Moses Itauma is set for his toughest test yet, as he prepares to take on a world level heavyweight title hopeful in Filip Hrgovic, but should he require any further incentive, it seems as though a world title fight could be offered to him, if victorious.
Usyk could eventually vacate or be stripped of his WBA and/or IBF heavyweight world titles, with WBA (Regular) champion Murat Gassiev potentially set to benefit as he would be elevated to full world champion.
In an interview with Sky Sports, Gassiev admitted that he ‘respects’ Itauma for both his attitude and skill, stating that the youngster remains him of himself.
“He’s 21 – very young – but his style, he doesn’t fight like a kid, he’s smart, he’s strong. He has a strong mentality. And you never know what will happen in the ring.
“Right now, I watch him, and I can say only that I respect him, only good things about him, because he’s young.
“He’s not a trash talker. He always has respect, doesn’t speak too much [about his opponents], just does his job.
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“I see myself in the mirror [when I look at him], because I remember when I was 21 years old, I was the same – humble, quiet, just training and trying to win my fights, trying to do best in the ring.”
Gassiev, who was a unified cruiserweight world champion before stepping up to heavyweight, then went on to declare his willingness to fight Itauma in the UK after his clash with France’s Tony Yoka, whom he fights next month.
“[Itauma] is very young, he has a lot of time. Right now he just needs to enjoy, have fun in the gym, in training camp, in the fights,”
“He has a good future. Right now he went this way, I went that way.
“Maybe, at the end of the year or maybe next year, we can make the fight, in the UK – or anywhere. But right now for me, my focus is Tony [Yoka].”
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Should Itauma and Gassiev each come out on top, a meeting between the pair would presumably represent Itauma’s quickest possible route to world honours. Although, neither man should take their position for granted, with both finding themselves in difficult contests in their respective next outings.
NEW DELHI: Neeraj Chopra added another medal to his glittering career at the Commonwealth Games, but the silver medal was not the only reason for his smile. The Olympic champion said sharing the podium with fellow Indian Yashvir Singh made the moment even more special.Neeraj finished second in the men’s javelin throw with a season-best effort of 85.83m, while Commonwealth Games debutant Yashvir Singh clinched the bronze medal with a personal best throw of 85.41m in his final attempt. Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage claimed the gold with a best throw of 89.75m. Competing in only his second event of the season, Neeraj battled difficult weather conditions to throw 85.83m in his second attempt. The effort, his season best, was enough to earn him the silver medal in his second Commonwealth Games appearance. He had won the gold medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast.
The CWG 2026 silver added to an already impressive medal collection that includes Olympic gold and silver, World Championships gold and silver, two Asian Games gold medals, a Commonwealth Games gold and silver, the Diamond League title, the Asian Championships gold, the South Asian Games gold and the U20 World Championships gold.
Neeraj Chopra’s medal record
Competition
Medal/Result
Year
Host City
Event
Olympic Games
Gold
2020
Tokyo
Javelin throw
Olympic Games
Silver
2024
Paris
Javelin throw
World Championships
Gold
2023
Budapest
Javelin throw
World Championships
Silver
2022
Eugene
Javelin throw
Diamond League
First Place
2022
Zurich
Javelin throw
Commonwealth Games
Gold
2018
Gold Coast
Javelin throw
Commonwealth Games
Silver
2026
Glasgow
Javelin throw
Asian Games
Gold
2018
Jakarta
Javelin throw
Asian Games
Gold
2022
Hangzhou
Javelin throw
Asian Championships
Gold
2017
Bhubaneswar
Javelin throw
South Asian Games
Gold
2016
Guwahati
Javelin throw
U20 World Championships
Gold
2016
Bydgoszcz
Javelin throw
U20 Asian Championships
Silver
2016
Ho Chi Minh City
Javelin throw
‘It feels great to be on the podium together’
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Neeraj was full of praise for Yashvir, who produced the best throw of his career under pressure, and said sharing the podium with another Indian reminded him of the Asian Games medal double.“It brings back memories of the Asian Games, where Saurav and I both won medals. I’m really happy that Yashvir achieved a personal best at such a crucial moment. It feels great to be on the podium together. It’s always a joy to hear the national anthem play. That said, I also achieved a season-best, and my comeback is progressing well. There are more competitions ahead, so I’m very happy,” Chopra told reporters.
Yashvir shines on Commonwealth Games debut
Yashvir emerged as the surprise package of the competition. The 24-year-old produced a personal best throw of 85.41m on his sixth and final attempt to win the bronze medal on his Commonwealth Games debut.He improved his previous personal best of 83.72m and finished ahead of several established names, including Anderson Peters and Arshad Nadeem.Reflecting on his medal-winning throw, Yashvir said he kept believing he could produce something special despite a slow start.“This is my first international medal, and I am overjoyed. Everyone supported me, my family, my parents, everyone… I am truly happy about this… things were going a bit sluggishly at the start. At one point, my throw was around 81.3 meters. I saw that the bronze medal mark was sitting at 82 meters. I told myself, ‘I’ve already thrown 82 meters–my personal best–in this competition, so I can definitely go beyond that.‘ Things weren’t going well up to the fifth throw, so for the final attempt, I decided to just go for it and see what happens. That last throw turned out really well,” Singh said.
A surprising WWE star decided to acknowledge Roman Reigns ahead of SummerSlam. Reigns will be defending the World Heavyweight Championship in the main event of Night 2 of the PLE this weekend.
IYO SKY won the Queen of the Ring tournament last month and will be challenging Liv Morgan for the Women’s World Championship at SummerSlam 2026.
Thanks for the submission!
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Ahead of the PLE, WWE shared a video featuring The Genius of the SKY acknowledging Reigns as his entrance theme played. You can check it out in the post below.
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Roman Reigns will be defending the World Heavyweight Championship against Seth Rollins at SummerSlam. The two stars had their final face-to-face ahead of their title match this past Monday night on WWE RAW.
Rollins claimed that he owned Reigns in the ring and stated that he wanted The Tribal Chief’s family in attendance at the PLE so he could make them cry. This angered The Head of the Table, and he leveled Rollins with a Superman Punch.
Reigns then brought a steel chair into the ring, but it backfired. Rollins connected with a Stomp to Reigns on top of the chair and is heading into SummerSlam with the momentum on his side.
WWE star opens up about betraying Roman Reigns in the past
Seth Rollins recently opened up about betraying Roman Reigns in 2014 while they were both members of The Shield alongside Dean Ambrose, now known as Jon Moxley in AEW.
“While I think the chair shot itself and the decision was probably made in haste and made without the foresight of what it would become, I never imagined Roman Reigns would become the Tribal Chief based on the resentment, the pain, and the PTSD from that chair shot. And I never imagined exactly how our paths would go, but I think what it did was give us a chance, right? It gave us both an opportunity to step out on our own and become the things that we were meant to become,” Rollins said.
“From the moment we came into the shield, I held his hand and nursed him along and kind of helped him out and got him to the next level … I’ve owned him.” @WWERollins has a message for Roman Reigns 👀
Only time will tell which star walks out of SummerSlam as the reigning World Heavyweight Champion.
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Federal prosecutors moved Friday to dismiss a felony vandalism case against former U.S. Olympian David Hearn, after he was accused of vandalizing the Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C., as seen in a court filing obtained by Fox News Digital.
Hearn was indicted July 2 on one count of felony destruction of property. U.S. Park Police alleged Hearn grabbed and tugged at a loose section of the pool’s coating on June 19, continuing after a National Park Service employee told him to stop. Officials initially claimed he caused more than $1,000 in damage.
However, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro’s office said the Department of the Interior initially provided prosecutors with “barebones” reports and failed to disclose records documenting extensive problems with the coating’s installation.
David Hearn of the United States competes in the men’s C1 whitewater canoeing final of the 2000 Summer Olympics at the Penrith Whitewater Stadium. Penrith, Australia, on Sept. 18, 2000.(David Madison/Getty Images)
“Had DOI been forthcoming with the information clearly in its possession, the government would not have sought a grand jury indictment,” prosecutors wrote.
“It was not until after the return of the indictment, that the DOI provided additional documents to the USAO-DC indicating that damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in June 2026 was the result of flawed installation by the contractor, Atlantic Industrial Coatings (‘AIC’), and the rush to complete the project prior to events associated with the America 250 celebration in the weeks surrounding Independence Day 2026.”
David Hearn of the USA competes in the Men’s C1 whitewater canoeing final of the 2000 Summer Olympics on September 18, 2000, at Penrith Whitewater Stadium in Penrith, Australia. (David Madison/Getty Images)
The DOJ said the new evidence made it difficult to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Hearn caused the damage. Prosecutors asked the court to dismiss the indictment without prejudice, which would leave open the possibility of bringing the charge again.
Hearn has previously beaten federal charges.
Hearn was arrested by the U.S. Park Police nearly 30 years ago and ended up beating the charges, according to a 1996 Washington Post article.
That year, the Potomac River turned violent, as intense, heavy rains pushed the water to a terrifying, near-record flood level of 60,000 cubic feet per second.
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Authorities immediately issued an emergency river closure. But Hearn took his whitewater canoe straight into the raging rapids, where officers later swooped in and arrested him.
He was charged with failing to obey a lawful order. But Hearn fought the case in court and won on a stunning technicality. But a federal judge dismissed the charges, ruling the Potomac River is controlled by the state of Maryland, meaning the federal Park Police had zero jurisdiction over the water.
Hearn’s arrest became a viral sensation after it was captured by journalist Emily Miller. Miller filmed a two-minute video of Hearn being detained, which quickly went viral on X.
Miller accused Hearn of grabbing a hose that female National Park Service workers were using to clear the algae. Hearn denied the accusation, though he admitted his bike tire might have bumped it.
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Hearn’s attorneys are demanding an apology on behalf of the Olympian.
David Hearn of the USA competes in the Men’s C1 whitewater canoeing final of the 2000 Summer Olympics on September 18, 2000, at Penrith Whitewater Stadium in Penrith, Australia.(Photo by David Madison/Getty Images)
“The Trump administration’s case against Davey Hearn should never have been brought. Its dismissal today does not erase the abuse of government power in arresting and charging a patriotic American who did nothing wrong. The government’s approach was ready, fire, aim. The administration owes Mr. Hearn an apology,” said Hearn’s attorneys Norm Eisen, Mary Dohrmann and Steve Levin in a statement, per The New York Post.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the DOI for comment.
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Jackson Thompson is a sports reporter for Fox News Digital covering critical political and cultural issues in sports, with an investigative lens. Jackson’s reporting has been cited in federal government actions related to the enforcement of Title IX, and in legacy media outlets including The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Associated Press and ESPN.com.
India’s athletics contingent produced another memorable night at the Commonwealth Games 2026 as Neeraj Chopra clinched the silver medal and Yash Vir Singh claimed bronze in the men’s javelin throw final, handing the country a sensational double podium finish in one of the marquee events of the Games.
The two medals lifted India’s overall tally to 23 medals (5 gold, 12 silver and 6 bronze), keeping the nation in 10th place on the medal standings heading into the penultimate day of competition.
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Double delight in Glasgow
All eyes were on India’s star athelete Neeraj Chopra as he renewed his rivalry with Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem, but it was Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Pathirage who stole the show with a Games-winning throw of 89.75m.
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Neeraj responded with a season-best effort of 85.83m, which proved enough for the silver medal after a consistent series of throws in difficult conditions. While he narrowly missed out on adding another Commonwealth Games gold to his collection, the former Olympic champion once again demonstrated why he remains among the world’s elite javelin throwers.
The bigger surprise came from Yash Vir Singh, who produced the performance of his career when it mattered most. The young Indian uncorked a personal-best 85.41m on his final attempt to leap onto the podium and secure the bronze medal, completing India’s memorable two-three finish behind Pathirage.
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Neeraj Chopra (PIC: Reuters)
Indian medal winners on Day 8
Medal
Athlete
Event
Gold
Asmita Dey
Judo – Women’s 48kg
Gold
Harsh Singh
Judo – Men’s 60kg
Silver
Yamini Mourya
Judo – Women’s 57kg
Silver
Neeraj Chopra
Athletics – Men’s Javelin Throw
Bronze
Tejaswin Shankar
Athletics – Men’s Decathlon
Bronze
Yash Vir Singh
Athletics – Men’s Javelin Throw
Yash Vir announces himself on the big stage
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While Neeraj’s medal came as little surprise, Yash Vir’s bronze could prove to be one of the defining moments of India’s athletics campaign.
The 24-year-old held his nerve against an elite field featuring former world champions Anderson Peters and Keshorn Walcott to register the biggest international result of his career.
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His late surge highlighted India’s growing depth in men’s javelin, with three Indians reaching the final and two eventually standing on the podium.
Medal tally reaches 23
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The twin athletics medals capped another rewarding day for the Indian contingent.
India’s medal tally now stands at:
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Gold: 5
Silver: 12
Bronze: 6
Total: 23
The haul keeps India 10th in the overall standings while setting up an exciting final day, with several medal opportunities still to come.
Historic day beyond the javelin
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Friday had already turned into one of India’s finest days of the Games even before the javelin final.
Indian judo celebrated a historic breakthrough as Asmita Dey became the country’s first-ever Commonwealth Games judo champion before Harsh Singh followed suit to win a second historic gold. Yamini Mourya added a silver medal in the women’s 57kg category.
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Athletics also witnessed another milestone with Tejaswin Shankar scripting history by becoming the first Indian to win a Commonwealth Games medal in the decathlon after claiming bronze.
Meanwhile, Indian boxing enjoyed a flawless outing as all 10 semifinalists won their respective bouts, ensuring India will contest 10 gold medal matches on the final day of competition.
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With momentum firmly on its side, India heads into the concluding day of the Commonwealth Games looking to add several more medals and potentially climb the standings.
The Carolina Panthers took the field in front of a stadium full of fans for the first time this season on Friday night.
It was their first open practice of training camp, and fans got a peek at what’s in store this year.
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Players got in reps while 6-year-old Asher Harvey ran in a walk-off touchdown. Ashe, who is battling through congenital heart disease, signed a one-day contract through Make-A-Wish.
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“What a crowd. It was amazing. Came out early, were out there the whole time,” Head Coach Dave Canales said about Friday’s crowd.
“Pack the bank, that’s our motto. Continue to win. Continue to build up this culture,” wide receiver Jalen Coker added.
The team will take the practice field again on Monday before next Thursday’s Hall of Fame preseason game in Canton.
Man Utd U21s lost 1-0 against Altrincham in a pre-season friendly, and the squad was full of players who are set to leave.
20:55, 31 Jul 2026Updated 22:24, 31 Jul 2026
Manchester United’s academy played against Altrincham on Friday, their first public pre-season friendly of the summer.
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Academy games offer clues on which young talents could bridge the gap to the first-team, however, the Under-21 squad at Moss Lane offered more clues on which players will be leaving United this summer.
Toby Collyer, Chido Obi, Dan Gore and Jacob Devaney each had some involvement either against Wrexham or Rosenborg with the first-team, but they did not make the cut for Saturday’s trip to Sweden.
Collyer wants to play senior football. He would already have left if United had finalised their midfield earlier, but his future will be addressed once Michael Carrick knows what his options will look like next season.
The midfielder suffered bad luck during his loan stint with Hull in the second half of last season. He was named man of the match after making his first start for Hull against eventual Championship champions Coventry, but he picked up an injury in a training session when a goalkeeper fell onto his ankle.
The ankle injury prevented Collyer from being involved in Hull’s successful promotion charge, which included a play-off final win at Wembley.
Sources close to Collyer feel he will take off with a clear run of games. He has been tipped by coaches he has worked with on his journey to become an established Premier League player, and could leave on a permanent transfer this summer if the right offer is received.
Obi’s situation is interesting. There were positives to take from his first-team performance in Norway last weekend, but it was a clear hint of his future that he was not included in the senior squad again this weekend.
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Although the young striker almost scored a brilliant goal in the first half against Altrincham, testing goalkeeper Owen Evans after bringing the ball down on his chest, he still has plenty to work on.
It’s telling that Obi still needs to receive constant instructions from coaches on the touchline throughout a game. It has become a running joke that no other player’s name is heard more often than Obi’s during academy fixtures.
During a sit-down with Adam Lawrence toward the end of last season, he said the shouts of ‘Chido!’ were evidence of “really believing” in him, pushing him for more, but the penny should have dropped by now.
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There was talk of FC Köln being interested in Obi on loan earlier in the window, but sources squashed those reports. Another loan is on the cards, though a permanent transfer might also be considered.
Devaney should be sent on another loan after impressing for St Mirren last term. St Mirren maintained their Scottish top-flight status and Devaney started in both relegation play-off matches, which meant his loan spell in Scotland ended with him having not started just two games.
Rangers and Celtic fans spoke highly of Devaney when their clubs played St Mirren. The midfielder also impressed in first-team friendlies against Wrexham and Rosenborg, earning praise from Carrick.
Devaney played in defensive midfield, his strongest position, against Altrincham, after playing as an auxiliary centre-back for the first-team. He certainly did his reputation no harm by excelling in a different role.
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Gore should be sold to the bank to bring in some cash this summer. He was excellent on loan at Rotherham last season and clearly needs another move away, which may be more beneficial if it’s permanent.
The 21-year-old starred alongside Kobbie Mainoo in the 2021/22 FA Youth Cup-winning United side, but he hasn’t had the rub of the green over the last few years, with a few unfortunate injuries curtailing his progress.
There were others in the starting team, the likes of Habeeb Ogunneye, Louis Jackson, Diego Leon and Jack Moorhouse, who will leave before the end of the transfer window. Leon’s development probably hasn’t gone as planned so far, and a loan abroad seems the best option for next season.
Leon was unveiled alongside Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko after his arrival from Paraguay last summer, but he played exclusively in academy fixtures for the second half of last season.
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Enzo Kana-Biyik and Ethan Wheatley were introduced at half-time. United were trailing 1-0, which prompted Lawrence to freshen up the attack by replacing Obi and Moorhouse with that pair.
Both players will be loaned again before the end of the window. Wheatley spent the first half of last season with Northampton and the second half with Bradford City, who just failed to clinch promotion.
Kana-Biyiki was sent to Ineos-owned Lausanne Sport following his arrival from Le Havre on a free transfer. The Frenchman played on the left wing in the second half, and there were hints of quality, but another loan may be the best option for him to play senior football in 2026/2027.
A backlit keyboard is part of the gear online video game streamer Jordan Woodruff uses in his Gilbert home.
Jordan Woodruff
FaZe Clan and Astralis earned matching 2-1 decisions on Friday to advance to the semifinals of the BLAST Bounty Summer 2026 event in Attard, Malta.
FaZe defeated The MongolZ and Astralis rallied past paiN Gaming to fill out the semis. Team Spirit and MOUZ were already in the semis thanks to their wins Thursday.
Eight teams are playing in the BLAST Bounty Summer finals after advancing from a pool of 32 clubs in the closed qualifier. Of the $740,000 prize pool, $410,000 was awarded to participants in the closed qualifier.
The finals are a single-elimination bracket where the quarters and semis are best-of-three and the grand final is best-of-five. The champions will also earn three BLAST Frequent Flyer Tokens, while the other seven teams will collect one.
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On Friday, FaZe Clan opened with a 16-12 overtime win on Nuke, absorbed a 13-7 loss to The MongolZ on Mirage and went on to win 13-8 on Ancient. Jason “JBOEN” Boe Nielsen of Denmark led FaZe with 56 kills against a team-low 41 deaths and a 1.16 match rating.
Astralis fell 13-10 to paiN on Nuke but responded with a pair of overtime wins, 19-17 on Inferno and 16-14 on Mirage. Denmark’s Victor “Staehr” Staehr (1.23 match rating) and Lithuania’s Gytis “ryu” Glusauskas (1.14) had 66 kills apiece to pace Astralis.
The tournament continues Saturday with the semifinal matches:
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–Team Spirit vs. FaZe Clan
–MOUZ vs. Astralis
BLAST Bounty Summer 2026 prize pool (player prize, team share)
1. TBD
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2. TBD
3-4. TBD
5-8. Team Liquid ($41,250, $40,000); 3DMAX ($21,250, $40,000); The MongolZ ($11,250, $40,000); paiN Gaming ($11,250, $40,000)
Naomi Osaka of Japan waits for the serve during a women’s singles match against Elisabetta Cocciaretto of Italy on day five of the Mubadala DC Open 2026 at William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center on July 31, 2026 in Washington, DC. Emilee Chinn/Getty Images/AFP
WASHINGTON–Women’s top seed Jessica Pegula and third seed Naomi Osaka reached the semifinals of the 2026 Mubadala DC Open after separate wins on Friday.
Pegula, who won her first career WTA title at Washington in 2019, eliminated 20th-ranked Anna Kalinskaya 6-3, 7-5, to reach her sixth WTA semi-final of the year.
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“Since the beginning of the year I’m finding more confidence in matches hitting different spots,” Pegula said. “I was focusing on that a lot today.”
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Pegula will play for a berth in the final against fourth seed Diana Shnaider, who ousted Russian compatriot Liudmila Samsonova 6-3, 6-4.
Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam winner, rallied to eliminate Italy’s Elisabetta Cocciaretto 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 after two hours and 11 minutes.
“In the first set, I had low energy and I kept trying to pump myself up but something was a little flat,” Osaka said. “In the second, I just wanted to give it my best shot even though I wasn’t playing too good.”
Jessica Pegula of the United States hugs Anna Kalinskaya after a women’s singles match on day five of the Mubadala DC Open 2026 at William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center on July 31, 2026 in Washington, DC. Emilee Chinn/Getty Images/AFP
Pegula seeks her 12th career WTA crown and third of the year after triumphs in Dubai and Charleston.
She broke in the fourth game and held from there to take the first set in 37 minutes then broke in the 11th game of the second set and held at love to advance.
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Meanwhile, Osaka was undone by 18 unforced errors, three times as many as her rival, in dropping the first set after 41 minutes.
She reached a third set when Cocciaretto double-faulted away a break in the 10th game of set two.
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Osaka hit a backhand winner to break in the second game of the final set and held from there.
Alexandra Eala of the Philippines celebrates during a women’s singles match against Elina Svitolina of Ukraine on day five of the Mubadala DC Open 2026 at William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center on July 31, 2026 in Washington, DC. Emilee Chinn/Getty Images/AFP
MANILA, Philippines–Alex Eala repeated her victory over world No. 10 Elina Svitolina, beating the Ukrainian in straight sets once again, 6-3, 6-4, to advance to the semifinals of the 2026 Mubadala DC Open.
Eala continued to have Svitolina’s number after also defeating her on the grass courts of the Berlin Open in June by the same 6-3, 6-4 scoreline.
“I don’t think that it’s specifically because of who I’m up against. I think I came in with a great mindset today. I think I was playing really well,” Eala said when asked about her matchup with Svitolina, the tournament’s second seed.
“Of course, Elina hit some good shots.She was being aggressive, especially in that second set, soI’m really happy that I was able to keep my rhythm kind of.”
Eala overcame a 3-1 deficit in the second set after Svitolina, looking to force a decider, came out strong and consolidated an early break.
The 21-year-old Filipino tennis star strung together three straight games to take a 4-3 lead. Svitolina held to level at 4-4, but Eala responded by winning the final two games, breaking serve to seal the match.
She faces third-seeded Naomi Osaka, who advanced earlier Saturday, in the semifinals.
The victory was Eala’s sixth over a Top 10 player on the WTA Tour, further cementing her reputation as one of the tour’s rising stars.
“There are so many things that I’ve learned about the tour, about myself, about kind of what it takes to sustain this level,both physically and mentally, and just the effort you need to haveto hang with these top players and stay there,” Eala said.
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Alexandra Eala of the Philippines shakes hands with Elina Svitolina of Ukraine after a women’s singles match on day five of the Mubadala DC Open 2026 at William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center on July 31, 2026 in Washington, DC. Emilee Chinn/Getty Images/AFP
The world No. 28 came out firing and traded breaks with Svitolina through the opening five games before holding for a 4-2 lead in the first set.
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Svitolina held for the first time to pull within 4-3 and was on the verge of leveling the set before Eala rallied from 0-40 down to hold for a 5-3 advantage, then broke serve to close it out.
Eala continues her buildup for the US Open, the year’s final Grand Slam tournament, later this month.
World football governing body FIFA hit back at critics on Friday, vowing to press ahead with an “open and democratic” consultation with stakeholders on a proposed private investment plan.
European football’s governing body UEFA said it was ready to boycott the World Cup over the proposal to create a commercial subsidiary to run FIFA’s biggest events and allow private investors to acquire stakes in the company.
Carlos Cordeiro, senior advisor to FIFA president Gianni Infantino, resigned with immediate effect on Friday to protest the proposal, calling the plan “a bad deal for football”.
“Let me be clear: I had no involvement in this proposal, and I oppose it unequivocally,” Cordeiro said in a statement. “It is a bad deal for FIFA’s Member Associations, a bad deal for football, and a bad deal for the long-term future of the game.”
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In a statement, FIFA said all of its member associations should have a chance to consider the plan.
FIFA said it had heard the feedback from confederations including UEFA and CONCACAF – the governing body for North and Central America.
“We respect the feedback and concern aired in public and reaffirm our commitment to an open and democratic consultation,” the statement said.
“Our planned consultation process was disrupted by incorrect media reports. We will proceed with this consultation process to ensure that each (member association) has the ability to express its vote based on facts.”
FIFA has said the plan could raise up to $4.2 billion based on a valuation of $20 billion for the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) initiative.
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Potential investors reportedly include Thrive Capital, an investment company founded and led by Joshua Kushner, brother of US President Donald Trump‘s son-in-law Jared, as well as an arm of JP Morgan Chase, the US bank that attempted to finance the failed breakaway European Super League.
If approved, the project could provide each of FIFA’s 211 member associations with a one-off payment of $20 million in early 2027 and increase their funding allocation for the 2027-2030 cycle from $8.0 million to $20 million.
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