CNN
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World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka won a record-equaling Madrid Open title on Saturday, defeating the USA’s Coco Gauff 6-3, 7-6 (3) in the final.

With the win, Sabalenka equaled Petra Kvitova’s record three titles in Madrid, and secured her 20th career title. It also further consolidated her spot as world No. 1, following a dominant start to the year in which she has reached four consecutive finals, and won a tour-leading 31 matches.

Meanwhile, Gauff, who could have leapfrogged over Iga Świątek to take the world No. 2 spot with a win, remains the No. 3 seed in the rankings.

“It’s always incredible to come back to Madrid, I love this place, I’m always excited to play in front of you all,” Sabalenka said in her on-court interview afterward, thanking the crowd for its support.

She enjoyed a near-perfect start to the match, her powerful ground strokes overpowering Gauff as she won 17 consecutive points early on to take an ultimately unassailable first-set lead.

Though Gauff settled into the match, she could not recover that deficit and was left to launch her challenge in the second set. A perfectly executed passing shot ensured that Gauff broke Sabalenka early in the second and she eventually served for the set at 5-4 to level the match.

Sabalenka raced to a 0-40 lead but Gauff clung on, saved one break point and on the next, the racquet slipped out of Sabalenka’s hands as she scampered around the court.

That gave Gauff an opening and she took it, engineering a set point but Sabalenka once again snuffed out any chance, and later broke back. Ultimately, despite Gauff’s best efforts, the set went to a tiebreak which Sabalenka won, wrapping up the match.

CNN
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Katie Ledecky produced a scintillating swim to break yet another world record on Saturday, this time in the women’s 800m freestyle, lowering the mark she set almost a decade ago at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

She recorded a time of 8:04.12 at the TYR Pro Swim Series Fort Lauderdale, shaving six-tenths of a second off her previous record and finishing almost 20 seconds ahead of her closest competitor. She now holds the top ten times ever recorded in the event.

For almost 13 years, Ledecky has dominated long-distance freestyle swimming, setting record after record that no one else can touch, often competing against only herself.

But it had been seven years since the American’s last world record; her powers were waning, people presumed, leaving her still able to collect titles but without setting the impossibly fast times that defined her earlier career.

Still, her recent results suggested Ledecky was close to reaching those heights again. On Wednesday, she set the second fastest ever time in the women’s 1500m freestyle, completing the distance in 15:24.51, before her world record on Saturday.

“I can’t stop smiling, it’s been like that all week though, so it’s not really new,” she said after the race, per USA Swimming. “It’s been so many years in the making to do it tonight. It’s been an incredible night.”

“The crowd was amazing tonight; I couldn’t have done it without that. I flipped at the 750, and it was loud in here, and I just told myself I’m not letting this opportunity go to waste and started sprinting.”

As Ledecky touched the wall and looked up at the screen to see her time, the crowd erupted, knowing she had broken the record. A fraction of a second later, Ledecky celebrated as well, smashing the water with her hands and raising a fist in triumph.

And on the same day, her compatriot Gretchen Walsh became the first woman to complete the 100m butterfly in less than 55 seconds, recording a time of 54.60 to lower the world record she set earlier that day.

Ledecky noted after her own record that “tonight is the first (record) I’ve done when another American has done it. Hats off to Gretchen for getting us rolling this morning and starting a world record party.”

CNN
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The fan who fell onto the field at PNC Park earlier this week, identified as Kavan Markwood, is “awake and continuing to work toward making his body stronger each day,” according to a post on social media from his girlfriend Alonna Brown.

An update was also posted to the family’s GoFundMe, which has raised more than $27,000 as of Saturday evening.

“At this time, he needs rest, peace, prayers, privacy, and all the positive thoughts and energy you can send as he continues on his journey,” Brown wrote. “… Please keep Kavan in your thoughts.”

The family has not responded to CNN’s request for further information.

The incident happened during the seventh inning of Wednesday’s game between the Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates.

The 20-year-old Markwood, fell from the right field wall onto the field and was listed in critical condition.

Players from both teams could be seen kneeling down, while others put their hands on their heads in concern for the injured fan.

The fall is being treated as accidental, police previously said.

“As of this morning, Kavan is awake, alert, and able to speak,” wrote Jennifer Phillips, who identified herself as Brown’s mother.

“After everything he’s been through since the accident on Wednesday night, this progress feels nothing short of miraculous. He still has a long road ahead of him but today brought a moment of hope that we’ve all been holding onto.”

CNN has attempted to reach out to Brown and Phillips.

Markwood graduated from South Allegheny High School in 2022. The school, in a post sent to CNN, said he was the team MVP of the football team and earned first team All-Conference honors.

“Kavan is best known for his resilience, strength, and kindness. He is a friend to all – someone who lifts others up and faces challenges with courage and grace.”

Markwood played college football at Walsh University and Wheeling University.

“The Wheeling University Community is heartbroken to hear of the tragedy that occurred at PNC Park involving former Wheeling Football Player Kavan Markwood,” the school said in a statement Thursday. “Kavan is a valued member of our Cardinal family. He played on the Football team for the 2023 season after transferring from Walsh University. Our thoughts and prayers are with Kavan, his family, friends, and all his loved ones. The Cardinal family is praying for a full and speedy recovery.”