General Sports 3 Days

Last updated: May 16, 2026, 5:48 PM ET

Tennis & Golf

Elina Svitolina claimed her third Italian Open title on Saturday with a three-set victory over Coco Gauff, denying the American a second consecutive Rome final appearance, while Jannik Sinner extended his winning streak to a record 10 successive ATP Masters 1000 matches on his way to the Italian Open semi-finals. On the men's side, Scottie Scheffler complained about the setup at Aronimink during the PGA Championship, stopping just short of calling the hole locations unfair, and Jon Rahm apologized for striking a volunteer with a divot after a moment of frustration in Thursday's first round. The PGA Championship itself joined the Masters and U.S. Open with a $20 million-plus purse, a move that signals the tournament's continued elevation in the golf calendar, and experts weighed in on the favorites and betting value as the field tees up at Merion. Club professional Michael Block carded a 75 on Friday and is expected to miss the cut but remains confident it won't be his last time competing at this level. In other golf action, Simon Seungmin Lee won the G4D Open at Celtic Manor, finishing three under par in one of the premier events for golfers with disabilities, while GB's Amy Hunt joined the opening Diamond League series in China alongside global stars Armand Duplantis and Faith Kipyegon.

Rugby Union — Domestic & International

The United Rugby Championship delivered a dramatic finale as the Scarlets and Dragons shared spoils in a nine-try draw in Llanelli, with the Scarlets finishing above the Dragons on the table, while Leinster trounced the Ospreys 10-try in emphatic fashion to seal second place and a potential home semi-final ahead of next week's Champions Cup final. Saracens beat Gloucester 30-14 to move three points off fourth place in the Premiership, and Northampton humiliated Bristol 94-33 with 14 tries to confirm their semi-final spot in a record-breaking display. Connacht sealed a play-off berth with a bonus-point victory at Edinburgh, and Cardiff booked their own URC play-off spot by beating the Stormers at the Arms Park, with Leigh Halfpenny set to make one final appearance in Wales after being named in the starting squad. Ulster, meanwhile, finished bitterly disappointed after missing a top-eight finish, with captain Iain Henderson suspended for the Challenge Cup final against Montpellier, and the province's URC hopes now hinge on Saturday's Munster-Bulls fixture. In the Premiership, Harlequins staged a blistering 41-24 comeback to dent Exeter Chiefs' play-off ambitions, while Exeter themselves saw their top-four hopes hit by the Quins revival. Wigan denied Leeds top spot with a dominant 24-4 win, and Nottingham Forest reached the Netball Super League play-offs for the first time with a 76-65 victory over Loughborough Lightning.

Six Nations & International Rugby

Ahead of the final Six Nations matches, Ireland head coach Scott Bemand said his side are desperate to show their best version against Scotland at the Aviva Stadium, with second row Sam Monaghan making her first start of the campaign the only change to the XV. Scotland recalled Emily Coubrough and Shona Campbell for the trip to Dublin, while Wales recall Seren Singleton for their must-win game against Italy, who are chasing their first win in 39 years of facing the Welsh. Lucy Packer addressed nerves and the role of speaking Welsh in England's pursuit of a fifth straight Grand Slam, and coach Marc Andrew Roberts is relying on her brand of non-stereotypical scrum-half play to steer the attack. Conor McManus outlined what Monaghan must do to upset free-scoring Armagh in Sunday's Ulster SFC final at Clones, with Armagh aiming to overturn three straight final defeats. On the women's side, Scotland made two changes for their Women's Six Nations finale against Ireland.

WNBA & Athletics

A'ja Wilson set a WNBA record with 45 points on 15-of-18 shooting as the Las Vegas Aces beat the Sun 101-94 for their third straight win, marking her fifth career 40-point game. Caitlin Clark hit a score-tying triple with 3.1 seconds left in regulation to carry the Fever into overtime in an overtime loss, taking three quarters to find her shooting groove. In track and field, Ireland's Mark English produced a strong finish to win the 800m at Diamond League Shanghai, while Matt Bush won European gold in Para-taekwondo two months after the birth of his second child. Beth Potter finished second in Yokohama for a second consecutive year in the triathlon, and Alex Yee came fifth on his return to the men's event.

NFL & Basketball

The NFL signaled openness to more games on nontraditional days like Wednesday as officials cited increased ratings and holiday-season scheduling appeal, a shift that could reshape the 17-game calendar. Tigers left-hander Tarik Skubal is tossing just two weeks post-surgery on his pitching elbow, sparking hope in Detroit that the ace could return sooner than expected. In a darker development, Ja'Marley Riddle was arrested on two felony drug charges and a speeding misdemeanor. On the hardwood, the San Antonio Spurs closed out the Timberwolves in convincing fashion to reach the Western Conference finals, with Stephon Castle earning praise for his starring performance, while the series produced key takeaways on the Wolves' adjustments. Charles Woodson Jr. committed to Michigan, where his father was a two-time All-American and 1997 Heisman winner, and Isaiah Hill became the highest-ranked prospect to commit to Purdue since 2007. Illinois and Brad Underwood agreed to new contract terms through 2031-32 with performance-based extensions possible through 2035-36.

MMA & Cycling

Ronda Rousey is set to end a 10-year retirement on Saturday when she faces Gina Carano in Los Angeles, having also masterminded the event and promoted the return of her fighting career. Francis Ngannou declared himself the lineal heavyweight champion ahead of his next bout, while Sean Strickland was told he needs Rousey's approval for fight tickets. In cycling, Jonas Vingegaard won stage seven of the Giro d'Italia to complete his set of Grand Tour stage victories, and Davide Ballerini claimed stage six after the favorites crashed on the final cobbled sector in Naples.

Other Sports

Great Britain lost their opening Ice Hockey World Championship game 5-2 to Austria in Group A, while South African rugby clubs could withdraw from European competitions following a major