The NFL is a league built on parity and the idea that, in any given season, any team can rise from the bottom of the standings and compete for a championship. The 2025 season proved this concept, with the Patriots going from AFC East bottom-feeder to Super Bowl participant.

As we head into the 2026 season, every team’s fanbase is asking the same question: Why not us?

It’s a nice thought. But here, in reality, stories like last year’s Pats come along maybe once or twice a decade. Typically, we can whittle down the true Super Bowl contenders with reasonable accuracy before the season even begins. And that’s what I’ll be doing here. I’ve considered the title cases for all 32 teams and narrowed them down to a group of seven that can realistically win a Lombardi Trophy next February.

So let’s look at what makes these teams title contenders before examining the group of fringe contenders who just missed the cut, along with why they were left out.

One of these seven teams will win the Super Bowl:

The Rams were one unlucky two-point conversion away from earning home-field advantage in the playoffs, which may have been enough to get Sean McVay’s team to the Super Bowl. 

It would have been easy – and maybe even sensible – for the Rams to just run it back and hope for better luck. Instead, they traded for Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett, added a lockdown cornerback in Trent McDuffie, and then lured Aaron Donald out of retirement.

They were already one of the favorites to hoist the Lombardi trophy before those additions. Now, they’re the clear favorites. They check all the boxes you look for in a title contender:

• A trustworthy head coach … check.
• Top-shelf quarterback play … check.
• A sturdy running game … check.
• Receivers who get open consistently … check.
• A dominant defensive line … check.
• A reliable secondary … also a check.

Myles Garrett’s addition played a big part in Aaron Donald coming out of retirement. (Ric Tapia/Getty Images)

The acquisition of Garrett commanded a lot of the offseason attention, but adding McDuffie and Jaylen Watson to the cornerback room could be the moves that propel L.A. over the championship hump. The Rams secondary could be pushed around and picked on last season. That’s not happening with two physical corners like McDuffie and Watson on the field. Even if opposing quarterbacks can stay upright long enough to get a pass off with Garrett and Donald collapsing the pocket, finding open receivers will be a challenge.

More concerns exist on the offensive side of the ball, where an injury to Davante Adams or Puka Nacua could leave the team lacking in big-play ability. The offensive line is thin, as well, and reigning MVP Matthew Stafford needs all the protection he can get now that he’s entering his age-38 season.

Still, this is the NFL’s most talented roster that’s led by one of the NFL’s best coaches in Sean McVay. This is a Super Bowl-or-bust season for Los Angeles.

The defending champs took a few hits in the offseason, losing running back Kenneth Walker and a handful of second-tier starters along the defense. Other than that, this is largely the same team that won a title in February, and they’d be the title favorites once again if not for L.A.’s busy offseason.

One thing we can bank on: Head coach Mike MacDonald will have his defense playing at an elite level once again. The defensive line has been the key to the unit’s success, and all of its key pieces return in 2026. The Seahawks are light at cornerback but will play with three safeties more often than not, so that’s more of a minor concern than it would be for other teams. There’s no reason to expect any falloff from this bunch. 

If safety/slot defender Nick Emmanwori, an All-Rookie selection a year ago, makes the leap and plays at an All-Pro level, the Seahawks’ defense may even improve over last season.

There are some offensive concerns with coordinator Klint Kubiak becoming the Raiders’ head coach. MacDonald went outside the building to find his replacement but went back to Kyle Shanahan’s coaching tree to poach 49ers assistant Brian Fleury. Big plays powered the Seahawks’ offense – and offset some of quarterback Sam Darnold’s turnover issues – so his primary task will be keeping Seattle’s explosive play rate up. 

If the first-time offensive coordinator can do that and help Darnold cut down on the turnovers, Seattle will be just as formidable as the loaded Rams.

Whether Seattle can repeat as Super Bowl champion may hinge on Sam Darnold’s performance in 2026. (Johnnie Izquierdo/Getty Images)

The Ravens have not been a well-coached team the past two seasons. If new head coach Jesse Minter can clean up penalties and coverage busts on defense, it will go a long way. And if new offensive coordinator Declan Doyle, who comes over from Ben Johnson’s staff in Chicago, can get Lamar Jackson back to his MVP form, Baltimore can regain its place among the AFC’s contenders after last year’s disappointment.

The defense will almost certainly be better. Minter, one of the sharpest defensive minds in the sport, got top-10 results out of a Chargers’ defense with far less talent than what he’ll be working with in Baltimore. The pass rush gets two major boosts with Nnamdi Madibuike returning from injury and Trey Hendrickson joining from the rival Bengals. 

Depth is a concern, but if this unit is healthy and Minter lives up to the hype, this will be a championship-level defense.

The Ravens are hoping rookie head coach Jesse Minter can turn them back into contenders. (Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)

Jackson’s play will determine if the offense can keep up. The two-time MVP battled injuries throughout 2026 and didn’t play his best ball when he was on the field. Jackson took far too many sacks last season, but he says he wasn’t as eager to leave the pocket last season because of the injuries and vowed to run more now that he’s healthy. That should help the two-time MVP get his groove back and elevate this offense back into the top-10. 

The 2025 Chiefs showed us that rostering an elite quarterback isn’t enough to keep a team in title contention. So, while it feels like Josh Allen is capable of carrying the Bills to a Super Bowl, only one or two things have to go wrong for them to experience their own season from hell.

Buffalo has just enough quality around Allen to make this shortlist of contenders.  The offensive line, which powered one of the league’s best run games a season ago, lost left guard David Edwards to free agency, but everybody else is back. Running back James Cook is primed for another monster season, and the receiving corps added the perimeter threat it so desperately needed with the trade for D.J. Moore. No more relying on Keon Coleman for downfield targets.

The Bills’ offense won’t change much, but with Sean McDermott out as head coach, Buffalo’s defense is getting a makeover. First-year defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard has been a favorite among football nerds for years thanks to his work in the college ranks. McDermott ran a structurally sound defense, but smart quarterbacks had no trouble picking it apart. Leonhard’s scheme will give them more to think about. 

Denver’s Super Bowl aspirations still hinge on quarterback Bo Nix. A fractured ankle robbed him of a chance to prove he could lead the Broncos to a Super Bowl, but he’ll get another crack at it with another strong roster. 

Denver did lose a stout run defender in John Franklin-Myers and starting safety P.J. Locke, but the defense is stacked, and the front office used the money saved from those departures to add some firepower to the passing game in the form of receiver Jaylen Waddle. Everything is in place for a Super Bowl run … if the quarterback play is sufficient.

Whether the Broncos can break through to the Super Bowl under head coach Sean Payton will come down to the play of QB Bo Nix (above). (Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)

There will be a new voice in Nix’s ear this season, with head coach Sean Payton relinquishing play-calling duties to Davis Webb. The first-time offensive coordinator is just three years into his coaching career and has never called plays in a game that counts. It’s impossible to know how he’ll handle the monumental task; but even if he falters, having a Hall of Fame play-caller as a “break glass in case of emergency” option lowers the concern.  

If you’re wondering how the Eagles managed to win 11 games and another NFC East title while the offense was imploding on and off the field, just look to the other side of the ball. Philadelphia’s defense finished as a top-three unit for a second year in a row and carried the team back to the playoffs.

The ceiling could be even higher in 2026. The Eagles patched up the biggest hole in their defense by adding cornerback Riq Woolen to play opposite of star Quinyon Mitchell. Philly’s pass defense was solid last season but struggled to get off the field on third down. Coordinator Vic Fangio prefers man coverage in third-and-medium situations, but with Adoree Jackson or Kelee Ringo getting torched, it wasn’t an effective strategy. While Woolen isn’t an elite cover corner by any means, he is a ball-hawk who can create turnovers if teams repeatedly try him. 

A secondary is as strong as its weakest link, and Philly’s weakest link will be sturdier this season.

Cornerback Riq Woolen won the Super Bowl last season and then joined a perennial contender in Philadelphia. (Perry Knotts/Getty Images)

On the defensive line, the Eagles are banking on development from young players like Jalyx Hunt and Nolan Smith Jr. to make up for their numerous offseason losses. They also added veteran edge rusher Jonathan Greenard, who comes over after a down season in Minnesota. If Philadelphia can get just average pass rush production from its defensive ends, this could be the NFL’s best defense, which will keep the defending NFC East champs in contention even if the offensive issues persist. 

The Texans are included here solely out of respect for Demeco Ryans’ defense, which would have been good enough to drag Houston’s frustrating offense through the AFC playoffs if not for C.J. Stroud picking the worst time to play his worst-ever game. The Texans quarterback averaged 4.5 yards per attempt and threw four interceptions in the season-ending loss to the Patriots. Three of those picks were thrown over a nine-play stretch that staked New England to a double-digit lead that felt insurmountable based on how the Houston offense was playing.

So, why should we expect a different outcome next January? 

For starters, Stroud is a much better quarterback than he showed last postseason. He may not be the franchise savior he appeared to be after his rookie season, but he’s capable of producing top-10 play for long stretches. With a truly elite defense, that’s good enough to make a run.

Houston also improved its offensive line, which has been the root cause of its problems over the past few seasons. And with Stroud entering his second season in coordinator Nick Caley’s offense, there should be fewer growing pains for the offense early on. 

If this offense can be just mediocre, the Texans should run up another double-digit season. If Stroud can avoid another postseason stinker, the ceiling is much higher.

These teams could sneak into the Super Bowl — but they aren’t winning it.

The Patriots have a better roster than they did a year ago, and new WR1 A.J. Brown is a perfect match for Drake Maye’s game. But the defense is due for regression against a tougher slate of quarterbacks than in 2025, and the offensive line remains a work in progress. 

This offense has the potential to reach some serious highs, but we’ve been saying that for years now, and Joe Burrow and Co. have yet to produce a truly elite season. While the defense has improved, it still looks like a mediocre group at best. 

The Lions still haven’t filled the Graham Glasgow-sized hole in the middle of its offensive line and are banking on a Dolphins castoff or a rookie to hold down the fort at right tackle with Penei Sewell swinging over to the left side. Detroit needs its offensive line to return to elite status to get this team back on track for title contention. I’m not sure it can.

The Jaguars are an organization on the rise, but they’re still another strong offseason – and another leap from Trevor Lawrence – away from being a true title threat. If the defense avoids regression and Lawrence finds consistency, they’re capable of a deep postseason run. Even then, it’s difficult to imagine them going toe-to-toe with the NFL’s top contenders.

The roster is old and already injured. If this were Madden, and we could turn off injuries, the 49ers would have enough talent to challenge Seattle and Los Angeles in the NFC West. But we can’t, and they probably won’t.

Even Ben Johnson knows that the regression gods are out to get Chicago this season after riding last year’s devil magic to a divisional title and an impressive playoff run. The Bears are headed in the right direction, but progress isn’t linear, and the division will be tougher, with Detroit and Minnesota likely to improve.

Patrick Mahomes is coming off a late-season ACL tear, and the Chiefs made no meaningful improvements to the roster outside of adding running back Kenneth Walker. It will be another uphill climb just to make the playoffs. If not for Mahomes, they’d be nowhere near this list.

As the Pakistan cricket team desperately looks to avoid a clean sweep against England, having already gone 0-2 down, the management has a fresh headache to handle ahead of the third Test. It has been reported that skipper Babar Azam is down with fever. The update emerges amid a chaotic situation in the Pakistan team that saw the board deciding to sack as many as seven players from the squad, while also replacing head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul.

Pakistan’s team manager Naveed Akram Cheema confirmed to Geo News that while Babar was suffering from fever, there is no need to panic as he stays fit overall, with a quick recovery expected.

Babar scored just eight and six at Lord’s as Pakistan fell to a loss by 194 runs. The Pakistan skipper missed the first Test due to injury, with Salman Ali Agha taking the captaincy armband.

Babar had a solid tour of the West Indies with the bat, scoring 193 runs in two matches, including two fifties as Pakistan drew the series 1-1, with Babar’s re-appointment as Test captain getting a mixed bag start.

The veteran batter has not touched three figures in Tests since 161 against New Zealand in December 2022.

Pakistan have brought in five uncapped players along with Saim Ayub and Abdullah Fazal, who have a combined experience of just 10 matches. The five uncapped players added to the squad are Arafat Minhas, Mohammad Imran Jnr, Saad Baig, Mohammad Imran Randhawa and Razaullah. Mike Hesson and Ashley Noffke, who are part of Pakistan’s white-ball coaching set-up as head coach and bowling coach respectively, have also joined the Test coaching staff, the report added.

Earlier, former Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq offered his resignation from the Pakistan men’s national selection committee following the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) decision to make major changes to the Test squad and coaching staff during the ongoing tour of England.

According to the report, the PCB is yet to accept Misbah’s resignation. He has also decided to step down from his role as a batting consultant at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore.

With ANI Inputs

Featured Video Of The Day

CWG 2026 Weightlifting Gold Medallist, Mirabai Chanu Get Hero’s Welcome in Delhi

The Victoria Racing Club has officially received 101 nominations for the 166th running of the prestigious Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington, scheduled for November 3, 2026.

While the total number of nominations is down from recent years, there’s a marked increase in international interest, with 23 horses entered from four different countries: England, Ireland, Japan, and the USA.

This year’s figures compare to 120 nominations in 2025 (19 international), 123 in 2024 (20 international), and 132 in 2023 (15 international). The 2022 race saw a substantial 186 nominations, including 43 from overseas, though entries were taken a month earlier that year.

Last year’s champion, Half Yours, is among the nominees, aiming to repeat his success for the father-and-son training partnership of Tony and Calvin McEvoy.

The McEvoy stable has also nominated Nearco Frod and Yellow Jersey. Half Yours is expected to begin his Cup campaign in the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on Saturday week.

Ciaron Maher has a strong hand with 14 horses entered, seeking his second Cup triumph. Chris Waller, who famously won the Cup with Verry Elleegant in 2021, has put forward 12 contenders for the first Tuesday in November, including Aeliana, River Of Stars, and Soulcombe. Soulcombe recently made his seasonal reappearance following his second-place finish to Without A Fight in the 2023 Cup.

Joseph O’Brien, a two-time winner of the Melbourne Cup, leads the international brigade with 11 nominations. His entries include last year’s runner-up, Goodie Two Shoes, and Defiantly, who secured a ballot exemption with a win in the Prix Kergorlay at Deauville.

Aidan O’Brien is eager to claim his first Melbourne Cup victory, a long-held ambition that began in 2006 when his charge Yeats finished seventh.

Epsom Derby winner Christmas Day headlines O’Brien’s international contenders, looking to emulate the success of Joseph O’Brien’s previous winners, Rekindling and Twilight Payment, and surpass the runner-up efforts of Johnannes Vermeer (2017) and Tiger Moth (2020).

The 2024 winner, Knight’s Choice, is nominated after missing the race last year due to illness. Middle Earth, who finished in the placings last year, and Okita Soushi, a placegetter in 2024, are also entered for another shot at glory.

One of the more intriguing nominations is the champion UK hurdler turned flat performer, Constitution Hill, trained by Nicky Henderson.

Constitution Hill will take a significant step towards a Melbourne campaign by participating in the Group 3 September Stakes at Kempton Park over 2400m.

Leigh Jordon, VRC Chief Racing Officer, commented on the strong nominations, stating, “From the reigning champion Half Yours and some of Australia’s leading trainers, to a strong international contingent and the return of a Japanese-trained horse for the 20th anniversary of Delta Blues’ historic victory in 2006, there are plenty of compelling stories already emerging ahead of the first Tuesday in November.”

Further opportunities for horses to gain ballot exemptions at Flemington include the Group 3 Archer Stakes (2500m) on September 12, and the Group 3 Bart Cummings (2500m) on October 3. The Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) and Group 2 Moonee Valley Gold Cup (2500m) on October 24 also offer exemptions.

Other key races granting ballot exemptions include the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) and the Group 3 Geelong Cup (2400m), both scheduled for next month.

Horses that have already secured their spot through winning a golden ticket include Zakouma, Tawny Port, and Defiantly.

Late entries close on September 8, with weights to be released on September 17. For those keen on the action, checking out the latest Australian betting sites for early odds is advisable.

Coco Gauff, of the United States, hits a return to Zeynep Sonmez, of Turkey, during the first round of the U.S. Open tennis championships Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Coco Gauff began her US Open campaign with a straight-set win, but her opening match was far from effortless. The fourth-seeded American defeated Turkey’s Zeynep Sonmez 6-3, 6-4 and had to deal with some impressive moments from her opponent.Gauff even applauded a couple of Sonmez’s best shots, including a running forehand down the line and a cleverly spun volley that barely cleared the net.“I know that I can raise my level if I need to do and I like to challenge my opponent to let them keep up the level the whole match,” Gauff said. “And if they do, I clap my hands and I walk off court with my head held high.”Gauff, the 2023 US Open champion, now moves into the second round, where she will face either Paula Badosa or Daria Kasatkina.Gauff’s build-up to this year’s tournament has been far more encouraging than last year. She won the Cincinnati title after reaching the semifinals at Wimbledon and Toronto, giving her plenty of momentum heading into New York.Last year, serving problems forced Gauff to make major changes just before the US Open. She eventually reached the fourth round before losing to Naomi Osaka.Her 2023 Cincinnati title also proved to be a sign of things to come, as she went on to win her first US Open crown by beating Aryna Sabalenka in the final.

Dramatic comebacks and rain interruptions

Tuesday also produced two major comebacks. Maria Sakkari recovered from 6-2, 4-0 down to beat Robin Montgomery 2-6, 7-5, 6-2, while fifth-seeded Flavio Cobolli fought back from two sets down to defeat Francisco Comesana after more than four hours.“Just kept telling myself that everything is possible and just try to get myself in a good place mentally and just try to be a little bit more positive, try to make more balls, get myself into the match,” Sakkari said. “Because, I mean, everyone’s very good in tennis nowadays, but specifically that girl I played today doesn’t have the experience that I do. So I just told myself, let’s try and hang in there, try and make more balls, and it worked.“Cobolli summed up the Grand Slam mentality simply: “In Grand Slams it’s never done. You have to fight until the last point,” he said.Rain caused repeated delays, restricting play mainly to the two stadiums with retractable roofs before more matches were pushed to Wednesday.

The Sports Authority of India’s National Centre of Excellence (NCOE) in Bengaluru has become an important preparation base for India’s middle- and long-distance track athletes, preparing for the Asian Games 2026. A national coaching camp is currently underway at the SAI centre, scheduled until September 8. The camp, sanctioned by the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), features 800m runner Krishan Kumar, steeplechase star Avinash Sable, high jumpers Aadarsh Ram and Supriya B, decathlete Thowfeeq N, middle- and long-distance runner Parul Chaudhary, and race walkers Manju Rani and Priyanka, as per a press release.

All eight are part of the approved 73-member (35 men, 38 women) Indian athletics contingent for the Asian Games; the competition is scheduled in Aichi-Nagoya from September 19 to October 4.

Beyond the conventional camp infrastructure, the athletes in Bengaluru have another advantage: a specialised smart track, which allows coaches to capture real-time performance data during training.

“This is one of its kind in India,” said Suresh Kumar, Coach (Athletics) at SAI NCOE Bengaluru, explaining the technology embedded into the track. “So what happens is when the athlete runs, we get the real-time speed data. We get the split timings wherever the gates are placed, then the total timing we get, as well as the stride length and the stride frequency. All this data is captured in real time. This helps a lot for the athletes in the training,” Kumar added to SAI Media.

The track was used extensively for training by Commonwealth Games 2026 para-athletics medalists – Dilip Mahadu Gavit and Mohammed Basil – ahead of the Glasgow games. The duo finished in the top two positions in the men’s 100m T47 category to win gold and silver medals respectively in CWG 2026.

For athletes, the ability to replicate electronic timing during training is another advantage, Kumar explained. The technology also helps athletes get a more accurate understanding of their performances.

“The athletes are very happy because they get to understand and find out the real data based on the electronic timing, not just during training but in any competitions that take place here,” Kumar said.

The smart track was installed in 2024 and has since been used by elite athletes training at the centre. Its timing gates are positioned both on the straight and around the curve, allowing coaches to analyse different phases of a run. An accompanying app also enables the data to be accessed immediately for subsequent analysis.

The technology has been designed to work alongside existing athletics infrastructure rather than requiring a completely new track. According to Kumar, the system can be installed on any existing synthetic track by embedding the magnetic gates beneath the surface, with installation possible within a day.

The SAI Bengaluru centre is therefore combining high-level coaching, sports science and technology in the pre-Asian Games camp, which includes specialised coaches such as race-walking coach Ronald Gerd Weigel, jumps coach Sahana Kumari Nagaraj Gobbargumpi, besides coach Kalyan Chaudhary and masseuse Meena Sagar Ugale.

The system also gives coaches information that is difficult to capture manually during a sprint. “You even get the split timing because, for a sprint coach, if I’m at the finish line or like 40m or 50m away from when the athlete is starting, we will be able to get the electronic split time,” Kumar explained to SAI Media.

The track’s embedded magnetic timing gates also ensure that training does not have to stop because of any unpredictable weather. Unlike conventional portable timing equipment, the system remains embedded in the track and can be used in rain or dusty conditions.

“So with this, we don’t have to worry about the weather. We don’t have to worry about the wear and tear, nothing. It’s just like it’s already there. You just need to run over in between that. The real-time data is always available,” Kumar added.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Featured Video Of The Day

India Ends CWG Boxing Campaign With Record-Breaking Seven Gold Medals

Rybakina, a two-time Grand Slam winner, arrived at Flushing Meadows with question marks around her fitness after retiring injured against Iga Swiatek in Cincinnati.

Though she looked comfortable on court, her movement went largely untested by Frodin – who acted as Serena Williams’ body double in the Oscar-nominated film ‘King Richard’ – as she blew the world number 585 away on serve and dictated points from the baseline.

“We didn’t know if [I was] going to be able to play here or not. I’m pretty happy that I’m playing right now, and we are taking [it] day by day,” Rybakina said about her injury.

“I was not playing for the full week [before the tournament], so seven days no tennis and basically not too much gym I could do movement-wise.

“So it’s a great result after 10 days from that kind of injury.”

After opening the rain-delayed match with a double fault, Rybakina proved relentless on serve, dropping just three points and reeling off three consecutive love holds in the first set.

She didn’t face a break point until the sixth game of the second set, saving both.

Equally clinical in Frodin’s service games, she converted her first three break points to race into a set and 5-1 lead.

However, the young wildcard, making her WTA Tour main-draw debut after winning the United States Tennis Association (USTA) Girls’ 18s National Championship, made Rybakina work to get over the line, saving three match points with aces in her final service game among 11 across the match.

Rybakina served out the win with an ace of her own – her sixth of the match and a tour-leading 363rd of the season.

“She played really well today. She has great shots, great serve, it was no easy,” Rybakina said of the largely unknown Frodin.

Enzo Fernández is about to make a one-way trip across England.

Manchester City has reached a deal with Chelsea to sign the 25-year-old midfielder, The Athletic reported on Tuesday morning. Fernández has reportedly been given permission by Chelsea to undergo a medical, with his transfer costing Manchester City €125 million ($169 million) — which ties the Premier League transfer record that’s also held by Alexander Isak (Newcastle United to Liverpool in 2025).

Fernández originally joined Chelsea in January 2023 on a €106.8 million transfer fee ($125 million) from Benfica.

Fernández recently commenced his fifth season with Chelsea. Last season (2025-26), he logged a career-high 10 goals and four assists. He previously played one season with Benfica in Primeira Liga (2022-23), which was preceded by three seasons with River Plate in Liga Argentina (2018-19, 2021 and 2022).

Meanwhile, Fernández just wrapped up playing for Argentina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, knocking through two scores over seven contests in the tournament. Fernández also played for Argentina in its 2022 World Cup triumph. On the Argentina front, superstar striker Lionel Messi announced his retirement from the national team on Monday.

Both Manchester City and Chelsea are 2-0-0 in the 2026-27 Premier League season. Man. City will host Chelsea on Dec. 12 and play them on the road on April 24.

Britain’s Arthur Fery admitted he still has plenty to work on after his US Open debut was cut short.

Fery’s hopes of making a splash in New York were ended in the first round after a straight-sets defeat by Lorenzo Musetti.

The 24-year-old had been riding on the crest of a wave since his historic run to the Wimbledon semi-finals as a wildcard earlier this summer.

He reached his first ATP final in North Carolina last week and arrived at Flushing Meadows with high hopes of another deep run at a grand slam.

But he ran aground against Italian 13th seed Musetti in a 6-3 6-3 7-5 loss on Grandstand Stadium.

It was a comprehensive defeat, but a useful gauge for Fery who has risen from outside the top 200 a year ago to number 33 in the world.

“I know what I have to work on,” he said. “I got a lot of ideas coming straight off the court of what I have to work on to do better.

“My serve really let me down today, which is not usually the case, but I’ve been struggling a little bit to find my rhythm on the serve.

“Today was particularly a struggle, but definitely playing guys at that level, it’s tough and the margins are small.”

Fery, now the British number one, was close to being seeded at Flushing Meadows, meaning he would have avoided a player of Musetti’s class in the early stages

He was matching Musetti blow for blow until a sloppy service game, topped by two double faults, cost him the opening set.

Fery pulled off some memorable comebacks on his historic Wimbledon run and he had chances to embark on another one.

At 4-2 behind in the second set he squandered four break points, throwing his arms up in frustration after the last of them dropped into the net.

Fery did secure a first break of the match at the start of the third set when the usually immaculate Musetti backhand floated long.

When Musetti immediately brought up two break-back points, Fery saved the first with a superb forehand winner but then sent a backhand millimetres wide of the line.

He showed his resilience by saving two match points, but when Musetti thundered down an unreturnable serve on the third, Fery’s short journey was over.

He admitted he was under-prepared due to his run to the Winston-Salem Open final last week, but said he would not have done things differently.

“The grand slams are the biggest tournaments and everyone has their eye on them.” he added.

“At the same time, would I sign for these past two weeks? Probably, to be honest.

“It’s a lot of ranking points, it’s a first ATP final, so it’s good. Even though it meant that my preparation for the US Open was not great.”

Tiger Woods is set to appear in court on Wednesday for a change of plea hearing stemming from his car crash in Florida in March.

Woods, a 15-time major champion, was arrested and spent eight hours in jail before being bailed after the Land Rover he was driving rolled over in a collision with a pick-up truck towing a trailer.

He previously entered a written plea of not guilty via his lawyers to charges of driving under the influence, property damage and a refusal to submit to testing.

A court notice shows he is now slated to appear at Martin County Courthouse on Wednesday morning at 8.30am local time for a hearing, but it is unknown what Woods will change his plea to or if he has reached a plea deal with prosecutors.

Woods walked away unhurt from the crash, escaping out of his passenger door, and while he passed a breathalyser test for alcohol, the 50-year-old refused to submit to a urinary test for drugs.

According to a police affidavit, Woods was observed by the investigating officers to be “sweating profusely” while acting “lethargic and slow” with eyes that were “bloodshot and glassy”.

He admitted he “was looking down at his cell phone and changing the radio station” in the moments before the crash and “did not notice the vehicle in front of him had slowed down”.

Woods told the authorities he had not consumed any alcohol but admitted to taking “a few” prescription medications and had done so earlier in the morning while insisting he had not had any illegal drugs.

Woods, who was also charged with property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test, was observed to be “extremely alert and talkative” and had “hiccups during the entire investigation”.

Multiple sobriety exercises were conducted, where he struggled to follow instructions, leading a deputy to conclude: “How he performed on the exercises and based on my training, knowledge and experience, I believe Woods’ normal faculties were impaired and he was unable to safely operate the motor vehicle”.

During a search of his vehicle, investigators found two white pills, which were identified as hydrocodone, a prescription opioid used to treat severe, chronic pain.

Woods underwent emergency surgery after suffering multiple leg injuries following a serious car accident in California in February 2021. He has not competed on the PGA Tour since July 2024.

The affidavit stated Woods said he had 20 surgeries on his leg as a result of that crash, plus seven operations on his back, while the report also noted Woods was “limping and stumbling”.

Woods later wrote on X: “I know and understand the seriousness of the situation I find myself in.

“I am stepping away for a period of time to seek treatment and focus on my health. This is necessary in order for me to prioritise my wellbeing and work toward lasting recovery.”

Woods was also arrested on suspicion of DUI offences in 2017 after being found asleep at the wheel of his car in Jupiter, Florida.

He later pleaded guilty to reckless driving after it emerged he had had five prescription drugs in his system at the time.

In 2009, he crashed his car into a fire hydrant and tree outside his home in an incident that led to a spectacular unravelling of his private life.

The rosters are set. The hour-long TV special is over. And the Presidents Cup has taken shape.

U.S. captain Brandt Snedeker had six automatic picks and six to make on his own for September’s meeting at Medinah. A few of those seemed obvious — but the bottom of the roster seemed like a massive question mark. Here are three surprises about the way Snedeker chose to fill it.

1. The Bridge Man cometh

At the beginning of the 2026 season, Jacob Bridgeman seemed like a no-brainer pick for the U.S. side. His first eight starts of the year yielded seven top 20s, three top-fives and a statement win at the Genesis Invitational.

But after that? Bridgeman’s golf remained remarkably consistent, but it dropped a tick. His T13s became T33s. He logged just one top-20 finish in his next 13 starts. Granted, Bridgeman missed just one cut in that stretch, but by the time the playoffs rolled around, he was at the edge of the conversation.

It’ll be interesting to hear just how much Bridgeman’s case changed with his playoff performance, then. His ninth-place finish at the BMW Championship and his T4 at the Tour Championship provided an impressive bookend to his breakout year.

It also doesn’t hurt that he’s statistically the best putter on the PGA Tour.

2. An American in Europe

After his solo third-place finish at the Tour Championship, Ryan Gerard got on a red-eye flight to Europe for this week’s Omega European Masters, where he’s the betting favorite. Why play there? In part, he said, to prep for a potential Presidents Cup pick.

“Full transparency, if I get a Presidents Cup spot, I’d love to kind of roll into there being a little bit more prepared,” Gerard said. “I like to play a lot of golf. And if I don’t, I’ll probably just stay over there and play Wentworth and the France Open after that.”

On Tuesday, Gerard earned the unfortunate (and unofficial) honor of first man out when Snedeker left his name unsaid. Gerard was among the hottest players on the U.S. side, entering with five top-10s in his last 11 starts — but it wasn’t enough to leapfrog veteran presences like Justin Thomas or Patrick Cantlay.

Based on his comments from Sunday, it sounds like Gerard will extend his fall Eurotrip; that’ll mean a few more chances to show the U.S. side what they’re missing out on.

3. The Rookie

Jackson Koivun has made just six starts as a pro. The third of those starts was a statement win at the 3M Open, where he fended off World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and validated the hype that had followed him throughout his time as Auburn’s superstar.

Koivun snuck into the FedEx Cup Playoffs, too — a particularly impressive accomplishment given his limited starts.

But a solid, if unremarkable finish to his PGA Tour season — T31 in Detroit, T29 in Greensboro, T24 in Memphis — left his Presidents Cup future up in the air. Would a U.S. team-golf outfit known for playing it safe really roll the dice on an unproven 21-year-old?

Yes.

Snedeker seemed slightly gleeful to announce Koivun with the final pick of the session, knowing he’d saved the biggest, boldest move for last. The move echoed the European Ryder Cup selection of Ludvig Aberg in 2023, when he was a recent college grad.

Koivun will be the youngest player at Medinah, by far. He’ll also be among the most talented.

Game on.