Toyota has announced that Kalle Rovanpera's plans to compete in this year’s Super Formula Championship have been paused following advice and medical evaluations. 

Last year, Rovanpera announced bold plans to leave the World Rally Championship to pursue a career in single seaters, with the ultimate goal to compete at the highest level.

In a programme backed by Toyota, Rovanpera’s single seater journey was set to begin with a season in Japan’s Super Formula, driving for the KCMG team. After completing last month’s pre-season Super Formula test at Suzuka, and following advice and medical evaluations, a mutual decision between Toyota and Rovanpera has been made to halt the programme for now.  

Rovanpera endured a challenging start to his switch to single-seater racing having had to pull out of December’s post-season Super Formula test after suffering from Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo, which affects balance and vision through [the] inner ear.

However, in January, the 25-year-old stepped up his preparations for the new Super Formula season by competing in New Zealand’s Formula Regional Oceania Trophy with Hitech. The Finn scored five top 10 results, including an impressive first podium at Teretonga Park in race nine, on his way to 16th in the championship, before illness forced the two-time WRC champion to sit out the final meeting at Highlands Motorsport Park.

Kalle Rovanpera, Kids com Team KCMG

Rovanpera was back behind the wheel in Super Formula’s pre-season test at Suzuka last month, finishing 24th fastest. The Finn did improve his time by over a second through the test.   

Toyota has confirmed that Rovanpera maintains a desire to come back stronger and continue competing in circuit racing, challenging himself at the highest level, but only when he is ready to do so. Toyota will offer its full support in helping Rovanpera return to the track in the future. 

“I would like to share some difficult news: Kalle Rovanperä will be stepping back from the upcoming races,” read a statement from Toyota chairman Akio Toyoda (Morizo).

“He has poured his heart into challenging himself in formula cars, driven by a deep and unwavering desire to grow. Every time he got on track in private tests, his speed was clear to see. I watched him push harder, find something new within himself, and trim his lap times again and again.

“Yet despite that passion and progress, his body was struggling to keep up. After receiving a medical evaluation, we reached the painful conclusion that continuing to compete would not be the right choice for him.

“As Morizo, this decision weighed heavily on me. I asked myself what it truly means to let him chase speed, and what it means to protect someone you believe in. In the end, balancing those responsibilities led me to pause his participation in this year’s Super Formula season.

“To everyone involved, and to all the fans who have supported him with such warmth, I am truly sorry that we could not meet your hopes.

“But please believe this: his circuit racing challenge is far from over. His love for cars and his drive to become faster will not fade.

“As Morizo, I will continue to stay by his side — not only as a fellow driver, but as a team-mate who believes in him with all my heart. Thank you for your continued and heartfelt support."

KCMG’s reserve driver Seita Nonaka will take over the seat vacated by Rovanpera for the opening two races at Motegi from 4-5 April. 

To read more Motorsport.com articles visit our website.

The reigning NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder won't visit the White House while in Washington to play the Wizards on Saturday, citing a "timing" issue, The Athletic reported Friday.

"We have been in touch with the White House and we are appreciative and grateful for the communication we have had, but the timing just didn't work," the Thunder told The Athletic in a statement.

The team did not immediately respond to AFP's request for comment.

NBA champion teams have been visiting the White House since the Boston Celtics made the trip in 1963, although the 2024 Celtics were the last to make such a visit, to then-president Joe Biden's White House in November of that year.

The topic of triumphant teams visiting the White House has become politically charged in recent years.

When several Golden State Warriors players expressed misgivings about a possible White House reception after winning the title in 2017, President Donald Trump tweeted that the invitation had been withdrawn.

The Warriors weren't invited when they won in 2018 but visited Biden's White House to celebrate their 2022 championship.

Various teams, including the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles in 2018, declined invitations or had invitations rescinded in Trump's first term.

But Trump hailed the Eagles as "incredible" when they celebrated their 2025 Super Bowl victory at the White House last year.

More recently, the US men's gold medal-winning Olympic ice hockey team was feted at the White House before attending Trump's State of the Union Address.

Trump also invited the gold medal-winning US women's hockey team, but they cited "timing and previously scheduled academic and professional commitments" in declining.

Trump had sparked criticism when he was heard in a congratulatory phone call to the men's team in Milan say he would "probably be impeached" if he didn't invite the women's team as well.

bb/jgc

World number one Carlos Alcaraz was dialed-in on Friday, powering past rising Brazilian talent Joao Fonseca 6-4, 6-4 to reach the third round of the Miami Open.

The 22-year-old Spaniard used an early break in each set and saved all three break points he faced in a confident performance at Hard Rock Stadium, where 19-year-old Fonseca was cheered by a raucous contingent of fans.

"I was really good from the beginning until the last ball," Alcaraz said. "I know how good Joao is and that's why I was really focused, every point, every shot, trying to figure out what is the best possible shot for me."

Alcaraz bounced back from his semi-final loss to Daniil Medvedev at Indian Wells last week to improve to 17-1 in 2026.

That includes an Australian Open title that made him the youngest man to complete a career Grand Slam and a title in Doha.

Alcaraz gained the upper hand against 39th-ranked Fonseca with a break for 2-1 in the opening set, delivering a blistering forehand service return winner on break point.

He closed out the set with a love game, broke Fonseca to open the second and secured the victory with his eighth ace on match point.

It was extra satisfying since Alcaraz was stunned in his Miami opener by David Goffin last year.

"He had a lot of chances to stay in the match to (keep it) tight, so I'm just happy to stay calm, stay positive at these moments," said Alcaraz, who next faces American Sebastian Korda, a 6-0, 6-3 winner over Camilo Ugo.

Women's number one Aryna Sabalenka held off determined American Ann Li 7-6 (7/5), 6-4 to launch her Miami title defense.

The Belarusian was pleased to get through in straight sets against her 39th-ranked foe in a match moved to the third show court as organizers hustled to get the rain-hit tournament back on schedule.

She needed more than an hour to pocket a first set in which she led 4-1 and wasted seven break points in the eighth game.

"I was there, I was fighting no matter what, even though my game probably wasn't the best one that I have," Sabalenka said.

Fourth-seeded American Coco Gauff and sixth-seeded compatriot Amanda Anisimova also reached the third round.

French Open champion Gauff rallied to beat Elisabetta Cocciaretto 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 in a match delayed several hours by rain.

Anisimova outlasted Australian veteran Ajla Tomljanovic 6-1, 5-7, 6-4.

It was Gauff's first match since she retired during her third-round match at Indian Wells with "scary" pain in her left arm.

Gauff said the injury was improving.

"I might feel it sometimes on court, but I definitely feel it less and less every day," said Gauff, who took some time to find her rhythm against the aggressive Cocciaretto.

"She takes the ball so early, you don't have a lot of time to react," Gauff said. "Today, once I got adjusted to the tempo of play I was able to control the rallies when they went the distance."

In other men's action, 56th-ranked American Ethan Quinn upset Norway's 11th-seeded Casper Ruud 6-4, 7-6 (9/7), saving seven set points in the second set on the way to victory.

Japanese wildcard Rei Sakamoto bagged his maiden ATP match win, converting his fifth match point in a 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (9/7) first-round victory over Aleksandar Kovacevic.

The 19-year-old ranked 164th booked a showdown with in-form Indian Wells finalist Medvedev.

bb/jgc

Guenther Steiner has shot down claims that Kimi Antonelli could fight for the Formula 1 drivers' championship in 2026.

After two rounds of the 2026 season, the Italian driver sits second in the standings behind his Mercedes team-mate George Russell. Antonelli secured his maiden F1 victory at the Chinese Grand Prix, leading many to argue that the 19-year-old could fight for the championship this year.

While Steiner agreed that the milestone moment would have given Antonelli "a lot of confidence", he argued that under normal circumstances, he would struggle to beat Russell. During qualifying for the Chinese Grand Prix, the Briton ran into issues. 

"Definitely damage limitation," Russell said after securing P2 on the starting grid. "In Q2 the front wing broke – we were wrapping our heads around that – and then obviously went out in Q3 on track, the car wasn’t restarting, couldn’t change gear."

Steiner said of Antonelli's victory on The Red Flags Podcast: "I think it gives him a lot of confidence because there was an opportunity for him, because under normal circumstances, at the moment, to beat George it's very difficult.

"And I think he's aware of it, not because he's a better driver - George has got a lot more experience. He's doing this a lot younger and is very quick as well, but as soon as George couldn't [maximise] qualifying, he took the opportunity and kept it.

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

"He didn't make a mistake. He sees that and says, 'Actually, I can do this', and that will help him going forward. He didn't do anything wrong. It would be easy to do something wrong when you are in that position. He kept his cool."

When asked if Antonelli could fight Russell for the championship, the former Haas team principal added, "No. If something special happens, like it happened in China in qualifying. And the good thing is he took it there, but under normal circumstances... I think it is also understandable why not.

"The kid is 19 years old, second year in Formula 1, and George is a good race car driver. So I don't think he can do it this year, but there are other opportunities for Kimi. If he doesn't win it this year, he can win it another time because he's so young. For me, he doesn't have to put too much pressure on himself to win it this year. He has got a good future in front of him."

To read more Motorsport.com articles visit our website.

Gresini rider Fermin Aldeguer is set to join VR46 for the start of MotoGP's 850cc era in 2027.

It emerged in the Goiania paddock that Aldeguer has negotiated a significantly improved contract with Ducati for next year, as part of a deal that will see him join Valentino Rossi’s team.
 
 It follows KTM and Alex Marquez reaching an agreement for the two-time world champion to replace Pedro Acosta in the Austrian marque's factory line-up next year.
 
Marquez and Aldeguer's anticipated departures will leave the Gresini squad, owned by Nadia Padovani, without riders for 2027 and, for the moment, without bikes, since the team founded by the late Fausto Gresini has not yet managed to close an agreement to remain a satellite Ducati team.

Motorsport.com understands that talks between Gresini and Ducati are still open, but the Bologna-based manufacturer's terms are far from the budget currently available to the Faenza-based team.

The unique aspect of 2027 is the implementation of new technical regulations featuring 850cc engines and new motorcycles, meaning that all riders racing Ducatis next year will be using the same machinery, which drives up the price.

In parallel, the championship promoter MotoGP Sports Entertainment Group (formerly Dorna) remains in open discussions with the MSMA (the manufacturers’ association) to renew the five-year contract between both parties that expires at the end of the year. That agreement will determine what amount each team will receive for participating in the world championship, and it will be then when Gresini will know exactly what money it has to negotiate with Ducati and sign riders.

Fermin Aldeguer, Gresini Racing

While that is happening, VR46 has moved ahead by securing a rider it has been pursuing since 2023, when it emerged that Luca Marini was going to leave his brother’s team to join Honda.

At that time, Ducati maneuvered to secure then-Moto2 rider Aldeguer, who signed for four years (two+two). The deal had an exit clause at the end of the second season, but he is not going to execute it, although he could have done so, having had offers to join factory teams.

According to what Motorsport.com has learned from the rider’s camp, the Spaniard has reached a full agreement with Ducati to complete the two remaining years of his contract until 2028, with a significant increase in  salary and bonuses.

“We have not yet signed the new contract, but we have shaken hands. Fermin will continue two more years with Ducati and the contract is with the factory, with material and treatment of a factory rider, receiving updates almost at the same time as the factory team riders, although we will race with VR46,” the sources confirmed.

VR46's Pablo Nieto commented that “the interest in having Fermin is great and has been known for some time, we believe he is a very interesting rider. Now it only remains t see who will be the second rider at VR46, a seat “that right now is very open” and for which the two current riders, Fabio Di Giannantonio and Franco Morbidelli, are candidates, but also “other young riders with potential.”

Alex Marquez targeting factory MotoGP seat at Yamaha and KTM

VR46 looking for mix of experience and youth in 2027 MotoGP line-up

To read more Motorsport.com articles visit our website.

Cleveland Guardians pitchers Luis Ortiz and Emmanuel Clase, facing federal pitch-rigging charges to aid gamblers, were placed on unpaid non-disciplinary leave by Major League Baseball on Friday.

The Dominican right-handers were placed on paid non-disciplinary leave by MLB last July but were indicted on federal conspiracy charges last November in New York.

They pleaded not guilty to helping Dominican gamblers win wagers based upon the types and speeds of certain pitches.

An agreement between MLB and its players association will mean the Guardians do not have to continue paying Clase and Ortiz during the season that begins next week.

"As the legal proceedings involving Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz continue to move forward, MLB and the MLBPA have agreed that both players will remain on non-disciplinary leave from the club without pay until further notice," Major League Baseball said in a statement.

"This agreement is not an admission of any wrongdoing by Clase or Ortiz. MLB has been closely monitoring the matter since alerting federal law enforcement at the outset of its investigation and will have no further comment until its investigation has been completed."

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Mercedes has appointed Bradley Lord as its deputy team principal to support Toto Wolff in the management of the Formula 1 team.

Lord joined the Mercedes F1 team in 2013 as communications manager and most recently worked as team representative and chief communications officer for the Brackley squad.

During his 13-year stint with the team, Lord's responsibilities have increased, according to a statement shared by Mercedes. As such, he has now been named deputy team principal to ‘formalise responsibilities that have grown organically over recent years,’ the team explained.

The move will not impact the responsibilities Wolff holds at the head of the team, and will instead see Lord take on more of a supporting position at the championship-winning side. 

"With the growth of our team and F1, the scope of our operations and associated responsibilities at a senior level has grown significantly,” explained Wolff in the statement. “We have therefore taken this opportunity to put in place a change that has effectively been operating in practice for some time.

“While my role and overall responsibilities will not change one millimetre, Bradley’s work as deputy team principal will further enhance the capability of our leadership group and provide continued support for me as our team principal and CEO.

“Bradley is a dedicated and long-serving member of our organisation who has played an important part in the team becoming the most successful of the modern era. Aligning our structure in this way ensures our leadership group can focus fully on the areas where they can add the greatest value and is optimised to meet the demands of a rapidly growing sport.”

Question of the week: Can anything or anyone stop Mercedes from winning both F1 titles in 2026?

Lord will step into the role of deputy team principal with immediate effect.

Mercedes was not the first F1 team that Lord worked with, having gotten his start in the series as a press office intern with Benetton back in 2001. He then held various positions in media and communications, including with the Renault F1 Team and Mercedes parent company Daimler AG.

To read more Motorsport.com articles visit our website.

Opel will take over the DS entry into Formula E’s Gen4 era, as Stellantis reshuffles its brands’ involvement again.

The group was involved in Formula E with DS Automobiles, which entered the series in 2015-16, and Maserati, which took over the Venturi outfit ahead of the Gen3 era.

Maserati’s time in the world championship was short-lived, as the team was renamed Citroen ahead of the ongoing campaign.

DS Automobiles to pull out of Formula E after 2025-26 season

Currently lying ninth out of 10 in the teams’ standings, DS announced yesterday that it was pulling out of Formula E to focus on new ventures in golf and the SailGP competition, therefore handing its spot over to Opel for the Gen4 era – with 800hp machinery.

“We are delighted to welcome Opel as a new factory team in Formula E,” said Jeff Dodds, CEO of Formula E. “As a strong German brand with distinctive engineering expertise and a fresh, bold image, Opel brings a long and storied history in motorsport and a new dynamic to the starting grid. Opel’s commitment also shows the importance of Formula E for global car manufacturers in the transition to electric mobility.”

Opel is the fifth major German brand to get involved in the all-electric championship, after Audi, BMW, Mercedes, and Porsche – with only the latter still committed to this day.

Opel may not boast as much historical prestige in motorsport as the aforementioned constructors, but still won the 1982 World Rally Championship with Walter Rohrl as well as the 2003 Nurburgring 24 Hours.

Opel Formula E

More relevantly, the manufacturer launched the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup back in 2021, featuring up-and-coming talents with Corsa Rally Electrics – with a switch to 207kW (281hp) Opel Mokka GSE Rally cars, which are twice as powerful, for the 2026-27 season. Hence Formula E being the brand’s next step.

“Joining Formula E marks a new milestone for Opel on our journey towards an electric future,” said Opel CEO Florian Huettl. “With Formula E moving to GEN4 cars as of the coming season, we see this as the ideal time to join this exciting, all-electric racing competition. Our Opel GSE Formula E Team will show what our brand stands for: German engineering, bold design and electrified performance, attributes that also apply to Opel’s fully-electric GSE models such as the Mokka GSE and soon the new Corsa GSE.”

The Opel GSE Formula E Team will make its first FE appearance at the official Gen4 launch at Circuit Paul Ricard in April. 

Additional reporting by Jose Carlos de Celis and Markus Luettgens

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The man considered to be the father of competitive, modern cheerleading died after falling while playing pickleball, according to a report.

Jeff Webb’s death was confirmed in an Instagram post by Varsity Spirit, the largest cheer organization in the United States, which he founded. He was 76 years old.

“Join us in honoring the life and legacy of Jeff Webb, founder of Varsity Spirit and modern cheerleading,” the tribute read. “His impact has built a community that will continue to inspire generations to come.”

Bill Seely, the president of Varsity Spirit, confirmed in an email, obtained by Cheer Daily, that Webb had sustained a severe head injury after his fall.

Webb was also a conservative political activist and was considered a “mentor” to Charlie Kirk. Following Kirk’s assassination, Webb spokemultipletimes about the impact of Turning Point USA’s founder.

According to the email, Webb was hospitalized with severe head trauma after the accident. His family eventually decided to remove him from life support, Cheer Daily reported.

A spokesperson for Varsity Brands, a sportswear company he founded, told The Independent that the company was “saddened” by Webb’s death.

“Jeff played a pivotal role in shaping cheerleading as it exists today and in building a community that has impacted generations of athletes, coaches, and teams,” the spokesperson said.

“In recent years, his contributions helped grow the sport both in the United States and globally, including his work with the International Cheer Union, which achieved full recognition by the International Olympic Committee in 2021,” the spokesperson continued.

“We extend our condolences to Jeff’s family and loved ones, and to the many across the spirit community who were influenced by his work,” they concluded.

Webb was a former yell leader for the University of Oklahoma’s cheer squad.

While at college, he worked for the National Cheerleaders Association before later accepting a full-time role at the organisation, forgoing law school in the process.

Webb went on to found the Universal Cheerleaders Association in 1974, which was eventually included under the Varsity Spirit umbrella.

According to The New York Times, Webb was instrumental in bringing cheerleading competitions to television screens across the United States. He also pushed for cheer routines to feature more acrobatic and athletic activities.

As president of the International Cheer Union, Webb played a key role in making cheerleading a global sport, with events broadcast on ESPN.

Despite cheerleading being fully recognised by the IOC in 2021, the sport did not make the official list of new sports being featured at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

In addition to his work with cheerleading, Webb served as the co-publisher and senior news editor of right-wing news site Human Events and also bought another right-wing site, The Post Millennial, in 2022. He sold both titles to Trump-loyalist John Solomon’s Just the News in 2025.

“Jeff was a brilliant businessman and entrepreneur and a joyful warrior who made everyone around him better. He had a passion for ensuring America’s next generations could carry on the torch of liberty, whether through the creation of the Varsity franchise or through his friendship with Charlie Kirk. He will be sorely missed,” Solomon said in a statement.

Tyler Reddick continues to the championship standings by 61 points over 23XI Racing teammate Bubba Wallace. Denny Hamlin is the latest driver to visit Victory Lane, winning at Las Vegas.

NASCAR now heads to Darlington where Hamlin is the defending race winner. All three national divisions will be competing this weekend with Trucks on Friday, the O'Reilly Series on Saturday, and Cup on Sunday.

In this story, you can find all the information you need to watch this weekend's action in Vegas, from the weekend schedule to where to watch, weather reports and even the full entry list.

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3:30pm EST -- NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series practice & qualifying -- FOX SPORTS 2

7:30pm EST -- NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race (147 laps) -- FOX SPORTS 1

Saturday, March 21

12pm EST -- NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series practice & qualifying -- CW APP

2:30pm -- NASCAR Cup Series practice & qualifying -- PRIME VIDEO

5:30pm EST -- NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series race (147 laps) -- THE CW

Sunday, March 12

1:30pm EST -- NASCAR RaceDay pre-race show -- FOX SPORTS 1

3:12 pm EST -- NASCAR Cup race green flag at Darlington -- FOX SPORTS 1

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

How can I watch the NASCAR Cup Series at Darlington?

Who is competing in the Goodyear 400 at Darlington?

There are 37 chartered entries and one open entry at Darlington, featuring the #66 with Timmy Hill. Justin Allgaier continues to fill in for Alex Bowman, who is suffering from vertigo and will remained sidelined for at least the next three races.

To read more Motorsport.com articles visit our website.

When Marcel Ruiz slumped into the grass of San Diego FC’s Snapdragon stadium late in the first half of Toluca’s Concacaf Champions Cup game last Wednesday, he seemed to already know. He covered his mouth with his left hand and clutched his right knee – first the back of it, then the front – with his other hand. He turned his head every which way, perhaps hoping that he might scan something or someone who would tell him that this was not in fact happening. That his World Cup on home soil was not already over three months before it was to even start. That Mexico’s injury crisis had not just deepened further.

Ruiz is only 17 matches into his international career for El Tri, yet the central midfielder has firmly established himself as an important cog in Mexico’s setup with his clean passing and defensive cover. More pertinently, the 25-year-old was part of a young core finally asserting itself on a team that long felt caught between generations and suffered through a lackluster autumn, winning none of their six friendlies against World Cup-bound teams.

Related: New bill would bar ICE raids near World Cup matches in US host cities

With Ruiz ruled out with a torn anterior cruciate ligament, Mexico is now without the services of six players who appeared in the come-from-behind Gold Cup final victory over the United States last summer, including its entire starting midfield. Captain and anchor Edson Álvarez finally had surgery on his long-ailing ankle and is in a race to recover for the big tournament; 17-year-old sensation Gilberto Mora has been sidelined by a sports hernia for two months now.

Also out are forwards Alexis Vega and Santi Giménez (with knee and ankle injuries, respectively). The latter is the only one of this half dozen not to start in that final, and the Milan man may well need to be in Mexico’s lineup at the World Cup, given that his rival at striker, Raúl Jiménez, will be 35 by then, and battered by the long Premier League season. Midfielder Luis Chávez started all three of Mexico’s matches at the 2022 World Cup but is a question-mark as well as he concludes his rehab from a torn ACL. So is Rodrigo Huescas, a contender to start at right back.

Then there’s Luis Angel Malagón, the presumptive starting goalkeeper. He tore his Achilles in Club América’s Champions Cup tie at Philadelphia and was beset by so many reporters upon his return to the airport in Mexico City that he had to scold several of them to stop bumping into his freshly-operated-on foot.

Such has been the swelling panic around this rash of injuries. Because looming over it all is the proclamation by Mexico manager Javier Aguirre that only fully fit players will be eligible for his squad.

While the United States men’s national team suddenly finds itself with a glut of fit and in-form players – and probably wouldn’t at all mind of the summer’s tournament was moved up by three months or so – the World Cup’s third co-host, Canada, faces its own injury worries.

Related: Mauricio Pochettino’s latest USMNT roster signals door is ‘still open’ for World Cup hopefuls

The Canadians’ captain, superstar and left-flank fulcrum Alphonso Davies has not appeared for his nation in almost a year, after tearing his ACL against the United States in the Concacaf Nations League in March of 2025 (an incident that sparked a furious finger-pointing spat between Canada and his club, Bayern Munich). Such have been his injury issues that he has logged a mere 528 minutes for Bayern this season. Last week, he strained a hamstring after just 26 minutes on the field in a Uefa Champions League bout with Atalanta, ruling him out for Canada yet again.

While Davies and his continued absence may be manager Jesse Marsch’s biggest headache, the rest of the back line may concern him just as much. After all, defensive stalwarts Moïse Bombito and Alistair Johnston were named to the March camp before friendlies with Iceland and Tunisia as “training players.” Alfie Jones is out altogether, while Derek Cornelius and Luc de Fougerolles were named to the playing roster but are also carrying injuries. Bombito and Cornelius figure to be Canada’s starting center backs at the World Cup. Johnston, the only player not from South America on the 2024 Copa América Team of the Tournament, will probably play on the right.

Further upfield, midfield heartbeat Stephen Eustaquio is out with a knee injury; Promise David, the 24-year-old striker on Belgian champions and Uefa Champions League participants Union Saint-Gilloise, had surgery on his hip in February and may not recover in time for the World Cup either.

There tends to be something fluky about doing well at a World Cup. Some confluence of the right timing and bounces and luck and preparation alchemizes into the requisite goals at opportune times. It’s been almost eight years since the 23rd World Cup was granted to North America. Its participants have been planning for it ever since. But there’s no hedging against the inevitability of injuries. And for Mexico and Canada, their timing could yet turn out to be incredibly unfortunate.

In 2010, South Africa became the first World Cup host not to survive the group stage. Qatar became the second in 2022. This time, with a 48-team format that will graduate 32 teams to the knockout stages, the odds for the three host teams are as good as they have been in a long time.

But presently, it seems terribly possible that 2026 could be the first World Cup where two hosts don’t survive the opening round.

• Leander Schaerlaeckens’ book on the United States men’s national soccer team, The Long Game, is out on 12 May. You can preorder it here. He teaches at Marist University.

Iga Swiatek crashed out of the Miami Open second round Thursday as 50th-ranked fellow Pole Magda Linette fought back for a 1-6, 7-5, 6-3 victory over the six-time Grand Slam champion.

Reigning Wimbledon champion Swiatek, who won the Miami Open in 2022, suffered her first opening loss at a tournament since the 2021 WTA Finals.

It's just the latest disappointment for Swiatek, who was eliminated in the quarter-finals at the Australian Open and in the WTA 1000 events in Doha and Indian Wells.

Although she was seeded second in the elite combined ATP and WTA hardcourt tournament in Miami, Swiatek dropped this week to third in the world as Indian Wells finalist Elena Rybakina moved up behind top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka.

Swiatek's compatriot Linette had to dig deep after Swiatek -- who won their last encounter 6-1, 6-1 -- raced through the opening set in 33 minutes.

But she stuck to her guns and Swiatek double-faulted to give Linette two break points in the 12th game of the second set, Linette forcing a third set with a return winner.

"I just had to go for a little bit more," Linette told Tennis Channel. "I had to start hitting a little bit faster, too, to push her a little bit more back, not give her space.

"But I think it all started with serving a bit better," she added.

Swiatek didn't go meekly, saving a pair of match points on her own serve in the eighth game of the third and two more as Linette served for the match, before Linette sealed the win as Swiatek sent a backhand wide.

"She actually gets really good on those break points down, match points down," Linette said. "She starts swinging. I just knew I had to stay strong on my serve."

Linette advanced to a third-round matchup against 20-year-old Alexandra Eala of the Philippines, a 6-7 (6/8), 6-3, 6-3 winner over Germany's Laura Siegemund.

"It really was close," said Eala, a surprise semi-finalist last year who needed three hours and 20 minutes to close out the victory.

"It was demanding, physically and mentally. But that was one of my goals last year after the tournament, to improve physically, and here I am fresh as a flower."

It was the longest WTA career match for 29th-ranked Eala, who beat Swiatek in last year's Miami Open quarter-finals for the biggest win of her career before losing to American Jessica Pegula in the semi-finals.

Former world number one Venus Williams, 45, lost her first-round match to Britain's Francesca Jones 7-5, 7-5 after one hour and 51 minutes.

Jones advanced to a second-round match against fifth seed Pegula, last year's Miami runner-up to Sabalenka.

- Fonseca books Alcaraz clash -

On the men's side 19-year-old Brazilian Joao Fonseca outlasted Hungary's Fabian Marozsan 6-4, 3-6, 6-2, to book a second-round match with world number one Carlos Alcaraz.

Fonseca, ranked 39th, was strongly backed by Brazilian fans as he booked a first-ever meeting with Alcaraz and his second marquee contest in as many tournaments after falling to Jannik Sinner at Indian Wells last week.

French 17-year-old Moise Kouame beat qualifier Zachary Svajda 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 to become the youngest player to claim an ATP Masters 1000 victory since Rafael Nadal in Hamburg in 2003.

Kouame, who received a wild card invitation, next faces 21st seed Jiri Lehecka of Czech Republic.

Kouame, who battled through cramping late in the match, was thrilled to receive a message of congratulations from his idol Novak Djokovic.

"He texted me something really, really nice," Kouame said. "I don't know how I'm going to answer. Hopefully I can meet him... it will be my dream."

bb/pst

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