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Alexander Zverev calls out favouritism towards world’s top two Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner

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Alexander Zverev echoes Roger Federer’s sentiments when asked about the slower court speeds in Shanghai this season after his opening round match win; Watch the ATP and WTA Tours live on Sky Sports Tennis and Sky Sports+, streaming service NOW and the Sky Sports app

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Alexander Zverev claims tournament organisers are deliberately slowing down courts to favour the world’s top two Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.

The world No 3 overcame an injury scare to beat Valentin Royer 6-4 6-4 at the Shanghai Masters but then voiced his displeasure with the way he felt the sport was heading.

“I hate when it’s the same, to be honest,” he said in his on-court interview.

“I think the tournament directors are going towards that direction because, obviously, they want Jannik and Carlos to do well every tournament and that’s what they prefer.

“Nowadays, you can play almost the same way on every surface. I don’t like it, I’m not a fan of it.

“I think tennis needs different game styles, tennis needs a little bit of variety and I think we’re lacking that right now.”

Zverev had to be treated on court for a toe injury when serving for the match at 5-4 in the second set but it did not halt his progress.

“I landed funny on my toe and after that I could barely do a step, so we’ll see what it is,” he added.

“We will see if I will ever be healthy this year again, because it’s been a struggle but I’m happy to be through.”

Sky Sports have contacted the ATP for comment.

In September, Roger Federer appeared on the ‘Served With Andy Roddick’ podcast during the Laver Cup where he also called out organisers for using court speeds to help Alcaraz and Sinner.

“We need to have not only fast courts, but what we would want to see is Alcaraz or Sinner figure it out on lightning fast courts and then have the same match on super slow courts and see how that matches up,” said the 20-time Grand Slam champion.

“It’s because the tournament directors have allowed with the ball speed and the court speed that every week is basically the same. And that’s why you can just go from winning, French, Wimbledon, US Open, and just play the same way.”

Nick Kyrgios has also spoken about surface speeds in previous seasons, saying: “I’d like to see more variety. It’s good to play on [fast] courts like these, where aggressive tennis gets rewarded a little bit more.

“I want to see some bang-bang, one-two tennis-and a lot of those Federer fans still out there want to see that too. I loved watching that Federer one-two.”

Speaking before the start of the 2024 US Open, tournament director Stacey Allaster explained the surface speed at Flushing Meadows. “We aim for the court pace rating to be medium fast.” That can by anywhere from 41-44. The average court pace index [CPI] is 42.

“It’s where we like it to be at the start of the tournament so that as we ease into it, it gets closer to the end. We know that the speed of court gives it that right balance with the style of play – it’s been successful.”

The Shanghai Masters surface has seen a significant speed decrease, with reports showing a drop in its CPI from the 40-41 range in previous years to 32.9 in 2025, making the courts noticeably slower than they used to be.

Jannik Sinner eased past Daniel Altmaier 6-3 6-3 as he bids to become the first player to successfully defend the title since Novak Djokovic in 2013.

The world No 2, who now owns a 23-2 record in China, where he has won three titles (Beijing 2023 and 2025, Shanghai 2024), will enter his clash with Tallon Griekspoor on Sunday holding a 6-0 lead in previous meetings.

World No 7 Alex de Minaur beat Argentinan Camilo Ugo Carabelli 6-4 6-2 in 88 minutes, while Stefanos Tsitsipas withdrew with a leg injury before his scheduled match with Czech qualifier Dalibor Svrcina.

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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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