Category Sports News

Former champion Stan Wawrinka has been awarded a wildcard entry into the men’s singles draw at the 2025 French Open.

Wawrinka defeated Novak Djokovic in four sets to lift the trophy in 2015, the second of his three Grand Slam titles.

Now aged 40, the Swiss player has dropped to 132nd in the ATP rankings.

He reached round two at Roland Garros in 2024, losing to Russia’s Pavel Kotov, and hasn’t reached the second week of a Grand Slam event since the 2020 Australian Open.

Frenchman Richard Gasquet, 38, who will retire after the tournament, has also received a wildcard for the main draw.

Dutch club Fortuna Sittard’s dreams of playing European football next season have been dashed because of missing paperwork.

Fortuna sit ninth in the Eredevisie with two games left – a position that would earn them a play-off place for a spot in the Uefa Conference League.

However, the club do not have the required Uefa licence after failing to apply before the 8 April deadline, and therefore would be ineligible to participate in European competition next term.

“At that time, the club did not meet all the requirements, including the submission of an external auditor’s report in accordance with Uefa rules,” the club said.

“This ruled out participation in the play-offs for European football in advance.”

Fortuna have not played in Europe since the 1998 Intertoto Cup – a tournament that offered backdoor entry to the Uefa Cup.

“It is disappointing that we cannot reward a great sporting season,” Fortuna general manager Martijn Merks said.

“However, we think it is important to be transparent. We are currently busy preparing for the new Eredivisie season and in the meantime we are continuing to build on the future sustainability of the club.

The Minnesota Vikings will become the first NFL team to play in three countries in one season during 2025.

A record seven international matches will be played in 2025, with the NFL taking regular-season games to Ireland and Spain for the first time.

The designated ‘home’ teams for the games had already been confirmed and their opponents were announced on Tuesday.

In addition to their US games, the Vikings will play Pittsburgh Steelers at Dublin’s Croke Park on 28 September, and the following week will travel to London to face the Cleveland Browns at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The other two London games will see the Denver Broncos face the New York Jets at Tottenham on 12 October, and the following week the Jacksonville Jaguars will ‘host’ the Los Angeles Rams at Wembley.

The NFL will stage its fifth regular-season game in Germany and the first in Berlin, with the Indianapolis Colts hosting the Atlanta Falcons on 9 November.

The Washington Commanders will be the opponents for the Miami Dolphins in the NFL’s first game in Spain, at Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.

The first international game of the season will take place in Brazil during week one, with Sao Paulo hosting its second game on Friday, 5 September.

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti says he has “never had a problem” with the club and does not want to “make a big deal” out of his impending departure for the Brazil national team.

The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) confirmed the 65-year-old’s appointment as head coach on Monday but there has not been an official announcement from Real.

The Italian’s tenure with Brazil will begin on 26 May, the day after Real Madrid face Real Sociedad in their final match of the 2024-25 season.

Bayer Leverkusen manager, and former Spain and Real Madrid midfielder, Xabi Alonso is set to succeed him at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Commenting on Monday’s announcement, Ancelotti said: “If I didn’t have the press conference today, it would be fantastic. There are things I can’t explain right now because I’m at Madrid and I want to respect the shirt.

“From 26 May onwards, I’ll be Brazil’s coach. It’s a very important challenge, but I want to finish the final stretch of this fantastic adventure here well.

“I never had problems with Real and never will have problems with Real. It’s a club that lives dearly in my heart, but everything in life has a date to end.

“I couldn’t be Madrid coach for the rest of my life. It comes to an end for many reasons. The club may need a new impetus. I’m not making a big deal out of it.

On Madrid not issuing a statement, he added: “Madrid will release a statement whenever it wants. There is no problem whatsoever and they’ll do it when they deem it appropriate.”

During two spells with Real Madrid, Ancelotti has won 15 trophies, including three Champions League titles.

Last season, he led them to a Champions League and La Liga double, but is set to finish this campaign without silverware.

Real Madrid exited the Champions League in the quarter-finals, lost the final of the Copa del Rey to Barcelona, and sit seven points behind Hansi Flick’s side in the league with three matches remaining.

Reflecting on his time at Madrid, he said: “I always kept in mind that one day it ends. I’ve had a great time, and I think everyone has, but there comes a time when it ends. Football is like life; something begins and ends.

“I’ve had a great time. We’ve won a lot and it will be a memory for life.

Heart of Midlothian and Kilmarnock have agreed a deal to allow Derek McInnes to become the new manager at Tynecastle, the 53-year-old has revealed, although talks are still ongoing before the move can be finalised.

The former Aberdeen manager will take charge of Kilmarnock’s final two games of the season – including Sunday’s visit by Hearts – before formally succeeding Neil Critchley, who was sacked as head coach after just six months.

McInnes has been in charge at Rugby Park since 2022 and last season guided the Ayrshire side into Europe by finishing fourth in the Scottish Premiership.

His managerial career began when he took St Johnstone into the top flight in 2009 and, after a brief stint at Bristol City, he had seven years at Aberdeen, with whom he never finished lower than fourth and won the League Cup in 2014.

The former midfielder left Pittodrie in 2021 and took charge of Kilmarnock the following January, leading them to promotion to the top flight and keeping them in it comfortably since then.

Former Blackpool boss Critchley joined Hearts in October, with the side bottom of the Premiership after a poor start to the season under Steven Naismith, and steered them clear of relegation – but not into the league’s top six.

Heart of Midlothian and Kilmarnock have agreed a deal to allow Derek McInnes to become the new manager at Tynecastle, the 53-year-old has revealed, although talks are still ongoing before the move can be finalised.

The former Aberdeen manager will take charge of Kilmarnock’s final two games of the season – including Sunday’s visit by Hearts – before formally succeeding Neil Critchley, who was sacked as head coach after just six months.

McInnes has been in charge at Rugby Park since 2022 and last season guided the Ayrshire side into Europe by finishing fourth in the Scottish Premiership.

His managerial career began when he took St Johnstone into the top flight in 2009 and, after a brief stint at Bristol City, he had seven years at Aberdeen, with whom he never finished lower than fourth and won the League Cup in 2014.

The former midfielder left Pittodrie in 2021 and took charge of Kilmarnock the following January, leading them to promotion to the top flight and keeping them in it comfortably since then.

Former Blackpool boss Critchley joined Hearts in October, with the side bottom of the Premiership after a poor start to the season under Steven Naismith, and steered them clear of relegation – but not into the league’s top six.