A second-half brace from Omang Dodum guided India to a convincing 3-0 victory over Pakistan in their opening Group B match of the SAFF U20 Championship, securing a semifinal berth on Thursday. Dodum scored in the 64th and 88th minutes after Vishal Yadav had given the Blue Colts an early lead in the
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has drawn a parallel between her party's fight against the BJP and the epic battle of the Pandavas and Kauravas. She expressed confidence in public support even if President's rule is imposed. The Election Commission is preparing supplementary voter lists
Meta, YouTube negligence: Years of evidence underpins Big Tech addiction fineThe bulk of the internal documentary evidence presented at trial related to Meta. Updated on: Mar 27, 2026 6:21 AM IST By HT Correspondent Share via Copy link New Delhi : A Los Angeles jury on Wednesday found Meta and
Deepak Tijori questions CBFC's logic behind ‘half-muted’ cuss words in Dhurandhar The Revenge: ‘Who are we protecting?’Deepak Tijori criticised the CBFC's half-muting of cuss words in the adult film Dhurandhar: The Revenge, questioning the rationale behind such censorship. Mar 27, 2026
Posters have surfaced across Lucknow comparing the Samajwadi Party’s rule in Uttar Pradesh to Pakistan’s “Lyari Raj", targeting Akhilesh Yadav with a reference to its depiction in the film Dhurandhar. The development comes days after a separate political jibe by Parvesh Verma
Google India and BCCI are joining forces for IPL 2026, integrating AI-powered Search Mode to revolutionize fan engagement. Cricket enthusiasts can now access real-time tactical analysis, historical data, and AI-generated summaries of key moments directly through Google Search and broadcasts
She hired workers to fix her roof, then allegedly reported crew to ICEThe Maryland resident called ICE on a crew of Guatemalan immigrants who were fixing her roof. Six workers aged between 18 and 40 were detained. Published on: Mar 27, 2026 7:07 AM IST By Trisha Sengupta Share via Copy link A woman
Samantha Ruth Prabhu dreams women negotiating contracts across film industries becomes 'most boring headline' somedaySamantha Ruth Prabhu shared how women adjust, sacrifice and apologise in their careers. The actor expressed her dreams for women in cinema. Mar 27, 2026
Mumbai: The year's first hard court Grand Slam sprang up a rather surprising winner (Madison Keys) among women, followed by two champions on clay (Coco Gauff) and grass (Iga Swiatek) that weren't exactly obvious favourites to go all the way on that surface. The US Open, though, has brought a semblance of familiarity of late in the often wild world of women's tennis.
Mumbai: The year's first hard court Grand Slam sprang up a rather surprising winner (Madison Keys) among women, followed by two champions on clay (Coco Gauff) and grass (Iga Swiatek) that weren't exactly obvious favourites to go all the way on that surface. The US Open, though, has brought a semblance of familiarity of late in the often wild world of women's tennis.
The past three female champions in New York are the top three in the world rankings: No.1 Aryna Sabalenka (2024), No.2 Swiatek (2022) and No.3 Gauff (2023). It's in this backdrop that Sabalenka arrives at Flushing Meadows with more than just a title defence riding on her.
As the holder of the throne, much of the spotlight will be on her to not only extend this familiarity at the US Open but also play her part in ensuring the trio takes the season's last three Slams. More significantly for her, as the world No.1 all year without a major to show, she will be eager to pin her grip at the top with a season-ending Slam-winning sign-off.
The Belarusian stood one set away from starting the season with a title defence and a Slam, only for Keys to flip the script on the two-time Australian Open champion in the third-set shootoff. Sabalenka again stood one set away from a Slam at the French Open, only for Gauff to emerge from a set down this time in another three-setter.
A semi-final defeat at Wimbledon to Amanda Anisimova means if the US Open doesn't play out to her best-case scenario, the most consistent Slam player of the last couple of years could end the season without one for the first time since 2022.
There's also a worst-case scenario – of losing her reign at the top that has been unchallenged since October 21 last year. It could happen if Sabalenka doesn't make the quarter-finals and either Swiatek or Gauff win the title.
That would, however, call for an upset of epic proportions, simply given that Sabalenka has made a habit of going into the second weeks of Slams.
In her last four appearances at Flushing Meadows, the 27-year-old has progressed from being a semi-finalist twice (2021, 2022) to a finalist (2023) to a champion. She has a 28-6 win-loss US Open record, the best win percentage among active female pros.
The last time she crashed out before the quarter-finals of any Slam was back at the 2022 French Open. This season, she's won 17 matches in Slams, the joint-most with Wimbledon winner Swiatek. She's hit 571 winners in the three Slams, by far the most (Swiatek is second with 440). She boasts a tour-leading 50-10 win-loss record with three titles this year so far, better than Swiatek's 49-12 with two titles.
It's hard to argue that Sabalenka has been the best female player through the year, yet without the Slam cherry that defines a tennis player's cake.
It's a unique paradoxical position to be in, perhaps mirroring Roger Federer's in 2008. The Swiss legend had also lost two finals and one semi-final of the year's three Slams as the world No.1 before finally going all the way at the US Open.
Sabalenka has the belief that she can do the same, having learnt the “really tough lessons” from those tight three-set defeats.
“The consistency is there. I'm just missing a little, little part,” said Sabalenka, who plays Swiss Rebeka Masarova first up.
“(The US Open) has always been my favorite Slam. I'm the defending champion, and I love being in this position. I hope those tough lessons are going to help me in this one.”
She will need all that help, for her draw isn't the smoothest and her form in the second half of the season hasn't been the brightest. Sabalenka hasn't won a title after her Madrid triumph in May, even though she has made at least the quarter-finals of every tournament.
The last eight was also where she was stopped at Cincinnati this month in a straight-sets romp by Elena Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion who comes into the US Open with three semi-final shows and a potential threat in the draw.
The biggest threat to Sabalenka's crown though could come from Swiatek. The Wimbledon and Cincinnati champion is in the midst of one of her trademark rolls where nothing and nobody appears equipped to come in her way.
Gauff, the home star who shone brightest in 2023 when she captured the US Open as a teen, is going through gloomy days. It has made the American press for a coaching shake-up while bringing in biomechanist Gavin MacMillan to fix her serving woes. MacMillan did the same for Sabalenka in the past. Gauff is taking a leaf out of Sabalenka's book. Can Sabalenka take a leaf out of Federer's?
Source: HindustanTimes
Related Posts: How returning stolen artifacts can distort history rather than serve cultural justice I'd Rather Lose To Verstappen Than Play Favourites US-China economic rivalry is a game of chess rather than a Cold War confrontation This is why you should buy a large screen TV rather than a projector in 2026 Manchester City's Erling Haaland concentrating on team success rather than scoring records Is it cheaper to buy gold in Dubai rather than India Eliud Kipchoge sets sights on marathon grand slam Venus Williams makes her return to Grand Slam after 2 years John Cena becomes Grand Slam champion after winning Intercontinental title Brandon Nimmo's grand slam helps Mets salvage split with Brewers
A $100 crude scenario could trigger deep earnings cuts across Indian stocks UBS lists Tata Motors, IndiGo and OMCs as most vulnerable UBS highlights Indian stocks facing biggest earnings risk in a $100 oil scenario India sits among the markets facing pressure in a $100 per barrel oil world
1 days ago
The interruption of oil and gas supplied through the Strait of Hormuz due to the US-Israel war with Iran has dramatically pushed up global energy prices. Petrol has gone up already and UK domestic heating bills are almost certain to follow. But it's not just fuel that's been impacted by the
1 days ago
Meet the A-list lawyer Luka Doncic is counting on to win his legal battle with Anamaria Goltes Updated on: Mar 27, 2026 7:28 AM IST Edited by Vaishnavi Vaidyanathan Share via Copy link Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) dribbles the ball down court during the second half against the Indiana
1 days ago
Fasting can offer several health benefits, but knowing when to stop is just as important as knowing when to start. “People can gain health benefits from fasting, but they must understand both the right time to begin and the right time to end it," says Dr. Sameer Bhati, Public Health Analyst
1 days ago
The campaigning in poll-bound West Bengal is in full swing, and amid the preparations, Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Dilip Ghosh on Thursday promised a complete transformation and “Uttar Pradesh-style encounters" against criminals if the saffron regiment comes to power in the state
1 days ago
Iran on Thursday rejected the US’ proposal to end the war, referring to it as “one-sided and unfair". The proposal was “reviewed in detail on Wednesday night by senior Iranian officials and the representative of Iran’s Supreme Leader," reported Reuters, citing an official
1 days ago
The initiative builds on existing SEBI measures, including validated UPI handles and a whitelist of stockbrokers’ mobile applications maintained by exchanges. New Delhi: Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey launched the Verified App Label Initiative on
1 days ago
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday fielded the mother of the doctor who was raped and murdered at Kolkata’s RG Kar Hospital and Medical College in August 2024 as a candidate for the West Bengal Assembly elections. The mother of the doctor will contest the polls from the Panihati constituency
1 days ago
Not every Bollywood story is glamorous, and Aarti Chabria is saying it as it is. The actor recently spoke about how several of her roles were reduced or removed from films, calling it a part of industry realities she had to deal with during her career.Not every Bollywood story is glamorous
1 days ago
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday warned that the consequences of the escalating conflict in West Asia could be difficult to predict and may end up having a global impact comparable to the COVID-19 pandemic. Speaking amid growing international concern over the Iran-US-Israel conflict
1 days ago
PMC to expand healthcare network even as existing facilities remain underutilisedPMC has announced plans to expand its healthcare network with new cancer and multi-specialty hospitals, even as many of its existing facilities continue to remain underutilised Published on: Mar 27
1 days ago
The latest QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026 confirm India’s growing strength on the global stage. This year, 12 Indian institutions have secured 27 positions in the global top 50 across various subjects – more than double the number in 2024
1 days ago
US president Donald Trump says he will meet Chinese president Xi Jinping in China on 14-15 May, after delaying the landmark trip amid the US-Israel war with Iran. This would be the first visit to China by a US president in nearly 10 years. Trump is also set to host Xi in Washington DC later this
1 days ago
US mortgage rates jump to 6.38% as Iran war rattles housing marketBorrowers with a $1 million loan would now pay about $6,242 per month, not including insurance and taxes. That is up from $5,983 in late February. Published on: Mar 26, 2026 10:51 PM IST Bloomberg Share via Copy link US mortgage
1 days ago
Nemom constituency is not stronghold of any party: V SivankuttyCPI(M) legislator V Sivankutty faces tough competition in Kerala's Nemom from BJP's Rajeev Chandrasekhar and Congress's KS Sabarinadhan in upcoming polls. Published on: Mar 27, 2026 7:04 AM IST By Vishnu Varma
1 days ago
Who is Ana Montana? Inside LaMelo Ball’s relationship, the 'toxic' post, and parenthood rumors Published on: Mar 27, 2026 7:13 AM IST Edited by Vaishnavi Vaidyanathan Share via Copy link Ana Montana is a successful model with over 3 million followers on Instagram
1 days ago
A former Indian Supreme Court Justice has informed the UK High Court about the risks faced by Nirav Modi. Justice Deepak Verma stated that Modi faces prolonged interrogation and a significant risk of custodial torture in India. This opinion was provided in response to Modi's plea to reopen his
1 days ago
Vaccination is often associated with childhood, but experts say protection against infections must extend far beyond the early years. From safeguarding newborns to protecting ageing adults, immunisation plays a critical role across every stage of life.Vaccination is often associated with childhood
1 days ago
Fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi's former company, Firestar Diamond International, is set to auction its precious inventory of gems and jewellery on April 27. The e-auction, under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, will feature natural loose diamonds and finished pieces
1 days ago
American Coco Gauff cruised past Karolina Muchova in straight sets to reach her first Miami Open final. The Florida-born 22-year-old dropped only two games to triumph 6-1 6-1 in one hour and 30 minutes. Having been broken in the first game, Gauff won 10 games in a row to take control of the match
1 days ago
The day before Wales faced Bosnia-Herzegovina in their World Cup play-off semi-final, their head coach said: "Do not get involved in chaos. A chaotic game will not suit us, it suits them." When the moment came to pass, when Wales had control, they did not heed those words
1 days ago
This is the second part of a debate on whether Hindi or English are weakening other Indian languages and constricting linguistic diversity. Read the first part here. English has done remarkable damage to India’s linguistic progress by stifling other Indian languages. Instead
1 days ago
When Ranvir Singh Yadav was sacked in 1976, he was a young bus conductor in Delhi with two sons to raise. The reason? The courts vindicated him four decades later, but not before he and the system had spent nearly ₹5 lakh in legal fees over a trivial sum.When Ranvir Singh Yadav was sacked in 1976
1 days ago
Royal Challengers Bengaluru is a prominent IPL team. They are recognized for their strong fan base and talented players. The team plays at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. They are known for their aggressive batting style. Rajat Patidar leads the team this season
1 days ago
The directive has been issued by the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA), which has termed the practice an “unfair trade practice” under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019. New Delhi: In a major relief for consumers, the government has directed hotels and restaurants to stop adding
1 days ago
Comedian Kunal Kamra took to his social media and took a jibe at YouTuber and podcaster Ranveer Allahbadia. While reacting to Ranveer’s long post, he called him a “stupid guy" and asked him to stop “pretending to be the nice guy." He also called Ranveer a “contraceptive for creativity
1 days ago
Ananya Panday turns heads at The Hollywood Reporter Women in Entertainment soirée in a sculpted Maticevski Saucy Minx dress paired with Aquazzura pumps Ananya Panday delivers a masterclass in understated glamour at The Hollywood Reporter’s Women in Entertainment soirée
1 days ago
