Sports
Alexander Zverev’s French Open draw and the pressure of opportunity
PARIS — At this French Open, opportunity does not just knock for Alexander Zverev. It’s banging down his door.
For the three-time Grand Slam finalist, often called the best male player to have never won a major, the 2026 Roland Garros draw has opened up beyond his wildest dreams. World No. 2 and two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz withdrew ahead of the tournament, with a right wrist injury. Then Jannik Sinner, last year’s finalist and the world No. 1, lost in the second round, and Novak Djokovic, a three-time champion, lost in the third.
This is uncharted territory for Zverev, 29. He entered his three previous major finals as the underdog, two of which ended in defeat to either Sinner (2025 Australian Open) or Alcaraz (this tournament two years ago). The third was the 2020 U.S. Open, when Zverev met Dominic Thiem.
Six years ago, Thiem was in the position Zverev is now. The Austrian had also lost his first three Grand Slam finals, all against Djokovic or Rafael Nadal, and was finally playing against someone he was widely expected to beat.
His performance in the final was an example of how Zverev should not approach the next few rounds: Both men delivered the tightest, nerviest displays of their careers. Zverev went up by two sets to love, but Thiem came back, before stumbling over the line in an agonizing fifth-set tiebreak, with both players looping the ball back to each other and gripped by tension. The match was played in an empty Arthur Ashe Stadium, because of Covid-19 regulations.
Zverev, who plays Spanish rising star Rafael Jódar in his quarterfinal Tuesday, is now in a position of experience over the rest of the field. Only one other man in the last eight (Italy’s Matteo Berrettini) has reached a major final; Zverev, the world No. 3, is one of two top-10 players remaining, alongside world No. 5 Félix Auger-Aliassime.
On paper, Zverev is the overwhelming favorite, which creates a fascinating dynamic for a player who has spent the past year trying to shed his natural inclination to be safe and steady when the biggest titles are on the line.
Having seen Alcaraz and Sinner take matches away from him with attacking, front-foot tennis, he vowed to play more aggressively. When Zverev first became a force on the ATP Tour, his combination of a huge first serve and the ability to play like a human backboard bamboozled even the Big Three. Zverev and Daniil Medvedev, one year his senior, asked Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic to adjust their games, blending the profiles of huge server and baseline grinder which had previously been mostly kept apart.
Zverev reached those three major finals, became world No. 2 and won Olympic gold (at the 2021 Tokyo Games) and seven ATP Masters 1000 titles playing his older way. But it wasn’t enough to get past Thiem; the Big Three adjusted and then Alcaraz and Sinner arrived, playing hyperaggressive tennis with such elite returning that they could both hit through Zverev and blunt his most powerful weapon.
So, Zverev too had adjusted. But the quandary now is that with Sinner, Alcaraz and Djokovic out of the way, his old Plan A may be enough to get him over the line — a “Ming vase” strategy in which he can trust that his opponents’ limitations will mean that he does not have to take matches from them, but rather let them give them to him.
Alexander Zverev lost to Carlos Alcaraz in the 2024 French Open final. (Dan Isitene / Getty Images)
Andre Agassi, who also lost his first three Slam finals before going on to win eight of them, said Monday that Zverev is a “little bit too passive” given his groundstroke gifts.
“His backhand is arguably the best backhand we’ve ever seen in the game,” Agassi said on TNT Sports, for whom he is working as a French Open analyst, “but he is willing to give too much ground on his forehand side too often.”
“If he can find out how to put down the forehand moving forward, he would take his game to a whole new level.”
Against Jesper de Jong in the fourth round Sunday, Zverev tried to stick with the more offensive approach. He laced forehands, often miscuing them in the early stages, and made frequent — and largely successful — forays to the net. He played with a reasonable amount of variety too, hitting a well-disguised drop shot to wrap up the first-set tiebreak.
It is easy to tell when Zverev is out of his comfort zone, because he celebrates more enthusiastically when something comes off — be that a drop shot, a serve-and-volley play or really committing to a plus-one (the shot after the serve) forehand. He ended up easing past De Jong in straight sets, after a tricky start.
Hailed as a future world No. 1 more than a decade ago, Zverev is well-adjusted to receiving questions about winning tennis’ ultimate prize. At this year’s French Open, as the draw has become more and more appealing, he hasn’t expanded too much about his prospects, but opened up a little on them after beating de Jong, the Dutch lucky loser.
“Look, I’m here, I’m feeling confident with my game,” he said in a news conference. “I thought I handled the situations well the first week, even when I was losing a set. Like the last match, I came back and played well. Today I was down a break early on. Came back and played well. I feel like I’m handling the situations quite well, and I will do everything possible to continue doing that.”
Doing so will require him to navigate the tricky tennis dynamics of being the favorite or frontrunner. Marta Kostyuk, the No. 15 seed who is 16-0 on clay in 2026 and into the quarterfinals in the women’s draw, started that run at the Rouen Open in France, on the lowest rung of the WTA Tour. Sandra Zaniewska, Kostyuk’s coach, told her to play it to experience the pressure of being a favorite, instead of an underdog. Kostyuk won the event, and has since gone from strength to strength.
On a micro level, Anna Kalinskaya and Anastasia Potapova offered an exhibition of how much easier it is to play freely when behind, than with something to lose, in their fourth-round match Monday. Russian-born Austrian Potapova was 4-1 up in the first set, but lost it 6-4. In the deciding set, Potapova broke Kalinskaya three times, only to lose her serve three times, two of which came when Potapova was serving for the match.
It wasn’t just her. Kalinskaya, the Russian No. 22 seed, also managed to go 4-1 up in that set, before it went to a tiebreak which Kalinskaya won.
Zverev will have that expectation of victory, in the macro sense and during matches when he leads, in every one he plays from here on in. It’s simultaneously the biggest opportunity he’ll ever have, and the most pressure he’ll ever face.
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Sports
Steven Sessegnon exclusive: The twin brother of Fulham’s Ryan rebuilding at AFC Wimbledon after ‘tough’ period at Wigan | Football News
Steven and Ryan Sessegnon walked out at Craven Cottage side by side, each holding their daughters, last month.
The twins had made their way through Fulham’s academy together and played in the first team together on a handful of occasions – but that night, they played against one another for the first time ever.
It was a special moment; a full-circle moment.
In any of the previous three seasons, a game like this would have been a perfect chance for a family reunion, as Steven had been living in Manchester for three years while playing for Wigan.
But now he’s back home. And not just ‘home’ in terms of being back in south-west London. Properly back home.
He points ahead as he speaks to Sky Sports on a terrace at the Dons’ training ground in New Malden. “We used to play academy games literally across this grass.”
He points to the left. “I spent time at Coombe Boys School, which is five minutes up the road.”
Fulham’s Motspur Park training ground is six minutes’ drive away. There, his nephew Kayden is part of the U18 squad.
“It’s really wholesome to be back,” says Sessegnon. “It helps massively being around family.
“I get to see my older brothers, my nieces, my nephews and I see my brother [Ryan] a few times a week.
“We play at two different levels, so there isn’t too much to speak about as if we were in the same league, but we catch up on life, being dads, being providers, being men in our families and what the future looks like.”
Sessegnon’s return home has come at an important point in his career.
In his first season at Wigan in 2023/24, he played 29 games in all competitions. In his second, he suffered calf and knee injuries, before not playing again from January 4 2025.
At the start of his third, Gary Caldwell, who had replaced Ryan Lowe in February 2025, placed him on the transfer list.
“Things happen fast in football,” Sessegnon says. “When I was put on the transfer list, I was told I wasn’t going to play and I didn’t go on the pre-season trip – but I ended up starting the first game of the season through injuries or lack of availability, and I thought I did well.
Sessegnon signed a two-year deal at AFC Wimbledon in June
“It’s fair game, it’s part of it. The manager came in, the club wanted to go in a different direction. As long as everyone can come out of it happy and people can move onto clubs they know they can do well at, there’s no problem with it.”
A move away did not materialise so, on the few occasions Caldwell did select him, he was deployed at centre-back, where he had never played before.
“It was tough. Very, very tough. I felt like I could contribute to a team, but didn’t really have the trust or belief behind me to do it.
“But as much as I could say I didn’t have the proper backing to be in my own position, I was still given a chance to play football. It was down to me and it just never happened.
“There was no issue with anyone else apart from myself. I learned a lot there, a lot I can take with me for the rest of my career. It was a learning curve.
“The biggest thing was professionalism. Even in the worst stages of when I wasn’t playing and I was told I wasn’t going to be a part of it, I could still carry myself and be the best possible person.
The 26-year-old made only 20 League One starts across the last two seasons at Wigan
“I felt I owed it to myself to show people I was still a very good trainer, a very good player and I think that helped me stick around longer than they probably wanted me to.”
Sessegnon was released by the Latics in the summer and joined AFC Wimbledon on a two-year contract, with the option for a further 12 months, on June 25.
“I was preparing to go on holiday with my family and I got a call. As soon as they said Wimbledon, local, I said ‘let’s get it sorted’,” he recalls.
“But it was also about the position I would play, how the gaffer [Johnnie Jackson] set it out. It wasn’t complicated. I knew I could come in and, if I could get minutes, I would show my ability.”
Sessegnon’s first Dons appearance came on August 8 against Newport in the Carabao Cup, almost six months after his last competitive game for Wigan. He looks in genuine disbelief when he hears that.
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Highlights of the Sky Bet League One match between Bromley and AFC Wimbledon
His full league debut came on September 7, in a 2-0 Sky Bet League One win over Bromley. He has had to bide his time, but he understands why.
“It’s like injuries, you have a bit of anxiousness about getting going again, but I had the pre-season and here at Wimbledon, they looked after me very well. The gaffer has looked after me very well and communicated very well with me.
“In my head I wanted to start and play as many games as I could, but coming off the bench a few times has probably benefitted me to get to grips with football again.
“It’s probably the simplest football I’ve played in my career, but the most effective. We’re able to create chances, I’m able to get the ball high up the pitch.
“It’s not overthought, and I think it brings the best out of the whole squad and definitely myself. I’ve enjoyed it so far and it takes the pressure off the whole squad; we know we can create chances, we just have to be solid.”
The Dons have certainly been solid, with five clean sheets from seven games so far – the joint-most in the Sky Bet EFL.
They are four points behind leaders Bradford going into Saturday’s trip to Cambridge – which is live on Sky Sports+ – despite having only scored five goals so far.
Saturday 26th September 2:50pm
Kick off 3:00pm
That said, they are still among the bookmakers’ favourites to be relegated this season.
But now, back on home soil, Sessegnon has the chance to help AFC Wimbledon defy the odds again, just around the corner from where it all began.
Watch Cambridge vs AFC Wimbledon live on Sky Sports+ on Saturday; kick-off 3pm.
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Luis Binks: ‘Scotland was always the one for me’ – Brondby defender determined to make mark in first squad | Football News
“I’ve wanted to play for Scotland for years, and now the opportunity has come. I’m just really proud.”
Defender Luis Binks has played at under-21 level for both Scotland and England, but insisted he did not hesitate when new head coach Sebastien Pocognoli said he wanted him in his first squad.
The Brondby captain is one of six players handed their first full call-ups for the Nations League games against Slovenia, North Macedonia and Switzerland.
Pocognoli has said he will not beg players to choose Scotland, something the 25-year-old agrees with.
“I think if he had to try and convince me, convince anyone, it’s probably not the right thing for the player,” Binks told Sky Sports News.
“I didn’t need any convincing; I was available.
“I wanted to play for Scotland. I’ve wanted to play for Scotland for years and now the opportunity has come, I’m just really proud.
Robbie Ure (L) and Luis Binks are two of the new faces in the Scotland squad
“It’s where you feel your heart is and where you want to go. This was the route I wanted to take.”
It is a new-look Scotland under Pocognoli with 12 players who were in Steve Clarke’s final squad for the World Cup missing out, only Scott McTominay, Lawrence Shankland and Che Adams through injury.
And while it’s a new environment for Binks, there are some familiar faces within the camp.
“It was a few years ago that I was with Aaron Hickey in Bologna and he got called up while we were there.
Aaron Hickey has 22 caps for Scotland
“I could play for the 21s at the time and nothing ever coming up but it was always, Scotland was always the one for me that I wanted to go and play for.
“Going back years ago, under 16s when I went away with Scotland, the vibe was just so good.
“It felt like a proper team, it was just normal lads and you felt like you were playing with your mates so I knew there was always that feeling around it. I wanted to go and be a part of that again.”
The Pocognoli era officially gets underway in Ljubljana on Saturday, with a game against Switzerland at Hampden Park three days later.
The squad then fly to North Macedonia on October 3 before returning to Glasgow to face Slovenia again on October 6.
The Scotland players are training in La Manga ahead of their Nations League opener
Scotland were demoted from Nations League A after a play-off defeat by Greece last year and return to the second tier for this year’s competition.
“Obviously we want to get to the A group of the Nations League but there are a lot of new faces, a lot of new management, new ways of playing,” Binks added.
“I know what it’s like because I’ve got a new manager at my club now and it’s taking a bit of time so I imagine it’s the same sort of process here.
“It’s just about getting the players on board and buying into everything the manager wants to do.
“It’s been early days, but I think everyone is fully on board and believes in what we can do as a country.”
Scotland squad in full:
Goalkeepers: Scott Bain (Falkirk), Angus Gunn (San Jose Earthquakes), Liam Kelly (Rangers), Jon McCracken (Bradford City)
Defenders: Luis Binks (Brondby), Josh Doig (Sassuolo), Colby Donovan (Celtic), Luke Graham (Stoke City), Jack Hendry (Al-Ettifaq), Aaron Hickey (Brentford), Scott McKenna (Dinamo Zagreb), Nathan Patterson (Torino), Andy Robertson (Tottenham), Stephen Welsh (Swansea City)
Midfielders: Ryan Christie (Bournemouth), Lewis Ferguson (Bologna), Billy Gilmour (Napoli), John McGinn (Aston Villa), Josh McPake (Hearts), Lennon Miller (Udinese), Kristie Montgomery (Blackburn Rovers)
Forwards: Kieron Bowie (Sassuolo), Findlay Curtis (Rangers), Ben Gannon-Doak (Bournemouth), Oli McBurnie (Hull City), Robbie Ure (Sevilla), James Wilson (Hearts)
Scotland’s Nations League fixtures
Slovenia vs Scotland – September 26, kick-off 2pm
Scotland vs Switzerland – September 29, kick-off 7.45pm
N. Macedonia vs Scotland – October 3, kick-off 7.45pm
Scotland vs Slovenia – October 6, kick-off 7.45pm
Scotland vs N. Macedonia – November 13, kick-off 7.45pm
Switzerland vs Scotland – November 16, kick-off 7.45pm
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Lucas Roehrig: Rising cruiserweight talent signs with Zuffa Boxing and will fight on Sky Sports | Boxing News
Lucas Roehrig has signed a promotional deal with Zuffa Boxing and will fight on Sky Sports.
The cruiserweight talent, only 23 years old, has impressed in his rise through the cruiserweight ranks.
He will fight next on Zuffa Boxing 12 at the Copper Box Arena on November 7, live on Sky Sports.
His trainer and mentor is former world champion George Groves. Roehrig has been flawless so far in his professional career.
The young Londoner has won nine fights, never been defeated and has taken five of those wins inside the distance.
Roehrig made his pro debut in 2024, halting former English champion Joel McIntyre in three rounds.
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George Groves discusses his fighter Lucas Roehrig signing for Zuffa boxing and why we should be excited for his career.
Last year he shut out American prospect Brian Jones over six rounds. From then on, he’s continued to box and beat opponents with winning records.
His last two fights have been consecutive stoppage victories, over Adam Kolarik and Faton Tolaj, at York Hall.
“I’m really excited. This is a new chapter for me,” Roehrig told Sky Sports News. “Zuffa have come onto the scene and made a big splash, and for where I’m at in my career right now, that’s exactly what I want to do too.
“I’ve been through the levels. I’ve boxed on Sky shows and on other channels, but I’ve also boxed on the small hall shows – I haven’t skipped a step.
“I think now is the perfect platform, perfect time to fight other prospects – Zuffa have a lot of other undefeated fighters – for me to really make some noise not just in the UK but internationally too.”
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George Groves’ boxing protégé Lucas Roehrig picks up the knockout win! But was the first knockdown controversial?
Roehrig is now joining a promotional powerhouse that has a strong cruiserweight stable, including Jai Opetaia, Chris Billam-Smith, Ryan Rozicki and more.
“I’ve said numerous times that I’m aiming for world titles, that’s the main goal, that’s why I work so hard and that’s why we’re going to be taking risks,” Roehrig said.
“Our first fight will be November 7. Make a splash, and then from there keep building. There’s other belts that I’d love to collect along the way, but the Zuffa belt and the world titles are the end goal.”
Zuffa Boxing 11, headlined by Johnny Fisher vs Michael Pirotton, takes place this Saturday live on Sky Sports.
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