Emma Raducanu and Carlos Alcaraz will play together in the competitionCredit: Getty
2
Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic are also among the star names playingCredit: AFP via Getty Images
Organisers have controversially made the event stand-alone this year in an attempt to encourage top singles players to participate in the mixed doubles.
The competition is set to be played between August 19-20 with the US Open Singles tournament getting started on August 24.
Many of the big name singles players will be competing in the competition with seven teams gaining direct entry based on their combined singles rankings.
Wimbledon winner and last year’s men’s US Open champion Jannik Sinner teams up with experienced doubles player Katerina Siniakova.
Reigning champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori return as they will try to defend their title.
Novak Djokovic is also in the competition and pairs up with Olga Danilovic.
The 24-time Grand Slam winner has only reached the second round of a doubles competition once – at Wimbledon in 2006 – but did make a run to the semi-finals of the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
US Open Mixed Doubles 2025 prize money
This year’s prize money has increased significantly from last year with the winning team now being awarded $1million (£736,880).
This is a staggering improvement on the $200,000 (£147,364) given to 2024 champions Errani and Vavassori.
Intent has clearly being shown by organisers significantly increasing the prize pool, upping the stakes and hopefully increasing the suspense and excitement of the games throughout the competition.
Here is a full breakdown of the prize money for the mixed doubles competition:
PSG won the Champions League last seasonCredit: Getty
2
Tottenham ended their 17-year trophy drought with their Europa League winCredit: AFP
In May, Spurs ended their 17-year trophy drought with a stunning 1-0 win over Manchester United in the Bilbao final.
New Tottenham boss Thomas Frank will get the chance to claim silverware in his first competitive match at the helm as he looks to lead the Lilywhites to the Super Cup for the first time in the club’s history.
The former Brentford boss will know it will be a big ask for Spurs as they face a PSG side who were the best team in Europe last season.
But this summer, the French giants failed to add the Club World Cup to their four trophies last term after they were thrashed 3-0 by Chelsea in the final.
Luis Enrique’s side will be looking to bounce back and add more silverware to their ever-expanding collection.
But it’s not just a trophy up for grabs in Udinese, with the Super Cup having huge cash incentives for both clubs.
What is the Super Cup prize money 2025?
Both PSG and Spurs will earn £3.4million each for playing in the Super Cup.
Whichever team goes on to lift the trophy, they will pick up an extra £900,000.
Meaning the Super Cup winner will bank a total of £4.3million.
How to watch the Super Cup 2025
The Super Cup will be broadcast live on TNT Sports 1.
You can live stream the match via the discovery+ app/website.
Alternatively, you can follow SunSport’s live blog for minute-by-minute updates.
Play Dream Team now!
Play The Sun Dream Team ahead of the 2025/26 season
Earlier this year, the top 20 men’s and women’s players sent a letter to the four Grand Slams asking for a greater share of the revenue generated by the major tournaments.
“The US Open has made a deliberate and concerted effort to ensure double-digit percentage increases from 2024 in all rounds of all events for all players, while at the same time significantly increasing the percentage of prize money for athletes playing deep into the singles draws,” said a statement, external from the tournament organisers.
The pot of money on offer in men’s and women’s doubles at the US Open this year will be $4.78m (£3.6m) – an increase of 23% from 2024.
The tournament said that “for the first time ever” the winners of the men’s doubles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles would get $1m (£749,000) in prize money per team.
The US Open will also be providing $5m (£3.7m) in support for costs, including travel and expenses, for players in the main draw, while the prize money for the men’s and women’s qualifying tournaments will rise by 10% to $8m (£6m).
The 2025 US Open at Flushing Meadows runs from 24 August until 7 September.
JaNa Craig and Kenny Rodriguez have gone from “Love Island” to Splitsville.
The pair of reality TV stars who kindled a romance last year on “Love Island” Season 6 have called it quits, The Times confirmed Monday. Craig broke up with Rodriguez on Sunday, a day after they were among the guests at YouTube star David Dobrik‘s birthday party.
“They will not be getting back together,” a source confirmed to People.
A representative for Craig declined to comment. The Times did not immediately hear back from Rodriguez.
Though Craig and Rodriguez fell short of winning their season last year (fellow contestants Kordell Beckham and Serena Page took the prize), the pair continued their relationship off-screen. Craig opened up about her relationship with Rodriguez to People in October 2024, telling the magazine that time away from the cameras meant “we can take our time.”
“We always forgot that there was cameras anyways so nothing’s really changed,” she said at the time.
Craig and Rodriguez’s relationship came back into the “Love Island” spotlight earlier this month for Peacock’s “Love Island: Beyond the Villa.” The series, which premiered July 13, follows the Season 6 contestants “as they navigate new careers, evolving friendships, newfound fame, and complex relationships,” according to a press release for the show.
Right before the premiere of “Love Island: Beyond the Villa,” fans bid farewell to “Love Island” Season 7 — which was notably marred by controversy. Two contestants — Yulissa Escobar and Cierra Ortega — left the series weeks apart after they came under fire for their off-air use of racial slurs.
The season ended with contestants Amaya Espinal and Bryan Arenales taking home the $100,000 grand prize.
Oleksandr Usyk has had a whirlwind year at the top of boxing’s heavyweight division and will face another formidable challenge when he takes on Daniel Dubois in a much-anticipated rematch.
In May 2024, Usyk became the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world when he beat Tyson Fury in a fight for the ages, but had to vacate one of his belts a month later.
The man who took that belt was his other great rival in Dubois, a fighter he defeated in a controversial bout two years ago, and who is now challenging the undefeated Ukrainian for the rest of his world titles in a spectacular unification showdown.
Here’s what you need to know about Usyk vs Dubois 2:
What is the date and start time for the Usyk vs Dubois fight?
The fight is scheduled for Saturday, July 19.
Usyk and Dubois are expected to undertake their ring walks at 9:45pm local time (20:45 GMT), which is 4:45pm ET and 1:45pm PT. The fight will begin shortly thereafter.
Where is Dubois vs Usyk being held?
The famous Wembley Stadium in London, United Kingdom will host the blockbuster fight.
For boxing matches, Wembley Stadium can hold up to 96,000 spectators.
Usyk poses in front of Wembley Stadium on July 15, 2025, in London, England, UK [Richard Pelham/Getty Images]
Where can I follow and watch the Usyk vs Dubois title fight?
Al Jazeera’s live text commentary and photo coverage will begin at 17:00 GMT on Saturday, July 19. We will bring you all the pre-fight talking points, analysis and build-up before bringing you Usyk-Dubois 2 updates live.
This whole fight card will be available live worldwide exclusively on DAZN pay-per-view.
Which titles are Usyk and Dubois fighting for?
The clash will be an undisputed championship fight, and the titles on the line will be Usyk’s WBC, WBA and WBO belts, as well the IBF title held by Dubois.
It’s just the second undisputed heavyweight championship bout of the past two decades.
What is the fight purse?
The record-breaking prize money for the rematch is reported to be $203m.
Why did Usyk lose his IBF title?
In May 2024, Usyk won the world’s first undisputed heavyweight championship in 25 years, an unprecedented feat in boxing’s four-belt era, when he beat Fury by split decision.
However, having decided not to defend the IBF crown against then-interim champion and mandatory challenger Dubois, Usyk vacated the belt in June and was left with the WBC, WBA and WBO belts.
Who is the favourite?
Usyk is widely expected to defeat Dubois a second time, according to most leading bookmakers who are quoting the Ukrainian at 1/3 on, or in metric terms, paying out $1.33 for the win.
Odds on a Dubois victory currently range from 5/2 ($2.50) to 13/5 ($2.60).
Who is Daniel Dubois?
Dubois was born in Greenwich, London, where his father began training him as a boxer at an early age. A home-schooled child, Dubois loved boxing and later joined boxing clubs in southern London.
Also known as Daniel “Dynamite” Dubois, the boxer turned pro at the age of 19.
The 6ft-4inch (1.93-metre) boxer has gained the reputation of being a giant-killer, having defeated fellow Briton Anthony Joshua and Olympic bronze medallist Filip Hrgovic of Croatia.
Dubois will be the underdog in Saturday’s fight against Usyk [Matthew Childs/Action Images via Reuters]
Who is Oleksandr Usyk?
Usyk is a 2012 Olympic gold medallist from Ukraine who had previously won the AIBA World Boxing Championship in 2011.
The 6ft-3inch (1.9-metre) tall fighter has spent time on patrol at home during Russia’s war on Ukraine.
He turned professional in 2013, aged 26 and made a steady rise in the cruiserweight division, before switching to heavyweight in 2019.
Saturday’s fight gives Usyk the opportunity to become the undisputed champion of the world for the third time, having also held the title in the cruiserweight division in 2018. The southpaw is the third man ever to have held the title in two weight divisions.
Ukrainian boxer Oleksandr Usyk looks on during an unveiling of the recreated Kestrel Mosaic, in Trafalgar Square on July 14, 2025 [Carlos Jasso/AFP]
What’s Usyk’s fight record?
The Ukrainian remains unbeaten in his professional career.
Fights: 23
Wins: 23
Wins by KO: 14
What’s Dubois’ fight record?
The 27-year-old challenger, despite being 11 years younger than Usyk, has more career professional fights than his opponent.
Fights: 24
Wins: 22
Wins by KO: 21
Losses: 2
What happened in Dubois-Usyk 1?
The pair fought for the first time in Wroclaw, Poland in August 2023, when Usyk stopped Dubois in the ninth round, but only after controversially getting time to recover from what was adjudged a low blow by Dubois in the fifth round.
It sent Usyk to the canvas, where he sat against the ropes. Replays showed the punch hitting around Usyk’s belt, and Dubois still maintains he was robbed.
“I want to get my rematch,” Dubois said of Usyk, “and put the wrong right.”
Usyk sits on the canvas in the fifth round after he received a low blow from Dubois in their first fight for the WBA, IBF & WBO Heavyweight Titles at Tarczynski Arena, Wroclaw, Poland on August 26, 2023 [Kacper Pempel/Reuters]Usyk regained the upper hand in the deciding ninth round against Dubois, knocking out the Briton to win the contest [Kacper Pempel/Reuters]
What has Usyk said about the rematch?
The 38-year-old said that he is ready to “become undisputed again,” referring to the reunification of all heavyweight titles he held after beating Fury on May 18, 2024.
“[I am still boxing] because Jesus gives me the opportunity, and I take this,” Usyk said in an interview on host broadcaster streaming platform DAZN. “Now my goal is to become a three-time undisputed. Listen, I love boxing, training hard. I guess it’s my last two fights, with Dubois and next, I don’t know who.”
“I love my British opponents,” Usyk added. “I think Daniel is a good athlete, a good boxer, and has good skills. He has had great wins in his last three fights, is a great fighter. I think Daniel deserves [the rematch].”
What has Dubois said about the rematch?
Dubois has pledged to exact revenge on the Ukrainian fighter.
“I can’t wait to put him [Usyk] to sleep,” said Dubois.
“I’m on fire now. I’m just pent up. I’m ready to go. It’s going to be a bloodbath … in the ring on the night, he’ll be doing a funny dance when I hit him.
“We don’t care about no body shots. We’re going to knock him out on July 19.”
The Brit has repeatedly stated that he’s a “10 times better” fighter than he was in his first fight against Usyk and is ready to “unleash hell”.
Why did Dubois’ trainer accuse Usyk of ‘conning the boxing world’ in their first fight in Poland?
The British fighter’s trainer accused Usyk of “conning the boxing world” at the pre-fight news conference in April.
Referring to Usyk’s 2023 fight against Dubois, Don Charles accused the Ukrainian of being hurt by a legal body shot and said his fighter should have won the encounter.
“The actions you did that night, you’ve heard of the Oscars? You should’ve won an Oscar,” Charles said.
“You conned the referee, you conned us, and you conned the boxing world.
“You pride yourself as a God-fearing man – ‘Thou shalt not lie’ – so I question what kind of God do you worship? The God has summoned you for our son Daniel Dubois to get revenge on you.”
How did Usyk respond to the accusation?
Usyk shrugged off accusations of cheating and fakery and said he was ready to become the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world for a second time.
“I’m ready right now,” Usyk told a news conference at Wembley Stadium.
Usyk, smiling, said the Oscar would be coming. “You must teach your fighter to punch clean,” he added.
“It’s just talking. For me, it doesn’t matter.”
Usyk’s manager, Egis Klimas, said after that photographs of the blow were produced, with the Ukrainian’s camp accusing Dubois of up to 20 low blows, Usyk could not be accused of cheating.
“Don’t call my man a cheat,” he said. “He didn’t cheat. He had an opportunity to rest and he rested … tell it to the referee, not my man.”
Usyk, left, and Dubois go head-to-head to unify the world heavyweight championships on Saturday [Matthew Childs/Action Images via Reuters]
Who is on the undercard?
In the penultimate fight of the night, the UK’s Lawrence Okolie will defend his WBC silver heavyweight title against former world champ Kevin Lerena of South Africa.
In the light heavyweight classification, Poland’s Daniel Lapin will put his IBF intercontinental and WBA continental belts up for grabs against another local fighter, Lewis Edmondson.
The first bout is scheduled for 5:40pm local (16:40 GMT).
Lawrence Okolie vs. Kevin Lerena: (WBC silver heavyweight title)
Daniel Lapin vs. Lewis Edmondson: (IBF Intercontinental and WBA Continental light heavyweight titles)
Vladyslav Sirenko vs. Solomon Dacres: (Heavyweight division)
Aadam Hamed vs. Ezequiel Gregores: (Super lightweight division)
Lasha Guruli vs. James Francis: (Super lightweight division)
NPR is receiving a highly symbolic financial boost days before Congress is expected to vote on the fate of federal funding that supports the news and culture nonprofit.
Ann Philbin, former director and current director emeritus of the Hammer Museum at UCLA, has been named this year’s Getty Prize recipient. The honor comes with a $500,000 grant for a nonprofit of the winner’s choice, and Philbin has selected NPR and its Los Angeles member stations, KCRW and LAist.
The prize is considered the Getty’s highest honor and recognizes what the institution calls “cultural leaders whose work expands human understanding and appreciation of arts and culture.” Previous awardees include Frank Gehry, Mark Bradford, Ed Ruscha, Yo-Yo Ma and Thelma Golden.
“I wanted to shine a light on one of the most pressing issues of our day,” Philbin said in a phone interview. “And that’s freedom of speech and freedom of the press.”
Philbin said she requested that half of the Getty grant go to NPR and the other half to be split between KCRW and LAist.
“Those two radio stations for me — and I think for so many Angelenos who spend so much time in their cars — are constant companions,” Philbin said. “We listen to them all the time, and they’re precious to us. To even think about the fact that they might not exist is unbearable.”
NPR Chief Executive Katherine Maher in May filed a lawsuit against President Trump after he issued an executive order directing the Corp. for Public Broadcasting to freeze all funding to NPR and PBS. She said Philbin’s decision to split the donation between NPR and its local affiliates showed a level of understanding about the interdependency of the local and national radio platforms not often mirrored in the national conversation.
“It is an extraordinary gift at an extraordinary time with real, material impact for the stations,” Maher said.
Congress has until the end of the week to vote on a White House proposal known as the rescission bill that would claw back $9 billion in foreign aid and more than $500 million per year in federal funding already approved for the Corp. for Public Broadcasting, which funnels financial support to NPR and PBS as well as local public radio and TV stations across the country.
Trump has been adamant that his allies vote in favor of the rescission package, writing on Truth Social last week that he will withhold support and endorsements from any Republican who doesn’t vote in its favor. He called the Corp. for Public Broadcasting, NPR and PBS “a monstrosity.”
The proposed cuts to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting would total $1.1 billion over the next two years. Federal funding accounts for about 15% of PBS’ budget and 1% of NPR’s budget, according to NPR, but local stations would be the hardest hit and some may not survive, Maher said. If they vanished, she added, they would take with them the kind of hyper-local, community-based reporting that helps forge and maintain a sense of place, identity and purpose, particularly in rural communities.
“That impact is something that is hard to conceptualize, even when you are a member of Congress who represents some of these communities,” Maher said. “Because you spend so much time living with one foot in the world of places like Washington, D.C., and very little time in the areas of the country where broadband services are not reliable or easily available, and cellphone service is not necessarily consistent and universal.”
Philbin noted that NPR’s mission statement is to create a more informed public and to celebrate the diversity of the human experience, and that those values are being challenged by a storm of misinformation.
The Getty Prize was founded in 2013 as the Getty Medal. It was initially given to several individuals each year, but last year it transformed into its current incarnation, honoring a single person who chooses the “pay-it-forward” grant recipient.
Last year’s honoree was Mark Bradford, who chose to steer the grant money to the Arts for Healing and Justice Network, which brings arts programming to minors in the juvenile justice system.
Girls Aloud’s Nadine Coyle competed against EastEnders star Jake Wood and presenter Rick Edwards on the new series of Celebrity Catchphrase, hosted by Stephen Mulhern
Celebrity Catchphrase finalist Nadine Coyle walked away with £30,000 for charity on the latest series of the ITV show. The Girls Aloud member had been just one correct answer away from a jackpot of more than £50,000, though.
Nadine, 40, competed on the game show, which is hosted by Stephen Mulhern, 48, in an episode that aired earlier in the new series. She made it through to the final round after banking more money than TV presenter Rick Edwards and EastEnders actor Jake Wood in the previous rounds.
She took part in raising money for the Sarah Harding Breast Cancer Appeal, which is part of the Christie Charity. It’s named in memory of her late bandmate Sarah Harding, who died, aged 39, in 2021, just a year after announcing that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer.
Nadine Coyle won £30,000 for charity on the new series of Celebrity Catchphrase(Image: ITV)
After banking £5,000 earlier in the episode, which debuted in April, Nadine managed to add £30,000 to her winnings for the charity in the final round. She however ran out of time whilst trying to name the final catchphrase, which would have taken her prize fund up to £55,000 had she got it right.
The catchphrase began by showing a pair of legs, which had a road covered in cars, travelling down a running track in an arena. Mr Chips was then shown running past and reaching the finish line first, indicating that he had won instead.
Nadine had 15 seconds left when the catchphrase first played, after four correct answers and one pass earlier in the round. She made a series of guesses as she tried to secure the maximum £50,000 for getting to the top of the pyramind.
She however had been one correct answer away from taking home more than £50,000(Image: ITV)
As the final video played, Nadine guessed: “Runway … um … pass … running past the runway … running free … winning the runway.” After a close-up of the cars was shown, she said during the last few seconds of the round: “Bumper to bumper.”
After the countdown ended, Stephen confirmed that she had won £25,000 in that round alone. He told her: “I am more over the moon than you could ever imagine. That was incredible.” The host went on to reveal the correct answer.
He shared: “It wasn’t a runway. He’s beating the traffic.” Nadine responded by saying: “Oh, beating the traffic.” Stephen however encouraged her to focus on the fact that she had won a significant prize fund for her charity.
Nadine raised money for the Sarah Harding Breast Cancer Appeal, named in memory of her late bandmate Sarah Harding, on the ITV show(Image: Getty Images)
Stephen said: “That moment has now gone. Let’s think of happy thoughts, because, Nadine, you’re talking away the £5,000 that you banked earlier on, now that £25,000 – which takes your total prize money, an incredible amount, to £30,000.”
It was also announced that because she had correctly named the star catchphrase, placed in the middle of the pyramid, that she had doubled the winnings of her former rivals. It meant that Jake and Rick won £3,400 and £9,400 respectively for their charities.
Who: Carlos Alcaraz vs Jannik Sinner What: Wimbledon 2025 men’s singles final Where: Wimbledon, London, United Kingdom When: Sunday, July 13, starting at not before 4pm local (15:00 GMT)
How to follow: We’ll have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 1:30pm local (12:30 GMT) in advance of our live text commentary stream.
For Italy’s Jannik Sinner, Sunday’s Wimbledon final offers a chance of redemption; for Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz, it is an opportunity to join an elite club of men who have won the title three years in succession.
There are many other plot lines, but above all, the showdown will help to cement a rivalry that could dominate tennis for a decade.
Al Jazeera Sport takes a look at the final.
Who did Alcaraz and Sinner beat in their semifinals?
The Spaniard overcame American Taylor Fritz in a four-set win in the first semifinal on Friday.
The pair met in a mesmeric clash last month in the longest-ever French Open final. The match, which 22-year-old Alcaraz won at Roland-Garros, is being touted as one of the greatest of all time.
Between them, Alcaraz and Sinner, a year older than his Spanish opponent, have shared the last six Grand Slam titles.
What happened in the French Open final between Alcaraz and Sinner?
The Spaniard came back from two sets down and saved three match points on his way to a fifth Grand Slam title, in the process taking his head-to-head record over Sinner to 8-4, including winning all of the last four.
It was a painful defeat for world number one Sinner, but he has not had to wait long to try to set the record straight.
2 – Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are just the second pair in the Open Era to meet in the Men’s Singles final at Wimbledon and Roland Garros in a season, after Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal (2006-08). Rivalry. #Wimbledon | @Wimbledon@atptour@ATPMediaInfopic.twitter.com/NsfMc7Tw2Y
Sinner’s three Grand Slam titles have all come on hard courts, two in Melbourne and one in New York.
What titles has Alcaraz won?
Alcaraz’s major titles have come on all the sport’s surfaces, suggesting a more complete game.
The Spaniard, who is on a 24-match winning streak, has claimed both the Wimbledon and French Open titles twice, while also lifting the winner’s trophy at the US Open.
What chance does Sinner have against Alcaraz on grass?
Sinner’s performances against Ben Shelton in the quarters and Djokovic in the semis show just how suited his game is to grass.
His laser-like ground strokes, powerful serve and his ability to turn defence into attack in the blink of an eye were all on display, and Alcaraz knows he faces a challenge every bit as tough as Roland-Garros on Centre Court on Sunday.
Jannik Sinner of Italy in action against Novak Djokovic of Serbia during the men’s semifinal on day twelve at Wimbledon [File: Visionhaus via Getty Images]
Have Alcaraz and Sinner met on grass before?
The only other time they have met on grass was at Wimbledon in 2022 when Sinner won their last-16 clash in four sets.
Who else has won a Wimbledon three-peat?
Should Alcaraz prevail, he would join Bjorn Borg, Pete Sampras, Roger Federer and Djokovic as the only men to win the Wimbledon title three years in a row, and he would also surpass Nadal’s two Wimbledon crowns.
How have Alcaraz and Sinner fared at Wimbledon 2025
Alcaraz flirted with a shock first-round defeat against Italian Fabio Fognini, needing five sets. Sinner trailed by two sets against Grigor Dimitrov in the fourth round after hurting his elbow, but was given a reprieve when the Bulgarian retired injured.
Sinner, the third Italian to reach a Wimbledon singles final after Matteo Berrettini in 2021 and Jasmine Paolini last year, has looked unhindered by his elbow despite wearing a compression sleeve on his right arm in his last two matches.
“I think we are handling this small problem at the moment very well,” he said.
Carlos Alcaraz of Spain serves against Taylor Fritz of the United States during the men’s Singles semifinal on day 11 at Wimbledon [File: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images]
Stat attack – Alcaraz
Alcaraz, at 22 years 56 days, has become the third-youngest player in the Open Era to reach consecutive men’s singles finals at both Wimbledon and Roland Garros, after Bjorn Borg and Rafael Nadal (22 years 20 days).
Stat attack – Sinner
Only three players in the Open Era have conceded fewer games en route to a men’s singles final at Wimbledon than Sinner (56) – Roger Federer (52, 2006), Jimmy Connors (54, 1975) and John McEnroe (54, 1982).
How much will the Wimbledon men’s singles winner be paid?
This year’s winner will take home $4.05m, and the runner-up will leave with $2.05m. Last year’s prize was $3.64m.
What time does the men’s singles final start?
The start time for the final on Sunday will be fluid depending on the duration of matches earlier in the day.
The organisers, however, issued the advisory that the match will not start before 4pm at Wimbledon (15:00 GMT).
As players continue to ask the Grand Slams for more prize money, the chair of the All England Club has suggested those questions would be better directed to the regular tour events.
Representatives of top 10 players met officials at Wimbledon last week to discuss increasing prize money and having a greater say in the running of the Grand Slams.
The Professional Tennis Players’ Association, meanwhile, has begun legal action against the ATP Tour, the WTA Tour, the International Tennis Federation and the International Tennis Integrity Agency.
It claims prize money is artificially restricted and the 11-month season is “unsustainable”.
Players have frequently pointed to the vast revenues generated by the Grand Slams, and feel they deserve a significantly larger return.
“For a lot of players, it’s playing for Slams that provides the income for [financing a year on] the whole tour – so the sport needs to look at itself,” Debbie Jevans, chair of the All England Club, told BBC Sport.
“Something like golf, where they earn the majority of money on the tour and less at the majors, is flipped over in tennis.
“As much as we’re asked to look at ourselves, I do think the tour events need to look at themselves as well.”
All-white outfits, lush green courts, strawberries and cream, and glittering champions’ trophies at the end of two weeks.
Players and fans are gearing up for a fortnight of much-awaited tennis action as the Wimbledon Championships 2025 get under way on Monday.
From top players to unique quirks, here’s what you need to know about the tournament:
When is Wimbledon 2025 starting, and when are the finals?
The main round of the championships begins on Monday, June 30 with the men’s and women’s singles first-round matches. Here are the key dates for the men’s and women’s singles matches at the Grand Slam:
First to fourth round: June 30 to July 7
Quarterfinals: July 8 and 9
Women’s singles semifinals: July 10
Men’s singles semifinals: July 11
Women’s singles final: July 12
Men’s singles final: July 13
Where is Wimbledon played, and what’s SW19?
The third and the oldest tennis Grand Slam of the year, and the only one played on grass, attracts thousands of visitors to its famed courts at the All England Lawn Tennis and Club (AELTC) in the southwest of London, the United Kingdom.
The venue is also known as SW19, shortened from its postcode of SW19 5AG.
During the two weeks of the tournament’s main rounds, the town is bathed in the purple and green colours of the event, with shops, cafes and restaurants sporting tennis-themed decorations.
Who are the favourites to win Wimbledon 2025?
Carlos Alcaraz: The two-time champion is favourite to defend his title after winning this year’s French Open, as well as Queen’s Club Championship, a pre-Wimbledon tournament in London considered a dress rehearsal for the Slam.
Jannik Sinner: The world number one has yet to grab the Wimbledon trophy, but his rise through the rankings in the past two years and wins at two of the last three Slams make him Alcaraz’s main contemporary.
Aryna Sabalenka: The world number one may not have played a Wimbledon final yet, but has dominated the women’s rankings since October 2024 and has played in the finals of the last three Grand Slams. She won the Australian and US Open in 2024 and after losing in Roland-Garros, the Belarusian will be looking to add Wimbledon to her list of majors titles.
Marketa Vondrousova: The most in-form grass-court player and 2023 Wimbledon champion has made a swift rise in the women’s rankings over the past few weeks. Vondrusova won the Berlin Open, where she beat the likes of Sabalenka, Ons Jabeur and Madison Keys to the title. While the Czech player’s 2023 Wimbledon triumph may have been a surprise, the 25-year-old will be the one to watch in 2025.
Marketa Vondrousova beat Ons Jabeur to win Wimbledon in 2023 [File: Andrew Couldridge/Reuters]
Who are the top seeds?
Men’s:
Jannik Sinner
Carlos Alcaraz
Alexander Zverev
Jack Draper
Taylor Fritz
Novak Djokovic
Lorenzo Musetti
Holger Rune
Daniil Medvedev
Ben Shelton
Women’s:
Aryna Sabalenka
Coco Gauff
Jessica Pegula
Jasmine Paolini
Qinwen Zheng
Madison Keys
Mirra Andreeva
Iga Swiatek
Paula Badosa
Emma Navarro
Is there a dress code for players and spectators at Wimbledon?
Yes. All players must be dressed in white – not off-white or cream – when they step on the court for their matches. Not only should the clothes and shoes be all white, but any caps, headbands and wristbands by a player can also only be white in colour. Male players’ undergarments must also be entirely white. The organisers are more tolerant of colourful attire on practice courts.
While there is no strict dress code for the spectators, they are encouraged to dress smartly while attending matches on the Centre Court or Court Number One.
For those invited to watch a match from the Royal Box, a smart dress attire is mandatory.
The championship is often considered an unofficial fashion showpiece, especially when celebrities and dignitaries frequent the courts on the last few days.
Catherine, the Princess of Wales, left, is the patron of the All England Lawn Tennis Club and attended the 2024 men’s singles final between Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic, alongside her daughter Princess Charlotte and sister Pippa Matthews, while British actor Benedict Cumberbatch was also seated in the Royal Box [File: Geoff Burke/USA Today Sports via Reuters]
What’s new at Wimbledon 2025?
The tournament has joined the Australian Open and US Open in replacing on-court line judges with a live electronic calling system.
Organisers say its 80 former officials will be employed this year as match assistants, with two on each court offering support to the umpire, while they will also provide backup should the electronic system fail.
What is ‘strawberries and cream’ and why is Wimbledon famous for it?
In stark contrast to the various fast food items consumed at sports stadiums around the world, Wimbledon offers its attendees a unique delicacy: strawberries and cream.
True to its name, the SW19 specialty is nothing more than juicy red British strawberries dipped in fresh cream, but the treat’s distinct combination and mass consumption year after year has made it a Wimbledon novelty.
According to the organisers, at least 7,000 litres (1,850 gallons) of cream and 28,000kg (62,000lb) of strawberries – grown specially for the tournament at a farm in Kent – are consumed during the fortnight of the championship.
Strawberries and cream are a mass-selling item at the Wimbledon tennis championship [File: Julian Finney/Getty Images]
Who has won the most Wimbledon titles?
Czech-American tennis great Martina Navratilova has won the women’s singles title on nine occasions and has an astonishing overall 20 Wimbledon titles to her name, including seven women’s and four mixed doubles from 1976 to 2003.
Switzerland’s Roger Federer, often regarded as the greatest men’s grass-court player, has won eight Wimbledon titles between 2003 and 2017.
Martina Navratilova acknowledges the crowd at Wimbledon in 2019 [File: Susan Mullane/USA Today Sports via Reuters]
How to buy tickets or join the queue for Wimbledon 2025?
The Wimbledon public ballot, held in the closing months of the preceding year, is the fans’ first and easiest means of buying tickets for the following year’s championship.
Failing that, fans have the opportunity to buy tickets on the day for the two weeks of the tournament by joining the famous Wimbledon queue.
Starting from the metal gates of the AELTC grounds, the queue snakes around Church Road and well into the public parks opposite the venue.
Fans begin queuing from late evening for the following day’s entry, which can bring them tickets for one of the main show courts or simply entry to the tournament’s premises. Tents are pitched, snacks and drinks are shared, and the long hours waiting for a chance to enter the venue are spent following the scores online or by snoozing while in queue.
“Tickets are sold on a best available, one per person queuing basis and are non-transferable,” according to the organisers, and once the capacity limit is reached, entry is only possible as people leave.
People relax as they queue in tents at a public park opposite the grounds of Wimbledon ahead of the competition during the 2024 championship [File: Hannah Mckay/Reuters]
How much is the prize money for Wimbledon 2025?
The tournament’s prize money has increased by seven percent to a record pot of $72.6m in a bid to ease off pressure from the players for a bigger share of Grand Slam profits.
The winners of the men’s and women’s singles titles will each receive $4.08m, an increase of more than 11 percent on 2024, while a main draw spot is worth a minimum of $89,683, up 10 percent.
How to follow and live stream Wimbledon 2025?
The tournament will be aired to over 220 territories around the world via satellite, terrestrial and digital broadcasters.
Al Jazeera Sport will cover the men’s and women’s singles finals with its comprehensive live text and photo commentary stream.
Trump has repeatedly said he averted a nuclear war, saved millions of lives – and grumbled that he got no credit for it.
Pakistan says it would recommend United States President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, an accolade that he has said he craves.
In May, a surprise announcement by Trump of a ceasefire brought an abrupt end to a four-day conflict between nuclear-armed foes India and Pakistan.
Trump has since repeatedly said that he averted a nuclear war, saved millions of lives and grumbled that he got no credit for it.
Pakistan agrees that US diplomatic intervention ended the fighting, but India says it was a bilateral agreement between the two militaries.
“President Trump demonstrated great strategic foresight and stellar statesmanship through robust diplomatic engagement with both Islamabad and New Delhi, which de-escalated a rapidly deteriorating situation,” Islamabad said in a statement posted on X.
“This intervention stands as a testament to his role as a genuine peacemaker and his commitment to conflict resolution through dialogue.”
Governments can nominate people for the Nobel Peace Prize. There was no immediate response from Washington, DC, or New Delhi.
Some analysts in Pakistan said the move might persuade Trump to think again about potentially joining Israel in striking Iran’s nuclear facilities. Pakistan has condemned Israel’s action as a violation of international law and a threat to regional stability.
In a social media post on Friday, Trump gave a long list of conflicts he said he had resolved, including India and Pakistan and the so-called Abraham Accords in his first term between Israel and some Muslim-majority countries. He added: “I won’t get a Nobel Peace Prize no matter what I do.”
Pandering to Trump’s ‘ego’?
Trump has repeatedly said that he is willing to mediate between India and Pakistan over the disputed Kashmir region, their main source of enmity. Islamabad, which has long called for international attention to Kashmir, is delighted.
But his stance has upended US policy in South Asia, which had favoured India as a counterweight to China, and put in question previously close relations between Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Pakistan’s move to nominate Trump came in the same week its army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, met the US president for lunch. It was the first time that a Pakistani military leader had been invited to the White House when a civilian government was in place in Islamabad.
Trump’s planned meeting with Modi at the G7 summit in Canada last week did not take place after the US president left early, but the two later spoke by phone, in which Modi said “India does not and will never accept mediation” in its dispute with Pakistan, according to the Indian government.
Mushahid Hussain, a former chair of the Senate Defence Committee in Pakistan’s parliament, suggested nominating Trump for the peace prize was justified.
“Trump is good for Pakistan,” he said. “If this panders to Trump’s ego, so be it. All the European leaders have been sucking up to him big time.”
But the move was not universally applauded in Pakistan, where Trump’s support for Israel’s war in Gaza has inflamed passions.
“Israel’s sugar daddy in Gaza and cheerleader of its attacks on Iran isn’t a candidate for any prize,” said Talat Hussain, a prominent Pakistani television political talk show host, in a post on X.
“And what if he starts to kiss Modi on both cheeks again after a few months?”
The FIFA Club World Cup 2025 kicks off in the United States on Saturday, with 32 teams vying for the title in the new-look expanded intercontinental club competition.
Here’s everything you need to know about the tournament:
What is the FIFA Club World Cup?
Until 2023, the FIFA Club World Cup was staged as an annual tournament every December and participation was limited to the winners of the continental club competitions, with the number ranging between six to eight clubs.
Starting in 2025, football’s governing body expanded the tournament to 32 teams and decided to run the revamped competition on a quadrennial cycle instead, similar to its showpiece FIFA World Cup.
A new FIFA Intercontinental Cup replaced the old Club World Cup as an annual competition in December 2024 with Real Madrid winning the inaugural edition held in Qatar.
How does the new Club World Cup work?
Historically, the Club World Cup has featured no more than eight teams, but the 2025 edition is vastly different.
This year’s edition on US soil will be the first in the tournament’s 24-year history to feature 32 clubs – the same number of teams as recent FIFA World Cups – including the winners of the four previous continental championships.
The teams will be divided into eight groups of four competing in a round-robin group stage with the top two clubs from each group advancing to the knockouts, which begin with the round of 16 and end with the final.
When is the FIFA Club World Cup?
The competition will begin on June 14, with the final scheduled for July 13. Here’s a breakdown of the schedule.
Group stage: June 14 to 26
Round of 16: June 28 to July 1
Quarterfinals: July 4 and 5
Semifinals: July 8 and 9
Final: July 13
Which teams will participate in the Club World Cup?
“Soccer” fans in the US will have the chance to watch some of the most popular clubs, including last season’s UEFA Champions League winners Real Madrid, Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich, 10-time English champions Manchester City and Italian heavyweights Inter Milan.
Qualified teams were determined by the winners of the continental club competitions, such as the Champions League, and the confederation’s four-year rankings.
Outside of Europe, Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami is also part of the tournament, having controversially earned a spot as a representative of the host nation. Inter Miami won the Supporters’ Shield, handed to the team with the best regular-season record.
Lionel Messi, who has been playing domestically in the United States since 2023, will be under the spotlight as he takes part in the Club World Cup [File: Rebecca Blackwell/AP]
Of the 32 clubs, Europe (UEFA) is the best-represented confederation with 12 teams, followed by South America (CONMEBOL) with six. Asia (AFC), Africa (AFC) and North, Central America and the Caribbean (CONCACAF) have four teams each.
Oceania is represented by one club, while the final slot has been allocated to the host nation’s representative, Inter Miami.
Mexican club Leon had qualified by winning the CONCACAF Champions Cup in 2023, but were removed by FIFA due to an ownership rule breach. FIFA said that Club Leon and another Mexican club in the tournament, Pachuca, did not meet regulations on multi-club ownership. Pachuca’s spot in the competition was unaffected.
After the Court of Arbitration for Sport rejected Leon’s appeal, FIFA confirmed a playoff between Los Angeles FC and Mexican side Club America that was won by LAFC.
Here is a list of the eight groups:
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle Sounders
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, LAFC
Group E: River Plate, Urawa Red Diamonds, Monterrey, Inter Milan
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan HD FC, Mamelodi Sundowns
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, FC Salzburg
LAFC was the 32nd and final qualifier for the FIFA Club World Cup after defeating Club America in extra time during a playoff match on May 31 [Gary A Vasquez/Imagn Images via Reuters]
Why are Chelsea, Inter Miami in, and Barcelona, Liverpool out of the FIFA Club World Cup?
FIFA rules for the Club World Cup state that only two teams from each country can play in the tournament, and European clubs’ participation was decided by their performances in the Champions League over the last four seasons.
Man City (2023) and Chelsea (2021) won the Champions League during that four-year window, taking up the two spots.
Other popular clubs such as Napoli, AC Milan, Barcelona, RB Leipzig and Sevilla also missed out due to UEFA’s four-year club coefficient rankings and two-team restrictions.
Where are the Club World Cup venues?
The 63 matches will be played across 12 venues in 11 cities. The opening match, Al Ahly vs Inter Miami, will be played at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, which has a spectator capacity of 65,000.
The MetLife Stadium, which serves as the home for the New York Giants and New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL), will host both the semifinals and the final. MetLife is an 82,500-seat venue and was also chosen as the venue of the 2026 FIFA World Cup final.
Pasadena’s Rose Bowl, best known as a college American football venue, is the biggest stadium with a capacity of 88,500. It is no stranger to hosting big events: the Rose Bowl was the site for the football gold medal match at the Los Angeles Games in 1984, as well as the men’s World Cup final a decade later. It will also be a venue for the Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028.
Here’s the full list of venues:
MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, New Jersey)
Hard Rock Stadium (Miami, Florida)
Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta, Georgia)
Lumen Field (Seattle, Washington)
Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte, North Carolina)
TQL Stadium (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Rose Bowl Stadium (Los Angeles, California)
GEODIS Park (Nashville, Tennessee)
Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida)
Inter&Co Stadium (Orlando, Florida)
Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
Audi Field (Washington, DC)
Will Messi and Ronaldo play in the FIFA Club World Cup?
Messi will, thanks to Inter Miami’s surprise qualification.
Messi’s club found a place as the club with the most points in Major League Soccer’s (MLS) regular season, instead of LA Galaxy, who won the MLS Cup, which is regarded as the highest prize in the MLS.
FIFA announced Miami’s addition to the Club World Cup in October after they broke MLS’s regular-season points record with a 6-2 win over New England Revolution to reach 74 points. New England had set the previous record in 2021 with 73 points.
Meanwhile, Ronaldo and his Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr did not qualify for the tournament, but it didn’t stop FIFA President Gianni Infantino from suggesting that the Portugal star could switch to one of the teams participating in the tournament.
“Cristiano Ronaldo might play in the Club World Cup,” Infantino told online streamer IShowSpeed in late May. “There are discussions with some clubs, so if any club is watching and is interested in hiring Ronaldo for the Club World Cup, who knows? Still, a few weeks’ time, will be fun.”
However, Ronaldo cleared his position by saying, “You can’t take part in everything.”
“You have to think about the short, medium and long term. It’s a decision practically made on my part not to go to the Club World Cup, but I’ve had quite a few invitations to go.”
How much is the prize money for the Club World Cup?
The total prize pot is $1bn, with the champions earning up to $125m.
About half of the $1bn will be divided between the 32 clubs, with the amount per club based on sporting and commercial criteria. It means that clubs such as Manchester City and Real Madrid will receive a greater percentage than smaller clubs in a model FIFA developed with the European Club Association.
A further $475m will be awarded on a performance-related basis. Hence, the team with the most wins over a potential seven matches will bank more cash, with a maximum pot of $125m available.
ERIN, Wis. — Maja Stark of Sweden continued the steady play she demonstrated all week to win the U.S. Women’s Open on Sunday at Erin Hills for her first major championship.
Stark shot an even-par 72 to finish at seven-under 281, two strokes ahead of top-ranked Nelly Korda and Japan’s Rio Takeda.
Stark earned $2.4 million in the biggest event of the women’s golf season. The 25-year-old Stark became the sixth Swede to win a women’s major, and the first since Anna Nordqvist in the 2021 Women’s British Open. The former Oklahoma State player is the first Swede to win a U.S. Women’s Open since Annika Sorenstam in 2006.
Stark won her second LPGA Tour title. She also won the 2022 ISPS Handa World Invitational in Northern Ireland, an event co-sanctioned by Ladies European Tour.
Korda closed with a 71, and Takeda had a 72.
Hye-Jin Choi (68), Ruoning Yin (70) and Mao Saigo (73) tied for fourth at four under. Hailee Cooper (70) and Hinako Shibuno (74) were three under.
Stark took a one-stroke lead into the final round and said Saturday she wanted to make sure she played freely, noting that “no one has ever played well when they’ve been playing scared, and I think that’s been my habit before, to just kind of try to hang on to it.”
It was her consistency that ultimately made the difference as Stark stayed ahead throughout the day and held off challengers.
This still was as close as Korda has come to winning a U.S. Women’s Open. Her best previous finish was a tie for eighth in 2022 at Pine Needles.
Korda made birdied Nos. 7 and 8, but missed a nine-foot birdie putt on No. 9 that would have tied her for the lead. Korda’s birdie attempt on No. 9 came minutes after Stark’s bogey-free streak ended at 21 on No. 7.
Stark then extended her lead to three by making a 14-foot birdie putt on No. 11 immediately after Korda missed a par putt of just under five feet at No. 13.
Korda, Shibuno and Takeda got within two strokes of Stark with birdies on the par-five 14th, though Korda missed a 14-foot eagle putt and Shibuno missed an eagle attempt from 9½ feet.
Stark then made a birdie of her own on No. 14 to regain her three-stroke advantage at nine under. She bogeyed the last two holes.
Her playing partner, Julia Lopez Ramirez, fell out of contention early on her way to 79 that left her tied for 19th.
Iranian director Jafar Panahi’s film, It Was Just an Accident, has been awarded the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival. The dissident has endured years of travel bans and prison terms in Iran for his filmmaking, which served as inspiration for his award-winning work.
Mushtaq’s Heart Lamp poignantly captures the hardships of Muslim women living in southern India
Indian writer-lawyer-activist Banu Mushtaq has scripted history by winning the International Booker prize for the short story anthology, Heart Lamp.
It is the first book written in the Kannada language, which is spoken in the southern Indian state of Karnataka, to win the prestigious prize.
The stories in Heart Lamp were translated into English by Deepa Bhasthi.
Featuring 12 short stories written by Mushtaq over three decades from 1990 to 2023, Heart Lamp poignantly captures the hardships of Muslim women living in southern India.
In her acceptance speech, Mushtaq thanked readers for letting her words wander into their hearts.
“This book was born from the belief that no story is ever small; that in the tapestry of human experience, every thread holds the weight of the whole,” she said.
“In a world that often tries to divide us, literature remains one of the last sacred spaces where we can live inside each other’s minds, if only for a few pages,” she added.
Bhasthi, who became the first Indian translator to win an International Booker, said that she hoped that the win would encourage more translations from and into Kannada and other South Asian languages.
Mushtaq’s win comes off the back of Geetanjali Shree’s Tomb of Sand – translated from Hindi by Daisy Rockwell – winning the prize in 2022.
Her body of work is well-known among book lovers, but the Booker International win has shone a bigger spotlight on her life and literary oeuvre, which mirrors many of the challenges the women in her stories face, brought on by religious conservatism and a deeply patriarchal society.
It is this self-awareness that has, perhaps, helped Mushtaq craft some of the most nuanced characters and plotlines.
“In a literary culture that rewards spectacle, Heart Lamp insists on the value of attention – to lives lived at the edges, to unnoticed choices, to the strength it takes simply to persist. That is Banu Mushtaq’s quiet power,” a review in the Indian Express newspaper says about the book.
Who is Banu Mushtaq?
Mushtaq grew up in a small town in the southern state of Karnataka in a Muslim neighbourhood and like most girls around her, studied the Quran in the Urdu language at school.
But her father, a government employee, wanted more for her and at the age of eight, enrolled her in a convent school where the medium of instruction was the state’s official language – Kannada.
Mushtaq worked hard to become fluent in Kannada, but this alien tongue would become the language she chose for her literary expression.
She began writing while still in school and chose to go to college even as her peers were getting married and raising children.
It would take several years before Mushtaq was published and it happened during a particularly challenging phase in her life.
Her short story appeared in a local magazine a year after she had married a man of her choosing at the age of 26, but her early marital years were also marked by conflict and strife – something she openly spoke of, in several interviews.
Getty Images
Banu Mushtaq (left) and Deepa Bhasthi (right) hold copies of Heart Lamp
In an interview with Vogue magazine, she said, “I had always wanted to write but had nothing to write (about) because suddenly, after a love marriage, I was told to wear a burqa and dedicate myself to domestic work. I became a mother suffering from postpartum depression at 29”.
In the another interview to The Week magazine, she spoke of how she was forced to live a life confined within the four walls of her house.
Then, a shocking act of defiance set her free.
“Once, in a fit of despair, I poured white petrol on myself, intending to set myself on fire. Thankfully, he [the husband] sensed it in time, hugged me, and took away the matchbox. He pleaded with me, placing our baby at my feet saying, ‘Don’t abandon us’,” she told the magazine.
What does Banu Mushtaq write about?
In Heart Lamp, her female characters mirror this spirit of resistance and resilience.
“In mainstream Indian literature, Muslim women are often flattened into metaphors — silent sufferers or tropes in someone else’s moral argument. Mushtaq refuses both. Her characters endure, negotiate, and occasionally push back — not in ways that claim headlines, but in ways that matter to their lives,” according to a review of the book in The Indian Express newspaper.
Mushtaq went on to work as a reporter in a prominent local tabloid and also associated with the Bandaya movement – which focussed on addressing social and economic injustices through literature and activism.
After leaving journalism a decade later, she took up work as a lawyer to support her family.
In a storied career spanning several decades, she has published a copious amount of work; including six short story collections, an essay collection and a novel.
But her incisive writing has also made her a target of hate.
In an interview to The Hindu newspaper, she spoke about how in the year 2000, she received threatening phone calls after she expressed her opinion supporting women’s right to offer prayer in mosques.
A fatwa – a legal ruling as per Islamic law – was issued against her and a man tried to attack her with a knife before he was overpowered by her husband.
But these incidents did not faze Mushtaq, who continued to write with fierce honesty.
“I have consistently challenged chauvinistic religious interpretations. These issues are central to my writing even now. Society has changed a lot, but the core issues remain the same. Even though the context evolves, the basic struggles of women and marginalised communities continue,” she told The Week magazine.
Over the years Mushtaq’s writings have won numerous prestigious local and national awards including the Karnataka Sahitya Academy Award and the Daana Chintamani Attimabbe Award.
In 2024, the translated English compilation of Mushtaq’s five short story collections published between 1990 and 2012 – Haseena and Other Stories – won the PEN Translation Prize.
The theme park rivalry in Orlando, Fla. is heating up.
This week, Universal will open its latest park, Epic Universe, a reportedly $7 billion bet for the Comcast-owned company and the newest salvo in its ongoing push to expand its tourism and entertainment empire.
That puts pressure on Walt Disney Co., whose Walt Disney World Resort has long dominated the Orlando vacation landscape, but is now seeing increased competition, particularly from Universal.
Sprawled across 750 acres, Epic Universe represents the biggest Universal theme park expansion since the opening of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter 15 years ago.
It touts five different themed areas, four of which are tied to well-known franchises: “Harry Potter,” “How to Train Your Dragon,” Universal’s Dark Universe of classic movie monsters and Nintendo video game properties, in addition to a cosmic central Celestial Park hub.
The resort, which also includes three hotels, features technologically-advanced animatronics and detailed rides like Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment, which showcases many of Universal’s monsters. Reviews of the park have been largely positive, with critics highlighting the immersive nature of the attractions.
“Comcast has come on so strong with what they’ve developed and brought forth in the Orlando market,” said Dennis Speigel, founder and chief executive of Cincinnati-based consulting firm International Theme Park Services Inc. “Over the last 15 years, they have brought that distance between Universal and Disney much closer, and it has really become a prize fight. It’s the most intense and competitive situation in the industry.”
Disney was the first of the two to the Orlando market back in 1971, when it opened the Magic Kingdom at Disney World. It wasn’t until 1990 that Universal opened its own Orlando park, giving Disney a nearly two-decade head start.
Today, Disney World has four theme parks and two water parks, while Universal Orlando will have three, including Epic Universe and Islands of Adventure (opened in 1999), and a water park, Volcano Bay (2017).
Though Universal was late to market, its 2010 opening of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter land across Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure in Orlando pushed the theme park competition to new heights. Building a land solely around a specific intellectual property — instead of a general theme — was novel at the time, and the concept would later show up in Disney parks, such as Cars Land in Anaheim and later, “Star Wars”-themed lands in California and Florida.
Demand at the time for the “Harry Potter”-themed land pushed Universal’s attendance up 36% compared with the previous year, Speigel said.
“They realized after ‘Harry Potter’ that it was a new world order,” he said. “They’ve just kept the pedal to the metal on everything they’ve done in terms of growth and internal experience.”
There’s good reason for that.
Both Universal and Disney have honed in on theme parks as a profit-generating part of their business that is less volatile than the ever-changing media, television and film markets. Disney’s experiences division, which includes its theme parks and cruise lines, has long brought in the lion’s share of the company’s profit, particularly as pay TV shrinks.
“Disney has been pretty steady and consistent, but Universal is very rapidly expanding,” said Carissa Baker, an assistant professor of theme park and attraction management at the University of Central Florida’s Rosen College of Hospitality Management. “They’re highly encouraging their theme park sector right now.”
Both companies have recently announced new properties — Disney in Abu Dhabi and Universal with a smaller kids resort in Texas, a theme park in Britain and a year-round Halloween Horror Nights-esque experience in Las Vegas.
“The plan is to keep driving growth in a business that we think we’re one of two players in a market that is, within media, not at all exposed to the shift in time on screens from one venue to another,” Comcast Corp. President Mike Cavanagh said during the company’s fiscal first quarter call with analysts last month. “Live experiences, parks experiences have been thrilling to people, and we think we lean into that and continue to do so.”
So far, he said, advance ticket sales and hotel bookings are “strong” for Epic Universe and the other Universal parks in Orlando. A one-day ticket starts at $139.
That’s why analysts have consistently flagged the upcoming park during earnings calls for rival Disney, querying executives about the potential pressure on Disney World and how the company plans to compete.
But if Disney is worried, it has shown little sign of it. Last week, Disney Chief Financial Officer Hugh Johnston said hotel bookings for the fiscal third quarter are up 4% compared with last year, with about 80% of available nights reserved. For the fourth quarter, bookings are up about 7%, with about 50% to 60% of capacity filled, he said.
That’s despite broader worries that concerns about a potential recession — spurred by President Trump’s tariffs on foreign goods — will dampen travel and consumer spending.
“Experiences is obviously a critical business for Disney and also an important growth platform,” company Chief Executive Bob Iger said on a recent earnings call. “Despite questions around any macro-economic uncertainty or the impact of competition, I’m encouraged by the strength and resilience of our business.”
The company has previously announced it is investing $30 billion into its parks in Florida and California, which will fund such additions as a “Monsters Inc.”-inspired land and a villains land in Disney World. The parks have also added attractions throughout the last 10 years, including the revamped Tiana’s Bayou Adventure ride (which replaced Splash Mountain).
Disney is betting that the influx of visitors coming to Florida for Epic Universe will still make a stop at its parks. Last year, Orlando tallied more than 75 million visitors, up 1.8% compared with 2023, according to the Visit Orlando trade association. Josh D’Amaro, chairman of Disney Experiences, said at an investor conference last week that Disney gets more tourists any time something new opens up in central Florida — even if it’s not a Disney property.
“If we just go back five or 10 years, and you think about what’s happened at Walt Disney World, we’ve always been on the offensive,” D’Amaro said. “If something is built new in Central Florida, like Epic Universe, and if it brings in additional tourists, I can almost guarantee you that new tourist coming into the market is going to have to visit the Magic Kingdom.”
MANCHESTER UNITED and Tottenham will face off in the Europa League final next week in a battle for a place amongst Europe’s elite.
The winner will earn a spot in next season’s Champions League, a reward that is potentially worth in excess of £100MILLION.
5
Manchester United are preparing to take on Tottenham in the Europa League finalCredit: Shutterstock Editorial
5
Spurs are hoping to end a 17-year wait for a trophyCredit: Getty
Much has been made about whether that prize is suitable or not, given that United and Spurs currently occupy 16th and 17th spot in the Premier League – but Uefa aren’t changing their rules for the two underachievers.
Qualification would mean a huge amount to both clubs, with the lure of the Champions League meaning more top talent could be enticed to join in the summer – not to mention a huge boost to their transfer kitty.
For Spurs, the money would be the cherry on top of the giant cake that is ending their 17-year wait for a trophy.
While United almost NEED to win the competition given their current financial situation, with a defeat meaning a huge loss in potential revenue amid a slew of cost-cutting measure by Sir Jim Racliffe and his Ineos team.
Once getting to the Champions League, advancing to the very end could earn up to a potential £95m extra for the eventual winner – but United and Spurs will be aware that their chances of going all the way are slim.
In fact, of the eight different teams that have gained qualification into the Champions League by winning the Europa League over the last 10 years, just one has made it to the semi-finals.
That was Villarreal, who were knocked out of the tournament by eventual winners Liverpool.
Man Utd entered the competition thanks to their 2017 Europa League success under Jose Mourinho, only to lost to Sevilla in the Round of 16.
5
Man Utd won the Europa League in 2017Credit: Getty Images – Getty
5
Chelsea earned a Champions League spot with their 2019 Europa League successCredit: Reuters
While Chelsea did the same in 2019 and were kicked out by Bayern Munich in the last 16 too.
United and Chelsea are two of six teams that reached the last 16 after qualifying through the Europa League.
‘I’d dive head first through a brick wall for him’ – Ange Postecoglou’s rallying speech reduces Tottenham fans to tears
While Sevilla have twice failed to advance through the group stages and Atalanta were knocked out of this year’s competition in the qualifying knockout round.
Although it makes for bleak reading for Man Utd and Spurs fans, it’s worth noting that the lure – and cash injection – of playing in the Champions League has helped teams who qualified through the Europa League attract big players.
Chelsea were unable to purchase players following their success as they were hit with a transfer ban following academy player rule breaches.
Either way, the prize waiting for the winner of next week’s ‘Hell Clasico’ is something which cannot be underestimated and could have a huge impact on either club for years to come.
The poet gets the prestigious award for New Yorker essays ‘on the physical and emotional carnage in Gaza’ amid war.
Palestinian poet Mosab Abu Toha, who has been targeted by pro-Israel groups in the United States for deportation, has won a Pulitzer Prize for commentary.
Abu Toha received the prestigious award on Monday for essays published in The New Yorker “on the physical and emotional carnage in Gaza that combine deep reporting with the intimacy of memoir to convey the Palestinian experience” of the war.
“I have just won a Pulitzer Prize for Commentary,” Abu Toha wrote on social media. “Let it bring hope. Let it be a tale.”
The comment appears to be a tribute to his fellow Palestinian poet Refaat Alareer, was killed in an Israeli attack in Gaza in December 2023. Alareer’s final poem was titled, “If I must die, let it be a tale”.
Abu Toha was detained by Israeli forces in Gaza in 2023 before being released to Egypt and subsequently moving to the US.
“In the past year, I have lost many of the tangible parts of my memories – the people and places and things that helped me remember,” Abu Toha wrote in one of his New Yorker essays.
“I have struggled to create good memories. In Gaza, every destroyed house becomes a kind of album, filled not with photos but with real people, the dead pressed between its pages.”
In recent months, right-wing groups in the US have called for deporting Abu Toha amid a campaign by President Donald Trump cracking down non-citizens critical of Israel. The author cancelled events at universities in recent months, citing fears for his safety.
The Palestinian poet told Al Jazeera’s The Take podcast in December that the feeling of inability to help people in Gaza has been “devastating”.
“Imagine that you are with your parents, with your siblings and their children in a school shelter in Gaza,” Abu Toha said. “You are unable to protect anyone. You are unable to provide them with any food, with any water, with any medicine. But now you are in the United States, the country that is funding the genocide. So, it is heartbreaking.”
In other Pulitzer categories, New York Times won prizes for explanatory reporting, local reporting, international coverage and breaking news photography on Monday.
With the four awards, the New York-based newspaper received the most prizes from Pulitzer’s 14 journalism contests this year.
Winners of the award, named after the Hungarian-American newspaper publisher Joseph Pulitzer, are selected by a board of journalists and academics and announced at Columbia University annually.
The New York Times received the international reporting prize for its coverage of the conflict in Sudan, edging out The Washington Post, which was a finalist in the category for its “documented Israeli atrocities” in Gaza, including investigations into the killings of Palestinian medics and journalists.
The Post won the breaking news prize for its coverage of the Trump assassination attempt during a campaign rally last year. The Reuters news agency took the investigative reporting award for a “boldly reported expose of lax regulation in the US and abroad that makes fentanyl”.
