"Britain Set to Battle Poland in Davis Cup Relegation Play-Off"

Great Britain will travel to Poland for a crucial Davis Cup relegation play-off, aiming to retain their spot in the tournament’s top tier.

Leon Smith’s team, seeded fourth in the draw, will take on the unseeded Polish side in a best-of-five World Group I tie in September. The victor will move on to the first qualifying phase of the 2026 event, keeping their hopes alive for a place in the eight-team Davis Cup Finals later that year.

Poland’s challenge is expected to be led by Hubert Hurkacz, a 2021 Wimbledon semi-finalist and their only player currently ranked inside the ATP top 100.

Britain finds itself in this play-off after a 3-2 defeat to Japan in this year’s qualifying round. Missing key player Jack Draper, who was sidelined due to injury, the British team—fielding a makeshift lineup—failed to secure their place in the competition’s elite tier.

The World Group I draw, originally scheduled for earlier, was delayed by a week following a protest from Chile over a controversial match against Belgium.

The dispute stemmed from an incident in Chile’s first qualifying round tie, where Cristian Garin was knocked over by a celebrating Zizou Bergs after their match. The Chilean Tennis Federation (Fetech) claimed Garin was “attacked”, while Tennis Belgium defended Bergs, stating his actions were “careless but not malicious.”

As a result of Garin refusing to continue, Chile lost the tie and demanded either a replay under fair conditions or a wildcard entry into November’s Davis Cup Finals.

An independent panel convened by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) reviewed the case but did not grant Chile’s requests. However, the dispute remains unresolved, as Fetech has not withdrawn its complaint and continues to call for disciplinary action against Bergs.

Initially, Chile also requested that the World Group I draw be postponed until the issue was resolved. However, following a meeting on 27 February, Fetech withdrew this demand, stating they did not want to impact the interests of other nations.

With the draw proceeding as planned, Chile, one of the seeded teams, will face Luxembourg in their upcoming play-off tie.

It has been four weeks since an eventful NBA trade deadline, and teams are still adjusting to their midseason acquisitions. Some of the league’s biggest names have found themselves in new jerseys, adapting to different systems, teammates, and roles. Now, with the playoff race heating up, we take an early look at how these key deadline moves are shaping both conferences.

The Lakers stumbled early after acquiring Dončić, losing two of his first three games (against Utah and Charlotte). However, they have since rattled off seven straight wins, with Dončić playing in the last six. Currently sitting in second place in the Western Conference, the Lakers have posted a league-best 19-4 record and boast the NBA’s top-ranked defense (107.9 points allowed per 100 possessions) since Jan. 15.

The Lakers have taken 50.5% of their shots from three-point range in the nine games with Dončić, compared to 39.6% in the 51 games before his arrival.

Dončić leads the team with 83 three-point attempts, but LeBron James has 30 made threes since the trade—11 of those off Dončić’s passes. James has also been shooting 45.6% on catch-and-shoot threes over the last two seasons, a significant increase from 36.6% in the five years prior.

Dončić’s ability to collapse defenses and kick out to shooters has added another dimension to the Lakers' offense. Against defenses that step up to contest him at the screen, weak-side defenders must rotate into the paint, giving Dončić the chance to make cross-court passes for open threes before defenders recover.

The Lakers finish a six-game homestand Thursday against the Knicks (10 p.m. ET, TNT) before heading on a four-game road trip, starting with a matchup in Boston (Saturday, 8:30 p.m. ET, ABC).

Since adding Butler, the Warriors have surged, winning nine of their last 11 games (including 9-1 with him in uniform) and jumping from 11th to sixth place in the West.

The Warriors have averaged 6.7 fewer turnovers than their opponents in the 10 games Butler has played, a dramatic improvement from their pre-trade margin of 0.6 turnovers per game.

With Butler in the lineup, Stephen Curry doesn’t have to generate every offensive advantage. Against the Knicks, Butler drove against Jalen Brunson, drawing help from Mikal Bridges, who rotated off Curry—leading to a catch-and-shoot three from the right wing.

The Warriors wrap up a five-game East Coast road trip Thursday against Brooklyn (7:30 p.m. ET, NBA League Pass) before starting a seven-game homestand with an intriguing matchup against the Pistons on Saturday (8:30 p.m. ET, NBA League Pass).

The Cavaliers are on fire, riding a 12-game winning streak and an undefeated 10-0 record with Hunter in uniform.

Only 28 of Hunter’s 256 minutes with the Cavs have included both Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen on the floor. Instead, he has primarily played at the four, where Cleveland has outscored opponents by 20.1 points per 100 possessions when he’s paired with just one of their big men.

Hunter, traditionally a perimeter player, looked comfortable attacking the Heat’s zone defense on Wednesday—scoring tough baskets in the paint and setting up Mobley in the dunker spot.

Cleveland will be on the road for most of the next three weeks, facing Charlotte (Friday, 7 p.m. ET, NBA League Pass) and Milwaukee (Sunday, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN). The Cavs have the best record (11-3) in games against the East’s top six teams and will hold a rest advantage against the Bucks.

While not as impactful as Butler or Dončić, Kuzma has still played a key role for the Bucks, who have won eight of their last nine games while posting the NBA’s best defense in that span.

Kuzma is averaging 7.5 points in the paint per game, which would be the most by a Bucks player not named Giannis Antetokounmpo over the last two seasons.

Milwaukee has historically lacked secondary scoring in the paint when Antetokounmpo isn’t attacking. Though Khris Middleton was a more consistent shooter, Kuzma adds size on the wing and offers offensive versatility—including cutting, driving, and finishing inside.

The Bucks’ win over the Mavericks on Wednesday kicked off a home-heavy stretch, where six of their next seven games will be played in Milwaukee—including two key matchups against the fifth-place Pacers. Next up is a back-to-back against the Magic and Cavaliers this weekend.

• Since De’Aaron Fox joined the Spurs, the team has been 14.6 points per 100 possessions better without him (plus-7.9) than with him (minus-6.7).
• The Kings have outscored opponents by 17.5 points per 100 possessions when Zach LaVine and Jonas Valančiūnas are on the floor together. However, their new starting lineup, featuring LaVine and Domantas Sabonis, has allowed 123.3 points per 100 possessions—the worst defensive rating among 73 lineups with at least 100 minutes played.
• In just 10 games with the Hawks, Caris LeVert has already been assisted more times by Trae Young (25) than by any Cavs teammate in his previous 38 games. That equates to 4.6 assists per 36 minutes, the second-highest rate among Atlanta players.
• Khris Middleton has been 52-for-89 (58.4%) on pull-up two-pointers, ranking second among 99 players with at least 75 attempts. Since joining Washington, he has shot 10-for-18 in that category.
• Middleton and Marcus Smart lead the Wizards in deflections per 36 minutes since the trade deadline, averaging 4.4 and 4.0, respectively.
• Dennis Schröder has played 77 minutes (39%) of his total 195 Pistons minutes alongside Cade Cunningham, with Detroit outscoring opponents by 20 points per 100 possessions in those stretches.
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With the NBA playoffs fast approaching, the impact of these trade deadline moves will continue to shape the standings in both conferences. While stars like Dončić and Butler have transformed their new teams, others like Hunter and Kuzma are quietly making their mark. As teams adjust to their new rosters, the final stretch of the regular season will test whether these moves were truly game-changers.

Adrian Newey’s exit follows internal turmoil at Red Bull, particularly in the wake of allegations of sexual harassment and coercive behavior made against team principal Christian Horner by a female employee. Although Horner was cleared by two internal Red Bull investigations and has consistently denied the claims, the situation unsettled Newey, who was already frustrated by internal politics.

A significant point of contention within the team was credit for Red Bull’s recent success. Newey believed that technical director Pierre Wache was wrongfully seeking recognition, and Horner publicly supported Wache. This created further tension, especially since Newey saw the 2022 car and Red Bull’s approach to the current F1 regulations as fundamentally his vision.

With Newey now gone, the 2025 car will largely be an evolution of the 2024 model—as this is the final year under the current regulations before major rule changes in 2026. However, Newey’s absence presents a major opportunity for Wache and the design team to prove themselves beyond his influence.

Red Bull has a point to prove—but success is far from guaranteed.

Team adviser Helmut Marko has already suggested that Red Bull was slower to identify and resolve its issues in 2024 than they would have been had Newey still been involved. If the team fails to reclaim its dominant form, questions will inevitably arise about whether Red Bull is still the top force in F1.

Adding to Red Bull’s pressure is the uncertainty surrounding Max Verstappen’s future.

The 27-year-old Dutchman is contracted until 2028, but his deal reportedly includes performance clauses—the details of which remain undisclosed. If Red Bull fails to deliver a championship-caliber car, Verstappen may have an option to leave.

His father, Jos Verstappen, made it clear in 2024 that he was unhappy with Horner staying in charge, warning at the season opener that Red Bull could fall apart under his leadership.

With Newey’s exit followed by sporting director Jonathan Wheatley’s move to Sauber/Audi and head of strategy Will Courtenay leaving for McLaren, Verstappen Sr. may have been right to be concerned about the team’s stability.

Although relations between Horner and Jos Verstappen remain tense, a fragile truce has been established.

Meanwhile, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has been vocal about his desire to bring Verstappen to his team as soon as possible. Aston Martin could also be an option, especially with Fernando Alonso’s contract ending in 2026. Additionally, Ferrari could be in the mix, given that both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc have contract break clauses for 2026.

The 2026 regulations complicate the decision, as both chassis and engine rules will undergo a major overhaul. Verstappen and his team may prefer to wait and assess the landscape before making a move.

However, if Red Bull is uncompetitive in 2025, the temptation to leave early may be too strong to resist.

Despite the turmoil, Horner remains in charge with the backing of Red Bull’s majority shareholder Chalerm Yoovidhya. However, the Austrian faction of the company is reportedly less supportive of him.

The allegations against Horner exposed an internal power struggle at Red Bull—not only between the Thai and Austrian shareholders but also between Horner and Helmut Marko.

Just like with Horner and Jos Verstappen, there is an uneasy truce for now—but the question remains: How long will it last?

Additionally, it is unclear whether the complainant will pursue legal action, which could further destabilize the team.

After two disappointing seasons from Sergio Perez, Red Bull lost patience and opted to pay off his contract at the end of 2024. This decision proved costly, especially since Horner had extended Perez’s contract until 2026 last summer, instead of signing Carlos Sainz.

Now, New Zealander Liam Lawson has been promoted as Verstappen’s new teammate.

Horner has acknowledged that being Verstappen’s teammate is arguably the toughest job in Formula 1. Red Bull now expects Lawson to outperform Perez, despite having only 11 F1 races under his belt—all with Red Bull’s junior team.

While Red Bull secured its fourth consecutive drivers’ championship with Verstappen last season, they enter the new year facing significant pressure. The loss of Newey, the uncertainty around Verstappen, and a competitive resurgence from rivals mean their dominance is far from assured.

Although Verstappen secured his fourth title, it was largely due to a dominant start to the season and his exceptional consistency throughout the year.

From Miami onwards (Round 6), Red Bull’s advantage diminished—no longer maintaining the clear superiority seen in the first five races and the previous two seasons.

By the end of the year, Red Bull still had the fastest car on average in qualifying, but only by 0.052 seconds over McLaren. However, if you examine the post-Miami numbers, McLaren was actually faster by 0.053 seconds. Over the second half of the season, McLaren extended that advantage to 0.142 seconds, while Ferrari also surpassed Red Bull by 0.008 seconds.

Had McLaren started the season stronger, Verstappen’s championship battle would have been far more intense.

Red Bull’s biggest problem stemmed from a fundamental balance issue. Efforts to improve slow-speed cornering led to understeer, but attempts to fix that resulted in excessive oversteer in high-speed corners.

Newey himself acknowledged these concerns, stating:

“Already in late 2023, the car was becoming harder to drive. Max could handle it, but Checo (Perez) couldn’t. At the start of 2024, the car was still quick enough to compensate, but I was starting to worry. Yet, not many others in the team seemed concerned.”
 

Red Bull also fell behind due to aero-elasticity—a technique exploited by McLaren, Mercedes, and later Ferrari. This approach allowed their front wings to flex downward at high speeds, reducing downforce and minimizing oversteer, while returning to optimal downforce at lower speeds.

For 2025, new regulations will limit wing flexibility, with rear-wing rules applying from the first race and front-wing restrictions coming in June.

The key question is: Was this the main reason for Red Bull’s struggles, or were there deeper issues?

And, more importantly, can they recover the ground lost to McLaren and Ferrari?

As Formula 1 enters the final season before the 2026 regulation changes, Red Bull faces multiple challenges:

• Regaining its technical advantage without Adrian Newey
• Retaining Max Verstappen amidst growing interest from rivals
• Navigating internal power struggles within the team
• Competing against McLaren and Ferrari’s growing strength

While they remain a top team, the cracks in their dominance are becoming more visible. Their performance in 2025 will determine whether they maintain their place at the top or risk losing it all.