Category: 6. Sports

Today’s question: Alex Palou and Kyle Kirkwood are the only drivers to win an NTT INDYCAR SERIES race this season. Which driver is most likely to end that streak this Sunday in The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Presented by the All-New 2026 Passport?

Curt Cavin: Arrow McLaren’s Pato O’Ward has been among the closest to derailing this year’s Palou-Kirkwood train, and Mid-Ohio will be a return to the scene of one of his three race wins from a year ago. O’Ward leads this season in second-place finishes in 2025 – he has three – and one of those was a brilliant drive at The Thermal Club in which he led 51 of the 65 laps. He also finished second on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course and at World Wide Technology Raceway. Nine drivers in this field have won NTT INDYCAR SERIES races at Mid-Ohio, including eight in the past eight races, but it feels like O’Ward will break several trends this weekend.

Eric Smith: I’m predicting the upset. One could consider two winners in nine NTT INDYCAR SERIES races an upset in and of itself. So could Robert Shwartzman winning the pole for the 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. To continue that theme, how about more chaos? Wouldn’t it be fitting if a rookie ended this Palou/Kirkwood domination? I’m going with Louis Foster for the win on Sunday. It’s not as far-fetched as it seems. He became the second rookie NTT P1 Award winner of the season the last time out in Road America. Foster is also good at Mid-Ohio. He finished first and second, respectively, in USF Pro 2000 competition in 2022. He earned his first INDY NXT by Firestone win here in 2023 and finished second last year. RLL typically produces strong cars on its home track, and Foster has been fast on natural road courses this season to the tune of qualifying 10th, 12th, third and first, respectively. With a fast car, a strong track for him and the team, plus the ability to go off strategy if needed, give me the upset. Bobby Rahal earned his first Mid-Ohio victory 40 years ago. His son and Foster’s teammate, Graham Rahal, won 10 years ago. The year of the “5s” is kind to the Rahal’s at Mid-Ohio, so how about the No. 45 RLL Honda to victory lane on Sunday.

Arni Sribhen: You can’t talk about an INDYCAR SERIES race at Mid-Ohio and not begin a list of favorites to win with Scott Dixon. But I’m going to focus on another Kiwi who runs well at Mid-Ohio – Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin. Scotty Mac has history at Mid-Ohio. He’s the only driver not named Alex Palou to finish in the top five in each of the last three seasons at Mid-Ohio and he knows how to win at there, notching a victory in 2022. Chevrolet’s still looking for win No. 1 for one of its drivers this season and winning in Honda’s backyard with the Team Penske driver and the “Thirsty 3s” would be an ideal place to get it done.

Paul Kelly: It’s Will Power’s time to end the Palou-Kirkwood duopoly and put Team Penske back into victory lane for the first time since Scott McLaughlin won last Sept. 1 at Milwaukee, as crazy as that sounds. Power has successful recent history at Mid-Ohio, and I think recognizing that recent success is more important due to the changes in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES car since 2019, namely the addition of the aeroscreen and the hybrid. Power won in 2020 with the aeroscreen and finished third in 2022 and 2023. Plus, Power has been the best of the three Team Penske drivers in this disappointing season, with more top-five and top-10 finishes than teammates McLaughlin and Josef Newgarden. There’s also the well-known matter that Power is in a contract year, and who knows what his future with the team is at this point? But delivering the first winner’s trophy to Roger Penske this season might not hurt Willy P’s chances at an extension if a decision hasn’t been made already.

Jac Morgan needed a big game – and he delivered. His energy levels were tremendous, his aggression in the tackle, his subtle touches and, of course, his try were of the highest quality.

Morgan rose up the ranks while Tom Curry fell down. He has lost his mojo at the wrong time. Close to a Test certainty during the season, Curry will now be lucky if he makes the 23. It’s all beginning to look very cut-throat.

Will Stuart had a chance to propel himself into the box seat at tighthead but he got done in defence and gave away three penalties. It wasn’t the audition he wanted.

Against all odds, Finlay Bealham, not even in the original squad, might just be favourite for a Test spot because the great Tadhg Furlong still hasn’t stirred in the way Furlong can.

Offering up sweet thoughts for Daly’s fitness, there’s a Test 23 beginning to emerge through the fog of uncertainty. Skin and hair will fly in protest, but…

Kinghorn (Daly), Hansen, Ringrose, Tuipulotu, Lowe, Russell (F Smith), Gibson-Park (Mitchell); Genge (Schoeman), Sheehan (Cowan-Dickie), Bealham (Furlong), Itoje, McCarthy, Chessum (Beirne), Van der Flier, Conan (Pollock).

How’s that for a Lions Test match squad?

Such is the nature of this trek that what happened in Brisbane will be an afterthought later on Thursday when Farrell names the team to face the Waratahs. So much build-up and yet the Lions have to move on from it in a relative instant.

To Sydney, then…

Emphasis on youth teams

Just as Barca pride themselves on La Masia, and bringing top talents through the ranks, Spain have a knack for doing something similar at different youth levels.

So many of the senior stars of today have crafted their game from the under-17s to under-23s, before making that crucial step up.

It does not matter which level of football the Spaniards play at; they have become synonymous with success.

The under-17s side have finished in the top three in each of the six youth World Cups they qualified for, winning two in 2018 and 2022. In the youth European Championships, they have been successful on five occasions, coming second six times.

The under-19s side are on an unprecedented run of dominance in their edition of the Euros. Just last month, they won their fourth consecutive title with a resounding 4-0 win over France in the final.

“There’s huge potential in the age groups in Spain, as we’ve been showing over the last few years at World Cups and Euros,” said senior star Bonmati.

“All we needed to do was achieve something big at the senior level. We finally did that, and I think it [was] a turning point for us.

“I think we’re world leaders, with very gifted players who are uniquely talented but can also compete against anyone.”

As the profile of women’s football grows in Spain, the more likely these players are to succeed both domestically and internationally.

With that, the Spanish supremacy will likely continue – but EURO 2025 will be a true test of whether or not they can sustain it.

+++ Pro-Am tournament featuring football, winter sports, and film
stars +++ Pros excited for a special week on the tour calendar +++
Martin Kaymer: “I’m proud that we have such a fantastic event in
Germany” +++ Quotes and images from Wednesday +++ All press
conferences available for download as video +++

Munich. Excitement was palpable today at Golfclub
München Eichenried ahead of the tournament rounds of the
36^thBMW International Open (July 2–6, 2025) – among
amateurs, who got to play a memorable round with a pro in the Pro-Am
tournament, among professionals set to compete for one of the most
coveted titles on the DP World Tour starting tomorrow, and among fans,
who witnessed a host of celebrities on the course.

The only German winner in the tournament’s history, Martin Kaymer,
teed off alongside “Golden Goal” hero Oliver Bierhoff, former national
player Tim Borowski, and coach Ralph Hassenhüttl (AUT). A “golden
trio” was formed by six-time Olympic luge champions Tobias Wendl and
Tobias Arlt (doubles), together with Michael Greis, three-time Olympic
biathlon champion. Ice hockey was also well represented by NHL stars
Moritz Seider and Tim Stützle, as well as national team player
Maximilian Kastner. Former world-class tennis player and record winner
of the BMW Open in Munich, Philipp Kohlschreiber, also proved his
skills with a golf club.

From the film industry, actors Kai Wiesinger and Kostja Ullmann, as
well as director, screenwriter, and producer Florian Gallenberger,
joined the event. A native of Munich, Gallenberger won an Oscar in
2001 in the Best Live Action Short Film category. Celebrity
photographer Paul Ripke also showed his talents on the championship course.

The first round of the BMW International Open starts on Thursday at
7:30 a.m., with three-player groups teeing off from Tee 1 and Tee 10.

Quotes from Wednesday.

Martin Kaymer (GER): “The people you work with
make all the difference. You can really feel how much passion and
attention to detail everyone at BMW puts in. That makes it very
pleasant for us players. It’s a luxury on the DP World Tour to be able
to play here. I’m always grateful and, as a German, proud that we have
such a fantastic event. It’s a joy to come here every time.”

Marcel Siem (GER): “I don’t usually say this
before a tournament, but I finally want to win here. That’s always my
goal when I come. I’ve been coming here since I was a kid and even
became club champion. No one knows the course better than I do. I want
to win and put on a great show.”

Ewen Ferguson (SCO): “I’ve always loved coming
to this tournament. Munich is such a beautiful city. It’s always a
pleasure to be here. The course, the event, the infrastructure, the
player’s lounge, the food—everything is fantastic. Coming back as the
defending champion and seeing my face around the venue is a great feeling.”

Tobias Arlt (GER): “It’s just awesome to be part
of the BMW International Open. It’s incredibly beautiful to play in
this weather. Enjoying the Pro-Am with the pros and learning from them
is amazing.”

Tobias Wendl (GER): “It’s so impressive to see
what the professionals can do, but it’s also great to see the people.
We’re usually alone on the golf course. That’s why it’s great to see
how many people are passionate about the sport.”

Michael Greis (GER): “The pros are just insane.
It really shows how far away we amateurs are. But it’s incredibly fun.
An absolute blast.”

Luke Donald (ENG): “It’s great to be around the
players and to interact with them as much as possible. That’s a very
important and meaningful part of my job – to talk to them and see how
they play. Playing the course yourself gives you a better
understanding. And when someone posts a strong score, you’ve seen it
firsthand. I enjoy a healthy mix of watching tournaments on TV and
playing a few myself—especially the BMW International Open.”

We have recorded today’s press conferences in full length as
video files. You may use these recordings free of charge for
editorial purposes. You can find the files, along with all other
recordings from the 2025 BMW International Open, here:
https://nextcloud.bs-plus.de/s/gfJoH7wsrrzawHT

India’s Rohan Bopanna suffered an early exit at Wimbledon 2025 as he and his Belgian partner Sander Gillé crashed out of the men’s doubles at the All England Club in London on Wednesday.

Up against third-seeded German duo Tim Pütz and Kevin Krawietz in the opening round, the Indo-Belgian pair were broken in the sixth game of the first set and the third in the second as they lost 6-3, 6-4 in an hour and five minutes.

However, Yuki Bhambri and his American partner Robert Galloway moved into the second round after a 7(10)-6(8), 6-4 win against Romain Arneodo of Monaco and Manuel Guinard of France.

Yuki Bhambri and Robert Galloway, the 16th seeds at the Grand Slam tennis event, squandered two set points, resulting in a tie break. However, the Indo-American duo persevered after saving a set point to gain the advantage.

Bhambri and Galloway then broke Arneodo and Guinard in the seventh game of the second set to wrap up the match in an hour and 51 minutes.

India’s team selection for the second Test at Edgbaston has triggered widespread criticism, with fans and cricket greats questioning several bold calls. Among the decisions that stood out, the most notable was the call to rest pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah. Despite India trailing 0-1 in the five-match series and needing a result to stay alive, Bumrah was rested for workload management. While skipper Shubman Gill explained at the toss that Bumrah was being preserved for the third Test at Lord’s, the decision didn’t sit well with many, including South African pace legend Dale Steyn.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! In a sarcastic post on X, Steyn compared Bumrah’s absence to leaving out football icon Cristiano Ronaldo. “So Portugal have the best striker in the world in Ronaldo and they chose not to play him. That’s madness. That’s like India having Bumrah and choosing not to play, umm, him… wait, oh, no, what! shit I’m confused 😵‍💫,” Steyn wrote. Bumrah, currently the No.1 ranked Test bowler, played a key role in India’s earlier wins this year and has consistently been their go-to match-winner in overseas conditions. His absence at Edgbaston, a venue traditionally a venue that offers seam movement has raised eyebrows, especially when India opted for three all-rounders and just five specialist batters.

Adding to the scrutiny was the decision to drop Sai Sudharsan after his debut and to bench Kuldeep Yadav, who has been in top form. Former India head coach Ravi Shastri also expressed concerns before the match, hinting that the team’s combinations were moving away from specialist strength. With England having already seized momentum after their Leeds win, India’s choice with Bumrah may well define the trajectory of this series. And if they backfire, the selection panel will face even more heat.