Connect with us

Sports

Carlos Alcaraz makes light work of US Open comeback with straight-sets win

Published

on

Carlos Alcaraz passed the first test of his US Open comeback with a routine straight-sets win over Roman Safiullin.

The Spaniard, back to defend his title after more than four months out with a wrist injury, won 6-4 6-4 6-4 on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Alcaraz, who missed both the French Open and Wimbledon, only had a light tune-up in the mixed doubles with Serena Williams as preparation for the singles at Flushing Meadows.

Carlos Alcaraz had waited a while to celebrate a victory (Seth Wenig/AP)
Carlos Alcaraz had waited a while to celebrate a victory (Seth Wenig/AP)

He double-faulted on his first point in their first match and, still wearing a heavy protective sleeve, he did the same against Safiullin.

But, barring a break of serve at the start of the second set which was quickly retrieved, it was like the 23-year-old had never been away.

He said: “I missed it. I miss the crowd energy, I miss competition. I missed everything. So I’m just really happy that I was able to compete again.”

Advertisement

On his injury, he added: “There were some doubts in the match, I’m not going to lie. I’ve been thinking about ‘am I going to last the best of five, am I going to last playing four sets, five sets? I don’t know’.

“So I had a little bit of doubt but I tried to forget everything and tried to enjoy and focus on the things that I had to do and improve.

“I was thinking about ‘let’s see what’s going to happen in the match’ so I’m just happy that I won in straight sets and got another win. Physically I felt really well.”

Aryna Sabalenka also got her title defence – and her bid to stay at world number one – off to a solid start.

Advertisement

The Belarusian, aiming for a third consecutive Flushing Meadows crown, eased into round two with a 6-2 6-4 victory over Colombia’s Camila Osorio.

Aryna Sabalenka is safely through (Seth Wenig/AP)
Aryna Sabalenka is safely through (Seth Wenig/AP)

Sabalenka’s recent run of indifferent form has left Elena Rybakina within striking distance of knocking her off top spot for the first time in 99 weeks.

After completing a rare ‘Sunshine Double’ at Indian Wells and Miami earlier this year, the 28-year-old looked untouchable.

But since then Sabalenka had lost seven of her 24 matches including early exits – by her standards – at the French Open and Wimbledon.

Suddenly Rybakina, who plays 17-year-old American wild card Thea Frodin on Tuesday, is only 434 points behind.

Advertisement

Sabalenka, defending 2000 points this fortnight, will play Russian qualifier Polina Iatcenko – she of the 53mph second serve which accounted for Mexico’s Renata Zarazua – in round two.

She said: “I’m trying to focus on myself. I’m enjoying my time in New York and I’m ready to go out here and do anything it takes to get the wins. I’m ready for the fight!.”

Last year’s runner-up Amanda Anisimova is also through after a straightforward 6-1 6-3 win over fellow American Ashlyn Krueger.

Meanwhile, American Emma Navarro came through a three-setter held over from Sunday against France’s Lois Boisson – and her celebration quickly went viral.

Advertisement

As the camera panned round to show her smiling and waving to the crowd, Boisson was angrily smashing her racket to smithereens in the background, the perfect illustration of the agony and ecstasy of sport.

Source link

Continue Reading
Click to comment

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply

Sports

Today Alone, The Vikings Added More than 2,000 Pounds to the Offensive Line

Published

on

Advertisement

Vikings fan Brian Foss displays his custom Minnesota Vikings logo prosthetic eye at a fan event.
Vikings fan Brian Foss displays his custom Minnesota Vikings logo prosthetic eye while attending the Super Fan Summit Tailgate Party in Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin. The event celebrated fan culture and team spirit as supporters gathered ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft festivities. Apr. 25, 2025. Mandatory Credit: Sarah Kloepping-USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin via Imagn Images.

For a minute or two, the Vikings had a lean offensive line, which is quite possibly the worst place for a football team to be lean.

No longer.

GM Nolan Teasley didn’t allow the Vikings to languish with just eight offensive linemen for very long. The new front office executive snagged C Nick Samac and G Trevor Keegan off of waivers. Afterwards, there were five offensive linemen added to the practice squad, pushing the overall tally to north of 2,000 pounds added along the OL. Whoever is working the team cafeteria is going to need to get the grills working overtime.

Advertisement

The Vikings Added North of 2K Pounds to OL

With the understanding that the roster remains a work in progress, the Vikings now have a 53-man roster alongside most of a practice squad. Consider how things look up front:

Christian Darrisaw Donovan Jackson Blake Brandel Will Fries Brian O’Neill
Ryan Van Demark Joe Huber Nick Sanac Trevor Keegan Caleb Tiernan

Keep in mind, folks, that not all ten of these guys are going to be active on Sunday. Very likely, one or two are going to be in street clothes (TE Josh Oliver has been the emergency OL in the past, if memory serves). What’s nevertheless encouraging for the Vikings is that the depth is now where it needs to be.

Donovan Jackson and Christian Darrisaw line up for the Vikings against the Bengals.
Minnesota Vikings offensive linemen Donovan Jackson and Christian Darrisaw align at U.S. Bank Stadium, with Sept. 21, 2025 placing the first-half scene in Minneapolis against the Cincinnati Bengals. The two blockers settle in before the snap as Minnesota’s offensive front prepares to handle Cincinnati’s rush during an early home matchup that afternoon. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images.

Further improving the depth is the presence of five o-linemen for the practice squad. Teasley signed OT Tristan Leigh, OT Jack Nelson, G Joshua Gray, G Henry Byrd, and C Gavin Gerhardt. Of those names, only Nelson is a newcomer in Minnesota.

Go ahead and do a basic tally for all of the added pounds. The weights for each guy:

Advertisement
  • Nick Samac — 317 Pounds
  • Trevor Keegan — 315 Pounds
  • Gavin Gerhardt — 310 Pounds
  • Henry Byrd — 314 Pounds
  • Joshua Gray — 299 Pounds
  • Tristan Leigh — 312 Pounds
  • Jack Nelson — 314 Pounds

Math has never been a strength in my life, but the combined weight of these seven additions and re-additions sits at 2,181 pounds.

Christian Darrisaw practices at Vikings minicamp on June 10, 2025..
Jun 10, 2025; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings offensive tackle Christian Darrisaw (71) practices during minicamp at the Minnesota Vikings Training Facility. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images.

In a perfect world, the added linemen function as the bodyguards for Kyler Murray, who is stepping into the job of Commander in Chief of the Minnesota Vikings. President Murray needs to be defended at all costs, so the combined effort of the ten offensive linemen on the active roster and five offensive linemen on the practice squad is to see no harm come to the unusually elusive QB1.

So, too, do these guys want to function as bulldozers for the ground game. In what is now a bizarre yearly tradition, Kevin O’Connell is making public promises about running the football. Seeing the large lads do their part by displacing defenders would certainly help the Vikings’ cause.

In Week 1, the Green Bay Packers will be coming to town. The large lads will earn praise aplenty if Murray’s jersey doesn’t get dirty against the NFC North foe.


avatar

Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

Sports

NFL fans call out Stephen A. Smith for celebrating Ryan Clark’s Netflix deal after ESPN firing

Published

on

Stephen A. Smith’s enthusiastic public celebration of Ryan Clark’s new Netflix deal has drawn sharp criticism from a lot of NFL fans. The streaming giant struck a multi-year deal with popular interview show “The Pivot,” which Clark hosts alongside Channing Crowder and Fred Taylor.

According to Boardroom, the new partnership will bring video episodes of the show to Netflix beginning Sept. 8. The full back catalog of the show will be available on the streaming platform while continuing to run on YouTube. New episodes, however, will stream exclusively on Netflix.

After the news of the deal broke, Stephen A. Smith took to social media with an emphatic message of support for Ryan Clark. The two had worked together at ESPN for more than a decade before the abrupt firing of Clark, who hosted “NFL Live,” by the network in late June.

Advertisement

“YYYEEESSSSSSSS!!!!!! Hell Yeah! That’s what I’m talking about, Fellas. So Happy for y’all. So proud of y’all. Congrats! @Realrclark25…..you already know, bro! Love ya!!!!” Smith wrote on X.

Looking to predict NFL playoff Scenarios? Try our NFL Playoff Predictor for real-time simulations and stay ahead of the game!

Advertisement

However, the reaction from fans to Smith’s post was far less celebratory. This is particularly due to the manner in which Clark was laid off by ESPN in late July amid broader talent cuts. With Smith remaining a prominent face of the network, he felt the heat with a lot of backlash.

A host on online critics question whether Stephen A. Smith’s public backing during the initial firing had been matched by private influence. Others simply highlighted the speed with which the narrative shifted from disappointment over Clark’s exit to cheers for his show’s Netflix deal.

Here’s a look at some of the reactions online:

@stephenasmith @Realrclark25 Performative behavior

Advertisement

@stephenasmith @Realrclark25 Stephen A. stop faking like you’re happy for them, they are black athletes remember the kind you dislike🙄

@stephenasmith @Realrclark25 Lmao. Just stop, SAS.

@stephenasmith @Realrclark25 @stephenasmith you need to stop with the 🎻 🎻 🎻 act!! This dude disrespected you not in the barbershop, not in the backyard but on NATIONAL TV and now you wanna act like you all are best friends. That’s why you tried to do so many favors for him and take turns kissing ass

@stephenasmith @Realrclark25 He got fired for a reason it’s for his race baiting his absolute rudeness with white host even if he’s your friend he’s not that great stop it

Advertisement

@stephenasmith @Realrclark25 Nobody gives a dam about the pivot podcast

What Ryan Clark said about his firing on “The Pivot”

There was a lot of speculation in the media and among observers following the layoff of Ryan Clark by ESPN. Following a wave of opinion on the event, the former Pittsburgh Steelers safety set the record straight in the episode of “The Pivot” that followed his dismissal in June.

“Let me put this to bed,” Clark said. “I wasn’t laid off. I was fired. They’re using layoffs as a cover and a camouflage for what they already intended on doing, but there was no cause for it.

“So, because there was no cause for it, you couldn’t just fire me, so you had to wait to the layoff so you could camouflage it and veil it. But here’s the other thing: if I was laid off like everybody else that came out on Tuesday, mine came out on Friday.”

Ryan Clark’s firing gained a lot of attention and backlash because he was said to have been notified of it during a commercial break while he was airing “NFL Live.” Many criticize ESPN’s leadership for that, noting it wasn’t a worthy send-off for Clark after his effort on the show.