Iga Swiatek produced heavy metal tennis to destroy Daria Kasatkina's French Open hopes in a brutal semi-final performance, then revealed she was inspired by listening to Led Zeppelin.

Swiatek, who is reading the Alexander Dumas novel The Three Musketeers while in Paris, is hoovering up classic culture at a young age.

The 21-year-old has made no secret of her love for hard rock and rates AC/DC among her favourite bands.

Rather than search for focus by listening to chillout music or meditation tapes, Swiatek plays by her own rules and served up a 6-2 6-1 thumping of Kasatkina after indulging in a little Page and Plant.

"I try to treat every match the same way, because if I realise this is one of the biggest matches of the season it can stress me out. So I'm trying to focus on the tasks and I listen to music when I work out," Swiatek said in an on-court interview.

Asked which artist she was listening to, Swiatek said: "Led Zeppelin. It's really helping me out so I can start with being proactive. I use everything to help me."

Swiatek won the 2020 French Open final as an outsider ranked 54th in the world, but she is a hot favourite to be champion this year after climbing to number one.

Friday's win was a 34th in succession for the Polish player, who has won five tournaments in that run.

She said: "It's a pretty special moment, and I'm really emotional. I'm so grateful to be in that place and be healthy and be able to play my game. It's amazing and I love playing here."

She is feeling plenty of love from the Roland Garros crowds, particularly a strong contingent from Poland.

"It's easier to play matches with that kind of support, and I've had that in every place I've played this year and it's still surprising for me," she said.

"When I started playing the WTA, basically right after my first year it was COVID and I wasn't able to see how many Polish people would come, and it's still overwhelming and it surprises me how much they're supporting."

As well as being open about her musical heroes, Swiatek is unabashed in making clear her affection for Rafael Nadal, the 13-time French Open winner who is through to another semi-final this fortnight after beating Novak Djokovic on Tuesday.

"He's inspiring me in every aspect, on court and off court, because he's so humble and down to earth," Swiatek said.

"He's the kind of guy who's always saying hi, and it's amazing because it seems the success didn't change him and he's still the same, a great person.

"When I watched this year's Australian Open final [against Daniil Medvedev] it was just amazing. Even I had doubts and I could see how he was trying to find solutions and trying to get better during the match, and he did and he won, so he's a huge inspiration. Not only here but on every court, it's just great to watch him play."

Iga Swiatek charged past Daria Kasatkina to reach the French Open final with a devastating display of excellence.

The surprise 2020 Roland Garros champion is this year's hot favourite for the title, and she extended her astonishing winning run to 34 matches with a 6-2 6-1 victory on Friday.

It was magnificent from top seed Swiatek, who from 2-2 in the first set won 10 of the next 11 games, sealing victory with an ace.

Kasatkina is a former French Open girls' champion and this was her first grand slam semi-final at the age of 25, with the Russian having largely breezed through to this round.

A former world number 10, now ranked at 20 by the WTA, Barcelona-based Kasatkina would have returned to the top 10 had she reached the final in Paris. However, she had lost three times to Swiatek already in 2022, winning only 11 games in those matches, and so this landslide result was perhaps inevitable.

Kasatkina's start was bright enough, recovering an early break, but Swiatek soon began to take control, moving well and finding her range, crucially keeping her winners count higher than the unforced errors.

Picking off Kasatkina's soft second serve was helping Swiatek's cause, and a stunning forehand clean winner from one such scenario sealed a 5-1 lead as Swiatek closed in on the title match.

She wrapped it up in just an hour and four minutes, the potential of the match-up never materialising as Swiatek, who spent time listening to Led Zeppelin before coming on court, left Kasatkina dazed and confused.

Data slam: Swiatek exploits Kasatkina weakness

Swiatek, who was ranked at number 54 when she took the title as a teenager, was still a work in progress at the time. She is fast becoming the finished article and Kasatkina found the 21-year-old's power and precision overwhelming. Here, Kasatkina dropped sets for the first time in the tournament, and her second serve was made to look ridiculously meek. Kasatkina won only three of 14 points on her second serve, and that is a recipe for defeat.

WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS

Swiatek – 22/13
Kasatkina – 10/24

ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS

Swiatek – 1/2
Kasatkina – 2/2

BREAK POINTS WON

Swiatek – 5/10
Kasatkina – 1/1

Neymar scored two penalties as Brazil cruised to an entertaining 5-1 friendly win over South Korea in Seoul on Thursday.

South Korea star Son Heung-min had urged his team-mates to be fearless against the top-ranked side in international football, but they were outclassed for much of the match by Tite's men.

A scrappy Richarlison opener had Brazil in charge as early as the seventh minute and, although the hosts did equalise through Hwang Ui-jo, more Brazil goals were inevitable such was their dominance.

Alex Sandro proved key to getting Brazil back in front as he won two penalties either side of half-time, with Neymar outsmarting the goalkeeper on both occasions to put the game beyond South Korea before substitutes Philippe Coutinho and Gabriel Jesus finished off the rout.

Brazil's purposeful start saw Thiago Silva have a goal disallowed for offside inside two minutes, though they did not have to wait much longer to legitimately take the lead as Richarlison deflected Fred's strike into the net.

After wasting several chances in something of an onslaught, the Selecao were pegged back just past the half-hour mark – Hwang held off Silva, spun into the box and shot into the bottom-left corner.

Dominant Brazil were back on top by half-time, though. A VAR review spotted Lee Yong catching Alex Sandro in the box and Neymar coolly converted.

A similar incident occurred 10 minutes into the second half, with Kim Young-Gwon this time culpable, and Neymar ensured the outcome was identical.

Coutinho emphatically found the top-right corner just after replacing Neymar to increase Brazil's handsome lead, before Jesus slotted home at the end of a darting run to round off an impressive day's work for the Selecao.

Antonio Rudiger said it was a "proud" moment to be announced as Real Madrid's latest signing.

The defender has left Chelsea after five years, agreeing a four-year contract with the LaLiga and Champions League winners.

He moves on a free transfer as his Chelsea contract expires and is set to fortify Carlo Ancelotti's Madrid defence ahead of a fresh push for silverware next season.

Rudiger wrote on Instagram: "I'm proud to announce that I'll be joining @RealMadrid.

"I'm super excited for all the challenges ahead and can't wait to play my first games for this huge club."

His announcement came as Chelsea and Madrid both confirmed the deal was complete.

Rudiger will be officially presented by Madrid on June 20, the Spanish club said.

Rudiger enjoyed considerable success at Chelsea, winning the Champions League title with the Blues in the 2020-21 season when Thomas Tuchel's side denied Manchester City in the final.

He was an FA Cup winner in 2018 and helped the west London club land the Europa League title a year later.

Chelsea's Champions League defence in the 2021-22 campaign came to an end at the hands of Madrid in the quarter-finals, with Rudiger scoring as Thomas Tuchel's side won the second leg 3-2 in Spain but lost 5-4 on aggregate.

Ben Stokes' first major selection calls all looked to have gone to plan by lunch on day one of the first Test against New Zealand, who stumbled through to the end of the first session on 39-6.

In England's first Test since naming Stokes as captain and appointing Black Caps great Brendon McCullum as coach, New Zealand won the toss and had the opportunity to apply early pressure.

Instead, recalled veterans James Anderson and Stuart Broad ripped through the top order with the help of Jonny Bairstow.

Bairstow, stationed in a slip cordon that was for so long an issue under Joe Root and Chris Silverwood, took the first three catches, including a sensational effort for the breakthrough wicket of Will Young off the bowling of Anderson.

His impeccable handling, even stooping to catch after juggling Tom Latham off Anderson, stood in stark contrast to what had gone before – England have dropped 70 catches in Tests since the start of 2021, the most of any side.

Bairstow's take from Devon Conway off Broad was far more straightforward between his legs, but New Zealand captain Kane Williamson remained in the middle as Matthew Potts – Stokes' Durham team-mate – took the ball for the first time in his Test debut.

Potts is the leading wicket taker in the County Championship this season, counting 15 top-four batters among his 35 scalps, and he required only five balls to make his mark.

New Zealand came into this match with the best batting strike rate against pace in Test cricket since the start of 2021 (55.3), but Potts' seam delivery teased an outside edge from Williamson, who was caught behind by Ben Foakes.

Potts (3-8) was not done there either, bowling through Daryl Mitchell to scatter his stumps and removing Tom Blundell, too, after earlier being denied by a successful lbw review in a sensational start for the rookie bowler, Stokes and England.

That positivity was only dampened by news of Jack Leach's withdrawal from the Test with concussion symptoms after an awkward fall while chasing a ball in the field.

England spinner Jack Leach had to be withdrawn from the first Test against New Zealand before lunch on day one.

Leach, playing his 23rd Test in England's first match since Ben Stokes was named captain, had not yet had the opportunity to bowl when he set off in pursuit of a Devon Conway drive off Stuart Broad in the sixth over.

The Somerset man did superbly to prevent a boundary with a lunge towards the rope, but he appeared to land awkwardly on his neck as he tumbled forwards.

Leach did not immediately get up and required treatment, exiting the match but able to walk himself back to the dressing room.

An ECB statement soon revealed: "Jack Leach has symptoms of concussion following his head injury whilst fielding.

"As per concussion guidelines, he has been withdrawn from this Test. We will confirm a concussion replacement in due course."

England had already reduced New Zealand to 2-2 at the time of Leach's injury, and the Black Caps were still struggling on 22-4 as news came of his withdrawal.

The NBA Finals are here with a mouth-watering matchup between the Golden State Warriors and the Boston Celtics.

This Warriors team are used to this stage, playing their sixth Finals in eight years, but this is the first trip for the 17-time champion Celtics since 2010.

Ahead of Thursday's highly anticipated Game 1, Stats Perform delves into the best STATS numbers going into an intriguing series...

HISTORY SIDES WITH CELTICS

Only the Los Angeles Lakers (32) have been to more NBA Finals than the Celtics (now 22) and the Warriors (now 12), yet this is only the second time they have met at this stage of the season.

The Celtics beat the Warriors in five in the 1964 Finals, the sixth in a run of eight straight Boston titles.

But that is not their only postseason encounter to date, with the Warriors based in Philadelphia until 1962. They fared no better against the Celtics in the Eastern Conference playoffs, however, losing all three series, as the Warriors have never beaten Boston in the postseason.

More recently, the teams split the two-game series this year, but the Celtics have won six of the past seven meetings between the sides by an average of 14.0 points.

THE THREAT FROM THREE

Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson will have played in half of the Warriors' Finals appearances, although neither of them have yet won a Finals MVP award.

They will certainly be key to any Golden State success this year and head into the series in form, having again displayed their outstanding ability from three-point range.

Curry has made multiple threes in every game in this playoff campaign and in 34 straight postseason games dating back to 2019. It is the longest streak of games with two or more made threes in playoff history.

In fact, with runs of 27 games between 2014 and 2016 and 20 games between 2016 and 2017, the point guard owns three of the four best such sequences.

Thompson's longest run of playoff games with multiple made threes was 14 in 2016, but he passed team-mate Curry in another regard while scoring 32 points in the closeout Game 5 against the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference Finals.

Thompson knocked down eight shots from deep for his fifth playoff game with eight or more made threes – now the outright most ahead of Curry, Ray Allen and Damian Lillard (four each).

DEFENSE TO BE DECISIVE?

The Celtics have their own scorers, with Jayson Tatum (27.0) on course to average at least 25.0 points in the playoffs for a third straight year.

He would become only the third Celtic to achieve that feat, following in the footsteps of Larry Bird and John Havlicek, who each scored at that rate in four consecutive postseason campaigns.

But what Boston do on the other end of the floor will likely be decisive, as it has been so far in their run to the Finals.

The Celtics beat the Miami Heat 100-96 in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals for their 31st win across the regular season and postseason in 2021-22 while holding their opponents to fewer than 100 points. That is the most in the NBA.

If Tatum drives the offense, Al Horford is the key man on defense, and the Celtics have outscored opponents by 10.7 points per 100 possessions with him on the court. They have been outscored by 2.2 points per 100 possessions with Horford off the court.

In Game 7 against the Heat, Horford had 14 rebounds, two blocks and a team-high plus/minus of 10.

Manchester United have confirmed Juan Mata is leaving after eight and a half years at the club.

The 34-year-old went on to make 285 appearances for United after his signing under David Moyes in January 2014.

A World Cup and Euro 2012 winner with Spain, Mata helped the Red Devils claim the Europa League and EFL Cup in 2016-17, as well as scoring the equaliser in their FA Cup final triumph over Crystal Palace in 2015-16.

"Thank you for dedicating eight years of your career to United, Juan. Everyone at the club wishes you all the best for the future," the club said in a statement.

Mata added: "I wanted to say thank you very much to all of you for your support over the years, and especially during the difficult times that we lived together."

Mata struggled for minutes this past season under both Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralf Rangnick, however, and becomes the third midfielder to announce his departure from the club in under 24 hours.

Amid new manager Erik ten Hag's overhaul, the Spaniard will exit along with Paul Pogba and Jesse Lingard, who United confirmed on Wednesday are also leaving when their contracts expire later this month.

Manu Tuilagi will miss England's three-Test tour of Australia after undergoing a knee operation, it was revealed on Thursday.

His club side, Sale Sharks, indicated the decision to opt for surgery was taken with the plan that it should put Tuilagi in a strong place ahead of next year's Rugby World Cup.

The injury-plagued centre missed the Six Nations this year and has featured only sporadically during Eddie Jones' tenure as head coach.

Jones recently said that Tuilagi "really wants to make an imprint on this Australian tour", but that plan will have to be shelved.

An automatic pick in the England side if fit, Jones must hope the surgery clears up the 31-year-old's latest problem.

Sale said in a statement: "Sale Sharks can confirm that Manu Tuilagi has undergone a routine procedure on his knee which will rule the 31-year-old out of this summer’s England tour to Australia.

"The club, in close consultation with England Rugby, have decided that a summer of rest and a full pre-season is the best course of action to ensure Manu is fit and available for Sale Sharks and England during a crucial year for both club and country.

"Everyone at the club wishes Manu all the best for his recovery and looks forward to seeing him at Carrington [the club's training base] for the start of pre-season."

England face the Barbarians at Twickenham on June 19 before travelling to Australia for Tests on July 2 in Perth, July 9 in Brisbane and July 16 in Sydney.

The 2023 Rugby World Cup takes place in France from September to October next year.

Manu Tuilagi will miss England's three-Test tour of Australia after undergoing a knee operation, it was revealed on Thursday.

His club side, Sale Sharks, indicated the decision to opt for surgery was taken with the plan that it should put Tuilagi in a strong place ahead of next year's Rugby World Cup.

The injury-plagued centre missed the Six Nations this year and has featured only sporadically during Eddie Jones' tenure as head coach.

Jones recently said that Tuilagi "really wants to make an imprint on this Australian tour", but that plan will have to be shelved.

An automatic pick in the England side if fit, Jones must hope the surgery clears up the 31-year-old's latest problem.

Sale said in a statement: "Sale Sharks can confirm that Manu Tuilagi has undergone a routine procedure on his knee which will rule the 31-year-old out of this summer’s England tour to Australia.

"The club, in close consultation with England Rugby, have decided that a summer of rest and a full pre-season is the best course of action to ensure Manu is fit and available for Sale Sharks and England during a crucial year for both club and country.

"Everyone at the club wishes Manu all the best for his recovery and looks forward to seeing him at Carrington [the club's training base] for the start of pre-season."

England face the Barbarians at Twickenham on June 19 before travelling to Australia for Tests on July 2 in Perth, July 9 in Brisbane and July 16 in Sydney.

The 2023 Rugby World Cup takes place in France from September to October next year.

The Denver Broncos will make no excuses in 2022, says Tim Patrick, because it is "Super Bowl or bust" for a new-look team.

The Broncos were a miserable 7-10 at the bottom of the AFC West last year but have reshaped their organisation ahead of the new season.

A blockbuster trade for quarterback Russell Wilson from the Seattle Seahawks was the standout piece of business, but the Broncos also have a new coach in Nathaniel Hackett and a new offensive coordinator in Justin Outten.

While still playing in a highly competitive division, Denver's outlook has now changed completely.

And fifth-year wide receiver Patrick, who will hope to benefit from Wilson's arrival, has outlined the team's need for a fast start.

"We have to do things on our own, so we can get it," he said, "because we don't want to be one of those teams to make excuses – new coach, new quarterback, new offense – and we don't get going until the end of the year.

"We want to come out the gate firing on all cylinders, because it's Super Bowl or bust this year."

Those standards have already been raised by Wilson, who won a Super Bowl in Seattle.

"He's a big presence and he carries himself the right way," Patrick added.

"If you see Russ doing it and you're not... if you can't put in extra work, you're not serious about winning and you don't belong on this team."

Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry believes this NBA Finals appearance has a deeper significance than his previous trips, heading into Thursday's series opener against the Boston Celtics.

The Warriors booked their sixth NBA Finals berth in the past eight seasons after defeating the Dallas Mavericks in five games, with Curry also taking out the inaugural Western Conference Finals MVP.

With long-term injuries to Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson, as well Kevin Durant's departure for the Brooklyn Nets, the Dubs finished with the NBA's worst record in the 2019-20 season. This campaign has seen them rejuvenate the fluid ball-movement and intelligent basketball on both ends that propelled them to the 2014-15 title, however.

Given the journey back to the top of the NBA landscape, after that Game 6 loss in the 2019 NBA Finals to the Toronto Raptors without Durant - and in which Thompson sustained his ACL injury - Curry insisted this run feels different to the other five.

Asked what separates this appearance from the other at the NBA Finals media day, Curry said: "The context of the past four years – from Game 6 of the 2019 Finals to now – what we've been through as a team.

"With injuries, obviously the pandemic that's happened over the last two-and-a-half years, everything that we've all been through – with this as the ultimate goal. Getting back on this stage with a chance to play for another championship.

"Then you look up and all the work you've put in over the last two years has paid off. They built on the experience, and the veteran presence we have. All that stuff is built into the context of what's happened since Game 6 of the 2019 Finals, and we're back here, so it's pretty special."

The end of last season was a precursor of sorts as the Warriors went all-in on their distinct brand of basketball, with Kelly Oubre Jr. only playing five of the final 20 regular-season games, where they went 15-5.

After adding Otto Porter Jr. and Nemanja Bjelica and giving more scope to Jordan Poole, the Warriors flew out the gate this season with an 18-2 start, before injuries to Curry and Green halted momentum.

Coming out of the Western Conference again this season, the former unanimous MVP said it spoke to the Warriors' core organisational values and identity.

"I shared similar sentiments with Draymond on options of what could happen last off-season, and what we should, or shouldn't do," Curry said.

"It also speaks to the culture of our organisation, and who we are, and what it takes to win at the highest level. However the young guys can learn that, and however they have learned that, it has been amazing to watch."

English golfer Eddie Pepperell claims stars who sign up for the LIV Golf Invitational Series are making it obvious "what money means to you".

Former world top-50 star Pepperell says many players are taking "a big risk" by aligning themselves with the series that is being funded by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund.

Former U.S. Open and Masters champion Dustin Johnson, 37, is among the 42 confirmed entrants for the first event, which will be held at Centurion Club near London from June 9-11.

Sergio Garcia, Kevin Na, Louis Oosthuizen, Ian Poulter, Charl Schwartzel, Graeme McDowell and Lee Westwood are also set to feature in a tournament that will have 12 teams and 48 players.

There have been claims of the event being an attempt at sportswashing, and while Pepperell did not level that accusation, he suggested a lust for money had to be the prime motivation for players who have gone against the wishes of the PGA Tour and European Tour by agreeing to take part.

"From a ROI [return on investment] perspective, the field for the first LIV event is awful," Pepperell wrote on Twitter. "Obviously they're banking on that changing over time. You have to wonder how long they'll keep pouring that amount of money into this if that change doesn't come quickly.

"Plus, deteriorating financial conditions across the world may have an impact. Nobody will be impervious to what we're seeing and what we'll continue to see economically into the next 18 months.

"The players who have signed up should be upfront and honest about their reasons to do so. And it has to be the money. There's nothing wrong with chasing money or higher salaries, people do it across all industries.

"It's somewhat understandable from the older guys… But to those under 35/40 who have signed up, you have taken a big risk. And it shows to the rest of us (peers included) how little commitment you have to your respective Tours (who have done a lot for you), and ultimately what money means to you."

The inaugural tournament clashes with the Canadian Open on the PGA Tour, an event at which Johnson is a previous winner.

Rory McIlroy described the Canada event and this week's Memorial Tournament as "proper golf tournaments" on Wednesday, as he reflected on the LIV Series line-up.

"I certainly don't think the field is anything to jump up and down about," McIlroy said of the Centurion Club tournament.

Northern Irishman McIlroy has tempered his comments on the LIV Series in recent months, having previously been robust in his opposition.

He understands its appeal to some, but has been quite clear he will not be taking part.

"Some guys are in a position where they are not guaranteed a job next year. It's hard to stay in the top 125, especially when you're in your 40s and maybe don't hit the ball as far as you've used to. As we've seen, it's a young man's game nowadays," McIlroy said.

"So if another entity comes along and says, 'we'll guarantee you this amount for three years', plus you're playing for a ton more prize money, you're playing fewer events and you can spend more time with your family it's very appealing to some of those guys that are in that position."

Phil Mickelson had long been linked with the LIV Series, but the 51-year-old has not played since apologising for comments made about the Saudi Arabia regime and has not been included on next week's start list. The American said in February he was taking a break from golf and did not defend his US PGA Championship last month.