| FERRERO | Juan Carlos, Spanish tennis coach who as a player was World No. 1 in 2003 (7) |
| ALCARAZ | Carlos, Spanish tennis player who in 2022 became the youngest man ever to top the ATP singles rankings (7) |
| SOLOACT | Beyonce became one in 2003 |
| HEWITT | Australian tennis player who was world No. 1 and won the US Open in 2001, and won Wimbledon in 2002 (6) |
| OUTOFFORM | Distorted explanation of why a player was dropped? (3,2,4) |
| CHECA | Carlos ..... , Spanish rider; 2011 Superbike World Championship winner (5) |
| MARTINA | Czech-born tennis player who became world no. 1 in 1978 (7,11) |
| SCOTTIE | Who has been ranked world No. 1 in the official golf rankings for more than 100 weeks? He also recently won the prestigious Hero World Challenge held in December 2024. (7) |
| EXPOSER | One who, as a retired model, reveals all the facts (7) |
| FEDERER | Tennis champion who became world no. 1 in February 2004, Roger |
| RATECAP | To highly regard a national player was to impose a limit in the old days (4-3) |
| OMAHONY | Which Ireland player was sent off in the team's first Six Nations match of the year? (7) |
| PICKLED | Chosen player was foremost in Brahms and Liszt (7) |
| PURCELL | Composer who, as organist of Westminster Abbey, played at William and Mary's coronation (7) |
| PIANIST | Scotsman is participating in physical training as a player |
| FUMBLED | Felt one had mishandled things as a player (7) |
| DOWNBOW | As a player, stroke something soft, then accept the applause (4-3) |
| KOMPANY | Vincent -, Burnley FC manager; as a player, four-time Premier League winner with Manchester City |
| ONSTAGE | Male wearing possible number of goalkeeper, as a player may be? |
| MATURED | Developed, as a player |
