Olympic Champions Errani, Paolini Win French Open Women's Doubles Title

Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France - June 8, 2025 Italy's Jasmine Paolini and Sara Errani lift a trophy as they celebrate winning their women's doubles final match against Serbia's Aleksandra Krunic and Kazakhstan's Anna Danilina REUTERS/Stephanie Lecocq
Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France - June 8, 2025 Italy's Jasmine Paolini and Sara Errani lift a trophy as they celebrate winning their women's doubles final match against Serbia's Aleksandra Krunic and Kazakhstan's Anna Danilina REUTERS/Stephanie Lecocq
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Olympic Champions Errani, Paolini Win French Open Women's Doubles Title

Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France - June 8, 2025 Italy's Jasmine Paolini and Sara Errani lift a trophy as they celebrate winning their women's doubles final match against Serbia's Aleksandra Krunic and Kazakhstan's Anna Danilina REUTERS/Stephanie Lecocq
Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France - June 8, 2025 Italy's Jasmine Paolini and Sara Errani lift a trophy as they celebrate winning their women's doubles final match against Serbia's Aleksandra Krunic and Kazakhstan's Anna Danilina REUTERS/Stephanie Lecocq

Italian pair Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini beat Kazakh Anna Danilina and Serbia's Aleksandra Krunic 6-4 2-6 6-1 to win the women's doubles title at the French Open on Sunday, Reuters reported.

It was the first Grand Slam trophy for the second-seeded Italians, who also won the Paris 2024 Olympics doubles title on the same court last year.

It was also 38-year-old veteran Errani's second title this week after also clinching the French Open mixed doubles title with compatriot Andrea Vavassori.

The pairs traded breaks midway through the first set before the Olympic gold medallists, who had reached the final at the French Open last year, bagged it with another break at 5-4.

Danilina, a 2022 Australian Open doubles finalist, and Krunic bounced back, easily earning the second set but they were broken twice at the start of the third as the Italians raced to a 5-0 lead.

The Italians, sixth in the doubles rankings, wrapped up their first Grand Slam title as a pair when Krunic sank a forehand into the net.

Paolini, who reached both the women's singles and doubles final at the French Open last year, had lost in the fourth round of this year's singles edition.



Alonso Fears More Pain in China with Struggling Aston Martin

Fernando Alonso expects a difficult weekend in his Aston Martin in China. Paul Crock / AFP
Fernando Alonso expects a difficult weekend in his Aston Martin in China. Paul Crock / AFP
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Alonso Fears More Pain in China with Struggling Aston Martin

Fernando Alonso expects a difficult weekend in his Aston Martin in China. Paul Crock / AFP
Fernando Alonso expects a difficult weekend in his Aston Martin in China. Paul Crock / AFP

Fernando Alonso said Thursday he expects another difficult weekend wrestling with his new Aston Martin at the Chinese Grand Prix after failing to finish the season-opener in Australia.

Silverstone-based Aston Martin endured a horror start after serious issues with their Honda power unit and a lack of spare parts, said AFP.

Two-time world champion Alonso and teammate Lance Stroll had to endure extreme vibration in the chassis caused by the power unit, which was feared could cause the drivers permanent nerve damage.

"The situation unfortunately didn't change within four or five days since Melbourne, so it will be a difficult weekend," Alonso told reporters at the Shanghai International Circuit.

"We'll limit the laps in one or two sessions as we are short on parts. We need laps, to find the window on the chassis side.

"I'll be happy if we leave China with a more or less normal practice, more or less normal qualifying."

The Spaniard could not put a timeframe on when improvements might come.

"What can I do within the team? Work harder, help Honda as much as I can," said Alonso.

"We can allocate resources to help Honda with the power unit. We are one team, it is a bumpy start that I hope won't last too long.

"We are pushing, we have very talented people in the team, so I hope within a couple of grands prix, we can have a normal weekend.

"To be competitive will take more time. Once we fix the reliability, we will be behind on power and things."

The 44-year-old veteran has been in Formula One for more than two decades and has driven vastly different iterations of cars from the old V10 petrol engines through to the current complex hybrid configuration.

Despite the issues, he said was embracing the challenge of the new cars enthusiastically in what could be his final season on the grid.

His Aston Martin contract expires at the end of 2026.

"Do we enjoy driving these cars? Yes, because we love racing," Alonso said.

"I do four or five 24-hour races because I love racing and I love driving. So if you jump into an F1 car, you enjoy going fast.

"But it is a challenge, a different challenge.

"I was super lucky to race in (the last) era and I feel lucky to race in both."


Verstappen Jokes New F1 Cars 'More Like Mario Kart'

Max Verstappen arrives at the paddock ahead of the Formula One Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai. Jade GAO / AFP
Max Verstappen arrives at the paddock ahead of the Formula One Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai. Jade GAO / AFP
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Verstappen Jokes New F1 Cars 'More Like Mario Kart'

Max Verstappen arrives at the paddock ahead of the Formula One Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai. Jade GAO / AFP
Max Verstappen arrives at the paddock ahead of the Formula One Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai. Jade GAO / AFP

Four-time world champion Max Verstappen said Thursday he was not having much fun driving the new era of Formula One cars, joking he was "practicing with Mario Kart" because it was more realistic than his simulator.

The Red Bull driver crashed in qualifying in the season-opener in Australia last weekend before having to carve his way from 20th on the grid to finish a creditable sixth.

The new cars require battery management and energy harvesting with a 50-50 split between conventional and electrical power, AFP said.

They also have features such as straight-line mode, active aero, overtake and boost buttons, which Verstappen reckons are nearer to a video game.

"I swapped the simulator for my Nintendo Switch. I'm practicing with Mario Kart, actually. Finding the mushrooms is going quite well, the blue shells are a bit more difficult."

Verstappen announced this week that he would be driving in the Nurburgring 24-hour race this year.

"I wish I had a bit more fun for sure," he said of Formula One at the moment.

"I mean, I get to race the Nordschleife (Nurburgring) and I hope in the coming years I can do Spa and hopefully Le Mans.

"So I'm combining stuff and I'm also doing other stuff that is a lot of fun.

"It's a bit conflicted because I don't really enjoy to drive the car, but I do enjoy working with all the people in the team and from the engine department as well."

He did express optimism that things would improve as the new rules and regulations were adjusted and said drivers were already in discussions over changes.

"I hope, of course, that it gets better," said the Dutchman.

"I've had discussions with F1 and the FIA and I think we are working towards something that will improve everything."


Neto Apologizes for Pushing Ball Boy During Chelsea's 5-2 Loss

Soccer Football - UEFA Champions League - Round of 16 - First Leg - Paris St Germain v Chelsea - Parc des Princes, Paris, France - March 11, 2026 Chelsea's Pedro Neto checks on ball boy after falling into him Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra
Soccer Football - UEFA Champions League - Round of 16 - First Leg - Paris St Germain v Chelsea - Parc des Princes, Paris, France - March 11, 2026 Chelsea's Pedro Neto checks on ball boy after falling into him Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra
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Neto Apologizes for Pushing Ball Boy During Chelsea's 5-2 Loss

Soccer Football - UEFA Champions League - Round of 16 - First Leg - Paris St Germain v Chelsea - Parc des Princes, Paris, France - March 11, 2026 Chelsea's Pedro Neto checks on ball boy after falling into him Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra
Soccer Football - UEFA Champions League - Round of 16 - First Leg - Paris St Germain v Chelsea - Parc des Princes, Paris, France - March 11, 2026 Chelsea's Pedro Neto checks on ball boy after falling into him Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra

Chelsea winger Pedro Neto apologized for pushing a ball boy during Wednesday's 5-2 Champions League defeat to Paris St Germain, an incident that added to a chaotic end to the visitors' late collapse.

The 26-year-old shoved the ball boy in stoppage time at the Parc des Princes, sending him into a chair and triggering a confrontation between players.

"I want to apologize to the ball boy," Neto told TNT Sports. "I have already spoken to him."

"We were losing and in the emotion of ⁠the game I ⁠wanted to get the ball fast and I gave him a little push.

"I'm not like this. It was in the heat of the moment and I want to apologize. I gave him my shirt. I'm really sorry about it - I feel ⁠I have to apologize to him ... He could see what had happened and was happy with the situation."

Head coach Liam Rosenior also apologized for the incident.

"If there was anything from our side that was wrong or out of order, I apologize on behalf of the club," Reuters quoted him as saying.

Luis Enrique's side twice went ahead through Bradley Barcola and Ousmane Dembele but were pegged back each time by Malo Gusto ⁠and ⁠Enzo Fernandez, before Vitinha and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, with a double, netted three late goals to put the hosts in control of the tie.

The visitors' disappointment was evident at full time, with goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen attempting to head straight down the tunnel before Robert Sanchez urged him back to applaud the travelling supporters.

Chelsea will play Newcastle United on Saturday in the Premier League before hosting PSG on Tuesday in the second leg of the last-16 tie in the Champions League.