Australian Ben Simmons' return to the NBA suffered a severe setback on Sunday, after his club, the Sacramento Kings, announced that he had suffered a rupture in his right Achilles tendon during training.
The Kings said in a statement: “Ben Simmons, a Sacramento Kings player, was injured during a live training drill in Sunday’s session. An MRI showed a rupture of the right Achilles tendon. Simmons will undergo surgery. Additional updates will be provided as necessary.”
Simmons missed last season due to recurring back problems, but last September he agreed to a one-year contract with the Kings.
The Philadelphia 76ers selected the 30-year-old first overall in the draft in 2016, but he missed the 2016-17 season due to a fracture in his right foot.
He won the Best Rookie Award in 2018, but his career, which was hampered by injuries with Philadelphia, ended in a tense manner in 2022, and his last participation in the league was in early 2025 when he played as a reserve with the Los Angeles Clippers.
During 8 seasons in the league, Simmons averaged 13.1 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 7.2 assists per game, and he recorded his best numbers with the Philadelphia 76ers before he missed the 2021-2022 season, then he moved to the Brooklyn Nets, where he suffered a decline in his level, before the club let go of him in 2025, so he completed the season with the Clippers.
Simmons increased club interest in him in August after a strong training camp with the Australian national team.
The Kings finished last season with a record of 22 victories versus 60 defeats. He has only reached the playoffs once since 2006, when he was eliminated by Golden State in the first round in 2023.
Polish Maya Swalinska is close to entering the list of the top ten players in the world tennis rankings, after she rose 11 places to occupy the eleventh place, following her coronation, on Sunday, of the first title in her career in the professional women’s tournaments, in Wuhan, China.
According to Agence France-Presse, on Monday, 25-year-old Szwalinska reached the best ranking in her career, while Britain's Sonay Kartal achieved the biggest jump in the rankings this week, advancing 121 places to 49th place, after reaching the final of the tournament, approaching her previous best ranking, when she ranked 44th in July 2025.
The ranking of the top ten players did not witness any change, as Kazakhstani Elena Rybakina maintained the lead with 9,169 points, ahead of Belarusian Arina Sabalenka, who is in second place with 7,550 points, and Russian Mira Andreeva, third with 6,306 points.
As the final tournament of the women's tennis season approaches, scheduled in Indian Wells, from November 8 to 15, 7 players have qualified, and they are: Rybakina, Sabalenka, Andreeva, American Jessica Pegula, her compatriot Coco Gauff, Ukrainian Elina Svitolina, and Czech Linda Noskova.
One ticket remains to complete the list of eight participants, amidst competition led by Czech Karolina Muchova, who ranked seventh in the race to qualify for the final tournament, while Polish Iga Szvyontek, ninth, and Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk, tenth, still maintain their chances in the competition.
Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr said on Sunday that team star Stephen Curry is “fine” after he limped out of the team’s open training session in preparation for the start of the NBA season.
Corey suddenly stopped after his right foot slipped on the field while he was turning.
He quickly hit the ball on the ground and then carefully headed to the touchline before leaving for the dressing room.
Kerr told reporters after practice that Curry informed him that he had injured his ankle, dispelling fears of a possible worsening of the right knee injury that kept him out of 27 games late last season.
"He's fine," Kerr said.
Curry, a four-time league champion and two-time league MVP award winner, participated in only 43 games last season.
The 38-year-old returned from his knee injury and played the final games of the season, and in September, the Warriors extended his long-term contract with Curry for at least two additional years in a deal reportedly worth $116 million.
The Warriors also renewed the contract with Draymond Green for one season for $28 million, and coach Kerr under a two-year contract.
Kerr acknowledged this week that his aging veteran stars, especially Curry, will be closely managed next season and will likely not participate in all 82 regular season games.
“I would just say to the fans who are buying tickets to pay attention to the schedule,” Kerr said. Take a look at him. Because we have not only Steve, but a number of veteran players whose participation we will try to manage, because it is the only way that we can continue.
The Warriors begin their season by facing the Los Angeles Lakers the day after tomorrow, Wednesday.
