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Irish Daily Mirror
43 minutes ago
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Lowry faces nervous Ryder Cup wait as automatic qualification spot under threat
Shane Lowry faces a nervous weekend as he waits to see whether he will be pipped for the final Ryder Cup automatic qualification spot. Lowry currently holds the sixth and final qualification spot for the Ryder Cup, but he will be knocked out of the top-six should Rasmus Hojgaard finish in a two-way tie for 29th or better at the British Masters this weekend. Offaly native Lowry has long been considered to be a lock to automatically qualify for Team Europe as the Ryder Cup takes place at Bethpage Black in New York. Lowry starred in both defeat in 2021 and glorious victory in 2023, with the Open Champion a wildcard pick on both occasions. Luke Donald will name his six wildcard picks on Monday September 1st, and it is not expected that there will be wholesale changes to the team that won in Rome two years ago. Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, Justin Rose, Robert MacIntyre have sealed five of the six automatic qualification spots. One of Lowry or Hojgaard will take the final spot, with the other almost certainly securing a pick from Donald, with Jon Rahm, Matt Fitzpatrick, Ludvig Aberg, Sepp Straka and Viktor Hovland likely to be picked barring a major surprise from Donald. On the US side of the equation, Scottie Scheffler, JJ Spaun, Xander Schauffele, Russell Henley, Harris English and Bryson DeChambeau have all secured qualification as the home side look to regain the trophy on American soil. Justin Thomas, Patrick Cantlay, Collin Morikawa, Ben Griffin and Sam Burns are all expected to join Scheffler and Co in representing the red, white and blue, but speculation persists over whether captain Keegan Bradley will use his final pick to select himself. The 39-year-old hasn't committed to naming himself, nor has he confirmed that he would be selecting another in form player such as Cameron Young or Chris Gotterup. Should he select himself, Bradley will become the first playing captain in the Ryder Cup since Arnold Palmer led the Americans in 1963. (Image: Michael Miller/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images) One man who has no interest in being a playing captain is Rory McIlroy, who last week revealed that he has already shot down that notion. "I've been asked to do that and I've turned it down,' said McIlroy, who was the first player to automatically qualify for Europe's team for next month's event at Bethpage in New York. 'The idea of me being a playing captain sometime soon has come up and I've shot it down straight away because I don't think you can do it. 'If you'd have said it 20 years ago I'd say it was probably possible to do, but how big of a spectacle it is and everything that's on the line in a Ryder Cup now, I just think it would be a very difficult position to be in. 'There's a lot of things that people don't see that the captain does the week of the Ryder Cup, especially now that the Ryder Cup has become so big. 'The captain's only going to be able to play one session on Friday, one session on Saturday. Would you rather not have a player that has the flexibility to go twice if he's playing well?'
Wales Online
13-07-2025
- Sport
- Wales Online
Wimbledon blasted for change made for Carlos Alcaraz vs Jannik Sinner final
Wimbledon blasted for change made for Carlos Alcaraz vs Jannik Sinner final The Wimbledon final will take place at a later time on Sunday with Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner battling it out for the title at SW19 in a repeat of the epic French Open final Carlos Alcaraz of Spain faces Italian Jannik Sinner today (Image: Peter van den Berg/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images ) Jamie Murray has voiced his concerns regarding the revised schedule for the Wimbledon final between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, which he fears could lead to an interruption due to poor light conditions — a situation he believes is "not right". This year marks a change in tradition with the final at SW19 set to commence later than the historically customary 2pm start, now moving to a 4pm kick-off. Murray's apprehensions stem from the most recent Grand Slam showdown between Alcaraz and Sinner at the French Open—a marathon of over five and a half hours, ending with Alcaraz mounting a dramatic comeback. He notes that a similarly extended match under Wimbledon's new timetable could necessitate a disruptive intermission related to fading daylight. The Scot, a former mixed doubles champion at Wimbledon, acknowledges that the time adjustment may be favourable for viewers in New York, where play would begin at 11am, but he stresses the potential negative impact on the players' experience. Murray expressed his concerns to Metro, saying: "They've obviously moved the final to 4pm for TV. Article continues below "I guess for the [United] States, I guess for the BBC getting a primetime audience or peak audience. "That's a big change. I think what would be sad about that would be if they had to stop the match to close the roof because of light and stuff. "It's not right that I don't think. But hopefully that doesn't happen," reports the Mirror. The shift in timing also applied to Saturday's women's final, which went off without a hitch as Iga Swiatek swiftly defeated Amanda Anisimova, securing her first Wimbledon championship with a dominant 6-0, 6-0 victory on Centre Court. All England Club chief executive Sally Bolton has defended the decision to alter the start time, insisting it was made "with players in mind", despite the potential disruption to Alcaraz and Sinner's match, which is expected to reach its climax during the final. Bolton elaborated on the change: "We have adjusted the provisional schedule for the final weekend of The Championships with the ambition of improving the experience for all involved. Article continues below "The move has also been designed with players in mind." She further explained: "The doubles players competing in the finals will have increased certainty over their schedule and fans will enjoy each day's play as it builds towards the crescendo of the ladies' and gentlemen's singles finals, with our champions being crowned in front of the largest possible worldwide audience."
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
USMNT 2026 World Cup roster Big Board: Which Gold Cup players made their case?
HOUSTON — Malik Tillman hunched over. Chris Richards sank toward Earth. Tyler Adams stood, alone, as jubilant Mexican players began their party. Matt Freese sat down and turned away. They, the U.S. men's national team, were spent, and 'disappointed,' after falling in Sunday's Gold Cup final. They ripped off their silver medals. 'I threw my medal away,' Richards said. But they were also proud of the 'culture' they built. And 'the other huge positive,' captain Tim Ream said, was that 'guys have stepped up who have maybe taken a backseat previously.' Leaders emerged, and made this Gold Cup worthwhile, even if it ended in defeat. Advertisement From the very beginning, with several starters absent, this pre-World Cup summer was framed as an 'opportunity.' An opportunity for fringe players to establish themselves. An opportunity for newbies to play their way onto the USMNT roster for 2026. And a few did that. Most didn't. But Richards solidified his place in the starting 11, and "stepped up in more of a vocal role,' Ream said. Diego Luna further endeared himself to head coach Mauricio Pochettino. Tillman earned at least a longer look as a playmaker, either off the bench or in the starting 11. So, where does the U.S. roster stand with 11 months to go? 'All the American players have the possibility [to be included],' Pochettino said Sunday. Advertisement And he meant it. In many ways, his USMNT depth chart seems more unsettled than it was in the fall, or even way back in 2023. The following — our third edition of the World Cup Big Board — is an attempt to assess it, and rank dozens of players based on the likelihood that they make the 26-man World Cup squad next summer. Crystal Palace's Chris Richards proved he's more than worthy of a USMNT World Cup roster spot at the 2025 Gold Cup. (Photo by John Dorton/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images) (John Dorton/ISI Photos/USSF via Getty Images) World Cup roster locks* *In Pochettino's eyes, or at least according to his public words, there is no such thing as a roster lock. We'll take those words with a proverbial grain of salt, but ever since the USMNT flopped in March, his words have seemed to carry more weight. So, we've trimmed down our list of locks. And as always, the mere concept comes with caveats. Injuries, off-field troubles and a variety of other issues could still derail careers between now and next summer. That said … Advertisement 1. Chris Richards, defender, Crystal Palace (+9) Richards was the best U.S. player at the Gold Cup. More broadly, he's the only U.S. player with undisputed first-11 quality who performed well at the Gold Cup, and rode with Pochettino from start to finish this summer. He also found his voice, 'making sure guys are doing the right things, making sure guys are in the right positions,' Ream, his center back partner, observed. Assuming health, there's no chance he's not in the squad next summer. 2. Antonee Robinson, defender, Fulham His offseason knee surgery gives a bit of pause, but it was 'minor' and most likely a medium-term positive. Advertisement Robinson opted for that surgery over the Gold Cup, which also gives a bit of pause; but Pochettino and the American public didn't frown upon his decision as much as they did Pulisic's. 3. Tyler Adams, midfielder, Bournemouth Adams wasn't great at the Gold Cup. He was hampered by multiple ailments. When I asked him Sunday night to assess his tournament, he acknowledged: 'Listen, I think for me, the biggest thing was coming out of it healthy.' And in Pochettino's eyes, the biggest thing was probably his presence. 'At the end of the season, to be quite fair, I was drained,' Adams said. 'But mentally, I wanted to grind and be a role model for so many of the guys here. Because I love playing for this team and this country.' Advertisement That alone counts for something. 4. Tim Weah, forward, Juventus (+1) The USMNT's single biggest problem this past month was its lack of a vertical winger. With Tillman and Luna, two No. 10s, jammed into nominally wide roles — and with fullbacks or even Sebastian Berhalter relied upon for width — the U.S. posed very little direct threat. This allowed opponents, like Mexico, to squeeze the midfield. Every aimless pass and dead-end possession reinforced Weah's importance. Likelies 5. Christian Pulisic, forward, AC Milan (-5) Look, Pulisic is probably a lock. He's the best player this country has ever produced. He's in his prime. With a full offseason to recharge, he should shine in 2025-26. Advertisement But there's a chance, albeit a slim one, that Pochettino was so put off or even offended by Pulisic's decision to opt out of the Gold Cup that he banishes his star from the squad. (Pulisic's subsequent comments that he 'didn't understand' Pochettino's decision to not let him play in pre-Gold Cup friendlies probably didn't help, either!) 6. Weston McKennie, midfielder, Juventus (-2) McKennie, fairly or unfairly, has been cast as the face of the crew who don't take national duty seriously enough. The onus is now on him to prove otherwise. And although his Gold Cup absence was out of his control — he was with Juve at the Club World Cup — he is much more replaceable than Pulisic. If Poch really wanted to send a message, dropping McKennie could do the trick. (But it wouldn't be smart; when lights are bright, McKennie is a top-three player in this pool.) Tim Ream made a strong case to be included on Mauricio Pochettino's USMNT squad next summer. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/USSF/Getty Images) (Ron Jenkins/USSF via Getty Images) 7. Tim Ream, defender, Charlotte (+11) At 37, Ream is clearly beginning to slow. Multiple strikers exposed his vulnerability at the Gold Cup. But Pochettino gave him the captain's armband, and stuck with him through the tournament. Even if he doesn't start next June, he'll almost certainly make the squad as a leader and veteran presence. Advertisement 8. Sergiño Dest, defender, PSV (+1) Dest reported to Chicago for summer camp, then departed before the Gold Cup. Pochettino said in a statement through a spokesman at the time that his staff had "done a series of evaluations this week on all the players in camp, and in the case of Sergiño, we determined the best decision is for the player to have an individualized training program for the summer so he can focus on being fully recovered and ready to perform next season." As long as that happens, Dest is a lock. The USMNT has missed his ball progression and sizzle. 9. Yunus Musah, midfielder, AC Milan (-3) Musah missed the Gold Cup for 'personal reasons.' He hasn't said what those reasons were. But he has reported to AC Milan for preseason, amid reports that he's wanted by the Serie A champions, Napoli. We'll assume he's in good standing with everyone who matters. Advertisement 10. Malik Tillman, midfielder, PSV/Bayer Leverkusen? (+4) There have been a wide variety of reactions to Tillman's Gold Cup. He was excellent against Costa Rica and lesser opponents. He mostly disappeared against Mexico. So, as he (likely) moves from PSV to Bayer Leverkusen, there are legitimate questions about the viability and sustainability of his playmaking at the highest level. But there's one uncontested takeaway: For the first time, Tillman performed for the national team. No matter the level of opposition, that's significant, and bodes well for his prospects under Pochettino going forward. 11. Matt Turner, goalkeeper, Nottingham Forest/Lyon? (-4) Turner lost the U.S. starting gig to Matt Freese. Pochettino, though, repeatedly clarified that this was largely, if not solely, because Turner has hardly played competitive soccer games since last summer. He's still the most accomplished goalkeeper in the pool. And in his stead, Freese didn't exactly excel. Turner, therefore, remains a pretty safe bet for the World Cup roster, even if he's not the No. 1. Diego Luna, Malik Tillman and Patrick Agyemang all improved their stock at the Gold Cup. (Photo by Aric Becker/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images) (Aric Becker/ISI Photos/USSF via Getty Images) 12. Diego Luna, midfielder, Real Salt Lake (+13) Pochettino adores him. (America does, too.) Critics argue he wasn't actually that effective this summer, outside of the two goals against Guatemala. But only one of those opinions matters. Even if Poch comes to the realization Luna can't hang at the highest levels, he'd probably go to the World Cup as a manifestation of 'attitude, hunger, desire … That,' Pochettino said last week, 'is what we want.' Advertisement 13. Folarin Balogun, forward, Monaco (-5) Balo missed October, November, March and June with injuries. He still hasn't played for Pochettino. But, in his absence … Ricardo Pepi, the main man capable of stealing his starting spot, has also been injured. Josh Sargent, perhaps the best striker in the English Championship, struggled in March and was omitted from the Gold Cup squad for 'football' reasons. Patrick Agyemang tried hard, really hard, but clearly doesn't have the technical or tactical ability to lead a line at the World Cup. So, Balogun will surely be in September camp if he's healthy, and probably has to be in the World Cup squad if the USMNT is to hit its ceiling. 14. Ricardo Pepi, forward, PSV Eindhoven (-1) Much of the above applies to Pepi as well. The main difference: Balogun has proven, at least in spurts, that he can score at a Big Five level. Pepi hasn't done much outside CONCACAF and the notoriously soft Dutch league. Matt Freese single-handedly kept the USMNT in the Gold Cup with three brilliant saves against Costa Rica. (John Dorton/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images) (John Dorton/ISI Photos/USSF via Getty Images) Bubble 15. Matt Freese, goalkeeper, New York City FC (+) Freese got his first USMNT starts, and … looked rather shaky throughout the tournament. But he met his biggest moment, the penalty shootout against Costa Rica. Pochettino also loved his willingness to run the length of the field to join a 20-player skirmish. Advertisement Overall, Freese made a positive impression — or at least positive enough to earn more call-ups. But let's not get carried away; if everyone is healthy and starting for their clubs, Pochettino's three keepers could end up being Turner, Zack Steffen and Patrick Schulte. (The latter two missed the Gold Cup due to injury.) 16. Joe Scally, defender, Borussia Mönchengladbach (-5) Scally was an unexplained omission from the Gold Cup roster. Most would assume he'll be back in camp come the fall, but … perhaps Pochettino just doesn't rate him? Even if he's not good enough on the ball to start for the U.S., though, he profiles as a valuable backup who can be thrown on for the final 15 minutes to defend a lead. Advertisement 17. Johnny Cardoso, midfielder, Real Betis/Atlético Madrid? (-5) For about 20 minutes last month, Johnny was the patrolling defensive midfielder that he is in Spain, the one apparently worth over $30 million to Atlético Madrid, the one from USMNT supporter dreams. Then he carelessly gifted a goal to Türkiye. He spiraled, and regressed into the sloppy, slow-thinking player he's been for the U.S. So he returned to Pochettino's bench. He then spent the final week of the tournament working through an ankle injury. How Poch views him is anybody's guess. 18. Josh Sargent, forward, Norwich City (-2) Of all the Gold Cup absences, Sargent's — a 'football decision' made by Pochettino — could prove the most consequential. This summer, against the likes of Haiti and Costa Rica, would've been the perfect opportunity for the 25-year-old to score his first national team goal(s) since 2019. Advertisement It's a remarkable drought that makes Sargent borderline unplayable in meaningful matches until it's broken in a friendly or low-pressure game. Why Poch brought Brian White to camp this summer instead of Sargent is baffling. 19. Mark McKenzie, defender, Toulouse (+1) McKenzie started one of eight games this summer — the 4-0 loss to Switzerland. He didn't play a single consequential minute during the Gold Cup. He entered the summer in an apparent competition with Ream for the second center back spot. He left as a distant third on the depth chart at best. 20. Haji Wright, forward, Coventry City (-3) Wright departed USMNT camp with an Achilles injury. His absence was felt, especially against Mexico. Advertisement His track record suggests he should be on the right side of the roster bubble, but he hasn't proven anything directly, up close and personally, to Pochettino. 21. Tanner Tessman, midfielder, Lyon (-2) Tessmann, another victim of Pochettino's vague 'football decisions,' is a mysterious case. He was a surprise starter in March; then a surprise omission in May. He's been rising at Lyon in France, but has no obvious place in this USMNT. How does Poch rate him? [Insert shrug emoji here.] 22. Gio Reyna, midfielder, Borussia Dortmund (-7) The frustrating narrative is that Reyna missed the Gold Cup to play all of 12 minutes for Dortmund at the Club World Cup. The provocative narrative is: Would Pochettino have even called him in if available? Advertisement Reyna desperately needs to find a new club to revive his still-young career. He probably needs to accept a step down, find a coach who'll give him a chance, and seize that chance. Then, and only then, will we find out if Pochettino will tolerate his languidness. (Unfortunately for Reyna, languidness seems to be the bane of Pochettino's existence.) 23. Alex Freeman, defender, Orlando City (+) Freeman was solid for most of the tournament against MLS-esque opposition. He was then at fault on both Mexico goals. He's likable and pliable, eager to learn, but … is he ready for the international level? It's very difficult to make the case that he's more ready than Scally (who, by the way, is only two years older than Freeman). Max Arfsten made one of the biggest leaps on this list with his Gold Cup performance. (Photo by CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images) (CHANDAN KHANNA via Getty Images) 24. Max Arfsten, defender?, Columbus Crew (+11) Oh, Max Arfsten. What a player. The 24-year-old Californian is an audacious dribbler and a confident, two-footed attacker who, for some reason, fits Pochettino's description of a left back. (Which is significantly different from the wingback position he plays in Columbus.) Advertisement The Costa Rica game epitomized Arfsten. He clumsily conceded a penalty. He responded with an assist. He scored a go-ahead goal with a well-timed run and weak-foot finish. Then he looked like a training dummy as Costa Rica equalized. USMNT fans are already (rightly) distrustful of his defending against CONCACAF foes, to say nothing of potential World Cup foes. But he might just be the second-choice left back. 25. Patrick Agyemang, forward, Charlotte FC/Derby County? (+5) Agyemang has become the USMNT's most polarizing player, a physical striker who makes ish happen, and also makes attacking moves go awry. He started all six games of the Gold Cup. He was strong with his back to goal, and a menace running the channels. But when running toward goal, with or without the ball, he was shoddy. So, is he a World Cup candidate? Yes, but far from a sure thing. He's probably fourth on the depth chart, but with an asterisk: his hold-up play is better than that of any striker above him. If Poch wants a change of pace instead of a third goalscorer — or if one of the three above Agyemang is injured — he's the next line. Advertisement A mooted move to Derby County in the English Championship could change that, for better or worse. 26. Zack Steffen, goalkeeper, Colorado Rapids (-2) Steffen experienced something of a late-20s renaissance, and looked like a challenger to Turner. But his injury — a recurring theme — forced him to relinquish his chance to Freese. It's unclear if, or when, his second chance might come. 27. Patrick Schulte, goalkeeper, Columbus Crew (-4) For a while, Schulte looked like the primary challenger to Turner in net. But a fluky late-May oblique injury, suffered in pregame warmups, robbed him of the chance to challenge this summer. Advertisement So, his situation is similar to Steffen's. The goalkeeper position is wide open. 28. Sebastian Berhalter, midfielder, Vancouver Whitecaps (+) Berhalter got to U.S. camp last month and instantly knew what it took — and what it meant — to play for the national team. He had an inherent advantage, of course; his dad used to play for and coach the team; Sebastian had watched obsessively for years. But that doesn't take anything away from how he grasped the responsibility, and showed the required intensity. He embraced the confrontational grit of CONCACAF. He played like he belonged — even when his natural ability suggested he didn't — and put in an application for a World Cup ticket as a so-called 'vibes guy,' the type of role that his dad gave to Cristian Roldan in 2022. Advertisement 29. Cameron Carter-Vickers, defender, Celtic (-8) His one and only USMNT game over the past 12 months was the deflating 2-1 loss to Canada in March. Will Carter-Vickers get another shot? He certainly seems to be out of contention for the starting spot next to Richards. 30. Aidan Morris, midfielder, Middlesbrough (-3) Did he just need a rest? Or is Morris firmly on the outside looking in after failing to impress Pochettino in the coach's first camp last October? We could find out in the fall. 31. Miles Robinson, defender, FC Cincinnati (+3) 32. Auston Trusty, defender, Celtic (-10) 33. Walker Zimmerman, defender, Nashville SC (+) At least one of these three or Carter-Vickers has to go to the World Cup. (And if McKenzie doesn't go, two have to go.) Advertisement Pochettino stuck with Richards and Ream throughout the tournament, so we got no hints about who he favors among the reserves. Center back depth continues to be a concern. 34. Jack McGlynn, midfielder, Houston Dynamo (-3) At the beginning of camp, he was starting on the right wing, and pinging a first-minute goal past Turkey. By the end, he was on the bench, and ineffective whenever he came off it as a substitute. Pochettino seemed to realize that McGlynn's slowness and slenderness made him a poor fit for the international game — and, therefore, a longshot for the World Cup roster. 35. Brenden Aaronson, midfielder, Leeds United (-9) He does the one thing Poch seems to value more than anything else — run — but not much else. That he could hardly get off the B-team's bench is an indictment of his standing with the national team. Advertisement 36. Luca de la Torre, midfielder, San Diego FC (+) Luca is what he is at this point: a tidy midfielder with little upside to become much more. He was serviceable at the Gold Cup, but there's probably no room for him in the U.S. midfield at the World Cup. 37. Damion Downs, forward, FC Köln/Southampton? (+) He's probably fifth on the striker depth chart, and didn't do anything at the Gold Cup to change that. Also on the fringes: DeJuan Jones, Auston Trusty, John Tolkin, Cristian Roldan, Kevin Paredes, Chris Brady, Paxten Aaronson, Brian White, Marlon Fossey, Alex Zendejas, Gianluca Busio, Quinn Sullivan, Sean Zawadski and Daryl Dike.
Wales Online
04-07-2025
- Sport
- Wales Online
Jack Draper makes his thoughts about Emma Raducanu perfectly clear at Wimbledon
Jack Draper makes his thoughts about Emma Raducanu perfectly clear at Wimbledon Jack Draper became the latest Brit to crash out of Wimbledon when he was beaten in four sets by Marin Cilic on Thursday, but he is still hopeful of success for the home contingent Jack Draper has the ultimate confidence in Emma Raducanu (Image: PA ) Jack Draper has expressed his belief that Emma Raducanu is well-equipped to carry the British hopes at Wimbledon, following his own exit from the tournament. Despite being tipped as a strong contender for a significant run at the Championships, Draper's campaign ended in the second round, marking the third time he has stumbled at this stage in his burgeoning career. Marin Cilic, ranked 83rd in the world, delivered a powerful performance on Centre Court to defeat the fourth seed. With Draper out, attention turns to Raducanu, Cameron Norrie, and Sonay Kartal, who are among the last of the 23 British players in the singles draws to reach the third round. In his post-match press conference, Draper said: "Of course [we] still have British hope. Emma is playing great. I watched her play yesterday. That was amazing." Raducanu has dazzled crowds at the All England Club with convincing victories over Mimi Xu in the opening round and former Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova in the second. She now faces a formidable challenge against top seed Aryna Sabalenka on Friday. However, Draper remains optimistic about Raducanu's chances against the Belarusian superstar, stating: "She has a real opportunity. I hope she goes on and does us all proud. She's definitely got the capability to do that," reports the Express. Draper spoke highly of Britain's other two hopefuls, saying: "Cam, Sonay, these guys are going to be flying the flag now. I think they're incredible players, they all want it so badly. I know them all personally. They're all great people, great players. They deserve everything they're going to get. I'm looking forward to watching them play." Article continues below Emma Raducanu faces a stern test in the form of Aryna Sabalenka in the third round on Friday (Image: Peter van den Berg/ISI Photos, ISI Photos via Getty Images ) The 22-year-old acknowledged that he might find it too painful to watch his compatriots up close after missing out on his own chance at Wimbledon success. "Maybe I'll try to stay away from it, in all honesty, because it hurts badly," he confessed. "I want them to have amazing success. They deserve that for sure." Excitement built around Draper following his dominant performance against Sebastian Baez in the opening round, with the Argentine retiring in the third set. However, Cilic used his wealth of experience to cause a significant upset at Wimbledon on Thursday. The 36-year-old delivered 16 aces towards Draper and hit an impressive number of forehand winners, earning him a spot in the third round against Jaume Munar. Speaking after his defeat, the Brit was brutally honest in his assessment on how he's performed on grass so far this year. The Brit was bounced out of the second round of Wimbledon by Marin Cilic (Image: Getty ) "I've been really disappointed with the way my game's been on the grass this year, in all honesty," he admitted. "I wasn't feeling too great at Queen's. I don't know how I made the semis there. This year I really struggled on the grass. Article continues below "I felt great on the hard, felt great on the clay, I felt like there weren't many holes in my game, whereas as soon as I came on to the grass, I felt a big difference. It highlighted a lot of weaknesses in my game, especially against a player the way he was playing today, someone as good as him on the grass. "I think the hole in my forehand showed up, for sure. I wasn't able to deal with his pace of ball into my forehand. I was over-spinning a lot. I think a lot of my success this year with my forehand was when I have more time and I can create the speed and the spin that I want."
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
USMNT Gold Cup roster: Sergiño Dest joins list of missing stars, as others see 'big opportunity'
Diego Luna will have another opportunity this summer to further establish himself with the U.S. men's national team. (Photo by John Dorton/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images for USSF) Christian Pulisic was already resting. Antonee Robinson is recovering from surgery. Weston McKennie, Tim Weah and Gio Reyna are with their clubs. Yunus Musah is missing for "personal reasons," and Josh Sargent for "football reasons"; Folarin Balogun and Ricardo Pepi are injured. And on Thursday, Sergiño Dest joined the list of U.S. men's national team stars who'll be absent this summer. The skillful fullback, who tore his ACL last spring and returned to action in March, has been left off the USMNT's roster for the 2025 Gold Cup for fitness reasons. Advertisement Head coach Mauricio Pochettino said Thursday in a statement through a spokesman that his staff had "done a series of evaluations this week on all the players in camp, and in the case of Sergiño, we determined the best decision is for the player to have an individualized training program for the summer so he can focus on being fully recovered and ready to perform next season." Dest's absence will leave the U.S. without six or seven of its presumed first-choice starting 11 for two friendlies and the Gold Cup. John Tolkin, a 22-year-old left back, is en route to the USMNT's Chicago training camp to replace him. A World Cup dress rehearsal becomes a USMNT tryout The Gold Cup, a biennial regional tournament, had been billed for months as a dress rehearsal, the last time the U.S. men's national team would be whole for competitive games before the 2026 World Cup. Advertisement Instead, it has become a tryout, with new faces fighting for a chance to stick with the USMNT over the next 13 months. And Pochettino has made it clear that the weight of your name, or the size of your club, doesn't matter. His message, defender Walker Zimmerman said this week, has been: "I don't care where you play, I care what you do. It's when you show up here, how you perform, and I'm going to evaluate you on that." A day later, goalkeeper Matt Turner confirmed that, per Pochettino, even club form has seemingly become secondary. "He's not gonna look at what you do elsewhere," Turner said from Chicago, where the USMNT has convened for a training camp. "He cares a lot about what you do while you're here. And there's a lot of guys here with a big opportunity ... to make a case for themselves to be on that World Cup squad, and be a contributing member to this team for years to come." Advertisement Those "guys with big opportunity" come from Major League Soccer and abroad, from Philly and Vancouver, from Utrecht and Eindhoven. There are half a dozen mainstays who are part of Pochettino's squad — Turner, Tyler Adams, Chris Richards, Tim Ream and few others. But most are fringe players who, a year ago, were on the outside looking in, sometimes from afar, at the U.S. roster. They're fullbacks Max Arfsten and Alex Freeman, midfielders Sebastian Berhalter and Jack McGlynn, attackers Quinn Sullivan and Damion Downs. Seven of the 26 players selected have never appeared for the national team. There are also players such as Malik Tillman and Johnny Cardoso who broke into the USMNT under previous head coach Gregg Berhalter, and have since excelled at their clubs, but haven't yet established themselves in the national team's starting lineup or rotation. And then, of course, there is Diego Luna, the prime example so far of a player who seized opportunity — first in January, then in March — and parlayed it into a place in Pochettino's plans. "That experience, for me, was life-changing," Luna said of his broken-nose stardom in January. "I think it added an opportunity for me to come back into more camps and show the type of grit and the hunger that I have to play and represent for my country." Advertisement This summer, which begins with friendlies against Turkey (Saturday, June 7, 3:30 p.m. ET, TNT) and Switzerland (Tuesday, June 10, 8 p.m. ET, TNT), then continues with the Gold Cup, is a chance for most or all of the 26 players on Pochettino's roster to follow Luna's path. The full roster is below. And remarkably, with the World Cup roughly a year away, it feels more unsettled than it did at this time last spring, two years out. More spots in the 2026 squad feel up for grabs than ever before. USMNT roster for 2025 Gold Cup, June friendlies Goalkeepers: Chris Brady (Chicago Fire), Matt Freese (New York City FC), Matt Turner (Crystal Palace) Advertisement Defenders: Max Arfsten (Columbus Crew), Alex Freeman (Orlando City), Nathan Harriel (Philadelphia Union), Mark McKenzie (Toulouse/FRA), Tim Ream (Charlotte FC), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati), John Tolkin (Holstein Kiel), Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC) Midfielders: Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United); Tyler Adams (Bournemouth), Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver Whitecaps), Johnny Cardoso (Real Betis), Luca de la Torre (San Diego FC), Diego Luna (Real Salt Lake), Jack McGlynn (Houston Dynamo), Quinn Sullivan (Philadelphia Union); Malik Tillman (PSV Eindhoven) Forwards: Paxten Aaronson (FC Utrecht), Patrick Agyemang (Charlotte FC), Damion Downs (FC Köln), Brian White (Vancouver Whitecaps), Haji Wright (Coventry City)
