01272026 SPORTS

Cougars on a roll

Leiyah Bain ‘considered most complete and feared point guard in Dade County’

By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

TALENTED Leiyah

Bain continues her impressive season under her Bahamian coach Cedricka Sweeting with the Miami Killian High Cougars women’s basketball team.

Bain, considered to be the most complete and feared point guard in Dade County, is averaging an astonishing 36.5 points, five rebounds, four steals and three assists per game.

The Cougars had their 10-game winning streak snapped in a 68-66 loss that saw Bain pour in a game high 42 points.

“I’m just trusting the work that I put in this summer,” said Bain of her performance so far this season.

“Last year, I lacked a lot of confidence, but my coach believed in me so just having her coach me, I just know that she trusts me so I

am just putting my best foot forward and trying to win.”

The former HO Nash Lions’ player under the tutelage of coach Patricia ‘Pattie’ Johnson said the competition has been intense, but she’s been holding her own on the court.

“It’s good competition, to be honest. It’s great competition. I just have a lot of confidence in me and my team,” Bain pointed out. “When we step on the floor, it doesn’t matter who we are playing.

“I don’t see who is in front of me. I just step out there to play and to win.”

If she can maintain the level of performance she’s enjoying now, Bain said she would like to complete it by winning the State championship title.

“That’s my main goal for this year, to lead my team to the state championship,” said Bain, who is currently in the 11th grade. “I’ve had a lot of college scouts coming to watch me

perform, so I have a lot to look forward to.”

Bain said the league has been a very competitive one, but she put in a lot of work with coach Sweeting, who has encouraged her not to use the words “I can’t.”

“She pushes me to my limit every day.

“To have someone from the same place like The Bahamas is very encouraging. She knows how badly I want it and how much she wants it for me. “We are both hungry for it and

she wants the best for the team.”

Sweeting, a former outstanding basketball player herself, said Bain, an 18-year-old daughter of Akoya Pennerman and Leon Bain, has become a complete player. “She has

been outstanding, playing at a high level,” Sweeting said. “Every opponent she’s faced, she does what she has to do. She plays aggressively on the floor, getting to the basket and putting the team on her back.”

Sweeting said Bain has been able to showcase her talent, even when her opponents double and triple team her.

“She can still break them down and get to the basket,” Sweeting said.

“She hasn’t even scratched the surface on what she can do yet. She’s just getting started.” Bain, who had a career high 47 points in November, will be back in action on Wednesday in the last of the Cougars’ three games left in the regular season before they prepare for the start of the playoffs on February 2. Last year, the Cougars made it to the regionals, making their exit in the second round of the playoffs.

Hornets take 50-point lead for 2nd time this month, rout 76ers 130-93 Rookie ‘VJ’ Edgecombe scores nine points in loss

CHARLOTTE, N.C.

(AP) — Brandon Miller scored 30 points, and the Charlotte Hornets took a 50-point lead for the second time this month on the way to rolling past the Philadelphia 76ers 130-93 yesterday.

All five Hornets starters finished in double figures. Kon Knueppel and Moussa Diabate scored 12, LaMelo Ball added 11 and Miles Bridges finished with 10 for Charlotte, which has won three straight games for the first time this season.

It was 28-22 after one quarter — and then Charlotte outscored Philadelphia 81-37 over the next two quarters, taking a 109-59 lead into the fourth.

Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 17 for Philadelphia. Jared

McCain added 16 and Quentin Grimes had 14 for the 76ers, while Tyrese Maxey was held to a season-low six points on 3-for-12 shooting in 25 minutes. Maxey's scoring average dropped a full half-point to 29.4 per game.

Rookie VJ Edgecombe contributed nine points, six rebounds, one assist and a steal.

Charlotte became the first team since Phoenix in February 2009 to lead by 50 or more points in two separate games within the same calendar month. The Hornets led Utah by 57 on their way to a 150-95 win on January 10. The Hornets had one other lead of 50 or more points in the NBA's

play-by-play era, which goes back to 1996. It's now happened twice more in a span of just over two weeks.

The game was moved up to a 3pm start because of extreme weather conditions in the Charlotte area, all related to Winter Storm Fern.

Ryan Kalkbrenner had 13 points and nine rebounds off the bench for Charlotte. Philadelphia outscored the Hornets 34-21 in the fourth quarter and still took its second-worst loss of the season. The 76ers lost to Orlando by 41 on November 25.

Up next

76ers: Host Milwaukee tonight.

Hornets: Visit Memphis on Wednesday.

Local Sports Calendar

BAHAMAS TRIATHLON

THE Bahamas Triathlon Association will hold an Olympic, sprint and relay triathlon on Sunday, February 1 at Jaws Beach starting at 7am.

The Olympic course will feature a 1.5 kilometre swim, a 40K bike run and a 10K run; the sprint will have a 750m swim, 20K bike and 5K run and the relay will comprise teams of two or three people competing together in both the Olympic and sprint courses. Interested persons can contact the BTA for more details.

EDRON KNOWLES TOURNEY

THE National Sports Authority will pay special tribute to the late Edron ‘Ed’ Knowles with a Home Run Hitting Showcase at the Bankers Field on February 20.

The top 20 home run hitters in the country will compete for $500 cash plus five cases of beers for first place, $300 and three cases of beers for second and

$200 and two cases of beers for third.

The event is being sponsored by GBall and A Sure Win. 6th RED-LINE

SONJA KNOWLES

CLASSIC

THE Red-Line Athletics Track Club’s sixth annual Sonja Knowles Track Classic will be held over the weekend of January 31 to February 1 at the original Thomas A. Robinson Track and Field Classic.

The event will begin at 10am on Saturday, January 31 and continue on Sunday, February 1 at 1pm.

The categories for men and women will begin from under-7 to the masters.

Interested persons can contact coach Tito Moss at 425-4262 for more information.

BBSF FAMILY

FUN RUN/WALK

THE Bahamas Baptist Sports Federation will hold its annual Family Fun Run/ Walk Race on Saturday, February 26, starting at 6am from the Bahamas Baptist College on Jean Street.

to Village Road, turn left onto Soldier Road, turn left onto Prince Charles Drive, turn left onto Fox Hill Road and turn left onto Bernard Road, heading back to the church.

The registration fee is $10 per person in both the men and women 15-and-under, 20-and-under, 40-and-under, 60-and-under and 60-and-over as well as the Ministers/Pastors.

Interested persons can call Brent Stubbs at 4267265 for more information.

BASEBALL MARIO FORD

CAMP

THE annual Mario Ford Baseball Camp at Windsor Park, designed for boys and girls between the ages of 4-16 years, will be staged every Saturday between the hours of 9:30-11:30am until Saturday, April 18.

Interested persons are urged to contact camp director Mario Bowleg at 556-0993.

Charles W Saunders Cougars surge atop the standings with perfect 11-0 win-loss record

By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

COACH Dario Burrows

has his Charles W Saunders Cougars senior boys’ bas ketball team clicking on all cylinders in the Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools.

The Cougars, in their bid to regain the title they last held in 2024, have surged ahead of the standings with a perfect 11 0 win loss record with three more games left in the regular season.

Their latest triumph came yesterday when the Cougars knocked off the Queen's College Comets 61-35 on their home court at Charles W Saunders High School. The Comets fell to 9 3 with the loss.

Bryson Rolle exploded for a game high 27 points, while Laquan Collins and Shelton Munroe both con tributed 10, Daniel Munroe had seven and Jai Mortimer finished with four for the Cougars.

Javan Missick scored 10 points, Rajon Jones had nine and Isiash Marshall added seven in a losing role for the Comets.

Burrows, whose Cou gars got knocked out of the playoffs last year by the defending champi ons St John's Giants, said they knew Queen's Col lege was short-handed with their best player, Tayshawn Taylor, out.

“We just tried to step up our guard play and come full force at them," Burrows said. "The game plan was to come full court, apply the pressure, force them to turn the ball over, get some easy baskets. It worked the way we expected."

With a big line up, Bur rows said he still has to work on the importance of play ing defence and rebounding the ball because he expects them to be challenged.

"I have a young team and they are learning. We're just trying to get back to the top," Burrows stated.

Three more games left in the regular season

"We have some work to do, but I'm confident that we can do it this year."

Coach Dwayne Smith said without Taylor, who got injured in the third quar ter when they played the St Augustine's College Big Red Machine, their entire game was not what it should have been.

"When he comes back, we should be able to get back into sync," said Smith, whose Comets lost in the championship last year to St John's. "We're capable of playing much better than we did today."

The Cougars made this one look so easy as they took a 19 10 lead at the end of the first quarter, high lighted by a crowd pleasing, buzzer beating dunk from Tomi Sands.

After getting off to a slow start with just four points in the first quarter, Rolle went on a tear for Charles W Saunders in the second quarter with 11 points, including a three pointer, as they surged ahead 42 17 at the half.

Rolle continued his intensity in the third as he managed to pour in nine points in a 17 10 surge by the Cougars for a 59 27 advantage going into the fourth quarter.

Burrows was able to sub stitute his bench for most of the fourth quarter as they used a 9 8 run to maintain their lead with Collins turn ing in six points.

Although they are unde feated, Burrows said the big test will come when they face the Giants later this week.

Their originally scheduled game was post poned because of Charles W Saunders' school exams. It's a match-up that Saun ders feels will determine how prepared they are to challenge for another title when the playoffs get underway next month.

Shell West successfully hosts its inaugural Corporate 5K Run

SHELL Western Supply & Trading Limited (Shell West), a member of Shell Group, headquartered in Nassau and specialising in global crude trading, successfully hosted its inau gural Corporate 5K Run on Friday, January 23.

The event brought together companies, col leagues and members of the local community in a shared celebration of wellness, con nection and purpose.

With strong participation from the business com munity, Shell West raised over $10,000 to support the Gennie Dean Cancer Society, with all proceeds directed exclusively to assisting cancer patients and their families across The Bahamas.

“This event demonstrated what is possible when the corporate community unites with intention, purpose and a heart for those in need,” said Rodrigo Teixeira, VP Crude Trading, Shell West ern Supply & Trading Ltd.

“Wellness, connection and compassion were on full display today. We are proud to support an organisation that provides real relief to families facing cancer, and equally proud to see so many companies unite around a common cause.”

Participants of all fitness levels took part, reinforc ing the event’s emphasis on inclusion, teamwork and healthy living. “The atmosphere was energetic, supportive, and deeply community‑focused,” said

Marcel Major, the race director.

“From walkers to sea soned runners, everyone contributed to a smooth, safe and uplifting event. It was inspiring to see cor porate teams encouraging one another and finishing together.”

Funds raised through the Corporate 5K will support the Gennie Dean Cancer Society’s core programmes, including medical expense assistance, housing and util ity support, groceries and personal care items pro vided through the Sunflower Pantry, and educational and wellness initiatives.

“This support makes a direct and immediate dif ference in the lives of our patients and their families,”

said Duquesa Dean, man ager of the Gennie Dean Cancer Society. “Thanks to Shell West and every participant, more people will receive essential assis tance during one of the most challenging periods of their lives. These partner ships bring hope, dignity, and relief when it is needed most.”

The VP Crude Trad ing, Shell West noted that the Corporate 5K was envisioned as part of the company’s broader corpo rate social responsibility strategy and reaffirmed his commitment to long‑term collaborations with Baha mian partners, nonprofits and neighbouring busi nesses in support of those in need.

Curry leads Warriors past Timberwolves 111-85 as Minnesota drops 5th straight

By The Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS (AP)

— Stephen Curry scored 26 points to lead the Golden State Warriors past Minnesota 111-85 on Sunday, the fifth straight loss for the Timberwolves and their longest skid in more than three years.

Curry added seven assists and four of his team’s season-high 20 steals after being listed as questionable to play because of knee soreness. Moses Moody added 19 points and eight rebounds for the Warriors (26-21), who moved within 1 1/2 games of the Timberwolves (27-19) for seventh place in the Western Conference.

Brandin Podziemski had 12 points, six assists and four steals for the Warriors, who have won seven of their last 10 games.

PISTONS 139, KINGS 116

DETROIT (AP) — Cade Cunningham had 29 points and 11 assists and Detroit routed Sacramento for its fifth victory in six games.

The Eastern Conference-leading Pistons rebounded from a home loss to Houston on Friday night to improve to 33-11.

Tied at 35 after a quarter, Detroit broke it open in the second by outscoring the Kings 43-30. Cunningham was 13 of 22 from the field, hitting 3 of 5 3-pointers. Pistons center Jalen Duren added 18 points on 7-of-8 shooting, and Tobias Harris had 16. Malik Monk led Sacramento with 19 points, and DeMar DeRozan had 16. The Kings have lost five straight to drop to 12-35.

Domantas Sabonis played his fifth game for Sacramento after after missing two months because of a knee injury. He had 12 points on 6-of-7 shooting and eight assists and seven rebounds in 24:44.

RAPTORS 103, THUNDER 101

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Immanuel Quickley had 23 points and 11 rebounds to help Toronto defeat the NBA-leading Oklahoma City.

R.J. Barrett scored 14 points and Scottie Barnes added 10 points and 10 rebounds for the Raptors, who won their fourth straight.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led Oklahoma City with 24 points on 8-for-11 shooting. He scored at least 20 points

for the 117th consecutive game, the second-longest streak in NBA history.

Lu Dort scored a season-high 19 points, Kenrich Williams scored 15 and Chet Holmgren added 11 points and 10 rebounds for the Thunder.

PELICANS 104, SPURS 95

SAN ANTONIO (AP)

— Saddiq Bey and Zion Williamson each had 24 points and 10 rebounds and New Orleans squandered a 20-point lead before rebounding to beat San Antonio. San Antonio held a 24-5 advantage to open the fourth quarter, but New Orleans closed the game on a 17-3 run to avoid a season sweep by the Spurs.

Victor Wembanyama had 16 points, 16 rebounds and four blocks to lead San Antonio. Keldon Johnson added 15 points as the

Spurs failed to capitalise on a double-digit rally.

New Orleans’ lead swelled to 19 points midway through the third quarter, leading San Antonio coach Mitch Johnson to sub out his entire starting lineup following a timeout.

The lineup change worked as San Antonio went on a 21-4 run bridging the third and fourth quarters. The Spurs scored 16 straight points to close the run.

HEAT 111, SUNS 102

PHOENIX (AP) — Bam

Adebayo scored 22 points, Jaime Jaquez Jr. added 20 and Miami beat shorthanded Phoenix.

The Heat had a short turnaround after blowing out Utah 147-116 on Saturday night, but took advantage of Phoenix playing without two key players who suffered injuries in

Friday night in a 110-103 loss at Atlanta.

Devin Booker, a fourtime All-Star, rolled his right ankle in third quarter against the Hawks and will be re-evaluated in a week. Jalen Green came out after feeling pain in his second game back after missing 33 with a hamstring strain.

The Suns laboured without Booker’s team-leading 25.4 points per game, shooting 37% and 7 of 35 from 3. Dillon Brooks led Phoenix with 26 points and Grayson Allen added 18 despite shooting 4 of 18 from the floor, including 1 of 11 from 3.

The NBA’s fourth-highest scoring team, Miami led by five after three quarters and pushed it to 101-83 midway through the fourth on their way to finishing a five-game trip 3-2. Norman Powell added 16 points and 10 rebounds.

CLIPPERS 126,

NETS 89

INGLEWOOD, Calif.

(AP) — Kawhi Leonard scored 21 of his 28 points in the first half as Los Angeles built a 38-point lead in the second quarter and beat Brooklyn.

James Harden scored 19 points, John Collins added 18, and Jordan Miller had 16. Ivica Zubac finished with 11 points and 10 rebounds as the Clippers, who were coming off a victory over the Lakers on Thursday, won for the eighth time in nine games.

Danny Wolf scored 14 points and Egor Demin had 12 for the Nets, who shot 28% in the first half and 34% (29 for 86) overall, including 21% (9 for 43) from 3-point range. Brooklyn lost its fourth straight and has dropped 10 of its last 11 games and 13 of 15.

Second annual Nassau Cup rocks Baha Mar Racquet Club

By JONATHAN BURROWS Tribune Sports Reporter jburrows@tribunemedia.net

AFTER three compet-

itive weekends and a final day that flipped the standings, the second annual Nassau Cup came to an end on Saturday at the Baha Mar Racquet Club.

Played throughout January, the Nassau Cup once again used its round-robin team format, bringing together players from across the island. Professionals, elite juniors, top club competitors and recreational amateurs all shared the same courts, creating a rare and compelling mix of styles.

The format not only elevated the level of competition but also reinforced the event’s original goal, building stronger connections within the Bahamian tennis community.

“We are actually a bigger event now. We had two more teams showing, could've had more teams, but due to capacity we had to cap it, but hopefully next year we can expand into more teams,” said tournament organiser Alexander Murbach. “We want to make it a bigger event and include more juniors, the ladies and others. The Bahamas has a lot of tennis players, but we have no events.”     Team Baha Mar, led by captain Josh Herman, with a strong final-round showing, finished with 12.5 total wins, securing its first Nassau Cup championship title, edging out Team Cable Beach by the narrowest of margins.

“It's in my house, I’m at home, so at least I should win one, but the team was

competitive, the team was good, and it was all about strategy because you had people actually taking some of their top players and letting them play in the B level. It's all about strategy, and they do that in Davis Cup and in junior as well,” said Derron Donaldson, a member of the Baha Mar team and director of racquets at Baha Mar.

“It was a great atmosphere, a great event for a lot of people looking for, especially in the tennis industry, looking for a lot of stuff to attend and give a reason for some former players who

aren't as active to train,” said Donaldson. “The cup also worked as a great networking event for people to meet other people.”

Cable Beach finished second with 12 wins, a halfwin shy of the title. Team Waterloo surged late to claim third place with 10.5 wins, finishing just ahead of Rum Club, which settled for fourth at 10 wins.

Heading into the sixth and final round, Rum Club looked well-positioned to repeat as champions. The defending titleholders from the inaugural 2025 Nassau Cup led the standings after

12-year-old Rebecca Bitan: ‘It feels good to be a double champion’

By JONATHAN BURROWS Tribune Sports Reporter jburrows@tribunemedia.net

THE BLTA opened its 2025 season with a strong showing at its first New Year’s junior tournament over the weekend held at the National Tennis Center. The tournament featured many of the country's top ranked junior players for the three-day event.

One of the most defining matches of the tournament was the performance of Rebecca Bitan, 12, who emerged as the champion of both the Girls’ Under 14 division and followed it up by winning the Girls’ Under 16 division, earning a double crown and clearly separating herself from her competitors.

“It feels good to be a double champion. This is my first time playing sixteens (16U)  and I’m proud that I won this tournament and proud of myself,” said Bitan.

Speaking about the competition between the two divisions, she said: “Competition wasn’t that bad, Victoria (Sandi-Auguilar, GSU-14) was a great player but I overcame the step. Sixteens was a tough match against Caitlyn (Pratt),

we played before, and she played her game, and I played mine but I just overstepped her.”

“My serve really worked well, I just tried to hit or slice them to lose their gameplan,” said Bitan. In the boys’ division, the Under 16 finals between Ayai Bethel and Synaj Watkins delivered another one of the tournament's best matches.

Bethel, 16 and playing out of Harbour Island, Eleuthera, won the division with a statement performance after having what he described as a disappointing year end in 2025.

Facing Watkins, the tournament's top ranked male player, Bethel played with clear intentions from the opening sets.

“It's good to start off the year after a bad slump at the end of 2025, but it feels much better,” said Bethel.

“I went to Grand Bahama to nationals and I lost first round and it was to a player that I shouldn't be losing to, now this year this was to set a statement at the beginning of the year.”

“The last match was tough, every time we play, we do a third set tie break. In the first set, my plan was just to get him drain and I just wanted to work his

back hand and it actually worked,” said Bethel.

Results from all divisions:

Girls U14

Champion- Rebecca Bitan

Runner Up - Victoria

Sandi-Auguilar

Boys’ U14

Champion- Harison Van Onselen

Runner Up- Kingsonj

Rees

Girls U16

Champion- Rebecca

Bitan

Runner Up- Caitlyn Pratt

Boys U16

Champion- Ayai Bethel

Runner Up- Synaj

Watkins

BLTA President Perry Newton praised the players for their competitiveness and also acknowledged the officiating team, noting their role in ensuring the tournament ran smoothly and efficiently. Congratulations were also extended to all competitors in the under 14 and 16 divisions.

This New Year’s tournament serves as a first step in what is expected to be a busy and opportunity filled 2026 calendar. The next sanctioned junior tournament is scheduled for February 13-15 in Grand Bahama. Eligible players are encouraged to participate.

five rounds and appeared in control but that changed quickly on the final day.

For the first time in the tournament’s short history, Rum Club dropped all three of its matches in a single round, falling to Cable Beach in a result that reshuffled the standings.

The unexpected sweep opened the door for Team Baha Mar, and they did not hesitate to walk through it.

The Nassau Cup continued its emphasis on recognition and inclusion with tournament awards.

Harold Road captain Kenwood Kerr received

the Sportsmanship Award.

Junior honours went to Tatiana Madu and McKenzie Herman, highlighting the growing role of young players in the competition.

A special award was also presented to Tara Mactaggart, captain of MLTA, for fielding the most women on a team, with five participants.

The tournament also featured a Pro Money Match featuring the tournament’s four top-performing professionals.

Rasheed Carey and Jamal Adderley emerged as winners, beating the pair

of  Jodi Turnquest and JJ Fountain. The 2026 Nassau Cup was made possible through the support of Corporate Bahamas, with sponsors including Titan Hospitality, CBL, Bahamas Sotheby’s, McKinney Bancroft & Hughes, Sign Island, and RF Bank & Trust. Organisers expressed appreciation to the sponsors, players, captains and supporters who helped deliver another successful edition. If this year’s finish was any indication, the race for the title is only getting tighter.

Pegula knocks 2025 champion Keys out of the Australian Open, faces Anisimova in quarterfinals

By JOHN PYE AP Sports Writer

MELBOURNE, Aus-

tralia (AP) — Jessica Pegula knocked podcast pal and defending champion

Madison Keys out of the Australian Open yesterday to secure a quarterfinal against Amanda Anisimova, another all-American match.

Their fourth-round wins on Day 9 means four Americans have reached the women's singles last eight in Australia for the first time since 2001, when Serena and Venus Williams, Jennifer Capriati, Monica Seles and Lindsay Davenport made it through.

It is also the first time the top six seeds in the women’s and men’s singles have all qualified for the last eight of a Grand Slam event in the Open Era.

“Sucks that one American has to go out in the quarterfinals,” Anisimova said.

No. 6-seeded Pegula had a slightly different take: “At least one of us will get through and I think that’s great for American tennis. Yeah, it’s been pretty crazy how well the women have been doing and how many top-ranked girls there are. I’m just happy to be a part of that conversation.”

Pegula and No. 4 Anisimova advanced a day after No. 3 Coco Gauff and 18-year-old Iva Jovic earned their places on the other side of the draw.

Pegula's 6-3, 6-4 win at Rod Laver Arena ended Keys' first Grand Slam title defence in a tough section of the draw.

Anisimova, runner-up at the last two majors at Wimbledon and the US Open, advanced 7-6 (4), 6-4 over Wang Xinyu as the temperature started rising at Melbourne Park and organisers triggered the heat stress policy which allowed

for extra cooling breaks. “What a battle out there. Tough conditions against a really good opponent,” Anisimova said. “There were a lot of fans from China today but, honestly, it made the atmosphere great.” No. 2 Iga Świątek continued her quest to complete a career Grand Slam with a 6-0, 6-3 win over home qualifier Maddison Inglis, giving the center court crowd little to cheer on the Australia Day national holiday. Swiatek next meets No. 5 Elena Rybakina, runner-up to Aryna Sabalenka here in 2023.

Pegula's progress

Pegula is in the quarterfinals for the fourth time in Australia but has never previously gone further at the season-opening major. Anisimova is in the last eight here for the first time.

“I have been seeing, hitting, moving, I feel very well this whole tournament, and to be able to keep that up against such a great player as Maddie and defending champion was going to be a lot tougher of a task today,” Pegula said, “I was still able to do that really well.”

Pegula and Keys had played three times previously, and Keys had won the last two. But on Monday it was Pegula who dominated, racing to 4-1 leads in both sets.

“I felt if I didn’t hit a really good ball immediately, she was in charge of the points,” Keys said. “I was kind of struggling to kind of get that dominance back.”

Pegula's best performance in a major was reaching the U.S. Open final in 2024.

Men's draw

Three Italian men started Day 9. Only two could advance.

Two-time defending champion Jannik Sinner beat compatriot Luciano Darderi 6-1, 6-3, 7-6 (2) two

days after admitting he felt lucky to survive the third round.

Sinner struggled with the extreme heat and cramping in his Saturday afternoon win over No. 85-ranked Eliot Spizzirri, and only took control of that match after the roof was closed in the third set.

His evening match Monday was much cooler, and so was Sinner. He served a personal best 19 aces and improved his streak to 18 straight wins at Melbourne Park.

The Italian star next faces No. 8-seeded Ben Shelton,

who beat No. 12 Casper Ruud 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 in a night match. Sinner has won his last eight meetings with the 23-year-old American, including last year's semifinal here.

Lorenzo Musetti reached the quarterfinals for the first time in Australia with a 6-2, 7-5, 6-4 win over an ailing Taylor Fritz. It completed a Grand Slam set of quarterfinals for the 23-year-old Italian.

The fifth-seeded Musetti has had a disrupted run, with members of his support team having to return home for personal reasons.

He also had to leave his family behind after the birth in November of his second son.

“I feel more mature on the court. I’m playing better for that, and for them,” he said. His next mission is against a rested Novak Djokovic.

The 24-time major winner was scheduled to be the feature night match Monday but instead had a walkover into the quarterfinals.

Heat is on

With a forecast maximum temperature of 45 degrees Celsius (113 F) today,

organisers will open the gates early for fans at 9am local time.

Matches on Margaret Court Arena will begin at 11am, while those on Rod Laver Arena start at 11:30am.

The retractable roof is likely to be on. The tournament has used an extreme heat protocol since 2019, allowing for extra breaks for players and suspension of matches if a combination of air temperature, radiant heat, humidity and wind speed reach set thresholds.

French striker

Barry scores 4th goal in five games to rescue 1-1 draw for Everton against Leeds

LIVERPOOL,

England

(AP) — French striker

Thierno Barry scored his fourth goal in five games to give Everton a 1-1 draw at home to Leeds yesterday.

Leeds was dominant in the first half and took the lead in the 28th minute when Anton Stach’s low cross from the right ran across the 18-yard box to James Justin, who stormed in at the far post to score with a low shot.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin almost doubled Leeds lead three minutes later but hit the post from about four meters out. Leeds’ early superiority was highlighted by the visitors having more shots in the first half — 10 — than in any league game since September 2021.

However, Everton coach David Moyes changed to a back three for the second

half and the switch brought his side right back into the game.

Leeds goalkeeper Karl Darlow denied Barry an earlier equaliser and Iliman Ndiaye, back in the side after winning the Africa Cup of Nations with Senegal, also came close for Everton.

But it was Barry who finally got the goal 14 minutes from time when the big forward got in front of a Leeds defender to stab home a low cross from Idrissa Gueye, another of Everton’s returning Senegal contingent.

“His workrate is always really honest and he works hard but we need goals and he got one for us tonight,” Moyes said of the former Basel and Villarreal striker.

“The first half we weren’t at it and in the second

half we were much better,” Moyes added. “Thankfully, we got a goal back. We were fortunate to only be 1-0 down at halftime, but I could say the same as the second half — we could have maybe got a second goal.”

The draw was a blow to Everton’s European hopes. A win would have taken it into seventh, but it remained in 10th, one of four teams on 33 points.

Leeds moved to 26 points, six above the Premier League relegation zone and two points behind the clubs above it, Tottenham and Crystal Palace.

“Overall, it is a good result for us,” Leeds coach Daniel Farke said. “It is another sign we are on a very good path. We edge another point closer to what we want to achieve.

Athletes