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Hailey Baptiste saves six match points to stun Aryna Sabalenka in Madrid

Tennis: BNP Paribas Open-Day 7Mar 7, 2026; Indian Wells, CA, USA; Hailey Baptiste (USA) reacts after winning the second set during her second round match against Elena Rybakina (KAZ) in the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Hailey Baptiste upset World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and did so in dramatic fashion, saving six match points en route to a 2-6, 6-2, 7-6 (6) victory in the quarterfinals of the Madrid Open on Tuesday.

The 30th-seeded Baptiste earned the first top-five victory of her young career by handing Sabalenka only her second loss of the season. The Belarusian saw a 15-match win streak come to a halt.

Baptiste, a 24-year-old from Washington, D.C., advanced to the semifinals of a WTA 1000 event for the first time after reaching the Miami Open quarterfinals last month — where she fell to Sabalenka.

“It just shows me where my game was. I’ve always believed it, and I feel like now I’m starting to put it into action and the world is seeing it as well,” Baptiste told Tennis Channel in a post-match interview.

Five of Baptiste’s six saved match points came during a marathon 10th game in the third set. Up 5-4, Sabalenka raced out to a 40-15 lead and had double match point. But it was Baptiste’s service game, and she fired an ace past Sabalenka before another big serve led to a Sabalenka shot in the net.

Sabalenka soon earned three advantages in a row, only for Baptiste to counter all three.

In the tiebreaker, Sabalenka squeaked ahead 6-5 but Baptiste saved match point No. 6 and won two more points from there to finish off the upset.

“I definitely had a lot of nerves, but I had 28 chances yesterday and I didn’t get it done,” Baptiste said, referring to Monday’s marathon win in which Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic saved six of Baptiste’s match points.

“I was able to get it on the first one, and I told my team, when I get my match point today, I’m going to win the first one that I get.”

Baptiste finished with 12 aces and saved 11 of 17 break points, while Sabalenka saved 8 of 14 break points and won exactly one fewer point than her opponent. Sabalenka had won the Sunshine Double (Indian Wells, Miami) plus her first three matches of the Madrid Open.

Baptiste’s next challenge will be a match against No. 9 seed Mirra Andreeva of Russia. In the only other match on Tuesday’s slate, Andreeva defeated Canadian 24th seed Leylah Fernandez 7-6 (1), 6-3.

On the day before her 19th birthday, Andreeva advanced to the semifinals of a WTA 1000 event for the first time since her victories at Dubai and Indian Wells last year.

“I’m so happy I cannot take the smile away from my face,” Andreeva said. “I’m extremely happy about the way I played and the result. It wouldn’t be a perfect birthday if I would lose today. I really didn’t want that to happen, and I was trying to give everything I had to be in a good mood tomorrow.”

Andreeva saved 12 of 15 break points while benefiting from Fernandez’s five double faults without an ace.

–Field Level Media

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Mets’ Kodai Senga (lumbar spine inflammation) goes on 15-day IL

MLB: New York Mets at Chicago CubsApr 17, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Kodai Senga (34) delivers a pitch against the Chicago Cubs during the first inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

New York Mets right-handed starting pitcher Kodai Senga was placed on the 15-day injured list on Tuesday with lumbar spine inflammation. The move is retroactive to Monday.

Senga received an epidural, Newsday reported.

In a corresponding move, the Mets recalled right-hander Christian Scott from Triple-A Syracuse to join the rotation.

Senga is 0-4 with a 9.00 ERA in five starts this season. On Sunday against the Colorado Rockies, he allowed three runs in just 2 2/3 innings.

After that start, the Mets’ brass discussed their next move with Senga, according to MLB.com. One option would be to send the right-hander to the minor leagues, but as a veteran in his fourth season, that move would require Senga’s approval.

On Sept. 5, 2025, he accepted such a move, but on Sunday, he said he did not know if he would do so again.

Scott has a 6.75 ERA in one major league start this season. He allowed one run on zero hits with five walks and one strikeout in just 1 1/3 innings in a no-decision. For Syracuse, he had a 5.27 ERA in three starts with an 0-2 record. He pitched a total of 13 2/3 innings, allowing nine runs (eight earned) on 13 hits with two walks and 17 strikeouts.

–Field Level Media

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Justin Rose debuting clubs from F1's McLaren at Cadillac Championship

PGA: Masters Tournament - Final RoundJustin Rose reacts after completing the 18th hole during the final round of the 2026 Masters Tournament. Credit: Katie Goodale-Imagn Images

Justin Rose raised some eyebrows with the announcement that he will debut new McLaren Golf clubs at this week’s Cadillac Championship in Miami.

It’s part of the Formula One racing team’s launch into the golf space and coincides with this week’s Miami Grand Prix on Sunday.

On the surface it looks like a big gamble by the 45-year-old Rose, who became the second-oldest player to reach No. 3 in the Official World Golf Ranking following his win at Torrey Pines earlier this year. Now No. 5 following a two-week break after a tie for third at the Masters, Rose is making the switch ahead of a stretch that includes two signature events and the PGA Championship.

Rose said he has been working with the McLaren Golf engineering team from the outset for “a lot longer than a year,” and has conducted extensive testing with the clubs.

“Clubs are feeling great. Obviously a lot of my own preferences have gone into the irons that I’m playing,” the Englishman said on Tuesday. “I’m excited to finally get them in the bag and sort of just enjoy them now for the rest of the season.”

Rose added that he has been playing without a club manufacturer deal and that he has been trying out different equipment without playing what he would deem the “perfect” set of clubs for him. He also made a club switch in 2019, so he also learned from that process.

“I’m actually looking at what can be better. I’m looking to mitigate risk,” Rose said. “I’m looking at some of the performance data that I’m getting on the range and places like that and out performing what I have. So that’s the exciting part for me.

“Obviously there’s going to be a refinement process. You can test all you want, you got to get the clubs in play, and there’s going to be little mini situations out there, different lies, all sorts of things, just getting comfortable. But in the long-term, no, I don’t see there being an issue at all.”

Rose sees McLaren focusing on a “high end” section of the golf landscape rather than trying to become a mass producer of clubs. He has also become good friends with F1 team principal Zak Brown and reigning world champion Lando Norris, with the McLaren Testing Center about 20 minutes from his home.

“They’re both very keen golfers,” Rose said. “I think there’s a little bit of a get together tomorrow night. So which is kind of before their week gets serious, before our week gets serious. But, yeah, those guys are probably as excited about the launch as I am.”

–Field Level Media

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Patriots captains offer little insight on Mike Vrabel's speech to team

NFL: Super Bowl LX-Seattle Seahawks at New England PatriotsFeb 8, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry (85) against the Seattle Seahawks during Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

New England Patriots captains Hunter Henry and Robert Spillane are pleased with the energy Mike Vrabel has brought to the team this week, but didn’t offer opinions about the coach’s highly-discussed off-the-field issues.

Vrabel skipped Saturday’s third and final day of the NFL draft for a counseling session and returned to the team Monday as the Patriots continue their voluntary offseason workouts.

Vrabel addressed the team on April 21 and Tuesday marked the first time since the speech that players were available to the media.

Henry and Spillane both said Vrabel spoke about the situation involving former Athletic reporter Dianna Russini. The two were photographed together last month at an adults-only resort in Sedona, Ariz., holding hands, hugging and sharing a hot tub. Both are married to other people.

“I thought he did a great job,” Henry said of Vrabel’s talk to the team. “It’s been the same Vrabes, bringing a lot of energy in the room. Obviously, he addressed it and that’s kind of all I’ll say about it.”

Henry, a tight end, is entering his sixth season with the Patriots and 10th overall. Spillane, a linebacker, has long revered Vrabel, dating back to when he was an undrafted free agent in 2018 and competing for a spot on the Tennessee Titans’ roster with Vrabel as coach.

Now entering his ninth NFL season, Spillane said he hasn’t noticed anything out of the ordinary.

“Coach coaches football. He keeps the main thing, the main thing,” Spillane said. “I know he’s dealing with personal issues, but when we’re in the building, we speak football. … I love Coach and I’m going to be here to support him as he would be there to support me through anything. I’m just a player and trying to do that the best I can.”

Though the controversial situation has played out publicly, both players said returning to the Super Bowl is a bigger talking point in the locker room. New England lost to the Seattle Seahawks 29-13 in Super Bowl LX in February.

“Obviously I know you guys want to hear about everything that’s going on,” said Henry, who had a career-high 768 yards to go with 60 receptions and seven touchdown catches in 2025. “To be honest with you, I’m focused on what we got going on right now in this building, with this team.

“Had a long season last year, quick turnaround into the offseason, we’re in a new building. And every year is a new year. We’re trying to build this team, we’re trying to come together, so I’m just focused on the guys in this locker room, and trying to build it from the ground up again. We have a long journey ahead of us; we have to start somewhere, so we’re starting right now.”

Spillane expressed that expectations will be higher and that the Patriots will have a target on their backs.

“It’s going to be a brand-new team,” said Spillane, who had 97 tackles and two interceptions last season in his first campaign with the Patriots. “It’s a chance for us to come together, to get to know our teammates, to learn and connect with each other, and really grow with our craft. And that’s what we’re really focused on.”

Vrabel was named NFL Coach of the Year last season in his first campaign with the Patriots. He took a team that went 4-13 in 2024 and guided them to a 14-3 record. New England beat the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship Game to reach the Super Bowl.

Vrabel and Russini were spotted together prior to the NFL league meetings that began March 29 in Phoenix. Sedona is approximately two hours north of Phoenix.

When the situation first came to light publicly, Vrabel said, “those photos show a completely innocent interaction and any suggestion otherwise is laughable.”

The Athletic and Russini parted ways days later.

–Field Level Media

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