In the summer of 1993, Manchester United won the title and then signed Roy Keane in a British record transfer. In 2001, United won the title and then bought Ruud van Nistelrooy. In 2008, the summer after winning the Premier League and Champions League, they signed Dimitar Berbatov not because they really needed him but because they could.
Each time, Alex Ferguson took steps not just to maintain the gap to their rivals but to grow it. Each time, United defended their Premier League crown.
Even before kick-off here at the Emirates Stadium, there was that familiar sense of a title-winning manager screwing down the lid on the Premier League trophy they owned. Mikel Arteta’s newest signing, Ezri Konsa, was paraded on the pitch to a standing ovation – quite the flex to sign the second best right-sided centre-half in the Premier League while the best, William Saliba, is sidelined with injury.
And after a few minutes of this opening 3-0 win over Coventry City, it was clear that Arteta had strengthened his attack too. Christos Tzolis impressed in pre-season games and topped most of Arsenal’s fitness metrics. Here he buzzed into action on the left wing, legs whirring with the urgency of a man fleeing a swarm of bees, all fast-twitch jolts and excitable energy, exactly the sort of opponent Coventry’s right-back Milan van Ewijk didn’t want to face on his first Friday night live on Sky Sports.
Arsenal had a plethora of attacking options on the field: Kai Havertz led the line, Bukayo Saka started on the right and Martin Odegaard flitted in and out of the right half-space. But for all the passing lanes on offer, the gameplan became a simple one: when in the final third, seek Tzolis.
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Christos Tzolis sprints down the wing during Arsenal’s win over Coventry (AP)
The Greek loitered on the left touchline patiently waiting for a pass, and then he was off, surging towards the box, feinting left and right, dropping his shoulder and shifting his marker off-balance before exploiting the space he’d created. There were no stepovers or needless touches, just concise and efficient wing play, and it was devastatingly effective.
Tzolis had a hand in Arsenal’s first goal when his diligent press won the ball high up the pitch, before Riccardo Calafiori crossed for Havertz to sweep home. Four minutes later Tzolis turned creator with a low, left-footed cross which Coventry goalkeeper Carl Rushworth could only tip into the path of Saka, who knocked the ball into a half-empty net. It may not register as an official assist, like his two in the Community Shield last weekend, but there were plenty of signs that Tzolis will rack up productive numbers playing for his new team.
“I love this kind of energy every time he’s on the ball,” Arteta said. “I think he’s earned [the fans’ appreciation]. I think the way he has performed in the last few games has been phenomenal. What he transmits as a player, so direct, so incisive, constantly he wants to make things happen, and he has an incredible variety of actions in the last 30 metres to decide and to make the right decisions, even when the spaces are sometimes really, really small.”
Christos Tzolis and Cristhian Mosquera applaud the Arsenal fans (PA)
Coincidentally, Tzolis made his Premier League debut in this stadium five years ago during a loan spell at Norwich City. It was a period of harsh learning in which his manager, Daniel Farke, hailed Tzolis as one of the brightest young players in Europe, but later publicly berated him for taking and missing a penalty at Anfield despite not being the manager’s designated penalty taker. Tzolis admitted his confidence was shot by the end of a move in which he made only six starts.
His breakthrough came during another loan at German side Fortuna Dusseldorf, and his performances earned him his move to Club Brugge two years ago. The last campaign was one of abundance for Brugge before this summer’s £34m switch to Arsenal, in which he scored 20 goals and recorded 29 assists. Brugge won the title and Tzolis was awarded Belgium’s player of the season.
Since that ill-fated spell at Norwich, Tzolis has recorded 122 goal contributions in 145 games. Even accounting for a career spent largely outside the big-five leagues, they are astonishing numbers.
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Tzolis cuts inside and lets fly during the first half (Getty)
It remains to be seen what competition Tzolis faces for his place at the Emirates. Arsenal’s very public pursuit of Vinicius Jr ultimately failed but would have immediately relegated Tzolis to understudy. Gabriel Martinelli was not in the Arsenal squad here despite being fit to play, and while the Brazilian’s ostracism secures Tzolis’s place in the short-term, it might suggest Arteta wants another new wide player. Juventus’s Kenan Yildiz remains a transfer target.
But Tzolis owns the left forward spot right now, and his task is to make himself undroppable no matter the competition. His determination to score was clear, taking a match-high four shots, none of which went particularly close. He may well end up setting new records for cutting inside and letting fly, which teammates won’t always thank him for. Calafiori may question his life choices when his fifth lung-bursting underlap is ignored.
But Tzolis’s track record suggests he could be the remedy to Arsenal’s limitation last season, in games against stubborn defences when they lacked the type of player to unlock the door. It is only one game of a long season, but there is a sense at the Emirates that Arteta has already begun work tightening Arsenal’s grip.
Oct 19, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz (11) runs the ball during the second half against the Philadelphia Eagles at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images
Lately, Carson Wentz has been earning praise. The wily veteran is second-to-none in his toughness even if he’s not the athlete he once was.
“You never know what tomorrow brings for anybody.” That was a key sentiment coming from the chat with Carson Wentz.
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I wanted to know about what he has observed in J.J. McCarthy getting bumped down to QB2. “I think he’s handled it well,” the veteran began. “It’s a tough business. It’s a tough league, tough business, tough with media, the pressure, all the things that come with it.” Wentz then hastened to add that “the story is far from written for him, for Kyler, for myself.”
“I think he’s gotten better since I got here, I’ve seen it firsthand,” Wentz explained. Partnering improvement with a player’s readiness and the NFL’s unpredictability means that the young lad shouldn’t be discounted.
Oct 19, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz (11) warms up before the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images
Pivoting off that, I asked Wentz about how he understands his own role on the team.
His answer in full: “Great question. It’s help the team however I can. Stay ready, whatever that looks like. Yeah, at the end of the day it’s why I signed here is to, if my number gets called, I’m confident in what I can do and what I can bring to the table within this system especially. So we’ll see how it all shakes out.”
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In 2025, Carson Wentz went 2-3 as the Vikings’ starter. He completed a very healthy 65.1% of his passes for 1,216 yards, 6 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions. Part of the reason for not seeing more promising production was due to injury.
Wentz could have signed somewhere else. He liked the chance to do good things with the Vikings. “It’s just somewhere I thought if my number did get called,” Wentz explained, “I’d feel that I have success.” Shortly thereafter, Wentz lamented his injury, calling it a “bummer” while wondering aloud where things would have gone without getting hurt.
As it relates to joint practices, Wentz indicated that mixing things up in practice was refreshing. Essentially every player says as much but that’s likely because it’s true. Going against different players who play within a different scheme is refreshing.
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz (11) and wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) head toward the locker room at halftime on Sep 21, 2025 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. The veteran quarterback and star receiver remained central figures as Minnesota evaluated its offensive direction during a season filled with transition. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images.
The Minnesota Vikings want to proceed through the 2026 season with Carson Wentz as the QB3. Seeing that become a reality will mean that some key things have happened.
First, Kyler Murray and/or J.J. McCarthy have been healthy enough to shoulder the burden of starting. Neither could be described as being the NFL’s version of Cal Ripken. Fingers crossed that both remain healthy but that’s far from a guarantee.
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Second, Kyler Murray and/or J.J. McCarthy played well enough to remain as the starting QB. Minnesota is desperate for a franchise passer. The current plan is to let Murray prove he’s that guy but McCarthy would be the next man up.
Having Wentz on the roster means boasting a passer with great size and better athleticism than a lot of mid-30s QBs. He has demonstrated a good connection with Justin Jefferson and will inspire belief in his teammates. The Vikings could win with him.
Aug 15, 2026; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kyler Murray (1) and quarterback Carson Wentz (11) warms up before the game against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images – Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
In the 2016 NFL Draft, Carson Wentz was chosen at No. 2 by the Philadelphia Eagles. He has since played for the Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Commanders, Indianapolis Colts, Los Angeles Rams, Kansas City Chiefs, and Minnesota Vikings.
The Cleveland Browns got a poor performance out of Deshaun Watson on Saturday, and a former player is blunt about what it should mean.
Against the Buffalo Bills, the three-time Pro Bowl quarterback had a putrid performance in relief of Shedeur Sanders in the second half, covering only 36 yards on 5-of-12 passing and being intercepted once by Te’Cory Couch en route to a 7-31 loss:
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In the aftermath of that game, Robert Griffin III, who played with the Browns in 2016, gave this blunt takeaway for head coach Todd Monken:
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“The Browns should start Shedeur Sanders.”
The Browns should start Shedeur Sanders.
He then added shortly after:
“The Browns absolutely screwed their QB competition up.”
The Browns absolutely screwed their QB competition up.
Sharing his sentiment was Ben Axelrod, writer for Front Office Sports:
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I mean, the Browns simply cannot name Deshaun Watson the starting quarterback after this.
Watson was also the subject of heavy boos during the game, but he insinuated that they were not related to his play during the post-game press conference:
“I didn’t have no reaction. I think the whole world knows it has nothing to do about the performance. It’s a little bit [more] personal than that. I think that’s a disrespectful thing. I’m gonna keep whatever I feel with me and my family internally with how I feel about that and move on.”
Shedeur Sanders rues Browns fans booing Deshaun Watson during rout vs. Bills
Speaking of the boos Deshaun Watson received from Browns fans, he received a defense from a surprising source.
Shedeur Sanders, who started the game against the Bills, finished with nine completions for 74 yards and a touchdown to Luke Floriea against an interception to Damar Hamlin. After the game, he expressed disappointment in how the fans reacted to the game from the stands:
“Regardless of competition, we’re all human beings. I think we all need to understand that. In this room too, we’re all humans. I don’t do things to humans that I wouldn’t want done to me. I don’t like making people feel uncomfortable in different spaces, and that’s why, even in daily things I do, I try to make sure everybody’s comfortable.”
He continued:
“However you feel about the situation with Deshaun and everything, I think it’s more about a bigger purpose and it’s respect. It’s a respect thing that I feel should be there, because we’re all out there trying to do our best and serve the franchise the best way possible. We’re going out there to win games, doing everything we can.”
The Browns end their preseason this coming Thursday against the New England Patriots. Kickoff is at 8 p.m. ET.
When Cheteshwar Pujara watches India and Sri Lanka walk out at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo on Sunday, one of his first memories of the venue is likely to be his unbeaten 145 in 2015.Pujara carried his bat through India’s first innings on a surprisingly seaming track, helping them beat Sri Lanka by 117 runs and win the series 2-1.“I’ve got fond memories of playing at SSC but in 2015, it was a different situation. We were playing on a surprisingly seaming track in Sri Lanka, which you hardly get to see there,” Pujara said in an interaction.As a former India No. 3, Pujara was impressed by Devdutt Padikkal’s performance in the first Test. But he believes Padikkal needs to sustain that form before being considered a long-term solution at No. 3.“Devdutt was ready for this opportunity, looking at the way he has been performing in domestic cricket and the IPL. We’ve seen that he has worked on his game and improved his technique,” Pujara said.“I would agree that India should go ahead with Padikkal at No. 3 for some time. But you can’t leave someone like Sai Sudharsan out of India’s Test squad. I’m not saying he should bat at No. 3, but he should be there in the scheme of things.“If Padikkal performs consistently at No. 3 in New Zealand and against Australia at home, then he will cement his spot. Let’s not put too much pressure on him,” he said.
It’s a weird state of the sport when the following sentence is true: One of the most important commitments of the college basketball offseason has transpired in late August.
On Saturday night, Mark Mitchell, who previously played at Duke and Missouri, committed to play for Kentucky this season. In industry circles, Mitchell had been widely rumored as Lexington-bound in the past week and a half. On Friday morning, he received a temporary restraining order — via a Jefferson Circuit Court ruling in Kentucky — to pursue a fifth season of college basketball. He officially entered his name into the transfer portal (with a do-not-contact tag) hours later.
And a little more than 24 hours after that, Mitchell made his intentions public. The pick confirmed the whispers that had grown to a rumble in the day leading up to the decision. In picking Kentucky, Mitchell provides a proven producer in the frontcourt at the power forward position and gives Mark Pope one more piece (if Mitchell’s legal pursuit keeps him eligible all of this upcoming season) that validates some Final Four dreams for Big Blue Nation in 2026-27.
Dramatic offseason perhaps ending on a high note
It seems so far away now, but there was a point a few weeks removed from Kentucky’s season when Pope was feeling severe heat for missing out on a variety of high-profile prospects, including the No. 1 high school player in 2026, Tyran Stokes.
That’s now all in the past, as it could easily be argued that Pope wound up landing two of the four or five most important transfers of 2026. The first was Milan Momcilovic, who picked Kentucky over Louisville in what was one of the more expensive bidding endeavors of the spring. Momcilovic is a stretchy 3-man who hopes to again be one of the best long distance shooters in the country.
So long as Mitchell’s eligibility case doesn’t hit a road block, Momcilovic will have a good contrast with Mitchell in the frontcourt. The 6-9, 230-pound big averaged 18.3 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.6 assists in the SEC last season and was one of the 10 best players in the conference across the past two seasons. Those two will start alongside center/sophomore Malachi Moreno, who bypassed being a potential top-40 pick in order to improve with a healthy payday in Year 2 under Pope.
The in-state rivals, coincidentally enough, are regarded by many coaches across college hoops as the two biggest spenders of this 2026 offseason. Kentucky’s other portal commits include former Furman point guard Alex Wilkins, former Washington point guard Zoom Diallo and his teammate who also played at UW last season, Frank Kepnang, a center.
No fan base has endured more highs and lows in the past five months than Kentucky’s.
Kentucky the latest to benefit from the legal route
Mitchell is the latest proven college player to double back to school after having a cup of coffee in Summer League — a trend that CBS Sports first reported in more than a month ago. Mitchell played with the Denver Nuggets, but with no certainty of making an NBA roster this fall, he and his representation took to the courts to sue for a fifth year. Former Michigan State forward Jaxon Kohler also took this route, committing to BYU after getting some runs in with the Utah Jazz for about a month.
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These two will not be the last, either.
The NCAA is enduring a nationwide legal battle at the moment, as the organization voted in late June to allow all Division I athletes moving forward eligibility for five seasons in a five-year span. But players whose eligibility expired this past spring did not apply to that rule change.
So now there are more than a hundred former Division I men’s basketball players (and others) trying to sue for what they believe is an unjust rule change right at the start of the summer. The NCAA has had two minor but critical wins so far: injunctions in Colorado (which was federal in scope) and Ohio (which was under a different framing) have been stayed, which is to say the courts ruling in favor of the players’ eligibility has been paused.
Mitchell’s case was in Kentucky and seen as favorable. The NCAA will still try to get the case overturned there as well, but predicting which lawsuits in which states will go which way is impossible at this stage. For now, Mitchell is like so many others across the country: hoping that a local judge will give him more leniency than the NCAA in order to keep playing college sports, make significant money in the process — and potentially change the competitive dynamic of college basketball in the process.
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You won’t find many Kentucky fans objecting to the process now that they’ve got what’s clearly one of the 15 best rosters heading into November … so long as Mitchell remains eligible.
MASON, OHIO—Frances Tiafoe and Brandon Nakashima won quarterfinal matches Friday night to set up one all-American men’s semifinal at the Cincinnati Open. Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula also advanced to make it four US players in the semis.
“It’s insane, I think we’re all doing so well,” Gauff said. “Hopefully, you know, we can have a double title win. Obviously there are more matches to be played for that to happen. We definitely root for each other.”
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Tiafoe beat Italian Lorenzo Musetti, 7-6 (2), 7-5, and Nakashima beat fellow American Taylor Fritz, 7-6, 4-6, 6-3, marking the first time two Americans have reached the men’s semifinals in Cincinnati since Andy Roddick and Mardy Fish in 2010.
Nakashima is the first American man to reach the semifinals in Canada and Cincinnati in the same season since Fish in 2011. Nakashima is coached by Tiafoe’s former coach, Wayne Ferreira.
“It’s a guy who knows me pretty well in Wayne,” Tiafoe said. “I expect some good serving and all the best from him. Happy where I’ve been mentally more than anything. This has been a great week.”
Tiafoe reached the Cincinnati finals in 2024, losing to Jannik Sinner.
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The other men’s semifinal Saturday features Italy’s Flavio Cobolli against Frenchman Arthur Fils.
Gauff beat Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk, 6-2, 6-2. Gauff will face surprise entrant 20-year-old Czech Sara Bejlek at 7:30 a.m. Sunday in Manila.
Bejlek outlasted 2019 champion Madison Keys, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (5), on Friday. She upset No. 1-ranked Aryna Sabalenka in straight sets in the Round of 16.
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“Sara is a great player,” Gauff said. “I watched her a lot in Abu Dhabi [in February] this year when she won that title. So I think it’s going to be a tough match. I’m looking forward to it.” —AP
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You probably know the drill when it comes to the FedEx Cup Playoffs by now, but let’s offer a refresher anyway. The top 70 made the playoffs and played the FedEx St. Jude Championship last week, 50 advanced to this week’s BMW Championship, and just 30 make it to the Tour Championship at East Lake in Atlanta next week.
There was little movement around the top-50 cutoff last Sunday, as Sungjae Im was the only player to move inside the top 50 to get into the BMW. He tied for 5th to leap from 53rd to 40th, and Keith Mitchell, who tied for 34th at the St. Jude, fell from 49th to 51st.
Those who made it into the BMW Championship already got a nice perk for next year with a spot in every big-money Signature Event. But advancing to the Tour Championship has perks of its own: Those who snag a ticket to East Lake receive a two-year exemption on Tour and get a spot in next year’s Masters.
Oh, and another chance at lots of money.
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The PGA Tour pays out nearly $100 million in FedEx Cup bonuses at the conclusion of the BMW Championship, although Scottie Scheffler has already locked up the $23 million first-place check. But there’s still plenty of money to go around. The Tour pays out the top 125 in the standings, which then clears the slate for the Tour Championship and another $40 million purse to dish out, including $10 million for the winner.
So, yes, a lot is on the line come Sunday at the BMW Championship, and for some more than others. According to DataGolf, every player who entered the week 24th or better has a 100 percent chance of making the Tour Championship, which means there’s little wiggle room for players ranked 25-30 as well as the ones just outside the top 30.
At the BMW, Wyndham Clark is 17 under and has a commanding lead over Rory McIlroy and Patrick Cantlay, who are tied for second at 12 under. But there’s still plenty to sort out, including which players sneak inside the top 30. Here are six bubble players to watch on Sunday.
6 Tour Championship bubble players to watch
Gary Woodland — Woodland entered the week 31st, but after three strong days in St. Louis — 11 under, tied for 4th — he’s now projected for 19th. Woodland, the 2019 U.S. Open champion, underwent brain surgery in 2023 and has been open about his battle with PTSD since. He’s now in good position to earn a spot in the Tour Championship for the first time since 2019.
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Rickie Fowler — Fowler finished T6 and T7 in the first two playoff events last year yet still, at 32nd in the standings, missed out on the Tour Championship. He now has another chance to get back to East Lake for the first time in three years, which would also get him into next year’s Masters for just the second time in the past seven years. He entered the BMW 30th in the standings, clinging to the final spot, but he’s tied for 35th after 54 holes and is now projected to finish 32nd. He’s got work to do on Sunday.
Justin Thomas — JT has missed just one Tour Championship in the past 10 years (2023) but might be in trouble now. He’s tied for 15th after 54 holes and needs to finish solo seventh or better to qualify for the Tour Championship. He’s got a chance, and we know he can go as low as anyone.
Patrick Cantlay — Cantlay has made the biggest jump this week, as he entered the tournament 43rd in the standings but now, after rounds of 67-65-66, is tied for second with McIlroy and projected for 22nd in the FedEx Cup. He needs to finish solo seventh or better, and he’s put himself in a great spot so far. Cantlay’s missed just one Tour Championship in the past nine years, and it was back in 2020 (and he followed it up by winning it the next year). He’s always played well at East Lake and tied for second last year.
Sungjae Im — He continues to climb. Im advanced to the Tour Championship in each of his first seven years on the PGA Tour, and now thanks to another nice run of golf (he’s seventh at the BMW), he might make it eight. He started the week 40th in the standings, is now projected for 30th and needs one more strong Sunday to stay there.
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Adam Scott — Last month, Adam Scott played in his 101st consecutive major. While he doesn’t have a similar epic streak of playing in the Tour Championship, getting there next week would be his 14th appearance, another feather in his cap. He missed the Tour Championship last year after tying for 4th in 2024. Tied for 28th in St. Louis, he entered the week 27th in the standings and is projected for the 29th spot right now.
Lopez is attempting to become a three-division world champion after previously holding world honours at lightweight and super-lightweight, but his reign at 140lbs came to an end in January when he lost his WBO crown to Shakur Stevenson.
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One man who knows what it is like to be world champion at both 140lbs and 147lbs is Judah, who notably became undisputed at welterweight back in 2005.
Speaking to MillCity Boxing, Judah revealed that he is backing Romero to claim the upset victory tonight and successfully defend his belt against Lopez.
“In the past when we’ve seen Rolly in preparation for a fight, he was always on the internet saying crazy s**t, doing crazy things, this time we don’t see any of that. He’s locked in, he’s training, and I predict that Rolly Romero is going to beat Teofimo Lopez.
“From what I’ve been hearing about him in training, he’s been doing good and knocking people out.”
The winner of tonight’s bout has already been linked to a unification fight against the victor of the upcoming WBC welterweight title fight between Ryan Garcia and Conor Benn, while there are also possible match-ups with WBO champion Devin Haney or IBF champion Liam Paro.
Aug 22, 2026; Saint Louis, Missouri, USA; Wyndhamn Clark plays his shot on the eighth tee during the third round of the BMW Championship golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
Wyndham Clark shot 5-under-par 65 to expand his lead in the BMW Championship on Saturday in St. Louis.
Clark, the U.S. Open champion earlier this year, moved to 17-under 193 for a five-stroke advantage over Patrick Cantlay and Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy at Bellerive Country Club, where the second stop of three tournaments in the FedEx Cup playoffs is being contested.
Clark, who was the second-round leader, began the round with a double bogey before taking off. His eagle on No. 8 made him 2 under on the front side. He began the back nine with birdies on four of the first five holes. His bogey on No. 18 came after his tee shot found a bunker.
McIlroy, with birdies on three of the final four holes, matched Clark’s 65. Cantlay, who was 3 under with a bogey-free back side, posted a 66.
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Gary Woodland (70) and Chris Gotterup (68) are tied for fourth at 11 under.
Collin Morikawa (67) and South Korea’s Sungjae Im (70) are sixth and seventh at 10 under and 9 under, respectively.
J.J. Spaun was in third place when the round began, but his 72 left him at 8 under and tied for eighth place.
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who won last week in the FedEx St. Jude Championship, shot 68 to move to 5 under and a share of 15th place. His five birdies were partially offset by three bogeys.
Serena Williams to team up with Carlos Alcaraz in US Open mixed doubles (Agency Images)
Serena Williams is set to make her return to the US Open in a blockbuster mixed doubles partnership with Carlos Alcaraz. The United States Tennis Association (USTA) announced on Saturday that Williams and Alcaraz have received a wild card into the US Open mixed doubles main draw, with the event set to begin on Tuesday.The partnership brings together two generations of Grand Slam champions and is expected to be one of the biggest attractions of this year’s tournament.
Serena returns to Flushing Meadows
The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion will be back at the US Open for the first time since 2022. Williams returned to competitive tennis this summer after a break from the sport. She played singles at Wimbledon and later teamed up with her older sister Venus Williams in doubles at the Cincinnati Open.It remains unclear whether Serena will also compete in the women’s singles draw. The USTA still has one women’s singles wild card available, although Williams has not confirmed whether she intends to use it.
Alcaraz returns after injury
Alcaraz, meanwhile, is set to return to action after being sidelined since April with a right wrist injury. The Spaniard recently confirmed that he will defend his US Open singles title, making his mixed doubles partnership with Williams an additional attraction at Flushing Meadows.The 2026 mixed doubles event will feature a revamped format designed to bring some of tennis’ biggest stars into the competition. Matches will be played in a best-of-three format with sets decided at four games, no-ad scoring and a 10-point match tiebreak if required.The winning team will also share a $1 million prize.
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Star-studded mixed doubles field
Williams and Alcaraz are part of an impressive field featuring several high-profile combinations. Former world No. 1s Aryna Sabalenka and Novak Djokovic will form another headline pairing, while Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud are also set to compete.American stars Jessica Pegula and Taylor Fritz will team up, while reigning champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori will return to defend their title.For Williams, the US Open holds a special place in her career. She has won the tournament multiple times and previously captured the US Open mixed doubles title in 1998 alongside Max Mirnyi.
Gilas Pilipinas women after beating Senegal in the FIBA Women’s Olympic Pre-qualifying Tournament. –FIBA PHOTO
The Gilas Pilipinas Women did not have the most colorful run in the recently concluded Fiba Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament in Guadalajara, Mexico.
That, though, doesn’t faze new coach BT Toews on his long-term goal with the Nationals.
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“We want to move forward,” Toews said shortly after Gilas’ run in Mexico came to a halt. “Fighting is not enough at this level; your brain has to follow.”
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“We’re still waiting for the execution to get better and [commit] fewer hiccups in a game.”
The Philippines only won one game in the pre-qualifiers when it downed Senegal on Friday, 79-75, to close out its campaign.
“One game does not give you an identity, but we’re definitely headed in the right direction,” Toews said.
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With losses to Canada and Mexico, however, the Philippines lost its chance for an outright ticket to the Olympic qualifiers.
With the tourney being Toews’ first as head coach after replacing Pat Aquino, pressure was in the equation.
Instead, the veteran tactician chose to focus on the Nationals’ next big assignment, which is the upcoming Asian Games in Japan.
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“That’s another chance for us to learn; that’s another chance for us to compete,” he said. “But we want to win more than anything else.” INQ
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