Jannik Sinner is confident the wrist issue that troubled him during Friday's US Open semi-final win over Jack Draper is "nothing to be concerned about" ahead of Sunday's final.
Sinner reached his first final at Flushing Meadows with an impressive 7-5 7-6 (7-3) 6-2 success over Draper, who had not dropped a single set en route to the final four.
While Draper vomited at the side of the court after struggling with anxiety, Sinner also called for medical attention after tweaking his left wrist in the second set.
The world number one stayed in a brutal rally despite falling awkwardly when playing a lob from deep on the court, then got up to slam a brilliant forehand winner past Draper.
He immediately received treatment on the affected wrist but showed few signs of discomfort from then on to become Italy's first-ever male finalist at the US Open.
"The physio loosened it up very fast on court, so after I felt okay in the beginning. Then after it went away by playing, which is good," Sinner told reporters after his win.
"Let's see how it is tomorrow when it's cold. It's going to be a different feeling. Hopefully it is nothing to be concerned about.
"I'm quite relaxed, because if it's something bad, you feel it straightaway a bit more."
At the age of 23 years and 21 days, Sinner is the youngest man to reach the final at both the Australian Open and the US Open in a single year since the former event switched from grass surfaces in 1988, surpassing Roger Federer in 2004 (23 years, 34 days).
He will be up against a home favourite in Taylor Fritz on Sunday, and he accepts he will have to play the role of villain in the eyes of a raucous crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
"It's normal. It's like when I play in Italy, so I'm going to accept that. I have my team and my people who are close to me," he said.
"In my mind, I know that there are many people watching from home from Italy, and I'll just take some support from them."
Fritz rallied to beat compatriot Frances Tiafoe in five sets having been both 1-0 and 2-1 down in Friday's second semi-final, and he said reaching the showpiece match represented the realisation of a lifelong dream in an emotional press conference.
"It's just how I am. I'm more of an emotional person when I'm happy. When I'm really happy I cry at happy endings of movies and not at sad stuff. That's just how I am," Fritz said.
"It's just joy, the crowd cheering and that realisation, like, 'wow, I'm in the finals of the US Open.
"It's such a lifelong dream come true. It's something I've worked my whole life for, to be in this situation. Realising that got me a little bit choked up."
Jack Draper believes it is "only a matter of time" before he goes all the way at a grand slam, having come up short in the US Open semi-finals versus Jannik Sinner.
Draper enjoyed a breakout campaign at Flushing Meadows, reaching the last four without dropping a set having never previously gone beyond the second round at any major.
However, he was beaten 7-5 7-6 (7-3) 6-2 by Sinner, later saying he had struggled with anxiety after being seen vomiting at the side of the court on several occasions.
"I'm a bit spent but that's the nature of sport, especially tennis, it's relentless, mentally, physically, emotionally," Draper told Sky Sports.
"You have to have everything as a tennis player. I'm obviously very proud of myself, and I can look back on it.
"Right now, I'm a bit emotional, a bit 'gone' that it had to end in that way but you have to respect that Jannik is the number one player in the world and he's incredible.
"I came a bit unstuck today but hopefully I will have many opportunities in the future."
The Brit does not expect this to be his final chance on the biggest stage, targeting regular appearances at the back end of grand slams in future.
"I've still got a lot to improve. At the end of the day, I need to keep on improving my physicality, my mentality, the way I play," Draper added.
"But there's no reason why I don't belong at the top of the game with these guys. I proved that to myself on a few occasions this year.
"My goal now is to try and do it more consistently and put myself in front of these guys on a regular basis at the back end of tournaments.
"I think that is something I'm capable of. But it's just a matter of time."
The Green Bay Packers are waiting to discover the severity of an injury suffered by quarterback Jordan Love in the closing stages of their Week 1 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Packers were beaten 34-29 by Philadelphia in the NFL's first international game in Sao Paulo, letting a halftime lead slip as debutant Saquon Barkley inspired the Eagles to victory.
Running back Barkley rushed for 109 yards and two touchdowns as well as catching two Jalen Hurts passes for 23 yards and another score, becoming the first player with three touchdowns on their Eagles debut since Terrell Owens in 2004.
Things got worse for the Packers on the final drive of the game, as Love dropped back to pass and was caught between Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter and outside linebacker Josh Sweat.
Love appeared to twist his lower left leg and had to be helped from the field, with Malik Willis coming in to take the final two snaps as Green Bay failed to fight back.
Love's injury came in his first game since he was handed a new four-year, $220million contract that made him the league's joint-highest paid player, leaving the Packers nervous about his condition.
"That's the franchise right there," defensive lineman Kenny Clark said. "Hopefully, he can be back next week and he can be all right."
Head coach Matt LaFleur was twice asked about Love's condition in his post-game press conference, simply responding: "I don't know".
Love completed 17 of his 34 passing attempts in Friday's game for 260 yards, two touchdowns and one pick.
The Packers are next in action versus the Indianapolis Colts at Lambeau Field on September 15, before visiting the Tennessee Titans for their first road game one week later.
Taylor Fritz will face Jannik Sinner in the US Open final after overcoming fellow American Frances Tiafoe in a five-set classic at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Both men were looking to take a huge step towards ending the United States' 21-year wait for a male champion at Flushing Meadows, and it was Tiafoe who took the opener despite giving up an early break, hitting back with two of his own in the fifth and seventh games.
Fritz rallied to take the second set, but Tiafoe came on strong again in the third, harnessing the support of the crowd and using his power to dominate rallies.
An early break proved enough for Tiafoe to go 2-1 up, and he found himself two games from victory at 4-4 in the fourth set.
However, a missed forehand at deuce gave Fritz set point, and Tiafoe then failed with an attempted drop shot to let his opponent force a decider.
The momentum switched from then on, with Fritz never looking back. He hit a massive backhand winner in his first return game of the decider to break, and though he later let a double-break advantage slip with a double fault, that was a momentary blip as he ran away with the fifth set.
After the win, Fritz hailed his coach Michael Russell for the calming effect he was able to exert after a tough start to the encounter.
"I felt I wasn't doing anything wrong, I was just getting overwhelmed," Fritz said. "I was freaking out a little bit and he told me to keep doing what I was doing, accept it was okay and keep making him do it. That helped to calm me down and let me know I was doing the right thing."
Data Debrief: Fritz the late bloomer
Among male players representing the United States, Fritz – at the age of 26 years and 313 days – is the second-oldest in the Open Era to reach a maiden grand slam final, after MaliVai Washington (27 years, 15 days) at Wimbledon in 1996.
It took Fritz 33 main-draw campaigns to reach his first major final, with only David Ferrer (42), Stanislas Wawrinka (36) and Kevin Anderson (34) requiring more in the Open Era.
He could become the first home winner of the US Open since Andy Roddick in 2003 on Sunday, when he faces Sinner in the showpiece match.
Jannik Sinner booked his place in the US Open final after overcoming a valiant effort from an unwell Jack Draper in straight sets at Flushing Meadows.
Sinner needed just over three hours to confirm the triumph, ending the Briton's impressive run in New York with a 7-5 7-6 (7-3) 6-2 triumph.
The world number one impressed on serve, producing 11 aces to Draper's eight, with the Briton also serving 10 double faults, six of which came in the first set.
In a contest decided by fine margins, an opening set that saw back-to-back break points was settled by Sinner with a love game to take the early advantage.
But in testing conditions, Draper struggled and was seen vomiting, and was then unable to inflict enough damage on the Italian's service game as the second set went in the way of Sinner.
The Italian also recieved treatment to his left wrist after falling during a point he managed to win, going on to seal the win with an emphatic final set to end Draper's hopes of following in Andy Murray's footsteps at Flushing Meadows.
"First of all, me and Jack know each other very well, we are good friends off the court," Sinner started.
"It was a very physical match as we see. I just try to stay there mentally and he is so tough to beat.
"It is a very special occasion, thanks everyone for coming out. The support has been amazing. Just happy to be in the final here."
Sinner will look to secure his second major title of the year against either Taylor Fritz or Frances Tiafoe in an all-American semi-final taking place late on Friday.
Data Debrief: The Italian job close to completion
Sinner is the first Italian player to reach multiple men’s singles grand slam finals in the Open Era, and the second in tennis history after Nicola Pietrangeli.
Moving to a win-loss record of 60-18, only three players since 2000 have recorded 60 men’s singles wins in fewer grand slam matches than Sinner (78) – Carlos Alcaraz (70), Rafael Nadal (72) and Novak Djokovic (77).
Only Jimmy Connors (1974 and 1975) and Roger Federer (2004) have made the men’s singles finals at the Australian and US Open the same year, younger than the Italian (23 years and 21 days).
Ja'Marr Chase has committed to giving his all for the Cincinnati Bengals this season despite failing to agree a contract extension with the franchise.
Chase, who caught seven touchdown passes and tallied 1,216 receiving yards last season, described his current situation as "aggravating" to reporters.
The Bengals kickstart their 2024 season this weekend against the New England Patriots, and Chase suited up for practice on Friday after skipping a workout earlier this week.
"It's my decision," said Chase, whom the Bengals listed as questionable to play.
Chase compiled 3,717 receiving yards and 29 touchdowns in his first three NFL seasons with the Bengals.
In 2023, he caught a career-high 100 passes, tying for second-most in a season in Bengals history.
He is also one of only eight players in NFL history who have reached 1,000 receiving yards in each of their first three seasons in the league.
The Bengals are keen to keep one of their prized assets, with Chase indicating talks are continuing as their Week 1 assignment draws closer.
"It's a small chance, but who knows what'll happen in these next couple hours?" Chase said.
Chase still has two years remaining on his rookie deal as he had his fifth-year option picked up, which will see him earn $9.8million this season and $21.8m in 2025.
This offseason, though, has seen several receivers get big-money deals, including A.J. Brown of the Philadelphia Eagles (three years, $96m), CeeDee Lamb of the Dallas Cowboys (four years, $136 m), and Chase's former LSU team-mate Justin Jefferson of the Minnesota Vikings (four years, $140m).
Asked about a report that suggested he wanted to top Jefferson's $140m deal by one cent, Chase said: "If I want to beat Justin, I'm gonna beat the s*** out of Justin.
"Not by a penny, brother."
Renowned American jockey Arnaldo Bocachica will grace Jamaican soil for the first time this weekend as he prepares to compete in the prestigious Winston Griffiths Classic at Caymanas Park.
With over 15 years of experience at top-tier tracks and multiple awards to his name, Bocachica is set to make waves among horse racing enthusiasts in Jamaica with his entry into this year’s race.
Having built a stellar career in the United States and established himself as one of the sport’s top jockeys, Bocachica is recognized for his tactical precision and consistent performances.
His participation in the Winston Griffiths Classic marks a milestone in his career and brings an international spotlight to the event.
“I am incredibly excited to be racing in Jamaica for the first time,” said Bocachica. “I’ve heard so
much about the country’s vibrant horse racing culture, and I’m honoured to be part of such an
important event as the Winston Griffiths Classic.”
The Winston Griffiths Classic, named after the legendary Jamaican jockey Winston “Fanna” Griffiths, is one of the island’s most anticipated annual racing events.
Bocachica will be riding against some of Jamaica’s finest jockeys, making for an exhilarating weekend of competition at Caymanas Park.
The weekend of racing on September 7-8 promises to deliver high-energy performances, with Bocachica’s appearance adding international flair to the line-up.
Jalen Ramsey is once again the NFL's highest-paid defensive back, as multiple outlets reported Friday that the Miami Dolphins star has agreed to a three-year, $72.3 million contract extension through the 2028 season.
The $24.1 million average annual value of Ramsey's new deal slightly exceeds the $24 million per year the Denver Broncos will pay cornerback Patrick Surtain, who signed a four-year, $96 million extension earlier this week.
Ramsey previously held the title of the league's top-earning defensive back after signing a five-year, $105 million extension in 2020, while then a member of the Los Angeles Rams. That contract was surpassed earlier this offseason, when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers gave safety Antoine Winfield a new four-year deal that will pay him $21.025 million per season.
The Dolphins acquired Ramsey from the Rams during the 2023 offseason. The seven-time Pro Bowler didn't debut with his new team until Week 8 while recovering from surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee, but re-established himself as one of the league's top cover men during his first season in Miami.
Opposing quarterbacks produced just a 44.5 passer rating on attempts thrown in Ramsey's direction over his 10 regular-season starts in 2023. The 29-year-old had five passes defenced and three interceptions, and is one of only four players with at least three interceptions in each of the past three seasons.
Ramsey has received All-Pro honours three times over his eight-year career, which began with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2016. He was traded to the Rams midway through the 2019 season and played a key role in Los Angeles' Super Bowl win over the Cincinnati Bengals to conclude the 2021 campaign.
In 118 career regular-season games, Ramsey has compiled 474 tackles, 22 interceptions and 97 passes defenced.
Ramsey's extension continues an active summer for the Dolphins, who previously got starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa under contract through 2028 with a new four-year, $212 million deal. Miami also extended head coach Mike McDaniel's contract for three years last week.
Christian Horner has praised Max Verstappen's attitude during Red Bull's recent struggles, but he is confident the team can make a comeback in the final eight races.
Verstappen saw his lead cut at the top of the drivers' championship to 62 points by McLaren's Lando Norris in Monza, with Charles Leclerc also closing the gap.
The Dutchman has now gone five Grand Prix's without a pole position, his worst streak since the sixth race of the 2021 season (five).
He has also failed to emerge victorious in his last six Grand Prix's, with the last time he stood on the top step being at Barcelona in June.
“What’s really impressed me with Max is how he’s really engaged in this process,” said Horner.
“He’s not panicking, he’s working with the engineers, he’s explaining very clearly where the issues are, he’s putting the time and effort in.
“He was in early this morning, he was on Zoom calls last week, he’ll be on the simulator before the next race, and he’s really working hard at this.
"I think he’s shown great maturity as a world champion, the way he’s working with the engineering group.
“Nobody likes the situation we’re in at the moment, nobody’s happy with it and we’ve got to work really hard to turn it around.
"But the one thing this team has is strength and depth in talent, and we’ll come back.”
Red Bull's struggles have also seen their advantage at the top of the constructors' standings evaporate, and are now only eight points clear of McLaren, with Ferrari 39 points off the pace.
But a return to action next weekend at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix offers the team a chance to bridge the gap to those below them.
Only one driver has achieved more than one victory on the streets of Baku, with that man being Verstappen's team-mate, Sergio Perez, who won in 2021 and 2023.
The Mexican has scored the most points on the circuit (100), with only a Lewis Hamilton victory and fastest lap being enough to overtake the Red Bull driver (75).
But Perez has now gone 10 consecutive Grands Prix without finishing in the top five of the standings, the same number of times as in his previous 41 races in Formula 1.
However, Horner is optimistic that solutions can be put in place prior to the upcoming double header of Azerbaijan and Singapore.
“The most important thing is understanding the issue, and I think there are certain fixes that potentially can be introduced, perhaps not the resolve the whole issue but address some of it,” Horner said.
“I think we have a two-week period before Baku and Singapore and then we have another mini-break where we can work in-between Singapore and Austin, so this time now is crucial.”
Dak Prescott does not see the Dallas Cowboys' 2024 season opener versus the Cleveland Browns on Sunday as a deadline for the team to make him an acceptable contract offer.
Prescott is set to enter the final season of the four-year, $160million contract he penned in 2021, and talks over a new deal have been ongoing for several weeks.
The ninth-year quarterback is set to hit free agency in 2025, though he has repeatedly expressed confidence his agent Todd France will reach a deal with the team.
The Cowboys begin the new campaign with a potentially tricky visit to Cleveland, but Prescott says his approach to the season will not change if his new contract is not signed before then.
"I'd say they're working. I don't know if that's necessarily the timeline," Prescott told reporters when asked if a new deal could be announced before the game.
"I can't say, 'I'll put a timeline to Todd and [Dallas executive] Stephen [Jones] if we don't get this done, this or that'. I know they're working.
"I'm going to still be working. That's the only thing that matters to me."
Prescott's 410 completions and passer rating of 105.9 in 2023 were career-best figures, while he also played all 17 regular-season games for the first time since being drafted in the fourth round in 2016.
However, the Cowboys collapsed to a stunning 48-32 defeat to the Green Bay Packers in the wild-card round of the NFL Playoffs, ensuring their wait for a record-equalling sixth Super Bowl crown will reach at least 20 years.
Roger Staubach (in 1971 and 1977) and Troy Aikman (1992, 1993 and 1995) remain the only quarterbacks to lead Dallas to Super Bowl glory, and Prescott maintains that winning it all with the Cowboys would mean more than doing so elsewhere.
"I don't think winning it any other place would be the same as winning it here," Prescott said. "That is a number one reason in wanting to be here, to be honest with you."
Star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb held out on the Cowboys' training camp to force through his own new contract during the offseason, but Prescott's team-mate expects him to show nothing but full commitment while he waits on an agreement.
"Obviously, Dak is doing a great job of not really bringing it into the workspace, but I know personally that it can take a toll on you," Lamb said.
"He's doing a great job of leading us in the right direction. He knows that we're rooting for him. Me, the most, for sure.
"We need to hurry up and get this done, so we can just put this all behind us and go win more ballgames."
Oliver Bearman will replace the suspended Kevin Magnussen for Haas at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix following his incident at Monza last weekend.
Magnussen, who finished 10th at the Italian Grand Prix, was handed a 10-second time penalty and two penalty points after a clash with Alpine's Pierre Gasly.
The Dane was subsequently banned for one race after reaching the maximum 12 penalty points on his Super Licence within the space of a year.
Magnussen is the first driver since Romain Grosjean back in 2012 to recieve a ban after the Frenchman caused a multi-car incident at the Belgian Grand Prix.
With Bearman part of Haas' all-new driver line-up next year alongside Esteban Ocon, it provides an opportunity to familiarise himself with the car he will be driving in 2025.
The 19-year-old made his Formula 1 debut earlier this year when he stood-in for the unwell Carlos Sainz at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
Bearman finished in seventh place, scoring points on his first start for Ferrari and is looking forward to the challenge of Baku's street circuit next week.
“It’s definitely more of a challenge stepping in to race as a reserve driver, with limited prep-time and so on," Bearman said.
"But I’m in the fortunate position of having done it earlier in the year with Ferrari, so I can at least call on that experience.
"I’ve also had four FP1 sessions with the Haas F1 Team in the VF-24 this season, so undoubtedly, that will also prove to be valuable in tackling the full race weekend.
"The team is in good form at the moment and I’ll do my best to be prepared with the time we have available.
"The aim is to get out there and have a solid weekend in Azerbaijan.”
Team Principal Ayao Komatsu added: “I’m excited that Ollie will be driving the VF-24 alongside Nico in Baku.
"He’s already shown great promise in his FP1 outings and post-season test, and he performed very well when he drove for Scuderia Ferrari in Saudi Arabia, picking up points in the process.
"This is another excellent opportunity for both Ollie and the team to work together, this time throughout an entire race weekend, and he couldn’t ask for better teammate than Nico to provide him with a reference.”
Jack Draper feels he belongs at the highest level ahead of his US Open semi-final clash with Jannik Sinner, pointing to June's Stuttgart Open success as a turning point in his career.
Draper will face Sinner for a place in the final of 2024's final grand slam on Friday, having crushed Alex de Minaur in straight sets in the last eight on Wednesday.
He could become the first British player to reach the men's singles final at Flushing Meadows since 2012, when Andy Murray beat Novak Djokovic.
It has been a breakthrough tournament for the 22-year-old, who had never previously gone beyond the second round of a major, and he feels his maiden ATP success, which saw him beat Matteo Berrettini in the final in Germany, provided a major confidence boost.
"Winning Stuttgart was a huge moment for me," Draper told Tim Henman in an interview for Sky Sports. "I played two finals before that and both times I came up short.
"It was like I was a good enough player to do it but I just wasn't getting over the line and I think whatever level you're playing at, winning five matches and winning a tournament is an incredible achievement.
"When I won that one, it felt strange. There was a massive sigh of relief and it actually made me believe in myself a lot more.
"It made me a lot more confident in my own skin and really made me believe that by beating the players that I beat, especially to win the tournament, I felt like I belonged a lot more at the really highest level."
Draper has only dropped 36 games at the US Open thus far. In the last 40 years (since 1985), only Djokovic (27 in 2016, 32 in 2012 and 33 in 2013) and Ivan Lendl (34 in 1987) have ever reached the men's semi-finals at the US Open while losing fewer games.
"A lot of the players know my talent and know my tennis capabilities and probably see me as a dangerous player," Draper added.
"It's been important for me to show my face on the tour most weeks and show that I'm physically robust. That mentally, I'm all in, and I'm doing all the right things, and that also gains respect from the other players."
Justin Rose has urged Jon Rahm to make sure he is eligible for the Ryder Cup next year.
The Spaniard, who plays on the LIV circuit, needs to play three events on the DP World Tour before the end of the season in November to be available for selection.
The Spanish Open looks to be the most likely solution for the two-time major winner, but he has not yet submitted an entry, which would need to be in by September 12.
If he fails to meet the requirements needed for his tour membership, Luke Donald will not be able to call on him, even for one of the wild card spots, as Europe look to defend their trophy at Bethpage next September.
Rose believes not having Rahm in the team would be a huge blow to Team Europe's chances in New York last year, but understands the Tour's need to enforce the regulations.
"No matter where the world rankings say he is or the golf that he is competing against, we know what a great player he is," Rose said, speaking after an event at Brocket Hall.
"My point is you want him on the team. There is a pathway for him to play the Ryder Cup if he wants it.
"I think that's all the DP World Tour can do, and they have their interests to protect, and I still think that it is a doable situation should the player want to choose to do it."
Patrick Mahomes has praised rookie wide receiver Xavier Worthy for "opening stuff up" in the Kansas City Chiefs' win over the Baltimore Ravens.
The Chiefs began their first steps towards an unprecedented three-peat with a 27-20 win over Baltimore on Thursday but had to hang on as the Ravens had a late touchdown overturned.
Worthy scored a touchdown the first time he got the ball in an NFL game with a 21-yard rush, before getting his second in the fourth quarter, a 35-yard catch from Mahomes.
The quarterback lauded Worthy's ability after the game, noting that his touchdowns were not his biggest contributions to the team during the win.
"Just having him out there, it just opens up stuff," Mahomes said. "You saw when he's out there, they're playing shell coverages.
"It's getting guys like [Travis Kelce] and it's getting guys like [Rashee Rice] open underneath, and that's what's so great about this offense is we're able to do all of that, and that's when we're at our best.
"He's so cool, calm and collected all the time. You never even see the excitement on him, but he goes out there and makes plays.
"Obviously, we want to continue to use him more and more, but I thought he had a great day today, making big plays and big moments."
Meanwhile, the Ravens were left frustrated by a late call from the officials as Isaiah Likely was denied a touchdown on the final play of the game.
He caught Lamar Jackson's pass, but it was ruled out by the slightest of margins after initially being given onfield, with replays showing his toe was just outside the line.
"You have to live with that call," Likely said, via the team's website.
"That's on me. I just have to get both feet in. I harp on myself to catch everything and make sure everybody puts us in the best possibility, so I take responsibility. Next time, I'm going to get my feet down."
Jackson, however, was not convinced by the final call.
"I thought it was a touchdown," Jackson said. "I still think it's a touchdown."
Trinidadian netball star Samantha Wallace-Joseph will take her talents to England, having signed with the Loughborough Lightning for the 2025 Netball Super League (NSL) season. The move comes after Wallace-Joseph’s departure from the New South Wales Swifts in Australia’s Suncorp Super Netball League earlier this summer, following a mutual agreement to part ways.
The reigning back-to-back NSL champions, Loughborough Lightning, have expressed excitement over the addition of Wallace-Joseph to their roster, recognizing her as a key signing. Wallace-Joseph, who spent seven successful seasons with the NSW Swifts, will now lead the Lightning's shooting circle following the departure of Mary Cholhok to the Queensland Firebirds.
Her signing is seen as a major coup for Loughborough, with Wallace-Joseph bringing a wealth of international experience and talent. She was a standout for the Swifts and a crucial part of their successes, making her one of the most prominent figures in netball.
Joining Wallace-Joseph in Loughborough’s 2025 campaign are other high-profile recruits, including South African defender Shadine Van Der Merwe, former Manchester Thunder shooter Berri Neil, and Jodie Gibson, a 2018 Commonwealth Games gold medallist making her return to the club. These additions complement an already formidable roster that includes returning players like captain Nat Panagarry, Beth Cobden, and Ella Clark.
Loughborough Lightning Head Coach Vic Burgess expressed pride in the squad assembled for the upcoming season, noting the ambition to defend their titles. "As back-to-back defending champions, we’re aware that there will be a target on our back. With this in mind, we’ve recruited exciting players across the court to ensure that we’re in a position to battle for silverware once again," Burgess said.
Wallace-Joseph’s move to Loughborough comes after a challenging period with the Swifts, where she had recently returned from a two-year hiatus due to knee surgery. Despite her stellar track record, the Swifts and Wallace-Joseph decided to part ways following internal issues, marking the end of her time in the Australian league.
Her fresh start in England offers Wallace-Joseph an opportunity to reestablish herself as one of the premier shooters in netball. With Loughborough’s strong squad and the upcoming 2025 season set to begin in March, Wallace-Joseph will look to bring her trademark skill and leadership to the Lightning’s quest for a third consecutive NSL title.
Jessica Pegula is looking for "revenge" against Aryna Sabalenka in the US Open final after losing out on the title to her in Cincinnati.
Pegula will play in her first-ever grand slam final this weekend, becoming the oldest American to do so in the Open Era at 30 years and 193 days.
She had to do it the hard way though, coming from behind to beat Karolina Muchova 1-6 6-4 6-2 in a semi-final that lasted over two hours.
Pegula lost in straight sets when she faced Sabalenka in the Cincinnati Open final, but she is hopeful she can flip the script this time around.
"Playing Aryna is going to be really tough," Pegula said.
"She showed how tough she is [in the first semi] and why she's probably the favourite to win this tournament.
"It'll be a rematch of Cincinnati, so hopefully I can get some revenge out here.
"It's kind of crazy that we're playing each other again in the finals, but I think it just shows how much great hard-court tennis we've been playing. She's going to be tough to beat, but that's what the finals are for, so I'm ready."
Sabalenka overcame another American in her semi-final, beating Emma Navarro 6-3 7-6 (7-2).
She has reached a second consecutive US Open final, having missed out on the title to Coco Gauff last year, and has reached each of the last four grand slam finals on hard courts, winning both of those in Australia.
Having already beaten one of the home favourites, Sabalenka will be expecting another raucous atmosphere when she faces Pegula.
"Well now you're cheering for me, it's a bit too late," a Sabalenka joked after the match.
"It really means a lot and even though you guys were supporting her, I still had goosebumps for you cheering."
Jessica Pegula rallied after a difficult first set in an emotional US Open semi-final against Karolina Muchova to reach her maiden grand slam final.
Pegula is the oldest American woman in the Open Era to reach her first major final, where she will play Aryna Sabalenka, but she had to do it the hard way in a 1-6 6-4 6-2 in two hours and 13 minutes.
The 30-year-old won her first service game, but Muchova's strength pushed her through the rest of the first set.
Pegula then found herself 2-0 down in the second but dug deep to go on a four-match winning streak and force a decider.
After that, Muchova had no way back, as Pegula got two more breaks in the final set, and she admitted that even she was surprised by the comeback.
"I came out flat, but she was playing unbelievable, she made me look like a beginner," Pegula said.
"I was about to burst into tears because it was embarrassing, she was destroying me.
"I don't know how I turned that around, honestly."
Data Debrief: Pegula's wait is over
It is the second year in a row that an American will play in the women's singles final, with Pegula following Coco Gauff, who won the tournament last time around.
However, by defeating Muchova at the age of 30 years and 193 days, Pegula became the oldest American in the Open Era to reach a maiden grand slam final.
She is also just the third player in the Open Era to win a women's singles semi-final at the US Open after losing the first set 6-1, after Svetlana Kuznetsova (2004) and Victoria Azarenka (2020) – excluding retirements.
Aryna Sabalenka believes her improved calmness was the key to her reaching a second consecutive US Open final.
The Belarusian beat one of the home favourites Emma Navarro in straight sets on Thursday, needing a tie-break to edge past the in-form American.
Sabalenka, who finished as runner-up to Coco Gauff in the tournament last year, won 6-3 7-6 (7-2) in just over 90 minutes on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
After a relatively comfortable first set, Sabalenka looked to be cruising in the second too, until Navarro clawed her way in front after being 5-3 down.
However, the number two seed soon regained her footing to win the tie-break, and she credits the work she has put in on her mindset as the game changer.
"I worked really hard on my mindset on the match," Sabalenka said afterwards. "I think I made really huge improvement on that calmness, on those crucial moments.
"Even if things are not working well for me, I still keep doing the right things, and I'm staying in control. I'm really proud, I'm actually really proud of myself that I was able to get to the point when I'm in control of my emotions."
Data Debrief: Back-to-back
Sabalenka has dropped just one set throughout the US Open this year, and has put herself in the best position to win the competition for the first time.
The 26-year-old is the first woman to reach back-to-back US Open finals since Serena Williams in 2018 and 2019. She has now reached all four hard court grand slam finals in the last two years.
Since the Australian Open's switch from grass in 1988, Sabalenka is just the fifth player to reach the women's singles final at the Australian and US Open in consecutive seasons after Steffi Graf, Monica Seles, Martina Hingis and Victoria Azarenka.
The San Diego Padres were one strike away from padding their lead atop the NL wild-card standings.
The Detroit Tigers' Parker Meadows changed that with one swing of the bat.
Down 3-0 with two outs and two strikes in the top of the ninth inning, Meadows hit a grand slam to stun the Padres and send the Tigers to a thrilling 4-3 win on Thursday.
Parker hit a 101 mph four-seam fastball off Robert Suarez that travelled 361 feet and landed just over the short left-field fence in San Diego.
San Diego (80-62) lost for the first time in four games and its lead over the Arizona Diamondbacks shrunk to just one-half game for the NL's top wild-card spot.
Jurickson Profar and Xander Bogaerts each homered for the Padres, who end the regular season with a three-game series at Arizona.
Meadows' homer was just his sixth of the season and lifted the Tigers (71-70) back over .500 and within five games of the Royals for the AL's final wild-card spot.
Braves lose, now tied for final NL wild card spot
The Atlanta Braves suffered a 3-1 loss to the last-place Colorado Rockies to drop into a tie for the league's final wild-card berth with the idle New York Mets.
Atlanta and New York have identical 76-64 records with 22 games remaining.
The Braves, who got their lone run on Ramón Laureano's RBI single in the first inning, managed just five hits with Orlando Arcia's second inning-double the only one going for extra bases in the finale with the Rockies (52-89).
Colorado's Michael Toglia and Ezequiel Tovar each hit solo homers off Atlanta starting pitcher Reynaldo Lopez, who gave up three other hits while striking out 11 without a walk in his six innings of work.
Rockies starter Austin Gomber went eight innings, yielding a run and five hits without issuing a walk while striking out six.
Phillies push winning streak to five
The Philadelphia Phillies beat the Miami Marlins 5-2 to extend their winning streak to five games and increase their lead atop the NL East to eight games.
Bryson Stott hit an RBI single in the first inning and a long solo homer during Philadelphia's four-run sixth inning.
Kody Clemens knocked in a pair of runs with a double in the sixth and later came around to score on a wild pitch.
Ranger Suarez gave up three hits over five scoreless innings for the Phillies (84-56), who have won 10 of 12.
The Marlins (52-88) scored their first run in the seventh on an RBI single by Jesús Sánchez and plated their final run an inning later on a throwing error by Clemens.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
