Newly-crowned FIDE Candidates 2026 winner Javokhir Sindarov has heaped praise on reigning world champion D Gukesh as the two prodigies gear up for a highly-anticipated World Chess Championship clash later this year. Sindarov, who remained unbeaten throughout tournament, sealed the Candidates title in dominant fashion by reaching 9.5 points by the end of Round 13, finishing with a game to spare. With the championship match scheduled for the November-December window, much of the spotlight is already on the impending showdown between two of the brightest stars of the new generation. “He’s the youngest champion in history and, of course, one of the best players in the world. He has a lot of strong skills and it will be a very exciting match. I will be very excited for this match and he has a very good team. I will just say good luck to him,” Sindarov told ChessBase India. While Sindarov enters the contest in red-hot form, Gukesh, the youngest world champion in history, remains a formidable opponent despite a relatively quiet run since his title-winning triumph over Ding Liren in 2024. Reflecting on his own performance at the Candidates, Sindarov credited his disciplined approach and ability to stay focused as key factors behind his success, saying, “In this tournament, I was always trying to think about my preparation and only about chess. I don’t see a lot of social media.” The 20-year-old’s composed run through the field was marked by consistency and maturity beyond his years, as he navigated high-pressure situations with remarkable control. When asked about his preference for the venue of the upcoming World Championship match, Sindarov revealed a lighter side, expressing a desire for warmer conditions. “If it will be in December, for me probably I’ll choose some hot country like Cyprus. I don’t want to play the World Chess Championship match in cold weather,” Sindarov said in the press conference. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
16 April,2026 10:01 AM IST | New Delhi | IANSDenmark's flag-bearer for badminton Viktor Axelsen, 32, brought down the curtain on his illustrious career on Wednesday, claiming recurring back issues have left him unable “to compete at the highest level.” The two-time Olympic gold medallist and former No. 1 is adored all around the world, and ex-India badminton player and Chief National Coach Pullela Gopichand is no exception. “He’s had a remarkable career. He’s been a great athlete as well as a great ambassador for the sport, which has been dominated by Asians, so it was good to see Viktor represent Europe so well. Axelsen was a big part of the transition from the Lin Dan and Lee Chong Wei era to the current one,” Gopichand, an All England Open winner in 2001, told mid-day. Pullela Gopichand. Pic/AFP The 1998 Commonwealth Games men’s singles bronze medallist also shed light on what set the Dane apart from his rivals. “He had a unique playing style and was a great entertainer for the sport. His physicality, especially his height [six feet, four inches], is different from the other players. He was very strong defensively and demonstrated great speed to execute his defensive plays. Plus, he had a big smash to attack when the opportunity came,” explained Gopichand, 52. While Axelsen’s imposing frame no doubt aided his reach, Gopichand believes it may have been as much a bane for him. “Badminton is one of those sports where having that extra reach upwards can help, but the reach down can be a challenge. Even when it comes to playing closer to the body, it can be tricky. Having said that, being stable at taller heights, in terms of having a defensive base, then becomes vital for a player, and Viktor had that stability. But you can say [it was a bit of a bane] too, because he had to work a lot harder on his hip and back mobility,” opined Gopichand, who added that Axelsen is “somebody who is not happy to be on the journey if he doesn’t have a chance to win,” which even the Dane alluded to in his retirement post. Gopichand also lavished praise on the two-time World Championship winner for imparting his knowledge to two of India’s young shuttlers Lakshya Sen and Ayush Shetty — both have had the opportunity to train with him in Dubai previously. “It’s very nice on his part [to work with Sen and Shetty]. The experience that he has and how he can articulate it to youngsters… It’s phenomenal for any young athlete [to learn from him], and they will no doubt benefit from it,” concluded the Arjuna Awardee. TwoNo. of Olympic gold medals won by Viktor Axelsen (2020, 2024) FiveNo. of BWF World Tour Finals won by Viktor Axelsen 183No. of weeks Viktor Axelsen spent as World No. 1; a mark only surpassed by Malaysia’s Lee Chong Wei (349).
16 April,2026 09:49 AM IST | Mumbai | Ronan CarvalhoIndian shuttler Lakshya Sen penned an emotional tribute to two-time Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen following his retirement announcement, saying badminton will remember him as "one of the greatest to ever play the game". Widely regarded as one of the modern greats of the game, Axelsen announced his retirement on Wednesday, saying ongoing back problems have made it difficult for him to compete at the highest level. The 32-year-old Dane won consecutive gold medals at the Tokyo and Paris Olympics and finished on top in the 2017 and 2022 World Championships. He was also a part six gold-winning Danish teams in the European Championships. "Badminton is blessed to have you and it will remember you as one of the greatest to ever play the game, but what truly sets you apart isn't just the champion you are, it's the person you are, that stays far beyond matches and medals," Sen posted on his Instagram story. The Indian star reflected on their shared journey from training together in Dubai in 2022 to crossing paths on the sport's biggest stages, including the prestigious All England Open and a memorable showdown at the Paris Olympics semifinals. "To go from training with you in Dubai to stepping onto one of the biggest stages like the All England Open and then facing you at the Olympics, it's been an incredible journey. Happy retirement! All the best for what's ahead," he added. A significant loss for the sport itself: Vimal Lakshya's mentor and former India coach Vimal Kumar also paid an emotional tribute to Axelsen, calling his retirement "a significant loss for the sport itself". "I am deeply saddened to hear about Viktor Axelsen stepping away from the sport due to persistent back issues. When I last interacted with him a month ago, he had expressed concern about his recovery and the lack of progress post-surgery -- but even then, I did not imagine that he would be forced to make such a difficult decision," the 63-year-old wrote on 'X' "His professionalism, discipline, and relentless pursuit of excellence have set benchmarks for generations to follow. His retirement is a significant loss -- not just for Denmark, but for European badminton as a whole." Axelsen, who held the world number one position for 183 weeks which is the third longest run of all time, leaves behind not just titles and records, but a legacy defined by grace, discipline and an enduring impact on the badminton world. Vimal pointed out that Denmark now faces a transition phase in men's singles, with a visible gap emerging beyond Axelsen and Anders Antonsen, especially with several players nearing the twilight of their careers. He hoped that the Badminton World Federation would involve Axelsen in a larger capacity. "On a personal note, I feel this is a loss for the sport itself. I sincerely hope the Badminton World Federation considers bringing Viktor into a larger role within the sport. With his global appeal -- especially across Asia, including China -- and his ability to connect across cultures, he would be a tremendous ambassador. "More importantly, he has always demonstrated thoughtful and progressive ideas for the growth of badminton, beyond just discussions around shortening match durations. I truly hope he remains closely involved with the sport in the years to come, perhaps even contributing to its administration and future direction." This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
16 April,2026 09:14 AM IST | New Delhi | PTITwo-time F1 world champion Fernando Alonso nearly became a chauffeur for Pope Benedict XVI, revealed Yago de la Cierva, a coordinator for Pope Leo.According to British tabloid The Sun, De la Cierva said: “In papal trips there are surprises. In 2011, for example, we had a meeting with 200 authorities in the field of security [because] we wanted the Popemobile to be driven by Alonso.” However, that idea was junked by the authorities. “[They replied] ‘no, it has to be [driven by] a policeman’,” said De la Cierva, before adding: “I defended that idea and said ‘I think he knows how to drive, I mean, I think the Pope is not in danger’.”
15 April,2026 09:59 AM IST | Mumbai | A CorrespondentJunior India player PB Sunil scored a fine hat-trick as UK United beat a fancied Champions Training Centre 4-3 in a men’s elite league encounter of the 45th Willingdon Catholic Gymhana rink hockey tournament at Santacruz recently. Harish Shindgi added the fourth goal for UK United. Former India players Yuvraj Walmiki (two goals) and his brother Devindar scored for CTC. In another match, Companeroes beat Republicans Colts 2-1. Ashish Yadav and Zidane Fernandes scored for Companeroes while Sarthak Jadhav scored for Colts.
15 April,2026 09:54 AM IST | Mumbai | A CorrespondentAjita Ravindran displayed some fine grit and resilience against an equally determined Pooja Jhalani to prevail in three games and win the women’s singles 45+ title in the GD Birla Memorial inter-club badminton tournament, promoted by Badminton Gurukul and, hosted by Bombay Gymkhana. After dropping the closely contested opening game 24-26, Ajita clawed back to win the second 21-19 and third 21-18 as both players fought hard for every point. In the men’s doubles 110+ category, the duo of Bibhash Chatterjee and Shiv Thakur stunned top seeds Gautam Laud and Shailesh Daga 21-12, 21-15.
15 April,2026 09:52 AM IST | Mumbai | A CorrespondentUS golf great Tiger Woods and Kai, the daughter of his partner Vanessa Trump, enjoy a close relationship, it is learnt. Kai, 18, the granddaughter of US President Donald Trump, is an aspiring golfer for University of Miami. She was a spectator at the recent Augusta Masters. After Woods’s recent Driving Under Influence arrest when he rolled his car over in Jupiter Island, there were reports that Vanesa is upset and the couple’s relationship is headed south. However, according to USA’s People magazine, this isn’t true. She [Vanessa] is not leaving him [Woods]. They’re very close as a family. He’s fully integrated now and especially close with Kai,” a source told the magazine. Woods is currently in rehab in Switzerland. Woods, 50, and Vanessa, 48, have been together for 18 months.
14 April,2026 09:56 AM IST | Mumbai | A CorrespondentIndia's World No. 25 Ayush Shetty, who bagged an impressive silver medal at the Badminton Asia Championships in Ningbo, China, after losing in the final to China’s World No. 2 Shi Yu Qi on Sunday, revealed that the key to his giant-slaying run was his aggression during the week. The 20-year-old shuttler from Mangalore notched up shock wins over Thailand’s World No. 1 Kunlavut Vitidsarn, Indonesia’s No. 4 Jonatan Christie and China’s seventh-ranked Li Shi Feng on his way to the summit clash. When asked what would be the one thing that took him so far at the continental tournament, Shetty attributed it to his power game. “The key, for me, was that I always trusted the process. I kept working hard throughout the week and the one thing that I did in particular was that I was more aggressive in this competition and that worked. In the past, I’ve never been this aggressive,” Shetty told mid-day during a virtual press conference on Monday.
14 April,2026 09:53 AM IST | Mumbai | Karan ShankarRory McIlroy overcame early stumbles and a late scare to win the Masters on Sunday, capturing his sixth major title to become only the fourth back-to-back champion at Augusta National. The world number two from Northern Ireland made a double bogey at the fourth and a bogey at the sixth, but responded with four birdies in the next seven holes and hung on after woeful late tee shots to win a second green jacket and a record top prize of $4.5 million. McIlroy joined Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus and Nick Faldo as the only back-to-back winners in Masters history, firing a final round one-under-par 71 to finish on 12-under-par 276 and defeat top-ranked Scottie Scheffler by one stroke. A year after winning his first Masters to complete a career Grand Slam and snap a 10-year major win drought, McIlroy pulled off a wire-to-wire triumph. "I just can't believe I waited 17 years to get one green jacket and you know I get two in a row. It's just sort of the way," McIlroy said. "I think all of my perseverance at this golf tournament over the years has really started to pay off." Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley placed the green jacket on McIlroy, a role usually reserved for the prior year's Masters winner. McIlroy seized a 36-hole Masters record six-stroke lead only to play the weekend at level par. "It was a tough weekend. I did the bulk of my work on Thursday and Friday," McIlroy said. "But just so, so happy to hang in there and get the job done." McIlroy, third-from last in driving accuracy for the week, saved par at 15 from the trees but sent his tee shot at the 18th over trees on the right to a spot near the adjacent 10th fairway. With a victory at risk, McIlroy curled a dramatic approach around the pines and into a greenside bunker, then blasted onto the green to 12 feet and two-putted for bogey to secure the triumph. "It's nice to have that two-shot cushion instead of the one like I had last year," said McIlroy, who needed a playoff to win in 2025. McIlroy, 36, yelled with joy and lifted his arms into the air after the triumph. He hugged daughter Poppy and wife Erica after walking off the 18th green where he embraced his parents. 'Good fight' Scheffler, a four-time major winner seeking his third Masters victory in five seasons, was on 277 after shooting a 68 to complete a bogey-free weekend. "Over the weekend I put up a good fight, did a lot of good stuff in order to give myself a chance and ultimately came up a couple shots short," Scheffler said. England's Tyrrell Hatton and 45-year-old Justin Rose and Americans Russell Henley and Cameron Young shared third on 278. Rose, the 2013 US Open champion, settled for another near miss after three runner-up Masters finishes. "I felt like there was an opportunity to do better, so obviously that's frustrating for sure," Rose said. Rose birdied four of the last five holes on the front nine and led on 12-under but bogeys at 11 and 12 moved McIlroy into the lead to stay. McIlroy sank a seven-foot birdie putt at the par-three 12th after an impressive tee shot, then added an 11-foot birdie putt at the par-five 13th to seize a three-stroke lead. "I think the tee shot on 12 and then the tee shot on 13, just to give me the option to go for the green in two," were the day's key shots. "I made a really good committed swing off the 13th tee, and that enabled me to go for the green in two and to make a birdie there, following the birdie on 12. That was massive," he said. Four pars and the closing bogey followed to produce McIlroy's sixth major victory -- and the champion said there could be more to come. "I'm not putting a number on it, but I certainly don't want to stop here," he said. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
14 April,2026 09:45 AM IST | Augusta (US) | AFPPV Sindhu swapped badminton for an intense relay race recently in Bengaluru, as she competed in an event featuring eight 1 km runs paired with eight workout stations, as part of Hyrox and Puma’s disruptive race format. India’s women’s cricket team skipper Harmanpreet Kaur was also in attendance, cheering Sindhu on. “Badminton has always been my world, but this is very different. There’s no opponent. Just you, the clock, and eight stations that test everything out at once,” said Sindhu, before adding: “Kaur cheered me on and brought an energy that pushed me harder.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by PUMA India (@pumaindia)
13 April,2026 10:22 AM IST | Mumbai | A CorrespondentIndian freestyle wrestlers Aman Sehrawat and Mukul Dahiya clinched silver on the final day of the Asian Wrestling Championships here on Sunday. In the 61 kg freestyle final, Aman went down 10-13 to Kwang Myong Kim of North Korea, while Mukul lost the 86 kg title bout 0-7 to Iran’s Kamran G Ghasempour. India finished their campaign in second place with 17 medals (two gold, six silver, and nine bronze). This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
13 April,2026 10:17 AM IST | bishkek (Kyrgyzstan) | AgenciesADVERTISEMENT
