Director, a role not subject to election.
With an action-packed calendar for 2024, CAZOVA encourages its membership to actively participate in various events and consider hosting both CAZOVA Beach and Indoor competitions. The organization will also emphasize assisting National Federations in enhancing their administration and governance structures.
As a unanimous decision, CAZOVA members pledged their support for President Cristóbal Marte Hoffiz in his bid for re-election as NORCECA President, with the election scheduled to take place in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic in July 2024.
President Marte Hoffiz expressed his congratulations to the new board and affirmed his commitment to working collaboratively with CAZOVA to further develop volleyball in the zone. The stage is set for a new chapter in CAZOVA's leadership, with a vision for growth, inclusivity, and excellence in volleyball across the Caribbean region.
Giannis Antetokounmpo has more records in his sights after he surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's rebounds haul.
Antetokounmpo overtook Abdul-Jabbar's rebound record for the Milwaukee Bucks as he grabbed the 7,162nd rebound of his career during Sunday's 128-119 win over the Houston Rockets.
The two-time MVP finished with a double-double of 26 points and 17 rebounds as the Bucks made it four straight wins since their loss to the Indiana Pacers in the NBA's in-season tournament.
With another franchise record in the bag, Antetokounmpo has no plans to slow down in chasing more achievements.
"It's a big honour," said Antetokounmpo, who also holds franchise records for blocks, triple-doubles, games, minutes, free throws made and field goals.
"I don't think anybody assumed the skinny kid from Greece that was drafted and supposed to play in the G-League was going to be in a position to break a Kareem Abdul-Jabbar record.
"I want to keep on playing the game at a high level. I want to keep on taking care of my body and I know if I do that, sometimes you break records.
"But at the end of the day, I'm beyond blessed to be the all-time leader in rebounds, but I got to keep going and keep moving forward."
One team record that has evaded Antetokounmpo so far is for successful 3-pointers. That is held by his teammate Khris Middleton, who has 1,253 to his name.
Middleton has no plans to let that record go, either.
"Hell nah. Hell nah," he chuckled. "Now he's got everything, except for the three-ball."
The Bucks are second in the Eastern Conference, behind the Boston Celtics, whose superb home record continued with a 114-97 win over the Orlando Magic.
Boston are now 14-0 at home. It is their second-best start at home in a season, behind the 1957-58 campaign, in which a Bill Russell-led team opened with 17 straight victories.
"For a visiting team to come into this building and beat us, it's got to be a special night for them and we totally believe that," said Kristaps Porzingis, who had 15 points and 10 rebounds.
Jaylen Bronw had 31 points, with Jayson Tatum collecting 23.
"I think we're starting to play what I would call Celtic basketball," said coach Joe Mazzulla.
"From a mentality standpoint, from a toughness standpoint, from defensive standpoint and identity."
Steve Kerr was happy that other players stepped up as Stephen Curry's NBA record for successive games with a made 3-pointer ended on Sunday.
The Warriors beat the Portland Trail Blazers 118-114, but Curry was unable to make any shots from distance.
It ended his record run of 268 games with a successful 3-pointer, as the 35-year-old went 0-for-8 from range. It was the first time he failed to make a 3-pointer in a regulation game since November 8, 2018.
Curry had shot 6-of-8 from 3-point range in a win over the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday, and is the all-time leader in that regard, with 3,505 3-pointers across his career.
But coach Kerr knows the Warriors must not be so reliant on the two-time league MVP.
"We can't rely on Steph to bail us out on every single night," Kerr said.
"It was a tough night for him. But that's what a team is supposed to be about, everybody filling in for each other, different guys stepping up each night.
"That's a great sign, because he's carried us for long enough this year. We need to give him more help."
Curry had just seven points from 31 minutes on the court, but Klay Thompson delivered for the Warriors with 28 points, while Andrew Wiggins contributed 25 from the bench.
Jerami Grant led the game for Portland, with 30 points, while also chipping in with seven rebounds and six assists.
"I feel great, trying to be efficient every night, that’s the goal," Thompson said in an interview with NBC Sports Bay Area.
"Not scoring 50, but just making the most [of chances], taking the shots, and I think I just did well from the last game. Just a great all-round effort."
The San Francisco 49ers stretched their winning streak to six games and clinched the NFC West with a 45-29 win over the Arizona Cardinals.
San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy improved upon his MVP credentials with four touchdowns and 242 passing yards in another stellar addition to his breakout season.
Arizona put some pressure on early with a touchdown in the first two minutes, but the 49ers responded with back-to-back touchdowns of their own and never let up from there.
Fellow contenders the Dallas Cowboys were brought back to reality courtesy of a 31-10 demolition at the hands of the Buffalo Bills.
The 10-win Cowboys’ defence looked powerless against Buffalo’s running game, with James Cook, Josh Allen and Latavius Murray all finding the end zone on the ground.
Despite the loss, other results from earlier in the day ensured the Cowboys would be in the playoffs for the third-straight year.
The Cleveland Browns scored 13 fourth-quarter points to snatch a 20-17 victory over the Chicago Bears.
The two sides were level at 7-7 at the break after tight ends Cole Kmet and David Njoku scored touchdowns but the Bears took a 10-point lead into the fourth after Tremaine Edmunds returned an interception 45 yards for a touchdown.
But the Browns saved their best till last and two Dustin Hopkins field goals partnered an Amari Cooper touchdown to give them the win, with 38-year-old Joe Flacco throwing for 374 yards.
Super Bowl champions the Kansas City Chiefs returned to winning ways with a 27-17 victory over the New England Patriots.
Running back Jerick McKinnon caught one touchdown pass and threw another to Rashee Rice while Patrick Mahomes threw for 305 yards, two scores and two interceptions.
Baker Mayfield threw for four touchdowns as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers earned a 34-20 win over the in-form Green Bay Packers.
The 28-year-old quarterback racked up 381 passing yards over the game to four different scorers, David Moore, Mike Evans, Rachaad White and Ko Kieft, to help wrap up a convincing win.
Raheem Mostert rushed for two touchdowns as the Miami Dolphins crushed the New York Jets 30-0.
The 31-year-old opened the scoring in the first quarter but the damage was done in the second when he ran over for his double after Jaylen Waddle’s 60-yard score had already given the home side a healthy advantage and moved them up to second in the AFC.
The New Orleans Saints scored 17 second-half points to secure a 24-6 victory over the New York Giants.
Derek Carr threw for three touchdowns as the Saints took over in the second period without reply from the Giants.
Ka’imi Fairbairn kicked an overtime field goal to help the Houston Texans claim a 19-16 victory over the Tennessee Titans.
The Carolina Panthers scored two field goals in the final quarter to claim just their second win this campaign with a 9-7 win over the Atlanta Falcons.
Elsewhere, the Los Angeles Rams beat the Washington Commanders 28-20, the Detroit Lions cruised past the Denver Broncos 42-17 and the Baltimore Ravens eclipsed the Jacksonville Jaguars 23-7.
Stephen Curry's NBA record for consecutive games with a made 3-pointer ended at 268 games on Sunday in the Golden State Warriors' 118-114 win over the Portland Trail Blazers.
Curry went 0-for-8 from 3-point range, failing to make a 3-point shot in a regulation game for the first time since November 8, 2018.
His 3-point streak began on December 1, 2018, at Detroit. The two-time league MVP also owns the NBA's second-longest 3-point streak at 157 games.
Curry, who just shot 6-of-8 from 3-point range in a 124-120 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday, is the all-time leader in made 3-pointers with 3,505 - 532 more than Ray Allen, who is second on the all-time list.
Nathan MacKinnon stayed hot and the Colorado Avalanche bounced back from a lacklustre loss to beat the San Jose Sharks 6-2 on Sunday.
MacKinnon tallied a season-best four points, recording two goals and two assists to extend his point streak to 15 games one night after the Avalanche fell behind 3-0 and 5-1 in a 6-2 loss to the Winnipeg Jets.
MacKinnon now has eight goals and 19 assists during his point streak, which ties the longest point streak of his career from the 2020-2021 season. He also has 38 points in his last 21 games and has at least one point in all 16 home games this season.
His 47 points on the season are second only to Tampa Bay's Nikita Kucherov, who has 52.
Mikko Rantanen, Ryan Johansen, Valeri Nichushkin and Miles Wood also had goals for Colorado, while Alexandar Georgiev turned aside 27 shots.
It marked the third win in four games for the Avalanche (19-10-2), who scored at least five goals in all of those victories.
The Sharks (9-19-3), meanwhile, lost their second in a row following a 3-0-1 stretch.
Tomas Hertl scored both of San Jose's goals, while MacKenzie Blackwood stopped 23 of 28 shots.
Boeser moves into NHL-lead for goals scored as Canucks top Blackhawks
The Vancouver Canucks didn't look quite awake for the start of their early afternoon game in Chicago.
They suddenly woke up in the second period and pulled out a 4-3 win over the Blackhawks.
After managing just one shot on goal in the first 10 minutes and five shots in the opening period, the Canucks found themselves trailing 2-1 on Nick Foligno's second goal of the game 35 seconds into the second period.
Vancouver then came alive, trying things up on Dakota Joshua's goal and took the lead 41 seconds later on Brock Boeser's score. Ilya Mikheyev also scored in the second period for the Canucks (21-9-2), who improved to 5-0-1 since a 6-5 loss to the New Jersey Devils on December 5.
Boeser's goal was his 10th in the last 11 games and 23rd of the season to move him into a tie with Toronto Maple Leafs superstar Auston Matthews for the most in the NHL.
Elias Pettersson also scored for the Canucks and Thatcher Demko made 25 saves to win his fourth consecutive start.
Petr Mrazek stopped 22 shots and rookie sensation Connor Bedard notched two assists to give him 14 on the season for the Blackhawks (9-20-1), who lost their fourth straight game and fell to 4-13-1 since November 12.
Eichel helps Golden Knights beat Senators
Jack Eichel scored 1:37 into the game and the Vegas Golden Knights went on to a 6-3 win over the Ottawa Senators.
Eichel's goal was his 14th of the season and extended his point streak to a franchise-record 10 games.
Eichel also added an assist, and Ivan Barbashev had a goal and an assist as well for the NHL-best Golden Knights (21-6-5), who bounced back from their first regulation loss since November 25.
Logan Thompson came off the bench to make 20 saves for Vegas after Adin Hill was forced out only 6:25 into the game.
The Golden Knights extended their win streak over the Senators to nine games and improved to 10-1-0 all-time against them.
Ottawa (11-15-0) lost its fourth in a row overall, allowing at least four goals in each of those defeats.
The Boston Celtics completed a five-game homestand Sunday just like they started it over a week ago - with a win.
The Celtics pulled away in the fourth quarter to beat the Magic 114-97 to improve their NBA-best home record to 14-0.
The only better home start in franchise history came from the 1957-58 club, which won its first 17 games in Boston.
It was the fifth straight victory for the Celtics, as they improved to 20-5 to move a half-game ahead of the Minnesota Timberwolves for the league's best record.
Jaylen Brown scored 17 of his 31 points in the fourth quarter for Boston, which used a 20-3 run over a six-minute stretch in the final period to put the game away.
Brown hit five of the Celtics' 17 3-pointers, while Jayson Tatum was 4-of-6 from beyond the arc and finished with 23 points.
Boston now embarks on a four-game California trip before returning home to host the Detroit Pistons on December 28.
Paolo Banchero led Orlando with 36 points and 10 rebounds, but the only other Magic player to score in double figures was Jalen Suggs, who added 13 points.
Orlando (16-9) failed to reach triple digits for just the second time all season in losing for the fourth time in six games following a nine-game winning streak.
Pelicans drill franchise-record 22 3-pointers in rout of Spurs
The New Orleans Pelicans missed the first two 3-point shots they attempted in the opening minutes against the San Antonio Spurs.
They didn't miss too many more after that.
The Pelicans set a franchise record with 22 3-pointers in an emphatic 146-110 win over the San Antonio Spurs for their fourth straight victory.
After missing those first two 3-point tries, New Orleans (16-11) connected on 22 of 40 shots from beyond the arc the rest of the way and led by as much as 40 points to send the Spurs to their 19th loss in 20 games.
CJ McCollum led the Pelicans with 29 points while going 6-of-7 from 3-point range and Brandon Ingram added 26 points and made 5-of-7 3-point tries.
Victor Wembanyama was the lone bright spot for the Spurs (4-21), who lost by more than 35 points for the third time this season.
Wembanyama had 17 points and 13 rebounds for his eighth consecutive double-double - the longest stretch by a teenager, surpassing the previous NBA record set by Dwight Howard in 2005.
Antetokounmpo passes Abdul-Jabbar to become Bucks' career rebounding leader in win over Rockets
Giannis Antetokounmpo became the Bucks' all-time leader in yet another statistic in Milwaukee's 128-119 win over the Houston Rockets.
Antetokounmpo finished with 26 points and a season-high 17 rebounds to surpass Kareerm Abdul-Jabbar to become the franchise's career rebounding leader.
Antetokounmpo moved past Abdul-Jabbar midway through the fourth quarter when he grabbed Tari Eason's missed shot for his 14th board of the game, giving him 7,162 rebounds with the Bucks.
The two-time NBA MVP is also the Bucks' all-time leader in points and assists, and is now one of just four players in league history to lead a franchise in points, rebounds and assists, joining Michael Jordan (Chicago), LeBron James (Cleveland) and Kevin Garnett (Minnesota).
Damian Lillard had game highs of 39 points and 11 assists and Khris Middleton scored 14 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter for Milwaukee, which pulled away for its fourth straight win. It also marked the 13th straight home win for the Bucks, who improved to 14-1 in Milwaukee.
Houston (13-10), meanwhile, saw its five-game winning streak come to an end as it dropped to 2-9 on the road.
Fred VanVleet led the Rockets with 22 points and six assists, while Alperen Sengun added 20 points, eight rebounds and five assists.
The Cleveland Browns scored 13 fourth-quarter points to snatch a 20-17 victory over the Chicago Bears.
The two sides were level at 7-7 at the break after tight ends Cole Kmet and David Njoku scored touchdowns but the Bears took a 10-point lead into the fourth after Tremaine Edmunds returned an interception 45 yards for a touchdown.
But the Browns saved their best till last and two Dustin Hopkins field goals partnered an Amari Cooper touchdown to give them the win, with 38-year-old Joe Flacco throwing for 374 yards.
Super Bowl champions the Kansas City Chiefs returned to winning ways with a 27-17 victory over the New England Patriots.
Running back Jerick McKinnon caught one touchdown pass and threw another to Rashee Rice while Patrick Mahomes threw for 305 yards, two scores and two interceptions.
Baker Mayfield threw for four touchdowns as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers earned a 34-20 win over the in-form Green Bay Packers.
The 28-year-old quarterback racked up 381 passing yards over the game to four different scorers, David Moore, Mike Evans, Rachaad White and Ko Kieft, to help wrap up a convincing win.
Raheem Mostert rushed for two touchdowns as the Miami Dolphins crushed the New York Jets 30-0.
The 31-year-old opened the scoring in the first quarter but the damage was done in the second when he ran over for his double after Jaylen Waddle’s 60-yard score had already given the home side a healthy advantage and moved them up to second in the AFC.
The New Orleans Saints scored 17 second-half points to secure a 24-6 victory over the New York Giants.
Derek Carr threw for three touchdowns as the Saints took over in the second period without reply from the Giants.
Ka’imi Fairbairn kicked an overtime field goal to help the Houston Texans claim a 19-16 victory over the Tennessee Titans.
The Carolina Panthers scored two field goals in the final quarter to claim just their second win this campaign with a 9-7 win over Atlanta Falcons.
Luke Humphries shrugged off a sluggish start to his PDC World Darts Championship campaign despite a 3-0 win over Lee Evans at Alexandra Palace.
Third seed Humphries is seen as one of the strongest contenders for the title after overall wins at the World Grand Prix, Grand Slam of Darts and Players Championship Finals in recent months.
But he admitted he had been let off the hook by Evans, who hit a 170 check-out in the second set but hit only five of 24 checkouts.
Humphries told Sky Sports: “I was not at my best but the most important thing is it felt good, and the first game is always the toughest.
“I am through to the next round and I won’t play the same in the next round. I am not disappointed because I won 3-0 which is what I wanted.
“I feel like that is the hardest game in the whole tournament to get through, so I’m happy and in the next game I will be so much better than that.”
There was no repeat performance for Fallon Sherrock four years after she made history by beating Ted Evetts to become the first woman to win a match at the championship.
Sherrock took the first set against opponent Jermaine Wattimena, making his 10th appearance in the tournament, but fell away badly and lost the next three sets.
Sherrock admitted: “Obviously, I’m gutted with the result. I had spells when I played well tonight but I missed chances at key moments and they cost me.
“Full credit to Jermaine, he was the better player on the night and he punished me when I missed chances.”
Jim Williams shrugged off a mathematical blunder to whitewash Guyana’s Norman Madhoo and cruise into the second round.
Williams posted no score in the first leg of the third set when he wrongly checked out on 70 rather than his required 68 but still recovered to win all nine legs in a comfortable 3-0 victory.
The Welshman, who was the runner-up in the final BDO tournament in 2020, will next face former champion Peter Wright in the second round on Wednesday.
Matt Campbell claimed his first win on the Alexandra Palace stage after surviving a gutsy comeback from Lourence Ilagan to clinch a 3-2 win.
Campbell eased through the first two sets but missed double five to seal a 3-0 win and instead Ilagan checked out on 100 to take the set and prolong the match.
Another three-figure check-out saw Ilagan level the match, but Campbell came on strong in the deciding set, winning all three legs in a row, finishing with a flourish as he took the match with a 128 check-out.
Ricky Evans beat Simon Adams 3-0 while in the solitary second-round match played on Sunday afternoon, 14th seed Joe Cullen proved too strong for Darren Penhall as he also racked up a 3-0 win.
Also in Sunday’s late action, Florian Hempel came back from behind to beat young Irishman Dylan Slevin 3-1, while Niels Zonneveld beat Darren Webster by the same score.
Tiger Woods described his weekend as “so special” after finishing tied for fifth alongside son Charlie at the PNC Championship.
The 15-time major winner and his 14-year-old son combined for a round of 61 in Orlando on Sunday to finish on 19 under par, six shots behind winners Bernhard Langer and his son Jason.
Woods, who also had daughter Sam caddying for him, was somewhat overshadowed as Charlie provided their round’s highlight with a chip-in on the ninth.
View this post on Instagram“To have both my kids out there the last two days has been so special,” said Woods, who recently returned to competitive action after ankle surgery.
“I think that a lot of things are aching a lot more than my ankle, which is the way it goes.
“It’s been nice to knock off a lot of the rust and some of the doubt that I’ve had because quite frankly I haven’t hit a shot that counted in a long time.”
Jalen Hurts has been downgraded to questionable for the Philadelphia Eagles' game against the Seattle Seahawks on Monday due to illness.
The 2022 Pro Bowler did not practice with the rest of the team on Saturday and his condition only worsened overnight.
In a statement on their official website on Sunday, the Eagles announced Hurts will still travel to Seattle but separately from the rest of the team.
He has passed for 3,192 yards with 19 touchdowns and 10 interceptions this season, scoring 12 rushing touchdowns – the second-most in the NFL.
Should Hurts not recover from illness in time, Marcus Mariota – who has started 74 career regular-season games – would be in line to take his place.
The Eagles (10-3) have lost successive games, but they can win the NFC East title if they defeat the Seahawks (6-7) and win their final three games.
Seattle's Geno Smith is also doubtful due to a groin injury sustained in practice prior to last weekend's game with the San Francisco 49ers.
Novak Djokovic is still setting "unbelievable" standards and remains the man to beat heading into the 2024 campaign, according to Holger Rune.
Twenty-four time grand slam winner Djokovic added another Australian Open, French Open and US Open crown to his collection this year.
The 36-year-old won a Tour-best seven singles titles in 2023 and finished top of the ATP Rankings for a record-extending eighth year in a row.
"I think it's great to see that Novak can still play at this level. It's unbelievable what he's doing," Rune said.
Only Carlos Alcaraz stopped Djokovic from landing a career first calendar Grand Slam with his triumph in the Wimbledon final.
However, if the next generation are to truly take the mantle from Djokovic, Rune accepts they need to start bloodying the Serbian's nose more regularly.
Alcaraz was closest to Djokovic in 2023 with six tour titles, while Daniil Medvedev won five and Jannik Sinner four.
For all the talk of someone new potentially dominating the male game, though, Rune does not believe Djokovic's era of dominance is over yet.
"Alcaraz won a slam this year. Sinner finished in the top four. I was number four for the first time this year," he said.
"I think the next generation is very interesting. I think we are trying to compete with Novak and to see if we can match him.
"Still, he's winning three out of four grand slams - it's kind of tough. Before we can say that, we need to start winning more regularly against him."
Rafael Nadal's return from injury will be "great for tennis", says world number eight Holger Rune, as the Spaniard builds towards an appearance at next month's Australian Open.
Nadal will return after close to a year on the sidelines at the Brisbane International, which runs from December 31 to January 7, as he targets a bid for a 23rd grand slam title at Melbourne Park later in January.
The 37-year-old has not competed since this year's edition of the Australian Open, having suffered a hip injury during a surprise second-round defeat to Mackenzie McDonald.
Nadal attempted to recover from his injury before the start of the French Open in May, only to be forced to withdraw from that tournament and undergo season-ending surgery.
The 'King of Clay' has said 2024 will likely be his final year on the tour, and while Rune accepts it will be difficult for Nadal to recapture his best form, the Dane is excited to see how he fares.
"It's great for tennis that Rafa is coming back," Rune said. "It brings even more fans to the tournaments and more excitement for the sport. I think this is good.
"We're going to have Novak [Djokovic], Rafa, [Carlos] Alcaraz, [Jannik] Sinner and more guys for the Australian Open. That's going to be super fun and it's exciting to see how it's going to go.
"You see some videos where he's practicing hard, but of course it's always difficult to come back and play after so long. But I'm excited to see it."
Jack Draper was the last player to lose to Nadal, going down in four sets in the first round of the 2023 Australian Open, and he is keen for a chance to avenge that defeat next year.
"I mean, I think it's amazing for tennis. Obviously, he's put in a lot of hard work to be back on tour, I'm seeing lots of videos of him training very intensely," Draper said.
"It's just good for the spectators, the players, that someone of his calibre – one of the greatest of all time – is back playing.
"I hope I get a chance to play him again because I think I was one of the last people to play him. It'll be amazing to have him back on the tour."
World number 32 Alexander Bublik echoed those sentiments, adding he was excited to see who will have the honour of being Nadal's final opponent if – as expected – he retires next year.
"Of course, it's very exciting that Rafa is coming back," Bublik said. "He's a legend of our game.
"But I just discussed it with Holger… I'm more excited to think who is going to play him in his last match, who he's going to finish such a legendary career against.
"So for me, it's an exciting time. We'll see how he comes back but he's going to bring a lot to the game."
Jim Williams shrugged off a mathematical blunder to whitewash Guyana’s Norman Madhoo and cruise into the second round of the PDC World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace.
Williams posted no score in the first leg of the third set when he wrongly checked out on 70 rather than his required 68 but still recovered to win all nine legs in a comfortable 3-0 victory.
The Welshman, who was the runner-up in the final BDO tournament in 2020, will next face former champion Peter Wright in the second round on Wednesday.
Matt Campbell claimed his first win on the Alexandra Palace stage after surviving a gutsy comeback from Lourence Ilagan to clinch a 3-2 win.
Campbell eased through the first two sets but missed double five to seal a 3-0 win and instead Ilagan checked out on 100 to take the set and prolong the match.
Another three-figure check-out saw Ilagan level the match, but Campbell came on strong in the deciding set, winning all three legs in a row, finishing with a flourish as he took the match with a 128 check-out.
Ricky Adams beat Simon Adams 3-0, while in the solitary second-round match played on Sunday afternoon 14th seed Joe Cullen proved too strong for Darren Penhall as he also racked up a 3-0 win.
Eddie and Patrick Harty’s Harvard Guy continued his progression with success in the Download The BetVictor App Tara Handicap Hurdle at Navan.
The five-year-old was a winner over the same course and distance when making his seasonal debut in November, a run that was also his first success of any kind as he did not get his head in front in five starts last term.
Returning to Navan at Listed level was a significant step forward, especially under a 10lb rise, but the JP McManus-owned gelding ran a pleasing race to take up the lead over the last and strike by two lengths as the 3-1 joint-favourite.
“He’s a nice horse in the making, but he is in the making,” said Harty senior.
“Some of them go up 10lb and it’s a bit like a 16-year-old going from Junior B to Senior in one go, that’s what he’s had to do but he’s won nicely.
“He’ll get further in time and will jump fences in time. He’s going the right way and it’s nice to have one of them again. It’s a while since we’ve had one.
“He’s a fine horse. He grew up big time today from the last time and he grew up big time the last time from last year which is what you want.
“Where we go from here I don’t know. If I’d said at the start of the year that he’d be unbeaten at Christmas having won a Listed hurdle I would have taken my temperature!”
When asked if the Dublin Racing Festival could be a target the trainer added: “I would think so, if it wasn’t too quick for him ground-wise. He’s a big raw horse still.”
The first two contests on the card were won by rider Danny Mullins, who landed the Irish Stallion Owners EBF Maiden Hurdle aboard Spread Boss Ted (2-1) and the BetVictor Proud To Support Irish Racing Maiden Hurdle aboard Dancing City (9-4), both for his uncle Willie Mullins.
The latter was a four-and-a-half-length winner and was cut from 50-1 to 33-1 with Coral for the Albert Bartlett as a result.
“Off the bend I was off the bridle, but I was happy that once I met the rising ground I would find more,” said the winning jockey.
“He missed the last and still ran out a good winner so all-in-all it’s probably a good performance.
“For such a big horse he’s getting it together. When we were chatting this morning about them Paul (Townend) said the last day he was a bit raw. Between us we made a plan and it worked.
“This was a maiden, hacking around, and in a more truly-run race we might see a bit more. He has that bit if class that he will stay but we maybe don’t have to go there just yet.”
John Ryan has high hopes for Lucid Dreams after his 22-length success at 5-6 in the two-runner Ryans Cleaning Rated Novice Chase, a win that could now lead to the Guinness Faugheen Novice Chase at Limerick later in the month.
The trainer said: “He’ll probably go for the Grade One novice chase at Limerick, he’s entered there. I’d say two and a half (miles) is his trip.
“I was thinking about the 0-140 in Leopardstown but I shouldn’t have come here if I was thinking about that off 140!
“He’ll probably give me a few pounds for that as he hammered him (the runner up), he put 22 lengths between him.
“Liam (Quinlan) said he felt like he was only doing a hack canter everywhere, he said he was a different class horse.
“He’s probably a Grade One horse, he’s a big strong horse to carry weight.”
Gavin Cromwell’s Pour Pavore took the Kevin Brady Car Sales Handicap Chase by 13 lengths at 6-1, after which Gordon Elliott’s The Enabler won the concluding BetVictor Future Champions INH Flat Race as the 5-4 favourite.
The four-year-old is already a bumper winner and made the step up to Listed level neatly with a four-length victory.
“He’s a nice horse. We knew he’d improved, he’s improving the whole time, and I’d say he’s a proper horse,” said Elliott.
“We won’t do too much more this year, maybe go to Naas (on February 25th). We’ve all the options for him, he looks very good. I wouldn’t be thinking of going to Cheltenham.”
Keegan Murray scored a career-high 47 points as the Sacramento Kings continued their good form with a 125-104 win over the Utah Jazz, but the forward's coach Mike Brown thinks he is "barely scratching the surface" of his potential.
The Kings eased to a fourth win in their last five games on Saturday, with the Jazz unable to respond after allowing 44 points in the third quarter.
Murray scored a franchise-best 26 points in the third period, while his 12 three-pointers across the course of the contest were also a record for a Sacramento player.
Murray had Klay Thompson's single-game league record of 14 three-pointers in his sights until he missed with two late attempts, meaning he had to settle for becoming just the seventh player to make a dozen or more threes in one outing.
Brown, however, believes there is still more to come from last year's fourth overall draft pick.
"I thought Keegan was playing the right way," Brown said. "Nothing was really forced. Our guys didn't really force anything to him. They just hit him when he was open.
"He's just barely scratching the surface because he's been asked to do something that he's never been asked to do at the highest level.
"With his work ethic, his determination, his skill set and all that other stuff, he's got a chance to be a high-level player in a lot of different areas.
"Everybody's just seeing a little bit of it now, so there's a ton of room to grow, for sure."
Saturday's win saw Sacramento improve to 15-9 for the season, with Domantas Sabonis adding 20 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists, registering his 20th double-double of the season.
The Jazz, meanwhile, saw their winning streak snapped at two games, and coach Will Hardy accepted there was little they could do to stop Murray in that vein of form.
"Keegan never let us off the hook," he said. "Every time you make a mistake, he makes the shot.
"The percentages will tell you that's not necessarily realistic either, but it was one of those nights. He's obviously a very good young player, so hats off to him."
Birdie Or Bust capitalised on a final-flight blunder from Fun Fun Fun to claim the Billy Harney Memorial Irish EBF Mares Novice Hurdle at Thurles.
Henry de Bromhead’s five-year-old was sent off the 7-2 second-favourite to Willie Mullins’ Grade Two bumper winner who had made a fine start to her hurdling career here last month.
The 2-5 favourite made most of the running in the hands of Paul Townend and still held a lead of around two lengths when sprawling on landing at the final flight – leaving Rachael Blackmore aboard Birdie Or Bust with the Listed contest at her mercy.
She was ridden out for a three-and-a-quarter-length success, with connections thrilled to get back to winning ways.
“Obviously we got a bit of luck, but she ran really well and we were delighted with her,” said De Bromhead.
“She definitely wasn’t herself in the north the last day, but looked back to herself today with the way she jumped and travelled. She didn’t seem herself in Down Royal.
“We will get her home and see what everyone would like to do. She has options and is lovely mare.”
There was a double on the card for De Bromhead and Blackmore when Easy Fella (4-1) made a winning stable debut in the Horse & Jockey Hotel Rated Novice Hurdle.
The trainer added: “He stays well and is a really nice horse. He jumps well despite making a few little mistakes down the back straight, but we can work on that.
“He really galloped all the way to the line and anything over hurdles is a bonus as with the size and scope of him, he looks like a chaser all over.”
Meanwhile, there was some compensation for Mullins who saw pointing field recruit Femme Magnifique (11-8 favourite) produce a scintillating display on her rules debut in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares INH Flat Race.
“She did that very well,” said Mullins.
“I am happy she showed her true colours on the track as things haven’t gone right with her in the autumn. I took a chance and ran her and she has done it well.
“I imagine she will stick to bumpers rather than going jumping as she can do that next season.”
The master of Closutton was also on the scoresheet with Asian Master, who landed the Thank You For Supporting Us In 2023 Maiden Hurdle at the expense of stablemate Jimmy Du Seuil.
The 7-1 scorer was ridden by amateur Tom Costello who was tasting success under rules for the first time aboard his mother Marie Costello’s six-year-old.
“It is great for Tom Costello to ride his first winner and I think the winner’s jumping was sharp and all his point-to-pointing experience came into play,” said Mullins.
“With his pedigree I didn’t think he could win over this trip but to be able to win over this trip on a sharp track like this, on this ground, means he must be a nice horse for the future.
“It is a great day for all the Costello family and Mrs Costello is also here. It is a nice alliance to have back.
“Jimmy Du Seuil was just a bit novicey and got out of position a little bit hoping his class might get him through but the first two horses finished well ahead of the pack so he is a nice horse as well.”
Regarding the unfortunate Fun Fun Fun, he added “I didn’t look at the re-run, but it looked to me that she stood way back off it (the final flight) and landed steeply at the back of it. Hopefully she will be all right in the morning.”
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