Between the French Open and the Champions League final, Paris felt like the center of the sports world over the weekend. Part of me wished I was there, until I saw how some fans celebrated Paris Saint-Germain’s title on Saturday. Très unsportsmanlike. Then again, there's a lot of that going around lately. (More on that below…) On the brighter side, I’ll be on Serena watch until further notice, after news broke that the tennis legend accepted a wild card for next week’s Queen’s Club tournament in London. And while tennis has my attention for now, I’m counting down the hours until the Knicks and Spurs tip off in the NBA Finals tonight. I’m sure nerves are high for both teams, given that neither has reached this stage in more than a decade. Though maybe not for the one player who’s practically guaranteed a ring no matter who wins. Now, here’s what else is making sports headlines…
— Jordan Galloway, Editor, Katonah, NY
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The French Open's Double Fault
What’s going on: Tennis player Adolfo Daniel Vallejo received a major fine for sexist comments about female umpire Ana Carvalho after his second-round loss at the French Open. While he may have entered the tournament ranked No. 71 in the world, his postmatch remarks secured his status as a world-class sore loser in the hearts and minds of tennis fans. Tournament organizers and fellow pros quickly clapped back — Andy Roddick's response hit harder than his own 155-mph serve. When Roland-Garros announced it would strip Vallejo of half his prize money, he apologized in the way people do when they don't really believe they were wrong.
But there’s more: The Vallejo conversation turned out to be merely the appetizer to a full discourse about how women are treated at the French Open. On Monday night, Naomi Osaka and Aryna Sabalenka played the tournament's first women's night-session match since 2023. Players have criticized the imbalance for years. Last season, then third seed Jessica Pegula told the BBC that conversations about scheduling more women's night matches felt like "hitting [her] head against the wall." Tournament organizers justify their decision by implying that the men’s tournament offers “the better match.” (Yes, one really said that.) Critics counter that it's hard to know what audiences might show up for if women rarely get the biggest stage. Monday's matchup offered at least one data point: Sabalenka defeated Osaka in front of a near-capacity crowd. Afterward, the No. 1 seed told the BBC: "I hope this is the beginning and we open the door."
