Jack Draper is determined to finally put his injuries behind him and prove he can become one of the top players in the world.

Draper’s thrilling run at the US Open came to an end in the fourth round after a four-set defeat by Russian Andrey Rublev.

The British number four, in the second week of a grand slam for the first time, fell 6-3 3-6 6-3 6-4 to eighth seed Rublev.

But Draper’s performances this week will hopefully point to an upward curve in such a promising career hindered by fitness issues.

The 21-year-old has endured an injury-hit year and slipped from a ranking of 38, in January, to outside the top 100.

A shoulder problem saw him miss Wimbledon and also threatened his participation at Flushing Meadows.

Yet despite serving well within himself in a bid to manage the problem, Draper was the only British player to reach the last 16, and he gave combustible Russian Rublev plenty of reasons to vent his spleen in a see-saw contest.

“With the amount of injuries I’ve had and the amount of times I’ve not been able to compete, and I’ve had difficult times in my career, it has honestly been tough to believe I can go all the way in a grand slam right now,” he said.

“It’s not my tennis which is something that is holding me back, it’s my physicality and being able to staying on court consistently.

“Once I do that I think I will prove to myself I will be able to be one of the best players in the world.

“My tennis is right there. I’ve barely played in the last couple of months and I’ve come here, made the fourth round and pushed a top-10 player today.

“If I just can get things right, still be being able to compete and train, I think I can go all the way in this sport, 100 per cent.”

Draper took time to settle as the first set raced away from him; Rublev does not only serve at 125mph but he seems to play at that pace as well.

But he played a brilliant set to level the match and broke again early in the third, only for the lack of court time this year to begin to tell as Rublev eventually triumphed in two hours and 45 minutes.

“The first couple of sets were a battle and I started to struggle physically after I broke him in the third set,” added Draper.

“I gave it all I had mentally, but I was pretty drained. That’s where, now that I’m fit, we can go back to base and try and work each day to be better with that intensity.

“It’s tough when you’ve been out so long and have no feedback. I can train with more intensity now remembering that match and how knackered I was after it.”

Steve Borthwick insists England will persist with their current tactics despite entering the World Cup with a losing run that has seen them installed as underdogs for their opener against Argentina.

Five defeats in six Tests have reduced expectations from outside the camp that they will make an impact in the tournament.

Argentina are positioned two places higher in the world rankings and England knows that if they fall again to the side that stormed Twickenham in November, they will have no room for manoeuvre in their remaining Pool D fixtures.

Borthwick’s team have been criticised for their statistics-based gameplan that places a high emphasis on kicking but the head coach insists there is no time to change the approach.

“We always study the tactical elements of what we do. I said when I came in, we need to build a way of playing and to have a consistent base,” Borthwick said.

“You can’t change everything from one week to another week. You need to have a way of playing you can build upon.

“Ideally you start building that post the last World Cup, as most other teams have. You have seen the growth of Ireland and France – these teams who have started building since then. We’re not one of them.

“We’ve been trying to build it over the past six months and in many ways, because the coaching team only came together 10 or 11 weeks ago, we’ve been trying to do this for 10 or 11 weeks.

“What I’ve been trying to do is strengthen the direction we’re going in and trying to get better at it. For us it’s continuing the growth and making the foundations stronger.”

Borthwick is convinced England have the firepower to make an impact at the World Cup.

“I look at this team and see the likes of Ellis Genge, Joe Marler, Owen Farrell, Courtney Lawes, Maro Itoje…the list could go on,” Borthwick said.

“We’ve got players who know how to perform on the biggest occasions and that’s one of the central things we need to do this Saturday – perform together.”

“We’re going against a really good Argentina side, potentially the best Argentinian side in their history.

“So we know that’s a challenge but it’s one the boys can’t wait to get involved in.

“I can’t stress enough, coming to Le Touquet, being here – the World Cup’s really now begun. This is it. We are in it.”

Jack Draper’s breakthrough run at the US Open came to an end in the fourth round after a four-set defeat by Russian Andrey Rublev.

The British number four, in the second week of a grand slam for the first time, fell 6-3 3-6 6-3 6-4 to eighth seed Rublev.

But Draper’s performances this week will hopefully point to an upward curve in such a promising career hindered by fitness issues.

The 21-year-old has endured an injury-hit year and slipped from a ranking of 38, in January, to outside the top 100.

A shoulder problem saw him miss Wimbledon and also threatened his participation at Flushing Meadows.

Yet despite serving well within himself in a bid to manage the problem, Draper was the only British player to reach the last 16, and he gave combustible Russian Rublev plenty of reasons to vent his spleen in a see-saw contest.

Draper took time to settle as the first set raced away from him; Rublev does not only serve at 125mph but he seems to play at that pace as well.

He then had to save five break points, punctuating the rallies with complaints to the umpire about the air-conditioning under the Louis Armstrong Stadium roof and the net sensor, to stay on serve at 2-1 in the second.

Then, from out of nowhere at 3-2, Draper cracked a backhand winner down the line to end a fierce rally and bring up break point.

Rublev promptly sent down a double-fault, and was visibly furious with himself, as he gifted Draper a 4-2 lead and, consequently, the second set.

With Rublev now the agitated party, Draper took advantage and broke again at the start of the third with a walloping forehand winner, only to follow it up with a poor service game to let his opponent back in.

The momentum was back with Rublev and he won six of the next seven games to motor away with the third set.

Draper had never won a four-set match until he beat Michael Mmoh on Saturday, and his exertions – as well as his lack of court time this year – seemed to have caught up with him in the fourth.

Rublev took advantage of a weary service game to lead 3-2 and, although Draper saved two match points on serve, and another on his opponent’s, he was unable to avoid slipping to defeat in two hours and 45 minutes.

France lock Bastien Chalureau has denied accusations he is racist following his controversial call-up for the Rugby World Cup.

The 31-year-old Montpellier player is appealing against a suspended six-month prison sentence for a racially-motivated attack in 2020.

Chalureau, who has six Test caps, was added to Les Bleus’ 33-man squad by head coach Fabien Galthie following the injury withdrawal of Paul Willemse.

“I am not a racist, I do not have those values,” he told a press conference on Monday.

“What I want to say to you is that I confessed to my mistakes, that I paid my debts and I deny all claims about racist remarks.”

While visiting the squad on Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron was recorded telling head coach Galthie: “We don’t want the controversy getting out of hand.”

Chalureau, who at times was tearful during his press conference, said France’s coaching staff and management were fully aware of the assault, which led to him leaving former club Toulouse.

“We discussed the matter with the French team staff,” he said.

“They knew from the start, it is an old case and known by a lot of people.

“I wanted to come out in public and address all my team-mates, my family as it does not just affect me.

“I am not a racist, I bring people together. The beauty of rugby is it brings together people from all communities.”

Chalureau made his international debut in November as a late replacement in a 30-26 win over reigning world champions South Africa in Marseille.

Former national team captain Thierry Dusautoir, a friend of one of the victims of the attack, said he has never supported the second-row forward playing for France.

“I’ve always had a problem with him being in the French national team,” Dusautoir told Canal Plus. “I’m aware that I’m not objective in this.”

France begin their home World Cup on Friday evening by hosting New Zealand in Paris.

Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Julio Urias was arrested Sunday night and faces felony domestic violence charges, the Los Angeles police told ESPN’s Jeff Passan.

Urias was also arrested on suspicion of domestic battery in 2019 and given a 20-game suspension by Major League Baseball despite not being charged.

“We are aware of an incident involving Julio Urias,” the Dodgers said Monday. “While we attempt to learn all the facts, he will not be traveling with the team.

“The organization has no further comment at this time.”

Urias, 27, is 11-8 with a 4.60 ERA in 2023 after going a combined 37-10 with a 2.57 ERA in the previous two seasons.

His 48 wins since the beginning of the 2021 campaign are the most in MLB, while Urias’ .727 win percentage over that span is the fifth-best in baseball.

Los Angeles entered Monday with an 84-52 record and a 14 ½-game lead in the NL West.

The Dodgers visit the Miami Marlins and Washington Nationals during a six-game road trip that runs from Tuesday through Sunday.

Middlesex’s Josh de Caires took career-best figures of seven for 105 as Essex were reduced to 303 for nine on day one of their LV= Insurance County Championship Division One clash.

Nick Browne (59) and Sir Alastair Cook (58) put on a century stand before De Caires, the 21-year-old son of Michael Atherton, took centre stage.

His efforts saw Essex reduced to 169 for five inside 16 overs en route to 303 for nine at the close.

Surrey are set to extend their lead at the top of Division One after taking 17 wickets on the second day at the Oval.

The hosts were all out for 396 and Warwickshire were subsequently bowled out for 161 thanks to Kemar Roach (four for 64) and Dan Worrall (three for 34).

Surrey then enforced the follow-on and the Bears quickly fell to 35 for five as Worrall and Jordan Clark took three wickets each.

Dan Mousley remains at the crease with an unbeaten 60, but Warwickshire closed on 126 for seven, still trailing by 109.

Keith Barker’s five-wicket haul saw Hampshire take control as Somerset were all out for 137.

Kyle Abbott’s dismissal saw Jack Brooks earn his first five-wicket haul of the season as the hosts were all out for 308 in the morning.

Barker then got off to a flying start to dismiss Sean Dickson in the third over and Andrew Umeed top-scored for Somerset with 43, leaving Hampshire to resume on day three on 45 without loss.

Josh Bohannon’s mammoth knock put Lancashire in the driving seat as they lead Northamptonshire by 160 runs.

The 26-year-old batted nearly the entire day to hit 175, his highest score of the season, and shared a partnership of 150 with George Balderson.

Alex Lees and Graham Clark both put on centuries as Durham took advantage against Sussex in Division Two.

Lees earned his fifth Championship century of the season with 103, putting on a 146-run partnership with Scott Borthwick, who scored 56.

The hosts lead by 158 with five wickets remaining and Clark (102*) and De Leede (71*) remained unbeaten at stumps.

A vital final session saw Leicestershire regain control over Gloucestershire on an eventful day two.

From a position of relative comfort overnight, Colin Ackermann’s dismissal saw the hosts collapse from 150 for three to 204 all out with top-scorer Rishi Patel earning 73.

Patel became Luke Charlesworth’s maiden first-class victim and the bowler took three wickets in total alongside Zaman Akhter’s four for 46.

Gloucestershire posted 95 for three at tea, but Leicestershire regained the upper hand through Tom Scriven (three for 43) as the visitors closed on 179 for eight, with a lead of 134.

Jamie McIlroy’s four wickets helped Glamorgan fightback as Worcestershire closed day two on 127 for eight in their second innings.

Eighteen wickets fell on the second day, including Logan van Beek’s four wicket-haul as Glamorgan were reduced to 170 all out, as wicketkeeper Chris Cooke top-scored with 38, but Worcestershire still held the advantage with a first-innings lead of 114.

However, McIlroy returned career-best figures of four wickets for 27 runs as the hosts reached stumps on 127 for eight.

Wayne Madsen missed out on a century in his 200th first-class appearance for Derbyshire as Yorkshire took a 229-run lead at Scarborough.

Madsen hit 93 for the visitors along with opener Mitch Wagstaff, who also posted 52, but they were soon reduced from 173 for three to 247 all out.

Seam duo Matthew Fisher and Jordan Thompson both claimed three wickets each for Yorkshire, who built on their lead in the second innings finishing the day on 179 for two.

Openers Fin Bean and Adam Lyth put on a century stand before James Wharton and captain Shan Masood scored an unbroken half-century partnership to close.

Sports stars and clubs across the world continue to provide an insight into their lives on social media.

Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the best examples from September 4.

Evan Ferguson was still celebrating his hat-trick.

Happy birthday.

There is a new world number one.

Luke Donald named his six wild card picks for the Ryder Cup in Rome.

Shane Lowry will play his first home Ryder Cup.

Justin Rose was grateful.

Robert MacIntyre is heading to Rome.

Carlos Sainz was celebrating after a great birthday weekend at Monza.

10 out of 10 for Max Verstappen.

Good mates George Russell and Alex Albon.

Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova moved a step closer to back-to-back grand slam titles by beating Peyton Stearns to reach the US Open quarter-finals.

The 24-year-old Czech, seeded ninth here two months after becoming the first unseeded woman to win at SW19, fell a set behind to Stearns.

But the American youngster, whose powerful forehand accounted for Britain’s Katie Boulter in round three, won just five more games as Vondrousova triumphed 6-7 (3) 6-3 6-2.

“She was playing great from the beginning and I just tried to stay in the game,” said Vondrousova.

“She is a very dangerous player, she has a great future ahead of her and it was a very tough match.

“I’m very happy. I didn’t expect this, after Wimbledon there was a lot of pressure but I’m feeling good and we’ll see what happens next.”

What happens next is a meeting with Madison Keys, a former Flushing Meadows runner-up who sprung a mild surprise against fellow American Jessica Pegula, the third seed.

Keys, seeded 17, is emulating the form which swept her to the final in 2017 and sunk the highly-fancied Pegula 6-1 6-3.

The 28-year-old said: “It’s always tough having to play a friend but we’ve been doing it all our lives. On court it’s all business but then we go back to being friends.”

Tom Marquand brought up his 1,000th winner in Britain aboard Five Towns at Windsor on Monday evening.

The 25-year-old, who has built up a reputation for being one of the best jockeys around, had already reached that figure in Britain and Ireland but has now reached the milestone on home soil having successfully linked up with a filly appropriately trained by his boss, William Haggas.

Marquand began his career with Richard Hannon in 2014 and only a year later was crowned champion apprentice at the tender age of 18.

His first Group-level success came in 2017 when Anna Nerium landed Salisbury’s Dick Poole Stakes, but he would have to wait until 2020 for his first Group One victory which fittingly came in Australia where Marquand spent plenty of his time honing his craft.

He earned the moniker ‘Aussie Tom’ for his exploits in the Southern Hemisphere and partnered the Haggas-trained Addeybb to three big-race victories in Australia before also combining for Champion Stakes glory at Ascot in 2020.

That triumph came shortly after Marquand landed his first Classic success, as he proved an able late deputy aboard Joseph O’Brien’s Galileo Chrome in the St Leger at Doncaster.

Earlier this year he wrote himself into the Royal Ascot history books when steering Haggas’ Desert Hero to win the King George V Stakes. It was the first time the King and Queen’s colours had been carried to victory at the Royal meeting since the death of the late Queen.

Marquand married fellow jockey Hollie Doyle in 2022, with the pair sitting second and third respectively behind William Buick in this season’s jockeys’ championship.

“It’s fantastic,” Marquand told Sky Sports Racing.

“It takes a lot of horses and lot of people to ride 1,000 winners, so I’m very fortunate to have had that support.”

Sergio Ramos has returned to boyhood club Sevilla after signing a one-year deal with the Andalusian club.

The 37-year-old former Spain and Real Madrid captain, a free agent after leaving Paris St Germain in June, has returned to Sevilla 18 years after leaving to join Real Madrid.

Sevilla announced on their official website that Ramos had passed a medical on Monday morning before signing a 12-month contract.

LaLiga club Sevilla said: “Sevilla FC have reached an agreement for the signing of Sergio Ramos.

“The academy graduate is returning to the club 18 years after he signed for Real Madrid in 2005, aged 19.”

Ramos progressed through Sevilla’s academy, making his first-team debut as an 18-year-old, and went on to make 49 appearances in all competitions before joining Real Madrid in 2005 for £23million.

He scored 101 goals in 671 appearances in total for Madrid during a trophy-laden 16 years, which included five LaLiga titles and four Champions League wins, before joining PSG on a two-year deal in 2021.

Ramos, who won two Ligue 1 titles with PSG, made a record 180 appearances for Spain, scoring 23 goals, and won both the World Cup, in 2010, and the European Championship, twice, in 2008 and 2012.

Dan Biggar says there is “tons of excitement” in the camp as Wales prepare to launch their World Cup campaign.

Wales have been largely written off on the back of a dismal Six Nations tournament last season and a record that shows just three wins in 13 Tests.

But their World Cup statistics under head coach Warren Gatland are impressive, having reached semi-finals in 2011 and 2019, while they were 2015 quarter-finalists.

Their group is also far from straightforward, with England’s recent Twickenham conquerors Fiji awaiting Wales in Bordeaux on Sunday, while the pool also features Australia and Georgia.

“We know that there is pressure, but also we know that there are probably a lot of people out there writing us off as well and probably thinking there is not a huge amount of chance for us to go deep in the tournament,” Wales fly-half Biggar said.

“And for us, it is great that we can just shut ourselves off from everything outside our bubble and just concentrate on working hard, training hard, preparing as well as we can and putting in as good performances as we can.

“We’ve got a few boys who were rested and recovered from a few little niggles and tweaks, and we have got pretty much a full squad to choose from, not far off.

“So we are in a good place and there is tons of excitement. I think as soon as we arrived here, the levels of excitement just went through the roof.

“We are just really looking forward to this tournament starting. We have trained so hard, we’ve spoken so much about it, we’ve seen so much written about it and spoken about it.

“Things like this are so special, and there is plenty of confidence in the group.”

Biggar’s third World Cup will be his final one after he recently announced that he would be retiring from Test rugby after the tournament.

And he remains an integral part of Gatland’s plans, offering vast experience through a 109-cap international career.

“It was just important for me to be able to call time on my own terms, and more importantly, that the team can just concentrate on the rugby and performing and training and getting on with our business,” he added.

“The reason it (retirement announcement) was done before the tournament was because I didn’t want anything to be a distraction for the team.

“Obviously, next Sunday is a massive game for both sides, but I think everything we do between now – and everything we have done for the last few weeks, really – has been geared to something.

“I am just looking forward to really enjoying my last tournament.

“I’ve tried to just enjoy it as much with the lads as possible, and it does feel strange because it has been such a big part of my life for so long.”

Gatland is due to name his team for the Fiji clash on Friday, with the squad currently preparing at their base in Versailles, where day-time temperatures are more than 30 degrees.

The heat factor will then ramp up in Bordeaux, with 35 degrees forecast for later this week and 28 degrees when Wales and Fiji meet, even though the game kicks off at 2100 local time.

Harry Brook’s World Cup hopes continue to loom large as England prepare for their T20 decider against New Zealand, with vice-captain Moeen Ali admitting a selection U-turn remains possible.

Brook was left out of a preliminary 15-man squad for next month’s 50-over title defence after Ben Stokes returned from one-day retirement to take up a place in the middle order.

That was a surprising move given the 24-year-old’s burgeoning reputation and Brook reacted in the perfect manner, crashing a stunning century in his final innings of The Hundred before adding rapid-fire knocks of 43 not out and 67 in victories over the Black Caps.

Skipper Jos Buttler appeared to leave the door ajar for the Yorkshireman by saying there was a “long time” before the official September 28 deadline and noted that Brook was not in the squad “at the moment”.

Speaking ahead of the summer’s final T20 at Trent Bridge, with England 2-1 ahead despite a 74-run defeat on Sunday, Moeen acknowledged the issue was far from settled.

“He’s been unlucky to miss out but the way he’s playing he could come back in, you never know,” said the all-rounder.

“Harry Brook is going to be a great player and he’s playing great at the minute. It’s a great headache to have as a side and I’m sure the captain and the coaches are thinking the same thing.

“It’s so difficult for the captain and the coaches, so I’m glad it’s not my call.”

Dawid Malan is the player who may find his spot under threat should Brook make another statement in Nottingham. He revealed he was relieved to see his name in the provisional announcement given the tight squeeze for batting places has scored just two runs from 15 deliveries in his last two innings to invite further pressure.

But Moeen has made it clear that his track record in limited-overs cricket, where he has been a reliable scorer for several years, will not easily be overlooked.

“One thing with Malan is, he’s never let the team down,” said Moeen.

“You’re guaranteed runs from him, he hardly ever fails. He’s been on all the tours and done really well, he’s always scored runs. He’s a top player in his own right, he’s never let England down. These last two innings, he’s obviously human and people do miss out, but he will score a lot of runs for England to come.”

Both Moeen and Malan are 36, the latter’s birthday celebrations stymied by Sunday’s heavy defeat, and form part of a seasoned side that looks ripe for renewal in 2024.

Opener Jason Roy has already suggested as much and Moeen is not shrinking from the fact that he could be approaching the end of his ODI career.

“A lot can happen still but I think not just for England, for most countries, there are a lot of players in their mid-thirties who might just think about retiring after the World Cup,” he said.

“I’ve not really fully thought about it but it potentially could be, yeah.”

In the immediate term, England will be eager to deny New Zealand a share of the spoils in the T20 finale and, while a clean sweep would have been good for confidence, Moeen sees the benefit of tuning up with a decider.

“I think it’s difficult to compare 50 overs to T20s, but it’s good being under pressure as a side,” he said.

“I think we’ll learn more in the 50-over series but still you can learn, the T20 World Cup’s not too far away and on these kind of wickets we need to adapt better. New Zealand are a top side, they have been for many years. They’re very dangerous with a lot of very good players.”