SAN DIEGO — When he was finished rounding the bases at Petco Park on Sunday, Shohei Ohtani made a detour on his return to the Dodgers’ bench.
Seated by the visiting dugout was a fan in a San Diego Padres cap and brown Fernando Tatis Jr. jersey. The spectator had spent most of the afternoon reminding Ohtani of how much he’d stunk in the three-game series.
These were like scenes from the good old days, the Dodgers hitting bombs and laughing as they celebrated.
But was this a mirage?
Even after avoiding a sweep by the Padres with an 8-2 victory, even after moving back into a tie with them for the lead in the National League West, the Dodgers continued to be an enigma.
Who were they? The team that trampled the Padres in the series finale? Or the team that rolled over in the two previous games of the series?
“They’re gettable,” said a scout from a rival NL team who was in attendance.
The kind of game the Dodgers played on Sunday, however, prompted the same scout to attach this qualifier: They can’t be counted out.
One of baseball’s worst offensive teams over the last two months, the Dodgers blasted four home runs, including two by Freddie Freeman. The Dodgers claimed the lead on a three-run blast in the seventh inning by Dalton Rushing.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto did his part on the mound, picking up his 11th win by limiting the Padres to two runs over six innings.
The Dodgers have 31 games remaining in the regular season and they expect a number of their injured players to return over that period. The form they take will dramatically affect their chances in October.
Freddie Freeman, right, celebrates with Mookie Betts after hitting a two-run home run in the seventh inning against the Padres on Sunday.
(Derrick Tuskan / Associated Press)
Winning their division could position them to secure a top-two seed in the NL, which would grant them a first-round bye. Failing to do so would subject them to a dangerous best-of-three wild-card series.
Because of the alarming number of injuries they have sustained this season, the Dodgers have already cycled through a variety of identities, from a team without starting pitching to a team without a reliable bullpen to, most recently, a team without a consistent offense.
In their previous two games, the Dodgers scored a combined two runs, leading Roberts and some players to question the team’s collective approach at the plate.
Just a week earlier, the division race looked as if it could be over. The Padres entered a three-game series at Dodger Stadium as the hottest team this side of Milwaukee. The Padres had bolstered their lineup, rotation and top-ranked bullpen at the trade deadline while the Dodgers did almost nothing.
But their inconsistency on offense kept them from protecting the two-game lead they’d built. They inexplicably dropped two of four games against the last-place Colorado Rockies. By Saturday, after their second loss to the Padres in as many days, they were in second place.
Just as the Dodgers looked as if they could be written off, just as they looked as if they could relinquish control of the division to the Padres, they responded with a performance worthy of their $320-million payroll.
“Today was a game we couldn’t drop no matter what,” Yamamoto said in Japanese, “so I went into the game with more focus than usual.”
The hitters also went into the game with a heightened focus, resulting in more extended at-bats that gradually wore down the Padres’ pitchers. The Dodgers scored seven of their runs in the last four innings.
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The Dodgers don’t play the Padres again this season but Freeman said his team should be more concerned about their improvement rather than what its division rivals do.
Asked when he would start to scoreboard watch, Freeman replied, “Maybe in mid-September.”
Reminded only 31 games remain in the regular season, Freeman replied, “It is a sprint. I’ll be honest with you there. It’s a sprint now. You can’t worry about other teams if, like the last couple games, we don’t fix our offense, how our at-bats were going the last couple days. We fixed it today, we did better today. If you’re worrying about other things, that’s just not conducive, it’s not going to lead to quality things in the clubhouse. So maybe mid-September. When I turn 36, we’ll start scoreboard watching, all right?”
Freeman’s birthday is on Sept. 12. Will the Dodgers know who they are by then?
SPORTING’S stadium underwent an incredible transformation during the summer.. but they’re STILL working on it with the 2025-26 season underway.
The iconic Portuguese ground – which was only built in 2003 for a cost of £150million – was given a bit of a facelift during the offseason.
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Sporting ripped up their playing surface, lowered it and added another bank of seatsCredit: Sporting CP
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The Portuguese giants re-laid the pitch using a hybrid surfaceCredit: Sporting CP
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Sporting managed to get the new surface ready for their first home game last weekendCredit: Sporting CP
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The stadium has a number of upgrades, including the all-new dugoutsCredit: Record
And it left the arena looking utterly unrecognisable – particularly after the entire pitch was ripped up and left looking like a building site.
Following the end of the 2024-25 season – in which Cristiano Ronaldo‘s old club won the league in no small part down to Arsenal new-boy Viktor Gyokeres‘ goals – Sporting got to work on the makeover.
Most-notably, the pitch was ripped up and replaced by a hybrid surface.
And it passed the first test with flying colours, as Primeira Liga officials gave it a 10/10 for the club’s 6-0 win over Arouca in their first home game of the season.
But it wasn’t just re-laying the pitch – the entire playing surface was LOWERED to allow the club to add 2,000 more seats around the base of the stadium.
That boosted the capacity from 50,095 to 52,095.
And that new feature – not ready for the Arouca battering – WILL be ready for the massive derby game against Porto on August 30 with seats now being installed.
The dugout area has been completely renovated, too – with the bench now boasted a capacity of 28 players and coaches.
On top of that, Sporting have opened a new “Emerald Lounge” for corporate ticket holders.
Club chiefs also splashed out £15m on repurchasing the adjacent Alvalaxia entertainment complex earlier this month.
Celtic star Daizen Maeda spotted doing press-ups in technical area after being subbed-off against Sporting Lisbon
Their plan is to re-home their club museum – which features their most important trophies, including replicas of individual Ballon d’Or gongs won by former players, Ronaldo and Luis Figo.
For now, the exhibition has been moved inside the stadium and is open to the public until the permanent residence is completed.
There is more work to be done inside the stadium, still – with the big screens currently being installed.
For now, supporters have a tiny scoreboard displayed on advertising hoardings on the side of the pitch.
But in time, the plan is to install multiple big screens.
Their plan moving forward is to cash-in on their corporate lounges – renting them out on non-matchdays for private events.
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TRANSFER NEWS LIVE – KEEP UP WITH ALL THE LATEST FROM A BUSY SUMMER WINDOW
BBC Sport pundit James McFadden believes Club Brugge “looked so comfortable” in the first leg tie against Rangers and “a lot of improvement is needed” in the second leg if the Scottish side hope to qualify from the Champions League play-offs.
Chelsea fans are furious at the club’s new ticketing system, after the club warned fans to arrive early to their Premier League opening game.
Loyal supporters have been left queuing well outside the stadium, with fans’ tickets NOT working as they try to enter the stadium.
The new system has already been blasted an ‘Absolute shambles’ as Blues’ fans wait outside the Bridge in the hopes of getting a glimpse of a ‘Special unveiling’ at 1pm.
One supporter who paid as much as £230 for a ticket has been told his ticket is invalid, and remains outside the ground as the club look to resolve the issue.
Chelsea incentivised fans to arrive early for the game, seemingly in anticipation that the new system at Stamford Bridge might have some teething problems.
The club offered 50% off of drinks to anyone who arrived between 12pm-1pm, with the turnstiles open since 12:30pm.
Fans outside the ground told SunSport that the app would not load as they got to the gates to show their tickets, and those who’s app would load would then face their tickets disappearing before entry.
While on X, one posted: “My match tickets have disappeared from the Chelsea app despite activating them this morning. Is anybody having this issue or know a solution?”
And another said: “All the fans struggling to get in for the game. Do better @ChelseaFC.”
Abuja and Nasarawa, Nigeria – In the neighbourhood of Kado Lifecamp on the outskirts of Nigeria’s capital, 29-year-old Eucharia Joseph grips a cooler box and sets out for her day. Inside are oral polio vaccines packed in ice.
Joseph’s route takes her through dusty lanes, past tin-roofed homes, mosques and churches. By nightfall, she and her team of six women will have vaccinated hundreds of children. Their mission: To ensure no child is left unprotected from the disease that once crippled thousands across the country.
In 2020, Nigeria was declared free of wild poliovirus by the World Health Organization (WHO) – a landmark achievement for a country once at the centre of global transmission. But the virus hasn’t vanished entirely.
A related strain, known as circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus (cVDPV), still threatens under-immunised communities. Unlike the wild virus, cVDPV emerges when the weakened virus from oral vaccines mutates and spreads via contaminated food or water, for instance, in areas where too few children are vaccinated.
That threat remains. Despite steady progress, Nigeria still reports sporadic outbreaks of cVDPV. As of March this year, the country had reported 10 cases of the mutated strain. Last year, 98 cVDPV2 cases were reported.
With ongoing insecurity in northern Nigeria and pockets of resistance elsewhere, the job of eradicating polio now rests heavily on the shoulders of women like Joseph, who are often the only ones granted access to households due to a confluence of cultural, religious and safety reasons.
“It’s my gift,” Joseph said of her work, as she adjusted her headscarf under the sun. “I go to different localities. I talk to mothers. I sit with them. I know how to convince them. That’s what makes this work possible.”
A polio vaccination drive in Mararaba town, Nigeria [Hanan Zaffar/Al Jazeera]
Women on the front lines
Female health workers like Joseph are the backbone of Nigeria’s polio response.
In rural or conservative communities, male health workers are often not allowed to interact with women and children. While in conflict-affected areas, strange men moving between households may be viewed with suspicion, as many of these areas are battling rebels.
In Borno State – the epicentre of Nigeria’s long-running Boko Haram rebellion and one of the regions hardest hit by polio outbreaks – the stakes are especially high. Male health workers have sometimes been suspected by the community of working with government forces or intelligence services.
In some neighbourhoods, the mistrust and resistance extend to female vaccinators as well.
“Most people in Maiduguri [the state capital] don’t always like the vaccine. They think it prevents them from giving birth,” said Aishatu, who chose not to reveal her last name. The community health worker leads immunisation rounds across several wards in the area.
Such rumours about the effects of vaccines have circulated for years, often fanned by misinformation circulating among community networks, some religious leaders, and occasionally by armed groups such as Boko Haram, which has attacked vaccinators and portrayed immunisation as part of a foreign agenda.
In some cases, religious teachings have been misrepresented, for example, claims that vaccines are forbidden during certain religious festivals or that immunisation interferes with divine will. There have also been conspiracy theories saying vaccines are a Western plot to sterilise children.
Combined with longstanding mistrust of government programmes in some areas, belief in these rumours has made vaccine acceptance a persistent challenge in parts of northern Nigeria, health workers say.
For front-liners like Aishatu, confronting the beliefs has become part of the job. Her strategy is persistence and patience.
“We handle it by trying to increase sensitisation,” she said, referring to the repeated community visits, one-on-one conversations, and informal group talks that female health workers use to counter vaccine myths and build trust among hesitant parents. “We keep talking to the mothers, telling them the truth. Some accept it slowly, some after seeing others take it.”
Aishatu has to balance this work with managing her household responsibilities. But she sees the job as something beyond a paycheck. “The work is a professional one,” she said. “But it also adds so much to life. I know I am helping people and I love it.”
But she also believes more needs to be done to expand the programme’s reach. “More female vaccinators are needed,” she said. “That’s the best approach for the government to use for creating more awareness about [the need and effectiveness of] polio vaccines.”
In areas or situations where male vaccinators face access constraints and restrictions, women doing the work have been more effective. And for some, their demeanour and approach to patients is what also makes a difference.
“Women are very social,” said Esu Danlami Audu, village head of Kado who has seen his village stamp out new polio cases because of efforts by women vaccinators.
“They are able to talk to parents, gain trust, and explain the importance of vaccines in ways men cannot. That is why they have played such an important role in our progress against eradication of poliovirus.”
This access has proven more critical in regions like Borno. According to the WHO, female vaccinators and community health promoters have been instrumental in reaching children in hard-to-access areas, sometimes even risking their lives to do so.
“All over Africa, despite facing life threats at many places, their [women vaccinators’] presence and persistence have helped overcome barriers of trust, cultural norms, and insecurity. This is especially true for conflict-affected areas of northern Nigeria where women are often the only ones allowed into households – especially those with young children – making their role irreplaceable,” said Dr Ndoutabe Modjirom, coordinator of WHO-led polio outbreaks rapid response team for the African region.
A neighbourhood in Kado village, Abuja [Hanan Zaffar/Al Jazeera]
Innovation, persistence and economic ripple effect
To further counter these challenges, health workers have also adopted a mix of innovation and local knowledge.
Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping now helps identify missed settlements. Community mobilisers, often local women, monitor newborns and report missed vaccinations. Mobile health units and door-to-door outreach campaigns are routine.
“We go to schools, churches, mosques and markets,” said Aminat Oketi, a vaccinator in Nasarawa State and a mother of six. “Sometimes we vaccinate 150, even 300 children a day. The work is tough. But when I see a child protected, it is worth it.”
Although Oketi earns some money from her work, the job is not well paid. Most vaccinators receive just 12,000 naira (about $8) from the government for a five-day campaign. Transport often eats into their earnings, forcing them to supplement this income with petty trade or hawking goods.
Aishatu supplements her income byrunning a small beans trading business in Maiduguri to earn an income. “I buy and sell beans,” she said. “I manage it by separating my time to work [as a health worker] and do business.”
While the campaigns has improved public health outcomes, it has also unintentionally created a foundation for economic empowerment among women, many say. Empowered by training and purpose, many of these women have become micro-entrepreneurs and informal community leaders.
Vaccinators like Oketi, who joined the programme four years ago, are not only safeguarding children but also building personal livelihoods.
She runs a small poultry business alongside her health work. “I have a shop where I sell chicken feed and I rear birds too,” she said. Her modest vaccine stipend barely covers transport, but the exposure to community networks and the sense of mission have translated into entrepreneurial confidence.
“When people trust you with their children, they also trust you to provide them with other services,” she said. “My customers come because they know me from the vaccination rounds. It is all connected.”
This is a common trajectory. While some female vaccinators have leveraged their community credibility to start small businesses, others, like Joseph, have set up informal health outreach networks, advising new mothers and coordinating care for sick children.
According to Cristian Munduate, UNICEF’s country representative, this dual role of healthcare provider and entrepreneur reflects a deeper shift. “They are not just women with jobs; they are agents of change,” she said. “Vaccination campaigns have opened a pathway for leadership, agency, and financial independence.”
Helen Bulus, a government health officer in charge of vaccinations in Mararaba town in Nasarawa, reflects on the sense of commitment female health workers share.
“We are mothers too. Women take care of children, not just their own. That’s why they don’t give up [even when there is hardship],” she said.
And as they persevere, their work creates other positive ripples, like contributing to higher school enrolment among girls in some regions, she added. “As mothers become more economically stable, they invest more in their daughters’ futures.”
A vaccination drive in a school in Kado village [Hanan Zaffar/Al Jazeera]
A global model – with challenges
While wild polio now remains endemic only in Pakistan and Afghanistan, Nigeria’s experience offers vital lessons. Its fight against polio, led by women, supported by community trust, and bolstered by innovative strategies, has reshaped how public health can be delivered in fragile settings.
The next step, experts say, is sustaining this momentum.
“Routine immunisation must be strengthened,” said Munduate. “And communities must be supported, not just during outbreaks but all year round.”
The polio infrastructure has also transformed Nigeria’s broader healthcare system. Cold chains, data systems, and human networks developed for polio now support routine immunisations, maternal health, and even responses to outbreaks like cholera and COVID-19.
“We have built a legacy platform. Female vaccinators trained for polio are now part of nutrition drives, health education, and emergency response. They have become health champions,” WHO’s Modjirom explained.
Still, hurdles persist. Insecurity continues to hinder access in parts of northern Nigeria. In conservative areas, misinformation remains rife, fed by rumours that vaccines cause infertility or are part of foreign agendas.
Despite gains, health workers say there is little scope for complacency. Experts warn that until every child is reached, the virus remains a threat not just to Nigeria, but to global eradication efforts.
“For each paralytic case, thousands more may be infected,” said Munduate. “That’s why we can’t stop and efforts have to continue.”
The reporting for this story was supported by UN Foundation Polio Press Fellowship
It was obvious why Martin was unhappy. In Plzen, Rangers conceded 27 shots, a staggering 21 of them coming from inside their penalty area.
As a result, the Czech side ended with an expected goals rating of 3.31, with Butland making eight saves, with the one to deny Prince Adu truly world class.
Given Rangers’ impressive first-leg performance, a one-off poor display with a comfortable 3-0 aggregate lead could be forgiven given the end result.
But early in the season, it has been a pattern. Rangers have conceded 97 shots in their six games so far, an average of 16 per game.
Had Plzen, Panithinaikos, Motherwell, or even Dundee been more clinical then it could easily be a different story in this nascent campaign.
“Plzen had four 100% chances and took one of them – and they all came from Rangers’ mistakes,” former Rangers midfielder Ian McCall said on Sportsound.
“They were shoddy and shabby, but the name of the game is getting into the next round.
“There’s an awful lot of money at stake, and they’ll have a chance. But they’ll need to defend a lot better in terms of not giving the ball away in dangerous areas.”
Rangers head coach Russell Martin says his side “have a lot to work on” despite getting past Viktoria Plzen and into the Champions League play-off round.
Rangers head coach Russell Martin talks to BBC Scotland about his decision to leave out captain James Tavernier and midfielder Nicolas Raskin for the Champions League qualifier against Viktoria Plzen.
It was a torrid season for Man Utd last campaign, finishing a woeful fifteenth in the Premier League table.
Having added two attackers, the elephant in the room is still their lack of striker.
Rasmus Hojlund is certainly not the answer to their problems, try as he might, he is not a natural goalscorer.
This was underpinned by the manager opting to play Matheus Cunha up front but that didn’t seem to work either.
Nobody knows if there is any more money to spend, if you speak to any of the staff laid off last season, they would say no.
One moment Sir Jim Ratcliffe is saying how close the club was to going bankrupt, the next they are building new stadiums and spending £150m on players.
Testing times for manager
David Moyes has been quite vocal about the club’s lack of transfer activity so far this summer.
They have a threadbare squad and could struggle if they get injuries to key players.
It is a concern how few goals they look to have in them in the final third and really need to be active in what remains in this transfer window.
Same problems still there
While the additions of Bryan Mbuemo and Matheus Cunha will add creativity in the final third, there is a lot of work still to do.
With Bruno Fernandes joining them in a front three, their midfield looks weak and was often overpowered by The Toffees.
As a defensive unit, they still look all over the shop.
The lack of cohesion and communication for both Everton goals is just not good enough for the Premier League.
Padraig Harrington has been around even longer than Rose. What, then, did the three-time major winner make of the Scheffler soliloquy?
“I don’t want to compare myself to him, but I genuinely still have a real love for this game and enjoy every bit,” he said. “It brings me tremendous satisfaction and I don’t think I have to shy away from that.
“Just because I love golf doesn’t make me a bad father or bad parent. They’re separate entities, you can enjoy everything there is about golf and still be good elsewhere. I just love playing golf.
When pressed about still feeling fulfilled on the course, 30 years after turning pro, he said he still “loves practising, hitting shots and dreaming of what can be”.
Going back to Scheffler, two-time Open champion Harrington added: “He was being honest, but those people are going to ask him about that for a long time.
“He obviously loves to practice, I just don’t think he loves the grind of it. I don’t think he needs to separate it.
“I’ve often said this later on in my life, I wish I’d spent more time enjoying my wins when they happened.”
Whoever takes the Claret Jug home from Portrush on Sunday, maybe they will have Scheffler’s words ringing in their ears. Maybe it will allow them to enjoy an Open win that bit longer.
“There is absolutely no place for racism – either in football or in society. Everyone at the club is offering their full support to Aramide and stand firmly by him.
“The New Saints are proud to support UEFA’s #NoToRacism campaign and remain committed to promoting equality, respect and inclusion both on and off the pitch.”
Englishman Oteh, who came on as a substitute in extra time, joined TNS in 2024 having played for Queens Park Rangers, Bradford City, Stevenage, Salford City, Crawley Town and Walsall.
The London-born player was visibly upset following the Shkendija defeat.
“He is in tears – that doesn’t happen for no reason,” said Harrison.
Wimbledon, United Kingdom – Expectations will run high, and so will the temperatures in southwest London, when Carlos Alcaraz steps on Centre Court to defend his Wimbledon title against Jannik Sinner on Sunday.
The next instalment of an enthralling rivalry between the top two players in men’s tennis will come under the limelight once again at one of the biggest stages in the game – the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club – on a hot afternoon in the United Kingdom’s capital.
Two-time Wimbledon champion Alcaraz expects to be pushed to the limit by world number one Sinner in a meeting that has already drawn comparisons with the great Wimbledon finals of the modern era.
“I expect to be on the limit, to be on the line [in the final],” Alcaraz said while speaking to the media moments after Sinner’s near-faultless semifinal 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 win over Novak Djokovic on Friday.
A few hours earlier, the Spaniard had booked a spot in his third consecutive Wimbledon final with a resilient performance against Taylor Fritz, which brought him a 6-4, 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 (8-6) win.
It will be the 13th on-court meeting between the two, and their second Grand Slam final in the space of five weeks.
Their duel in the French Open final lasted five hours and 29 minutes and added fuel to the fiery-yet-friendly rivalry between the young tennis stars.
Alcaraz knows his opponent all too well and expects nothing short of another spectacle.
“Whatever Jannik has is because he has learned from everything – he just gets better after every match, every day,” Alcaraz said of the top seed.
The Spaniard said he expected Sinner to be in better shape mentally and physically for the Wimbledon final, but that he was not looking forward to another hours-long match.
“I just hope not to be five and a half hours on court again. But if I have to, I will.”
Meanwhile, Sinner – the tall, stoic and speedy Italian who stands between Alcaraz and a chance to become only the fifth man to win three straight Wimbledon titles – believes beating the holder will be “very tough”.
“I’m very happy to share the court with Carlos once again. It’s going to be difficult, I know that,” Sinner said on Friday.
The Australian Open champion said he loves playing Grand Slam finals – Sunday’s will be his fifth in two years.
“I always try to put myself in these kinds of situations that I really love. Sundays at every tournament are very special.”
The 23-year-old from northern Italy termed Alcaraz as the favourite, given his record at the tournament and on grass courts.
“He is the favourite. He won here the last two times. He’s again in the final. It’s very tough to beat him on grass, but I like these challenges.”
Alcaraz and Sinner after their epic French Open final [File: Susan Mullane/Imagn Images via Reuters]
‘Fire vs ice’
Out of the 12 occasions that both players have met, four have been at Grand Slams, but this is only their second meeting in the final.
The pair’s only other meeting at Wimbledon came in the fourth round in 2022, when Sinner won 6-1, 6-4, 6-7 (6-8), 6-3. Alcaraz, however, brushed aside the reference by saying that both men are changed players from what they were three years ago.
“We’re completely different players on grass and on all surfaces.”
The 22-year-old from Murcia, in southeastern Spain, will be buoyed by his 5-0 record against Sinner in the past two years.
Despite Alcaraz’s success against his nemesis, it is Sinner who has consistently topped the men’s rankings by racking up regular wins and points on the ATP circuit.
All things considered, there is not much that separates the two ahead of their highly anticipated match.
Just ask Djokovic.
While the 24-time Grand Slam champion picked Alcaraz due to his past success at Wimbledon, Djokovic predicted “a very close match-up, like they had in Paris” when asked to choose a winner.
“I think I will give a slight edge to Carlos because of the two titles he’s won here and the way he’s playing and the confidence he has right now, but it’s just a slight advantage, because Jannik is hitting the ball extremely well.”
It is not just their contrasting styles of play – Sinner relies on his baseline game and shot speed, while Alcaraz likes to cover the court with his nimble footwork and excellent coverage – but also their on-court personalities that set the two apart while making them an engaging pair to watch.
Before the French Open final, Alcaraz said in an interview that a “fire vs ice” analogy fits them perfectly.
“I guess you can say I am like fire because of the way I react on court and show emotions, while Jannik remains calm,” the Spaniard said with his trademark smile.
Alcaraz is never shy of showing his emotions on court [File: Stephanie Lecocq/Reuters]
In the shadow of the greats
For the fans, though, the pair offer another chance to pick sides and look forward to tennis tournaments that could pit the two against each other.
“It’s a dream final,” Catherine Shaw, a tennis fan who watched both the men’s semifinals on Centre Court, told Al Jazeera.
“They are the next big thing when it comes to tennis rivalries, so it’s exciting times for tennis fans.”
Stepping out in the shadows of some of the greatest players and rivals – Stefan Edberg vs Ivan Lendl, Bjorn Borg vs John McEnroe, Andre Agassi vs Pete Sampras and Rafael Nadal vs Roger Federer – the young players will have big shoes to fill.
Both are aware of the weight their match-up carries but refuse to be compared with their heroes just yet.
“I think the things that we are doing right now are great for tennis,” Alcaraz said ahead of the final.
“We just fight to engage more people to watch tennis. We’re fighting for tennis to be bigger, as all the tennis players are doing.
“For me, it’s sharing the big tournaments with Jannik, or just playing in the finals of the tournaments… We’re still really young.
“I hope to keep doing the right things for the next five to 10 years, so our rivalry is on the same table as those players.”
Sinner and Alcaraz will meet again on the iconic Centre Court at Wimbledon after their meeting in 2022 [File: Hannah Mckay/Reuters]
Twenty-one years before Uruguay lifted the first Fifa World Cup, there was another attempt to create a global football tournament, with clubs rather than countries.
Sir Thomas Lipton, philanthropist and creator of Lipton Ice Tea, created a football competition that saw Europe’s elite face off against each other.
With the competition set to be held in Turin, Italy, invitations were sent to the football associations of England, Germany, Italy and Switzerland – the predominant powerhouses of the game – with all but the English FA accepting the offer to send one of their best teams to take part.
Germany and Switzerland sent their respective champions, Stuttgart and Winterthur, while Italy sent a combined Turin and Piemonte side.
Not wanting to see England go unrepresented at the tournament, Lipton turned his attention to the Northern League and West Auckland Town.
Why exactly the amateur outfit were chosen is a much speculated subject but, according to local historian Martin Connolly, there are a couple of possible scenarios.
“The myth was that Sir Thomas Lipton had asked for Woolwich Arsenal Football Club, WAFC, and his secretary made a mistake, but my research shows that is not correct,” he told BBC Real Time in 2014.
“The Northern League was one of the oldest leagues in England with fantastic teams and it’s thought that Bishop Auckland might have been the target – but, in fact, West Auckland got the invite.”
Mistake or not, amateur side West Auckland duly accepted the invitation and the stage was set for the first World Cup, or, by its official and very creative name, the Sir Thomas Lipton Trophy.
Linfield manager David Healy felt his side “stood firm” in order to bring a single-goal deficit back to Windsor Park for next week’s second leg of their Champions League first qualifying round tie against Shelbourne.
Coming in with only the Charity Shield final against Dungannon Swifts last week as preparation, and against a side 25 games into their domestic campaign, Healy was pleased with how his side did not allow their hosts to turn plenty of possession into a glut of chances.
While Evan Caffrey twice went close, as did substitute Sean Boyd, the Blues defended resolutely for large periods.
“It was never going to be easy coming down here, they are a very, very good side with talented players,” said Healy.
“It’s disappointing, of course, but in terms of where we are, it’s our first real competitive game. Proud of the effort and the organisation of the players, we stuck together.
“An excitable crowd down here at Tolka Park can sometimes suck the ball into the net and we stood firm and we got ourselves in with a goal deficit.”
Linfield will have the suspended Chris Shields back for next week’s second leg, while Cammy Ballantyne should be available too.
Although Healy felt that Shelbourne play “some of the best football” he has seen in Europe as Linfield manager, he believes his team have “nothing to lose” back at Windsor Park on Wednesday in a game that will be shown live on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website.
“We’ll be better for the game next week at Windsor,” the former Northern Ireland striker added.
“We’ll empty the tank, we’ve got nothing to fear and nothing to lose.”
Panathinaikos’ visit will mark Russell Martin’s first competitive game as Rangers head coach and the former Southampton boss has been handed the toughest of their possible draws despite the Ibrox side having been seeded.
All three potential opponents were, like Rangers, runners-up in their domestic leagues, but while the Greek side are 111th in the European club rankings, 86 places behind Rangers, Swiss side Servette are 139th (one behind Heart of Midlothian) and Norwegians Brann 189th.
Panathinaikos have never lost to Scottish opponents over 90 minutes in four meetings with Rangers, two with Motherwell and one with Aberdeen, winning four of their seven games.
However, it was Rangers who progressed when they last met the Ibrox side.
Having beaten Aberdeen 3-0 at home in the 2007-08 Uefa Cup group stage, the Greeks exiting on away goals after a 0-0 stalemate in Glasgow was followed by a 1-1 draw in Athens in the round of 32.
They had beaten Rangers 3-1 at Ibrox, and drew 1-1 at home, in the Champions League group stage in 2003, while they eased aside Motherwell 5-0 on aggregate in their latest meeting with a Scottish side in 2012 – in the Champions League third qualifying round.
Panathinaikos have not reached the Champions League proper since 2010-11 and last season started in Europa League qualifying, beating Botev Plovdiv but losing to Ajax before qualifying for the Conference League by defeating Lens.
They lost 4-1 at home to eventual winners Chelsea and beat The New Saints 2-0 in Wales in the new league stage, finishing 13th, before beating Vikingur Reykjavik in the knockout phase then losing to Fiorentina in the last 16.
Rangers lost their opening Champions League qualifier to Dynamo Kyiv last season under Philippe Clement, but reached the Europa League quarter-finals, by which time interim head coach Barry Ferguson was in charge.
Teams winning their second qualifying round ties face two more rounds to make the league stage.
Irish Premiership winners Linfield have been drawn against Shelbourne in the first round of Champions League qualifying.
Shelbourne, managed by former Chelsea and Republic of Ireland winger Damien Duff, won their first League of Ireland Premier Division title in 18 years in 2024 after a dramatic final-day victory over Derry City.
David Healy’s Linfield won the Irish Premiership by 22 points in an impressive campaign for the Blues.
The first leg in will take place at Tolka Park on Tuesday 8 or Wednesday 9 July, before the return fixture at Windsor Park on 15 or 16 July.
Cliftonville will find out their Uefa Conference League opponents in the first-round draw at 15:00 BST.
Jim Magilton’s European play-off winners are unseeded and will face one of Icelandic side Vikingur, Partizani of Albania, Floriana from Malta and Gibraltar side St Joseph’s.
Irish Cup winners Dungannon Swifts will discover their second-round opponents on Wednesday.
LUKA MODRIC is set to undergo a medical at AC Milan after the Club World Cup, according to reports.
The Croatian, 39, has already announced that he will leave Real Madrid following the conclusion of the revamped tournament in the US.
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Luka Modric is set to wave goodbye to Real MadridCredit: Shutterstock Editorial
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Kylian Mbappe says he is not bitter over Paris St-Germain’s Champions League victory less than a year after leaving the club for Real Madrid.
The forward left PSG as the club’s record goalscorer but was unable to win European football’s premier club competition in seven seasons with the French giants before signing for Madrid on a free transfer in July 2024.
“I didn’t leave too soon; my story with PSG was over. I am not bitter; I had reached the end of the road,” said France captain Mbappe, who scored 256 goals for PSG.
Speaking on Saturday at a news conference before France’s Nations League third-place match with Germany, Mbappe added: “I tried everything, and it was destiny that meant it had to happen without me.
“PSG winning the Champions League without me doesn’t affect me. I was happy – I think they deserved it.
“They’ve had so many years where they struggled. I’ve been there too; I’ve played in every Champions League stage in Paris except for the victory.
“They’re the best team in Europe. I don’t remember seeing a team win 5-0 in a major final.”
The closes Mbappe came to Champions League success with his boyhood club was a runners-up medal following defeat by Bayern Munich in the 2020 final.
Mbappe’s Madrid, who were knocked out by Arsenal at the quarter-final stage of last season’s Champions League, ended the campaign without a trophy for the first time in four years.
