CNN
 — 

Spanish tennis legend Rafael Nadal exclusively told CNN Sports he completely trusts that world No. 1 Jannik Sinner is innocent, as the Italian prepares to return from a doping suspension.

Sinner is approaching the end of a three-month ban having twice tested positive for banned substance Clostebol, an anabolic steroid, in March last year.

The three-time grand slam champion previously escaped a ban when the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) ruled that he wasn’t at fault for the positive tests, accepting that the contamination was caused by a physio applying an over-the-counter spray.

However, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) subsequently lodged an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), leading to Sinner accepting a suspension from February 9 to May 4.

In a February statement, Sinner said that he has “always accepted that I am responsible for my team” but has always denied knowingly taking a banned substance.

“I don’t have a clear opinion, first of all, because I don’t have the whole information,” Nadal told CNN after being honored with the Sporting Icon Award at this year’s Laureus World Sports Awards.

“First of all, I 100% believe that Jannik is innocent. I don’t think at all that Jannik wanted to do something that is not allowed, so I 100% believe in Jannik.”

The saga around Sinner has shone the spotlight on the current anti-doping protocols in tennis, with several players raising concerns about possible preferential treatment for the top stars.

Sinner, for example, won’t miss any grand slam events during his ban.

Recently, Serena Williams said she would have been banned for “20 years” and “gotten grand slams taken away” if the same thing had happened to her. She did, though, describe Sinner as a “fantastic personality” and “great for the sport.”

Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic said that the whole case was “not a good image for our sport.”

But Nadal, who retired from tennis last year following a historic career, said he has full trust in the current anti-doping system.

“From my point of view, I really don’t believe that Jannik, because he’s the No. 1 in the world, received different treatment than another person, from my perspective and from my understanding,” the 22-time grand slam singles champion said.

“I really believe in the process, I have been there going through all the tests for 20 years, how the things are strict on every single movement … and I believe in the process.

“I can’t say another thing and I can’t think another way because, if not, I will think that we are not in a fair world, and I really believe that we are in a fair world in this matter.”

Despite his ban, Sinner will be one of the favorites to win his first French Open title when the tournament starts at the end of May.

Nadal, who won a record 14 Coupes des Mousquetaires at Roland Garros, said he hopes a potential Sinner win won’t be tarnished by questions around his eligibility to play.

However, for Sinner to claim the title, he will first have to find a way past the likes of Carlos Alcaraz, who many have compared to Nadal.

Not only are both from Spain, but both are formidable on clay with Alcaraz winning his first French Open title last year.

Nadal, who retired with 22 grand slam singles trophies, said the comparisons are only natural and holds high hopes that the 21-year-old can reach the very top of the sport.

“All of us received the pressure from the media and from the hope that people have about you, but I think at the end, we are humans and we know how to handle that,” Nadal told CNN.

“I don’t think for Carlos it’s a big deal holding that pressure. He’s a great player and has a great family behind (him).

“I think he’s doing great and he’s having an amazing career and he’s going to win much more if he stays out of injury – that’s the most important thing. I wish and I really believe that he’s going to have one of the best careers of all time.”

Nadal said he occasionally messages Alcaraz but would always be on hand to provide some advice – not that he thinks the youngster needs it.

It’s an invitation that the 38-year-old extends to all players on the tour who might want to casually learn from his own experiences.

However, Nadal has so far resisted following the likes of Andy Murray, who has gone into coaching after retiring from a playing career.

“I mean in this life you can never say never,” he said, adding he was enjoying spending more time with family without all the travel that comes with being on tour.

“It’s difficult to imagine myself now doing this kind of thing … it’s not my moment, at all. I am in a different moment of my life and I don’t see myself traveling now with a player.”

Instead, Nadal is happy to continue developing his tennis academy which is starting to breed success across the game, adding to the Spaniard’s already impressive tennis legacy.

And, even in retirement, Nadal has not stopped picking up trophies. In addition to being given the aforementioned Laureus Sporting Icon Award, the Spaniard will also be honored in a ceremony at this year’s French Open.

“The results are the results, you know. I won what I won, I lost what I lost, that’s the results and nobody can change that,” Nadal said when asked what he wants to be remembered for now that his playing days are behind him.

“Of course, I will be remembered as a good tennis player, but for me, it’s important to be remembered as a good person, a player who fights as hard as possible but with positive values, being always fair and correct with everyone on court.

“Trying to respect every single moment, for me that’s the most important thing.”

CNN
 — 

Professional cricket phenom Vaibhav Suryavanshi put on a show for the ages Monday when the 14-year-old hit a century from just 35 balls in the first day of an Indian Premier League (IPL) match between the Rajasthan Royals and Gujarat Titans in Jaipur, India.

After hitting his 7th six of the day to reach 100, the teenager took off his helmet and raised both arms upward as he acknowledged the home crowd, who were standing to raucously applaud the performance at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium. Suryavanshi’s teammates were ecstatic too, lifting their arms skyward, clapping with huge smiles while some high-fived in appreciation of the young batter.

The standing ovation hit fever pitch for the young star who didn’t linger in the spotlight, putting his helmet back on within moments after becoming the fastest Indian to score a century in the IPL as well as the youngest to score a century in a T20 match.

Suryavanshi’s day ended for 101 off 38 balls, powering the Royals to an 8-wicket win. His innings were filled with 11 boundaries and those 7 sixes, which led to Suryavanshi being named the player of the match.

Special. Scintillating. Suryavanshi 🙌✨

For his record-smashing 1⃣0⃣1⃣(38), Vaibhav Suryavanshi is adjudged the Player of the Match 🩷

Updates ▶ https://t.co/HvqSuGgTlN#TATAIPL | #RRvGT | @rajasthanroyals pic.twitter.com/RQA5hxmTXE

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 28, 2025

“I am feeling very good. Scoring my first hundred in the IPL, and that too in just my third innings, feels special,” Suryavanshi said after the match, according to IPL.com.

“All the practice that I have put in over the last four to five months has finally paid off,” he said.

“It feels like a dream to score a century in the IPL. Like I said, I have worked hard in the last few months, and it has all come together beautifully.”

Royals’ captain Riyan Parag called the performance “incredible.”

“We have spent two months with him and coming out here in front of all these people and against the quality bowling attack that GT (Gujarat Titans) had, it’s just something you can’t express in words.”

Earlier this season, Suryavanshi became the youngest cricketer to appear in the IPL when he made his debut for the Royals earlier this month at the age of 14 years and 23 days.

In that first match against the Lucknow Super Giants on April 19, he was the opener and promptly hit his first ball for six to the delight of the packed crowd at the same venue.

He eventually scored 34 off 20 balls before he was stumped by Rishabh Pant off Aiden Markram’s delivery in the ninth over, ending an 85-run partnership he shared with Yashasvi Jaiswal for the first wicket.

And as Suryavanshi walked off, television cameras caught him wiping away a tear.

The IPL is India’s most lucrative sporting competition and one of the biggest leagues in the world, valued at $12 billion in 2024, according to Reuters.

Before making his debut, Suryavanshi had already made history in November as the youngest player to have his rights purchased at the IPL auction. The Royals bought them for 11 million Indian rupees (around $130,000) after a bidding spree with the Delhi Capitals forced his price up.

CNN’s Issy Ronald and Ben Morse contributed to this report.

CNN
 — 

The 2025 NFL draft is in the books and there were plenty of talking points from the three days in Green Bay.

The drama began from the second pick on Thursday when the Jacksonville Jaguars traded up to select two-way sensation Travis Hunter, a blockbuster move for arguably the most talent-packed day in the whole event.

But the main storyline over the three days was the unexpected slide of Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders who, to many people’s surprise, had to wait until the fifth round to be selected by the Cleveland Browns.

Here is what we learned from the 2025 NFL draft.

The Shedeur Sanders slide

Because of the confidence he carries himself with and who his father is – Colorado Buffaloes head coach and Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders – there was plenty of scrutiny on Sanders heading into this weekend’s draft.

While Miami quarterback Cam Ward was seen as the consensus best passer in the class, Sanders was predicted to go somewhere in the first or perhaps second round at the latest.

After Thursday’s first 32 picks, the 23-year-old was still waiting to hear his name called, with TV coverage repeatedly cutting away to the camera in his home as he and his family all eagerly waited for the big moment.

When Friday’s second and third round came around, most believed Sanders would discover his NFL home then.

But the former Colorado star QB had to wait. And things became even more confusing when he received a prank call from who he thought was New Orleans Saints general manager Mickey Loomis – it was later revealed the call was from the son of Atlanta Falcons’ defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich – saying the Saints would be picking Sanders soon.

At the end of Friday, he was still yet to be picked. TV coverage was dominated by Sanders discussion about how and why his name hadn’t been called.

But eventually, the Browns selected Sanders in the fifth round with the 144th overall pick on Saturday, becoming the fifth quarterback taken.

So why did Sanders have to wait until the third day to be taken?

While some teams might not have rated him as a first-round prospect, the importance of a quarterback in the NFL typically leads to QBs being over-drafted. And Sanders’ highest ceiling for a potential career could see him as a solid starter in the NFL, a very valuable piece for any team.

However, there were clear concerns around his NFL-readiness, with Colorado running a simplified offense, one which lacks many of the minute, intricate details used in the pro game.

And then during the draft process, teams reportedly soured on Sanders after some of his performances in pre-draft interviews.

Whether it was his lack of knowledge about certain aspects of the game or his reaction to being called out on the gaps in his game by members of NFL coaching staffs, Sanders didn’t market himself well in that part of the process, according to multiple reports.

NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero said he was told by a longtime NFL assistant coach that their interview with Sanders was “the worst formal interview I’ve ever been in in my life,” adding that Sanders is “so entitled” and has “horrible body language.”

Additionally, Pelissero was told by a longtime AFC executive that their interview didn’t “go great” and that Sanders wanted to “dictate what he’s going to do and what’s best for him. He makes you feel small.”

Add onto all that the attention that comes with being the son of a Hall of Fame player and the column inches that inevitably follow, and it looks like most teams preferred to stay away.

Sanders could very well have a successful NFL career, but it hasn’t gotten off to the start he would’ve wanted.

It’s easy to crown winners and losers after the NFL draft, with teams either addressing or going in new directions with their selections.

But like most years, there are some obvious candidates who looked to have retooled the best.

It’s hard to look past the Jacksonville Jaguars as one of the winners of the three days with their shock move up to No. 2 to get Hunter.

Hunter, the Heisman Trophy-winning wide receiver and cornerback from Colorado, gives Jags quarterback Trevor Lawrence another dynamic option on offense to pair alongside Brian Thomas Jr. who had a Pro Bowl rookie season last time out.

And Hunter could also fill a glaring need at cornerback for Jacksonville. It will be intriguing to see how his two-way game will translate to the NFL, but if Hunter can have an impact on both sides of the ball, it could be one of the more impactful selections in recent draft history.

Other winners include two second-year quarterbacks who struggled in their rookie seasons due to a scarcity of offensive talent.

Both Caleb Williams and Drake Maye – quarterbacks for the Chicago Bears and New England Patriots respectively – were in dire need of some weapons to help their growth and were given some tools to help them succeed.

The Bears drafted Michigan tight end Colston Loveland with the 10th pick and Missouri receiver Luther Burden III in the second round as they seek to give Williams some explosiveness to thrive in new head coach Ben Johnson’s offensive scheme.

They also took Boston College tackle Ozzy Trapilo with the 56th pick to pair alongside free agent acquisitions Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson, as Chicago looked to completely revamp the O-line to help Williams stay upright.

For the Patriots, they addressed their offensive needs with the first four picks in the draft.

They took arguably the best tackle in the draft in Michigan tackle Will Campbell with the fourth pick to help protect Maye’s blindside as well as picking up center Jared Wilson, who can learn the ropes behind new starter Garrett Bradbury.

New England also selected running back TreVeyon Henderson and wideout Kyle Williams to add some much-needed juice to a Patriots offense in dire need of some excitement around Maye.

While many teams’ fans will leave the draft excited about what is to come, there will be some left wanting more.

One set of supporters who may be waking up miffed are Atlanta Falcons fans.

The team addressed its glaring need for pass rushers in the first round, taking Georgia linebacker Jalon Walker with the 15th pick before trading back up into the first round for James Pearce Jr. with the 26th pick.

While that aggressiveness is often praised, the Falcons had to give up their 2026 first round pick to the Los Angeles Rams to move up the draft board, a huge risk for a team unlikely to be challenging for a Super Bowl in 2025.

The team also needed help at cornerback, but instead chose to draft two safeties – Notre Dame’s Xavier Watts and Oklahoma’s Billy Bowman Jr. – in the later rounds.

The Cincinnati Bengals are another team coming away with questions over their picks.

Although they addressed many of their areas of need with their selections – in particular with pass rusher Shemar Stewart in the first round – there was little excitement about many of their others.

For a team with Super Bowl aspirations, it will still likely be on quarterback Joe Burrow and his dynamic offense to bring success to Ohio.