The traditional handicapping system marks Fourth Wing, Earth and Bishop as prime contenders, but the Dynamic Handicapping consideration adds long shot Bee Magical too as an outsider.

First race at 4.30 pm.

Selections:

S Padmanabhan Cup (Class II; 1400m)
Fourth Wing 1, Earth 2, Bee Magical 3.

JP Vazifdar Trophy (Class III; 1600m)
Don Julio 1, Tyrannus 2, Rambler 3.

Rajpipla Trophy (For 3y, Maidens; 1400m)
Zayyan 1, Age Of Reason 2, Golden Axl 3.

J Rustomji Soparivala Trophy (For 3y, Maidens; 1000m)
Lucky Diamond 1, Staria 2, Sporting Alice 3.

Greater Mumbai Police Trophy (Class IV; 1000m)
Heaven`s Rhythm 1, Chelsea 2, Jaisalmer 3.

Vallabhdas H Adwalia Trophy (Class V; 1400m)
Golden Heart 1, Beyond Stars 2, Golden Hammer 3.

A Geddis Plate (For 5y&o, Class IV; 1200m)
Marcus 1, Interceptor 2, Desert Classic 3.

Recommendations
Best bet: Zayyan (3-4)
Upsets: Johnny Mac (5-2) & Absolute Gorgeous (7-8)

Today`s pools

Super jackpot pool: 2,3,4,5,6,7
Jackpot pool: 3,4,5,6,7
Treble pool: 4,5,6
Tanala pool: All races.

On a fine day at Melbourne’s Albert Park, Verstappen’s Red Bull partner Isack Hadjar came third in a chaotic qualifying, as the pecking order became clearer after the massive regulation shake-up.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc will keep Hadjar company on the second row with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and world champion teammate Lando Norris starting fifth and sixth. Russell eclipsed his rivals with a flying lap of one minute 18.518 seconds on soft tyres, 0.293 ahead of Antonelli. 

“A great day. We knew there was a lot of potential in the car, but it really came alive this afternoon. Really happy to have Kimi here next to me as well, as the team did an amazing job in the garage today,” said Russell.

P7 is not what we expected: Hamilton

Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton expressed his disappointment after clinching seventh place in qualifying for the Australian Grand Prix on Saturday, saying it was not what the team expected.

“Today’s result is not where we wanted or expected to be, mainly because we lost execution at an important stage of qualifying,” said Hamilton, before adding: “Now it’s about understanding the issues, staying composed and making the most of tomorrow.”

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Marathon 97-minute match

It turned out to be one of the finest matches of his career as Lakshya fought for one hour and 37 minutes before sealing a 21-16, 18-21, 21-15 win over the 21-year-old Lai, who had claimed a surprise bronze at last year’s World Championships in Paris.

It will be Lakshya’s second appearance in the All England final after finishing runner-up at the 2022 edition.

The 24-year old from Almora will now chase history when he takes on World No. 11 Lin Chun-yi of Chinese Taipei in the summit clash on Sunday.

Prakash Padukone (1980) and Pullela Gopichand (2001) are the only Indians to have won the All England title.

Lakshya displayed immense mental fortitude, resolute defence and precise strokeplay as he endured punishing rallies clocking as many as 86 shots, against the dogged Canadian.

The first game was neck-and-neck for the most part, but through a series of accurate smashes and clever net play, Lakshya surged ahead to win 21-16.

In the second game, Lai rode on his immaculate defence to open up a 9-4 lead, and although the Indian levelled it at 16-16, Lai kept his composure to win 21-18.

Gruelling final game

In the deciding game, Lakshya led at the interval 11-7 despite battling cramps and a bruised finger. Lai narrowed the gap to 18-15, but a brutal smash then took Lakshya within two points of victory and Lai’s net error handed the Indian five match points. He sealed the contest with a thunderous smash.

First
Lakshya Sen and Victor Lai had not faced each other before

Four
No of years since Lakshya Sen’s last appearance at the All England C’ships final

One
No of BWF World Tour finals Lakshya Sen played in 2025; he beat Japan’s Yushi Tanaka at the Indian Open in November

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I think it`s possible, but I would rather watch the contest than risk real money.

First race at 5 pm.
Selections:

Aziz H Ahmedbhoy Trophy (Class III; 2400m)
Diego Garcia 1, Pristine Glory 2

Euphemia Plate (For 3y; 1200m)
Minari 1, Storm Majesty 2, Paloma 3.

Osman Chotani Plate (Class V; 1800m)
Viking 1, Ma Cherie 2, Mighty Hero 3.

Radha Sigtia Trophy (Class II; 1000m)
Your Unforgettable 1, Foxy 2.

Indian Navy Trophy (For 4y, Class IV; 1400m)
American Eagle 1, Manvar 2, Undercover 3.

1805 Trophy (Class V; 1000m)
Aeon Flux 1, Samson 2, Regal Galleria 3.

Recommendations
Best bet: None
Upsets: Admirable (2-2), Tropical Paradise (3-4) & Mulan (5-8)

Today`s pools
Super jackpot pool: 1,2,3,4,5,6
Jackpot pool: 2,3,4,5,6
Treble pool: 3,4,5
Tanala pool: All races. 

In a video posted by F1’s official YouTube channel, drivers were asked a surprising fact about themselves, to which the seven-time world champion replied: “I have ADHD. When I walk into a room in my house, I’m really moving all the books into a perfect position. And it really frustrates the life out of me when I see something off, like my lamp is tilted to the left. I walk into my house and I go around the whole house before I even sit down, rearranging everything. Then an hour’s gone by and I’m like: ‘Damn it, I didn’t even realise!’”

The 41-year-old is currently gearing up for the season-opener in Australia on March 8, while on a personal level, he is rumoured to be dating American TV star and model Kim Kardashian, after having been spotted together in February.

 

 

 

 

 

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Vonn, 41, had suffered a complex fracture in her left leg after crashing during the downhill event on February 8, and has since been posting regular updates on Instagram regarding her recovery. In her latest post to her 3.6 million Instagram followers the American is seen doing weight training. “Definitely some hard times…still working hard. The only goal is to get healthy. One day at a time,” Vonn caption the post which has received nearly four lakh ‘likes’.

In the photograph shared with her 2.1 million followers, Kom is dressed in a beige outfit with floral patterns, posing in front of the Old Parliament House in New Delhi.

Antonelli`s teammate, pre-season favourite George Russell, came third, a fraction clear of Ferrari`s seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton. "A lot of learnings but overall a reasonably good day," said Piastri, who won seven times last year but could only finish the championship in third. 

"FP2 ran smoothly and we were able to find a bit more consistency and the car behaved more as we expected, which was good." After a dismal debut season with Ferrari last year, an upbeat Hamilton was encouraged by what had been achieved so far by the Scuderia. "It was challenging at times on track, but we maximised our laps and executed to the best of our ability, getting some good information," he said. "Lots of work to do but I`m looking forward to getting back in the car tomorrow." 

Charles Leclerc, in the other Ferrari, was fifth with four-time world champion Max Verstappen sixth after spending half the session in the garage having stalled his Red Bull. McLaren world champion Lando Norris clawed his way to seventh, more than one second off the pace, after managing only seven laps in first practice due to gearbox issues.

"We`ve got some good bits of data to go over from the second half of FP2 and there`s plenty we can learn from what our competitors have been doing," said Norris, while admitting to "a tricky first day". Racing Bulls` impressive rookie Arvid Lindblad banked an eye-opening eighth, a place ahead of Isack Hadjar -- the man he replaced and who is now Verstappen`s teammate.

F1 begins new era

It was the first proper test of far-reaching new engine and chassis rules with the hybrid power units now 50 percent traditional combustion and 50 percent electric. With a finite amount of energy available, drivers had to carefully manage their batteries on each lap, working out when to deploy while building it up back through braking. The challenge of Albert Park is its long sweeping straights, which deplete batteries, and relatively few twisty turns to brake and charge it up again. There have also been changes to the aerodynamics of the cars, which are lighter and smaller. 

On a perfect Melbourne afternoon, Nico Hulkenberg led them out, but it was Hamilton who set the opening time. Verstappen had an inauspicious start, stalling in the pit lane, while Russell clipped Lindblad on his way out and needed a new nose. Verstappen`s car was wheeled back into the garage, apparently stuck in gear, where he stayed for almost half an hour. The drivers started on a mix of medium and hard tyres and Russell soon upstaged Hamilton as they jockeyed for places. 

At the halfway mark it was Italy`s Antonelli, Russell, Hamilton and Piastri. Russell locked up and hit the gravel at Turn 3 as he pushed hard, as did Hamilton, but they both kept enough momentum to get back on track. Piastri blasted to the top of the timesheets on soft tyres with 25 minutes left as Verstappen began climbing the leaderboard. But the Dutchman was trying too hard and careered into the gravel at Turn 10 with debris flying off his car, ending his day early. Fernando Alonso clocked 18 laps and Lance Stroll 13 as the troubled Aston Martins battle extreme vibration caused by the new Honda power unit. Newcomers Cadillac -- the 11th team on the grid -- also struggled with Valtteri Bottas 19th and Sergio Perez last. In first practice, Leclerc outpaced Hamilton with Verstappen and Hadjar third and fourth.

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The four draws have come alongside three painful defeats and this could well be the time for the youngest ever world champion to look for certain reforms in his game.

Meanwhile, the other Indian in the event, defending champion Aravindh Chithambaram, drew with Nodirbek Yakubboev of Uzbekistan to remain on a fifty percent score after seven games.

The lone winner of the day was Vincent Keymer of Germany who defeated David Anton Guijarro of Spain leaving Dutchman Jorden van Foreest half a point ahead of his closest rivals David Navara of Czech Republic and Nodribek Abdusattorov of Uzbekistan.

Gukesh employed the Berlin defence and got a solid position with his black pieces against Maghsoodloo. The Iranian was happy to keep the position intact for a long time and once black`s queen side pawns were mobilised white was not too far away to take adequate measures in the centre.

The game was drawn after 49 moves. In the challengers` section, Grandmaster Divya Deshmukh had another good result, holding Jonas Buhl Bjerre of Denmark to a draw while Grand-master Surya Shekhar Ganguly finally scored his first victory at the expense of Jiner Zhu of China.

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All eyes will be on the reigning 2025 champ, who has shown strong pace in his new car. The Briton, 26, will have fond memories of the season-opening GP venue, having beaten Max Verstappen last year, to mark the start of a fine rivalry. 
423 pts, 7 wins and 18 podium finishes last season

Oscar Piastri (McLaren) 

With a 3rd-place finish in the table last season, Piastri, 24, has shown that he can better his partner for pace. The Aussie is looking to get off with a win in home GP and has promised to give his “absolute best.” 
410 pts, 8 wins, and 16 podiums last season

Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing)

The four-time world champ missed out on his fifth title last season by just two points, and being among the biggest critics of the new 2026 car regulations means he’s angry too. 
421 points, 8 wins, and 15 podiums last season

George Russell (Mercedes)

With Mercedes showing strong pace in pre-season testing, Russell, is being touted as the favourite. And he insists his new car “has a lot of potential,” meaning he’s confident of excelling in that hot seat. 
319 points, 2 wins, and nine podium finishes last season

Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)

Leclerc has had very impressive straight-line speeds in pre-season testing. Also, the Ferraris cars made very fast starts off the testing grid in Bahrain, while their rivals seemed slower. 
242 points and 7 podium finishes last season

Lakshya, a 2021 World Championships bronze medallist, will face either China`s sixth seed Li Shi Feng or Ireland`s Nhat Nguyen next. "I`m feeling pretty good on court especially, the last two matches and yeah now it`s time to again recover, another tough match tomorrow so just have 24 hours and then just go all out," he added. The mixed doubles pair of Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto retired hurt after trailing 19-21 8-9 in their match against Hong Kong`s Tang Chun Man and Tse Ying Suet. Lakshya came into the match after losing all three encounters against his opponent and fell behind initially in the opening game. He fought back from 4-6 down to establish a 15-11 lead, keeping the pressure on his opponent with aggressive returns and sharp placement. He extended the advantage to 17-13 with a well-timed overhead attack, but Ng Ka Long refused to fade away and narrowed the gap late in the game. At 15-17, Lakshya left one at the backline but it was judged out. The Indian had no video challenges left and had to let it go.

The Indian then produced a sharp smash to reach 19-17, but Ng Ka Long clawed back to 19-19 with a cross-court winner. Another jump smash gave Lakshya a game point and he sealed it when Ng Ka Long hit wide. Lakshya slammed down a cross court smash to start the second game to continue the momentum. He kept his shot quality consistent and mixed his power with precision to take a 11-4 lead at the interval. Lakshya dished out another phenomenal straight smash to make it 14-7. At 12-17, Ng Ka Long engaged in yet another superlative rally, stretching the Indian to the limit to keep himself afloat. Ng Ka Long then produced a spirted fightback. He stepped up his game and managed to win five of the last five points to move to 17-19. Another incredible cross-court smash brought up three match points for Lakshya. But Lakshya missed one, and then Ng Ka Long found the line by a millimetre before saving another to make it 20-20. Lakshya grabbed another match point, only to give it away and then Ng Ka Long earned a game point with a smash and forced the match into the decider after the Indian found the net.

Lakshya had to reset his mind and start afresh after Ng Ka Long snatched the second game away and then showed great mental strength as he surged to 6-2 with some exciting shots. His defence was robust as Ng Ka Long couldn`t get past anything. Another precise cross-court took the Indian to 10-4. Soon he had a six-point cushion at the interval after producing an incredible cross-court net deception. The rallies started growing shorter as Lakshya drew errors from the Hong Kong shuttler, who trailed 6-14 at that stage. Ka Long tried to cause problems for Lakshya but the Indian managed to wriggle out of position with his superb defence, diving at will to keep the rallies alive. Lakshya then upped the speed and injected pace into the rallies to move to 18-7. He pounced on another weak return at the net to move just two points away. Lakshya soon earned 11 match points when Ka Long found the net. He wasted one before another shot from the Hong Kong shuttler sailed out.

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There has been a clear struggle for Gukesh to maintain his status as the world champion since he won the title in December 2024. Possibly the only exception was the Tata Steel Masters in January 2025 when he lost the tiebreaker to R Praggnanandhaa after tying for first place. A recent slum has now seen the world champion losing over fifty points in rating. For the record Aravindh finally changed to a Sicilian defense as black after his Philidor experiment failed miserably. Going for the complications for Gukesh was easy as he sacrificed a pawn to find some tactics in the early stages of the middle game.

Aravindh would have been happy with a draw the way the position unfolded with white having a rook against two knights. But, on the 40th move, with seconds remaining Gukesh made the decisive error. It was all over eight moves later. Surprisingly, this was the only decisive game of the day with the remaining four ending in draws. Jorden van Foreest remained in sole lead on 4.5 points drawing with local star David Navara who remained joint second with Abdusattorov Nodirbek of Uzbekistan a half point behind. David Anton Guijarrov on 3.5 is closest to the three above him on 3.5 after settling for peace against Parham Maghsoodloo of Iran.

Aravindh with Vincent Keymer of Germany and Nodirbek Yakubboev of Uzbekistan is next in the line up while Niemann is just above Gukesh on 1.5 points. Foreest finally had a draw after five decisive games and this time too it seemed his extra pawn would do the trick. The Dutchman has been in the form of his life but in the sixth round Navara held his nerve to keep the opposition pieces and attack at bay. The result was a draw, letting Foreest keep the lead, but both Navara and Abdusattorov remain in hunt with three rounds still to come in the second super tournament of the year. In the masters section, world women`s cup winner Divya Deshmukh played out a draw with Thomas Beerdsen of Holland while Surya Shekhar Ganguly split the point with Daniil Yuffa of Spain.

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In a video Instagrammed by the Belarusian, Frangulis, 36, is seen going down on one knee to propose, much to the delight of  Sabalenka.

 

 

 

 

 

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“You and me, forever. 3.3.26,” Sabalenka captioned the post followed by a ring emoji and a white heart. 

The post received nearly six-lakh ‘likes’ within a few hours. 

In an additional story uploaded later, Sabalenka  wrote, “Well, I obviously had no idea this was happening tonight.” The couple was first spotted together in April 2024, before publicly confirming their relationship in August 2024.

The Indian duo lost to the unseeded, Malaysian duo of Aaron Tai and Kang Khai Xing in straight games, as per ESPN.

The first game was a well-fought affair, which Malaysia won 23-21, and after that, there was no looking back for them, as they won the second game 21-12.

Earlier on Wednesday, India`s Lakshya Sen created the biggest upset of the opening day of the tournament when he packed off top seed and defending champion Shi Yuqi of China in the men`s singles opening round.

Lakshya, the 2022 finalist in one of the most prestigious badminton tournaments, overcame the reigning world champion 23-21, 19-21, 21-17 in an hour and 18 minutes.

Also advancing to the second round were India`s mixed doubles pairing of Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto, who overcame the Malaysian combination of Hoo Peng Ron and Cheng Su Yin 21-17, 21-19.

But the day undoubtedly belonged to Sen. The 24-year-old, whose only win over the Chinese before this match came in the Asian Games team championships, kept the pressure on his much-experienced opponent with an aggressive game plan in the opening game and looked like he could run away with the game after taking a 17-10 lead. But Shi fought back to make it 18-17. Sen once again grabbed the initiative to earn three game points, but the Chinese not only saved those but also another one before the Indian pocketed the game.

Shi was the aggressor in the second game, and it was Sen who had to fight back from a 13-19 deficit. However, his effort was not enough to avoid a decider.

In the third and final game, Sen controlled the net brilliantly and also dominated the flat exchanges to open up a 16-11 advantage before earning four match points. Shi saved one of them, but his lift sailed long to hand the match to Sen.

Meanwhile, Malvika Bansod`s campaign ended with a 21-11, 21-6 loss against third seed Chen Yu Fei of China. 

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The Monegasque racer took to Instagram on Monday to announce his wedding with partner Alexandra Saint-Mleux, which took place on February 28.

Leclerc, 28, posted a series of photographs and videos, giving his 22.5 million followers a glimpse of the private ceremony.

 

 

 

 

 

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In the video, Charles is seen wearing a stunning white suit while Alexandra shimmers in a silvery-white gown. “A day we’ll forever remember,” Leclerc captioned the post.

He also indicated that the couple are planning another ceremony next year. “Part one is done, and part two will be next year with all of our close ones,” he wrote.

The couple are also seen driving off in a vintage Testa Rossa Ferrari after exchanging vows.

Charles and Alexandra, who have been dating for over two years, had announced their engagement in November last year.

Alexandra is a model, social media influencer and art curator.

Her racing suit, along with 85 other items, was sold by the Dutch Olympic Committee, with proceeds going to several local sports clubs.

"At one stage in the second game, I felt Lakshya was getting a bit fatigued, but he recovered well and raised his level. His attacking play was excellent too. "Overall, it was a very confidence boosting win," he added. Lakshya looked sharp from the outset, opening up an 11-7 lead at the mid game interval in the first game with sharp angled smashes and quick interceptions at the net. He stretched it to 17-12, repeatedly breaking down Shi`s defence with steep cross-court winners and tight net exchanges. However, the contest turned dramatic when Lakshya squandered leads of 18-12 and 19-16. Shi suddenly came alive, reeling off three straight points to draw level at 20-20.

The Chinese saved three game points in a tense finish and forced 21-all after another burst of attacking play. Lakshya earned a fourth opportunity but let it slip before Shi`s backhand found the net to hand the Indian a fifth game point. This time Lakshya sealed it with a decisive cross court smash to pocket the opener. After the change of ends in the second game, Shi made a positive start. Lakshya punished a short lift and unleashed a thunderous down the line smash to edge 6-5 ahead, but a miscued toss handed the Chinese the initiative at 9-8. Shi entered the break with a three point cushion. The rallies grew longer and more punishing as both players engaged in a fierce physical battle. It became difficult to single out one dominant aspect as the match boiled down to who was fractionally better in key moments.

Lakshya trailed 13-19 at one stage but mounted a spirited comeback with a flurry of points to narrow it to 18-19. Shi, though, produced a brilliant body smash to earn a game point and closed out the second game 21-19 to force a decider. Lakshya`s game was defined not just by raw power but by disciplined defence and sharp net play. His physical intensity forced Shi to aim closer to the lines, often pushing the Chinese into riskier strokes as the Indian retrieved shuttle after shuttle at breakneck speed. In the decider, the two were locked at 6-6 before Shi edged ahead briefly. Lakshya erased the deficit and carried a narrow two-point lead into the final interval at 11-9. From there, the Indian raised his level further.

He punished a net error to move 13-11 ahead, putting away a weak return and then unleashed a cross court winner to surge to 16-11. Another down the line smash made it 18-14. Shi challenged a call when he was judged to have hit long, with video referral confirming the shuttle had clipped the line, keeping the Chinese in the contest. Lakshya responded with another stunning winner to go 19-16 up. Although he miscued once, he soon earned four match points. After squandering one, Lakshya sealed the contest when Shi hit long. In other results, Malvika Bansod suffered an 11-21, 6-21 loss to China`s Chen Yu Fei. The mixed doubles pair of Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto registered a 21-17, 21-19 win over Hoo Pang Ron and Cheng Su Yin of Malaysia.

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"The health, safety and wellbeing of our players, staff and tournament personnel is our priority. We can confirm that a small number of players and team members remain in Dubai following the conclusion of the recent ATP 500 event," the ATP Tour said in a statement Monday. "They and their teams are being accommodated in the tournament`s official hotels, where their immediate needs are being fully supported." Medvedev and others are due to play at the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells, California, where main-draw matches start Wednesday. "We are in direct communication with those affected, as well as with tournament organizers and security advisors," the ATP said.

"At this stage, travel assessments remain subject to ongoing assessment in line with airline operations and official guidance. We will continue to provide appropriate support to ensure players and their teams can depart safely when conditions allow." As well as tennis players, cricketers from England and Pakistan`s men`s developmental cricket teams were in the United Arab Emirates at the weekend ahead of a game which was cancelled on Sunday.

Youth basketball players also faced travel issues when a Euro-League tournament there was canceled at the weekend. Numerous sports events in the region have shut down, with Asian Champions League soccer games and the Qatari league on hold. The governing body which oversees Formula 1 said Monday it will focus on "safety and wellbeing" as it considers upcoming races in the region.

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Employing a new strategy as black, Gukesh tormented the white`s king early in the opening and created enough weaknesses for the computer to volunteer that he was closing in on his first victory in Masters section of the tournament. However, the ticking of the clock had its final say as the Indian faltered in the closing stages of the first time-control. Abdusattorov almost returned the favour but this was simply not Gukesh`s day as another blunder saw white advancing his pawn to glory. If Nodirbek was lucky, there seems no stopping the Dutch Grandmaster Jorden van Foreest who climbed to number in 11 in world ranking in live ratings following his fourth victory in five games.

On the receiving end was Hans Moke Niemann of United States who made a single error that cast the dye decisively in Foreest favour. The day produced all decisive games in the 10-player round-robin tournament and defending champion Aravindh Chithambaram succumbed to his third defeat in five games, giving David Anton Guijarro of Spain something to rejoice before the lone rest day. Local star David Navara continued with his excellent run and grinded Uzbek Nodirbek Yakubboev what was certainly the game of the day while in the other duel Iranian Parham Maghsoodloo scored over Vincent Keymer of Germany.

With Foreest on four points, Abdusattorov and Navara are close on his heels a half point behind. Guijarro is the lone occupant on the fourth spot on 3 points, half a point clear of Maghsoodloo while Vincent Keymer is joint sixth on two points alongside Yakubboev. Gukesh, Aravindh and Niemann occupy the last three spots on just 1.5 points. In the challengers` section World Women`s cup winner Divya Deshmukh scored her first victory in the tournament at the expense of fellow Indian Surya Shekhar Ganguly. To move to a fifty percent score. Finek Vanclav of Czech Republic continues to lead the tables here with four points.

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They were subsequently moved to a secure location as tensions flared across the Gulf. The Indian ace was scheduled to face Thailand`s Supanida Katethong in the opening round but with Dubai airspace and airport continuing to be closed, she will be forced to pull out of the tournament. Former India coach Vimal Kumar told PTI that Sindhu, who even contemplated travelling to Oman by road, has resigned herself to her fate. "I have spoken to Sindhu this evening and she was really disappointed. She has resigned herself to her fate that she won`t be able to make it," Vimal said.

"I told her (that) there are good things waiting to happen and she should focus on winning a Super 1000 in the year, or another world championships medal at home." "It is tough for an athlete because she was really looking good and her entire team was excited about All England. She also thought about travelling via road to Oman but it would have been too risky, so she dropped the plans," Vimal added. Badminton Word Federation (BWF) said it is also keeping a close watch, maintaining "real-time oversight of the situation and stand ready to assist delegations experiencing delays or route changes."

"This includes reviewing and preparing potential contingencies within the competition schedule should any players experience delayed arrival," the sport`s global governing body said. While Sindhu`s participation remains uncertain, some of her fellow shuttlers have managed to reach Birmingham via alternate routes of Singapore and Africa. However, it remains to be seen how the long and taxing travel would impact their preparations. India`s top men`s singles contender Lakshya Sen and rising youngster Ayush Shetty, have reached without any travel issues.

While Lakshya has drawn world No. 1 Shi Yu Qi of China, Ayush is up against Indonesia`s Alwi Farhan in the opening round. For Lakshya, a former semifinalist and runner-up here, it will be another tough test against Shi, against whom he has lost four of his five previous meetings against the Chinese. Vimal said Lakshya experienced tightness in his glues during the Badminton Asian Team Championships earlier this month but he is now fully fit. "I think it would be a 50-50 match because Shi Yu Qi is a complete player, who has good deception and attack and Lakshya has to really make him work and retrieve well. He had beaten him at Asian Games (even) when he was suffering from a bout of fever," Vimal said.

"He had some tightness in the glutes during BATC so he couldn`t play and then he had fever. It took him 4-5 days to recover. But he is in good shape now and it should be a good match," he added. Ayush, the US Open Super 300 champion, will look to turn the tide against Farhan, having lost three of their five encounters, including the most recent one at the Indonesia Masters in January. In women`s singles, Malvika Bansod faces a stiff opening challenge against Tokyo Olympics champion Chen Yufei of China. Unnati Hooda, whose flight was cancelled on Sunday forcing her to travel via Africa, will need to overcome jet lag when she takes on Thailand`s eighth seed Pornpawee Chochuwong in her opener.

In men`s doubles, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, a former world No. 1, will spearhead India`s challenge against Malaysia`s Kang Khai Xing and Aaron Tai in the first round. The women`s doubles pair Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand, who registered back-to-back semifinal finishes at the event in 2022 and 2023, will face Japan`s Sayaka Hirota and Ayako Sakuramoto. In mixed doubles, Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto are up against Malaysia`s Hoo Pang Ron and Cheng Su Yin, while Rohan Kapoor and Ruthvika Shivani Gadde will meet fifth seeds Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue of France. Prakash Padukone (1980) and Pullela Gopichand (2001) remain the only Indians to have won the All England title. Besides them, only Saina Nehwal (2015 runner-up) and Lakshya (2022 runner-up) have come close in recent years.

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Reddick held off hard-charging Shane van Gisbergen, the Trackhouse driver and the series` dominate road driver, over the final 20 laps. Jordan, the basketball Hall of Famer, was with Reddick`s 23XI pit crew exchanging high fives as Reddick crossed the finish line. Van Gisbergen, who won five of six road course races in 2025, lost his bid for a record-tying sixth consecutive road win. The only road course race he didn`t win last season was in Austin.

Reddick was just too good all weekend in pursuit of history. His 11th career victory was also his second at COTA, a track built for Formula 1, and the first time he`s had multiple victories a track. He won at COTA in 2023. It wasn`t easy. Reddick had van Gisbergen on his bumper for several laps in the final stage, but was able to keep him behind. Van Gisbergen began to fall farther and father behind over the final six laps.

Rough day for rookie Zilisch

Trackhouse Cup Series rookie Connor Zilisch came into the weekend with the expectation that he might be the one to end van Gisbergen`s dominance on road courses. But Zilisch`s weekend began with a surprisingly poor qualifying position of 25th and got worse Sunday when he got spun on the restart for stage two. Zilisch fought back into contention for the win in the final stage, but his race effectively ended when he was spun again in a restart out of a caution with 16 laps to go. He finished 14th.

Bowman had to bail out

Hendrick Motorsports driver Alex Bowman had to get out of his car with about 20 laps to go after complaining about being sick.
He was replaced by Myatt Snider who had been working as a pit spotter for the Fox broadcast. Snider had to scramble to put on his race suit and get in the car. 

Keselowski finishes race while still recovering from broken leg

Brad Keselowski had a reserve driver Joey Hand on hand to take over in case his recently broken leg hurt too much. He didn`t need him and was able to finish the race in 20th place. The RFK Racing driver has been able to race in all three events this season despite breaking his right leg in December. The road course in Austin was a particular concern but of the physical strain through the left and right turns.

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"Yesterday was a small mistake with a big consequence so it was important today to try to bounce back," said the Italian. "My pace was good with the medium, we worked it super-well all weekend, so I knew that I could be fast if I was in front. "I tried my all to make a good start and the bike was perfect," he added. Bezzecchi was fastest in all three practice sessions in Thailand and set a new track record in qualifying. It was also his third straight grand prix win stretching back to last season. "It`s just the first race so we must stay calm, we must stay focused, keep our head down and try to work always in the best way possible," said Bezzecchi. "Because we know that we will struggle at some point."

Marquez misery

Marquez dominated last year`s championship but he said earlier this week that he was still feeling the lingering effects of a shoulder injury that forced him to miss the final four races of the season. The 33-year-old was picked off by a succession of riders as the race got underway but recovered to put himself back into podium contention. He was priming himself for an attack on Acosta and Fernandez when he ran wide and did well not to be thrown from his bike, even though it did spell the end of his race. The 33-year-old got off his bike and slapped his hands together in frustration before trudging off the track. His departure left Acosta to reel in Fernandez to secure second place and wrap up a successful weekend for the 21-year-old Spaniard. Acosta won the sprint after Marquez was forced to let him pass on the final lap because of a penalty. 

"We have to be happy that things are working super-good," said Acosta, who leads the championship standings ahead of Bezzecchi after the first round. "Thanks to everyone who supported me, because last year the start was not the dreaming one." Fernandez looked like he had second place locked up until a late problem with his bike allowed Acosta to go past him. "It was quite difficult, especially the last five, six laps," said Fernandez. "I tried to make my maximum but I had destroyed the rear tyre." Jorge Martin, the 2024 world champion, finished fourth after seeing the defence of his title wrecked by injury last season. Trackhouse`s Ai Ogura was fifth, followed by VR46`s Fabio Di Giannantonio and KTM`s Brad Binder. Alex Marquez, last season`s championship runner-up, did not finish the race after a late crash. Francesco Bagnaia, the 2022 and 2023 world champion, finished ninth after starting from 13th on the grid.

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Van Foreest defeated Nodirbek Yakubboev of Uzbekistan while the other two games in the 10-player round-robin tournament ended in draws. American Hans Moke Niemann drew with Parham Maghsoodloo of Iran and David Anton Guijarro got the same result against Nodirbek Yakubboev of Uzbekistan. With five rounds still to come and the event knocking on the doors of crossing the half-way barrier, van Foreest, on three points, is now followed by Abdusattorov and Navara, who in turn are a half point ahead of Yakubboev, Keymer and Guijarro.

The remaining four participants -- Chithambaram, Gukesh, Niemann and Maghsoodloo -- are all tied on the seventh spot on 1.5 points apiece. Navara may be past his prime but, having played chess at a high level in the past, has helped him a great deal here. The Czech number one had to defend a difficult position against Gukesh out of a Ruy Lopez Berlin but he denied the world champion any decisive advantage. The end result was a level rook and pawns endgame wherein Gukesh had to split the point when bare kings remained on board after 72 moves. Chithamabaram`s choice of sticking to the Philidor defense came as a surprise to Keymer who seized the initiative early with a king side attack. The Indian lost a pawn in the tactical melee and then lost a Bishop without much counter play in this nearly one-sided encounter.

Van Foreest has been in great form recently and followed up with his victory over Gukesh by scalping for Yakubboev. The Dutchman was tenacious in a difficult middle game and hung in with his black pieces as white tried to penetrate with his heavy pieces and in the end was rewarded as Yakubboev blew his position away.

Meanwhile, in the challengers section being organised simultaneously, world women`s cup winner Divya Deshmukh drew with sole leader Vanclav Finek of Czech Republic while the other Indian Surya Shekhar Gnaguly signed peace with Stepn Herbek of the host country. Divya is on 1.5 points in the event and Ganguly has one point from his four outings in the tournament that is being led by Finek on 3 points.

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Sindhu is set to make her appearance at the All England Open Badminton Championships, which will kick off from March 3. Since Saturday, the star badminton player, along with her coach Irwansyah Adi Pratama have been stranded at Dubai airport.

She shared a post on her official social media handle, which read, "A few hours ago, there was an explosion close to where we were holed up at the airport. My coach had to quickly run out of the area as he was closest to the smoke and debris. It was an extremely tense and scary moment for all of us".

The post further stated that the badminton star and her team have been moved to a safe place, thanks to the authorities at the airport.

"We are all safe now and have been moved to a more secure place, thanks to the tireless efforts of the staff at Dubai Airport and the Dubai authorities. For now, we are trying to get some rest and hold on to hope as we wait for things to settle," she wrote in the post.

The ordeal continues to unfold, and the situation is becoming more frightening by the hour.

A few hours ago, there was an explosion close to where we were holed up at the airport. My coach had to quickly run out of the area as he was closest to the smoke and debris. It was an… https://t.co/ZdNtuALk0P

— Pvsindhu (@Pvsindhu1) March 1, 2026

Sindhu is one of India`s most celebrated badminton players, having won an Olympic silver medal at the Rio 2016 and a bronze medal at the Tokyo 2020. She also clinched several World Championship medals.

The US and Israel launched a major offensive on Iran on Saturday, with American President Donald Trump calling on the Iranian public to overthrow the Islamic leadership that has ruled the nation since 1979.

The military strikes have led to the closure of airspace in the Gulf region and caused disruption to several flights, including Emirates and Air India.

The Dubai Airport has suspended all operations indefinitely due to airspace closures following missile strikes involving the US, Israel and Iran.

(With PTI Inputs)

The Indian soon came under heavy pressure and had to part with a pawn. The technicalities remained but Foreest could possibly do no-wrong in this round. The trade of Queens led to a pawn-less rook and minor piece endgame for Gukesh wherein the Dutchman cleaned up the king side and his pawns did the remaining. The game lasted 48 moves. Foreest regained the joint lead and is the only player in the event with all three decisive games. With two points in his kitty, Foreest shares the lead with Uzbek duo of Nodirbek Yakubboev and Nodirbek Abdusattorov along with local favourite David Navara. With six rounds still remaining in the 10-players 9-rounds tournament, Gukesh shares the seventh spot with top seed Vincent Keymer of Germany, Hans Moke Niemann of United States and Maghsoodloo with all having one point from their three games.

The other Indian in the fray, Aravindh played out a draw with Maghsoodloo to take his tally to 1.5 points along with David Anton Guijarro of Spain. Aravindh could not really get going with his white pieces against Maghsoodloo after going for a strange variation against the Caro Kann defense. The queens were off the board as early as the fifth move, after which Maghsoodloo only had to trade pieces at regular intervals. The game ended in a draw in just 30 moves by repetition. In the challengers` section, it was a double blow for Indians as both Divya Deshmukh and Surya Shekhar Ganguly went down fighting. The women`s World cup winner Divya lost with her black pieces against Jiner Zhu of China, while Ganguly found a tough customer in Czech republic`s Jachym Nemec. Ganguly has a half point after the first three rounds, while Divya has one. Finek Vaclav of Czech Republic leads this section with 2.5 points.

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After a couple of trades, the position looked level and Yakubboev uncorked a rook sacrifice to force a repetition of position. Aravindh continued with his newfound preference for the Philidor Defence, while Niemann seized the early initiative with the white pieces. The American, however, ran short of time at a critical juncture and paid heavily, just when the analytical engines were evaluating his position as winning. Aravindh was quick to capitalise on his chances and soon transitioned into a winning endgame. After a heartbreaking first-round loss to Nodirbek Abdusattorov of Uzbekistan, this was a welcome victory for the Chennai-based player.

In the only other decisive game of the day, Spaniard David Anton Guijarro put it across in-form Dutchman Jorden van Foreest from the white side of a King`s Indian defense. With seven rounds still to come, Abdusattorov, Yakubboev and local hopeful David Navara emerged as the co-leaders on 1.5 points apiece and the trio is followed by Gukesh, Aravindh, van Foreest and Guijarro a half point behind. Parham Maghsoodloo of Iran, top seeded Vincent Keymer of Germany and Niemann are another half point adrift in the 10-players 9-rounds tournament.

In the challengers section, Grandmaster and world women`s cup winner Divya Deshmukh played out a draw with Daniil Yuffa of Spain to remain on a fifty percent score after two games. After a draw with highest ranked Benjamin Gledura of Hungary in the opener this was another good result for Divya who is vying for a chance to play a world championship match post the women`s candidates tournament slated at the end of March. The other Indian Surya Shekhar Ganguly opened his account with a draw with Jonas Buhl Bjerre of Denmark.

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The Canadian, 32, who retired from tennis last year, said on the US podcast OK Sweetie that she was struggling with her mental health from 2015 onwards — less than a year after losing the 2014 Wimbledon final to Petra Kvitova. She allegedly became rebellious and that led to her making a bold fashion statement after the 2016 Australian Open, where she decided to get an undercut hairstyle, which went awry. “I wanted a very small undercut. I don’t know what happened, but literally half my head [was shaved off]. It was way worse than I intended, and it caused me to lose my Rolex deal,” revealed Bouchard, who added that the watch brand emailed her agent saying “This doesn’t align with our brand,” and declined to extend their deal with her.

Norris posted a series of photographs, as he enjoys the winter break. In the first photo here, the McLaren driver is seen wearing a red and black pair of pyjamas. To this,  Corceiro commented: “Nice PJs, [you’re] welcome.”