The final Grand Slam of the tennis season arrives in New York with more than trophies at stake. The 2026 US Open begins on Sunday with a record $108 million prize pool, a defending champion returning from a four-month injury lay-off, Novak Djokovic chasing a record 25th Grand Slam title and Aryna Sabalenka attempting to join an elite list of women to win three straight titles at Flushing Meadows.

Moreover, the return of Serena and Venus Williams to the doubles court means the tournament has no shortage of storylines.

The 2026 US Open will commence on August 30 and will run until September 13, with Arthur Ashe Stadium once again providing the stage for two weeks of tennis, drama and history.

A record payday raises the stakes

The US Open will hand out $108 million in prize money, a 20 per cent increase from last year and the biggest purse in Grand Slam history.

The men’s and women’s singles champions will each receive $5.5 million, while even first-round losers in the main draw are guaranteed $140,000. The scale of the prize money reflects the growing financial importance of the final Grand Slam of the year, with every round carrying substantial rewards.

Djokovic’s record in sight

At 39, Novak Djokovic is still chasing milestones that seemed almost impossible when he first arrived on the Grand Slam stage.

The Serbian enters New York seeking his fifth US Open title and a record 25th Grand Slam singles crown. A victory would take him clear of Margaret Court’s 24-major mark and give him the outright record for most Grand Slam singles titles.

Djokovic last won in New York in 2023 and has lifted the US Open trophy four times, in 2011, 2014, 2018 and 2023. His record at the tournament stands at 95-15, underlining just how comfortable he has been on the biggest court in New York.

His task, however, will not be straightforward. World No. 1 Jannik Sinner is absent after withdrawing with a right knee injury, while defending champion Carlos Alcaraz is returning after more than four months away from competitive tennis. That has opened up Djokovic’s side of the draw, but it has also created a tournament with considerably more uncertainty at the top.

Alcaraz returns with a title to defend

Carlos Alcaraz arrives in New York carrying both the defending champion’s tag and a major question mark over his match fitness.

The Spaniard has not played a singles match since April after suffering a right wrist injury. His four-month absence also ruled him out of the French Open and Wimbledon, making the US Open his first Grand Slam appearance since the Australian Open.

That makes his title defence particularly intriguing. Alcaraz has already established a special connection with Flushing Meadows, winning his maiden Grand Slam there in 2022 and adding another title last year. But this time he arrives without the usual rhythm of a long hard-court season behind him.

He has at least had a taste of competitive tennis during Fan Week, including a mixed-doubles partnership with Serena Williams, but the demands of a seven-round Grand Slam singles campaign will be an entirely different test.

And with Sinner out of the tournament, the men’s draw has taken on a very different complexion.

Sabalenka has history of her own to chase

If Djokovic is chasing an outright Grand Slam record, Aryna Sabalenka is pursuing a piece of US Open history.

The world No. 1 is the two-time defending champion and will attempt to win three consecutive women’s singles titles in New York. If she succeeds, she would become the first woman since Serena Williams to complete a US Open three-peat.

Only Serena Williams and Chris Evert have achieved three consecutive US Open singles titles in the Open Era. Sabalenka therefore has the opportunity to place herself alongside two of the most successful players in tournament history.

She also arrives with a formidable record at Flushing Meadows. Sabalenka has won her last 13 US Open matches and owns a 34-6 career record at the tournament.

The challenge is that she has not had the easiest season at the Grand Slams. New York, however, has consistently brought out her best tennis.

The Williams sisters are back together

The singles draws will provide the main competitive drama, but one of the tournament’s biggest attractions will come in the women’s doubles.

Serena and Venus Williams are teaming up again. The sisters received a wild card for the women’s doubles tournament, marking their first appearance together at a Grand Slam since the 2022 US Open. They have won 14 Grand Slam doubles titles as a team, including US Open crowns in 1999 and 2009.

Their return is especially significant because Serena only returned to competitive tennis this year after a four-year absence. She and Venus reunited at Cincinnati earlier this month, where they lost in the opening round, but their presence in New York will inevitably generate enormous attention.

Serena has already added another memorable chapter to her comeback by partnering Alcaraz in mixed doubles during Fan Week. Now, she gets another chance to share a Grand Slam court with her sister.

The women’s draw is wide open

Sabalenka’s pursuit of a third straight title is one of the central women’s storylines, but she faces a strong group of challengers.

Former US Open champions including Coco Gauff, Iga Swiatek and Naomi Osaka are in the field, while reigning 2026 Grand Slam champions such as Elena Rybakina, Mirra Andreeva and Linda Noskova add another layer of uncertainty to the draw.

That makes Sabalenka’s task more complicated than simply extending her New York dominance.

A number of players arrive in the city with their own claims to the title, leaving the women’s tournament with a genuine sense of unpredictability behind its defending champion.

New York once again becomes the stage

The US Open has always been about more than the tennis. Night sessions at Arthur Ashe Stadium, packed crowds, the noise and energy of New York and the tournament’s distinctive atmosphere make Flushing Meadows unlike any other Grand Slam venue.

This year, that spectacle comes with an unusually rich collection of narratives.

There is Djokovic’s pursuit of 25. There is Alcaraz’s attempt to return from injury and defend his crown. There is Sabalenka’s bid for a historic three-peat. There are the Williams sisters returning together. And underneath it all is a record financial prize that makes the stakes even higher for everyone in the draw.

The US Open has the money, the stars and the history. Now, over the next two weeks, it has to decide who gets to write the next chapter.

Gianni Infantino’s grip on FIFA is facing an increasingly serious challenge, with UEFA stepping up its opposition to the FIFA president on multiple fronts as the next presidential election approaches.

According to a media report from ESPN, UEFA has launched legal proceedings in the United States and Switzerland over Infantino’s handling of a controversial proposal to bring private-equity investment into FIFA’s commercial operations.

The legal moves come alongside a wider political campaign against Infantino. UEFA has urged him not to seek another term and has indicated that, should he run, it will work with other confederations to find an alternative candidate.

What began as a dispute over FIFA’s commercial future has therefore evolved into something much bigger: a battle over Infantino’s leadership, with the 2027 FIFA presidential election looming on the horizon.

What is UEFA challenging?

At the centre of the dispute is the proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise, a plan that would have separated FIFA’s commercial operation and opened the door to private-equity investment.

According to the ESPN report, the proposal involved selling a 20 per cent stake to a group of private-equity investors led by Joshua Kushner’s Thrive Capital.

UEFA’s objections go beyond the proposal itself. The ESPN report said the planned complaint in Switzerland is expected to focus on the way Infantino allegedly attempted to push the plan through.

Among the issues expected to be raised are claims that Infantino negotiated with Thrive Capital in secret, did not consult FIFA Council members and agreed to a valuation of around $20 billion.

That valuation is another major point of contention. FIFA reported revenues of around $15 billion for the 2023-26 cycle, and UEFA’s position, as described by ESPN, is that the proposed valuation significantly undervalued FIFA’s commercial operation.

Why are there legal proceedings in two countries?

UEFA’s legal strategy has two separate components. In the United States, it has filed a Section 1782 application in the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida.

Such an application can allow a party to seek evidence in the United States for use in proceedings taking place in another country. According to ESPN, UEFA is seeking access to potentially significant volumes of FIFA-related evidence, including emails, phone records and other documents.

The second move is in Switzerland, where FIFA and UEFA are both based.

The planned complaint invokes Article 158 of the Swiss Criminal Code, which covers criminal mismanagement and carries a maximum custodial sentence of five years.

The allegations remain allegations. Neither the Swiss complaint nor the US application amounts to a finding of wrongdoing against Infantino.

But the two-track approach gives UEFA a way to pursue evidence and maintain pressure even if the Swiss proceedings take time.

The abandoned plan that started the confrontation

The private-equity proposal had already become a major source of friction between FIFA and UEFA.

UEFA had threatened to boycott FIFA competitions in opposition to the plan, arguing that the governance and financial implications were unacceptable.

The European governing body later withdrew that threat after saying it had secured legal guarantees from FIFA that a similar proposal to sell FIFA’s future revenue streams to private investors would not be revived.

But UEFA’s latest actions suggest that the underlying dispute was never fully settled.

The focus has now shifted from whether the commercial proposal survives to whether the manner in which it was pursued warrants further investigation.

Why the 2027 election is crucial

The timing of the confrontation is particularly significant because Infantino’s future at FIFA will soon be decided by the organisation’s member associations.

The FIFA presidential election is scheduled for March 2027, with candidates required to submit their paperwork by November 18.

UEFA has already made its preference clear. It has called on Infantino not to seek another mandate and has said that if he does stand for re-election, it will work with other confederations to identify a “credible alternative”. That transforms the legal dispute into an electoral battle.

Infantino will need to maintain support across FIFA’s global membership while simultaneously dealing with legal scrutiny and opposition from one of the most powerful confederations in world football.

For UEFA, the objective may therefore be bigger than winning a legal argument. It is about building enough political pressure to make another Infantino term increasingly difficult.

UEFA could have allies beyond Europe

The challenge becomes considerably more serious if UEFA can build a coalition outside Europe.

According to the ESPN report, Infantino’s opponents have support from significant portions of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and Concacaf.

That matters because UEFA cannot determine a FIFA presidential election by itself. FIFA’s member associations vote individually, meaning a credible challenge to an incumbent requires support across continents.

If opposition to Infantino spreads from UEFA into Asia and Concacaf, the contest could become far more competitive than a simple European revolt against the FIFA president.

The boycott threat remains UEFA’s biggest weapon

Legal action is not UEFA’s only means of applying pressure. The European body has retained the possibility of withdrawing from FIFA competitions if other avenues fail, although officials have described such a move as a last resort.

The immediate impact would depend on which competition is affected. The FIFA Intercontinental Cup in December would involve only one European club, Paris Saint-Germain, limiting the potential damage.

The 2027 Women’s World Cup, however, would be a completely different proposition.

A UEFA boycott of a senior FIFA World Cup would represent an extraordinary rupture in international football. If other confederations or major nations joined Europe, FIFA would face a crisis that could extend well beyond the dispute over its commercial structure.

That possibility gives UEFA a powerful negotiating tool, even if it never ultimately uses it.

Can this actually derail Infantino?

While Infantino is facing stiff challenges from UEFA, whether this will derail his campaign for FIFA’s presidency remains a question. The Swiss authorities may decide that the allegations do not justify further action. The Florida court may not grant UEFA’s request. And even if documents are released, they would still need to establish evidence of wrongdoing.

Infantino also retains political support within FIFA. But UEFA does not necessarily need a courtroom victory to create difficulties for the FIFA president.

If the Florida proceedings result in the release of internal communications, they could prompt calls within FIFA for an independent review of how the private-equity negotiations were conducted.

That, in turn, could put FIFA Council members in an uncomfortable position if there were concerns about potential legal exposure.

The political consequences could therefore become more important than the legal outcome itself.

A battle over more than money

The dispute that began with FIFA’s commercial ambitions has now expanded into a fight over governance, accountability and leadership.

For UEFA, the stakes are no longer simply about stopping one private-equity proposal. It is trying to establish whether FIFA’s leadership can be challenged when major decisions are taken without what it considers adequate consultation and transparency.

For Infantino, the challenge is equally broad. He has to defend himself against legal scrutiny, maintain support among FIFA’s members and potentially fight an organised opposition campaign ahead of the 2027 election.

The private-equity proposal may no longer be the immediate issue. Infantino’s presidency is.

And with UEFA keeping legal action, cross-confederation opposition and the threat of a World Cup boycott in its arsenal, the battle for FIFA’s future is likely to become one of the defining power struggles in world football.

The path of a racehorse is seldom a simple calculation, a fact that punters who supported Custom in her most recent run can readily confirm.

The Godolphin-owned four-year-old, under the care of Ciaron Maher, was sent off as an odds-on favourite at Caulfield Heath for her latest appearance on August 8.

This strong market backing was a consequence of a commanding three-length victory at Caulfield over 1200 metres on July 25, which followed a respectable first-up second over the same 1200-metre trip four weeks earlier.

The Maher stable learned valuable lessons from Custom’s recent defeat and have implemented strategies to avoid a repeat of bringing her back to the races too soon.

Custom is scheduled to return to competition this Saturday, targeting the Group 3 Courtza Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield, a return to black-type racing.

The daughter of Street Boss has previously achieved placings at Listed level and finished just outside the top four at Group 3 company as a three-year-old.

Maher is fully aware that Saturday’s race is a step up in class, but he believes Custom has matured into a stronger mare and deserves this opportunity.

The trainer utilised a visit to Caulfield on Tuesday morning for a gallop, an exercise that provided Maher with the confidence to commit to Saturday’s Group 3 event.

“She worked well and she is a nice horse,” Maher stated.

“It was a bit disappointing last time, but she ran a huge peak second-up and then running her back two weeks (later), it can be, off a peak, hard to do.

“She didn’t get the smoothest flow in running, but she’s at that level and it is worth a shot.”

Maher has secured the services of Ethan Brown, recently back from a stint in Hong Kong, to ride Custom on Saturday, replacing apprentice Jabez Johnstone in the non-claiming race.

The Maher stable also has Salty Pearl entered for Saturday’s program.

Salty Pearl is first-up on Saturday, having previously finished third in the Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill and fifth behind Panova in the Group 1 Australasian Oaks (2000m) at Morphettville in April.

Get the latest racing odds from top Australian betting sites for the Courtza Stakes.

Moses Itauma suffered the first defeat of his career this weekend in London, losing to Filip Hrgovic inside nine rounds, failing to capture the vacant IBF heavyweight world title. Frank Bruno, who became champion on his fourth attempt, has offered his verdict.

Itauma was comfortably outboxing Hrgovic in the early rounds, scoring a knockdown in the second while dazzling fans with agility and speed. The more seasoned heavyweight from Croatia displayed an incredible chin to stay in the fight, and it paid off when Itauma started to slow down.

In the ninth, the young Brit’s gas tank was completely empty, and his body threatened to betray him with every shot he threw. Hrgovic piled on the pressure and forced referee Howard Foster to step in and stop the action – this coincided with Itauma’s trainer, Ben Davison, throwing in the towel.

Reflecting on the action, Bruno compared it to his own firs loss.

“So, Croatian boxer Filip Hrgović becomes champion. When it got to the end of round 7, I said, ‘Moses is running out of gas.” You know, when I fought James Bone Crusher Smith, I had beaten everyone before him in early rounds. I was up for the World Championship, but I still had lessons to learn, and I lost the fight.

“Moses, I feel, will be part of Britain’s heavyweight he  ritage, but this was a learning lesson for him and his team. It was a good fight, and I wish Moses a quick recovery. At one point, Filip looked like he was beaten. Good fight, but Moses will return, I am sure. Stronger and wiser.”

Promoter Frank Warren has said that Itauma suffered a leg injury during the fight, though the extent of this – or any other potential health issues – is not currently known.

As cruel as it sounds, Max Brosmer likely needed some sort of poor outcome to arrive for a different Vikings QB to get onto the final roster. Such as life for a QB4 trying to overcome more entrenched passers.

After last night’s Broncos beatdown, Kevin O’Connell took some time to answer questions from the media. Among the questions to get sent in his direction was one about what’s to come for Brosmer. He made the 53-man roster last year. What’s his status going into cut weekend?

Kevin O’Connell Discusses Max Brosmer’s Roster Spot

“I think Max has shown some growth,” O’Connell began in response to the sophomore passer’s standing on the roster.

The skipper went on: “That’s definitely going to be a conversation. We’ll see what the final numbers look like. I don’t think it’s out of the question that we try to keep all those guys. But at the same time we’ve gotta do what’s best for our team. So we’ll work through that and that will definitely be part of the conversation.”

“There was a reason why we wanted to have a deep quarterback room, and all four of those guys had their moments,” O’Connell said toward the end of his Brosmer answer.

O’Connell’s answers boasts all the hallmarks of an upcoming roster cut. Tepid but genuine praise, some evasiveness, and a broader acknowledgement of the roster crunch.

Partnering the O’Connell answer with some common sense and then a simple evaluation of the quarterback’s performance further clarifies where things are going.

For starters, there’s the common sense part of things. Seldom do the Minnesota Vikings carve out four roster spots at quarterback. If, for instance, one of those passers was a player akin to Taysom Hill, then the move could be defensible since that’s a player who can help in other ways.

A QB4 on the final roster is hard to justify otherwise, especially since Brosmer doesn’t look like he’ll develop into a long-term weapon. Rather, his ceiling appears to be that of a rock-solid backup who thinks the game at a high level and who works very hard. He’s chasing down a future that ends up somewhere between Sean Mannion and Nick Mullens.

Partner the number crunch with what the kid has done on the field.

Last year, Max Brosmer was put into a position he was never intended to be in. He had to start several times as an undrafted rookie. His final stats showed going 1-1 behind 66.2% passing for 328 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions.

Go ahead and consider his more recent work from the 2026 preseason:

• Giants: 1/2, 6 Yards, 0 TDs, 0 INTs
• Ravens: 11/17, 98 Yards, 0 TDs, 1 INT
• Broncos: 20/35, 165 Yards, 0 TDs, 0 INTs

Do these statistics point toward somebody who is going to force the Vikings into an uncomfortable position? Put differently, is there enough promise here to suggest that Minnesota ought to burn a roster spot keeping a fourth passer rather than try sliding him down to the practice squad?

If, in the end, the Vikings opt to trade J.J. McCarthy, then the QB3 job will be vacant. In that scenario, Brosmer would be the lead candidate to remain as the emergency QB3 for games. Short of that scenario, though, it’s hard to envision him demanding some roster real estate.

Max Brosmer is 25. Look for him to be kept around as the QB4 on the practice squad.

Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.