Vidarbha openers Yash Rathod and Dhruv Shorey put on a stellar performance against Maharashtra in the semi-final of the Vijay Hazare Trophy at Kotambi Stadium, Vadodara. Both batsmen rose to the occasion, scoring impressive centuries that set Vidarbha on track for a formidable total.

Rathod and Shorey formed a formidable partnership, adding 224 runs for the first wicket in just 34.4 overs, with Rathod scoring 116 and Shorey currently on an unbeaten 106 at the time of this report.

This 224-run opening stand is the third-highest in a knockout match of the Vijay Hazare Trophy. The record for the highest opening partnership belongs to Ravi Kumar and Devdutt Paddikal, who made 249 runs against Kerala in 2021. Prithvi Shaw and Yashasvi Jaiswal hold the second spot with their 238-run partnership against Saurashtra in the same year.

Maharashtra skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad’s decision to bowl first backfired as he watched in frustration as Vidarbha’s openers dominated the innings. Rathod reached his second century of the season off just 90 balls and also contributed significantly to his team’s total, bringing up their 200 runs.

Shorey also notched his second consecutive century in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. After Satyajeet Bachhav finally broke the partnership for Maharashtra, Shorey was joined by Karun Nair, who has already scored five centuries in seven innings in India’s top 50-over tournament.

The winner of this match will face Karnataka in the final on Saturday. Karnataka triumphed over Haryana by five wickets in the first semi-final in Vadodara on Wednesday to secure their spot. Devdutt Padikkal was the star of the match, scoring a solid 86 runs off 113 balls, while Abhilash Shetty took four wickets, helping Karnataka limit Haryana to 237 runs in their 50 overs. Karnataka successfully chased down the target in 48.2 overs, marking their fifth appearance in the Vijay Hazare Trophy final.

World No. 1 Jannik Sinner secured his place in the third round of the men’s singles at the Australian Open 2025 with a straight-sets victory over Tristan Schoolkate at Rod Laver Arena. The match lasted two hours and 46 minutes, ending with Sinner winning 4-6, 6-4, 6-1, 6-3. After dropping the first set, Sinner staged an impressive comeback to dominate the match.

Schoolkate was impressive in the opening set, successfully converting the only break point opportunity he had and not allowing Sinner any chances to break his serve. Sinner appeared cautious with his second serves, winning just 36% of the points on them and registering three double faults.

However, from the second set onward, Sinner found his rhythm, breaking Schoolkate five times while his opponent did not receive any breakpoints. With aggressive play, the World No. 1 consistently pressured Schoolkate, eventually securing the win.

Sinner has now won nine consecutive matches at the Australian Open and has claimed 32 of his last 33 sets. Following his second-round triumph, he acknowledged that there is still room for improvement while expressing the pressure of defending his title at Melbourne Park.

“It’s definitely a different feeling. So many beautiful moments on and off the court have happened for me here in this wonderful place. I see it as an opportunity to hopefully do it again, but there’s still a long way to go. We take it day by day. Given my level today, I know I can improve. Hopefully, I can demonstrate that in the next round, and it will be another great tournament for me,” Sinner said in his on-court interview.

Next, Sinner will face USA’s Marcus Giron, who triumphed over Tomas Martín Etcheverry with a score of 7-5, 3-6, 7-5, 3-6, 6-4.

Arsenal overcame an early deficit to secure a pivotal 2-1 victory against Tottenham, trimming the gap with league leaders Liverpool to just four points. This win marked a significant turnaround for the Gunners, who had struggled in their recent outings, not securing a win in their last four matches across all competitions.

Despite the stiff competition and Liverpool holding a game in hand, Arsenal’s manager Mikel Arteta remains confident in his team’s ability to contend for the title. “Yeah, we are [title contenders]. There’s so much to play for, and we can see the challenges every team faces,” Arteta affirmed post-match.

The victory was especially sweet following a rough patch that included being ousted from the FA Cup by Manchester United and a disappointing loss to Newcastle in the League Cup. An earlier league draw against Brighton had further dampened their title hopes, leaving Arsenal as the underdogs in their quest for their first league title since 2004.

Arteta praised his team’s resilience and desire to rebound from their setbacks, emphasizing the importance of their response to adversity. “We were sensational. It was a big test after two disappointing games, and the boys showed they wanted more. They’ve proved it today, just 72 hours after a grueling 120 minutes against Manchester United,” he explained.

Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice echoed his manager’s sentiments, feeling that the team could have won by a much larger margin. “The first half was pure domination. It felt like we could have scored 10, given our performance,” Rice commented.

Rice, who played through an injury, also addressed his critics, highlighting his commitment and the challenges of playing for a high-profile club like Arsenal. With an eye on Liverpool, Rice noted the importance of capitalizing on any slips by their rivals to keep their title hopes alive.

Arteta concluded by underscoring his unwavering confidence, which is rooted in his team’s daily performances rather than fluctuating with every match result. As Arsenal prepares for their next challenge against Aston Villa, the team remains hopeful and focused on maintaining their title chase momentum