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Carlos Alcaraz is awaiting his French Open debut as the defending champion, although this isn’t the first time he’s competed at Roland Garros since capturing his third Grand Slam title. The Spaniard also played a major role at the Olympic Games six weeks later, ultimately falling to Novak Djokovic in the final.
The Serbian finally secured the long-awaited Olympic gold in Paris 2024, completing the only major title missing from his legendary career. Meanwhile, Alcaraz missed the chance to become the youngest tennis player to win Olympic singles gold. After the tournament, Djokovic expressed his intention to compete once again at the Olympics in Los Angeles 2028, when he will be 41.
Despite struggling with form since early 2024 and lacking his usual consistency, there are no signs that Djokovic plans to retire anytime soon. Alcaraz was asked about Djokovic’s chances of defending his Olympic title.
“Well, I mean, his body is feeling like he’s 25 years old. It is crazy how he maintains such a good level going into matches. The level is another thing,” said the four-time Grand Slam champion. “He can struggle, or he’s been struggling in terms of level. But I think physically he’s in really good shape. It depends on him. I’m pretty sure if his goal is to play another Olympic Games, I think he’s able to do it.”
“Of course, I think he takes great care of his body, of everything, just to be at 100 percent. If he’s got that, he can do it for sure,” added the 22-year-old Spaniard. “I’d be more than happy to see him stay on tour for more years, sharing good moments and good tournaments with him. I’d be more than happy if that happens.”
Alcaraz could potentially meet Djokovic again at Roland Garros if both make deep runs. The Spaniard is the second seed and will play from the bottom half of the draw, while Djokovic returns to the second Slam of the year as the sixth seed, meaning a potential quarter-final clash is on the cards.
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Rory McIlroy Reveals Why He Didn’t Go To St Jude Championship
Last week, the playoffs for the FedEx Cup officially began. The top seventy players of the season have been selected, and they are now off to the races. The first of four events was the St Jude Championship in Memphis, Tennessee. Although it was supposed to have seventy players, there was a notable absence. Rory McIlroy, despite occupying the no. 2 spot in the FedEx rankings, was nowhere to be seen. The decision has led to confusion and criticism. The main question was why he had done it, and now McIlroy has answered that question. Recap On McIlroy And St Jude Fallout Rory McIlroy’s decision has brought him some criticism. Some were calling it disrespectful to the sport and players. People like Johnson Wagner were calling for rule changes to keep such an absence from happening again. He proposed mandatory attendance with wiggle room for emergencies, given that the FedEx Cup has an elimination aspect to it. McIlroy was able to skip the event without any kind of repercussion. Going into the playoffs, he was second in the FedEx Cup rankings, just behind Scottie Scheffler. He was so far ahead of most other players that some people did the math and concluded that he could skip St Jude and the BMW Championship and still be in the race. After the St Jude Championship, McIlroy’s FedEx Cup standing did not change. He remained in second but he will be attending the BMW Championship. McIlroy’s Explanation Ahead of the BMW Championship, Rory McIlroy attended a press conference to answer some questions before the tournament. One of the questions was on his absence from the St Jude Championship, and McIlroy answered that he just needed an extra week off ahead of a very busy schedule. “I just think that extra week off will do me good with the events coming up. Some big events that are important to me—the Irish Open, Wentworth (BMW PGA Championship), obviously the Ryder Cup. I want to try to win my seventh Race to Dubai over in Europe as well. There’s some things that are still important to me that I want to go play in. That was a big part of the reason why I wanted to take that extra week off last week.” During this same conference, McIlroy addressed the need for a rule change after his absence. Mostly questioning if it was even necessary, but ultimately saying that he would support it if need be. McIlroy also pointed out that any rules change would need to keep a lot of people happy, including the media rights partner and the sponsors. Those two like to see big names on the field. Up Next: The BMW Championship Rory McIlroy may have skipped the St Jude Championship, but he’s not skipping the BMW Championship. Nor is he skipping the Ryder Cup, Irish Open, Wentworth, or the Race to Dubai. It was a calculated move, as suspected, but it is for much-needed rest right before McIlroy goes into several big tournaments. McIlroy has nine very busy weeks ahead of him, and he needs to save his strength before each one. For now, though, he is focusing on retaining his position during the BMW Championship this week.
Five best NFL offseason value signings on offense: Bills get great deal with RB extension
Few know how to spend money like an NFL front office. This offseason, teams handed out over $4 billion in extensions alone, not to mention the several other billions spent in free agency. But which were the shrewdest investments? Below, we examine the best value signings at five positions on offense: quarterback, running back, wide receiver, tight end and offensive line. Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith Contract: Two years, $75 million ($65.5M guaranteed) Shortly after acquiring Smith in a trade from the Seattle Seahawks, the Raiders extended the 2022 Associated Press Comeback Player of the Year to a contract that raises the Raiders' floor while maintaining flexibility. Smith has a manageable $26.5M cap hit in 2026, when Over The Cap projects Las Vegas to have the third-most cap space ($78.7M) based on an estimated 5.8 percent cap increase. Since 2022, Smith has the third-highest completion percentage (68.5 percent) among 32 quarterbacks with at least 20 starts during that span. He's also tied with Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes for the second-most fourth-quarter comebacks (10) and trails only Mahomes in game-winning drives. Buffalo Bills running back James Cook Contract: Four years, $48M ($30M guaranteed) Los Angeles Rams running back Kyren Williams pierced Cook's bubble when he signed a three-year, $33M extension on Aug. 5. The Bills running back sought $15M per year, making his $12M in annual average value (AAV) a huge win for Buffalo. Over Cook's first three seasons, he's averaged 4.9 yards per carry. In 2024, he led the NFL with 16 rushing touchdowns. With just 533 career tackles, Cook doesn't have the wear-and-tear of other backs who've made splashes early in their careers, raising hopes that he can withstand the workload that comes with being Buffalo's featured back. Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins Contract: Four years, $115M ($40.9M guaranteed) The Bengals retained Higgins at a remarkable price, keeping him in Cincinnati at less than $30M per year, the going rate for the league's top wideouts. Per Spotrac, while Higgins is No. 10 in AAV among wide receivers, he ranks just outside the top 20 in guaranteed money. Last season, Higgins averaged 75.9 receiving yards per game, his most since 2021, and scored a career-high 10 touchdowns despite missing five games due to injury. Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride Contract: Four years, $76M ($43M guaranteed) The 2024 first-team All-Pro ranks No. 1 among tight ends in guaranteed salary. However, if he continues producing numbers more akin to WR1s — last season, he had 111 receptions, 1,146 receiving yards and two touchdowns — his contract will be one of the league's better bargains. Baltimore Ravens offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley Contract: Three years, $60M ($44M guaranteed) Stanley's journey back from a devastating 2020 lower leg injury culminated in the 2019 first-team All-Pro being named a Pro Bowler for the second time in his first nine seasons last year. The No. 6 overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft was rewarded with a contract that will keep him in Baltimore through his age-33 season. In terms of average annual value, his extension ranks below other left tackles who signed contracts this offseason, and not just younger players such as Rashawn Slater (Los Angeles Chargers), who was recently lost for the season, and Bernhard Raimann (Indianapolis Colts). Atlanta Falcons tackle Jake Matthews, 33, is averaging $22.5M on his current deal, while Las Vegas Raiders tackle Kolton Miller, 29, is set to earn $22M per year through 2028.
Steelers Rookie Develops A-List Nickname In Training Camp
Pittsburgh Steelers training camp has seen all of the focus be on Aaron Rodgers, and rightly so, but there are others who are catching the eye with their performances. However, there is one undrafted free agent rookie who is making a name for himself, quite literally and it is running back Max Hurleman. The former Notre Dame star has been putting together good days of practice for Mike Tomlin's offense, but he has also developed quite the nickname among his teammates, and it is a nod to an A-list actor. Steelers beat reporter Mark Kaboly detailed the nickname in a long-winded X post. “Maybe it’s because of his chiseled jaw, or possibly because he can do his own stunts like a backflip in full pads after scoring a touchdown,” Kaboly posted. “Whatever the reason is, Steelers rookie Max Hurleman has been saddled with quite a unique and interesting nickname. His teammates call him … Tom Cruise.” That is quite the name, and it isn't just that which is making people begin to notice Hurleman...it's his feats on the field. In the 31-25 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars in the first preseason game, Hurleman hauled in a 26-yard reception and followed that up with a nice touchdown grab, which he celebrated by performing a backflip in the endzone. Whether or not Hurleman makes the final 53-man roster is unknown, but it is clear he is leaving no stone unturned in his attempts to, and who knows, with a nickname like Tom Cruise, he might just do something thought "impossible" and survive roster cuts.
Canadiens Should Run From This Nazem Kadri Trade Proposal
Trade proposals are a fun way to pass the summer lull in NHL news. But, not all trade pitches are great ideas. A recent hypothetical linking the Calgary Flames and Nazem Kadri to the Montreal Canadiens does not quite pass the smell test. The pitch was presented by Kuljit Parmar of the FanSided blog “A Winning Habit,”. In it, he suggests the Canadiens send Juraj Slafkovsky, Alex Newhook, and a draft pick to Calgary for Kadri, removing a high-ceiling winger for a second-line center fix. The trade pitch is not just bold — it’s a massive overpayment. Why This Trade Makes Little Sense for the Canadiens As productive as Kadri was last season, he’s also 13 years older than the key piece going back to the Flames in Slafkovsky. At just 21, Slafkovsky has untapped NHL potential, whereas it won’t be long before Kadri shows the natural decline that comes with age. Yes, Kadri posted 75 points in 2023-24 and 67 in 2024-25, but it won’t be long before he shows signs of an inevitable downswing. History tells us that forwards in their mid-30s rarely maintain elite production for long, and with four years left at a $7 million cap hit, Kadri is a risky investment. Slafkovsky, on the other hand, is entering the stage of his career where true breakout seasons happen. He’s coming off back-to-back 50-plus point campaigns and has barely scratched the surface of his potential. His combination of size, skill, and growing confidence under Martin St. Louis gives the Canadiens something hard to come by — a cost-controlled, high-upside top-six winger for years to come. Trading him now for a player on the back nine of his career would be selling low on a future star while buying high on a veteran whose best days may already be behind him. Even if Kadri brought short-term grit and playoff experience, Montreal is not yet in a “win-now” window. Sacrificing a foundational piece for a two- or three-year push is short-sighted team building. The Money Is Also a Massive Consideration in This Trade Even more head-scratching is the financial side of this proposal. The Canadiens would be sending out $10.5 million in the deal, and including a draft pick. If the idea is to dump Newhook onto the Flames, that seems odd considering he offers decent production. If the idea is to sweeten the deal with Newhook and the pick, it’s wild to imagine the Flames wouldn’t see Slafkovsky as payment enough. Kadri’s leadership and tenacity are valuable, but they’re not worth mortgaging the future for. The Canadiens should be focused on developing their young core, not dismantling it. Trading Slafkovsky now would be the kind of move that haunts a franchise for a decade. Simply put, this isn’t just a bad trade idea. It’s one that could derail Montreal’s long-term vision entirely.
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