United News of Bangladesh

Seventeen-year-old Thea Frodin is set to play one of the biggest matches of her young career when she takes on world No. 2 Elena Rybakina in her first US Open singles appearance. It is a huge challenge for the Los Angeles teenager, who once had another connection with one of tennis’ greatest stars — Serena Williams. Frodin served as the on-court body double for Serena’s character in the 2021 film King Richard. Actor Demi Singleton played the younger Serena Williams, while Frodin performed the tennis scenes. Now, instead of copying Serena’s game for a movie, Frodin will step onto the court as herself. “I've worked so hard to try and get to this level, and to have an opportunity like this is just really special for me,” Frodin said. She earned a wild card into the US Open after winning the USTA Billie Jean King Girls’ 18s National Championships. Her journey into Hollywood also began through tennis. As a young player in California, Frodin won sectional titles in singles, doubles and mixed doubles at the 10-and-under level. Her success later led to an audition for King Richard. Frodin spent six months on the film set, working alongside several actors, including Will Smith, who won an Oscar for playing Richard Williams, the father of Serena and Venus Williams. Having watched Serena throughout her career, Frodin found it relatively easy to copy the 23-time Grand Slam champion’s strokes. However, she said playing Serena for so long briefly affected her own technique. “After I was done with the movie, I got into the habit of playing with her strokes, and I couldn't switch back to mine,” she said, adding that it took time to return to her natural style. Frodin played in the US Open doubles last year but has never met Serena or Venus Williams. Wednesday’s match against Rybakina will be her first at the WTA Tour level. Earlier this year, she lost in the qualifying round in Miami during her previous attempt to reach a top-level tournament. With one year of high school still remaining, Frodin has not yet decided what comes next. But if Hollywood offers another opportunity, she would be open to balancing acting with tennis. “Tennis has always been my No. 1 focus,” she said. “But I loved being in that acting environment. If it’s possible to balance both, I’d definitely be interested.”

City officials on Thursday approved a $2.3 billion deal for a new Tampa Bay Rays ballpark funded by public and private money. The 4-3 vote by the Tampa City Council came three months after a tentative agreement was reached for a stadium, which would include $967 million in tax money. Rays Chief Executive Officer Ken Babby said in a statement that the stadium project will “deliver lasting benefits” for the region. “The Tampa Bay Rays are grateful for the leadership and support of the City Council members to approve an investment that, when accompanied by the private funding guaranteed by the Rays, will secure the future of Major League Baseball in Tampa Bay while creating a landmark destination neighborhood that will serve our region for generations,” Babby said Thursday. Hillsborough County Commissioners will vote on the project Friday morning. The Rays ownership reached an agreement earlier this year with Hillsborough College to build the stadium and mixed-use entertainment district on the campus and to renovate some of the school’s buildings. The property is located next to the New York Yankees’ spring training facility and across a highway from Raymond James Stadium, home of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Rays have said they hope to have the new stadium built within three years.

Barrister Sarwat Siraj Shukla, Vice President of Bangladesh Olympic Association and President of Bangladesh Mohila Krira Parishad, said on Saturday that there is no shortage of talent in our country, but our sports sector is not developing properly because there is no proper connection between talent and opportunity. She made the remark while speaking as the chief guest at the closing ceremony of the Olympic Solidarity Administrators' Sports Course, according to a press release. Barrister Sarwat Siraj Shukla said, "The sports talents are scattered all over the Bangladesh. But they are not getting the right families, educational institutions, and the right opportunities and conditions to bring them up and take them to the right place.” “Simply put, opportunities are not being connected with talent. For this, the administrators, trainers and concerned people of sports fields need to be more sincere, skilled and prudent," she added. She said, "The biggest challenge for our sports, especially for girls, is bigotry and child marriage." She called for a stronger role from the government to remove these obstacles. Barrister Sarwat Siraj Shukla said, there is a special need for women's safety in sports. And for this, it is essential for every federation to appoint 'security officers'. In addition, to bring women back to the sports arena, they need to be given courage and support mentally and financially. This course was held for 4 days from August 19 to August 22 at the initiative of the Bangladesh Olympic Association. On the closing day, certificates were distributed among the course participants at the Dutch Bangla Auditorium of the Bangladesh Olympic Association on Saturday afternoon. Administrators of a total of 41 units, including the National Sports Council, various national sports federations and various service federations, participated in this training course.

Bangladeshi women can enter the 2027 Nagoya Women’s Marathon, with international entries opening on August 11 for the race to be held on March 14, 2027 in Japan. The Nagoya Women’s Marathon is recognised by Guinness World Records as the world’s largest women-only marathon. Organisers have raised the race capacity to 22,000 runners for 2027, 2,000 more than the previous limit.The race is open to women of all levels, from those running their first marathon to experienced runners chasing a personal best. All participants will run the same 42.195-kilometre course, with seven hours to finish. For those who complete the race, there is a more unusual reward – a crystal tumbler made by French luxury brand Baccarat. The design of the 2027 tumbler will be shown at the Marathon EXPO on the day before the race. The organisers have also designed the race around runners who may not have elite-level experience. The course is relatively flat, the time limit is generous and both the start and finish are at Vantelin Dome Nagoya, a covered baseball stadium. Medical support, changing facilities and toilets will be available for runners. The arrangements appear to have helped produce a high completion rate. In the 2026 race, 96.6 percent of participants reached the finish line. The marathon is part of a wider race weekend in Nagoya. The Marathon EXPO begins Friday and will feature events including the “GO RUNWAY” fashion show and a live performance. Men can also compete on race day in events held alongside the women’s marathon. The Nagoya City Marathon offers a half marathon and the 8.5-kilometre Nagoya RUN. International entries for the 2027 Nagoya Women’s Marathon opened on August 11.

A jury in Alabama on Thursday awarded $9.25 million in damages to a college basketball player after finding that The New York Times defamed him by incorrectly reporting that he was at the scene of a fatal shooting in Tuscaloosa. Kai Spears, a former player for the University of Alabama men's basketball team, sued the newspaper in 2023 over a report that said he was a passenger in a car linked to the shooting. The report cited a person familiar with the investigation who spoke anonymously because of the sensitivity of the case. The Times acknowledged the mistake several days later, publishing an editor's note and correcting the report. The eight-member jury reached its verdict after a nine-day trial in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama. Matt Glover, an attorney for Spears, welcomed the verdict, saying he believed it would help improve journalism across the country. The Times said it was reviewing its legal options following the verdict. "We're disappointed the jury found The Times liable for an honest mistake," spokesperson Charlie Stadtlander said in a statement Thursday. "We thank the jury for its service, but believe the verdict and award of damages are contrary to law and not supported by the evidence." Three other Alabama basketball players were at the January 2023 shooting, in which a 23-year-old mother was killed. Spears said in his lawsuit that the inaccurate report caused him emotional distress and permanently associated him with the killing. In a report on Thursday's verdict, The Times said it had not lost a defamation lawsuit in the United States over one of its articles in more than 50 years.

Novak Djokovic made an early exit from the Cincinnati Open on Saturday, losing to Argentina’s Thiago Agustin Tirante in his first match since the Wimbledon semifinals. The 24-time Grand Slam champion was beaten 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 by the world No. 50 in a match lasting 2 hours and 44 minutes under hot and humid conditions. Djokovic, ranked fifth in the world and a three-time Cincinnati champion, appeared to struggle physically during the match. The defeat ended his 10-match winning streak at the tournament. The 39-year-old Serb said an unspecified health condition that has troubled him for several years made it particularly difficult to compete in hot and humid weather. “It’s just a condition that I have, health-wise, that has been bothering me for the past couple of years,” Djokovic told reporters. He said heat and humidity had often caused problems and that the pressure and nerves of returning to competition had made the situation worse. Djokovic had been playing his first tournament since losing to top-ranked Jannik Sinner in the Wimbledon semifinals. He also admitted that Saturday’s defeat could potentially mark his final appearance in Cincinnati. “I certainly hope so, but it looks more likely not, unfortunately,” Djokovic said when asked whether he would return. “But let’s see what the future brings.” Djokovic saved 13 of the 15 break points he faced, but Tirante broke his serve in the ninth game of the deciding set before serving out the match. Tirante, 25, described the victory as the biggest of his career. “I think this is the best win of my career,” he said, praising his ability to handle the pressure of facing one of tennis’ greatest players. Djokovic has enjoyed considerable success in Cincinnati, compiling a 45-13 record and winning the tournament in 2018, 2020 and 2023. His next scheduled major event is the US Open, which begins in New York on Aug. 30. In the women’s draw, Philippine player Alexandra Eala advanced after Romania’s Elena-Gabriela Ruse retired during the second set because of an ankle injury. Eala, ranked 20th in the world, won her first WTA singles title in Washington earlier this month and has now won eight of her last nine matches. American Jessica Pegula also advanced with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Switzerland’s Simona Waltert. The third-ranked Pegula improved her hard-court record in 2026 to 25-6. She won the Cincinnati title in 2024.

The government has a plan to develop playgrounds wherever open spaces are available as part of its move to establish careers in sports as a profession field for the country's citizens, according to State Minister for Youth and Sports Md. Aminul Haque. “The government has started working to establish sports as a profession. There is a plan to build playgrounds wherever open spaces are available. Sports will be made compulsory from the grade-IV in the next academic year,” he said, while attending a "Shadow Parliament" debate programme in the capital on Friday.  The state minister addressed the programme marking International Youth Day 2026 as the chief guest. In collaboration with CARE Bangladesh and SOS Children’s Villages Bangladesh, Debate for Democracy organised the debate on ‘Private sector engagement is more important than the government in Building Skilled Manpower’ at the FDC.

Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham said she is not concerned that rallies linked to her views on transgender athletes are becoming a distraction for her team. Speaking before Friday night's WNBA game against the Portland Fire, Cunningham said she remains focused on basketball despite protests held outside recent Fever games. "I come in and do my job," Cunningham said. "People who know me understand that I care about others, love basketball and want to inspire young people. I'm here to play basketball and be myself." A small group of supporters gathered outside the arena before Friday's game, marking the second straight Fever game where rallies were held in support of Cunningham. A similar event took place before Indiana's game against the Seattle Storm earlier this week. Each rally drew around two dozen participants. Cunningham said she had no involvement in organising the demonstrations. "People are simply exercising their right to free speech. I respect those who choose to speak their views," she said. Another rally is planned for Sunday's game between the Fever and the Minnesota Lynx in Minneapolis. The protests followed Cunningham's recent public support for banning transgender athletes from girls' and women's sports. During Tuesday's game in Seattle, two Cunningham supporters sat courtside holding signs. Following an incident involving the fans, the WNBA fined Seattle Storm co-owner Celeste Keaton an undisclosed amount and suspended her for five games. The Storm later apologised for the incident, saying the team remains committed to providing a welcoming and respectful environment for everyone attending its games. In Portland, Cunningham was booed by sections of the crowd when she entered the game, while many fans waved pink, blue and white transgender flags. Despite the off-court attention, Indiana secured a 112-98 victory over Portland for its fifth straight win. Cunningham scored 13 points, while Caitlin Clark recorded the fourth triple-double of her WNBA career with 26 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Fever coach Stephanie White acknowledged the controversy has created challenges but said the team remains focused. "We want the attention to be on basketball and our progress as a team," White said. "At the same time, this is part of the league's growth, and we have to manage these situations while continuing to have conversations."

Ghana will aim to win its first Women's Africa Cup of Nations title when the 2026 tournament begins in Morocco on Saturday. The Black Queens finished third at the previous edition, with the Ghana Football Association and coaching staff confident the team can challenge for the continental crown. Ghana Football Association president Kurt Simeon-Okraku has backed the team to surpass its most recent performance, while head coach Kim Lars Bjorkegren said the squad has made significant progress over the past year. "I believe the team is overall in a much better place now compared to one year ago. I'm really looking forward to starting up the WAFCON," the Swedish coach said. Bjorkegren added that many of his players have improved physically and tactically since he took charge of the team last year. Ghana has qualified for every edition of the Women's Africa Cup of Nations and is making its 14th appearance at the tournament. The Black Queens finished as runners-up in 1998, 2002 and 2006 but have yet to lift the trophy. The 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations runs from July 26 to August 16 in Morocco. Ghana has been drawn in Group D alongside Cameroon, Mali and Cabo Verde.  

The inaugural edition of Notun Kuri Sports 2025-26, one of the country's largest grassroots sporting events featuring the participation of more than 1 lakh children and teenagers from across Bangladesh, will conclude on Monday with a grand closing and prize-giving ceremony. The ceremony will be held at the Bangladesh Army Stadium in Dhaka at 4:00pm in the presence of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, according to a PID handout issued on Sunday. The nationwide programme was launched simultaneously on May 2, 2026, from Sylhet District Stadium with the aim of identifying promising young sporting talents from the grassroots and encouraging children across the country to participate in sports. Organisers said the maiden edition has created a new milestone in Bangladesh's sporting landscape by engaging a large number of young participants from across the country. Competitions were held in eight disciplines – football, cricket, kabaddi, athletics, badminton, chess, swimming and martial arts. After competitions at the upazila, district and regional levels, the national finals in Dhaka will mark the successful conclusion of the country's largest sports initiative.