Sport

Aryna Sabalenka defeated Elina Svitolina 6-2, 6-3 to reach her fourth consecutive Australian Open final. She will face Elena Rybakina, who beat Jessica Pegula in straight sets, setting up a rematch of the 2023 championship clash

Grace Harris and Smriti Mandhana powered Royal Challengers Bengaluru into the WPL 2026 final with an eight-wicket win over UP Warriorz. Nadine de Klerk starred with the ball, taking four wickets as RCB chased 144 in 13.1 overs

Telangana Governor Jishnu Dev Varma praised the Telangana–North East Connect initiative, stressing the importance of continuous sports and cultural programmes to strengthen ties between Telangana and the North-Eastern states

Indian Railways and Maharashtra advanced to the quarterfinals of the Senior National Women’s Kabaddi Championship in Hyderabad. Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Chandigarh, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh also qualified, with standout performances from R Karthika, Monika, Bhumika and Muskan Sharma

Former India football captain Shabbir Ali was conferred with Joy Bangla Sambad’s Bengal Excellency Award in Kolkata. He was also inducted into the Hall of Fame of Indian football, recognising his legacy in the Kolkata League and Indian football history

Keshav Chopra of USA stunned seventh seed M Rifqi Fitriadi of India 6-3, 6-2 in the ITF Men’s World Tennis Tour second round in Hyderabad. Vishnu Vardhan and Mukund Sasi Kumar also advanced with straight-set wins

Paras Raj smashed an unbeaten 102 to lead Osmania University to a one-wicket win over Bangalore North University in the South Zone inter-university cricket championship. Earlier, he scored a half-century in Osmania’s first-round win against Centurion University

Telangana Minister Mohd Azharuddin unveiled the jersey of the International Arena Polo Championship 2026 at the Secretariat. He accepted the invitation to attend the event, with Hyderabad Polo & Riding Club officials briefing him on the championship’s plans and significance

Shivani Goud’s unbeaten 91 guided Osmania University to a third consecutive win in the South Zone Inter-university women’s cricket tournament. Osmania posted 138/4 before bowling out Jeppiaar University for 72, sealing a place in the quarterfinals

The 9th Aparna Cancer Crusaders Golf Championship, a flagship fundraiser and cancer awareness initiative, begins at Boulder Hills Golf & Country Club. Over 450 golfers will compete across five sessions, with proceeds supporting cancer treatment, rehabilitation, research and education programmes

Indrani Roy struck an unbeaten 107 to lead Uttarakhand to a comfortable eight-wicket win over Hyderabad in a senior women’s one-day practice match. Hyderabad posted 199/7, but Uttarakhand chased down the target in 39 overs

Mohd Siraj’s four-wicket burst reduced Chattisgarh to 58 for five before a 183-run stand revived the innings. Chattisgarh posted 283, but Hyderabad replied strongly with openers P Aman Rao and Abhirath Reddy guiding the team to 56 without loss.=

India all-rounder Shivam Dube said his mindset and skills are improving after scoring a brisk half-century against New Zealand in the fourth T20I. He credited consistent opportunities and backing from the team management for his development ahead of the T20 World Cup.

Pickle ball: Mayank and Rushil pair win thriller in Pickle in Pink

Sulking from the nine-wicket loss against Mumbai at home in the previous game, the Hyderabad think-tank hopes for a favourable result at the Gymkhana Ground for this game

New Zealand beat India by 50 runs at Vizag to make it 1-3 in the five-match T20I series

Former champions Hyderabad will look to salvage pride when they face Chhattisgarh in their final Ranji Trophy Elite Group D match at the Gymkhana Grounds. Led by Mohammed Siraj, Hyderabad aim to overcome inconsistency and end the season on a high.

Ayush Badoni and Priyansh Arya will miss Delhi’s final Ranji Trophy match against Mumbai after being named in the India A squad for Men’s T20 World Cup warm-up games. Leading run-scorer Ayush Doseja will captain a depleted Delhi side.

Mayank Shete and Rushil Gupta won the ‘Pickle in Pink’ charity pickleball tournament after defeating Abhishek Yelagani and Gopi Nathiddy 2–1 in a closely fought final at Cross Courts in Gandipet. The event blended competitive sport with social service.

Chennaiyin FC have signed experienced Spanish midfielder Alberto Noguera on a contract until the end of the season. The former ISL winner brings vast experience across Europe and India as the Marina Machans strengthen their squad ahead of the upcoming campaign.

Osmania University has announced dates for its inter-college championships for men, including chess, karate and best physique events, to be held at various venues in the city between February 2 and 7, officials said.

UP Warriorz have named England wicketkeeper-batter Amy Jones as an injury replacement for Phoebe Litchfield for the remainder of the TATA Women’s Premier League 2026. Litchfield was ruled out after scoring 243 runs in six matches.

Thirteen Russian and seven Belarusian athletes will compete as neutral individuals at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics after IOC invitations. Barred from national symbols, they passed neutrality checks, with Russian figure skaters emerging as the strongest medal contenders

Elina Svitolina stunned Coco Gauff 6-1, 6-2 to reach her first Australian Open semifinal, extending her winning streak to 10 matches. Aryna Sabalenka and Carlos Alcaraz also advanced, with Alcaraz chasing a career Grand Slam and Sabalenka eyeing a third crown