It’s only June and we might have the catch of the year already after Athletics outfielder Denzel Clarke pulled off an incredible home run robbery.

The Athletics are in Anaheim playing the Los Angeles Angels, and in the bottom of the first inning of Monday’s contest, Nolan Schanuel took Grant Holman’s splitter deep to center field. It looked like it was going to go over the wall to give the Angels an early 1-0 lead.

Instead, Clarke scaled the wall, reached over and caught the ball in one of the best catches one could make. Clarke got so high he almost went over the wall, but he was hyped as he landed back in the field of play. Mostly everyone, especially Holman, in the stadium couldn’t believe what they saw.

It was an impressive catch for a ball that went 398 feet to center field.

Monday was just Clarke’s 16th game in the big leagues after he was called up in May. Taken in the fourth round of the 2021 MLB Draft out of Cal State Northridge, Clarke entered the night with a .224 batting average with one home run and three RBI, but he already has an all-time highlight play in his career.

It may just be something Clarke does as this isn’t the first time he’s robbed a homer. On May 30 against the Toronto Blue Jays, Clarke robbed Alejandro Kirk from a home run as he scaled the wall to catch the ball back in his home country.

The catch against the Angels come three days after he had another incredible snag against the Baltimore Orioles, as he turned on the jets and hauled in the ball before hitting the wall to steal a hit away from Jorge Mateo.

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Hamlin won the first of three key summer races with his victory in Michigan. It precedes a monumental milestone this weekend for NASCAR: the first international points-paying race since 1958. The Cup Series grid travels to the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez road course in Mexico City for the Viva Mexico 250 on June 15.

The Cup races in Michigan, Mexico City and Pocono Raceway are crucial to NASCAR’s inaugural in-season challenge.

There haven’t been many significant changes to the structure of the Cup Series calendar since the implementation of the playoffs starting in 2004. While NASCAR first introducted a postseason in 2004 with playoffs that have undergone a few changes over the past two decades, this marks the first in-season competition with a tournament held over five races culminating in the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on July 27.

It’s rare to have a new in-season event in the Cup Series. There’s a lot to know about it and we’ve got you covered:

What is the NASCAR in-season challenge?

It is a single-elimination tournament across five races, beginning with the June 28 race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, that includes the top 32 drivers in the Cup Series championship standings following the June 1 race at Nashville Superspeedway.

Those 32 drivers will be up in a bracket and seeded by their best results from the Cup races at Michigan, Mexico City and Pocono. Tiebreakers are the next-best finish from those three seeding races. Drivers advance by finishing higher than their opponent in the bracket.

Each of the five races will cut the field in half, similar to March Madness in college basketball. There will be 32 drivers in contention in the first race, then 16 for the second, eight for the third, four for the fourth and two drivers facing off for the win in the fifth and final race.

NASCAR in-season challenge contestants

The 32-driver field is set. Here’s who will be contending in NASCAR’s first in-season challenge (car number in parentheses):

• (24) William Byron, Chevrolet
• (5) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet
• (20) Christopher Bell, Toyota
• (11) Denny Hamlin, Toyota
• (9) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet
• (45) Tyler Reddick, Toyota
• (12) Ryan Blaney, Ford
• (22) Joey Logano, Ford
• (1) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet
• (23) Bubba Wallace, Toyota
• (19) Chase Briscoe, Toyota
• (48) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet
• (2) Austin Cindric, Ford
• (17) Chris Buescher, Ford
• (8) Kyle Busch, Chevrolet
• (60) Ryan Preece, Ford
• (77) Carson Hocevar, Chevrolet
• (47) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chevrolet
• (16) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet
• (21) Josh Berry, Ford
• (71) Michael McDowell, Chevrolet
• (42) John Hunter Nemechek, Toyota
• (34) Todd Gilliland, Ford
• (43) Erik Jones, Toyota
• (38) Zane Smith, Ford
• (3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet
• (54) Ty Gibbs, Toyota
• (99) Daniel Suarez, Chevrolet
• (7) Justin Haley, Chevrolet
• (10) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet
• (4) Noah Gragson, Ford
• (6) Brad Keselowski, Ford

NASCAR in-season challenge prize

The winner of the inaugural in-season challenge will take home $1 million.

NASCAR in-season challenge races, schedule

The five races of NASCAR in-season challenge are:

• June 28: Quaker State 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway
• July 6: Grant Park 165 at the Chicago Street Course
• July 13: Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway
• July 20: Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400 at Dover Motor Speedway
• July 27: Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway

How to watch the NASCAR in-season challenge

TNT will be broadcasting all five of the in-season challenge races with a secondary broadcast on truTV focused on the specific bracket matchups. Here’s how to watch all of them:

Stream NASCAR in-season challenge races on Sling

Quaker State 400

• Date: June 28, 2025
• Time: 7 p.m. ET
• Location: Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Georgia
• TV: TNT, truTV
• Stream:Sling TV, WatchTNT

Grant Park 165

• Date: July 6, 2025
• Time: 2 p.m. ET
• Location: Chicago Street Course in Chicago
• TV: TNT, truTV
• Stream:Sling TV, WatchTNT

Toyota/Save Mart 350

• Date: July 13, 2025
• Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
• Location: Sonoma Raceway in Sonoma, California
• TV: TNT, truTV
• Stream:Sling TV, WatchTNT

Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400

• Date: July 20, 2025
• Time: 2 p.m. ET
• Location: Dover Motor Speedway in Dover, Delaware
• TV: TNT, truTV
• Stream:Sling TV, WatchTNT

Brickyard 400

• Date: July 27, 2025
• Time: 2 p.m. ET
• Location: Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana
• TV: TNT, truTV
• Stream:Sling TV, WatchTNT

The Racers, who fell in Game 1 of the Durham Super Regional to Duke on Saturday, June 7, rallied to win Games 2 and 3 on June 8 and June 9 respectively, to advance to the College World Series, becoming the fourth No. 4 seed to ever punch a ticket to Omaha.

Murray State won the Oxford Regional over No. 10 Ole Miss before taking on Duke, which won the Athens Regional vs. No. 7 Georgia.

Murray State (44-15) won the Missouri Valley Conference tournament to reach the NCAA tournament and is entering the CWS with plenty of confidence. It now shifts its focus to No. 15 UCLA, which the Racers face in the opening round on Saturday, June 14.

Here’s a look at the other No. 4 seeds to reach the College World Series, and how they fared in the tournament:

No. 4 seeds to reach CWS

Murray State became the fourth No. 4 seed to ever reach the College World Series on June 9. No. 4 seeds were added to the NCAA tournament when the field expanded to 64 teams in 1999.

The Racers join Oral Roberts (2023), Stony Brook (2012) and Fresno State (2008) as No. 4 seeds to reach Omaha, Nebraska. Fresno State is the lone No. 4 seed to ever win the national championship.

Here’s a look at how each No. 4 seed fared at the CWS:

No. 4 seed records at CWS

Oral Roberts

Oral Roberts went 52-14 in 2023, winning the Summit League tournament to earn a spot in the NCAA tournament. It defeated Oklahoma State in the Stillwater Regional and Oregon in the Eugene Super Regional to reach the CWS.

The Golden Eagles won their opening game of the CWS against TCU, advancing to the winner’s bracket. However, Oral Roberts then dropped its next two games, falling to Florida and then TCU in a loser’s bracket grudge match.

Stony Brook

Stony Brook had quite the run in 2012, defeating Miami in the Coral Gables Regional before upsetting No. 7 LSU in the Baton Rouge Super Regional to reach the College World Series. Like Murray State, Stony Brook dropped Game 1 of the super regional series before winning back-to-back games to take the series.

The Seawolves ran out of gas in Omaha, however, falling to UCLA 9-1 in the first round before losing again to Florida State 12-2 in an elimination game.

Fresno State

Fresno State started the season ranked No. 21 in the preseason polls, but quickly didn’t live up to expectations before winning the WAC tournament to earn an NCAA tournament bid.

The Bulldogs faced adversity in the Long Beach Regional, reaching the winner’s bracket before losing to San Diego 15-1 in Game 1 of the regional final. Fresno State then won the if-necessary game of the regional 5-1 to advance.

Fresno State lost Game 1 of the Tempe Super Regional to Arizona State, before winning back-to-back games against the Sun Devils on the road to reach the CWS. It later took Fresno State three games to win the national championship series, as well, as the Bulldogs faced elimination four times in the NCAA tournament.

The Bulldogs beat Rice 17-5 and North Carolina 5-3 to reach the semifinals, where they lost to North Carolina 4-3 before winning 6-1 to make the national championship series. They then lost Game 1 of the series 7-6 before beating Georgia 19-10 and 6-1 in back-to-back games to win their first and only national title in program history.

Murray State enters the College World Series having played three games facing elimination, including back-to-back super regional games against Duke. The Racers will try to duplicate Fresno State’s historic 2008 run in their first CWS appearance this season.

American tennis star Coco Gauff, 21, is fresh off her first French Open win, defeating world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the finals on Saturday, June 7. Gauff’s victory marked the first time in a decade that an American had won the French Open. However, Gauff’s moment of celebration was short-lived after Sabalenka made some shocking comments to the media following her loss.

‘I think she won the match not because she played incredible,’ said Sabalenka. ‘Just because I made all of those mistakes, if you look from the outside, from kind of easy balls.’

Although Sabalenka later retracted some of her comments, praising Gauff for how she ‘played with poise and purpose.’

The original comments had already been aired out, and Gauff was certainly taken aback by her statements.

Coco Gauff ‘surprised’ by Sabalenka comments

In response to Sabalenka’s comments, Gauff told ‘Good Morning America’ on Monday, ‘I was a little bit surprised about the comments and everything but I’m gonna give her the benefit of the doubt. I’m sure it was an emotional day, emotional match.’ Gauff continued, ‘I know she was probably a bit emotional after that match and it was a tough loss.’

Gauff went on to call Sabalenka a ‘fighter’ and ‘a tough opponent,’ noting that the windy conditions during the finals were very tough on both of them. That is something that Sabalenka noted as well, citing that Gauff ‘handled the conditions much better.’

Have Gauff and Sabalenka played before?

Heading into the French Open finals, Gauff and Sabalenka had a career match record of 5-5 against one another. Gauff has now pulled ahead at 6-5. Gauff is 2-1 against Sabalenka at Grand Slam finals.

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The 2025 Stanley Cup Final was about as tight as it could get through the first two games.

Two overtime games for the first time since the 2014 Stanley Cup Final. Teams within a goal of each other for all but 77 seconds. Four lead changes for just the second time in the past 42 seasons.

The defending champion Florida Panthers made sure there would be no repeat as they pulled away for a 6-1 rout of the Edmonton Oilers in Game 3. That gives Florida a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven championship series. Game 4 is Thursday, June 12, in Sunrise, Florida.

Brad Marchand scored 56 seconds into the game and the Panthers never gave up the lead. Sam Reinhart scored in the second period to make it 3-1 just 80 seconds after the Oilers got their first goal of the game.

‘Especially what both teams had been through in the first two (games), there is no lead at that point (after the Oilers goal),’ Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. ‘Sam’s goal was very important for us.’

The Oilers pulled goalie Stuart Skinner in the third period after he gave up five goals on 23 shots.

The Panthers’ power play, which had struggling at home at 3.6%, scored three times as the undisciplined Oilers gave them 11 opportunities. Sam Bennett scored his second home playoff goal to go with his record 12 goals on the road. He had two big hits before scoring on a 2-on-0 breakaway to make it 4-1.

‘He’s capable of that, to be a physical player, incredible speed and the hands to finish,’ Maurice said.

Referees began handing out misconducts in the third period as the game got out of hand.

‘I don’t think our best has shown up all series long, but it’s coming,’ said Oilers captain Connor McDavid, whose seven-game point streak came to an end. ‘Shift the focus to finding a way to get a win in Game 4.’

Highlights from Game 3 between the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers:

Panthers vs. Oilers Stanley Cup Final Game 3 highlights

Final score: Panthers 6, Oilers 1

Florida leads the series 2-1 after a dominant game. The plastic rats start flying on the ice.

Score update: Panthers 6, Oilers 1

Evan Rodrigues gets the Panthers’ third power-play goal of the game.

More misconducts

Evander Kane is gone as is Kasperi Kapanen.

Panthers, Oilers square off

Trent Frederic starts it by breaking his stick while cross-checking Sam Bennett. Jonah Gadjovich and Darnell Nurse get involved into an extended fight. Panthers get a power play out of this, but the Oilers kill it.

Oilers power play

Brad Marchand is called for hooking.

Panthers power play

Mattias Janmark goes off roughing. Oilers kill it off.

Stuart Skinner pulled

Calvin Pickard comes into the game after Skinner gave up five goals on 23 shots.

Score update: Panthers 5, Oilers 1

Sam Reinhart makes a great behind-the-back pass to Aaron Ekblad, who has a wide-open net. That’s two power-play goals for Florida.

Panthers power play

Stuart Skinner called for delay of game after putting the puck over the glass.

Third period underway

Stuart Skinner still in the Edmonton net. Oilers kill off the remaining Panthers power play.

End second: Panthers 4, Oilers 1

The Panthers build on their lead with goals by Sam Reinhart and Sam Bennett following the Oilers’ opening goal by Corey Perry. Florida was physical in that period with Bennett delivers back-to-back before his goals and Aaron Ekblad knocks down Connor McDavid. Florida will have a power play to start the third period.

Panthers power play

Darnell Nurse cross-checks Anton Lundell. There will be a 1:16 carryover into the third period.

Jake Walman sprays water bottle at Panthers player

Oilers defenseman Jake Walman was caught on camera spraying his water bottle at the Panthers bench. Why? Before that, Florida’s A.J. Greer had ripped off Walman’s glove and dropped it into the bench. Fines coming?

Connor McDavid goes to dressing room but returns

He left after an Aaron Ekblad hit but is now back.

Score update: Panthers 4, Oilers 1

Oilers turn over the puck and Panthers get a 2-on-0 breakaway. Sam Bennett scores his 14th playoff goal. It’s his fourth goal of the series and just his second one at home during the playoffs. He had two big hits before the breakaway. Bennett, a pending unrestricted free agent, is helping his cause this summer.

Score update: Panthers 3, Oilers 1

Sam Reinhart scores 80 seconds after the Edmonton goal. Aleksander Barkov starts the play by checking John Klingberg. Carter Verhaeghe picks up the loose puck and feeds Reinhart. No assist for Barkov, who’s still scoreless in the final.

Score update: Panthers 2, Oilers 1

Edmonton scores on the power play as Corey Perry converts a rebound of a Mattias Ekholm shot.

Second period underway

Oilers starting the period with a power play.

End first: Panthers 2, Oilers 0

The penalties and the power plays piled up in that period. Florida’s Brad Marchand opened the scoring on a delayed penalty. Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch told TNT that the constant trips to the penalty box was a ‘recipe for disaster.’ He was right as Carter Verhaeghe scored to give the Panthers just their second home power-play goal of the playoffs. Shots were 12-10 Edmonton, which also led 11-5 in hits.

Things get feisty

Evan Bouchard cross-checks Anton Lundell, who punches the Oilers defenseman. A scrum breaks out. Lundell will be in the penalty box for roughing when the second period begins.

Score update: Panthers 2, Oilers 0

Paul Maurice puts out the second power-play unit out to start. Panthers move the puck quickly and Carter Verhaeghe scores. This is just the second two-goal lead of the Stanley Cup Final.

Panthers power play

Viktor Arvidsson knocks Sergei Bobrovsky into the net and is called for goaltender interference.

Oilers power play

Sam Bennett is called for high-sticking. And this one is killed, too.

Panthers power play/Oilers power play

This time, it’s too many men on the ice (seven players, actually) for Edmonton. Panthers are getting plenty of opportunity to work on their struggling home power play. Again, it comes up short as Aaron Ekblad is called for tripping. There will be 4-on-4. During the ensuing Edmonton power, Sergei Bobrovsky makes a glove save on Evan Bouchard.

Panthers power play

Evander Kane takes another penalty, this time for high-sticking. Edmonton kills that off, too.

Panthers power play

Evander Kane in the box. Panthers’ power play is clicking at only 3.6% at home during the playoffs. Oilers kill it off.

Oilers power play

Anton Lundell called for tripping. Edmonton is dangerous but can’t score. One shot goes off Sergei Bobrovsky’s mask. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins misses the net on a rebound opportunity. Power play ends early when Evander Kane is called for cross-checking.

Score update: Panthers 1, Oilers 0

Brad Marchand stays hot, scoring 56 seconds into the game on a delayed penalty. He had two goals in Game 2, including the double-overtime winner.

Game underway

Panthers’ Aleksander Barkov line vs. the Oilers’ Connor McDavid line. Edmonton outshoots Florida 2-0 with those lines out there.

When is Stanley Cup Final Game 3? Panthers vs. Oilers game time

The Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers will face off Monday at 8 p.m. ET at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida.

What TV channel is Panthers vs. Oilers Game 3 on?

TNT and truTV are broadcasting Game 2 of the NHL Stanley Cup Final. Kenny Albert will provide play-by-play, while Eddie Olczyk, Brian Boucher, Darren Pang and Jackie Redmond will provide analysis and reporting.

Stream the 2025 Stanley Cup Final on Sling

How to watch Panthers vs. Oilers Game 3

• Date: Monday, June 9
• Location: Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida
• Time: 8 p.m. ET
• TV: TNT, truTV
• Streaming: Max, Sling TV

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins injury update

Not only is he playing, he’s in the starting lineup. His line, centered by Connor McDavid, will go against the Aleksander Barkov line.

Oilers lines

Of note, the Oilers appear to be going with their Game 2 defense pairings. They had switched up the pairings during their June 8 practice.

Panthers lines

Oilers roster update

The early roster report lists Edmonton’s Jeff Skinner as a scratch, which would indicate that Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is playing. Skinner would have been his replacement.

Warmups underway

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is on the ice, as coach Kris Knoblauch said he would be. He’s a game-time decision.

Goaltending matchup

Panthers’ Sergei Bobrovsky (13-6, 2.21 goals-against average, .912 save percentage) vs. Oilers’ Stuart Skinner (7-5, 2.61, .901).

Edmonton Oilers’ leading scorers

The Oilers have four of the top five scorers in the series: Connor McDavid has a league-best 31 points, followed by Leon Draisaitl (29). Evan Bouchard (21) and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (18). Draisaitl has a team-high nine goals.

McDavid has five assists in the final and has three goals and 11 assists during a seven-game point streak.

Florida Panthers’ leading scorers

The Panthers have 11 players with double-digit points, led by Sam Bennett (19) and Brad Marchand, Aleksander Barkov, Carter Verhaeghe and Matthew Tkachuk (17 each). Bennett is the playoffs’ leading goal scorer with 13.

High-scoring series

The 16 goals through two games are tied with 2023 for the most of a final over the past 42 seasons.

But Panthers coach Paul Maurice said despite the high number of goals, the defense and goaltending have been strong.

‘Everything is contested all over the ice,’ Maurice said. ‘So … it’s more intense. What a wonderful thing to see in the final instead of the first round. These men are going that hard. It’s awesome.’

Oilers change up defense pairings

The Oilers changed their defense pairings during practice on June 8. Per NHL.com, Darnell Nurse moved up with Evan Bouchard, Mattias Ekholm was with John Klingberg and Jake Walman was with Brett Kulak. For Game 2, their pairings were Bouchard-Ekholm, Nurse-Kulak and Walman-Klingberg.

Coach Kris Knoblauch didn’t make a big deal about the change.

‘Throughout Games 1 and 2, we had some changes and throughout the rest of the series, there will be some more,’ Knoblauch said.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins injury update

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins missed practice June 8 with an undisclosed injury but did take part in the optional skate on the morning of June 9. Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch says he will be a game-time decision. ‘He’ll take warmup and we’ll decide from there,’ he said.

Jeff Skinner would return to the lineup if Nugent-Hopkins can’t go. He has a goal and an assist in two playoff games.

‘He’s been a true professional and when we’ve needed him, he’s been ready to play,’ Knoblauch said.

A.J. Greer injury update

He’ll return to the Panthers’ lineup in Game 3 and Jesper Boqvist will come out. Greer, who plays on the fourth line with Tomas Nosek and Jonah Gadjovich, missed Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals, was limited in Game 5 and missed the first two games of the Stanley Cup Final.

2025 Stanley Cup Finals schedule

All times Eastern; (x–if necessary)

• Game 1: Oilers 4, Panthers 3 (OT) | Story
• Game 2: Panthers 5, Oilers 4 (2OT) | Story
• Game 3: Monday, June 9, Edmonton at Florida | 8 p.m. | TNT, truTV
• Game 4: Thursday, June 12, Edmonton at Florida | 8 p.m. | TNT, truTV
• Game 5: Saturday, June 14, Florida at Edmonton | 8 p.m. | TNT, truTV
• x-Game 6: Tuesday, June 17, Edmonton at Florida | 8 p.m. | TNT, truTV
• x-Game 7: Friday, June 20, Florida at Edmonton | 8 p.m. | TNT, truTV

Stanley Cup Final Game 3 odds: Panthers vs. Oilers betting lines

All odds via BetMGM (as of Monday, June 9, 4 p.m. ET

• Spread: Panthers (-1.5)
• Moneyline: Panthers (-140); Oilers (+120)
• Over/Under: 6.5

Odds to win 2025 NHL Stanley Cup Final

• Oilers -105
• Panthers -115

The RBC Canadian Open, featuring many of the world’s top golfers, kicked off at the TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley in Caledon, Ontario, on Thursday and culminated with a playoff for the title on Sunday.

After both Sam Burns and Ryan Fox shot 5’s on the first three holes, it was Fox who would finally birdie the fourth go-round at the 18th, giving him the title.

Fox was awarded a $1.764 million from a total prize purse of $9.8 million. Burns was not far behind, earning a little over $1 million.

Here is a breakdown of the prize money earning for the 2025 RBC Canadian Open.

What is the total purse for the 2025 RBC Canadian Open?

The total purse for the 2025 RBC Canadian Open is $9.8 million. The first place winner will take home $1.764 million of the prize purse.

RBC Canadian Open: Prize money breakdown

• First place: Ryan Fox – $1,764,000
• Second place: Sam Burns – $1,068,200
• Third place: Kevin Yu – $676,200
• T-Fourth place: Cameron Young – $441,000
• T-Fourth place: Matt McCarthy – $441,000
• T-Sixth place: Byeong Hun An – $330,750
• T-Sixth place: Andrew Putnam – $330,750
• T-Sixth place: Matteo Manassero – $330,750
• T-Ninth place: Cameron Champ – $257,250
• T-Ninth place: Victor Perez – $257,250
• T-Ninth place: David Skinns – $257,250
• T-Ninth place: Lee Hodges – $257,250
• T-13th place: Ludvig Aberg – $180,810
• T-13th place: Shane Lowry – $180,810
• T-13th place: Nick Taylor – $180,810
• T-13th place: Danny Willett – $180,810
• T-13th place: Alex Smalley – $180,810
• T-18th place: Jackson Suber – $130,176.67
• T-18th place: Noah Goodwin – $130,176.67
• T-18th place: Jesper Svensson – $130,176.67
• T-18th place: Thomas Detry – $130,176.67
• T-18th place: Jeremy Paul – $130,176.67
• T-18th place: Kevin Roy – $130,176.67
• T-24th place: Emiliano Grillo – $86,730
• T-24th place: Harry Hall – $86,730
• T-24th place: Antoine Rozner – $86,730
• T-27th place: Lanto Griffin – $75,950
• T-27th place: Max McGreevy – $73,010
• T-27th place: Corey Conners – $70,070
• T-27th place: Keith Mitchell – $67,130

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So, tennis fans, how’d you like another decade or so of that?

After Sunday’s French Open men’s final – a 5-hour, 29-minute epic that somehow ended with Carlos Alcaraz holding up the trophy for a second consecutive year – we can now officially close the book on the so-called Big Three era. 

There’s a new game in town. And it’s as spectacular to watch as anything tennis has ever seen. 

Yes, Alcaraz’s improbable comeback to beat Jannik Sinner 4-6, 6-7 (4-7), 6-4, 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (10-2) is the story of the day. Not only did Alcaraz win his fifth Grand Slam title at just one month into his 22nd year of life – an absurd accomplishment on its own – but he did it by summoning a competitive aura only the all-time greats possess.

He is, already, a legend. And that might have been the greatest match in the history of the sport. 

But the best part of Sunday’s match is that it’s not the end of the story. In many ways, it’s just the beginning.

The first Slam final between Alcaraz and Sinner not only exceeded every possible expectation, it sets an entirely new narrative for the sport. 

As Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal faded into retirement – most likely followed by Novak Djokovic in the next year or two – there was deep concern about what would come next after a 1½-decade battle between arguably the three best to ever hold a racket. 

Now we know definitively. Tennis is in the safest of hands. And barring something unforeseen, these two spectacular athletes are going to be doing battle in Grand Slam finals for many, many years to come. 

If you managed to watch the whole thing, or even just the last couple sets, it was easy to understand why that’s such a tantalizing possibility.

Let’s start with the level of play. In a word, spectacular. 

Though Sinner and Alcaraz are each elite individually, combining to win the last six Grand Slam titles, the greatness they manage to draw out of each other is unique. Though different players stylistically and tactically, they have now twice played matches that could be considered among the best in the history of the sport in terms of ballstriking, endurance and the high standard it took to win a single point. 

When they played a US Open quarterfinal deep into the night in 2022, with Alcaraz emerging after 5 hours, 15 minutes, it showed the possibility of a friendly rivalry between two generational talents that had stretched back to childhood. It has widely been considered the best match of the decade, not just for the length of the match but the drama and the quality they both laid on the line.

It only took three years to exceed that standard. 

Which leads to the second element of this ongoing story. 

What it took for Alcaraz to win that match – to beat Sinner on this particular day – was a sustained effort that few players in history could have managed. Maybe Djokovic. Maybe Nadal. Maybe. 

Because even though the all-time greats have all come back from two sets down and saved match points on the way to Grand Slam titles, few have had so little help from an opponent. Sure, there may be a shot or two that Sinner would want back after failing to convert three match points in the fourth set, then failing to serve out the tournament in the next game. But mostly, from that point until the final winner came off Alcaraz’s racket, it was mostly about his greatness and his relentless shotmaking.

Even in the fifth set, with Sinner clearly tiring more quickly than his opponent, he summoned enough energy to erase Alcaraz’s early break of serve and send the match to a final tiebreak where – guess what – Alcaraz continued to pound clean winners off impossible angles. 

Sinner did not lose this match. Alcaraz just got up off the clay and stole it. 

We can debate where this final ranks among the 2008 Wimbledon final between Nadal and Federer or the 1980 Wimbledon final between John McEnroe and Bjorn Borg when you factor in all the intangibles. But if we’re just talking about the quality of tennis played by two men over that length of time? It would be difficult to say there’s ever been a better match. 

If the world was watching Sunday, it had to love what it saw. 

And when you realize what’s ahead between them – more finals, more trophies, more history – this one felt like a moment to mark in time. 

One chapter of tennis closes, another begins. And it’s going to be as entertaining as any we’ve seen. 

OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma City Thunder coach Mark Daigneault called the Indiana Pacers an acquired taste.

“We haven’t played them a ton,” Daigneault said. “They’re not in the West obviously. They play a very distinct style on both ends.”

After wasting an opportunity to win Game 1, the Thunder were left with a bitter aftertaste against the never-quite Pacers.

The Thunder devoured the Pacers in Game 2 Sunday, June 8, evening the NBA Finals with a 123-107 victory.

While the Pacers stole home-court advantage, they haven’t played great and it’s starting to become an issue as the series moves to Indianapolis for Games 3 and 4.

“Another bad first half,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. “Obviously, it was a big problem, and we just played poorly. A little bit better in the second half but you can’t be a team that’s reactive and expect to be successful or have consistency.”

At this stage, the Pacers cannot rely on their ability to complete a comeback. They need to start better, and now, it’s on Carlisle and his staff to figure that out. Indiana trailed by as many as 23 points, and while the comebacks have been compelling, it’s not a recipe for playoff success.

“We’re going to have to be a lot better on Wednesday,” Carlisle said.

The Pacers have led for just one minute and 53.3 seconds of the 96 minutes in two games and their biggest lead is three points. It’s tiresome to play from behind for that long.

The Thunder were more physical, dominated the paint for the second consecutive game and limited Tyrese Haliburton to a quiet 17 points, 12 of which came in the fourth quarter when Oklahoma City had control of the game and was not in the mood to blow another double-digit lead.

How did the Pacers handle Oklahoma City’s physicality?

“Not well,” Carlisle said.

“They were the best in the league during the year at keeping people out of there (paint). They are great at it. We have to find ways to get the ball in there, and you know, it’s just there are so many things that have to go right on a set of two possessions to get the ball into the heart of their defense.”

Throughout the season and especially the playoffs, the Thunder’s top-ranked defense finds a way to take away or limit the opponent’s strengths. They did it against Denver and Minnesota in the Western conference semifinals and finals.

“Our offense is built from the inside-out, and we have to do a better job getting downhill,” Haliburton said. “They collapse and make plays from there. I thought we could improve a lot there. But yeah, they are flying around. They have got great point-of-attack defenders and great rim protectors. We can do a better job, watch the film, and see where we can get better going into Game 3.”

What about Haliburton’s performance?

“There’s a lot more to the game than just scoring. … People shouldn’t just look at his points and assists and judge how he played, or judge how any of our guys played just on that,” Carlisle said. “That’s not how our team is built. We are an ecosystem that has to function together. We’ve got to score enough points to win the game but who gets them and how they get them, not important.”

Pascal Siakam found no consolation in getting a split and grabbing home-court advantage in the series.

“You want to win every game you play, so we are not happy with how the game went today, and that’s it,” he said. “We’ve just got to turn the page, focus on Game 3. That’s the biggest game of the year.”

This series is much closer to being a 2-0 Thunder lead than a 2-0 Pacers lead, and between Game 1 and 2, Carlisle compared a playoff series to a book.

“Each game in this series is going to look different,” he said. “A playoff series is a series of seven chapters, and each one takes on a different personality.”

If the Pacers don’t find a way to start the next chapter better than they have, the book is going to close quickly on their championship aspirations.

Follow NBA columnist Jeff Zillgitt on social media @JeffZillgitt

The 2025 WNBA season hasn’t been the best start for the Chicago Sky. And now, the team was dealt a major blow to a star.

Guard Courtney Vandersloot suffered a torn right torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) during Saturday’s loss to the Indiana Fever, the Sky announced. She will undergo surgery and miss the rest of the season.

The injury happened in the first quarter against Indiana in the first ever WNBA game at the United Center, home of the Chicago Bulls. Vandersloot was driving to the basket when she immediately went down and was in visible pain as she grabbed her right knee. Her teammates huddled around her, and she was eventually taken back to the locker room with the help of medical staff. She didn’t return for the remainder of the contest. The Fever won the game 79-52.

It’s a brutal injury as the WNBA veteran was playing her first season back with the team that selected her No. 3 overall in the 2011 draft. Vandersloot spent the first 11 seasons with Chicago and was instrumental in the team capturing its first WNBA title in 2021. She signed with the New York Liberty in 2023 and spent two seasons with the team, helping the Liberty win their first championship last year.

A five-time WNBA All-Star, Vandersloot is second in league history in assists with 2,887 career dimes, trailing Sue Bird’s 3,234 assists. She also owns several franchise records in Chicago, including most games played, points, assists and steals, while ranking in the top five of several other categories. She re-signed with the team in February.

‘She’s our engine,’ Sky coach Tyler Marsh said following the game against Indiana. ‘She’s our captain and our leader out there, so obviously, it’s a huge blow.’

Vandersloot averaged 10.6 points, 3.1 rebounds and a team-high 5.3 assists per game in seven games played.

Chicago is 2-5 on the season, standing in 11th place in the league as the team tries to get back to the postseason after missing it in 2024.

‘It’s heartbreaking. It’s heartbreaking to watch anybody, but especially one of our teammates and someone that means as much as Sloot does to this team and organization,’ Hailey Van Lith said postgame. ‘Whatever is in store in the future for this team, I trust we will find a way to make this moment mean something in the end.’ 

Now that was a lead that was safe.

After dropping the first game of the NBA Finals, the Oklahoma City Thunder thoroughly controlled the Indiana Pacers on Sunday, June 8, in Game 2, 123-107.

Indiana, which has posted five comebacks this postseason of at least 15 points, could never seriously threaten Oklahoma City, which had five players score at least 15 points.

Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton did finish with 17 points, though he had scored just five through three quarters.

Here are the winners and losers from Game 2 of the NBA Finals:

WINNERS

Alex Caruso and Aaron Wiggins

It wasn’t just his defense, Thunder backup guard Alex Caruso also poured in 20 points — including four drained 3-pointers — in just 27:04 of playing time. He was steady and aggressive on the offensive end, cutting into the lane when gaps opened up.

Throw in fellow backup guard Aaron Wiggins, whose 18 points — including 5-of-8 from 3 — in just 20:32 also lifted the Thunder. That Caruso and Wiggins accounted for nearly 65% of Oklahoma City’s 14 made 3-pointers, is a testament to the Thunder’s depth.

Chet Holmgren

This was exactly the bounce-back game that the Thunder needed from center Chet Holmgren. Three nights after scoring just six points on 2-of-9 shooting, Holmgren got to work, though most of his production came early. Nine of his 15 points came in the first quarter.

The Thunder go big

After opting to play mostly small in Game 1, Oklahoma City leaned much more on its double-big lineup with its pair of centers, Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein, on the floor at the same time. The result was instant, with the Thunder dominating points in the paint in the first half, 26-12.

“It takes discipline, but we try to really use these early games in the series to learn what are options are and what our tradeoffs are — not assume anything,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said after the game. “That was the intent tonight: just to get a little more information.”

LOSERS

Tyrese Haliburton waits way too long

Through the first three quarters, the most important player of the Pacers had scored just five points on just 2-of-7 shooting. Through the first three and a half minutes of the fourth, Haliburton had scored nine points, making all four of his attempts.

While Haliburton’s rep as a closer cannot be questioned, his inexplicably slow starts could become costly. The Thunder will clog the paint and gameplan to slow Haliburton’s attacks into the paint. He needs to find ways to score regardless.

Pacers coach Rick Carlisle downplayed Haliburton’s sluggish production, saying that Indiana’s team is an ‘ecosystem’ and that it doesn’t matter where points come from.

“There’s a lot more to the game than just scoring,” he said after the game. “Everybody’s got to do more.”

Regardless, Haliburton is the team’s most gifted player and the one who can score easiest.

The Pacers have no answer for OKC’s intensity and physicality

After the game, Pacers coach Rick Carlisle was asked his thoughts on how the Pacers responded to Oklahoma City’s ramped up defensive intensity. Carlisle answer was curt and straightforward.

“Not well,” he said.

The Thunder excel at crowding the paint when opposing players attack, collapsing, swarming and swatting at the ball. That is magnified particularly when Oklahoma City uses its double-big lineup with Holmgren and Hartenstein roaming down low. In the regular season, the Thunder ranked first in opponent points in the paint per game (42.5).

Indiana’s inability to attack the paint hurt its spacing and hurt its ability to get open looks from 3.

“The paint is our emphasis and the paint is our friend. The more that we’re able to attack the paint, usually better things happen for us,” Carlisle said.

Key players on Pacers bench no-show

Obi Toppin scored 17 points in Game 1. Thomas Bryant had five. Both players combined Sunday night to score 4 on 1-of-9 shooting.

Guards T.J. McConnell and Benedict Mathurin did combine for 25, but the Pacers will need much more balance from their contributions.

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