Entertainment
Alcaraz, Swiatek, Sinner, Sabalenka push for more money and reform as Djokovic notably absent
A host of top tennis stars have sent a second series of letters to the Grand Slam events pushing for more prize money and reform.
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Join us on WhatsAppThe Athletic has reported that the letters were sent on July 30, and that they were signed by almost all of the players at the top of the men’s and women’s rankings, including Carlos Alcaraz, Iga Swiatek, Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka.
Tennis legend Novak Djokovic is the only player that signed the original letter, which was sent on March 21, who is not involved in these second letters. Elena Rybakina and Felix Auger-Aliassime are the only other current top 10 players not to sign the latest letters.
The original letter was signed by the top 10 players on the ATP and WTA tours from the week of March 3, with the exception of Rybakina. Mirra Andreeva, ranked 11th at the time, was also included.
L’Equipe revealed that players sent the first letter to the four majors with the purpose of “demanding a substantial increase in their prize money.”
Jack Draper, Lorenzo Musetti, Ben Shelton, Amanda Anisimova and Frances Tiafoe have signed the latest letters having not been involved in the first one.
The Athletic explains that players have called for reform from the Grand Slams in three main areas in the second letters:
- To start contributing to player welfare and a benefit fund to improve pension, health care, and maternity benefits.
- An increase in prize money as a proportion of revenue — up from the current estimate of 16 percent to 22 percent by 2030, in line with joint ATP and WTA Tour events.
- Greater player consultation and representation, with the formation of a Grand Slam Player Council.
The absence of Djokovic’s signature from the second series of letters is notable and surprising given the active role the 24-time major winner has played in pushing for change in the sport.
The Serbian co-founded the Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA), a players’ union, in 2020.
In March, the PTPA launched legal action against the ATP and WTA Tours, the International Tennis Federation (ITF), and the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA), accusing the governing bodies of implementing “anticompetitive restraints and abusive practices.”
The PTPA added the four Grand Slams to the lawsuit on Tuesday, and it is unclear whether this relates to Djokovic’s decision not to sign the second letters to the majors.
Djokovic spoke about signing the first letter during the Monte Carlo Masters in April.
“I think generally the sentiment is that the players feel that we should get it, when it comes to prize money at the Grand Slams, as close to the percentage of the prize money that we are getting on the [ATP] Tour on average,” said the tennis legend.
Entertainment
Paige Spiranac’s surprising NFL fandom confession triggers heated debate over loyalty, authenticity, and fan culture
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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Join us on WhatsAppWith 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 ..
Entertainment
Quiet moments on the course can say a lot about what’s coming next.
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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Join us on WhatsAppIt’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.
Entertainment
Predicting what will happen to Bryson DeChambeau and Phil Mickelson if LIV Golf collapses
It looks like LIV Golf is over.
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Join us on WhatsAppThe 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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