NAOMI Osaka’s decision to shun the media at the French Open has rocked the tennis landscape and all eyes will be on the world number two when she takes on Romanian Patricia Maria Tig in her first match on Court Philippe-Chatrier on Sunday.

THE Philippine national men’s football team recently got support for its joint 2022 International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) World Cup and the 2023 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup Qualifiers campaign from a local rotisserie chain.

THE national teams for beach volleyball for men and women train on three courts set up on the beach off Villa Del Mar Resort in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte, during a visit by Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) President Ramon Suzara on Saturday.

Norman Powell didn’t exactly end the regular season on a high note. Career highs for the Raptors made him the subject of trade rumors, and, true enough, he found himself changing addresses by the deadline on player movements. He started in the Blazers’ last 27 games, and while he saw his minutes rise, his productivity dipped enough for pundits to wonder if he was truly worth acquiring vice rotation regulars Gary Trent, Jr. and Rodney Hood. The jury was out, and he figured he needed to show his worth sooner rather than later.

MULTI-DIVISION boxing champion Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire looks to enhance his legacy by adding the World Boxing Council (WBC) bantamweight title to his list of achievements when he goes up against reigning champ Nordine Oubaali of France on Sunday (Manila time).

DONOVAN Mitchell returned to lead a balanced attack that overpowered a career-best, 47-point performance by Ja Morant and allowed the Utah Jazz to even their Western Conference playoff series against the Memphis Grizzlies with a 141-129 victory on Wednesday night in Salt Lake City.

EXPECT strict safety protocols to be implemented when the country hosts the third and final window of the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers at Clark City in Angeles City, Pampanga, in June.

ITS goal of making it to the Olympic Games now rendered a long shot, Gilas Pilipinas 3x3 looks to play better and have a respectable finish when it treks back on Friday for the final half of its assignments at the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) in Austria.

GDAŃSK, Poland — Villarreal goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli kept his composure to score in a nerve-shredding, seemingly never-ending shootout then denied David de Gea as his side won their first major trophy by beating Manchester United (11-10) on penalties in the Europa League final on Wednesday.

ROME — Italian media predicted the imminent end of coach Antonio Conte’s time at Inter Milan on Wednesday, even as the club basked in the glow of becoming Serie A champions again after an 11-year-wait.

MADRID — Rafa Nadal has already hoisted the French Open trophy a jaw-dropping 13 times and with the tantalizing prospect of increasing his Grand Slam haul to 21 — thus becoming the most successful player in men’s tennis — it is difficult to see anyone stopping him in Paris.

Forget the spin from the Clippers. From just about any angle but their own, it was clear that they tried to avoid tussling with the Lakers in the first round of the playoffs by ending the regular season with defeats to the lowly Rockets and Thunder. Which is just fine; after all, they want to go deep in the playoffs, and if taking two steps back is what they need to do in order to forge three ahead, then well and good. In the highly competitive Western Conference, any move that can get them a leg up against the opposition is a welcome one.