Sabalenka secured the year-end world number one ranking this week after a stellar season, but she was frustrated, error-prone and annoyed throughout against Gauff.

Her forehand faltered – such a crucial component of her game – with 16 unforced errors coming off it in the first set.

She and Gauff traded breaks early on but Gauff was serene on serve, able to extend the rally in the knowledge that Sabalenka would eventually hit an error.

Despite the chaos, Sabalenka broke for a 6-5 lead and served for the set, but a netted backhand sent it to a tie-break, which Gauff dominated.

After a lengthy bathroom break, Sabalenka started the second set better but another backhand miss hurried Gauff to an early break.

Gauff reeled off four games in a row for a 4-1 lead before Sabalenka eventually retrieved one of the breaks – but she needed eight break points to do that after a mammoth Gauff service game.

Given the erratic nature of the match, a break of the Sabalenka serve in the next game felt inevitable, and it was – as was Gauff being broken when she served for the match at 5-2.

But Sabalenka could not delay the inevitable even on her serve, and a final netted backhand – her 37th unforced error of the night – secured victory for Gauff.

Zach Scroggin failed to make a strong first impression ahead of his UFC debut.

The welterweight newcomer is stepping in on just four days’ notice for Nicolas Dalby to fight Elizeu Zaleski at UFC Vegas 100 this Saturday and it appears the short-notice booking wasn’t enough time for him to cut properly as he registered at 174 pounds at Friday’s official weigh-ins. Scroggin’s was three pounds over the limit for a non-title fight, which includes a one-pound allowance.

It is not yet known if the bout will proceed as a catchweight, and if so, what percentage of Scroggin’s purse will be forfeited as penalty.

Scroggin wasn’t the only fighter to miss weight. Bantamweight Melissa Mullins was the final fighter to step to the scale and she came in at 137, one pound over the bantamweight limit. The status of her bout with Klaudia Sygula is also still to be determined.

Welterweight headliners Neil Magny (171) and Carlos Prates (170.5) successfully weighed in without issue.

In 34 UFC bookings, Magny has never failed to make weight. He also holds the record for most wins by a welterweight in the promotion’s history at 22.

Shortly after the conclusion of the official weigh-ins, the UFC announced that Ricky Turcios vs. Benardo Sopaj has been cancelled due to a Turcios medical issue.

Check out UFC Vegas 100 weigh-in results below.

Main Card (ESPN+ at 7 p.m. ET)

Neil Magny (171) vs. Carlos Prates (170.5)

Ricky Turcios (136) vs. Benardo Sopaj (136) — cancelled

Gerald Meerschaert (185) vs. Reinier de Ridder (185)

Luana Pinheiro (115.5) vs. Gillian Robertson (116)

Mansur Abdul-Malik (186) vs. Dusko Todorovic (185.5)

Preliminary Card (ESPN+ at 4 p.m. ET)

Karolina Kowalkiewicz (115.5) vs. Denise Gomes (115)

Gaston Bolanos (135.5) vs. Cortavious Romious (136)

Elizeu Zaleski (171) vs. Zach Scroggin (174)*

Matthew Semelsberger (171) vs. Charlie Radtke (170.5)

Cody Stamann (135.5) vs. Da’Mon Blackshear (135.5)

Tresean Gore (186) vs. Antonio Trocoli (186)

Melissa Mullins (137)* vs. Klaudia Sygula (136)

*missed weight

LAS VEGAS – It was a rough day at the UFC Fight Night 247 weigh-ins.

Two fighters missed their marks on the scale. But even though he hit his mark, Ricky Turcios (12-4 MMA, 2-2 UFC) was pulled from his bantamweight co-main event against Bernardo Sopaj (11-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC), it was announced after the official weigh-ins, for medical reasons.

That fight only had been elevated to the co-main event when an original matchup between former champion Cody Garbrandt and Miles Johns was scrapped when Garbrandt pulled out earlier in the week. Now the middleweight bout between UFC newcomer and former two-division ONE Championship titleholder Reinier de Ridder (17-2 MMA, 0-0 UFC) and Gerald Meerschaert (37-17 MMA, 12-9 UFC) presumably will get the esteemed second-billed spot, though the UFC has not yet made a formal announcement of the changes.

It is not yet known which fight from the prelims will move up to the planned five-fight main card, though all the fights stream on ESPN+, regardless. UFC Fight Night 247 takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

The new UFC Fight Night 247 lineup now includes:

MAIN CARD (ESPN+, 7 p.m. ET)

• Neil Magny vs. Carlos Prates
• Reinier de Ridder vs. Gerald Meerschaert
• Luana Pinheiro vs. Gillian Robertson
• Mansur Abdul-Malik vs. Dusko Todorovic

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 4 p.m. ET)

• Denise Gomes vs. Karolina Kowalkiewicz
• Gaston Bolanos vs. Cortavious Romious
• Zach Scroggin vs. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos
• Charlie Radtke vs. Matthew Semelsberger
• Da’Mon Blackshear vs. Cody Stamann
• Tresean Gore vs. Antonio Trocoli
• Melissa Mullins vs. Klaudia Sygula

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 247.

FOX Sports’ NFL pregame show will originate from Naval Base San Diego on Sunday, continuing the network’s tradition of going on the road to honor the military on Veterans Day.

This is the second time in five seasons “FOX NFL Sunday” is headed to a military base in San Diego. It was at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in 2020.

The show originated from the U.S. Air Force Academy last year, completing in a run where it visited the nation’s three military academies in a five-year period.

“Fox NFL Sunday” was also aboard the USS Harry S. Truman in the Mediterranean Sea in 2000 and visited Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan in 2009.

The two-hour program, which will start at 11 a.m. ET, will feature Rob Gronkowski jumping from an MH-60s helicopter into the Pacific Ocean and the entire cast training with Navy SEALs.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

[Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily.]

Get more from National Football League Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more

Borthwick has made changes in the hope his finishers can match up to the job description.

All-brawn Luke Cowan-Dickie comes into the squad in place of all-court Theo Dan. The six-two split on the bench between forwards and backs has been abandoned in favour of a more conventional five-three split, meaning the pack won’t be shuffled as dramatically in the closing stages.

The only change to the starting XV is a positional switch in midfield, with Ollie Lawrence swapping to outside centre and Henry Slade coming inside to 12.

The theory is that it should enable Lawrence – restricted to two carries against New Zealand – to get the ball in more space.

However, the revival of a dual playmaker shape that worked fitfully under Eddie Jones has potential weaknesses.

Slade will have to lead the backline defence from a different perspective, clocking dangers both inside and outside. Just back from shoulder surgery, he is also placed in the high-traffic lane where Lawrence made 27 tackles against the All Blacks. Len Ikitau – Australia’s hard-running inside centre – is sure to test Slade early.

On the other side of the ball, England certainly need something to spark their attack.

Against New Zealand, they were heavy on perspiration, but light on inspiration.

England’s solitary try came from a smart Marcus Smith intercept of a ponderous pass, but they rarely looked as if they could pick a way though the defence via their own wit.

Among the world’s top 10 nations, only Wales have been less efficient in turning entries into the 22 into points this year.

England have some fine attacking talents. But, whether it is the system or individuals within it, potential has not been cashed in as points.

If it had, their last four defeats – all by a converted score or less – could have been very different.

England’s repeated failure to get over the horizon and out of sight will give 5-1 outsiders Australia hope.

The instant installation of Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii in the backline will add to it, even if the weight of expectation will surely sit heavy on the 21-year-old.