Jannik Sinner hopes to see Novak Djokovic fit and firing at the biggest tournaments for years to come.
Djokovic proved no match for Sinner as the world number one prevailed 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 on Sunday to win the Shanghai Masters.
Sinner's dominant display denied Djokovic what would have been his 100th ATP Tour-level title, albeit that trophy is bound to come sooner rather than later for the 37-year-old.
With Rafael Nadal having confirmed his retirement earlier this week, Djokovic is the final member of "the big four" remaining, following Andy Murray's retirement earlier this year.
And 23-year-old Sinner, who is now even at 4-4 in his head-to-head record with Djokovic, hopes to see the Serbian remain at the top of the game.
"It's so nice to see you still playing incredible tennis, you keep showing it year after year," Sinner told Djokovic during the trophy presentation.
"You are doing an incredible job, I wish you all the best, not only for this season but for staying healthy next season and hopefully seeing you as long as possible here on big stages."
Speaking to Sky Sports, Sinner said: "It was a very tough match, playing against Novak is one of the toughest challenges.
"He was serving great the first set, I couldn't find a way to break him, and then I played a very good tie-breaker which gave me confidence for the second set.
"Very happy with my performance through this whole tournament – a very special moment.
"[Djokovic [doesn't] have any weaknesses. You have to use the very small number of chances he gives you but there are not many through a whole match.
"You try to believe in every moment. He's a legend of our sport, he's very tough to play against so I'm very happy."
Sinner is the first player to claim three consecutive wins head-to-head against Djokovic since Nadal in 2013.
The Italian is only the fifth player aged 23 or under in the Open Era to win 6+ hard-court ATP titles in a calendar year after Jimmy Connors (1973), Ivan Lendl (1981), Pete Sampras (1994) and Roger Federer (2004).
Federer and Carlos Alcaraz were present in the stands during Sunday's showdown, and Djokovic quipped that only added to the pressure.
"It's really nice to see Roger, I'm not used to seeing you in the stands, I wish you were on the court playing with us," he said.
"It's probably the first time I played in front of you, so I had an added pressure, but thank you for being here. And Carlos as well."
Speaking to Sinner, Djokovic said: "Congratulations to Jannik, you were just too good today and you're having an incredible year – you deserve this.
"Congratulations to his team, as well, for a great week – well done, I'm really glad you guys are doing well, you deserve this."
Spain boss Luis de la Fuente said it is "a joy" to coach his team given their immaculate form in recent months.
La Roja beat Denmark 1-0 in the Nations League on Saturday, extending their unbeaten run to 13 games in all competitions.
The European champions last lost in March, when they went down 1-0 to Colombia, who subsequently went on to reach the Copa America final this year.
Spain attempted 25 shots against Denmark, equalling their highest tally in a Nations League game (25 against Ukraine in September 2020), and De la Fuente was quick to hail the quality of his players.
"We're happy, first of all, with the win," he told UEFA's media channels.
"Given how the match developed, we knew it was going to be a very tough game.
"It fit perfectly in the game plan we had. It's a joy to watch these players, regardless of whether they’ve had more or fewer opportunities [to play] before.
"We have an exceptional group of footballers who, when they get their chance, show their full potential.
"It's great for Spanish football. Today, with what we saw, this win becomes even more significant. Playing against Denmark, a fantastic team, and being able to dominate, especially in the second half, control the situation, and dictate the tempo of the game, I think that's something to be very happy about – I certainly am."
Martin Zubimendi, who started in midfield in the absence of injured Rodri, netted the winner against the Danes.
That was the Real Sociedad midfielder's first international goal, but also the first time he has scored from outside of the box in his senior career.
Novak Djokovic's wait for his 100th ATP Tour title rolled on as Jannik Sinner cemented his place at the top of the world by claiming the Shanghai Masters title.
With Carlos Alcaraz and Roger Federer watching on from the stands, world number one Sinner turned in a sensational show of force to dispatch Djokovic 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 on Sunday.
Sinner needed just one hour and 39 minutes to wrap up his third ATP 1000 title of a remarkable season in which he has now won 65 matches.
The Italian did have to get the better of Djokovic in a tie-break to win the opener, but broke the Serbian great on three occasions to settle it in his favour.
Sinner kept up that momentum in the second set, though, with some slack shots from Djokovic enabling the 23-year-old to claim the crucial break in game four.
And with Djokovic unable to handle Sinner's powerful serve, the latter sealed the championship at the first time of asking, adding a seventh title to his haul for 2024.
Data Debrief: Sinner's statement of intent
Since 2015, Sinner – who has only lost six times this year – is just the fourth player to win at least seven Tour-level titles in a single season, after Djokovic (2023, 2016 and 2015), Federer (2017) and Andy Murray (2016).
At the age of 23 years and 58 days, Sinner has become the youngest player to win the Shanghai Masters and the youngest to clinch at least three ATP 1000 titles in a calendar year since Rafael Nadal (22 years and 334 days) in 2009.
Sinner is only the fifth player aged 23 or under in the Open Era to win six ATP titles on hard court in a single year after Jimmy Connors (1973), Ivan Lendl (1981), Pete Sampras (1994) and Roger Federer (2004).
He is also the first player to claim victory at consecutive ATP 1000 tournaments since Djokovic in 2020.
Sinner now holds a record of 28-3 at ATP 1000 events in 2024. Since the format's inception in 1990, only four players have achieved more match wins in a season - Federer, Nadal, Murray and Djokovic.
Mauricio Pochettino is eager to build a bond between his United States team and their supporters after he made a winning start to his tenure as head coach.
Pochettino's USA ran out 2-0 winners over Panama in Austin on Saturday.
Yunus Musah and Ricardo Pepi got the goals as the USA claimed a morale-boosting victory in front of a 20,000-strong crowd at Q2 Stadium.
And Pochettino stressed the importance of a strong connection between fans and team as he looks to build toward the 2026 World Cup.
"It was a massive shock for me to see my face behind the goal, like you say and a different picture," said the Argentine, referring to a banner held up by some fans.
"I think I am so happy; very good connection with the fans.
"That's really important to relate this connection, the team with the fans, that is a thing that is really important. Players need to feel the support."
Pochettino's side had fewer shots than Panama (11 to 13) but mustered more expected goals total (1.7xG to 0.89xG), having created the bigger chances.
"I think it's the basis for the first step, to start to grow and be better," said Pochettino, whose side face Mexico next.
"Now we are going to have a few days to recover and see and to analyse and assess all the players and to take the best decision for the team and for the players playing Tuesday, another tough game.
"I think it was a very professional performance and I think we are happy because I think all the goals that we said before the game, I think that we got and I think it's an important victory. And to start that period with the victory always is very helpful.
"[I am] so happy. Happy because I see the staff and the players made a fantastic show."
Mauricio Pochettino's stint as United States boss got off to a winning start as the Stars and Stripes overcame Panama 2-0.
Saturday's friendly in Austin represented a reunion with Panama for USA, who had lost to the central American team in this year's Copa America.
That defeat ultimately proved crucial in paving the way for a group-stage exit, which led to Gregg Berhalter's dismissal and, eventually, Pochettino's arrival.
Pochettino had to wait until the 49th minute in Austin to see his team score their first goal, with Yunus Musah tucking in his first USA goal from Christian Pulisic's delivery.
Matt Turner pulled off some impressive stops to keep USA ahead, while Puma Rodriguez and Jose Fajardo both saw good chances pass them by.
Deep in second-half stoppage time, USA substitute Pepi settled the contest, sweeping home after a fine pass from Haji Wright.
Data Debrief: Pochettino gets the ball rolling
Pochettino is renowned for front-foot, attacking football, and there was plenty of evidence of the shackles coming off in the first half, with seven different USA players involved in at least one shot, either by having an attempt themselves or creating a chance.
USA finished with 1.7 expected goals (xG) from their 11 shots, and even though Panama had more attempts (13), the visitors only mustered 0.89 xG, showing Pochettino's side limited their opponents in terms of clear-cut opportunities.
Goalscorer Musah became the second player in USA history to play over 3,000 minutes before turning 22, while Pepi once again proved decisive from the bench. He has scored six goals as a substitute in his international career, equalling Pulisic for second-most in team history, behind Eddie Johnson (seven).
Mexico are next up for USA, so Pochettino needs to be ready for an altogether different test.
West Indies captain Rovman Powell is embracing the challenge to come as he leads his team into the first encounter of a highly anticipated three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka on Sunday.
Having touched down in the Subcontinent to less-than-ideal weather conditions, Powell declared his squad's readiness to battle not only their opposition but also the elements.
First ball is 9:30am Eastern Caribbean time and 8:30am in Jamaica.
"It's always challenging for a West Indies team to tour Sri Lanka. Fortunately for us, we have guys that have toured Sri Lanka before and it's also an opportunity for guys to get their feet wet in conditions that will play the next T20 World cup," Powell said in a pre-game interview.
"A lot of rain has been around as well since we've been here on Thursday. It's typical Sri Lankan conditions because the ball will spin and grip, and they tend to make those type of wickets for their advantage. But this is a West Indies team that has quality spinners also, so we're definitely looking for the challenge," he added.
Adaptation is something Powell has grown used to throughout his career and, as such, knows the importance of experience.
Alongside senior players like Shai Hope, Roston Chase, Romario Shepherd, and others, Powell aims to set the tone early for the team, especially for rising talents such as Terrence Hinds, Shamar Springer, and others, as he emphasized the value of leadership, not just through words but by example.
"Yeah, I think it's exciting times for new talents to come through in the T20 setup. You know, it's also important for me as a leader to lead from the front. You know, once I lead from the front, the young guys will naturally follow. Myself and a few other experienced guys are here, so hopefully we can lead from the front so that young Terrence Hinds and Shamar springer, those guys would follow," Powell stated.
The Sri Lankan team, known for its craftiness in home conditions, will be no easy task. But Powell's confidence in his squad remains steady.
"Yeah, a Sri Lankan team at home is always challenging; you know, world cricket need a good Sri Lanka team just as much as they need a good West Indies team. It goes well to see both teams playing good cricket at the moment, so it should be a fascinating series and I think our guys are upbeat about our chances of playing Sri Lanka and beating Sri Lanka at home," the Jamaican noted.
With his eyes set on victory, Powell is hoping his team can continue to command the support of Caribbean fans with another series of quality performances.
"I think for the last 12 months or so, the Caribbean have been rallying around us. When we play our home games, they have supported us in their numbers in the stadium. Now provides a different challenge where they have to wake up early in the morning and tune in, whether it be via radio or via TV, but hopefully we can put on a good show for them and I'm sure once we are playing good cricket, they will look forward to watching us," he ended.
Roberto Martinez took Cristiano Ronaldo off just after the hour mark against Poland but assured he was only managing the 39-year-old's minutes.
Ronaldo was on target for Portugal in their 3-1 win over Poland, doubling their tally after Bernardo Silva's opener.
Piotr Zielinski provided the Selecao with a late scare, but Jan Bednarek's own goal ensured Portugal kept their 100% record, and they are the only team to win all three games so far in League A.
The Portugal captain was replaced by Diogo Jota, who had a hand in their third goal, in the 63rd minute, having had three shots and accumulating 1.43 expected goals (xG).
And Martinez insisted Ronaldo would have a part to play against Scotland as he praised the team's resilience to get the win over the line.
"It's part of managing players when you have two games in 72 hours. Diogo Jota came on very well. Cristiano is perfect," Martinez said.
"The first half was very good. We controlled the game, created opportunities, had very good synchronisation as a team, defended Poland's strengths very well and scored great goals.
"I'm happy with the new players who came in, it seems they have several international caps.
"Conceding a goal was a difficult moment, and it was great to see the reaction and score another goal. Overall, a very good performance.
"The challenge is two away games. 72 hours, recovering well. The players showed all their commitment during training and work at the Football City."
Martinez was also impressed by debutant Renato Veiga, who started alongside Ruben Dias at centre-back.
The Chelsea defender made seven clearances, the most of any player on the team, and helped limit Robert Lewandowski to just two shots, neither of which were on target.
"He has a very special profile. In his first training session, he showed that he gained maturity during the September training camp," Martinez added.
"He is an aggressive player, with great communication skills, who can defend large spaces, play in the air, against a Poland side that is very strong in set pieces.
"It was a fantastic debut. With a striker like Lewandowski, I think it is a debut that shows Renato's potential and how he is working at the moment."
Lane Thomas hit a grand slam off Tarik Skubal and Cleveland beat the Detroit Tigers 7-3 on Saturday in Game 5 of their AL Division Series, moving the Guardians into another postseason matchup against the Yankees.
Cleveland will meet New York in the AL Championship Series, setting up another playoff matchup between two teams that have crossed paths six previous times in October. They last met in 2022, with the Yankees taking their ALDS in five games.
Game 1 is Monday in the Bronx.
Thomas had five RBIs for the Guardians, who weren't expected to contend this season. But they won the tough AL Central under first-year manager Stephen Vogt, and Cleveland is still alive with a chance to end a World Series title drought stretching to 1948.
The Guardians had to take down Skubal, the front-runner for the AL Cy Young Award, to keep it going. The left-hander had not given up a run in 24 consecutive innings - 17 in this postseason - before the Guardians tagged him in the fifth for five runs, tying the most he allowed in 2024.
Cleveland had three singles in the inning – one on an infield roller – to load the bases before Skubal hit Ramírez on the left hand to force in a run.
That brought up Thomas, who hit a three-run homer in Cleveland's 7-0 win in Game 1.
The center fielder connected on Skubal's first pitch, sending it just over the 19-foot-high wall in left-center field.
When the ball touched down, the Guardians' dugout emptied and the screaming, red-clad Progressive Field crowd erupted in celebration.
As has been the case all season, Vogt leaned on his MLB-best bullpen, which showed some wear and tear.
After Thomas hit his homer, the Tigers threatened in the sixth, scoring a run on a single by Jake Rogers and loading the bases with two outs. But Hunter Gaddis struck out Kerry Carpenter, who won Game 2 with a three-run homer in the ninth.
The Tigers, though, kept clawing and closed to 5-3 on Colt Keith's one-out RBI double in the seventh. Eli Morgan came in for Cleveland and struck out both batters he faced.
Thomas hit an RBI single in the eighth to put the Guardians up by three, and that's when Vogt turned to All-Star closer Emmanuel Clase, the AL's saves leader, to put the Tigers away.
Throwing one 100 mph fastball after another, Clase got the final six outs. When he retired Keith on a routine grounder to first, the Guardians could finally exhale and plan for their first ALCS visit since 2016.
Lee Carsley revealed he did not formally apply to become the next England manager and wants "no regrets" over his time as interim boss.
Gareth Southgate left his position as England manager following their Euro 2024 final defeat in July, with the Football Association (FA) turning to Carsley for the Nations League fixtures.
He has won two of his three games so far, following up back-to-back wins over the Republic of Ireland and Finland with a disappointing 2-1 defeat to Greece at Wembley on Thursday.
With the return trip against Finland in Helsinki next up for the Three Lions, Carsley admitted prior to the game that he did not apply for the job during the application process earlier this year.
"No, I didn't apply for it," he told talkSPORT. "Because hopefully… I have been doing the U21s, and I am really happy with my job.
"I am an employee of the FA, and I was asked to take the senior team, which is a privilege. It was the proudest moment of my career.
"I am in a really fortunate position in that I am on the inside and I can see how much potential this team's got. It is one of the best jobs in world football.
"There aren’t many jobs where you’ve got a chance of winning. I believe the coach that comes in has got a really good chance of winning, and we deserve the best one that's out there."
Carsley was aiming to become the first England manager to win his first three competitive matches in charge since Fabio Capello in 2008, before Greece claimed their first-ever win over the Three Lions.
The 50-year-old selected an experimental line-up against Greece, fielding five attacking players, but no recognised striker, leaving the side unbalanced,
Harry Kane missed that game with a knock but is expected to return for the trip to Helsinki, having scored twice when they met them in September.
There was widespread criticism of the team after the full-time whistle, but Carsley says he did not want to play it safe during his time as interim boss.
"I think the reaction [to the loss against Greece] is fair enough. You have to respect people's opinions. We didn't perform as well as we can on the night, and I would expect a reaction [against Finland]," Carsley said in his press conference.
"I think it's something that I'll look back on in maybe two or three months and, you know, be better for it.
"I wanted to give this job my best shot for the three camps that we spoke about. I didn't want to have any regrets.
"It's important we do try something different at times. I think I'll be a better coach for that."
Mohamed Salah will return to Liverpool earlier than expected, along with Virgil van Dijk, after he was released from international duty by Egypt on Saturday.
The 32-year-old was on the scoresheet as Egypt defeated Mauritania 2-0 in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier on Friday, and was also expected to feature in the return fixture on Tuesday.
However, in a boost for the Reds, who face fourth-placed Chelsea in the Premier League on October 20, Salah will head back to Merseyside having played just once for his country.
"The technical staff of Egypt's senior football team led by manager Hossam Hassan held a meeting with Mohamed Salah, the captain of the Pharaohs," the Egyptian FA said in a statement.
"It was agreed during the meeting to rest the player from the upcoming match."
Martin Zubimendi struck in the 79th minute as Spain edged Denmark 1-0 in Murcia to leapfrog their opponents to the top of their Nations League group.
The Danes kept the European champions at a distance for the majority of the game, but Zubimendi's late volley slipped through the gloves of Kasper Schmeichel, to give the La Roja their second win, and a one-point at the top of League A Group 4.
Denmark began the game on the front foot at the Estadio Enrique Roca de Murcia as Kasper Dolberg latched onto Christian Eriksen's pass to test Spain goalkeeper David Raya in the third minute.
Spain captain Alvaro Morata's shot across the goal from an Alejandro Grimaldo cross sailed inches wide of the post in the 21st minute before Lamine Yamal failed to test Schmeichel after beating Rasmus Kristensen for pace and getting behind their defence on the stroke of half-time.
La Roja made a much brighter start to the second half, though they had to wait until the 68th minute to force a big save out of Schmeichel as he denied Morata from close range.
The turning point came with 11 minutes left on the clock, as Victor Nelsson's headed clearance only reached as far as Zubimendi, who struck a first-time volley from the edge of the box that beat Schmeichel to nestle in the back of the net.
Bernardo Silva and Cristiano Ronaldo's first-half goals ensured Portugal maintained their perfect Nations League record with a 3-1 victory over Poland.
The pair had put the visitors in control before Piotr Zielinski provided Poland with some late hope, only for Jan Bednarek's own goal to put the result beyond them.
The Selecao started brightly, with Ronaldo striking the underside of the bar before Bruno Fernandes saw a whipped effort palmed away from the top corner.
Silva found the opening 26 minutes in though – Fernandes nodded the ball down to the Manchester City man, who met it sweetly first time on the volley.
Rafael Leao raced in behind to hit a low shot across goal only to hit the far post shortly after, but Ronaldo was on hand to stretch out a leg and turn it home.
With 12 minutes of normal time remaining, Zielinski played a one-two with an off-balance Kacper Urbanski, before rifling a powerful effort past Diogo Costa.
But that proved nothing more than a consolation as Bednarek tried to stop Diogo Jota from reaching Nuno Mendes' cross, only to inadvertently turn it into his own net.
Data Debrief: No stopping Portugal
Portugal have made a brilliant start to the latest Nations League campaign, and are so far the only team in League A with a 100% record after three games.
Ronaldo has now scored in all three of their matches so far, getting his goal in this game with his only shot on target (three shots overall), as he generated 1.43 expected goals (xG).
However, Fernandes also played his part, having more shots than anyone else on the field (five). He has also now contributed to goals in his last three Nations League appearances (one goal, two assists).
Jannik Sinner says it is a "special feeling" to confirm the year-end number one spot following his Shanghai Masters semi-final win.
Sinner is the first Italian to end a calendar year as number one, having clinched the top ranking with a 6-4 7-5 win over Tomas Machac.
He will face Novak Djokovic in his maiden Shanghai final, and his fourth consecutive showpiece, though he lost the most recent in Beijing to Carlos Alcaraz last week.
Sinner (2023-24) has become only the third player in the Open Era to reach seven or more ATP event finals on hard court in consecutive seasons after Roger Federer (2004-07 and 2014-2015) and Novak Djokovic (2011-13 and 2015-2016).
Sinner, who has 64 wins under his belt this season, is the 18th player to end the year as the top-ranked player and said he has fulfilled a childhood dream in doing so.
"It's amazing. It's something you dream of when you are a kid, when you are young, just to reach the number one," Sinner told Sky Sports.
"Now having the year-end, it's also a different and special feeling.
"It means so much to me, obviously. This is something I could not accomplish without all the people I have around — the family and friends and also a big credit to my team."
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