Blog

DENVER (AP) — Jake Bauers hit a two-run double in Milwaukee’s four-run 10th inning after Andrew Vaughn’s pinch-hit two-run single capped a four-run ninth and the Brewers held on to beat the Colorado Rockies 9-7 on Friday night.

Milwaukee scored eight runs in the final two innings after going hitless from the second through the eighth innings. The Brewers won for the first time this season when trailing after eight.

Trevor Megill (1-2) blew the save, but got the win for the Brewers. Aaron Ashby allowed two runs — one earned — on Sterlin Thompson’s bases-loaded single in the 10th before getting Brett Sullivan to ground into a double and striking out Jake McCarthy to end it.

Juan Mejia (1-5) got just one out and gave up four runs — three earned — to take the loss for the Rockies.

Colorado took a 3-1 lead into the ninth after Ryan Feltner allowed one hit and a run through six innings and Jaden Hill pitched a scoreless seventh.

Antonio Senzatela struck out the side in the eighth before coming back out for the ninth. He gave up a leadoff single to Brice Turang, then threw wide of second going for a double play after snagging a comebacker from William Contreras.

Bauers followed with an RBI single and Sal Frelick doubled in the tying run before Vaughn’s single made it 5-3. Turang’s hit was the first for the Brewers since Bauers doubled in the first inning.

Chad Stevens walked to force in a run against Megill in the ninth, and Hunter Goodman hit a sacrifice fly to tie it at 5.

Goodman hit his 16th homer, a solo shot in the third to make it 3-1. Willi Castro had a two-out double, but Frelick made a diving catch in right on a sinking liner by Ezequiel Tovar to save a run and end the inning.

Brewers starter Brandon Sproat allowed three runs and seven hits in five innings. He was relieved by Brian Fitzpatrick, who threw a scoreless sixth, came out for the seventh and was throwing warmup pitches when he reacted in pain and grabbed his left arm. Brewers manager Pat Murphy told reporters after the game that Fitzpatrick, promoted before the game, would have an MRI but “it doesn’t look good.”

ANTALYA, Turkey (AP) — Iran’s World Cup soccer team prepared to set off from Turkey for their training base in Mexico on Saturday ahead of three group matches in the United States later this month.

According to Iranian state television, however, some members of the Iranian Football Federation who had been due to accompany the team were yet to receive visas to enter the U.S.

The Iranian TV report said the federation’s secretary-general, Hedayat Mombeini, and its vice president, Mehdi Mohammad Nabi, were among 14 backroom staff and officials who had not received U.S. visas ahead of games in Los Angeles and Seattle.

It was unclear whether the federation’s president, Mehdi Taj, had been issued a visa.

The team’s participation in the World Cup has been complicated by Iran’s war with Israel and the United States. Problems with processing visas had earlier led Iran to move its training base from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana, on Mexico’s border with California.

The federation accused the U.S. of “vindictive behavior” in refusing visas for “key managerial and administrative members” of the team.

The decision had “effectively denied the Iranian national team the opportunity for a level playing field and a competition free from discrimination,” said the statement, which was reported by Iran’s semiofficial Tasnim and Mehr news agencies. It added that the federation would pursue the matter through world soccer authority FIFA.

One U.S. official earlier told The Associated Press that all players on the Iranian team were approved for visas, while a second official said visas had been issued for players, coaches, trainers and some support staff. A third official suggested that some applicants affiliated with the team had been rejected for requesting visas “under false pretenses.”

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the visas publicly.

The squad has been preparing for the World Cup at a training camp in Antalya, Turkey. The team said it has already received visas from Mexico’s Embassy in Ankara.

Iran plays its first two games in Inglewood, California, against New Zealand on June 15, and Belgium six days later, then heads to Seattle to face Egypt on June 26. Iran and the U.S. could meet in the round of 32 on July 3 in Arlington, Texas, if both teams come second in their groups.

President Donald Trump in March had discouraged Iran from participating in the tournament, saying he didn’t think it was “appropriate” and raising concerns over players’ “life and safety.” A day later, Iran’s national team pushed back, saying “no one can exclude” it from playing.

Iran finalized its team Monday, including 17 home-based players whose clubs have not played since February because of the war. Star forward Sardar Azmoun was dropped in March, reportedly because of a social media post that angered Iranian authorities during the war.

Iran’s sports minister said in March that it would “not be possible” for the team to participate in the World Cup, but the republic’s soccer federation said in May it was moving ahead with a team. The federation had insisted that all players and staff be granted visas, including those who had military service in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Heat won’t be the only environmental factor affecting players’ performance at the World Cup. Teams playing in two of Mexico’s host cities must adapt to another challenge: altitude.

The Azteca stadium in Mexico City sits at more than 7,300 feet (2,200 meters) above sea level, while Guadalajara is at 5,138 feet (1,566 meters).

Visiting teams that aren’t used to those conditions may struggle with fatigue.

“We have a massive advantage as the host country because we’re playing at the Estadio Azteca with our fans and the altitude,” Mexican football commissioner Mikel Arriola said. “It is a very potent setting.”

In Mexico, leveraging that advantage is seen as key to the team’s chances. It is no coincidence that El Tri’s deepest World Cup runs occurred on home soil.

The last time Mexico hosted the tournament, in 1986, it advanced to the quarterfinals, ultimately falling to West Germany in a penalty shootout. That match was played in Monterrey, where altitude is not a factor.

Mexico plays South Africa in the World Cup opener June 11 at the Azteca — which FIFA has renamed Mexico City Stadium during the tournament —before facing South Korea just outside Guadalajara on June 18. It plays its last Group A game in Mexico City on June 24 against Czechia.

Altitude won’t be a factor in the games played in the United States and Canada. The highest-altitude U.S. host city is Atlanta, at just 1,050 feet (320 meters) above sea level, while Canada’s highest venue is in Toronto, at just 249 feet (76 meters).

Two ways to deal with altitude

For elite athletes to perform at their peak at high altitude, a period of adaption is required to reduce fatigue caused by lower atmospheric pressure and reduced oxygen availability.

“You would expect a faster onset of fatigue, higher heart rates at any given running intensity, and a reduced capacity to sustain the high-intensity efforts that define modern international football—including sprints, pressing actions, and rapid changes of pace,” said Sam Shepherd, head of sports science at sports nutrition company Precision Fuel & Hydration.

To mitigate the physiological toll of thin air, sports scientists generally recommend two contrasting approaches: an extended acclimatization period of at least two weeks, or the “fly-in, fly-out” method—arriving as close to kick-off as possible before acute symptoms set in.

The latter is favored by visiting American professional sports teams from the NBA, MLB and NFL, which routinely land in Mexico City the day before a game.

For a month-long tournament, however, long-term acclimatization is becoming the standard.

South Africa selected Pachuca—a city sitting even higher than the capital at more than 8,000 feet (nearly 2,500 meters) —as their base camp, arriving last Tuesday despite initial visa delays.

South Korea, facing two group-stage matches in Guadalajara, has chosen a similar approach.

“We’ll play at about 1,600 meters (5,250 feet),” said head coach Hong Myung-bo. “We’ve had very little exposure to this environment, so I’ve consulted with experts to determine our needs. We now have detailed plans not only for training but also for what happens off the pitch during our stay.”

To prepare, the Korean squad has been stationed at more than 4,300 feet (1,300 meters) in Salt Lake City, Utah, since May 18. According to Shepherd, that can make a significant difference.

“Spending two to three weeks at altitude stimulates the body to produce more red blood cells and improves oxygen-carrying capacity, meaning players arrive with some degree of adaptation rather than experiencing the full, acute environmental stress on match day.”

Colombia, which plays its first Group K game against Uzbekistan on June 17 in Mexico City, has been preparing for the World Cup in its high-altitude capital, Bogotá, at 8,600 feet (2,600) meters above sea level.

Their itinerary requires managing big changes in altitude and climate as they move from the Mexican capital to Guadalajara, and finally to the sea-level humidity of Miami to close out the group stage against Portugal.

“There is a definite physiological adaptation to altitude,” Colombia coach Néstor Lorenzo said. “We have to play across three entirely different environments … but we have experience managing these variables and will use every tool at our disposal.”

No altitude training for the Czechs

The Czechs were among the last teams to qualify for the World Cup through the European playoffs at the end of March. Their base camp near Dallas was chosen by FIFA and is about 590 feet (180 meters) above sea level.

They will fly directly into the thin air of Mexico City for a high-stakes group finale against Mexico on June 24.

“It won’t be ideal,” Czechia coach Miroslav Koubek said after announcing his squad last month. “We would have to spent a month in the environment to get adapted to it but there’s no time for that. We have recommendations from experts on how to cope with that but we can’t cope with that for 100%, that’s for sure.”

The 1970 World Cup in Mexico was a fiasco for Czechoslovakia, which two decades later split into Czechia and Slovakia. The team lost all of its group stage games — against Brazil, Romania and England — and lack of acclimatization to the altitude was seen as a contributing factor.

“I was thinking a lot about the weather and the altitude that are awaiting us,” Czechia defender Tomáš Holeš said. “I’ve talked to people who visited such places, and played there. It will be something really specific, an interesting experience.”

Two powerful cruiserweights do battle this weekend as home favourite Chris Billam-Smith faces Canadian knockout specialist Ryan Rozicki, but who claims victory in Bournemouth?

Billam-Smith will have home backing at the Bournemouth International Centre for the 10-round cruiserweight clash, the main event of Zuffa Boxing’s first numbered promotion in the UK and first outside of the United States.

The former world champion looks to move back into title contention, with a statement display against Rozicki likely to put him closer to a potential Zuffa Boxing cruiserweight world championship showdown with Jai Opetaia.

Billam-Smith faces a tough test against a challenger dubbed ‘The Bruiser’ and with 20 of his 21 victories coming via knockout, with both the Englishman and Rozicki talking up their chances of taking the win.

The bookies have Billam-Smith as odds-on favourite to come out on top in his first Bournemouth fight since 2023, although will he have enough to handle Rozicki’s confidence and power-hitting pedigree?

Ahead of Saturday’s intriguing contest, live on Sky Sports, we asked Johnny Nelson and several of the fighters on this week’s undercard to give their verdict on who will claim bragging rights in Saturday’s main event…

Billam-Smith vs Rozicki fight predictions

Johnny Nelson: “Chris Bilam-Smith wins the fight, but it’s going to be a hard-fought points win. Even though he’s not been down before, don’t be surprised if he hits the canvas.

Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur will not attend the Monaco Grand Prix for qualifying day on Saturday for medical reasons.

Ferrari, who have not won a grand prix since October 2024, appear set for their most competitive weekend of the season after drivers Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc finished first and second in both practice sessions on Friday.

A statement from Ferrari said: “Fred Vasseur will not be at the circuit today.

“Following some medical checks, Fred will remain under observation at a local medical facility.

“No further medical information will be provided.”

The statement added that the team “look forward to seeing him back at the track soon”.

Speaking in a pooled media interview after running on Friday, Vasseur, 58, said: “It was difficult to put a lap together for everybody and with 10% more cars (on the grid this year) it is more than 10% more difficult.

“Now that we have a convergence of understanding of the cars, tyres are becoming predominant again in performance, and with so many cars on track it is difficult to do a proper out-lap and I think it will be key for tomorrow, to be able to do a proper out-lap and do a clean lap.”

Off track, Ferrari are in the midst of negotiations with fellow engine manufacturers, governing body the FIA and commercial rights holder F1 over changes to the engine rules for 2027.

Ferrari are blocking an agreement that had been reached between all parties last month to change the design of engines to reduce the amount of energy management required in the new power-units which this year have a near 50-50 split between internal combustion and electrical power.

The plan is to change the split to 60-40 in favour of internal combustion by increasing the fuel flow.

But Ferrari want to leave things as they are so they can benefit from permitted development and upgrade opportunities provided under the rules to those behind the best engine by a defined margin, while also preventing standard-setters Mercedes from having the opportunity to upgrade their own engine.

Audi are also currently blocking the proposal.

Marc Marquez outgunned pre-qualifying favourite Pedro Acosta to claim a sensational pole position at the Hungarian Grand Prix.

While Acosta led the majority of Q2 aboard the factory KTM, reigning world champion Marquez set two rapid laps towards the end of the session to maintain his perfect qualifying record at the Balaton Park Circuit.

Fermin Aldeguer completed the front row for Gresini, while Marco Bezzecchi was Aprilia’s top runner in sixth.

At the start of the session, Acosta carried his form from Friday into qualifying, climbing to the top spot of the timesheets with a 1m37.419s before finding another two tenths on his next flying lap.

Meanwhile, Ducati suffered an early setback in Q2, with both Marquez and Fabio di Giannantonio going down at Turn 1 within seconds of each other.

However, both riders were able to remount their respective bikes and keep the engines running, with Marquez quickly moving up to second ahead of Trackhouse’s Raul Fernandez.

At this stage, championship leader Bezzecchi languished in eighth place, more than half a second down on Acosta.

As the riders returned to the track in the final five minutes on fresh soft tyres, Acosta moved the goalposts with the first sub 1m37s lap of the day, putting more than half a second between him and the rest of the field.

This appeared to give the 22-year-old a decisive advantage at the front, but Marquez managed to pull something special out of the bag, posting a time of 1m36.791s to snatch the top spot.

In response, Acosta could only manage a time of 1m36.838s on his next flying lap, guaranteeing the top spot to Marquez, but the latter nevertheless improved his time to 1m36.838s to cement his grip at the front.

The result marked Marquez’s pole of the season after he topped qualifying in the Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez.

Meanwhile, Gresini sophomore Aldeguer continued his fine form at Balaton Park to book a spot on the front row behind Acosta. Di Giannantonio qualified fourth while factory rider Francesco Bagnaia came all the way from Q1 to qualify fifth, putting four Ducatis inside the top five.

Aprilia’s challenge fell flat in qualifying, with Bezzecchi ending up more than six tenths off the pace in sixth. He was closely followed by Trackhouse’s Raul Fernandez and team-mate Jorge Martin, while Honda’s Luca Marini – who came from Q1 – even outqualified the other Trackhouse bike of Ai Ogura.

The top 12 was completed by LCR rookie Diogo Moreira and Pramac’s Jack Miller.

Joan Mir set the early pace in qualifying but was knocked out of provisional Q2 spots by team-mate Marini, leaving him 13th on the grid. He will be joined on the fifth row by Tech3’s Enea Bastianini and factory Yamaha rider Fabio Quartararo.

World Superbike star Iker Lecuona put his Gresini Ducati 16th on the grid on his return to MotoGP, with KTM’s Brad Binder ending up right behind him in 17th after crashing late on at Turn 12.

Toprak Razgatlioglu ended up 18th for Pramac, while Franco Morbidelli’s miserable weekend continued as the VR46 rider qualified 19th. Alex Rins (Yamaha) and Maverick Vinales (Tech3) set identical times and were qualified 20th and 21st respectively, with Johann Zarco’s injury replacement Cal Crutchlow again propping up the timesheets.

June 6 – – Saudi Arabia secured a 3-0 friendly win over Puerto Rico on Saturday in a match disrupted for nearly two hours by severe weather, earning their first victory under new coach Georgios Donis ahead of the World Cup in North America.

The game was halted in the 21st minute as thunderstorms and lightning forced players off the pitch and spectators to seek shelter, in accordance with U.S. safety protocols that suspend play when storms are detected within an 8-mile radius. Repeated lightning strikes led to multiple resets of the mandatory 30-minute delay before play eventually resumed.

Saudi Arabia took the lead just before halftime when Sultan Mandash capitalised on a defensive lapse inside the penalty area, before Abdullah Al Hamdan doubled the advantage in the 50th minute with a composed finish over the advancing goalkeeper after winning possession high up the pitch.

Captain Salem Al Dawsari wrapped up the scoring in the 88th minute with a fine solo run, giving Saudi Arabia a confidence-boosting win after their 2-1 loss to Ecuador. They will face Senegal on June 9 in their final warm-up before opening their World Cup campaign in Group H alongside Spain, Uruguay and Cape Verde.

Defending Roland Garros champions Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos returned to the title match in Paris on Friday, when they overcame Italians Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori 7-6(4), 6-4.

Bolelli and Vavassori were chasing their second title of the clay-court swing after triumphing at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Rome last month. However, they could not find a way past the Spanish-Argentine team in a tight semi-final battle on Court Simonne-Mathieu.

The top seeds saved all three break points they faced and were ruthlessly efficient at the closing stages of each set to move to within one win of defending the title. Playing for their third major crown as a team and second in the French capital, Granollers and Zeballos will play Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten in Saturday’s final.

“I think we played a really good match,” Zeballos said. “It was a very tough match against one of the best teams in the world right now. We are so, so happy to be one more time in the final in such a beautiful tournament. Right now I feel blessed, and hopefully we can continue with this level tomorrow.”

Heliovaara/Patten reach maiden Roland Garros final
Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten continued their impressive 2026 campaign on Thursday at Roland Garros, where they booked a spot in their first final at the clay-court major.

The second seeds maintained their spotless run in Paris with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Frenchmen Quentin Halys and Pierre-Hugues Herbert in the semi-finals. Heliovaara and Patten, who are first in the PIF ATP Live Doubles Teams Rankings, are targeting their fifth title of the season.

The Finn and Briton have already lifted trophies in Adelaide, Doha, Dubai, and Madrid this year and are now aiming to claim their first major title of the season.

Defending champs Granollers/Zeballos book Roland Garros SF spot
Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos continued their Roland Garros title defense in clinical fashion on Wednesday in Paris, where they booked their semi-final spot.

The top seeds trailed Hugo Nys and Edouard Roger-Vasselin 0-3 in the second set, but they regrouped to reel off six of the next seven games and power to a 6-3, 6-4 victory. Granollers and Zeballos, who are chasing their third major title as a team, will meet fifth seeds Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori in a heavyweight semi-final.

In the bottom half of the draw, Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten also advanced to the semi-finals on Wednesday. The second seeds downed Marcelo Demoliner and N.Sriram Balaji 6-3, 6-4. The Finnish-British duo is first in the PIF ATP Live Doubles Teams Rankings and aiming to win its fifth trophy of 2026.

Bolelli/Vavassori save 2 MPs to clinch Roland Garros QF thriller
Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori passed their first real test of nerves at 2026 Roland Garros in dramatic fashion on Tuesday afternoon in Paris.

Having opened their title bid at the clay major with three straight-sets victories, Bolelli and Vavassori were forced to save two match points in a pulsating Match Tie-break before earning a 6-7(7), 6-1, 7-6(14-12) triumph against Petr Nouza and Neil Oberleitner. The Italian fifth seeds saved the match points at 8/9 and 10/11 before converting their own fourth match point for a two-hour, 40-minute win.

Roland Garros finalists in 2024, Bolelli and Vavassori will take on top seeds Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos or 10th seeds Hugo Nys and Edouard Roger-Vasselin in this year’s semi-finals. The duo, which has this year already lifted ATP Masters 1000 titles in Miami and Rome as well as an ATP 500 crown in Rotterdam, is chasing its first Grand Slam trophy.

Heliovaara/Patten march on at Roland Garros, Arends/Pel stun Arevalo/Pavic
Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten continued their smooth pursuit of a third major title on Monday at Roland Garros, where the second-seeded duo eased into the quarter-finals. Finland’s Heliovaara and Great Britain’s Patten downed Andre Goransson and Evan King 6-3, 6-4 on Court Simonne-Mathieu to reach the last eight in Paris for the second consecutive year. They fired 35 winners (including nine aces) past Goransson and King, according to Infosys Stats, to earn a 68-minute third-round victory.

The current leaders in the PIF ATP Live Doubles Teams Rankings, Heliovaara and Patten are this fortnight chasing their fifth tour-level trophy of the season. Standing in the pair’s way next in Paris will be N.Sriram Balaji and Marcelo Demoliner, who upset sixth seed Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz 7-5, 6-4.

Sander Arends and David Pel also notched a notable triumph on Monday in the French capital. The Dutch duo rallied to stun 2024 champions and seventh seeds Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic 3-6, 7-6(7), 7-6(10-6) and set a last-eight clash with Quentin Halys and Pierre-Hugues Herbert. Halys and Herbert booked their quarter-final berth by prevailing 6-3, 6-3 in an all-French clash with Titouan Droguet and Hugo Gaston.

Bolelli/Vavassori march into Roland Garros QFs
Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori continued their latest bid for a maiden major title together on Sunday at Roland Garros, where they advanced to the quarter-finals.

The Italians needed just 74 minutes to down Jakub Paul and Marcus Willis 6-4, 6-3 at the clay-court major. Bolelli and Vavassori, who triumphed in Rome two weeks ago, will next meet Petr Nouza and Neil Oberleitner, who overcame Adam Pavlasek and Patrik Rikl 6-2, 6-7(1), 6-3.

Top seeds Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos also advanced to the quarter-finals on Sunday. They led Alexander Erler and Lucas Miedler 6-4, 1-1 when the Austrians retired. Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz booked their spot in the third round with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Roman Andres Burruchaga and Thiago Agustin Tirante.

Former champs Arevalo/Pavic book R3 spot at Roland Garros
Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic dug deep Saturday to ensure their bid to recapture the Roland Garros trophy remains on track.

The seventh-seeded duo held off Robert Galloway and John Peers 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 in a one-hour, 46-minute second-round battle. Arevalo and Pavic, the 2024 champions at the clay major in Paris, were outhit by 29 winners to 37, according to Infosys Stats. Yet they earned the decisive break of the third set in the fourth game and did not look back en route to victory.

Currently sixth in the PIF ATP Live Doubles Teams Rankings, Arevalo and Pavic will next take on Sander Arends and David Pel as they chase their first title of 2026.

Alexander Erler and Lucas Miedler also held firm for a three-set victory on Saturday. The Austrian duo overcame Americans Benjamin Kittay and Rajeev Ram 7-5, 4-6, 6-4 to book a meeting with top seeds and defending champions Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos. Meanwhile Andre Goransson and Evan King will play second seeds Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten for a quarter-final spot after defeating Diego Hidalgo and Patrik Trhac 7-6(2), 7-6(4).

Bolelli/Vavassori among seeded teams to shine in Roland Garros R2 action
Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori were among a trio of top teams to deliver statement second-round victories on Friday at Roland Garros.

The fifth-seeded Italians, who have already lifted ATP Masters 1000 trophies in Miami and Rome this season, eased past Yuki Bhambri and Michael Venus 6-3, 6-4 to reach the third round at the clay major for the third consecutive year. The 2024 finalists Bolelli and Vavassori did not face a break point in their 80-minute win against Bhambri and Venus, according to Infosys Stats, and they will next take on Jakub Paul and Marcus Willis in Paris.

Top seeds and defending champions Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos matched Bolelli and Vavassori’s scoreline, overcoming Vasil Kirkov and Bart Stevens 6-3, 6-4. The Spanish-Argentine duo will play Benjamin Kittay and Rajeev Ram or Alexander Erler and Lucas Miedler for a quarter-final spot.

Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten also enjoyed a straight-sets victory in the French capital. The second seeds downed Mattia Bellucci and Fabian Marozsan 6-1, 6-4 to advance to face Andre Goransson and Evan King or Diego Hidalgo and Patrik Trhac. There was one big upset on Friday, however, with Adam Pavlasek and Petr Rikl sinking third seeds Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool 6-4, 6-4.

Heliovaara/Patten down singles stars in Roland Garros opener
Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten began their quest for a fifth trophy of the 2026 season on Thursday at Roland Garros, where the second seeds eased past singles stars Nuno Borges and Zhang Zhizhen 6-3, 6-3.

Heliovaara and Patten, who are first in the PIF ATP Live Doubles Teams Rankings after a stunning start to the season, will next meet another pair of singles stars in Paris: Mattia Bellucci and Fabian Marozsan.

The 2024 Roland Garros champions Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic and reigning Australian Open winners Christian Harrison and Neal Skupski also sealed their spot in the second round of the clay-court major on Thursday. Arevalo and Pavic defeated Trey Hilderband and Joshua Paris 6-3, 6-1, while Harrison and Skupski downed Marcelo Melo and Andres Molteni by the same result.

Krawietz/Puetz ignite Roland Garros title bid
Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz opened their title bid at Roland Garros on Wednesday, when the sixth seeds defeated Andrey Golubev and Aleksandr Nedovyesov 7-5, 7-6(4).

With their one-hour, 46-minute victory, the Germans maintained their good run of form through the European clay swing, having triumphed at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Monte-Carlo last month and at the ATP 500 on home soil in Hamburg last week.

Krawietz is a two-time champion at Roland Garros, but he and Puetz are aiming to win their first major trophy together this fortnight. Tenth seeds Hugo Nys and Edouard Roger-Vasselin were also winners on Wednesday in Paris, where they rallied past Vit Kopriva and Filip Pieczonka 2-6, 7-6(5), 6-1.

Granollers & Zeballos kickstart Roland Garros title defence in style
Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos launched their Roland Garros title defence in commanding fashion on Tuesday.

The top seeds needed just 58 minutes to beat Marton Fucsovics and Marcos Giron 6-3, 6-2 and advance to the second round at the clay-court major. They converted four of the five break points they earned, according to Infosys Stats, en route to their opening-round triumph.

Granollers and Zeballos, who won their first two major trophies at Roland Garros and the US Open last year, will next face Frenchmen Corentin Moutet and Luca Van Assche or Vasil Kirkov and Bart Stevens.

In other first-round doubles action, third seeds Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool defeated Gonzalo Escobar and Jean-Julien Rojer 6-3, 7-6(5) in one hour and 30 minutes. Austin Krajicek and Nikola Mektic eased past French wild cards Adrian Mannarino and Fabrice Martin 6-4, 6-4.

Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti remains optimistic that injured talisman Neymar will recover from a calf injury in time to feature at the 2026 World Cup. The Italian tactician confirmed that the 34-year-old forward is making excellent progress individually and will undergo a decisive medical scan on Monday before potentially rejoining full squad training next week.

Selecao suffer mixed fitness fortunesAncelotti delivered crucial selection updates ahead of Brazil’s final international warm-up match against Egypt this Saturday. While Neymar’s positive rehabilitation timeline handed the squad a massive boost, central defender Gabriel Magalhaes will miss the friendly match due to physical fatigue following his recent Champions League final exploits. The manager confirmed that Douglas Santos will start at left-back, with goalkeeper Weverton scheduled to feature in the second half as the coaching staff manage their defensive resources carefully.

Ancelotti clarifies talisman’s schedule

The Selecao boss outlined the strict medical protocol the superstar must clear before being integrated back into full-contact sessions. Providing an exhaustive breakdown of the forward’s recovery plan, Ancelotti said: “I think his situation is very clear… (Neymar) is doing excellent individual work. After the weekend, he will undergo an MRI, and then, if everything goes well, he can train with the squad next week.”

Tactical tweaks ahead of showpiece

The technical staff are using their final exhibition match to move away from their traditional four-man frontline and trial different tactical variations. Handing starting berths to Lucas Paqueta and Igor Thiago, Ancelotti explained: “I have this last game to run tests because, after this, testing becomes much more difficult.”Paqueta is important to us because he brings different characteristics compared to our other midfielders. I want to test Paqueta, as well as Igor Thiago, to look for another option. The system with four players upfront is quite well-established, but I want to try out another option in this final test.”

Final tests precede group campaign

The upcoming friendly represents a critical threshold for fringe players looking to secure spots before competitive tournament football limits tactical experimentation. Following the medical assessments on Monday, the squad will finalise preparations for their Group C opening fixture against Morocco on June 13. With a subsequent group match scheduled against Haiti, the five-time world champions are heavily favoured to progress smoothly, giving Neymar an ideal competitive runway to fully regain sharpness.