Browsing: triumph

Rory McIlroy is eager to shift discussion of last month’s Ryder Cup from the dominant theme of unruly spectators to the “incredible†strength of Europe’s display.

Luke Donald and his European team secured back-to-back Ryder Cup wins after reaching what ultimately proved an unassailable position within two of the event’s three days.

The reference point for Bethpage Black, though, has been appalling fan conduct; including significantly towards McIlroy. The Masters champion’s wife was hit by a beer thrown from the galleries at one point, with McIlroy himself subjected to abuse throughout.

McIlroy’s return to the competitive fold, this week at the India Championship, has seen him try to change the topic of conversation. “I’ve been following the narrative coming out of the Ryder Cup just like everyone else,†said the Northern Irishman. “Unfortunately, I think it takes away from what we focused on, which was what an incredible performance it was by the European team.

“As I’m playing my matches, I’m focused on trying to win my point. You see that the other guys are winning their matches or they are doing well but you don’t realise how well they are playing.

“So just over the last two weeks, being able to watch the highlights and just see, especially those first two days, in the foursomes and the fourballs how good the European team were. The Americans would hit it close, we hit it closer. The Americans hole a putt and we hole a putt on top. It happened every single time.

Team Europe’s Rory McIlroy celebrates with the trophy during the presentation after winning the Ryder Cup, Photograph: Paul Childs/Reuters

“The unfortunate thing is people aren’t remembering that and they are remembering the week for the wrong reason. I would like to shift the narrative and focus on how good the European team were and how proud I was to be part of that team to win an away Ryder Cup.â€

In the immediate aftermath of Europe’s win, McIlroy insisted golf should be proud to seek high standards from competitors and spectators. Some believe this presents the sport with a dilemma as it looks to engage youngsters.

“You don’t want your sport to be unwelcoming to newcomers,†McIlroy added. “I absolutely get that. But you also don’t want newcomers coming into the game and ruining centuries of traditions and values of what this game represents or what it upholds. I think there has to be a balance.

“I certainly think that golf can grow but it can grow in a way where the people that are coming into the game still respect and acknowledge that this is a little bit different than maybe other sports. I say it in America all the time, golf doesn’t need to be the NFL. It doesn’t need to be these other sports. Golf is golf, and that’s fine.

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“I’d love more people to watch golf. That would be amazing. But I would be more interested in getting more people to play the game, and I think when people play the game, then they learn and they can acknowledge what golf is, what it represents, and the sort of etiquette and the values that you need to adhere to when you play the game.â€

McIlroy has European teammates Shane Lowry, Tommy Fleetwood and Viktor Hovland for company on his maiden visit to India. Donald is also in the field, with the Englishman yet to decide whether he wants to captain Europe for what would be a third time, at Adare Manor in 2027.

“I think what Luke Donald has done the last two Ryder Cups has revolutionised the captaincy within Europe,†said McIlroy. “The effort and the dedication that Luke Donald has put into the last four years, it’s been absolutely amazing.â€

Celtic’s European Cup win in 1967 remains one of the most iconic nights in the club’s storied history, almost 60 years on.

The Scottish side’s 2-1 victory over Inter Milan at the Estadio Nacional in Lisbon saw them become the first British club to win the European Cup and it was all done with a homegrown squad, the majoirty of whom were born within a ten-mile radius of Celtic Park.

Jim Craig was playing at right-back that evening, as he added European football’s biggest prize to his list of 14 domestic trophies won during his eight-year spell with the club.

“He had more run-ins with Jimmy Johnstone. Jock was once giving a team talk and, when he finished, he asked if there were any questions. Jimmy’s hand shot up, which was a surprise because Jinky had sat through the whole talk looking at his nails. Jimmy said, ‘How long’s the flight?’ He was terrified of flying and that was all he was interested in, not the team talk or any of the tactical stuff.”

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VANCOUVER — As the Vancouver Canucks embark on a new season in search of at least 10 more points than they had last year, goalie Thatcher Demko playing 53 games instead of 23 is a pretty good place to start looking.

His year shortened and hollowed by a series of injuries, Demko did not play last season until Game 27 for the Canucks. In December.

On Thursday, he was ready for Game 1. Demko stopped 17 of 18 shots, including a couple of breakaway saves, and kept the Calgary Flames scoreless until the Canucks found their game in the third period and pumped four goals past Dustin Wolf to win 5-1 at Rogers Arena.

After last seasonâ€s chaos for the Canucks and a disappointing 90-point finish that left them out of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Game 1 felt like something more than just the first of 82 tests. But it was especially significant for Demko, the 2024 Vezina Trophy runner-up, who spent much of last year trying to solve a knee injury that delayed his start and undermined his performance.

Demko played only 23 times. Thirty more games for him this season would surely be worth at least another five wins.

“Felt pretty good even this morning,†Demko told reporters after the game. “You know, just excited to be here. So yeah, I felt good all day, just kind of waiting around, wanting to get to the rink and get the gear on.

“I think the first game is huge … just kind of keeping the momentum building (from the pre-season). And especially (with) the turnover that we had from last year in our room and our coaching staff, too, it’s a testament to the work that everyone kind of put in in the summer and then through camp. Obviously, 81 left.â€

“Demmer playing always helps,†Canucks defenceman Tyler Myers smiled when asked about the potential for 53 games for their all-star goalkeeper instead of 23. “You know, he’s a world-class goalie, and he always has been since I’ve been here. So for him to be feeling the way he is, it’s really encouraging for our group. He’s incredible. It’s great having him behind us.â€

It was great on Thursday that top centre Elias Pettersson, another player vital to a rebound season in Vancouver, emerged unscathed from a dangerous second-period boarding by Flames defenceman MacKenzie Weegar.

It was great that elegant second-line centre Filip Chytil, who said before training camp that he needed to score more — “not just play nice hockey; nobody cares about that†— cracked open a nervy game by scoring twice in six minutes early in the second period, making it 3-0 on a beautiful breakaway at 8:53 after he partially blocked a shot and then took Arshdeep Bains†pass behind the Calgary defence.

Probably what was greatest for the Canucks is that the team, so harmonious and re-energized after a positive pre-season, overcame a jittery first half without surrendering any goals by eventually just taking the game away from the Flames in the third period.

Jonathan Lekkerimaki, from Evander Kaneâ€s centring pass, and Brock Boeser also zipped pucks past Wolf, last seasonâ€s Calder Trophy finalist, who had to start this season by playing twice in 25 hours.

Canuck Kiefer Sherwood scored the only goal of the first two periods by surprising Wolf with a heavy wrist shot from the right-wing circle that got on top of the goalie in a hurry at 14:53 of the first.

“Yeah, it’s a good feeling,†Myers said. “At the same time, we know there’s a lot more. First game, whether it’s a little bit of nerves or whatever it was, there’s definitely more. But we did a lot of good things, too.â€

“We talked about it; it’s not always going to be perfect,†Pettersson said. “But I think we stuck with it. So, yeah, happy with the win. I mean, I think it builds character (when) we find a way to win even though it wasn’t our best.â€

It was a game with pre-season execution at the start, but it quickly escalated to mid-season intensity with a pair of boarding calls early in the second.

Just 20 seconds into the middle frame, Weegar caught Pettersson off-balance with a shoulder check, launching the most expensive player in Canucks history head-first into the boards.

But in a nearly-identical hit at 4:33, Vancouverâ€s other Elias Pettersson, the second-year defenceman known as “Junior,†catapulted Flame Connor Zary into the boards with a borderline hit.

In both cases, referees Francis Charron and Tom Chmielewski wisely called major boarding penalties initially, which allowed them to review the checks. The punishments to Weegar and Pettersson Junior were downgraded to two-minute minors.

They looked like the correct calls as neither hit was delivered with malice. But the adjudication did little to satisfy either team on the receiving end.

Fortunately, both Zary and the original Pettersson stayed in the game after getting medical attention.

“I’m okay,†Pettersson said. “I saw the replay. I don’t think it’s a dirty hit, just bad timing. I drop (the puck) to Brock, and itâ€s a bad drop, so I reach for the puck, and then he pushed me. I think I took the impact a little bit with my arm, but I landed sideways. I feel a little bit in my neck, but it’s fine.â€

Pettersson expects to play Saturday when the Canucks visit the Edmonton Oilers, still perfect at 1-0 after an imperfect but gritty opener.

The Canucks power play, so cohesive and dangerous through the pre-season, struggled to generate quality chances against the Flames. The first unit was especially untidy. But Vancouverâ€s penalty killing, which led the NHL over the final two-thirds of last season, blanked Calgaryâ€s power play on four chances spanning eight minutes.

During one critical kill in the second period, with the Canucks clinging to their 1-0 lead, Bains blocked a pair of heavy one-timers by Flame Matt Coronato.

“Big boy blocks,†Demko said of Bains, who won a roster spot during the pre-season. “I gave him a pat right when we got in the room here in the second intermission, and I think everyone else did, too. I mean, those are huge blocks, especially at that point. One-goal game, and they’re looking to tie it up on the power play, and he steps up and makes two huge plays for us. He’s a really smart guy, a lot of hockey IQ, and obviously that’s why he’s out there on the PK.â€

The Canucks finished with 19 blocks, 11 more than the Flames. Vancouver was outhit 36-27.

DeBrusk-Pettersson-Boeser

Oâ€Connor-Raty-Sherwood

Forbort-Pettersson (Junior)

Blueger, Karlsson, Mancini

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Aryna Sabalenka overcame a rusty start in Wuhan as she fought back to beat Rebecca Sramkova in her first appearance since winning the US Open.

The world number one secured her first Grand Slam trophy of the year in New York, retaining her title as she defeated Amanda Anisimova in the final.

But in her first match for over a month, Sabalenka’s game was initially riddled with errors and she struggled with the power of Slovakia’s Sramkova, ranked 68th in the world.

However, after losing the first set she settled into her game in the second set before steamrolling through the third to wrap up a 4-6 6-3 6-1 victory.

“I knew it would be not easy after the break [following the US Open] to get into my rhythm but I am glad in the second set I found my game, I stepped in and I played really great,” Sabalenka said.

“I have to say she played incredible tennis, especially in the first set and there was not much I could do.”

Sabalenka is the three-time defending champion in Wuhan, having won in 2018 and 2019, and again in 2024 following the tournament’s three-year hiatus because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Asked what it was like to be nicknamed the “Daughter of Wuhan”, Sabalenka replied: “First I was ‘Daughter of China’, then ‘Queen of Fried Rice’ [a nickname she says is in honour of her love of the dish].

“And then I talked to [China’s world number 10 Zheng] Qinwen and they actually call me ‘Tiger’. So many nicknames.

“I won so many tournaments here and it feels like home, I hope I can go all the way.”

Given a bye to the second round, Sabalenka cut a frustrated figure as she struggled with her serve, with a handful of double faults handing Sramkova an early break.

The Slovak played Sabalenka at her own game, beating the top seed with deep, aggressive hitting to the baseline and huge serves as she took the opener 6-4.

But Sabalenka eventually regained some rhythm to strike first in the second set and she fended off several break points to open up a 5-2 lead on her way to forcing a decider.

With more momentum behind her, the four-time major champion took control in the third set, breaking twice and saving four more break points at 5-1 before securing the victory with another break of serve.

Earlier, Coco Gauff breezed into the third round with a 51-minute win against Japan’s Moyuka Uchijima, who won just five points on the American third seed’s serve.

Sixth seed Jessica Pegula avoided an upset in the second round, winning 6-4 4-6 7-6 (8-6) after converting her seventh match point in a gruelling two hour and 55 minute encounter with fellow American and world number 55 Hailey Baptiste.

Pegula will face Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova next, while Gauff will play Shuai Zhang, the world number 142 who beat Romania’s Sorana Cirstea.

Meanwhile, the heat and humidity continued to cause problems for some players, with Czech 12th seed Karolina Muchova forced to retire while trailing 7-6 (7-1) 4-1 to Poland’s Magdalena Frech.

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Jannik Sinner continued to piece together one of the greatest seasons of his career as he clinched his 21st career title at the China Open with a comfortable 6-2, 6-2 victory over Learner Tien.

Sinnerâ€s victory marks his third title of 2025 after winning the Australian Open and Wimbledon earlier this year. The Italianâ€s record now stands at 42-5 (89%) this year and he has reached the final in seven of eight tournaments, including all four grand slams.

Only Carlos Alcaraz has come close to Sinner on hard courts, with Sinner winning 79 of his last 80 matches on the surface against players besides the ATP No 1. Other than Alcarazâ€s four hard court wins over Sinner during this period, Sinnerâ€s loss to Andrey Rublev at the Canada Masters last year remains his only defeat on his favourite surface since November 2023.

Despite the pair competing in different countries against different fields of opponents, this week has further underlined how superior Sinner and Alcaraz are to the rest of the tour. A day earlier, Alcaraz defeated Taylor Fritz to win his eighth title of the season in Tokyo.

In the aftermath of his US Open defeat in New York, which led to the Italian losing the No 1 ranking he had held since June 2024, Sinner said he intended to make himself more unpredictable in his matches against his rivaleven though trying to make those changes could lead to more losses early on.

The 24-year-old has shown some of those adjustments throughout this week, particularly by implementing more drop shots. Although he was not as dominant as in many of his other recent tournament runs, dropping sets to Terence Atmane and Alex de Minaur, Sinner still overpowered all opponents in his path.

There is no rest for most of the best players in a gruelling season. The ATP tour moves on to the Shanghai Masters, the penultimate ATP Masters 1000 event, where Sinner will has a first-round bye. Alcaraz, however, will not be present in China after withdrawing shortly after his win in Tokyo in order to manage an ankle injury.

Meanwhile, Gael Monfils has announced that he will retire after the 2026 season. Monfils, who became the oldest ATP champion in history in January and turned 39 last month, has enjoyed an celebrated 21-year career as one of the most charismatic players in the sport. The Frenchman reached a career-high ranking of No 6 in 2016 and has won 13 titles.

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Sabrina Fortune is hoping to compete at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow after smashing her own shot put world record at the World Para Athletics Championships.

The 28-year-old from Wrexham competes in the F20 category for athletes with intellectual impairments and has dominated her event since taking gold at the 2024 Paris Paralympics.

Fortune claimed a fourth consecutive world title with a new world record throw of 16.75m in New Delhi – bettering her own previous mark of 15.75m.

With the Los Angeles Paralympics not taking place until 2028, Fortune believes her progress could allow her to compete for Wales against non-disability athletes in Glasgow.

“I want [to throw] 17.07m for mainstream Commonwealths, that’s really my next goal,” she told BBC Radio 5 Live.

“My event’s not in the Paralympics cycle so I’m chasing the mainstream instead.”

Welsh Athletics’ B standard women’s shot put qualifying distance to be considered for selection for the next Commonwealth Games is a throw longer than 17.07m, while the A standard – the mark that would trigger automatic selection – is 18.24m.

In the meantime, Fortune can enjoy her success, having praised the organisation of this World Para Athletics Championships while dealing with the high temperatures of India.

“Everything has been put on so, so well but it’s definitely a lot hotter here though,” she added.

“That’s the one that we’re all struggling with, it’s just the heat of it. Compared to what we have in the UK it’s quite different, very humid.”

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Sep 23, 2025, 05:57 AM ET

Kylian Mbappé and Lionel Messi congratulated their former club teammate Ousmane Dembélé after he won the Ballon d’Or award on Monday.

Dembélé beat Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal to lift the prestigious individual trophy after an impressive season with Paris Saint-Germain.

The France forward scored 35 goals and provided 14 assists in 53 games to help PSG win their first Champions League as well as winning the Ligue 1 title and the Coupe de France.

Mbappé, who left PSG in the summer of 2024 after seven years at the club to join Real Madrid, was among the first to congratulate his France teammate.

“Ousmane Dembélé. It’s so exciting, my brother! You deserve it 1000 times,” Mbappé wrote on his Instagram minutes after Dembélé was handed the award.

Ousmane Dembélé won the 69th Ballon d’Or award ahead of Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal. Kristy Sparow – UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images

Mbappé, 26, who has yet to win a Ballon d’Or, finished seventh in this year’s edition.

Eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, Messi, was also thrilled to see Dembélé get the recognition he deserves.

– The Henry-like switch that helped Dembélé win the Ballon d’Or
– Dembélé’s Ballon d’Or win feels like the dawn of a new era
– Marseille stun PSG, end champion’s perfect Ligue 1 start

Messi spent four seasons with Dembélé at Barcelona before the Argentinian star moved to PSG in 2021.

The Inter Miami captain left a comment in Spanish on Dembélé’s Instagram and wrote: “Great Ous!!! Congratulations I’m so happy for you. You deserve it.”

Dembélé, who moved to PSG in 2023 from Barcelona in the same transfer window that saw Messi leave the French giants to join Inter Miami, mentioned his former Barça teammate during his acceptance speech.

“I learned so much there [at Barcelona], playing alongside players like Messi and [Andres] Iniesta,” he said on Monday.

“It was a great learning experience. I am so happy, when I see the list of legends who have won this award.”

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