‘Everyone loves Carlitos’: Alcaraz wins hearts, Sinner plays second fiddle
Carlos Alcaraz captivated the Roland Garros crowd with his electric play and gregarious personality, contrasting sharply with Jannik Sinner’s quieter, steely demeanor. Despite limited support outside his box, Sinner’s resilience pushed Alcaraz to a grueling five-set final. Alcaraz’s daring style and crowd-pleasing moments are drawing comparisons to Nadal and Federer, solidifying his rising popularity, even though Sinner showed great sportsmanship.
Australia and South Africa are set to clash in the World Test Championship Final at Lord’s, with the mace to be shared in case of a draw. A reserve day is in place to recover lost time. The winners will receive USD $3.6 million, while the runners-up get USD $2.16 million.
Jacob Bethell, the young English cricketer, experienced a significant achievement as Royal Challengers Bengaluru secured their first IPL title. Despite missing the playoffs, Bethell made valuable contributions during the league stage, including a notable partnership with Virat Kohli. His interactions with Kohli proved invaluable, providing him with insights into Kohli’s approach to batting and chasing targets in T20 games.
Brazil clinched their spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a narrow 1-0 victory against Paraguay, marking Carlo Ancelotti’s debut win. Vinicius Jr.’s goal just before halftime secured the win, propelling Brazil to third place in the South American standings. Paraguay, despite the loss, remains in contention for qualification, needing only a point to secure their place.
As Team India starts its new World Test Championship cycle against England, the focus is on managing Jasprit Bumrah’s workload. With senior players retiring, coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Shubman Gill face pressure to preserve Bumrah, who is returning from a back injury. He will play only three Tests, as advised by medical professionals.
Australia have announced a surprising lineup for the World Test Championship Final, with Marnus Labuschagne opening alongside Usman Khawaja. Josh Hazlewood gets the nod over Scott Boland in a tough fast bowling decision. Cameron Green returns from injury, while Beau Webster provides all-round support as Australia aims for victory at Lord’s.
South Africa aim to exploit Australia’s unfamiliar opening pair of Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne in the World Test Championship Final at Lord’s. Captain Temba Bavuma believes the swinging conditions will favour their bowlers, especially Kagiso Rabada, who is in top form. South Africa hope early wickets will put pressure on Australia’s batting lineup in the high-stakes clash.
Shreyas Iyer continues his impressive captaincy, leading SoBo Mumbai Falcons to the T20 Mumbai League 2025 final, marking his fourth final in just over a year. This golden run includes an IPL triumph with KKR, a Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title with Mumbai, and leading Punjab Kings to an IPL final.
England dominated West Indies with a 37-run victory, completing a 3-0 T20I series sweep in Southampton. Ben Duckett’s explosive 84 and Jamie Smith’s quickfire 60 powered England to 248/3, their joint-highest T20I score at home. Despite Rovman Powell’s valiant 79*, West Indies fell short at 211/8, with Luke Wood’s 3-31 leading England’s disciplined bowling attack.
Diageo India has refuted media reports suggesting the sale of its Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) IPL franchise, labeling them as speculative. Despite the denial, speculation persists, fueled by a Bloomberg report and a subsequent rise in United Spirits’ shares. There are also murmurs about Diageo valuing the RCB franchise at around USD 2 billion.