Sinner stuns Djokovic to face Carlos Alcaraz in final
Top-seeded Jannik Sinner entered the final of the highly coveted French Open with a memorable win over the sixth-seeded Novak Djokovic in the semi-final match on Friday. The Italian registered a scoreline of 6-4, 7-5, 7-6 and knocked the 24-time Grand Slam winner out of the title race. With this win, Sinner marched into the final of the French Open and will now face the second-seeded and defending champions Carlos Alcaraz in the summit clash on Sunday. It will be Sinner’s maiden French Open title. Speaking after the match, the world number one said, as quoted by ATP’s official website, “It was such a special occasion for me, playing against Novak in the semi-final of a Grand Slam. It was just amazing, and I had to step up and play the best tennis I could. I am very happy with how I handled the situation, but this shows again what a role model he is for all of us and especially for us young players.” “What he (Djokovic) is doing is incredible, and I wish him only the best for the rest of the season. I think we are all very lucky to see him playing such high-level tennis, it is amazing,” he added. Alcaraz stands one victory away from defending his crown at Paris after Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti retired in the fourth set of their gripping semi-final clash on Friday .The 22-year-old Spaniard led Musetti 4-6, 7-6(3), 6-0, 2-0 when the Italian retired from the match after two hours and 25 minutes.
Novak Djokovic wins 100th ATP title after thrilling comeback in Geneva
Novak Djokovic claimed his 100th tour-level trophy on Saturday at the Gonet Geneva Open, battling past Hubert Hurkacz in a dramatic final. The Serbian star came from behind to win 5-7, 7-6(2), 7-6(2) in what turned out to be the longest match of the tournament, lasting three hours and five minutes, as per the ATP Tour. “I had to work for it, that’s for sure. Hubi was probably closer to victory in the entire match than I was,” Djokovic said, as quoted from ATP Tour. “I had some chances in the first set to break his serve, then had a bad game which ended up with the double fault on set point,” he added. “I was just trying to hang in there, I don’t know how I broke his serve. He probably broke himself in the third, when he was 4-3 up, but this is what happens at the highest level. Very few points decide the winner. Incredible match, 7-6 in the third with a full stadium and, a beautiful atmosphere. I’m just grateful to clinch the 100th here,” he noted. Djokovic trailed 2-4 in the final set but dug deep to turn the match around, showing the resilience he is known for. This win makes him only the third man in the Open Era to reach 100 tour-level trophies, joining legends Jimmy Connors (109) and Roger Federer (103). His first title came back in 2006 when he beat Hurkacz’s current coach, Nicolas Massu. It’s also Djokovic’s first title since his gold medal win at the Paris Olympics last year. With this win, he becomes the first man in the Open Era to win a title in 20 different seasons. At 38, he is also now the oldest player to win the Geneva tournament.
Far from tennis, Nadal now spends time with family and academy
For the first time, the French Open is going to begin in post-Rafael Nadal era. While Roland-Garros turns the page on a golden era, the 14-time winner says he has no regret leaving the stage behind. The Spaniard, who officially retired in November 2024, told French sports daily L’Equipe that he no longer misses competing and is enjoying a normal, pain-free life after years of battling chronic injuries. He now divides his time between family life, his academy, and new projects. Nadal says he’s relishing the freedom of life without the rigid demands of the tour and has no regrets about how his career unfolded. “I’ve had a wonderful life beyond the courts,” he said. “Tennis was a huge part of it, but it was never everything.”He added, “I don’t miss playing. I knew I had reached my limit.” This year’s tournament is the first of the post-Nadal era, a symbolic shift for an event so long synonymous with his name. As the next generation of contenders prepares to stake its claim on the clay, Nadal is watching from afar, embracing life beyond the tour. However, Nadal singled out world number one Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz as the current leaders of the men’s game, while also highlighting Holger Rune, Jack Draper, and Jakub Mensik as emerging talents. Looking back, Nadal said his proudest achievement was not his record haul of trophies, but his ability to preserve his enthusiasm and values through years of grueling competition and injury setbacks.
Football and tennis in focus as the Sports Ministry considers lifting the ban on OCI athletes
The Indian Sports Ministry is considering a potential revocation of the long-standing ban on Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) cardholders representing the country in international sports. Introduced in 2008, the current regulation allows only Indian passport-holders to officially play for the nation. This possible policy shift comes amid concerns over India’s lack of progress in sports like football and tennis, where overseas-based athletes of Indian origin have often been unable to contribute due to passport restrictions, as per PTI. The idea behind reconsidering the ban is to strengthen India’s sporting ecosystem by opening the doors for more global talent with Indian roots. The proposal is still in its early stages. According to a ministry official, any change would require extensive discussions between all involved stakeholders and is likely to be a gradual process. The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has shown particular interest in the move, even though there are currently no high-profile OCI players ready to be drafted into the national team. The aim is more long-term — to ensure that promising footballers of Indian descent growing up abroad don’t automatically miss out on representing India due to passport issues. In tennis, this restriction has already impacted notable names. While nothing is confirmed yet, the ministry’s openness to reviewing the regulation suggests a shift towards a more inclusive sporting framework that values talent, regardless of geographical background.
