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Rybakina's ex-coach Vukov banned after investigation
Stefano Vukov, the former coach of world number five Elena Rybakina, will remain banned from the WTA Tour following an independent investigation into his behaviour towards the player.
It was announced in January that the Croat had been provisionally suspended after allegedly breaching the WTA's Code of Conduct.
On Tuesday, the WTA - the governing body of women's tennis - confirmed Vukov's ban had been upheld.
The 37-year-old has denied any wrongdoing and Rybakina has said she was never mistreated by him.
Confirming the conclusion of the investigation to BBC Sport, the WTA added: "Following this process, the suspension remains in place.
"To protect the confidentiality and integrity of the investigation and its findings, the WTA will not provide further details. We remain committed to ensuring that all matters are handled in a fair and objective manner in accordance with the WTA Code of Conduct."
It would not specify how long Vukov will be banned for and it is not known which part of the WTA's code he has broken.
Vukov can appeal against the decision.
The decision means Rybakina will not be able to bring Vukov back on to her team - something she hoped to do at the start of the year.
BBC Sport has approached Vukov for comment.
Sabalenka and Gauff both knocked out in second round in Qatar
World number one Aryna Sabalenka and number three Coco Gauff have both been knocked out in the second round of the Qatar Open.
Sabalenka was beaten by Ekaterina Alexandrova at the WTA 1,000 event in Doha, while Gauff lost to Marta Kostyuk.
Russian Alexandrova, who beat Emma Raducanu in the first round, came from a break down twice in the third set and held serve twice against three-time Grand Slam champion Sabalenka.
The world number 26 then held her nerve in the third set tie-break to secure a 3-6 6-3 7-6 win.
The 30-year-old, who won a WTA Tour title in Austria last week, will play Belgium's Elise Mertens in the last 16.
Ukrainian Kostyuk, the world number 21, fought back from 3-1 down in the second set to wrap up a 6-2 7-5 victory over Gauff in just 73 minutes.
It is a second successive defeat for Gauff, who received a bye in the first round and was playing for the first time since she lost to Paula Badosa in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open last month.
The 2023 US Open champion was undone by seven double faults and 39 unforced errors while she managed just eight winners.
Gauff had won her last 17 matches against opponents ranked outside the top 20 before facing Kostyuk.
The 22-year-old will now face the winner of an all-Polish tie between Magda Linette and Magdalena Frech.
Elsewhere, former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina claimed a 6-2 6-4 win against American Peyton Stearns, while Jasmine Paolini - last year's Wimbledon and French Open runner-up - defeated Caroline Garcia 6-3 6-4.
Three-time Grand Slam finalist Ons Jabeur set up a meeting with former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin after beating world number eight Qinwen Zheng of China 6-4 6-2.
It was the Tunisian's first win against a top-10 opponent since last year's Madrid Open after struggling with injury.
Slovakia's Rebecca Sramkova fought back from a set down to beat 12th seed Mirra Andreeva 3-6 6-3 7-5, while American sixth seed Jessica Pegula beat Elina Svitolina 6-3, 7-6 (7-3).
Linda Noskova won 6-2 6-3 against Kazakhstan's Yulia Putintseva to set up a last-16 meeting with three-time defending champion Iga Swiatek.
Having cut his teeth at Gloucester and Cheltenham, Sherratt spent four years at Worcester Warriors academy, before becoming an attack specialist for Bristol, Ospreys and Cardiff before being handed his first head coach role at the Arms Park just 20 months ago.
With his teaching background, Sherratt has gained a reputation as a man-manager, a motivator and a mentor for young players.
Last season alone, the likes of Cam Winnett, Mason Grady, Ellis Bevan, Alex Mann, Corey Domachowski, Keiron Assiratti, Evan Lloyd, Efan Daniel and Mackenzie Martin all graduated under Sherratt at Cardiff to the national team.
"He is very well spoken of, a real people-person and man-manager and we felt, right now, that was a really important criteria and meant he could hit the ground running in the middle of the Six Nations," explained WRU chief executive Abi Tierney.
From world's best to Wales' worst - Gatland shows danger of going back
Gatland has always believed he can bring success when he spends time with players, which World Cup preparation allows.
After naming a 54-man training squad, he had to cope with the international retirements of legends Alun Wyn Jones and Justin Tipuric, while Owens was unavailable because of injury.
Gatland's man-management skills were under scrutiny as prop Rhys Carre was brutally released from the squad for "failing to meet individual performance targets".
Intense training camps in Switzerland and Turkey appeared to have worked as Wales stormed to World Cup pool success, with victories against Fiji, Portugal, Australia and Georgia.
The 40-6 hammering of Eddie Jones' Wallabies side in Lyon proved the undoubted highlight of Gatland's second spell in charge.
Wales suffered quarter-final defeat against Argentina in Marseille. It was a match Gatland felt they should have won, but pride had been restored to Welsh rugby.
Here is when history could have been different. With a new four-year World Cup cycle starting, Gatland and the WRU could have said their farewells after he had completed a short-term job.
WRU executive director of rugby Nigel Walker stated before the tournament in France he was backing Gatland to lead Wales to the 2027 World Cup, labelling him "one of the best coaches in the world".
So Gatland stayed on, but some of his finest players did not. Biggar and Leigh Halfpenny retired from international rugby, Tomas Francis left Wales for a new life in France, Owens hung up his boots and George North quit the Test arena after the 2024 Six Nations.
Gatland was left with an inexperienced squad and had to use young players, a situation that saw Wales slump to a first Six Nations wooden spoon in 21 years.
Gatland says he offered to resign in the changing room following the defeat by Italy in March 2024 which condemned Wales to a clean sweep of Six Nations losses, but the offer was turned down by WRU chief executive Abi Tierney.
He also made headlines again when he stated Welsh rugby sometimes felt like a "sinking ship".
Power Rankings: Larson Steady As Capps Cracks Top Five
Its time for a new edition of SPEED SPORT Power Rankings. Who will be on top this week?
1. Kyle Larson
Having won the Chili Bowl Nationals in January, Kyle Larson continued his dirt-track success with two victories and four top-three finishes in four nights of World of Outlaws sprint car competition at Volusia Speedway Park. Last Week: 1
2. Ron Capps
Three-time NHRA Funny Car champion Ron Capps started the drag racing season with a victory in the PRO Superstar Shootout at Bradenton (Fla.) Motorsports Park. Last Week: Not Ranked
3. Devin Moran
Devin Moran bagged $25,000 for winning the Winternationals finale at Ocala Speedway for the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series. It was his third dirt late model triumph of the season. Last Week: Not Ranked
4. Chase Elliott
Chase Elliott turned in a dominant performance aboard his Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet to win the Cook Out Clash at North Carolinas historic Bowman Gray Stadium. Qualifying for the Daytona 500 is Wednesday night. Last Week: 2
5. Shawn Reed
Former boat racer Shawn Reed made his first Top Fuel victory a big one, claiming Saturdays PRO Superstar Shootout at Bradenton (Fla.) Motorsports Park. Last Week: Not Ranked
6. Ricky Thornton Jr.
Reigning Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series champion Ricky Thornton Jr. has won three series features through the first nine races of the season. Last Week: 5
7. Stewart Friesen
Veteran modified racer Stewart Friesen won three of the four Short Track Super Series races at Floridas All-Tech Raceway and claimed the series Sunshine Swing title. Last Week: Not Ranked
8. No. 7 Porsche Penske Motorsports
Drivers Felipe Nasr, Nick Tandy and Laurens Vanthoor clinched a second consecutive overall and GTP class victory for Porsche Penske Motorsport in the Rolex 24 At Daytona Intl Speedway. Last Week: 4
9. Curt Spalding
Curt Spalding won four UMP Modified features during the 56th DIRTcar Nationals, including the $5,000 Big Gator Championship finale. Last Week: Not Ranked
10. Jonathan Davenport
Jonathan Davenport won a pair of Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series features at Ocala (Fla.) Speedway and leads the series standings after nine races. Last Week: Not Ranked
On The Move: Drag racers Ron Capps and Shawn Reed as well as late model racer Devin Moran made big moves this week.
What To Watch For?: All three NASCAR national touring series open their seasons this weekend at Daytona Intl Speedway capped by Sundays Daytona 500.
BRADENTON, Fla. Hangsterfers Metalworking Lubricants has partnered with AB Motorsports Accelerate program athlete Angelle Sampey as she prepares to debut the first enclosed canopy cockpit on an A/Fuel dragster when the NHRA season opens with the Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway next month.
As a former member of Don Schumacher Racing, AB Motorsports team owner and driver Antron Brown was the second NHRA driver to compete in the modern canopy Top Fuel dragster that first hit the track in 2012.
NHRA officials have since authorized the canopy-style dragster body to compete in the Top Alcohol Dragster category beginning this year.
Were excited to be the first to field a canopy car in the Top Alcohol Dragster class, Brown said. I first started racing in a canopy car in 2013 and its something I feel strongly about. Safety is always first and foremost and Im glad we were able to implement this on Angelles car. A huge thank you to Hangsterfers for supporting this initiative. This is the next step in seeing the category continue to be a developmental platform for the future crop of Top Fuel drivers.
Our goal has always been to steadily prepare Angelle to move to Top Fuel and by converting our race-proven backup car into an A/Fuel car, were moving towards that objective.
Sampey began preparations for the upcoming race season on Feb. 10 at Bradenton Motorsports Park with her Michalek Brothers Racing (MBR) team, led by brothers Corey and Kyle. The team will continue to test at the Florida facility through Feb. 12, and the canopied Hangsterfers dragster will make its official on-track entry on March 6 to begin qualifying for the Gatornationals.
Ive never been more excited to start a race season, and I truly mean that, Sampey said. Hangsterfers has stepped up to support AB Motorsports and the Accelerate program to allow me to live my dreams and improve behind the wheel of this A/Fuel dragster with the goal of graduating up to Top Fuel in the near future.
Hangsterfers was named the primary sponsor of Sampeys A/Fuel dragster, which competes in NHRAs Top Alcohol Dragster category, the feeder class to Top Fuel, last May before the Cleetus & Cars event at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.
Sampey raced the green and black rail to the final round of the prestigious U.S. Nationals over Labor Day weekend before capturing her first career win on four wheels at the Pep Boys Nationals in Reading, Pa. in September. It was her 47th NHRA triumph to go along with her three NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle championships.
We had such a wonderful first full season in A/Fuel last year with Hangsterfers and my MBR team and that was capped off by winning at Reading last fall and doubling up with Antrons team, added Sampey. That really was one of my greatest days in racing.
I got to attend the IMTS (International Manufacturing Technology Show) in Chicago, spend much of the PRI Show in Indy, and the Blackhawk Industrial Tradeshow in Oklahoma City this January with my Hangsterfers family, and they sincerely have become family in a very short time. I cant wait for the great things in store in 2025.
Hangsterfers, which joined Browns Matco Tools Top Fuel team while at Don Schumacher Racing, enters a second decade in support of the four-time NHRA Top Fuel champion and 80-time race winner.
Hangsterfers branding will again adorn the sides of the Matco Tools car, along with primary branding on Sampeys A/Fuel dragster, which will compete in up to 15 NHRA Mission Foods and Lucas Oil Series races throughout the 2025 season.
Hangsterfers, with Mike Ditzel and the Jones family, continues to be such an amazing partner and avid supporter of our team and the sport of NHRA Drag Racing, Brown added.
They continue to help our organization grow for the future while working very closely with our partners to cultivate B2B relationships, which helps us with a better product on the track, while the support and technology from Hangsterfers help our vendor partners produce a better-quality product.
Hangsterfers has been a sponsor of Antron Brown for more than a decade now and we are proud to be a part of his success in becoming a champion team owner and driver, Mike Ditzel, Hangsterfers Director of Motorsports Performance Products, said. My personal relationship with Antron has grown beyond the drag strip. To call Antron a friend is an understatement.
With ABMS Accelerate Program, we are proud to have supported Angelle Sampey as she turned the page from Pro Stock Motorcycle to driving the Hangsterfers A/Fuel Dragster. Were excited to see her turn on more win lights in 2025 and compete for an NHRA championship.
NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. Bubba Pollard has had good days and bad days at New Smyrna Speedway.
The defending winner of the Clyde Hart Memorial hopes to have another good day tonight as he defends last years victory in the 26th running of the super late model race that will be the first race of the season for the ASA STARS National Tour.
Weve been good here at times and we have struggled here. Its a tough place, Pollard said of the half-mile asphalt track. It can be tricky, but we unloaded pretty good with pretty much the same stuff we had last year and it was good right off the trailer.
We have a good baseline and we feel comfortable about it.
Pollard ran down Ty Majeski late in the race to win last years Hart Memorial.
I feel better about it compared to where we are at with the race cars, Pollard said. Last year, we struggled when we got here and I feel like the car has speed this year right off the trailer, which is good. I feel like we can keep it together and make all the right decisions and do what we need to do tomorrow night we are going to be OK. But you never know. Its racing. One minute you are a hero and the next minute you are a zero. Thats why we do it.
The series initiated the ASA STARS National Tour Platinum Program Presented by Rackley Roofing and Track Enterprises during the offseason, and Pollard plans to race for the championship in the third year of the rejuvenated national tour.
There are a lot of different things that go into it, Pollard explained. We have made some changes in order to do the things that we need to do to be able to run for the series championship. We are focused on it this year. We started on it the last two years and kind of fell off. I feel like we have put things in position this year to do it, especially at some of those race tracks that we dont run good at.
I am excited about it. They are doing a great job, Pollard continued. You have growing pains, you know, and theyve got that behind them. They are putting people in position to make the right calls and everyone is getting comfortable with what is going on. The communication level of things has been way better this year than it has been the last few years. They are doing a good job.
Watch the Clyde Hart Memorial on SPEED SPORT affiliate www.tracktv.com.
Seventeen-year-old Hudson Bulger will be running a limited schedule in the zMAX Cars Tour Late Model Stock division and various Late Model races around the Southeast, Kevin Powell Speed Motorsports revealed Tuesday.
With only five years behind the wheel, the youngster has amassed multiple wins in Legends Cars and Late Models and earned Rookie of the Year honors at two race tracks.
Were very excited to have Hudson as part of the team, Kevin Powell, owner of KPSM, said. When Candice Hornaday and Joey Coulter approached us about Hudson, we felt that, with his talent and work ethic, he would be a great fit here at KPSM.
Bulger heads to the team with a strong résumé in Legends, Pro and Super Late Model competitions. He won Rookie of the Year honors in Pro Late Models at Montgomery Motor Speedway and the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series at New Smyrna Speedway.
He is the only driver other than Bubba Pollard to win the pole for both the Pro and Super Late Model portions of Speedfest in Cordele, Ga.
Marketing partners on the car will include longtime supporter Byron Outdoor Superstore, CB Free Realty and Antler X-treme, with additional support from Simpson Race Products.
Former NASCAR star Joey Coulter believes Bulger has the potential to be racing in the upper tiers of NASCAR.
Were really looking forward to this season and seeing where things go from here Hudsons got a ton of potential; hes accomplished a lot in the Late Model world in a short amount of time, Coulter said. His parents and Brett Ragan have picked a great direction theyre going in, like when and where he races and putting him in front of the right people like Candice Hornaday.
When I talked to Kevin, I immediately thought of a driver like Hudson and thought they would be a real strong combination against the competition.
I love this kid! Hornaday Developments Candice Hornaday said with excitement. Hes just a good kid, he works hard and has a great personality and attitude towards racing.
Kevin Powell Speed Motorsports will run a limited zMAX Cars Tour schedule and other various races around the Southeast in Pro and Super Late Model competition, including prestigious events like the Snowball Derby in December.
Longtime racer and crew chief Jason Sarvis will serve as the crew chief on the Late Model Stock portion for KPSM, while Brett Ragan will serve as Bulgers crew chief on his home team.
Both Sarvis and Ragan have worked in the top levels of NASCAR. Bulgers driver coach, Chris Dilbeck, will continue in the Pro and Super Late Model programs.
All Star Circuit of Champions Secure Title Sponsor
FREMONT, Ohio The All Star Circuit of Champions Americas oldest winged sprint car series has secured a title sponsor for the upcoming season as well as a presenting sponsor.
NAPA Auto Parts will partner with Americas Series as the title sponsor while Valvoline has signed on as the presenting sponsor.
The NAPA Auto Parts All Star Circuit of Champions Presented by Valvoline will return to its roots this year, giving regional race teams a chance to compete for increased purses. The All Stars will visit tracks in five states for 26 events in five states.
Having NAPA Auto Parts step up to be our title sponsor along with Valvoline coming on board gives us tremendous support as we work to grow the All Star brand, said Rich Farmer, All Star President.
Farmer, who also own several NAPA Auto Parts stores, said the added resources NAPA and Valvoline bring to the All Stars will benefit the race teams and tracks greatly.
It helps the many teams who have said they will follow the All Stars with name recognition and brings that same advantage to our partner tracks, Farmer said.
The All Star Circuit of Champions will kick off the 2025 season with the traditional Sprint Nationals at Attica Raceway Park in Attica, Ohio, April 11-12 and wrap up with another tradition The Jim Ford Classic at Fremont Speedway Sept. 12-13.
Gaudreau's father joins U.S. practice at 4 Nations
MONTREAL -- Team USA welcomed the father of late hockey players Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau to its 4 Nations Face-Off practice on Tuesday, hosting Guy Gaudreau as a guest coach the morning after he joined the team for a pre-tournament dinner.
USA's players also insisted Guy be in Tuesday's team photo, according to general manager Bill Guerin. Having the Gaudreau's patriarch with them at the event is one more way the USA is honoring the Gaudreau family. Johnny's jersey and nameplate are in the USA dressing room too, as they were when the USA participated in the World Junior Championship late this past year.
Johnny and Matthew were killed in August while riding bikes near their hometown of Carneys Point, New Jersey, the night before their sister Katie was set to be married.
That tragedy still lingers with USA players who knew the family best, and it's why bringing Guy to Montreal for the 4 Nations tournament was important.
"It's incredible having him around," Chris Kreider, who won a national championship as Johnny's teammate at Boston College, said. "Johnny was such a big part of USA Hockey and meant so much to every single team he played for and obviously represented his country at multiple different stages and played so well. [He] had such an impact on pretty much everyone here. There's a ton of gratitude and appreciation for what he meant to the sport of hockey."
Guerin said it was the players who initiated the invitation to have Guy at their team dinner on Monday night, which also included USA hockey alumni Mike Modano, Mike Eruzione and Rob McClanahan. The former players made memorable speeches to the group about embracing their opportunity to play in a best-on-best hockey tournament and the Gaudreau presence was felt by all.
"Johnny and Matthew are looking down on us and cheering us on," Brady Tkachuk said. "To have Johnny's jersey and nameplate [in the room]; he's part of this team. And then it was a great moment to get [Guy] on the ice. I don't think he [expected it], I don't think he brought skates or gear, but it was really special to have him out there."
"It's still so incredibly sad," Matthew Tkachuk added. "But it was great that Guy was able to come out, and it was really nice that they brought him in here for this."
However long Guy remains with the team only serves to keep Johnny and Matthew's memories at the forefront. And the USA will be leaning on that inspiration from puck drop of its first game on Thursday against Finland.
"[Johnny's] here in spirit," Kreider said. "The biggest thing I took away from playing with Johnny and getting to know Johnny is just how much fun he had in the game of hockey and how humble he was. He was a superstar, but he thought less of himself but so highly of everyone else. He just loved playing hockey."
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