Jannik Sinner suffers ‘Roger Federer curse' as French Open final fan repeats fateful gesture six years on
JANNIK SINNER had two hands on the French Open crown - or at least nine fingers...
But fans reckon he was then hit by the very same curse that struck
5
Jannik Sinner reflects on Carlos Alcaraz storming back to win
Credit: Reuters
5
Roger Federer likewise blew match points against Novak Djokovic
Credit: Getty
Nothing less than that of "The Cursed Finger".
Sinner was leading Carlos Alcaraz 2-1 in sets and 5-3 in the fourth, before earning three match points at love-40 on the Spaniard's serve.
And it was then that some Sinner fans gleefully raised a finger in anticipation of the World No1 clinching his first Roland Garros title.
That's also what happened to Federer in the SW19 seats when he had two match points on his own serve against big rival Novak Djokovic back in 2019.
READ MORE ON JANNIK SINNER
Both times fingers went up. Both times fortunes went down for the man on top.
Djokovic clinched a five-set epic, then Alcaraz did just that too on Sunday - retaining his French crown via the longest-ever Roland Garros final.
And fans couldn't resist making creepy comparisons.
One wrote: "If it's not a cursed finger again" - followed by crying-with-laughter emojis.
Most read in Sport
5
Haunted history repeated itself as fans celebrated too early in two Grand Slam finals six years apart
BEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERS
Others taunted Sinner fans - as their hero went on to
The 23-year-old might also have thought the spirits were against him for another reason.
Novak Djokovic digs out French Open rival for 'spying' on him and seeing Champions League trophy
He
But replays showed line judges had been right to call it long.
Three-time Slam winner Sinner admitted afterwards it was tough to speak after losing from such a strong position.
The rueful runner-up said: "It's easier to play than talk now.
"I'm still happy with this trophy - I won't sleep very well tonight but it is OK."
Meanwhile, Alcaraz praised his beaten rival - perhaps knowing the pair are way ahead of the world's rest in the men's game.
He told Sinner: "The level you have is amazing.
"It is a privilege to share a court with you in every tournament and in making history."
5
Credit: Getty
5
Federer failed to pick up his sixth SW19 crown in 2019
Credit: AFP
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Irish Sun
an hour ago
- The Irish Sun
EFL reveals never-before-seen change to Carabao Cup format with teams required to QUALIFY for main draw
THE EFL have introduced a preliminary round for the Carabao Cup for the first time. Nine Premier League teams competing in Europe mean the cup has to be restructured this season. 1 The Carabao Cup has undergone a shake up Credit: Getty A preliminary round will take place before the first round, consisting of four teams. They include the two teams promoted from the National League last season, Barnet and Oldham, as well as Accrington Stanley and Newport County, who finished in the lowest two spots in the EFL. The preliminary draw and the first round draw will be held on the same day - Thursday June 26. The four League Two sides will face off in the preliminary round week commencing August 4 - a week before the rest of the competition kicks off. READ MORE IN FOOTBALL A preliminary round will get rid of two teams from the tournament, thus reducing the number of teams in round one and two. That will allow each Prem club that is competing in Europe to feature in round three. Round three will also be split across two weeks, commencing September 15 and September 22 - just as it did last season. BEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERS Most read in Football The 1% Club viewers in awe as 'genius' footballer wins £100k for charity - but would you have got final question right? THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY.. The Sun is your go to destination for the best football, boxing and MMA news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video . Like us on Facebook at
The Irish Sun
an hour ago
- The Irish Sun
Channel 5 announces Club World Cup pundits as Ronaldo heads up star-studded line-up with Chelsea legend and England star
CHANNEL 5 have announced their stunning punditry line-up for the Club World Cup. The new-look tournament will begin on June 14 and run through to July 13. Advertisement 7 Ronaldo leads a stunning punditry line-up for Channel 5 at the Club World Cup Credit: AFP 7 Former Chelsea star John Obi Mikel will be watching over his former team Credit: Getty 7 Olivia Buzaglo is on the presenters roster Credit: Getty 7 Fabrizio Romano will swap transfer stories for football analysis Credit: Alamy 7 Club World Cup 2025 Guide SOME of the world's biggest clubs are heading Stateside for a MAMMOTH Club World Cup. Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Man City, and Inter Miami are among the 32 teams taking part in the tournament, which runs from June 14 to July 13. Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland, Ousmane Dembele, Cole Palmer and Harry Kane will be showing their skills to packed crowds across the US. Los Blancos are favourites to lift the trophy in New York but will face stiff competition from around the globe. Here's everything you need to know ahead of the tournament... INFO Everything you need to know ahead of the Club World Cup LATEST NEWS & FEATURES There will be 63 matches for fans to sink their teeth into, and 23 of them will be on Channel 5 after they teamed up with Their first match will be the tournament opener of Channel 5 also confirmed it would show highlights of every match across its social accounts and YouTube channel. Advertisement READ MORE IN FOOTBALL And the broadcaster has also announced some of the top talent who will be seen to help viewers digest the action. Presenters across the games will include Olivia Buzaglo, Ade Oladipo, Kelly Somers and James Richardson. The punditry list is far more extensive and includes top former professionals such as Transfer journalist Advertisement Most read in Football Live Blog Breaking Match commentators will include Conor McNamara, Rich Wolfenden, Dan O'Hagan, Mike Minay, Pete Odgers, Brandon Smith, Joe Speight, Jess Charman. BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK Meanwhile, co-commentators will be Channel 5's coverage will see them broadcast two of Advertisement The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup will see the World's best players decide which club is the greatest They will then have half of each of the games from the knockout stages; four out of eight Last-16 games, two out of four quarter-finals games and one semi-final game, before the final. A £775million prize pot is being split between the 32 teams competing in the tournament. Teams can earn £1.5m for winning a single game during the group stages, while a draw is worth £800,000. Advertisement Reaching the knockouts will earn a club £5.8m, with that figure booming to £10.1m for an appearance in the quarters and then £16.2m for the semi-finals. The winner of the cup will win a colossal £30m, while the runner up gets £23.2, although the winning club could in theory earn up to £97m for their participation. 7 Advertisement 7
The Irish Sun
an hour ago
- The Irish Sun
Rory McIlroy and wife Erica Stoll to take major relationship decision following US Open as they seek ‘fresh start'
RORY MCILROY is preparing for a big change to his home life following his Masters triumph. The 36-year-old completed the career grand slam with victory at Augusta National in April. Advertisement 2 Rory McIlroy is embarking on a new journey with wife Erica Stoll (right) Credit: Sportsfile 2 The pair are preparing to move into their new bespoke house on the outskirts of London Credit: Getty McIlroy heads to the And he is ready for a The Northern Irishman announced last May that he and Stoll But just a month later, the couple confirmed Advertisement READ MORE ON GOLF Rory explained: "Over the past weeks, Erica and I have realised that our best future was as a family together. "Thankfully, we have resolved our differences and look forward to a new beginning." McIlroy and Stoll currently live in a The couple have been looking to fly the nest from the Sunshine State in favour of a cooler climate. Advertisement Most read in Golf BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK McIlroy and Erica have been waiting for completion on a new home on the outskirts of London over the past two years. Construction on their bespoke mansion is now finished, with the family set to move in. Rory McIlroy doesn't name-check wife Erica as part of 'close-knit support system' in interview with Amanda Balionis Rory's new digs are located in Virginia Water, on the west side of the capital. Advertisement The plot is located in the exclusive Wentworth estate, according to McIlroy will retain his home in South Florida alongside the new base in London. Following his win at the Masters, the family stopped off to see how construction was progressing. Inside Rory McIlroy's whirlwind love life RORY MCILROY enjoyed a high-profile romance with former tennis world number one Caroline Wozniacki before their split in 2014. The following year, the golf ace began dating Erica Stoll, who he had first met on the PGA Tour in 2011. Erica often interacted with players through her role as the PGA's manager of championship volunteer operations. She even prevented McIlroy from missing his tee time at the 2012 Ryder Cup after some confusion over the time zone. The incident began a firm friendship between the pair, four years before their relationship turned romantic. McIlroy and Erica were spotted on a string of dates in Rochester, New York, in the early days of their relationship. Just eight months later, the couple got engaged in Paris and walked down the aisle at Ashford Castle in Ireland in 2017. The pair then welcomed daughter Poppy into the world three years later. Throughout their time together, McIlroy and Erica have kept their relationship to themselves, with the golfer keen to protect his family from the cameras during filming of Netflix's Full Swing documentary series. However, after seven years of marriage, McIlroy filed for divorce from Erica. The reasons for the divorce were not disclosed, but the Northern Irishman submitted documents to a court in Florida. However, a few weeks later, performed a U-turn on their decision to divorce. McIlroy told the outlet: "Thankfully, we have resolved our differences and look forward to a new beginning.' McIlroy said: "We first went to London with Erica and Poppy to see our new home that we're building. Advertisement "We made the trip over to Belfast to see a few other people that are important to us. "Just to be with them, to be with Erica and Poppy and my mom and dad. "To see Michael Bannon, my lifelong coach, and spend a bit more time with Harry [Diamond] and his wife. "[To] celebrate with the people that have been part of this whole thing for my entire career was absolutely amazing." Advertisement
