The World No. 2 Elena Rybakina knows exactly what she needs to do if she is to deny World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka a historic third consecutive US Open title. Rybakina, who will face top seed and two-time defending champion Sabalenka in the US Open 2026 women’s singles final, says she will look to stay aggressive, take control of the rallies and prevent her opponent from dictating play. Speaking in an interview shared by JioStar ahead of the Women’s Singles final, Rybakina said: “I guess the same spirit. I need to fight no matter how I’m going to feel on that day and give my best. We know each other pretty well and have played so many times against each other. Yeah, just try to stay aggressive in important moments, not wait for her to dictate the point, and try to stay on top of the rallies.”

The final at Arthur Ashe Stadium will take place on Sunday, September 13, at 1:30 AM, with action live on JioHotstar and Star Sports. It will be the 18th meeting between the two players, with Sabalenka currently leading their head-to-head 10-7. It is also the first US Open women’s singles final between the top two seeds in 13 years.

Sabalenka will be chasing her fifth major and a third straight US Open crown.

Rybakina booked her place in the final with a comeback victory over 2023 US Open champion Coco Gauff, recovering from a set down to win 3-6, 6-4, 6-4.

The road to the final, however, has not been straightforward for Rybakina. The 27-year-old revealed that she was uncertain whether she would even be able to compete in New York because of concerns over her foot.

“I wasn’t 100 per cent sure if I was going to be able to even play this tournament. In the first few matches, I was thinking about my foot and how it was actually going to react. I was not that comfortable playing the first few matches. Then, slowly, my focus moved towards what I was doing wrong on the court and what I needed to improve. So yeah, slowly I found my way. There were also some very difficult opponents and great matches. I feel like something is definitely going my way, and I hope that on finals day, I can do my best and that it also brings me success,” she added.

 

That resilience has been particularly evident in the latter stages of her campaign. Rybakina was pushed into three sets in both her quarter-final and semi-final, forcing her to dig deep physically and mentally.

“During the match, I was telling myself that I had not been practising for a week before the tournament. I was convincing myself that I wasn’t tired and that I could still push. So yeah, honestly, I was just fighting for every point because both matches were very close. There were some moments where I did not have enough energy and push from the legs on my serve. No matter who’s on the other side, if my serve is working, it’s already a big plus in my game and a big advantage. So yeah, I was just pushing myself mentally and physically,” Rybakina said in an interview shared by JioStar.

 

Sabalenka, on the other hand, arrives in the final after producing one of her most impressive performances of the tournament, defeating Jessica Pegula 7-5, 6-2 in the semi-finals. The win sent her into a fourth consecutive final in New York, the first player to do so since Serena Williams from 2011 to 2014. 

The stakes, therefore, could hardly be higher. Sabalenka is chasing history in New York, while Rybakina is looking to add the US Open trophy to her Australian Open title and complete her rise to the top of the rankings.

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Expect fireworks as Ryan Garcia and Conor Benn prepare to clash this evening, in a battle of two of boxing’s most-divisive stars.

American welterweight Garcia puts the WBC title on the line against Britain’s Benn, with the pair headlining in Las Vegas.

Both men draw mixed reactions from fans of the sport, and both have returned adverse drug-test results in recent years. Still, they find themselves topping the bill in a huge fight, as Garcia makes his first defence of his world title, while Benn challenges for a major belt for the first time.

Benn, 30, enters the bout on the back of a points win against ex-champion Regis Prograis in April, and a decision victory over bitter rival Chris Eubank Jr, who previously handed Benn his sole professional loss.

Meanwhile, 28-year-old Garcia won the WBC strap by dropping and outpointing Mario Barrios in February, bouncing back from an upset loss to Rolly Romero. “King Ryan”’s only other defeat came in 2023, when he was stopped to the body by Gervonta Davis.

Here’s all you need to know.

When is the fight?

Garcia vs Benn will take place on Saturday 12 September at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The main card will begin at 1am BST on Sunday (5pm PT / 7pm CT / 8pm ET on Saturday), with main-event ring walks following at around 4am BST (8pm PT / 10 CT / 11pm ET on Saturday).

How can I watch it?

Garcia vs Benn and its undercard will stream live on DAZN in the UK and in most countries worldwide – at a pay-per-view cost of £24.99, or as part of the Ultimate Tier, which costs £24.99 a month. You can purchase the pay-per-view here, which also allows eight free days of DAZN Standard.

In the US, Paramount+ will stream the action. The Independent will also provide live updates on fight night.

Odds

Garcia – 3/10

Benn –5/2

Draw – 16/1

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Fight card in full

Subject to change; ‘C’ denotes champion:

Ryan Garcia (C) vs Conor Benn (WBC welterweight title)

Jai Opetaia (C) vs Noel Mikaelian (Zuffa cruiserweight title)

Da’Mazion Vanhouter vs Raphael Akpejiori (heavyweight)

Mark Magsayo vs Andres Cortes (lightweight)

Jose Carlos Ramirez vs Alexis Rocha (welterweight)

Abel Gonzalez vs Raul Salomon (super-middleweight)

Vlad Panin vs Dakota Linger (welterweight)

Oswaldo Molina vs Pablo Rubio (super-featherweight)

Sean Garcia vs Abraham Morales (lightweight)

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Manchester City boss Enzo Maresca has spoken out about one of Manchester United’s newest signings

Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca is a big fan of new Manchester United signing Andrey Santos. The Brazilian joined United this summer from Chelsea for an initial £50million and he has been praised by his former boss, who he is set to go up against in Sunday’s Manchester derby.

Santos joined Chelsea from Vasco Da Gama in January 2023, but he didn’t make an appearance for the Blues until June 2025. This followed loan spells at Vasco, Nottingham Forest and Strasbourg.

It was Maresca, then in charge of Chelsea, who handed Santos his first start for the Blues. Long before Santos’ debut at Stamford Bridge, Maresca claimed the player had demonstrated his qualities while out on loan and that he knew the midfielder would be an option for him in the near future.

“Andrey Santos is just showing what we have said many times, that, probably for some players, it is better that they go and prove themselves, and they can come back,” Maresca said in November 2024.

“That is what Andrey Santos is doing. It is too early, but if he continues in the way that he is playing, he could be an option for us.”

While the current City chief is clearly a fan, Santos was limited to just nine starts under the Italian at Chelsea. That ultimately led United to move for the youngster this summer, with Michael Carrick focused on rebuilding his midfield.

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However, after a positive pre-season, and starting the opening day defeat to Hull City, Santos has been limited to three cameos off the bench against Ipswich, Everton and in the Champions League against Sabah. Maresca is in no doubt that the Brazilian international will ultimately show what he can do, however.

The Italian manager will take his side to Old Trafford on Sunday for the first all-Manchester clash of the season and his first since taking charge of the Citizens this summer.

Speaking ahead of Sunday’s game, he said: “Andrey is a very good guy, first of all. Polite, humble, hard-working. So, all the best to him. I can only speak very good about Andrey.”

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Upon joining United, Santos claimed he was at the club for the long haul. He said: “I was so happy [when United showed their interest]. The moment when my agent called me, I told my wife, and she said, ‘ Yeah, we have to go.’ And of course, Manchester United is so big, I’m so happy to be here, and I want to win every single game and every single trophy possible.

“I know Chelsea is a big club as well, so I think thank you for everything Chelsea did for me in my period. But now Chelsea is gone, here is my home right now. And I want to be here for a long, long time and win so many trophies.”

City head to Old Trafford on Sunday looking to keep their place at the top of the Premier League table, having won all three of their games so far. Maresca, however, is fully aware of the test that Carrick’s side will pose and praised his opposite number in the dugout.

“I think he is doing a fantastic job since last season,” Maresca said. “He took over in a complicated, difficult situation. They finish very well. ‘This season, more or less, they’ve started in the same way. He is doing a very good job.”

United will take on City at Old Trafford on Sunday, with the kick-off time set for 4.30pm.

Friday night’s main event at Arthur Ashe Stadium pitted two of the top Americans against each other for the right to face Alexander Zverev on Sunday for the US Open title. No. 8 seed Ben Shelton and No. 11 seed Frances Tiafoe both made it to the semis in dramatic fashion. 

The anticipation for the match was as high as any non-final in recent memory, as the winner would get a chance to snap the 23-year drought since the last American man won a grand slam title. It was the first ever grand slam semifinal to feature two Black American men, and the winner would become the first Black American man to reach the US Open final since Arthur Ashe in 1972. 

With all that history at stake, the two delivered a tremendous, tense match that ended in Shelton winning in four sets (4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-5) to reach the first grand slam final of his career. Shelton spoke after the match about what’s been different this year for him, and he highlighted a maturity that’s been obvious in his play the last two matches — while also still being a 23-year-old. 

“I’ve grown up. I’m more mature. More focused,” Shelton said. “I know what my goal is. I know what my job is out here. I’m 100% committed to those goals. It’s not easy playing here at Arthur Ashe, playing in front of all your favorite athletes and movie stars. Being able to keep your head down and focus for over three hours is not an easy task. I keep on looking up at the screen saying, ‘Oh, shoot, Jalen Brunson’s here.’”

While Shelton eventually found his top form, Tiafoe was the sharper player early on. The No. 11 seed was able to pick off the first break of the match in the ninth game of the first set and consolidated that with a hold at love to win the opening set and send a message to his young opponent. 

That message was received loud and clear, and after making 14 unforced errors in the first set, Shelton composed himself and got back to the level that earned him the biggest win of his career over No. 2 seed Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinals. Shelton began to lean on Tiafoe with his big serve and heavy groundstrokes, causing Tiafoe’s forehand in particular to break down. 

Along with a shaky forehand, Tiafoe started to struggle to get his first serve in, creating opportunities for Shelton to step in and become the aggressor. Shelton took the second and third sets 6-3, breaking Tiafoe four times in those sets while only getting broken once in return. He started to find that ideal balance between aggression and control, perhaps best evidenced by a serve that initially clocked in at 158 mph on the stadium gun (but was eventually found to be a misread at just 144 mph, which is still massive). 

Even in the sets Shelton was winning, Tiafoe was right on the edge. The final game of the third set, which ended in Shelton breaking Tiafoe after four attempts, lasted more than 15 minutes and they opened the fourth set with another marathon game on Shelton’s serve. 

The tension continued to ratchet up as the fourth set wore on, with both men grinding out holds of serve in the first 11 games despite having to fight off strong challenges and break opportunities.

Ultimately, Tiafoe’s service woes came back to haunt him in the 12th game as he tried to force a tiebreak, falling behind 0-40 to give Shelton three match points. The 23-year-old got it done in his second try to take the fourth set 7-5 and advance to the final against Zverev. 

The service discrepancy proved to be the difference in the match. He piled up 20 aces to just three double faults and got his first serve in 75% of the time — an incredible rate given his power. On the other side, Tiafoe got his serve in just 57% of the time and Shelton dominated the Tiafoe second serve, winning 62% of his return points against the 11 seed’s second. 

Now Shelton will look to take another leap in the hierarchy of men’s tennis by becoming a grand slam champion and snapping the Americans’ 23-year drought in the process. To do so, he’ll have to take down Zverev, who has had an incredibly consistent year making three straight grand slam finals, including a win at the French Open. 

Hemp’s City career has also coincided with a successful period for the Lionesses in which she played a key role in helping them win back-to-back European titles.

Having joined from Bristol City as a high-flying teenager in 2018, she has grown up during her time in Manchester.

She was awarded an MBE in 2024 for services to football, and signed a three-year contract extension with City that year.

Last season the club won their first WSL title in a decade, as well as the Women’s FA Cup – reward for Hemp’s commitment.

Jayne Comer, secretary for the Manchester City supporters club and a season ticket holder for more than 10 years, said Hemp was already considered a “legend”.

“She is absolutely loved by us all. She remained fiercely loyal to the club, when, let’s face it, she could have signed for any team in the world,” Comer told BBC Sport.

“The fact she stayed and gives her all every week means so much to us. We’ve had the privilege of watching one of the best players in the world.

“Every week she gets us all on our feet. When she gets the ball, it’s exciting. You always feel like something spectacular might happen.”

Comer, who watched Hemp play live before she joined City, also considered her “one of the greatest players we’ve ever had”.

“She is always one of the first names on the teamsheet for any manager and looks like somebody who loves to play football,” she added.

“I remember the very first time I saw Lauren play was when we were away at Bristol and she really caught my attention.

“Even back then, you could see what a talent she was. She just oozed potential. I was really excited to see how she would progress and I have not been disappointed.

“What a player! I count myself lucky every time I see her playing in sky blue.”

City visit Aston Villa in the WSL on Sunday (18:30 BST).

Recently, a report suggested that former Chennai Super Kings captain MS Dhoni asked for a 25 per cent stake in the team before reducing it to 20 per cent. He was then apparently offered a 5.5 per cent stake by the franchise. CSK have finally opened up on the issue. Dhoni is still part of CSK and led them to five IPL titles. “MS has never asked us about it. We never discussed the matter. We also don’t have any information about him having discussed this with Mr N Srinivasan either,” a senior CSK functionary told Cricbuzz.

The report added that Dhoni has some shares in the franchise. As CSK shares are not traded in the open market, with the company being unlisted, “they can be acquired privately through off-market transactions,” the report added.

Dhoni has more than one lakh shares, stated the report. It’s not huge, as “more than 30 crore outstanding shares are held by the public, accounting for close to 40 per cent of the franchise’s total share capital,” as per the report. Former BCCI chief N Srinivasan’s family holds a controlling stake of more than 55 per cent.

Dhoni’s stake could be worth Rs 2.6-3 crore, based on the current market valuation of an IPL franchise (an IPL team was last sold for over Rs 16,600 crore). Dhoni’s estimated net worth is around Rs 1,200 crore.

Former India player Aakash Chopra, who also played for Kolkata Knight Riders, said the claim of Dhoni asking for a stake was unrealistic and even called it a planted story.

“There was talk of 1.7 to 1.8 billion when RCB were bought just now. Chennai Super Kings is the same kind of franchise. You can do the valuation however you want, but this is the franchise that has five trophies and has multiple franchises outside India as well,” Chopra said while speaking on his YouTube channel.

“They have got a legacy and a lot going for them. Chennai Super Kings is a serious, serious brand. If it’s worth 1.8 billion and Dhoni has asked for a 25 per cent stake in that, it is unrealistic. This isn’t possible. No one gives 400 million to anyone. In fact, you have to invest 400 million to get a 25 per cent stake. It is a bizarre number. Nobody is going to give anyone 25 per cent in an IPL team.”

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A member of the coaching staff speaks to members of the Japan gymnastics team as they hold an training exhibition for the media ahead of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in Tokyo on September 9, 2026. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP)

TOKYO–Japan men’s gymnastics team for their home Asian Games 2026 this month includes multiple Olympic and world champions, but serious injuries have clouded their chances.

Shinnosuke Oka, who won gold in the all-around, team and horizontal bar events at the 2024 Paris Olympics, is facing a race to be fit after suffering a lower back injury last week.

The Games begin in Nagoya and the wider Aichi area on September 19, with the men’s gymnastics competition getting under way two days later.

Former junior world champion Tomoharu Tsunogai is also nursing a serious ankle injury, while lower back pain for Shoma Tsukiyama means three of Japan’s five-man team are carrying injuries heading into the competition.

Oka did not take part in a team practice on Wednesday but told reporters afterwards that he still intended to compete in Nagoya.

“I’m looking forward to it and I think a switch will flick in me,” said the 22-year-old.

“I’m at the level now where I can only do the bare minimum but I don’t want to give up on aiming for gold.”

Japan is the reigning Olympic team champion, but China won the Asian Games title on home soil in Hangzhou in 2023.

Japan’s team for this year’s competition also includes reigning world and former Olympic all-around champion Daiki Hashimoto, as well as Kiichi Kaneda.

Japan team boss Kensuke Murata said he would assess his team’s fitness and decide on any changes before the September 16 deadline.

Murata said that Oka would perform less difficult routines if he does compete.

Oka and Hashimoto are also set to be part of Japan’s team for the world championships in Rotterdam next month.

Oka said he hurt his back in training and that “the pain was different to the kind of pain I usually feel”.

“I went to the hospital and it wasn’t a herniated disc, but it was something serious,” he said.

Hashimoto, the all-around Olympic champion in Tokyo in 2021 and a three-time world all-around champion, said he was not worried by Japan’s injury woes.

“I think the athletes themselves understand their situation better than anyone,” said the 25-year-old.

“As long as they’re thinking about what they can do and what they should do, I’m not worried because they have already put in an incredible amount of training.”