John McEnroe became the unexpected punchline during TNT Sports’ coverage of the French Open final after failing to show up on time.
The broadcast opened with an empty seat where the outspoken tennis icon was meant to be, leaving host Rachel Stringer joined only by pundits Tim Henman and Chris Evert. The trio were set to launch coverage of the much-anticipated clash between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, but McEnroe was conspicuously absent.
Stringer kept things diplomatic, saying he was "running behind schedule." Evert retorted, however, stating, "He’s always late," with Henman joining in, joking that the show would carry on with or without him.
When McEnroe finally arrived minutes later, he was met with applause from the fans gathered behind the desk.
Instantly, Henman smiled and joked, "We’ve been waiting hours for you.". To which McEnroe fired back with a smile, "That’s your problem!".
The 66-year-old was quick to offer his version of events. He explained, stating: "We don't want to get into the weeds on this reasoning, there's an insinuation that I am coming in late. But the truth is that I was only asked to do the match, which I believe I am an hour and 10 minutes early for.
"Because I wanted to lay it all on the line for this, I was on the way and all of a sudden someone called from TNT UK and they said 'hey where's John?' and I am stuck in traffic because there is a marathon on, so I came later than I thought. I was planning on being here at 1.15pm just in case anyone needed me. Which clearly you don't! You have got Chrissy and Tim, my brother Andre [Agassi], Jim [Courier] who came over here, I mean come on.".
The panel’s playful jabs didn’t stop there. When asked if he had done his homework on the final, McEnroe fired back with a grin, “Since when have I not done my homework?”
Despite the lighthearted ribbing, McEnroe took it all in stride, noting with a chuckle that the broadcast was already stacked with top tennis talent.
Later in the show, McEnroe took a moment away from the tennis talk to send a heartfelt message. He spoke about recently watching a documentary on legendary musician Billy Joel, who has been diagnosed with Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus, a brain disorder. "I want to wish him a speedy recovery," McEnroe said sincerely. "He’s one of the greatest performers ever, and it’s tough news. I was watching TV pretty late last night and just wanted to send him all my best.".
With the banter behind them and McEnroe finally settled into his seat, the expert panel turned their full attention to the much-anticipated battle on the clay court between Sinner and Alcaraz, setting the stage for what promised to be a thrilling final.
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The Cleveland Browns are giving Shedeur Sanders special treatment in training camp, but it's not the type of favoritism the fifth-round pick would necessarily want. Per Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN, Sanders is the only Browns quarterback who has not been taking reps with the first-team offense during OTAs or the first two practices of training camp. Former Pittsburgh Steelers first-round pick Kenny Pickett, veteran Joe Flacco and rookie Dillon Gabriel have all split reps with the first team. Despite being asked to throw passes to members of the equipment staff amid a shortage of professional pass-catchers for a four-quarterback roster, Sanders said he's thankful for the opportunity to show the Browns coaching staff his talents. "I feel like that it's not in my control, so I'm not going to think about that or even have that in my thought process of why it is," Sanders said to a question as to why he's not getting first-team reps. "There's a lot of people who want to have the opportunity to be at this level, and I'm here and I'm thankful to have the opportunity. So, whenever that is, that is." Sanders, 23, believes that he can contribute more to the Browns than what the coaching staff is asking of him. "It doesn't make me feel down or left out because I know who I am as a person," Sanders said. "I know who I am as an individual and I know what I could bring to this team. So, I can never feel less than any circumstance." The Browns selected Sanders with the No. 144 pick in April's draft. As a player whom many draft analysts thought was a first-round talent, Cleveland took what could be the steal of the draft in the fifth round. It's curious why the Browns aren't giving Sanders a shot with the first team early in training camp before the quarterback race becomes more serious. Cleveland should absolutely see what Sanders has to offer this summer. Flacco, 40, isn't a long-term solution at the position. Pickett failed in Pittsburgh. The Browns need to gauge what rookies Gabriel and Sanders can do with the first team. Having Sanders throw balls to the equipment staff is a waste of everyone's time. But then again, Cleveland has wasted plenty of quarterbacks.
Being the backup quarterback isn't necessarily the most exciting role for anyone, but for a team like the Miami Dolphins, where starter Tua Tagovailoa has suffered four concussions since entering the NFL in 2020, it could be vital. As of now, a clear battle for that spot has formed between rookie seventh-round pick Quinn Ewers and veteran former first-round selection Zach Wilson as they go head-to-head. Of course, training camp is where these kinds of questions can be solved, and so far, it appears that Ewers has done a good job in putting his best foot forward. On Friday, David Furones of the Sun Sentinel gave a very positive update on the young quarterback, stating, "Dolphins rookie QB Quinn Ewers had a strong third practice of training camp. Made several impressive, big-time throws." The update sparked conversations among many fans, both supporting Ewers and a serious showing that there's interest in seeing who comes out on top. "Show ‘em, Quinn," said one comment. "He just does a lot of things (anticipatory throws, timing throws, MOTF accuracy, etc.) that fit this system much better than what Wilson does. I think with refinement and development we could have a backup in Miami that can operate the offense efficiently…finally," said another. "Love to hear it!" a third added. A fourth stated, "I'd be surprised if he's not the backup.." "I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Quinn Ewers has the physical tools to stick at the next level. It’s just a matter of shaping the rest," a fifth continued. "That’s QB2 potential QB1 in the future Glad we drafted Ewers," said another. Another big test for both Ewers and Wilson will be during the Dolphins' three preseason games, as the coaching staff will get a much better look at how these two perform during live matchups. Luckily for both, though, being the backup is all they're truly fighting for, as Kyle Crabbs of A to Z Sports predicts that each will make the final 53-man roster, with cuts needing to be made by Aug. 27.
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