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Top-seeded Holger Rune of Denmark held off Russia's Alexander Shevchenko 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 on Wednesday to reach the Brisbane International quarterfinals in Australia.
Rune saved five of six break points and registered 12 aces and 39 winners against just 11 unforced errors to win in two hours and 29 minutes. Up next is Australia's James Duckworth, a three-set winner against Germany's Yannick Hanfmann.
Also advancing to the quarterfinals were Italy's Matteo Arnaldi and Russia's Roman Safiullin. Fourth-seeded Ugo Humbert of France defeated Alex Michelsen 6-4, 6-4 in a first-round match.
Hong Kong Tennis Open
No. 3 seed Frances Tiafoe toppled Serbia's Miomir Kecmanovic 6-3, 7-6 (4) to reach the quarterfinals in Hong Kong.
Tiafoe won 88 percent of the points on his first serve, including eight aces, and saved all three break points. He will face China's Juncheng Shang, who outlasted Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp 6-7 (5), 7-6 (2), 7-6 (2).
Russia's Pavel Kotov and Finland's Emil Ruusuvuori will meet in another quarterfinal. Ruusuvuori knocked out No. 2 seed Karen Khachanov of Russia 7-6 (2), 2-6, 6-2 and Kotov eliminated No. 6 Lorenzo Musetti of Italy 6-4, 6-3.
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Naomi Osaka highlights difference in working with new coach Tomasz Wiktorowski after split from Patrick Mouratoglou
After a rough couple of months, Naomi Osaka appears to have rediscovered her form at the 2025 Canadian Open. The Japanese superstar recently part ways with renown coach Patrick Mouratoglou, but seems to have found new life under Tomasz Wiktorowski, whom she began working with prior to the WTA 1000 event. Osaka has been in devastating form in Montreal, with the former World No.1 dropping just one set en route to the quarterfinals. The two-time US Open champion cruised past Anastasija Sevastova in their round of 16 match, scoring a 6-1 6-0 victory over the Latvian in just under 50 minutes. The four-time Grand Slam champion began working with Mouratoglou in September of last year, but their partnership has not yielded the desired results. Although Osaka did win a WTA 125K event in Saint Malo before Roland Garros, she has underperformed at tour-level events. Nonetheless, it came as a surprise when Osaka took to social media last week to announce she and Mouratoglou would be parting ways. The Japanese star would then reveal she was working with Polish coach Tomasz Wiktorowski, albeit on a trial basis. Her fitness has improved under her new coach, says Osaka Having coached former World No.1 Iga Swiatek in the past, Wiktorowski is known for his stern disposition on and off the court. However, Osaka claims to enjoy working with the Polish tactician, and admitted she has seen vast improvements in their short time together. "Honestly, I think for me, what’s working well is I am very confident in my fitness," revealed Japanese superstar. "I’m really comfortable just getting balls back now, and I really enjoy Tomasz. I don’t know if to say his name is ‘Thomas’ or ‘Tomasz.’ I’m so sorry. “But I enjoy his coaching style. He’s very direct and to the point. For someone like me, who my thoughts scatter around often, it’s very helpful." With her confidence the highest it's been in months, Osaka will face a stern test in the quarterfinals at the Canadian Open. The 27-year old will face Elina Svitolina in the final eight, after the Ukrainian brushed past 2025 Wimbledon runner-up Amanda Anisimova in their round of 16 encounter.
Kevin Love reportedly has preferred buyout destination
Kevin Love is eyeing a return to his roots. The five-time NBA All-Star big man Love has a preferred destination on the buyout market, Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints reported on Tuesday. Love would like to end up in Los Angeles. Now 36 years old, Love spent the last two-and-a-half seasons with the Miami Heat. He averaged just 5.3 points and 4.1 rebounds over 10.9 minutes per game in 2024-25 but still managed to shoot 35.8 percent from three on the year. Earlier this summer however, the Heat traded Love to the Utah Jazz as part of a three-team blockbuster deal. Now Love, a 17-year NBA veteran, is pursuing a contract buyout from the rebuilding Jazz. Though he is a native of Lake Oswego, Oregon, Love played his college ball in Los Angeles at UCLA. He also has ties to both L.A. teams — he won an NBA championship with Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James on the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016 and was also coached on that team by Tyronn Lue, who is now head coach of the L.A. Clippers. Both the Lakers and Clippers are currently sitting at 14 guaranteed contracts each. While they still have spots for two-way and Exhibit 10 players, that means the Lakers and Clippers are both down to their final open roster spot. The ex-rebounding leader Love still has some value, though probably more so as a jokester than as a contributing rotation piece. While Love clearly wants a homecoming to Los Angeles, he may have some convincing to do for either the Lakers or the Clippers to give him that final open roster spot.
Celtics’ Georges Niang Trade Wasn’t Just About Salary Dump
The Boston Celtics have made yet another curious offseason move, trading 32-year-old 3-point specialist Georges Niang and two second-round picks to the Utah Jazz in exchange for RJ Luis Jr., an undrafted rookie on a two-way contract. On the surface, this trade was more or less a salary dump. While a rebuilding team, the Jazz are expected to absorb Niang’s 2024-25 salary ($8.2 million) in the trade exception they generated from shipping John Collins to the Los Angeles Clippers. This reduced Boston’s luxury tax by $50 million, according Third Apron salary cap expert Yossi Gozlan. For their efforts, the Jazz not only got a pair of second-rounders but a veteran that can teach their young players the nuances of professionalism. Celtics’ Georges Niang Trade Wasn’t Just About Salary Dump Though the Celtics obviously wanted to reduce their bill, the deal wasn’t just about that. Boston genuinely wanted Luis, per ZAGSBLOG draft expert Adam Zagoria. With that in mind, he entered the 2025 NBA Draft out of St. John’s, he played his freshman season at local UMass. That season, he averaged 11.5 points per game on 45.5 percent from the field. He also earned 10 starts, averaging 15.5 points per game in those contests. As a junior in 2024-25, Luis exploded for 18.2 points per game. His season ended on a low note. In a nine-point loss to Arkansas in the NCAA Tournament’s Round of 32, he went just 3-17 from the field, scoring nine points. Nonetheless, his body of work shouldn’t be overshadowed by the last sentence. Nor should the pedigree he enters the NBA with. In 2024-25, he was a Consensus All-American. His father, Reggie Charles, was a professional basketball player who spent 15 seasons overseas. For the last two seasons of his college career, he was coached by Rick Pitino. The Celtics undoubtedly have a complex history with their former head coach but there’s no denying his greatness at the collegiate level. What Can RJ Luis Jr. Bring To The Celtics? Flawed though he may be, Luis is a good get for Boston, especially on a two-way contract. With Jayson Tatum likely to miss at least the first half of 2025-26 after tearing his Achilles in the 2025 NBA Playoffs, the Celtics have a lot of minutes to fill in at forward. As a result, players like 2023 No. 38 pick Jordan Walsh and 2025 No. 28 pick Hugo Gonzalez have a real chance of barging into the rotation. In a vacuum, they’re both rotation-caliber forwards but they’re raw, particularly offensively. That being said, if they’re trying to step into Tatum’s shoes, their limitations at that end are problematic. Tatum’s one of the most dangerous scorers in the league, averaging 27.5 points per game over the past five seasons. Luis probably won’t explode onto the season looking like a perennial All-Star. Still, he’s a more masterful scorer than either Walsh or Gonzalez right now. In the open court, he’s exciting, like many athletic wings with his length (6-foot-7). Yet, he’s not refined to impacting the game on the break. In the halfcourt, he’s able to use his handle and footwork to create space whether in the drive or in the post. Indeed, utilizing his instincts and body control, he’s actually pretty nifty with the ball in his hands. He even follows up his own shot, leading to frequent putbacks. Though he doesn’t have elite efficiency in any area, he’s a multifaceted offensive player who also has a knack for playmaking, particularly with regard to pocket passes. To improve his efficiency, he should cut down on his off-the-dribble attempts due to his tendency to take tough jumpers. All the same, while Boston waits for Tatum to return, the 22-year-old could play an important role.
Green Bay Packers: Tucker Kraft Shares Concern Level on Issue That Nearly Became a Bigger Problem
Green Bay Packers tight end Tucker Kraft has been among the many players on the team who got banged up at training camp. Tucker missed a couple of practice sessions with a lower-body injury, including last Saturday’s Packers Family Night. But on Tuesday, Kraft finally returned to practice, as the off-day on Sunday got him extra time to rest up. Kraft’s appearance on the field on Tuesday was an encouraging sight for the team and Green Bay fans, especially with the 2025 NFL season just weeks away. The former South Dakota State Jackrabbits star is widely regarded as an important piece in the Packers’ passing attack, with many expecting him to make another big leap in 2025. He had 355 receiving yards and two touchdowns on 31 catches and 40 targets in his rookie season in 2023, when he produced 707 receiving yards and seven touchdowns on 50 receptions and 70 targets. Green Bay Packers TE Tucker Kraft not worried about groin injury Concerns about Kraft’s groin injury have been quelled not just by his appearance on the field but also by what he said on Tuesday. Via Packers reporter Rob Demovsky of ESPN: TE Tucker Kraft, who missed two practices because of a groin injury, returned on Tuesday. Said Kraft: “I realized I better just get this to calm down before it turns into something big. You guys saw me out there today practicing. Everything’s good.” It will be interesting to see whether Kraft will get some snaps this coming Saturday when the Packers take on the New York Jets at home in Week 1 of the 2025 NFL preseason, though, he’s probably just going to see a handful of them at the most if he plays at all.
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