French Open: Playing through pain is common for players worried about tennis' rat race
PARIS — Casper Ruud is hardly an up-and-comer simply trying to make his way — and a living — in professional tennis. He's a three-time Grand Slam finalist, ranked No. 8, the owner of more clay-court victories than any other man since 2020 and someone who's earned nearly $25 million in prize money.
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Cody Gakpo comes clean on Bayern Munich offer
Liverpool have got ambitions to restructure their squad this summer - starting with Florian Wirtz. The 22-year-old Germany playmaker is a No10 by trade but can also occupy a left-sided attacking midfield position. His potential arrival could have an impact on several current Liverpool stars. Dominik Szoboszlai, for one, might consider his place under threat with Wirtz a rival for a central attacking position. Advertisement But Luis Diaz and Cody Gakpo might also be looking over their shoulders. If Arne Slot opts to keep Szoboszlai where he currently plays - in order to get through his fair share of off-the-ball work - then Wirtz could end up being fielded from the left. And if the club are going to spend £126m on a new attacker, the expectation is that he will be a nailed-on starter. Where that leaves Diaz and Gakpo right now is anyone's guess. Gakpo a target for Bayern Diaz, 28, has been extensively linked with both Barcelona and Al-Nassr - with Liverpool seemingly willing to cash in if the right bid materialises. Advertisement Gakpo has also been associated with a move away and Bayern Munich are known to be keen amid uncertainty for attackers like Leroy Sane and Kingsley Coman. Under contract until 2028, the 26-year-old is reported to be seeking a new deal from the Reds. However, if an attractive bid is made for the Dutchman then sporting director Richard Hughes could opt to take it under consideration. © IMAGO - Cody Gakpo Liverpool 2024-25 'Maybe my agents have heard', admits Gakpo The question of Gakpo's future was put to him recently on international duty - when the attacker featured in the Netherlands' 2-0 win over Finland. Does he see himself sticking with Liverpool? 'The way it looks now, definitely,' he said. ' I am in my place and I am happy. We have had a good season and as a team, as a club we are looking for more.' Advertisement He was then quizzed on Bayern's reported interest, stating that he is leaving all talks in the hands of his representatives. "I haven't heard anything about it myself. I've moved on from that,' he said. "Maybe my agents have heard something about it, but I haven't heard anything yet. As I just said, I'm focused on how things are now." Gakpo has been at Anfield since January 2023 and excelled for Arne Slot last season when placed in his correct position. He scored 18 goals and added seven assists in 49 appearances overall.
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34 minutes ago
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Trump travel ban could impact Afghan cricket players traveling to Major League matches
The Brief Five Afghan players are awaiting visa approvals to enter the U.S. after President Trump's travel ban went into effect on Monday. The players are expected to compete in a series of cricket matches held at the Oakland Coliseum this week. The SF Unicorns will be playing their opening match Thursday. OAKLAND, Calif. - A travel ban barring citizens from 12 countries from coming into the United States took effect on Monday. The plan, put in place by President Donald Trump, could have a big impact on a set of Major League Cricket matches held at the Oakland Coliseum this week. The SF Unicorns' opening match will be played at the Coliseum on Thursday, the first in a series of matches hosted in Oakland this week. Organizers hope to draw thousands of fans, but President Trump's new travel ban could keep some of the world's top cricket players out of the country and off the pitch. "There are some big names who will pull crowd whose visa is in doubt at this point," Hemant Buch, head of the California Cricket Academy in Santa Clara told KTVU. Buch has been training young cricket players in the Bay Area for 20 years, and he says these players need the best coaches and competitors to thrive. "We need players who have gone through the grind for years and years, who have that persona and passion, to pass on their knowledge, and that will only come from the international community at this point," Buch said. The travel ban is aimed at 12 countries, primarily in Africa and the Middle East, including Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. Afghanistan is on that list, and five major league cricket players from the country may not be permitted to enter the U.S. For this week's tournament. Shakaib Rahimi is an ambassador for Afghan cricket players, and has been assisting teams in getting visas processed. He says barring Afghan players will leave a mark on the sport at a critical time of growth. "Afghanistan cricket is on the rise, and not having Rashid Khan or any other Afghanistan national player participate will definitely have a negative impact," Rahimi told KTVU. Of the seven Afghan players contracted with the MLC, only two are currently in the U.S. ahead of this week's matches. The other five players are awaiting visa approval. Rahimi says those players are not currently in Afghanistan, which could have complicated their ability to travel. Dig deeper Cricket is growing in the U.S., and the international community is an important part of the game. Folks we spoke to say losing out on big names could affect the sport's future success in the states. "Now every city wants cricket. We will need international coaches," Buch said. And it's not just coaches — American cricket players also need the chance to compete with the best in their age group, including international players. "In India the boys are playing… seven days a week, here the boys are playing twice a week," said Biml Jadej, a coach with CCA. The travel ban currently allows athletes from banned countries to enter the U.S. for "major sporting events". Organizers say they are awaiting the Department of State's decision on whether this tournament will fall into that category. KTVU reached out to the Department of State for the status of those visas, but the department did not make anyone available in time for this report. Officials with the MLC say they are hopeful the Afghan players will be able to get to the U.S., but they will be ready for this week's matches, no matter what. "We're pretty fluid and there is backup… The bulk of our international players are in already, and they've come in very smoothly. It's out of our hands, to a degree, we've done what we can to mitigate it," Justin Geale, Chief Operating Officer for Major League Cricket. If you're interested in attending any of the matches at the Coliseum this week, ticket information can be found at the MLC website.
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34 minutes ago
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Colleges can now begin paying athletes directly following $2.8B landmark settlement
CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) – Following a multibillion-dollar landmark settlement, colleges can now begin paying athletes directly. Athletes express concern over NCAA settlement's impact on non-revenue sports A federal judge approved the deal between the NCAA on Friday for Division One athletes. The NCAA can now pay thousands of current and former athletes who competed in college at any time from 2016 to now. A share of nearly $2.8 billion in damages is expected to be paid out over the next decade. 22News spoke to the community about this significant shift in the world of college sports. 'It feels good, like knowing that athletes are finally getting the money they deserve, especially after colleges make a lot of money off of athletes. So, I mean, definitely it's a great achievement for them. I'm proud of them,' said Rahman Martin of Springfield. During the decade-long agreement, the annual cap starts at roughly $20 million per school. It will then go up every year. Athletes will receive these new payments in addition to their scholarships and other benefits. WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
