Sports
‘Sincaraz’ rivalry lights up 2025 season | The Express Tribune
Italy’s Jannik Sinner and Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz shake hands after the final. Photo: REUTERS
Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner turned 2025 into a gripping tug-of-war for tennis supremacy by carving up the Grand Slams for a second straight year, while the women’s game showcased depth and drama with four different major champions.
Sinner’s dominant victory over Alexander Zverev at the start of the season helped him retain his Australian Open title and become the first Italian to capture three majors, moving past Nicola Pietrangeli who won back-to-back French Opens in 1959-60.
What followed after Sinner’s three-month ban in February for anti-doping violations in 2024 was nothing short of spectacular, as he took his era-defining rivalry with Alcaraz to the biggest stage in an epic five-set Roland Garros final.
Alcaraz ultimately prevailed after saving three match points – one of the sport’s great comebacks in the longest Paris final at five hours and 29 minutes – with the Spaniard establishing himself as the “Prince of Clay” in the post-Rafa Nadal era.
The “Sincaraz” slugfest continued in the Wimbledon final, where Sinner avenged his painful defeat by beating Alcaraz to raise his first trophy on the famous All England Club lawns, perfectly setting up their inevitable U.S. Open showdown.
After thumping Novak Djokovic in the semi-final to prolong the Serb’s wait for a record 25th major title, Alcaraz dazzled under New York’s lights to dismantle Sinner in the final and tighten his grip on their rivalry.
“I give 100% every day to improve … to see what I can do better to beat Jannik and win these kinds of trophies,” Alcaraz said after his second U.S. Open triumph.
“Having this rivalry means a lot. It’s super special for me, for him and for people who enjoy it every single time we play.”
With six Grand Slam titles under his belt to Sinner’s four, Alcaraz will look to eclipse Nadal and become the youngest man to complete the set of all majors when he heads Down Under in the New Year.
Melbourne provided the biggest surprise in the women’s game as Madison Keys dethroned Aryna Sabalenka to win her first Grand Slam title at 29, the American becoming the fourth-oldest first-time major champion in the professional era that began in 1968.
Coco Gauff hoisted the French Open title, beating Sabalenka in the final to give American fans another high point but Amanda Anisimova endured a brutal reality check in the Wimbledon final, where Iga Swiatek triumphed without dropping a game.
Anisimova shrugged off the double bagel and reached the U.S. Open final but more heartbreak was in store as Sabalenka proved too strong in the battle of big-hitters and retained her title, taking her Grand Slam tally to four.
Sabalenka’s hopes of finishing the season with another title were dashed when the world number one was comprehensively beaten in the WTA Finals decider, where Elena Rybakina pocketed $5.235 million after a flawless Riyadh campaign.
Larger prize pots were a major talking point through the season as the Professional Tennis Players’ Association filed a lawsuit against the sport’s stakeholders while leading players wrote to the Grand Slams seeking a bigger slice of the pie.
The first trophy of the season is up for grabs and it is Arsenal and Manchester City competing for the Carabao Cup final at Wembley.
The top two teams in the Premier League could well compete for all three domestic trophies and they have the chance to land the first blow in March in front of 90,000 fans.
You can follow every single moment of the game live on ESPN in what is sure to be a massive, tense affair.
Manchester City reached the final after defeating reigning champions Newcastle United 5-1 on aggregate in the semifinals.
They had previously beaten Huddersfield in the Third Round, before advancing past Swansea and and Brentford.
Arsenal meanwhile navigated past Chelsea in the semi-finals with Kai Havertz‘s 90th minute goal seeing them win 4-2 on aggregate.
They defeated Port Vale in the Third Round, before getting past Brighton and Crystal Palace on penalties in the quarterfinals.
City have won the League Cup eight times, most recently in 2021, while Arsenal have won it only twice and not since 1993.
Sports
Tom Brady shines in return to football field despite losses at Fanatics Flag Football Classic
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Even three years removed from the game, Tom Brady looks like he could drop back and sling the pigskin for an NFL team.
Brady highlighted the first-ever Fanatics Flag Football Classic on Saturday at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, and not just because he was back on a football field for the first time since he officially retired.
The 48-year-old was throwing darts.
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Tom Brady of the Founders FFC warms up before the Fanatics Flag Football Classic at BMO Stadium on March 21, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Michael Owens/Getty Images for OBB Media – FANATICS STUDIOS)
Brady, surrounded by current and former NFL players, as well as the U.S. national flag football squad, threw for 85 total yards on the small field with two touchdowns over his two games played in the inaugural event.
Brady’s co-captain, Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl LIX MVP Jalen Hurts, started for their Founders FFC crew, throwing for 224 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions. Brady came in after Hurts, and it was like old times as he was throwing all over the field.
BRADY, GRONK, HURTS, BURROW: FANATICS FLAG FOOTBALL CLASSIC DRAFT RESULTS
Of course, Brady couldn’t go without finding his trusty tight end, Rob Gronkowski, who secured a two-point conversion after a touchdown. Gronkowski, though, went out early in the contest due to a hamstring injury.
While Brady performed well, his squad was blown out by Team USA Football, 43-16, in that game. Brady and Founders FFC would have a chance at revenge in the championship game, but the U.S. team, which knew exactly how to take advantage with flag football rules, beat them again, 24-14.
Brady’s competitive edge was in full bloom, saying “my heart is really hurting right now,” between his losses.
Tom Brady of the Founders FFC avoids a sack by Shawn Theard Jr. #19 of the US Men’s Flag Football Team during the Fanatics Flag Football Classic at BMO Stadium on March 21, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images for for OBB Media – FANATICS STUDIOS)
But he said before the contests that he felt “great” about stepping on the field and running some plays before the big games on Saturday.
“Fortunately, as an athlete, your body is your asset over a period of time and you learn how to take care of it,” Brady said during practice this week. “Even when you retire, I felt like I still wanted to do the same things after football when I was playing. I still want to be active. I want to be outside. I want to continue to live a healthy, active lifestyle.”
For those thinking Brady could take over at quarterback for an NFL squad, he has shown no wish to walk back his retirement for the second time in his future Hall of Fame career.
Brady is a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders, which has played a large role in precluding a return. He is invested in seeing the rebuild of the team. At the same time, he has enjoyed being part of the FOX Sports broadcast team during the NFL season alongside Kevin Burkhardt.
Tom Brady of the Founders FFC warms up before the Fanatics Flag Football Classic at BMO Stadium on March 21, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Michael Owens/Getty Images for OBB Media – FANATICS STUDIOS)
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But who knows when 2028 rolls around what Brady may be doing, when flag football joins the list of the Summer Games in Los Angeles? Team USA, though, proved on Saturday just how different this style of football can be, even for current NFL stars.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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WELLINGTON: South Africa’s spinners played a decisive role as the tourists won the fourth Twenty20 international against New Zealand by 19 runs on Sunday to square the five-match series 2-2.
New Zealand were well placed to clinch the series midway through their chase in Wellington after the Proteas scored 164-5.
However, from 88-3 after 10 overs, they lost wickets in rapid succession to be all out for 145 off 18.5 overs.
It sends the series, played between weakened sides from both countries, to a decider in Christchurch on Wednesday.
The match swung in favour of South Africa when spinners Keshav Maharaj and Prenelan Subrayen turned the screws through the middle stages of the chase.
Captain Maharaj is comfortably the most experienced member of an experimental tour squad and proved hard to score from as he took 2-22 off four overs.
Subrayen, playing his first T20 international, bowled Dane Cleaver for 26 to spark New Zealand’s middle order crumble and finished with 2-13 off three overs.
Maharaj said his side played with more energy than in defeats in Hamilton and Auckland.
“It was a perfect response to two disappointing losses in a row,” he said.
“Coming into this game, you could see there was a little bit more energy and hunger.
“We are a young team, finding our way in international cricket so it takes a little bit of time.”
Opener Tim Robinson top-scored with 32 for New Zealand while Proteas paceman Gerald Coetzee took 3-31.
South Africa’s innings were dominated by 57 off 36 balls from wicketkeeper Connor Esterhuizen.
He was dismissed by a spectacular outfield catch from Katene Clarke, on his international debut, off Ben Sears’ bowling.
Paceman Sears impressed, taking 1-22 off four overs, which included conceding just two runs off the last over of the innings.
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