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Ruud Beats Draper in Madrid Open Final to Win his First Masters 1000 Title

04 May 2025, Spain, Madrid: Norwegian tennis player Casper Ruud celebrates winning the Madrid Open 2025 tournament at La Caja Magica. Photo: Alberto Gardin/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
04 May 2025, Spain, Madrid: Norwegian tennis player Casper Ruud celebrates winning the Madrid Open 2025 tournament at La Caja Magica. Photo: Alberto Gardin/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
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Ruud Beats Draper in Madrid Open Final to Win his First Masters 1000 Title

04 May 2025, Spain, Madrid: Norwegian tennis player Casper Ruud celebrates winning the Madrid Open 2025 tournament at La Caja Magica. Photo: Alberto Gardin/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
04 May 2025, Spain, Madrid: Norwegian tennis player Casper Ruud celebrates winning the Madrid Open 2025 tournament at La Caja Magica. Photo: Alberto Gardin/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa

Casper Ruud became the first Norwegian to win a Masters 1000 title after beating Jack Draper 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 in the Madrid Open final on Sunday.
The former second-ranked Ruud rallied from 5-3 down in the first set and sealed the victory after capitalizing on his lone break at 2-2 in the third, The Associated Press reported.
The 26-year-old Ruud yelled and thrust both arms into the air after clinching the win on his first match point on the Caja Magica clay court.
“It’s been a long time coming,” Ruud said. “(This was) one of the really big goals I dreamed about when I was young, so it’s an incredible feeling to accomplish it. Also the way I did it today, it was a great match. I knew Jack had been playing unbelievable all year, and especially in this tournament, so I knew that if I didn’t bring my A-plus game, I was going to be whooped around the court."
The 15th-ranked Ruud will return to the top 10 thanks to his campaign in Madrid, reaching No. 7 in the rankings on Monday.
“Luckily, I played really well," Ruud said. "Jack has become such an incredible player, on any surface now ... This is a really big boost for me, and I would like to keep it going.”
The 13-time tour champion is the first Norwegian to lift a Masters 1000 trophy since the series was introduced in 1990, according to the ATP. It was Ruud’s third such final after losing to Stefanos Tsitsipas in Monte Carlo last year and to Carlo Alcaraz in Miami in 2022.
Ruud has more titles (12) on clay than any other player since the start of 2020, according to the ATP.
Draper won at Indian Wells in March. After his quarterfinal victory in Madrid, he secured a top-five debut in the rankings.
Draper said Ruud was “braver” than him in the key moments on Sunday.
“You deserve this,” he said. "You’ve obviously put in so much hard work and constantly had very good years on the tour ... This sport is brutal, but I think this loss is going to make me better, so I’ll keep trying.”
The tournament in Madrid was disrupted early last week because of a major blackout that brought Spain and Portugal to a standstill on Monday, prompting the postponement of 22 matches in total.
Ruud had needed to take a couple of painkillers during his semifinal win over Francisco Cerundolo after feeling a rib ailment during his warmup, but there were no signs of any injury on Sunday.
Draper, who like Ruud had not lost a set on his way to the final, served for the first set at 5-4 but couldn't finish it. The 23-year-old British player was visibly upset, and kept talking to himself and to his staff for a while during the changeover.
The men's side of the draw lost most of its top players early. Home-crowd favorite Carlos Alcaraz had to withdraw from the tournament because of an injury, and Novak Djokovic lost to Matteo Arnaldi in his opening match.
Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka defeated Coco Gauff in the women's final on Saturday.

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Roger Federer Will Return to the US Open to Take Part in an Exhibition Event

Roger Federer, of Switzerland, kisses the championship trophy after winning the men's finals championship over Andy Murray, of Britain, at the US Open tennis tournament in New York, Monday, Sept. 8, 2008. (AP)
Roger Federer, of Switzerland, kisses the championship trophy after winning the men's finals championship over Andy Murray, of Britain, at the US Open tennis tournament in New York, Monday, Sept. 8, 2008. (AP)
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Roger Federer Will Return to the US Open to Take Part in an Exhibition Event

Roger Federer, of Switzerland, kisses the championship trophy after winning the men's finals championship over Andy Murray, of Britain, at the US Open tennis tournament in New York, Monday, Sept. 8, 2008. (AP)
Roger Federer, of Switzerland, kisses the championship trophy after winning the men's finals championship over Andy Murray, of Britain, at the US Open tennis tournament in New York, Monday, Sept. 8, 2008. (AP)

Roger Federer will play in an exhibition at the US Open this year, returning to the Grand Slam tournament that he is the only player to win five consecutive times.

Days before being enshrined in the International Tennis Hall of Fame, Federer will play in New York on Aug. 25. The event, titled “Roger Federer: An Icon Returns to New York,” also will include Andy Roddick, John McEnroe and Andre Agassi. It was announced Monday by the US Tennis Association.

Roddick won the 2003 US Open, the year before Federer started dominating the event. He won every one from 2004-08 as part of his 20 Grand Slam singles titles.

Federer last played the US Open in 2019.

“So many unforgettable moments of my career happened in New York, and Arthur Ashe Stadium is a place that means a great deal to me," he said in a statement. “I’ve missed being part of that atmosphere and feeling the incredible energy that the fans bring every year.”

The Hall of Fame induction ceremony is scheduled for Aug. 29 in Newport, Rhode Island.

The USTA said there will be further announcements about the lineup for the event, which is during the week before singles play in the tournament begins.

Sports

Diarra Settles 65 mn Euros Transfer Case with FIFA and Belgian FA

Lassana Diarra was pursuing FIFA and the Belgian football association for 65 million euros in compensation © Bertrand GUAY / AFP/File
Lassana Diarra was pursuing FIFA and the Belgian football association for 65 million euros in compensation © Bertrand GUAY / AFP/File
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Diarra Settles 65 mn Euros Transfer Case with FIFA and Belgian FA

Lassana Diarra was pursuing FIFA and the Belgian football association for 65 million euros in compensation © Bertrand GUAY / AFP/File
Lassana Diarra was pursuing FIFA and the Belgian football association for 65 million euros in compensation © Bertrand GUAY / AFP/File

Former France international Lassana Diarra has reached agreement with FIFA and the Belgian football association in his long-running 65 million euro ($76 million) legal battle, a source close to the case told AFP on Monday.

The former Arsenal, Chelsea and Real Madrid midfielder's challenge to FIFA prompted world football's governing body to amend its transfer rules after a landmark Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) legal ruling in October 2024, but he had been unable to reach a settlement.

The CJEU found that FIFA rules impede the free movement of players by "imposing considerable legal risks, unforeseeable and potentially very high financial risks as well as major sporting risks on those players and clubs wishing to employ them", thereby disrupting the transfer system.

The 35-times capped former France international announced last October that he was turning to the Belgian courts to enforce the CJEU ruling.

Contacted by AFP, FIFA indicated that "following the comprehensive agreement they reached, Mr. Lassana Diarra and FIFA have settled all legal proceedings between them," adding that FIFA "does not acknowledge any wrongdoing and has not made any compensation payments".

Diarra's lawyers told AFP they could not comment at this stage.

The origin of this case lies in Diarra's dispute over the terms of his departure from Lokomotiv Moscow in 2014.

Due to a drastic reduction in his salary, Diarra left the Moscow club, but the club deemed the termination unfair and demanded 20 million euros from him, later reduced to 10.5 million euros.

As a result, Belgian club Charleroi ultimately decided against signing the French player for fear of having to bear part of these sanctions.

Following the CJEU's decision known as the "Diarra ruling," FIFA adjusted its regulations on player transfers.

The Justice for Players Foundation also launched a class action lawsuit aimed at achieving greater fairness in transfers, an initiative joined by various national professional footballers' unions, including the French union (UNFP).

Sports

World Cup by the Numbers: 104 Matches, 48 Teams and 3 Countries Make This the Largest Ever

Workers are seen on a crane at Los Angeles Stadium (temporarily renamed from SoFi Stadium) ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Los Angeles on June 7, 2026. (AFP)
Workers are seen on a crane at Los Angeles Stadium (temporarily renamed from SoFi Stadium) ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Los Angeles on June 7, 2026. (AFP)
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World Cup by the Numbers: 104 Matches, 48 Teams and 3 Countries Make This the Largest Ever

Workers are seen on a crane at Los Angeles Stadium (temporarily renamed from SoFi Stadium) ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Los Angeles on June 7, 2026. (AFP)
Workers are seen on a crane at Los Angeles Stadium (temporarily renamed from SoFi Stadium) ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Los Angeles on June 7, 2026. (AFP)

This year's edition of the World Cup will be the biggest ever with an expanded field of 48 teams, three host countries and 16 stadiums staging the record 104 matches over the 39-day tournament.

The tournament being held in the United States, Canada and Mexico is the first since FIFA expanded the field from 32 teams to 48, adding four more groups in the initial stage and a new round of 32 in the knockout portion.

The World Cup last expanded for the 1998 tournament with the last seven editions featuring 32 teams and 64 games. This also marks just the second time that the tournament will be played in multiple countries with Japan and South Korea sharing the 2002 edition.

There will be 11 sites in the United States, with three in Mexico and two in Canada. Mexico will host 13 matches, including the opener in Mexico City on June 11 between the host team and South Africa and three in the knockout rounds.

Canada will also have 13 matches with the first coming between the hosts and Bosnia-Herzegovina on June 12 in Toronto and three more in the knockout round.

The remaining 78 will be in the US starting when the Americans take on Paraguay on June 12 in the Los Angeles area, and including all the matches in the quarterfinals, semifinals and the final round at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

Here's a look at some other stats to watch during the 2026 World Cup:

1,248 There are a record 1,248 players on the rosters coming from 449 domestic clubs in 71 countries. There are 357 players with World Cup experience, along with 891 first-timers.

England leads the way with 200 players on rosters who are based there at club level. Germany is second with 109, followed by France (86), Spain (86), Italy (71) and Saudi Arabia (49). Major League Soccer will be represented by a record 44 active players at the World Cup with 103 of the players having some experience in MLS.

Manchester City of the Premier League has the most players of any club with a record of 19, followed by Bayern Munich with 18, Champions League finalists Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal 16 and Barcelona with 15.

226 Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo leads all players in the tournament with 226 caps — the most ever by a single men's player — as he is set to join Argentina's Lionel Messi as the only players to appear in six World Cups.

Ronaldo is the only player to score in five World Cups with eight goals in his 22 matches.

Messi has the most career World Cup matches with 26 and needs two appearances to become the third man with at least 200 caps (Bader Al-Mutawa, Kuwait, also has more 200 appearances in international play). Croatia’s Luka Modric is three short of joining that group.

Mexico's Guillermo Ochoa is on a World Cup roster for the sixth time but didn't appear in a game in 2006 or 2010.

16 Miroslav Klose’s record of 16 career goals for Germany could jeopardy in this year’s edition. Messi comes into the tournament with 13 career goals, trailing only Klose, Brazilian star Ronaldo (15) and Gerd Muller (14). France’s Kylian Mbappe is also in range having scored 12 goals combined in the past two tournaments

8 Only eight countries have won the World Cup with six of those teams winning multiple titles led by Brazil's five. The only first-time winners in the last 11 Cups came in 1998 when France won the first of its two titles and in 2010 when Spain won it all.

2 Only two countries have repeated as champions with Pele leading Brazil to titles in 1958 and ‘62, and Italy winning it in 1934 and ’38. Three other defending champions made it to the title game, including France four years ago before losing to Argentina.

6 There have been six defending champions who failed to make it out of the group stage, including in three of the last four editions. France made it back to the final in 2022 but Italy (2010), Spain (2014) and Germany (2018) all got eliminated before the knockout rounds.

3 France will try to become the third county to make it to three straight finals after winning it in 2018 and losing in 2022. West Germany lost the final in 1982 and '86 before beating Argentina in 1990. Brazil had wins in 1994 and 2002 around a title game loss to France in 1998.

23 Brazil is the only country to appear in all 23 editions of the World Cup starting in 1930 in Uruguay. The Brazilians also lead all countries with 76 wins, 237 goals and a plus-129 goal differential. Germany is next in all three categories with 21 appearances, 232 goals and a plus-102 goal differential, including 10 appearances as West Germany before reunification.

4 There are four countries making their World Cup debuts with Cape Verde, Curaçao, Jordan and Uzbekistan the newcomers this time around. That will increase the total of countries to compete in the World Cup to 84 all-time.

7 Egypt has played seven World Cup matches without a win. The Egyptians are 0-5-2 and will try to break through starting June 15 against Belgium. The only country with more games and no wins is Honduras with nine. Honduras didn't qualify this year.

2,720 There have been 2,720 goals scored in 964 matches in the first 22 World Cups. With the additional 40 games, the record of 172 goals in a tournament set in Qatar in 2022 should be broken. The record of 5.38 combined goals per game set in 1954 should be safe.

25 There is more than 25 years separating the oldest player from the youngest. Scotland goalkeeper Craig Gordon will be 43 years and 162 days old on the first day of the tournament, while Mexico's Gilbert Mora will be 17 years, 240 days old.