Sports
The wisdom of crowds: Tricolores, trumpets, and truculence at Roland Garros
Let’s start with the brass band.
That’s what caught Ben Shelton off guard when he walked onto court Sunday to face Hugo Gaston of France. The venue was Court 14: a sunken stage that can very quickly become a suffocating cauldron of noise and mayhem when the opponent is a native son.
“This is the first time that I’ve come out to a tennis match and had a band playing in the stands on my court,” said Shelton. Shelton, the 15th seed at this year’s French Open, is no stranger to rowdy crowds; he played two years of college tennis at the University of Florida. Away matches at Kentucky Tennessee and Georgia were especially nasty, he said.
“You play in the SEC (Southeastern Conference) all bets are off.”
If the bets are off on campus, then at Roland Garros, they’re somewhere in the Seine. All match long, the band played on, a bass drum thumping and summoning the rhythmic clapping, the trumpets and horns tooting and rousing the standing-room-only crowd of thousands to its feet to shake Shelton into as many faults and errors as it could.
This is how tennis rolls at the French Open, turning a genteel sport known for its etiquette-obsessed fans into the frenzies of soccer matches.
It’s not everyone’s cup of tea. The lords of Wimbledon would have none of it, and the All England Club has long set the standards for much of the sport. But these are two of just a handful of weeks during the tennis season when a tournament reminds a sport that it does not have to abide by the norms of Victorian-era Great Britain.
Raucous crowds have headlined this year’s tournament (Richard Callis/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)
Players and fans alike might enjoy themselves a tad more.
“They’re really into it and I felt like they really love tennis,” said Denis Shapovalov, a Canadian who got similar treatment later that evening when he took on France’s Luca Van Assche a few hours later on the same court. Shapovalov, a massive Toronto Maple Leafs fan, is no stranger to the boozy and brazen throngs at sporting events — just not the ones he’s playing in.
“Pretty fun as a tennis player, even though it was against me.”
After a series of pressure-cooker clashes in the early rounds, tennis players and fans are being forced to re-engage with the current rules of the game. At its best, tennis is a sport that inspires uncontrollable emotions, from awe and ecstasy to desolation and pain. Fans going through those emotions are expected not to show them — at least until a point is over — and even then, not to show them too much.
Lines do get crossed and in Paris, players not from France bear the brunt. Belgium’s David Goffin was plenty salty after his five-set win over France’s Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard on Tuesday night, taunting the crowd with a cupped ear for mere seconds after it spent more than three and a half hours taunting him.
The Parisians have form. Taylor Fritz ran around the court with his finger on his lips after toppling Arthur Rinderknech of France last year, screaming, inaudibly beneath the din of boos, that he wanted them to “let me hear it!”
Goffin was a little more unnerved.
“It goes too far, it’s total disrespect,” the mild-mannered Belgian told reporters from his country following the match. He claimed a fan had spit gum at him.
“Soon there will be smoke bombs, hooligans and fights in the stands.” He compared that behaviour to that of soccer fans — the implication that it simply has no place in tennis.
Goffin gave some back (Benoit Doppagne/Belga Mag/AFP via Getty Images)
World No 1 Iga Swiatek then gently scolded the Court Philippe-Chatrier crowd on Wednesday for making noise in the middle of points as she prevailed in three sets over Naomi Osaka in a gripping duel.
Swiatek understands the enthusiasm of the French crowds, she said, but there is decorum in tennis, an expectation of silence in the audience, though plenty of her peers, namely Frances Tiafoe, think that concept should have gone away long ago. Reading between the lines, Swiatek, though addressing the topic in general, was only really talking about one point: as she moved on to a regulation drive forehand volley deep in the third set against Osaka, someone screamed out as she addressed the ball. She missed the volley.
If tennis players were constantly exposed to noises of varying pitch and intensity, mapped to the contours of their rallies — just like in almost every other sport — this kind of thing wouldn’t be a problem.
When a gasp emerges from a vacuum, it is much more jarring.
“I just wanted to point out that it’s not easy for us,” Swiatek said. “French crowds can be kind of harsh, so I don’t want to be under the radar right now. I don’t know if that was a good decision or not, but I hope they can treat me as a human.”
This has all caused quite the stir at the French Open, and tournament director Amelie Mauresmo said Thursday that she would no longer permit spectators to drink alcohol in the stands. Umpires and security officials have been put on alert to snuff out unruly behavior.
But fans getting emotional in the middle of a point, as long as it’s not intentionally done to put off a specific player, is not a punishable offense.
“If you throw something at a player, that’s black and white, you’re out,” Mauresmo said. “Expressing emotions, during a point, isn’t the same thing.”
Given the singular nature of the French Open, it’s also hard to tell whether all this is a genuine referendum on the nature of spectatorship, or more of an occupational hazard of being in the City of Light for a fortnight. Home advantage is as old as sports and warfare, and there is something inherently unfair about it in tennis. Players from only four countries — Australia, France, the United Kingdom and the United States — can experience a home-court advantage in the Grand Slams, the most important events in the sport.
Home favorite Caroline Garcia even got a portrait last year (Robert Prange/Getty Images)
Everyone else has to make do with the extra oomph of a home crowd (and its proven effects on umpires and referees) at tournaments that don’t mean nearly as much and offer far less prize money. The circumstances at this year’s tournament are also a little strange.
Rafael Nadal vs Alexander Zverev and Swiatek vs Osaka aren’t your typical first- and second-round matches; they’re the kinds of occasions fans are used to seeing in semi-finals and finals, when the jeopardy is at its peak and emotions run highest. When Andy Murray won his first Wimbledon final against Novak Djokovic in 2013, the entire Centre Court crowd let out a pealing screech on match point, when Djokovic’s first ball flew high and deep in the air, and an awed gasp when it landed not out, but in. He sent the ball back to Murray. Murray returned the favor.
Djokovic put the next ball in the net.
The venue exploded.
Murray in the crowd after his Wimbledon triumph in 2013 (Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Petar Popovic, the coach of Corentin Moutet, put house money into full effect for a first-round match against Nicolas Jarry, a powerful Chilean coming off a run to the final in Rome. In February, a partisan crowd in Chile, where they do rowdy tennis as well as anyone, had made life fairly miserable for Moutet. Popovic told the press he wanted the French crowd to exact some revenge. And they did, razzing Jarry for every fault and error, breaking his concentration and his spirit, turning Court Simonne-Mathieu into a Roman amphitheatre. Moutet prevailed in four sets, including 6-0 in the last.
This rousing support can also only do so much. The last French woman to win the French Open was Mary Pierce in 2000. A French man hasn’t won since Yannick Noah in 1983. Other players are simply better.
Let’s get back to the band.
They are part of La Banda Paname, a collection of roughly 50 musicians who provide spirit and entertainment at various sports events throughout the region. BNP Paribas, the international bank that is one of the biggest sponsors of tennis and the French Open, has them on the payroll here, under the name “We Are Tennis”. They are decked out in all white, with matching logoed polo shirts.
“We started at Queen’s Club for the Davis Cup against Great Britain in 2015,” said Vincent Raymond, who was part of the five-man crew on Tuesday.
“Andy Murray punished us.”
Striking up a tune (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias)
Raymond was joined by bandmates, Julian, Brice, Nicholas and Yohann: two trumpets, drums, a trombone, a flugabone, and an emcee/conductor. Their mandate, he said, is to create noise, support France and support the sport. They have seats reserved all over the grounds, so they can bounce from court to court.
The way it’s been going for French tennis, that means going wherever France needs them during the first week. Generally, the French players are out of the tournament after that. “Then we shift our strategy,” Raymond said. “We want to provide a fair play atmosphere. It’s tennis after all. The key is to stop playing before the umpire says no more.”
The band, however, can only control what they can control. Once they get the crowd going, all bets are off, especially on Court Suzanne-Lenglen, the 10,000-seat gem of an arena, where Argentina’s Tomas Martin Etcheverry took on Arthur Cazaux, the rising 21-year-old Frenchman in the first round.
Cazaux won the first set in a hurry then fell off a cliff, losing the next two. He was still getting pounded midway through the third, down a service break and seemingly minutes from defeat. His shoulders slumped, his legs dragged.
Then, as Cazaux, came back out onto the court after a change-over, the crowd grew louder than it had been all day, with plenty of help from that band. A collection of Cazaux’s friends, seated just above the back of the court, traded chants and arm pumps with fans on the other side of the stadium, like they had been practicing for months.
Etcheverry took a few deep breaths, and served.
Fault.
More chants. More screams. A brief chorus.
Another fault.
Within minutes, the crowd had manifested a break for Cazaux. He couldn’t hold his serve, so they manifested another for him.
“I had a second breath due to the crowd, so thanks to them,” Cazaux said later. “I love this kind of atmosphere.”
Then that refrain: “It’s like a football match.”
Etcheverry said the atmosphere was as tough as it gets.
“I play a lot of times against French guys,” he said. “It’s tough, every moment.”
Alas, it was not tough enough. Cazaux fell in four sets, the crowd screaming until the dying moment, and then for a few more after.
The band checked the schedule, and moved to another court.
(Top photo: AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias)
Sports
Bryce Harper hits for cycle, Kyle Schwarber blasts three homers in Phillies blowout win over Mets
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The Phillies’ turnaround following the dismissal of manager Rob Thomson reached a new milestone when two of the franchise’s biggest stars delivered a historic performance.
Kyle Schwarber launched three home runs, including two in the third inning, while Bryce Harper completed the cycle to add yet another achievement to his accomplished career.
The offensive explosion powered Philadelphia to a 15-3 rout of the New York Mets on Saturday, as the Phillies continued their surge and received a signature performance from two of the game’s most recognizable stars.
Philadelphia Phillies’ Kyle Schwarber celebrates his home run with Bryce Harper during the third inning against the New York Mets in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on June 20, 2026. (Chris Szagola/AP)
Schwarber’s first home run traveled 456 feet, while his second blast of the third inning measured 457 feet off Mets reliever Cionel Pérez.
He capped his night with a two-run homer in the seventh inning. Schwarber’s major league-leading home run total climbed to 28, and the performance marked the fifth three-homer game of his career.
Cristopher Sanchez allowed one earned run in six innings to lower his ERA to 1.80.
It’s his 23rd straight start at Citizens Bank Park in which he allowed two earned runs or fewer, the second-most such starts by a pitcher at the same ballpark in MLB history since 1913, trailing only Jacob deGrom’s 24 at Citi Field for the Mets from Sept. 9, 2019 to Aug. 31, 2022.
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Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber of the Philadelphia Phillies leave the field after defeating the New York Mets at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on June 20, 2026. (Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
Schwarber is the 67th player in major league history and second this season with multiple home runs in an inning, joining Houston’s Yordan Alvarez on June 12.
Schwarber is the fourth Phillies player to hit two home runs in an inning, along with Trea Turner (Aug. 19, 2023), Von Hayes (June 11, 1985) and Andy Seminick (June 2, 1949).
Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber hits a solo home run in the bottom of the third inning against the New York Mets at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on June 20, 2026. (Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
Meanwhile, Harper hit a solo home run in the first inning, his 16th of the year. He doubled and singled in the third, then hit a two-run triple to the gap in left-center field in the fifth for his first career cycle and the 11th in Phillies history.
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The Phillies and Mets will wrap up their three-game series Sunday night, with first pitch set for 7:20 p.m. ET.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is well into the second run of group play, with every team still eager to post wins and most looking to secure a place in the knockout stage.
Here’s everything you need to know about matches being played Sunday, Monday and Tuesday in the 48-team tournament across the U.S., Mexico and Canada (all times Pacific). Tuesday’s matches will conclude the first two games of group play for every team at the World Cup.
Sunday’s Group G matchups:
Belgium vs. Iran
Belgium’s Romelu Lukaku, right, is challenged by Egypt’s Ramy Rabia during a World Cup Group G match on June 15.
(Alex Grimm / Getty Images)
Where: SoFi Stadium
Time: noon
TV: FS1, Telemundo
The buzz: Iran twice rallied from deficits to draw with New Zealand in its first game, while Belgium, outplayed by Egypt in its opener, was lucky to escape with a point on an own goal early in the second half. Belgium’s aging golden generation of Romelu Lukaku, Kevin De Bruyne, Thibaut Courtois, Thomas Meunier and Axel Witsel is going to need to do much better if they hope to avoid another early World Cup exit.
New Zealand vs. Egypt
New Zealand’s Callan Elliot, left, and Iran’s Mehdi Ghayedi battle for the ball during a World Cup Group G match on June 15.
(Andre Penner / Associated Press)
Where: BC Place, Vancouver
Time: 6 p.m.
TV: FS1, Telemundo
The buzz: One of these teams could make history since neither has ever won a World Cup game. New Zealand earned its first point in the World Cup since 2010 with a draw against Iran. The winner likely advances to the next round.
Sunday’s Group H matchups:
Spain vs. Saudi Arabia
Spain’s Mikel Oyarzabal, top, challenges for the ball during a draw with Cape Verde on June 15.
(Mattia Ozbot / Getty Images)
Where: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
Time: 9 a.m.
TV: Fox, Telemundo
The buzz: Both teams opened the World Cup with surprising results. Second-ranked Spain was unable to score in a draw with No. 67 Cape Verde. Saudi Arabia was 10 minutes away from upsetting Uruguay, only to settle for a tie. Spain desperately needs a win to get its World Cup back on track, while another good performance from Saudi Arabia — unbeaten in its last three games — would have the Arabian Falcons in position to reach the knockout stage.
Uruguay vs. Cape Verde
Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha holds the nation’s flag after a draw with Spain on June 15.
(Buda Mendes / Getty Images)
Where: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Fla.
Time: 3 p.m.
TV: FS1, Telemundo
The buzz: With all four teams playing to draws in their openers, the group is wide open. That creates a rare opportunity for tournament debutant Cape Verde, the second-smallest country to qualify for a World Cup. Vozinha, Cape Verde’s goalkeeper, made seven saves to shut out Spain. If he can frustrate Uruguay the same way, Cape Verde could be through to the round of 32.
Monday’s Group J matchups:
Argentina vs. Austria
Argentina’s Lionel Messi reacts after scoring his third goal against Algeria at the World Cup on June 16.
(Charlie Riedel / Associated Press)
Where: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
Time: 10 a.m.
TV: Fox, Telemundo
The buzz: Argentina opened its World Cup title defense with a 3-0 win over Algeria on a hat trick from Lionel Messi. The Argentina captain, playing in his record sixth World Cup, is tied with Germany’s Miroslav Klose for the most career World Cup goals (16). Austria, meanwhile, would all but assure itself of a spot in the knockout round with a point.
Jordan vs. Algeria
Algeria’s Zineddine Belaïd kicks the ball during a World Cup loss to Argentina on June 16.
(Michael Steele / Getty Images)
Where: Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, Calif.
Time: 8 p.m.
TV: FS1, Telemundo
The buzz: Little was expected of Jordan, making its first appearance in the World Cup. And it delivered little in a 3-1 loss to Austria. But Algeria, ranked 28th in the world, entered the tournament with high hopes and one of African soccer’s most potent attacks. However, it had only one shot on goal in its loss to Argentina and needs a big rebound to avoid an early trip home.
Monday’s Group I matches:
France vs. Iraq
France’s Kylian Mbappé celebrates after scoring against Senegal on June 16.
(Adam Hunger / Ap Photo/adam Hunger)
Where: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
Time: 2 p.m.
TV: Fox, Telemundo
The buzz: Kylian Mbappé proved his fitness with a brace in France’s opening win over Senegal, giving him 14 World Cup goals, tied for fourth on the all-time list. He has a great chance to pad that total against an Iraq team that gave up four goals to Norway. Iraq still is looking for its first-ever World Cup point.
Norway vs. Senegal
Norway’s Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring against Iraq on June 16.
(Justin Setterfield / Getty Images)
Where: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, N.J.
Time: 5 p.m.
TV: Fox, Telemundo
The buzz: Norway, playing in its first World Cup this century, made up for lost time with a 4-1 win in its opener, getting two goals from Erling Haaland. Norway probably will move on to the next round no matter what happens, but a point would lock down a spot. Senegal and Sadio Mané, on the other hand, desperately need a win.
Tuesday’s Group K matchups:
Portugal vs. Uzbekistan
Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo walks on the field during a match against the Democratic Republic of the Congo on June 17.
(Molly Darlington / Getty Images)
Where: NRG Stadium, Houston
Time: 10 a.m.
TV: Fox, Telemundo
The buzz: Cristiano Ronaldo entered this World Cup with visions of winning his first title. But he’ll go home early and empty-handed unless fifth-ranked Portugal improves on the listless performance it had in a draw with the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Uzbekistan, playing in its first World Cup, was not intimidated by the big stage, weathering a withering Colombia attack in a 3-1 loss. Expect it to bunker in again against Portugal.
Colombia vs. DR Congo
Yoane Wissa, left, celebrates with teammates after scoring for the Democratic Republic of the Congo against Portugal on June 17.
(Karen Warren / Associated Press)
Where: Estadio Akron, Zapopan, Mexico
Time: 7 p.m.
TV: FS1, Telemundo
The buzz: The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s only other World Cup appearance came in 1974, when the country was known as Zaire; it lost all three games and didn’t score a goal. It’s already done better with Yoane Wissa’s score in first-half stoppage time giving the team a point against Portugal. A win here and it’s through to the knockout phase. The same is true of Colombia, which got a 65th-minute goal from Luis Díaz and another from substitute Jáminton Campaz deep in stoppage time to beat stubborn Uzbekistan.
Tuesday’s Group L matchups:
England vs. Ghana
England’s Harry Kane celebrates after scoring against Croatia on June 17.
(Tony Gutierrez / Associated Press)
Where: Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Mass.
Time: 1 p.m.
TV: Fox, Telemundo
The buzz: England opened its World Cup with a surprisingly comfortable win over Croatia behind two goals from captain Harry Kane. But the Three Lions are only equal atop the table with Ghana, which got a goal deep in stoppage time from Caleb Yirenkyi to beat Panama. If there’s a winner here, it probably will decide the group. A point likely sends both teams through.
Panama vs. Croatia
Where: BMO Stadium, Toronto
Time: 4 p.m.
TV: Fox, Telemundo
Panama’s Ismael Díaz attempts a shot against Ghana on June 17.
(Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images)
The buzz: Croatia has played in two straight World Cup semifinals, but that streak is in jeopardy after a 4-2 loss to England. Panama outshot, outpassed and outpossessed Ghana in its first game but came away with nothing after conceding a goal in stoppage time, leaving the Central Americans still looking for their first World Cup win.
Sports
Jazz Chisholm explains why he still won’t wear a cup after fouling a pitch into his own groin
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Men around the country are still wincing from the sight of New York Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. fouling a pitch straight into his own groin.
It was bad enough that Chisholm had to leave the game, and it left many wondering why he wasn’t wearing a cup to protect himself.
Well, now we have an answer.
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New York Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. took a brutal shot to the groin on Thursday night. (Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images)
Yankees beat writer Gary Philips shared some quotes from Chisholm explaining why he wasn’t a cup guy before taking a foul ball to the cojones, and why he isn’t going to be a cup guy moving forward.
WEEKS AFTER BULLFIGHTER SUFFERED PERFORATED RECTUM, ANOTHER WAS GORED IN GROIN AND REQUIRED EMERGENCY SURGERY
Chisholm said that the pain level was a “million,” and that, “If you ever got hit in the testicles, you would know.”
Most males reading this just nodded at that statement.
But Chisholm revealed that despite cups being mandatory in the minor leagues, he still skipped them and will continue to because he trusts his own defensive abilities.
“I’ve never worn a cup,” he said. “I’ve never been hit in the balls. That was just unlucky.”
Now, there are times when I wonder why men don’t wear cups all the time just for some peace of mind (I feel that way about helmets too). You wouldn’t regret not wearing a cup until the moment you’re at a cookout and a rogue volleyball puts you in shambles.
But I also like that Chisholm trusts himself to react and protect the boys. I’ve always said that a fairly significant part of a man’s life is devoted to protecting his lower anatomy.
You’re ever vigilant, trying to steer clear of anything that could leave you doubled over on the ground, and spouting off every expletive you know and several others you didn’t realize you knew.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. says he’ll rely on his defensive abilities instead of wearing a cup moving forward. (David Richard-Imagn Images)
Waist-high branches, table corners, projectiles, bicycle seats, even a pet jumping in your lap when you’re not ready.
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Chisholm is self-aware enough to know where his self-preservation reflexes stand, and I respect that.
But if he takes another foul ball to the lower area of his body, he might want to start rethinking that stance on cups.
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