Sinner Faces Alcaraz at Wimbledon in Rematch of Epic French Open Final
Sunday's matchup at Centre Court between the No. 1-ranked Sinner and No. 2 Alcaraz marks the first time the same two men faced off in the title matches on the clay at Roland-Garros and the grass at the All England Club in the same year since Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal did it in 2006, 2007 and 2008.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
38 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Carlos Alcaraz Officially Announced His Relationship Status
Carlos Alcaraz Officially Announced His Relationship Status originally appeared on The Spun. Carlos Alcaraz, the No. 2 overall seed in the men's draw at Wimbledon, is taking on No. 1 overall seed Jannik Sinner in the final on Sunday. The 22-year-old star from Spain has won five Grand Slam titles. He's looking to win No. 6 on Sunday. Alcaraz is coming off a win at Roland Garros, taking home the Grand Slam title at the French Open. But he has his work cut out for him on Sunday. Alcaraz, meanwhile, has been the subject of some dating rumors as of late. He's been linked to fellow tennis star, Emma Raducanu of Great Britain. But the pair insists that they are just friends. Both Alcaraz and Raducanu have insisted that they are just friends. But Alcaraz announced that he is single and looking for someone in 2024. 'No, I am single,' Alcaraz said in 2024. 'I am looking for someone. It can be difficult as a tennis player to meet the right person because you are traveling all the time.' Raducanu, meanwhile, seemed to enjoy the swirling rumors. 'Glad the internet is having fun and we're providing some entertainment for everyone," Raducanu reacted when asked about them live on BBC, per Raducanu did say that she's enjoyed her friendship with the Spanish tennis star. They will be playing mixed doubles at the U.S. Open next month. "We both started getting to know each other when I had that little run at Wimbledon and he had the five set [match] in the first round (in 2021),' Raducanu explained, per 'Ever since we've stayed in touch.' Raducanu has yet to be spotted at the men's final on Sunday, so perhaps these two are just friends. The final match between No. 1 Jannik Sinner and No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz is airing live on ESPN on Sunday. Carlos Alcaraz Officially Announced His Relationship Status first appeared on The Spun on Jul 13, 2025 This story was originally reported by The Spun on Jul 13, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Wimbledon's memorable matches: Raducanu's thriller and Dimitrov's heartbreak
A thrilling Wimbledon fortnight came to an end with title wins for Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek. Here, the PA news agency looks back on five memorable matches from SW19. Third round – Aryna Sabalenka beat Emma Raducanu 7-6 (6) 6-4 Emma Raducanu, right, ran the top seed close (Adam Davy/PA) Late-night drama under the roof on Centre Court has been in short supply since Andy Murray limped off into the sunset, but Raducanu reminded the tennis world what a special talent she is before a narrow loss to world number one Sabalenka. Advertisement The 22-year-old played some electrifying tennis but was unable to apply the finishing touches, eventually going down in two tight sets after exactly two hours. The first set alone took 74 minutes, with Raducanu saving seven set points and creating one of her own, while she led 4-1 in the second before Sabalenka recovered. Fourth round – Jannik Sinner beat Grigor Dimitrov 3-6 5-7 2-2 ret Jannik Sinner, left, checks on the injured Grigor Dimitrov (Jordan Pettitt/PA) A sliding doors moment as Dimitrov suffered Wimbledon heartbreak when he was on the verge of knocking out the world number one and eventual champion. The 34-year-old Bulgarian had won the first two sets and was playing some inspired tennis when, at 2-2 in the third, he clutched his chest after serving an ace. Advertisement Sinner rushed around the net to check on his opponent as he sat, in some distress, on the court with a pectoral injury which forced him to retire, handing the Italian a major reprieve. Fourth round – Amanda Anisimova beat Linda Noskova 6-2 5-7 6-4 A tense third-set shoot-out between two players in form on the grass had spectators on Court One on the edge of their seats. Noskova broke first but Anisimova responded almost straight away and an ace for 2-3 proved the turning point for the American, who then reeled off 10 straight points to break and hold to love. Anisimova, the eventual runner-up, received a warning for racket abuse as her opponent drew level but then forced two match points on the Czech's serve and took the second, leaving Noskova throwing her racket in frustration after a high-quality two-hour battle. Advertisement Fourth round – Cameron Norrie beat Nicolas Jarry 6-3 7-6 (4) 6-7 (7) 6-7 (5) 6-3 There was considerable beef between Cameron Norrie, left, and Nicolas Jarry Norrie battled through to the quarter-finals to become the last Briton standing in singles after a five-set marathon low on quality but high on aggro. Chilean hot head Jarry was enraged at how long Norrie – who had a match point in the third set – was taking between first and second serve, pleading with the umpire 'He does it always. Do I have to suck it up?' He made his feelings even clearer after the four-and-a-half-hour contest as the pair had a heated exchange of views beneath the umpire's chair. Final – Jannik Sinner beat Carlos Alcaraz 4-6 6-4 6-4 6-4 Sinner celebrates a first Wimbledon title (John Walton/PA) After Anisimova's no-show in the women's final, Wimbledon needed something special from the men, and they delivered. Advertisement Sinner and Alcaraz showed why they are one and two in the world with some fabulous rallies and outrageous shot-making. Alcaraz took the opening set with a stunning backhand winner on the stretch, but Sinner's level was more consistent throughout as the Italian got revenge for his defeat to his great rival in the French Open final last month.
New York Times
2 hours ago
- New York Times
Aston Villa's search for stadium naming rights and the spectre of PSR
It was in early 2024 that The Athletic was told of Aston Villa's desire to pursue stadium naming rights. Chris Heck, the club's president of business operations at the time, led discussions among staff to find a lucrative, big-brand sponsorship to rename Villa Park. Many clubs have raised significant revenue this way, including Arsenal with the Emirates Stadium, Manchester City's Etihad Stadium or, further away, Barcelona's Spotify Camp Nou. Heck and his team cast the net far and wide, discussing worldwide brands, but a suitable partner has not been found. Advertisement Until his official departure at the end of May 2025, Heck was tasked with rapidly growing commercial streams, removing existing sponsorship agreements with incumbent partners and seeking more lucrative contracts. It has been far from plain sailing. Villa have cut ties with kit manufacturer Castore and moved to Adidas. In April 2024, they also ended their relationship with front-of-shirt sponsor BK8 two years early. In both examples, Villa received financial uplifts, which assisted an improvement in commercial income, growing £24.2million ($32.9m), or 62 per cent, in just two years. The 2023-24 accounts showed record revenues for the second year running, with income hitting £275.7m; it will be three in a row in 2024-25 following their Champions League run. Stadium naming rights would, undoubtedly, have the greatest commercial impact, far exceeding any additional money brought in through the hike in ticket prices at the start of the 2024-25 campaign or the upcoming season's rise of five per cent. A comparative example would be Everton, after Liverpool-based legal firm Hill Dickinson became the naming-rights partner for their new stadium. Everton said it was 'one of the largest stadium naming rights deals in Europe', with multiple reports that it could be up to £10m a year. Heck attributed last season's high ticket prices in the Champions League — the cheapest seat cost £70 — to the need to comply with profit and sustainability rules (PSR) but frankly, securing a big-name partner would bring in far more revenue than another increase. 'Achieving our sporting ambitions while complying with financial stability regulations requires difficult decisions,' said Heck in a statement last September and in response to supporter backlash over Champions League prices. 'Financial fair play rules prohibit owners from covering shortfalls to finance this ambition, so we need to generate as much revenue as possible through sponsorships, merchandise and ticket sales to ensure that we can keep the club where it rightfully belongs — competing and winning at the top of English and European football.' Advertisement Director of football operations Damian Vidagany acknowledged the cost of following Villa last season. 'I would like to show how grateful we are to the supporters,' he wrote in a letter to fans at the end of last season. 'From everyone at the club, the manager, the players, and the staff — for the European night atmospheres we had at Villa Park. We know how hard it was for many people to get tickets and pay for them.' For all the growth commercially, it was influenced by on-field success, with the Champions League providing a cash injection in prize money and television rights. But the question lingers. Would supporters sacrifice tradition and be prepared to change Villa Park's name in exchange for PSR to be less of a yearly issue? 'Commercial income plays a vital role in enabling the club to remain competitive, in the Premier League and in Europe,' says Mo Razzaq, chair of the Aston Villa Supporters' Trust. 'If naming rights can contribute meaningfully to that, helping us invest in the squad and infrastructure while staying within financial regulations, then it's a conversation worth having. 'That said, Villa Park is more than just a stadium — it's a symbol of our history and identity. For generations of fans, it will always be Villa Park, regardless of any commercial partnership.' 'One of Villa's unique selling points is its historical gravitas — and renaming Villa Park would risk diluting that legacy,' adds David Michael, who sits on the fan advisory board and is the editor and founder of My Old Man Said, a fan-run website. 'If sacrificing identity doesn't deliver clear success, what was it all for? To help cover agent fees (£25.1million last season), UEFA fines, and inflated wages? If all it buys is a tidier balance sheet, the trade-off feels hollow.' Villa replicated Chelsea in selling their women's team to the company that owns them, V Sports, led by Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens, while trading a small stake to an American investor. This helped solve Villa's PSR issues as a one-off but again provokes the discussion of raising revenue and maintaining aspects of club tradition. Advertisement Villa Park has been the club's home since 1897. It was opened as the Aston Lower Grounds, but fans began to refer to it as 'Villa Park' at the beginning of the 20th century. Remarkably, the club has never announced an official name change, with local press initially using other names, such as the 'Aston Grounds' or 'Villa Grounds'. This is, in name and history, a stadium that belongs to its supporters. Built at the end of a hugely successful era, when Villa were the dominant team of the Victorian age, they had a home befitting of their stature. 'If the club does pursue naming rights, it's essential that any chosen partner reflects the heritage of Aston Villa,' continues Razzaq. 'The association should feel authentic and respectful of what the club stands for.' These days, supporters have needed to grow used to the idea that football, compared to the Victorian era when it was there as a form of weekend escapism for the working class, is becoming a more expensive sport to watch. Many fans felt Heck's main mode of increasing revenue was to raise ticket prices and introduce more corporate and hospitality areas around the ground, which ran into problems. Manager Unai Emery has driven Villa's on-pitch success, making him the club's key revenue driver. Villa's fourth-place finish in the 2023-24 season generated £162.4m in Premier League prize money and reaching the quarter-finals of the Champions League in 2024-25 amassed more than £70m. This ensured Villa topped £300m in income for the first time. Qualifying for Europe's elite competition allowed Villa to be more ambitious during commercial negotiations. Sources who shared existing knowledge of recent deals, speaking on condition of anonymity to protect relationships, told The Athletic that last season's agreements included 'kickers'. This means the club receives additional revenue every time they qualify for the Champions League, unlocking extra sponsorship money. Rightly or wrongly, Villa felt they could charge as much as £92 per ticket for a home game against Brighton & Hove Albion and £97 for a non-season-ticket holder ticket for a Champions League fixture because of the attractiveness of Emery's team. Villa aspire to compete with Europe's biggest clubs but are yet to tap into the commercial markets they benefit from. They remain without a sponsor for their training kit and training ground, Bodymoor Heath. Invariably, seeking wider partners will be a focus for Heck's replacement, Francesco Calvo, who worked at Juventus and Roma. Calvo is due to start work at Villa this month and is well-liked among football staff. The Italian executive has a strong track record for working with fans and wants to build a stronger relationship between the football and business departments. Adrian Filby, the commercial director who was formerly at Celtic, will be involved in future stadium discussions. 'Villa Park will always be my church,' says Dave Wickes, chair of the Cornwall Lions. 'I'm not for changing the names of traditional football stadiums but with PSR, Villa need the finance from things like renaming the stadium to help us get to the levels of competing with the elite to win trophies. That's how fans judge the club.' Advertisement Supporters widely accept that Villa Park, though retaining its history, must be redeveloped. There were 30,000 people on the season ticket waiting list in 2023 and the stadium's capacity of 42,000 is no longer suitable to match demand. There is also natural decay in parts of the ground, such as the turnstiles and concourses. There is an understanding that certain areas of Villa Park are too small and sometimes difficult to steward. The club announced they would restart plans to build a 50,000-seater stadium in time for Euro 2028, a tournament where Villa Park will host matches. Villa and the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) face logistical and financial issues but should the proposal be put into action, gate receipts will considerably boost revenue. Villa are far removed from the traditional 'Big Six' for matchday revenue and, more gallingly, trail West Ham United — which boasts a ground that holds 20,000 more spectators — and Newcastle United, who have 10,000 more seats, by £16.6m and £22.1m respectively. A redeveloped and expanded Villa Park may be celebrated with new naming rights. But preserving Villa's traditions will surely be of equal, if not more, importance. 'Even a U.S.-style approach — naming the pitch rather than the stadium, as in 'Sponsor Name pitch at Villa Park' — could preserve heritage while bringing in funds,' says Michael. 'But as fans increasingly see their clubs carved up for commercial gain, the real risk is not financial — it's the slow erosion of the club's soul.'
