AP PHOTOS: Light and shadows add an extra dimension at the French Open tennis tournament
PARIS (AP) — The striking interplay of light and shadows on the red clay courts moves with the players at Roland Garros, while the dramatic light in the stadium adds depth and intensity to every swing of the racket during the French Open.
This gallery, curated by AP photo editors, showcases some of the visual highlights so far from the French Open tennis tournament.
Read more on the French Open at thestar.com
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Winnipeg Free Press
an hour ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Messi back with Argentina and Ancelotti debuts with Brazil in South American World Cup qualifying
SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil's new coach Carlo Ancelotti is getting a little help from his old friend Casemiro as he prepares for his debut in South American World Cup qualifying at Ecuador. Meanwhile star Lionel Messi is expected to play Thursday for Argentina at Chile after a seven-month absence. Veteran midfielder Casemiro, who has had success with the Italian coach at Real Madrid, is likely to be a starter in a match Thursday that could ease the pressure on Brazil, currently in fourth position in the standings. A home win could also put Ecuador close to its berth in the World Cup. The 37-year Messi seems to be in shape to return for Argentina. His most recent game for the World Cup champions was in November 2024. A muscle injury prevented him from playing in the March doubleheader, in which Lionel Scaloni's team secured its spot to defend its title. Argentina leads the round-robin competition with 31 points in 14 matches. Ecuador (23), Uruguay (21), Brazil (21), Paraguay (21), and Colombia (20) could secure direct births this month. The seventh-place team, which will advance to an international playoff, could be Venezuela (15 points), Bolivia (14) or even Peru (10) and Chile (10). Also on Thursday, Paraguay will host Uruguay. Friday's matches are Colombia vs. Peru and Venezuela against Bolivia. Ancelotti keys on returning players Ancelotti has been very communicative with returning players Casemiro and striker Richarlison. Both players were in Brazil's starting lineup in the 15 minutes allowed for journalists to watch practice at the Corinthians training ground in Sao Paulo. Next week, Brazil will prepare at the same venue for the match against Paraguay. Raphinha, who is suspended for the game in Guayaquil, will return to the team next week. Defender Alexsandro, who also hopes to have his national team debut this month, said he was excited about Ancelotti's interest in long conversations with his players. The Italian is still learning Portuguese, but managed to get his message across in Spanish, the Lille player added. 'I saw after our trainings he is very communicative, always asking questions, willing to know more, giving tips. That's important for us to grow, get all the experience and the achievements he has,' Alexsandro said Tuesday. 'We need to take this to the next few matches, qualify and get to the World Cup.' Defender Marquinhos, who had his first training with Ancelotti on Tuesday after lifting the Champions League title with Paris Saint-Germain on Saturday, said Ancelotti's arrival will boost Brazil's chances to add a sixth star to its crest. 'You can see that the arrival of our coach brings this energy for the start, it is about something new coming. This short run until the World Cup, having this energy, it will be very important,' Marquinhos said. Messi returns among other new faces Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. Messi's return will add to three new faces Argentina is expected to feature against Chile, if their first training session was an indication. Defenders Kevin Lomónaco (Independiente) and Mariano Troilo (Belgrano), and striker Franco Mastantuono, the 17-year-old River Plate targeted by major European clubs, are likely to get tested. Scaloni will have to decide who will replace defender Nicolás Otamendi, who is suspended for the match at the National Stadium in Santiago. His main options are Leonardo Balerdi and Facundo Medina. Suspensions and injuries will also force Argentina to change its midfield. Alexis Mac Allister was ruled out, while Enzo Fernández and Leandro Paredes are suspended. Frequent starter Rodrigo De Paul is expected to be joined by Giovanni Lo Celso and Exequiel Palacios. ___ AP soccer:
Winnipeg Free Press
2 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
49ers overhaul defensive line with rookies and Bryce Huff after disappointing season
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — The San Francisco 49ers have built their defense out from the defensive line ever since coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch arrived eight years ago. An underwhelming performance from that unit during a disappointing 2024 season has led to a near complete overhaul at the position with San Francisco now counting on three rookies and recently acquired edge rusher Bryce Huff to give enough support to holdover star Nick Bosa to get back to having a dominant front. To make sure the additions fit seamlessly, the Niners are relying on defensive line coach Kris Kocurek, who welcomes the challenge with some 'fresh blood in the room.' 'This year is probably one of the more significant turnovers with the youth that we've added to the mix and acquiring Bryce here in the last few days,' Kocurek said Tuesday. 'There will be quite a few new faces in there that will have to make significant contributions. We knew it was a possibility there would be some turnover. It also can be challenging bringing in four to five new guys in a room. But I like it. They're all coming in very eager, willing to learn and trying to get a little better each day, stacking one day on top of the next.' The 49ers cut three Week 1 starters from last season, letting go of expensive veterans like Javon Hargrave, Leonard Floyd and Maliek Collins and replacing them with youth. San Francisco used the 11th overall pick on versatile Georgia defensive end Mykel Williams before adding defensive tackles Alfred Collins in the second round and CJ West in the fourth. Those additions were meant to shore up a run defense that regressed in recent years with the 4.45 yards per carry allowed last season more than 1 yard higher than the 3.4 average in 2022. The trade for Huff that was officially completed when he passed a physical on Tuesday was aimed at giving the team a dynamic edge rusher across from Bosa. The team had no other edge rusher who had a season with at least five sacks before trading a conditional fifth-round pick for Huff, who had 10 sacks and 67 pressures on 334 pass rush snaps in 2023 when he played on the New York Jets for Robert Saleh, who is back in San Francisco this season for a second stint as defensive coordinator. Kocurek said Huff's speed off the edge and his quick get-off 'jumps off the tape' and is confident he can return to that form after struggling last season in Philadelphia in a defense that had him playing more as a stand-up linebacker than a dedicated edge rusher. Huff had only 2 1/2 sacks and 23 pressures in his one season in Philadelphia, missing five games with a wrist injury. He was then a healthy scratch in the Super Bowl. 'If you're born into a hand-in-the-ground defense, it's an adjustment period to turn yourself into a stand-up, outside linebacker role and vice versa,' Kocurek said. 'There's a learning curve and steps you have to take to master the techniques. It's not just snap your fingers and go to a different scheme.' Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. Kocurek hopes the changes in personnel lead to a change in performance after the struggles up front last season contributed to a 6-11 record and the team's fewest sacks in a season since 2020 when Bosa missed nearly the entire year with a knee injury. 'If that doesn't piss you off than you've got to get out of coaching,' Kocurek said. 'The fire burns deeper in your stomach, the chip gets bigger on your shoulder and you want to do everything humanly possible to make sure it doesn't happen again. No one should be happy about it.' NOTES: The Niners made three other roster moves after adding Huff. They signed receiver Malik Knowles to a one-year deal, waived OL Nicholas Petit-Frere and placed WR Trent Taylor on IR. ___ AP NFL:
Winnipeg Free Press
2 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Rams pass rusher Jared Verse ready to build on strong rookie season
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Jared Verse came was as advertised in his debut season for the Los Angeles Rams, offering explosive pass rush prowess en route to AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. After totaling 77 pressures, 11 tackles for loss and 4 1/2 sacks last season, the outside linebacker isn't worried about a sophomore slump. 'I don't really feel too much pressure,' Verse said Tuesday after practice during organized team activities. 'If I'm who I am, if I take the strides needed to take, I'm going to be the best version of me, and I'm going to be able to help the team in any facet or way that they need.' Verse already has one year of dealing with immense expectations under his belt. Drafted 19th overall in 2024, the Florida State product had to handle the belief he would help the Rams to navigate the retirement of eight-time All-Pro defensive lineman Aaron Donald. The pass rush was able to do just that, but Verse said it came from a collective effort rather than his or any other individual performance. Verse, fellow Seminole rookie Braden Fiske and second-year standouts Kobie Turner and Byron Young combined for 28 1/2 sacks and 43 tackles for loss in the regular season. It took time for Verse and Fiske to recognize fully integrating into the defense required more than working off one another the way they had in college. 'I think we did good, but I think we became more so focused on helping the team than trying to do our own thing and have a good little duo going on,' Verse said. 'But I think we kind of have learned the opportunities that we have to work together.' Combined with Verse's improved understanding of how quickly the game moves in the NFL as the season went on, he closed out the campaign with a fumble return for a touchdown in an NFC wild-card round win over the Minnesota Vikings and two sacks and three tackles for loss in a six-point divisional round loss to the eventual Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles. 'The number one thing you hear is how much faster the game is at this level versus college,' Verse said. 'Everybody's always like, 'Oh, it's not.' The hell it is, man. You're thrown in that fire, nah, it's a lot faster. Yeah, it was surprising, but once I got the hang of it, it became just like college, it became just like high school, slowed down a lot more.' Verse already feels well ahead of where he was at this time last year. He was determined to make the most of a full offseason without having to prepare for the draft or handle the uncertainty that comes with going through everything for the first time. That included a full review of all of Verse's game film from last season. The study allowed him to see how many chances he missed out on as a rookie. 'Probably the biggest thing I realized was how many sacks, not even just sacks, but big plays I missed out on,' he said. 'You know, dropping in coverage I could have done this, or rushing the passer could have done that. Even in the run game a couple times, there's a couple things where I'm a little too far inside, a little too far outside, and I could have made a big impact play. So realizing that this really is a game of inches, whether it's just like stopping the ball or actually just doing your job, there's a couple things I could have done better.' All those steps, along with continued development from his work with outside linebackers coach Joe Coniglio and defensive line coach Giff Smith, were evident to defensive coordinator Chris Shula in Verse's work during practice. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. 'You can tell he's really taken the techniques that Joe and Giff are really teaching him and applying them on the field,' Shula said. 'And I think things have slowed down for him a little bit, and he's playing really fast right now.' Verse has one more week of work in Southern California before the Rams hold their mandatory minicamp in Maui. The loquacious Verse is looking forward to a return visit after vacationing there for first time earlier this year, but don't expect to see him wading out in the Pacific Ocean during his free time. 'I don't know what's out in that water,' Verse said. 'I'm good.' ___ AP NFL:
