I Dig Sports
Teenager Andreeva 'runs like rabbit' to stun Sabalenka
Teenager Mirra Andreeva underlined her growing reputation as the hottest emerging talent on the WTA Tour by shocking world number one Aryna Sabalenka to win the Indian Wells title.
Russia's Andreeva, 17, produced a composed and clinical performance to fight back for a 2-6 6-4 6-3 victory.
It is her second successive title - and back-to-back victories at WTA 1,000 level - after triumphing in Dubai at the end of February.
Speaking to the Indian Wells crowd during the trophy presentation, a laughing Andreeva said: "I'd like to thank myself - for fighting until the end, for always believing and for never quitting.
"I tried to run like a rabbit because Aryna was sending bullets [across the net] and it was hard."
Andreeva is the youngest champion in WTA history at this level - the highest tier of events below the four Grand Slam tournaments - and extended her winning streak to 12 matches by beating Belarusian three-time major champion Sabalenka.
On Monday, Andreeva will rise to a career high of sixth in the world rankings.
Andreeva has been tipped as a potential superstar ever since bursting on the scene as a 15-year-old at the 2023 Madrid Open.
Former British number one Andy Murray was impressed enough to text a good luck message on her Grand Slam debut at the following year's French Open, while several former major champions, including Andy Roddick and Martina Navratilova, have been among many predicting she will be a future world number one.
"Andreeva is playing well above her years," said Navratilova, who was analysing the final for Sky Sports on Sunday.
Just as he did during the semi-final win over two-time defending champion Alcaraz, Draper made a fast start which sapped his opponent's confidence.
The Briton showcased the accurate serving which had been the bedrock of his run to the final, as well as regularly putting a tense Rune's first serve back into play - and hit ripping winners from the baseline.
Two breaks of Rune's serve were backed up with rapid holds to keep piling on pressure, with a 4-0 lead quickly turning into a 5-1 advantage.
Draper did not lose a first-serve point until the game where he closed out the opening set.
The manner of his dominance led to a ruffled Rune going off court for a mental reset - despite having only been playing for 29 minutes.
Draper pounced for another break at the start of the second set, maintaining his lead by continuing to bully Rune with deep forehand returns.
Even regular dialogue with his team could not help get the increasingly animated Rune back on track.
A poor service game handed Draper the cushion of a double break at 5-2 and the chance to serve out for the title.
Draper had wobbled when trying to see out victories against third seed Taylor Fritz in the quarter-finals and four-time major champion Alcaraz in the last four.
But there was no sign of anxiety when serving out for the championship - another indicator of Draper now truly believing he belongs among the very best.
"I think the new experiences, and new emotions, got the better of me against Carlos," he said.
"Turning around that third set massively helped my confidence."
Following the England debacle, it was left to interim head coach Matt Sherratt to say there needs to be a Welsh rugby reset and change to the foundations of the game.
There have been no public comments following another disastrous Six Nations campaign yet from chief executive Abi Tierney or chair Richard Collier-Keywood.
Former Wales captain Sam Warbuton believes the governing body need to be more vocal and transparent to supporters.
"The key stakeholder in the WRU is the fans, who are paying 100 a ticket to come here," Warburton told the BBC.
"I think they deserve to know. As a company, I think it's really good to get buy-in from the fans and say 'look, this is our mission, this is what we want to do, this is our one, three, five-year plan, this is what we want to achieve'. I think people have the right to do that.
"People are losing faith now but they'll lose faith even quicker if there is radio silence.
"If they just come out and say what the plan is you want to get the public onside."
Warburton added: "The reason Welsh rugby survives is because we can fill out 75,000 here [at the Principality Stadium] and all that money filters down into the pro teams, into age-grade, into grassroots.
"Without the internationals and the fans coming, there's not much of a game in Wales, so you've got to keep fans onside."
England debutant Henry Pollock predicted he would score his first Test try on the wing and even rehearsed his celebration the night before, says club-mate Tommy Freeman.
Pollock, 20, came off the bench to score two late tries against Wales on Saturday - adding gloss to England's thumping 68-14 Six Nations win in Cardiff.
The Northampton Saints back row became England men's youngest Six Nations try-scorer, beating Henry Arundell's previous record by 36 days, after latching on to George Ford's pass to open his account out wide.
Pollock's meteoric rise - from winning the Under-20 World Cup with England last summer to breaking through at Northampton and making a Test debut - has come as no surprise to Saints team-mate Freeman.
"He is unbelievable," said Freeman, who made history of his own by becoming the first England player to score a try in every game of a Six Nations campaign.
"I don't want to big him up too much, but honestly, he brings energy like you have never seen before for a 20-year-old.
"I remember my first game I was shaking in the corner, all nervous. But this guy, nothing fazes him.
"I remember [Friday] night as well. He was in my room telling me he was going to get his first try on the wing - and then he gets it.
"He was doing the try celebrations as well in the room, showed me what he was going to do.
"But that is the type of guy he is, and fair play to him, he backs it up and he has got a big career ahead of him.
"That kid is pretty, pretty special, and he will continue to be, I am sure."
Gloucester-Hartpury: Sing; Venner, H Jones, Heard, Hendy; George, Hunt; Perry, N Jones, Muir, Beckett, Aldcroft, Williams, Lewis, Matthews.
Replacements: Boag, Carson, Buggy, Else, Brock, Davies, Green, Lund.
Sin-bin: Hunt (15), Matthews (52).
Saracens: Breach; Corrigan, Hardy, Bridger, Sharp; Harrison, Wyrwas; Gondwe, Campbell, Clifford, Galligan, Evans, Senft, Packer, P Cleall.
Replacements: Field, Hunt, Tremelling, B Cleall, McMillan, Sellors, McKellon, Gregson.
Referee: Joe James
Townsend optimistic on future but is it 'time for change'?
"I don't like saying this, but I genuinely think it's a time for a change at the top end," Wright told the BBC's Scotland Rugby Podcast.
"Gregor's been here a long time and he's changed and he's made the team play some great, exciting rugby.
"But ultimately he's not had any real success in the Six Nations or the World Cups - out twice before the knockout stages, although we've had two really tough groups.
"It's one thing about changing the style and being exciting and good to watch, but ultimately we want to try and be competing at the top end.
"Are we delusional to think that we're actually good enough to compete at the top end? I would say with this group of players, we should be.
"I think Gregor's a really good coach, and I think the guys he's got round about him are good guys, but maybe it's just a new voice that's needed."
'I have not seen that complete an England performance for years'
Defensively, England put nobody in the rucks and they were actively backing away from competing for the ball.
They just had a white wall and basically said to Wales, 'we are backing our one-on-one defence with our physicality and you will not break us down'.
The number of times they went for a turnover and completed it was very high compared to wasting energy trying to compete at every breakdown.
Wales were expelling loads of energy and England were inviting them to keep coming.
It was a classic Muhammed Ali rope-a-dope. England were patiently absorbing it all and waiting for Wales to make a mistake before nicking the ball.
Wales didn't have the ability to change their game plan and they were just getting isolated. They didn't try and pick and go through the middle, and they punched themselves out.
There were about 10 or 12 minutes when England were 14-0 up and Wales scored a try and had one disallowed, but Maro Itoje and the leaders gave each other a bit of a telling-off and, from then on, they were pretty much faultless and went back to being patient.
The intensity, the ruck speed, the handling, the decision-making about when to pick and go and when to find the overlaps were all executed to a high level. Some of the moves in the short lineout were also playing to the strengths and the speed of the back row.
You knew with 10 minutes to go that Wales were not going to be able to put one foot in front of the other. They gave everything and didn't make many mistakes, but they just didn't have the personnel.
It was the best England performance of the Borthwick era by a mile and it could mean a few more of their players go on the British and Irish Lions tour to Australia this summer.
Look at what that did for the Welsh lads that went down under in 2013. It gave them enormous confidence for the rest of their careers.
There is no reason why the England players involved can't do that, which could influence the team for years to come.
CONCORD, N.C. The Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series presented by Toyota will awake from hibernation as a new year of racing approaches in April.
Featuring 27 races through six states at 18 different tracks, the 2025 season is set to bring a new energy to dirt Midget racing.
Series veterans and promising rookies will make up the grid when the first race for the Series title and Xtreme Outlaw-POWRi Challenge Series championship commences at Farmer City Raceway during the Illini 100 weekend.
Take a look at whats coming up:
Farmer City Raceway | World of Outlaws Illini 100 (April 10-12)
For the first time in series history, Farmer City Raceway will host the season-opening event.
The World of Outlaws Illini 100 weekend will bring double the excitement with the Xtreme Outlaw Midgets joining the World of Outlaws Late Models for the second straight year.
The opening weekend also marks the start of the 10-race Xtreme Outlaw-POWRi Challenge Series, which runs through Farmer City, Coles County Speedway (May 30-31), Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 for both the Pevely Summer Nationals Shootout (June 20-21) and Ironman 55 (Aug. 1-2), and the finale weekend at Doe Run Raceway (Sept. 5) and Highland Speedway (Sept. 6).
The miniseries boasts a $5,000 points fund for the top-five in points, with $2,500 going to the champion, $1,250 to second, $600 for third, $400 for fourth and $250 to fifth.
The action begins on Thursday, April 10, with open practice for the Midgets and Late Models. Friday then brings the first feature of the 2025, paying a $4,000 top prize. Saturday nights finale brings a 30-lap Feature and $5,000 payday to the 2025 Illini 100 Xtreme Outlaw Midget champion.
Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports swept the Midgets inaugural trip to Farmer City Raceway last year with Oklahoma City, Okla.s Ryan Timms winning on Friday night and Medford, Ore.s Ashton Torgerson winning Saturday nights finale.
BUTTONWILLOW, Calif. The Trans Am Series presented by Pirellis first-ever race at Buttonwillow Raceway Park was exciting from start to finish, with tight racing and close finishes in both the new TA Cup class and the CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series.
TA Cup competitor John Moore earned his first-career Trans Am victory by a margin of just 0.277 seconds over Ken Sutherland for the overall race win, while 2023 CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series Western Championship title winner Brody Goble beat Mia Lovell in her first start in the Western Championship.
TA Cup
Moore in the No. 27 JM Environmental Ford Mustang led from start to finish in the debut of the TA Cup class in the Western Championship, but even after 75 minutes of competition, the race to the checkered flag was a tight one.
Moore started the race from the first position in class after claiming the pole in yesterdays qualifying session, with Ken Sutherland (No. 85 Kallberg Racing Dodge Challenger) next to him on the front row. When the green flag waved, Moore smoothly took the lead, with Sutherland falling into line in second. Michelle Nagai (No. 72 Nagai Racing/Berkeley Jet Drive Chevrolet Camaro) started third, but immediately dropped to the back with a mechanical issue, which she fought throughout the race with repeated trips to pit lane. Ken Thwaits (No. 9 Franklin Road Chevrolet Camaro) took over the third position, followed by Chris Evans in the No. 92 Central Welding Supply/Pinnacle Alloys Ford Mustang.
Making his first start in the Trans Am Series, Derek Thorn started last in the class after missing practice and qualifying due to commitments at Kern Raceway with his CARS Tour West program, but his No. 08 DTR Marketing/Power Grade/PJR/CEI Ford Mustang showed incredible speed, and by lap seven, he worked his way up to third place.
The top three ran close together, and although TA Cup started behind the CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series in a split start, as the laps clicked on, they knifed their way through TA2 competitors. When the days only full-course caution was called on lap 21, Moore, Sutherland and Thorn were running third through fifth overall.
When racing resumed on lap 29, it only took one lap for the top-three TA Cup cars to take the overall lead. In the eight green-flag laps to the finish, Moore pulled out to a slight lead over Sutherland and Thorn, but on the final lap, the trio closed back up. Sutherland was able to make the pass on Moore for the lead, but he spun the tires coming out of the front straight, allowing Moore to drive back by. Moore crossed the finish line first with just a 0.277-second advantage over Sutherland, with Thorn less than a tenth of a second behind. Thwaits crossed the finish line fourth, with Nagai finishing fifth.
Ill do the formalities first because without Chris Evans, Jeff Jefferson and Jerry Pitts, I wouldnt be doing this, said Moore from atop the podium. That being said, this was the most fun Ive ever had in a racecar, period. I mean, Ive driven a lot of racecars, and Im telling you, its so fun to be part of this Trans Am group. Ive got my son, [TA2 competitor] Cole [Moore], here. We had some great moments in practice.
Top of the board in TA Cup, top of the board in TA2, father and son. I couldnt ask for more. I cant wait to carry on with the season.
TA2
Goble returned to the CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series for the first time since winning the title in 2023, picking up right where he left off. After qualifying fastest in class, he led the field to green in his No. 69 Brown Bros Ford Lincoln Ford Mustang.
Goble took off with the lead, but second-place starter Mia Lovell in the No. 40 Nitro Motorsports Ford Mustang was never far behind. Barry Boes (No. 32 Accio Data/TRB Autosport Ford Mustang) started third, but was having brake issues for the first several laps, allowing Stein Frederic Akre (No. 98 Team Trysil.com Chevrolet Camaro) and Tim Carroll (No. 46 CRDMFG.com Chevrolet Camaro) to get around him on the first lap. Boes dropped even farther back by lap four, with last years champion Michael LaPaglia (No. 31 Papinis Garage/F.A.S.T. Auto/Howe Ford Mustang) and Kyle Kelley (No. 80 UPR.com/PKK Motorsports Ford Mustang) also making their way around.
Goble and Lovell pulled away from the top five, opening up a gap over the rest of the field. Behind them, several competitors started to experience problems. Akre went off track on lap five, and LaPaglia came to pit lane with an issue. As the race continued on, Carroll, Kelley and Boes were running tight together in third, fourth and fifth, with only a second between them. On lap 21, Kelley went off the track and got stuck in mud, resulting in a full-course caution.
When green-flag racing resumed, the top three fought for position. Carroll took the lead, but it was determined that he jumped the start, resulting in a pass-through penalty. Lovell passed Goble, taking the lead one lap later when Carroll left the race to serve his penalty, but Goble fought back, reclaiming the point position on lap 33. As the laps wound down, the top three settled in. Behind them, Cole Moore (No. 99 Moore Motorsport/JM Environmental Ford Mustang) and Caleb Shrader (No. 66 DIG Motorsports Ford Mustang) had entered the top five, fighting for position. Moore held the fourth position until the final lap, when he was passed by Shrader. When the checkered flag waved, Goble earned the victory, followed by Lovell and Boes. Shrader finished fourth, and Moore closed out the top five.
First of all, its great to be back; It was 2023 when I did my last race in the Trans Am Series, said Goble from Victory Lane. I ended up selling my car; we had our first child last year. I watched it from the sidelines, so its so awesome to be back here and see my extended family in the pits. I had a hard look in the offseason. I knew we could buy any car we wanted to buy, and at the end of the day, I bought another TA2 car. Im super excited to be here again, and it was a great weekend. This is a new car to us, its an M1 car. Scott [Lagasse] is helping us out with our Brown Bros. Racing team.
I was just trying to learn a new chassis and figure it all out. The first half of the race was going to plan. We were obviously watching what Mia [Lovell] was doing, and that was obviously the one to beat. We just managed the car and the gap, but I was hustling for all I had in that first half, and shes sitting right with me, too. With the big caution there, we had to restart, and then kind of got jumbled up a bit. It was probably the best thing that could happen because its really good practice for three of us thatll be racing in the National Championship in a little bit here. We got that hard, wheel-to-wheel clean racing, but definitely hard-fought racing too. We went back and forth a couple times, and that was kind of fun. It all worked out in the end. Again, Im super excited to be back.
Pit strategy nearly made for a breakthrough victory for Daniel Suárez and Trackhouse Racing on Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
After a pit stop by the No. 99 Chevrolet team got Suárez out front, the veteran driver restarted on the front row with 20 laps to go.
While he was able to hang on for a handful of laps, the powerful drive by Josh Berry proved to be too much to hold back as Suárez was unable to hold off the No. 21 Ford.
Suárez would be forced to settle for second, his best finish of the season.
Definitely a little disappointed, but first of all, congratulations to Josh Berry and the No. 21 team, Suárez said. They did a great job and theyve been fast. The No. 99 Freeway Insurance Chevy team did everything right. The pit crew did an amazing job with the pit stops. We did everything right with the strategy.
Our Chevy was fast, but we just struggled a little bit on the short runs. I mentioned to my crew chief before the last run, I told him that if were going to be up front, were going to need a better car for the short run. I was having too much contact over there in (turns) one and two. Unfortunately, I think thats why we lost the race. We just had a little bit too much contact. I almost wrecked in (turns) one and two.
Despite not having the short-run speed to contend for a victory, Suárez believes the teams showing at Las Vegas could be a sign of things to come as they look to continue improving.
Prior to the Pennzoil 400 presented by Jiffy Lube, the teams best finish was 13th at the season-opening Daytona 500 at Daytona (Fla.) Intl Speedway.
But overall, just very, very proud of everyone at Trackhouse Racing, Suárez said. The entire organization has been working very hard and its showing.
Thank you to Chevrolet, Freeway Insurance, Coca-Cola, Quaker State all of our partners that help us to get to the track every weekend. It was a solid effort.
Phone: (800) 737. 6040
Fax: (800) 825 5558
Website: 
Email: 
