Browsing: Dominates

Jannik Sinner claimed a commanding victory over rival Carlos Alcaraz to win the lucrative Six Kings Slam in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Sinner, replaced as world number one by Alcaraz following the US Open in September, exacted revenge for his defeat in the New York final with a 6-2 6-4 win.

With his victory, the Italian, 24, earned a reported $6m (£4.5m) – including $4.5m (£3.4m) in prize money, in addition to a $1.5m (£1.1m) participation fee.

While the pair split the four Grand Slam titles between them this season, Sinner was dominant from the outset against Alcaraz, who said his opponent was “just too good” on Saturday.

Sinner broke Alcaraz’s serve in the opening game and swiftly wrapped up the first set, with the Spaniard unable to gain a foothold against his opponent’s clinical serving.

He would go on to win the exhibition event for the second consecutive year after making the decisive breakthrough in the seventh game of the second set.

“I wish I could play like this everywhere,” Sinner said in his on-court interview.

“This season we played many, many times and I also lost many times to Carlos. It is a huge pleasure and honour to share the court with him.

“At the same time, you want to get better as a player and you need rivalries in the sport. So it’s nice to have a great rivalry and more importantly a great friendship off the court.

“We have a very special friendship and it’s very nice.”

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LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shohei Ohtani has propelled the Los Angeles Dodgers back to the World Series with a two-way performance for the ages.

Ohtani hit three mammoth homers and struck out 10 while pitching into the seventh inning, and the Dodgers swept the Milwaukee Brewers out of the NL Championship Series with a 5-1 victory in Game 4 on Friday night.

The Dodgers will have a chance to be baseballâ€s first repeat World Series champions in a quarter-century after this mind-blowing night for the three-time MVP Ohtani, who emphatically ended a quiet postseason by his lofty standards. Ohtani was named the NLCS MVP essentially on the strength of this one unforgettable game.

“It was really fun on both sides of the ball today,†Ohtani said through his interpreter. “As a representative (of the team), Iâ€m taking this trophy, and letâ€s get four more wins.â€

After striking out three in the top of the first inning of Game 4, Ohtani hit the first leadoff homer by a pitcher in major league history off Brewers starter José Quintana.

Ohtani followed with a 469-foot blast in the fourth, clearing a pavilion roof in right-center.

Ohtani added a third solo shot in the seventh, becoming the 12th player in major league history to hit three homers in a playoff game. His three homers traveled a combined 1,342 feet.

Ohtani (2-0) also thoroughly dominated the Brewers in his second career postseason mound start, allowing two hits in his first double-digit strikeout game in a Dodgers uniform.

“Sometimes youâ€ve got to check yourself and touch him to make sure heâ€s not just made of steel,†said Freddie Freeman, last seasonâ€s World Series MVP. “Absolutely incredible. Biggest stage, and he goes out and does something like that. Itâ€ll probably be remembered as the Shohei Ohtani game.â€

After the Brewers†first two batters reached in the seventh, he left the mound to a stadium-shaking ovation — and after Alex Vesia escaped the jam, Ohtani celebrated by hitting his third homer in the bottom half.

The powerhouse Dodgers are the first team to win back-to-back pennants since Philadelphia in 2009. Los Angeles is back in the World Series for the fifth time in nine seasons, and it will attempt to become baseballâ€s first repeat champs since the New York Yankees won three straight World Series from 1998 to 2000.

“That was special,†Freeman said. “Weâ€ve just been playing really good baseball for a while now, and the inevitable kind of happened today — Shohei. Oh my God. Iâ€m still speechless.â€

After capping a 9-1 rampage through the NL playoffs with this singular performance by Ohtani, the Dodgers are headed to the World Series for the 23rd time in franchise history, including 14 pennants since moving from Brooklyn to Los Angeles. Only the Yankees, last yearâ€s opponent, have made more appearances in the Fall Classic (41).

Los Angeles will have a week off before the World Series begins next Friday, either in Toronto or at Dodger Stadium against Seattle. The Mariners beat the Blue Jays 6-2 earlier Friday to take a 3-2 lead in the ALCS, which continues Sunday at Rogers Centre.

The Dodgers had never swept an NLCS in 16 previous appearances, but they became only the fifth team to sweep this series while thoroughly dominating a 97-win Milwaukee club. Los Angeles is the first team to sweep a best-of-seven postseason series since 2022, and the first to sweep an NLCS since Washington in 2019.

“Iâ€ll tell you, before this season started, they said the Dodgers are ruining baseball,†Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts shouted to the crowd during the on-field celebration. “Letâ€s get four more wins and really ruin baseball!â€

The NL Central champion Brewers were eliminated by the Dodgers for the third time during their current stretch of seven playoff appearances in eight years. Even after setting a franchise record for wins this season, Milwaukee is still waiting for its first World Series appearance since 1982.

“We were part of tonight an iconic, maybe the best individual performance ever in a postseason game,†Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy said. “I donâ€t think anybody can argue with that. A guy punches out 10 and hits three homers.â€

The Brewers had never been swept in a playoff series longer than a best-of-three, but their bats fell silent in the NLCS against the Dodgers†brilliant starting rotation. Los Angeles†four starters combined to pitch 28 2/3 innings with two earned runs allowed and 35 strikeouts.

The Dodgers added two more runs in the first after Ohtaniâ€s tone-setting homer, with Mookie Betts and Will Smith both singling and scoring.

Jackson Chourio doubled leading off the fourth for Milwaukeeâ€s first hit, but Ohtani stranded him with a groundout and two strikeouts.

Struggling Dodgers reliever Blake Treinen allowed two more baserunners in the eighth, and Caleb Durbin scored when Brice Turang beat out his potential double-play grounder before Anthony Banda ended the inning.

Roki Sasaki pitched the ninth in the latest successful relief outing for the Dodgers†unlikely closer.

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Dating back to last season, the Warriors came into Sunday night having won eight consecutive preseason games. The streak came to an end in their 126-116 loss against the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena.Â

The Warriors were without multiple key contributors, including Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler, Al Horford and Moses Moody. Seth Curry missed his third straight preseason game after being a late signing to training camp, and Deâ€Anthony Melton (knee) and Alex Toohey (ankle) continue to be out from injuries.

Vying for a starting position in the backcourt, Brandin Podziemski took advantage of being a focal point of the Warriors†offense. Podziemski had nine points through the first half and then caught fire in the third, scoring 14. The Warriors then only trailed by five points going into the fourth quarter because of Podziemski’s efforts.Â

Podziemskiâ€s night was done, leaving the comeback attempt to the rest of his teammates. But Sunday night in LA belonged to Podziemski, showing how he can be a reliable scorer and playmaker, especially when the Warriors arenâ€t at full strength. Podziemski in 26 minutes scored 23 points on 10-of-16 shooting and also had five rebounds and eight assists. He was a plus-6.

Here are three takeaways from the Warriors†first loss of the preseason.

Shorthanded Starters

Down their top two players, adding Horford and Moody to the list of Warriors absences called for an interesting starting five. Coach Steve Kerr started with Podziemski, Buddy Hield, Jonathan Kuminga, Draymond Green and Quinten Post. Moody is out the rest of the preseason and will be re-evaluated in a week with what the Warriors are calling a strained calf.

“Weâ€re not too concerned about it. Itâ€s just weâ€re being careful,†Kerr told reporters in LA.

The age of the Warriors†top players already guarantees Kerr will have to be comfortable with multiple combinations and consistently tinker with who his starters are. This was the perfect opportunity for several young Warriors and role players to step up. The score was tied 13-13 when Kerr made his first substitution, bringing Gary Payton II in for Post.

Golden Stateâ€s starting five began the second half together, and came out strong trying to cut down a 17-point deficit. The Lakers†lead was cut to 10 points with the Warriors outscoring the Lakers 21-14 through the first five and a half minutes of the third quarter when Kerr brought Payton in for Post.

Kumingaâ€s Highs And Lows

Offense will have to run through Kuminga on nights that Curry and Butler are out. There were moments where he showed he can step up with more responsibility, and others where consistency continues to be a problem.

Kuminga in the first quarter twice took advantage of Dalton Knecht switching onto him in the post. He also had three assists in the first quarter. Then in the second, Kuminga went from getting his ankles crossed on defense to throwing down an explosive dunk that only he can slam left-handed with ease and authority.

Kuminga in the first half scored nine points on 4-of-6 shooting and had four assists. His fourth was a dime to Pat Spencer cutting into the paint for a layup. But Kuminga also didnâ€t have one rebound at halftime, led the Warriors with five turnovers and was a game-low minus-18.

There were highs and lows in Kumingaâ€s third game of the preseason. Kuminga played 22 minutes and scored an efficient 13 points on 5-of-8 shooting. He dominated around the rim, but missed his only 2-point shot outside the paint and badly forced one of his three 3-point attempts.

The process overall has been positive. Kuminga is keeping his eyes up and mostly has been in flow of the offense. He finished with no rebounds, six assists and five turnovers as a minus-10.

Creating Space

Between offseason additions and the development of certain players, Kerr has raved over the space these Warriors can create. He now can have an offense that plays four-out, or even five-out. When at full strength, that is.

The end of the first quarter saw a unit of Pat Spencer, Will Richard, Payton, Gui Santos and Trayce Jackson-Davis struggle to score with very little spacing. None of those five are considered threats to shoot from long distance. The start of the second quarter also was a struggle.

That group featured Podziemski, Hield, Kuminga, Santos and Jackson-Davis. Those five give Kerr one surefire 3-point threat in Hield, and a hopeful second with Podziemski. The Warriors as a team in the first half shot 19 percent from three, going 4 of 21. Payton was the only bench player to make a three, and no Warrior made multiple threes.

They also didnâ€t attempt a single free throw in the first half, while the Lakers went 13 of 15 at the line.

After making only four 3-pointers in the first half, the Warriors made three in the first two and a half minutes of the third quarter – two by Post and one from Podziemski – and five for the entire quarter. The Warriors made two more threes than the Lakers, 14 to 12, but shot a lowly 32.6 percent, which was far lower than LAâ€s 44.4 percent clip. Podziemski, Post and LJ Cryer were the only Warriors to make more than one three.

Richard (1 of 6), Santos (1 of 5) and Spencer (1 of 5) combined to go 3 of 17 on threes.

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TNA Wrestling proved a real point and sent a dangerous message at ShowDown.

WWE NXTâ€s October 7 episode was a special ShowDown event, which was a major crossover between NXT and TNA Wrestling. The night was promoted as a battle of brands, and the event carried the energy of an invasion storyline, even if they had to change that event name.

The main event was a Menâ€s Survivor Series-style match that saw NXTâ€s Ricky Saints, Trick Williams, Jeâ€Von Evans, and Myles Borne take on TNAâ€s Mike Santana, Frankie Kazarian, Moose, and Leon Slater. Joe Hendry served as the special guest referee, adding even more intrigue to the contest.

Frankie Kazarian was able to take out Myles Borne early on, which gave TNA an advantage. Then Jeâ€Von Evans was eliminated by Leon Slater to make it 4 on 2 as they went to another commercial break.

The match continued until Trick Williams walked off on Ricky Saints, leaving him to fend for himself. The former Ricky Starks was alone with the rest of the TNA team, and things didnâ€t look good for him. Suddenly, he was able to get a pin on Frankie Kazarian to take him out of the match.

Leon Slater jumped on Saints after that, but the NXT Champion didnâ€t lay down. Then Saints was able to pin Slater as he turned a splash into a pin while he got his knees up. Moose jumped in next, but Saints fought him off the best he could. Saints kept taking all the abuse he could from Moose as Joe Hendry served as referee. Moose tagged in Mike Santana after that to continue the abuse on Saints. They continued and Moose accidentally speared Santana for a near fall, and then Moose nailed Saints with a powerbomb before Santana hit a Spin The Block to take out Ricky Saints for good and win the match for TNA Wrestling.

We will have to see what is next for TNA Wrestling and NXTâ€s relationship. This ShowDown event was certainly a special night for pro wrestling.

Whatâ€s your take on the ShowDown event, and how it all turned out? Do you think that they should have booked it better? Let us know what you think in the comments section!

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Stephanie Vaquer

SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)…

A striking look, in-ring excellence, and star charisma… pick any two.

No one is perfect.

WWE wrestlers are rightly portrayed as larger-than-life, even superhuman, paragons.  The performers who portray them, however, are flawed human beings like the rest of us.

A major task of WWE booking is to hide a wrestlerâ€s weaknesses and highlight their strengths.  Doing so requires a deft sleight of hand, and results vary depending in part on the quality of performance.

Who in WWE is being portrayed in an ideal light, and who is being exposed?  Letâ€s take a look.

Rising Star of the Week: Stephanie Vaquer

WWE creative has gone all-in on La Primera, who has ascended to the top of the Womenâ€s Division faster than any other talent in recent memory.  A clean win over Iyo Sky, the most dominant champion of the past few years, cements the Dark Angelâ€s legitimacy as champion.

Will the gamble on Vaquer pay off?  The last talent to be elevated this quickly was Tiffany Stratton, who has in many ways been a disappointment.  Will Vaquer follow suit?

Vaquerâ€s greatest assets are top-notch ring work, a strikingly unique look, and a strong presence.  She has proven herself able to have excellent matches with a variety of opponents, and her match with the masterful Sky was predictably the best on the Wrestlepalooza card.

Her signature “Devilâ€s Kiss†is perhaps the most over wrestling move of 2025, although its popularity is undermined by commentators†ever-present sexual innuendo surrounding the maneuver – reminiscent of Jerry Lawler at his worst.

Vaquer holds herself like a star, and possesses a rare poise which makes her seem in command of almost any situation.   She also has a “cool” factor that many of her peers, such as Sky, simply lack. Her ring garb is striking, although I canâ€t help but wonder if it would benefit from adding a pair of shorts.

Her chief weakness is undoubtedly her ability to deliver a strong promo, hampered by limited English.  Sky overcame a similar problem to connect solidly with the audience, although it took her several years to do so. If Vaquer can do the same, and is booked well, a successful title reign is all but guaranteed.

After 16 years of perfecting her craft as a professional wrestler, the Dark Angel finally has the spotlight. I, for one, and am excited to see what she is able to make of it.

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First Runner-up: Brock Lesnar

The Beast is back!

Many fans have mixed feelings about Lesnarâ€s return, given his alleged misconduct outside of the ring as a part of the Vince McMahon scandal.  However, his value as a special attraction performer is undeniable.  Having Lesnar return as a vicious heel fans are encouraged to boo seems in line with how fans want to react to him.

The decision to have Lesnar defeat Cena decisively is a welcome one. WWE matches are typically close contests, which makes them more entertaining, taken individually. But over time, too many such bouts condition fans to expect inevitable comebacks.

More one-sided matches feel realistic and make actual comebacks more exciting.

A true superstar with only a handful of WWE appearances left, Cena has little to lose in defeat. Lesnar, on the other hand, still holds value for WWE beyond 2025, and a decisive win over Cena reestablishes him as a dominant force.

Some foresee a rematch in which Cena wins, giving his retirement tour a happy ending. I hope that doesnâ€t happen. If Lesnarâ€s win stands, his prospects going forward — e.g., challenging Cody Rhodes for the WWE Championship — become far more exciting.

Second Runner up: Jimmy Uso

Why Jey has found such success as a singles star, while Jimmy has not, is a mystery to me.  The Usos†reunification has made it clear which twin is stronger on the mic.  Jimmy is natural, quick-witted, and believable in promos — all areas where Jey struggles.

Ring skills are more of a toss-up. Jimmy boasts a deeper offensive repertoire and appears slightly more athletically gifted. While he hasnâ€t connected with audiences on the emotional level Jey recently has, heâ€s highly effective in eliciting crowd reactions — as either heel or babyface.

One wonders whether his lesser success compared to Jey is more due to storyline roles than ability.

Jimmy is an unsung hero of the Bloodline saga. Though his role was relatively minor, he played it well and gave teammates and opponents a skilled performer to work off. Heâ€s served a similar role in his return to Raw, elevating L.A. Knight, Jey, and The Vision.

Heâ€s certainly brought out the best in his brother and Knight, helping make their rivalry unexpectedly compelling. Heâ€s more than earned his spot — and greater opportunities moving forward.

…and the award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role goes to… Big Jim!

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Fading Star of the Week: Jacy Jayne

Jayne is solidly exceeding expectations as NXT Womenâ€s Champion. Sheâ€s at her best on the mic, hitting promo beats in a believable and dramatic way. Jayne has a distinctive heavy-metal look and is a passable in-ring worker — having proven she can carry her end of a long-form title match with a talented opponent like Jordynne Grace.

She also holds the distinction of being the first to simultaneously hold the NXT Womenâ€s and TNA Knockouts Championships.

Why, then, is she a falling star?

Expectations for Jayneâ€s reign were exceedingly modest, so surpassing them is a low bar. “Better than expected†doesnâ€t mean “good,†and she still falls short of the standard set by past NXT champions.

Her booking hasnâ€t helped. While sheâ€s had some entertaining tag matches with Fatal Influence — most notably a crushing defeat by Rhea Ripley, Lyra Valkyria, and Stephanie Vaquer — her singles competition has been lacking.

Aside from Grace, sheâ€s mostly faced Lainey Reid and TNAâ€s Ash by Elegance — neither particularly over or strong in-ring. Her upcoming opponent at No Mercy, Lola Vice, is only a marginal improvement.

In her five years on NXT TV, Jayne has made notable strides — but are they enough? I donâ€t believe so.

Itâ€s hard to imagine a long-term role for Jayne on the main roster. Sheâ€s not a strong enough promo to anchor a top act, nor good enough in the ring to thrive as an enhancement talent. It will take inspired booking to make this “Rockstar†a success on Raw or SmackDown.

Runner-Up: Nathan Frazer

Frazer is a phenomenal worker.  His incredible speed and high-flying athleticism make him a treat to watch.  However, his booking on Smackdown as one half of a moderately successful tag team with Axiom has slowly but surely defined him down in the eyes of the fans.  Fraxiomâ€s clean loss to the Vision on last weekâ€s Smackdown cements the teamâ€s status as mid-carder gatekeepers.

Frazer has potential as a singles star, or a part of a tag team (perhaps with a more dynamic partner), but WWEâ€s willingness and ability to invest in him wanes with every loss he takes.

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