The French Open kicked off Sunday in sizzling temperatures and without injured defending champion Carlos Alcaraz, leaving many fans to wonder what – if anything – could stop Italy’s Jannik Sinner from lifting the Coupe des Mousquetaires this year.
“It’s a dream being here – but a bittersweet one in the absence of Alcaraz,” said Noah Kouchachi, a student from Cologne in Germany, holding a “Get well soon, Carlitos” banner in the colours of the Spanish flag.
The 23-year-old said he did not see anyone capable of denying Sinner, the world No.1, the one Grand Slam title he is still chasing.
“Djoker (Novak Djokovic) is the only one who could pull it off,” he added. “But at his age – and in this heat – one has to be realistic.”
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Farewell to ‘La Monf’
Djokovic is one of just two men to beat Sinner this season, having ended his Australian Open reign in an epic five-set semi-final in January. But the Serbian, who turns 39 this week, has played – and lost – just one match on clay this year, and is struggling for form as he battles to hold back time in his quest for a record 25th major.
Another ageing darling of the crowds, France’s Gaël Monfils will hang up his racquet at the end of the season and is waving goodbye to his home Grand Slam, where he takes on fellow Frenchman Hugo Gaston in the first round on Monday.
The 39-year-old reached the last four in Paris in 2008, one of his two major semi-final appearances, and has won 13 ATP titles over a career spanning two decades. Despite never winning a major, his showmanship and entertaining tennis have made him a fan favourite at home and around the world.
“Never mind the Grand Slams – Gaël has brought so much more than titles to the sport,” said Roberta, a tennis fan from Italy, making her first trip to Roland Garros. “His positive, relaxed and uncomplaining attitude has always been refreshing for the sport.”
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As Djokovic put it on the eve of the tournament, “I don’t know anyone that really doesn’t like Gaël.”
“La Monf” has rarely disappointed his Paris fans, even if he’s never matched the feat of Yannick Noah, the last Frenchman to win Roland Garros – in 1983.
“I was not strong enough to win a Grand Slam,” Monfils told the crowd during a special tribute on the eve of the tournament. “But I perhaps won more. I won a career that I’m proud of.”
Battling for Ukraine
Monfils’s farewell event saw him team up with his wife Elina Svitolina to win a star-studded exhibition match that featured former Davis Cup teammates Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Richard Gasquet, adding a nostalgic touch to the occasion.
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In a wide-open women’s draw, Svitolina is among the contenders for the French Open title after triumphing last week at the Italian Open. The 31-year-old outlasted defending Roland Garros champion Coco Gauff in the final after battling wins over world No.2 Elena Rybakina and third-ranked Iga Swiatek.
Still chasing an elusive Grand Slam title, Svitolina has adopted her partner’s calm mindset, telling reporters she’s at peace with her career and that – “it’s OK if I never win a Slam”. As in recent editions, she knows she can count on the support of French fans starved of success, who have adopted her as one of their own.
Svitolina, who took a maternity break in 2022, has had to work her way back from a ranking that year of No. 236. Her return to the highest level has been a source of inspiration for many female players – and for her war-torn home nation too.
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She leads a group of seven Ukrainians in the top 100 of the women’s rankings. They include world No.15 Marta Kostyuk, seen as another Roland Garros hopeful after her breakthrough win at the Madrid Open earlier this year.
Kostyuk – who has not shaken hands with Russian players since the 2022 invasion – enjoyed plenty of support during her first-round match on Sunday, a straight-sets win over Oksana Selekhmeteva, who was born in Russia but obtained Spanish nationality four days ago.
“I think it was one of the most difficult matches of my life. This morning, 100 metres from my parent’s house, a missile fell,” Kostyuk said on Court Simonne-Mathieu, dedicating her win to the people of Ukraine.
One of several spectators wrapped in the blue-and-yellow colours of Ukraine, 35-year-old Viktoria cheered from the stands: “Last night, like every night, Russian bombs rained down on our cities,” she said. “When the girls play and win matches here at Roland-Garros, it’s a gift to our families and our people back home.”
Another non-French darling of Roland Garros, Stan Wawrinka is also safely through to the second round on his 21st appearance here – but without even playing.
The 2015 champion, whose first-round opponent Arthur Fils has pulled out injured, is making his last appearance at the French Open, aged 41. It promises to be another emotional farewell on the Paris clay – depriving the sport of one of the great one-handed backhands, which has long captivated the game’s purists.
“I grew up on clay, grew up watching clay-court specialists, I grew up watching Roland Garros dreaming about maybe playing one day. It is part of me,” the Swiss said in an interview with French Open organisers.
Wawrinka’s stunning 2015 run, when he defeated Djokovic in the final after downing Roger Federer in the quarterfinals, is fondly remembered by tennis aficionados. So are the striking pink checkered shorts he wore that year, which are now at the nearby tennis museum.
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Whether the unlikely fashion item makes a final bow on Court Philippe Chatrier remains to be seen.
“One needs to ask the museum, I’m not sure if they need to be cleaned beforehand,” the three-time Grand Slam champion joked during his pre-tournament press conference. “I had not planned that, I’ll think about it.”
The last-minute exit of Arthur Fils, due to a hip injury, has deprived the French of their best chance of a home player making it to the second week this year.
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“It’s baffling that we can’t produce a Grand Slam candidate,” said French Open habitué Alexandre, looking on as his children tested virtual-reality glasses at one of many stands tailored for youths.
“And it’s infuriating when you see that Spain seems to produce a new one each year,” he added.
Spain’s latest teenage sensation, Rafael Jodar, has rocketed this year from 165th in the world to 29th on the back of a string of good performances on clay, including winning his first tour-level title in Marrakesh in March.
The 19-year-old has gone on to make last-eight runs at both the Madrid and Italian Opens, as well as reaching the semi-finals in Barcelona, and is seen by many players and pundits as a future Grand Slam winner.
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“Spain always had incredible players, now you have one more,” Sinner wrote on social media after defeating the new ‘Rafa’ at the Madrid Open earlier this year.
But while he shares the same first name and nationality as 14-time French Open winner Rafael Nadal, the Spanish teen has told reporters that he plans to do things his way.
“Being from the same country as Carlos (Alcaraz) and Rafa (Nadal), doesn’t mean you are going to accomplish or achieve the same things that they have,” Jodar cautioned ahead of his first-round clash with Aleksandar Kovacevic of the US.
The heat factor
While the young Jodar ultimately proved too green to really threaten Sinner in Madrid, sweltering conditions in Paris could yet produce an upset.
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The French Open’s iconic panama hats were out en force on Sunday as spectators sought shelter from the scorching sun and players slogged it out in temperatures hitting 31 degrees Celsius.
Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina and Damir Dzumhur of Bosnia-Herzegovina battled for over four hours in gruelling conditions, with the Spaniard prevailing in five sets. Other matches were a lot shorter, with experts predicting that days of intense heat could make the clay courts faster than usual.
“All the points I saw rarely exceeded four shots. The conditions will be very hot and very fast this year at Roland Garros,” said veteran tennis reporter José Morgado.
Those conditions could prove a sterner challenge for Sinner than many of his opponents. The Italian suffered from cramps at the Australian Open in January when temperatures neared 40C, and he appeared to be sick during his tough battle with Russia’s Danil Medvedev in Rome earlier in May.
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“I don’t see any player capable of beating Sinner this year,” said Kouchachi, the fan from Cologne. “But the heat could still beat him.”
Mexico vs South Africa LIVE Score, FIFA World Cup 2026 LIVE Updates: 2 Red Cards For South Africa; Mexico’s Raul Jimenez In Tears After Goal | MEX 2-0 RSA
South Africa have never qualified to the knockout stage of a FIFA World Cup. ‘Bafana Bafana’ came very close in both the 2002 and 2010 editions, but narrowly missed out. This time, though, they will fancy their chances. With the World Cup expanded to 48 teams, the knockout stage will now begin with the Round of 32. This means that not just the top two of each group, but also the eight best third-placed teams will qualify.
With Mexico, Czechia and South Korea in Group A, it is certainly not an impossible task for South Africa.
IRVINE, Calif. – “Anything could’ve happened in that moment, to be honest,” U.S. men’s national team midfielder Tyler Adams acknowledged.
Two nights before the team’s all-encompassing, high-stakes World Cup journey on home soil would begin, Adams was glued to a big screen at the team’s hotel near the southern California coastline. He was surrounded by a group of his teammates, each of whom erupted as the New York Knicks completed a 29-game comeback against the San Antonio Spurs and put themselves one game away from winning the NBA Finals for the first time in more than five decades. No one celebrated harder than Adams, though.
“I blacked out within it all,” he recalled the next morning.
Amidst the joyous chaos was a hint of worry – much like the USMNT faithful watching the video, his teammates were hoping one of the team’s most vital players did not get injured during the sequence. He arrived for Thursday’s training, their final one before Friday’s World Cup opener against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium, in one piece and took part in a full training session.
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The New York state native has been vocally following the Knicks’ run as early as the USMNT’s World Cup roster reveal event on May 26, the day after they swept the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals. He said, though, he’s been a part of the Knicks’ long-suffering fanbase for some time.
“I have group chats with me and my boys from back home growing up and we’ve always been Knicks fans and we’ve never been this close, so it’s exciting,” he said.
The length of time that Adams has been a Knicks fan, though, is possibly up for debate – his teammate Weston McKennie said at the roster reveal that “behind closed doors, he’s not a Knicks fan,” something Adams called a “wild statement” at the time. Though several members of the U.S. team hail from the New York area or are rooting for the Knicks without geographical ties, Adams said there are a handful of haters in the group – not that he minds.
“Brenden Aaronson. The worst,” Adams said of the Philadelphia Union academy product and local sports fan. “He’s a Sixers fan. He can’t say anything. Haji Wright, big hater right now but I love all that energy. It’s good.”
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Adams, though, is hoping the Knicks’ impressive run offers a bit of inspiration for a U.S. team hoping to capture the nation’s attention in the same way.
“It’s pretty captivating,” he said. “I think them kind of being the underdog coming out of the east and doing something special as they’re doing right now, I mean, I take inspiration, but I’m a New York Knicks fan, not everyone’s a New York Knicks fans.”
The USMNT open their World Cup on Friday against Paraguay and will continue group stage play against Australia on June 19 and Turkiye on June 25.
Japan international Wataru Endo has announced his retirement from international football, with a persistent foot injury ruling the Liverpool midfielder out of the World Cup.
The problem first emerged during a match against Sunderland on 11 February, marking his final club appearance of the season.
Despite playing 45 minutes in a 1-0 World Cup warm-up victory over Iceland, his recovery has not progressed as hoped.
Writing on X, Endo conveyed his mixed emotions.
“I will be leaving the World Cup squad. Since my injury, I’ve done everything I could, so I have no regrets,” he stated. “Of course I’m frustrated at not being able to participate in this World Cup.”
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Endo has not played for Liverpool since February (Getty)
He added: “But more than that, I’m proud to have led this team as captain since the Qatar World Cup and to see it grow into a group that can naturally talk about the goal of winning the World Cup.”
Concluding, Endo confirmed: “With this action, I will be retiring from the national team. From now on, I’ll continue to support the Japan national team as a fan alone.”
Japan are due to play their first match of the tournament when they face the Netherlands on Sunday.
They will be hoping to make a positive start without Endo, and showed their undoubted quality by beating England 1-0 in a friendly at Wembley back in March.
Japan are also in the same group as Sweden and Tunisia as they set their sights on reaching the knockout stages.
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They have reached the round of 16 in the last two editions of the World Cup, and came through a difficult group four years ago that contained Spain and Germany.
Japan are yet to make it to the quarter-finals of the World Cup.
NEW DELHI: Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker will compete in two events at the upcoming Asian Games after being named in India’s 30-member shooting squad announced by the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) on Thursday.The Asian Games will be held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4, with India aiming to build on its strong showing at the previous edition in Hangzhou.Manu secured her place in the women’s 25m pistol event by finishing second in the selection trials. She was also included in the women’s 10m air pistol event despite finishing seventh in the latest trials, with selectors backing her experience and proven ability to perform on the biggest stages.Besides Manu, three other shooters have been selected for two events — Vidarsa K. Vinod (women’s 10m air rifle and 50m rifle 3 positions), former world champion Rudrankksh Patil (men’s 10m air rifle and 50m rifle 3 positions), and Esha Singh (women’s 10m air pistol and 25m pistol).A notable decision by the NRAI was to field only one shooter, Anish Bhanwala, in the men’s 25m rapid-fire pistol event. While most events will feature three Indian shooters competing for both individual and team medals, the federation decided against filling all available spots in rapid-fire pistol.“While all selected athletes successfully cleared the stringent qualification slots laid down by the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, the final roster stands at 30 athletes (15 Men and 15 Women) due to strict dynamic quota caps enforced by the Games’ Organising Committee,” said an NRAI statement.The Sports Ministry’s guidelines state that only athletes with realistic medal prospects should be selected for the Asian Games.“Following extensive deliberations and a detailed event-wise assessment, the Committee identified a select group of athletes capable of competing across multiple disciplines. This strategic approach enables India to maximise participation across all available events while maintaining the strongest possible medal prospects in both individual and team competitions,” the NRAI statement added.NRAI secretary general Pawankumar Singh said the federation had chosen the strongest squad possible.“We have selected the best team possible,” Singh told PTI.“The most significant decision was in the men’s 25m rapid-fire pistol event, where we have chosen not to send a full team. We are targeting only the individual medal event because we could not identify enough shooters with realistic medal prospects to field a team,” he said.Explaining Manu’s inclusion in two events, Singh added: “We could select only 30 shooters — 15 men and 15 women. Yes, Manu is currently ranked seventh after the recent 10m air pistol trials, but considering her experience and ability to perform in finals, she was the best option for inclusion in both the 10m and 25m pistol events.”“Her (Manu’s) ranking may be seventh in the 10m air pistol, but the gap in scores between her and those ranked above her is not significant,” he said.The squad was finalised during a selection committee meeting in Dehradun on June 8.NRAI president Kalikesh Singh Deo said the depth of talent in Indian shooting made the selection process particularly challenging.“Selecting this team was a challenging task given the exceptional depth and quality of talent in Indian shooting today. The final squad reflects the strength, depth and versatility of Indian shooting. We are confident that this team will represent India with distinction and make the nation proud in Aichi-Nagoya.”Squad: Rifle (Men) — 10m air rifle: Parth Rakesh Mane, Himanshu Dhillon, Rudrankksh Patil. 50m rifle 3-positions: Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, Niraj Kumar, Rudrankksh Patil. (Women) 10m air rifle: Elavenil Valarivan, Sonam Uttam Maskar, Vidarsa K Vinod. 50m rifle 3-positions: Ashi Chouksey, Vidarsa K Vinod, Tilottama Sen. (10m air rifle mixed team) Parth Rakesh Mane and Elavenil Valarivan.Pistol (Men) — 10m air pistol: Kedarling B. Uchaganve, Gaurav, Kamaljeet. 25m rapid fire: Anish Bhanwala. (Women) 10m air pistol: Suruchi, Esha Singh, Manu Bhaker. 25m sports pistol: Esha Singh, Manu Bhaker, Rahi Sarnobat. (10m air pistol mixed team) Kedarling B. Uchaganve and Suruchi.Shotgun: (Men) — Trap: Kynan Chenai, Ahvar Rizvi, Shapath Bharadwaj. (Women) Neeru, Manisha Keer, Aashima Ahlawat. Skeet (Men) Anantjeet Singh Naruka, Bhavtegh Singh Gill, Mairaj Ahmad Khan. (Women) Parinaaz Dhaliwal, Raiza Dhillon, Maheshwari Chauhan.
Just weeks after overcoming Junto Nakatani in a historic all-Japanese showdown, Naoya Inoue is being strongly linked with another ‘inevitable’ rivalry.
A four-division world champion, Inoue is currently considered to be boxing’s pound-for-pound number one, with last month’s triumph over Nakatani regarded as a career-best win that cements his position in the top spot.
Whilst many fans have want to see ‘The Monster’ move up in weight once more in an attempt to conquer as many divisions as possible, plenty are now instead hoping that he pumps the brakes and sticks around at 122lbs for a while longer.
Speaking to Ring Magazine, Rodriguez maintained that he is focused on this weekend’s clash with WBA bantamweight world champion Antonio Vargas, but admitted that a meeting with Inoue feels ‘inevitable’.
“To be honest, no [I am not thinking about the Naoya Inoue fight]. Like I say, one fight at a time. I am staying focussed on Antonio Vargas but I know that, when that Inoue fight does happen, the fans are in for a great night of boxing.
“People are already talking about that fight so much that it is inevitable at this point and I feel like, when the time comes, it is going to be a great fight – probably one of the best fights in all of boxing history.”
Vargas vs. Rodriguez takes place at the Desert Diamond Arena on June 13, as ‘Bam’ seeks to capture world honours in a third division and tee up one of the biggest bouts in boxing.
Nigerian music icon Davido used one of football’s biggest global platforms to shine a spotlight on a national tragedy during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Countdown Concert in Los Angeles.
While fans at the event celebrated performances from some of the world’s biggest music stars ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Davido’s appearance carried a message far beyond entertainment.
The Grammy-nominated Afrobeats star performed wearing a custom black leather jacket bearing the names of 39 abducted schoolchildren and seven teachers from Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, Nigeria.
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On the back of the jacket was a simple but powerful message:
“Bring Them Home.”
The gesture immediately attracted attention across social media, with many Nigerians praising Davido for using a global stage to raise awareness about the victims.
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A message beyond music
Davido thrilled the crowd with performances of some of his biggest hits, including fan favourites Fall and Unavailable, during the FIFA event.
Yet it was the jacket—not the music—that became one of the biggest talking points of the night.
Images from the concert quickly spread online, revealing dozens of green badges attached to the jacket, each representing one of the abducted pupils and teachers.
Many observers described the move as a reminder that the victims’ stories should not be forgotten despite the passage of time.
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At a moment when the world’s attention is turning toward the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Davido used that spotlight to highlight an issue affecting families thousands of miles away in Nigeria.
Bringing a local tragedy to a global audience
The FIFA World Cup Countdown Concert was held as part of celebrations marking one year until the start of the 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted jointly by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Performing alongside international acts, Davido was one of the headline attractions representing Africa on the global stage.
Rather than simply delivering a musical performance, the Nigerian star chose to turn the occasion into an opportunity for advocacy.
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For many Nigerians, the jacket served as a reminder of the pain endured by families whose children and loved ones remain victims of abduction and insecurity.
Why the gesture resonated
Football and music have long been powerful tools for raising awareness about social issues.
From anti-racism campaigns to humanitarian causes, major sporting events often provide a platform for messages that extend beyond the game itself.
Davido’s decision to wear the jacket at a FIFA event followed that tradition.
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The gesture was particularly significant because it came in front of an international audience at an event designed to celebrate the world’s most popular sporting competition.
Instead of allowing the countdown to the World Cup to be solely about football, Davido ensured that millions of people were also reminded of a humanitarian issue affecting families in Nigeria.
A moment that transcended entertainment
As anticipation builds for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Davido’s performance will be remembered not only for the music but also for the message.
The singer had the opportunity to entertain a global audience.
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Instead, he chose to do more.
By wearing the names of 39 abducted schoolchildren and seven teachers on his jacket and carrying the message “Bring Them Home,” Davido transformed a World Cup celebration into a call for awareness, compassion and action.
And for many Nigerians watching around the world, that may have been the most powerful performance of the night.
JJ Gabriel is putting in the work ahead of his anticipated Manchester United senior bow under Michael Carrick
Manchester United youngster JJ Gabriel could have a big part to play in pre-season and is trying to give Michael Carrick no choice but to give him minutes.
United manager Carrick will be without a number of senior stars in July thanks to World Cup commitments. The first pre-season friendly will take place in Helsinki on July 18, with Wrexham the opposition.
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Gabriel’s father Joe O’Cearuill shared a number of videos on social media, showing the teenager doing strength and speed work at the gym and on the training ground. “JJ 12min kick ups with tennis ball walk to gym,” the caption read, with one of a collage of four videos showing the kick-ups in question.
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Get Man United’s new 2026/27 home kit
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Manchester United have launched their new home kit for the 2026/27 season, inspired by the club’s heritage and featuring a classic polo collar with iconic adidas details.
Fans seemed impressed upon watching the footage. “What a player he’s going to be for United, hopefully he will have a statue one day,” one wrote in reply to O’Cearuill’s post.
“I don’t care about the packaging, just work ethic that makes me say this. If he has good people around him who value privacy, he’ll go on to challenge for Ballon d’Or,” wrote another.
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Gabriel isn’t the only United academy talent putting in work this summer. Kai Rooney saw his 2025/26 season disrupted by injury but is doing what he can to be ready to get going again next term, sharing a gym photo which indicated he has been adding muscle ahead of pre-season.
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Carrick will have plenty of time to watch United’s youngsters in action as he prepares for his first pre-season campaign as manager. The Wrexham friendly is the first of six pre-season games over the course of a month before last season’s third-place finishers kick off their 2026/27 campaign.
None of those six matches will take place at Old Trafford. After the trip to Helsinki there’s an away game against Rosenborg in Norway, followed by matches on neutral territory against Atletico Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Leeds United and AC Milan.
Real Madrid have confirmed the reappointment of Jose Mourinho as head coach.
The 63-year-old has agreed a three-year deal and will begin work when the club returns for pre-season training on 13 July.
Real Madrid have paid Benfica £13m (15m euros) in compensation to bring the Portuguese head coach back to the Bernabeu – more than a decade after his first stint at the club came to an end.
Florentino Perez had vowed to reappoint Mourinho as head coach if he was re-elected as club president earlier this month.
It is the second time Mourinho has taken charge of Real Madrid, with his previous spell, which began in 2010 and lasted three seasons, yielding a La Liga title, a Copa del Rey and a Spanish Super Cup.
Mourinho has since taken charge of Premier League clubs Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur and had stints at Roma, Fenerbahce and Benfica in more recent years.
During his one and only season at Benfica, Mourinho led the two-time European Cup winners to an unbeaten Liga Portugal campaign, though it was only enough to secure a third place finish.
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Earlier this week, Benfica agreed a deal to appoint former Fulham manager Marco Silva as Mourinho’s replacement.
Mourinho, meanwhile, heads back to Real Madrid with the club having failed to win a trophy in the last two seasons.
Somali referee Omar Artan has been appointed to officiate the 2026 UEFA Super Cup between Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa in Salzburg on August 12.
UEFA announced the appointment on Thursday following discussions with the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
Artan, 34, is regarded as one of Africa’s leading referees. He has been a FIFA-listed international referee since 2018 and was named CAF Men’s Referee of the Year in 2025 after a series of impressive performances.
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One of the biggest matches he handled was the second leg of the 2025/26 CAF Champions League final, which further strengthened his reputation on the continent.
The appointment comes after Artan missed the opportunity to officiate at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Although FIFA selected him among the tournament’s match officials, he was unable to take part after being denied entry into the United States.
UEFA said the decision to appoint Artan was made under its recently signed Memorandum of Understanding with CAF, which aims to strengthen cooperation between both football bodies, including in refereeing development.
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UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin praised the Somali official, describing him as a talented referee who has already shown his quality at the highest level of African football.
“Football is made to connect people, and UEFA wants to show its respect to Omar and his outstanding officiating skills, which had earned him such a prestigious nomination,” Čeferin said.
CAF President Patrice Motsepe also welcomed the appointment, saying Artan has made Somalia and Africa proud through his achievements.
“His receipt of the CAF Men’s Referee of the Year Award 2025 and his appointment as a referee of the FIFA World Cup 2026 are a recognition of his world-class refereeing ability and the international respect that he enjoys,” Motsepe said.
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The CAF President added that Artan’s selection for the UEFA Super Cup is a great honour for African referees and an example of football’s ability to unite people across continents.
J.J. Spaun’s ascent from mini-tour anonymity to 2025 U.S. Open champion was a remarkable transformation. Born August 21, 1990, in Los Angeles, Spaun had a standout collegiate career at San Diego State University and turned pro in 2012, competing on West Coast mini-tours. He survived on shoestring budgets, often just scraping by while chasing his PGA Tour dream.
He earned Web.com status for the 2016 season, which he parlayed into a PGA Tour card the following year. Even with the occasional brilliant round on Tour, his inconsistency fueled long slumps and tested stretches of frustration. After a serious health scare in 2023, Spaun enlisted the help of Adam Schriber, a Michigan-based coach at LochenHeath Golf Club. Schriber’s holistic approach rebuilt Spaun from the ground up. They focused on core stability, efficient rotation and mental resilience, allowing him to minimize strain while simultaneously enhancing power.
“Adam reconstructed my swing and mindset,” Spaun said.
Early in the week of the 2025 U.S. Open, Spaun added short-game coach Josh Gregory to the team, and it paid off immediately with a chip-in on the very first hole. At Oakmont, his refined technique and composed attitude kept him in the hunt after a shaky start, culminating with a 64-foot birdie putt on the final hole, clinching a two-stroke win.
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“This is ours,” Spaun told Schriber, trophy in hand.
Known for his calm demeanor under pressure and ultra-solid ball striking, Spaun built his game around discipline rather than flash. Friends describe him as relentlessly curious, always seeking incremental gains. His journey reflects perseverance, humility and belief — proof that patience, persistence and dedication can outlast early-career obscurity.
Check out below for a breakdown of six positions from Spaun’s swing that every golfer should copy.
Mark Newcombe / Visionsingolf.com
1. Setup
Many shorter amateur golfers bend over too much, causing them to stand excessively far from the ball and limiting their pivot. J.J. adopts just enough forward tilt to allow for a comfortable arm swing and easier wind and unwind.
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2. Takeaway
Spaun rotates his torso away from the ball without unnecessary right-leg straightening, allowing minimal right-arm bend while keeping his arms in front and limiting clubface rotation.
3. Top
J.J.’s arms form a neat, equilateral triangle at the top with perfect left wrist and clubface position. You can’t get to this position with a “hold the tray” right forearm. Additionally, he has turned enough to reach this hand location without overturning.
4. Downswing
Spaun keeps from over-closing the clubface by not overdoing the Internet-popular arching of the left wrist. His wrist remains plenty neutral as the club is lowered and pulled into a great position to unload it without fear of a quick hook.
5. Impact
A top-flight professional impact position requires body twisting that most amateurs have never experienced but could learn: hips forward, tucked and open, lower torso turned, but upper torso right tilted and less open. Do these things, and that hall-of-fame arms-and-hands position is possible. Just like Spaun’s.
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6. Release
Take note of the bent right arm and open clubface in No. 4 and the fully released toe of the clubhead and straightened right arm here. All while keeping the right arm under the left. This brilliantly keeps his fade from being a weak wipe and a pull all but impossible.
;)
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