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Pegula enters Italian Open second round after Samsonova thriller

Jessica Pegula enjoyed a winning start to her Italian Open campaign on Tuesday, squeezing past world number 25 Liudmila Samsonova 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 to advance to the second round. A runner-up to Ons Jabeur in the Spanish capital on Saturday, Pegula withstood 38 winners from the big-hitting Samsonova to set up a last-32 showdown with in-form Ukrainian Anhelina Kalinina. The 13th-seeded Pegula, who played with a heavily-strapped left thigh against Samsonova, made the quarter-finals in Rome last season and has improved her 2022 win-loss tally to 18-9.

Bob MacIntyre reveals what Rory McIlroy had to say in locker-room chat

Bob MacIntyre was worried about making contact with his golf ball the first time he played with Rory McIlroy but now the young Scot enjoys chewing the fat with him in locker-rooms around the world.

Watch: Nepal Bowler Does 'Pushpa' Celebration, ICC Says "It's Gone So Far On Social Media"

The 'Pushpa' fever has hit women's cricket too now. After Ravindra Jadeja and Obed McCoy did the now-famous mode of celebration in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022, the FairBreak Invitational Tournament in Dubai has now seen an instance of a player doing the 'Pushpa' celebration. In a match between Tornadoes Women and Sapphires Women on May 5, Nepal's Sita Rana Magar can be seen moving her hand under the chin, mimicking Allu arjun's style in the superhit movie 'Pushpa', after picking a wicket for the former.