Category: 6. Sports

If Jannik Sinner goes on to win his first Wimbledon title this weekend, he will look back on this moment as the time when his luck turned.

The world No 1 was trailing two sets to love – 6-3, 7-5, 2-2 – against an inspired Grigor Dimitrov, with a mountain to climb, when the Bulgarian hit an ace and then instantly fell to the ground clutching his pectoral muscle. He knew, there and then, that his Wimbledon was over and after a brief medical timeout, off the court, he returned in tears, before shaking Sinner’s hand.

The Italian goes through to a quarter-final against Ben Shelton, the big-serving American who advanced to the last eight at Wimbledon for the first time with an entertaining four‑set win against Lorenzo Sonego of Italy. It was not, of course, the way Sinner wanted to go through, but he lives on and maybe now he will believe the tennis gods are on his side.

“I don’t take this as a win at all, this is just an unfortunate moment for us to witness,” the world No 1 said. “He has struggled in grand slams with injuries a lot so seeing him again with this injury is very tough. We all saw by his reaction how much he cares about the sport and he is one of the hardest working players on tour. This is not the end we wanted to see and it’s very sad. Seeing him in this position – if there was a chance for him to be in the next round he would deserve it. I hope he has a speedy recovery.”

It was brutal on Dimitrov, who had hit 36 winners, controlling the match in every way, but the incident means he has now pulled out through injury in each of the past five grand slam tournaments.

Ironically, it was Sinner who seemed to be struggling physically early in the match, rubbing his right elbow at times and later, early in the second set, taking a time‑out of his own. The 34-year-old Dimitrov was playing the tennis of his life at that point, dominating Sinner with brilliant serving – he lost just eight points on first serve in the entire match – beautiful slices, that took the Italian out of his comfort zone on arguably his worst surface.

Dimitrov had been to the quarter‑finals only once before, in 2014, the year he beat Andy Murray on the way to the last four. But for two and a bit sets, he was right at his very best. Some of his volleys were Roger Federer-like and even the great man, watching in the royal box, approved. Dimitrov has always had an abundance of talent, more options than most players, so many choices at his hand, and Sinner was forced into a series of uncharacteristic errors.

The Bulgarian broke in the second game on his way to a 3-0 lead in the first set and maintained the lead to take the set. Another early break put him in charge in the second but Sinner looked to have turned it around when he broke back for 5-5. Dimitrov broke again to move ahead and served out to double his lead.

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The roof was closed at the end of the second set, something Sinner would have been happy with, taking away the wind that had made life difficult. At 2-2, the drama happened. Dimitrov began the game serving and volleying, as he had done many times before, and hit his 14th ace, only to fall to the court immediately, clutching his right pectoral muscle. The pain was clear for everyone to see. Sinner came straight to his aid but it was obvious, even then, that nothing could be done. When he returned, Dimitrov was in tears and had to be helped from the court.

Shelton will present a big challenge too after coming through another hugely entertaining clash with Sonego. The pair produced magic, as they always do and, as has usually been the case, it was Shelton who came out on top to reach the quarter-finals here for the first time.

The left-handed Shelton, who has made the semi-finals of the US Open and Australian Open, served rockets, carved angles and slashed winners all over the place as he claimed a 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (1), 7-5 victory. It is 25 years since an American man – Pete Sampras – last won the title here, and the way Shelton plays makes him a threat.

Upon seeing the three-time major semi-finalist on the floor, Sinner crossed the net to check on him and offer support. Dimitrov was tended to by an on-court doctor, first on the grass before retreating to his seat where he complained about his pectoral muscle.

When Dimitrov returned to the court in clear pain, he knew he had to retire. He supported his arm to reach up and shake the umpire’s hands before thanking the fans, greeted by a standing ovation and monumental cheer from a sympathetic crowd.

Sinner accompanied the world No. 21 off court, hoisting his bags over his own shoulder to help Dimitrov into the locker room. It is a sorry end to the Bulgarian’s Championships, his third consecutive tournament reaching the fourth round.

For world number one Sinner, he will take on top 10 player Ben Shelton in the quarter-finals on Wednesday, 9 July.

LAHORE:

The Pakistan Cricket Board today announces the domestic cricket calendar for the 2025-26 season, with an emphasis on increased competitiveness, highlighted by an eight-team Quaid-e-Azam Trophy (first-class) tournament.

The domestic season will commence on 15 August with the 12-team Hanif Mohammad Trophy (non-first-class) being staged in Karachi, Multan, Bahawalpur and Rahim Yar Khan. The teams are divided into two pools, with 31 matches scheduled in the four-day tournament. The top two sides will qualify for this season’s premier first-class competition – Quaid-e-Azam Trophy.

The 12 regional sides participating in the Hanif Mohammad Trophy are the same teams that competed in last season’s Quaid-e-Azam Trophy. Based on last season’s standings, these are: Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, FATA, Lahore Region Blues, Hyderabad, Karachi Region Blues, Karachi Region Whites, Multan, Quetta, D.M Jamali, AJK and Larkana.

The Quaid-e-Azam Trophy will feature Lahore Region Whites, Sialkot, Peshawar, Islamabad, Abbottabad, Bahawalpur and the two qualifying teams. The tournament is set to begin on 22 September and will comprise 29 matches in a single-league format, with the final scheduled from 3 to 7 November. Matches will be held at four venues across Islamabad and Rawalpindi, with further details to be announced in due course.

To further enhance competitiveness, a qualifying stage has also been introduced for the National T20. 10 teams – Abbottabad, Multan, Quetta, Bahawalpur, Rawalpindi, Hyderabad, FATA, Larkana, D.M. Jamali, and AJK will compete in the qualifier round. These teams will be divided into two pools, with the top two sides progressing to the National T20 (Super 10) tournament, which will be held in Faisalabad from 1 to 12 March.

The eight teams automatically qualified for the Super 10 stage are: Karachi Region Whites, Lahore Region Whites, Peshawar, Karachi Region Blues, Sialkot, Islamabad and Faisalabad.

Four departmental tournaments – President’s Trophy (four-day, first-class), President’s Cup (One-Day), President’s Trophy Grade II and President’s Trophy Grade III will also feature in this domestic season. PCB Chief Operating Officer Sumair Ahmed Syed: “We are pleased to unveil a domestic structure that places merit, opportunity and competitiveness at its core. The 2025-26 season has been designed to provide a clear pathway for teams and players to progress based on performance, not reputation.

“Introducing a qualifier for both the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy and the National T20 ensures that every match in our domestic calendar carries significant weight. This not only raises the standard of competition but also fosters a high-performance culture across all formats.

“The Quaid-e-Azam Trophy will now feature the most in-form and deserving teams, while the Hanif Mohammad Trophy gives 12 regions a meaningful chance to stake their claim. Similarly, the Super 10 format of the National T20 is a step towards creating more high-intensity, quality cricket.

“Our aim is to reward performance and create a vibrant environment where players and teams are constantly challenged. This structure lays the foundation for a long-term growth and helps us prepare future stars for the demands of international cricket.”

Director – Domestic Cricket Operations Abdullah Khurram Niazi: “The 2025-26 domestic season reflects our commitment to building a competitive and inclusive structure that nurtures talent at every level, from grassroots to senior cricket. By aligning our tournaments across age-group and senior formats, we are creating a clear development pathway for young cricketers.

“We have placed equal emphasis on both regional and departmental cricket. The inclusion of a first-class and a one-day tournament exclusively for departments, along with Grade II and Grade III departmental competitions, ensures departments remain a vital pillar of our domestic cricket system.

“We are looking forward to U15, U17 and U19 age-group tournaments this season. These competitions will serve as vital stepping stones for young talent, helping us identify and groom future national stars early in their careers.

“Also, the top performers of the Hanif Mohammad Trophy will not only be recognised as guest players by the top regions in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, but they will also be considered for domestic contracts, a move aimed at incentivising excellence.”

ST GEORGE’S, GRENADA:

Australia defeated the West Indies by 133 runs before tea on the fourth day of the second Test in Grenada on Sunday.

Set the daunting target of 277 in a low-scoring match on a two-paced pitch which made free strokeplay almost impossible, the home side side were bundled out for 143 off 34.3 overs for the visitors to take an unbeatable 2-0 lead and extend their 20-year hold on the Frank Worrell Trophy.

Australia now have the chance to complete a clean sweep of the three-match series when the final Test, a day/night fixture, gets underway next Saturday in Kingston, Jamaica.

Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon led the rout with three wickets each, the left-arm fast bowler lifting his overall Test tally to 394 to fuel the tantalising prospect of reaching the 400-wicket mark in his 100th Test in the series finale.

West Indies captain Roston Chase top scored with 34 while Shamar Joseph carved his way to 24 when the writing was already on the wall.

Joseph had taken two of the final three Australian second innings wickets to fall at the start of the day to finish with four for 66 as the visitors were dismissed for 243.

That haul included Alex Carey for 30 following his first innings effort of 63, important contributions lower down the order which earned him the man of the match award.

Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster and skipper Pat Cummins claimed a wicket each before lunch to have the West Indies reeling at 33 for four.

Chase and Shai Hope started the afternoon session positively but when Hope miscued an ambitious heave at Hazlewood to give the bowler a simple lobbed catch, the match was essentially over.

“We never really got those partnerships going with the new ball up front,” Chase observed.

“It was always a challenging task but you have to believe. They guys have to try and stay confident and keep believing in themselves.”

That quartet of early West Indian victims included Kraigg Brathwaite, the former captain enduring a miserable 100th Test as he was caught behind off Webster for just seven to follow on his first innings duck.

Before his demise he had seen the departure of opening partner John Campbell, trapped leg-before by the persistently accurate Hazlewood while Keacy Carty’s tortuous stay at the crease was ended via a catch to wicketkeeper Alex Carey off Starc.

Brathwaite was the third wicket to fall but he was to be joined in the dressing on the stroke of the lunch interval as Brandon King, dropped by Cameron Green at third slip off Cummins earlier, ran out of luck when he was comprehensively bowled to leave the West Indies innings in ruins.

Cameron Norrie said he relishes playing Carlos Alcaraz in the Wimbledon quarter-finals on Tuesday and will continue to compete with the competitive energy that has driven his success, regardless of what other people think.

“I’m excited to play against him and I’m going to have to play my best level, and even better, to have a chance because he’s got such a diverse game,” Norrie said. “I’m going to have to be tough and bring more energy to have a chance.”

Norrie reached the quarter-finals by holding his nerve in a bruising five-set battle with the Chilean qualifier Nicolás Jarry on Sunday. Jarry complained afterwards to Norrie about his tendency to cheer loudly after most points. “He said I was a little bit vocal and I think: ‘That’s my energy,’” Norrie said.

The competitive drive and relentless positivity that the left‑hander displays have been key factors in his success over the years. Some players, however, are less enthused by opponents who cheer their unforced errors or after less important points. Asked last week about the impact of the crowd on their second-round match, Frances Tiafoe focused immediately on Norrie’s cheering: “He was super‑amped,” Tiafoe said. “He was saying ‘c’mon’ from the first game, which is definitely annoying, but that part bothered me more than the crowd.”

Norrie also tends to encourage himself in French and Spanish, which led to a tense moment with the Spaniard Roberto Carballés Baena in Metz last November after the British player recovered to seal a three-set win: “You say ‘vamos!’ all the time, looking right in my face,” Carballes Baena said. Norrie then offered a self-deprecating response: “A couple of ‘vamoses’ and you get pissed off?” he said. “I’m playing so bad, so I had to fire myself up.”

As he looked to his upcoming match against Alcaraz, Norrie, 29, took these criticisms in his stride: “[When] a couple of people have not been too happy with it, I think it’s been in a big match. I think they want to win the match as well, so it’s understandable to maybe take it personally. But for me, I’m just aiming it at my team and aiming it at some people and some friends in the crowd.

“I think [against Jarry] it was a match where there’s some moments with not a lot happening. I think some of the points are maybe not worthy of saying ‘vamos’ or saying ‘c’mon’ but it was a match that I really had to do that, because those points that don’t mean a lot, if you lose those ones, you can get broken, and the match can go away from you very quickly.”

To his credit, Norrie keeps the same energy regardless of his opposition. After their match at the Italian Open in 2023, Novak Djokovic also took issue with Norrie’s frequent fist‑pumping. As he faces off against Alcaraz, the two-time defending champion and French Open champion who is on a 22‑match winning run, Norrie vowed that he will not shy away from the occasion.

“There’s a lot of big matches, and we’re playing and we’re competing for [our] livelihood out there. So I want to compete as hard as I can, and I’m not going to tank matches and roll over matches for someone else. I’m doing it for myself, I’m not doing it to make someone else feel bad, or not doing it for that. If they take it personally, it’s nothing to do with me.”

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Despite the gulf between their achievements, tennis is a game of match-ups and Norrie has at least caused Alcaraz trouble. The Spaniard has won four and lost two against Norrie but the Briton has won two of their past three meetings. At times, Norrie has been able to wear the world No 2 down with his shot tolerance and physicality, luring him into lengthy rallies and exposing Alcaraz’s lack of patience. The pair have a great relationship and train together frequently at tournaments.

“Facing Cam is always really, really difficult,” Alcaraz said. “We have really difficult battles. For me facing him is almost a nightmare, to be honest. Really tough from the baseline. I’m not surprised he’s in the quarter-final playing great tennis because I’ve seen him practising. When he lost at Queen’s [Club], he stayed for five days practising morning, afternoon and night. I saw him. So I’m not surprised at all seeing his level.”

Alcaraz, though, has improved dramatically since Norrie won their most recent meeting, in the 2023 Rio Open final. He presents a completely different challenge across best-of-five-sets at grand slams and the grass courts only accentuate his complete game. The Spaniard will enter Centre Court as the clear favourite in his pursuit of a third Wimbledon title .

It’s Team Penske time, or so it would seem.

Iowa Speedway is the next venue on tap for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, and this weekend’s short oval is where Roger Penske’s organization has won eight of the past nine races, sweeping the doubleheaders each of the past two years with three different drivers.

Scott McLaughlin and Will Power won last year’s races; Josef Newgarden captured the two in 2023 as part of his five wins for Penske at Iowa since 2017.

This track couldn’t arrive on the schedule soon enough for Team Penske, which is riding its longest winless drought since the one Ryan Briscoe ended at Milwaukee in 2008. The team and the aforementioned drivers have not been to victory lane this season and have gone 11 races since McLaughlin won the second race of last year’s September visit to The Milwaukee Mile. Team Penske failed to win in the last 10 races of the 2007 season and the first five of 2008 to produce a 15-race drought.

This year’s troubles run deep, too. Power is the highest-ranked Team Penske driver in the standings in ninth place. McLaughlin is 11th, Newgarden is 19th. Their seasons can be summed up by Sunday’s The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio presented by the All-New 2026 Passport when they finished 23rd (McLaughlin), 26th (Power) and 27th (Newgarden) in the 27-car field.

For the first time in Newgarden’s career dating to 2012, his car has been involved in an accident in three consecutive races. The most recent occurred Sunday just past the starting line when the rear brakes locked on his No. 2 PPG Team Penske Chevrolet, leading to a spin that collected Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s Graham Rahal. Both cars ended up in the gravel pit at Turn 4. Minutes later, Power’s No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet was on pit road with a mechanical issue that led to his exit after just 11 laps. McLaughlin also failed to complete all 90 laps.

Newgarden was leading last month’s Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline at World Wide Technology Raceway and was about to lap NTT INDYCAR SERIES points leader Alex Palou of Chip Ganassi Racing when the car of RLL rookie Louis Foster spun in front of him, collecting Newgarden. The impact was one of the fiercest of Newgarden’s career. He also spun into a barrier last month in the XPEL Grand Prix at Road America.

The NTT INDYCAR SERIES has staged 21 races at Iowa Speedway since 2007, but only four drivers in this field have gone to victory lane: Newgarden (six times, including once in 2016 with CFH Racing), Arrow McLaren’s Pato O’Ward (2022), McLaughlin and Power. If ever Team Penske was going to get back to its winning ways, it feels like now.

In last year’s second race, Palou had the best short-oval performance of his career, finishing second to Power. He crashed out of the weekend’s first race with an uncharacteristic spin on the front straightaway. He enters this race, the 11th of the season, with a 113-point lead over Andretti Global’s Kyle Kirkwood, the winner of the only short-oval race held so far this season (at WWTR).

The first practice of the Sukup INDYCAR Race Weekend is set for Friday at 3:30 p.m. ET (FS2, FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio Network). The lineups for both races will be set in qualifying Saturday at noon (FS1). The Synk 275 powered by Sukup is at 5 p.m. ET Saturday, the Farm to Finish 275 powered by Sukup is at 1 p.m. Sunday. Both races will air live on FOX, the FOX Sports app and the INDYCAR Radio Network.

FC Barcelona and the player Wojciech Szczęsny have reached an agreement for the extension his contract which will tie him to the Club until 30 June 2027.  

The deal comes after a great season from the goalkeeper following his unexpected arrival to cover the unfortunate long term injury to Marc ter Stegen. Barça needed a keeper and chose  Szczęsny, who came out of retirement to accept the challenge after having hung up his gloves in the summer. The Pole responded by showing he is still one of the best goalkeepers in European Football. 

Stats that speak for themselves  

In 30 appearances for Barça in the 2024/25 season, Szczęsny kept 14 clean sheets and was never on the losing side in La Liga. The Polish player’s experience and maturity was a great help for coach Hansi Flick in a young and inexperienced Barça squad.  

Impressive CV  

The goalkeeper’s time at Barça is another addition to his impressive career. Szczęsny announced his retirement in August 2024. However, Barça’s call brought him back to football after an admirable career and many achievements. After leaving his hometown of Warsaw at the age of 16 years old, he went on to play for major European sides such as Arsenal, Roma and Juventus, giving him great experience in the continent’s top leagues.  

More trophies  

With the domestic treble at Barça in 2024/25, Szczęsny has now claimed 14 trophies during his career with more than 500 appearances, 83 of which have come in the Champions League, the last eight of which came last season in a Barça shirt. They may well not be his last with the goalkeeper remaining a blaugrana now until 2027.  

 

 

A.J. Foyt holds the record for most race victories in INDYCAR SERIES history – he has eight more wins than second-place Scott Dixon’s 59 – but Dixon has a record that might stand forever.

Dixon’s victory in Sunday’s The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio presented by the All-New 2026 Passport gave him 23 seasons with at least one NTT INDYCAR SERIES race win.

Here’s the kicker: The six-time series champion is still two weeks from celebrating his 45th birthday, which means he has won a race in the series that’s considered the most competitive in global motorsports in more than half the years of his life.

Friends, that is a nearly incomprehensible fact, and it’s worth noting that Foyt, who was still driving these cars at age 58, had five fewer winning INDYCAR SERIES seasons than Dixon has. It’s also worth noting that Dixon’s run of success spans more than the life of Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Kyffin Simpson, who turns 21 in October.

Additionally, Dixon extended his streak of consecutive seasons with at least one victory to 21.

Dixon won a series race at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course for a record-extending seventh time, finishing ahead of the driver who is on the verge of winning his third consecutive series championship and fourth title in five years. Yes, Alex Palou made a colossal mistake in Turn 9 that allowed Dixon to grab the lead with five-plus laps remaining, but the driver of the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda had put himself in position yet again to win a series race, and he did when the opportunity presented itself.

“On the approach to (Turn) 9, I saw the dust and I was like, ‘Oh, maybe that’s a lap car or something’ because there’s been times in these sessions where the dust has actually been lingering in the air,” Dixon said. “You come through (Turn) 1, there’s a load of dust, and then you don’t even see the car that’s in front.

“I didn’t know if it was (Palou), and then obviously I see it’s a black car. He’s had multiple (car) colors this year, so it’s always hard to figure out, and I saw that he was kind of struggling to get going. Hate to say it, but pleasantly surprised when I saw that he was rejoining the track.”

Dixon then held off Palou, who was charging in those waning laps with an advantage in fuel and push-to-pass opportunities. Dixon’s margin of victory was .4201 of a second, the track’s closest series finish in six years.

Dixon executed this victory as he has so many others, by perfectly managing the balance between fuel preservation and speed production. While some considered making the 90-lap race a two-stop affair but didn’t opt for it, Dixon did pulled it off, stopping on Laps 30 and 61, leaving enough in the tank and with the Firestone Firehawk tires to capitalize when Palou, who was using a three-stop pit strategy, made his big mistake in Turn 9 in the No. 10 Open AI Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.

The result was Chip Ganassi Racing’s second 1-2 finish of the season, with Palou overtaking Dixon late in the season-opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding. Palou also held off his teammate in the 2023 race at Mid-Ohio.

“I think a lot of the best INDYCAR races is when you can have a flat-out three-stopper and a two-stopper that converge at the end, and that always creates a lot of suspense and a lot of craziness,” Dixon said.

Dixon said he was surprised it wasn’t a 1-2-3 finish for Chip Ganassi’s team, which last had one 12 years ago today at Pocono Raceway (Dixon won that race, too). Simpson had qualified third, spent much of the race in the top five and led a lap in the No. 8 Journie Rewards Chip Ganassi Racing Honda before settling for a 10th-place finish after serving a drive-through penalty for clipping the foot of Dale Coyne Racing crew member Nico Don.

Dixon’s win gave Honda its 10th consecutive victory to open the season. There hasn’t been engine domination like this since 2016 when Chevrolet won the first five races and 12 of the first 13.

Palou didn’t win the race, but he had a winning day as he gained 20 additional points on his nearest title challenger, Andretti Global’s Kyle Kirkwood, who finished eighth. Palou has combined to win four races at two of the six remaining tracks on the schedule – WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca and Portland International Raceway – and he has a commanding 113-point lead over Kirkwood with seven races to go.

But Palou’s coronation is a moment for another day. Sunday, Mid-Ohio again crowned its king of this series.