French Open increases purse to record $63.7 million
The French Open is elevating its total purse at Roland Garros to about $63.7 million, an increase of 5.21 per cent compared to last year.
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Dustin Poirier to close UFC career with Max Holloway trilogy title fight
Louisiana native Dustin Poirier is locked for a UFC BMF title fight in his home state to conclude his career, as New Orleans will host Poirier’s battle with title-holder Max Holloway to highlight the July 19 card at the Smoothie King Center. This will be the third battle between the lightweight combatants, the 36-year-old Poirier, who hails from Lafayette, Louisiana, taking the first two contests. Both fighters are coming off losses in title fights, however. Poirier (30-9) submitted to Islam Makhachev last June, while the 33-year-old Holloway (26-8) lost in knockout fashion to Ilia Topuria in October. “For Dustin Poirier to be able to finish his remarkable UFC career in New Orleans is special,” UFC executive vice president Peter Dropick said in a news release.
Ernie Els, Retief Goosen join South African president in White House meeting with Trump
WASHINGTON: Ernie Els went to Washington to try to win another senior major and wound up in the White House on Wednesday at the invitation of South Africa’s president, who is pushing back against President Donald Trump’s baseless claims of systematic killing of white farmers in the country.
Gilgeous-Alexander voted as NBA’s MVP, continuing run of international players winning the award
NEW YORK: The case for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was simple. He’s the best player on an Oklahoma City Thunder team that had the best record this season and set a league mark for margin of victory. If that wasn’t enough, he also won the scoring title.
Spurs edge Man Utd to win Europa League and end trophy drought
BILBAO: Brennan Johnson’s scrambled goal ended a 17-year Tottenham trophy drought with a battling 1-0 win over Manchester United in the Europa League final on Wednesday. Spurs, who had not won European silverware since 1984, will play in next season’s Champions League, while failing to qualify for it is a severe financial set-back for Manchester United. Despite their triumph in Bilbao, manager Ange Postecoglou’s future is still on the line following a shambolic domestic campaign, with Spurs sitting a place below United in the lower reaches of the Premier League table. The Australian furiously insisted he was “not a clown” on the eve of the final and had the last laugh on a nerve-racking night at the San Mames, as he made good on his claim to always win a trophy in his second season in charge of a club. “This is what it’s all about, this club hasn’t won a trophy for 17 years, honestly, this is what it means, it means so much,” Wales winger Johnson told TNT Sports. “Ever since I came here it’s been (people saying) ‘Tottenham are a good team, but they never get it done’ — we got it done!“ Fans came from far and wide to pack Athletic Bilbao’s stadium, some taking quite preposterous routes and sleeping in cars to avoid eye-watering prices, but they could not escape a final lacking in quality. It was a match between teams languishing in 16th and 17th place respectively after dismal Premier League campaigns and that was the essence of it too, played at high intensity but with low confidence, and a prize on the line so big it overawed. There were a large number of turnovers, neither side keeping the ball with any ease, moves ending in panicked defending and balls being thumped to safety, or a litany of clumsy fouls. Harry
Zverev suffers early exit in French Open warm-up
BERLIN: World number three Alexander Zverev blamed illness after a last 16 elimination by Frenchman Alexandre Muller in the Hamburg Open on Wednesday botched his French Open dress rehearsal.
Andreescu among trio of Canadians eliminated in French Open qualifying
Bianca Andreescu's comeback hit a snag Wednesday when she was bounced from the second round of the French Open qualifying tournament in Paris.
Malaysia Masters: HS Prannoy, Satish Karunakaran, Kidambi Srikanth Register Wins; PV Sindhu Exits
India's male shuttlers, led by the experienced duo of H S Prannoy and Kidambi Srikanth, were off to a brilliant start but it was curtains for double Olympic-medallist PV Sindhu as she bowed out with a first-round loss at the Malaysia Masters badminton tournament in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday. Prannoy and Srikanth were joined by Satish Karunakaran in the second round of the event. Taking the court first, 2023 world championships bronze medallist Prannoy stunned fifth seed Kenta Nishimoto of Japan 19-21 21-17 21-16 in a hard-fought contest that lasted one hour and 22 minutes.