logo
Dabrowski, Routliffe upset in Indian Wells doubles opener

Dabrowski, Routliffe upset in Indian Wells doubles opener

Yahoo10-03-2025

Gabriela Dabrowski's stay at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells was short and unsuccessful.
The Ottawa doubles player, who with partner Erin Routliffe of New Zealand, were seeded No. 2 in the California outdoor tournament, were upset 7-6 (5), 7-5 by wild cards Caty McNally of Cincinnati, Ohio, and Russian Anna Kalinskaya.
Dabrowski and Routliffe committed 44 unforced errors in the one hour, 49-minute match. They finished with two aces and nine double faults.
McNally and Kalinskaya won 36 receiving points, won eight service games and one tiebreaker. Dabrowski and Routliffe won 30 receiving points, won seven service games, and didn't win a tiebreaker.
McNally and Kalinskaya will play Tereza Mihalikova of Slovakia and British player Olivia Nicholls in the quarterfinals. Mihalikova and Nicholls outlasted Fanny Stollar of Hungary and Aldila Sutjiadi of Indonesia 6-1, 4-6, 10-2.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 9, 2025.
The Canadian Press

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Star swimmer McIntosh sets world record in 200-metre individual medley
Star swimmer McIntosh sets world record in 200-metre individual medley

Hamilton Spectator

time3 hours ago

  • Hamilton Spectator

Star swimmer McIntosh sets world record in 200-metre individual medley

VICTORIA - Summer McIntosh set a world record in the 200-metre individual medley at the Bell Canadian Swimming Trials on Monday night. The 18-year-old from Toronto won the race in 2:05.70. That broke the old mark of 2:06.12 set by Hungary's Katinka Hosszu in 2015. McIntosh won a gold medal in the event at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, to go with her victories in the 400 IM and 200 butterfly. It was the second world record in three days for McIntosh, who won the 400-m freestyle in 3:54.18 on Saturday. That broke the old mark of 3:55.38 held by Australia's Ariarne Titmus. She broke her own Canadian record in the 800-m freestyle Sunday. Her time of 8:05.07 shaved almost five seconds off her own Canadian record and was the third fastest time ever, 0.95 of a second off the world record American legend Katie Ledecky set in May. McIntosh also holds the 400 IM world record, plus the 400 free, 200 butterfly and 400 IM in the short course pool. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 9, 2025.

Billy Boston to become rugby league's first knight
Billy Boston to become rugby league's first knight

Yahoo

time7 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Billy Boston to become rugby league's first knight

Billy Boston will receive rugby league's first knighthood in a special ceremony at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday. Cardiff-born Boston, 90, blazed a trail for black sports stars during the 1950s and 1960s, making 488 appearances for Wigan and finishing his career with a British record 571 tries to his name. Advertisement He also became the first non-white player to represent Great Britain on a Lions tour in 1954, scoring 36 tries in 18 appearances in Australia and New Zealand, and featuring in a total of 31 international Test matches. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said: 'Billy Boston's knighthood is a historic milestone providing fitting recognition for the greatest player rugby league has ever seen. 'As MP for Wigan, this is a proud day for our town, for the Welsh nation, for rugby league fans across the country and, most importantly, for Billy and his family. 'The first knighthood for a rugby league player is long overdue recognition for a game that has contributed so much to our national life. This is the moment we right a historic wrong.' Boston made a try-scoring debut for Wigan against Barrow in November 1953, and by the time he left the club in 1968, he had played in six Challenge Cup finals at Wembley, featuring on the winning side in 1958, 1959 and 1965. Advertisement Wigan owner Mike Danson said he was 'thrilled' by Boston's award, describing it as 'a richly deserved honour which means this most humble of men rightly receives, at last, fitting recognition for his extraordinary efforts'. Boston's honour followed a sustained campaign by local councillors and MPs as well as leading figures in the sport, who have frequently pointed out the relative lack of recognition for rugby league compared to union, which has seen 20 knights anointed. Billy Boston (front row, far left) featured in six Challenge Cup finals with Wigan (PA Archive) Rugby Football League chief executive Tony Sutton said: 'On behalf of the Rugby Football League, and the sport of rugby league, it is a privilege to congratulate Sir Billy Boston on his knighthood. Advertisement 'Sir Billy deserves to be recognised as an iconic figure in the history of British sport, for the way he overcame prejudice in his journey from working-class Cardiff to legendary status in Wigan, and became the most prolific British try-scorer in the 130-year history of rugby league.' The full King's Birthday Honours list is set to be announced later this week. It is understood Boston's award was brought forward due to concerns about his health.

Sky Sports staying in the fight gives British boxing a chance to keep swinging
Sky Sports staying in the fight gives British boxing a chance to keep swinging

Yahoo

time7 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Sky Sports staying in the fight gives British boxing a chance to keep swinging

Sky Sports' decision not to renew its exclusive deal with BOXXER marks the end of a four-year chapter that promised so much but delivered very little. Yet, British boxing fans should breathe a sigh of relief — not because BOXXER is gone, but because Sky isn't. At a time when boxing is struggling to entice mainstream networks to broadcast the sport, Sky's presence becomes even more vital to the survival of boxing across the pond. Advertisement In the U.S., HBO, FOX, Showtime, and now ESPN have all decided to bow out of the boxing business in recent years, leaving the sport without the consistent backing of a mainstream television outlet. While Amazon Prime Video has an existing deal with Premier Boxing Champions, the events have been infrequent and mostly behind an additional paywall. Boxing has faced a steady decline in mainstream visibility in the U.S. and has thus struggled to stay in the public eye, losing casual fans and slipping from the broader sports conversation. A sport that was once among the biggest in the country is now battling to stay in the top 10. This should serve as a warning sign for British boxing — if broadcasters like Sky pull away completely, the sport risks fading into niche obscurity, losing crucial exposure that builds household names. When Eddie Hearn's Matchroom Boxing decided to end a 25-year partnership with Sky in the U.K. to join forces with streaming service DAZN in 2021, Sky contemplated exiting boxing altogether, but ultimately chose not to. Instead, they handed a four-year exclusive broadcasting deal to the unheralded newbie promoter, Ben Shalom of BOXXER. Advertisement Shalom's tenure on Sky has been a failed experiment of sorts. The broadcast giant was hoping to replicate the success it had with Matchroom over recent years with another promoter and perhaps demonstrate that they were responsible for the triumphs more so than Hearn. But the run of boxing on Sky in the post-Matchroom era has been disappointing. There's been some success with BOXXER-led events on Sky, notably Amir Khan vs. Kell Brook in 2022 and Chris Eubank Jr.'s two high-profile bouts with Liam Smith in 2023, but overall the product has been underwhelming. Matchroom set the bar very high, creating stars and delivering pay-per-view events on a consistent basis with the backing of the powerful British broadcaster. BOXXER has managed neither. But then again, it was always a tall order to expect a promoter who had only done small-hall events until it arrived at Sky to suddenly fill Matchroom's shoes. After Matchroom's departure and BOXXER's uninspiring run on the platform, Sky wouldn't be blamed for giving up on the sport — yet it hasn't. Advertisement That the pugilistic art still appeals to boardroom executives is, in and of itself, a quiet victory for the sport. Chris Eubank Jr.'s two-fight series with Liam Smith was a rare highlight of the Sky Sports/BOXXER era. (Peter Byrne/PA Images via Getty Images) (Peter Byrne - PA Images via Getty Images) The importance of Sky's presence in boxing shouldn't be understated. Without Sky, the vast majority of boxing shows would reach a live audience of far less than 100,000 people in the U.K. — although some of the shows on Sky hover around that number anyway. Boxing needs to remain visible on big platforms to continue the success it has enjoyed in recent years in the U.K. Sky's boxing strategy moving forward is expected to see them become more selective about the fights they showcase. The broadcaster is understood to want a greater input into the shows and talent on offer, with a desire to continue to broadcast some of the fighters that it has helped build up. Advertisement The network will essentially become an open shop for promoters to pitch cards to. However, with the U.K.'s two biggest promoters, Matchroom and Frank Warren's Queensberry Promotions, locked into exclusive promotional agreements with DAZN, the options will be limited for the time being. The Sauerlands' Wasserman Boxing houses a stable of fighters that includes Josh Kelly, Michael Conlan, Harlem Eubank and Lyndon Arthur, among others. They have struggled to put on well-rounded shows with the limited budget of Channel 5, but with the backing of Sky Sports, Wasserman could become a significant force in British boxing. Izzy Asif's GBM Sports has managed to promote the likes of Hughie Fury, Terri Harper, Maxi Hughes and rising Sheffield middleweight Shakiel Thompson since signing a short-term deal with DAZN in 2024. They are a promoter on the rise who have delivered enjoyable events on a shoestring budget and would also be a beneficiary of Sky opening its doors. Although neither has the firepower of Matchroom or Queensberry, both could fill gaps in Sky's schedule and offer some variety in the talent they showcase. In the absence of an exclusive partner, Sky would be wise to incentivize a range of promoters to build strong shows and earn the opportunity to benefit from Sky's marketing power and substantial budget. That kind of competition within their boxing output is precisely what Sky — and the sport of British boxing — needs moving forward.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store