Serena Williams and Venus Williams of the United States confer while playing Marta Kostyuk of Czechia and Peyton Stearns of the United States during day seven of the Cincinnati Open at the Lindner Family Tennis Center on August 17, 2026 in Mason, Ohio. Matthew Stockman/Getty Images/AFP

NEW YORK — Venus Williams was given a US Open singles wild card on Tuesday and the tournament is keeping one on hold — perhaps in case her sister Serena wants to join her.

Sloane Stephens, the 2017 U.S. Open champion, was one of six other women to receive a wild card, and the U.S. Tennis Association said the final one is still to be announced.

That almost certainly would go to Serena Williams, if she decides she wants to return to the tournament at 44.

READ: Serena and Venus Williams return, lose close doubles in Cincinnati

Venus Williams received a wild card last year, returning to the Grand Slam event she won twice for the first time since 2023. The 46-year-old has become the oldest entrant in singles at the tournament since Renee Richards played at 47 in 1981, according to the International Tennis Federation.

She has continued to play some singles matches and this week joined Serena for their first doubles tournament together since the 2022 U.S. Open. They lost Monday at the Cincinnati Open in a match tiebreaker against Marta Kostyuk and Peyton Stearns.

The sisters planned to play at Wimbledon but had to withdraw after Serena injured her knee in her singles match. That marked her first time playing singles since the 2022 U.S. Open, and she indicated afterward that she hoped to keep competing if healthy.

Headlining the wild-card recipients on the men’s side were 39-year-old Gael Monfils, a past U.S. Open semifinalist who is set to play his final Grand Slam tournament before retiring, and Australian Alexei Popyrin, who upset Novak Djokovic in 2024 on the way to the fourth round.

One spot is also being held among the eight men’s wild cards. Stan Wawrinka, the 2016 champion at Flushing Meadows who at 41 is playing his final season, could be a candidate for that.

READ: Serena Williams pulls out of Wimbledon doubles with knee injury

Also receiving women’s wild cards were Carol Young Suh Lee, Reese Brantmeier, Thea Frodin, Leolia Jeanjean and Taylah Preston.

The other men receiving wild cards were two-time reigning NCAA singles champion Michael Zheng, Martin Damm, J.J. Wolf, Sebastian Gorzny and Jack Kennedy.

Kei Nishikori, the 2014 U.S. Open runner-up who also is retiring, was given a wild card into the men’s qualifying tournament, along with Jordan Lee, Trevor Svajda, Andre Ilagan, Spencer Johnson, Michael Antonius, Andrew Johnson and Daniel Milavsky.

Women given spots in the qualifying tournament were Caroline Dolehide, Janae Preston, Katrina Scott, Ayana Akli, Annika Penickova, Julieta Pareja, Kristina Penickova and Savannah Broadus.

The main draw begins Aug. 30, with the qualifying tournaments being played earlier that week.

Teofimo Lopez has criticised his father for showing a lack of competence during his unanimous decision defeat to Shakur Stevenson.

‘The Takeover’ was handily outboxed and dethroned by Stevenson in January, winning just one round as his opponent became a four-division world champion at 140lbs.

As a result, Lopez is now moving up to 147lbs in an attempt to reinvent himself and become a three-weight world champion against Rolando Romero.

But while he felt a change in weight was most certainly needed, the 29-year-old saw no reason to dismiss his father, Teofimo Sr, as his head coach.

This is in spite of the fact that Lopez Sr was heavily ridiculed for his efforts in the corner at Madison Square Garden, where Stevenson’s route to victory was only made clearer by his bizarre style of coaching.

Rather than offering his son any words of advice, he just simply pointed out his flaws and gave the defending champion no direction on how to improve.

Lopez therefore confronted his father while speaking with Ring Magazine, albeit with no threats of employing a different trainer.

“Every son wants to make their father proud. When you got your father in that moment – when you’re bleeding; when they’re allowing Shakur to do all these extra things … and your trainer is not going you instructions – they’re just talking you down: ‘Where’s your power? Where’s this? You’re gonna hate yourself’ – all roads lead to [defeat].”

As he takes on WBA champion Romero at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena on Saturday, it should be interesting to see how Lopez’s corner shapes up between rounds.

In any event, the American will be under a fair amount of pressure to produce an improved performance.

In fairness, Arden Walker is an innocent bystander. The kid had his release foisted upon him. Likewise, the claim from Green Bay wasn’t of his doing.

Still, some in Minnesota won’t be thrilled to see Vikings purple morph into Packers green.

Consider the news that’s getting passed along by ESPN’s Adam Schefter: “Packers claimed DE Arden Walker on waivers from the Vikings.” In Week 1, the Packers will come to Minneapolis to battle the Vikings inside of U.S. Bank Stadium. Gleaning some insight from Walker will therefore be quite helpful.

Arden Walker Leaves Vikings Purple Behind

Lately, there has been some online debate about the manner in which Minnesota has limited videos at practice.

Part of the rationale from the Vikings is that online videos can offer slivers of insight, especially early in the year. Green Bay isn’t gleaning scouting intel off fan videos on social media in this move. The Wisconsin football team is nevertheless positioning themselves to learn a thing or two about what the Vikings are cooking up for the 2026 season.

Arden Walker isn’t a household name. Maybe he’ll get there in time, but that’s a possibility that still needs to be chased down.

The pass rusher got into the NFL following the 2026 NFL Draft. Minnesota snagged him for just $2,000 in guaranteed cash. Even among UDFAs, Walker’s deal is very modest.

Walker tossed a pair of tackles onto the stat sheet last weekend. He played in 17 snaps against the New York Giants in what ended up being a winning effort. Per PFF, the rookie played pretty well, tossing up a reasonably promising 69.9 grade. He’ll look to carry whatever momentum he has into his next opportunity.

For whatever it’s worth, the Packers have lost some pass rush help when shipping out Rashan Gary earlier in the year. Similarly of note is that Micah Parsons isn’t yet back from injury, further depleting the depth.

Obviously, Walker isn’t being leaned on to replace those guys. He could, however, work toward snagging a practice squad spot as he grows his game.

For a little while, Jeff Diamond has argued Minnesota would benefit from some added pass rusher help.

“With Blake Cashman, Eric Wilson and Ivan Pace at inside backer,” the former GM wrote a couple weeks ago, “it’s apparent [Jake} Golday’s greatest impact this season will be if he’s that third edge rusher/OLB and doing it well. He’s been lining up both inside and outside in camp so he has a lot on his plate in learning multiple positions.”

If Golday can’t go at edge rusher, then the Vikings’ need is even more pronounced. To replace Arden Walker, the Vikings have picked up a different unproven young fella: Kenny Dyson.

The Vikings will wrestle with the Ravens in joint practices and then have a preseason battle over the weekend. Only one more preseason game will follow before it’s full-steam ahead for that Week 1 Packers game.

Joining Arden Walker as a former Viking putting in work for the Packers is DT Javon Hargrave, somebody who left with some poor feelings toward how he got deployed in Minnesota.

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

It was a day of double joy for India’s women’s doubles pair of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand as the 2022 Commonwealth Games bronze medallists, named recipients of the 2026 Arjuna Award earlier on Tuesday, followed up the honour by storming into the pre-quarterfinals of the BWF World Championships 2026 at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi.

The unseeded Indian pair produced a dominant performance to defeat 16th seeds Lauren Lam and Allison Quynh Lee of the USA 21-15, 21-12 in the women’s doubles round of 32. Treesa and Gayatri controlled the contest from the outset, recovered quickly whenever their opponents threatened a comeback and wrapped up the match in straight games.

After opening their campaign with a win over Spain’s Paula Lopez and Lucia Rodriguez on Monday, the Indian pair faced a considerably tougher challenge against the seeded American duo. But Treesa and Gayatri showed little sign of being overawed by the occasion, taking the initiative early and maintaining their attacking approach throughout.

Treesa-Gayatri kept the opponents under pressure

The 39th world ranked Indian pair began aggressively, with Treesa taking charge of the attack through her powerful smashes while Gayatri handled the exchanges around the net and at close range. Their combination immediately put Lam and Lee under pressure as the Indians raced into a 10-4 lead in the opening game.

The American pair responded well and gradually worked their way back into the contest, cutting the deficit to 13-15. Treesa and Gayatri, however, did not allow the momentum to shift completely.

The Indians regained control at the crucial stage of the game, tightened their play and closed out the opening game 21-15.

Treesa said the conditions were tricky but credited the pair’s ability to adapt quickly for their strong performance.

“I think the conditions were very much like yesterday — a bit tricky. But we just wanted to adapt quickly and not get too frustrated,” Treesa said after the match.

“As soon as we got to know how the shuttle was moving, I think we could play our game better. We were pretty aggressive today, which worked in our favour. Really happy.”

The Indians carried that momentum into the second game. Lam and Lee offered some early resistance, but Treesa and Gayatri continued to switch positions effectively, making it difficult for the American pair to settle into their attacking rhythm.

The positional changes allowed the Indians to maintain pressure from different areas of the court, while their aggressive approach kept the 16th seeds from building any sustained momentum.

Arjuna Award caps memorable day

The victory came only hours after Treesa and Gayatri were named among the recipients of the 2026 Arjuna Award, adding another significant milestone to their day.

For Gayatri, the honour carried an added personal significance, with her father and former Indian badminton player Pullela Gopichand also having received the Arjuna Award.

“It feels very special. I just feel very proud,” Gayatri said. She also revealed that her father had called to congratulate her after the announcement.

“He just called me and said, ‘Yeah, you got the Arjuna Award.’ I’m so happy that it’s coming home soon,” Gayatri said.

Treesa, meanwhile, described the recognition as a special moment. “It feels amazing. I’m super grateful,” she said.

With the Arjuna Award announcement followed by a straight-set victory over a seeded opponent, Treesa and Gayatri now head into the round of 16 with their World Championship campaign firmly on track.

Treesa also clarified that the strap visible on her foot during the match was not related to an injury. “No, I’m not. It’s just for protection,” she said.

Galle: India’s Rishabh Pant loses his balance while playing a shot on day four (PTI Photo)

The past year has proved to be the toughest phase of Rishabh Pant’s eventful career. After a second successive underwhelming IPL season, where he scored just 312 runs in 14 matches at 28.36, Pant lost the Lucknow Super Giants captaincy and returned to Delhi Capitals. His troubles extended beyond the IPL.He slipped out of India’s ODI plans, even missing out on the reserve wicketkeeper’s spot to Ishan Kishan, and lost Test vice-captaincy to KL Rahul.Yet, whenever Pant dons the whites, everything seems to change.For all his ups and downs in limited-overs cricket, Pant continues to be one of India’s most impactful Test cricketers. Before this Test, the 28-year-old had scored 3,557 runs in 50 Tests at an average of 43.37, with eight hundreds and 19 fifties. Few wicketkeeper-batters in world cricket can match that record.His love affair with Test cricket began fittingly on Aug 18, 2018, when he announced himself by smashing a six off England’s Adil Rashid with his second ball in Tests at Nottingham. Eight years to the day, Pant was at it again, becoming the first Indian and the fastest batter to hit 100 Test sixes while playing another innings that underlined why he is one of India’s biggest match-winners.The knock also revives an intriguing question: Can India really afford to leave Pant out of their plans for the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia?His ODI numbers are modest, 871 runs in 31 matches at 33.50 with one century and five fifties, but Pant possesses the ability to change games in a session.“He’s a pure match-winner. If he has smashed 100 sixes in red-ball cricket, he can be dangerous in white-ball cricket too,” former India keeper and chief selector Kiran More told TOI.On Tuesday, Pant once again demonstrated that game-changing ability. With India searching for quick runs and momentum on Day Four of the rain-hit first Test at Galle, he blasted a 69-ball 66 that tilted the contest decisively in the visitors’ favour.Pant dominated a 54-run seventh-wicket stand with Ravindra Jadeja, who contributed just eight runs. His innings featured the audacity and flair that have become his trademark. The pick of his shots was a sensational charge down the track to Lahiru Kumara before slapping the ball over wide mid-off for six. It was a stroke few would attempt.His rapid 20th Test fifty helped India set Sri Lanka a daunting 372-run target and ensured the hosts remained under pressure.Teammate Devdutt Padikkal, who scored 167 in the first innings, summed up Pant’s value best. “It’s great entertainment. He is one of those batters you love to watch every day of the week. He really took the game to them and put them under pressure. That’s the ability he has. He can win games on his own. Everyone is really happy to have a player like him in our side,” he said.Pant’s second six off Kumara got him the 100th six.At a time when questions continue to surround his white-ball future, on Tuesday Pant served a reminder that genuine match-winners are rare. Every time doubts begin to surface, he finds a way to answer them. And if his Test exploits are any indication, leaving him out of India’s 2027 World Cup plans may prove far harder than it currently seems.

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase shared an intimate selfie via Instagram Story on Tuesday.

In the photo, Chase stood in a master bathroom with an ornate chandelier and a large vanity mirror. He wore a black T-shirt and a gold watch, with his tattoos visible on his arm.

An unidentified woman stood closely behind Ja’Marr Chase and wrapped her arms around his waist and chest. She placed her hands on his midsection while keeping her face hidden behind him.

Chase shared the photo while listening to “Hashtag 1 Fan” by Babyface Ray.

Chase was previously linked to Deja Nicole Hiott. On June 6, 2025, he shared a romantic photo with Hiott on his Instagram Story.

In the photo, Chase gently kissed Hiott on the cheek while holding her face. Hiott smiled as she held a black handbag.

Chase is now preparing for his sixth season with the Bengals in 2026.

During Bengals training camp Aug. 9, Chase spoke with NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe about the emergence of what has been called “Mean Joe” Burrow.

“I like it when Joe’s like that,” Chase said. “I like it when he is pissed. I like the fire that he has. He don’t always bring it out.”

Chase also talked about Burrow’s more aggressive demeanor.

“I want to say his demeanor is just more aggressive,” Chase said. “His face is more aggressive; the way he talks is more aggressive. He got like a little mean mug on his face. I kinda like when he’s like that.”

On Aug. 1, Ja’Marr Chase showed excitement for the upcominng NFL season.

He posted a series of pictures from the Bengals’ practice field via Instagram and wrote, “Oh, what a time it is.”

The post garnered over 80,000 likes.

Ja’Marr Chase had a great 2025 NFL season. Because of his strong performance, he was selected for the AFC team for the 2026 Pro Bowl Games in February.

This was his fifth Pro Bowl in a row in his first five NFL seasons.

He also made Bengals history. Chase became only the second player in team history to make the Pro Bowl in each of his first five seasons.

The only other Bengals player to do this was former star wide receiver A.J. Green, who made the Pro Bowl every year from 2011 – 2015.

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