Category: 6. Sports

FIGUERES, Spain — Jonas Vingegaard reclaimed the leader’s red jersey at the Spanish Vuelta on Wednesday after finishing second in the team time trial, which was disrupted by a small group of pro-Palestinian protesters who attempted to block the path of an Israeli-sponsored team.

Just a day after he lost the overall lead to David Gaudu, Vingegaard’s Team Visma-Lease a Bike came in eight seconds behind UAE Team Emirates on the first stage of this year’s race held in Spain.

The first four stages of the Vuelta were raced in Italy and France. The team time trial was held in Figueres, a city located north of Barcelona, covering a 24.1-kilometer (14.9-mile) circuit.

In the overall standings, Vingegaard now has an 8-second lead over Spanish rider Juan Ayuso and Joao Almeida of Portugal, who both ride for UAE.

Gaudu, who rides for Groupama, fell to sixth place, 16 seconds behind.

At one point during the stage, the Israel-Premier Tech team found the road blocked by a group of protesters holding up a pro-Palestinian banner. Race officials on motorcycles riding ahead of the team rode through the banner, but several of the team’s cyclists had to temporarily stop as protesters stood in front of their bikes.

One person was arrested, according to local police.

“That’s violence, we can’t allow what happened,” Vuelta director Javier Guillen said. “We consider any protest legitimate as long as it’s channeled peacefully. We haven’t reported any physical injuries, but there could have been.”

The Israel-Premier Tech team said in a statement that it respects everyone’s right to protest peacefully but that “we absolutely condemn the dangerous acts” of the group, “which not only compromised the safety of our riders, race personnel, but the protesters themselves.”

On Thursday, the sixth stage will take the peleton from Olot to Pal Andorra. It is a 170.3-kilometer, mountainous stage with a summit finish in Andorra.

Taylor Townsend and Jelena Ostapenko were involved in a heated exchange at the end of their second-round match on Wednesday at the US Open.

The two met at the net for post-match handshakes after Townsend had completed a 7-5, 6-1 victory. But instead of heading to the locker rooms, they exchanged words and Ostapenko wagged her finger at her American opponent. The home crowd appeared to get behind Townsend and she approached the stands spurring them on as the noise rose on Court 11.

After the match, Ostapenko said in an Instagram story that she had been unhappy with Townsend’s conduct before and during her victory.

“Today after the match I told my opponent that she was very disrespectful as she had a net ball in a very deciding [moment] and didn’t say [sorry], but her answer was that she doesn’t have to say sorry at all,” Ostapenko said. “There are some rules in tennis which most of the players follow and it was first time ever that this happened to me on tour. If she plays in her homeland it doesn’t mean that she can behave and do whatever she wants.”

She added: “In the beginning of the match all players are supposed to start warm up on the baseline. The opponent came out and straight away started the warm up at then which is very disrespectful and against the rules of a tennis match.”

For her part, Townsend said Ostapenko had insulted her at the post-match handshake. “She told me I have no class, no education, and to see what happens when we get outside the US,” Townsend said. “I’m looking forward to it. I beat her in Canada outside the US. So let’s see what else she has to say.”

Townsend, a world No 1 in doubles but currently ranked outside the top 100 in singles, suggested the No 25 seed Ostapenko was angry at the upset. “I mean, it’s competition,” Townsend said. “People get upset when they lose.”

In her post-match press conference Townsend, who is Black, would not be drawn on whether there was a racial component to Ostapenko’s comments.

“That’s something you’re going to have to ask her,” said Townsend. “I didn’t take it in that way but also that has been a stigma in [the Black] community of being not educated … when it’s the furthest thing from the truth. So whether it had racial undertones or not, that’s something she can speak on. The only thing that I’m worried about right now is continuing to move forward through this tournament.”

Ostapenko later denied any allegations of racism. “I was NEVER racist in my life and I respect all nations of people in the world. For me it doesn’t matter where you come from,” she said in a social media post. She also wrote about “how many messages I received that I am a racist.”

Ostapenko, the 2017 French Open champion, has riled opponents in the past. At Wimbledon in 2021, Ajla Tomljanovic accused the Latvian of pretending to be injured when she requested a medical timeout. Ostapenko went on to call the Australian “the worst player on tour”.

Townsend will play No 5 seed Mirra Andreeva in the third-round.

The release of the Super Rugby Pacific draw for 2026 has revealed an action-packed schedule for a milestone season celebrating 30 years of Super Rugby.

The draw features 77 round robin matches held across a 16-round regular season before culminating in the six-team Finals Series.

CLICK HERE FOR THE 2026 SUPER RUGBY PACIFIC DRAW

The action begins on Friday 13 February with the Crusaders kicking off their title defence in a southern derby against the Highlanders in Dunedin, before Australia’s oldest rivalry takes centre stage as the NSW Waratahs host the Queensland Reds.

  

The opening round continues on Saturday 14 February as the Fijian Drua meet Moana Pasifika at their fortress in Lautoka, the Blues and Chiefs clash in Auckland and there’s a throwback to the Western Force’s first-ever Super Rugby game as they tackle the ACT Brumbies in Perth.

Super Rugby Pacific will touch down in Tonga for only the second time when Moana Pasifika take on the Chiefs at Teufaiva Stadium in Round 9.

Super Round then makes its return over the Anzac weekend in Round 11, with ten teams descending on Ōtautahi Christchurch for the highly anticipated opening of One New Zealand Stadium.

The opening night party on Friday 24 April will see the Crusaders take on the Waratahs, while the competition’s burgeoning Anzac Day rivalries reignite the following day as the Hurricanes face the Brumbies and the Blues tackle the Reds.

The three-day festival of rugby concludes on Sunday 26 April with a double-header featuring the Highlanders against Moana Pasifika and the Chiefs facing Fijian Drua.

Off the field, fan feedback has helped inform a tweak of the ‘lucky loser’ mechanic introduced to the competition’s Finals Series last season.

In 2025 the ‘lucky loser’ was penalised one seeding, which saw the top-ranked Chiefs defeated in a Qualifying Final but still host a Semi-Final fixture the following weekend.

However in 2026 the highest ranked losing team from the Qualifying Finals will progress as fourth seed, ensuring they play away from home in the Semi-Finals and also the Grand Final should they qualify.

“In 2025 we saw Super Rugby Pacific take another big step forward, with more fans, more drama, and more unexpected results. That success has set the stage for an even bigger year in 2026 as we mark a milestone in Super Rugby,” Super Rugby Pacific CEO Jack Mesley said.

“Thirty years on from the first Super Rugby season, the competition continues to deliver what makes it special – world-class players, high-octane rugby and a connection to communities right across the Pacific.

“The 2026 draw has something for everyone. With Super Round coming to Ōtautahi Christchurch and the full draw now released, it’s the perfect time for fans to start planning how they’ll be part of the action.”

 

On-court microphones picked up 29-year-old Townsend telling Ostapenko to “take the L [loss]”.

Townsend, the world number one doubles player, then whipped the crowd into a frenzy by celebrating with them wildly.

Boos rang around Court 11 as Ostapenko departed.

“There’s no beef,” added Townsend.

“But I didn’t back down because you’re not going to insult me, especially after I carried myself a certain type of way, with nothing but respect.

“If I show respect to you, I expect respect as well. That’s just the fact of the matter.”

Ostapenko, 28, is well-known for allowing her frustrations to spill over and has previously received fines for unsportsmanlike conduct.

Afterwards, she posted a message on Instagram accusing Townsend of being “very disrespectful”.

“I told my opponent she didn’t say sorry, but her answer was that she doesn’t have to say sorry at all,” Ostapenko, who won the Roland Garros title in 2018, wrote.

“There are some rules in tennis which most of the players follow and it was the first time ever that this has happened to me on tour.

“If she plays in her homeland it doesn’t mean she can behave and do whatever she wants.”

Townsend said she did not expect to receive an apology from Ostapenko.

“Saying I have no education and no class, I don’t really take that personally, because I know that it’s so far from the truth,” Townsend said.

“If I allow what other people have to say about me to affect me in that way, then they win.”

Fresh off a scintillating first round thriller at the 2025 US Open, two-time Grand Slam singles champion Coco Gauff returns to Arthur Ashe Stadium, with a hotly-anticipated match-up against the Olympic Games Paris 2024 tennis silver medallist (women’s singles) Donna Vekic on the cards for Thursday 28 August.

Beginning at 19:00 local time (EDT, GMT-4), the match will serve as the climax of an action-packed schedule at Flushing Meadows, which includes the first round of the women’s doubles tournament, headlined by the wildcard entry of Venus Williams.

Williams will take to the Grandstand court alongside partner Leylah Fernandez, as the pair face off against Lyudmyla Kichenok and Ellen Perez in what’s sure to be a highlight-worthy match.

Elsewhere, Naomi Osaka will continue her charge towards the women’s singles final, taking to the Louis Armstrong court opposite of world No. 47 Hailey Baptiste in an intriguing second round match, while Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek will headline the morning session at Arthur Ashe Stadium, with more tickets to the third round of singles action up for grabs.

Below, you can find out the start times for all the matches at the hard court Grand Slam tournament.

With over 5,000 players in NBA history, at least one player was born on every day of the calendar year – including three leap-day ballers. Our day-by-day breakdown of the players born on each day of the year continues.

Below are the most notable NBA players born on March 26. 

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John Stockton (1962) 

Holding any record in the NBA is incredible, but having the most assists and steals in NBA history is truly remarkable. That’s what Stockton achieved throughout his 19-year career, spending all 19 seasons with the Utah Jazz. Utah selected Stockton 19th overall in the 1984 NBA Draft, but he didn’t truly break out until 1988. 

That was his first of nine straight assists titles, finishing Top 15 in MVP votes 12 times as well. It was also the start of 10 All-Star appearances, with Stockton making 11 All-NBA teams as well. Regarding Stockton’s defense, he led the league in steals twice while making five All-Defensive teams. That ridiculous run for Stockton earned him a Hall of Fame berth in 2009. His 15,806 career assists and 3,265 steals are the highest marks in NBA history, and he also ranks 53rd in scoring. 

Wayne Embry (1937)

“Goose” was one of the best players during the 60s, spending most of his career with the Cincinnati Royals. The St. Louis Hawks selected him 23rd overall in the 1958 NBA Draft, but a preseason trade sent him to Cincy. Fans were thankful that happened, with Embry making five straight All-Star appearances between 1960 and 1965. He also finished ninth in MVP voting in 1964, averaging a double-double in all five seasons. 

Embry closed his career by playing two years with the Boston Celtics and then officially retired in 1969 with the Milwaukee Bucks. The big man also won a title with the Celtics in 1968 and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1999 because of his front office contributions. Embry was the first African-American GM in the NBA and was named Executive of the Year with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 1992 and 1998. 

Want to see every NBA player born on March 26? Here is the rest of the list in chronological order:

• Al Bianchi (March 26, 1932)
• Jack Thompson (March 26, 1946)
• Dave Batton (March 26, 1956)
• Joe Binion (March 26, 1961)
• Uwe Blab (March 26, 1962)
• Brad Wright (March 26, 1962)
• Daniel Ewing (March 26, 1983)
• Kyle O’Quinn (March 26, 1990)
• Ryan Arcidiacono (March 26, 1994)
• Justise Winslow (March 26, 1996)
• Wenyen Gabriel (March 26, 1997)
• Justin Minaya (March 26, 1999)

 

The Western Force are excited to
reveal the Club’s 2026 Super Rugby Pacific fixture list where the Club will
host seven Saturday late afternoon/evening games coupled with an improved
travel schedule.

The 2026 Super Rugby Pacific fixtures were confirmed on
Thursday morning, including a Round 2 game at Arena Joondalup’s HIF Health
Insurance Oval for the first time in Super Rugby history.

Among the home highlights, the Force will open their
season at HBF Park against the ACT Brumbies on Saturday 14 February. The Force
will host the reigning champion Crusaders in Round 10 and finish with a
three-game home stretch at HBF Park from Rounds 14-16.

Register your interest in a 2026 Western Force Membership

The WA club will host all three other Australian clubs,
along with the Fijian Drua (Round 15), plus New Zealand trio, the Blues (Round
2 at Joondalup), the Chiefs (Round 7) and the Crusaders (Round 10).

The 2026 fixture sees the Force go on a three-game road
trip to New Zealand from Rounds 3-5, along with a pair of two-game away trips –
including one buffered by a bye – reducing the travel impact after the side
flew more than 50,000 kilometres during the 2025 Super Rugby season.

The Force won’t travel overseas after the Round 9 trip to
Fiji, while all three New Zealand away games will be played in the one block
from Rounds 3-5. The team will have byes in Rounds 6 and 11 in the 16-round
season.

All seven home games will be played on Saturdays, with
three kicking off at 4:35pm, three kicking off at 5:35pm – once east coast
daylight savings ends – and the Force-Crusaders’ Round 10 game commencing at
the later 7:55pm slot.

Force CEO Niamh O’Connor said: “The Super Rugby Pacific
fixture release is always an exciting time of year, as we look forward with
ambition and optimism.

“We’re delighted to host seven home games in front of our
Sea of Blue including taking one game into the community at Joondalup for the
first time.

“Our fan feedback shows that the late Saturday afternoon
and evening kick-off times suit our Members and supporters and we really need
them to make our home ground a fortress as we chase finals in 2026.

“From a high performance perspective, we’re really happy
with our 2026 fixture, which we appreciate is always a challenge given our
location and subsequent travel impact. We see major benefits in having three
road trips through the season, playing away games in blocks to ease the travel
burden for our players.

“We’re really excited about finishing the 2026 regular
season with three home games where we’re hopefully pushing hard in the finals
race.”

Force head coach Simon Cron was vocal about the Club’s
travel challenges last year and was supportive of the 2026 draw.

Cron said: “As we mentioned last year, it is smart to
block travel rather than zig zag, for numerous reasons. A critical factor is
the training weeks and how disruptive the zig zag was to training intensity.

“Now it is blocked this will help us keep training load
and intensity closer to our required level each week as recovery will be less
compromised.”

As revealed earlier this week, the Force will open their
season in Round 1 on Saturday 14 February against the Club’s original
opposition, the ACT Brumbies, almost 20 years to the day from their famous
inaugural clash at Subiaco Oval in 2006 in front of 37,000 fans.

The Force will then take Super Rugby to the community in
Joondalup when they host the Blues in Round 2 at Arena Joondalup’s HIF Health
Insurance Oval on Saturday 21 February.

Click here for Arena Joondalup Membership FAQs

The side will hit the skies for a three-game New Zealand
trip to face Moana Pasifika, the Highlanders and the Hurricanes before their
first bye.

In Round 7, the Force will welcome the Chiefs to Perth
for the first time since 2023, before away games to the Queensland Reds and the
Fijian Drua.

In Round 10, the Force will host reigning champions, the
Crusaders, at HBF Park before having the side’s second bye during Super Round
to be played in Christchurch.

After the bye, the Force will have away games within
Australia against the NSW Waratahs and Brumbies, before a run of three games at
HBF Park to round out the season.

The Force will host the Reds, Drua and Waratahs from
Rounds 14-16 at HBF Park in May, all with 5:35pm kick-off times.

Force Memberships will go on sale in October at
westernforce.rugby from $129 for adults which equates to $21.50 per game, while
2025 Club Members will receive their renewals one week prior to that.

Every single game of the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific season
will be live on Stan Sport, with select games also on Channel Nine.

Register your interest in a 2026 Western Force Membership

Western Force 2026 Super Rugby Pacific fixtures

Round 1 – Western Force vs ACT Brumbies – Saturday 14
February, 4:35pm WST – HBF Park, Perth

Round 2 – Western Force vs Blues – Saturday 21 February, 4:35pm WST – HIF
Health Insurance Oval, Arena Joondalup

Round 3 – Moana Pasifika vs Western Force – Friday 27 February, 2:05pm WST –
TBC

Round 4 – Highlanders vs Western Force – Saturday 7 March, 11:35am WST –
Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin

Round 5 – Hurricanes vs Western Force – Friday 13 March, 2:05pm WST – TBC

Round 6 – bye

Round 7 – Western Force vs Chiefs – Saturday 28 March, 4:35pm WST – HBF Park,
Perth

Round 8 – Queensland Reds vs Western Force – Saturday 4 April, 4:35pm WST –
Suncorp Stadium, Perth

Round 9 – Fijian Drua vs Western Force – Saturday 11 April, 12:35pm WST – TBC,
Fiji

Round 10 – Western Force vs Crusaders – Saturday 18 April, 7:55pm WST – HBF
Park, Perth

Round 11 (Super Round) – bye

Round 12 – NSW Waratahs vs Western Force – Friday 1 May, 5:35pm WST – Allianz
Stadium, Sydney

Round 13 – ACT Brumbies vs Western Force – Saturday 9 May, 5:35pm WST – GIO
Stadium, Canberra

Round 14 – Western Force vs Queensland Reds – Saturday 16 May, 5:35pm WST – HBF
Park, Perth

Round 15 – Western Force vs Fijian Drua – Saturday 23 May, 5:35pm WST – HBF
Park, Perth

Round 16 – Western Force vs NSW Waratahs – Saturday 30 May, 5:35pm WST – HBF
Park, Perth

Register your interest in a 2026 Western Force Membership