Sports
Djokovic: 'Favoritism' obvious in light Sinner doping ban
Novak Djokovic celebrates after match point against Jannik Sinner during a quarterfinals mens singles match on Centre court at the 2022 Wimbledon Championships at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. Mandatory Credit: Peter van den Berg-Imagn Images Novak Djokovic no longer trusts the international drug-testing and enforcement process in tennis, citing “favoritism” in the recent three-month suspension for World No. 1 Jannik Sinner.
Sinner twice tested positive for the synthetic anabolic steroid Clostebol in March 2024 but the International Tennis Integrity Agency found his support team at fault in light of the Italian star claiming he applied the steroid accidentally and without his knowledge through a recovery and healing spray.
The World Anti-Doping Agency appealed the ruling at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, resulting in an agreement to a three-month suspension rather than the typical punishment: a complete ban from training and competition for 1-2 years.
In 2024, Poland’s Iga Swiatek received only a one-month suspension for violating the anti-doping policy.
“There’s a majority of the players that I’ve talked to in the locker room, not just in the last few days, but also last few months, that are not happy with the way this whole process has been handled,” Djokovic said.
“The majority of the players don’t feel it’s fair. The majority of the players feel there is favoritism happening. It appears that you can almost affect the outcome if you’re a top player, if you have access to the top lawyers and whatnot. Swiatek and Sinner are innocent unless it’s proven otherwise. Right now they are innocent. Sinner’s got a suspension of three months because of the mistakes and the negligence of his team members that are working on the tour. That’s also something that I personally and a lot of players find a bit strange.”
Sinner was still active in January and won the Australian Open, his third major title. He is suspended from Feb. 9 until May 4, a timeline Djokovic, a 24-time Grand Slam winner, found too convenient given there are no majors contested during that timeframe. The French Open begins May 25.
American Jessica Pegula and Spanish star Carlos Alcaraz took a less aggressive position but called for an overhaul of a system that appears to benefit top players.
“If you are clean or not, the process is completely broken. I think it needs to be seriously looked at and considered,” Pegula said. “I feel they have so much power that they can destroy someone’s career, and I think something needs to be done about it because it seems extremely unfair. I don’t think any of the players trust the process at all right now.”
Others quickly raised an issue with Sinner being spotted on the practice courts on Feb. 13 in Doha, five days after the purported ban was to be in effect. WADA said the date of the suspension was retroactive and not official until the public announcement Feb. 15.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Lucas Herbert wins LIV Golf United Kingdom with record-setting score
Jul 17, 2026; Southport, ENG; Lucas Herbert lines up a putt on the 18th green during the second round of The Open Championship golf tournament at Royal Birkdale. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images Lucas Herbert wasn’t about to be denied the LIV Golf United Kingdom championship on Sunday.
Entering the final round at 20-under with a three-stroke lead over Bryson DeChambeau, the Australian holed 10 birdies for a final-round 62 and a 30-under-par 258 for the four-day event. That gave him a six-stroke victory over England’s Tyrrell Hatton, who turned in a 63.
DeChambeau closed with a 68 to finish 21-under par and in third place at JCB Golf & Country Club in Rocester, England.
Herbert’s dominance this week — his 62 was preceded by rounds of 61, 66 and 69 — led Rippers GC to a 52-under finish, four strokes ahead of captain Jon Rahm’s Legion XIII.
The 30-under finish by Herbert marked the lowest in LIV history. This was his second individual victory of the season — he also won LIV Golf Virginia in May — and he also set the league record for most birdies in a tournament with 30. His combination of 32 birdies and eagles in a tournament also broke a LIV record.
Herbert said confidence in his game grew after his strong finish at the Open Championship last week at Royal Birkdale, where he finished four shots behind winner Ryan Fox and tied for sixth.
“Just wanted to really carry that into this week the best I could,” Herbert said. “I think I got out of my own way the first two rounds and I started thinking about it yesterday. It was just good to play like that today when I was being pushed by two of the best players in the world.”
Hatton pushed as hard as he could with nine birdies, but it wasn’t enough given Herbert’s unprecedented four rounds.
“Obviously Lucas played amazing today, Hatton said. “I wanted to get off to a fast start, which is what I did, but unfortunately Lucas did as well. Yeah, I’m very proud of how I played. It would have been amazing to win in front of home fans, but I tried my best. But actually Lucas was incredible this week.”
Herbert said he did a good job at something else — hiding his nerves.
“I was definitely feeling it out there. I can only do what I can do,” Herbert said. “I was able to take care of what I needed to do today pretty well to get me over the line. I knew it wasn’t going to be a day where even par, 1-under, was going to get it done for me. I knew I had to go out there and get it. Just kept pushing myself the whole way, and here we are.”
Australian Cameron Smith shot a 69 on Sunday to finish in fourth at 17-under. Mexico’s Abraham Ancer (71) and Caleb Surratt (67) shared fifth at 14-under.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Tadej Pogacar rides away with record-tying fifth Tour de France title
Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia celebrates winning his fifth Tour de France on Sunday in Paris. With a record-tying fifth Tour de France title already in hand, Tadej Pogacar did his best to put on another show on Sunday before relenting near the finish of the shortened final stage in Paris.
The cycling star from Slovenia was overtaken on the final straightaway of Stage 21, but still won the overall title in a time of 73 hours, 56 minutes, 26 seconds over the three-week event. He finished 6:26 ahead of Belgium’s Remco Evenepoel.
Pogacar’s UAE Team Emirates teammate Isaac del Toro of Mexico finished third overall, which also clinched the title for top rider 25-years-old and under.
Mathieu van der Poel of Belgium won the final stage in a sprint to the finish line along Paris’ Champs-Elysees.
Pogacar and van der Poel were locked in a duel on the final circuit before van der Poel used his famed sprinter’s speed to pull away. It was a 1-2 finish for the Alpecin-Premier Tech team with Jasper Philipsen of Belgium coming in second. Mads Pedersen of Denmark, and the Lidl-Trek team, finished third.
Stage 21 was adjusted this year to include the hilly Montmartre circuit, which has gained popularity since being used during the 2024 Paris Olympics. The route was adjusted further Saturday when it was reduced to 88.7 kilometers due to wildfires outside of Paris.
Richard Carapaz of Ecuador won the overall title for top climber while wearing the polka-dot jersey while Pedersen clinched the sprinter’s title in the green jersey. Lidl-Trek, which includes Quinn Simmons of the United States, won the team title.
Simmons, the reigning United States road race champion, was awarded “Best Teammate” for the second consecutive year.
Pogacar ended up in 30th on the final stage, but the overall title had long been in hand as he won the Tour de France for the third consecutive year. He also won titles in 2020 and 2021.
“It’s an incredible day and an incredible atmosphere,” Pogacar said. “I’m happy that it’s over and we won for a fifth time.”
Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard of Denmark are the only riders to win the Tour de France since 2000. Vingegaard was forced to abandon this year’s race on Stage 15 when he crashed in a turn and came away with a right arm injury. Vingegaard was second overall when he crashed.
Miguel Indurain of Spain was the last to win five Tour de France titles, clinching the last of those in 1995. Bernard Hinault of France, Eddy Merckx of Belgium and Jacques Anquetil of France also won five titles.
“Every victory is really special and seven Tours already, seven times on the podium, with five wins, it’s something that you wouldn’t even write in a storybook,” Pogacar said. “It’s unbelievable for me.”
Pogacar stamped himself as one of the top road racers of all-time by winning Stages 3, 6, 10, 14 and 19 this year. The five wins this year give him 26 Tour de France stage wins.
“It’s a lot of factors,” Pogacar said when asked how he was able to secure title No. 5. “You enjoy what you’re doing, and you have the people around you that you trust and they help you. They’re there for you when you’re at your lowest and you can be yourself and chase your dreams.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Mario Hezonja back in NBA, signs deal with Cavs
Aug 11, 2020; Lake Buena Vista, Florida, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Kristaps Porzingis (6) and Portland Trail Blazers forward Mario Hezonja (44) battle for the ball during the second half of a NBA game at The Field House. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-Imagn Images Mario Hezonja is returning to the NBA for the first time since 2020 after signing a one-year deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers, ESPN reported Sunday.
The deal for the Croatia native, who was the fifth overall selection in the 2015 draft, is reportedly worth $2.8 million.
Hezonja, 31, has spent the last six years in the EuroLeague and the last four at Real Madrid where he blossomed. Hezonja helped Real Madrid clinch the EuroLeague championship in 2023 and was named the MVP of Liga ACB for the 2025-26 season when he averaged 17.5 points and 4.9 rebounds.
The Golden State Warriors also pursued the former lottery pick, according to the report. The Cavaliers came out ahead in the end as they look to improve on a run where they made it to the Eastern Conference finals last season. It was their first conference final since 2018.
Hezonja last played in the NBA during the 2019-2020 season with the Portland Trailblazers and also spent time with the Orlando Magic (2015-18) and New York Knicks (2018-19) in five seasons. In 330 career games (69 starts) Hezonja averaged 6.9 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.3 assists, while shooting 41.7% from the field and 31.9% from 3-point range.
–Field Level Media
Lucas Herbert wins LIV Golf United Kingdom with record-setting score
Mike Flanagans Carrie gets its first trailer ahead of Oct. release
