The third major of the year is upon us, and one man in particular will be hoping it goes more smoothly than the second.
World number one Scottie Scheffler saw his bid for a first PGA Championship crown unravel at Valhalla Golf Course, with Xander Schauffele ultimately edging out Bryson DeChambeau and Viktor Hovland for his first major crown.
Many expect the duo – currently the top two in golf's world rankings – to battle it out for glory on Course No. 2 at Pinehurst Resort this week, as the U.S. Open heads back to North Carolina.
Rory McIlroy could have something to say about that, with last year's second-place finish at the U.S. Open the closest he has come to ending his decade-long major drought.
Ahead of the 124th edition of the tournament, which features the largest purse of any major at $20million, we run through the likely contenders, the storylines to keep an eye on and what to expect from the course.
The course
Pinehurst No. 2 is hosting the U.S. Open for the fourth time, having previously been used for the 1999, 2005 and 2014 editions.
Since it first welcomed the event, the course has been home to the tournament more times than any other venue.
The course, which was renovated in 2011, is known for rewarding putting accuracy over driving excellence, and it has not always favoured home players in the past.
While Pinehurst No. 2's first staging of the U.S. Open produced a United States-born victor in Payne Stewart, New Zealand's Michael Campbell triumphed in 2005 and Germany's Martin Kaymer won by eight strokes in 2014.
That was the second-largest margin of victory recorded at the U.S. Open since the World War II after Tiger Woods triumphed by 15 shots at Pebble Beach in 2000.
Expect four gruelling days. Indeed, across the previous four editions of the U.S. Open to be played at Pinehurst No. 2, only Kaymer in 2014 (-9) finished with a score better than one under par for the week.
The contenders
Fresh off the back of his first major success, Schauffele will expect to be in the running again. He is one of four players to finish inside the top 10 at both of this year's majors to date, having ranked eighth at the Masters. The others to do so are Scheffler, DeChambeau and Collin Morikawa.
Five players have previous won both the PGA Championship and the U.S. Open in the same year – Gene Sarazen (1922), Ben Hogan (1948), Jack Nicklaus (1980), Woods (2000) and Brooks Koepka (2018).
The clear favourite once again, though, is Scheffler.
He was arrested and charged with second-degree assault of a police officer, third-degree criminal mischief, reckless driving and disregarding traffic signals from an officer after attempting to pass an incident outside Valhalla ahead of his second round last month.
He finished the tournament in a share of eighth – an admirable effort, given the disruption – and saw his charges dismissed just 12 days after his arrest.
The incident has not done much to affect his form. Scheffler claimed his fifth title of the year at the PGA Tour's Memorial Tournament last week, becoming just the second player – alongside Woods – to win the Players Championship, Masters and Memorial in the same year.
He has won five of his eight tournaments on the PGA Tour since March, finishing T2 twice and T8 once in the other three.
Reflecting on the way he responded to his arrest at Valhalla, Scheffler said: "I call it compartmentalising parts of my life.
"So I have my off-course life and then I have my on-course life, when I'm out here practicing and playing tournaments. I don't show up to these tournaments just to play. I'm here to do my best and compete."
Besides Scheffler and Schauffele, McIlroy will be hoping to go one better after finishing one stroke behind champion Wyndham Clark at last year's U.S. Open.
Having fallen short at the year's first two majors, the Northern Irishman hopes the firm conditions expected in North Carolina will play into his hands.
"After the Open Championship in 2019 I'd had a disappointing run in the majors, and I tried to change my mindset," he told The Telegraph.
"Since then I've come to love it when it is fast and firm. If you look at my results in the U.S. Open and some of the toughest tests from 2019 until now, I would say the U.S. Open has arguably been my best major in the last few years."
Morikawa should also be there or thereabouts, having been narrowly edged out by Scheffler on his most recent outing at the Memorial.
Alongside Ludvig Aberg, he has the most top-10 finishes on the PGA Tour this year without a victory (six). Might his luck turn this week?
The legends
The U.S. Open will also feature a couple of players attempting to recapture past glories, with Woods the one most fans are looking forward to seeing.
He missed the cut at the PGA Championship after carding scores of 72 and 77, subsequently admitting improvements are needed in all areas if he is to fare better on his first U.S. Open appearance since 2020.
"I need to clean up my rounds," Woods said after the PGA Championship. "Physically, yes, I am better than I was a month ago.
"I still have more ways to go, lots of improvement to do physically, and hopefully my team and I can get that done pre-Pinehurst."
Only four players – Willie Anderson, Bobby Jones, Hogan and Nicklaus (four apiece) – have bettered Woods' three U.S. Open triumphs, and his most recent victory at the event was the last to be decided by a playoff, seeing off Rocco Mediate in 2008.
While Woods has enjoyed plenty of success at the U.S. Open, the same cannot be said for Phil Mickelson.
It is the only major he has not won in his 32 attempts, 30 as a professional and two as an amateur, and his six second-place finishes at the U.S. Open are more than any other player.
The first of those came 25 years ago, at Pinehurst No. 2.
The history
For all the big names on show, the U.S. Open does have a tendency to throw up surprise victors.
Indeed, since Woods triumphed at Torrey Pines in 2018, 12 of the next 15 U.S. Opens have produced a first-time major champion. That includes the last five editions, with Gary Woodland, DeChambeau, Jon Rahm and Matt Fitzpatrick triumphing before Clark.
Clark could become just the fourth player since World War II to retain the U.S. Open title, after Hogan (1950 and 1951), Curtis Strange (1988 and 1989) and Koepka (2017 and 2018).
Last year's victory at Los Angeles Country Club remains his only top-30 finish at a major – he missed the cut at this year's Masters and PGA Championship.
The U.S. Open was formerly known as a real test of endurance, but things have changed somewhat in recent years.
From 2005 to 2013, six of nine editions produced an even/over-par winning score, but nine of the last 10 have been won with an under-par score, the exception being Koepka's 2018 victory at Shinnecock Hills (+1).
What kind of score will be required this time out? If Scheffler maintains his outstanding form, he will take some beating.
Scottie Scheffler has insisted that he does not feel there is a target on his back as he aims to capture his third major championship victory in this week's US Open at Pinehurst.
Scheffler's victory at the Memorial Tournament last week saw him become only the fourth PGA Tour player in the past 60 seasons to win five times before the end of June.
It was the American's fifth win in eight PGA Tour starts, having also won the Arnold Palmer Invitational, The Players, The Masters and RBC Heritage, last missing a cut in August 2022.
"I try not to think about the past too much, and I try not to think about the future too much," Scheffler told the media.
"I just try and live in the present. Sometimes it's easier and sometimes it's a bit harder.
"I feel like coming off of last week, I was really excited and celebrated for a few minutes there, but my mind kind of just goes on to the next thing. I was getting ready, trying to get out of there and trying to prep for next week.
"I'm not thinking about my wins anymore. All I'm focused on is this week and getting ready to play. Just because I won last week doesn't give me any shots against the field this week.
"We all start even par, and the field is level again starting on Thursday. Last week doesn't really matter. I still don't feel like there's much of a target on my back. It's not like anybody is out there playing defence."
Scheffler will tee off with PGA Championship winner Xander Schauffele and four-time major champion Rory McIlroy in Thursday's first round, the players closest to him in the world rankings.
"When I play with Xander and Rory here Thursday and Friday, they're not going to be saying weird stuff to me out on the golf course or trying to block my putt from going in the hole," Scheffler added.
"As far as a target on my back, even if there was, there's really not much we can do in the game of golf. Most of it is against the golf course and playing against yourself."
Scheffler would be the first golfer to win on tour and capture a major the following week since McIlroy at the 2014 PGA Championship.
Kyrie Irving accepted the blame for the Dallas Mavericks being 2-0 down to the Boston Celtics and vowed to do "whatever it takes" to turn things around.
The Mavs lost 107-89 in Game 1 of the NBA Finals and followed that up with a 105-98 defeat on Sunday to leave themselves with a mountain to climb.
Luka Doncic felt his performance cost his side in the most recent of those encounters, despite finishing with 32 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists.
By comparison, fellow superstar Irving registered 16 points, two rebounds and six assists in almost the exact same number of minutes on the court.
And Irving admits it is now on him to step up in Game 3 at American Airlines Center on Wednesday if the Mavs are to drag themselves back into the series.
Asked about a conversation he was seen having with Doncic, Irving said: "It started with me just telling my [brother] I got to play better for him, alongside him.
"In order for us to accomplish our goal, we both have to be playing well and we both have to be doing the little things, doing whatever it takes to win.
"It was an easy conversation. But it started with me reaching out, just letting him know it's my fault, taking accountability for not playing particularly well."
Irving has so far averaged 14 points in the two games with the Celtics, which is down on the 22.8 points he averaged per game in the playoffs.
"First thing of that is just accepting that I haven't played well or up to my standards, as well as I would have liked," Irving said.
"Being back in Boston, there's such a level of desire that I have inside of me to play well. I wanted to be there for my teammates. As a competitor, it's frustrating.
"But I don't want to let that seep in or spill over to any other decisions I have to make there as a player."
Irving has lost 12 straight games against the Celtics, whom he left in 2019, but Boston coach Joe Mazzulla is aware of what the eight-time NBA All-Star is capable of.
"It's not about shutting him down," Mazzulla said ahead of Game 3. "It's about making it difficult for him because of his ability to impact plays. We just have to fight for that.
"He's got some good looks. I think we have to guard him better. I think he's definitely going to be more aggressive."
Aaron Judge hit his major league-leading 25th home run and Austin Wells had a three-run shot as the New York Yankees cruised to a 10-1 rout of the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday night.
Giancarlo Stanton also homered for the AL-best Yankees, who have won seven straight on the road and 11 of 13 overall.
Back in the lineup after he was rested in Monday’s series opener, Judge had a run-scoring single in the first inning and his 446-foot home run in the seventh – a two-run shot - gave him 62 RBIs, tied with Cleveland’s Jose Ramirez for the major league lead.
Since the beginning of May, Judge is 51 for 127 (.402) with 19 home runs, 44 RBIs and 40 runs in 37 games for a 1.506 OPS.
The Yankees improved to 39-4 when Judge and Stanton homer in the same game, including playoffs, and are 16-1 against the AL Central this season.
Marcus Stroman pitched four-hit ball over 5 2/3 scoreless innings to win his fourth consecutive decision.
Freddy Fermin homered for the Royals, who dropped their third in a row and are 3-12 in their last 15 meetings with New York.
Mateo lifts surging Orioles over Braves
Jorge Mateo hit a three-run homer in his return to the lineup and Albert Suarez worked into the sixth inning to lead the Baltimore Orioles to their fifth straight victory, 4-0 over the Atlanta Braves.
Mateo, reinstated from the concussion injured list before the game, hit a drive into the Baltimore bullpen in the second inning off Max Fried after Anthony Santander walked, and Austin Hays singled for one of his three hits.
Suarez allowed four hits over 5 1/3 innings with three walks and four strikeouts. Four relievers finished up the five-hitter with Dillon Tate fanning two in the ninth.
Baltimore matched its longest winning streak of the season and sent Atlanta to its season high-tying fourth consecutive loss.
The Braves went 0 for 9 with runners in scoring position and left 11 runners on base.
Dodgers hit 4 home runs in one inning in rout
Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, Teoscar Hernandez and Jason Heyward all homered during a seven-run sixth inning and the Los Angeles Dodgers pounded the Texas Rangers, 15-2.
Mookie Betts’ three-run double in the fourth gave the Dodgers a 6-1 lead and Gavin Lux’s RBI single an inning later made it 7-1.
Ohtani hit his 16th home run with one out in the sixth after Betts walked and Freeman followed with his ninth of the season. After Will Smith singled, Hernandez connected for his fifth home run in five games. Andy Pages singled after Grant Anderson got the second out and Heyward’s blast pushed the lead to 14-1.
Rangers catcher Andrew Knizner pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings.
Smith had a three-run homer in the first inning and finished with three hits for the Dodgers, who last had four home runs in an inning on Sept. 29, 2021, against San Diego.
Defending World Series champion Texas lost its fifth in seven games.
Jon Rahm has withdrawn from the US Open due to a troublesome foot injury, just two days before the tournament starts in North Carolina.
The Spaniard arrived at Pinehurst's famed Number Two course wearing one shoe on his right foot and a flip-flop on his left after a cut between his toes turned into an infection.
"It is doing better, but the pain is high," said the 29-year-old at his pre-tournament press conference on Tuesday.
Yet the world number eight, who won the US Open title in 2021, confirmed his withdrawal later in the day.
"After consulting with numerous doctors and my team, I have decided it is best for my long-term health, to withdraw from this week's US Open Championship," Rahm wrote on social media.
"To say I'm disappointed is a massive understatement!
"I wish all my peers the best of luck and want to thank all of the USGA staff, volunteers and community of Pinehurst for hosting and putting on what I'm sure will be an amazing championship!
"Hopefully I'll be back in action sooner than later!"
Rahm has not won since making the move to LIV Golf from the PGA Tour last December, while the 29-year-old shared 45th at this year's Masters and missed the cut at last month's PGA Championship.
The two-time major winner had previously finished inside the top 25 in his last five outings at the US Open.
Travis Kelce has no intentions of making this upcoming NFL season his last, though acknowledged the end is nearer than the beginning of his illustrious career.
The Kansas City Chiefs star is a three-time Super Bowl champion, defeating the San Francisco 49ers for his most recent crown last season.
With preparations already underway for the 2024 campaign, the 34-year-old – a nine-time Pro Bowler – understandably has the future on his mind.
Yet Kelce has no doubts over his ambitions this year, signalling that there is still life in his ageing career with the Chiefs.
"I love coming to work every single day and doing this, so I am going to do it until the wheels fall off and hopefully that doesn't happen anytime soon," Kelce said after the Chiefs' practice on Tuesday.
"I can't put a time frame on it, man. I know that there are opportunities outside of football for me and I think you've got to keep in perspective that I'm still a little kid when I come into this building.
"I know I'm 34 years old, about to be 35, but I have a love to do this right here in the middle of the heat in June."
Kelce's relationship with global superstar singer Taylor Swift has drawn unprecedented media attention off the field, while he has shown interest in acting after his career ends.
Hosting a podcast with his brother Jason, another former NFL star, Kelce has multiple options when he chooses to call time on his playing days.
"I do take the offseason to get away and kind of recharge, but at the same time, I'm a football player," Kelce added.
"I love playing in the NFL and this will always be my main focus, but outside of that, football ends for everybody, so kind of dipping your toes in the water and seeing what you like in different areas in different career fields, I think the offseason is the best chance you can get."
As for on the field, the Chiefs added two tight ends this year with veteran Irv Smith Jr. and draft pick Jared Wiley.
Noah Gray, their fourth-leading receiver last season, is also back, suggesting Kansas coach Andy Reid is keen to manage Kelce's workload.
"It's my job to make sure that Coach Reid has full confidence in me whenever he needs me out on that field or whenever I'm out on that field," Kelce said.
"As much as I want to be out there every single play, I understand that it's for the better of the team when I'm not.
"I'm more comfortable with that right now because of the guys that we have in the room. We've got a lot of great tight ends in the building and it's fun seeing them have success as well."
After sitting out the past two Suncorp Super Netball League matches, Samantha Wallace-Joseph’s future with New South Wales Swifts seems up in the air, as the club remains evasive about her omission from the match-day squad.
Though speculations were rife that the Trinidad and Tobago stalwart’s cut was due to anti-transgender social media post earlier this year, the club –while distancing itself from the post –confirmed that the current issue was unrelated. Wallace-Joseph did apologise for the post which she said was taken out of context.
NSW Swifts, in a recent statement, confirmed that Wallace-Joseph “would be unavailable for selection,” as they dealt with a matter relating to behaviour within the team environment. The club also stated that it was working with Wallace-Joseph and her management team.
However, indications are that the negotiations could be headed towards Wallace-Joseph’s termination or a mutual parting of ways, which is unprecedented in netball.
Wallace-Joseph's role in the team has been a focal point of discussion given the fact that the now 30-year-old goal shooter has been a beloved member of the team since her signing in 2017. Since joining the club, the Trinidadian assisted the Swifts to two Super Netball titles, and was named club MVP on three occasions.
Wallace-Joseph, who only returned to action this season after recovering from a career-threatening anterior cruciate ligament injury that sidelined her for the past two seasons, tallied over 138 goals, 289 Nissan Net Points, four deflections, one intercept and seven rebounds in the seven games she played before being dropped.
Emma Raducanu felt like she was playing "two v one" as the Briton criticised umpire Ana Carvalho following her Nottingham Open first-round victory over Ena Shibahara.
The former US Open champion, who opted to miss the French Open to focus on preparing for the grass-court season, overcame the Japanese 6-1 6-4 in her first match since losing to Maria Lourdes Carla at the Madrid Open in April.
It was also Raducanu's first win on surface since the 2022 Wimbledon Championships, having missed last year's grass-court season after undergoing wrist and ankle surgery that, at one point, left her confined to a mobility scooter.
Although, the 21-year-old was left unhappy with several questionable decisions by umpire Carvalho, suggesting some of the calls were deliberately made in order to extend the contest.
It comes just 24 hours after fellow Briton Harriet Dart slammed "pretty appalling" officiating during her defeat to Katie Boulter in Nottingham, where electronic line-calling technology is not in use.
Nevertheless, Raducanu was pleased to eventually prevail and book her place in the second round.
"I feel like I was playing two v one on court, it was insane," said Raducanu. "I would have used probably at least four challenges!
"I think a lot of the time they go both ways. Today, I felt they were all against me, but it just makes me feel better that I managed to beat her and the umpire as well.
"It is difficult when there is no challenge, but it is something everyone has to deal with. You can be fortunate in some ways. Maybe it was just trying to make the match more competitive.
"It's something I had to deal with and overcome. I am very pleased with the attitude I came out with from the get-go and also having to deal with the adversity.
"I haven't played in a match for a while. Playing someone who comes through qualifying and is used to the conditions, I am very pleased to have won that match."
The world number 209 was also thrilled to get a win under her belt on home soil, and set up a last-16 clash with Ukrainian Daria Snigur, who defeated second seed Marta Kostyuk.
"An element of me forgot what it was like to play at home and have that support behind me, and it is amazing," she added. "It's a great feeling.
"I am very lucky to have great support wherever I play, but it's not quite like coming and playing in the UK. It's something that me and all the Brits cherish and look forward to every year."
Boston Celtics centre Kristaps Porzingis sustained a rare injury to his left leg, putting his status for Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday into question.
The Celtics announced on Tuesday that he suffered a torn medial retinaculum allowing dislocation of the posterior tibialis tendon.
The injury occurred with 3:27 to play in the third quarter of Sunday's 105-98 win over the Mavericks, which gave Boston a 2-0 lead.
The team described the injury as being rare, and said it is unrelated to a right calf strain that side-lined Porzingis for 10 games earlier in the play-offs.
He has not yet been listed on the official injury report, but the Celtics said his status is day to day.
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla told reporters that Porzingis is working hard to be ready to play.
“It's a serious injury," Mazzulla said. "At the end of the day, our medical team is not going to put him in any bad situations. So, we’ve taken the decision to play out of his hands.”
Porzingis was seen wearing a brace before speaking with the media on Tuesday.
"I'll see how I am tomorrow," he said, "and obviously I'm going to do everything I can to be out there."
Porzingis helped spark the Celtics in Thursday's 107-89 win in Game 1, tallying 11 points and two blocks in the first quarter in his first game since April 29.
He finished with 20 points on 8-of-13 shooting and six rebounds before recording 12 points and four boards in Game 2.
Tiger Woods has no doubts over his fitness ahead of the US Open, where the golfing legend hopes to capitalise on a "special" relationship with his son Charlie.
The 15-time major winner has triumphed in this event three times – winning in 2000, 2002 and 2008 – and will hope to add to that tally when play begins at Pinehurst's famed Number Two course on Thursday.
Woods made a record 23rd consecutive cut at The Masters earlier this year, too, but finished last of all players to make the weekend at the historic Augusta major.
The 48-year-old has been hampered by repeated injury struggles throughout the back end of his career, though remains confident of competing in North Carolina this weekend.
Asked about his thoughts on overcoming those issues, Woods responded on Tuesday: "I feel like I have the strength to be able to do it. It's just a matter of doing it.
"This golf course is going to test every single aspect of your game, especially mentally. The mental discipline that it takes to play this particular golf course, it's going to take a lot.
"We've been working on that and making sure that I understand the game plan."
Woods failed to make the cut at the year's second major, the PGA Championship, after crashing out on the Masters weekend before that.
The American great had his 15-year-old son Charlie alongside him during his practice rounds at Augusta, though, and hopes to benefit from that relationship once more in North Carolina.
"I think having Charlie out here is very special," said Woods. "As far as his responsibilities, it's the same. I trust him with my swing and my game.
"He's seen it more than anybody else in the world. He's seen me hit more golf balls than anyone.
"I tell him what to look for, especially with putting. He gave me a couple little side bits today, which was great, because I get so entrenched in hitting certain putts to certain pins, I tend to forget some of the things I'm working on.
"I just want to see the balls rolling. He reminds me every now and again, which is great. We have a great relationship and rapport like that, and it's a wonderful experience for both of us."
Woods will be in a group with Will Zalatoris and Matt Fitzpatrick for the first and second rounds of the US Open.
Rory McIlroy still harbours hopes of an elusive fifth major title as the US Open awaits at Pinehurst's famed Number Two course in North Carolina.
The Northern Irishman will start the tournament on Friday aiming to end a decade-long wait for another major crown.
McIlroy has won three times this year, defending his Hero Dubai Desert Classic title on the DP World Tour before consecutive PGA Tour victories at the Zurich Classic and Wells Fargo Championship.
The world number three has not tasted major success since his PGA Championship glory back in 2014, but McIlroy believes further joy on the biggest golfing stage could be on the cards this week.
"I've always said I still feel like being the most successful European in the game is within my reach," McIlroy said in his pre-tournament press conference.
"I've got obviously Seve [Ballesteros] and Nick Faldo to pass there in terms of major wins.
"I'm really proud of my body of work over the past 15 years and everything that I have achieved, whether it be season-long titles or individual tournaments or majors.
"Getting my hands on a fifth major has taken quite a while, but I'm more confident than ever that I'm right there, that I'm as close as I've ever been."
Despite enjoying consistent success in various PGA Tour and DP World Tour competitions, major success has remained a challenge for the 35-year-old since his one-shot victory at Valhalla 10 years ago.
McIlroy finished tied for 22nd and 12th at the first two majors this year, The Masters and PGA Championship respectively.
Therefore, the four-time major winner refused to put a target on how many such victories he continues to aim for.
"I wouldn't say I have a particular number of wins [as a target]," he added. "I think the only thing about trying to pick a number is that you're setting yourself up for failure or disappointment.
"Tiger [Woods] wanted to surpass Jack [Nicklaus]. It looks like he might not get there, but are we going to call Tiger's career a failure? Absolutely not. It's arguably the best. He's played the best golf anyone's ever seen.
"There's always going to be that tinge of what could have been. I don't want to do that to myself. If someone had told me at 20 years old I'd be sitting here at 35 and this is the career I've had, I would not have believed them and I would have been ecstatic.
"I still have a good little bit of time here, hopefully for the next 10 years. I still like to think I've got a good run ahead of me.
"Whatever those numbers are, whatever the totals add up to, I'll accept that and feel like I've done pretty well for a little boy from Northern Ireland who dreamed of playing golf for a living one day."
The New York Jets opened mandatory mini-camp on Tuesday, but neither quarterback Aaron Rodgers nor edge rusher Haason Reddick were present.
Coach Robert Saleh said neither player was excused, meaning both are subject to fines.
Players who miss camp without an excused absence can be fined $16,953 for missing the first day, and $33,908 for the second day for a total of $50,861.
Saleh told reporters Rodgers' absence for the first day of camp is because he's attending something that is "very important to him."
Reddick is seeking a new contract, but after he skipped last week's voluntary workouts, Saleh said he expected him to be present for the start of the team's mandatory camp.
Rodgers, however, attended last week's workouts, as well as organised team activities throughout the off-season.
"Aaron and I spoke before OTAs started," Saleh said. "He's been very good with communication. He's been here the entire time. It's inexcused, but he had an event that was very important to him - which he communicated."
The four-time league MVP also told Saleh he would not attend Wednesday's work-out.
Rodgers is returning from a torn left Achilles tendon that was sustained in the 2023 opener, ending his season just four snaps into his Jets tenure.
Reddick was acquired by the Jets in a March trade with the Philadelphia Eagles. A two-time Pro Bowler, he had 11 sacks last season and 58 in his seven-year pro career.
Andy Murray suffered a third successive first-round defeat, as he was beaten in straight sets by Marcos Giron at the BOSS Open.
The three-time major champion fell at the first hurdle for the seventh time this season, with Giron prevailing 6-3 6-4 after 75 minutes in Stuttgart.
Giron, who was runner-up to compatriot Tommy Paul in Dallas in February, broke in game six as he won nine out of 10 points, before going on to take the opening set.
Murray - a Stuttgart finalist in 2022 - looked to respond as he won eight of the opening nine points at the start of the second.
However, he saw two break points go begging as Giron held before breaking to 15 in game three.
It proved decisive for the American, who clinched victory with a love hold to set up a last-16 clash with Jack Draper.
Data Debrief: Murray set to drop out of world's top 100
Giron hit seven aces and won 80 per cent (33 out of 41) of his first-serve points on the way to claiming his first ATP win over a current or former world number one.
The 999th singles match of Murray's career ended in an 11th defeat of 2024. Having not won a completed match since beating Tomas Etcheverry at the Miami Open, the 37-year-old will drop out of the world's top 100 next week for the first time since January 2022.
Jon Rahm has admitted that he is unsure whether he will be fit enough to feature in this week's 124th US Open at Pinehurst.
The Spaniard, who won the title in 2021, turned up with an injured foot on Tuesday having withdrawn from the second round of LIV Houston last week with an infection.
Upon his arrival in North Carolina, Rahm revealed that his foot was a concern ahead of the competition.
"It is doing better, but the pain is high," said the 29-year-old, "I have a little hole between my pinky toe and next one and it got infected.
"I got a shot to numb the pain [before the second round in Houston] that was supposed to last all round and it lasted two holes."
The world number eight has not won since making the move to LIV Golf from the PGA Tour last December. He shared 45th at the Masters and missed the cut at last month's PGA Championship.
When asked if there was a good chance he might not play this week, he replied: "I don’t know. The infection is now controlled, but there's still swelling and there's still pain.
"There's a reason I walked out here in a shoe and a flip-flop, trying to keep the area dry and trying to get that to heal as soon as possible. But I can only do what I can do. The human body can only work so fast."
Ons Jabeur eased past Camila Osorio in straight sets to progress to the next round of the Nottingham Open.
The three-time grand slam champion returned to the East Midlands for the first team since 2014, and got her grass court season off to a winning start with a 6-2 6-3 win over the Colombian.
It was the perfect start for the world number 10, who earned a break point in the opening game before going on to win the first set, but the Tunisian was made to work to secure her triumph.
Osorio matched Jabeur early on, but the top seed at the tournament showcased her class to come through the encounter, building on her quarter-final run at the French Open as her preparations for Wimbledon continue.
Jabeur will face Linda Fruhvirtova in the next round of the competition.
Data Debrief: Top seed Jabeur through to next round
The world number 10 was at her clinical best, winning 84 per cent of her first serve points.
Jabeur's win saw her unbeaten record continue against Osorio, having last prevailed at Roland-Garros in May.
Emma Raducanu made a successful return from injury at the Nottingham Open with a straight-sets victory over Ena Shibahara.
The 21-year-old opted to miss Roland Garros and focus on her grass season, with the decision paying off as she earned a 6-1, 6-4 win on Tuesday.
Raducanu cruised through the first set and looked set to race through the second as well when she took a commanding 5-1 lead.
Shibahara upped her level and got a double break as errors crept into the Briton's game to force a nervy ending to the set, but Raducanu held out to get her first win on grass since Wimbledon in 2022.
She will now face Daria Snigur in the next round.
Data Debrief: Raducanu all smiles on injury return
Raducanu has been out of action since exiting the Madrid Open in April, but she impressed in her opener in Nottingham.
Despite the nervy end to the game when Shibahara showed some fight, Raducanu was in full control, winning seven games in a row, while also converting six of her eight break points.
Despite the fact that West Coast Fever suffered a tough round nine loss to Adelaide Thunderbirds, Jamaica’s Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard remains atop the Nissan Net Points tally, with her compatriots Romelda Aiken-George, Shamera Sterling-Humphrey and Latanya Wilson also in pole across other categories.
With 959.5 Net Points to her credit, Fowler-Nembhard is well over 100 points ahead of Sunshine Coast Lightning’s Liz Watson (809.5 points), with Sterling-Humphrey (780 points) in third.
Fowler-Nembhard also has a strangle hold on the goals and attempts leaderboards, with 494 goals and 514 attempts. She has Australian goal shooters Donnell Wallam (378 goals and 440 attempts), Sophie Garbin (363 goals and 413 attempts), and Cara Koenen (340 goals and 376 attempts) keeping close company. Aiken-George is fifth on both standings with 306 goals and 353 attempts.
However, Aiken-George continues to lead the offensive rebounds ladder with 43, ahead of Garbin (37), Koenen (33), Wallam (30), and Fowler-Nembhard (25).
A massive week from Wilson ensured the Sunshine Girl retains pole position on the intercepts ladder, as her tally of 33 now pushed her five ahead of teammate Sterling-Humphrey (28).
Still, Sterling-Humphrey has a firm grip on the deflections leaderboard (62) and defensive rebounds (22), both marginally ahead of Ash Ervin, who has 53 deflections and 18 defensive rebounds. Wilson (49) is third on the deflections ladder.
Meanwhile, despite another Swifts loss, Helen Housby’s willingness to shoot from range has not stopped. She is still leading the Suncorp Super Shots (53) and attempts (81) categories, while Liz Watson has continued her midcourt dominance, with 232 goal assists to her name to go with her 236 centre pass receives.
Naomi Osaka put her French Open disappointment behind her to advance to the next round of the Libema Open after beating Elise Mertens in straight sets.
The 26-year-old had match point against eventual winner Iga Swiatek in the second round at Roland-Garros but failed to capitalise. However, that defeat was put to the back of her mind, winning 6-2 6-4 in the Netherlands.
Mertens matched Osaka in the opening exchanges, but the Japanese would rally to take control and win the next three games to secure an early advantage.
She showed signs of frustration in the second set as the Belgian threatened to take the encounter to a deciding set, but Osaka remained composed to see out the victory.
Osaka will now face either Bernarda Pera or Suzan Lamens in the next round.
Data Debrief: Osaka wins maiden grass encounter against Mertens
Osaka's victory saw her win 28 of her 31 first-serve points, accumulating to a 90 per cent success rate.
The Japanese claimed her fifth victory over Mertens since their first meeting in Wuhan in 2019, but her triumph was the first encounter between the pair on a grass court.
Roger Federer insisted his decorated tennis career was "about having grit" as he dismissed the theory that his style of play was "effortless".
Federer is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, with his tally of 20 grand slam men's singles titles only bettered by Novak Djokovic (24) and Rafael Nadal (22).
The Swiss, who also won a record eight times at Wimbledon before retiring from the sport in 2022, was one of the most popular sportsmen of his generation with his classy brand of tennis earning him adulation around the globe.
But Federer rejected claims his ability was "pure talent alone" while delivering a graduation speech at Dartmouth College, where he received a Doctor of Humane Letters degree from the New Hampshire institution.
"People would say my play was effortless. Most of the time, they meant it as a compliment," he said during the ceremony. "But it used to frustrate me when they would say: 'He barely broke a sweat', or: 'Is he even trying?'.
"The truth is, I had to work very hard to make it look easy. I didn't get where I got on pure talent alone. I got there by trying to outwork my opponents. Most of the time, it's not about having a gift. It's about having grit."
Federer shared the lessons he felt served him well during his glittering career, including the way he dealt with adversity during matches.
"When you lose every second point, on average, you learn not to dwell on every shot," he continued. "When you're playing a point, it is the most important thing in the world.
"But when it's behind you, it's behind you. This mindset is really crucial, because it frees you to fully commit to the next point and the next one after that with intensity, clarity and focus.
"You want to become a master at overcoming hard moments. That to me is the sign of a champion."
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