Shane van Gisbergen snags back-to back Xfinity Series pole awards
Mike Tirico looks at the back nine of Royal Portrush, which features iconic holes such as Calamity Corner that will add to the drama of The Open Championship.
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New York Times
40 minutes ago
- New York Times
Amanda Anisimova's Wimbledon final, and the agony and ecstasy of tennis
THE ALL ENGLAND CLUB, LONDON — The Wimbledon final is where every aspiring tennis player dreams to be one day. For an hour Saturday, that dream became a nightmare for Amanda Anisimova. Her 6-0, 6-0 rout at the hands of a ruthless Iga Świątek was a reminder that no sport is more psychologically brutal than tennis. Advertisement Anisimova's first major final, everything her career had been building towards, was over in 57 devastating minutes. In team sports, there is a place for you to hide. Getting hammered in a final can happen to any side, but you have teammates to share the pain with. There are tactics that can limit the number of goals or points conceded. And there is a clock to be watched that ticks down toward relief. Tennis has no clock, no bell, no ninth inning. Players just have to keep going. And in Anisimova's case, she had to keep on going today against the most relentlessly dominant player in women's tennis. Świątek, who races away with a lead like no one else, was still fist-pumping in the 12th and final game, when the destination of the title had long been decided. Against other players, including those on Świątek's level, Anisimova might have hoped for a loose game thrown her way. But the Pole, who is now 6-0 in Grand Slam finals, does not do loose games when the biggest titles are on the line. She showed no mercy as Anisimova suffered the ultimate tennis indignity of a double bagel, the thing that every player, whether an amateur, a junior pro taking their first tentative steps in the sport, or a WTA star like the 23-year-old American, dreads. There was also a crushing inevitability to it. After just a few games, the name of Natasha Zvereva started bubbling into view. Zvereva, a talented Belarusian who was once ranked No. 5 in the world and won 20 Grand Slam titles in women's and mixed doubles, was until Saturday the only player to suffer a double-bagel in a Grand Slam final during the Open Era. Her name re-enters the tennis lexicon at times like these, like a dreaded ghost from that 1988 French Open final, when Steffi Graf did to her what Świątek did to Anisimova today. Anisimova's career will outlast and exceed this moment. But in its immediate aftermath, and as it unfolded, she became one of the most sympathetic and relatable characters in the world. Everyone has feared freezing at the biggest moments in their lives. Some have done so for real. But for the vast majority, it does not happen in front of a global TV audience, and 15,000 spectators on the most famous tennis court on the planet. After the torture was over, Anisimova covered her head with a towel before asking to leave the court. When she came back, to a huge reception from the sympathetic crowd, she was still tearful. Anisimova was so disorientated that she wandered over to the wrong spot after receiving the runners-up's plate and had to be shuffled back into position. Her voice inevitably wavered and the tears came again when she began to speak. Advertisement Making the loser give an address after a Grand Slam final defeat is another aspect of tennis's unrivalled sadism. During a touching speech, Anisimova revealed that her mother had flown to the UK for the final and said, 'My mom is the most selfless person I know, and she's done everything to get me to this point in my life.' For Anisimova to even have been in the position to suffer Saturday's humiliation was a remarkable achievement. A teen sensation who reached the French Open semifinals in 2019, she spent several years in the tennis wilderness following the sudden death of her father and coach when she was 17. When she returned to the sport at the start of 2024, after taking a break for burnout, she was barely inside the world's top 200. At last year's Wimbledon, she lost in the final round of qualifying. This time, she beat Aryna Sabalenka, the world No.1 and tournament favorite, for the right to face Świątek in the final. But none of that insulates a player from the torment of being exposed in the way Anisimova was on Saturday. 'I feel heartbroken for Anisimova,' two-time U.S. Open champion Tracy Austin said during commentary for the BBC. 'Walking onto Centre Court today, she had to be so proud — it was the moment of her life. And then 50-something minutes later… When you're losing like that, you just want to climb into a hole. Fifteen-thousand people are watching. But I hope and pray that Anisimova is really proud of what she's done. This is just the beginning for her.' Anisimova was similarly positive in her post-match news conference, and what separates elite athletes like her from the rest of the world is the ability to recover mentally from these situations. She spoke about being 'frozen there with my nerves' and admitted that she was 'a little bit in shock after' but also stressed the positives. Anisimova also revealed she had been struggling with fatigue in the lead-up to the final, skipping practice Friday and still having to take a break after every rally at practice this morning. She felt like this loss was about physical issues she needed to resolve, rather than psychological ones. Advertisement Her message to herself? '(That) This is probably going to make (me) stronger in the end, and to not really dig myself down or put myself down after today. Just try and focus on how I can come out stronger after this.' Being around her loved ones will help, she said. Again, anyone could relate.
CNN
an hour ago
- CNN
Amanda Anisimova vows to return stronger after being ‘frozen' with nerves during Wimbledon final defeat
It was billed as the Wimbledon women's final that no one expected, it finished as a match that American rising star Amanda Anisimova will want to forget. The 23-year-old always knew she was up against it, playing in her first grand slam final against a five-time major champion who has seemingly reinvented her game on grass. But even the biggest Iga Świątek fan would never have predicted the 6-0, 6-0 thrashing that played out on Centre Court on Saturday. The demolition job took less than an hour. It was also the first time since 1911 that a Wimbledon women's final was won without the champion dropping a single game. Everything went wrong for Anisimova, while everything went right for Świątek. The perfect storm, with two very different outcomes for either player. 'I think I was a bit frozen there with my nerves and maybe the last two weeks I got a bit tired,' a very poised Anisimova told reporters during her post-final press conference. 'It was a bit tough to digest, obviously, especially during and right after. It's not how I would have wanted my first grand slam final to go. 'I think I was a little bit in shock after as well, but I told myself I'll definitely come out stronger after this.' Despite the heavy defeat in the final, we must not forget the incredible tournament that Anisimova has had at SW19 this year. No one really tipped the world No. 12 for a title run on the grass, there were simply too many better players, with too much experience in this competition. But as the big names dropped out of the women's draw, Anisimova kept getting closer to her maiden grand slam final. Then came a semifinal against world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka. Ask Anisimova today and she might say she wished her tournament ended after that brilliant win. The American showed everything that is great about her game against Sabalenka: Her booming backhand drawing gasps from the Centre Court crowd who started to fall in love with the youngster. But, in truth, none of that form was on display during Saturday's final. Her serve was left wanting and 28 unforced errors just demonstrated what state of mind she was in. In her post-match comments, Anisimova said how she had struggled with the heat during the semifinal and thought that maybe could have caused her level to drop in the final. She also said she felt fatigue during her warmup, but didn't want to take anything away from her opponent's 'incredible' performance. Straight after the match, Anisimova somehow mustered the courage to conduct her on-court interview, something that has become tradition at Wimbledon over the decades. After brushing away the tears, she managed to speak so eloquently about what must have felt like one of the most difficult moments of her career. But while she explained how she simply 'ran out of gas' in the final, the love she showed her family and friends in the player's box spoke volumes about the journey she's been on. In 2023, Anisimova stepped away from the sport, deciding not to touch her racket for months while she combatted what she described as burnout. The time away from tennis was to help her own mental health, which had suffered after several seasons on the hamster wheel that is the professional tennis tour. If bouncing from hotel to hotel is not enough, each tennis match is like a psychological game of chess. It's no wonder that teenage prodigies, like Anisimova was, can quickly get tired of it all. During the break, Anisimova said she learned a lot about herself, spending time with the people she loves and exploring new hobbies, one of which was art. In 2024, she returned and set out proving people wrong. After her semifinal win at Wimbledon, Anisimova told reporters that people had said she would never reach the top of tennis again after taking such a long break. She previously said it was a 'special' feeling to show how wrong doubters were at SW19 this year. 'My fighting spirit has gotten me to the final today,' she said as her tournament came to an end. 'It wasn't me playing perfect. There were matches where I struggled and I wasn't playing to my full potential, but I think just me staying focused and fighting my way through certain moments and focusing and also lifting myself up and trying to not get negative on myself was the most important thing.' No one needs to tell Anisimova that there will be brighter moments in her career to come. If anything, this tournament has shown her game is good enough to reach a grand slam final while still having plenty of areas to improve – and that's exactly what she's promised to do going forward. First, though, the more important things. Anisimova vowed to spend some much-needed time with her family and friends after they showed so much support throughout the tournament. Whatever comes next in her career, though, you get the sense it will be driven from the feeling she felt on Centre Court during this year's final. 'There's a lot of improvement,' she said. 'If anything, I think it's more experience for me on how to handle nerves. It's my first grand slam final, so at least I have that experience now.'
Fox Sports
an hour ago
- Fox Sports
LIV Golf Andalucía: Talor Gooch Leads After Rd. 2; Dustin Johnson's 4Aces Surge
SAN ROQUE, Spain – Two years after posting his last LIV Golf win at Andalucía, Talor Gooch is displaying the same kind of form that won him the league's Individual Championship in 2023. The Smash GC star shot a second-round 5-under 66 on Saturday to grab a commanding four-shot lead after 36 holes at the historic Real Club Valderrama. It's the first time he's led after 36 holes since his breakthrough season two years ago, when he won three times. Dustin Johnson, captain of the 4Aces team that Gooch played for during the inaugural 2022 season, is his closest pursuer at 3 under. Stinger GC's Branden Grace, battling relegation, is another stroke back in solo third. Legion XIII Captain Jon Rahm, 4Aces GC's Patrick Reed — winner two weeks ago in Dallas — and Iron Heads GC's Jinichiro Kozuma are tied for fourth at 1 under. The 4Aces are seeking their first win since 2023, like Gooch, and top the team leaderboard at 2 over, one stroke ahead of Smash and five ahead of Legion XIII. Bryson DeChambeau's Crushers GC, seeking their fourth consecutive victory, are in sixth place, nine strokes off the pace. Saturday's play included the completion of the first round, which had been suspended on Friday due to severe winds and the threat of dangerous conditions. After finishing his final five holes, Gooch emerged with a share of the 18-hole lead with Ripper GC Captain Cameron Smith and Torque GC Captain Joaquin Niemann at 2 under, and then was the only one who kept his position on a challenging but less blustery afternoon. While Gooch has good vibes at Valderrama, he also understands the difficulties of protecting a lead on this challenging course. A year ago, Anirban Lahiri entered the final round with the same four-shot lead but ultimately lost in a playoff to Fireballs GC Captain and local favorite Sergio Garcia, who rallied from seven strokes down. Amazingly, Garcia is in the same exact position this year — even par through 36 holes and seven strokes back. "In general, on LIV, there's really no lead that's safe, especially at a golf course like this," Gooch said. "Things can happen quickly, and you're one shot away from a big number. There's definitely no sense of [relaxation] or calmness. "I know DJ (Dustin Johnson) is right behind me. … There's just too many good players out here to feel like I'm comfortable just showing up and winning this tomorrow. I've got to play a really good round of golf to get this thing done." Johnson won the Individual Championship in 2022, and Gooch followed a year later. Both have worked hard to regain their form and improve on their results in 2025. Johnson shot a bogey-free 7-under 64, the lowest round through the first two days and his second-lowest round, relative to par, this season. "My game has been really good [in] the last month and a half or so," said Johnson, who is seeking to win a LIV Golf tournament for the fourth consecutive year. "Just haven't really seen the results that I feel like I should be shooting. "Today, it was nice to actually put together a really solid round." After a difficult start to the season, Gooch has put together several solid rounds lately, recently producing a four-tournament stretch of top-15 finishes. He's happy to see his increased practice routine paying dividends. "I've found a lot of dirt on the range," he said. "Just worked my tail off. It's good to see all of those hours and hours kind of paying off." But the job is not complete. When Gooch won at Valderrama in 2023, he had to overtake DeChambeau on the final day. Last year's result showed that a rally from seven shots down is possible. Valderrama is a difficult course, and scores can go off the rails fast, leaving the door open for the chasers. "I've got a chance," Johnson said. "It's doable," added Rahm. "Everything has to go my way tomorrow," noted Garcia. "Not only do I have to play really well, but then the leaders have to play badly. It's a big combination of things." Gooch is ready for the challenge — and ready to return to the top of the podium. "Nothing is given tomorrow," he said. "Just because I played good today, it has no bearing on the results tomorrow. Tomorrow is a fresh day, and we've got to go have a great day." TEAM SCORES LIV Golf's new scoring format this season now involves all four scores now counting in every round in the team competition. Here are the results and scores for each team after Round 1 and Round 2 of LIV Golf Andalucía. ROUND 2 1. 4ACES GC +2 (Johnson 64, Reed 71, Pieters 72, Varner III 72; Rd. 2 score: -5) 2. SMASH GC +3 (Gooch 66, Koepka 70, McDowell 71, Kokrak 72; Rd. 2 score: -5) 3. LEGION XIII +7 (McKibbin 69, Rahm 70, Hatton 72, Surratt 76; Rd. 2 score: +3) 4. FIREBALLS GC +8 (Ancer 69, Garcia 69, Puig 70, Ballester 75; Rd. 2 score: -1) 5. HYFLYERS GC +10 (Steele 70, Tringale 71, Mickelson 72, Ogletree 72; Rd. 2 score: +1) 6. CRUSHERS GC +11 (DeChambeau 72, Howell III 73, Lahiri 73, Casey 74; Rd. 2 score: +8) 7. IRON HEADS GC +12 (Kozuma 68, Lee 68, Jang 72, Na 73; Rd. 2 score: -3) 8. CLEEKS GC +13 (Meronk 70, Kaymer 72, Bland 73, Kjettrup 74; Rd. 2 score: +5) 9. STINGER GC +15 (Oosthuizen 69, Grace 70, Schwartzel 72, Burmester 73; Rd. 2 score: E) T10. RANGEGOATS GC +17 (Campbell 69, Watson 71, Uihlein 72, Masaveu 75; Rd. 2 score: +3) T10. MAJESTICKS GC +17 (Horsfield 70, Stenson 72, Westwood 72, Poulter 75; Rd. 2 score: +5) T12. TORQUE GC +19 (Muñoz 70, Pereira 72, Ortiz 73, Niemann 75; Rd. 2 score: +6) T12. RIPPER GC +19 (Jones 70, Herbert 72, Smith 73, Leishman 79; Rd. 2 score: +10) Wild Cards: C. Lee 73, Kim 73 ROUND 1 1. CRUSHERS GC +3 (DeChambeau 70, Casey 72, Howell III 72, Lahiri 73) 2. LEGION XIII +4 (Rahm 72, Surratt 71, Hatton 72, McKibbin 74) 3. 4ACES GC +7 (Reed 70, Pieters 73, Varner III 73, Johnson 75) T4. CLEEKS GC +8 (Bland 71, Kaymer 73, Meronk 73, Kjettrup 75) T4. SMASH GC +8 (Gooch 69, Kokrak 71, Koepka 76, McDowell 76) T6. HYFLYERS GC +9 (Mickelson 72, Tringale 73, Ogletree 74, Steele 74) T6. RIPPER GC +9 (Smith 69, Jones 74, Leishman 74, Herbert 76) T6. FIREBALLS GC +9 (Ancer 73, Ballester 73, Garcia 73, Puig 74) 9. MAJESTICKS GC +12 (Poulter 71, Horsfield 74, Westwood 74, Stenson 77) 10. TORQUE GC +13 (Niemann 69, Muñoz 74, Pereira 75, Ortiz 79) 11. RANGEGOATS GC +14 (Uihlein 73, Campbell 74, Watson 74, Masaveu 77) T12. IRON HEADS GC +15 (Kozuma 73, Na 73, Jang 76, Lee 77) T12. STINGER GC +15 (Grace 70, Schwartzel 74, Oosthuizen 77, Burmester 78) Wild Cards: C. Lee 73, Kim 76 This piece is courtesy of Mike McAllister in partnership with LIV Golf . Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? 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