07/05/2026

SPORTS THURSDAY | MAY 7, 2026

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PLAYERS would boycott the French Open if their prize money at the clay court Grand Slam’s is not increased, women’s world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka said yesterday. The Belarusian’s threat came amid a heated disagreement between players and Roland Garros organisers over prize money distribu tion, despite this year’s tournament offering a 9.5% increase to €61.7 mil lion (RM286m). Several top players released a state TWO-TIME major champion Jon Rahm revealed he has several years remaining on his LIV Golf contract and doesn’t “see many ways out” after agreeing to a new deal that allows him to play on the DP World Tour. The 31-year-old Spaniard, a former world No. 1, spoke yesterday ahead of this week’s LIV Golf Virginia event at Trump National Washington. Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), which had promised long-term sup port for the series, said last week it will pull funding after the 2026 campaign concludes, plunging the upstart circuit into uncertainty over his future beyond this year. But while the vexed question of how LIV players may return to the PGA Tour has dominated golf in recent weeks, Rahm said Tuesday he remained locked into his lucra tive contract. “I have several years on my contract left and I’m pretty sure they did a pretty good job when they drafted that, so I don’t see many ways out,” Rahm said. “As of right now, I’m not really thinking about it since we still have a season to play and majors to compete for. So it’s not some thing I want to think about just yet.” Rahm did however settle one long-run ning issue yesterday as the DP World Tour announced they reached a deal with the Spaniard that allows him to play on the European circuit this year while paying all outstanding fines since his 2024 jump to LIV. “There’s no longer a standoff. We were able to reach an agreement,” Rahm said. “There was some concessions on both sides. I offered some, they extended an olive branch. That will not be a stress anymore.” Rahm will no longer have to worry about his place on the Europe side for the 2027 Ryder Cup at Adare Manor in Ireland or future stops. “The Ryder Cup is still really far away, but I’m happy that hopefully I won’t have to think about any worries or any predica ments (ahead of) Adare Manor then or hopefully ever,” Rahm said. “I want to support the DP World Tour. There’s a lot of events I want to play.” Rahm meanwhile admitted to shock at PIF’s decision to pull the plug on LIV Golf, saying players had been assured financing from Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund was in place for years to come. While LIV Golf chief executive officer Scott O’Neil seeks new backers, two-time defending LIV season champion Rahm says players will likely face compromises if the series is to continue. “I do believe that for the business plan to change, whatever they’re coming up with, there will need to be some concessions on our part,” Rahm said. “It’s a team effort. It’s not about one per son agreeing or not. “We all, as captains and team owners and players involved in the league, need to in essence have a large majority to agree on for it to work.” – AFP Spanish golfer Rahm trapped by LIV contract

Smith says golf tour will go on despite Saudi pullout

FORMER world No. 2 Cameron Smith has shrugged off concerns the LIV Golf tour’s days are numbered, saying he had been given every assur ance it will continue beyond this year despite the loss of Saudi Arabian backing. Smith, who captains the all-Australian Ripper GC outfit, signed up early for a reported US$100 million (RM395m) and has earned about US$50 million (RM197m) in prize money from the team based tour. The 2022 British Open winner told reporters he had received every assurance that the tour would continue next year, without elaborating.

“It was a split between private equity, family office and then your traditional high net worth guys who invest in sports and sports teams. So that has been really positive.” Smith’s form has plunged at the majors over the last two years, the 32-year-old missing the cut at all four in 2025. He said that was just not good enough and he was making changes to turn his form around. “I can promise you, the fire is in the belly, it’s just a matter of time. I don’t think time is running out on my major career by any means,” he added. – Reuters

“I promise you will hear it first from someone else, rather than me,” he said. “I know the team are working hard behind the scenes and they’re doing everything they can for us. “So I am excited, I know (LIV Golf chief execu tive) Scott O’Neil is really excited for the progress and challenge in the coming months.” O’Neil told a press conference ahead of the Virginia event in Washington, DC that he was confi dent of support from new sponsors and investors. “I had about a dozen inbound calls this week end from potential investors,” O’Neil said yesterday.

Crunch time for Capitals … after latest loss dampens playoffs hopes D ELHI CAPITALS can afford no more slip-ups if they are to have any chance of making the Indian Premier League (IPL) playoffs for the meagre 155-7 and were overhauled with 2.3 overs to spare.

one spot above Delhi. “I thought the game was lost in the first 10 overs when we did not get enough,” said for mer India player Badani, who felt not enough of his players were performing at their best. “You can have multiple conversations about permutations and combinations but when you play good cricket, these things fall in place,” he added. “When we were bowling well, the batting didn’t click. If we’re batting well, the bowling has been a bit poor. “I won’t single out a specific department that has done badly or poorly, but it’s more the case that you want at least 60-70% of your men turning up on a given day. That has been miss ing. If we can try and get that in the next few games, we should be okay.” Disciplined bowling and an unbeaten 87 by opener Sanju Samson helped Chennai Super Kings stay in the hunt for the IPL playoffs with an eight-wicket win over Delhi Capitals on Tuesday. Batting first on a tough pitch backfired for hosts Delhi, who slipped to 69-5 before posting 155-7 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Five-time champions Chennai lost two early wickets in the chase, but Samson paced his 52-ball knock to perfection as his team chased down the target with 15 balls to spare. Samson, a wicketkeeper-bat ter, put on an unbeaten 114-run stand with Kartik Sharma, who made 41, as the two ensured a fifth win for Chennai in 10 matches to be sixth in the 10-team table. “More than grateful to have Sanju in the side,” said Chennai skipper Ruturaj

“It’s more like a knockout tournament for us right now. We have to win four in four to still have a chance to qualify.Everyone under stands that in the dressing room and the dug out. Everyone knows that this is where we are now. It’s as simple as perform or perish.” Electing to bat, Delhi slumped to 69-5 in 11 overs and never looked capable of putting up a substantial total. Chennai’s Sanju Samson notched unbeaten 87 to guide his side to a fifth win of the season that kept them

first time in five years, coach Hemang Badani said after his side suffered a sixth defeat of the season on Tuesday. Delhi’s eight-wicket loss to Chennai Super Kings left them stuck in seventh spot in the 10 team league, with a negative net run rate to boot. With only four games left in the regular sea son, Delhi have little time to claim a top-four spot and a place in the playoffs. “It’s crunch time for us,” Badani told reporters after his side posted a

Gaikwad.“So obviously he’s backbone now, but bowling is something which wins you tournaments.”

In-form Samson, who has hit two centuries in the sea son, reached his fifty in 32 balls and finished with seven fours and six sixes. He has scored 402

Delhi Capitals’ Axar Patel reacts after his dismissal during the IPL match against Chennai Super Kings on Tuesday. – AFPPIC

runs in 10 matches this edition and is fifth in the batting chart led by Delhi’s KL Rahul (445). – AFP

Players would boycott French Open over prize money dispute, says Sabalenka

Sabalenka said the players deserved more prize money. “When you see the number and you see the amount the players are receiv ing… “I feel like the show is on us. I feel like without us there wouldn’t be a tournament and there wouldn’t be that entertainment,” Sabalenka added. “I feel like definitely we deserve to be paid more percentage. What can I say?” – Reuters

one will be happy with,” she added. Reuters has contacted the French Tennis Federation for comment. The prize money boost of €5.4 mil lion (RM25m) compared to 2025 still leaves Roland Garros trailing its Grand Slam rivals. The US Open offered US$90 million (RM355m) last year while Wimbledon paid out US$72.5 million (RM286m) and the Australian Open a record US$80 million (RM316m) this year.

“Let’s see how far we can get, if it’s going to take players for boycott… Some of the things, I feel like it’s really unfair to the players. I think at some point it’s going to get to this.” However, the world No. 1 struck a hopeful note about ongoing negotia tions. “I just really hope that all of the negotiation that we are having, we at some point are going to get to the right decision, to the conclusion that every

ment on Monday saying they were set to receive prize money that would likely still be less than 15% of tourna ment revenue, well short of the 22% they demanded to match ATP and WTA combined 1000 events. When asked how far players might push their demands, Sabalenka told reporters at the Italian Open: “I think at some point we will boycott it (the tour nament), yeah. I feel like that’s going to be the only way to fight for our rights.