Latest news with #L'Equipe
USA Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Victor Dubuisson returns! Frenchman wins on Alps Tour, refuses paycheck
Victor Dubuisson, a former DP World Tour champion and 2014 European Ryder Cup star who retired at age 33, played his first competitive golf since September 2023 and made it look as easy as riding a bicycle. The 35-year-old Frenchman returned to the Alps Tour, a developmental circuit, and carded rounds of 62-65-61 at Golf de Biarritz Le Phare in his homeland. Then he birdied the second playoff hole to edge Spain's Jorge Maicas and win the Biarritz Cup. But according to Dubuisson declined to accept his winner's share of the €47,500 prize purse after being in the field as a sponsor's exemption. Calling it 'a gesture of personal principle, Dubuisson refused his €7,600 winner's check, which went to Maicas. Dubuisson was the No. 1 amateur in 2009 before turning pro and had the potential to do the same in the pay-for-play ranks but the life of a touring pro wasn't for him. 'I feel like I've reached my limits and I know I can find pleasure elsewhere, I'm convinced of that,' the enigmatic Dubuisson said during an interview in December 2023 with France's L'Equipe. 'I spent 15 years alone on the Tour, curled up on myself. I missed contact with people. So it's just simple human relationships around golf that I want to have.' It appears his game has little rust and time will tell if this Alps Tour victory kickstarts a full-fledged comeback bid. 'It is unclear at this stage whether Dubuisson plans to build on this success and target a full comeback,' reported, noting that for the past 18 months he has been running clinics for holiday makers in Tenerife at the Abama Golf Resort.
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
'Andy Murray annoyed me with his attitude - he ruined my tennis career'
Gilles Simon was a top-10 player and won 14 ATP singles titles, but the Frenchman has revealed that his career was 'ruined' by his rivalry with Andy Murray Former tennis world No. 6 Gilles Simon openly blamed Andy Murray for ruining his professional career. In a candid interview last year, the retired French player spoke about long-time rival Murray, whose illustrious career ended after the 2024 Paris Olympics. Simon and Murray rose through the ranks together, both debuting at Grand Slam tournaments in 2005. But although they started on similar paths, Murray soon pulled ahead, securing major championships and earning recognition as one of tennis' elite. "Andy is the guy who ruined my career the most," Simon told L'Equipe in 2024. "He became the player I wanted to beat the most. I studied him a lot in the field. Because he bothered me too much, in terms of his game but also in his attitude." Simon, who never advanced past a Grand Slam quarter-final, regarded Murray as one of the sport's most naturally gifted athletes - someone who simultaneously inspired and frustrated him. "We annoyed each other," Simon said. "We played matches where we ended up telling each other about our lives!" Simon often found himself on the losing end of their encounters, with Murray dominating their rivalry with a 16-3 record. Their first face-off was at the 2007 Italian Open, a match Simon managed to win. But Murray went on to claim the following 12 matchups, intensifying Simon's desire to finally overcome the Scottish star. With time, though, Simon began to view Murray's relentless drive with more appreciation than resentment. "He was ready to die on the court," said Simon, now 40. "He is an ultra-competitor, perhaps even more than [Roger] Federer, [Rafael] Nadal and [Novak] Djokovic. He was ready to do anything to win, whatever the way, good or bad." "Playing better than him didn't guarantee victory. He could quickly adapt his game to counter you. I always say you had to beat him three times. "He always found a solution," Simon went on. "He was constantly looking for one and often ended up finding one. Whatever his choice, he always had a full awareness of what he was doing. As he is intelligent, every time it fell right. "Andy is much more gifted than we think. One of the most gifted we've ever seen. As he was above all a solid player, who ran everywhere and made no mistakes." Though their rivalry was clearly tilted in Murray's favour, Simon savoured a final, hard-earned triumph at the 2022 Paris Masters - emerging victorious in a gruelling three-set battle, one of the last professional showdowns for both players. Simon carved out a respectable career, amassing 14 ATP singles trophies. Yet it was Murray's trio of Slam wins - and his unforgettable duels with the likes of Djokovic, Nadal, and Federer - that cemented his place among the sport's legends. Following four painful defeats in major finals, Murray finally clinched his first Slam at the 2012 US Open. The next year, he ended a 77-year British drought at Wimbledon, becoming the first male champion there since Fred Perry in 1936. He repeated the feat in 2016. Eventually, recurring injuries took their toll, limiting Murray's later years on tour. Still, the 38-year-old's status as one of the sport's most revered players remains beyond doubt. In retrospect, Simon's battles with Murray were marked not just by rivalry but by mutual respect. Murray drove him to elevate his game - even if he seldom came out on top. For Simon, Murray wasn't merely an opponent - he was the benchmark of greatness.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Norwich City sign Metz winger Papa Amadou Diallo
Metz winger Papa Amadou Diallo (21) has joined EFL Championship side Norwich City FC, both clubs have announced. According to a previous report from L'Equipe, Les Grenats reached an agreement with The Canaries over a €4,5m transfer fee earlier in the week. The 21-year-old Senegal international played a pivotal role in Metz's Ligue 1 promotion charge, logging seven goals in four assists last season in Ligue 2. 'I'm so excited for this new journey. The sporting director and head coach have been very important for me and I can't wait to start working at the club', Diallo said. 'It has been my dream to play in England – something new for me, but I am ready and prepared for the challenge ahead.' Diallo has put pen to paper over a four-year deal with Norwich City. He will wear the No. 19 jersey for Liam Manning's team. Metz have planned for Diallo's exit by signing two Georgian wingers, Giorgi Tsitaichvili and Giorgi Abuachvili. GFFN | Bastien Cheval
NBC Sports
22-07-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Leon Marchand narrows his World Swimming Championships focus with world record in sight
Since the Paris Olympics, Léon Marchand has surfed in Australia and been asked for a picture while dining in Greece. Back in France, he estimated his fame is 10 times greater than anywhere else he's been. Marchand, who won four swimming gold medals last summer, returned to his training base of Austin, Texas, in late March to prepare for the World Championships. The meet begins this weekend in Singapore (live daily on Peacock). The 23-year-old from Toulouse initially entered the same four events he won in Paris: the 200m and 400m individual medleys, the 200m breaststroke and the 200m butterfly. On Monday, French media reported that Marchand dropped the 200m breast and 200m fly, his two closest races in Paris (the two Olympic finals were about 1 hour, 45 minutes apart). Nick Zaccardi, 'It's a choice we made because we are in a post-Olympic year, and he has never had the opportunity to present a 200m medley without having a race before or after the same day,' Marchand's France-based coach Nicolas Castel said in comments reported by France Info that Castel reposted on social media, according to a translation. 'He wanted to test this isolated 200m medley and see what he was capable of.' The 200m fly final is the day before the 200m IM final. The 200m breast semis are in the same session as the 200m IM final. Dropping them would mean Marchand has no individual races before the 200m IM. He could be capable of breaking the world record: 1:54.00, set by Ryan Lochte at the 2011 World Championships. In Paris, Marchand swam 1:54.06, missing the record by six hundredths of a second. If he can take it down, Marchand will become the second man to own both individual medley world records in the last 30 years. The other: Michael Phelps, whose 400m IM record Marchand broke in 2023 after Phelps held it for 21 years. 'I have a lot of things to improve,' Marchand said in the spring, reflecting on the Paris Olympics as a whole. 'It's not over. I also did a lot of mistakes, so I can do better for sure.' Marchand has said the four years of work leading into Paris were the hard part. Swimming at his home Games, despite the pressure, was like spending the money he banked over thousands of training hours, to take a metaphor that his Austin-based coach, Bob Bowman, adopted in his years guiding Phelps. So, how much has Marchand deposited since Paris that he can withdraw in Singapore? Bowman said he's been swimming near his top level in practice. 'I'm very happy with how he's been since he's come back,' Bowman said. 'He's been perfectly normal. He's tried hard. He's made the improvements.' Marchand took six weeks of vacation after the Olympics, according to L'Equipe. Then on Nov. 1, he broke Lochte's 200m IM world record for 25-meter short course pools, which are used less frequently than the 50-meter pools at most major meets like the Olympics. He swam and surfed in Australia over three months early this year (during which he cracked a rib, missing a week) before settling back down in Austin. Marchand has yet to swim at a high-stakes meet in 2025, unlike Americans who had to qualify through trials. So there is little race data to gauge how close he is to summer 2024 form. 'I think that his year has unfolded — other than the injuries — it's kind of been what he wanted,' Bowman said. 'I think he needed a mental break. I think he needed to go away to Australia to get out of France for a while. And then when he was ready to come back, he's done very well in Texas.'
Daily Mirror
20-07-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Jannik Sinner's pointed message for Carlos Alcaraz as he explains Wimbledon win
Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are currently the dominant forces in men's tennis and the Italian has aimed a potential dig at his rival while explaining the key to his success Jannik Sinner has revealed the key behind his Wimbledon win, saying "hard work always beats talent." The quote from the SW19 champion perfectly sums up the type of player he is, while possibly taking a subtle swipe at rival Carlos Alcaraz, whom he recently beat in the Wimbledon final. Sinner, 23, and Alcaraz, 22, represent the future of tennis in the post-'Big Three' era. They've already claimed four and five Grand Slam crowns respectively. They clashed in what many consider one of the greatest major finals in memory at the French Open last month, where Alcaraz showcased both grit and extraordinary ability to survive three Championship points and triumph at Roland-Garros, despite trailing by two sets at one point. The pair locked horns once more on Wimbledon's Centre Court earlier this month. Sinner gained his revenge with a 4-6 6-4 6-4 6-4 victory. As the two have increasingly dominated tournaments over the last two years, a narrative has emerged suggesting Alcaraz possesses more natural ability, given that he's physically stronger and has a broader range of impressive strokes at his disposal. Sinner, meanwhile, lacks the same flair that characterises the Spaniard's game, but his disciplined and hard-working approach has enabled him to progress tremendously and forge a relentless and reliable baseline game. The Italian delved into that as he explained his Wimbledon triumph, possibly taking a jibe at the easy-going and party-loving Alcaraz in the process. Sinner said in a recent interview: "I always say that hard work beats talent. And that's what I try to do. 'I always go on a practice court with a purpose, and I believe that the mindset you start to build in practice sessions, when you struggle, when you have pain, when you at times don't want to practice... "But you still go and you still do everything possible to make it a good day. If you cannot do it in practice sessions, then you cannot do it in the real matches." The difference between Sinner and Alcaraz is clear even with regards to their on-court demeanour. While Alcaraz is known to regularly fire up the crowd, Sinner maintains a cooler, more composed presence – something that may have given Alcaraz an edge during his incredible comeback in Paris. Their two differing styles and Sinner's comments were supported by former tennis star Mats Wilander recently, where he explained why the Italian is potentially a better role model for aspiring tennis players. In an interview with L'Equipe, the Swedish legend said: "I think his tennis is five or 10 years ahead of what I imagined the evolution of the game would be. A bit like when, in football, for the first time, there was quick one-touch passes. "The speed of the game was turned upside down. He's leading the way and will quickly serve as a role model, because not everyone can play tennis like Alcaraz. "That requires extremely rare talent. On the other hand, everyone can try to play like Sinner, which doesn't require exceptional talent in itself, but total dedication."
