Swiatek and Rybakina Serve up Bagels en Route to Victories at Indian Wells 

Iga Swiatek of Poland plays a backhand in her match against Dayana Yastremska of Ukraine at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 09, 2025 in Indian Wells, California. (Getty Images/AFP)
Iga Swiatek of Poland plays a backhand in her match against Dayana Yastremska of Ukraine at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 09, 2025 in Indian Wells, California. (Getty Images/AFP)
TT

Swiatek and Rybakina Serve up Bagels en Route to Victories at Indian Wells 

Iga Swiatek of Poland plays a backhand in her match against Dayana Yastremska of Ukraine at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 09, 2025 in Indian Wells, California. (Getty Images/AFP)
Iga Swiatek of Poland plays a backhand in her match against Dayana Yastremska of Ukraine at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 09, 2025 in Indian Wells, California. (Getty Images/AFP)

Defending champion Iga Swiatek crushed Dayana Yastremska 6-0 6-2 and 2023 champion Elena Rybakina powered past Britain's Katie Boulter 6-0 7-5 to reach the fourth round of Indian Wells on Sunday with displays of dominance.

Swiatek, seeded second, is aiming to become the first woman to win the tournament three times and the Polish player looked eager to do so in as little time on court as possible, reeling off 10 games in a row and needing just 65 minutes to see off her Ukrainian opponent.

"At the end I got a bit tired, it's always hard to finish a match like that but I'm happy that I kept my intensity up in the last game to close it," she said.

"I had control from the beginning so I'm happy with the performance for sure."

It was Swiatek's second bagel set of the tournament after she overwhelmed Caroline Garcia 6-2 6-0 in her first match.

The five-times major champion has not won a title since her triumph at Roland Garros in 2024, her longest drought since winning her first major title in 2020.

She served a one-month suspension in October for a failed drug test and has seen Aryna Sabalenka take her world number one ranking but said the California desert is an ideal setting to get back to winning ways.

"It's amazing, I love coming here," she said.

"I already have my routine so it feels like home. It's for sure the place to be and a great place to play tennis."

Swiatek will face 15th seed Karolina Muchova in the round of 16 after the Czech player beat her compatriot Katerina Siniakova in the afternoon.

After cruising through the first set, Rybakina fell behind 5-3 in the second before regrouping.

She stretched to hit a sensational defensive shot in a game where she broke back for 5-5 and broke again on match point to seal the win.

Rybakina, who missed last year's tournament due to an illness, will play ninth-seeded teenager Mirra Andreeva in a rematch of their Dubai semi-final, which the Russian won in three sets en route to becoming the youngest player to win a WTA 1000 title.

Andreeva is coached by former Wimbledon champion Conchita Martinez, who the 17-year-old said was keeping her focused.

"She already told me that she booked a court at 12 p.m," she told reporters after her night match. "I see not much time passed from the match... she's just like this, but it's not bad."

Ukrainian Elina Svitolina upset 14th seed Danielle Collins 6-2 6-4 and will face another American, fourth seed Jessica Pegula in the next round after she breezed past China's Wang Xinyu 6-2 6-1.

Svitolina's countrywoman Marta Kostyuk beat American wildcard Caroline Dolehide 6-3 6-3.

MEDVEDEV, TSITSIPAS ADVANCE

On the men's side, Stefanos Tsitsipas showed off his impressive athleticism and defense, leaping for overheads and speeding around the court to beat Italy's Matteo Berrettini 6-3 6-3.

"I'm approaching these matches with determination and willingness to just leave it all out there on the court," Tsitsipas said.

"I want to get out there on the court and be a gladiator, and that's how I approach every single match I get to play."

The Greek eighth seed will face battle-tested Holger Rune after the Danish player dug deep to outlast Frenchman Ugo Humbert 5-7 6-4 7-5 with the backing of the crowd on center court.

"I tried to be brave," Rune said of his play over the final two games of the match.

"The energy on this court was truly amazing."

Daniil Medvedev was on court for just 10 minutes before his American opponent Alex Michelsen was forced to retire due to illness after two games.

The Russian fifth seed has lost to Carlos Alcaraz in the Indian Wells final the past two years, and the Spaniard is once again on the opposite side of the draw.

Medvedev will next face popular American Tommy Paul, who notched his 50th win at a Masters 1000 tournament with a 6-3 7-5 victory over Britain's Cameron Norrie.

Unheralded Japanese player Yosuke Watanuki was all smiles while upsetting American Frances Tiafoe 6-4 7-6(6) to notch the biggest win of his career.

"I tried to enjoy today," said Watanuki, who is ranked world number 349. "Even though I missed a terrible backhand, it is Indian Wells, center court. So even though I missed, I was happy,"

Tallon Griekspoor toppled 29th-seeded Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard on Sunday after stunning top seed Alexander Zverev in the previous round.

Griekspoor pounded 10 aces and broke Mpetshi Perricard's mighty serve twice en route to the win.

Southern California native Marcos Giron came from behind to beat Alexei Popyrin 5-7 6-3 6-3 in a match where the struggling Australian converted just one of his 15 break point chances.

It is the 31-year-old Giron's first time reaching the fourth round of the tournament.



Salah Is Destroying His Liverpool Legacy, Says Rooney 

A man photographs his wife next to a mural of Egypt soccer player Mohamed Salah, who joined Liverpool FC as a winger in 2017, painted by artist John Culshaw, in Liverpool, Britain, December 7, 2025. (Reuters)
A man photographs his wife next to a mural of Egypt soccer player Mohamed Salah, who joined Liverpool FC as a winger in 2017, painted by artist John Culshaw, in Liverpool, Britain, December 7, 2025. (Reuters)
TT

Salah Is Destroying His Liverpool Legacy, Says Rooney 

A man photographs his wife next to a mural of Egypt soccer player Mohamed Salah, who joined Liverpool FC as a winger in 2017, painted by artist John Culshaw, in Liverpool, Britain, December 7, 2025. (Reuters)
A man photographs his wife next to a mural of Egypt soccer player Mohamed Salah, who joined Liverpool FC as a winger in 2017, painted by artist John Culshaw, in Liverpool, Britain, December 7, 2025. (Reuters)

Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah is destroying his legacy at the club with his fiery reaction to being left out of the side, former Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney said.

Salah has failed to start their last three matches and lashed out at the club and coach Arne Slot following Saturday's 3-3 Premier League draw with Leeds United, saying he had been made a scapegoat for their poor start to the season.

The Egyptian, who signed a two-year contract extension in April, has become an iconic figure in an eight-year spell at Liverpool in which he has won two Premier League titles and scored 250 goals in all competitions.

However, he has scored just five goals and appeared in 19 games in all competitions this season.

"He is absolutely destroying his legacy at Liverpool," Rooney said on his podcast. "It would be sad for him to throw it all away. He's gone about it all wrong.

"Arne Slot has to show his authority and pull him in and say, 'you are not travelling with the team, what you said is not acceptable.'

"Take yourself off to Afcon (Africa Cup of Nations) and let everything calm down. If I was him there would be no way he would be in the team."

Salah had said he felt as if he had been "thrown under the bus" with Liverpool failing to reproduce their title-winning form from last season.

They are ninth in the current campaign, 10 points behind leaders Arsenal after 15 games.

"If anything, he has thrown Liverpool under the bus with his words...," Rooney said. "I am sure over the next couple of years he will regret saying what he has."


Fiorentina Takes Security Measures After Players Receive Threats 

Sassuolo's Nemanja Matic (L) and Fiorentina's Cher Ndour in action during the Italian Serie A soccer match US Sassuolo vs ACF Fiorentina at Mapei Stadium in Reggio Emilia, Italy, 6 December 2025. (EPA)
Sassuolo's Nemanja Matic (L) and Fiorentina's Cher Ndour in action during the Italian Serie A soccer match US Sassuolo vs ACF Fiorentina at Mapei Stadium in Reggio Emilia, Italy, 6 December 2025. (EPA)
TT

Fiorentina Takes Security Measures After Players Receive Threats 

Sassuolo's Nemanja Matic (L) and Fiorentina's Cher Ndour in action during the Italian Serie A soccer match US Sassuolo vs ACF Fiorentina at Mapei Stadium in Reggio Emilia, Italy, 6 December 2025. (EPA)
Sassuolo's Nemanja Matic (L) and Fiorentina's Cher Ndour in action during the Italian Serie A soccer match US Sassuolo vs ACF Fiorentina at Mapei Stadium in Reggio Emilia, Italy, 6 December 2025. (EPA)

Fiorentina said they have stepped up security and contacted authorities after players, staff and their families received threats following Saturday's 3-1 defeat by Sassuolo that left the club winless after 14 games and bottom of Serie A.

Fiorentina condemned the "unacceptable and shameful" threats and offered their full support to all members of the club.

"Behavior of this kind has no place in football or in any area of our society," the club said on their website.

"ACF Fiorentina, while thanking the many supporters who have already shown affection and support regarding these regrettable events, reiterates that there will never be any room for intimidation, hatred or violence."

Fiorentina next host Dynamo Kyiv in a Europa Conference League fixture on Thursday before welcoming Hellas Verona in Serie A on Sunday.


Real Coach Alonso Looking for Team to Bounce Back Against Man City 

Real Madrid's Spanish coach Xabi Alonso gestures to players during the Spanish league football match between Real Madrid CF and RC Celta de Vigo at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid on December 7, 2025. (AFP)
Real Madrid's Spanish coach Xabi Alonso gestures to players during the Spanish league football match between Real Madrid CF and RC Celta de Vigo at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid on December 7, 2025. (AFP)
TT

Real Coach Alonso Looking for Team to Bounce Back Against Man City 

Real Madrid's Spanish coach Xabi Alonso gestures to players during the Spanish league football match between Real Madrid CF and RC Celta de Vigo at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid on December 7, 2025. (AFP)
Real Madrid's Spanish coach Xabi Alonso gestures to players during the Spanish league football match between Real Madrid CF and RC Celta de Vigo at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid on December 7, 2025. (AFP)

Real Madrid go into Wednesday’s Champions League clash against Manchester City reeling from a surprise home setback at the weekend and a lengthy injury list, but coach Xabi Alonso says they need to bounce back quickly.

Real lost their 100% home record in the Spanish league on Sunday in a shock 2-0 defeat to Celta Vigo, and fell four points behind leaders Barcelona, but have little time to reflect on the setback before their Champions League assignment.

“We need to turn the page as quickly as possible,” Alonso said as Monday’s Spanish sports press speculated on the state of his relationship with his players.

“There's a long way to go in La Liga. And we have the Champions League match against City to react and get rid of this bad taste in our mouths.”

With Real winning only one of their last five LaLiga fixtures, Alonso has come under scrutiny for his relationship with players, system of playing and tactical decisions, while injuries have suddenly piled up again.

“We're struggling with injuries. It was hard for us to react,” added Alonso, whose side finished Sunday’s game with two red cards.

“It hurts, we're angry, and we understand why people are angry."

Defender Eder Militao hobbled off the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu pitch in the first half on Sunday and joins David Alaba, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dani Carvajal, Dean Huijsen and Ferland Mendy on the injury list. Jude Bellingham also suffered a cut above the eye but is expected to feature against Manchester City.

“The situation is tight due to injuries. We have to make adjustments for each match, and we'll see how things go for Wednesday,” added the coach, who took over from Carlo Ancelotti at the start of the season.

Sports newspaper AS said Alonso was unable to motivate his team while Marca claimed he would not be able to fix things.

But the coach offered a different outlook: “We're all united and know that we can turn things around. There's still a long way to go, and you can have a bad game at home. We know what the demands are at this club. Defeats hurt a lot, but we have to look ahead.”