Patrick McEnroe, known for his insightful tennis analysis on ESPN and his past as a professional player, joins up with Post columnist Steve Serby for a dynamic Q&A session as the U.S. Open looms on the horizon.

Q: With Jannik Sinner (knee) out of the U.S. Open, how does this impact your expectations for the tournament?

A: Sinner’s absence really opens doors for others in the competition. Carlos Alcaraz hasn’t hit the courts in a tournament since way back in early spring, and banking on him to clinch victory might be overly optimistic, despite his unquestionable talent. Players like Ben Shelton, Taylor Fritz, and Alexander Zverez should be sizing up this moment as their golden opportunity. For these so-called second-tier players, this could very well be their chance to shine.

Q: Who are you backing to claim victory now?

A: My pick now leans towards Ben Shelton. He’s enjoyed a stellar summer, securing victory in Canada, and I’ve been touting his potential among American men for a while. With doubts hanging over Alcaraz, there’s a genuine chance he could face early elimination, and Shelton’s game could just match up well against him. Of course, if they clash in the tournament’s final stages, it might mean Alcaraz is on strong form and would likely have the upper hand. But if there was ever a scenario for Shelton—known as Big Ben—to truly show his talents, this is it. He’s set to receive a high seed, potentially around 4, 5, or 6, and avoiding Alcaraz in the quarterfinals would be advantageous. The vibrant New York crowd could give him the extra edge he needs.

Q: Andy Roddick was the last American to win the U.S. Open and Grand Slam singles title in 2003. So you’re predicting the first American winner since Andy Roddick.

A: That is absolutely correct. You heard it clearly right from my mouth (laugh). I’m going with it.

Q: Describe the state of men’s tennis.

A: Alcaraz is the most electrifying player in tennis. He moves the needle as an individual player more so than any other player since Rafa [Rafael Nadal] and Roger [Federer] retired. Sinner’s obviously an unbelievable player, and those two have completely dominated the men’s game for the last call it three years now. I knew Sinner and Alcaraz were going to be great, I didn’t know they were going to be this great this quickly. … I like to see the best players in the biggest tournaments. The reality now after the utter domination from those two for the previous two calendar years where they pretty much won every major and played in almost every major final, there’s only one major this year now where both of them played, and that was the first one of the year, Australian. There’s been a lot of talk this summer about players getting injured and the tours having to do something about the schedule, so that will make that discussion even louder because these are two young players, two extremely fit players, athletic players, and both of them now missing significant time this year due to injury.

Q: A quick scouting report: Alcaraz.

A: Alcaraz is like the ultimate shotmaker. He’s like the combination of the huge Hollywood star, the phenomenal athlete, the Broadway performer, he loves to put on a show. And he’s taken the game stylistically to another level. He’s hitting shots that we didn’t even think were possible, and now he’s kind of doing that with regularity, mostly because of his speed, his athleticism. his shotmaking ability — part of which probably is what’s caused him to have this wrist problem because there’s so much torque he puts on his shots, and he basically can hit a winner from anywhere on the court.

Q: Shelton.

A: Monster serve, big forehand, has improved the return game, which desperately needs to be better to have a chance to win one of these big ones. The other thing he’s got — what I call moxie. He’s got swagger, he loves the big stage, he wants to play against the biggest guys in the biggest moments, so that’s something you can’t teach. He’s got all the intangibles. … If he can improve his tangibles, like the basic stuff, then he can win a major. But right now his intangibles slightly outweigh the tangibles.

Q: Learner Tien.

A: Unbelievable ball striker, incredible tennis IQ. All he’s lacking is a little more physicality, because you got to be a physical specimen now to compete with these top guys in tennis. I was a really good tennis player, right? But I wasn’t a great athlete. Nowadays you need the whole package to get to the very top of the game. Tien needs to get just a little bit stronger, get a little more pop on his shots and in his serve. I think he’s got the kind of game that can win on any surface.

Q: Taylor Fritz.

A: I call him one of the great overachievers in tennis. He’s meticulous when it comes to preparation, hard work. Everything he does, he’s pushing the envelope. I’m very impressed with what he’s gotten out of his body and his game. He’s a gritty tennis player, and he’s just like a decent athlete playing in a sport where it’s pretty damn tough to be just a decent athlete and win one of these big ones. But if anybody can do it, it’s him. He’s got technically one of the purest serves in tennis, and just very pure off the ground, off the forehand and the backhand.

Q: Who is a sleeper pick to make a lot of noise?

A: For people that are going to be reading your piece and don’t really know tennis, I’m going to say it’s [Rafael] Jodar. I love his game, he’s got an all-court game, he’s Spanish, but he doesn’t play really a traditional Spanish game, he’s got an unreal two-handed backhand, really good serve, lanky. He can kind of beat you from any part of the court. The other guy is [Joao] Fonseca, the Brazilian who’s been on the scene a little longer. Fonseca’s a guy who’s got massive firepower, but he just hasn’t quite got control of the game yet.

Q: Zverev.

A: Monster serve, huge second serve, big guy, moves extremely well for his size. He can match those two guys with his ground game. Monster off both wings. And he’s added the ability to go forward more. He had a tendency in big moments to just kind of stay back and be more of a counterpuncher. So now that he’s willing to take the initiative in certain moments, that kind of helped him get over that hump. I think that win in Paris has given him a little more confidence.

Q: Describe the state of women’s tennis.

A: Women’s tennis is more wide open than men’s tennis. I think you’ve seen [Aryna] Sabalenka, [Elena] Rybakina kind of distance themselves a little bit, [Iga] Swiatek’s starting to play well again this summer, having won the Open before and multiple majors on clay. Coco Gauff’s won two majors despite the fact that her serve and forehand can break down at times under pressure. Sabalenka’s No. 1 in the world, and clearly the best hardcourt player and two-time defending champ of the Open, but she hasn’t won a major this year. The pressure’s on her to try and do that again. But you can make a case of [Mirra] Andreeva, the young Russian who won the French. She can be the next great player. Marta Kostyuk — I could probably give you double-digit number of women that could win the tournament.

Q: A quick scouting report: Sabalenka.

A: Massive firepower, one of the biggest hitters that we’ve seen in women’s tennis. She’s added variety to her game, but she can still implode. She can still beat herself at times.

Q: Jessica Pegula.

A: I think she would be a sympathetic pick for a lot of people just based on the fact she’s understated, she just does her thing. Pegula’s a damn good competitor and she’s a great ball striker. A lot of people think like she’s due to finally win one. That would be a moment that a lot of insider tennis people would love to see because she’s very well-liked and respected.

Q: Swiatek.

A: She looks like she’s starting to play much smarter tennis. She was the kind of player that would just try to be aggressive, aggressive, and if that didn’t work, she could hit her way into trouble. She hired one of Nadal’s old coaches — Francisco Roig, who I know pretty well, who’s smart as can be. I’m picking her to win the tournament.

Q: Gauff.

A: Incredible athlete, no-holds-barred competitor. But the serve is still an issue. She competes like no one and she’s got incredible speed, but the X factor is that serve. She’s got the most technical issues of any of these players that we’ve just talked about.

Q: Rybakina.

A: She’s a big power hitter, biggest server in women’s tennis. She’s never really played well in New York, her personality is very quiet, very withdrawn. But her skills are off the charts, she hits the ball cleaner, bigger, maybe even bigger than Sabalenka off the ground and definitely has a bigger serve. You got to use the New York crowd, you got to get the crowd behind you, you got to get the crowd into it, they’re starving for that in New York, and someone like that kind of turns them off a little bit because she doesn’t give much to the crowd.

Q: Sleeper pick?

A: Iva Jovic, who’s a young American from southern California. She hits the ball actually similarly to Pegula, like pretty flat. She’s young, so she hits the ball I’d say a little bit bigger. She’s not that tall so she doesn’t have a big serve, but man, she’s feisty. She’s a great ball striker. I’m not sure she can win yet because I’m not sure she has enough just pure firepower, but I think that she’s going to win some majors. And I think she’s someone that is going to be really energized by the New York crowd, she’s got a lot of spunk to her game. The other American woman to watch for is [Amanda] Anisimova. She’s been a little up and down this year because she had some injuries, but she’s starting to play well.

Q: What was the most electric U.S. Open crowd?

A: [Pete] Sampras-[Alex] Corretja, the Sampras-[Andre] Agassi matchups were incredible. Federer beating Agassi in the final. Serena [Williams] had her moments, both and good and bad, right? Over the years, certainly some of the most memorable moments. Serena-[Jennifer] Capriati when those terrible calls went against Serena’s way. That was like the onset of why we got electronic line calling. [Novak] Djokovic has had his moments where he was going for the Grand Slam and lost in straight sets to [Danill] Medvedev in 2022. That was the biggest ovation he’s ever gotten — losing — in the U.S. Open Final.

Q: What was the 2007 Davis Cup like, beating the Russians in Portland when you were captain?

A: My brother [John] did it for a year and hated it because that wasn’t his thing, he wanted to be playing. For me it was sort of a dream of mine to be the captain, so when I got the job at the end of 2000, to me it was like this is a job I want to keep as long as I can which I ended up doing for 10 years. … I focused my energy on the younger guys and building a team. To me, 2007 was like the culmination of five or six years. I relished that whole journey.

Q: Winning the doubles at the 1989 French Open?

A: I graduated from Stanford in ’88, and I wasn’t really sure, first of all, if I should try to play pro tennis. I was a good college player, but not a great player. My brother was No. 1 and so I had to deal with that, and my mom was like, “Oh, you sure you want to play tennis? You’re not going to be as good as your brother.” And I’m like, “Mom, he’s No. 1 in the world, no one’s as good as him.” Anyway, doubles was my way into the tour initially. I was basically a doubles specialist. But I realized midway through ’90 that I wanted to attempt to become a legitimate singles player.

Q: Your 1995 U. S. Open quarterfinals match against Boris Becker.

A: I had a new coach that I’d hired earlier that year, and his whole premise to me was, “We got to try and get you believing that you can beat these top players.” So one of the things he actually did was he had me start practicing with all, like, top-10 players. I was playing about as well as I could play. And I looked up at the scoreboard, and I was down two sets to love. … So I’m sitting there in the changeover, this is my dream, to play in the quarterfinals of the Open, all my friends are there, my family’s there, I’d been hoping to have this moment for myself for years. And I looked up and I said, “You know what, F–k it, I’m just going to go for it.” So I just started playing kind of the way I’d been practicing, and I won the third set. That was the most electric match I ever played. I do admit that I have the one regret which is, “What if I started the match that way?”

Q: You were up two sets on Jimmy Connors in the first round at the ’91 Open.

A: I was up two sets and he was serving at … love-40, but who remembers the details, right?

Q: How disappointing was that for you?

A: It was brutal, absolutely brutal. I think it took me about six months to recover. I remember thinking to myself, “I got Connors beat.” He just got the crowd going. You talk about electrifying the crowd, what he did at that tournament was up there with one of the all-time runs in the U. S. Open history. That’s about as loud as I’ve ever heard it there.

Q: Losing in a ’91 Final to your brother in Chicago.

A: It was actually the only time where I legitimately had a chance to beat him, because he was kind of at the end of his career, and I was like in the prime of my career. … I didn’t have that thing that I really wanted to beat my brother. I looked up to my brother, he’s seven years older than me. The last thing he wanted to do was lose to his brother, like he would never have been able to deal with it. He ended up beating me 6-4 in the third set. That actually ended up being the last tournament he ever won in singles.

Q: How would you compare him as a doubles partner and broadcast partner?

A: A lot of people assume just because of his personality that he was like a rough doubles partner to have. He’s one of the best doubles partner that I ever had. He was nothing but supportive to me. Our dad wanted us to play together, and we should have been a great team, and we kind of felt like a weird pressure.

Q: You guys won the Paris Masters in ’92.

A: We were out partying that night, and John said, “That’s it, we’re not playing together again, we’re going out on top.” And in the broadcast booth, John’s been able to be the star in all of those situations but still be a team player. One of my dreams was to work with my brother. I feel like we play off each other really well, and I think over the years, his respect level for my work ethic and for what I’ve done has gone up and up and up so that we have an unbelievable working relationship on TV.

Q: Your singles championship in Sydney in 1995.

A: I tell that story to people at our Tennis Academy here in New York City, the parents, I said, “I was a pretty good pro player [ranked 28th], I had a pretty good career, and I got to the semis of the Australian, went to quarters of the Open.” I said, “Only one time in my career did I walk away from the tournament not having lost.” I never won another title. But at least I got one.”

Q: You’ve been with ESPN since 1995. When did you know you wanted to go into broadcasting?

A: I was pretty shy as a kid to be honest, and then because of being John’s brother and John bursting onto the scene as a teenager — about 10, 11 years old — I’m going around playing junior tournaments and everybody wants to interview me because I’m John’s brother. So I sort of like developed a comfort level with talking to reporters, being on TV, and then when the opportunity came when I had shoulder injury after I had my best year in ’95, ESPN was looking for somebody new to join Fred Stolle and Cliff Drysdale, Mary Carillo had been part of that team as well. And right away I just loved it.

Q: You can build the perfect tennis player, and take one trait from: Bjorn Borg.

A: Speed.

Q: Nadal.

A: Intensity.

Q: Federer.

A: Forehand.

Q: Connors.

A: Backhand.

Q: Sampras.

A: Serve.

Q: Djokovic.

A: Intangibles.

Q: Agassi.

A: Power.

Q: John McEnroe.

A: Touch.

Q: Patrick McEnroe.

A: Nothing (laugh).

Q: Serena.

A: Serve.

Q: Martina Navratilova.

A: Volleys.

Q: Chris Evert.

A: Unflappable.

Q: Steffi Graf.

A: Forehand.

Q: Maria Sharapova.

A: Competitiveness.

Q: Martina Hingis.

A: Zeal.

Q: Monica Seles.

A: Ball striking. On both wings.

Q: You’ve been president of the International Tennis Hall of Fame more than three years now.

A: I’m a sucker for history and for stories, and the Hall of Fame encompasses all that in addition to celebrating the champions … the impact of players like Althea Gibson, Billie Jean King, Arthur Ashe had not only on tennis, but on society. This is all leading to our induction this coming week, where Mary Carillo and that other guy named Roger will go into the Hall of Fame.

Q: You were general manager of USTA player development.

A: I was working basically 24/7 doing that job to try to rebuild our pipeline in American tennis, which I believe actually we did a pretty damn good job. That was a very political job, it was a job where you’re in the line of fire, every year at the Open, the Americans don’t do well — “Patrick, what’d you get wrong this time? What’d you F-up this time?” That was something that was very stressful, but it was also something that I put a lot of passion into, and I had a great team of people that I’ve put in place around me to really try to make a difference. And I think we did.

Q: Douglaston, Queens.

A: My junior high school basketball coach said to me — I went to Buckley Country Day School in Roslyn [L.I.] — he said, “There’s something about the water there,” because we were around the water there. And Mary Carillo and her family were from there, the McEnroes were from there, and we just kind of fell into getting in tennis at the local club, the Douglaston Club.

Q: Describe your brother Mark.

A: I call him “Man in the Middle.” … I started beating Mark when I was like 8 or 9. He’s like, “Screw this.” He became a lawyer, like my dad. He’s taken over a lot of the stuff that my dad used to do for me and John career-wise. When John and I butted heads at different times, he’s always right in the middle, that’s why I call him the Man in the Middle, he mediates for us.

Q: What did you and John butt heads about?

A: We used to butt heads back in the day because he used to say to me: “You never take my advice,” like when I was coming out of college. My mom, as I said to you earlier, was like, “Are you sure you want to do this? Maybe you should go to law school, like your dad and your brother Mark.” And John was like, “Mom, stay out of it. Patrick’s good enough, he can make it. Let him do it.” And then over the years he would give me advice about something and he always thought, which wasn’t entirely true, “You always do the opposite of what I tell you to do.” And there was a competitiveness too, he’d get super pissed when I beat him in doubles. I learned from him also like a different level of intensity when I played doubles with him … like, “Let’s destroy these guys, let’s kill these guys.” I didn’t quite have that killer instinct in the way that he did. He just had that little something extra that he brought to the table, and I think he’s brought that to his career in broadcasting in the same way, he just has like that edge to him that keeps people sort of on their toes around him and keeps him super sharp.

Q: What was it like for you watching John’s on-court outbursts as a player?

A: I remember we’d have like family dinners when we’d come back. My dad was a pretty intense — so was my mom, my mom was sort of the hardass of the family. My dad would be like, “John, why do you do this? You don’t need to do this.” And he’d be like, “Dad, I don’t really ***** want ***** to do it.” And inevitably my dad would start yelling. And John was like: “Well, maybe this is why!”

Q: Your “Mac Daddy Show” — which will drop new episodes on YouTube on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays — debuts Wednesday.

A: I’m a little more, I would say, of a seasoned broadcaster at this point than “Big Daddy” [Rich Salgado] is, but that makes it a little bit different. I can sort of take the lead on most of the interviews, and when it comes to guys like [Michael] Strahan and Mike Eruzione and Bernard Hopkins, Big Daddy has a relationship that goes back years and years, so I think that brings a comfort level that we seem to be getting from the guests that you normally don’t get. I’ve always wanted to do a show like this.

Q: Strahan is your debut guest.

A: We went to his man cave in Jersey where he’s got all his cars and his unbelievable setup to watch football with his buddies and a big bar and a pool table and all that stuff. It was super fun.

Q: Three dinner guests?

A: [Nelson] Mandela, George Washington, Margaret Thatcher. … I’m still bummed that we haven’t had a female president.

Q: Favorite movies?

A: “Shawshank Redemption,” “Caddyshack,” “The Sting.”

Q: Favorite actor?

A: Matt Damon.

Q: Favorite actress?

A: Meryl Streep.

Q: Favorite entertainer?

A: My wife [Melissa Errico].

Q: Favorite meal?

A: Tomato, mozzarella, prosciutto start, and then I’d go like an unbelievable rigatoni light vodka sauce with parmesan cheese.

Q: What do you hope your tennis legacy will be?

A: I love people and I love being around tennis, so I hope people will just say, “Patrick loves tennis and spread the gospel and was someone that was great to work with or work for.” I try to surround myself with people that either like to work with me or I like to work for them. Hopefully will just say lived a great life and gave back to the sport, which gave me pretty much my entire career.

Q: What is unique about the New York tennis crowd?

A: It’s interesting because it’s changed a bit over the years as the tournament has grown in stature, and it’s become like the who’s-who thing with the corporate crowd, the celebrity crowd, and now I guess it’s all about the influencer crowd, whatever that is. But here’s the thing: There’s still the ultra-savvy New Yorker crowd that knows tennis … that loves tennis. So they get it.

But as the tournament has grown sort of in stature, it’s also kind of taken on this entertainment aspect of it, right? To me it’s like an amazing combination, because there’s still those diehard fans — there’s not as many of ’em maybe that can afford to pay … who can afford to go to a Knick game now? But you still have those blue seats fans. It’s almost more like Ranger fans that sit in the blue seats over the years. Like no matter what, they’re like hardcore hockey fans. And tennis has that, and New York has that. But now it’s got more of this, hey, look who’s on the big screen, and hey, let’s play the music. So it’s like a scene as well. … But it’s got this very unique mix of sort of celebrity, money, and then a hardcore tennis fan, like, “I just want to go to the Open, I’m going on Day 2, and I’m going to every freaking court because I want to see that kid from Uzbekistan play the kid from Croatia.”

Former President Donald Trump has distanced himself from one-time ally Tucker Carlson, launching into accusations against the journalist for conspiring with politicians to undermine him. 

As Friday night came to a close, the 80-year-old Trump didn’t hold back on his disdain for Carlson, branding the former Fox News figure a ‘loser’ with what he described as a ‘very low IQ.’ 

On his Truth Social platform, Trump expressed scorn for Carlson’s declining influence, stating, ‘Tucker’s “Views” have plummeted, with no sign of recovery. It’s a testament to his irrelevance and his unexpectedly low intelligence.’ 

Trump further suggested that Carlson, allegedly eyeing a political career, should undergo a cognitive evaluation before making any such move.

At present, 57-year-old Carlson has made no formal announcements regarding a run for office, having previously stated he had no intentions to enter the political arena. 

However, Carlson told the Columbia Journalism Review that he hopes to help build a ‘third party,’ and laid out a ten-point vision for America. 

There’s also been speculation that some conservatives are vying to have Carlson run for president in 2028, running on a MAGA, but anti-Trump platform. 

A loose group of politicians has formed around Carlson, including Representative Thomas Massie and former Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, both of whom Trump also attacked on Friday night. 

‘LOSERS ALL!’ the President wrote. ‘Tucker is a loser, and always has been! 

‘Marjorie Taylor Brown (Green turns to Brown under stress!), a highly neurotic young woman, went from Ultra Conservative to a Liberal “Fool,” all in a matter of weeks, because I refused to return her phone calls – Not because I didn’t like her, just because I had no time.’ 

He went on to accuse her of ‘quitting’ after she realized she had no chance at winning after he stripped his endorsement.  

‘Thomas Massie has turned out to be a failed politician, and a real JERK,’ Trump continued. ‘He thought it was really wonderful to vote, “NO,” on everything, no matter how good, strong, or proper the Legislation would be. 

‘What a team this would be, THREE LOSERS, and a pocketful of change! The only chance they have is to join the Radical Left Dumocrats, and try breaking into the Primary System. To all of them I say, PRAISE BE TO ALLAH!’ he signed off. 

Massie responded to the insults on X, writing: ‘Trump’s getting roasted today for his disastrous beef policy, the debt hit $40 trillion because of his “big beautiful bill,” he stepped-in-it in Iran, and he’s weeks away from failing his midterms in November. 

‘He posted this because we are the three he should have listened to.’

Greene also launched an attack against Trump, saying he’s the one who moved away from MAGA ideals.

She called him a ‘false little god’ and an ‘internet troll,’ who is ‘not a Christian at all.’ 

She also accused Trump of hitting out at the group because of his own ‘bad polling.’ 

‘Trump now calls me a traitor because instead of bowing down to him like some false little god, I stood up and fought for women who were raped as teenagers and abused by the richest, most powerful men in the world, friends of Donald Trump,’ she wrote earlier this month, in reference to her demand for all of the Epstein files to be released.  

‘He attacks us with such vitriol because we actually are everything he claimed to be, conservative and America First, and he has proven as President that he is nothing more than a neocon puppet for Israel, corporations, big donors with special interests, and his dear friends in the Epstein class.

‘We never changed, Trump did.’  

The Daily Mail has reached out to the White House, Carlson, Greene, and Massie for comment. 

CHICAGO (WLS) — A vibrant Saturday morning saw Chicago’s picturesque lakefront buzzing with youthful energy as the city welcomed participants of every age for the much-anticipated Supertri Chicago weekend. The festivity kicked off with the exhilarating 2026 Supertri Chicago Kids Triathlon, hosted at the serene Foster Beach.

Excitement filled the air as the triathlon commenced. With eager faces and racing hearts, young competitors awaited the countdown of “three, two, one,” before the echoing blasts of horns signaled the start of this spirited race.

ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch

Intrepid young athletes bravely took to the gentle waves of Lake Michigan before swiftly transitioning to the cycling and running segments of the competition. Among the promising participants was 12-year-old Brooke Casey, a seasoned veteran whose enthusiasm for the event is as strong as ever.

“It’s just fun. And I like when I see other people doing it like I see like little kids doing it and it’s really fun,” expressed Casey, her youthful spirit encapsulating the joy of the day.

For Brooke and her brother Kyle, this sporting event is more than just a race; it’s a cherished family ritual. Their father, Brendan Casey, proudly shared that the Casey family’s involvement has been a staple for over ten years, grounding this tradition in both athleticism and family bonding.

“It’s cool because we’ve got our oldest son to be here racing again tomorrow, so the three of them have been doing that since they’re little, like 5, we’ve been doing this for 10+ years now watching it. So, obviously I’m proud of my kids. It’s great to see him compete,” Brendan Casey said.

Organizers said the Supertri Chicago Triathlon, formerly known as the Chicago Triathlon, is the largest event in the series. More than 9,000 participants are expected to swim, run, and cycle over the two-day competition.

“Chicago is just a sports city and it embraces this,” said Michael D’Hulst, founder and CEO of Supertri.

Roughly 700 children, ranging from grade school students to teenagers, competed Saturday morning in the endurance event, which combines swimming, cycling, and running.

Arya Bommi, 12, said competing in the race gives him confidence.

“Makes me feel proud of myself. It makes me feel like I can do stuff,” Bommi said.

Bommi hoped to improve on his time from last year. His mother, Himabindu Chittamuru, said she has watched his dedication firsthand.

“I’m so proud. He’s practicing running every day before school starts at 8. He wakes up at 6, and then, he runs a mile,” Chittamuru said.

Supporters said Supertri Chicago is about more than competition. Organizers said the event generates millions of dollars for the Chicago economy and aims to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for Lurie Children’s Hospital for pediatric cancer and blood disorder research.

Justin Law, who is taking part in the event with his 9-year-old son Joey, said the cause motivated their participation.

“So, I work at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. I work in the cardiothoracic ICU. We have a lot of us actually taking care of it tomorrow, so we did it as a group. Joey saw me training, said he wants to do it,” Law said.

The day’s activities continued with a super sprint race designed for newcomers to the sport.

The weekend’s main competition is scheduled for Sunday at Monroe Harbor, where thousands of athletes are expected to compete in sprint, relay, and Olympic-distance races beginning at 6 a.m.

List of road closures

Saturday, 8/22

In response to substantial wartime setbacks, Iran is reconstructing its military and security hierarchy, leaning heavily on seasoned veterans. These individuals boast careers that date back to such pivotal moments as the 1979 Islamic Revolution and the grueling Iran-Iraq War, along with previous internal repressions.

Recent senior appointments arose following the deaths of several top Iranian commanders in strikes attributed to the U.S. and Israel, as reported by The National on August 11.

For the United States, the implications are significant, extending beyond simply replacing personnel. This reshuffle positions entrenched hardliners at the helm of institutions that orchestrate Iran’s military maneuvers and shape its national-security and internal policies, amid an ongoing confrontation with the U.S.

Although these appointments do not necessarily signal a depleted pool of younger talent or loyalty as the sole criterion, the reliance on long-standing figures is sparking a critical question for U.S. decision-makers. With wartime casualties potentially narrowing Iran’s circle of influential ideologues, there is concern this could further restrict the nation’s willingness to negotiate, even as the U.S. endeavors to bring Tehran back to the negotiating table.

Former American prisoner Morad Tahbaz, who was detained in Iran in 2018 and freed in a U.S.-Iran prisoner exchange in September 2023, told News Media that he views the latest appointments as evidence of Tehran’s continued dependence on longtime loyalists.

“They keep rotating the same old people, most of whom are fairly inept but are loyal to the Khamenei father and son,” Tahbaz told News Media.

The reshuffle spans Iran’s conventional military, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, its naval arm, the Basij paramilitary force and the country’s highest national-security council.

Iran’s state-run IRNA reported Aug. 10 that Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei appointed Ali Abdollahi chief of staff of the Armed Forces, Kioumars Heydari his deputy, Ahmad Vahidi commander of the IRGC, Mostafa Izadi deputy IRGC commander, Ali Ozmaei commander of the IRGC Navy and Hossein Taeb head of the Basij.

The previous day, former IRGC commander Mohsen Rezaei, 71, was named secretary of the Supreme National Security Council and Khamenei’s representative on the powerful body. Reuters reported Aug. 10 that the SNSC coordinates Iran’s security and foreign policy and that Rezaei replaced Mohammad Baqer Zolqadr, who had been appointed secretary in late March following the death of his predecessor, Ali Larijani.

The appointments do not establish that Iran has run out of younger or less familiar commanders. But the reliance on longtime military and security figures has fueled assessments that wartime losses have narrowed the regime’s pool of officials it regards as sufficiently experienced and politically trustworthy.

Erfan Fard wrote for the Middle East Forum on Aug. 15 that Khamenei was not promoting a new generation but turning to veterans of the revolution, the Iran-Iraq War, intelligence operations and domestic repression, arguing that an architecture based on “institutional memory, loyalty, and coercive power” was taking shape.

The Foundation for Defense of Democracies argued in an Aug. 12 policy brief that the reshuffle looked “less like renewal than a game of musical chairs among regime veterans.”

The appointments also formalized the position of Ahmad Vahidi, a veteran hardliner who had already emerged near the center of wartime decision-making. Vahidi was a major player in shaping Tehran’s wartime policy and had risen through the IRGC’s early intelligence and external-operations apparatus before later serving as defense and interior minister. As interior minister, Vahidi oversaw police units involved in the crackdown on the 2022 protests.

IRNA confirmed Aug. 10 that Khamenei promoted Vahidi to major general and formally appointed him commander-in-chief of the IRGC.

Hossein Taeb: The intelligence veteran returns to the Basij to build a ‘20-million-strong Basij force.’

One of the most closely watched appointments is Hossein Taeb, the cleric and veteran security official tapped to lead the Basij, the IRGC’s volunteer paramilitary force that has repeatedly been used against domestic dissent.

The National reported that the Basij has been used to suppress internal dissent, while The Times reported Aug. 12 that the force is embedded in neighborhoods, universities, workplaces, factories, ministries and mosques and has played a central role in suppressing successive uprisings.

For Tahbaz, Taeb’s return is personal. Tahbaz was detained in 2018, while Taeb was leading the IRGC Intelligence Organization.

“Ta’eb is extremely close to Mojtaba Khamenei but was very unceremoniously fired from his former position as head of the IRGC Intelligence Organization,” Tahbaz told News Media. “He was personally responsible for my and my colleagues’ arrests and detentions. He lives and breathes conspiracy theories.”

The Times reported Aug. 12 that Taeb and Mojtaba Khamenei’s relationship dates back more than four decades and that both served in the Habib Battalion during the Iran-Iraq War. The newspaper also reported that IRGC intelligence arrested environmentalists and dual nationals during Taeb’s tenure.

Taeb previously commanded the Basij before moving into IRGC intelligence. The Times reported that months after the disputed 2009 election, the Guards’ intelligence division was elevated into an independent organization with Taeb as its first chief.

Taeb’s earlier leadership of the Basij also drew U.S. sanctions. In a Sept. 29, 2010 Treasury Department fact sheet, the U.S. government said that while Taeb commanded the Basij during the June 2009 election, forces under his command participated in “beatings, murder, and arbitrary arrests and detentions of peaceful protestors.”

According to IRNA, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf congratulated Taeb on his appointment as head of the Basij Organization, saying his tenure could mark a new chapter for the volunteer force. Ghalibaf said the Basij now needs a more comprehensive and forward-looking approach and argued that Taeb’s appointment by the supreme leader could help advance what he described as one of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini’s longstanding goals: building a 20-million-strong Basij force.

Mohsen Rezaei: Back at the center after four decades

Few appointments better illustrate the return of Iran’s old guard than Mohsen Rezaei, who was named secretary of the Supreme National Security Council.

Reuters reported Aug. 10 that Rezaei joined the IRGC shortly after the 1979 revolution, became its commander in 1981 at age 27 and led the force for 16 years, including through most of the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq War.

He later served as secretary of Iran’s Expediency Discernment Council for more than two decades and as vice president for economic affairs from 2021 to 2023 under President Ebrahim Raisi. Now, at 71, he is secretary of the SNSC and Khamenei’s representative on the body.

Beni Sabti, an Iran expert at Israel’s Institute for National Security Studies, argued that bringing back longtime figures such as Rezaei reflects weakness rather than renewal.

“This is, again, another evidence that they don’t have anyone else,” Sabti told News Media. “So they have to bring him out again from the desk and put him somewhere. These are the guys that they have.”

Rezaei and Vahidi were also among six people for whom INTERPOL authorized Red Notices requested by Argentina in 2007 in connection with the investigation into the 1994 bombing of the AMIA Jewish community center in Buenos Aires.

INTERPOL said in November 2007 that its General Assembly upheld the publication of notices for six individuals, including Ahmad Vahidi and Mohsen Rezaei, after Iran challenged Argentina’s requests.

Sabti argued that Rezaei’s re-emergence is particularly telling because Tehran’s decision-making circle has become less ideologically diverse.

“Today, there is only one opinion, and this is the main problem,” Sabti said. “This is why you think that there is unity and the system is stronger. No, it’s not stronger. Actually, it’s weaker also because of that.”

Ali Abdollahi: A wartime commander takes the top military job

Ali Abdollahi was elevated to chief of staff of Iran’s Armed Forces, putting him at the top of the country’s military command structure. IRNA confirmed the appointment Aug. 10.

Abdollahi had previously commanded the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, Iran’s joint operational command responsible for coordinating its armed forces in wartime, according to Iran International on Aug. 10.

His appointment also comes amid an effort to integrate the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters more closely with the Armed Forces General Staff. Le Monde reported Aug. 11 that Abdollahi’s task includes completing that integration in an effort to further centralize command and coordination.

Fard argued in his Aug. 15 Middle East Forum analysis that Abdollahi’s elevation exemplifies Tehran’s reliance on longstanding revolutionary-security figures rather than a generational break.

Kioumars Heydari: The regular army moves closer to the center

Former Army Ground Forces commander Kioumars Heydari was appointed deputy chief of staff of the Armed Forces, bringing a senior officer from Iran’s conventional military into the new command structure.

The National reported that Heydari formerly commanded the Army Ground Forces and has held senior positions in Iran’s regular army, known as the Artesh. IRNA independently confirmed his appointment.

His inclusion also demonstrates that the reshuffle is not limited to the IRGC.

Fard argued in the Middle East Forum that Heydari’s previous public rhetoric surrounding protest suppression indicates that Tehran has increasingly integrated the regular army into its domestic-security posture.

Mostafa Izadi: Another veteran rises inside the IRGC

Mostafa Izadi was appointed Vahidi’s deputy, putting another longtime commander near the top of the IRGC hierarchy.

IRNA confirmed Izadi’s appointment Aug. 10, while The National described him Aug. 11 as a veteran commander who has held a number of senior positions in Iran’s military and security establishment.

Iran International reported that Izadi previously commanded the Cyber and New Threats Headquarters within the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters.

Ali Ozmaei: A new commander at one of Iran’s most sensitive fronts

Rear Adm. Ali Ozmaei was appointed commander of the IRGC Navy, putting him in charge of a force central to Iran’s military posture in the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz.

The National reported Aug. 11 that Ozmaei replaced Alireza Tangsiri, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike in March, and that the IRGC Navy is responsible for Iran’s military operations in the Gulf and around the Strait of Hormuz.

Iranian state media also highlighted Ozmaei’s longstanding maritime experience. IRNA reported Aug. 11 that Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf praised Ozmaei’s years in maritime defense and his familiarity with the current conflict and the Strait of Hormuz. 

The appointment came one day before Rezaei said the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed unless the United States changed its behavior and accepted Iran’s conditions. Reuters reported that Rezaei said Washington would have to end the war and unfreeze Iranian funds overseas, with other conditions relayed through mediators.

Taken together, the seven personnel changes show Tehran moving to fill and reshuffle critical military and security posts after significant wartime losses. What remains an assessment rather than an established fact is whether the identities of those chosen reveal a deeper shortage of trusted successors.

Sabti said the return of veteran figures reflected what he sees as a shrinking bench of trusted officials and a less diverse decision-making circle.

Tahbaz offered a less academic version of that assessment.

“They keep rotating the same old people,” he said.

In a tragic escalation of the conflict, at least seven lives were lost in Ukraine due to Russian drone and missile assaults, officials reported on Saturday. Meanwhile, a drone strike by Ukraine in Russia’s Krasnodar region resulted in three fatalities.

These incidents followed a devastating Russian attack on a shopping center in Ukraine that claimed at least 16 lives and left approximately 130 others injured just a day prior.

Moscow has ramped up its ballistic missile offensives targeting Kyiv, taking advantage of Ukraine’s ongoing shortage of US-supplied Patriot air defense systems—crucial for intercepting such missiles.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine stated that the latest ballistic missile attack in Kyiv, which struck railway infrastructure overnight, resulted in one death and left another person injured.

The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed that their forces targeted a locomotive depot as part of the recent offensive.

In a separate attack, local authorities said two people were killed Saturday afternoon in a Russian ballistic missile strike on the Kyiv region, which surrounds the capital.

Russian drone strikes also killed one person overnight in the Zaporizhzhia region, local officials said Saturday, and a daytime attack killed three others and wounded 15.

Zelenskyy said that three people were also wounded in an attack on a minibus in the regional capital, also called Zaporizhzhia.

In Russia’s southern Krasnodar region, authorities said that three people, including two children, were killed and two adults were wounded in a Ukrainian drone strike.

A day on from a deadly attack on a shopping center

The latest attacks came a day after Russian drones struck a shopping center in the city of Kryvyi Rih in central Ukraine.

Dnipropetrovsk regional head Oleksandr Hanzha said in the early hours of Saturday that the death toll had risen to 16.

Later on Saturday he said four people remain missing after the attack, which wounded a further 130.

Kryvyi Rih is the hometown of Zelenskyy, who described the attack as a double-tap strike, in which an initial wave of drones hit the area followed by a second wave as rescue workers responded.

The Ukrainian leader said the fire, which spread across 9,000 square meters (around 97,000 square feet), had been extinguished and rescue efforts were underway.

Kryvyi Rih has been hit multiple times during the 4½-year all-out war between Russia and Ukraine, with one of the deadliest occurring in April 2025, when 20 people were killed, including nine children.

Large-scale Russian strikes have become a regular occurrence this summer, with Friday’s attacks landing just 24 hours after Russia pounded Kyiv with scores of missiles and drones in a nighttime assault that killed 16 people.

The United Nations said last week that Kyiv was one of the hardest-hit cities in July, with at least 54 civilians killed and 202 wounded.

Ukraine pounds Russia with long-range strikes

At the same time, Ukraine has shifted the war onto Russian soil through long-range drone strikes on oil facilities that have caused fuel shortages across Russia.

It also has unsettled the Russian public by striking warehouses of Wildberries, the country’s biggest online retailer.

The Russian online news outlet Astra reported Saturday that a Ukrainian drone set ablaze an oil refinery in the Samara region.

Local officials said that damage was recorded at an unidentified “industrial facility” and a logistics center for Ozon, a competitor to Wildberries.

Zelenskyy said Saturday Ukrainian forces struck the Novokuibyshevsk oil refinery in Samara, noting it is some 620 miles (1,000 kilometers) from the front line.