Ryan Reynolds trolls Taylor Swift and Blake Lively with edited photo of him and Travis Kelce

Ryan Reynolds has trolled Taylor Swift and Blake Lively by editing a photo of the pair and replacing their faces with himself and Travis Kelce.

There aren’t many friendship groups that can claim to be as iconic as Reynolds, Lively, Swift, and Kelce, especially when they go on double dates together.

It would seem that the two couples aren’t afraid to poke fun at each other either – though we should know that about Reynolds and Lively already.

Lively and Swift were photographed together at Beyoncé’s Renaissance movie premiere in London last Thursday, where the Gossip Girl alum had her hand on the thigh of the ‘Cruel Summer’ songstress, who dazzled in a silver Balmain gown with a thigh-high slit.

Reynolds saw this image and evidently decided that it needed jazzing up a little bit, so he showcased his photo editing expertise to the world.

“I feel like I should remember this,” Reynolds captioned the edited picture on Instagram, which now featured his face edited over Lively’s, and Kelce’s over Swift’s.

Reynolds stunned fans with the edited picture. Credit: Ryan Reynolds/Instagram StoriesAs per Page Six, Swift and Kelce reunited in Kansas City, Missouri, on Friday, sporting what fans speculate were matching Christmas sweaters at a festive bar called Miracle on Main Street.

The two were joined by Kelce’s Kansas City Chiefs teammate Patrick Mahomes and his wife, Brittany Mahomes. The Super Bowl champions later jetted off to Wisconsin for their game against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.

Prior to the game, the Packers’ head coach Matt LaFleur was questioned about Swift attending, to which he replied: “It is what it is. It comes with it I guess. Is she supposed to be here? That’s what I’ve heard. So we’ll see.”

Swift did attend the game, and sadly for her, she watched Kelce and the Chiefs suffer a 27-19 defeat at the hands of the Packers.

In October, she brought Reynolds and Lively along to Kelce’s game against the New York Jets, where they were spotted arriving at the stadium with Hugh Jackman and Sabrina Carpenter. The group then headed to a VIP box, where they enthusiastically cheered for the football star.

Hollywood’s biggest names have joined Swift during NFL games. Credit: Dustin Satloff/GettyDespite the public show of affection, not everyone is convinced that Swift and Kelce are actually loved up, as the former UFC star Paige VanZant explained.

During an episode of her podcast Paige and Austin, the former professional mixed martial artist made some bold claims, stating that she thinks that the 33-year-old singer and the 34-year-old NFL star are in a relationship that is “100 percent fake.”

“I think that the Taylor Swift-Travis Kelce ‘love story’ – I believe it’s 100 percent fake,” she said on the show. “Come for me, Swifties. I have UFC fans coming for me, I think I can handle the Swifties.”

She continued, explaining the reasons behind her conclusion.

Swift and Kelce’s relationship has been all the talk. Credit: Gotham/Getty“It is publicity. It is — one, it’s huge for the NFL because yes, the NFL is big. Taylor Swift is huge and now she’s getting an entirely different demographic to come watch the NFL,” VanZant said. “Think of the wives that are buying Travis Kelce jerseys now. It’s a huge publicity play on both fronts. It’s good for Taylor Swift, it’s good for the NFL, it’s good for Travis Kelce.

“There is so much strategic stuff that’s happening,” she added.

Regardless, they and their A-list friends are clearly having fun!

Buffalo Bills stadium worker reveals incredible tip she received from Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift is once again proving how great she is after a worker at the Buffalo Bills stadium revealed the incredible tip that the star left her.

Jerris Rainey had an encounter that she will likely remember for a lifetime as she worked as a ticker-taker at the stadium in New York.

Swift, who was in attendance to support her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, left Rainey stunned with an unexpected act of kindness.

Rainey, who has seen her fair share of football fans while working at the Toyota Club at Highmark Stadium, had hoped to catch a glimpse of Swift during the Bills game against the Kansas City Chiefs. However, she got much more than she bargained for when she found herself engaged in conversation with the global music icon.

Describing the encounter in an interview with 7 News’ Michael Wooten, Rainey characterized Swift as “very down to Earth.”

She shared: “I just wanted to see her, and she, you know, she stopped and she asked me if I worked at the stadium. I said yes. And she asked if she could give me a tip.”

Not one to turn down a tip, especially from one of the biggest pop stars globally, Rainey gladly accepted. Swift reportedly handed her $100, demonstrating her generosity. But Swift’s kindness didn’t end there.

The singer went on to ask Rainey if she wanted to take a picture together, and once again, Rainey agreed. Leaving her shift that night with a photo of herself and Swift beaming at the camera, Rainey later described the encounter, saying: “She’s a sweetie pie.”

Taylor Swift is often seen cheering on the Chiefs. Credit: Kathryn Riley/GettyThe Chiefs secured a victory against the Bills with a score of 27-24, putting them one step closer to the Super Bowl final. The Chiefs are set to face the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, January 28, with Swift having been a consistent presence at Kelce’s games to show her support.

This act of kindness isn’t the first we’ve seen from Swift, as last summer she handed out bonus checks of $100,000 to approximately 50 truckers who worked on the Eras Tour.

Taylor Swift at a Chiefs game. Credit: Jamie Squire/GettyBand members, dancers, lighting and sound technicians, as well as caterers, reportedly received a “very generous amount” for their tireless efforts throughout the extensive tour, per TMZ.

The Eras Tour, featuring 131 concerts across five countries, has been hailed as an unprecedented success in America, boosting local economies and setting new records for ticket sales worldwide.

Woman who ‘went to school with Taylor Swift’ says students ‘hated her’

A woman who claims she went to the same high school as Taylor Swift says that many of the singer’s classmates “hated” her because they were “jealous” of her success.

Jessica McLane, now 30, said in a recent TikTok that she went to Hendersonville High School in Nashville, Tennessee – the same school that Swift, now 32, attended.

They were at the school together for less than a year in 2006 when McLane was a freshman and the ‘All Too Well’ singer was a junior.

Swift, who was raised primarily in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, moved with her family to Tennessee when she was 13 in order to pursue a career in country music.

She was a student at Hendersonville High School for more than two years – before she started homeschooling when she bagged herself a record deal.

McLane tells her 16.8K followers in a video uploaded on September 2: “So, in 2006, I’m a freshman in high school. Taylor is I think a junior. ‘Teardrops on my Guitar’ had just come out I think over the summer. Obviously, she got really big, and that’s the year that she left school and got homeschooled.”

Taylor Swift attends the 2006 CMT Music Awards in Nashville. Credit: AFF / AlamyThe TikToker then went on to claim that around the time that the then teenager’s career took off, “most” students at Hendersonville High School “hated” the singer.

McLane went on to say: “Keep in mind, these are her peers, this isn’t, like, just random people on the internet. She was literally 16, 17, leaving high school to pursue a career that people were telling her that she could never have.

“Also, the guys she was writing these songs about, they were still in school. They were still there. And now they have a hit song about them talking about what a s****y boyfriend they are.”

Taylor Swift poses at the 40th Country Music Association Awards in Nashville, Tennessee, on November 6, 2006. Credit: REUTERS / AlamyMcLane also shared that there were rumors being spread about how Swift even managed to get signed in the first place and start a music career at such a young age.

She added: “There were not a lot of people in high school who had nice things to say about her … There were general rumors about her being b***hy. [People would say], ‘She said this, she said that, she was mean.’”

However, McLane’s video took a bit of a turn when McLane referred to Swift as a “petty b****”.

Back in 2009, Swift allegedly invited McLane’s senior class to the 2009 CMA awards, which the TikToker now thinks she did purely in order to give her old high school a proverbial “f*** you” – hence the “petty b****” remark.

Taylor Swift accused of promoting witchcraft and ‘summoning demons’ on her tour

Taylor Swift is the latest celebrity to be accused of promoting witchcraft as well as “summoning demons” on her Eras Tour.

The Eras tour started on March 17 and is set to continue all the way into summer and Swifties are incredibly excited at the prospect of new content – I mean, who wouldn’t be? It’s Taylor Swift.

However, it seems as though some of that new stage content has got the conservative Christians riled up as many have taken to social media to accuse her of “witchcraft.”

But are we really surprised?

Taylor Swift performs at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas during her Eras Tour. Credit: ZUMA Press, Inc. / AlamyWe’ve seen multiple examples of this before.

Numerous celebrities have been accused of being Satanists before thanks to their elaborate performance sets. Take Sam Smith and their Grammys performance for example. And Rihanna herself was also slammed with the same label after wearing red latex on stage during her Super Bowl performance.

During a segment of her Eras tour, the 33-year-old breaks out into a routine during a rendition of her song Willow from her 2020 Evermore album which fans seemed to love.

One video posted by a TikTok user called Igor showed snippets of the performance with the singer dressed in a dark velvet cloak while dancing around in circles with others who were also dressed in similar attire.

At one point you can hear the TikToker scream: “Summon the demons, b****!”

Of course, those of us with sense clearly know it’s a play on a stereotypical witchcraft ritual, but it’s not actually real. One more time for those people in the back: It’s not real.

But of course, as with anything that’s posted on the internet, some people just take things too literally.

Posting to TikTok and then later being reposted to Twitter, one user claimed that Swift was taking part in witch-y activities.

“The first video you saw was taken by a fan the other night at the concert and he says, ‘yes, summon the demons b****!’ The worst part is that [Swift] commented twice [on the video]. [Swift] said: ‘This is the new ‘one, two, three, let’s go b****’,” she explained.

“So what she’s saying is ‘summon the demons’ is the new crowd chant that they all say when she does his witchcraft ritual.

The person added: “Then she commented laughing emojis.”

She also said that Christians get a bad name for “shoving the religion down [people’s] throats”, when “the world, society and huge movies and artists… is shoving witchcraft and rituals, crystals and astrology… down our throats.”

“It’s because the demons get angry every time you mention God. Every time you mention Jesus they start foaming at the mouth. They start screaming and they start manifesting demons,” she added, attempting to explain why people “hate” Christianity so much. “The demons don’t want to hear about Jesus. That’s the only name they’re afraid of. That’s the only name they have to answer to. That’s the only name that sends them to hell.”

Taylor Swift performs onstage during the Eras Tour in Las Vegas, Nevada. Credit: Imagespace / AlamyAnd she’s not the only one that agrees with that stance, as others also took to Twitter to voice their concerns about Swift and her alleged “demonic” activities.

Another user also reposted a different video based on the same premise as the first alongside the caption: “Taylor Swift performing witchcraft in her song ‘Willow.’”

However, Swifties were quickly on the case, with some even offering helpful solutions to the conservatives’ problems.

“Taylor Swift is unfortunately trying to initiate her fans into a cult group during her performance of ‘willow.’ She is using witchcraft to brainwash the minds of 70K people at a time. To avoid joining her cult, transfer your Eras tour tickets to my ticketmaster account,” one user wrote, while another also had a similar idea: “Guys Taylor Swift is so #canceled for promoting summoning demons! Everyone sell your tickets now! I will happily take them off your hands!”

Others also stated that Swift herself is a Christian.

“…How? she’s literally Christian tho? Lmfao I promise y’all Jesus has better things to do than worrying about Taylor Swift pretending to be a woodland witch.”

So in conclusion, Taylor Swift is not a witch, and the internet is a weird place.

Fans say Taylor Swift is living ‘every woman’s worst nightmare’ after explicit AI images leak online

Taylor Swift fans say that that singer is experiencing “every woman’s worst nightmare” after graphic AI-generated images of the star were leaked online.

On Thursday (January 25), the hashtag ‘TaylorSwiftAI’ started trending on X (formerly Twitter) along with fake AI-generated images depicting the ‘Bad Blood’ singer in a number of graphic and sexually suggestive situations.

Many of the images showed Swift in red facepaint and/or in a football stadium – a lewd nod to her relationship with NFL star Travis Kelce.

At this time, it is not known for definite who created the images.

Taylor Swift is reportedly considering taking “legal action” over the AI images. Credit: Steve Granitz / GettyAs reported by the Daily Mail, a source close to Swift commented on the situation, stating: “Whether or not legal action will be taken is being decided, but there is one thing that is clear: these fake AI-generated images are abusive, offensive, exploitative, and done without Taylor’s consent and/or knowledge.”

“The Twitter account that posted them does not exist anymore,” they continued. “It is shocking that the social media platform even let them be up to begin with. These images must be removed from everywhere they exist and should not be promoted by anyone.

“Taylor’s circle of family and friends are furious, as are her fans obviously. They have the right to be, and every woman should be. The door needs to be shut on this. Legislation needs to be passed to prevent this and laws must be enacted.”

Shortly after the images went viral online, Swift’s fans took to X to voice their support for the star – resulting in the phrase ‘protect Taylor Swift’ trending on the platform.

The singer’s fans soon voiced their support. Credit: XHowever, as well as voicing support, many social media users have also spoke out about the misuse of AI and how the 34-year-old singer was living “every woman’s worst nightmare”.

“Those taylor swift AI pictures are literally every woman’s worst nightmare and the fact men [think] that it’s okay to do it and they laughed about it makes it even crazier,” one person tweeted.

Others also voiced their concerns about the evergrowing use and evolution of AI and how it can be misused to harm others.

“Taylor Swift’s AI generated pics show how dangerous AI can be,” one person wrote. “This serves as a reminder for individuals, especially girls, to exercise caution when sharing personal photos on social media platforms.”

Another person added: “I feel so bad for Taylor Swift and the future of all women with these AI deepfakes. This s**t is harmful and dangerous.”

And many others called for change. “Those Taylor Swift images need to be classified as a form of sexual assault, I think it is time lawmakers start creating laws to regulate AI before it’s too late,” one person wrote.

Credit: Terry Wyatt/GettySeveral states, including Texas, Minnesota, New York, Hawaii, and Georgia, have already made nonconsensual deepfake pornography illegal. Yet, incidents like these persist, as evidenced by recent cases in New Jersey and Florida high schools where deepfake images circulated, which  triggered a police probe.

In response to growing concerns, US Representatives Joseph Morelle (D-NY) and Tom Kean (R-NJ) recently reintroduced a bill known as the “Preventing Deepfakes of Intimate Images Act.” This proposed legislation aims to make the nonconsensual sharing of digitally altered pornographic images a federal crime.

Penalties for offenders could include jail time, fines, or both. The bill has been referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary, which will determine whether to pass it into law.

In addition to criminalizing the sharing of digitally altered intimate images, Morelle and Kean’s bill would empower victims to pursue civil lawsuits against offenders, offering a comprehensive approach to address the issue.

Swift’s fans have voiced their support for the singer. Credit: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/GettyBack in October, President Biden signed an executive order aimed at regulating AI, particularly addressing concerns related to generative AI producing inappropriate content. The order also called for enhanced oversight of AI technology used in various applications, the New York Post reports.

A representative for Meta told the Daily Mail that it will be doing everything it can to prevent the images from being circulated on its platforms like Facebook and Instagram.

At Jean Claude Van Damme tragic funeral! Our condolences to Jean Claude Van Damme family, Goodbye

Jean-Claude Van Damme, real name Jean-Claude Camille François Van Varenberg, was born on October 18, 1960 in Brussels, Belgium. With a career spanning more than three decades, he has become one of the biggest icons of global action and martial arts cinema. This article will review Van Damme’s journey from his early years to becoming a famous star, as well as his contribution and influence in the entertainment industry.

Origin From Brussels
Jean-Claude Van Damme grew up in an ordinary family in Brussels. Since he was young, he showed an interest in martial arts. At the age of 10, Van Damme’s father signed him up for Shotokan Karate classes. This was an important first step in his martial arts career. From there, Van Damme earned a second-degree black belt in karate and participated in many martial arts and kickboxing competitions.

His early years equipped him with a solid foundation in physical fitness and technique, which helped him a lot in his later career. Van Damme is not only an excellent martial artist but also a highly ambitious person with a dream of becoming an actor.

Journey To Hollywood
In 1982, Van Damme decided to leave Belgium to pursue an acting career in the United States. When he first arrived, he encountered many difficulties due to language barriers and limited finances. With only $3,000 in his pocket, Van Damme had to work many different jobs such as security guard and limousine driver to make ends meet. These jobs not only helped him get by, but also gave him the opportunity to come into contact with the film industry.

However, the early years in America were not easy for Van Damme. He often takes small roles and only appears in supporting scenes. However, with patience and constant effort, Van Damme got his big break in 1988 when he starred in the martial arts film “Bloodsport”. This film not only brought him great success but also marked the beginning of a brilliant film career.

Career Peak
After the success of “Bloodsport”, Van Damme quickly became a famous action star. He continuously released action films that were popular and commercially successful. Notable works include “Cyborg” (1989), “Kickboxer” (1989), “Lionheart” (1990), “Death Warrant” (1990), “Double Impact” (1991), and “Universal Soldier” (1992). The popularity of these films helped him establish his place in the film industry and establish his image as an action icon.

Van Damme didn’t just stop at acting; He also expanded his career as a director. “The Quest” (1996) is the film that marked his debut as a director, showing his diverse talents not only in acting but also in directing.

Challenges and Recovery
Despite his great success in the 1980s and 1990s, Van Damme’s career was not always smooth sailing. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, he experienced a career decline. Partly due to fierce competition in the film industry and partly due to personal problems, Van Damme’s career suffered.

However, Van Damme did not give up. He sought to refresh his image and returned with the film “JCVD” (2008), a crime drama that resonated and received critical acclaim. This film not only marked his return to cinema but also showed his profound acting ability.

Van Damme’s return was further cemented with his participation in “The Expendables 2” (2012), where he played the villain opposite Sylvester Stallone. This film was not only successful in terms of revenue but also reaffirmed Van Damme’s position in the action film industry.

Influence and Achievement
Jean-Claude Van Damme has become one of the most successful action stars of all time, with his films grossing over $1 billion worldwide. His career has seen him receive many awards and nominations, including the Golden Lotus Award and the Bollywood Movie Award, as well as many nominations from the MTV Movie Awards and other organizations.

In addition to his acting career, Van Damme is also known for his charity work and support of animal protection and environmental causes. He has publicly supported many conservation and animal rights organizations, demonstrating his social responsibility outside of the spotlight.

Jean-Claude Van Damme is a typical example of tireless efforts and determination to achieve your dreams. From his difficult early days in Brussels to becoming a global action star, his journey has proven that with passion, patience and determination, nothing is impossible.

Van Damme’s career not only left a mark on the film industry but also inspired millions of people worldwide. He has proven that the journey from an amateur boxer to an international action star is not an easy path, but one filled with glory and achievement.

Danna García volvió a presumir su increíble belleza al posar con un diminuto bikini que dejó ver su excepcional figura.

La actriz colombiana deslumbró luciendo cuerpazo y feliz de trabajar de nuevo en su tierra.

Danna García mostró una vez más su extraordinaria belleza, posando con un pequeño bikini que dejaba ver su excepcional figura. Corriendo y con su cabello en movimiento, la hermosa colombiana recordó a sus seguidores que muy pronto se podrá ver en la pantalla su nuevo proyecto, tras su reciente Pasión de Gavilanes: la actriz es ahora la anfitriona de Bake Off Colombia, el primer reality colombiano para HBO Max, en el que doce celebridades participan en un concurso de repostería.

Así habló en su día Tomás Yankelevich, jefe de contenido de entretenimiento en Warner Bros. Discovery, de El Gran Pastelero de Bake Off Celebrity: “queremos entregar a los colombianos el mejor contenido, por eso estamos enfocados en buscar y crear historias que logren cautivar a toda la familia”. También aseguró que el programa “conquistará a la audiencia en un formato entretenido, didáctico y dinámico que reúne el talento de doce grandes personalidades”, reveló.

Danna García mostró su entusiasmo con su imagen en bikini, bajo el que escribió: “Tengo ese no se qué, de felicidad de regresar a mi tierra 💝 Gracias vida por estos momentos de luz”, expresó.”¡Que proyecto tan maravilloso! Bake Off Colombia, muy pronto. El abrazo mas “dulce” hasta tu esquina. 💋”, finalizó.

Sus clubs de fans y celebridades como Fernando Ciangherotti, Juan Alfonso Baptista, Alexander Torres y Katherine Porto, pasaron a felicitarle por el muro de su cuenta de Instagram:

“Qué belleza de foto”, alabaron sus fans de Perú. “Que te encuentres en tu tierra es sentirte cerca nuevamente. Disfruta mucho de tu querida Colombia y esperamos con ansias tan esperado proyecto. Sigue brillando, bonita. Para nosotros será un placer nuevamente”.

IG Danna García

SUSCRÍBETE A NUESTRO BOLETÍN

Hace alrededor de un año que la inolvidable actriz quedó atrapada en Madrid por culpa de una nevada histórica. Es allí donde la actriz formó su propia familia junto al papá de su hijo. Recientemente compartió junto a ellos su álbum de fotos familiar más personal.

¡Éxito con Bake Off Colombia!

Brad Stevens discusses the biggest challenge he faced in transitioning to a front office role.

Brad Stevens served as the head coach of the Boston Celtics for eight seasons, from the 2013-14 season through the 2020-21 campaign. During that time, he led the Celtics to seven playoff appearances and three appearances in the Eastern Conference Finals.

However, while the Celtics consistently made deep runs in the playoffs under Stevens, Boston was never able to get over the hump and win a title with the 47-year-old leading the team from the sidelines.

But that all changed when Stevens’ role with the Celtics switched from being the squad’s head coach to its president of basketball operations ahead of the 2021-22 season. He replaced Danny Ainge, who stepped down from the position after nearly two decades.

In his three seasons in his current role, the franchise has won one title and reached the NBA Finals twice.

But despite all the success that the Celtics have enjoyed with Stevens as the team’s president of basketball operations, he admitted that the job isn’t without its challenges. More specifically, he cited his biggest challenge in making the jump from a head coach to an executive.

“The front office has been so solid and been there a while, and we’ve all been there together,” Stevens told the Boston Globe’s Adam Himmelsbach. “So that’s really helped. The things I’m not as good at, we have so many people that are really good at. So it’s been a really fun place to be, a fun place to work. I’ve been thrilled to watch some of our coaches get opportunities elsewhere and been thrilled for our team and our coaches and front office that have put in so much time to get to taste a championship run this year.

“But it never stops. People ask me what the difference is. When you’re a coach you’re on an eight-month sprint and you’re in charge of leading the team or navigating the team and then you’re in charge of your staff. In this job it’s much more of a 12-month job with the cadence of the entire basketball operations. The roster building is such a small part of it that I probably would have underestimated that. I’d say it’s 10 percent of the job, if that, and that’s all anybody talks about.”

Stevens was named the 2023-24 Executive of the Year after Boston finished the regular season with the best record in the NBA at 64-18. In the 2023 offseason, Stevens orchestrated trades that landed Boston Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday.

Jeff Teague sends Jayson Tatum warning to NBA after Olympic disrespect

 

Former NBA star Jeff Teague recently expressed his thoughts on Jayson Tatum getting snubbed in the 2024 Olympics. Tatum won his second gold medal in the Olympics after winning his first-ever NBA championship. While on paper his recent achievements are nothing short of legendary, the situation wasn’t necessarily a bed of roses. Despite getting selected to play for Team USA over his Boston Celtics teammate Jaylen Brown, who won the NBA Finals MVP, Tatum barely had minutes.

Teague pointed out in his podcast (Club 520 Podcast) that Team USA indirectly made Tatum feel like the worst player on the team. This was due to his lack of playing time throughout the Olympics. Teague also noted that Tatum was the only player on the national roster to make the First Team All-NBA. This proved how disrespectfully Team USA treated the Celtics champion.

“Jayson Tatum, oh he’s done with the Olympics,” Teague said. “He’s never gonna play again. … [Team USA] already told Jaylen Brown he wasn’t elite, so he’s already on a revenge tour right? They gonna come out on bulls**t. And now [Team USA] is telling Jayson Tatum he’s the worst player out of all the elites, pretty much. All the top players in the league on the Olympic team [Team USA] telling [Tatum] he’s the worst one? … Only one on the roster this year to make First Team All-NBA.”

Jayson Tatum barely played in 2024 Olympics

Jayson Tatum (10) looks on in the third quarter against Canada © Candice Ward-USA TODAY Sports

Despite recently winning the 2024 NBA championship, Jayson Tatum barely played any minutes in the 2024 Olympics. To add insult to injury, his Boston Celtics teammate Derrick White, who isn’t even an All-Star, played more minutes than him. This led to a backlash among fans and analysts alike.

During Team USA’s exhibition games, it seemed like Tatum was going to play a pivotal role for the team. However, come the group phase matchup against Serbia in Paris, the newly crowned champion didn’t see any playing time. Meanwhile, his buddy White played 16 minutes in the Paris opener. It was an eye-opening decision, nevertheless, the Americans pulled off a victory.

Come the next three games against South Soudan, Puerto Rico, and Brazil, Tatum finally had a role to play. Unfortunately, his role wasn’t as big as everyone was expecting. Throughout those three games, Tatum averaged 6.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 2.0 assists. His most prominent role was against Puerto Rico when he notched a double-double outing with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Even then Jayson’s role seemed small.

Then come the rematch between Team USA and Serbia, head coach Steve Kerr decided to leave Tatum on the bench again. These actions likely indicated that the team thought Jayson could be a liability against stronger opponents. Tatum also barely played in the gold medal game against France clocking in only 11 minutes on the hardwood. Nevertheless, Tatum can now call himself a two-time Olympic gold medalist.

Carlos Alcaraz destroyed his racket in a rare outburst before losing at the Cincinnati Open.

Carlos Alcaraz claimed that he played the worst match of his career (Image: Tennis TV)

Carlos Alcaraz had a damning verdict of his performance at the Cincinnati Open after crashing out in the opening round.

The world No. 3 imploded in a rare meltdown, destroying his racket early in the third set before going on to lose to Gael Monfils 4-6 7-6(5) 6-4.

He later complained about the “insane” surface and said he didn’t want to be on the court anymore, declaring: “It was the worst match that I have ever played in my career.”

Last year’s runner-up was brutally honest after losing his opening match in Cincinnati. Explaining the defeat, he said: “Well honestly, [it] was really, really tough for me. I felt like it was the worst match that I have ever played in my career. [I] couldn’t play, honestly.”

Alcaraz had a quick turnaround between winning a silver medal at the Paris Olympics and heading State-side for the Cincinnati Open but he said he had been feeling good in pre-tournament practice sessions, though the conditions on Centre Court completely threw him. He continued: “Probably I felt like it was another sport playing on the Centre Court than the other courts.

“The balls were faster on the Centre Court, bounce much, much more than other courts. I warmed up before the match and as I said, it was a totally different feeling, I don’t know why. Honestly, I don’t know. I don’t know what happened, I don’t know how I felt like this way. But honestly, I couldn’t control myself, I couldn’t be better so this match, it was impossible to win and that’s all.”

Carlos Alcaraz destroyed his racket during a rare meltdown at the Cincinnati Open (Image: Tennis TV)

When they started the match on Thursday, the 21-year-old took the first set but Monfils was a mini-break up in the tiebreak as the rain came, halting the match and forcing the players to return on Friday. The Frenchman forced a decider and broke Alcaraz early on. When Alcaraz blew a break point to get back on serve, tempers flared.

Alcaraz’s outburst in the final set was completely out of character, as the Spaniard has never been known to smash a racket, much less hurl it into the ground multiple times until it was destroyed. Explaining his actions, the four-time Grand Slam champion added: “Well, I [have] felt sometimes that I wanted to break the racket. It never happened before because Icould control myself in those situations, in those feelings.

“And most of the time I could control myself and I could get better in the matches or in the situations that I’ve been feeling before. Today I couldn’t control myself because, as I said, I was feeling that I was not playing any kind of tennis so it was really frustrating for me. There was at some point that I wanted to leave the court, I don’t want to be on the court anymore. It was [a] really hurtful moment for me and that’s it. I think some players a lot of players during their careers and during some certain moments, they can’t control themselves and it was one of those moments for me.”

Carlos Alcaraz struggled to cope with the speed of the surface on Centre Court (Image: Getty)

The court speed has been a talking point this week in Cincinnati, with several players commenting on how quickly they have been playing. But Alcaraz couldn’t get over the difference between the outside courts and the main stage on which he faced Monfils. “As I said, I’ve been practising pretty well, feeling great [here] this year,” he explained.

“And as I said, I warmed up before this match in Court 5 and it was a totally different sport for me, that’s my feeling. And yeah, I remember for example yesterday I stepped on the court to warm up, you know the five minutes warming up, and we couldn’t put two balls in. It was incredibly different. It was insane. So I don’t know why that’s different courts, different kind of speed, the surfaces. So that’s what I felt.”

Alcaraz now has a 0-1 record in the North American hard-court summer swing going into the US Open. But he’s ready to turn his attention to the final Grand Slam of the season. “I want to forget it and try to move on to New York. I’ll move to New York and I’ll try to practice well to get used to those courts and I will forget this match because I think it’s impossible to get any good things about this match,” he said.