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World No. 2 Alexander Zverev will be looking to defend his title at the 2025 Italian Open now. However, this would be a Herculean task for the German, as he will also have to face the return of World No. 1 Jannik Sinner and World No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz in Rome. Both had withdrawn from the tournament last year.
Sinner is returning to tour after the end of his three-month doping suspension, while Alcaraz returns after a brief pause he took due to an injury he encountered during the Barcelona Open finals, where he lost to Holger Rune . During the press conference ahead of the Italian Open, Zverev addressed his poor form this season, attributing it to the exhaustion he faced after the Australian Open.
Before the Munich tournament, my tennis level was really poor, and I know the reason why. Not taking a few weeks off after the Australian Open was a mistake because I ended up mentally exhausted. Tennis is a tough sport; we need to give both the body and mind a break, and I didn’t do that when I should have. Now I must be positive and remember that I won a tournament two weeks ago
Alexander Zverev said at the Italian Open press conference (H/T: Punto de Break)
Zverev played his third Grand Slam final at the Australian Open this year, however, he lost to defending champion Jannik Sinner. It was a heartbreaking loss for Zverev, who is yet to lift a Grand Slam title. His performance dwindled following that tournament, as he failed to progress beyond the quarterfinals in the South American swing and faced early exits in the Sunshine swing.
He started off his clay season with an opening round exit at the Monte Carlo Masters. Alcaraz went on to win that tournament and briefly overtook him for the World No. 2 rank. Zverev, however, regained his previous rank after winning the BMW Open the same day Alcaraz lost the Barcelona Open.
Zverev defeated Ben Shelton in the BMW Open finals to clinch his third title in Munich. After the BMW Open, Zverev played in the Madrid Open, where he lost in the Round of 16 to Francisco Cerundolo.
Alexander Zverev will be aiming for a third Italian Open title
Alexander Zverev is a two-time champion at the Italian Open. He won the tournament for the first time in 2017, where he defeated Novak Djokovic in straight sets in the finals. It marked his first Masters 1000 title. Last year, Zverev defeated Nicolas Jarry in the finals to clinch this title. Zverev will be aiming for his 25th career title in the Italian Open this season.
This year he’ll kick-start his Italian Open campaign facing Camilo Ugo Carabelli in the opening round. Zverev will be facing the Argentine for the first time.
Zverev has met Carlos Alcaraz 11 times on court and edges him 6-5 in the head-to-head encounters. They once again could set up a blockbuster match if both of them advance to the semifinals of the Italian Open. The winner of the match could potentially schedule the showdown with Jannik Sinner. Sinner will be aiming for his first clay court title above an ATP 250 level.
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Commanders looking to trade offensive star amid Terry McLaurin drama
The Washington Commanders have another offensive player on the radar for the preseason trade market. Per NFL insider Jordan Schultz, the Commanders are shopping running back Brian Robinson Jr. in the final year of his rookie contract. "Sources: The Commanders have been shopping RB Brian Robinson Jr. to teams around the NFL," Schultz posted on X. "The former 3rd-round pick out of Alabama is entering the final year of his contract." Robinson's situation with the Commanders comes at a time when Terry McLaurin's future with the team is unclear. The star wide receiver requested a trade early during training camp amid an impasse in negotiations with the front office for a contract extension. On Saturday, the Commanders took McLaurin off the physically unable to perform list, but the move doesn't mean anything has changed on the stalemate front. Offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury has been frustrated with injuries and McLaurin's contract situation making it hard on the staff to prepare and evaluate the unit for the regular season. Robinson's potential trade is another obstacle Kingsbury will have to think about in the preseason. Kinsbury recently praised Robinson for his performance last week against the New England Patriots. "He's a guy that when you put the pads on and you really practice full speed is when he really shows up," Kinsbury said, via JP Finlay of NBC Sports. "I thought he had his best practice against New England when we did the competition versus them before the game." Robinson has appeared in 41 games and started 37. He's rushed for 2,329 yards and 15 touchdowns during his first three years in the league. He's added 587 receiving yards and five touchdowns in the passing game. With one more preseason game remaining, the Commanders have their No. 1 receiver and running back attached to the trade market.
Saints' QB picture remains unclear with end of preseason nearing
New Orleans Saints rookie head coach Kellen Moore still doesn't seem to love his quarterback options heading into the season. After a 17-17 home tie against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, Moore refused to name a starting QB in his postgame news conference. "We'll see," the coach said when asked if he would announce a starter this week. Perhaps Moore wants to use the preseason finale against the Denver Broncos on Aug. 23 to make the best decision for the team, or he still has doubts about both of his QBs. Saints rookie QB Tyler Shough started Sunday, while Spencer Rattler was the backup. The 2025 second-round pick out of Louisville wasn't awful, but he wasn't outstanding. He completed 9-of-12 passes for 66 yards and was sacked twice. When Shough exited after the second quarter, the Saints trailed 17-3 and had punted three times. New Orleans could've been losing by more if Jaguars starting QB Trevor Lawrence hadn't fumbled a handoff in the red zone on the game's opening drive. Rattler entered the game in the third quarter and played better. The South Carolina product spurred a 14-point comeback and led a nine-play, 82-yard drive late in the fourth quarter. At the end of the drive, Rattler tossed a 20-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Dante Pettis. The QB then scrambled for a two-point conversion, tying the game at 17-17. Rattler finished 18-of-24 passing for 199 yards, one TD and one interception. While the comeback was impressive, he probably can't pull off the same magic against a first-team defense in the regular season. Plus, the Saints had struggled to score in the red zone until the final drive—two of Rattler's five drives ended in field goals. The offense looks slightly better with Rattler, which could give him an edge in the competition. However, he has yet to prove he's a viable starter. The 2024 fifth-rounder had a 0-6 starting record during his rookie season. It's easy to see why Moore is delaying his decision. His options don't seem to give him a chance for immediate success in New Orleans.
Jets QB Justin Fields under fire for limited 'processing' in preseason
The biggest question coming into the summer about New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields has not been answered or even experimented with much during the preseason. Fields is known for his ability to scramble, but has been criticized for his inability to consistently push the ball downfield as a passer during his time with the Chicago Bears and Pittsburgh Steelers. On Saturday, Fields finished 1-of-5 passing for four yards in the Jets' 31-12 loss to the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic has noticed that the Jets aren't requiring Fields to attempt deep throws at practices, joint practices and preseason games. Rosenblatt doesn't believe Fields' 3.9 air yards per attempt in the preseason can translate to winning when the games start counting in September. "So far this summer, Fields has not inspired confidence that he’s a different quarterback than he was in Chicago and Pittsburgh — that is, an extremely athletic quarterback with good arm strength but limitations in terms of accuracy and processing," Rosenblatt wrote. "It’s only the preseason and far too early to panic, but it is fair to wonder how long the Jets can survive without a passing game that can threaten defenses. A quarterback who’s not willing to take shots down the field, in the preseason, is not someone who’s going to scare opposing defensive coordinators." The Jets don't have another realistic option to start at quarterback other than Fields. Tyrod Taylor is a career backup. Adrian Martinez and Brady Cook are battling for a spot on the practice squad. The Jets need to see what Fields can do when he has to throw the ball downfield to win games. Even if Fields doesn't chuck passes in preseason games, the Jets coaching staff needs to force the 2021 first-round pick to attempt deep throws at practice. If Fields cannot execute that part of the offense, the Jets should look at bringing in another quarterback before the regular season.
Why the Blue Jays need to give up on Alek Manoah
There was a time when Alek Manoah appeared destined to be a top-of-the-rotation starter for the Toronto Blue Jays. Manoah had an impressive 2022 season, posting a 2.24 ERA and a 0.992 WHiP over his 196.2 innings, striking out 180 batters with 51 walks. He was named to the All-Star Game and finished third in the American League Cy Young award vote. That season proved to be the high point of Manoah's career. He arrived at spring training in 2023 out of shape, setting off a firestorm when an MLB Network analyst said Manoah needed to spend more time in the gym. He struggled all season, posting a 5.87 ERA and a 1.740 WHiP over his 87.1 innings, striking out 79 batters but issuing 59 walks. Manoah spent a month in the Florida Complex League to work on mechanical issues and was later banished to Triple-A for the rest of the season. Since then, Manoah has battled injuries and continued command issues, making just five appearances for the Blue Jays in 2024. His most recent rehab start following Tommy John surgery was a disaster as he allowed three runs on three hits and two walks while recording five outs. Manoah has posted an 11.57 ERA and a 2.714 WHiP over seven innings covering four starts, striking out six batters while issuing eight walks and hitting three batters. The Blue Jays have held out hope that Manoah could rediscover his 2022 form. However, each mediocre outing and injury puts that season further in the rearview mirror. Meanwhile, the Blue Jays are in the midst of a playoff push while eyeing the AL East title. They need players who can help down the stretch. Manoah has not displayed any signs that he can be part of the solution this year or in the future. The Blue Jays continue to stand by Manoah in hopes that he can rediscover his form. At this point, it may be best for both sides if the Blue Jays cut the former All-Star loose.
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