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The draw for the ATP 500 Queen's Club Championships has been announced, featuring five Top-10 stars led by Carlos Alcaraz and Jack Draper. The tournament, running from June 16 to 22, marks the grass-court season debut for several major players, serving as a key preparatory event for Wimbledon.
This year's tournament won't feature defending champion Tommy Paul or 2024 finalist Lorenzo Musetti, both sidelined by injury. However, a host of big names are vying for the title, including Taylor Fritz, Holger Rune, Ben Shelton, and Alex de Minaur.
Alcaraz Returns to Grass, Draper hopes for home glory
Carlos Alcaraz makes his highly anticipated return to grass courts after clinching his second consecutive Roland Garros title. He's in impeccable form, riding a 13-match winning streak. The Spaniard is undoubtedly the favorite for the title and faces a challenging opening match against compatriot Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the first round. Alcaraz will be looking to lift the Queen's trophy again, having previously won it in 2023.
At the bottom half of the draw, Jack Draper leads the charge and emerges as a strong favorite. He's preparing for a tricky first-round opponent in American Jenson Brooksby, who can spring a surprise when he's on form. Draper reached the semifinals last year, even eliminating Alcaraz along the way, and will be the local hope to see a British champion for the first time since Andy Murray in 2016.
Fritz, Rune, and Shelton eye deep runs
The third seed, Taylor Fritz, who just reached the final in his first grass tournament at the Stuttgart Open, will face a qualifier at Queen's. With three career titles on the surface, this could be an ideal scenario for the American to regain momentum in a season where he's lost some of the prominence he had in 2024.
Other favorites include Holger Rune (4th seed), who debuts against Italian Matteo Arnaldi, and Ben Shelton (6th seed), who will also face a qualifier in his opening match.
Blockbuster first-round clashes
This year's Miami Open champion, Jakub Mensik, aims to prove his strong form on grass. Entering as the 8th seed, he'll debut against local wildcard Cameron Norrie. The Brit boasts 11 wins in his last 14 matches, with his only losses coming against Novak Djokovic (twice) and Daniil Medvedev. On home turf, Norrie will be a tough hurdle for Mensik, who still needs to demonstrate his adaptability to these surfaces ahead of Wimbledon.
Another match stealing the spotlight in the first round is between Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov and France's Gael Monfils. Two of the most experienced and talented players on Tour will face off again. Dimitrov will be playing his first tournament after an unfortunate injury three weeks ago at Roland Garros, which forced him to retire in his first-round match against Ethan Quinn. Monfils, on the other hand, is coming off a first-round loss in Stuttgart against 7th seed Alex Michelsen and will be seeking his first win on grass this season.
Draw London
< Previous Round Next Round > R32 Carlos Alcaraz (1) Alejandro Davidovich Fokina Jordan Thompson Jaume Munar Reilly Opelka Camilo Ugo Carabelli (Q) Ben Shelton (6) Holger Rune (4) Matteo Arnaldi Grigor Dimitrov Gaël Monfils Roberto Bautista Agut Nuno Borges Cameron Norrie (WC) Jakub Menšík (8) Alex de Minaur (5) Jiří Lehečka Gabriel Diallo Billy Harris (WC) Jacob Fearnley (Q) (Q) Taylor Fritz (3) Frances Tiafoe (7) Daniel Evans (WC) Brandon Nakashima Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard Alexei Popyrin (Q) Jenson Brooksby Jack Draper (2) R16 QF SF FMore must-reads:
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TODAY'S BEST
Cardinals announce Nolan Arenado news
The St. Louis Cardinals have fallen out of playoff contention in recent weeks, sitting at 58–58, and have shifted toward a clear rebuild after trading All-Star closer Ryan Helsley at the deadline. One name that surfaced in trade rumors but will remain with the club through season’s end is veteran third baseman Nolan Arenado. Now in his fifth season with St. Louis after being acquired from the Colorado Rockies ahead of 2021, the 34-year-old is enduring the worst offensive stretch of his 13-year career. Through 96 games, Arenado is hitting just .235 with a .660 OPS and 10 home runs — all of which are career lows for a full season. Cardinals provide Nolan Arenado update To make matters worse, Arenado was placed on the 10-day injured list on Aug. 1 with a right shoulder injury. Ahead of Wednesday’s series finale against the Dodgers, manager Oliver Marmol announced that Arenado will report to Jupiter, Florida, on Friday to begin a rehab assignment. The club hopes that once his shoulder strengthens, he’ll be able to return to game action soon. Arenado’s legacy remains one of the game's best Despite the down year, Arenado’s career remains incredible. Between his time with the Rockies and Cardinals, he’s earned eight All-Star selections, 10 Gold Gloves — cementing his status as one of the best defensive third basemen ever — and five Silver Slugger awards. Since joining St. Louis five seasons ago, he’s batting .266 with a .779 OPS, 116 home runs and 415 RBI, helping the team reach the postseason in 2021 and 2022.
Gap between star WR Terry McLaurin, Commanders revealed
As of Thursday morning, the Washington Commanders and Terry McLaurin remained in a contract stalemate after the 29-year-old wide receiver in the final year of his current deal requested a trade. During Thursday's edition of the ESPN "Get Up" program, NFL insider Jeremy Fowler noted that the Commanders and McLaurin are locked in "a classic standoff" as McLaurin allegedly looks to secure "parts" of the five-year, $150M deal that the Pittsburgh Steelers gave DK Metcalf this past March. "They have been far apart," Fowler said about the negotiations between the Commanders and McLaurin, as shared by Joseph Zucker of Bleacher Report. "...[McLaurin] has wanted metrics of the DK Metcalf contract, which is $32M. I'm told the Washington Commanders have only been slightly above where he was before, which is $23M. So take that gap, that's $7M to 8M that they have to bridge." Fowler added that Washington "has got some calls about McLaurin" this summer because "there's some interest league-wide" in learning whether or not the wideout could become available. For what it's worth, numerous reporters have said since McLaurin went public with his trade request that he likely won't go anywhere before Washington opens the season with a home game against the New York Giants on Sept. 7. ESPN's John Keim mentioned that Washington's joint practice with the New England Patriots on Wednesday showed that the Commanders "need McLaurin back on the field" as soon as possible. That's understandable, as McLaurin recorded team highs of 117 targets, 82 receptions and 1,096 receiving yards to help quarterback Jayden Daniels become the Offensive Rookie of the Year for the 2024 season. Additionally, McLaurin finished the 2024 campaign ranked second in the entire NFL with 13 touchdown catches. As of Thursday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook continued to list a Washington team coming off a trip to this year's NFC Championship Game sixth among the betting favorites at +1800 odds to win Super Bowl LX. Perhaps Wednesday's joint practice will spark more positive conversations between McLaurin's camp and the Commanders that will result in the playmaker rejoining summer practices as soon as early next week.
Jalen Milroe surges past former NFL starter on first Seattle Seahawks depth chart
Despite being viewed as a potential first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, former Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe ended up sliding into the third round. The 22-year-old — who was the starter for Alabama for two seasons — was selected with the No. 92 pick by the Seattle Seahawks. Although every player's dream is to go in the first round, Milroe likely couldn't have gone to a better situation. There is virtually no pressure on him as the Seahawks signed former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold to a three-year, $100.5 million contract this offseason, and they also have Drew Lock, who has started 28 career games on the roster as well. However, based on ESPN's initial depth chart, Milroe may be climbing the depth chart sooner than most expected. Seattle Seahawks depth chart As reported by ESPN, the Seahawks depth chart goes as follows: QB1: Sam Darnold QB2 Jalen Milroe QB3 Drew Lock If this truly ends up being the case, Milroe has taken major strides following his final season at Alabama. During his last year in Tuscaloosa, Milroe was criticized heavily for forcing passes into windows that weren't there after being late on reads. In his final season at Alabama, Milroe threw a career-high 11 interceptions to just 16 touchdowns, an increase of five more interceptions than he threw in 2023. Although training camp is still ongoing and the preseason games have yet to be played, clearly, Milroe is finding some success in the Pacific Northwest.
Liverpool set to sell big-name forward to finance Alexander Isak deal
Liverpool is on the verge of offloading striker Darwin Nunez to Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal in a deal reportedly worth up to £56.6M, approximately $75M. The move would bring an end to Nunez’s three-year stint at Anfield, where he registered 40 goals in 143 appearances after arriving from Benfica in 2022 for an initial £64M plus add-ons. The Reds are poised to take a financial hit on the 26-year-old, marking a significant loss on their original investment. Despite flashes of promise, Nunez struggled to deliver consistent performances in a Liverpool shirt. He gradually slipped down the pecking order, drawing increasing criticism for his inefficiency in front of the goal. Al Hilal is said to be offering a fixed fee of £46.2M, with performance-related bonuses taking the potential total to £56.6 million. Nunez is expected to sign a lucrative multiyear contract. While the transfer represents a financial setback, it aligns with Liverpool’s wider strategy of refreshing its squad under new head coach Arne Slot. The club has already spent close to £275M ($350M) this summer on high-profile signings, including Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong, showcasing a bold rebuild following last season’s Premier League title triumph. Funds from the Nunez sale are expected to be redirected toward Liverpool’s pursuit of Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak. The Reds’ initial £120M package for the Sweden international was rejected, but they are reportedly preparing a revised bid. Isak has recently been training away from Newcastle’s first team following his return from injury, and Liverpool is hopeful of capitalizing, although a deal may hinge on Newcastle securing a replacement. The Magpies are said to be wary of losing out on RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko, with Manchester United attempting to hijack that move. Still, Liverpool currently faces little direct competition for Isak and views him as a key piece in its attacking plans. Moving Nunez is a critical step in freeing up both funds and squad space as Liverpool aims to land yet another marquee forward it believes can lead its frontline in the Slot era.
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