Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz will face each other in a blockbuster French Open semi-final on Friday.
Djokovic had to battle from a set down to defeat Russian Karen Khachanov while Alcaraz produced a show under the lights in a 6-2 6-1 7-6 (5) victory over Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Aryna Sabalenka continued her unbeaten grand slam run by beating Elina Svitolina 6-4 6-4 to set up a last-four clash with Karolina Muchova.
Picture of the dayTweet of the dayQuote of the dayShot of the dayStat of the dayInsulin row
Alexander Zverev revealed last year that he was diagnosed with diabetes at the age of three. The German is unhappy that he has not been allowed to inject himself with insulin on court in Paris, telling German reporters: “They said it looks weird when I do this on court. But this is not a clever take because, if I don’t do it, my life will be in danger.”
Fallen seeds
Men: Karen Khachanov (11)
Women: None
Who’s up next?
Defending champion Iga Swiatek takes on Coco Gauff in a repeat of last year’s final as the quarter-finals continue in Paris.
The winner of the clash will take on either seventh seed Ons Jabeur or Brazilian Beatriz Haddad Maia in the last four.
In the men’s draw, there is also a rematch, with Casper Ruud and Holger Rune doing battle again after their fiery encounter 12 months ago, while Alexander Zverev meets surprise package Tomas Etcheverry.
Carlos Alcaraz demolished Stefanos Tsitsipas to set up a mouth-watering French Open semi-final against Novak Djokovic on Friday.
The prospective clash was immediately highlighted when the draw was made 12 days ago and had appeared inevitable as both men progressed through the rounds.
Both have dropped only one set but, while Djokovic had to fight back from a set down to beat Karen Khachanov on Tuesday, Alcaraz swatted aside fifth seed Tsitsipas 6-2 6-1 7-6 (5) in the night session.
The world number one said: “Believing in myself all the time, I’d say that’s the most important thing. I always feel I’m going to play this kind of matches at this level.
“I lost my focus a little bit at the end of the third set, I had a couple of match points. He started to play I would say better. I was in trouble but I’m really happy to overcome that problem, still playing a great level, believing that I was going to win the third set.”
Alcaraz and Djokovic have played only once before, with the Spaniard winning in Madrid last year, and he said: “This match everyone wants to watch. I would say it’s going to be a really good match to play and to watch. I really wanted to play this match. If you want to be the best you have to beat the best.”
On paper this appeared the toughest test for Alcaraz so far but he had won all four previous meetings against Tsitsipas, including in Barcelona in April, and was in total control from the start.
He was better in every aspect and Tsitsipas, who had won all six of his previous slam quarter-finals, simply had no answer to Alcaraz’s all-round wizardry, with winners flying past him and drop shots catching him out time and again.
The Greek did not play badly in the opening set but still had his serve broken twice and he appeared to grow increasingly demoralised in the second, where he won only 13 points.
The crowd were torn between admiring the flamboyant brilliance of Alcaraz and wanting a contest, and they responded to Tsitsipas’ call for encouragement when he finally won a game at 0-3 in the third set.
Alcaraz threatened to be held up more by a Mexican wave than his opponent but Tsitsipas did at least provide a late challenge, saving two match points at 2-5 and then breaking the 20-year-old for the first time when he served for victory.
A third match point came and went as Tsitsipas forced a tie-break, where he saved a fourth and fifth, but on his sixth chance Alcaraz converted.
Fraser McConnell will return to Dreyer & Reinbold Racing for the 2023-2024 Nitrocross season.
After an outstanding performance in the previous year, McConnell's return to the team is expected to further elevate their competitive edge and reinforce their position as one of the frontrunners in the championship.
McConnell, who finished an impressive third in the drivers' championship last year, proved his exceptional skills and unwavering determination. His innate talent combined with his unwavering commitment to excellence has made him a formidable force in the Nitrocross arena. With his return, Dreyer & Reinbold Racing is poised to build on their recent successes and secure their position as a leading contender in the upcoming season.
Having first joined forces with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing last year, McConnell's partnership with the team proved to be a harmonious alliance, with both sides mutually benefitting from the collaboration.
His strong work ethic and relentless pursuit of victory seamlessly aligned with the team's commitment to pushing the boundaries of performance and achieving success at the highest level.
McConnell expressed his enthusiasm regarding his return to Dreyer & Reinbold Racing.
"I'm beyond excited to be back with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing for the upcoming Nitrocross season. The team's dedication and unwavering support have played a significant role in my success, and I'm looking forward to continuing our journey together. We have unfinished business, and I'm determined to bring home the championship title this year," he said.
Team owner, Dennis Reinbold, shared his excitement regarding McConnell's return.
"Fraser's talent on the track is unparalleled, and we are thrilled to have him back for the 2023-24 Nitrocross season. His exceptional performance last year showcased his potential, and we firmly believe that with his skillset and dedication, he will be a major factor in the championship fight. We are fully committed to providing him with the resources and support necessary to excel and look forward to another fantastic season ahead,” Reinbold said.
Fraser McConnell and the Dreyer & Reinbold Racing crew will return to racing for round one of Nitrocross on June 16th & 17th in Jay, Oklahoma.
Sports stars and clubs across the world continue to provide an insight into their lives on social media.
Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the best examples from June 6.
Golf
A shock merger upended the sport’s world order.
Phil Mickelson toasted the news.
But other players were not so impressed.
Football
Burnley were back in pre-season training early.
Karim Benzema said goodbye to Real Madrid…
…and hello to Al-Ittihad.
Ander Herrera and Dejan Kulusevski hailed Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
View this post on Instagram
Former Crystal Palace striker Mark Bright was celebrating his 61st birthday.
Manchester City signed Brazil midfielder Fernandinho from Shakhtar Donetsk 10 years ago today.
While 21 years ago…
The final countdown.
Cricket
Virat Kohli congratulated Man City.
Formula One
Valtteri Bottas was back on two wheels.
George Russell admitted he wasn’t the best at giving the weather forecast on Sunday.
The future is now for the Cincinnati Reds.
Elly De La Cruz will make his highly anticipated major league debut after the Reds called up the touted prospect ahead of Tuesday's series opener against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
With the lethal combination of power and speed, the 21-year-old shortstop is ranked as Baseball America's third-best prospect, and has been crushing the ball in the minors.
In 38 games this season for Triple-A Louisville, Cruz slashed .297/.398/.633 with 12 home runs, 11 doubles and 11 stolen bases. He's also driven in 36 runs and scored 38.
This came after he hit .304 with 28 homers and stole 47 bases in 120 games last year for Class A Dayton and Double-A Chattanooga.
Signed as a teenager by Cincinnati out of the Dominican Republic, the tall middle infielder has drawn comparisons to Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Oneil Cruz.
De La Cruz joins a Reds team that has won three in a row to improve to 27-33, and is surprisingly in the mix in the pedestrian NL Central, sitting 5 /1/2 games behind the first-place Pirates.
DP World Tour chief executive Keith Pelley has hailed the shock declaration of peace between the game’s warring factions as a “great victory for global golf”.
Players reacted with shock, surprise and a sense of betrayal at the news the PGA Tour and DP World Tour were merging their commercial operations with the Saudi-backed LIV Golf series.
The stunning announcement came after 12 months of unprecedented disruption in the men’s professional game following the launch of LIV, which held its first event from June 9-11 in 2022 in Hertfordshire.
The manager of one high-profile DP World Tour member told the PA news agency that players felt aggrieved at the lack of communication and were “extremely shocked” by the decision given the long suspensions and heavy fines handed out to rebel players.
In April, the DP World Tour won its legal battle against 12 players who committed “serious breaches” of its code of behaviour by playing in LIV Golf events without permission.
The subsequent increased fines and suspensions prompted Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter and Henrik Stenson to resign their memberships and become ineligible for the Ryder Cup.
Those players could now return, with the Tours pledging to establish a “fair and objective process” to re-apply for membership, although Pelley confirmed they would need to pay their fines and serve their suspensions before being considered for reinstatement.
Asked how he would respond to suggestions that the agreement represented a victory for LIV Golf, Pelley said: “I would say it’s a great victory for global golf.
“It’s a fantastic victory for the consumer, it’s great for European golf, it’s great for our members. We’re a members’ organisation and that’s always front and centre in my mind.
“This is a win for global professional golf and for the DP World Tour. We are mature grown-ups. The divisiveness is now over. We are just beginning and it’s going to be a fun ride.”
In response to accusations that the deal amounted to what Amnesty International described as part of the “onward march of Saudi sportswashing”, Pelley said: “We brought the Saudis into the game in 2018 and we had no challenge with what they were trying to do (with the Saudi International).
“The challenge that we had is that they were playing outside the ecosystem (with LIV) and outside of the global professional golf infrastructure, and now they are playing inside it, and I’m energised by the fact that the PIF (Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund) and the PGA Tour will both be working closely with the DP World Tour to grow our tour and grow it for our members.”
Announcing the deal, which was remarkably kept under wraps, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan said: “After two years of disruption and distraction, this is a historic day for the game we all know and love.
“This transformational partnership recognises the immeasurable strength of the PGA Tour’s history, legacy and pro-competitive model and combines with it the DP World Tour and LIV, including the team golf concept, to create an organisation that will benefit golf’s players, commercial and charitable partners and fans.”
The announcement will lead to a “mutually-agreed” end to all pending litigation between the various organisations.
An anti-trust lawsuit against the PGA Tour was originally filed last August by 11 golfers before being taken over by LIV Golf. It was due to be heard in 2024.
PIF will initially be the exclusive investor in the new entity and have the right of first refusal on any capital to be invested.
The PGA Tour will appoint a majority of the board and hold a majority voting interest in the combined entity, with PIF’s governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan the chairman and Monahan the CEO.
Pelley said he had “every confidence” that the DP World Tour would have a seat on the full board when it is finalised, but admitted it was too early to tell exactly what the merger would mean for its 2024 schedule, which was due to be released next month.
Reaction to the merger from rank-and-file members of the PGA Tour was not positive, with Wesley Bryan writing on Twitter: “I feel betrayed, and will not be able to trust anyone within the corporate structure of the PGA TOUR for a very long time.”
Former BMW PGA Championship winner Ben An wrote: “I’m guessing the LIV teams were struggling to get sponsors and PGA Tour couldn’t turn down the money.
“Win-win for both tours but it’s a big lose for who defended the tour for last two years.”
Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods emerged as the biggest defenders of the PGA Tour and both had called for LIV CEO Greg Norman to step down before there could be any chance of peace talks.
Norman’s name was conspicuously absent from the announcement of the merger, while defending champion McIlroy is due to speak to the media on Wednesday ahead of the RBC Canadian Open.
DP World Tour chief executive Keith Pelley has hailed the shock declaration of peace between the game’s warring factions as a “great victory for global golf”.
Players reacted with shock, surprise and a sense of betrayal at the news the PGA Tour and DP World Tour were merging their commercial operations with the Saudi-backed LIV Golf series.
The stunning announcement came after 12 months of unprecedented disruption in the men’s professional game following the launch of LIV, which held its first event from June 9-11 in 2022 in Hertfordshire.
The manager of one high-profile DP World Tour member told the PA news agency that players felt aggrieved at the lack of communication and were “extremely shocked” by the decision given the long suspensions and heavy fines handed out to rebel players.
In April, the DP World Tour won its legal battle against 12 players who committed “serious breaches” of its code of behaviour by playing in LIV Golf events without permission.
The subsequent increased fines and suspensions prompted Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter and Henrik Stenson to resign their memberships and become ineligible for the Ryder Cup.
Those players could now return, with the Tours pledging to establish a “fair and objective process” to re-apply for membership, although Pelley confirmed they would need to pay their fines and serve their suspensions before being considered for reinstatement.
Asked how he would respond to suggestions that the agreement represented a victory for LIV Golf, Pelley said: “I would say it’s a great victory for global golf.
“It’s a fantastic victory for the consumer, it’s great for European golf, it’s great for our members. We’re a members’ organisation and that’s always front and centre in my mind.
“This is a win for global professional golf and for the DP World Tour. We are mature grown-ups. The divisiveness is now over. We are just beginning and it’s going to be a fun ride.”
In response to accusations that the deal amounted to what Amnesty International described as part of the “onward march of Saudi sportswashing”, Pelley said: “We brought the Saudis into the game in 2018 and we had no challenge with what they were trying to do (with the Saudi International).
“The challenge that we had is that they were playing outside the ecosystem (with LIV) and outside of the global professional golf infrastructure, and now they are playing inside it, and I’m energised by the fact that the PIF (Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund) and the PGA Tour will both be working closely with the DP World Tour to grow our tour and grow it for our members.”
Announcing the deal, which was remarkably kept under wraps, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan said: “After two years of disruption and distraction, this is a historic day for the game we all know and love.
“This transformational partnership recognises the immeasurable strength of the PGA Tour’s history, legacy and pro-competitive model and combines with it the DP World Tour and LIV, including the team golf concept, to create an organisation that will benefit golf’s players, commercial and charitable partners and fans.”
The announcement will lead to a “mutually-agreed” end to all pending litigation between the various organisations.
An anti-trust lawsuit against the PGA Tour was originally filed last August by 11 golfers before being taken over by LIV Golf. It was due to be heard in 2024.
PIF will initially be the exclusive investor in the new entity and have the right of first refusal on any capital to be invested.
The PGA Tour will appoint a majority of the board and hold a majority voting interest in the combined entity, with PIF’s governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan the chairman and Monahan the CEO.
Pelley said he had “every confidence” that the DP World Tour would have a seat on the full board when it is finalised, but admitted it was too early to tell exactly what the merger would mean for its 2024 schedule, which was due to be released next month.
Reaction to the merger from rank-and-file members of the PGA Tour was not positive, with Wesley Bryan writing on Twitter: “I feel betrayed, and will not be able to trust anyone within the corporate structure of the PGA TOUR for a very long time.”
Former BMW PGA Championship winner Ben An wrote: “I’m guessing the LIV teams were struggling to get sponsors and PGA Tour couldn’t turn down the money.
“Win-win for both tours but it’s a big lose for who defended the tour for last two years.”
Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods emerged as the biggest defenders of the PGA Tour and both had called for LIV CEO Greg Norman to step down before there could be any chance of peace talks.
Norman’s name was conspicuously absent from the announcement of the merger, while defending champion McIlroy is due to speak to the media on Wednesday ahead of the RBC Canadian Open.
London Irish have been suspended from rugby union’s entire league structure after becoming the third Gallagher Premiership club to collapse this season.
The Rugby Football Union has confirmed that neither Irish’s owner Mick Crossan nor the American consortium planning to buy the club were able to prove they had the finances to compete in the top flight for the 2023-24 campaign.
Furthermore, the outstanding 50 per cent of May’s payroll owed to staff and players has not been paid before the final deadline set by the RFU of 4pm on Tuesday.
It means that Irish join Wasps and Worcester in becoming a casualty of the financial crisis gripping the Premiership, which will now become a 10-team competition.
London Irish have been suspended from the Gallagher Premiership following a failure to provide financial guarantees for next season.
Founded 125 years ago, the Exiles’ future is grim as their demise follows former Premiership rivals Wasps and Worcester entering administration earlier this term.
Here, the PA news agency looks at some of Irish’s highs and lows.
Highs
History-making cup of joy
Irish won the first major trophy in their history when they lifted English rugby’s knockout cup by crushing Northampton 38-7 at Twickenham in 2002. The Saints fielded 14 internationals, headed by the likes of Matt Dawson, Paul Grayson and Ben Cohen, but they had no answer to Irish’s brilliance as wing Justin Bishop and centre Geoff Appleford claimed try doubles. It was the second-biggest winning margin in a final during the competition’s 34-year existence as the Exiles followed previous winners Gloucester, Coventry, Bedford, Gosforth, Leicester, Bristol, Bath, Harlequins, Saracens, Wasps and Newcastle.
Making a mark in Europe
Although they did not win silverware, Irish certainly made their presence felt in European rugby union’s premier club competition – the Heineken Cup – in 2008. Irish had never previously reached the tournament’s knockout phase, but they cruised through the pool stage by winning five of their six games and scoring 25 tries. French challengers Perpignan were defeated in the quarter-finals, which secured a last-four clash against tournament heavyweights Toulouse at Twickenham. Irish went down 21-15 but a 30,000 crowd looked on, with the Exiles confirming a place at Europe’s top table.
State-of-the-art training facility
Irish moved into a new £12million training complex – the Hazelwood Centre in Sunbury-on-Thames – on July 1, 2014. The 63-acre site was converted from a nine-hole golf course and was four times the size of Irish’s previous training facility. Comprising 17 pitches, including five full-size ones that also featured an artificial surface, it soon attracted widespread interest. Hazelwood was used as a training base by Wales and Fiji during the 2015 Rugby World Cup, while its facilities have also attracted teams like the New York Jets and Leeds Rhinos.
Lows
Relegation from the Premiership
Irish lost their status as a club in English rugby’s top flight when they were relegated at the end of the 2015-16 campaign. The Exiles won only four of their 22 league games, finishing seven points behind 11th-placed Newcastle. It was the first time since the Premiership began in 1997 that they had been demoted. Chief executive Bob Casey told Irish’s official website: “This is a sad day in the history of this great club. Relegation was not part of our plans but we have to be honest, as hard as the players and management have worked, we haven’t been good enough this season.”
The darkest day of all
Burdened by debts of around £30million, Irish failed to meet an extended Rugby Football Union deadline of Tuesday for either a proposed takeover by an American consortium to be completed or for owner Mick Crossan to prove he could finance Irish for the entire 2023-24 season. All staff must also have been paid the outstanding 50 per cent of wages owed for May, while the club faced an additional hit of an HM Revenue and Customs winding-up petition for unpaid tax. Nine months after the Premiership season started with 13 teams, three have now been lost.
Star names to depart?
A seemingly inevitable accompaniment to Irish’s Premiership suspension will be key players heading through the exit door. Irish have previously flourished by developing one of the most impressive and prolific academies in English rugby, nurturing internationals like Anthony Watson, Alex Corbisiero and Topsy Ojo. That trend has continued through players such as 20-year-old England Test players Henry Arundell and Will Joseph, with Cardiff Met product Tom Pearson, who was last month named Premiership breakthrough player of the season, another richly-talented performer. A significant squad break-up looms.
Jhaniele Fowler, one of the most imposing and skillful shooters in Netball, headlines a strong 15-member Sunshine Girls squad to the highly anticipated Vitality Netball World Cup in South Africa later this year.
The Jamaicans, ranked number four in the world, will be hoping to improve on their disappointing fifth-place finish at the 2019 World Cup in Liverpool, with 10 players from that squad being retained for this year’s showpiece, scheduled for July 28 to August 6.
Expectations are high that the formidable mix of seasoned veterans, including Romelda Aiken-George, who recently returned from giving birth, and rising stars, such as Crystal Plummer, Kimone Shaw, Abigale Sutherland and Latanya Wilson, who have proven their mettle on previous occasions, will deliver exceptional results.
They will seek to add a gold or silver to the country’s three World Cup bronze medals won in 1991, 2003 and 2007.
Head coach Connie Francis, who will be assisted by Keyan Murdock, is anticipating a successful campaign with her team.
“All the players have been doing their work and are presenting well. The strength in depth of quality of players we now have at our disposal, fighting to get on court for the Sunshine Girls makes the selectors job very challenging and makes Jamaica a big threat to the top three countries going into the World Cup this summer,” said Francis.
“We have seven ladies currently playing in the Suncorp League and dominating the statistics at both ends of the court and locally we have our attacking core which includes three players who are making their third World Cup appearance,” she noted.
Specialist Coach Rob Wright, who will spearhead the team's strategic preparations, is also a part of the coaching staff.
Netball Jamaica President Tricia Robinson expressed sincere gratitude to all sponsors for their invaluable contributions in ensuring $41 million of the required $51 million for the team’s participation, is already in the bag.
This, she said emphasizes the critical role they play in helping Jamaica's netball team prepare for the World Cup.
“The support of our sponsors enables the team to focus on achieving greatness and represents our collective effort to elevate the sport to its rightful status with an elite world ranked team within the Nation’s sporting greats,” said Robinson.
The team will depart for their final training camp in South Africa on July 14, before bowing into World Cup action on July 28.
Squad: Romelda Aiken-George, Shanice Beckford, Jhaniele Fowler, Shimona Nelson, Rebecca Robinson, Nicole Dixon-Rochester, Crystal Plummer, Abigale Sutherland, Adean Thomas, Khadijah Williams, Kadie-Ann Dehaney, Kimone Shaw, Shamera Sterling, Jodi-Ann Ward, Latanya Wilson
Amateur tennis will return to Jamaica with the start of the inaugural Innovative Invitational Amateur Tennis Classic at the Liguanea Club in Kingston, Jamaica.
The tournament, organized by Llockett McGregor, will take place from June 12-17 feature over 90 players in the following categories: Men’s Open, Men’s Class 2 & 3 and Ladies B.
“I am expecting a very competitive and exciting tournament,” McGregor said at the launch of the Classic on Tuesday. I want to say thank you to all the sponsors who have come on board including the National Commercial Bank, Sandals and Altamont Court to name a few. We’re still working on a few more,” he added.
McGregor, when asked about the motivation behind staging the tournament, said keeping amateurs interested in the sport is a priority.
“This is an amateur tournament. Amateur, in my way of putting it, is the machinery behind the sport. They are the ones who drive the sport behind the professionals and juniors. We have to keep them interested by way of putting on tournaments for them,” McGregor said.
“In addition to that, I am the pro at the Liguanea Club which is a private members club with over 600 members. We have one of the biggest clubs in Jamaica with over eight Tennis courts and we feel it is our duty to give back to the sport of Tennis by putting on these tournaments, not only for our members but for the Tennis population at large.”
Top technology retailer, Innovative Systems Limited, have signed on as main sponsors for the first three years.
“This is the start of a blossoming relationship between Innovative Systems and the Tennis fraternity,” said Garth Walker, Executive Chairman of Innovative Systems Limited.
“This Amateur Classic will form an additional event of the annual Tennis calendar for the next three years. The Innovative Systems team is excited about this tournament, as it provides an avenue for us to aid the development of the sport. Additionally, it gives us an opportunity to foster the growth of the talented athletes who will be showcasing their expertise at this tournament,” Walker added.
The tournament draw will be held on Thursday before action gets underway with first round matches beginning at 5:00pm on Monday.
Novak Djokovic lost his first set of the French Open but battled back to defeat Karen Khachanov and move through to the semi-finals.
The third seed looked like he could be in trouble when he was pushed to a second-set tie-break after dropping the opener, but he won seven straight points and pulled away to win 4-6 7-6 (0) 6-2 6-4.
Djokovic said: “He was the better player for most of the first two sets. I was struggling to find my rhythm. I came into the match a bit sluggish, but I played a perfect tie-break and then played a couple of levels higher.
“It’s a big fight, it’s something that you expect, quarter-finals of a grand slam. You’re not going to have your victories handed over to you. I’m happy to overcome this big challenge.”
Djokovic struggled to deal with the power game of Russian Khachanov in the opening set and made some unexpected errors as he dropped serve in the fifth game.
Khachanov, who made the semi-finals at both the US Open and Australian Open, had another chance to break in the ninth game and, although Djokovic managed to hold this time, his opponent comfortably served out the set.
The momentum slowly began to switch in the second set as Djokovic, who was engaging in repeated dialogue with his support camp, began to apply some pressure to the Khachanov serve.
He did not manage to break but, not for the first time this fortnight, played a flawless tie-break and then benefited from a lucky netcord to win a long opening game of the third set on the Khachanov serve.
The only blip after that came with a loose game that saw him lose his break advantage at 4-3 in the fourth set, but Djokovic regained it straight away and served out the victory.
The Serbian is through to his 45th slam semi-final, one behind Roger Federer and seven adrift of Chris Evert’s all-time record, and now only two victories away from a record 23rd slam title.
Players expressed shock, surprise and a sense of betrayal at the news the PGA and DP World Tours were merging their commercial operations with the Saudi-backed LIV Golf series.
More than a year of contention and litigation between LIV and the established Tours and the players who joined the new competition ended in the most astonishing and abrupt fashion on Tuesday with the announcement that the three bodies had set up a new commercial entity to “unify golf”.
One American player, Wesley Bryan, replied to the PGA Tour tweet confirming the merger by writing: “Love finding out info on Twitter. This is amazing. Y’all should be ashamed and have a lot of questions to answer.
“I feel betrayed, and will not not be able to trust anyone within the corporate structure of the PGA TOUR for a very long time.”
The move came as a huge surprise to many professionals, with Canadian Mackenzie Hughes tweeting: “Nothing like finding out through Twitter that we’re merging with a tour that we said we’d never do that with.”
Fellow pro Ben An wrote: “I’m guessing the LIV teams were struggling to get sponsors and PGA Tour couldn’t turn down the money.
“Win-win for both tours but it’s a big lose for who defended the tour for last two years.”
Six-time Major winner Phil Mickelson, one of the players who joined LIV Golf, described the merger as “awesome news”.
The new entity will be powered by Saudi Arabia’s financial muscle, with the statement confirming the merger saying that the Middle Eastern country’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) would “make a capital investment into the new entity to facilitate its growth and success”.
The PIF would also have the exclusive right to further invest in the commercial entity, the statement said.
Amnesty International expressed concern at what it saw as a further attempt by Saudi Arabia to launder its human rights record through the vehicle of sport.
“While this may have taken some golf fans and commentators by surprise, it’s really just more evidence of the onward march of Saudi sportswashing,” Amnesty UK’s Felix Jakens said.
“It’s been clear for some time that Saudi Arabia was prepared to use vast amounts of money to muscle its way into top-tier golf – just part of a wider effort to become a major sporting power and to try to distract attention from the country’s atrocious human rights record.”
R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers welcomed the news of the agreement, writing in a statement: “We care deeply about golf’s future and are committed to ensuring that the sport continues to thrive for many years to come.
“This agreement represents a huge step toward achieving that goal for golf and we look forward to working with the new entity for the benefit of the sport globally.”
British teenager Isabelle Lacy claimed the biggest win of her fledgling career by knocking out third seed Madison Brengle at the Lexus Surbiton Trophy.
The 16-year-old came through qualifying and overcame a rankings gap of more than 750 places to see off American Brengle 7-6 (2) 5-7 6-1.
Brengle has been as high as 35 in the world and, although aged 33 she is now down at 95, this was a hugely impressive performance from Lacy, who already has a wild card into Wimbledon qualifying courtesy of winning the British Under-18 title.
A few more performances like this one may just see that upgraded to a full wild card.
Dan Evans took a wild card into the men’s event after his first-round loss at the French Open and he joined Andy Murray in round two with a 6-4 6-4 victory over Australian James McCabe.
Katie Boulter and Katie Swan were both convincing winners on the women’s side – Boulter beating Olivia Gadecki of Australia 6-2 6-1 while Swan saw off Canada’s Carol Zhao 6-2 6-0.
Eden Silva and Sonay Kartal also reached round two but Heather Watson was edged out 2-6 7-6 (3) 7-6 (6) by Australian Maddison Inglis and there were losses for Mark Whitehouse, Billy Harris, Dan Cox and Harry Wendelken on the men’s side.
Liang Wenbo and Li Hang have been banned from snooker for life after an investigation into match-fixing charges.
Eight other Chinese players have been suspended for between five years and four months, in the case of Lu Ning, to one year and eight months for Zhao Xintong.
Yan Bingtao, Chen Zifan, Zhang Jiankang, Bai Langning, Zhao Jianbo and Chang Bingyu are the other players banned.
Jason Ferguson, chairman of the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association, said: “It has been heart-breaking to see some young, talented players fall foul of the WPBSA conduct regulations through pressure exerted by two senior players (Liang and Li).
“This behaviour has been recognised as wholly unacceptable by the imposition of two lifetime bans from participating in recognised snooker in any way.
“This outcome must be taken as a lesson to those who think they can avoid detection. If any player is involved in fixing a snooker match, they will be caught and will face severe penalties.”
Joe Saumarez Smith will continue in his role as British Horseracing Authority chair after announcing he has been diagnosed with lung cancer and will start treatment later this month.
Saumarez Smith took on the role in June 2022 after previously joining the BHA board as an independent director in December 2014.
“In the interest of transparency and openness from the BHA, we thought it was best to confirm this news publicly,” said Saumarez Smith.
“It is obviously not ideal to have this diagnosis, but I am confident I can keep working with all our stakeholders to deliver the strategic priorities that were agreed last September.”
Julie Harrington, chief executive of the BHA, said: “While we are of course concerned for our friend and colleague, we know Joe will fight this illness with all the determination and resilience that has been a feature of his career to date.
“It is testament to him that he is keen to continue in his role for as long as the treatment allows. He has the full support and best wishes of everyone on the BHA board in doing so.
“I am sure I can speak for everyone at the BHA and across the industry in wishing him good luck during his treatment.”
David Jones, the senior independent director of the BHA, will be available to substitute for Saumarez Smith at industry events if he is unable to attend, as well as other BHA board members if required.
Aryna Sabalenka came out against Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko after returning to the French Open press room and facing another barrage of off-court questions.
The Australian Open champion refused to speak to the general tennis press after her third and fourth-round matches following tense exchanges with a Ukrainian journalist.
She changed that stance after beating Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina 6-4 6-4 in the quarter-finals amid more boos from the Roland Garros crowd and immediately was pressed further on her political stance.
Sabalenka has previously been pictured with Lukashenko and, asked if she still supported him, the 25-year-old said: “It’s a tough question. I don’t support war, meaning I don’t support Lukashenko right now.”
Sabalenka said she had struggled to sleep after the incidents in the previous press conferences, which she claimed left her feeling unsafe, but did not regret her decision to step away from the press room.
“I always really respect press conferences,” she said. “I’m always open in my answers. I really felt bad not coming here. I couldn’t sleep. Like all those bad feelings were in my head.
“I don’t regret the decisions. I felt really disrespected, and I felt really bad. I mean, grand slam, it’s enough pressure to handle, and I just tried to focus on myself, on my game.
“I’m always open. You can ask whatever you want. You will get all the information. But, in the last press conference, I felt like my press conference became a political TV show, and I’m not an expert in politics. I’m just a tennis player.”
Sabalenka also came under scrutiny for her conduct at the end of the match against Svitolina.
Ukrainian players have been resolute in their stance of not shaking hands with Russian and Belarusian opponents but Sabalenka stood at the net apparently waiting for the gesture she must have known would not come.
Svitolina, who had given a thumbs up to previous Russian opponents Anna Blinkova and Daria Kasatkina, walked straight past her and was loudly booed, with more jeers accompanying her as she walked off court.
Svitolina was distinctly unimpressed, saying: “I don’t know what she was waiting (for), because my statements were clear enough about the handshake.
“My initial reaction was like, ‘What are you doing?’ I made multiple statements that I’m not shaking hands, and she played obviously Marta (Kostyuk) as well the first round. So it’s quite simple.”
Asked if she felt Sabalenka had inflamed the situation, Svitolina said: “Yeah, I think so, unfortunately.”
The Belarusian insisted it had not been deliberate, though, saying: “It just was an instinct like I always do after all my matches.”
On the reaction, Sabalenka added: “I think she didn’t deserve all this boos. I’m giving such a big respect to her, what she’s doing after giving birth. It’s impressive and I’m really impressed by what she’s doing.”
In her first grand slam since the birth of daughter Skai last October, Svitolina has enjoyed one of her best grand slams.
A handful of Ukraine flags were evident among a sparse crowd as the match began and Svitolina traded game for game until Sabalenka forced a first break point at 4-4 and crunched away a return off a weak second serve.
Svitolina made a fast start to the second set, moving 2-0 ahead, but could not convert a game point in the next game and Sabalenka began to really make her extra power count, moving into a 4-2 lead.
With the patrons now having finished their lunch and fully engaged, they tried to will Svitolina – who was watched by husband Gael Monfils – into a comeback, but Sabalenka held her nerve.
Despite the defeat, it has been a brilliant fortnight for Svitolina, who will return to the top 100 next week.
“This year was difficult and different on the court, off the court, with you guys here, with your difficult questions, and overcoming difficulties, as well,” she said.
“Even though I’m sitting here dealing with it today, I feel like I won in so many ways.”
Sabalenka is not the only player to have skipped press conferences this tournament, and Svitolina added: “Definitely, I think it should be equal for everyone.
“I faced difficulty also with the question about Novak (Djokovic), about his statement about Kosovo. So I’m not escaping. I have my strong position and I’m vocal about that. I’m not going to try to (make people like me) by betraying my strong belief and the strongest position for my country.”
In the last four, Sabalenka will meet unseeded Karolina Muchova, who earlier defeated Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 7-5 6-2 to reach her second grand slam semi-final.
Muchova, 26, suffered an abdominal injury during her run to the semis at the Australian Open that kept her out for seven months and she was ranked outside the top 200 as recently as September.
With her run here, Muchova is set to return to the top 20, and she said: “It’s been an incredible two weeks and I’m just glad I’m still in the competition.”
Pavlyuchenkova has also found form here after knee surgery kept her out for most of last season but the 2021 runner-up is now set to miss the grass-court season because her ranking was not high enough to get her into Wimbledon.
The PGA Tour, DP World Tour and LIV Golf have agreed a shock merger to provide a “new era in global golf,” according to PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan.
The stunning announcement came after a year of unprecedented disruption in the men’s professional game following the launch of the Saudi-backed LIV Golf circuit.
Here, the PA news agency looks at what has been announced and what will happen next.
What has been announced?The PGA Tour, DP World Tour and LIV Golf, which is backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), have signed an agreement which combines PIF’s golf-related commercial businesses and rights (including LIV Golf) with the commercial businesses and rights of the PGA TOUR and DP World Tour into a new, collectively owned, for-profit entity.
PIF will initially be the exclusive investor in the new entity and have the right of first refusal on any capital to be invested. The PGA Tour will appoint a majority of the board and hold a majority voting interest, with PIF’s governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan the chairman and PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan the CEO.
What does this mean going forward?The deal will lead to a “mutually-agreed” end to all pending litigation between the various organisations. In April, the DP World Tour won its legal battle against 12 LIV players who committed “serious breaches” of the Tour’s code of behaviour by playing in LIV Golf events without permission, but an anti-trust suit against the PGA Tour was ongoing.
In a memo to players, Monahan said the 2023 LIV schedule would continue as planned while a “comprehensive evaluation” of how best to integrate team golf into the professional game takes place.
What about the players?The increased fines and suspensions that the DP World Tour was able to impose after the arbitration verdict prompted Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter and Henrik Stenson to resign their memberships and become ineligible for the Ryder Cup, Stenson standing down as Europe’s captain.
Those players could now return to the fold, with the tours pledging to establish a “fair and objective process” for players to re-apply for membership, although Monahan admits it will be a “complicated endeavour” and it will not be until after the end of this season.
What has the reaction been?Unsurprisingly Phil Mickelson, who took a break from the game in the wake of his explosive comments about the Saudis and their “horrible record on human rights” before LIV Golf was launched, was in celebratory mood, writing on Twitter: “Awesome day today”. However the news went down less well with some of his fellow professionals, who appeared blindsided by the announcement.
Two-time major winner Collin Morikawa wrote on social media: “I love finding out morning news on Twitter.” Former BMW PGA Championship winner Ben An wrote on Twitter: “I’m guessing the liv teams were struggling to get sponsors and pga tour couldn’t turn down the money. Win-win for both tours but it’s a big lose for who defended the tour for last two years.”
The shock announcement of a new commercial entity for golf backed by the financial power of Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund is “just more evidence of the onward march of Saudi sportswashing”, Amnesty International has said.
The PGA Tour and the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Tour have ceased their ongoing litigation and instead committed to working together on commercial matters, alongside the European Tour, currently called the DP World Tour under a sponsorship agreement.
The news has created shockwaves within the sport, with the heavy level of influence of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) in the new venture already very apparent even at this early stage.
PIF governor Yasir Al Rumayyan, will chair the new entity’s board of governors, while the statement announcing the merger said the PIF “will make a capital investment into the new entity to facilitate its growth and success”.
It added that PIF will have the exclusive right to further invest in the new entity, including a right of first refusal on any capital invested in the new entity, including into the PGA Tour, LIV Golf and DP World Tour.
Amnesty says this is further evidence of Saudi efforts to draw attention away from the country’s human rights record.
“While this may have taken some golf fans and commentators by surprise, it’s really just more evidence of the onward march of Saudi sportswashing,” Felix Jakens, Amnesty International UK’s head of priority campaigns and individuals at risk said.
“It’s been clear for some time that Saudi Arabia was prepared to use vast amounts of money to muscle its way into top-tier golf – just part of a wider effort to become a major sporting power and to try to distract attention from the country’s atrocious human rights record.
“Away from the glamour of the golf courses and the TV cameras there’s been mounting repression in Saudi Arabia, with government critics and human rights activists arrested, a spate of unfair trials, and with the death penalty widely used, including as a tool of political repression.
“The world of golf may be about to put one of its most high-profile commercial battles behind it, but it’s vital that this latest surge in Saudi sportswashing isn’t allowed to obscure the increasingly dire human rights situation in Saudi Arabia.”
American star Phil Mickelson, one of the top professionals who signed up to the LIV Golf series, was much more positive.
“Awesome day today,” he wrote in a quote-tweet about the news of the merger.
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