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It does NOT end well: U.S. Amateur players try to recreate Tiger Woods’ ‘greatest shot’

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Tiger Woods USGA

The U.S. Amateur returns to Hazeltine National this week for the first time since 2006, as the best amateurs in the world take to the Minnesota brute, whose narrow fairways and small greens make it a ball-striker’s delight.

One guy who may not view Hazeltine as fondly is Tiger Woods, who narrowly lost the PGA Championship at the course in 2002 and 2009, the latter of which the only time he lost a major after being the 54-hole leader.

That said, the course is the site of what Tiger has said is the greatest shot of his life. That came in 2002 on the 18th hole in the second round, when Woods was nestled under the lip of a fairway bunker, with the ball below his feet, over 200 yards from the hole, with wind howling off the left and towering trees between him and the green. He took 3-iron, picked it off the sand and hit it inside 20 feet. Oh, yeah, and he made the putt for birdie.

READ: LIV Golf Doping Controversy: Brooks Koepka Steals Bryson DeChambeau’s Move to Save Face

Immediately after, announcers called it “one of the best shots” they had ever seen, and last year, Tiger confirmed to TaylorMade that it was his best ever, saying he’s “never felt contact that solid in his life.” Given all the remarkable shots that he’s hit over his career, that Tiger picked this one should be proof enough of how incredible it was, but if you needed any more confirmation, the USGA has us covered.

A day before the opening round of the U.S. Amateur, the USGA asked a few competitors to try and recreate the remarkable shot. Take a look to see how it went.

Woof. By our rough count, that’s seven shots into the lip, seven cleared the lip but judging by the tracers and reactions, none found the green. And these guys had it easier than Woods, with what seemed like much less wind, far fewer trees between them and the hole, and the assist of 22 years of club technology advancements.

Judging by these attempts—and fails—let’s consider any debate about Tiger’s best shot over.

The U.S. Amateur began Monday with a field of 312 players competing over two rounds of stroke play at Hazeltine and co-host Chaska Town Course. After Tuesday’s second round, the field will be cut to 64 and six rounds of match play will determine the national champion.

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TENNIS

Iga Swiatek makes ‘scary’ admission as she highlights concerning tennis issue

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Iga Swiatek Paris Olympics

Iga Swiatek has described the tennis calendar as “probably the toughest one in sports” and declared it is “scary” that the schedule is “getting more crazy every year.”

The world No 1 also discussed the need to reset after a “pretty stressful” Paris Olympics experience and outlined her plan to treat the Cincinnati Open as a “practice tournament.”

Swiatek was the strong favourite to win the women’s singles gold medal at the 2024 Games, with the tennis event staged on the clay at Stade Roland Garros — where she has won four French Open titles.

Paris 2024 favorite Iga Swiatek loses in Olympic women's tennis semifinal

JUST IN: Jannik Sinner makes ‘struggle’ confession ahead of Cincinnati Open

The Polish star suffered heartbreak in the semi-finals as she fell to a 2-6, 5-7 loss to world No 7 and eventual gold medallist Zheng Qinwen.

The 23-year-old bounced back from the disappointment admirably to defeat Anna Karolina Schmiedlova 6-2, 6-1 in the bronze medal match.

Swiatek will play her first tournament since the Olympics at the WTA 1000 event in Cincinnati after she missed the Canadian Open in Toronto.

In her pre-tournament press conference, Swiatek brought attention to the relentless tennis schedule and expressed concern it is getting more challenging each season.

“Our calendar is crazy, probably the toughest one in sports,” said the Pole.

“There are sports that are really tough because, physically, you might get beat up. But most sports have four months off, sometimes even six. Our schedule is crazy, and it’s getting more crazy every year, which is scary. You just have to train wisely.”

The five-time Grand Slam champion also reflected on her Olympics campaign and highlighted the importance of resetting.

“It was pretty stressful and it wasn’t easy,” Swiatek explained.

“But I’m happy that I could leave Paris with a medal and with a lot of knowledge about myself. The most important thing for me was to learn from this experience.

“I was proud of myself and I was happy that I could deal with all this pressure and still get a medal. It wasn’t like a normal tournament, for sure.

“I literally felt after the Olympics that I need to kind of reset and also just focus on getting my technique back together and just grinding on court.

“Here is the perfect place to do it. It feels a little bit less crazy, but on the other hand, even before the tournament, there are many people and a lot of fans. So you still feel that it’s an important tournament anyway.”

Swiatek then looked ahead to her campaign in Cincinnati, where she is looking to win a first title.

“I know that the first tournament on hard court is not going to be easy,” she added.

“So I’m going to try to treat it as a practice tournament, but not in a way that I don’t care – more in a way that I want to implement all the stuff that I practised on. I think it’s the best approach for me now. We’re taking it easy, doing everything step by step.

“For sure, it’s not going to be perfect from the beginning but I had a couple days to really get used to the surface, so I’m trying to do the best job possible every day and entering the court next day knowing I can do something better.”

Swiatek will face Ajla Tomljanovic or Varvara Gracheva in her opening match in Cincinnati. She reached the semi-finals in 2023, which is her best result at the WTA 1000 tournament to date.

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TENNIS

Jannik Sinner makes ‘struggle’ confession ahead of Cincinnati Open

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Jannik Sinner Cincinnati Open

Jannik Sinner issues injury update ahead of Cincinnati Open as he makes ‘struggle’ confession

Jannik Sinner has allayed fears that his recent injury woes will keep him out of the Cincinnati Open, but he does acknowledge that the event is one where he usually “struggles”.

The world No 1 missed the Italian Open in May due to a hip injury he sustained at the Madrid Open and two months later he was forced to skip the Paris Olympics due to tonsillitis.

Jannik Sinner on hip scare: 'I'm not afraid' | ATP Tour | Tennis

READ: Carlos Alcaraz sends Jannik Sinner warning as he reveals big goal ahead of Cincinnati Masters

After making his comeback at the Canadian Open last week, Sinner was once again troubled by his hip during quarter-final defeat to Andrey Rublev.

It raised doubts over his participation at this week’s ATP Masters 1000 event in Mason as well as the US Open, but the Italian has given a positive update.

“I feel quite good. Obviously I made nearly one week without practising before and then after playing for two, three days in a row, a bit more than usual, [that] could [have had] a potential impact to the hip,” he said.

“But I’m not afraid. I feel good with the hip, and I’m just looking forward to go back on court here.”

Missing out on Paris 2024 was a big disappointment, but the 22-year-old knows you have to accept the good with the bad where sport is concerned.

“This year I felt like because I was playing well, also in Paris, in Roland Garros, and knowing that Olympics are there that I can play good on that court or quite well, trying to give myself a chance for medals,” Sinner said.

“But sometimes you have to accept it. Obviously it goes also in your mind after now that you missed this because you wanted to prepare it. But it’s all part of the sport, and I also have to be happy with what I have, not always looking on the negatives.

“I believe that my season is going in a very, very positive way, and we just keep building on that.”

The Cincinnati Open is the last big event before the US Open and Sinner doesn’t have the best of records at the Lindner Family Tennis Centre as he hasn’t made it past the third round.

Last year he lost in the second round against qualifier Dusan Lajovic and he acknowledges that it is not his best event.

“Here usually I struggle a little bit to play because of the conditions, but I’m looking forward to see my reaction this year, because it’s a great test for me,” the top seed, who faces either Alex Michelsen or Tallon Griekspoor in the second round, said.

“I believe that this tournament can give you a lot of confidence then for the US Open, which is the last Grand Slam we have throughout the year. So in my mind, this is a very important tournament.

“We go day by day. Today is my first practice day. Let’s see how it feels… I have a couple of days to prepare and hopefully show some good tennis.”

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BOXING

Tyson Fury ‘knows’ how to beat Oleksandr Usyk in rematch as victory plan is laid out

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Tyson Fury Oleksandr Usyk

Frank Warren is more than confident that Tyson Fury will exact his revenge on Oleksandr Usyk.

‘The Gypsy King’ lost on a split decision to Usyk in May as he was denied the opportunity to become the first undisputed heavyweight champion of the four-belt era.

Usyk got off to a bright start in the four-belt shootout, but was outboxed in the middle rounds by a confident Fury.

Tyson Fury Oleksandr Usyk

JUST IN: ‘BOXING IS AN ADDICTION’ – FURY REVEALS ALL ON HIS RETIREMENT

The Ukrainian then rallied in the second half of the fight, winning the eighth frame before dropping and nearly stopping Fury in the ninth stanza en route to a hard-fought victory.

In the end, the tight scorecards read 115-112 to Usyk, 114-113 to Fury, and 114-113 to Usyk with the knockdown proving to be decisive.

“People talk like he was slaughtered or something in that fight, there was nothing in the fight, it was a split decision,” Warren told the Queenberry Promotions YouTube channel.

“There was nothing in the fight and I’m telling you next time around it will be a really, really keenly fought fight, there’s no doubt about that.”

Fury blamed his loss on having ‘too much fun’ in the ring and there were moments in the fight where the Brit intentionally let down his guard to taunt and mock his foe.

Warren insists that remaining focused and sticking to his boxing will be his client’s keys to victory.

“Yep, yep [he can win] all he’s got to do is do what he did in the earlier rounds and stay focused,” he added.

Fury and Usyk are now set to run it back on December 21 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia with only the WBA, WBO and WBC belts on the line after Usyk vacated the IBF strap to pursue the rematch.

“Immediately after the fight he wanted the rematch, that’s how he is,” Warren continued.

“He wants to put it right because he knows how close the fight was. He felt he won the fight, I felt he just nicked it, but irrespective of that he didn’t get the decision, but it was a close fight.

“I know he genuinely feels he should have won it, and I’m not talking about the decision, I’m talking about he should have won it and he could have won it.

“And he knows what he’s got to do next time to make that happen.

“At the end of that seventh round when they went back to the corner I genuinely thought that was it.

“Everybody around him as well. There were a few of Usyk’s people sat behind us and they all felt the same thing.

“But Usyk got it together, he came out, caught Tyson on the nose and Tyson seemed to lose a bit of focus for some reason.

“And Usyk had a big round the next round when he nearly had Tyson out.”

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BOXING

‘BOXING IS AN ADDICTION’ – FURY REVEALS ALL ON HIS RETIREMENT

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Tyson Fury

Tyson Fury has opened up on his retirement from the sport. 

The Gypsy King suffered his first loss against Oleksandr Usyk as the Ukrainian became the Undisputed Heavyweight Champion of the World. The rematch has been scheduled for December 21, giving Fury a chance to avenge his loss. Another defeat for Fury will raise question marks over whether he should retire.

The two Usyk fights alone have earned him over $100 million, setting up his financial future. Another defeat will also reduce the importance of an Anthony Joshua fight, who is likely to chase a third Usyk fight if the Ukrainian wins. Fury is now 36 and has won every belt at heavyweight, even if he has not been undisputed. But Fury’s following comments suggest he will struggle to walk away from the sport.

Tyson Fury Oleksandr Usyk

JUST IN: TERENCE CRAWFORD VACATES HIS WBO 147 BELT – ‘WHAT’S NEXT?’

“I’ve been in love with boxing for such a long time – from being a little boy – and I’m 34 now. I’m probably at the end of my career in the next few years. It’s been a love-hate relationship. It’s been toxic at times. When it’s good, it’s very good, and when it’s bad, it’s very toxic.

“So I’m in that relationship and I don’t just abandon things. I try and make things work and that’s where we are at the minute. We’ve been in this romantic relationship since I can remember, since I was a child, and now I am a fully grown adult with a family of my own. It’s like, ‘Do I abandon it, or do I not?’ I wanted to walk away a lot of times but it always drags me back,” Fury said

Fury’s brother, Shane Fury, has already warned his brother that he wants him to retire from boxing after the Usyk fight. This is regardless of the outcome. He referenced how Fury took a lot of punishment in the fight, especially as he was nearly knocked out in round nine. In his post-fight comments, it was clear that Fury had been concussed. He wished everyone a Happy New Year when it was only May. Fury has also had three tough fights with Deontay Wilder.

The Gypsy King was dropped in the first and third fights with brutal right hands. Fury admitted that he feared he had brain damage after the third Wilder fight. He has also been accused of not being the same fighter after the Wilder fights.

He was dropped by Francis Ngannou, an MMA fighter making his boxing debut, in a fight where he was lucky to scrape through with a split decision win. However, the longer Fury stays in the sport, the more he risks harming himself. Derek Chisora has suffered similarly, as the boxer is showing early signs of having CTE. And yet, the 42-year-old continues to fight. Fury must avoid doing something similar.

“It’s like a massive drug and an addiction. I know it’s an addiction and I’m an addictive person. Boxing is an addiction; it’s not my best friend. It abuses me. When I come in this gym, it abuses my body, my mind, my soul. But afterwards I feel like it takes me to ecstasy. The rush is unbelievable. It gives me the biggest highs ever, but it also gives me the lowest lows as well. Boxing is more addictive than any drug ever. Ever. You can’t let it go,” Fury added

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BOXING

TERENCE CRAWFORD VACATES HIS WBO 147 BELT – ‘WHAT’S NEXT?’

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Terence Crawford WBO Welterweight

Terence Crawford has vacated his WBO Welterweight Title, making Brian Norman Jr. the full champion. 

The news comes just as Crawford became a four-division champion after beating Israil Madrimov in his first fight at junior middleweight. The win made him the WBA champion, solidifying his future at 154 pounds. This means that Crawford only has the WBA belt at 147, having become the first Undisputed Welterweight Champion when he stopped Errol Spence Jr. last year.

Jaron Ennis is now one of the leading contenders to box Norman Jr. for the WBO belt in a unification since he holds the IBF belt. That would allow Ennis to pursue his goal of becoming undisputed rather than moving up to 154 to chase Crawford, who is unlikely to take the fight since Boots offers no belts.

Terence Crawford defeats Shawn Porter to keep WBO title - Los Angeles Times

JUST IN: “I Can Do Whatever I Want”: Canelo Alvarez Blasts IBF for Stripping Him off Super Middleweight Title

“WBO President Paco Valcarcel received official communication from… Crawford confirming his decision that he will no longer stay in the welterweight division/ Brian Norman, Jr., is elevated from “Interim Champion” to “Full Champion” status in the WBO Welterweight Division with the rights conferred by such designation,” Luis Batista-Salas (WBO Championship Committee chairman)

Crawford can now focus on his next steps. He had been chasing the Canelo Alvarez fight, even calling out the Mexican after his win over Madrimov. However, that fight appears unlikely. Canelo has distanced himself from it.

He was contacted by the Saudis, who wanted to make the fight happen. However, it did not go down well, as Canelo felt it was disrespectful to talk about that fight while preparing for Berlanga. He also made it clear that he had no intention of fighting Crawford, as it does nothing for his legacy.

Crawford can now pursue a unification at 154 pounds against Sebastian Fundora. But that will not be next after reports that Fundora will box Errol Spence Jr. next, meaning there could be a Spence rematch if the results pan out the right way. Bud has been linked with the Vergil Ortiz Jr. fight.

Ortiz called him out after defeating Serhii Bohachuk in a controversial majority decision. Despite getting dropped twice, Ortiz rallied late on to secure the win. The Saudis are reportedly working on that fight, with Shakur Stevenson vs. William Zepeda being a possible chief support fight. Oscar De La Hoya is keen to make that fight happen next.

“We just discussed it with His Excellency, and if that’s what Vergil wants, then that’s what we’re going to get him. Everything is up in the air. Vergil is in the hospital. Bohachuk is in the hospital. Let’s respect that. Once they get better, we’ll discuss it again and make something happen. He’s [Ortiz] okay. They’re both okay. They’re hurt. It’s literally like the Rocky movie. Apollo Creed and Sylvester Stallone in the hospital. It was a tough fight. Let’s let them rest, and then we’ll reconvene,” De La Hoya said 

The fight could appeal to Crawford as Ortiz is an undefeated KO artist who has stopped everyone except Bohachuk. Ortiz is also the WBC Interim Junior Middleweight Champion, thus making Crawford mandatory for Fundora if he wins. Based on Ortiz’s performances, Bud will fancy his chances.

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BOXING

“I Can Do Whatever I Want”: Canelo Alvarez Blasts IBF for Stripping Him off Super Middleweight Title

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Canelo Alvarez IBF

Canelo Alvarez stands at the pinnacle of the boxing world.

There might not be any name as big as his in the boxing community right now, and the gold straps around his waist only add to his allure. But the IBF took one of them from him for not fighting his mandatory William Scull. The Mexican champion believes he made himself championship-worthy, not the other way around.

Alvarez, 34, has faced flak for not fighting the name the fans want him to face, David Benavidez. But with four straps and only two fights a year, he could only do so much. What’s more? He believes he has fought his way to stardom and now deserves to have his way. Alvarez, at 61-2-2, has questioned the IBF’s decision to take away his title as he weighs it against his popularity and his title of ‘face of boxing’. Did Scull fit the bill as his opponent? Did fans want to see the fight?

Canelo Alvarez next fight: Undisputed crown under threat but Crawford dream remains - Dexerto

READ: ‘It’s Going To Be Tough’ – Joshua Doubts Fury Can Beat Usyk

Alvarez doubted that. He expressed the same when he sat down for an interview with ‘Million Dollaz Worth of Game’. Drawing parallels with the likes of Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Mike Tyson, he pointed out that all the superstars fought, whom they thought were better for their business and resume, not for holding onto their championships after they had cemented their hold on the top. The Guadalajara native said, “[Oscar] De La Hoya, Floyd Mayweather, Julio Cesar Chavez, Mike Tyson, everybody did this. There are stars and superstars, and they made the championship, not the championship made them.”

“The IBF [says], ‘Hey, you need to fight with this because this.’ Who’s [William] Scull? I never hear about him… I’m not gonna do whatever they want, I want to do what I want. In this position, I can do whatever I want. Because I deserve it, because of all I did,” Alvarez added.

While he is one of the biggest stars in the boxing world, he will go against the Noche UFC on the same weekend, as both events share the same date. But he has confidence in his fan base, his fame, and his name.

In the same interview, Alvarez shed light on sharing the same night as Noche UFC, which will happen a few blocks away from his fight in T-Mobile Arena. The UFC has booked the Sphere and has already spent $17 million on the promotion. But the super middleweight champion is undeterred. He declared, “Maybe other boxing matches, maybe, but Canelo is different. There are other kind of fights, but Canelo is just different. I don’t care if the UFC is there, when Canelo fights, it’s different.”

It remains to be seen how well Alvarez’s fight with Edgar Berlanga fares on the business side of things. The fans have asked questions about his decision to fight Berlanga, but he looks to cash in on the Mexico vs. Puerto Rico rivalry to make the event successful. Will his plan be successful?

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GOLF

LIV Golf Doping Controversy: Brooks Koepka Steals Bryson DeChambeau’s Move to Save Face

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Brooks Koepka Bryson DeChambeau

LIV Golf Doping Controversy – Brooks Koepka Steals Bryson DeChambeau’s Move to Save Face at $25M Showdown

John Catlin joined Bryson DeChambeau‘s Crushers GC as a replacement for Charles Howell III at LIV Golf Houston after Howell was sidelined due to a tibia injury in his left leg. Interestingly, Catlin had decent performances, with T7 in Nashville being his best. However, who would have thought Catlin would be back again on the LIV golf field, and this time as a part of Brooks Koepka’s team?

PGA Tour should move cautiously with Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka feud - Sports Illustrated

READ: ‘I fully accept the sanctions’: LIV Golf pro suspended after positive drugs test

Yes, you read it right. Recently, bunkered.com revealed that Catlin is joining Koepka’s Smash GC as a replacement for Graeme McDowell for the $25 million Greenbrier showdown. The reason McDowell is out of the field of the upcoming event is that he has been suspended for one event for violating LIV Golf’s anti-doping rules. The golfer tested positive for R-methamphetamine, a banned substance that he claims was used in a nasal spray for congestion.

Talking about it, McDowell shared a post on X and said, “Ahead of LIV Nashville, I was struggling with severe congestion that was affecting my sleep. In an effort to manage it, I used a generic Vick’s nasal decongestant without realizing it might be on the banned list.” Not only will he miss out on the next $25 million event, but the golfer was also fined $125,000. Meanwhile, John Catlin will play as his replacement at LIV Golf Greenbrier.

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TENNIS

Unlike Coco Gauff, Iga Swiatek Refuses to Succumb to Online Hate

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Coco Gauff Iga Swiatek

Unlike Coco Gauff, Iga Swiatek Refuses to Succumb to Online Hate as She Reveals the Perfect Way to Deal With Naysayers

“Unfortunately, many people don’t realize what the life of an athlete is like.” Dealing with social media can be a nuisance. Especially when fans offer their unsolicited opinions to simply pour negativity. Coco Gauff and Iga Swiatek are two such players who are often victims of such online harassment. While the tennis stars have earned respect within the sporting community with their laudable achievements, an occasion loss in their momentum turns the subject into a flip-sided affair. But, how do they deal with such comments? Surprisingly, in contrast to Gauff, Swiatek resorts to a very different approach.

On Sunday, August 11, Swiatek sat down for an exclusive interview with WP SportoweFakty. Following her Paris Olympics campaign, wherein she fetched a bronze medal, the Polish star was asked how she deals with a love-hate relationship with fan comments. The World No. 1 explained that it’s a two-way street. While some fans offer her support even when she’s at her lowest, some spread negativity even when she has garnered glory. The latest of which came after her disheartening semifinal loss at the hands of China’s Qinwen Zheng at Olympic Games.

Swiatek Gauff to meet in Australian Open quarters - Tennis Majors

JUST IN: Carlos Alcaraz sends Jannik Sinner warning as he reveals big goal ahead of Cincinnati Masters

As an attempt to cut herself off from outside world during tournaments, Swiatek typically limits her online presence during tournaments. Her online activity is primarily confined to posting after matches. She consciously avoids reading comments during these intense periods. “I don’t feel like answering or explaining, because I realize that a lot of people support me and I wouldn’t be able to explain everything. I simply accept that such things are a part of my life.”

The Pole acknowledges a common misconception about the life of an athlete. She emphasizes the importance of maintaining emotional distance from such opinions, as they often lack understanding of the athlete’s experience. Unfortunately, she notes a tendency for people to make hasty judgments. However, once a tournament concludes, she often catches up on online discussions to stay informed about public opinion. “Very often, I receive very positive messages. This was the case right after my defeat in the semi-final in Paris, when messages of support from fans and friends, and even from other athletes, helped me a lot.” 

Exactly one year ago, the World No. 1 opened up about the toxic online environment after her hard-fought victory over Zheng at the Western & Southern Open. She expressed frustration over the relentless hate messages directed at both herself and her coaching team, despite a successful comeback win. Swiatek questioned the unrealistic expectations placed on athletes, highlighting the stark contrast between the negativity online and the positive outcome of the match.

 

For those unaware, last year, American talent Gauff took significant measures to deal with online harassment. Notably, the World No. 2 went on a social media blocking spree after witnessing a string of negative comments after she was overpowered by the Pole at the 2023 WTA Finals. Later, she posted a candid admission outlining her reasoning behind such extreme measures saying,

“I only block people who are negative, not my fans. When you deal with the daily harassment I deal with every single day. Death threats, racism, body shaming. etc. It is exhausting. So I try my best to spare myself.”

However, Gauff is in no mood to let such comments affect her ambitions. After a heartbreaking conclusion to her Olympics campaign, the American, once again, aims to participate in 2028 LA Olympics! This time for a “full effect”!

One would think Gauff’s premature end to her Olympic debut would quash her gold medal ambitions. However, the American has stepped in to tell everyone otherwise. The 20-year-old plans to sign up for all three categories at the 2028 edition of the Games, despite failing to secure a medal while participating in singles, doubles, and mixed doubles contests in Paris this year.

She said, “I didn’t really experience a full effect so like kind of lost earlier in singles so at that point I think I was I didn’t even double up yet so I would still do all three again if that’s a possibility in 28, I mean it’s four years from now.”

Following an early exit at the Olympics, the reigning US Open champion hasn’t stumbled upon noteworthy success on the Tour either. An out-of-form Gauff was flushed out of the Canadian Open before she could make her mark. Now, she hopes to reverse her fortune by prepping for the Cincinnati Open and with it, aims for a successful title defense at the Flushing Meadows Slam.

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TENNIS

Carlos Alcaraz sends Jannik Sinner warning as he reveals big goal ahead of Cincinnati Masters

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Carlos Alcaraz Jannik Sinner

Carlos Alcaraz has sent a message to Jannik Sinner by asserting that ending the 2024 season as the ATP world No 1 is one of his “main goals.”

The Spaniard revealed that being No 1 is a target whenever he does not occupy the position and highlighted the importance of the Race to the ATP Finals to him.

Alcaraz is in Cincinnati to play his first tournament since leaving the 2024 Paris Olympics with a silver medal, following his loss to Novak Djokovic in an enthralling gold medal contest.

Carlos Alcaraz sends Jannik Sinner warning as he reveals big goal ahead of Cincinnati Masters

READ: How does Sinner’s loss affect the battle for World No. 1? Alcaraz could potentially snatch the No. 1

The 21-year-old is currently ranked third in the ATP Rankings on 7,950 points behind world No 1 Sinner (8,770 points) and world No 2 Novak Djokovic (8,460 points).

Alcaraz was a runner-up at the Cincinnati Masters in 2023, meaning he will need to reach the final or win the Masters 1000 event this year to improve his points tally.

The four-time Grand Slam champion is second in the ATP Race to Turin Rankings on 5,960 points, 450 points behind Sinner, who is top with 6,410 points. The Race Rankings count only points from the current year and determine the eight qualifiers for the season-ending ATP Finals.

Speaking ahead of the Cincinnati Masters, Alcaraz outlined his ambition to chase down Sinner at the top of the ATP Rankings and in the Race.

“Obviously being No 1 is a goal every time that I am [behind] and the race is an important ranking for me,” said the world No 3.

“At the end of the year, if you end the race No 1, in the rankings [it is] quite similar, so you’re going to end the No 1. So I’m really focused on that.

“I’m focused on going to every tournament, thinking about playing great tennis, doing a good result just to get better in the race.

“This year, ending the year as No 1 is one of my main goals right now. So I’m looking forward to doing it and let’s see.

“I’m fighting for being No 1 in the race, that’s something that I really want to to do as soon as possible, if I could do it in the future.

“This one is a really important tournament, really good tournament for me. So I’m going to try to play good tennis, try to play same level as I was playing, and let’s see.”

Alcaraz will face either Gael Monfils or Alexei Popyrin in his opening match in Cincinnati, where he is the No 2 seed. The Spaniard could face off with Sinner in the final at the hard-court event.

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