Naomi Osaka marked her return to the Rome Open for the first time since 2021 with a straight sets victory over Clara Burel in the first round on Wednesday.On Wednesday, the Japanese star sealed victory in 84 minutes, finishing with 27 winners, including eight aces, and broke serve four times.
Frenchman Benjamin Thomas outfoxed the three other members of a late breakaway to take stage five of the Giro d'Italia in Lucca on Wednesday. The rolling 178-kilometre stage from Genoa, with the only serious climb less than a third of the way in, was set up for a mass sprint finish in the hometown of Italy's greatest sprinter, Mario Cipollini -- who holds the record for most Giro stage wins at 42.
Dean Richards is hungry – and you won’t like him when he’s hungry. The hulking former No 8 sits with a pint of Leicestershire’s local Tiger ale before deciding that enough is enough and, in returning without snacks from the bar, I have reneged on my duties as round-purchaser.