Swiatek, Sabalenka Set Up French Open Semi-Final Clash As Alcaraz Sweeps Through

As reigning men’s champion Carlos Alcaraz advanced past the semi-finals of the French Open on Tuesday, three-time champion defending champion Iga Swiatek and world no. 1 Aryna Sabalenka met in a blockbuster match.

In the night session on Court Philippe Chatrier, Alcaraz defeated American 12th seed Tommy Paul in a match that ended in just five games.

The Spaniard needed only one hour and 34 minutes to defeat Paul 6-1, 6-1, and 6-6 to force a final-four encounter with Lorenzo Musetti from Italy.

Alcaraz apologized to the audience, “I’m sorry you wanted to watch more tennis; I had to do my work.”

“It was one of those matches where everything went in,” said the player. It seemed unbelievable to me how I felt today.

After Sabalenka advanced to a tense quarter-final against Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen 7-6 (7 / 3) 6-3, Swiatek, the fifth seed, defeated Ukrainian Elina Svitolina 6-1, 7-5.

Swiatek, the world’s number five, has struggled to find her best form and hasn’t reached a final since winning the French Open last year.

However, in windy conditions on Court Philippe Chatrier, she gave Svitolina, the 13th seed, little opportunity on her preferred clay surface when she broke in the fourth game to make it through the first set.

Early in the second set, the pair had a string of break breaks before Swiatek’s powerful forehand, which forced the break to 5-5, forced the break.

The win was then sealed by back-to-back aces.

The score appears to be fairly straightforward even in the first set, according to Swiatek.

“I had to fight every single point,” he said.

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Rematch between Alcaraz and Musetti

On day 10 of the French Open tennis tournament, Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz triumphs over US Tommy Paul on Court Philippe-Chatrier at the Roland-Garros Complex in Paris on June 3, 2025. (Photo by Alain JOCARD/AFP)

Swiatek wants to become the first woman to win four Roland Garros titles in a row since Suzanne Lenglen did it 102 years ago.

It will be a difficult match because (Aryna) has been having a fantastic season, I won’t lie. After claiming her 26th victory in a row at the French Open, Swiatek said, “I’m happy for the challenge.”

Since April 2022, both players have held the top spot in the rankings.

Swiatek’s 11-month reign as world number one was ended by Sabalenka in October, but the Pole now leads with 8-4 in previous meetings.

Sabalenka, the current US Open champion, made amends earlier in Rome for her recent defeat to Zheng.

Sabalenka remarked, “The last tournament, I was pretty exhausted.

“I was more fresh and ready to fight today.”

Zheng, who had won ten matches on the Paris clay since her Olympic gold last year, had once more won the title.

Zheng broke for the first set, leading 4-2. However, the Belarusian was able to recover from numerous unforced errors, totaling 31.

Zheng, who has lost seven of her eight matches against Sabalenka, including the Australian Open final last year, said, “I gave her the chance, so easy.”

Sabalenka, the previous best in the semi-finals two years ago, feels like she is ready to make it all the way to Paris.

“It’s high-level matches,” the saying goes. I’m so excited to fight and do everything I can to win,” Sabalenka said.

After Musetti had earlier defeated Paul’s 15th-ranked compatriot Frances Tiafoe 6-2, 4-6, 7-5, 6-2, Alcaraz, 22, defeated the former world number nine Paul.

Paul, who he also defeated on his way to silver at the Paris Olympics last year, was the only one of whom he made 22 unforced errors against. He had 40 winners and made just 22 winners.

After Wimbledon last year, Musetti, 23, made it take more than two hours and 45 minutes to advance to his second Grand Slam semi-final.

Musetti’s serve proved to be a significant asset on the day, as he hit eight aces with an 81 percent success rate on his first ace.

He also saved two of Tiafoe’s three break points, who combined for the Italian with 51 unforced errors.

This clay-court season, Alcaraz and Musetti will meet for the third time.

Alcaraz has won the title in Rome by defeating the Italian in the Monte Carlo final and also putting him in the final four.

Ajibade Stars As Super Falcons Devour Cameroon’s Indomitable Lionesses

The Super Falcons of Nigeria only needed a brace in a friendly international on Tuesday to defeat the Indomitable Lionesses of Cameroon. &nbsp,

In the 28th minute of play, Ajibade converted a penalty and gave Nigeria the lead in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

As Ajibade, who recently left Atlético Madrid, pushed for Nigeria’s second, the Super Falcons kept moving, threatening the Cameroonian defense.

But they were barely able to endure because of the Central Africans. Nigeria was the one who, as expected, scored another goal just before halftime.

Fernandes rejects the Saudi-backed move to stay at Manchester United.

Ajibade was picked out in the Cameroonian box this time thanks to Omorinsola Babajide’s sublime pass. Nigeria’s second goal of the day came from the forward who hit the ball past the goalkeeper.

The visitors grew into the game and attempted to resurrect it when the game ended.

They almost had a goal back before the end of added time. However, the reigning CAF female goalkeeper made a stunning save to stop Cameroon, demonstrating her abilities.

Then, comfortably, Nigeria held on to win the game. In their 15th game victory over their neighbors, the Super Falcons won.

Both teams were scheduled to play two games. However, only one game was played as a result of Cameroon’s delayed arrival in Nigeria.

Fernandes Rejects Mouth-Watering Saudi Move To Stay At Manchester United

Apparently, Bruno Fernandes chose to join Ruben Amorim’s rebuild at Old Trafford instead of accept a sizable offer to leave Manchester United for the Saudi Pro League.

Al Hilal reportedly offered United up to $ 100 million ($135 million) for the 30-year-old Portugal international, but they had not yet made an official approach.

United finished 15th overall, which was their worst performance of the Premier League era. Additionally, Tottenham won the Europa League championship match.

With 19 goals and 19 assists in all competitions, United captain Fernandes was one of the few players to emerge with credit after a terrible season.

After losing to Spurs last month in Bilbao, the midfielder addressed his future.

Football can sometimes be like this, he said, “But if the club thinks it’s time to part ways because they want to do some cashing in or whatever,” he said.

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Manager Amorim, however, last week expressed his confidence that his countryman would continue playing at Old Trafford as speculation raged over his future.

Gary Neville, a former United captain and current Sky Sports pundit, described the development as “significant.”

You couldn’t say that it would have been a bad deal, he said, “I think there was a component of this situation that meant United getting that level of money, obviously, for someone of Bruno’s age.”

“On the other hand, Bruno Fernandes has been Manchester United’s star player for the past four, five, and six years, and that’s just one player.” He is very significant.

Neville continued, “To turn that money down at a time when Manchester United is at their lowest ebb and say, “No, I want to fight through this, I want to see it through the other side, I want to come out and achieve things,” I think it says a lot about him as a person and as a character.

The club needs “people who are going to run through a brick wall for them,” the club says.

As Amorim revamps his underperforming squad, United are expected to be busy in the transfer market.

The club has already signed Brazilian international Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford and Matheus Cunha from Wolves.

Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford, Antony, and Alejandro Garnacho might make the trip.

Since making a £47 million move from Sporting Lisbon in January 2020, Fernandes has started 290 games and scored 98 goals for United.

Sinner Crushes Rublev To Reach Roland Garros Last Eight

As Jannik Sinner cruised to a stunning victory over Andrey Rublev in the French Open last 16 on Monday, he sent a warning to his French Open title rivals.

Russian 17th seed Rublev appeared to be a challenging challenge for Sinner, but the world no. 1 fought it out to win 6-1, 6-3, 6-4 on Court Philippe Chatrier.

“Things can go very quickly in a bad way, especially the best of five,” Sinner said.

“I’m delighted to finish it in three,” she said. These Parisian night sessions are truly unique.

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The Italian, who returned from a three-month doping suspension in Rome in May, will face Kazakh Alexander Bublik, who is unseeded, in the quarter-finals.

Sinner defeated Bublik 3-1 in their previous meeting on grass in Halle, but they did not win.

After winning the US Open last year and the Australian Open for the second time in a row in January, he now has a third successive Grand Slam title in Paris.

After falling to Rublev in the final 16 at Roland Garros in 2022, Sinner gained some reprieve from his third set injury.

He fired five aces and 25 winners past a confused opponent on Monday while being in top form.

You don’t want to show your opponent anything, Sinner said of his calm on-court demeanor, but there is a storm going on inside.

“The storm was not only inside but also outside in my young career.”

In the match’s opening game, the 23-year-old saved two break points from eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz, who had defeated him in the 2024 semi-finals.

However, he only missed one set point for a first-set bagel as he surged to a 5-0 lead and won the opener.

When Rublev dropped the serve once more, Sinner took a 2-1 lead into the second set.

Rublev, a 10-time Grand Slam quarter-finalist, raised his game in the third set with the audience firmly in his step.

But his only setback was when Sinner defended himself on serve before the top seed’s first match point, when a Rublev forehand hit the net and spun wide, was when Sinner held his serve.

Chelsea Sign Essugo In Time For Club World Cup

Portuguese international Dario Essugo was signed by Chelsea for £18 million ($25 million) on Monday.

The 20-year-old will be able to play for the Blues at the Club World Cup later this month after spending last season on loan at Las Palmas from Spain as they were relegated from La Liga.

At the age of 16, Essugo joined Sporting’s first team in March 2021, becoming the youngest player to do so through Sporting’s academy.

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Initial agreements for Essugo and Geovany Quenda were reached in March.

Quenda will join Sporting for £44 million before moving to the end of the 2025/26 season.

As Chelsea close negotiations on a £30 million deal for Ipswich striker Liam Delap, their squad is expected to grow even more.

Djokovic Cruises Into Record 19th French Open Quarter-Final

With a comfortable straight-sets victory over Cameron Norrie on Monday, Novak Djokovic slipped into a record-breaking 19th Roland Garros quarter-final.

After defeating Norrie 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 on Court Philippe Chatrier, the three-time French Open champion will face third seed Alexander Zverev in the final eight on Wednesday.

His 19 quarter-final appearances at Roland Garros set a new record for the most Grand Slam victories.

On day 9 of the French Open tennis competition at the Roland-Garros Complex in Paris on June 2, 2025, Novak Djokovic of Serbia serves to Britain’s Cameron Norrie. (Photo by Anne-Christine POUJOULAT/AFP)

“I feel good,” he said. I am aware of my ability to play better. But 12 sets played, 12 sets won, and so far, the 38-year-old described his 100th French Open victory as “a solid one.”

“Winner number 101 would be better, but it’s great.” I feel very honored, but I must move on.

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Djokovic and German Zverev have a 8-5 winning record, but they both lost in their previous encounter in the Australian Open semi-finals in January.

Norrie, a former top-10 player and current 81st, has lost all six of his professional matches to Djokovic.

The Serb dominated from the beginning, aiming to break the previous all-time Grand Slam record of 25 this week.

In a one-set, he broke serve three times before battling through a closer second to save a crucial break point before holding for a 3-2 lead.

Djokovic won on his first match point, but Norrie, who was playing for the first time in Paris, did not face much resistance in the third set.