World number one Jannik Sinner put on a typically efficient display in his opening match at the French Open on Tuesday, moving past Clement Tabur to book his spot in the second round.

The 24-year-old needed just over two hours to beat the French wildcard 6-1, 6-3, 6-4.

It was a 30th straight win for Sinner and showed his challengers, if they were in any doubt, that the red-hot Italian is focussed on continuing his streak as he seeks to complete his career Grand Slam.

After winning all three clay-court Masters 1000 events in the run-up to Roland Garros, Sinner appears to have cracked the code to victory on the red dirt.

Without double-reigning champion and world number two Carlos Alcaraz in the draw in Paris, it is hard to see beyond Sinner lifting the Coupe des Mousquetaires for the first time come the men’s final on June 7.

“I’m very happy to be back here, it’s a very very special place,” Sinner said.

“First-round matches they are never easier but (it’s) even more special to start the tournament in a night session.”

Sinner’s last appearance on Court Philippe Chatrier was during the French Open title-match last year, but if he had any jitters about returning to the site of that epic five-set loss, in which he passed up three championship points, it did not show.

The San Candido native raced out of the blocks on centre court as he wrapped up the first set for the loss of just one game in 30 minutes.

Read moreFrench Open 2026: Sabalenka shines, Osaka dazzles as Medvedev melts down in Paris heat

World number 171 Tabur stuck doggedly to his task to the appreciation of the home crowd, but Sinner’s groundstrokes were too powerful and accurate as he pummelled his way into a two-set lead.

Sinner had to dig deep in his first service game of the third set, before immediately breaking to close in on victory.

After an uncharacteristically sloppy volley on his first match point, Sinner passed up two more before finally winning behind his own serve in the next game.

He will meet Argentinian Juan Manuel Cerundolo in the second round.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)

Veterans like Alyssa Valdez (left) will help young guns like Thea Gagate grow. —PVL IMAGES

For veterans Alyssa Valdez and Jovelyn Gonzaga, representing the country has a different feel.

So when the opportunity arose, both were more than willing to answer the call.

“We’re very, very humbled and excited to be part of the national team again and represent the country with pride,” Valdez said Tuesday during the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum at the Philippine Sports Commission conference room.

“But realistically, we cannot predict anything. All we can do now is prepare well and represent the country with honor and pride.”

Valdez and Gonzaga are among the national pool members of Alas Pilipinas, which is preparing for the 2026 AVC Women’s Volleyball Nations Cup next month in Candon City, Ilocos Sur,

The AVC tournament, formerly known as the Challenge Cup, runs from June 6 to 14 and features 12 teams from across Asia and Oceania.

For Gonzaga, whose national team experience spans both indoor and beach volleyball, the chance to return to duty remains difficult to refuse.

“It feels so good to be back with the national team,” Gonzaga said in Filipino. “We’re excited. Once the country calls for your service, we’re here. It’s hard to turn down the national team.”

Interim coach Shaq delos Santos said the team remains in the process of finalizing its roster from a 20-player pool that also includes Ces Molina, Niña Ytang, Tots Carlos, Ara Galang and Thea Gagate.

The national program has been hit by withdrawals of key players who were part of Alas Pilipinas rise’ over the past two years, when the national team made a tremendous leap in the world rankings under former coach Jorge de Brito.

While players cited personal reasons as backing out, two sources close to several standouts of the team told the Inquirer that the former national squad members were disappointed over how the previous gains were wiped out instead of being used as a foundation for further growth.

The result has the national program scrambling from scratch, with coach Shaq Delos Santos building a pool around those who committed to the team.

“We invited lots of players and some of them had personal decisions to beg off, but we’re still very happy and lucky,” delos Santos said. “We have players who are committed to represent our country.”

Delos Santos added that the current focus is less about medal projections and more about building chemistry ahead of the continental competition.

“The goal right now is how to strengthen the team,” he said. “We’re focused on building a team where the players will do their roles, work together and fight for the Philippines.”

The coach said the team is expected to train in Candon next week as preparations intensify.

Valdez, Gonzaga and Molina were all part of the Philippine squad that competed in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games, giving the current pool a veteran core expected to guide younger players in the tournament.

“For now, the focus is preparation,” Gonzaga said. “There are no expectations yet.”

The Philippines was drawn into Pool A alongside South Korea, Chinese Taipei, Australia, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. Defending champion Vietnam leads Pool B with Kazakhstan, Iran, Indonesia, Hong Kong and Lebanon. INQUIRER SPORTS DESK

Virat Kohli’s reaction from the dugout became one of the talking points of the night after Rajat Patidar played a stunning six during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s Qualifier One clash against Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League at Dharamsala on Tuesday.

Patidar reached his fifty in 21 balls with a six off Kagiso Rabada in the 17th over. On the very next ball, he produced one of the shots of the innings. Rabada bowled on a good length outside off, but Patidar stayed back and struck it over cover for another six. Kohli, watching from the dugout, looked surprised by the quality of the shot, and his reaction quickly went viral.

French hero ⁠Gaël Monfils bade ​a fond farewell to Roland Garros after going down 6-2, 6-3, 3-6, 2-6, 6-0 to compatriot ​Hugo Gaston in the first round on Monday, departing to loud applause that celebrated two decades of charisma and crowd-pleasing tennis.

A few hours after fellow veteran Stan Wawrinka brought the curtain down ​on his ‌French Open career, the 39-year-old Monfils struggled to find his best ⁠level but persisted to give adoring supporters on Court Philippe Chatrier the marathon they wanted.

“Here we are, I love you all ‌so much. I’ll try to be quick and to the point,” Monfils said ⁠after a tribute video on the big screen that showcased his flair on court and connection with Parisian fans.

Read moreNo Alcaraz, no party? Five reasons not to miss this year’s French Open

Monfils thanked his parents, family, wife and fellow ​player Elina Svitolina, coaches and the French Tennis Federation before addressing the ‌fans.

“I’d like to thank you all,” he added.

“Every year I come to play at the French Open, I get goosebumps. Every time, I say to myself ‘this is magical’. I’ve created something powerful, ‌unique, exceptional.

“I’m going to miss you. This tournament is fabulous, it’s magical. Roland Garros, I love you, I owe you everything.”

Monfils, ​who will retire at the end of the season, lost the opening set. He drew roaring applause when he mounted a comeback attempt in the second set, but Gaston quickly ​snuffed out the challenge to double his lead in the match.

Fans seeking a late flourish ​were rewarded as Monfils broke for a 5-3 lead en ​route to winning the third set and then raced through the fourth to set up a tantalising decider, but Gaston steadied to ​blank his opponent for the win.

“There are a lot of emotions,” Gaston said.

“There is joy but mostly sadness, I’m so sorry for you, Gael. I want to congratulate you, thank you for all you have done for us, the young players, and for your incredible career.

“You’re a ⁠French legend, a legend of our sport.”

Tributes followed from Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Gilles Simon, Richard Gasquet, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga ⁠and Wawrinka among ​others, leaving the Frenchman beaming as the curtain finally came down on his Roland Garros journey.

Read moreWawrinka bids an emotional adieu to Roland Garros in first-round defeat

FRANCE 24 with Reuters

Arizona State legend and former Atlanta Braves standout Bob Horner has died, the Braves announced Tuesday. He was 68 years old.

The club honored him with a corresponding statement:

“Bob Horner built a career out of being first. He was the first overall pick in the 1978 draft after an illustrious collegiate career. He was the first Braves draftee to skip the minor leagues entirely and debut directly in the majors. And he was the first Atlanta player to ever hit four home runs in a single game, when he did so against the Montreal Expos in 1986.

“The National League Rookie of the Year in 1978 and an NL All-Star in 1982, Horner teamed with Dale Murphy to form one of the most feared power duos in the game for nearly a decade.”

Pittsburgh Steelers legend Jerome Bettis got what he was hoping for: Aaron Rodgers to play one more season in the black and gold.

The Steelers officially signed Rodgers to a one-year deal worth up to $25 million last week, and Bettis said there is excitement in the air.

“It was hoped, not necessarily expected, was hoped that he would consider coming back for one more year. Now it’s an excitement in the air obviously knowing that it is his last year as well. We’re in that space where we’re excited about the upcoming season,” Bettis told Fox News Digital.

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Aaron Rodgers of the Pittsburgh Steelers celebrates after an NFL game against the Baltimore Ravens at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pa., on Jan. 4, 2026. (Michael Owens/Getty Images)

Rodgers told reporters that this upcoming season will be the final season of his illustrious career. Bettis said that the Steelers want to send him off on a high note, and they want to have a great season too.

“You want to send him off well, but you also want to have a great season and look forward to the future. So, there’s a lot of excitement around Aaron coming back for his last year,” Bettis said.

Last season was Rodgers’ first with the Steelers, and he started 16 games while missing one due to injury. The four-time NFL MVP proved he still had some juice left in the tank, completing 65.7% of his passes for 3,322 yards with 24 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

Before the Steelers signed Rodgers, they drafted Penn State quarterback Drew Allar in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft. They also have Will Howard and Mason Rudolph as their backup quarterbacks.

Bettis is one of the best running backs in Steelers history. Nicknamed “The Bus,” Bettis is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

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Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers drops back to pass against the Baltimore Ravens during the first half at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pa., on Jan. 4, 2026. (GETTY)

In 13 seasons in the NFL, with the last 10 with the Steelers, Bettis ran for 13,662 yards and 91 touchdowns while catching 200 passes for 1,449 yards and three touchdowns. He was an integral part of the Steelers’ Super Bowl XL win over the Seattle Seahawks, as he ran for three touchdowns during their playoff run.

American Century Championship

Bettis will be playing in the American Century Tournament from July 10-12 at Edgewood Golf Course in Lake Tahoe.

The tournament has raised more than $8 million for regional and national charities. American Century Investments donates 40% of its profits to the Stowers Institute for Medical Research and activates fundraising at the tournament to drive direct donations to Stowers each year.

Bettis has been a longtime competitor in the tournament since retiring in 2006. He said it has been “incredible” to see the event grow over the years.

The Pro Football Hall of Famer said he is still trying to round into form for the tournament. Bettis said he is trying a new swing and is wondering how it will hold up.

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Jerome Bettis speaks on SiriusXM during Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans, La., on Feb. 5, 2025. (Cindy Ord/Getty Images)

Bettis said his favorite part of the tournament is interacting with the athletes and having fun with the guys.

“I think the favorite part is really getting to chop it up with the athletes because obviously being retired, you don’t get the chance to do that anymore. And so, when you do get a chance to kind of rib guys and have fun with guys like that locker room experience again, it’s really fun and exhilarating,” Bettis said.

The tournament will be broadcast on NBC and Peacock.

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Marvin Jones, unable to carry the Bolts in Game 3, will step aside as Meralco brings in Patrick Gardner. —PBA IMAGES

Meralco coach Luigi Trillo has allowed the sting of the Bolts’ Game 3 loss in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals to settle.

Now, he simply wants his team to forget what has happened, reset and even the series.

“I expect us to be better,” Trillo told the Inquirer on Tuesday over the phone. “I expect us to shoot better. I expect us to play better. This is a long series.”

“It’s not over by a long shot. This series is only starting. We can’t dwell too much on Game 3. That’s already water under the bridge.”

Forgetting might not be that hard.

There’s so much for Meralco to focus on, especially with the team bringing in a new import in 7-foot import Patrick Gardner, who previously played in Japan’s B.League, after it became clear Marvin Jones wouldn’t be enough to carry the Bolts to the Finals.

Moving on from that Game 3 loss, however, won’t be easy.

Meralco, with its complete lineup intact, still absorbed a narrow 77-75 defeat to a TNT side that played without an import.

But Trillo was hardly surprised by the Tropang 5G’s ability to compete despite the absence of reinforcement, Bol Bol, who exited the conference early because of a partially torn Achilles tendon.

“There’s a reason why they’re a championship team,” Trillo said.

“There’s a reason why those guys made back-to-back All-Filipino Finals. I warned before the game that even without Bol Bol, this TNT team knows how to play together.”

Locals deliver

And now, the Bolts will have to deal with a reinforced Tropang 5G.

TNT has tapped former NBA player Chris McCullough to replace Bol after earlier exploring options that included Darius Days, Marquese Chriss and eventually Malick Diouf. The Senegalese standout from the UAAP, however, failed to secure clearance in time to become the league’s first foreign student-athlete import.

“He’s a guy who can really put the ball in the basket, so it’s not going to be easy,” Trillo said of McCullough. “We know we have our work cut out for us. It’s something new that we have to prepare for.”

“We know McCullough is great in isolation. He’s got a good offensive game, he’s long and he’s a good pickup by TNT.”

TNT’s locals delivered when it mattered most in Game 3. Rey Nambatac led the Tropang 5G with 18 points and eight rebounds, while Calvin Oftana and Jordan Heading added 15 and 12 points, respectively.

Roger Pogoy finished with only nine points, but he knocked down the game-winning shot that gave TNT a crucial 2-1 series lead.

The two teams clash anew on Wednesday at Smart Araneta Coliseum. INQ

World number one Aryna Sabalenka sealed a stylish win to make the second round of the French Open, while ​Naomi Osaka brought runway flair to Roland Garros, but sixth seed Daniil Medvedev unravelled on a searing Tuesday in Paris.

Reigning Paris champion Coco Gauff recovered from a sluggish start to outclass Taylor Townsend 6-4 6-0 with several Americans also progressing despite a heatwave in the French capital making conditions challenging for players and fans.

Jannik Sinner will begin his quest for ​a maiden French Open title ‌to complete the career Grand Slam when the Italian takes on Frenchman Clement Tabur in the evening session on Court Philippe Chatrier.

Dressed ⁠in a black-and-red mesh outfit and wearing a diamond necklace, Sabalenka dismissed Spain‘s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 6-4 6-2 win before brushing off concerns about the added flourish by saying she was completely at ease.

Read moreNo Alcaraz, no party? Five reasons not to miss this year’s French Open

“I like to challenge myself,” the Belarusian told reporters. “But ‌at the same time, the dress is super light … I don’t feel the dress on me. I was thinking it’s going to be ⁠super hot wearing black, but it doesn’t feel like black colour on me, I feel really comfortable.

“And the diamonds, I don’t really feel the heaviness of it, but I can imagine how it looks from the outside … for me, it’s important to look good. If I feel good looks-wise, I perform better ​and I feel great.”

While Sabalenka set the tone, former world number one Osaka added a touch of Parisian flair as she walked ‌onto Court Suzanne Lenglen in a sequined blouse and a black mesh floor-length train before unveiling a layered yellow-brown and gold match dress.

The tennis was equally sparkling as the 16th seed overcame tricky German Laura Siegemund 6-3 7-6 (3) before hinting at the inspiration behind her match outfit.

“I feel like … you know the Eiffel Tower at night when it’s sparkly? I think I look like that ‌a bit,” Osaka said.

‘No excuses’

Daniil Medvedev has never been comfortable in the Roland Garros spotlight and the Russian crashed 6-2 1-6 6-1 1-6 6-4 to Australian wildcard Adam Walton for his seventh opening-round defeat in 10 appearances at the Grand Slam.

Read moreOpening Day of Roland Garros: Brazilian prodigy Joao Fronseca to play

“I don’t ​want to find excuses,” he said. “I know why I don’t really play my best at Roland Garros, but if I say it, it’s excuses. So I’ll keep it to myself.

“Maybe I should consider playing a tournament before (it), which I usually don’t do before Grand Slams, but when it doesn’t work, why not? That’s the only thing I’ll ​consider next year.”

Walton said hailing from Queensland and being comfortable in furnace-like conditions helped him prevail.

“I grew up in the heat. I’ve always preferred when the court gives my ​shots extra, which is what the heat does,” he added.

“I seem to be able to last. I’m not saying I ​last better than him, but I last better than probably the field in the heat. Just given the way I play, that’s one aspect that is huge for me, because I’m not the most talented player out there.”

Walton was joined in the next round ​by compatriot Alex de Minaur, who advanced after rising Belgian Alexander Blockx was forced to withdraw with a right ankle sprain, while Alexandre Muller retired injured trailing Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-2 3-0.

Briton Cameron Norrie pulled out injured from a major for the first time as a rib issue meant he was unable to continue after going down 7-6 (7) 2-0. American Learner Tien dished out the bagels during his 6-0 2-6 6-0 6-2 win over Cristian Garin, while compatriots Zachary Svajda, Emma Navarro, Iva Jovic, Claire Liu, Ann Li all went through with little trouble.

A ⁠day after French favourite Gael Monfils went out of his home Grand Slam for the final time, Parisian fans were given a glimpse of the future as teenager Moise Kouame downed 2014 US. Open champion Marin Cilic ⁠7-6 (4) 6-2 6-1. Victory meant the 17-year-old ​wildcard became the youngest man to win a Grand Slam main draw match in 17 years.

“It’s a lot of emotion, it’s exceptional,” Kouame said. “Coming into this tournament, I didn’t know what to expect. The team and I worked hard to be as ready as possible.”

(FRANCE 24 with Reuters)