Epic comeback; Alcaraz retains French Open title

▲ With yesterday's victory, the Spanish tennis player now has five Grand Slam titles under his belt. AP Photo

AP and AFP

La Jornada Newspaper, Monday, June 9, 2025, p. 9

Paris. In a legendary final, straight into tennis history, Carlos Alcaraz saved three match points and came back from two sets down to retain the Roland Garros title against Jannik Sinner in five hours and 29 minutes in front of a crowd chanting his name in a memorable match.

Two weeks after the tribute to Rafael Nadal, the Spaniard and the Italian paid tribute to him with a memorable 4-6, 6-7 (4/7), 6-4, 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (10/2) final. And the longest in Paris in the professional era since 1968.

Alcaraz lifted the trophy at 22 years, one month, and three days old, the same age Nadal was when he won his fifth Grand Slam final at Wimbledon against Roger Federer. Through tears and lying on the Parisian clay, the Murcian tied the Swiss as the only player to have won their first five Grand Slam finals.

Explosive duel

During the first two sets, Sinner imposed his relentless recipe: maximum consistency to dismantle an Alcaraz unable to sustain rallies or find alternatives.

With two sets to come back from, Alcaraz needed a heroic performance. He regained his form and won a relatively comfortable third set, the first Jannik had dropped on his impeccable run to the final.

The miracle happened in the fourth round. Three championship points were saved, and the Spaniard was resurrected against Sinner, who had begun to show signs that he was also human.

As night fell in Paris, the fifth set was a gift for Philippe-Chatrier's court. Both players put on a five-hour exhibition, decided in a super tie-break , the first of the tournament, in which the Spaniard clearly dominated.

The Italian can leave with his head held high, but with the feeling that the Spaniard is a nightmare. Yesterday, he suffered his fifth consecutive defeat against Alcaraz and ended a streak of 20 major wins.

I'm sure you'll be a champion, not just once, but many times over. It's a privilege to share the court with you at every tournament and make history by your side. You're a great inspiration for the kids and for me too. Thank you for being a great example , said Alcaraz, the first man to come back from 2-0 down and three match points down in a Grand Slam final since 1927.

After the great performance, Rafa Nadal, winner of this competition 14 times, congratulated his compatriot for his accomplishments.

What a great Roland Garros final, how incredible, congratulations, Carlos! he wrote on his X account.

Before yesterday's epic encounter, the longest title fight at the Parisian tournament was the one between Mats Wilander and Guillermo Vilas in the 1982 edition. It lasted four hours and 42 minutes.

I want to thank my team and my family for everything. I'm privileged to have shared some great moments with you and lucky to have so many people who have come from Murcia to support me. The support you've given me these past two weeks is incredible , the Spaniard emphasized.

The Alcaraz-Sinner duel was the second longest final in the modern era, surpassed only by the 2012 Australian Open between Nadal and Novak Djokovic (five hours and 53 minutes).

It's easier to play than to talk right now , said a devastated Sinner. We tried our best today, we gave everything we had. I won't sleep too well today, but that's okay .

Alcaraz's record continues to grow. With his triumph in Paris, he now has five Grand Slam titles under his belt, equal to Tony Trabert and Frank Sedgman. He currently sits 28th in the men's all-time rankings , still far behind Novak Djokovic's 24, Rafael Nadal's 22, and Roger Federer's 20.

The Spaniard displayed an astonishing determination that puts him on par with the greatest tennis players. Thus, with epic glory, the Murcian came out with his hand raised to become the third player to defend his title this century, after Gustavo Kuerten and Nadal.

“I think it was one of the best finals in the history of the slams . I'll say one... the one between Djokovic and Nadal at the Australian Open (in 2012, 5:53), which lasted more than five hours. I said this to my team; I'm very happy and proud of all of them,” he concluded.

▲ At the ceremony held in Canastota, New York, where legends such as Muhammad Ali and Salvador Sánchez shine, the names of Yéssica Chávez (pictured with Pacquiao) are now included, along with those of Laura Serrano and Ana María Torres. Photo @kikachavez1

From the Editorial Staff

La Jornada Newspaper, Monday, June 9, 2025, p. a10

Twenty-five years ago, Mexican Yéssica Kika Chávez stepped into the ring for the first time. From that first experience, she felt a love for boxing. She didn't realize how difficult the sport is, especially for women, but that's how she founded one of the most exemplary careers in this country.

Yesterday afternoon, she was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, New York, in a ceremony that honors only those boxers whose careers are distinguished enough to earn a place in that Olympus where legends such as Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard, Salvador Sánchez, and Rubén Púas Olivares shine.

She shared the 2025 ceremony with the legendary Manny Pacquiao, Mary Jo Sanders, Anne Sophie Mathis, Vinny Paz, and Michael Nunn.

Kika faced all the difficulties faced by female boxers in Mexico: very low salaries compared to her male counterparts, promoters uninterested in offering decent conditions, little international activity, and a handful of local rivals who always fought each other. Chávez fought other women from this country who also thrived despite unfavorable circumstances: Esmeralda Moreno, Ana Arrazola, Arely Muciño, Ibeth Zamora, and Irma Sánchez, among others.

In 2017, Kika was scheduled to fight Moreno. At the conference, they decided to break the bravado protocol and team up to demand better wages for women.

Chávez was fed up with the fact that, in addition to focusing on the fight, she had to seek sponsorships to increase the profile of the event and ensure the female boxers received better pay.

This sport is a daily struggle

"Boxing isn't easy ," Kika said this Sunday, her voice nearly breaking. "This sport is a daily struggle. Sometimes we don't even have enough to buy water or food. Without the help of so many people, we wouldn't be able to get this far ."

The fighter was moved by what it meant to be at this ceremony. It was something she hadn't imagined when she started 25 years ago in Mexico.

Here we are, those of us who dreamed of being champions as children, those of us who sacrificed ourselves with food, who couldn't eat a cake, those of us who gave our best when we went up to fight , Kika added.

Now she joins the pioneers of this sport in Mexico, the tireless Laura Serrano and the unforgettable Ana María Torres. Those of us who came here did so driven by the hunger to make a name for ourselves in life and the dream of being champions , Chávez summarizes.

The highlight, of course, was the induction of Manny Pacquiao, the only man to have been a champion in eight different weight classes.

The Filipino told the trade magazine The Ring : "I went from nothing to something big. That was the beginning of my life and my career, but I didn't give up. I worked hard, I sacrificed, and I did a lot to become who I am ."

A career without comparison, Pacquiao faced the best of his various active stages: Juan Manuel Márquez, Erik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera, Timothy Bradley, Miguel Cotto, Oscar de la Hoya, Floyd Mayweather and Shane Mosley, among many others.

Ap

La Jornada Newspaper, Monday, June 9, 2025, p. a10

St. Louis, Clayton Kershaw allowed one run in five innings to record his first win since last August, and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the St. Louis Cardinals 7-3 to avoid a three-game sweep.

Kershaw (1-0) threw 82 pitches, allowing six hits, striking out seven and walking none. The left-hander hadn't struck out at least seven since June 8, 2023, at Cincinnati, and his last win came at St. Louis on Aug. 18, 2024.

Tommy Edman drove in three runs with two hits and a sacrifice fly, and Mookie Betts homered for the Dodgers. Shohei Ohtani doubled early in the game and went 1-for-4.

St. Louis starter Michael McGreevy (1-1) was seven years old when Kershaw made his major league debut on May 25, 2008, against the Cardinals. The 24-year-old right-hander, recalled from Triple-A Memphis to make his first start of the season, allowed four runs in six innings.

In Milwaukee, Manny Machado homered and Ryan Bergert combined with five relievers to allow just four hits, leading the San Diego Padres to a 1-0 victory over the Brewers.

Devils took out the broom

The Diablos Rojos del México (34-9) scored three times in the seventh and once in the eighth to turn the scoreboard around and thus headed to a 6-4 victory over the Pericos de Puebla (23-22), in the third game of the series held at the Alfredo Harp Helú Stadium, thus completing the sweep.

The Scarlet Ninth and the Puebla team engaged in a great pitching duel where starters Ricardo Pinto and Vladimir Gutiérrez kept the game close, with the score at 3-2 for the visitors after the first five innings. But the Reds rallied when, down 4-2, they put together a three-run rally in the seventh inning to give them control (5-4). In the eighth inning, Ramón Flores grounded into a double play, giving the Puebla team the sixth and final run of the game.

AFP

La Jornada Newspaper, Monday, June 9, 2025, p. a10

Montluçon. Slovenian cyclist Tadej Pogacar won the first stage of the Critérium du Dauphiné in the French Alps, a race leading up to the Tour de France.

In an explosive and surprising finish, Pogacar beat figures such as Denmark's Jonas Vingegaard in the sprint, in a preview of the potential battle between the two riders at the Tour in July: Dutchman Mathieu van der Poel and Belgian Remco Evenepoel.

The riders broke away after Vingegaard attacked with 5.5 kilometers to go, followed initially by Pogacar and Colombian Santiago Buitrago, then joined by Evenepoel.

The group held off the peloton's comeback to take the prestigious stage win in the sprint. Van der Poel was the first to attempt the final attack, but it took him too long; however, Pogacar overtook him in the final meters.

I didn't expect to win. It's a great feeling, and I'm super happy , said Pogacar, who is competing in the Dauphiné for the second time, a race now in its 77th year.

The UAE Team Emirates leader thus achieved his 96th victory as a professional, his eighth of the season, in which he had not raced since his triumph in the Liège-Bastogne-Liège on April 27.

From the Editorial Staff

La Jornada Newspaper, Monday, June 9, 2025, p. a11

In soccer, a defeat often has implications. The national team's players and coaching staff understand that it's part of a collective lesson. From the moment Switzerland won by a landslide (4-2) in Salt Lake City, in the first of two preparation matches for the Gold Cup, almost everyone on the Mexican squad silently accepted the criticism. "We have a lot of room for improvement; these matches are decided by details, and we haven't shown any decisiveness ," said Anderlecht midfielder César Huerta, before leaving for North Carolina for their final test against Turkey.

The only injury confirmed by coach Javier Aguirre is Lokomotiv Russia's center back, César Montes, who suffered dizziness after a spectacular head clash with teammate Mateo Chávez. The Sonoran came off the bench in the 80th minute to be examined by the team's doctors and remained out until the end of the match. According to Vasco 's plans, the players who did not play against Switzerland will be given the opportunity to test their skills at Kenan Memorial Stadium.

These are the kinds of matches we need. Many circumstances were difficult: the opponent, the pitch, the weather. But in the end, we have to get used to everything , emphasized AC Milan forward Santiago Giménez, who scored one of Mexico's goals in the last warm-up match.

The Turkish side, which advanced to the quarterfinals of Euro 2024, beat the United States 2-1 on Saturday in its visit to Connecticut. In the current UEFA Nations League, the so-called Sultans are in second place in their group behind Wales, under the direction of former Italian footballer Vincenzo Montella. It's true that there's a lot of room for improvement in the game, but Aguirre has come to restore the national team's identity , said former international Andrés Guardado, supporting the Basque 's work.

The Mexican team will conclude its training camp this Monday at the University of North Carolina stadium, where Aguirre will hold a press conference.

From the Editorial Staff

La Jornada Newspaper, Monday, June 9, 2025, p. a11

The Mexican U-20 women's national team failed to retain their title in the Concacaf World Cup Qualifying Tournament in their category after losing 3-2 to Canada in the tournament final yesterday at the Alejandro Morera Soto Stadium in Costa Rica.

Both teams had already secured their spot at the U-20 Women's World Cup in Poland 2026, but thanks to this valuable victory, the Canadians dethroned Mexico for the third time in the regional tournament's history.

In the match that went into extra time after a 2-2 draw after 90 minutes, the goals for the Mexicans, who played with one less player after the expulsion of goalkeeper Mariángela Medina in the final stretch of the second half, were scored by Montserrat Saldívar (61 and 98, the latter from a penalty), who, with this double, became the top scorer of the tournament, with eight goals. For the Canadians, Sienna Gibson (50), Adriana Bianchin (96) and Annabelle Chukwu (120 + 2) scored.

After neither team scored in the first half, despite the Tricolors creating several dangerous plays, the Canadians took the lead in the second half when a shot from Gibson was impossible for Medina to stop.

However, Mexico leveled the score in the 61st minute after a penalty was awarded for a foul by Janet Okeke on Saldívar in the box. The forward took the penalty and with a precise shot beat goalkeeper Noelle Henning to make it 1-1.

In the final stretch, the match became more complicated for the Tricolores, as their goalkeeper was sent off in the 90th minute for a foul in the box on Annabelle Chukwu. Camila Vázquez replaced her, replacing Deiry Ramírez.

In extra time, neither team scored, so the game went to overtime. In the first, the Canadians broke the tie (2-1) through Adriana Bianchin off a corner kick.

The Mexicans reacted and tied the score again (2-2) just two minutes later, when Saldívar took advantage of a pass from Alice Soto to shake the nets with a powerful left-footed shot.

The bad news for the Tricolors came at the end of the second period of extra time, when a penalty was awarded for a handball in the box. Chukwu was tasked with taking the penalty, but Vázquez excelled, saving her shot with a superb save.

Chukwu refused to give up, and in the final minutes, she scored against Mexico to seal the final 3-2 scoreline and give her team the win.