Sports

Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca, the 28th seed at the 2026 Australian Open, lost in the first round to American Eliot Spizzirri 6-4, 2-6, 6-1, 6-2 in Melbourne on Tuesday. Fonseca, who recently withdrew from Brisbane and Adelaide with a back issue, struggled physically as the match progressed. The defeat marked an early upset for one of the rising players in the men’s field, who entered the tournament with increased attention after titles in Basel and Buenos Aires and praise from Roger Federer.

Victor Wembanyama returned from a first-quarter injury scare to post 22 points and 10 rebounds and lead the San Antonio Spurs to a 119-101 home win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday night in San Antonio. Stephon Castle added 19 points and 10 assists, while Julian Champagnie contributed 13 points and 11 rebounds as the Spurs built a lead that reached 39 points early in the fourth quarter. Giannis Antetokounmpo finished with 21 points for Milwaukee, which recorded its third straight loss and its second consecutive blowout defeat. The Spurs controlled the boards, dictated the tempo, and limited Milwaukee’s offense for most of the game.

Victor Wembanyama scored 39 points and grabbed nine rebounds to lead the San Antonio Spurs to a 126-123 home win over the Minnesota Timberwolves, overcoming a season-high 55-point performance by Anthony Edwards on Saturday night. Donte DiVincenzo briefly put Minnesota ahead with a late three-pointer, but Wembanyama responded with a 20-foot jumper, then blocked Joan Beringer’s reverse layup and secured a key offensive rebound in the final seconds to preserve the Spurs’ lead. De’Aaron Fox added 25 points and 12 assists as San Antonio avoided a three-game season sweep by Minnesota in their head-to-head series.

The Buffalo Bills fired head coach Sean McDermott after nine seasons and multiple playoff appearances without a Super Bowl berth, part of a sweeping wave of NFL coaching changes following the 2025 season. This report details McDermott’s record in Buffalo and outlines other major moves, including Mike Tomlin’s departure from the Pittsburgh Steelers, the firings of Mike McDaniel, John Harbaugh, Raheem Morris, Kevin Stefanski, Pete Carroll, Jonathan Gannon, Brian Callahan, and Brian Daboll, along with each coach’s tenure, records, and best seasons.

Alexandra Eala exited the Australian Open women’s singles in the first round after Alycia Parks rallied for a 0-6, 6-3, 6-2 win in Melbourne. The 20-year-old Filipina, making her main-draw debut, rode strong crowd support early before Parks adjusted and took control. Eala entered the tournament at a career-best No. 49 following a semifinal run in Auckland and remains scheduled for doubles play. World No. 1 Iga Swiatek and American Coco Gauff both advanced to the second round with opening-match victories as seeded players continued to progress at Melbourne Park.

Novak Djokovic opened his 2026 Australian Open campaign with a straight-sets win over Spain’s Pedro Martinez, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2, in Melbourne on January 19, 2026. The victory marked Djokovic’s 100th career match win at the Australian Open and advanced the 10-time champion to the second round. Tournament organizers confirmed that the 38-year-old Serb, who is pursuing a record 25th Grand Slam singles title, will next face Italian qualifier Francesco Maestrelli.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said the league has held talks with Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid about joining a proposed NBA-backed European basketball league planned for 2027 in partnership with FIBA. Speaking during a trip to London and Berlin, Silver said the NBA is meeting potential investors and clubs as it develops the league’s structure, ownership rules, and competition format. He confirmed PSG as the latest major football club to express interest in the project and said discussions with European organizations remain ongoing. The NBA announced its intention in 2023 to launch a pan-European competition aligned with the global basketball calendar and coordinated with domestic leagues and international events.

MJ Phillips has joined the Nxled Chameleons from the Petro Gazz Angels in the Premier Volleyball League, bringing championship experience to a young team she described as an underdog. Nxled also signed former Angels Brooke Van Sickle, Myla Pablo and several ex-Petro Gazz teammates in a bid to strengthen its roster ahead of the next PVL conference. Team officials, coaches and league representatives confirmed the multi-player move and said the new recruits will report for pre-season training before the final lineup and schedule are announced.

Amanda Anisimova enters the 2025 Australian Open aiming for a third consecutive Grand Slam final after a breakout season that lifted her to world number four. The 23-year-old American, named the WTA’s Most Improved Player, reached the Wimbledon and US Open finals in 2025, splitting high-stakes encounters with top-ranked Iga Swiatek. With enhanced seeding, elevated expectations, and renewed focus on fitness and mental resilience, Anisimova prepares to test her improved game at Melbourne Park as she targets another deep run in a major.

San Miguel Beer guard Jericho Cruz said the Beermen expect a competitive best-of-seven PBA Philippine Cup Finals rematch against TNT Tropang Giga after clinching a 101-88 Game 6 semifinal win over Barangay Ginebra at Smart Araneta Coliseum. Cruz cited TNT’s starting lineup and bench depth as key challenges and noted that San Miguel’s coaching staff has begun preparing adjustments for the championship series, which will open on Wednesday at a venue yet to be announced.