DAYS AFTER THE Minnesota Timberwolves made a core-altering blockbuster trade, Anthony Edwards sensed that his new co-star was concerned about stepping on toes.

It was just a training camp scrimmage, but Julius Randle looked more like a hesitant rookie than a veteran with a decade of experience and a few All-Star appearances on his résumé.

There were instantly questions about fit when the Timberwolves, coming off a Western Conference finals appearance, replaced sweet-shooting 7-foot franchise cornerstone Karl-Anthony Towns in the starting lineup with a ball-dominant power forward. Edwards attempted to ease any pressure Randle felt as he adjusted to his new team, along with guard Donte DiVincenzo and the Detroit Pistons' protected first-round pick in the deal that sent Towns to the New York Knicks.

"Make us fit around you," Edwards told Randle during the scrimmage, encouraging his new teammate to play with the same level of aggressiveness he displayed while averaging 23.0 points per game during his five-year Knicks tenure. "Don't try to fit around us."

It was a pleasant thought, but the process hasn't been nearly so simple. For the second time in three seasons, the Timberwolves have struggled to form chemistry on the fly in the wake of a major trade.

"It's an adjustment, but we want to be winning games while we're figuring it out," Randle told ESPN. "We show phases of being able to do that."

Meanwhile, Towns has made a smooth adjustment in New York. He's in the midst of a career year, averaging an efficient 25.4 points and 13.9 rebounds for the 27-15 Knicks as Randle and the Timberwolves make their annual visit to Randle's old home of Madison Square Garden on Friday night. Towns, however, is questionable against his former team after suffering a bone chip and sprain in his thumb in last Monday's game.

After the 2022 offseason acquisition of Rudy Gobert, it took a full season for Minnesota to figure out the center, a dominant defensive anchor whose offensive limitations create spacing challenges.

It hasn't been any easier for the 21-19 Timberwolves to incorporate Randle, in particular, during what has been a frustrating first half of the season.

"No doubt about it, it's been definitely a work in progress," Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said. "Having a chemistry with Rudy is one piece all to itself. How do we [handle] that spacing when neither of 'em have the ball, spacing when one of 'em has the ball? Now we're trying to put them in actions together a little bit more. So that's kind of going to take some time.

"We've seen that with KAT in our first year and also in [Randle] establishing a chemistry with Ant as well and how to get those guys to use each other to their best benefit. And it's not been seamless, to be honest with you. And sometimes when the three of 'em are on the floor, it's been really clunky.

"But we feel like we're getting somewhere finally."

But there have been plenty of potholes on the road.

WITH FIVE MINUTES remaining in a tied November game, Randle dribbled the ball above the arc while sizing up Toronto Raptors center Jakob Poeltl, planning to attack a perceived mismatch. But Gobert had intentions to take advantage of his mismatch, fighting for a deep seal on 6-8 forward Scottie Barnes, pinning the smaller defender on his back under the basket and raising his right hand up high to demand the ball.

Randle tilted his head to the left in an attempt to subtly send a message for Gobert to get out of the paint. Gobert didn't budge, locking eyes with Randle, who took a couple more dribbles before using his right hand to wave off the big man.

Gobert begrudgingly accepted that Randle wouldn't be passing him the ball. He slumped his shoulders and shook his head as he slowly shuffled out of the lane. Too slowly.

As Randle began to penetrate, the whistle blew. Gobert got called for a three-second violation.

Randle and Gobert avoided eye contact as they walked to the other end of the floor. With palms raised, Edwards confronted the big man, upset that Gobert's silent protest caused a turnover on a critical possession.

Gobert then committed an obvious foul by hip-checking Barnes away from the ball, giving the Raptors two free throws and the lead for good.

It was an extraordinarily public and costly display of painfully awkward chemistry.

"No matter the reason, my reaction was not the reaction of a leader, so I apologized for that," Gobert told ESPN later. "You lose one of your top players and you bring some other very good players and things don't happen overnight. It comes with putting the work in every day and the belief in one another and the belief in who we are.

"All these things, that's called chemistry, and a lot of it you only figure it out while you're going through some mistakes."

During all these mistakes, could the fallout have forced lines of communication to finally open?

"Nah, we just move past it," Randle told ESPN. "Things happen as a team, as teammates. You talk about it, you address it and we just move past it."

Minnesota didn't move past it with much immediate grace. The loss to the Raptors started a four-game skid that culminated with the Timberwolves blowing a double-digit lead in the final seven minutes of a 115-104 home loss to the Sacramento Kings.

"Whatcha wanna know?" Edwards asked the scrum of reporters hovering around his Target Center locker on that Nov. 27 night. "Why we trash?"

After seven losses in a nine-game span, Edwards made it abundantly clear that the good vibes were long gone from last season's 56-win campaign and conference finals run, labeling the Timberwolves as "front-runners" who were "growing away from each other."

Edwards insisted the issues weren't caused solely by adding two core players, Randle and DiVincenzo, just before training camp opened. According to the face of the franchise, the accountability for the problems reached all corners of the locker room.

"Sometimes it's tough because like looking at everybody, and everybody got a different agenda," Edwards told reporters. "It's like, what the f--- am I supposed to say? I'm trying to get better in that aspect to figure out what the hell to say to get everybody on the same agenda because everybody right now is on different agendas.

It wasn't necessarily surprising that the Timberwolves sputtered offensively after trading their second-leading scorer late in the offseason. After all, Minnesota was mediocre on that end last season with Towns in the mix, finishing 17th in offensive efficiency, same as this season.

But the defensive slippage is what really bothered Edwards, which he attributed to a lack of communication and often ignoring the game plan. The Timberwolves defense was the foundation for their success last season, and this season Minnesota had been merely average on that end.

"We thought defense was our identity, and it's not looking like that," Edwards said that night, when the Timberwolves fell to 8-10. "Our identity right now, me and Mike [Conley] was talking about it, I think is we soft as hell as a team, internally.

"Not to the other team, but like internally we soft, like we can't talk to each other. Just a bunch of little kids, just like we playing with a bunch of little kids. Like everybody, like the whole team, we just can't talk to each other and we gotta figure it out, man, because we can't go down this road."

Edwards didn't express anything in the interview that the Timberwolves hadn't discussed behind closed doors.

"We've talked about this many times, but let's put words into actions," Gobert said. "Everything that he was saying was right. We knew that we were a defensive team, but we weren't having that approach consistently, especially at the start of games. So it was great to hear him say that. "

Minnesota responded by winning six of the next seven games. The Timberwolves held their opponents under triple digits in each of those victories, proving that last season's defensive blueprint still worked.

If only Minnesota could sustain it. The Timberwolves' three-week run was embarrassingly interrupted when the Knicks cruised to a 133-107 win during Towns' 32-point, 20-rebound return to Minnesota on Dec. 15, the start of a three-game losing streak.

"Sometimes we let our offense dictate our defense and we just can't do that." Edwards said later. "We are a defensive team."

"One thing we really realized is that when we move the ball and when we play within our flow, whether we make shots or not, we're more connected," Gobert said. "Then it really impacts our defense."

BALL MOVEMENT, or lack thereof, has been a frequent topic during Timberwolves film sessions.

The ball "sticking too much" was the primary concern entering the season considering the preference of both Edwards and Randle to pound the dribble while searching for opportunities to attack.

"That's something that we've definitely struggled with," said Finch, who has staggered Edwards and Randle in his substitution patterns more often recently in an effort to alleviate the problem. "That's been one of the challenges for sure. Even though they're very different players, they have very similar rhythms to their game. But they do have the ability to go somewhere with the ball and draw a crowd, and they just got to make the right play at the end of that."

The offense becoming too stagnant has been especially problematic for the Timberwolves late in close games. They're within the bottom five in the league in scoring in clutch situations, averaging 100.0 points per 100 possessions when the score is within five points in the final five minutes.

It's a strategic issue that also has psychological ramifications.

"I tell 'em all the time, you miss a wide-open guy and you take 20 dribbles in a possession, it can affect that person on the next possession," said Mike Conley, the 37-year-old point guard who has struggled this season, averaging career lows of 7.7 points per game on 35.2% shooting.

"That's the thing for us; it's more about the on-time plays as opposed to them actually making the pass. A lot of times, they'll make the pass and sometimes it might be a beat late or a couple seconds late because we kind of exhausted our dribble too much."

Finch has dedicated countless hours over the past four years teaching Edwards how to read defenses in real time and the importance of making the right play.

"He's coaching winning basketball, so I can't be mad at it," Edwards told ESPN after Minnesota's New Year's Eve loss against the Oklahoma City Thunder. "But just sometimes I feel like the right play is me.

"It is hard, I'm not going to lie. It's hard, especially for me. I can't speak [for] Ju, but for me, it's hard. Of course, I'm only 23, so I'm going to showcase my game, but sometimes I can't. I get doubled all the time. So it's hard to find that balance of when to get off of [the ball], when to keep it and try to get going. So still trying to figure it out, honestly."

Edwards expressed similar thoughts a couple of nights later, when he was held to 15 points in a home loss to the Boston Celtics. He complained again about seeing frequent double-teams and said he didn't "want to just be passing the ball all night."

"I'm wired to be scoring the ball," said Edwards, who is averaging 25.9 points per game, shooting a career-best 42.3% from 3-point range and a career-worst 44.1% inside the arc.

In the next game, Edwards scored a career-high 53 points on 16-of-31 shooting, including 10-of-15 from long range. He had two assists and six turnovers. The Timberwolves lost to the Pistons 119-105.

"It's the balance of being a superstar and then also running that offense," DiVincenzo told ESPN. "It's like that balance in between, and I think that's what we're figuring out right now. That consistency of moving the ball, making it pop around, and when it comes back to those guys, the lanes are wide open now and it's opening up them more to get downhill and get to the shots that they want to get to."

Finch had familiarity with Randle, serving as an assistant coach for the New Orleans Pelicans when Randle had a breakout season in 2018-19. But their reunion with the Timberwolves has still featured a lot of trial-and-error tinkering.

Finch said they've "gotten closer to figuring out" how to best use Randle, who is averaging 19.6 points per game on his fewest shot attempts (14.1) since his early-career Los Angeles Lakers stint, as a scorer and facilitator. It's about when, where and how to get the ball in Randle's hands and who to have on the floor alongside him.

Finch resisted altering the starting lineup until recently, when he swapped DiVincenzo for Conley, citing a hope to jump-start Conley by giving him more ballhandling responsibilities off the bench.

The transition from the Knicks to Timberwolves had been difficult for DiVincenzo, who was coming off a career year (15.5 points per game, 40.1% 3-point shooting) playing with his former Villanova teammates Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart in New York. DiVincenzo shot only 31.9% on 3s in his first 25 games in a Timberwolves uniform; he's hit 44.8% since then.

"It's a mental game of just being aggressive and just going out there and being myself," said DiVincenzo, who will miss Friday's game with a toe injury. "There's no secret behind that for me. When I'm passive, I'm not my best self."

It has been a half-season of experimentation and inconsistency. The Wolves appeared to be on track with three consecutive wins, including two on the road earlier this month, then dropped another close game to the Memphis Grizzlies, in which they led by four points with under two minutes left, but failed to score for the rest of the game.

After a road win against the moribund Washington Wizards, the Wolves once again fell at home to the scuffling Golden State Warriors, trailing 13-0 in the game's first four minutes. The schedule doesn't get easier from here. Following Friday night's game in New York, they return home to host the NBA-leading Cleveland Cavaliers, then go on the road at Memphis and Dallas, before returning home to host three-time MVP Nikola Jokic.

And, as Conley noted, the competition in the West is too fierce to forgive stumbling much longer.

"At this point, we probably figured each other out," Edwards said. "I think the main thing is we just got haven't all been clicking on the same page at one time yet. ... We going to be all right."

The New York Mets and left-hander A.J. Minter have agreed on a two-year, $22 million contract Friday, sources confirmed to ESPN's Jeff Passan, giving a team starved for bullpen help one of the best relievers on the free-agent market.

The deal, which is pending a physical, includes an opt-out after the 2025 season. SNY first reported the agreement.

Minter, 31, was a key contributor during the Atlanta Braves' recent run of success, posting a 3.28 ERA across 384 relief appearances since debuting in 2017. He was a member of the 2021 World Series championship club and enjoyed his best full season the following year, pitching to a 2.06 ERA in 75 games. Hip inflammation limited Minter to 39 appearances in 2024, but he was effective when healthy with a 2.62 ERA over 34 innings in a setup role.

He joins a club that prioritized acquiring a top-flight reliever this winter to partner with closer Edwin Diaz late in games. Being a lefty checks another box for New York, which, as it currently stands, has just one other left-handed reliever (Alex Young) on their 40-man roster.

The bullpen addition comes a day after the club reached a one-year deal with veteran outfielder/designated hitter Jesse Winker, who figures to be primarily used as a DH against right-handed pitchers.

Pete Alonso, the Mets' homegrown star first baseman, remains a free agent. The two sides have attempted to negotiate a reunion, but they've recently reached an impasse over money on a three-year contract, according to a source. Without Alonso, the Mets could move third baseman Mark Vientos, a breakout star in 2024, across the diamond to first base with former top prospect Brett Baty, prospect Ronny Mauricio and Luisangel Acuna as internal candidates to start at third base.

TORONTO -- The Blue Jays acquired $2 million in international signing bonus pool allocation from the Cleveland Guardians that could be used in their pursuit of Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki as part of a trade Friday that also brought underperforming outfielder Myles Straw to Toronto.

Cleveland will send $3.75 million to the Blue Jays, offsetting some of the $14.75 million Straw is guaranteed for the final two years of a $25 million, five-year contract. The Guardians will receive a player to be named or cash.

Toronto boosted its international signing pool to $8,261,600 and had not signed any players since the 2025 window opened Wednesday, leaving the entire amount available for Sasaki.

Also being being pursued by the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres, the 23-year-old right-hander has until Thursday to reach agreement with a Major League Baseball team. He is considered an international amateur by MLB and can sign only a minor league contract subject to the same bonus pools as Latin American prospects.

Straw has salaries of $6 million this year and $7 million in 2026 and is guaranteed a $1.75 million buyout of a 2027 team option. Cleveland will send Toronto $1 million this year, $1 million in 2026 and $1.75 million at the end of 2026.

Cleveland agreed to the long-term deal in April 2022 but Straw hit just .221 with no homers, 32 RBIs and 21 stolen bases that year, then batted .238 with 1 homer, 29 RBIs and 20 steals in 2023.

He was sent outright to Triple-A Columbus in April and hit .240 with 3 homers, 47 RBIs and 30 steals. Cleveland brought him up in September, and he went 1-for-4 over seven games.

I've heard that one of the most popular things which comes up next to my name in internet searches is 'height'.

That's because I'm 5ft 4in. It's pretty unique because most of the players on the WTA Tour at the moment are a lot taller.

I heard that the average height of the players currently in the top 10 is about 5ft 10in. I'm also told that I am the smallest player in the top 20.

But it's not something I worry about - I just try to play my tennis and concentrate on my game.

Being smaller means I have different weapons to a taller player. We work with what we have, you know!

I move pretty well on court and people generally say that is my biggest strength.

Ever since I was a child I have been quick and nimble.

I remember being at the tennis club when I was young and doing some training sessions where we did sprinting drills. I was one of the fastest then.

In the past year, there have been examples of Swiatek struggling against aggressive baseliners like Raducanu - notably in her Australian Open exit 12 months ago.

Czech Linda Noskova, then 19, ramped up the power and that paid dividends in a three-set comeback win.

Afterwards, Swiatek said she had felt "stressed" and "uncomfortable" at being unable to adapt.

However, she has appeared to learn from that experience.

Overcoming difficulties against Japan's four-time major winner Naomi Osaka at the French Open and Britain's Katie Boulter at the recent United Cup match indicated her progress at problem-solving against this type of player.

On both occasions, Swiatek initially tried to match her opponent for pace and the increased speed on her groundstrokes led to a series of unforced errors.

Once she stopped trying to outhit them, hitting loopier returns instead of flatter ones, each contest swung her way.

Nevertheless, you would imagine Raducanu needs to be aggressive from the baseline rather than simply counter-punching to give herself a chance.

When the Briton clinched the first set against Vukic in 30 minutes, it seemed like a more straightforward night would lie ahead.

Vukic, a 28-year-old late bloomer playing in the third round of a major for the first time, caused damage with his forehand but did not have the consistency to turn an early break into a lead.

Draper fought back with the help of some explosive hitting, including a running forehand winner around the net post which drew gasps from the crowd.

However, Draper's level plummeted in the second and third sets as Vukic turned the match around.

Smashing a racquet on the court, and having a pop at the booing fans, allowed a tense Draper to let off some steam before the fourth.

A tight set produced more shots from both men worthy of the match highlights reel, including a precise inside-out forehand across the court and a backhand volley from Vukic which saved two set points.

Draper continued to move forward in the court more at the start of the decider, helping him pinch an early break.

Vukic, who was also taken the distance for a third straight match, fed off the crowd energy to recover again.

The first-to-10 match tie-break was a fitting end to settle the contest and Draper, having led 3-0 and trailed 6-5, placed an unreturned first serve down the middle on his second match point.

"It was an unbelievably tough match. Both of us have played a lot of sets already so I knew it would be hard. It was a lot of ebbs and flows," said Draper.

"I thought it was done and he came back from the dead. It was a great battle and two competitors going at it. That's what sport is all about."

While another rising British racket sport talent, Jack Draper, was going through give-gamers at the Australian Open tennis, Jonah Bryant was doing the same in squash.

Bryant was involved in an epic five-game duel with Tarek Momen at the Squash in the Land 2025 quarter-finals, which saw the 19-year-old push both the Egyptian and his own body to the limits.

Bryant had needed all five games to win each of his first two matches in Cleveland this week, spending almost two-and-a-half hours on court in beating Bernat Jaume and Leonel Cardenas, last years two finalists in this event.

His win over Cardenas had seen him save two match balls at 10-8 down in the fifth, setting up a mouthwatering matchup with No.3 seed Momen on the all-glass court at Playhouse Square Outcalt Theatre.

The 19-year-old is one of the most exciting prospects in the mens game but through the first two games, it appeared as though this would be a step too far, as Momen established a two game lead, doing the basics well throughout and making the court big for his opponent.

What a rally

The Cleveland crowd are being teated to some special points in the final match of the day #SquashintheLand pic.twitter.com/ZFxSgykxIc

PSA Squash Tour (@PSASquashTour) January 17, 2025

Those inside the theatre could have been forgiven for thinking Bryant was feeling the physical effects of his two previous encounters, but instead he appeared to get stronger as the match wore on, showing extraordinary athleticism on his way to levelling the score by winning games three and four.

By the time game five started, the crowd was cheering every point Bryant won, sitting in silence during the rallies, gripped by the action on court.

Almost every rally was long and punishing, with Bryant continuing to chase down Momens attacks, but he would ultimately fall short of completing a fairytale fightback.

Still, even at 10-7 down and cramping badly, Bryant left everything out on the court, ultimately collapsing to the floor in exhaustion as Momen closed out victory.

The total match time was 77 minutes, taking Bryants time on court this week towards the four-hour mark, and speaking on court after his win, Momen was full of praise for his young opponent.

I cant believe what he was doing, coming back the way he did after those two tough matches, he said on court afterwards.

I think this is the hardest match Ive played physically in a long time. I either lose quicker than this or win quicker than this but I havent played for this long in a while.

Im very happy with the way I managed to re-group in the end. I thought I was playing super well in the first two games, and then my length dropped significantly and I was very disappointed with that.

The length just wasnt going back the way I wanted and he took full advantage coming back at me, but I still couldnt believe the amount of effort he kept putting on court.

Earlier in the day, Mohamed Elshorbagy impressed in a 3-0 win over Youssef Ibrahim, while Amina Orfi came from a game down to beat compatriot Farida Mohamed.

Meanwhile, Satomi Watanabe upset No.1 seed Georgina Kennedy to reach the Squash in the Land 2025 semi-finals, while Tarek Momen held off a stirring fightback from rising star Jonah Bryant in the mens competition.

Despite the two players being separated by just six spots in the world rankings, Watanabe had never even taken a game off Kennedy in their three previous Tour meetings, but she ended that streak at the first time of asking here, taking the opening game 11-9.

Results: Mens Quarter-Finals (top half)

[1] Mohamed Elshorbagy (ENG) bt. [5] Youssef Ibrahim (EGY) 3-0: 11-7, 11-3, 11-8 (36m)

[3] Tarek Momen (EGY) bt. Jonah Bryant (ENG) 3-2: 11-8, 11-5, 6-11, 11-13, 11-7 (77m)

Results: Womens Quarter-Finals (top half)

[3] Amina Orfi (EGY) bt. [6] Farida Mohamed (EGY) 3-1: 10-12, 11-9, 11-8, 11-7 (48m)

[5] Satomi Watanabe (JPN) bt. [1] Georgina Kennedy (ENG) 3-0: 11-9, 12-10, 11-9 (35m)

Fixtures: Mens Quarter-Finals (bottom half)

George Parker (ENG) v [2] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY)

[4] Marwan ElShorbagy (ENG) v [7] Abdulla Mohd Al-Tamimi (QAT)

Fixtures: Womens Quarter-Finals (bottom half)

[8] Tesni Murphy (WAL) v [2] Rowan Elaraby (EGY)

[4] Amanda Sobhy (USA) v [7] Nada Abbas (EGY)

Clermont Auvergne: Newsome; Delguy, Belaubre, Simone, Raka; Belleau, Jauneau; Lotrian, Fainga'a, Ala'Alatoa, Simmons, Yato, Tixeront, Kremer, Lee (capt).

Replacements: Falgoux, Massa, Ojovan, Ceyte, Fischer, Bezy, Urdapilleta, Tauzin.

Bristol Bears: Lane; Heward, Jenkins, Van Rensburg, Bailey; Byrne, Randall; Genge, Oghre, Kloska, Dun, Owen, Luatua, Grondona, Harding (capt).

Replacements: Thacker, Thomas, Lahiff, Barker, Mata, Marmion, Ravouvou, Elizalde.

Referee: Sam Grove-White (Sco)

Ireland full-back Hugo Keenan will return to action for Leinster against Bath in Saturday's final Invstec Champions Cup Pool Two match.

Unbeaten Leinster have already qualified for the last-16 and can secure a home knockout tie with victory over the Premiership leaders at the Aviva Stadium.

Wing Joe Cokanasiga will win his 100th cap for Bath, who are third in the Pool and know victory will secure progression, although even defeat could be enough if other results go their way.

Keenan's return is a welcome boost for Ireland with the Six Nations two weeks away, as head coach Leo Cullen makes five changes from the win over La Rochelle.

Garry Ringrose starts on the wing to accommodate the centre pairing of Robbie Henhsaw and All Black Jordie Barrett.

There are two changes in the front row as Andrew Porter and Rabah Slimani start, while Tadhg Furlong drops out of the squad after making his return from injury against the French side.

Jack Conan will captain the side from number eight, with Caelan Doris dropping to the bench.

Although they have returned to training, Ireland hooker Dan Sheehan and wing James Lowe miss out on selection.

It is a landmark weekend for Cokanasiga as he prepares for his 100th Bath appearance, while second row Ross Molony will face his former side in one of three changes from Sunday's win over Clermont.

The other changes come in the front row as hooker Niall Annett and prop Will Stuart get the nod to start in Dublin.

Ben Spencer will captain Bath from scrum-half and will be partnered by Scotland's talisman Finn Russell.

Leinster: Keenan; Ringrose; Henshaw, Barrett; J Osborne, Prendergast, Gibson-Park; Porter, Kelleher, Slimani; J McCarthy, Ryan; Deegan, van der Flier, Conan (capt).

Replacements: G McCarthy, Healy, Clarkson, Snyman, Doris, McGrath, R Byrne, J O'Brien.

Bath: De Glanville; Cokanasiga; Lawrence, Ojomoh; McConnochi; Russell, Spencer; Obano, Annett, Stuart; Roux, Molony; Hill, Reid, Barbeary.

Replacements: Dunn, van Wyk, du Toit, Ewels, Bayliss, Schreuder, Bailey, Coetzee.

Watson moved to Leicester from Premiership rivals Bath in 2022 and managed just 23 appearances for the East Midlands club during the injury-plagued latter years of his career.

Leicester described the winger as "one of the most electrifying rugby talents of his generation" as well as "one of English rugby's modern greats".

Watson, who spent nine years with Bath after first coming through at London Irish, last featured for the national side in the summer of 2023.

England head coach Steve Borthwick, who Watson also played under at Tigers, said the player "is to be congratulated on a fantastically successful career".

"He is a humble, hard-working professional man who is universally liked and admired in the game," Borthwick said.

"Anthony not only brought his incredible talent to the England shirt every time he played, but he was also a player who was immensely proud to represent his country."