Sports
Alexander Zverev to meet Carlos Alcaraz in Aussie semifinals
Jan 25, 2026; Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Alexander Zverev of Germany in action against Francisco Cerundolo of Argentina in the fourth round of the menís singles at the Australian Open at John Cain Arena in Melbourne Park. Mandatory Credit: Mike Frey-Imagn Images Seeking his first Grand Slam championship, Alexander Zverev is through to the semifinals of the Australian Open for the third year in a row.
The third-seeded German defeated No. 25 Learner Tien of the United States 6-3, 6-7 (5), 6-1, 7-6 (3) on Tuesday in Melbourne.
Last year, Zverev lost in the Australian Open final to Italy’s Jannik Sinner in straight sets. In 2024, he fell to Russia’s Daniil Medvedev in the semifinals.
Zverev, 28, has reached two other major finals. He was beaten by Austria’s Dominic Thiem in the 2020 U.S. Open title match and by Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz for the 2024 French Open crown. Both matches went five sets.
Tien, 20, was competing in his first career Grand Slam quarterfinal.
Zverev fired 24 aces, committed just one double fault and never lost his serve while facing just three break points. Tien wasn’t nearly as solid on his serve, offsetting his 11 aces with nine double faults and winning only 44% of his second-serve points.
“Learner from the baseline was playing unbelievable,” Zverev said. “I haven’t played anyone who plays that well from the baseline for a very long time.
“I don’t know what (coach) Michael Chang has done with him in the offseason, but the way he’s playing, it’s incredible. Without my (24) aces, I probably would have not won today. I’m obviously very happy with my serve but happy to be back in the semis.”
While Zverev had a small edge in winners (56-53), Tien committed 42 unforced errors to the German’s 22.
Zverev will face the top-seeded Alcaraz following the latter’s 7-5, 6-2, 6-1 victory against Australian hopeful and No. 6 seed Alex De Minaur.
Alcaraz has not dropped a set in Melbourne as he looks to complete a career Grand Slam at the age of 22. He is a two-time champion at each of the other three majors but has never reached the final in Australia.
“I’m just really happy with the level that I’m playing every match, since the first round,” Alcaraz said. “I’ve been increasing my level each match. I was talking with my team about being patient, because I want all the things right now. But they told me to be patient, that the level will come. Today I felt really comfortable, playing great tennis, which I’m really proud about.”
Alcaraz is trying to become just the sixth man in the Open Era to complete the career Grand Slam, joining Andre Agassi, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Rod Laver.
He saved five of seven break points against De Minaur and finished with a 26-16 edge in winners while winning 82% (18 of 22) of his points at the net.
Alcaraz improved to 6-0 against De Minaur. His upcoming match with Zverev is a rematch of a 2024 quarterfinal, which the Spaniard lost in four sets.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Australian snowboarder airlifted to hospital with broken neck
Feb 7, 2026; Livigno, Italy; A detail view of Olympic rings during slopestyle freestyle skiing qualification during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Livigno Snow Park. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images MILAN — Australian snowboarder Cameron Bolton has been airlifted to the hospital after breaking his neck in a training mishap at the Winter Olympics.
The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) said the 35-year-old snowboard cross specialist had suffered a serious fall at training on Monday and reported worsening neck pain on Tuesday.
A scan at the Olympic Polyclinic identified two stable neck fractures, and Bolton had been transferred to a Milan hospital for further imaging and assessment, the AOC said in a statement.
Bolton took silver in the mixed team snowboard cross with Mia Clift at last year’s world championships in Engadin, Switzerland.
The AOC said it had enacted the Late Athlete Replacement option, bringing Olympic debutant James Johnstone onto the team alongside Adam Lambert and Jarryd Hughes for the men’s snowboard cross qualifying on Thursday.
Australia’s snowboard halfpipe entrant Misaki Vaughan was also ruled out of the Olympics after suffering a head injury during training on Monday and failing a head impact assessment on Tuesday, the AOC added.
No athlete will replace Vaughan, with Australia to be represented by Amelie Haskell and Emily Arthur in the women’s halfpipe qualifying later on Wednesday.
–Reuters, special to Field Level Media
Sports
Super Bowl LX sets U.S. media record; Bad Bunny draws 4B+ social views
Feb 8, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) celebrates with defensive end Leonard Williams (99) after defeating the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images Super Bowl LX was the second-most watched show in United States TV history and set a domestic record for peak viewership, the NFL revealed Tuesday.
Sunday’s game in Santa Clara, Calif., where the Seattle Seahawks defeated the New England Patriots 29-13, averaged 124.9 million viewers across NBC, Peacock, Telemundo, and other digital platforms. It fell short of the record 127.7 million who watched last year’s Super Bowl but ranked No. 2 and became the most-watched show in NBC history.
The viewership peaked at 137.8 million during the second quarter, setting an American TV record.
Soon after that, the halftime show starring Bad Bunny averaged 128.2 million viewers in the United States in the 8:15-8:30 p.m. ET window.
The Puerto Rican superstar generated over 4 billion views on social media within the first 24 hours after his performance, making it what the NFL called its “most-consumed halftime show of all time on NFL social platforms.”
According to NBC, its streaming platform Peacock experienced its best day ever on Sunday, driven by both the Super Bowl audience and Winter Olympics viewership. Estimates were not immediately available.
“The Super Bowl and the NFL once again delivered a blockbuster audience across the NBC broadcast network, Peacock and Telemundo, and provided an unprecedented lead-in to our Primetime in Milan coverage,” NBC Sports president Rick Cordella said in a statement. “The Super Bowl and the Olympics are the two most powerful events in the world, and we salute our talented production, tech and announce teams who delivered best-in-class presentations for our viewers, stations and partners.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Celtics, Bulls face former players in Anfernee Simons, Nikola Vucevic
Feb 6, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics center Nikola Vucevic (4) shoots a free throw during the second half against the Miami Heat at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images Anfernee Simons and Nikola Vucevic will each be playing against their former team when the Chicago Bulls visit the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night.
Simons was traded from Boston to Chicago last Tuesday in exchange for Vucevic. The teams each included a second-round draft pick in the deal.
Simons jumped right into Chicago’s lineup and has averaged 20.0 points and 5.3 assists while shooting 11 of 32 from 3-point range (34.4%) in three games with the Bulls, who have been playing without Josh Giddey and Tre Jones. Giddey aggravated a hamstring injury during a Jan. 28 loss to Indiana. Jones also has been dealing with a hamstring injury that has kept him out since Jan. 22.
“I think even before (the trade), it was always going to be a job interview with this being the last year of my contract,” Simons said. “I’ve just got to make the most out of these last couple of months here, start building chemistry with the guys and see where that goes.”
Chicago coach Billy Donovan said it’s likely both Giddey and Jones will miss Wednesday night’s game.
“I don’t anticipate Josh or Tre playing Wednesday against Boston, but both guys are ramping up,” Donovan said. “They’re playing three-on-three, and they’re running up the court. I think the medical guys just want them to be in a place where there’s at least enough of a buildup and all that tightness has kind of subsided.”
Giddey averages 18.6 points, 8.6 rebounds and 8.8 assists this season — when he plays. The Bulls are 17-17 when he’s in the lineup and 7-13 when he’s not. Jones has averaged 12.4 points in his 38 games, 20 of which were starts.
Chicago enters Wednesday’s game on a five-game losing streak, which appears to be the goal after shipping out four of their top six scorers at the trade deadline.
The Celtics have tinkered with their rotation since acquiring Vucevic, who has averaged 11 points and nine rebounds coming off the bench in his two games with Boston. The Celtics overcame a 22-point deficit to defeat Miami 98-96 on Friday, then had their five-game winning streak come to an end with a 111-89 loss to New York on Sunday.
“We’re playing a little different,” said veteran guard Derrick White. “We got some new guys in new spots and so I wouldn’t say we’re as crisp as we were maybe a few weeks ago when we’ve had all offseason and the beginning of the year to figure those parts out, but it’s exciting we can continue to learn and grow. Just understand it’s going to take day-by-day to get guys comfortable, get guys in the right spots. We got a lot of guys that know how to play and so I think we’ll pick it up quickly.”
Baylor Scheierman has started four of Boston’s last six games. He had career highs for rebounds (13) and assists (five) to go along with 10 points against the Knicks.
“We’ve tinkered with (the starting lineup) all year,” Boston coach Joe Mazzulla said after the loss to New York. “I think we’re up to 15 or 17 different ones, so nothing’s changed. Everybody on our roster has a chance to impact winning, we have a chance to develop, do different things there.
“So, whether before or after deadline, nothing changes in our approach. How do we have flexibility? How do we know everyone on the roster has a chance to impact winning? We just keep developing identities.”
–Field Level Media
Australian snowboarder airlifted to hospital with broken neck
Super Bowl LX sets U.S. media record; Bad Bunny draws 4B+ social views
