Enthusiastic fans and spectators alike have geared up for a packed few months, as some season sports are coming to a close, while others are just beginning. As of March 27th, here are the top sports to watch through March and April.
NHL Season (-April 20)
The hockey season is winding down but not without some anticipation. Canadian-born Rangers rookie Matt Rempe has been a whirlwind to watch as he spends more time off the ice than on it. After an arguably accidental brutal blow to New Jersey Devils’ defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler, Rempe suffers a four-game suspension after only assisting in 10 games so far this season. In light of this, Capitals’ Alex Ovechkin is 46 goals away from tying with Wayne Gretzky for the all-time goal score record.
Indian Wells 2024 (March 3-17, 2024)
Tennis has been a rollercoaster of emotions, as new youngsters emerge and many top seeds like Rafael Nadal drop out due to injuries. The Indian Wells Open displayed many new talents during the Men’s Singles: No. 299 ATP tennis player Luca Nardi skyrocketed to No.96 after beating the top-seed player Novak Djokovic. Nardi lost the following match against Tommy Paul, possibly creating his title as the “one-hit-wonder”. Popular players Holger Rune (No.7), Casper Ruud (No.9), and Daniil Medvedev (No. 4) soared through to the final rounds as expected, however, the most awaited match was between Jannik Sinner (No. 2) and Carlos Alcaraz (No. 3).
After winning the Australian Open earlier this year, the hopes were high for the 17-win-streak Italian player Sinner, especially after winning the first set 6 to 1 against Alcaraz. To some surprise, Alcaraz pushed through and defeated both Sinner (1-6, 6-3, 6-2) and Medvedev (7-6, 6-1). The nation is electrified to maintain this energy as the friendly rivalry between Sinner and Alcaraz continues in the Miami Open.
Miami Open (March 17-31, 2024)
Following the loss, fans of Sinner are thrilled to see the new tactics he brings, as well as another Italian player Lorenzo Musetti (No. 24) with his win against Ben Shelton (No. 17). Due to the excessive amounts of rain in Florida, flooding pushed back many expected matches, namely Coco Gauff (No. 3), Iga Swiatek (No. 1), and Aryana Sabalenka (No. 2).
Following her late boyfriend’s unexpected passing, fans were worried and animated to see Sabalenka return to the court, in which she was sporting an all-black Nike outfit and cap. After an extension, she finished strongly against her close friend Paula Badosa (No. 80) with a 6-4 and 6-3 lead. Many ATP women continue to be the backing for support for time off, with Serena Williams, Victoria Azarenka, and Naomi Osaka (former No. 1s) advocating for paid maternity leave. For many, the next Grand Slam tournaments are Roland Garros, Wimbledon, then the US Open, with smaller matches in between.
March Madness Basketball
Suffering a four-point loss (80-76), Kentucky enthusiasts were in an apocalyptic state of mind over Oakland’s rising star Jack Gohlke after achieving 32 points. These out-of-the-blue three-pointers led everyone to turn their heads in Gohlke’s direction, who was at NCAA Divison II Hillsdale College for his former five seasons. Private College Gonzaga has triumphantly won games in both the men’s and women’s divisions respectfully. Former Ohio State team member Jimmy Sotos has exclaimed his excitement for the Women’s basketball teams following the wins of UConn by Paige Bueckers and Ashley Shade, and Iowa from Caitlin Clark. Clark holds the single-season all-time scoring record, surpassing LeBron James, as well as other titles, changing history for women’s basketball.
In the final four: UConn suffered a massive loss (71-69) with a screen foul against Aaliyah Edwards, denying Paige Bueckers a three-pointer in the last four seconds, and Iowa gained this point. Following this, Iowa was left astray from South Carolina (87-75) as they made history for winning more than 100+ games and gaining their 43rd consecutive SEC regular season game record.
