Jannik Sinner faces Carlos Alcaraz at Wimbledon in a rematch of their epic French Open final
LONDON (AP) — Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are meeting to decide the Wimbledon championship just five weeks after they played each other in an epic French Open final. Sunday’s matchup at Centre Court between the No. 1-ranked Sinner and No. 2 Alcaraz marks the first time the same two men faced off in the title matches at Roland-Garros and the All England Club in the same year since Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal did it in 2006, 2007 and 2008. Alcaraz won in five sets spread over 5 hours, 29 minutes in Paris, coming back from a two-set deficit and saving three match points along the way.
Iga Swiatek wins Wimbledon after a difficult year that included a doping case and a title drought
LONDON (AP) — Iga Swiatek is the youngest woman since Serena Williams to own Grand Slam titles on all three surfaces after becoming Wimbledon’s champion. The 24-year-old Swiatek’s 6-0, 6-0 victory over Amanda Anisimova in Saturday’s final on the grass at the All England Club follows a difficult 12 months in which Swiatek not only didn’t win a trophy at any event but also dealt with a doping case. She now adds this triumph to her four on the French Open’s clay and one from the U.S. Open’s hard courts and is only missing an Australian Open title to complete a career Grand Slam.
Kate, Princess of Wales, is scheduled to present the Wimbledon trophies to Alcaraz and Sinner
LONDON (AP) — Kate, the Princess of Wales, is scheduled to return to Wimbledon to watch the men’s final between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner and present the trophies afterward. Sunday’s match is a repeat of last month’s French Open final. Kate, the wife of Prince William, is the patron of the All England Club and usually attends the women’s and men’s singles finals. On Saturday, she gave champion Iga Swiatek her prize after a 6-0, 6-0 victory in the final and offered consoling words to runner-up Amanda Anisimova. Last year, while recovering from cancer, the princess did not attend the women’s final but was on hand for Alcaraz’s win against Novak Djokovic for the second consecutive year at the All England Club.
Paul Skenes to start 2nd straight All-Star Game for NL and Tarik Skubal to open for AL
ATLANTA (AP) — Pittsburgh’s Paul Skenes will start his second consecutive All-Star Game for the National League on Tuesday night. Detroit’s Tarik Skubal will pitch for the American League. The 23-year-old Skenes will be the first to start back-to-back All-Star Games since 2018. He leads the majors with a 2.01 ERA despite a 4-8 record. Skubal, 28, is the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner and is 10-3 with a 2.23 ERA. Skenes and Skubal are 1-2 in average four-seam fastball velocity among those with 1,500 or more pitches this season, Skenes at 98.2 mph and Skubal at 97.6 mph, according to MLB Statcast.
Trump is attending the FIFA Club World Cup final
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump will be attending the FIFA Club World Cup final in New Jersey. Sunday’s match at MetLife Stadium offers Trump a preview of next year’s World Cup, which North America will host. The 2026 tournament will feature games in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, with the final also set for MetLife Stadium. Sporting events have made up a significant chunk of Trump’s domestic travel this year, including appearances at the Super Bowl and Daytona 500. Sunday also marks the first anniversary of an assassination attempt he survived in Butler, Pennsylvania, while campaigning for president.
Twins’ Byron Buxton hits for the cycle, the first at Target Field since the ballpark opened in 2010
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota Twins All-Star center fielder Byron Buxton hit for the cycle Saturday against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Buxton had a single in the first, a triple in the second and a double in the third. After singling again in the fifth, he had one more opportunity in the seventh. Buxton crushed a 427-foot solo homer off Pirates reliever Andrew Heaney with two outs. That brought the crowd to its feet, many of which had received a Buxton bobblehead giveaway at the game. The cycle was the first at Target Field since the ballpark opened in 2010. It was the first cycle by a Twins player since Jorge Polanco had one in 2019.
Shohei Ohtani pitches 3 scoreless innings against the Giants
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Shohei Ohtani pitched three scoreless innings against the San Francisco Giants as the Dodgers star continues to work his way back from elbow surgery. Working as an opener for the fifth time this season, Ohtani threw 36 pitches, 25 for strikes while serving as Los Angeles’ opener for the fifth time this season. He allowed one hit and struck out the side on 12 pitches in the first inning when his fastball was twice clocked at 99.9 mph. The Giants only two runners against Ohtani came on a four-pitch walk to Jung Hoo Lee in the second inning and Mike Yastrzemski’s single in the third.
From one 14 to another, White Sox great Konerko gets gift from Pope Leo XIV in honor of 2005 title
CHICAGO (AP) — White Sox great Paul Konerko got a present from one No. 14 to another in honor of the 20th anniversary of the 2005 World Series championship run — a jersey signed by noted Chicago fan Pope Leo XIV. Cardinal Blase Cupich, the archbishop of Chicago, presented Konerko a jersey with the new pontiff’s signature on the back during a ceremony prior to the game against the Cleveland Guardians. It had the six-time All-Star’s last name and “Pope Leo” above the No. 14. Robert Prevost became the first pope from the U.S. in the history of the Catholic Church when he was elected on May 8. The Chicago-born missionary, who took the name Leo XIV, is a White Sox fan. Prevost attended the 2005 World Series opener against Houston in Chicago.
Chelsea’s Fernández calls US heat dangerous, says FIFA should avoid afternoon World Cup kickoffs
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernández heads into Sunday’s Club World Cup final wary of the weather, along with Paris Saint-Germain. Chelsea and PSG play starting at 3 p.m. EDT in MetLife Stadium, also site of next year’s World Cup final. Because of the heat, Fernandez recommended FIFA avoid afternoon kickoffs at the 2026 tournament. FIFA slashed ticket prices again ahead of the final, as it has throughout the tournament. PSG seeks to complete a quadruple after winning Ligue 1, the Coupe de France and its first Champions League title. Chelsea is trying for its second world championship after winning in 2021.