Carlos Alcaraz, the rising star of tennis, created quite a stir during his trophy presentation at Queen’s Club, risking the wrath of a major sponsor due to a crucial blunder. The young Spaniard clinched victory over Jiri Lehecka in an impressive display, securing his second tournament win in three years and extending his winning streak to 18 matches. This outstanding performance sets him up with a red-hot form heading into Wimbledon.

Following his triumph, Alcaraz basked in the glory of the crowd’s applause during the trophy presentation. However, his moment of celebration was short-lived as he realized he had forgotten a significant detail – his Rolex watch. The 22-year-old hurriedly retrieved his £32,000 Rolex Daytona in yellow gold with a turquoise blue lacquer dial, a mandatory accessory as part of his £6 million annual deal as a Rolex ambassador.

Despite the initial mishap, Alcaraz managed to rectify the situation just in time for the photographs, ensuring the sponsor’s requirements were met. As he gears up to potentially defend his Wimbledon title, Alcaraz will need to be more vigilant to avoid any slip-ups in the future.

In a post-match statement, Alcaraz expressed his gratitude for the victory and praised his opponent, Jiri Lehecka, for an incredible performance. The young tennis sensation acknowledged the support of his team, family, and friends, emphasizing the importance of their presence both on and off the court.

Looking ahead, Alcaraz remains a strong contender for another Wimbledon title, despite being seeded second behind Jannik Sinner. Their recent showdown at the French Open final, hailed as one of the greatest, ended in Alcaraz’s favor, solidifying his position as a force to be reckoned with in the tennis world.

J.R. Gray extended his incredible run in the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series on Sunday at Virginia Motorsports Park, defeating Dmitry Samorukov in the final round to claim his third win in the past four races as part of this weekend’s American Rebel Light Virginia NHRA Nationals.

It was the sixth of 10 races during the 2025 NHRA Pro Mod season, and this weekend’s event was powered by DPFXFIT by GESi to close out the regular season in the category.

Gray closed out the regular season in style in his Al-Anabi Performance Camaro, continuing a dominant run with a pass of 5.787 seconds at 251.49 mph to defeat Samorukov, who had an unfortunate showing in the championship round.

Samorukov lost control shortly off the starting line, hitting the left guard wall. He crossed the center line and then hit the right guard wall before coming to a stop. Samorukov was alert and exited the car under his own power and was examined onsite by NHRA Chief Medical Officer Dr. Surface before being released.

For Gray, it was the latest moment in a terrific 2025 campaign, as he won for the third time this season and the fourth time in his career. It was also his fourth straight final-round appearance as Gray continues to impress this season.

“I just believe everybody has to catch up,” Gray said. “We’re putting time in day in and day out, and there’s always somebody working on these cars. This is four finals in a row for me, and we’ve been in every final round as a team this year, so we’re really ready.”

To reach the final round, Gray, who qualified second, defeated Doug Winters, Derek Menholt and Sidnei Frigo.

Before the final round, Samorukov enjoyed a strong weekend at Virginia Motorsports Park, qualifying No. 1 with a 5.764 at 249.39 and then defeating former world champions Mike Castellana and Mike Janis, and Stan Shelton to reach the championship round for the second time in his career.

The points will reset for the final four races, with Gray taking the points lead into the playoffs as he looks for his first Congruity NHRA Pro Mod world championship.

The Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series opens its Road to the Championship playoffs as part of the 71st annual Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals on Aug. 27-Sept. 1 at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.

This story was originally published on June 23, 2025.

NASCAR’s latest in-season challenge has set the motorsport world on fire, igniting excitement and speculation among fans and drivers alike. This high-stakes bracket-style tournament offers a jaw-dropping $1 million prize to the ultimate victor, adding an electrifying twist to the already adrenaline-pumping races.

The competition features the top 32 drivers based on points from three weeks ago, excluding latecomer Shane van Gisbergen, who missed the cutoff despite a recent stellar performance in Mexico City. Each week, two drivers go head-to-head in a thrilling showdown akin to March Madness, with the sole objective of outpacing their opponent to advance to the next round.

Over the course of five intense weeks coinciding with TNT’s broadcast schedule of select NASCAR Cup races, drivers will battle it out at iconic tracks such as Atlanta, Sonoma, and Indianapolis, culminating in the epic finale at the Brickyard 400. The current frontrunner, Denny Hamlin, leads the pack as the No. 1 seed, while underdog Ty Dillon enters as the No. 32 seed, offering a tantalizing long-shot opportunity for daring bettors.

As the inaugural matchups kick off this weekend, tensions are running high as fan-favorites and rising stars prepare to go wheel-to-wheel in a series of adrenaline-fueled duels:
– Denny Hamlin vs. Ty Dillon
– Kyle Busch vs. Brad Keselowski
– Alex Bowman vs. Joey Logano
– Bubba Wallace vs. Daniel Suarez
– John Hunter Nemechek vs. Josh Berry
– Chase Elliott vs. Austin Dillon
– Ross Chastain vs. Erik Jones
– Christopher Bell vs. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
– Chase Briscoe vs. Noah Gragson
– Ryan Preece vs. William Byron
– Ryan Blaney vs. Carson Hocevar
– Kyle Larson vs. Tyler Reddick
– Michael McDowell vs. AJ Allmendinger
– Ty Gibbs vs. Justin Haley
– Zane Smith vs. Austin Cindric
– Chris Buescher vs. Todd Gilliland

With adrenaline-pumping action, unexpected upsets, and the ultimate prize on the line, NASCAR’s in-season challenge promises to deliver heart-stopping moments and unforgettable battles on the track. Stay tuned as the drama unfolds and the race towards victory intensifies with each passing lap.

Chase Briscoe had enough gas to get to the end and hold off Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin on Sunday, June 22, to win the NASCAR Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway.