PARIS: Carlos Alcaraz saved three championship points as he produced an astonishing fightback from two sets down to beat Jannik Sinner in a French Open final for the ages on Sunday.
Reigning champion Alcaraz rallied from the brink of defeat to overcome world number one Sinner 4-6, 6-7 (4/7), 6-4, 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (10/2) to clinch his fifth Grand Slam title after five hours and 29 minutes.
The 22-year-old Spaniard is now unbeaten in five Grand Slam finals after snapping Sinner’s 20-match winning run at the majors.
Alcaraz pulled off his first ever comeback from two sets down to stun Sinner in the longest Roland Garros final in history. It easily eclipsed the 1982 final in Paris when Mats Wilander triumphed in four sets over Guillermo Vilas in 4hr 42min.
Alcaraz becomes the third youngest man to win five Grand Slams — after Bjorn Borg and compatriot Rafael Nadal — following an incredible duel between the two stars of a new generation.
Sinner fell agonizingly short of a third successive Grand Slam crown after last year’s US Open title and back-to-back Australian Open triumphs.
He suffered his fifth straight loss to Alcaraz in what was their first meeting in a Grand Slam final — and the first championship match at a major between two men born in the 2000s.
Alcaraz leads 8-5 overall having also beaten Sinner to win in Rome, where the Italian returned to competition in May after a three-month doping ban.
Alcaraz put the pressure on Sinner by carving out three break points to start Saturday’s final, but the Italian resisted and soon had a chance of his own.
He couldn’t take advantage and found himself having to fend off two more break points at 1-1, producing clutch serves to grind out another tough hold.
Alcaraz’s persistence paid off in the fifth game when he broke to nudge 3-2 ahead, only for the Spaniard to immediately hand the lead back.
The unshakeable Sinner threatened to break again at 4-3, with a brief lapse from Alcaraz eventually enabling Sinner to snatch the first set.
Sinner hit the accelerator to start the second set, surging 3-0 in front. After facing seven break points in the opener, he tightened up considerably on serve.
But Alcaraz brought up his first break point of the second set with Sinner serving for a two-set lead, duly pouncing on the opportunity to check his rival’s momentum.
With the swagger back in his step at a crucial juncture, Alcaraz sought to bring the crowd into the contest but Sinner remained unflustered in the tie-break.
The first five points went with serve before Sinner whipped a forehand down the line and Alcaraz then steered an attempted drop-shot wide.
A tame return into the net presented Sinner with four set points. Alcaraz saved two before Sinner unleashed a blistering cross-court forehand to move to within a set of the trophy.
It all looked to be going his way when he broke Alcaraz to begin the third set, but the Spaniard refused to surrender his title quietly and rattled off four games on the bounce to lead 4-1.
Alcaraz lost serve at 5-3 but promptly broke to love to force a fourth set, lapping up the roars of the Court Philippe Chatrier crowd.
That ended Sinner’s run of 31 consecutive sets won at Grand Slams.
Alcaraz saved a break point in the third game amid a series of holds as Sinner doubled down. The Italian appeared to be closing in on victory when he broke at 3-3 as the finish line neared.
But Alcaraz had other ideas as he staved off three championship points at 3-5 and then broke Sinner when he tried to seal the title on his serve.
Successive aces spurred a reinvigorated Alcaraz on in the tie-break and into a decisive fifth set.
A despairing Sinner lost his serve right away and his gloom deepened as Alcaraz saved two break points to pull 3-1 ahead, but incredibly there was another twist.
Alcaraz this time faltered with the title within his grasp as Sinner broke at 3-5 to spark a three-game burst that left the Spaniard needing to hold serve to prolong the final.
He kept his nerve to set up a 10-point tie-break, which Alcaraz ran away with as the outrageous shotmaking continued until the very end when he took his first championship point with a sizzling forehand down the line.
Alcaraz saves three match points to beat Sinner to French Open title in final for the ages
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Alcaraz saves three match points to beat Sinner to French Open title in final for the ages
- Alcaraz pulled off his first ever comeback from two sets down to stun Sinner in the longest Roland Garros final in history
Tendulkar says ‘life has come full circle’ with Lord’s portrait
- Tendulkar is one of the greatest batsmen cricket has known, scoring 34,357 runs in Test matches, ODIs and one T20
- It is the fifth portrait of an Indian player in the collections of Marylebone Cricket Club, the owners of Lord’s ground
LONDON: Sachin Tendulkar said “life has truly come full circle” after a portrait of the India cricket great was unveiled at Lord’s on Thursday.
Tendulkar is one of the greatest batsmen cricket has known, scoring 34,357 runs in Test matches, one-day internationals and one T20 for India in an international career that spanned 24 years from 1989 to 2013.
That total is over 6,000 more runs than the next highest of 28,016 compiled by Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara.
“I remember standing near the pavilion, soaking in the history and dreaming quietly,” Tendulkar said of his first visit to Lord’s in 1988 as a teenager in a post on X.
“Today, to have my portrait unveiled at this very place is a feeling that’s hard to put into words. Life has truly come full circle. I’m grateful, and filled with wonderful memories.”
The portrait, by Stuart Pearson Wright, is painted from a photograph taken by the artist in Tendulkar’s home in Mumbai 18 years ago and was unveiled before the first day of the third Test between England and India.
It is the fifth portrait of an Indian player in the collections of Marylebone Cricket Club, the owners of Lord’s.
Messi brace sets up Miami’s 2-1 MLS victory over New England
- The 38-year-old Argentine star has scored two goals in each of his last four MLS games to become the first MLS player to score multiple goals in four straight games
- With the victory Miami climbed from sixth to fifth in the Eastern Conference standings
FOXBOROUGH, Massachusetts: Lionel Messi scored twice in the first half of Inter Miami’s 2-1 victory over the New England Revolution on Wednesday, continuing a run of form unprecedented in Major League Soccer.
The 38-year-old Argentine star has scored two goals in each of his last four MLS games to become the first MLS player to score multiple goals in four straight games.
He launched the streak in late May with two goals in a 4-2 win over Montreal then had two in a 5-1 victory over Columbus.
Miami then paused their MLS campaign to compete in the Club World Cup — where Messi scored one goal in four matches and Miami were eliminated in the round of 16 by Paris Saint-Germain.
Javier Mascherano’s team returned to MLS action on Saturday with a 4-1 victory at Montreal — also fueled by a brace from eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi.
In all Messi has 14 goals in 15 MLS games, putting him two behind leading scorer Sam Surridge, who has appeared in six more games for Nashville than Messi has played this season.
Messi put Miami up 1-0 in the 27th minute at Gillette Stadium, taking advantage of a Revolution miscue and firing a left-footed shot from the heart of the area.
The Argentinian star doubled the score 11 minutes later, charging onto a long through ball from Sergio Busquets and curling a left-footed shot beyond the reach of Slovenian goalkeeper Aljaz Ivacic.
Veteran goalkeeper Oscar Ustari also starred for Miami, coming up with six saves before Spaniard Carles Gil managed to put one by him, picking off Tadeo Allende in the 79th minute and rifling in a shot from outside the box.
With the victory Miami climbed from sixth to fifth in the Eastern Conference standings. On 35 points, they are seven points behind leaders FC Cincinnati but with three fewer matches played after their Club World Cup break.
Pogacar plays down yellow jersey after Evenepoel wins Tour time trial
- Pogacar: The most important (jersey) is yellow, and the most important time to have it is on the Champs-Elysees at the finish line
- It was Evenepoel’s second stage win on the Tour de France, having triumphed in the time trial in Gevrey-Chambertin last year on his debut in the Grande Boucle
CAEN, France: Three-time Tour de France winner Tadej Pogacar played down the importance of taking over the yellow jersey after Belgian rider Remco Evenepoel stormed his way to an impressive victory in the fifth-stage time trial on Wednesday.
Pogacar, who started the day in second place on the same time as leader Mathieu van der Poel, produced one of his best time trials on the 33km route around Caen to finish just 16 seconds behind the world and Olympic champion to leave Van der Poel and fellow challenger Jonas Vingegaard struggling in his wake.
The Slovenian, who now holds a 42sec lead over Evenepoel with Vingegaard over a minute behind, is the first rider since Eddie Merckx in the 1970s to hold all three of the main jerseys — the general classification, points and king of the mountains.
“I’m super happy with how I rode today, to be 16 seconds behind the world champion, the Olympic champion, the best time triallist in the world right now,” Pogacar said after the stage.
“It’s a very good day and I’m happy, but I’m just happy this day is over and we can keep the ball rolling in this Tour de France.
“The most important (jersey) is yellow, and the most important time to have it is on the Champs-Elysees at the finish line.
“Now, it’s not that important. It feels good, but the important thing is to have it in Paris.”
Evenepoel completed the course in 36min 42sec at a blistering average speed of 54 km/h. Italian Edoardo Affini finished third, 33sec behind.
It was Evenepoel’s second stage win on the Tour de France, having triumphed in the time trial in Gevrey-Chambertin last year on his debut in the Grande Boucle.
“I knew I had a good chance but, of course, the legs still have to be there and everything has to go to plan,” said Evenepoel whose Soudal Quick-Step teammate Tim Merlier won stage three two days ago.
“In the end I think it was pretty good. I didn’t really feel like I could go any faster, so I think in general I’m happy with the result.
“It’s a second stage win for our team, it’s super nice.
“As for me, I’ve taken a step toward the podium but there’s still a long way to go.”
Two-time winner Vingegaard, who began the day just 8sec behind Van der Poel, had a poor day as the Dane could only finish 13th in the stage — 1min 21sec behind Evenepoel — to slip to 1min 13sec behind Pogacar in the new standings.
He drops to fourth overall with local rider Kevin Vauquelin moving up to third after a hugely impressive ride that saw him finish fifth on the day.
“I’m over the moon, really,” said an emotional Vauquelin.
“I think I can only experience this once in my life. To see everyone looking at me, cheering me on, it’s incredible.
“For a 24-year-old just starting out in the professional world, it’s just incredible.”
Dutchman Van der Poel also struggled to maintain the pace, coming in 18th, 1min 44sec behind the winner, dropping him down to sixth overall.
Evenepoel was the nailed-on favorite to win the stage given his astonishing record in time trials.
The Flemish rider, who has been wearing a golden helmet since his Olympic double, is virtually invincible in this exercise.
He has won the last six time trial stages in which he has taken part, and nine out of 12 since the start of 2024. This was his 64th career victory, of which 21 have come in time trials.
Evenepoel was also impressed by the performance of Pogacar who was a distant third to the Belgian and Vingegaard in the time trial in the recent Criterium du Dauphine.
“Compared to the Dauphine, he took a big step forward. He showed that he’s in great form and that he’s the man to beat in this Tour.”
Thursday serves up the second longest stage of this year’s Tour with 3,500 meters of elevation over a 201.5km route through Normandy which starts in Vauquelin’s home town of Bayeux and ends with a short, steep climb to the finish in Vire Normandie.
Let the Esports World Cup games begin!
- Features 2,000 players, 25 tournaments, $70m to win
- Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan hails govt support
RIYADH: The Esports World Cup kicks off in Riyadh on Thursday featuring over 2,000 elite players, 25 tournaments across 24 leading titles, and a record-breaking prize pool of over $70 million.
Running from July 10 to Aug. 24, the event will also have the world’s top 200 clubs competing in a new format.
At the heart of the competition is the Club Championship, where teams accumulate points to claim a $7 million grand prize and the coveted trophy.
The over $70 million prize pool also includes $38 million for individual Game Championships, $5 million in global qualifier rewards, and $450,000 in MVP bonuses.
Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan, chairman of the Saudi Esports Federation, praised Saudi Arabia’s leadership for their support at a press conference in Riyadh on Wednesday.
“The Kingdom is cementing its position as a global leader in gaming and esports. The Esports World Cup is a clear reflection of that progress.”
The event, run by the Esport World Cup Foundation, was first held in Riyadh last year with a purse of $62.5 million.
The team competition was won by Team Falcons, from Saudi Arabia, in 2024.
“This event stands as a global milestone for esports by showcasing the scale, ambition, and future of competitive gaming,” Prince Faisal said.
“It is a moment that will shape the direction of the industry for years to come.”
Faisal bin Homran, chief product officer of the Esports World Cup Foundation, added: “The Esports World Cup is redefining what’s possible in esports.
“It brings together the world’s top teams to compete in the most iconic and advanced arenas, delivering a level of excitement that is unmatched across the industry.”
Djokovic reaches record 14th Wimbledon semifinal
- The Serb, chasing a historic 25th Grand Slam singles crown, was given the royal seal of approval by Britain’s Queen Camilla before his 6-7 (6/8), 6-2, 7-5, 6-4 win on Center Court
LONDON: Novak Djokovic won a testing battle against Flavio Cobolli on Wednesday to reach a record 14th men’s Wimbledon semifinal, which will be a blockbuster clash against world number one Jannik Sinner.
The Serb, chasing a historic 25th Grand Slam singles crown, was given the royal seal of approval by Britain’s Queen Camilla before his 6-7 (6/8), 6-2, 7-5, 6-4 win on Center Court.
The seven-time champion was pushed hard by the Italian 22nd seed but ultimately had too much for the 23-year-old, who had never previously been beyond the third round of a major.
Djokovic said Wimbledon was the “most special tournament” in the sport as he was cheered by the crowd.
“And of course, it means the world to me that I’m still able at 38 to play the final stages of Wimbledon,” he said.
“Thank you for cheering for my age. I really appreciate it. It’s beautiful. Makes me feel very young.
“And I guess another thing that makes me feel very young is competing with youngsters, you know, like Cobolli today — he’s who knows how many years younger than me.”
The sixth seed prepared for the contest by meeting Camilla, the wife of King Charles III, who said she was keeping her “fingers crossed” for his match.
She watched Djokovic from the Royal Box, along with British actor Hugh Grant.
Cobolli showed early intent, mixing up his play with drop shots and heavy groundstrokes from his flashing orange racquet and unsettling his illustrious opponent.
Djokovic, who has reached every Wimbledon final since 2018, served for the first set at 5-3 but the Italian broke back and won the ensuing tie-break.
Cobolli, who has claimed titles in Bucharest and Hamburg this year, next had to answer the question of whether he could sustain his level against the 24-time Grand Slam champion.
But it was a different story in the second set as Djokovic broke twice to level the match in the evening sunshine.
The pair swapped service breaks early in the third set but Djokovic pounced again in the 11th game and thundered an ace as he took control of the match.
The fourth set was tight but Cobolli failed to put away a simple winner at the net in the ninth game.
Djokovic slipped and fell awkwardly when serving for the match, grimacing in pain, but got up to finish the job.
He played down the incident in his on-court interview.
“I had a nasty slip, but that’s what happens when you play on the grass,” he said.
“It did come at an awkward moment, but somehow I managed to find a good serve and close it out. Obviously, I’m going to visit this subject now with my physio and hopefully I’ll be well in two days.”
The Serb now owns the all-time record for most Wimbledon men’s singles semifinal appearances, moving one clear of eight-time champion Roger Federer, who reached the last four 13 times.
He has also reached a 52nd Grand Slam semifinal, extending his all-time record in the men’s game.
Djokovic is now within two wins of breaking his tie with Margaret Court for the most Grand Slam singles titles for any player, man or woman.
If he reaches and wins Sunday’s final he will also equal Federer’s record of eight men’s titles at the All England Club.
Sinner, who beat 10th seed Ben Shelton earlier Wednesday, will offer a different level of challenge.
The top seed has won his past four matches against Djokovic, beating him in straight sets in the semifinals of the recent French Open.
Carlos Alcaraz, who has beaten Djokovic in the past two finals at Wimbledon, takes on US fifth seed Taylor Fritz in the other semifinal on Friday.
