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Magical Carlos Alcaraz breaks personal record in impressive Japan Open run

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Carlos Alcaraz is proving yet again why he’s so worthy of being the current men’s world No. 1.

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The Spanish superstar progressed through to the Japan Open final on Monday after coming back against a resilient Casper Ruud.

Despite dropping the first set, Alcaraz recovered to win 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 and set up a title clash with Americ

The victory against Ruud also takes his tally up to 66 wins on tour this year, the most he’s ever recorded in a single season. His previous best was 65 wins back in 2023.

A win didn’t always look on the cards against Ruud, though, with Alcaraz appearing to struggle physically at times in the early exchanges.

The Spaniard suffered a small ankle injury last week and didn’t look entirely comfortable on court as his opponent seized on the opportunity.

But, as every true champion does, Alcaraz kept his cool and started being more aggressive in the second set, carrying that momentum through to the end of the match.

“It’s just about details, so I just tried to be more positive than the first set,” Alcaraz said after the win, per ATP.

“I was a little bit mad with myself, so I just tried to play with joy again, putting a lot of positive thoughts in my mind.”

Tokyo magic

While Alcaraz is no stranger to a final, it’s the manner in which he played at times in Tokyo which has been so impressive.

Most notably, his quarterfinal win against Brandon Nakashima on Sunday was simply breathtaking, with Alcaraz reeling off several shots which made for a spectacular highlights reel.

His level appeared to peak in the final game of that quarterfinal, with Alcaraz serving for the win.

The first point of the game really set the tone and is arguably one of the shots of the year.

When Nakashima looked to test the Spaniard with a drop shot, Alcaraz was forced to sprint to the ball in order to return cross court.

Nakashima was there to meet it with a delicate slice back across Alcaraz’s body, a shot which would have normally won the point under ordinary circumstances. Only the man from Murcia is no normal player.

Instead of conceding the point, the 22-year-old stretched every sinew in his body to reach the ball and produced a quite incredible backhand slice which zipped across a stunned Nakashima.

The crowd was left laughing at what they had just seen, with Alcaraz puffing his cheeks out as he tried to recover his body from such an impressive feat of flexibility.

Alcaraz then made it 30-0 with a formidable forehand cross court which echoed around the stadium. He then brought up match point with a delicate volley at the net, before wrapping up the match with another remarkable forehand which left his opponent with no chance.

“What have we just watched? I don’t think it’s stretching a point to say that is one of the best games to win a match of tennis this sport has ever seen,” said the commentator on Tennis TV.

Alcaraz himself was very pleased with his performance and agreed that the final game was something special.

“I don’t think I’ve played a last game like this, so I’m really happy about it,” he said after the match, per ATP.

And while his semifinal win against Ruud didn’t quite produce the same level of brilliance, the Spaniard is surely favorite for the Japan Open final against Fritz.

The American won this tournament back in 2022, though, and Alcaraz knows he’s in for a tough battle – Fritz also beat him during the Laver Cup earlier this month.

“I know he’s playing great tennis lately,” Alcaraz said about Fritz. “It’s another challenge for me and I’m looking forward to it.”

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Paige Spiranac’s surprising NFL fandom confession triggers heated debate over loyalty, authenticity, and fan culture

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The 2026 NFL Draft starts Thursday night in Pittsburgh, and the spotlight isn’t only on prospects and front offices. Golf influencer Paige Spiranac has again found herself pulled into NFL conversation, this time for her open support of multiple teams.

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With the Steelers hosting the first round, her long-standing connection to Pittsburgh has resurfaced. But it’s not just about hometown ties. Her broader fandom, which stretches beyond one franchise, continues to draw mixed reactions at a time when fan loyalty is often treated as non-negotiable.

Paige Spiranac roots for 2 NFL teams: Who are they?

Paige Spiranac has never hidden where her loyalties lie, even if they don’t fit the usual mold. She has consistently pointed to her roots while leaving space for other allegiances.

“Both my parents are from Pittsburgh so I’ve been a Steelers ..fan since the day I was born. I also love the Bills. It’s a complicated relationship…Who’s your team?” she previously asked her followers. It’s a candid admission, one that reflects personal history more than calculated fandom.

Still, the reaction has been sharp. NFL culture tends to rew ..

 

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Quiet moments on the course can say a lot about what’s coming next.

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Sometimes the most important work happens when nobody is really watching.
Lexi Thompson was out on the 18th green, working through her putting during a practice round ahead of the Chevron Championship in Houston.

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It’s a simple scene, but it shows the kind of quiet preparation that goes into these big tournaments—getting the feel of the greens, adjusting to conditions, and building trust in every stroke.

These are the small details that can shape how a player starts when the pressure kicks in.

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Predicting what will happen to Bryson DeChambeau and Phil Mickelson if LIV Golf collapses

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It looks like LIV Golf is over.

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The Saudi Public Investment Fund has reportedly decided that this league simply isn’t worth the hole it’s burning in their pocket, and they’re pulling funds at the end of 2026.

That gives them less than a year to seek new investment. While CEO Scott O’Neil seems confident, it’s going to be extremely difficult to secure funding for a league that is operating at such eye-watering losses.

So this probably pulls the curtain closed on one of the most turbulent, frustrating, confusing, and ridiculous eras in golfing history. Hopefully, we can all return to some reality after the year is over.

But there is still so much uncertainty surrounding golf’s future thanks to this. Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed saw the signs early and jumped ship, but they did that with some leverage. So what on earth is going to happen to the rest of these players who didn’t take the olive branch when it was offered to them?

Feelings will be hurt, and careers will be ended. Let’s take a look.

Jon Rahm rejoins the PGA Tour

Koepka returned to the PGA Tour under the returning member program, which saw him pay $5 million to charity, accept that he’ll receive no FedEx Cup bonus money, and agree he cannot be a sponsor exemption for the 2026 signature events.

 

That same deal was offered to Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau. They didn’t accept it, but a similar offer will likely be handed out to them again.

 

If LIV Golf folds, Rahm will not hold the same leverage as Koepka did, but he is a bigger star at this stage of his career. Make no mistake, the PGA Tour will want him back immediately.

But Rahm does risk leaving himself without any options at all. Reed didn’t come straight back to the PGA Tour, so he’s spending a year on the DP World Tour first. You’d imagine Rahm would consider doing the same, but it might not be so easy for him.

Rahm is in a feud with the DP World Tour, as the only one of eight players to reject a deal which would have seen him retain his full-time membership. If Rahm agreed to play in six DP World Tour events this year, then he could have played on both LIV Golf and the tour. He did not agree.

For now, his membership is at risk. So, will it be possible for him to spend a season on the DP World Tour like Reed? Maybe not. That makes it all the more likely that Rahm will be back on the PGA Tour the moment LIV folds.

Bryson DeChambeau does YouTube full-time

With DeChambeau, I don’t think it’s as much of a done deal that he returns to the PGA Tour. Not immediately anyway.

He’s been negotiating his contract with LIV, which expires at the end of this season. During these negotiations, he’s made it very clear that he is completely willing to step away from full-time competition and be a full-time YouTuber.

DeChambeau’s channel has over two million subscribers, so he could feasibly do that with all of the money he’s making there.

He was annoyed to see LIV move to a four-day format, so he could commit himself fully to being the content king. It would be a wild thing to do, but it’s also exactly the kind of move you could see the two-time major winner making.

He could qualify for The Open Championship and the US Open, and earn enough points there to play The Masters and the PGA Championship. It’s possible.

He does seem to live for competition, so maybe YouTube won’t quite scratch the itch, but it is on the table for DeChambeau. At least for a year until his suspension expires. Out of Rahm and DeChambeau, the American is absolutely the least likely to take a deal.

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