Venus Williams lost her opening singles match of 2026 at a tennis tournament in Auckland, New Zealand, to Magda Linette. Despite losing, Williams displayed strong skills, which boosts her confidence as she prepares for upcoming tournaments in Australia.
Key Facts
Venus Williams lost to Magda Linette with scores of 6-4, 4-6, 6-2.
Williams is 45 years old, and this was her 1,101st singles match on the WTA Tour.
She received a wild-card entry to this tournament and will compete in the Hobart International and the Australian Open next.
This was Williams' first singles match since the U.S. Open in August of the previous year.
She played only three tournaments in 2025 and became the second-oldest woman to win a match on the WTA Tour in that year.
Williams showed strong movement and served seven aces during the match.
Magda Linette praised Williams' performance, noting her ability to play aggressively.
Williams, ranked No. 582, has a history of competing in Auckland, winning the final there in 2015.
Jawann Oldham, a former NBA player and teammate of Michael Jordan on the Chicago Bulls, has died at the age of 68 in Atlanta. Oldham played for multiple teams over his career, including eight NBA teams and contributed significantly to basketball internationally after retiring from the NBA.
Key Facts
Jawann Oldham died at 68 years old in Atlanta.
He played with Michael Jordan during Jordan's first three seasons with the Chicago Bulls.
Oldham played for eight NBA teams, including the Bulls, Knicks, and Lakers.
He was drafted 41st overall by the Denver Nuggets in 1980.
His best NBA season was 1985-86 with the Bulls, starting 47 out of 52 games.
After the NBA, Oldham helped launch basketball leagues in South Korea, China, and Japan.
He founded a basketball academy in Dubai.
Oldham ranks second in rebounds and tenth in scoring in Seattle University's basketball history.
The Kansas City Chiefs have decided to let go of backup quarterback Shane Buechele after losing their last regular season game to the Las Vegas Raiders. Patrick Mahomes, the team’s main quarterback, is injured, which led the team to rely on backup players. The Chiefs are looking ahead to the NFL draft, where they hold the 9th overall pick.
Key Facts
The Kansas City Chiefs lost their final game of the regular season to the Las Vegas Raiders with a score of 14-12.
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes is injured and unable to play for the rest of the season.
Backup quarterback Shane Buechele has been released by the Chiefs.
Shane Buechele served as the backup to Chris Oladokun in the final game.
The Chiefs have the 9th pick in the 2026 NFL draft.
Sports analysts suggest Rueben Bain Jr., a defensive lineman from Miami, as a potential draft pick for the Chiefs.
The article discusses various topics related to the NFL at the end of the 2025 regular season. It includes reactions to coaching changes, updates on player injuries, and previews of the upcoming playoffs. Additionally, it covers stories about players' personal experiences and international expansion plans for the league.
Key Facts
The article reviews coaching moves and changes after the 2025 NFL regular season's conclusion.
It questions if the Jacksonville Jaguars can reach the Super Bowl.
Patrick Mahomes' injury and the Denver Broncos' push for the top seed in the AFC are highlighted.
The article discusses the candidates for the NFL's Most Valuable Player (MVP) award.
Alex Singleton shares his story of being saved from cancer due to an abnormal drug test.
The NFL's international games and potential new locations are explored.
First-year players who are performing well are noted, including Keenan Allen's record for fastest to 1000 receptions.
There is commentary on which teams are in the best position to win the upcoming Super Bowl.
Duke University and Louisville University will face off in a men's basketball game on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, at 7:00 PM Eastern Time. The game will be broadcast on ESPN, and viewers can also watch it online via a live stream on Fubo.
Key Facts
The game features Duke, ranked No. 6, against Louisville, ranked No. 20.
Duke has a season record of 13 wins and 1 loss.
Louisville has a season record of 11 wins and 3 losses.
Duke's key players include Isaiah Evans, who recently scored 28 points, and Cameron Boozer, who contributed with 17 points, 5 rebounds, 9 assists, and 4 steals.
Louisville recently lost to Stanford with a score of 80-76.
The game will be shown on ESPN and can be streamed live on Fubo.
Duke is aiming for a successful season despite a narrow loss to Texas Tech.
Louisville has faced recent challenges, losing three of their last matches.
Former NBA player DeMarcus Cousins gave advice to Los Angeles Lakers' Deandre Ayton, urging him to focus on his role in the team rather than seeking more scoring opportunities. Ayton, who has faced a reputation of frustration in the past, expressed a desire for more involvement in the team’s offense. Cousins emphasized that Ayton should concentrate on contributing through rebounds and maintaining his current performance level.
Key Facts
DeMarcus Cousins is a former NBA All-Star.
Deandre Ayton currently plays for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Ayton has been labeled as frustrated due to his desire for more ball touches.
Lakers' head coach, JJ Redick, acknowledged Ayton's feelings of not getting enough ball time.
Ayton shared that he trusts his teammates to find him on the court.
Cousins advised Ayton to focus on rebounding to increase his shot opportunities.
Ayton averages 14.3 points and 8.4 rebounds this NBA season.
The Lakers are not planning to center their offense around Ayton.
The Georgia Bulldogs will play against the Florida Gators in an NCAA Men's Basketball game. The game takes place at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center and will be broadcast on the SEC Network.
Key Facts
Georgia Bulldogs have a 13-1 record and are ranked No. 18.
The game is on Tuesday, January 6th, 2026, at 7:00 PM ET.
Georgia is known for its high-scoring offense, averaging 99.4 points per game.
Bulldogs lost once this season to Clemson in overtime.
Florida Gators started the season ranked No. 3 but have struggled to maintain that rank.
Florida has lost to ranked teams like Arizona, Duke, and UConn.
The game will be broadcast on the SEC Network and available for live streaming on Fubo.
The Baltimore Ravens have fired their head coach, John Harbaugh, after a disappointing 2025 season. Harbaugh, who was with the team for 18 years and won a Super Bowl in 2012, is now available for other teams to hire.
Key Facts
The Baltimore Ravens fired head coach John Harbaugh.
Harbaugh won the Super Bowl with the Ravens in 2012.
The firing follows a disappointing 2025 season where the Ravens missed the playoffs.
Rookie kicker Tyler Loop missed a crucial field goal in a game that could have put the Ravens in the playoffs.
Harbaugh has a career regular season record of 180 wins and 113 losses.
He has a playoff record of 13 wins and 11 losses.
Only one of his teams did not win at least eight games in a season.
Several NFL teams are expected to be interested in hiring Harbaugh as their coach.
Indiana's college football team completed an undefeated season and won the Big Ten title. They entered the College Football Playoff as the top team and beat Alabama to reach the semifinals, where they will face Oregon. Quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who won the Heisman Trophy, has been compared to NFL quarterback Drake Maye due to his playing style and skills.
Key Facts
Indiana went 12–0 in the regular season and won the Big Ten championship.
Indiana entered the College Football Playoff as the No. 1 seed.
They defeated No. 9 Alabama 38–3 in the CFP quarterfinals.
Indiana will play No. 5 Oregon in the semifinals.
Fernando Mendoza won the Heisman Trophy, a first for Indiana.
Mendoza transferred from Cal and achieved 2,980 passing yards and 33 touchdowns.
Bruce Arians compared Mendoza's skills to NFL quarterback Drake Maye.
Drake Maye had a successful college career and was picked third overall by the Patriots in the 2024 NFL Draft.
The article explains a new promotional offer from a company called Betr, in partnership with Newsweek. This offer gives new users up to $210 in bonuses when they sign up for sports betting, especially focusing on NBA games and upcoming NFL playoffs.
Key Facts
Betr is offering new users up to $210 in bonuses with the Betr promo code NEWSWEEK.
The offer includes an immediate $10 bonus upon sign-up and up to $200 more with a 50% deposit match.
Users can make picks for NBA, NFL, and other sports.
Special player performance picks for NBA games are available as part of the promotion.
Users can choose either a 'perfect' play, which requires all predictions to be correct, or a 'flex' play, where only some correct picks are needed.
To redeem the offer, users must input the code NEWSWEEK and provide personal information during registration.
The promotion is particularly aimed at today's NBA games and upcoming NFL playoff games.
Newsweek may earn a commission if users sign up through links in the article.
Manchester United is in early discussions with former players Darren Fletcher, Michael Carrick, and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer about taking on the role of caretaker manager until the end of the season. These talks follow the recent dismissal of Ruben Amorim, with Fletcher currently serving as interim manager. The club aims to appoint a permanent manager by the summer.
Key Facts
Manchester United is looking for a caretaker manager after firing Ruben Amorim.
Former players Darren Fletcher, Michael Carrick, and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer are being considered for the caretaker role.
Darren Fletcher is currently acting as interim manager.
The club plans to name a permanent manager in the summer.
Director of football Jason Wilcox is involved in the discussions.
Ruud van Nistelrooy is also a potential candidate for the caretaker position.
Oliver Glasner and Roberto de Zerbi are contenders for the permanent manager role.
The Minnesota Vikings may keep J.J. McCarthy as their starting quarterback due to their challenging financial situation. The team's tight budget limits their ability to hire a new, high-paid quarterback. McCarthy, who had an injury-plagued season, might face less competition for the starting spot.
Key Facts
J.J. McCarthy is the Minnesota Vikings' current quarterback.
The Vikings have financial constraints that limit their ability to hire a new quarterback.
The team currently has negative cap space, meaning their budget is restricted.
McCarthy played in the 2024 NFL Draft as the 10th overall pick.
This season, McCarthy missed seven games due to injuries.
When he played, McCarthy threw for 1,632 yards with 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
He completed 57.6% of his passes and had a passer rating of 72.6.
McCarthy also ran for 181 yards and scored four rushing touchdowns.
The article discusses a podcast episode where host Ashley Haas and model Elizabeth Lake review NFL Week 18. They talk about the Pittsburgh Steelers' win over the Ravens and the upcoming playoff game against the Texans.
Key Facts
Ashley Haas hosts a podcast called "All In With Ashley."
Elizabeth Lake is a guest on the podcast; she is a model and a Pittsburgh Steelers fan.
During the podcast, they discuss the Steelers' win over the Ravens in NFL Week 18.
The Steelers' victory secured them the AFC North title.
They also talk about the future quarterback situation for the Steelers.
Aaron Rodgers' potential return in 2026 is mentioned.
They preview an upcoming Wild Card game between the Steelers and the Houston Texans.
A new offer from Kalshi allows users to get a $10 sign-up bonus using the promo code NEWSWEEK. Participants can make predictions on various sports events, including NFL and college football playoffs. The platform also offers predictions on other markets like politics, culture, and cryptocurrencies.
Key Facts
Kalshi offers a $10 bonus for new users who use the NEWSWEEK promo code.
To unlock the bonus, users must create a new account and participate in $100 worth of trades.
Predictions can be made on sports events, such as NFL playoffs and College Football Playoff games.
Users can also make predictions on a variety of non-sports markets, including politics and culture.
The NFL playoff teams have different win probabilities with Seattle at 21% and Carolina at less than 1%.
New users must provide basic personal information during the registration process.
The promo encourages users to engage with Kalshi’s platform for financial trading purposes.
A new promotion from theScore Bet offers new users a chance to receive a $100 bonus when they place a $10 bet on sports and win. This promotion is available for bets on various sports, including the NBA, NHL, and NFL playoffs.
Key Facts
theScore Bet is offering a $100 bonus for a $10 bet for new players using the promo code NEWSWEEK.
To qualify, users must create a new account, deposit $10, and place the bet.
The promotion includes a 10-to-1 odds boost for various sports.
The eligible sports include NBA, college basketball, NHL, and NFL, among others.
The promo code NEWSWEEK must be entered during sign-up to access the offer.
Daily odds boosts are available for other sports events throughout the week.
Newsweek may earn a commission if users sign up through provided links.
WWE Hall of Famer Jake "The Snake" Roberts recently had surgery on his hip. This is his second surgery in under a year, following a heart procedure earlier in the year. Roberts also discussed his retirement from podcasting.
Key Facts
Jake "The Snake" Roberts had hip revision surgery recently.
This is his second surgery in less than a year; he previously had heart surgery.
The heart surgery was a heart ablation procedure to fix his irregular heartbeat.
Earlier, Roberts faced health issues with COPD and double pneumonia.
Roberts remains involved in wrestling through AEW.
He ended his podcast, "The Snake Pit," in November 2025, feeling it had covered his career well.
The article discusses a promotion by bet365, a sports betting company, offering new users a $200 bonus for placing a $5 bet. This can be done on various sports including NBA, NHL, and college basketball. The offer is available to users in certain U.S. states.
Key Facts
Bet365 is offering a $200 bonus for new users who place a $5 bet.
This offer applies to sports like NBA, NHL, college basketball, and NFL.
The promotion is valid regardless of whether the initial $5 bet wins or loses.
The offer is available in specific states, including Arizona, Colorado, and others.
Users must create a new account and make a $10 deposit to access the offer.
Bet365 app users can also access daily bet boosts for different sports events.
Signing up through the links in the article can earn Newsweek an affiliate commission.
The Green Bay Packers released quarterback Clayton Tune as they prepare for a playoff game against the Chicago Bears. After dealing with injuries to key players, including quarterbacks Jordan Love and Malik Willis, the team decided to bring in Desmond Ridder as a potential backup. Despite these challenges, the Packers are set for their NFC playoff game.
Key Facts
The Green Bay Packers released quarterback Clayton Tune before their playoff game.
Starting quarterback Jordan Love had been out due to concussion issues.
Backup quarterback Malik Willis was also injured with a shoulder problem.
Clayton Tune played as an emergency quarterback, originally drafted by the Arizona Cardinals.
Tune threw for 34 yards on 11 attempts in his last game with the Packers, but was released afterward.
Desmond Ridder is being brought in as a possible backup for future games.
The Packers are set to compete against the Chicago Bears in an NFC playoff on January 10.
Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe will not play in the Spanish Super Cup due to a knee injury. The team will face Atletico Madrid in the semifinals without their top scorer. Mbappe is expected to be out for at least three weeks.
Key Facts
Kylian Mbappe, a Real Madrid player, has a knee sprain and won't play this week.
Real Madrid did not include Mbappe in their squad for the Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia.
Mbappe got his knee injury last week and will likely miss three weeks of games.
Real Madrid will compete against Atletico Madrid on Thursday in the semifinals.
Real Madrid's coach, Xabi Alonso, is under pressure because his team is currently behind Barcelona in the league.
Before his injury, Mbappe equaled Cristiano Ronaldo's record for most goals in a year for Real Madrid.
Mbappe's teammate, Vinicius Junior, has not scored as often this season as he did last year.
The Cleveland Browns have decided to keep quarterback Deshaun Watson for the 2026-27 NFL season. General Manager Andrew Berry expressed satisfaction with Watson's recovery from an injury but did not rule out evaluating new quarterbacks in the future.
Key Facts
The Cleveland Browns fired head coach Kevin Stefanski on January 5.
Deshaun Watson signed a five-year contract worth $233 million with the Browns in 2022.
Watson has played only 19 games due to injuries and other issues.
He suffered his second Achilles tendon tear recently and is recovering.
Browns GM Andrew Berry stated that Watson is expected to stay on the team for the 2026-27 season.
Berry noted Watson's positive progress in recovery and his involvement with the team.
Watson's contract for the 2026-27 season has a base salary of $80 million and it is his final contract year.
The Browns are considering their options for future quarterbacks, including the 2026 NFL draft class.
