13/05/2026

SPORTS WEDNESDAY | MAY 13, 2026

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David vs Goliath Sinner in derby with qualifier Pellegrino after strolling into Italian Open last 16 J ANNIK SINNER set up a David vs Goliath clash with country man Andrea Pellegrino in the last 16 of the Italian Open after “We’ve played each other a long time ago (in 2019 in an ITF tourna ment), but he was a different player, and I was a different player.” Panatta 50 years ago, and would complete his collection of Master 1000 tournaments.

England’s sizzling Fitzpatricks seek major glory at PGA MATT and Alex Fitzpatrick, English brothers and two of the world’s hottest golfers, are housemates this week as they chase a major title at the 108th PGA Championship at Aronimink. In the suburbs of Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love, two siblings from Sheffield must navigate the perils of a diffi cult course, world-class rivals and living with each other. “We are different,” elder brother Matt said yesterday. “He’s messy, I would say. We shared a bathroom last week, actually, in the house that we shared, and it was a little bit messier than my side of the bathroom, I’ll say. “I’m very strict on my routine. I want to do this and I need to see whoever at this time. If he wants to fit that in, that’s great, and obviously we want to play together. But yeah, I want him to be able to do his own thing.” Fourth-ranked Matt Fitzpatrick, the 2022 US Open champion, was second at March’s Players Championship and since then won the Valspar and Heritage titles and shared a victory at the PGA Tour pairs event in New Orleans with 27-year-old Alex. Alex Fitzpatrick, who won his first DP World Tour title at the Indian Open in March, accepted a US PGA Tour berth and followed with a share of ninth at Doral and a fourth place effort last week at Quail Hollow. That gave him US$2.8 million (RM11m) in prize money over the past three weeks and a jump to 83rd in the world rankings, up from 120 last week and 203 when the year began. Alex will make only his second major start this week after sharing 17th at the 2023 British Open, when he also shared a house with Matt for the week. “It’s the same as ever,” said Matt Fitzpatrick.“He’ll ask me when I’m play ing and he’ll either join me or he’ll kind of fit in elsewhere.” Matt Fitzpatrick, 31, has enjoyed seeing his brother’s success. “Impressed more than anything. Super proud of him for how he has been playing,” Matt said. “I’m proba bly known as Alex’s brother now, as opposed to him being Matt’s brother.” The elder brother said he has not yet pondered how it might feel to be battling his sibling for a major title on Sunday. “I would imagine it’s going to be a weird feeling when that time does come,” Matt Fitzpatrick said. After saying his 2022 run to a major title marked his best golf, Matt Fitzpatrick says his current streak has “eclipsed” that “golden period.” “Cashed that all in,” he said. “I’m trying to cherish it as much as possible. It’s all hap pening very quickly.” “Given the three wins I’ve had, that has obviously been fantastic.” – AFP TOP-RANKED defending champion Scottie Scheffler and a host of world-class rivals took their first practice rounds yesterday at Aronimink ahead of the 108th PGA Championship, which tees off today. A formidable 7,394-yard, par-70 course awaits in the year’s second major tournament with 174 bun kers scattered across the layout, which features undulating greens at lightning-fast speeds. “Right now it’s about getting to know the golf course, where the pin locations are going to be, where these pins you attack, where are the ones you layoff of, stuff like that – what are the deceiving shots,” three-time major winner Jordan Spieth said.

and Rome native Flavio Cobolli 6-3, 6-4. Iga Swiatek will face Jessica Pegula on the quarterfinals of the women’s tournament after making short work of Naomi Osaka, beating the Japan star 6-2, 6-1 and looking more like the player that won four French Open titles. Pole Swiatek hasn’t won a clay court tournament since claiming her most recent title at Roland Garros two years ago, with personal problems a factor in her poor per formances on her favoured surface. But she looked back to her old self yesterday, giving Osaka nowhere to turn as she scurried around the court and finished off the match in just one hour and 22 minutes. Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam winner, is yet to get beyond the last 16 of any tour nament this year after also being knocked out of Indian

“Sinner is different to everyone else at the moment, he is a class above,” said Pellegrino. With great rival Carlos Alcaraz out injured and Novak Djokovic eliminated early, Sinner will be red hot favourite as he builds towards completing the career Grand Slam at the French Open which starts next week. Former Rome champion Daniil

Sinner meanwhile is trying to extend his own record-breaking run of overall victories in the ATP’s top ranked events after having won his last five. The 24-year-old joins Novak Djokovic as the only player to win a year’s first 25 Master 1000 matches, with the Serbian tennis icon’s record run stretching to 31 matches in 2011. Popyrin was suffocated by Sinner and made 23 unforced errors on his way to a comprehensive defeat.

demolishing Alexei Popyrin in straight sets 6-2, 6-0 on centre court yesterday. The world No. 1 easily won his 25th straight match, taking just over an hour to see off Australia’s Popyrin and give qualifier Pellegrino his moment on the big stage. Pellegrino, 29, who beat 20th seed Frances Tiafoe 7-6 (10-8), 6-1, is ranked 155 in the world and before this week had never played in the main draw of a Masters 1000 tour nament. “It’s fun to play a derby in Italy, he’s hav ing an

Medvedev gets his tournament underway by winning an enter taining match with Pablo Llamas Ruiz 3 6, 6-4, 6-2, set ting up a clash

The world No. 60 only got 48% of first serves into play and that allowed Sinner to break five times and close out a match which was barely a con test. Should Sinner prevail at the Foro Italico he will be the first Italian to win there since A d r i a n o

with Thiago Agu s t i n T i r an t e who beat

incredible tournament with a lot of victories a g a i n s t some really good oppo nents,” Sinner told reporters.

1 0 t h s e e d

Wells and the Madrid Open at the same stage by Aryna Sabalenka.

Coco Gauff sur vived a scare against Iva Jovic, com ing back from a match

point to win 5-7, 7-5, 6-2 and reaching

the

women’s

quarterfinals. American star Gauff, who is reigning French Open champion and reached the final in Rome last year, won a draining match on windy centre court which took the best part of three hours. Gauff was so annoyed with herself shortly after saving a match point against the serve at 5-4 down in the second set that she smacked herself in the head. But she recovered to eventu ally see off her fellow American and set up a clash with Mirra Andreeva in the last eight. – AFP

Andrea Pellegrino (left) and

Jannik Sinner. – REUTERSPIC

Golfers ready for ‘crazy’ Aronimink greens at PGA

“It’s really more methodical now where it used to be hours and hours,“ Spieth said. “It’s not just an age thing. It’s more just like rec ognizing that major weeks can feel really long and you want to feel your best when you wake up Sunday morning. “Part of it is energy conservation and figuring out how to attack the course. “As far as the reps go, if you’re not ready by now after the last couple weeks, you can’t really cram for the test at a major.” Jake Knapp withdrew from the field due to a thumb injury, allowing fellow American and first alternate Tom Hoge into the lineup. – AFP

BMW Championship PGA Tour playoff event at Aronimink. “What makes this place difficult are the greens, so you really need to be able to control your dis tances, hit the ball in the fairway,” Bradley said. “Off the tee it’s not extremely challenging, but the greens get really crazy and they are really mounded and hilly… so to put the ball in the right spot is really important.” Spieth, who would complete a career Grand Slam with a victory, says pre-tournament practice work doesn’t last so long as players take caution not to train too long and weaken efforts once the competition begins.

Scheffler worked with swing coach Randy Smith and putting coach Phil Kenyon before his practice round following a week off after some stel lar play in recent events. The 29-year-old American, a four-time major winner who can complete a career Grand Slam at next month’s US Open, was second at the Masters, the following week’s Heritage tournament and two weeks ago at Doral. A wide range of tee box positions will offer unique challenges to every hole every day, but Aronimink’s greens offer the biggest test for play ers, said Keegan Bradley, the 2011 PGA Championship winner who also captured the 2018