Sports

For centuries, chess has been the ultimate test of strategy, intellect, and endurance. Now, in a historic move that formally unites the world’s oldest strategy game with its fastest-growing digital successor, competitive online chess has officially been inducted into the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2025 lineup. Staged in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the tournament featured a massive $1.5 million prize pool and saw the world’s top Grandmasters compete in a thrilling rapid-fire format. This groundbreaking integration, spearheaded by a multi-year partnership with Chess.com and endorsed by the game’s greatest living player, Magnus Carlsen, marks a watershed moment. It not only confirms the status of fast-paced online chess as a legitimate esport but also unlocks a vital new audience and financial stream for the global chess community

Vinpearl Equestrian Cup 2025 is scheduled to take place on 29–30 November 2025 at the Vinpearl Vu Yen Equestrian Academy, part of the Vinhomes Royal Island complex (Hai Phong). With a competition system operating according to the standards of the International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI), the event marks the first time Vietnam hosts a professional equestrian tournament of international scale. Holding the tournament in this coastal city is seen as a signal that Hai Phong is expanding sports and entertainment activities, contributing to a more diverse range of experiences for visitors in the near future.

The scoreboard told a brutal, historic story: a 6-0, 6-0 defeat in the Wimbledon final, a thrashing not seen on Centre Court in over a century. But behind the cold, final numbers lay a far more powerful and human narrative. For Amanda Anisimova, her loss to Iga Świątek was not a failure but a final, challenging act in a triumphant comeback. It was a test of a resilience forged in the crucible of burnout, and a testament to a fighting spirit that had already won the most important battle of all: the one against herself.

It was the Wimbledon final that no one expected, and it ended in a way no one could have predicted. On Centre Court, rising American star Amanda Anisimova was handed a historic 6-0, 6-0 defeat by a relentless Iga Świątek. While the scoreboard told a story of a devastating loss, it obscured a deeper, more compelling narrative: Anisimova’s remarkable comeback from burnout, and a psychological victory that transcended the match’s brutal scoreline. As Anisimova herself would say, she had been “frozen” with nerves, but in just two weeks, she had already proven her doubters wrong and laid the groundwork for a triumphant future.

For Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori, their US Open mixed doubles victory was more than a title defense—it was a statement. The Italian duo, who entered the controversial, reimagined competition as the only doubles specialists, triumphed over some of the game’s biggest singles stars, including Iga Świątek and Casper Ruud, to claim their second consecutive US Open title. Their victory, which came with a fivefold increase in prize money, felt like a triumph for the entire doubles community, a moment of vindication against a format they had previously branded a “profound injustice.”

The roar of the home crowd at the US Open is unlike anything else in tennis. For American players, that energy can be the catalyst for a deep tournament run. Jessica Pegula, who reached the final of last year’s tournament, knows this feeling intimately. The Buffalo native’s connection to the home crowd, fueled by her family’s ties to New York sports, has made her a fan favorite. For Pegula, the journey to a Grand Slam title on home soil is not just about tennis; it’s a deeply personal pursuit forged through family, and a game that has prepared her for life’s toughest moments.

After winning seven Grand Slam singles titles and a host of other accolades, there is seemingly very little left for Venus Williams to achieve in the sport of tennis. Yet, at 45 years old, she continues to defy expectations, competing at the highest level after receiving a wild card into the US Open. To understand how Venus is still a force to be reckoned with more than 30 years after her professional debut, one must look back to the very beginning, to a moment of “rage” and prophecy witnessed by her childhood coach, Rick Macci.

Tennis icon Roger Federer, who retired from the sport in 2022, has cemented his legacy in a new, unprecedented way: by becoming the seventh athlete in history to reach billionaire status. According to estimates by Forbes, the Swiss star now boasts a net worth of $1.1 billion. While his on-court earnings were impressive, they were not the sole source of his fortune. Instead, Federer’s financial empire was built on strategic off-court endeavors and savvy investments, particularly his minority stake in the Swiss shoe and apparel brand On. His financial success provides a new blueprint for athletes, proving that a career’s true earnings can extend far beyond the final point.

At just 16 years old, the spotlight of professional tennis is falling on Julieta Pareja. This year, the American teenager, fresh off a breakthrough season that saw her become the world’s No. 1 girls’ player, has received a wild card into the main draw of the US Open. Yet, in a sport defined by intense pressure and high stakes, Pareja seems remarkably relaxed. For a player who views the biggest stage in her sport as simply an opportunity to learn, her debut in New York isn’t just a single tournament; it’s the next step on a carefully plotted journey to the very top.

On a quiet clay court in Alicante, Spain, six years ago, a future rivalry began. Two teenagers, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, engaged in a spirited match on the ATP’s Challenger Tour, a back-and-forth battle that foreshadowed their ascent to the top of the tennis world. That first meeting, won by the younger Alcaraz, was a “rollercoaster” that set the stage for a rivalry now poised to define the current era of men’s tennis. With both players sharing an uncanny dominance, their every match is a blockbuster event, filling the void left by the “Big Three” and promising a new golden age for the sport.