Sports
Sorana Cirstea upsets Aryna Sabalenka in Rome for first victory over No. 1
Mar 8, 2026; Indian Wells, CA, USA; Sorana Cirstea (ROU) during her third round match against Linda Noskova (CZE) in the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images Sorana Cirstea has announced she will retire after the season but the 36-year-old Romanian sure isn’t just cruising through tournaments in the meantime.
Cirstea defeated a world No. 1 for the first time since turning professional in 2006 when she rallied for a 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 victory over top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka on Saturday in an Italian Open third-round match in Rome.
“I’m very, very happy,” Cirstea said. “Aryna is an amazing player. I thought I played really well today. I’m working really, really hard. It’s nice to have this result as payoff.”
Cirstea’s previous highest-ranked victory was also over Sabalenka, when the latter was No. 2 in the world in 2023. That upset came in the Miami Open quarterfinals.
Cirstea won her fourth career title earlier this year when she prevailed in a tournament in Romania. She isn’t playing like someone winding down her career as she improved her record to 25-7 this season.
But she said her stellar play hasn’t led her to question the retirement decision.
“Maybe if I win the tournament, I promise I’ll think about it,” Cirstea said with a smile.
Sabalenka sailed through the opening set before the tide turned.
She was dealing with pain in her lower back and even used a medical timeout while losing 4-3 in the final set.
“Felt like my body was limiting me from performing on the highest level,” Sabalenka said. “She stepped in and played incredible tennis. Didn’t really give me much opportunities. … But I guess we never lose, we only learn, so it’s OK.
“Probably it’s my lower back, connected to the hip, which is limiting me from the full rotation.”
While Sabalenka turns her focus to mending her body, Cirstea moves on to face No. 13 seed Linda Noskova of Czechia. Noskova sailed to a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Ukraine’s Oleksandra Oliynykova on Saturday.
In another upset, No. 21 Elise Mertens of Belgium took over No. 9 Jasmine Paolini of Italy 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-3. Mertens had a 3-0 edge in aces and converted 5 of 8 break points.
No. 3 Coco Gauff recovered from a slow start to post a 5-7, 6-0, 6-4 victory over Argentina’s Solana Sierra. No. 8 Mirra Andreeva of Russia fought off Switzerland’s Viktorija Golubic for a 6-1, 4-6, 6-0 win.
Also, Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia rallied for a 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 triumph over Zheng Qinwen of China.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Dodgers claim LHP Charlie Barnes off waivers from Cubs
Apr 13, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Charlie Barnes (58) throws a pitch during the sixth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images The Los Angeles Dodgers claimed left-hander Charlie Barnes off waivers from the Chicago Cubs and transferred infielder/outfielder Tommy Edman to the 60-day injured list to open a 40-man roster spot.
Barnes, 30, was designated for assignment by the Cubs on Monday. He gave up four runs (three earned) over three innings of his lone appearance this season on April 13 against the Philadelphia Phillies and was 3-1 with a 3.04 ERA in seven appearances (four starts) at Triple-A Iowa.
Barnes is 0-3 with a 6.15 ERA in 10 career major league appearances (eight starts) after last pitching in 2021 with the Minnesota Twins. He was a fourth-round draft pick by the Twins in 2017.
Barnes spent the previous four seasons pitching for Lotte in South Korea, where he went 35-32 with a 3.58 ERA in 94 appearances (all starts).
Edman, 31, underwent right ankle surgery in November, shortly after the Dodgers clinched their World Series title. He will be eligible to return from the IL later this month.
In seven major league seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals and Dodgers, Edman is a career .258 hitter with 72 home runs and 291 RBIs in 730 games.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Hall of Famer Wade Boggs declares his cancer 'null and void'
May 8, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Former Boston Red Sox player Wade Boggs waves to the crowd prior to a game between the Boston Red Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images Baseball Hall of Fame member Wade Boggs has announced he is cancer-free.
“I’m a cancer survivor now. Prostate cancer is null and void. Thank God,” the former third baseman said on Friday, citing a recent checkup.
He shared the news after taking part in a ceremony on Friday night at Fenway Park celebrating the 125th anniversary of the team’s first home game. Boggs threw out the ceremonial first pitch alongside other Red Sox greats David Ortiz, Petro Martinez, Jim Rice, Carlton Fisk and Carl Yastrzemski.
Boggs was diagnosed with prostate cancer in September 2024 and subsequently underwent radiation and hormone treatment in Florida.
Boggs shared a post on X on Nov. 13, 2024, announcing that he had completed his treatment, thanking his medical team and expressing gratitude for the support he received.
“Praise God! Had my last treatment this morning, now it’s in the hands of God ??,” he wrote at the time. “Can’t thank my family, friends and my fans for your continued support throughout this difficult time. Also my wonderful team at Tampa General Hospital Cancer Institute ??????.”
Boggs credited early detection for his diagnosis and encouraged young men to get screenings.
“It’s a process that you have to go through, and I encourage all young men to get your PSA tests,” Boggs said Friday. “Please go out there. Because mine, it wasn’t even on the radar. It was a 3.3, and they don’t even start talking about it until it gets to four. But I had the bad one, and we caught it early. … I had my checkup a month ago, and I’m completely cancer-free.”
Boggs, 67, played 18 MLB seasons with the Boston Red Sox (1982-92), New York Yankees (1993-97) and the then-Tampa Bay Devil Rays (1998-99). The Red Sox and Rays have both retired his number.
Boggs was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2005 on the first ballot, garnering votes on 91.9% of ballots.
He was a five-time American League batting champion, 12-time All-Star, two-time Gold Glove Award winner and eight-time Silver Slugger Award winner. He won a World Series in 1996 with the Yankees. In his career, Boggs hit .328 and joined the 3,000-hit club, finishing with 3,010 to go with 1,513 runs, 118 homers and 1,014 RBIs.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Four different players score to give Inter Miami win over Toronto FC
May 9, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Inter Miami CF midfielder Lionel Messi (10) battles for the ball with Toronto FC midfielder Jonathan Osorio (21) during the first half at BMO Field. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images Rodrigo De Paul, Luis Suarez, Sergio Reguilon and Lionel Messi each scored to lead visiting Inter Miami to a 4-2 win over Toronto FC on Saturday.
Messi had two assists as Miami (6-2-4, 22 points) made sure it wouldn’t repeat last week’s stunning 4-3 home loss against Orlando City when it surrendered a 3-0 lead.
Emilio Aristizabal scored a brace for Toronto (3-4-5, 14 points).
The Herons took a 1-0 lead when De Paul’s free kick from 25 yards out in the 44th minute ricocheted off the wall and his one-time right-footed shot hit the post and went in.
Suarez gave Miami a 2-0 advantage when he finished Messi’s pass with his left foot in the 56th minute. The Herons took advantage of the space created when Toronto forward Raheem Edwards remained down on the pitch.
In the 73rd minute, Miami went up 3-0 when Messi returned a pass to Reguilon who scored his first MLS goal.
Miami poured it on at 4-0 when De Paul connected with Messi in the middle of the box in the 75th minute.
Aristizabal trimmed Miami’s lead to 4-1 in the 82nd minute. Toronto trailed 4-2 on Aristizabal’s header on a Kobe Franklin pass in the 90th minute.
Early in the match, Toronto had its chances. Alonso Coello’s free kick from outside the box in the eighth minute skipped through the Miami wall, but Dayne St. Clair made the save.
In the next few minutes, Toronto continued to press as Malik Henry, Markus Cimermancic and Deandre Kerr had shots go wide of the target.
Miami’s offense started to build late in the first half when a Messi shot sizzled beyond the near post in the 38th minute.
Moments later, St. Clair made a diving punch save of a Daniel Salloi shot to preserve Miami’s 1-0 lead at halftime.
The 47th minute featured Luis Suarez forcing a turnover at midfield which set Messi up for a 2-on-1 run. Messi drew in both defenders and slipped a pass to Suarez on the wing, whose shot from inside the box was off target.
–Field Level Media
Dodgers claim LHP Charlie Barnes off waivers from Cubs
Hurdle hints and answers for May 10, 2026
