The past few weeks has seen the same drama that has continuously plagued the potential fight over the past decade though, with disagreements over the location of the bout serving as the latest issue that is preventing the clash from happening.
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Fury appeared to lose patience with the delays, as he posted on social media over the weekend insisting that he was now looking for a new opponent, with former foe Usyk, who ironically now trains with Joshua, at the top of his list.
Usyk and Fury met twice in 2024, with the Ukrainian coming out on top in them both, but after relinquishing his world heavyweight titles earlier this year, it could have paved the way for another meeting with ‘The Gypsy King.’
Despite Fury’s wishes, it seems that a third bout isn’t currently on Usyk’s radar, as his manager Sergey Lapin told Sky Sports News that they aren’t paying attention to the statements being put out.
“Usyk is not Tyson’s backup plan. Oleksandr is always open to big challenges. But serious intentions are backed by a concrete offer, not statements in the press.”
Instead it is likely that Usyk will still target a clash against former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder, with the pair believed to be in talks for a meeting in 2027.
There was Monday at Bernardus Golf course in the Netherlands. Players walking to the first tee for the Junior Solheim Cup were greeted by cheers, music — and a few puffs from a machine at the end of their entranceway. It was a good touch, though if you weren’t ready for it, it caught you by surprise, which you can see below.
Let’s make that No. 1, then, on this list of “18 things to know about the Solheim Cup”: Starting Friday morning — and very early East Coast time — there should be a scene for the opening tee shots. As for which side will follow the potential smoke with fire, maybe the words below can help.
Players to watch
2. Let’s start with six players to watch on the American side. No. 1 is the world No. 1 — Nelly Korda. Her Solheim Cup record (10-5-1), across four appearances, is good, but her teams have won just one Cup, at the 2024 event. Korda, Jennifer Kupcho and Allisen Korpuz are the Americans with major wins — Korda has four; and Kupcho and Korpuz have one.
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3. Lauren Coughlin. She’s the next highest-ranked American, at No. 17. She made her Solheim debut at the ’24 event and went 3-0-1.
4. Angel Yin. She missed two months of play and lost 35 pounds due to stomach issues, but told Golfweek’s Beth Ann Nichols she will play.
5. Lindy Duncan. At 35, she is making her Solheim Cup debut.
6. Meghan Khang. Khang will be playing in her fifth Solheim, and she’s unbeaten across her past two appearances (3-0-0 in ’24 and 3-0-1 in ’23).
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7. Alison Lee. Lee will be the first mom to play in the event since 2019, when Suzann Pettersen did.
8. Lottie Woad leads our list of six European players to watch. She’s the highest-ranked Euro, at No. 7. This will be her Solheim debut.
9.Charley Hull. She’s the next highest-ranked European, at No. 8. This will be her eighth Solheim appearance.
10. Carlota Ciganda. This will also be her eighth appearance. She clinched the retaining point at the 2023 event in her home country of Spain — and sounds of Car-lo-ta Ci-ganda, sung to the refrain of the White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army,” are still in our head.
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11. Celine Boutier. She’s one of two European players to have won a major. Boutier won the 2023 Evian.
13. Linn Grant. She’s making her third Solheim appearance. She also recently gave GOLF’s Maddi MacClurg approach-shot advice, which you can watch below.
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The captains
14. U.S. captain Angela Stanford. She played in six Solheims, and her singles victory in 2015 completed the largest comeback in tournament history.
15. European captain Anna Nordqvist. She made nine Solheim appearances. Last month, she also announced her retirement.
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The course
16. As mentioned above, the Solheim Cup will be played at Bernardus Golf course in the Dutch village of Cromvoirt, which is about an hour south of Amsterdam. And transportation to the course will be unique, at least for some. Nearby Den Bosch will likely be where most fans come in from, and they can do so by shuttle — or bike. The Bernardus Golf website says the bike ride takes 20 to 30 minutes.
As for the course itself, it has public play through one-day memberships, along with overnight packages. It was designed by American Kyle Phillips, who’s also worked on Kingsbarns, the Grove and Yas Links, and it hosted the DP World Tour’s KLM in 2021, ’22, and ’22.
Wrote Zephyr Melton: Europe and Carlota Ciganda. She’s an absolute menace in this event. I expect it to continue this week.
Wrote Josh Schrock: Europe and Esther Henseleit. She showed a ton of moxy at the AIG Women’s Open and I feel like she’s destined to be a problem for the Americans. If the U.S. wins, it’ll be because Zhang and Yealimi Noh play to their ceiling.
Wrote Jack Hirsh: Europe and Carlota Ciganda. She’s like the Solheim Cup’s version of Ian Poulter.
The author’s pick?
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Let’s have some fun. USA, with newcomer Lindy Duncan winning the clinching point. I love a good story.
Sep 5, 2026; Paris, FRANCE; Losene Keita (red gloves) fights Muhammad Naimov (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at Accor Arena. Mandatory Credit: Per Haljestam-Imagn Images
A debate that seems to transcend time when it comes to sports, especially mainstream sports, revolves around celebrations of wins, scoring, etc. Are things like slow home run trots and touchdown dances just a bit of fun while asserting talent? Or are they inappropriate and have no place?
Sometimes you hear a similar conversation in MMA, but it can be hard not to celebrate. To put hours of training in fight camp, endure weight cuts, and pull off a victory? It’s an accomplishment those who have never been in the fight game can’t truly understand; an outpouring of emotions is common.
But at UFC Paris, Losene Keita might have taken the cake for what could be the greatest post-fight celebration in UFC history – or perhaps even MMA history.
After scoring a one-hitter quitter to score a first-round knockout, Keita immediately jumped out of the cage. That on its own doesn’t seem unusual; plenty of fighters have climbed on top of, or jumped out of, the cage. Heck, that’s at the center of a current controversy involving UFC 329 and the Nevada State Athletic Commission.
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But then, Keita took things a step further. He ran past the officials and media people at cageside, dashing over to a section of empty chairs near the fans. And Keita then sat down in one…and gave himself an applause for such a marvelous knockout performance.
Not only did he knock out his opponent, but he also knocked the socks off plenty who got to bear witness to one of the most hilarious post-fight antics ever seen.
Some will call it cold. Others will call it disrespectful. Some will call it hilarious. It fits all the categories if we’re being honest. And it makes it that much more memorable and legendary.
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And for Keita, the celebration was the cherry on top of an Octagon performance that he needed in a big way.
Keita built up a solid name for himself by becoming a two-weight division champion in OKTAGON; in fact, he was a simultaneous two-weight champion. The UFC had approached Keita previously about a deal, but he wanted to wait until he felt the time was right.
The time for Keita’s UFC debut finally came in March earlier this year; however, the result was not what Keita expected. In what was far from Keita’s best MMA performance, he dropped a decision to Nathaniel Wood.
Muhammad Naimov was certainly a better matchup for Keita, but that only brought more risk. A loss would have meant significant questions about Keita, his skills, and his potential. And when we’re in a year in the UFC where the underdogs have been barking like mad, the possibility of an upset loss was present.
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Fortunately for “The Black Panther,” he locked in. Keita dominated the fight with punches in bunches, busting Naimov open around one of his eyes. Keita dropped Naimov with a left jab, but Naimov survived a barrage of strikes and got back to his feet.
But it didn’t take much longer for Keita to complete his mission, landing a right hand that put Naimov out cold.
Keita landed a highlight finish, had a memorable celebration, and then added to the fun by calling out the undefeated Lerone Murphy. Losene Keita has forced his way into the UFC spotlight; let’s hope he can make the most of it.
I have picked five players to watch in this year’s Champions League. The first is Jude Bellingham. This is a very big season for him individually and collectively for Real Madrid under Mourinho in the number 10 role that I think suits him well. After a very good World Cup, I think that momentum will carry. I expect him to score a lot of goals and to be very strong and be decisive.
Como’s number 10 Nico Paz is at the heart of everything they do with the ball. It’s their first time in the Champions League. Cesc Fabregas is the manager, so they’re a very entertaining team, nice to watch. Paz is a special player – very much in the making – but he will be a top player very soon.
Mr Champions League – Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. In the past two seasons, he’s been incredible at PSG, especially last year on that left wing where he can cut inside or go on the outside, he’s a threat with the right foot and the left foot, he scored some great goals, he’s really good technically. I think he’s in the running for the Ballon d’Or. He’s one of those players that gets you on the edge of your sofa. He’s the guy.
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Lens are back in the Champions League having pushed PSG all the way last year in Ligue 1 – and Ismaelo Ganiou is arguably their best player. A strong centre-back, 21 years old, good on the ball, very quick and physical. I expect him to leave at the end of the season for a big Premier League club.
Since leaving Aston Villa to go to Roma, Donyell Malen has been incredible, scoring almost a goal per game as a lone striker for Gian Piero Gasperini’s side. Roma being back in the Champions League is great and they’re a very entertaining team to watch again. I think we will see Malen back to his best level.
Guillem Balague:
Bayern Munich forward Harry Kane is in a campaign to win the Ballon d’Or. He deserves to be in contention and I do not expect him to drop his level as Bayern’s style suits him greatly.
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Teenager Lamine Yamal is hungry for more and has set his sights on the Champions League. Hansi Flick wants a team that defends high and passionately so he can shine.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has got another level and with PSG going far he will again rescue the team and win big games. He will be a Ballon d’Or winner soon.
Shakhtar have a long tradition of converting Brazilian stars into European multimillion transfers and 20-year-old Kaua Elias could be the next one on the list.
After a difficult season for Martin Odegaard last year with injuries, he has started this one very well. The Norwegian can dominate games, and his team – more confident now – will need him to do that. He seems ready to take that leadership.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino will stand for re-election despite growing calls for him to step down from his position as the head of world soccer’s governing body.
Infantino has faced increasing pressure after his controversial plan to sell stakes in the World Cup was met with a furious backlash.
But FIFA said on Sunday that he plans to stand again in next year’s elections for a final term in office through 2031.
“The FIFA President announced in April that he will stand for re-election in 2027. Of course, nothing has changed. Mr Infantino will be standing for re-election,” a FIFA spokesperson said.
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November 18 is the deadline for candidates to enter the next presidential contest, exactly four months ahead of the vote.
UEFA, European soccer’s governing body, has led the calls for Infantino to go, saying it had lost confidence in him and previously threatened to boycott FIFA tournaments, including the World Cup. A number of national associations, such the English FA, have withdrawn support for Infantino’s re-election.
On Saturday Infantino refused to comment about his future when arriving for the opening of the Under-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland.
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“There will be a lot to say, but there will be a right place and a right time to say this. It’s not today, it’s not here, but here and today, we are enjoying football,” he told Sky News.
FIFA apologised for errors made over its controversial plan to sell profits in the World Cup through a commercial subsidiary and committed to “ensure they do not happen again.” But that hasn’t been enough to ease the pressure on Infantino’s position.
UEFA is preparing a criminal complaint against Infantino in Swiss courts for possible financial mismanagement over his now abandoned plan to sell future World Cup profits to private investors.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham added his weight to the debate last month, saying Infantino was not the right man to lead world soccer’s governing body.
A star of Penn State’s Fiesta Bowl win over Arizona State and a running back for the 1985 Chicago Bears Super Bowl championship team, Matt Suhey, has died at the age of 68.
No cause or details were immediately given.
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Suhey, a fullback, was very close with Bears superstar Hall of Famer Walter Payton, who died in 1999, as well as a teammate of one-time Cardinals quarterback Jim McMahon.
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It was McMahon and Payton, along with the famed defense led by Buddy Ryan, who keyed the Super Bowl title run.
Suhey scored on an 11-yard touchdown run in the first quarter of Super Bowl 20, part of his 52 yards on 11 carries that day. The Bears beat the Patriots, 46-10.
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Remembering Arizona sports figures who died in 2026
(David Kadlubowski/The Republic)
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Remembering Arizona sports figures who died in 2026
(David Kadlubowski/The Republic)
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Remembering Arizona sports figures who died in 2026
Right wing Claude Lemieux #22 of the Phoenix Coyotes waits for the puck during a game against the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2001.
Remembering Arizona sports figures who died in 2026
Head coach Dave McGinnis of the Arizona Cardinals yells out to the field against the St. Louis Rams during the NFL game at the Edward Jones Dome on Dec. 15, 2002, in St. Louis, Missouri.
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Dave McGinnis died in Nashville on April 13, 2026. He was 74.
(Elsa/Getty Images)
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Remembering Arizona sports figures who died in 2026
(Brad Rempel/USA TODAY Sports)
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Remembering Arizona sports figures who died in 2026
Phoenix Mercury forward Kara Braxton (45) reacts on the court against the Seattle Storm in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals in 2010.
Suhey scored twice for Penn State as the Nittany Lions beat Arizona State, 42-30, in the 1977 Fiesta Bowl at then-Sun Devil Stadium on Christmas Day.
Payton’s son, Jarrett, reflected on his dad’s relationship in a post on X, saying, in part:
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“Their friendship showed me what real friendship looks like. Not the easy kind. The kind that lasts when the lights go off, when the stadium is empty, when life gets heavy. Brian’s Song told the story of Piccolo and Sayers. Somebody needs to tell the story of 34 and 26. Two men who trusted each other completely. Two men who became brothers.”
Suhey’s death on Sunday, Sept. 6, was confirmed to USA TODAY Sports by the Bears, with whom he played all of his 10 NFL seasons.
He was drafted in Round 2 by Chicago in the 1980 draft out of Penn State.
He played in 148 games (100 starts), gaining 2,946 yards on the ground with 20 touchdowns.
So far, remarkably well. The smallest town ever to be represented in the top flight got off to a dream start on the Bundesliga’s opening weekend, racing in to a 3-0 lead against 2024 champions Bayer Leverkusen. In the end, they held off a late surge to claim a 3-2 victory.
A trip to Borussia Mönchegladbach on matchday two looked to have brought them back down to earth, with the hosts leading 3-1 with little over 30 minutes to play. But a sensational comeback was crowned by a Maurice Krattenmacher winner in injury time. The win moved Elversberg above champions Bayern Munich as one of only four sides to have won both their opening two matches, but Krattenmacher was trying to keep some perspective.
“We know every opponent is good in the Bundesliga, but Bayern is on another level entirely. We’ll have to play as a team, and then we’ll see how it goes,” he said.
Where is Elversberg?
Elversberg is a small town northeast of Saarbrücken in the small state of Saarland, in southwestern Germany.
As part of Spiesen-Elversberg, the town has a population of around 13,000 but Elversberg alone has just 7,000 people living in it. There is no train station and just three bakeries.
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What is Elversberg’s back story?
The club was formed in 1907, although folded during World War I before reforming in 1918.
In 2013, the club reached the third division alongside RB Leipzig, but they were promptly relegated. After two playoff defeats in 2016 and 2017, the club finally returned to the third division in 2022 and slowly began to gain a greater reputation.
The club’s surge coincided with the appointment of Nils-Ole Book in 2017 and head coach Horst Steffen, a former Bundesliga player, a year later.
Book first joined as a scout before becoming sporting director, where he played a key role in recruitment. Steffen secured back-to-back promotions for the club as they reached the second division in 2023 as a newly-promoted side in the third division.
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Germany and Newcastle striker Nick Woltemade played a key role in the club’s promotion that year before moving on, and Bayern Munich’s Paul Wanner enjoyed a successful loan spell at the club a year later.
In just their second season in the second division (2024-25), Elversberg were in the promotion playoff. But a 95th minute winner from Heidenheim broke their hearts, as they missed out on the top flight. Steffen left for Werder Bremen, star player Fisnik Asllani returned to Hoffenheim and five other key players departed. Not only did it look like the chance had gone, but the club looked more likely to battle against relegation the following season.
How did Elversberg reach the Bundesliga?
Aided by continuity at leading levels of the club, Elversberg found a way to turn a desperate situation into a remarkable one. What proved particularly helpful was having the father-son duo of Frank Holzer, chairman of the supervisory board, and Dominik, the president, leading the way and also calling the shots at main sponsor Ursapharm.
The appointment of head coach Vincent Wagner from Hoffenheim’s reserve team was understated, but Wagner did not change much from Steffen’s approach. Aided by former Bundesliga legend Mike Frantz, the assistant coach, and team manager Selina Wagner, who won a Champions League with Wolfsburg, the unit off the field appeared as united as the one forming on it.
The departure of star striker Younes Ebnoutalib to Frankfurt during the transfer window and sporting director Book to Borussia Dortmund in March didn’t derail the club’s promotion ambitions. After losing to relegation battlers Fortuna Düsseldorf in the penultimate game of the season, promotion hopes were wobbling once again. But a win on the final day was enough to keep their spot in second thanks to a superior goal difference. The Bundesliga had been reached.
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“A friend of mine told me this week: ‘If Elversberg get promoted, then it’s like flying to the moon.’ Well, today we made it to the moon,” Wagner said afterwards.
Two of the key figures in Elversberg’s rise are former head coach Horst Steffen (left) and former sporting director Nils-Ole Book (right)Image: Steven Mohr/Jan Huebner/IMAGO
Where do Elversberg play?
At the Waldstadion an der Kaiserlinde, which has a capacity of 10,000 — more than the population of the town. Construction to reach Bundesliga requirements —15,000 capacity — is reportedly not expected to be finished until 2027, though Elversberg have already been granted an exemption to that rule.
Who are the key figures at Elversberg?
The strength of this team appears to be the collective, and the continuity in leadership positions, rather than one or two individuals.
On the field though, Bambase Conte was signed on loan from Hoffenheim and the attacking midfielder was integral to the club’s promotion push. Long-standing goalkeeper Nicolas Kristof enjoyed a strong campaign, as did winger Lukas Petkov who pitched in with 13 goals and seven assists. Striker David Mokwa was bought in January for just €1.5 million, but aided the team down the stretch last term before scoring in the club’s first two Bundesliga games.
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The squad’s average age is 25.3, making it one of the younger squads in the second division. Having reportedly made €10 million from transfers and spent just €3 million on new arrivals, it’s clear what this team’s approach is. But this summer, it will be intriguing to see how the club approaches the transfer market as it looks to build a squad capable of staying in the Bundesliga.
Edited by: Matt Pearson
This article was updated on September 9, 2026 to reflect Elversberg’s strong start to the new Bundesliga season.
Angelo Que, the PGT’s reigning Order of Merit champion, sampled the Summit Point layout for the first time in the traditional Pro-Am of the P2.5 million event on a rainy Monday and thinks this one intangible will be key to whoever wants to win by the end of the week.
“They need to have the patience to play this demanding layout in the rain,” the 47-year-old Que told the Inquirer as he tees off at the Summit Point Championship as one of the title favorites in the 72-hole championship at the rain-softened layout in Lipa, Batangas. “That will be crucial because the rains add another layer of difficulty to the course.”
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Practically all of the big guns are playing, counting Justin Quiban, who had a PGA Tour stint in the United States more than a month back, making for a wide-open race.
“I think knowing where to miss will be very critical,” Que continued as he seeks to win for the second time this season after his one-shot escape at Caliraya Springs over Antonio Lascuña. “The course is playing really tough, and if it’s any consolation, I like playing tough courses.”
Meanwhile, the accompanying P1 million, 54-hole ladies championship also gets off the ground on Tuesday with Yvon Bisera listed as one of the players to beat.
Lascuña is also entered and forms part of the veterans brigade in the field together with Que, Michael Bibat and Jonel Ababa, among others.
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“It’s going to be a more demanding week because the rains have made the course play longer,” Lascuña, a five-time OOM winner, said over the weekend.
The brightest young talents led by Asian Games-bound Carl Corpus, Aidric Chan and Sean Ramos are players to watch, together with Jeff Lumbo and Keanu Jahns, the big-hitting Filipino-German seeking to win for the first time this season after tying with Que with three last year.
Jahns finished third at Lakewood, before checking in sixth at Caliraya Springs and stumbling to joint 28th at Pinewoods. Finishing third at Pradera Verde could provide him the momentum he needs in Batangas. INQ
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Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca spoke about Jeremy Doku and Nico O’Reilly as neither travelled to Portugal
Enzo Maresca could welcome back Nico O’Reilly for the Manchester derby but Jeremy Doku is likely to miss out again. O’Reilly pulled out of the warmup for Manchester City’s win over Coventry at the weekend while Doku was injured in the Community Shield.
Neither trained on Monday before City jetted off to Porto without them for the start of their Champions League campaign against Porto. O’Reilly’s injury was said not to be serious, and the manager was optimistic that he may be available for Sunday’s game with United.
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The diagnosis is less positive on Doku, even if Maresca did say he is ‘back’. The Belgium international was only expected to be out for a couple of weeks but looks set to miss at least the first five matches of the season.
“He is back. I don’t know if he can be available for the weekend [vs Manchester United], but slowly, slowly he is back,” said Maresca.
City start another Champions League as one of the favourites for the competition, and expectations have been raised further with a club record spend of nearly £430m this summer. Maresca is not leaning into those but knows that they are there as City enter a big week with a tough Champions League game and then the derby at Old Trafford.
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“I said many times when you are Manchester City the expectations are always higher,” he said. “I like more to be focused on the day by day, it is very complicated to think where we could be in February, March, April. For me the most important thing is to see that we are improving game after game and then we will see.”
Sep 2, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Dylan Cease (84) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
The Toronto Blue Jays (72-72) and the Athletics (57-87) meet at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento, California on Monday night for the opener of a three-game series. First pitch is scheduled for 10:05 p.m. ET.
The Blue Jays open play a game behind the Cleveland Guardians for the final wild-card spot in the American League, and they’re a game ahead of the Texas Rangers in a logjam in the AL standings.
Toronto hits the road looking to improve upon its 35-37 road record. The Blue Jays are 14-11 against AL West teams, and they’re 22-19 against left-handed starting pitchers. Toronto will have to try and negotiate LHP Jacob Lopez (6-4, 4.71 ERA, 1.46 WHIP), as he makes his 21st start and 24th appearance.
While Lopez’s overall body of work isn’t great, he has been very good lately, going 1-0 with a 2.45 ERA and 1.12 WHIP across the past seven starts over 40.1 IP, while striking out 50 batters.
However, the Blue Jays counter with All-Star RHP Dylan Cease (10-5, 2.25 WHIP, 1.04 WHIP), and he is showing no signs of letting up. Cease is 3-0 with a 1.67 ERA and 0.91 WHIP in 43 IP in the past seven starts, and he has logged 54 strikeouts. He ranks second in the majors with 221 strikeouts, too, while the A’s have whiffed 1,235 times, 10th in the majors.
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Labor Day 2026 top betting pick breakdown
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Toronto swept the A’s in a three-game set back on March 27-29, outscoring them 16-9 while the Under cashed in two of the three meetings.
The Blue Jays were tripped up Sunday in Kansas City, falling 6-1, but they’re still 7-2 across the past nine games, and the Under has cashed in back-to-back games, while the total has gone low in five of the past eight outings.
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For the Athletics, they were blanked 2-0 in Seattle on Sunday, as the Mariners denied them a four-game sweep at T-Mobile Park. The Under easily cashed in that one, halting a seven-game Over run. At home, however, the A’s have cashed low in five of the past eight games. The Under is also 3-1 in the past four starts by Lopez, too.
Our best play in Monday’s series opener is to play the UNDER 8.5 (-120), and go rather aggressively on that, too, despite the recent Over run by the A’s. Cease and Lopez have been posting a lot of donuts lately.
We’ll also lean to ATHLETICS +1.5 (-108) on the run line. This should be a tight game, potentially a one-run game, and with Cease and Lopez we could have a 3-2 kind of a battle.
Cease has seven or more strikeouts in eight of the past nine starts, too. It won’t take much to get to eight punchouts. CEASE OVER 7.5 STRIKEOUTS (+116) at plus-money is worth a roll of the dice.
Qinwen Zheng continued her extraordinary US Open run as she produced a comeback from 0-5 down in a set for the second match in a row to knock out six-time grand slam champion Iga Swiatek and reach the quarter-finals.
Former Olympic champion Zheng, who defeated Swiatek in the gold medal match in Paris two years ago, had to qualify to reach the main draw of the US Open. The Chinese star missed long stretches of the 2025 season due to an elbow injury and had fallen to No 121 in the rankings.
After qualifying for the main draw and reaching the third round, Zheng trailed former Australian Open champion Madison Keys 0-5 and was match point down in the third set before winning seven consecutive games to win 1-6 7-6 (7-3) 7-5 against the American 22nd seed.
Including her third-round win over Keys, Zheng won successive sets from 0-5 down (Reuters)
Two days later against the eighth seed and former US Open champion Swiatek, Zheng trailed 0-5 in the first yet produced the same trick, winning seven games in a row to clinch the set. She then converted the only break of serve in the second set to win 7-5 6-3 and reach the quarter-finals of the US Open for the third time.
Zheng fell onto her back after converting her fourth match point. She has now won seven matches in a row in New York. “Well, honestly, I have to say, I started the match not so well,” she said. “Little by little I found my rhythm on the center court because it’s been a long, long time. I just really appreciate it to be here in the Ashe Stadium.
”I just focused point by point and little by little I start to play better tennis, I start to find my game and in one moment I even forgot the score in the first set at 4-5. That shows how I’m focused. I guess to come back 0-5 yesterday is not lucky, that’s all I can say.
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”I’m just really happy to win this match cause it’s not easy and it’s been a while really. I didn’t beat any top 10 player. I just really, really appreciated this win for me, and I want to say thank you for all the fans who come to support me today.”
For Swiatek, defeat to Zheng brought a familiar story and the former Wimbledon champion left Arthur Ashe Stadium in tears. The Pole’s error count spiralled, finishing with 28 in total. Swiatek’s last five exits from the grand slams since winning Wimbledon in 2025 have also come in straight-sets.
(Getty)
Zheng will play either second seed Elena Rybakina or 13th seed Naomi Osaka, the two-time US Open champion, in the quarter-finals. Earlier, French Open champion Mirra Andreeva produced her own comeback to defeat Anastasia Potapova 5-7 6-4 6-3 and reach her first US Open quarter-final.
Potopova was also in floods of tears as her stay in New York came to an end. The 25-year-old, who represents Austria, won the first set against fifth seed Andreeva, but, at 5-3 down in the third she badly twisted her knee chasing a forehand down.
Potopova had the knee heavily strapped up and bravely finished the match, but did not win another point. “Anastasia is a good friend, and seeing what a battle we have and then seeing her fall is not easy,” said Russian teenager Andreeva. “It’s not the way you want to finish the match. I just told her she is playing amazing and I’m sure she’ll come back even stronger, she’s a warrior.”
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