Defending champion Alcaraz beats Fritz to set up a new Jannik Sinner's battle
After a battle lasting almost three hours, Carlos Alcaraz reaffirmed his intention to retain his Wimbledon crown by beating Taylor Fritz. The Spaniard will now face his greatest rival, Jannik Sinner.
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LeMonde
2 hours ago
- LeMonde
Euro 2025: Cascarino shines in France's big win to eliminate the Netherlands
Inspired by Delphine Cascarino's stunning six-minute spell in the second half, France surged past the Netherlands 5-2 on Sunday, July 13, to reach the quarterfinals of the Women's European Championship. France's third straight win ensured it won Group D, ahead of England, which routed Wales 6-1 to finish runner-up. The French would have been eliminated by a three-goal loss and, when the Netherlands led 2-1 at one stage, rued a bad miss by Cascarino shooting over an unguarded goal. But the San Diego Wave winger responded with a devastating burst of running and shooting to settle the game. First, Cascarino stole the ball from the Dutch at halfway and ran directly at the defense to set up Marie-Antoinette Katoto for a neat finish in the 61st. Cascarino was even better three minutes later, taking a high ball 50 meters (yards) from goal and dribbling directly at goal to unleash a rising shot from outside the penalty area. In the 67th, Cascarino scored with a well-placed shot when the ball came to her after Katoto's shot struck the inside of both posts. Sakina Karchaoui added a penalty in stoppage time. A nervous evening became a coronation for France as the top team in the toughest group at Euro 2025. France returns to Basel to face Germany on Saturday, with the winner on a path to play Spain in the semifinals.
France 24
3 hours ago
- France 24
Sinner eyes golden era after Wimbledon glory
Sinner avenged an agonising French Open final loss against Alcaraz as he battered the Spaniard into submission with a dynamic display of power hitting on Centre Court. The Italian's 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 victory ended Alcaraz's two-year reign as Wimbledon champion and gave Sinner his fourth Grand Slam crown. Sinner has reached the last four Grand Slam finals, winning three of them, and the world number one has no intention of resting on his laurels. "I don't think I'm at my best because at 23 I don't think you can be in your best shape ever. So hopefully I can keep improving," he said. "I keep looking up to Carlos because even today I felt like he was doing couple of things better than I did. "That's something we will work on and prepare ourselves because he's going to come for us again. "We have a big target on us, so we have to be prepared." It was a cathartic triumph for Sinner after he squandered a two-set lead and blew three championship points against Alcaraz at Roland Garros in June. Alcaraz had won five successive encounters against the 23-year-old, including finals in Paris, Rome and Beijing, prior to their showdown at the All England Club. Sinner admitted it was vital to finally beat the world number two for the first time since 2023. "It is important, for sure, because you know, when you lose several times against someone, it's not easy. But in the same time in the past I felt that I was very close," he said. "I never pushed myself down. I felt like I did something great because it has been not easy. Coming here and winning Wimbledon, it has been amazing." 'The rivalry is real' While Sinner had spent the last five weeks publicly insisting he would not let his French Open collapse affect him, he revealed he had to work hard to move on from the loss before launching his Wimbledon challenge. "This is the part where I'm the proudest because it really has not been easy. I always tried to be honest with myself and had the self-talk. You know, what if, what if? I tried to accept it, in a way," said Sinner, who returned from a three-month doping ban in May. "Even if I don't cry, it feels emotional because only me and the people who are close to me know exactly what we have been through on and off the court, and it has been everything except easy. "We've tried to push, you know, every practice session, even I was struggling at times mentally. "That's why I also said after Roland Garros that it's not the time to put me down, no, because another Grand Slam is coming up, and I did great here." Sinner and Alcaraz have won the past seven majors between them, establishing themselves in a class of their own. Sinner's coach Darren Cahill expects the pair to battle for supremacy for years to come, but he stopped short of comparing it to the dynastic era of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. "It's difficult to compare this rivalry to what we've just had. It's been a golden age in tennis with Novak and Roger and Rafa. They dominated for 20 years," Cahill said. "To win a Grand Slam back in those days, you had to beat one of them in the quarters, the other one in the semis, and another one in the final. "These guys still have a ways to go, but they've started incredibly well. Carlos is a big focus, and both of those guys are pushing each other. "The rivalry is real. Hopefully it's going to be there for the next 10 or 12 years."
France 24
3 hours ago
- France 24
Rampant England and France reach Women's Euro 2025 quarter-finals
Georgia Stanway started England on their way from the penalty spot in the 13th minute and further goals from Ella Toone, Lauren Hemp, Alessia Russo, Beth Mead and Aggie Beever-Jones made sure of passage to the last eight. England will face Sweden in Zurich on Thursday, a repeat of the semi-final at the last Euros three years ago which the Lionesses won 4-0. But the Swedes look a tough proposition after topping Group C with a perfect nine points and swatting aside Germany on Saturday. France meanwhile will take on Germany in Basel in the last quarter-final on Saturday, and are on the same side of the knockout draw as world champions Spain who face hosts Switzerland on Friday. The French finished the group stage three points ahead of England after making it three wins from three in the group thanks to Delphine Cascarino's decisive double. San Diego Wave forward Cascarino has been excellent in Switzerland, and she made sure that France would top the group with the key goals in a superb comeback from a goal down. France, who opened the scoring through Sandie Toletti in the 22nd minute, trailed at the break to a Victoria Pelova strike and Selma Bacha's clumsy own goal. But Marie-Antoinette Katoto levelled for France just after the hour and the match was done six minutes later thanks to Cascarino's fine finishes. First Cascarino lashed France back ahead with a sumptuous, dipping long-range strike, before rolling in the fourth after Sandy Baltimore watched her shot ricochet off both posts. Sakina Karchaoui completed the scoring from the penalty spot in stoppage time. In St Gallen, England knew a win would be enough to seal a spot in the next round regardless of what happened in Basel, and once Stanway slotted home her penalty after being brought down by Carrie Jones there was no way back for Wales. Eight minutes later Toone doubled England's lead after Wales failed to clear and the Manchester United forward tapped home after her initial effort was blocked on the line by Lily Woodham. Toone then turned provider on the half-hour with a perfect searching cross for Hemp, before Russo rolled home from close range just before half-time to get off the mark for the tournament. Mead drilled home England's fifth in the 72nd minute, but Hannah Cain gave Wales fans something to cheer about by lashing a fine consolation goal past Hannah Hampton.
