Who's Worth Bringing Back? Oilers Fans Debate 3 Forward Returns
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Forbes
22 minutes ago
- Forbes
Naomi Osaka Sets Up 2025 Canadian Open Final With Teen Victoria Mboko
Former world no. 1 Naomi Osaka continued her impressive form in Montreal by reaching the Canadian Open final, where she will face local teen sensation Victoria Mboko. Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam champion, defeated Danish 16th seed Clara Tauson 6-2, 7-6(7) on Wednesday night, advancing to her first WTA 1000 final in three years. The 27-year-old, who is now 49th in the world, saved two set points in the second set at 6-4 in the tiebreak after losing leads of 3-1 and 4-2 earlier in the set. With the victory, Osaka became the first Japanese player in the Open Era to reach the final at the Canadian Open. The two-time U.S. Open champion has struggled for form since returning from her maternity break last year, falling in the first round of this year's French Open and the third rounds at the Australian Open and Wimbledon. But the semifinal victory marks her best result since becoming a mom. When she faces 18-year-old Mboko in Thursday's final, Osaka will be chasing her first tour-level since the 2021 Australian Open. She last played at a WTA 1000 final in Miami in 2022, losing to eventual champion Iga Swiatek. Naomi Osaka vs Victoria Mboko Like Osaka, Mboko, too, has been in top form. The teenager has enjoyed a fairytale run in front of her home crowd – she rallied from a set down to knock out former Wimbledon champion and ninth seed Elena Rybakina 1-6, 7-5, 7-6(4) in the semifinals. Mboko, who also beat Coco Gauff in the last-16, saved a match point against Kazakh Rybakina en route to reaching her maiden WTA 1000 final. Ranked 85th before the tournament, the teenager will break into the Top 40 regardless of her result in the final. 'I had everyone supporting me and pushing me through,' Mboko said in her on-court interview after her three-set thriller that lasted nearly three hours. 'Without you guys, I don't think I would've been able to pull this through.' Osaka's title clash with Mboko marks the first time since the introduction of the WTA-1000 tournament level in 2009, that two players ranked outside the Top 40 will face off in the final.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Nick Robertson, Maple Leafs Avoid Arbitration With $1.825M One-Year Contract Agreement
The Toronto Maple Leafs and Nick Robertson have reportedly reached a settlement ahead of their arbitration case that was scheduled for Sunday. According to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, both sides agreed to a contract with a $1.825 million average annual value. The Leafs confirmed it is a one-yeal deal. When a player elects for salary arbitration, the team can choose whether it would be a one or two-year deal, except in the case when the second year eats into the eligibility of unrestricted fee agency. Toronto could have opted for two years in Robertson's case. According to it's a one-year deal, which reduced the available cap space on Toronto's books to $1,107,222 based on a roster of 24 players. Robertson was the last of the 11 player-elected salary arbitration cases in the NHL to be settled, thereby avoiding a hearing. On Friday, Friedman reported that the Leafs submitted comparables with an ask of $2.25 million while the team came in with $1.2 million. Had the case not been settled ahead of the hearing, an arbitrator would have had the final say on Robertson's compensation for the 2025-26 season. Toronto Maple Leafs News and Community Toronto Maple Leafs news, video, analysis and community on The Hockey News Follow all Leafs news at The deal gives Robertson a massive $950,000 raise from his 2024-25 salary. The player signed a one-year, $875,000 deal in September after a summer that included a trade request away from Toronto. 'He's Gone Through Some Stuff Here': Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving Excited to Have Nick Robertson Back A new coach and a clean slate await Nick Robertson who reports to Maple Leafs training camp next week. Robertson established career highs in goals (15) and games (69) last season but was limited to just three of Toronto's 13 playoff games due to lineup decisions. With star forward Mitch Marner departing the Leafs for the Vegas Golden Knights this summer, players like Robertson will be counted on to fill the void Marner leaves behind on a by-committee basis. Drafted by the Leafs in the second round (53rd overall) in the 2019 NHL Draft, Robertson has 32 goals and 24 assists in 156 career games spread over five seasons. (Top image credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images) Maple Leafs Risk Major Mistake If Nick Robertson Isn't Signed Or Traded Before Arbitration It should come as no surprise that Nick Robertson's pending player-elected arbitration case is the last of all cases this offseason to reach a conclusion. After all, Robertson's tenure with the Toronto Maple Leafs has undeniably been complicated. Drafted by the Maple Leafs in the second round (53rd overall) in the 2019 NHL Draft, his six years in Toronto have been filled with more downs than ups. Maple Leafs Forward Nick Robertson Files For Salary Arbitration, Timeline, Reasons And What's Next? For the first time in his tenure with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Nick Robertson has leverage. The forward filed for salary arbitration on Saturday, which allows a third party to decide his compensation for the upcoming season. 'The Puzzle Has Got To Come Into Play': Maple Leafs Not Rushing Contracts Of RFAs Nick Robertson And Pontus Holmberg While the talk of the town might be whether the Toronto Maple Leafs can sign John Tavares before July 1 rolls around, you cannot forget about their younger restricted free agents.
New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
Ben Shelton beats fellow American Taylor Fritz to reach a new career milestone
TORONTO — Under a full moon at Sobeys Stadium in Toronto, Ben Shelton showcased an illuminating performance. Big serve, quick movement, and various shots were all on display in a dominant win. The world No. 7 defeated compatriot Taylor Fritz, 6-4, 6-3, in one hour and 18 minutes Wednesday night to advance to the Canadian Open final. Advertisement No delay to begin the match was going to stop Shelton, 22, from reaching his first ATP Masters 1000 final, another milestone in his blossoming career. There was great anticipation for this contest. The two friends hadn't met since 2023 at Indian Wells, where Fritz won a close three-setter in the second round en route to capturing the tournament. Shelton was a rookie on tour then. The stage doesn't feel too big for the American youngster two years later, on the cusp of his biggest tournament win. To add to the drama, the match began with a 15-minute delay. A technical issue with the electronic line system forced the players to leave the court. The stoppage was brief, and soon their showdown would begin in front of the Toronto crowd. There were tense moments for Shelton to start the match. In his first service game, Shelton faced two break points. He delivered a 118 mph unreturnable serve. Then, after a 15-shot rally on the second break point, Fritz sent a forehand long. Shelton held and was never broken for the rest of the set. At 4-4, Shelton was dictating the pace of the points, forcing Fritz to defend behind the baseline. Like his previous round win against Alex de Minaur, it was Shelton owning the long rallies with deep groundstrokes and punitive slices. Fritz committed back-to-back errors, leading to break point. Shelton connected on a forehand winner that went behind Fritz, giving him the first break of the match. After two winners on the subsequent service game, Shelton claimed the one-set advantage. The dominant Fritz serve, broken just three times in four matches, was in trouble. He faced a superior returner in Shelton, not afraid to be aggressive and control the points. At 2-2, Shelton won points of 16 and 14 shots to get the second break of the match. The break point was notable as Shelton brought Fritz forward and punished him with a perfectly placed lob. The crowd cheered before Shelton motioned for them to get louder. He sensed the finish line was near. Advertisement On match point, Fritz tossed his third double fault, getting broken for a third time before breaking his racquet in half. After congratulatory remarks at the net, Shelton smiled to his team and waved to the crowd. Cheers of 'Let's go, Ben' rang throughout the stadium, supporting the American after this emphatic victory. Shelton's opponent in the final is Karen Khachanov. The Russian outlasted top seed Alexander Zverev, saving a match point before winning 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(4) in two hours and 52 minutes. Khachanov is attempting to win his second ATP Masters 1000 title, after being victorious at the Paris Masters in 2018. As Shelton served for the first set, a fan yelled, 'This is your time!' In less than 24 hours, the time could be Shelton's to capture his maiden Masters 1000 trophy, the potential beginning of a successful North American summer. (Photo of Ben Shelton: Julian Avram / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
