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Top seed Iga Swiatek knocked out of Wimbledon

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Iga Swiatek

After the favorite, Iga Swiatek´s elimination, two unlikely underdogs stand two matches away from lifting their first Grand Slam Trophy.

The Polish five-time tournament favorite was eliminated two sets to one by the world’s 35th-ranked Yulia Putinseva in the tournament´s third round. The upset shook up the tournament bracket, and while Putinseva was eliminated in the next round by 14th-ranked Latvian Jelena Ostapenko, the upset has rocked the Wimbledon predictions of many.

Anyone´s tournament to win

The upset made waves in the tennis world as many had Swiatek slotted as the likely favorite. Putinseva was not the only upset, however, Coco Gauff, who holds second place in the ATP power rankings was eliminated by 17th-ranked Emma Navarro. Most notable among the Cinderella stories, however, are those of Barbora Krejcikova and Donna Vekic.

Krejcikova ranked 31 in ATP´s rankings, and Vekic, ranked 37, are two underdogs that have held on and continued to advance through the rounds. They now find themselves in the semifinals, two games away from lifting Wimbledon´s Women’s Singles Trophy, dubbed the Venus Rosewater Dish.

Two familiar faces in finals

Across the lawn, Vekic will face off against Italian 7th-ranked Jasmine Paolini. For Paolini, she will hope to take home her second title of the year after winning the Dubai Women’s Singles Tennis Championships in February. She has cruised through the competition so far, having won all of her matches in straight sets.

Elena Rybakina will face off against Krejcikova on the other side of the Bracket. Ranked currently 4th in the world, Rybakina has been having a very successful 2024 season, with a 35-7 record in major tournaments. She has also won a collection of silverware this far in the season, lifting trophies at the Brisbane International, Abu Dhabi Open, and the Stuttgart Open.

The semifinal matches will both take place at six p.m. on Thursday, July 11th, with the final taking place on Sunday, July 13th.

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GOLF

Tiger Woods Has Played In The Open Twice At Royal Troon – But How Did He Get On?

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Tiger Woods

We look at how Tiger Woods has fared in his previous Open Championship appearances at Royal Troon.

There have been some incredible Open Championship renewals at Royal Troon with some legendary winners – but Tiger Woods is not one of those having missed out in both of his previous visits.

The battle for the Claret Jug has been staged three times at the Ayrshire course since Woods has been on the scene, but he’s played in just two of them.

The 15-time Major champion has lifted the Claret Jug himself three times, and did produce some decent golf during his two visits to Troon, but never managed to string four rounds together.

1997 – WINNER: JUSTIN LEONARD

Tiger’s Position: T24 (72, 74, 64, 74)

Not a vintage Open performance from Woods but he did throw in a scintillating third round of 64 on Saturday to fire himself into contention heading into Sunday.

It was much needed after a poor start that resulted in him finishing his second round way down in four over while Darren Clarke led on nine under.

It was not like Woods at all on Friday, as he shot a three-over 74 while the rest of the field were sticking low scores in all over the place, with four of the top five shooting 66.

Woods started Sunday in T8 but a long way back of leader Jesper Parnevik (eight shots) and while the Swede did falter down the stretch, it was a different American who came with a late run to capture the Claret Jug.

Justin Leonard shot a sparkling 65 to claim a three-shot victory, while Woods went in the other direction as he could only manage a closing 74.

2004 – WINNER: TODD HAMILTON

Tiger Woods 

Tiger’s Position: T9 (70, 71, 68, 72)

It was a similar story for Woods when he returned to Troon in 2004 with again the Saturday third round being his highlight when he carded a 68 to move up into T7.

That followed on from rather ordinary opening rounds of 70 and 71 to leave him on one under at halfway and six shots off leader Skip Kendall heading into the weekend.

Woods then went into the final round four shots off the lead, but once more he found it hard to make a dent on Sunday as he returned a one-over round of 72.

Instead, it was left to Todd Hamilton to win a thrilling playoff against Ernie Els to spring a big shock victory.

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GOLF

Tiger Woods Explains Truth About Unexpected U.S. Ryder Cup Decision

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Tiger Woods

Tiger Woods recently stirred major buzz in the golf world by turning down the opportunity to captain the USA’s Ryder Cup team in 2025. The golf legend spoke about his decision following the announcement that Keegan Bradley would be the captain of the U.S. team.

“With my new responsibilities to the Tour and time commitments involved, I felt like I would not be able to commit the time to Team USA and the players required as a captain,” Woods said. “That does not mean I wouldn’t want to captain a team in the future. If and when I feel it is the right time, I will put my hat in the ring for this committee to decide.”

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GOLF

Tiger Woods speaks out regarding 2025 US Ryder Cup captain selection

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Tiger Woods 

Keegan Bradley was just announced as the 2025 US Ryder Cup team captain and that news shocked the entire golf world. The consensus was that Tiger Woods would be the selection with the event coming back to New York, but as new reports surfaced it turns out that Tiger turned the offer down.

You might be wondering why he would ever do that. The Ryder Cup in New York at Bethpage Black is about as iconic as it can get, so why wouldn’t Tiger want that as part of his legacy?

Thankfully we don’t need to speculate as Tiger Woods has already commented on why he turned down the Ryder Cup captaincy.

Tiger Woods shares why he turned down the 2025 US Ryder Cup Captaincy

“With my new responsibilities to the Tour and time commitments involved, I felt like I would not be able to commit the time to Team USA and the players required as a captain. That does not mean I wouldn’t want to captain a team in the future. If and when I feel it is the right time, I will put my hat in the ring for this committee to decide.”

Tigers’ response above is as straightforward as it can possibly get. Essentially, Tiger feels he’s too busy right now to devote the amount of time he feels is necessary to be the Ryder Cup team captain. And if that’s his true reason then I commend him for turning the offer down.

While I do believe everything Tiger said above, I think there’s a lot more behind his decision to turn the offer down than what he shared.

More reasons why Tiger Woods turned down Ryder Cup captaincy

Tiger wants to be a player captain

One other reason why I think Tiger turned down the captaincy is because he wants to be a player captain. This is what Tiger did for the 2019 Presidents Cup when Tiger arguably was the best player on the team that year. So I imagine he wants to also be a player when he captains the US Ryder Cup team.

But there’s one problem, Tiger knows his game isn’t good enough right now. So I believe he wants to wait until he believes his game is good enough so he can be a player and captain simultaneously.

Be the leader when the US FINALLY wins in Europe again

Are you ready for one of the wildest stats you’ll ever hear? The US hasn’t won the Ryder Cup in Europe since 1993. That means Tiger has never defeated a European team in Europe in his career.

This stat is always a major talking point when the Ryder Cup is in Europe, and it surely will be again when the 2027 Ryder Cup rolls around. So I think Tiger wants to wait for 2027 so he can lead the US to victory in Europe for the first time in what feels like forever, which in turn would become one of the greatest accomplishments of his career.

Tiger is close friends with owner of 2027 Ryder Cup course

And the final reason I think Tiger will wait until 2027 to be the US Ryder Cup captain is because of the golf course hosting the event. The 2027 Ryder Cup is at Adare Manor Golf Course in Ireland, a course Tiger is extremely familiar with.

His close friend J.P. McManus owns the course and it’s a course Tiger plays quite often. Most years Tiger plays in the member-member with McManus at this course, so it’s safe to say Tiger is extremely knowledgeable on the layout of the course.

So while all the reasons Tiger shared publically about being too busy to be captain this year is likely accurate, adding in these other details may paint the entire picture.

So I’m putting it out there now, I think Tiger will be the US Ryder Cup captain in 2027 so he can add to his legacy even more by defeating Europe on foreign soil for the first time since 1993 at a golf course he’s very familiar with.

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BOXING

rank Bruno Reveals His Tyson Fury-Oleksandr Usyk Score: “He Won That Fight”

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Following a fascinating first encounter, Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk will renew their rivalries on December 21.

When these two heavyweight champions first met in May, it was the first time the undisputed title had been contested since Lennox Lewis won it almost a quarter of a century before.

In a close fight, both men had periods of success, though it was the Ukrainian southpaw who landed the standout blow of the battle and sent Fury spinning around the ropes to earn himself a knockdown.

After 12 rounds, he was awarded a split decision win to become the holder of all four major belts plus the Ring Magazine and lineal title, six years after doing the same down at cruiserweight, and 12 years after becoming an Olympic gold medalist.

Speaking to the Criminal Connection Podcast, former WBC heavyweight champion Frank Bruno was asked for his view on who won the fight and said he scored it in favour Usyk.

“Usyk won, I think. You can’t really deny that. You can try and go round the corners or whatever but Usyk won.”

Since the final bell, Usyk has admitted he made mistakes that will not be repeated in the rematch, while Fury has said he was having too much fun and next time will get the job done properly.

Former Fury victim Dillian Whyte has claimed it could be hard for ‘The Gyspy King’ to turn things around in the second fight given the toll previous battles may have taken him and mindful of the fact that Usyk’s confidence will be through the roof after winning the initial meeting.

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BOXING

Joe Rogan Makes Controversial Claim About Tyson Fury vs Francis Ngannou

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  • Joe Rogan delved into the possibility of the Ngannou vs Fury fight being fixed, but offered no concrete evidence, only speculation.
  • Rogan’s conversation with Rampage Jackson on the topic of fight fixes highlighted differing opinions on Tyson Fury’s strategy.
  • Francis Ngannou’s transition from the UFC to the PFL raises questions about his future fights and the potential for matchups with heavyweight fighters.

Joe Rogan has been the mouthpiece for the UFC since 1997. He started his podcast a little over 10 years later, which has been a longer format for fight fans to learn more about the MMA athletes they love and cherish. Rogan has been known to flesh out multiple scenarios for a single topic because of his three-hour-plus show. The UFC’s color commentator has an unrivaled eye when it comes to the sport. His passion and knowledge was a significant reason the sport became so popular in the early 2000s.

On a newly released episode, Rogan was joined by former UFC champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. “Rampage” has seen it all in the sport of MMA. Jackson was a prominent fighter for the Japanese-based MMA organization, PRIDE FC, where it has been heavily rumored that steroid use was rampant, with rumors of fixed fights, per Rampage.

 

Rogan And Jackson Talked About Fixes in Fighting

And discussed whether it’s possible the Francis Ngannou vs Tyson Fury fight was fixed

It should be noted that neither Rogan nor Rampage provided any evidence one way or another, and were merely speculating on the show. Rogan brought up the theory to Jackson that the Francis Ngannou and Tyson Fury fight was fixed because of a future match-up with Oleksandr Usyk. It is unclear, though, whether he thinks it could have been pre-written and the fighters followed a script, or if the judges had their scores already sorted regardless of what the fighters did.

“He’s fighting one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all-time and drops him in the second round. … And then he beat him up in the eighth round too. I thought [Ngannou] won that fight, but, you know, they were setting up that Usyk fight. They were not gonna let [Ngannou win], it just seemed like the fix was in a little bit.”

Rogan continued: “It was close enough that they could pull it off. You could go, ‘Ok, maybe. Maybe you could see him winning that,’ but I don’t think so. I thought Francis won it. A lot of people thought Francis won it.”

A contrasting viewpoint to Rogan’s was brought up a few weeks ago during one of his fight companion shows, where Rogan argued with the comedian Bryan Callen, who was saying that Tyson Fury ‘carried’ Francis Ngannou much in the same way Floyd Mayweather let Conor McGregor gain some success before closing the show himself.

“He might’ve had incentive to keep that fight going. The idea that Tyson Fury didn’t have a bag of tricks, that he didn’t carry him. For me, it’s very strange for me. It’s very strange. I don’t know maybe he didn’t train at all.”

Rogan’s response to Callen:

“Shut the f*** up! … If he was carrying , all that s*** would’ve went out the window after he got dropped or rocked like that!”

Francis Ngannou

Francis Ngannou’s Next Fight

MMA record: 17-3 (12 KOs, 4 SUBs), Boxing record: 0-2, Best win: Cyril Gane

Though Ngannou has banked around $30 million — if not more — in his two massive boxing bouts, there is still a fire inside to prove to gain the respect of those that have doubted him. In an unceremonious affair, Ngannou parted ways with the UFC after UFC 270 because of his strict contract that wouldn’t allow him to explore the sweet science. The Cameroonian heavyweight fighter landed with the PFL, but is yet to debut in the tier 2 MMA organization.

The ultimate hope for Ngannou’s future as a Mixed Martial Artist is that now that the UFC and Riyadh have officially started to collaborate (starting with UFC 306), that we could get the greatest UFC heavyweight fight of all-time in Ngannou versus Jon Jones (barring Jones getting past Stipe Miocic in November). Another possible fight for Ngannou, could be a return to the ring against another heavy-handed puncher in Deontay Wilder.

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BOXING

Joe Rogan’s Damning Verdict On Francis Ngannou vs. Tyson Fury

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Francis Ngannou and Tyson Fury
  • Joe Rogan believes Ngannou was cheated in Fury fight due to upcoming Usyk match – controversy ensues.
  • Despite losses, Ngannou’s paydays in boxing satisfactory to Rogan, with hope for PFL debut in the future.
  • Rogan asserts Ngannou’s presence crucial for PFL’s success, believes debut necessary for organization’s growth.

In the aftermath of Francis Ngannou’s much-anticipated boxing debut against Tyson Fury last October, controversy continues to surround the bout. UFC commentator Joe Rogan has now voiced his belief that the outcome was manipulated.

Although nine months have passed since the fight, the split decision loss for Ngannou remains a hot topic in the combat sports community. Many, including Rogan, assert that Ngannou was the true victor, especially after he knocked down Fury in the third round.

Joe Rogan Believes Francis Ngannou vs. Tyson Fury Was Fixed

The UFC Commentator Believes Fury’s Undisputed Fight With Usyk Was Protected

Rogan speculated on his podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience, that the result may have been skewed to protect Fury’s upcoming match against Oleksandr Usyk.

“I thought Francis won that fight. But they were setting up the Usyk fight. It just seemed like the fix was in a little bit. It was close enough that they could pull it off and you go, ‘Okay maybe, maybe you can see Fury winning that,’ but I don’t think so. I thought Francis won it, a lot of people thought Francis won it.”

Despite the loss, Ngannou’s performance earned him a spot in the boxing rankings and led to a subsequent bout against Anthony Joshua. Unfortunately for Ngannou, Joshua knocked him out in the second round of that fight.

Rogan expressed satisfaction that Ngannou secured significant paydays from his boxing endeavors, despite the setbacks.

Rogan expressed satisfaction that Ngannou secured a significant payday from the Tyson Fury fight, particularly since many, including Dana White, had dismissed its importance. Ngannou’s knockdown of Fury and perceived victory in the eyes of many led to another substantial payday against Joshua. While Rogan is pleased Ngannou made money, he wishes it had been earned in the UFC.

Joe Rogan Believes The PFL Needs Francis Ngannou

Francis Ngannou

Ngannou signed with the Professional Fighters League (PFL) last year but has yet to debut in the Smartcage. PFL chairman Donn Davis hopes Ngannou will fight this year. The PFL heavyweight champion, Renan Ferreira, earned his chance to welcome Ngannou to the promotion by defeating Bellator heavyweight champion Ryan Bader earlier this year. However, a date for Ngannou’s PFL debut remains unset.

Rogan believes Ngannou’s involvement is crucial for the PFL’s success. “Right now, the only way an organization could benefit – like PFL signed Francis. That’s probably the only way that PFL’s gonna get people to pay attention. You have to have someone like Francis,” Rogan concluded.

It is yet to be seen how The Predator bounces back from a devastating loss to Anthony Joshua and the death of his son Kobe.

Ngannou will likely make his return in late 2024 for his PFL debut.

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GYMNASTICS

Jonathan Owens Reacts to LeBron James’ Comment About His Wife Simone Biles Ahead of 2024 Paris Olympics

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Simone Biles

The Chicago Bears safety Jonathan Owens reacts to LeBron James’ comment about his wife Simone Biles ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics

Jonathan Owens just hailed his wife Simone Biles alongside the NBA star Lebron James. Biles got her ticket to the 2024 Paris Olympics, and the entire nation wishes her luck, but Lebron James and Jonathan Owens’s wish is special. Where James claims that Biles is the best, and her husband Owens agrees by writing “can’t wait to watch her perform.”

Biles claimed her third consecutive ticket to the Olympics. With seven medals to her name, fans are anticipating that Biles is on the quest to grab her fourth title. However, looks like according to James and Owens, Biles will most probably win.

Jonathan Owens’ reaction

Biles is one of the most celebrated gymnasts of all time. As per ESPN, Lebron James hailed Biles, saying, “She’s the best. It’s that simple. She’s the best.” Like many others, Lebron James’ comment caught Jonathan Owens’ attention.

The Chicago Bears safety Jonathan Owens reacted to James’ comment by writing, “They all know. Can’t wait to watch.” Moreover, Owens has always been Biles’s first supporter. And he never shies away from applauding Biles in public.

Owens commented on BIles: “An inspiration to my daughter and to all, not only Black girls in the world but also, kids, anyone, not only just in gymnastics but any field.”  However, the Bears also extended their support toward Biles by providing Owens with leave from their mandatory camp.

Owens accompanies Simone Biles to the Paris Olympics

Bears granted their safety Owens to miss their mandatory training camp and support his wife Simone Biles at the Paris Olympics 2024. Highlighting this gesture by the Bears, Simone Biles said, “The Bears are literally granting him a few days off from training camp, so he’ll be there, sure. For only a brief little time. Anytime we are able to show up for each other in support, we simply get tremendously excited because our schedules don’t align that much.”

The 27-year-old Simone Biles is among the most preferred athletes to win at the Paris Olympics. But only time will reveal what the future holds for Biles. And Owens is one of the prime picks for the Bears in the off-season. However, one thing is for sure: both these top-class athletes in their respective sports are going to perform at their best.

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GYMNASTICS

US full squad for Paris Olympics 2024: Biles, Ledecky headline 592-member team

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Simone Biles

Ledecky, winner of 10 Olympic medals and Biles, rated the top woman gymnast of all-time, are only two of 66 Olympic champions and 250 returning Olympians in a powerhouse US squad named on Wednesday.

Gymnast Simone Biles and swimmer Katie Ledecky headline a 592- member US Olympic team that will again be targeting the top of the medals table at the Paris Games starting this month.

edecky, winner of 10 Olympic medals and Biles, rated the top woman gymnast of all-time, are only two of 66 Olympic champions and 250 returning Olympians in a powerhouse US squad named on Wednesday.

At the Tokyo Olympics, the US won 39 gold, one more than China, and returned home with a Games best 113 medals in total.

“These remarkable 592 athletes of Team USA have demonstrated unparalleled dedication and passion in their pursuit of excellence on their road to earning a place on the 2024 US Olympic Team and representing the United States in Paris,” said Rocky Harris, USOPC chief of sport and athlete services.

“This summer, Team USA athletes will amaze us with extraordinary talent and indomitable spirit – and they will undoubtedly inspire the next generation.”

Three athletes, Diana Taurasi (basketball), Steffen Peters (equestrian) and McLain Ward (equestrian) will be appearing in their fifth Olympics while flamboyant sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson and breaker Logan “Logistx” Edra are high-profile Games debutants.

The US roster consists of 314 females and 278 males, marking the fourth consecutive Games the US has sent more women than men to the Olympics.

There are at least six sets of siblings in the squad, including badminton twins Annie and Kerry Xu while gymnast Hezly Rivera is the youngest at 16 and equestrian Peters the oldest at 59.

The US will be represented in 44 sports at the Paris Games which begin on July 26 and run until August 11.

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GYMNASTICS

Simone Biles fires back at former USA teammate who accused 2024 Olympics roster of not having ‘the work ethic’ ahead of Paris Games

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Simone Biles

Simone Biles has issued a thinly-veiled swipe at MyKayla Skinner after her ex-USA teammate criticized the 2024 Olympic gymnastics roster for not having ‘work ethic’.

Skinner, who won a silver medal on vault at the 2020 Games in Tokyo after stepping in for Biles, took aim at the Team USA athletes selected to represent the country in Paris this summer in a now-deleted video on YouTube.

‘Besides Simone, I feel like the talent and the depth just isn’t like what it used to be,’ the 27-year-old said.

Along with Biles, current all-around Olympic champion Suni Lee is on the 2024 roster, with Jade Carey, Jordan Chiles and Hezly Rivera making up the rest of the five-woman team.

‘The girls just don’t have the work ethic,’ Skinner continued before referencing the US Center for SafeSport – a non-profit organization set up to reduce sexual abuse of minors and athletes in US Olympic sports.

‘And it’s hard too because of SafeSport. Like, coaches can’t get on athletes and they have to be really careful what they say.

‘Which, in some ways, is really good. But at the same time, to get to where you need to be in gymnastics you do have to be, I feel like, a little aggressive and a little intense.’

Skinner’s comments sparked outrage on social media before she released an apology, insisting her words were taken out of context.

However, while she didn’t mention her by name, Biles has appeared to fire back at her former teammate in a post on Threads.

The four-time Olympic gold medalist wrote: ‘not everyone needs a mic and a platform’.

Biles and Skinner have known each other for quite some time after both representing USA at the 2014 World Championships in Nanning.

They also both picked up Olympic medals in Tokyo seven years later despite Biles withdrawing from several events with a case of the ‘twisties’ – a mental block that that sees a gymnast lose control of their body during a twisting skill in midair.

Amid the backlash over her recent comments, Skinner said in an Instagram video last week: ‘I feel like a lot of you guys had misinterpreted or misunderstood exactly what I was meaning or had said.

‘A lot of the stuff that I was talking about wasn’t always necessarily about the current team, because I love and support all the girls that made it and I’m so proud of them.

‘It was more about going back into my own gym and the work ethic is different compared to when we were doing gymnastics in the Marta [Karolyi] era. And I’m not sticking up for Marta or saying what she did was good, I’m just saying it was different.’

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