World number one Naomi Osaka and world number three Simona Halep both won in straight sets to reach the Madrid Open quarter-finals.

Osaka beat Belarusian Aliaksandra Sasnovich 6-2 6-3 to reach the last eight in Madrid for the first time.

Halep took just 45 minutes to see off Slovakia's Viktoria Kuzmova 6-0 6-0.

The Romanian, who beat British number one Johanna Konta in the second round, is hoping to win the title for a third time after victories in 2016 and 2017.

Halep will play Yulia Putintseva of Kazakhstan or Australian Ashleigh Barty in the quarter-finals while Osaka will face Ukrainian Kateryna Kozlova or Switzerland's Belinda Bencic.

"I don't think it was her [Kuzmova's] best match. Maybe she was nervous before the match a little bit," said Halep,

"It's a big tournament and it's not easy to face the top players. I've been in that position. I played my best tennis and I felt good on court."

London Irish have signed World Cup-winning All Blacks winger Waisake Naholo ahead of their return to the Premiership next season.

The 28-year-old, capped 26 times, has also won a Super Rugby title with the Highlanders in New Zealand.

Exiles director of rugby Declan Kidney said Naholo is a "top-class player who will bring great experience with him".

Naholo hopes to be selected for the 2019 World Cup in Japan and is expected to join Irish later in the year.

Kidney told the club website: "We are delighted that a player of his ability and age profile has bought into our vision for where we as a club are working hard to get to."

The signing follows Irish's announcement of deals for Australia prop Sekope Kepu and Perpignan fly-half Paddy Jackson.

Naholo has described Irish as "a team on the up".

He said: "There is plenty of ambition, a world-class training facility, a good group of coaches and players and some exciting signings coming in.

"The supporters have a great reputation as well and I'm looking forward to it."

The length of his contract with the club has not been revealed.

Israel Folau has lost his sponsorship deal with sportswear brand Asics.

Folau was found guilty of breaching Rugby Australia's (RA) player code of conduct after he said "hell awaits" gay people in a social media post.

The Waratahs full-back, 30, had his four-year RA contract in April but requested a hearing.

"We champion inclusivity and diversity," said a statement from Asics, which is also a leading Wallabies sponsor.

"While Israel Folau is entitled to his personal views, some of those expressed in recent social media posts are not aligned with those of Asics.

"As such, our partnership with Israel has become untenable and he will no longer represent Asics as a brand ambassador."

Asics is the second sponsor to have cut ties with Folau after Land Rover withdrew a car issued to him.

The three-person panel which presided over Folau's hearing will now take written submissions from the player and RA before deciding what sanction he will face.

He escaped punishment for similar comments last year.

Wallabies coach Michael Cheika has said Folau is unlikely to be selected for Australia again.

In addition to his rugby union career, Folau has also played professional rugby league and Australian rules football.

In April, Australian rugby league's governing body ruled out Folau returning to the NRL.

In naming a 42-man training squad for the World Cup on Tuesday Gregor Townsend officially launched squad-picking season.

Squad-picking is a pursuit that will inflict many in the coming months. The stricken find themselves incapable of getting through a day without scribbling down the names of the 31 men they think will board the plane for Japan before starting an argument in their own head and ripping up their list and starting again.

It's a Groundhog Day for geeks, with this scribbler firmly in the ranks. Surveys suggest that each victim gets through hundreds of different versions of the squad before they eventually come out of their trance-like state.

Townsend is the only one who has to do it for real and that process has now started. The provisional squad has been named with room for two more - a lock (Richie Gray would be the favourite) and, most probably, a wing (Lee Jones may be the one in the frame if he can prove his fitness).

The 44 will be whittled down to 31, which will take some doing. It's fair to say that of all of Scotland's World Cup squads since the tournament began back in 1987, this one demands more debate than any other and, as a consequence, will be the toughest of all to pick.

How does the numbers game add up?

A natural starting point in all of this is whether Townsend intends to go with a split of 18 forwards and 13 backs or, as Vern Cotter did four years ago, 17 forwards and 14 backs. The former would give him the option of an extra prop or an extra back-five player in the pack at the expense, perhaps, of a wing.

If Townsend knows which way he's going to go then he's not letting on. In reality, he must be open-minded. There's a long way to go, but right now, there's arguably 26 guys who can be considered close to certainties barring any mishap between now and 3 September, the day of Townsend's announcement.

That still leaves a lot of talking points. Jamie Bhatti and Gordon Reid are in a fight to be the fifth prop. With Jonny Gray and Grant Gilchrist virtually on the plane there will be one more out-and-out second row chosen (Gray senior and Ben Toolis are in competition there) with a fourth man picked as a second-row with the capacity to cover back-row. Four years ago that job fell to Tim Swinson. The 2019 version looks like Sam Skinner.

The back-row is where the main conundrums exist. John Barclay, Hamish Watson and Ryan Wilson will travel, but that only leaves two, possibly three, more slots, depending on how Townsend wants to cut it.

If it's only two positions up for grabs you have Jamie Ritchie, Magnus Bradbury, Blade Thomson, Josh Strauss, Gary Graham and Matt Fagerson competing for them. Thomson is the unknown at Test level. The Scarlet is only now making his comeback following a prolonged period out with concussion. He's got the game to force his way in. Ritchie was outstanding in the Six Nations. Strauss has the grunt. Fagerson is fast improving. Graham is the outsider of the lot, but he has a belligerence about him that gives him a chance of causing a surprise.

That's a decent set of options for Townsend. At half-back, things are straightforward. Duncan Weir is playing the best stuff of his life with Worcester but he needs an injury to Finn Russell or Adam Hastings to make it. The only question at nine will be on match day. Does Greig Laidlaw start ahead of Ali Price? If not, does the captaincy revert to Stuart McInally or Barclay? George Horne will be in Japan as the third nine with the livewire capability of pushing the other two all the way.

Tinker with Taylor?

Townsend listed nine centres that have not made his squad. That's an illustration of how brutal the selection was and will be again when he has to reduce the numbers further. Duncan Taylor hasn't played rugby all season and hasn't worn the Scotland jersey for almost two years because of a catalogue of injuries. If he didn't have bad luck he'd have no luck at all.

You might call him the forgotten man, but Townsend hasn't forgotten. Taylor, fit and firing, is massively important to the coach - and Townsend makes no secret of that. Taylor can play 12, 13, on the wing and at full-back. He's the very definition of versatility and his presence would mean that Townsend can play around with his numbers knowing that he has a guy who can don most jerseys in the backline and deliver in each one.

Of all the intriguing questions the one of most significance and spin-off impact surrounds Taylor and his attempted journey back to rugby. He returns to light training this week. Those opening warm-up games in August will be the making or breaking of him.

Sam Johnson has to be a shoo-in. Huw Jones, too. If Taylor makes it, there will be a maximum of one more centre with a battalion of contenders. Pete Horne, Nick Grigg and Chris Harris are firm favourites of the coach, but Northampton's Rory Hutchinson has the appearance of a bolter every time you see him. This is not going to be easy.

Four wings made it in 2015. Four might make it again, but this is where the Taylor Factor comes into play again. If Taylor travels then Townsend might get away with picking just three wings while adding another forward. Darcy Graham has shot himself into the must-pick category. Sean Maitland and Tommy Seymour are the other two. Both can play 15 if pushed. Blair Kinghorn ought to make it, but he's by no means a banker for inclusion.

In the selection process the more that Townsend's brain is fried the better. The wider squad assembles next month. In the relative blink of an eye 31 of them will be in Japan.

Of the five nominees for European player of the year, two of them - props Mako Vunipola and Tadhg Furlong - are widely thought to be the best in the world in their positions.

Another two - the Ireland hooker Sean Cronin and centre Garry Ringrose - are also established current internationals, and destined to feature in the upcoming Rugby World Cup.

The one anomaly in the quintet is Saracens full-back Alex Goode, last capped by England back in 2016, and repeatedly considered surplus to requirements by current national team boss Eddie Jones.

Unlike former English winners of the award in Nick Abendanon (2015), Steffon Armitage (2014) and Jonny Wilkinson (2013) - who were all playing in France at the time - Goode is eligible for England selection. He just isn't being picked.

"He continues to knock out big performances, all the time," Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall says.

"Especially in the big games he has been sensational. He's been such an important player for Saracens over the last 10 years."

So with that in mind, if someone fresh to the game witnessed one of Goode's performances, and then found out he was in international exile, surely they would be staggered?

"I think so," adds McCall.

"He's certainly played well enough to deserve [England selection], but that is someone else's choice.

"It is [Eddie Jones'] prerogative.

"But if you are going to pick players based on performance - especially in bigger matches, rather than run-of-the-mill Premiership matches - and every time there has been a semi-final or final he produces the goods, then he does have a big-match temperament."

A trip to the Saracens training base a matter of days away from their huge Champions Cup final against Leinster leaves you in no doubt how highly Goode is valued by his club, if not his country.

"His ability to read the game is second to none, and I have never seen a guy make so many breaks with a brick wall in front of him," adds scrum-half Ben Spencer.

"His nickname is 'The Spider', because his legs deceive everyone and he makes breaks everywhere - I don't know how he does it.

"He's a brilliant player, and has been phenomenal for us for years now. Hopefully he can bring a bit of magic on Saturday."

At 5'11" and around 90 kgs, Goode is not the biggest or the strongest, nor can he be labelled an out-and-out speedster in the Anthony Watson or Elliot Daly mould.

It is thought his pace, or lack of it, has counted against him in the eyes of the England head coach.

But according to McCall, Goode has made constant developments in those areas, combining a physical improvement with an innate skill and understanding of the game.

As well as excelling at full-back, Goode has also played fly-half regularly this season, and pulled the strings with class in the European quarter-final thrashing of Glasgow.

"He sees the game very clearly, and sees the game early," explains McCall.

"He is two steps ahead of most people and he anticipates things but he has also worked really hard physically, and I think he is quicker than he has ever been.

"There was a criticism of him five or six years ago that he doesn't have out-and-out wheels - and maybe he doesn't compared to the speedsters in the Premiership - but he is quick, and his hunger to get better in those areas has really paid dividends."

Goode himself says he has "kept pushing his speed and strength", but does he think he is a better player than the one that made his England debut in 2012, or the one that made a solitary appearance under Jones in 2016, the last of his 21 international caps?

"I don't think I was a bad player then, but you learn from experiences and try and layer on different areas of the game," he says.

"I would like to think I am constantly trying to improve, so maybe I have got better."

With a place in Jones' World Cup squad looking highly unlikely at this stage, Goode is philosophical about his England snub, preferring to focus on his achievements at Saracens, where he has played all his career.

Saturday's final in Newcastle will be an eighth final out of a possible eleven for Premiership champions.

"I would obviously love to play for England, and it was an amazing feeling running out for your country," he reflects.

"But I have been here for 13 years and I love representing the club. It is a pretty special place."

And while he says it is "lovely" to be in the mix to be named the best player in Europe, Goode insists the respect of his team-mates is what matters most.

Regaining the European title from an outstanding Leinster outfit would also eclipse any personal triumph.

"I would bite your hand off to get a victory over the weekend over any individual accolade - that has always been the way at Saracens," he says.

"When you start playing in finals, you are nervous a few weeks out but you learn to relish them and enjoy them.

"You are playing in front of a packed crowd, against the best players in the world, and really testing yourself with your best mates.

"You have got to enjoy that."

CONCORD, N.C. — After rain spoiled recent events at Jacksonville Speedway and Tri-State Speedway, the two races have found new dates this season on the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series schedule.

Jacksonville (Ill.) Speedway has been rescheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 25. The event will start as an entirely new show. Tri-State Speedway, in Haubstadt, Ind., has been rescheduled for Sunday, Oct. 13.

“We’re pleased we were able to work with the track promoters to find new dates for these events in the busy World of Outlaws schedule,” said Carlton Reimers, World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series Director. “We’re not alone this year in dealing with Mother Nature, but we thank our tracks, competitors and fans for keeping a positive outlook.”

Fans who attended the canceled Jacksonville Speedway race should continue to hold on to their wristband and tickets from the event. Also, Aaron Reutzel’s Qualifying time of 10.028 seconds set at Jacksonville Speedway before the event was rained out will stand as the track record.

Patrick Maroon's goal at 5:50 of the second overtime pushed the St. Louis Blues past the Dallas Stars -- and into the Western Conference finals -- with a historic 2-1 win in Game 7 of their second-round series Tuesday night in St. Louis.

It was the third series this postseason to go to a Game 7 overtime, marking the first time that has happened in Stanley Cup playoffs history.

Vince Dunn gave the Blues a 1-0 lead at 13:30 of the first period. Stars winger Mats Zuccarello tied it with an unassisted goal just 2:25 later.

That the teams went so long without scoring can be attributed to Dallas goalie Ben Bishop's stellar play at one end and his team's ineffective offense at the other end (just four shots on goal in the second and third periods combined). The Blues peppered Bishop with 54 shots in the game, making him just the fifth goalie in history to face 50 or more shots in a Game 7.

Both Carolina and San Jose advanced in the first round by winning a Game 7 in overtime, the Hurricanes over the Washington Capitals and the Sharks over the Vegas Golden Knights.

The Hurricanes swept the New York Islanders in the second round to move on to the Eastern Conference finals against the Boston Bruins, starting Thursday night in Boston. The Sharks will be looking for more Game 7 magic when they play host to the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday night.

As each NHL team is eliminated from the postseason, we'll take a look at why its quest for the Stanley Cup fell short in 2018-19, three keys to its offseason, and impact prospects for 2019-20, concluding by offering a way-too-early prediction for what next season will hold.

What went wrong

Perhaps the Dallas Stars' biggest problem this season was their inability to score goals. They scored the third-fewest goals in the league (2.55 per game), as only the hapless Kings and Ducks were worse. That mostly wasn't an issue in the playoffs, as they scored 35 through 13 games (2.69 per game) and saw breakout performances from secondary scorers like Roope Hintz (five goals) and Jason Dickinson (three). Trade deadline acquisition Mats Zuccarello provided the offensive spark that the Stars were looking for too, with 10 points in the playoffs.

Dallas made it all the way to a Game 7 of the second round series, which to be honest, was probably a fair preseason expectation for this team. The team was adjusting to its third coach in as many years, and there were going to be growing pains to a different style. It even occurred during the season; the team wanted to have a quick, aggressive offense, but they turned into a methodical defensive team. It didn't help that superstars Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin didn't get off to the best start -- which we heard about, unfortunately, in a profanity-filled rant by the team's CEO around Christmastime. Seguin especially picked things up as the season went on, and the team certainly looked like it had found its stride during the first-round win over the Nashville Predators.

Stars coach Jim Montgomery is a big "process" guy, and shortly after he was hired, ESPN asked the former college coach what would be a success in Year 1. "Success is going to be having the right energy and people believing in the process that we're going to instill." Montgomery said last May. "We're going to have a team identity, and success is going to be the players understanding and valuing that process like I do. If that happens, making the playoffs and everything else is going to come with it."

What's better than a Game 7? A Game 7 decided in overtime. What's better than that? What the St. Louis Blues did on Tuesday: defeating the Dallas Stars in double overtime for an improbable berth in the Western Conference finals, and doing so off the stick of St. Louis area native Patrick Maroon, no less.

Here's a recap of last night's action (check out replays of every playoff game on ESPN+) and what to watch for tonight, in today's edition of ESPN Stanley Cup Playoffs Daily:

Jump ahead: Last night's game | Three stars
Play of the night | Today's game | Social post of the day

About last night ...

Game 7: St. Louis Blues 2, Dallas Stars 1 (2OT) (Blues win the series 4-3)

Much has been said about the Blues' incredible turnaround, going from last place at the start of January to ... here. We now have two teams in the conference finals that were 300-1 (Blues) and 100-1 (Hurricanes) to win the Stanley Cup at points during the regular season. With his team stalled offensively, Stars goaltender Ben Bishop needed to stand on his head, and he did up until the bitter end. Through two periods, the Blues had 52 shot attempts to the Stars' 22.

Since neither team could break through, this one needed to be decided in double overtime, and Patrick Maroon played the part of hometown hero. This is the third Game 7 in these playoffs to be determined in overtime, which is now an NHL record.

Three stars

1. Patrick Maroon, LW, St. Louis Blues. Prior to Maroon, the only previous player to score an OT winner in a Game 7 in or near his hometown was Yvon Lambert in 1979 (Montreal vs. Boston). Lambert was born in Drummondville, Quebec, close to Montreal.

2. Ben Bishop, G, Dallas Stars. One of the biggest reasons this game got to double overtime? The Stars goalie. He was spectacular, making 52 saves. It felt like nobody was going to beat Bishop on Tuesday.

3. Robert Thomas, RW, St. Louis Blues. Two assists and an overall sensational night from the 19-year-old, who became the first teenager with multiple points in a Game 7 since the Canucks' Trevor Linden on April 15, 1989 vs. Calgary.

Play of the night

Now this is how you draw a penalty.

Robert Thomas is unreal with the puck, and his ability to keep it just led Dallas to take a penalty out of desperation. #stlblues pic.twitter.com/WTXwaGSIEm

- St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) May 8, 2019

Dud of the night

The Dallas Stars were an offensively challenged team in the regular season who seemed to fix their woes in the playoffs. They reverted to old ways Tuesday night.

The Stars tied the game with 4:05 left in the first period. Since then the shots are 25-2 for the Blues.

- Dimitri Filipovic (@DimFilipovic) May 8, 2019

On the schedule

Colorado Avalanche at San Jose Sharks, Game 7, 9 p.m. ET (series tied 3-3)

All signs point to Sharks captain Joe Pavelski returning for Game 7. That's huge for San Jose, which has been without him for the whole series following his injury in Game 7 of the first round. They've compensated with a strong bounce-back goaltending performance from Martin Jones. Colorado, which has arrived ahead of schedule, can make its first Western Conference finals since 2002 .The Avalanche's top line hasn't totally been on the past few games, and the team will look to them for a big Game 7; Nathan MacKinnon feels particularly due for another big moment.

Social post of the day

Patrick Maroon's son after his father scored the OT winner.

I'm not crying, you are. pic.twitter.com/wf8zE8aHv0

- Leah Kessel (@leahflame) May 8, 2019

Maroon took less money and term to sign with his hometown team this summer, and be with his son more often.

Quotable

"That's kinda been the story of the season. When our backs are against the wall we play our best and find a way to fight through it." -- Blues winger Robert Thomas.