Rafael Nadal says there is a high chance he has appeared at the French Open for the final time after his first-round exit on Monday.
The Spaniard has won a record 14 titles on the clay courts at the Paris tournament, yet came unstuck in a straight-sets hammering by Alexander Zverev.
An emotional Court Philippe-Chatrier crowd watched on as Nadal was picked apart by the impressive Zverev, who triumphed 6-3 7-6 (7-5) 6-3 in just over three hours.
In doing so, Zverev became only the third player to defeat Nadal at Roland-Garros – after Robin Soderling and Novak Djokovic.
Yet this defeat could mark Nadal's last in the French capital as speculation swirls over the 37-year-old's future with injury issues persisting.
Nadal said after the loss: "It's incredible. I don't know if it's going to be the last time that I'm going to be here in front of all of you.
"I am not 100 per cent sure, but if it's the last time, I have enjoyed it. The crowd have been amazing during the whole week of preparation and today.
"The feelings I have today are difficult to describe in words. For me, it's so special to feel the love of the people in the place that I love the most."
Nadal has won 112 matches at Roland-Garros, the highest tally in men's singles main draws in the Open Era at a single major event.
The 22-time major winner adding to that impressive record appears unlikely.
"I have been going through a very tough two years in terms of injuries," he continued. "I went through all these processes with the dream to be here at Roland Garros.
"I was competitive, I had my chances, but it was not enough against a great player like Sacha.
"There's a big percentage that I will not be back here playing at Roland-Garros, but I can say that I've enjoyed playing here a lot.
"Maybe, in two months, I say it's enough and I can't give anything else, but it's something I don't feel yet.
"I have some goals. I hope to be back on this court for the Olympics, that motivates me. That's going to be another chance. I really hope to be well-prepared."
Basketball legend Bill Walton died Monday at the age of 71.
The NBA announced he passed away following a prolonged battle with cancer.
During a 10-year professional career, Walton won a pair of NBA titles and was named the 1977-78 league MVP. He was also included on the NBA's 50th anniversary and 75th anniversary teams.
He was the No. 1 overall pick of the 1974-75 NBA draft by the Portland Trail Blazers following a brilliant collegiate career that saw him win a pair of national titles at UCLA and earn three national player of the year awards.
"Bill Walton was truly one of a kind," NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement.
He helped redefine the centre position, but his career was cut short by foot injuries.
After averaging 17.1 points and 13.5 rebounds in his first four seasons with the Trail Blazers, he averaged 10.2 points and 8.1 boards in his final six seasons with the Clippers and Celtics.
He led Portland to the 1976-77 NBA title, while being named Finals MVP, and later won a championship with Boston in 1985-86.
He retired after playing just 10 games in the 1986-87 season, and was inducted into the basketball Hall of Fame in 1993.
Following his playing career, Walton became a star broadcaster for decades. He became known for his colourful broadcasting style, where he enthusiastically offered high praise and also blunt criticism.
"What I will remember most about him was his zest for life," Silver said. "He was a regular presence at league events – always upbeat, smiling ear to ear and looking to share his wisdom and warmth. "
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) all-rounder Sunil Narine was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the Indian Premier League 2024, marking a historic third time he has won the prestigious award. The former West Indies cricketer played a pivotal role in KKR's emphatic victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the IPL final on Sunday, May 26, when he celebrated his 36th birthday.
Narine's stellar performance throughout the season was a key factor in KKR's success. He scored 488 runs at an average of 37.07 and an impressive strike rate of 179.85. With the ball, the 36-year-old off-spinner took 17 wickets, maintaining an economy rate of 6.90. Additionally, his fielding contributions were significant, with seven catches and three run-outs.
"The feeling is overwhelming and I couldn't have asked for a better birthday gift. I am enjoying my cricket at the moment -- batting, bowling and fielding. What helps is when the team is winning," Narine said after receiving the MVP award.
Narine's overall performance earned him 431.5 MVP points, putting him well ahead of second-placed Virat Kohli (315.5 points) and third-placed Travis Head (274 points). The Trinidadian previously clinched the award in 2012 and 2018. He is also the first player to win the IPL MVP three times.
The MVP award, formerly known as the Player of the Tournament, was renamed in 2013. It is awarded based on a player's performance across various metrics, including runs, wickets, boundaries, catches, run-outs, and dot balls. The calculation is as follows: 3.5 points for each wicket and six hit, 2.5 points for each boundary, catch, run-out, and stumping, and one point for each dot ball bowled.
Narine’s unprecedented third MVP win highlights his all-around abilities and consistency over the years, cementing his status as one of the IPL’s greatest players. As KKR celebrates their triumph, Narine’s remarkable season stands as a testament to his enduring skill and dedication to the game.
Jamaican gymnasts Alana Walker and Isabelle David delivered strong performances at the 2024 Pan American Artistic Gymnastics Championships, finishing 15th and 17th, respectively, in Santa Marta, Colombia. The competition, held from May 22-26, marked a historic achievement for Jamaica as both gymnasts reached the all-around finals.
Head coach Mladen Stefanov expressed his pride in the gymnasts’ achievements. “I am so happy with Isabelle David and Alana Walker’s performance at the Pan Am Games 2024. Both of them got through the qualifying round and made it to the top 24 in the final. This is the first time that Jamaica has had two athletes in the all-around final. Our gymnasts were able to do their skills with confidence and really show their potential, making us proud. It was a long week of competing, and they had to compete two times in three days, which is very hard, but somehow they were able to pull it off. They were trained well, and I am so happy that we were a part of the 2024 Pan Am Games and represented Jamaica in the best way possible.”
Alana Walker
Alana Walker, who secured a top-15 finish with a combined score of 46.867, reflected positively on her performance despite some challenges. She achieved scores of 8.900 on the vault, 7.30 on the uneven bars, 6.51 on the balance beam, and 6.865 on the floor exercise. “Although the finals didn’t go exactly as I had hoped, it was a great end to my 2024 season. I am proud of my top-15 finish for team Jamaica and I also want to say thank you to coaches Mladen and Mary [Marylin Pretov] for helping me through this competition. I look forward to continuing my gymnastics career at Stanford University.”
Isabelle David
Isabelle David, who finished 17th with a total score of 45.867, was also pleased with her performance. She scored 9.40 on the vault, 7.5 on the uneven bars, 6.5 on the balance beam, and 6.967 on the floor exercise. “Even though our all-around finals didn’t go exactly as planned, I am very proud I hit eight out of eight routines while at Pan Ams. I am so grateful for the opportunity to have been here and represent Jamaica, and I am grateful to coaches Mary and Mladen for supporting everyone on the team during this competition. I am very happy with this end to my 2024 season and I am looking forward to opportunities to compete and represent Jamaica in the future.”
The success of Walker and David at the Pan American Championships underscores the progress of Jamaican gymnastics on the international stage, showcasing the nation’s potential and dedication to excellence in the sport.
Rafael Nadal's possible French Open swansong came to an end following a straight-sets defeat by Alexander Zverev.
The German came out on top 6-3 7-6 (7-5) 6-3 in just over three hours on an emotional Court Philippe-Chatrier.
It is widely believed this will be the Spaniard's final appearance at Roland Garros, where he has won a record 14 titles, though the 37-year-old acknowledged he is not yet certain on his future.
The two players were back on Chatrier two years after their notorious semi-final showdown, which was curtailed when Zverev suffering a horrifying ankle injury that ruled him out for the remainder of the season.
However, fresh from his ATP Masters triumph at the Italian Open, the German was quickly into his stride this time around, winning 12 of his last 13 service points on the way to taking the first set.
The fourth seed, who has reached three successive French Open semi-finals, then prevailed in a nail-biting second-set tie-break, before a couple of breaks in the third paved the way for him to seal a commanding win.
Data Debrief: Third time lucky for Zverev
Whether or not that was Nadal's final match at the French Open remains to be seen.
What is certain is that his 14 titles are the most by any player in a single tournament in the Open Era, and his 112 match wins are the highest tally in men's singles draws in a single major event.
Of the 74 different opponents he has faced at Roland Garros, Zverev is only the third to defeat the Spaniard after Robin Soderling and Novak Djokovic.
Unai Emery has signed a new five-year deal with Aston Villa after guiding the club into the Champions League last season.
The Spaniard, whose existing deal still had another three years to run, has put pen to paper on fresh terms that will keep him at Villa Park until 2029.
Villa were 17th in the Premier League when Emery succeeded Steven Gerrard in November 2022, but he dragged them away from danger to a seventh-place finish.
The former Sevilla and Paris Saint-Germain head coach then oversaw a memorable 2023-24 season, in which the Villans finished fourth and qualified for Europe's premier club competition for the first time in 41 years.
Villa also reached the Europa Conference League semi-finals, losing out to Olympiacos, and Emery is thrilled to extend his stay at Villa Park.
"I am very happy to take this step and the responsibility of leading this club," he said.
"There’s great chemistry at Aston Villa, and the element of the fans’ support also makes the difference to feel like home. We are really excited to continue this journey with no limits to our dreams."
"We are building something special here at Aston Villa with Unai at its core, and we are delighted that he has signed a new deal with the club until 2029," chairman Nassef Sawiris added.
"As we move into our historic, 150th anniversary year, there is a lot to look forward to with Unai at the helm."
Coco Gauff made a statement of intent as she steamrollered grand slam debutant Julia Avdeeva in the French Open first round.
The world number three needed just 52 minutes to complete a comprehensive 6-1 6-1 rout on Court Suzanne-Lenglen.
Runner-up to Iga Swiatek two years ago, Gauff has also reached a further two quarter-finals in her four previous appearances at Roland Garros
The reigning US Open champion, who reached the Italian Open semi-finals last time out on clay, wasted little time in launching her quest for another deep run in the French capital.
Avdeeva had come through three qualifying matches to secure her maiden appearance in the main draw of a major.
However, the world number 208 simply had no answer for a relentless Gauff, who did not face a single break point and lost just eight points in her seven service games.
Sealing her biggest victory in a completed match at Roland Garros, the 20-year-old set up a second-round clash with 2021 semi-finalist Tamara Zidansek.
Data Debrief: 50 up for Gauff
An Australian Open semi-finalist in January, Gauff's quickfire victory was also her 50th match win in the main draw of a grand slam, becoming the ninth American woman to reach that milestone before turning 21.
The 20-year-old lost just one point off her own serve, and is now 16-3 in first-round major matches (5-0 at Roland Garros).
Jos Buttler will miss England's third T20 against Pakistan in Cardiff on Tuesday, with his wife due to give birth.
The skipper has left the squad to be with wife Louise for the birth of their third child.
Buttler produced an inspired performance in the second T20 at Edgebaston on Saturday, with his contribution of 84 from 54 deliveries helping the hosts to a 23-run victory.
The 33-year-old's knock, which included eight fours and three sixes, marked the second-highest score by an England captain in a T20I, behind Eoin Morgan's 91 against New Zealand in 2019.
However, the hosts will have to make do without their white-ball skipper in Cardiff, while he could potentially miss the fourth T20 at The Oval on Thursday and some matches at the T20 World Cup, which begins on Sunday.
Moeen Ali will captain England in Buttler's absence, with either Phil Salt or Jonny Bairstow set to deputise as wicketkeeper.
England will begin the defence of their T20 World Cup title against Scotland in the Caribbean on June 4.
Iga Swiatek insists it is "too early" for her to be compared with Rafael Nadal, despite her impressive record at the French Open.
The three-time champion, who lifted Coupe Suzanne Lenglen in 2020, 2022 and 2023, began her quest for a third successive Roland Garros title with a dominant 6-1 6-2 victory over Leolia Jeanjean on Monday.
Swiatek took just 61 minutes to wrap up her 15th straight win at the season's second major, becoming the first player to enjoy such a streak since Justine Henin's run of 24 straight victories between 2005 and 2010.
The Pole has now won 29 of her first 31 matches at the French Open, with only Chris Evert and Monica Seles (both 30) triumphing more often.
Her exploits on clay have drawn comparisons to those of 14-time men's singles champion Rafael Nadal, but the world number one still feels she has a long way to go before those can be made.
"I think it's too early [to be called Queen of clay]," she told Eurosport. "Comparing myself to [Nadal], I don't think I'm at that level yet. I still have many things to prove.
"He's a great person and a great athlete; I think he's shown that for many, many years. I'm just at the beginning. I'll do my best to take some lessons from him on being a good person and a good player."
"I'm really proud of my achievements and this has always been my favourite surface," added Swiatek, who will play Naomi Osaka in a blockbuster second-round showdown.
"It feels like home here. Hopefully, I'm going to be here as long as possible."
Iga Swiatek set up a mouth-watering second-round showdown with Naomi Osaka at the French Open, after storming past Leolia Jeanjean 6-1 6-2 on Court Philippe-Chatrier.
The world number one - champion here in 2020, 2022 and 2023 - made a strong start in her quest for a third straight Roland Garros title, taking just 61 minutes to wrap up her 15th successive win in Paris.
Swiatek had also won each of her last 12 matches on clay ahead of this contest, having gone back-to-back in Madrid and Rome.
And the Pole picked up from where she left off, breaking in her opponent's opening service game as she came flying out of the blocks before taking the first set in just 29 minutes.
Jeanjean broke in the opening game of the second set, but it proved a false dawn for the French qualifier, who was broken a further three times herself as Swiatek soared through.
Next up for her will be fellow four-time major winner Osaka in what promises to be a blockbuster second-round clash at Roland Garros.
Data Debrief: Swiatek matches Henin, Evert, Seles and Graf
Winning 15 consecutive matches at the French Open, Swiatek is the fifth player to do so and first since Justine Henin's streak of 24 straight victories between 2005 and 2010.
Chris Evert, Monica Seles and Steffi Graf are the other three players to win 15 on the spin at Roland Garros.
Meanwhile, only Evert and Seles (both 30) have won more of their first 31 matches at the season's second major than the Pole (29).
Carlo Ancelotti encouraged Real Madrid to enjoy the build-up to this weekend's Champions League final, when Los Blancos will battle Borussia Dortmund for the title.
Madrid are seeking a record-extending 15th triumph in Europe's premier club competition, having seen off the likes of Manchester City and Bayern Munich to reach the showpiece at Wembley.
Ancelotti knows the drill inside out. This is his ninth final overall and sixth as a coach, winning four of the previous five (two with Milan, two with Madrid).
Although, the Italian knows he and his players cannot underestimate Dortmund, who have defeated Atletico Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain to reach their third final.
"It is a week to enjoy," he told reporters on Monday. "The challenge, the opponent. We're going to enjoy it until Friday.
"Reaching a final is always a success. As for being favourites, we don't think about that. We have to play against a team that has done very well. They have shown commitment and attitude.
"The build-up to the big game is always the same, happiness and then worry. The fear will come, but before it does, I'm going to enjoy it.
"The cold sweat comes on Saturday afternoon. It's quite normal, it comes every match and I have experience. I have a lot of confidence in my team. They are in Champions League mode."
Ons Jabeur raced through to the French Open second round after a commanding 6-3 6-2 victory over Sachia Vickery.
The three-time major runner-up took just 81 minutes to book her place in round two at Roland Garros, where she was a quarter-finalist 12 months ago.
A combination of injuries and inconsistent form meant Jabeur arrived in Paris with a 6-9 record for 2024, suffering a first-round exit to Sofia Kenin at the Italian Open last time out.
However, the eighth seed looked in fine fettle on Court Suzanne-Lenglen, with early breaks in both sets paving the way for a comfortable passage into round two at the expense of the American wildcard.
The most recent of her grand slam final defeats came last year at Wimbledon against Marketa Vondrousova, who was also a dominant winner in round one.
Runner-up to Ashleigh Barty in 2019, the fifth seed's quest to go one better five years later began with a 6-1 6-3 victory over Spain's Rebeka Masarova.
Data Debrief: Jabeur On it
Jabeur will not have known what to expect following a stop-start 2024 thus far. However, the Tunisian looked sharp as she won 23 out of 28 points on her first serve, as well as nine of 11 net points.
The eighth seed dominated her opponent with 30 winners to eight, while her drop shots (22-4) were also on point throughout the contest.
Jannik Sinner made a strong start to his French Open title quest with a dominant straight-sets victory over Christoper Eubanks.
The second seed took just over two hours to wrap up a commanding 6-3 6-3 6-4 win against his American opponent on Court Suzanne-Lenglen.
Reigning Australian Open champion Sinner is one of the favourites to go all the way at Roland Garros this year, having also triumphed in Rotterdam and Miami in 2024.
Although, the Italian had not played since withdrawing from the Madrid Open earlier this month with a hip injury.
Nevertheless, he broke Eubanks, who reached last year's Wimbledon quarter-finals, three times on his way to taking the opening set.
Sinner, who will become the first Italian to top the ATP rankings should he reach the final this fortnight, broke early again in the next two sets to set up a second-round meeting with veteran Richard Gasquet.
Data Debrief: Sinner matches 'the big three'
Sinner, 22, became only the fourth player in the last 30 years to win his first eight men's single major matches of the season before turning 23, after Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.
The Italian has now won 11 of his 12 matches at Roland Garros against players ranked outside the top 10, with his only such defeat coming against world number 79 Daniel Altmeier in last year's second round.
Lamine Yamal has been named in Spain's provisional squad for Euro 2024, while Barcelona team-mate Fermin Lopez is one of two uncapped players included by Luis de la Fuente.
The 16-year-old headlines a relatively youthful 29-man party for La Roja, which must be cut to 26 by June 7 ahead of the tournament in Germany.
Yamal became Spain's youngest ever player and scorer when, aged 16 years and 50 days old, he found the net on his debut against Georgia last September, and has been a standout player for Barca this season.
He is joined in the squad by team-mates Pedri, Pau Cubarsi, Ferran Torres and Fermin, who is handed his first senior call-up by De la Fuente having also impressed during his maiden LaLiga campaign.
The same can be said for Real Betis forward Ayoze Perez, who scored 11 goals for Los Verdiblancos this term, but Marco Asensio, Pedro Perro, Pau Torres and Kepa Arrizabalaga are notable absentees, with Gavi also missing out through injury.
David Raya, Alex Grimaldo and Marc Cucurella are among several players still yet to reach double figures in caps to be included.
Greater experience is provided by skipper Alvaro Morata, as well as the likes of Dani Carvajal, Nacho, Rodri and Jesus Navas, while Real Madrid striker Joselu also gets the nod following his Champions League semi-final heroics against Bayern Munich.
Spain begin their Euro 2024 campaign against Croatia in Berlin on June 15, while La Roja will also face Italy and Albania in Group B.
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