Sports
Iva Jovic survives up-and-down Dubai opener
Jan 27, 2026; Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Iva Jovic of United States in action against Aryna Sabalenka in the quarterfinals of the womenís singles at the Australian Open at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne Park. Mandatory Credit: Mike Frey-Imagn Images No. 16 seed Iva Jovic came away with a roller-coaster 6-1, 1-6, 6-1 win over Uzbekistan’s Kamilla Rakhimova in the opening round of the Dubai Duty Free Championship in the United Arab Emirates on Monday.
Jovic, one of just three seeded competitors in action Monday, stunningly lost all three of her service games in a sloppy second set after coasting to an easy first-set victory by winning the first five games of the match.
She responded by winning the final five games of the third set while facing (and saving) just one break point. She overcame a 61% first-serve percentage thanks in part to Rakhimova’s 56% first-serve percentage and eight double faults.
In another match with a seeded competitor, No. 12 Clara Tauson of Denmark defeated Sofia Kenin 7-6 (4), 6-2.
After the first 10 games were on serve, Tauson was broken to fall behind 6-5 in the opening set but broke right back and rallied from a 2-0 deficit to claim the tiebreaker. The second set was less stressful as Tauson jumped out to a 2-0 lead and won the final three games to deny a comeback bid.
Tauson finished the win with 20 aces against five double faults, winning 90% of her first-serve points and converting three of her four break-point opportunities.
Emma Navarro, the other American seeded competitor in action Monday, opened with a 6-4, 7-5 win over Elena Gabriela Ruse of Romania. The No. 14 seed clinched each set with breaks, overcoming just one ace and six double faults.
The withdrawals continued to stack up in Dubai, with that tally now up to eight at the end of Monday’s competition. The new additions included Canada’s Mackenzie Mboko, who cracked the top 10 of the WTA rankings for the first time on Monday, citing a right elbow issue, and Czechia’s Barbora Krejcikova, who won her opener but pulled out with a left thigh injury ahead of her match with Amanda Anisimova.
That gave Anisimova, the No. 2 seed, a walkover to the third round where she’ll open her run against Indonesia’s Janice Tjen, who beat Canada’s Leylah Fernandez 7-6 (5), 6-4.
Third-seeded American Coco Gauff will open in the second round against Russia’s Anna Kalinskaya, who beat Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko 2-6, 6-1, 6-4.
No. 4 seed U.S. competitor Jessica Pegula will open against Varvara Gracheva of France, who outlasted Slovakia’s Rebecca Sramkova in a 7-5, 1-6, 6-4 win.
Also advancing to the second round on Monday were Sorana Cirstea and Jaqueline Cristian of Romania, Australia’s Daria Kasatkina, Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic, Russia’s Anastasia Zakharova, Croatia’s Antonia Ruzic and Spain’s Paula Badosa.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Packers extend WR Jayden Reed's contract for reported 3 years, $50.25M
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed (11) runs the ball during the first quarter of their wild card playoff game against the Chicago Bears Saturday, January 10, 2026 at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois. The Green Bay Packers announced the signing of wide receiver Jayden Reed to a contract extension on Friday, with ESPN reporting the deal is for three years and worth $50.25 million.
Reed, who was entering the final year of his rookie contract, will be signed through 2029. The deal includes $20 million guaranteed, Reed’s agents Drew Rosenhaus and Ian Grutman told ESPN.
Reed, who turns 26 on Tuesday, is coming off of an abbreviated season marred by shoulder and foot injuries that both required surgery in Week 3.
He finished with 19 receptions on 22 targets for 207 yards and one touchdown in seven regular-season games (three starts). He also started the NFC wild-card playoff loss to the Chicago Bears and made four catches for 43 yards and a TD.
Reed has 138 receptions on 191 targets for 1,857 yards, 15 touchdowns and 13.5 yards per catch in 40 regular-season games (26 starts). He has another 12 catches for 124 yards and one TD in four playoff games (three starts).
Green Bay selected Reed in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft. He led the team in receiving in each of his first two seasons.
The Packers have overhauled their receiving corps, allowing Romeo Doubs to leave as a free agent for the New England Patriots and a four-year, $68 million contract in March. In early April, they traded wideout Dontayvion Wicks to the Philadelphia Eagles for a 2026 fifth-round draft pick and 2027 sixth-rounder.
Green Bay still has receivers Christian Watson, 26, and Matthew Golden, 22, the latter a first-round pick in 2025.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Resurgent offenses of D.C. United, Orlando City set for battle
Apr 18, 2026; Chester, Pennsylvania, USA; DC United defender Lucas Bartlett (3) reacts with forward Tai Baribo (9) against the Philadelphia Union in the first half at Subaru Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images Orlando City and D.C. United both ended scoring droughts in a big way on Wednesday night, each putting up a season-high four goals.
When the sides meet Saturday night in Washington, they’ll try to maintain the momentum for their newfound attacks.
After being outscored 13-1 in their previous four MLS matches, Orlando City broke out with a 4-1 home win against Charlotte FC earlier this week.
Martin Ojeda had a brace and 19-year-old Luis Otavio scored his first goal as a pro for the Lions (2-6-1, 7 points).
Orlando was efficient at the offensive end, hitting the back of the net on four of its six shots on goal. At the other end, goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau had four saves.
After starting the season with three straight defeats, Orlando dismissed coach Oscar Pareja in his seventh season and promoted assistant Martin Perelman to the interim head coach role. The Lions are 2-3-1 since the switch.
Ojeda (four goals) is the top scorer, while veteran Ivan Angulo (five assists) and newcomer Tiago Souza (three assists) are the top facilitators.
“We’re working. The team is growing. The players are doing an amazing effort,” Perelman said. “This is a long season. What matters is where we stand at the end. That is our mindset.”
D.C. United’s offense had failed to produce a goal in four straight MLS matches before playing the host New York Red Bulls to a 4-4 draw on Wednesday.
D.C. (2-4-3, 9 points) entered with a league-low four goals, but Tai Baribo notched a hat trick and Jackson Hopkins added a goal and an assist, fueling a rally from a 3-1 second-half deficit.
On Saturday, D.C. United will try to solve their woes at home, where they have won just one of their last 14 MLS matches dating back to May of last year.
“I think they will be more compact because of the change of the coach,” D.C. manager Rene Weiler said of Orlando. “The players, they want to show their best side to the new coach.”
Orlando has gone 3-0-1 against D.C. the last two seasons to square the all-time series 9-9-3.
— Field Level Media
Sports
Duke F Cameron Boozer declares for NBA Draft
Duke Blue Devils forward Cameron Boozer (12) dunks March 21, 2026 during the second half of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament second round East Region game with TCU at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina. Standout Duke freshman Cameron Boozer, the 2025-26 Naismith National Player of the Year, declared for the 2026 NBA Draft Friday night.
He announced the news on his Instagram account with the caption, “Thank you for everything @dukeuniversity. Duke Blue forever.”
The son of former Duke star Carlos Boozer, Cameron Boozer was second in the Atlantic Coast Conference and ninth nationally with 22.5 points per game, led the conference with 10.2 rebounds per game and tacked on 4.1 assists and 1.4 steals in 38 games.
He was a first-team All American and is projected as a top-three pick in this summer’s draft alongside BYU forward AJ Dybantsa and Kansas guard Darryn Peterson, who also both declared for the draft this week.
His twin brother, Cayden, announced he’s returning to Duke for his sophomore season after averaging 7.7 points, 3.0 assists and 2.3 rebounds as a freshman.
–Field Level Media
Packers extend WR Jayden Reed's contract for reported 3 years, $50.25M
Resurgent offenses of D.C. United, Orlando City set for battle
