British number one Katie Boulter came from a set down to secure a place in the third round of the US Open for the first time.

The 27-year-old matched her run at Wimbledon this summer after a gutsy 5-7 6-1 6-4 victory over China’s in-form Wang Yafan.

Wang was on an 11-match winning streak, including beating seventh seed Caroline Garcia in the first round, but she was outlasted by Boulter in the New York heat.

In a tight first set, Boulter retrieved an early break, was given a warning for angrily swatting the ball away and had three set points on the Wang serve.

But she was unable to convert any of them and Wang promptly broke to wrap up the set.

However Boulter, from Leicester, cleared her head impressively and dominated the second set to level the match.

Having broken again for 5-4 in the decider she suffered a horrible wobble, throwing in two double faults in the first three points.

But once again Boulter recovered her composure and wrapped up a fine win when Wang hit the net.

Boulter will face 21-year-old American Peyton Stearns, the world number 59, in what looks a very favourable draw, for a place in the last 16.

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 August 31.

Eddie Nketiah received his maiden England senior call-up.

Pablo Zabaleta looked back.

Harry Kane is looking forward to the Champions League.

And Marcus Rashford and Antony are too.

Erling Haaland was congratulated after winning the UEFA men’s player of the year award.

Coco Gauff celebrated too early.

Laura Robson had the camera out.

Tyson Fury mocked Oleksandr Usyk.

Chris Eubank Jr had a drug test.

Impressive debut for Brydon Carse!

George Russell signed a new deal with Mercedes.

….so did Lewis Hamilton.

Pierre Gasly and Yuki Tsunoda were cooking up a storm.

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Dawid Malan admitted his relief at making England’s provisional World Cup squad.

The Yorkshire batter struck a half-century in the seven-wicket victory over New Zealand in the first T20 on Wednesday.

Malan made 54 off 42 balls as England chased 140 with 36 deliveries to spare after pacemen Brydon Carse and Luke Wood took three wickets apiece to restrict the tourists to 139 for nine at Chester-le-Street.

With England having so much strength in depth these days, Malan was delighted to be in his country’s white-ball plans.

He said: “(It was) definitely relief, you look at the amount of depth we’ve got in English cricket, especially having sacrificed so many tournaments over the last couple of years to get in this World Cup squad, to get the call was extremely satisfying.

“I know there are people who’ve missed out and I have so much sympathy for them. From a personal point of view I was exceptionally pleased to get that call because I felt I’ve worked really hard to get in that squad.

“Every opportunity I’ve been given in 50 overs in my last four or five series I’ve gone and had to score the runs, doing it the tough way to get in there.

“Especially the top three, I know people compare me to Brooky (Harry Brook), but I bat top three and he bats four, five, six, so I don’t know where that comparison comes from.

“To be able to push for a place in that World Cup squad and get the call was extremely satisfying.”

England’s white-ball preparations for the World Cup continue after the New Zealand series with three ODIs against Ireland in September before flying out to India for the 50-over tournament which begins in October.

After his omission from the provisional World Cup squad, Harry Brook showed off his heavy hitting at the Riverside with 43 not out from 27 balls and Malan is determined to keep scoring in order to claim his spot for India.

“I think you always have to score runs when you play international cricket, especially when you have the depth we do here,” he added.

“It’s a provisional squad but from my understanding it’s up to us to score runs to stay in it.

“I think it would be tough, two weeks before we are flying, especially with people potentially resting for the Ireland series, to suddenly lose their place.

“But that is cricket and that’s the way life goes. Nothing is ever guaranteed until you stand on that plane.

“I try my best to score runs- that’s what I’m picked for, to score runs and win games. I am not there to please anyone, I’m there to score runs for Jos (Buttler) and (Matthew) Motty and contribute to wins.

“I feel like I have done that consistently over the last five or six years, whatever it is in white-ball cricket.”

Ollie Chessum knew from the reaction of his England’s team-mates that he had done some serious damage as his World Cup dream flashed before his eyes.

Chessum faced a battle to be fit for the tournament hosted by France when a “freak training accident” during the final week of the Six Nations left him needing surgery to repair a dislocated ankle.

It was a savage end to his season but England’s breakout star of the Championship had already done enough to convince boss Steve Borthwick that he should be given every chance to prove his fitness for the World Cup.

Now two matches into his comeback, the Leicester Tiger is set to join Maro Itoje in the second row for the crucial Pool D opener against Argentina on September 9.

“I got a tackle from behind and I got my foot caught. It was just a freak training accident,” Chessum said.

“Initially I just thought I’d rolled it, but as I rolled over and the lads were around me, I saw them all turn away and that’s when I knew I should probably have a quick look – and my foot wasn’t where it was supposed to be.

“When I first did the injury one of the first things I said to Freddie Steward was ‘that could be my World Cup’, and he said ‘don’t think like that’. I was quite emotional at the time.

“There have been days in the last five months where I’ve thought it doesn’t feel great, but getting back was always the goal.

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“We knew it was going to be close. I spoke to the surgeons and they said it would be four to six months and with no setbacks, that would be a semi-realistic goal.

“But then I had conversations with some of the physios and they said that they’ve had lads who have had similar injuries that have taken seven to nine months.

“I just cracked on with it. If it happened, it happened. And if it didn’t, it didn’t.

“It’s still not 100 per cent now. There is enough there that I can do what I need to and I can play rugby, but the likelihood is that for the next year or two I will need to look after it.”

Marco Silva admitted it is inevitable that bigger clubs will be interested in Fulham’s players in the wake of the club’s success last season, but would not be drawn on reports Joao Palhinha is set to join Bayern Munich.

Palhinha, who scored a late equaliser in last weekend’s draw against Arsenal, trained with the team on Thursday morning ahead of their trip to face Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.

Reports in Germany have claimed a deal has been agreed in principal between the player and the Bundesliga champions, but the west London club would not confirm the midfielder is about to be sold ahead of Friday’s transfer deadline.

Should Palhinha move to Germany, it would leave limited time to find a replacement for a player who was critical to the side’s successful first season back in the Premier League during the previous campaign.

He featured 35 times in the league as Fulham finished 10th and almost matched their top-flight points record.

Silva said the club had players in mind as possible replacements but would not commit to mentioning names, nor would he shed light on Palhinha’s future, beyond hinting that ultimately it would be decision made jointly from a financial and technical perspective.

“I won’t make any comments about the situation of Joao, there is nothing new to say to you,” he said.

“It’s the business part of the football club; the people that are taking care of that are doing their job, I’m doing my job as well to work for the football club. Anything can happen in the next 36 hours.

“We made a fantastic season. Of course, you receive some offers for the players. Probably it’s the first time this club are receiving so many offers and big offers for players. That means what we did, (is what) people are looking for.

“Now it’s up to us on the financial side to take decisions and in a technical point of view for me to decide if I receive the OK from the club.

“I will not mention players from other clubs. It doesn’t make sense really. If we expect to lose a player like Joao or I can mention other players who are really important for us, of course we should have a replacement be ready to come and help us because we are talking just two days (left) in the market.

“I’ve said in the last few weeks as well, we sold (Aleksandar) Mitrovic (to Al Hilal) and it’s difficult to replace in the striker position. I’m doing my job, it is (my job) to try to give solutions if the club decides to sell any player from our squad.

“We sold a number nine and it’s not easy to go for the number nine market. What I can promise our fans is that we will go for players if I feel they can be good additions for us and they can add something for our club and our squad.

“Signing players just to sign players for more numbers, we are not going to do, even if you’re short in numbers, like now.”

Fulham have been heavily linked with a move for Everton’s Alex Iwobi, who Silva previously signed when he was manager at Goodison Park.

Werder Bremen striker Niclas Fullkrug, who played for Germany at the World Cup in Qatar last year, has also been linked as the club seek a replacement for the departed Mitrovic, who scored 14 Premier League goals last season.

“If no one leaves our club; we have to add a left-back, another midfielder, another forward player,” said Silva. “It’s clear we need it in terms of depth and to be more competitive.

“I would like to have news for you because it would be good for me as a manager and for our fans because they know the reality as well.”

Silva also confirmed the club are trying to agree a new contract with Harrison Reed despite reported interest from Wolves for the midfielder.

“He’s an important player for us,” he said. “If he wasn’t important, he wouldn’t be playing almost all the games since I joined. We have to add players and not lose players right now.”

Lewis Hamilton said he has “unfinished business” after signing a new £100million contract to extend his Formula One career beyond his 40th birthday.

After months of negotiations, the seven-time world champion finally concluded a new two-year deal – understood to be worth £50m-a-season, a salary hike of £10m – at last weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix.

The announcement ends speculation surrounding the seven-time world champion’s future with his current deal up for renewal at the end of the season.

Hamilton’s extension – which draws him level with Max Verstappen as the grid’s highest earner – will take him to a month shy of his 41st birthday. It will also allow him to continue his pursuit of a record eighth crown.

Hamilton will still be partnered by George Russell after Mercedes also confirmed they 25-year-old’s stay for at least another two years.

“I have had such an incredible journey with Mercedes, and we still have unfinished business,” said Hamilton ahead of this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix.

“We want to get back to the top, and back to fighting for world championships. We are in this together.

“We have a lot of work to do, but there is nowhere else I would rather be. You are all stuck with me for a little bit longer.”

Hamilton has won a record 103 races, and was carried to six of his seven championships by Mercedes, but he has not tasted victory since the controversial Abu Dhabi decider of 2021 – a losing run of 36 races.

Hamilton is fourth in the championship, an eye-watering 183 points behind Verstappen, with Mercedes unable to challenge the Dutchman’s all-conquering team.

Verstappen has won 11 of the 13 rounds so far – with Red Bull unbeaten this season.

But Hamilton added: “It is not about revenge or redemption. Abu Dhabi is in the past and there’s nothing you can do about it.

“In life, you have ups and downs, and last year everyone was questioning whether they wanted to continue. But that thought quickly went away, and you put your mind and energy into being the best you can be.

“I truly believe we can win more world championships and more races together and that’s where all my energy is going.

“I’m not thinking that it’s going to take another four years to get to where we need to be. I’m aware that it does take time.

“But I’m so hopeful the decisions we are taking will put us in that target zone. In my heart I truly believe if it’s not next year it will be the year after that we can challenge.”

Hamilton, who made his F1 debut in 2007 aged 22, once scoffed at the idea of racing into his forties.

But after signing up for his 18th and 19th seasons, he revealed the careers of NFL star Tom Brady, who retired at the age of 45, and Fernando Alonso, who turned 42 last month, is proof he can continue to compete at the highest level.

“I definitely didn’t think I would get to the age that I am and feel the way I do, physically and mentally, and still love what I’m doing as much as I do,” he added. “That’s something I’m incredibly grateful for.

“I look at people like Tom Brady, who has been such an incredible athlete, and has shown what can be done today. He’s a role model in that respect.

“I’ve been fortunate in being able to speak to him and to understand what he has done and what he does consistently to keep himself in shape.

“It is also great seeing Fernando. He was here way before I was and is still doing an amazing job.

“It just shows that your talent never really leaves you so long as you have that passion and commitment to continue.”

Russell joined Hamilton at Mercedes in 2022, out-scoring his team-mate in their first season together.

He also claimed his maiden victory – Mercedes’ sole triumph of last year – at the penultimate round in Brazil.

“Lewis wouldn’t have stayed if he didn’t think the team was capable of winning again,” added Russell. “That reinforces the confidence that I have in the team.”

The Minnesota Vikings announced Thursday that they have reached an agreement with Pro Bowl tight end T.J. Hockenson on a multi-year contract extension that will reportedly make him the NFL's highest-paid tight end. 

ESPN reports the deal has a total value of $68.5 million over four years and includes the largest amount of guaranteed money for a tight end at $42.5 million. The contract's average annual value of $17.125 million is also the highest ever at the position. 

Hockenson, a Pro Bowl selection in 2020 and 2022, was entering the final season of a five-year, $29.2 million contract he signed as a rookie in 2019.

"He fits our culture, he’s the type of player that we want around here in Minnesota," Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said Thursday at a press conference announcing the signing.  "Really excited to get it done, a lot of late nights into this and we’re excited about that,"

Hockenson had missed the majority of training camp with an inner ear infection and a lower back injury, though head coach Kevin O' Connell said Thursday he expects the fifth-year pro to be ready for the Sept. 10 season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 

The 26-year-old was taken by the Detroit with the eighth overall pick of the 2019 draft and spent 3 1/2 seasons with the Lions before being traded to the NFC North rival Vikings on Nov. 1.

Hockenson fit in seamlessly with his new team, as his 60 receptions were the most by a Vikings player through his first 10 games with the team in franchise history. He added 519 receiving yards and three touchdowns while helping Minnesota capture its first division title since 2017.

The University of Iowa product's 2022 campaign was highlighted by a 179-yard, two-touchdown performance for Detroit against the Seattle Seahawks on Oct. 2 and a 13-catch, 109-yard, two-touchdown effort against the New York Giants on Dec. 24. Hockenson had another double-digit catch outing against the GIants in the NFC playoffs, as he finished with 10 receptions totalling 129 yards in Minnesota's 31-24 loss.

Hockenson ended the 2022 regular season second among NFL tight ends in receptions (86) and receiving yards (914), trailing only Kansas City Chiefs All-Pro Travis Kelce in both categories while setting career highs in each.

Hockenson has recorded 60 or more receptions in three consecutive seasons and has compiled 246 catches, 2,587 receiving yards and 18 touchdowns in 57 career regular-season games. 

LGBT+ England fans could turn their backs on Jordan Henderson when he plays for his country in a symbolic response to the midfielder’s move to Saudi Arabia.

Henderson was included in the 26-man squad for the upcoming games with Ukraine and Scotland as England manager Southgate stuck with the 33-year-old despite his move to Saudi Pro League side Al-Ettifaq.

Southgate does not believe Henderson will be jeered when he next turns out for England, despite the criticism he has faced for moving to Saudi Arabia after being a keen and vocal supporter of the Premier League’s ‘Rainbow Laces’ campaign and also working alongside Liverpool’s official LGBT+ fan group.

And while Joe White, the co-chair of Pride in Football and founder of Three Lions Pride believes Henderson will not receive a hostile reception, his presence on the pitch could be greeted with a symbolic gesture “in the same way he turned his back on us”.

“It definitely will be a very muted atmosphere and, whilst he’s got presence in the squad, he will not have a presence in our banners that we take to games any more,” White told the PA news agency.

“I don’t think it will go hostile because ultimately we want England to do as well as possible but I do think that, say he came on as a substitute, where before there would be a lot of cheering, particularly from our group at Three Lions Pride, I think there will just be silence now .

“It may well be that there comes a joint message from the LGBT fans in the stadium who may well turn their backs on him coming onto the pitch in the same way he turned his back on us by going to Saudi.”

Speaking after announcing his squad, Southgate said: “We are picking a team for football reasons.”

“There are lots of different ownership models of clubs in England, there are lots of players playing in countries where there are different religious beliefs, I don’t really know why a player would receive an adverse reaction because of where he plays his football.

“That of course is a personal choice.

“It is really difficult to… I’m a bit lost really with some of the questioning because you walk in to try and talk about a squad announcement based on football decisions and increasingly we are navigating such complex political aspects that I’m not really trained to do.

“Forgive me if I am stumbling a little bit but I find it a really difficult scenario to try and get right.

“We’ll do the best we can and we try to make decisions for any number of reasons but I have to pick a squad based on the players that I think can get us qualified for a European Championship and that’s why we’ve picked the players we have.”

England had previously been criticised by LGBT+ groups after they opted against wearing the ‘One Love’ armband during the World Cup in Qatar last year.

Southgate, though, reaffirmed his commitment to inclusivity, adding: “We are supportive of the LGBTQ+ community.

“A large number of the team and staff have either relatives or friends from that community.

“It is something that we are very conscious of and a situation we are very conscious of.

“We have tried to be very supportive but I also accept members of the community felt let down around the World Cup.

“These are all very complex situations that we are trying to do our best to navigate.”

Southgate told BBC Radio 5Live that it had been a straightforward decision to pick Henderson, while adding it was up to the player himself when he would address the issue.

“It’s for him to decide when he’s going to speak and how he speaks,” he said.

The PA news agency understands media plans for which England players will be put forward to speak at St George’s Park next week are still to be confirmed.

Asked if there was anything Henderson could do to win back support of the LGBT+ community, White added: “I don’t think he can regain the trust purely because he’s now living in a country where it’s illegal to be LGBT, where the local LGBT community have to hide and live in fear of arrest, of state-sanctioned abuse.

“He can’t just suddenly start going ‘Oh well, I’m engaging on LGBT rights’ because he doesn’t have the influence in the country and if he does things without listening to the likes of Amnesty International and people who know what it’s like to have to protect local LGBT people, all he’ll do is end up damaging those who are most affected by that regime.”

Former Manchester United captain Harry Maguire and Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips were both included in Southgate’s squad despite being yet to play a minute of club football this season.

Under-21 European Championship winner Levi Colwill received his maiden formal call-up and uncapped Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah has also got the nod for the first time, although there is no place for Chelsea forward Raheem Sterling despite a strong start to the campaign.

Marco Botti has expressed his pride in Giavellotto’s brave run in defeat at York, with connections now mulling over a possible tilt at the Melbourne Cup later in the year.

The Yorkshire Cup champion was returning to the scene of his finest hour when lining-up in the Lonsdale Cup and lost little in defeat as he fought out the finish with the Ascot Gold Cup first and second, Courage Mon Ami and Coltrane.

It was Andrew Balding’s consistent performer who came out on top on the Knavesmire, with Botti’s four-year-old giving way to the stronger stayers late in the day as he finished two lengths adrift in third.

However, the Newmarket-based handler was far from despondent as his long distance star showed his qualities once again.

Botti said: “It was a good run and he was beaten by two proper stayers who finished first and second in the Gold Cup. They are the best stayers around and maybe they just outstayed him.

“I always thought one-mile-six would be Giavellotto’s optimum trip. He gets the two miles but when he runs against the proper stayers, maybe the final furlong gets a bit hard work.

“It was no disgrace to finish third behind two proper stayers and he is a horse who has been consistent and tries his best all the time. For sure he handles York quite well.”

Giavellotto holds entries in the Comer Group International Irish St Leger (Curragh, September 10) and the Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup at Ascot on British Champions Day (October 21).

However, Botti is hoping to get the go-ahead from owner Francesca Franchini of Scuderia La Tesa Limited to travel to Australia for the ‘race that stops a nation’ at Flemington on November 7.

“He’s a horse who wouldn’t want the ground too soft. He is in the Irish St Leger, but we thought by then you don’t know what the ground will be,” explained Botti.

“We are still discussing about the Melbourne Cup and I’m pretty sure we will enter him and then finalise the plans. Otherwise in England it will just be Champions Day as the only goal left for him.”

He went on: “I would be in favour (of going for the Melbourne Cup). The fact he went to Dubai and is a horse who travels well and I also think the track will suit him – it is similar to York, a left-handed track.

“I think he will get in. He won a Group Two so he should make the cut for the Melbourne Cup, but then it is up to the owners as it is quite an expensive trip to take on and as we know the rules are quite strict before the race. The vetting can be tricky but he is a sound horse.

“If we take that route, hopefully all goes to plan, and I would be in favour if the owner wanted to go.”

If a trip to the Southern Hemisphere doesn’t come to fruition, Botti hopes to explore other options overseas for Giavellotto during his five-year-old campaign as he envisages his stable star improving further with experience.

“He’s a nice horse to still have in the yard and we have been able to win a Group Two this year,” he added.

“He’s a nice horse to have and maybe campaign abroad next year, whether that be Dubai or Saudi Arabia. We’re not planning too far ahead but he’s definitely a horse who has scope to get even better.”

Liam Smith questioned Chris Eubank Jr’s intelligence as the pair bickered ahead of their rematch this weekend.

The British fighters meet for a second time at Manchester’s AO Arena on Saturday, seven months on from Liverpudlian Smith’s fourth-round stoppage victory over his middleweight rival.

Both were in bullish mood as they held a fractious press conference in the city on Thursday, with Eubank predicting he will gain revenge with a “beautiful, artistic display of savage boxing”.

Eubank has brought in a new coach in Brian McIntyre and introduced other changes to his training regime in preparation for the contest.

McIntyre has hailed Eubank, 33, as an intelligent fighter, but 35-year-old Smith scoffed at that suggestion when they met with media.

The former WBO super-welterweight champion said: “You class Chris as an intelligent fighter? That is one thing Chris is not!”

“I’m definitely more intelligent than you, my friend,” Eubank responded.

Smith, who has a career record of 33-3-1, said: “Results speak for themselves!

“You are trying to convince people you’re intelligent? You’ve been fit, you’ve been durable, you have an engine, but you’ve never been classed as intelligent.”

“You have one form of fighting, I have many,” said Eubank. “So, if we are going to talk about intelligence there is no competition.”

Eubank, who now has 32 wins and three defeats to his name, is so confident of victory that he says he has banned his camp from even taking a towel to the ring.

Eubank’s former coach Roy Jones Jr had appeared ready to throw in the towel immediately prior to the referee’s decision to halt the first bout.

“We are not going to look for the easy way out,” said Eubank. “If it gets rough, if it gets hairy, we are there for the long haul. We are going to get through it.

“If there is going to be a towel involved in this fight it will definitely be coming from the other corner.

“What happened in the last fight was not supposed to happen. Even to Liam – he may not admit it – but he was not expecting the fight to finish how it finished. Nobody was.

“I know I am the better fighter and I am going to go out there and prove it on Saturday.

“The preparation I have had has been excellent and the performance I am going to have is going to be exquisite, supernatural. It is going to be a beautiful, artistic display of savage boxing.”

Smith was incredulous at Eubank’s remarks and claimed the outcome would be similar to that of the first fight.

He said: “All week it was, ‘Chris couldn’t be hurt’. I was like, ‘Never say never’.

“I told everyone, ‘Don’t think anyone can’t be hurt because they have got a good chin’. I do still think he has got a good chin, but he got hit, looking at the floor, and he went.

“The same will happen again. If he makes the same mistakes, I will punish him.”