Australia are looking for a lift and have turned to Quade Cooper to provide guile from number 10 against South Africa as the Rugby Championship resumes.
Three weeks on from the second round of games, Australia and the Springboks go head to head, and New Zealand tackle Argentina, with both games being played on Sunday at Cbus Super Stadium on the Gold Coast.
The Wallabies took a Bledisloe Cup drubbing at the hands of the All Blacks, losing all three games in that series, with two of those forming part of this tournament, so they are looking for a spark and will hope Cooper, making his first international appearance in over four years, can provide that.
The 33-year-old last featured, briefly, against Italy in June 2017 and now plays for Japanese team Kintetsu Liners.
His career looked to be in steep decline at one point, as Cooper lost his place in not only the Australia squad during Michael Cheika's reign as coach, but also fell out of favour with the Queensland Reds.
Now he is set for a 71st Test appearance, having been originally beckoned into Dave Rennie's squad as a training player.
South Africa make seven changes to their starting XV for the match, with number eight Duane Vermeulen selected to make his first appearance for the Boks since the 2019 World Cup final after recovering from ankle surgery.
There are changes afoot for New Zealand too, with lock Brodie Retallick named captain for the clash with Argentina as Ardie Savea sits the game out after taking a knock to the head last week.
Ahead of the crunch double-header, the third of six rounds of games in the championship, Stats Perform looks at the key Opta facts.
NEW ZEALAND v ARGENTINA
Form
The All Blacks are inevitably on a high after crushing the Bledisloe Cup aspirations of their trans-Tasman rivals and duly making a strong start to the championship. They have full-back Jordie Barrett available despite his red card against Australia last time out after the punishment was rescinded on appeal in midweek.
New Zealand have won their last seven men's Tests on the bounce by an average margin of 40 points per game. The last time they won more in succession was a nine-game streak from November 2017 to September 2018 which included a 46-24 win over Argentina.
They have not always had it easy against the South American powerhouses, though. Their clashes in last year's Tri-Nations were memorable, with Argentina scoring a stunning 25-15 win over the All Blacks on November 14, 2020, only to then lose 38-0 when they met again a fortnight later. New Zealand have won 29 of their 31 Tests against Argentina (D1, L1).
New Zealand have had just 12 minutes and 53 seconds of possession per game in this year's Rugby Championship, the lowest of any team in the competition. Despite this, they lead the competition in metres gained (615), clean breaks (15), and points scored (48) per game.
Argentina's two defeats to South Africa in the opening two rounds suggest they might find the going tough this weekend.
Ones to watch
Blindside flanker Akira Ioane has crossed the gainline on 17 of his 18 gainline carries for New Zealand in the competition so far. His 94 per cent rate is the highest of any player to have made at least 10 gainline carries in this tournament.
Retallick will carry the responsibility of leadership after he was favoured ahead of Beauden Barrett who, at fly-half, was judged to have enough going on without having to issue orders.
Coach Ian Foster said of Retallick, who has returned to Test action this year after a spell in Japan: "He's back, he's confident, he's got the smile on his face, and that's part of the biggest thing with Brodie. When he's settled and he loves the environment, then he can go out and express himself.
"And I don't want a lot to change with that captaincy band. It's one of the challenges of giving it to someone like Brodie, do you force him into someone that he's not? But I'm really comfortable. He knows his role, he's clear and the boys certainly want to follow him."
Discipline will be important for both sides, with Argentina having received six yellow cards and one red card in their last six men's Tests, including two yellow cards against the Boks last time out. They had received only one yellow card and one red card in their previous 25 Tests.
SOUTH AFRICA v AUSTRALIA
Form
After the tussle between the All Blacks and Pumas, perhaps this can be considered the headline match of the weekend, an embattled Australia facing World Cup winners who are aiming for a statement victory.
For COVID-19 reasons, Queensland is staging the remainder of this tournament, and Australia coach Rennie will look for a response from his players to their sequence of losses.
The three-in-a-row streak is a concern, and the last time the Wallabies lost more in succession was a four-game stretch from June to August in 2018. They lost twice to Ireland and twice to New Zealand before ending that losing run with a 23-18 success against South Africa.
Australia have won 19 of their last 24 men's Tests at home against South Africa, logging just three defeats in that span (D2). They are undefeated in their last five such fixtures (W4, D1), yet each of those games has featured a margin of fewer than seven points on the day.
It could be tight again, with South Africa having won 15 of their 18 Tests since the beginning of 2019. They have won their last four on the bounce, and their 83 per cent win rate since the beginning of 2019 is the best of any top-tier team in that time.
South Africa defeated Argentina 29-10 in the second round, while Australia went down 38-21 to New Zealand in Perth.
The Springboks have missed the fewest tackles per game (16) so far in the championship and have the highest tackle success rate (89 per cent) of any team. Australia’s tackle success rate of 82 per cent is the lowest of the four sides, but the context is that they were facing the All Blacks.
South Africa have created 20 mauls throughout this tournament, which is twice as many as any other team and five times as many as Australia (4); the Springboks have gained 56 metres and scored one try from those mauls.
Ones to watch
Australia scrum-half Tate McDermott has beaten nine defenders in this year's Rugby Championship, the second-most of any player (Akira Ioane – 12). He beat seven defenders against the All Blacks in the last round, and only twice in the last decade has any scrum-half from a tier one nation made more (Antoine Dupont 9, Francois Hougaard 8).
He therefore has a pivotal role to play, and how he combines with Cooper will be keenly observed.
Rennie said he was "thrilled" to be able to be giving Cooper another chance to show his quality at this level, and it remains to be seen whether this is a one-off comeback or something that might have longer-term legs.
Michael Hooper will match George Gregan's record of 59 matches as captain of Australia as he wins a 112th cap, and there are other landmarks set to arise. Reece Hodge, who starts on the bench, and Allan Alaalatoa will each win 50th caps.
Rennie described the match as "a huge occasion" for Hooper, hailing his longevity as "testament to his leadership and resilience".
Boks coach Jacques Nienaber said of the occasion: "Australia pose a strong threat with their running rugby and they like to keep the ball in play. They will also be playing in front of a charged-up home crowd, so it will be good to have these experienced players back as they know what it takes to perform in big matches."
South Africa have won their last two Tests on the bounce against Australia, as many as they had won in their eight encounters prior (D2, L4). The last time they won more successive games against the Wallabies was a three-game winning stretch from September 2012 to September 2013.
Valtteri Bottas capped off a busy week by recording the fastest time in Friday's qualifying session at the Italian Grand Prix.
It was confirmed on Monday that Bottas will end his five-season association with Mercedes at the end of 2021, with the Finn to join Alfa Romeo.
George Russell will replace Bottas as Lewis Hamilton's team-mate, but before that there is still a world title for Mercedes to fight for, and they secured a one-two ahead of Saturday's sprint race at Monza.
Bottas registered a time of 1:19.555 to finish just 0.096s quicker than defending world champion Hamilton, with current championship leader Max Verstappen rounding off a disappointing session in third place.
It means Bottas will start in pole for Saturday's sprint, which will decide the grid placings for Sunday's grand prix.
Speaking after the hour-long session, Hamilton – who trails Verstappen by three points – said: "Every point counts. Congratulations to Valtteri [Bottas], he did a mega lap.
"It was looking good for us up to then but he went quicker and I couldn't match it.
"We've lost the championship [in the past] by one point. These sprint races can help. The Italian fans are so beautiful, it is good to see them and good to be back here. What an amazing circuit."
Bottas, meanwhile, is looking to capitalise on his efforts heading into the weekend.
"That qualifying lap was nice and it feels good when you get a nice lap in," he said.
"It was good fun and I feel relaxed now everything is sorted for the future. The car has been so good and next year will be exciting for me and I'm looking forward to it.
"I'm expecting to get maximum points tomorrow and then do the best job I can on Sunday."
A frustrated Verstappen reflected on a challenging day for Red Bull, though the Dutchman is confident of improving over the course of the event.
"For us this track is always going to be difficult," Verstappen said. "We struggled a bit in free practice but recovered quite well so we're happy to be third and I hope for the race we can be a bit closer."
Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo sealed fourth and fifth on the sprint race grid for McLaren, while Pierre Gasly followed before the two Ferraris, with Sergio Perez and Antonio Giovinazzi completing the top 10 - Sebastian Vettel failing to make it out of Q2.
PROVISIONAL CLASSIFICATION
Valterri Bottas (Mercedes) 1:19:555
Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) +0:096secs
Max Verstappen (Red Bull) +0:411secs
Lando Norris (McLaren) +0:434secs
Daniel Ricciardo (McLaren) +0:44secs
Pierre Gasly (AlphaTauri) +0:705secs
Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) +0:907secs
Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) +0:955secs
Sergio Perez (Red Bull) +1:056secs
Antonio Giovinazzi (Alfa Romeo) +1:253secs
History-making British qualifier Emma Raducanu admits she cannot "actually believe" she has reached the US Open final at her first attempt.
The 18-year-old world number 150 stunned 17th seed Maria Sakkari 6-1 6-4 to book her spot in the US Open final, where she will meet fellow teenager Leylah Fernandez.
Raducanu is only appearing in her second grand slam, having made a run to the fourth round at Wimbledon in June.
The Briton has become the first qualifier in the Open era, male or female, to reach the final of a major tournament, while she is the youngest grand slam finalist since Maria Sharapova at Wimbledon in 2004.
On top of that, Raducanu is the first British woman to reach a grand slam final since Virginia Wade in 1977.
"The time here in New York has gone so fast," Raducanu said during her on-court interview.
"I've just been taking care of each day and before you know it, three weeks later, I'm in the final and I can't actually believe it."
She added during her post-match news conference: "[It is] a surprise. Honestly, I just can't believe it. A shock. Crazy. All of the above.
"It means a lot to be here in this situation. I wanted, obviously, to be playing grand slams, but I didn't know how soon that would be. To be in a grand slam final at this stage of my career… I have no words."
The Canada-born teenager will become only the fourth British woman in the Open era to appear in a grand slam final after Wade, Sue Barker and Ann Haydon-Jones.
Raducanu, who was full of praise for the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd, added that she was feeling no pressure or expectation.
"Is there any expectation? I'm a qualifier, so technically there's no pressure on me," she said.
Raducanu was glowing in her praise for former British men's number one and four-time Wimbledon semi-finalist Tim Henman, who has been in her box during this tournament.
"Tim is honestly such a big inspiration. He's been helping me, telling me to treat it one point at a time," Raducanu added.
"In moments like this, you can't get ahead of yourself and you really have to stay present."
The US Open decider will be the first grand slam final between teenagers since the 1999 edition at Flushing Meadows when Serena Williams (17) defeated Martina Hingis (18).
Canadian teenager Leylah Fernandez said "there is no limit to her potential" after beating a third top-five player at the US Open to qualify for her maiden grand slam final in New York.
Fernandez, who celebrated her 19th birthday on Monday, shocked second seed Aryna Sabalenka 7-6 (7-3) 4-6 6-4 in two hours, 20 minutes on Thursday.
British teenager Emma Raducanu, 18, awaits in Saturday's final at Flushing Meadows.
The decider will be the eighth grand slam final in the Open Era between teenagers and first since the 1999 US Open when Serena Williams defeated Martina Hingis. Williams, who remains an active player, has gone on to win 23 major titles, while Hingis won five.
"Impossible is nothing. Like my dad would tell me all the time there's no limit to my potential to what I can do," Fernandez told reporters post-match.
"Nothing's impossible. There's no limit to what I can do. I'm just glad that right now everything's going well."
Fernandez only claimed her maiden WTA Tour title in March, triumphing at the Monterrey Open, while she is only playing her third grand slam, never going further than the third round until this tournament.
The Montreal-born talent labelled her US Open run as "magical" having knocked out top-five trio Sabalenka, defending champion Naomi Osaka and fifth seed Elina Svitolina, along with three-time slam winner Angelique Kerber.
"I think I've been doing some things incredible," Fernandez said. "One word that really stuck to me is 'magical' because not only is my run really good but also the way I'm playing right now.
"I'm just having fun, I'm trying to produce something for the crowd to enjoy. I'm glad that whatever I'm doing on court, the fans are loving it and I'm loving it, too. We'll say it's magical."
Fernandez also revealed when she was in grade six, a teacher had told her to stop playing tennis and focus on school.
"I'm just glad that she told me that because every day I have that phrase in my head saying that I'm going to keep going, I'm going to push through, and I'm going to prove to her everything that I've dreamed of I'm going to achieve them," she said. "I think now I can say that I've done a pretty good job in achieving my dreams."
Aryna Sabalenka said she "destroyed" herself and bemoaned her inability to take opportunities after suffering a shock loss to teenage sensation Leylah Fernandez in the semi-finals of the US Open.
Sabalenka – the second seed – was beaten 7-6 (7-3) 4-6 6-4 to 19-year-old unseeded Canadian Fernandez at Flushing Meadows on Thursday.
The 23-year-old Sabalenka, who has won more matches than any player on the WTA Tour this year, has never reached a major final and her wait continues after also falling in the Wimbledon semis in June.
Sabalenka squandered a set point in the opening set, before losing her final service game to love to bow out on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
"This is life. If you're not using your opportunities, someone else will use it," Belarusian star Sabalenka said at her post-match news conference. "This is what happened today.
"This is what we call pressure. I had a lot of opportunities and I didn't use it. I will try to improve it. I will keep working and fighting, and I believe that one day it will come."
Sabalenka had dominated early, leading 3-0 inside 10 minutes as she barely missed a first serve, before Fernandez rallied to claim the first set.
"I wouldn't say that she did something. I would say that I destroy myself," Sabalenka said. "On the key moment, I was up 4-2 serving, and I think I made double-faults. My first-serve percentage wasn't really good."
Sabalenka identified a key lesson for her was not to "over-think" opportunities, while she was positive about her conqueror Fernandez, who she said was playing like a "top-10 player".
"Now there is no pressure on her at all. Crowd are here for her," Sabalenka said.
"But the question is when you will start to understand what's going on and where you are, how good can you deal with all these expectations and all this level, all this pressure.
"She's like a top-10 player. We'll see how good she will be in the future."
Fernandez will play 18-year-old Emma Raducanu in Saturday's final, marking the first time two teenagers have met in a grand slam decider since Martina Hingis and Serena Williams at Flushing Meadows in 1999.
The Toronto Blue Jays continued their red-hot form with an eighth consecutive win after taking down the slumping New York Yankees 6-4 in MLB.
The Blue Jays (77-62) boosted their Wild Card chances with another victory, sweeping American League (AL) East rivals the Yankees (78-62) on Thursday.
Toronto are now within a half-game of the Yankees – who have lost six straight games – for the final AL Wild Card spot.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. landed a solo home run in the ninth inning, bringing up his 100th RBI for the season.
The Blue Jays All-Star finished the four-game series with three homers, marking the eighth time this year he has hit three or more homers in a series. According to Stats Perform, it is the most by any player in a season in AL history and second most in MLB history, behind Giancarlo Stanton (nine times in 2017).
Guerrero Jr.'s run of homers has seen him close within one of two-way Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani, who tops the list for most home runs this season.
Toronto's Bo Bichette starred with three hits including two RBI, while he homered from the ninth pitch of the game when leading off.
Blue Jays ace Jose Berrios had eight strikeouts, with his game only blemished by Anthony Rizzo's moon shot.
Pederson walks it off for Braves
Joc Pederson's single completed a 7-6 walk-off win for the Atlanta Braves over the Washington Nationals. With bases loaded, Pederson hit a single to left field to get Ozzie Albies home in a game where five homers were scored.
Nicky Lopez starred for the Kansas City Royals as they won 6-0 against the Baltimore Orioles, hitting an early home run and driving in Hunter Dozier in the eighth, going three-for-five.
The St Louis Cardinals made up ground in the Wild Card race with a 2-1 win over World Series champions the Los Angeles Dodgers, where Tyler O'Neill hit a tie-breaking home run.
Phillies let it slip late
The Philadelphia Phillies led 2-1 heading into the ninth inning but allowed three Colorado Rockies runs to lose 4-3, denting their Wild Card aspirations. With two out, closer Ian Kennedy's breaking ball was clubbed for a two-run homer by Ryan McMahon. Sam Hilliard backed that up with a towering moon shot off Kennedy and the Phillies could not reel that in.
Manaea fans nine for A's
Oakland Athletics left-handed Sean Manaea struck out nine over seven innings of one-run ball as the A's beat the Chicago White Sox 3-1. Manaea may be deputy to Frankie Montas but he looms as a capable co-anchor. The A's are now 76-64 and second in the AL West.
Thursday's results
St Louis Cardinals 2-1 Los Angeles Dodgers
Oakland Athletics 3-1 Chicago White Sox
Cleveland Indians 4-1 Minnesota Twins
Miami Marlins 3-2 New York Mets
Colorado Rockies 4-3 Philadelphia Phillies
Kansas City Royals 6-0 Baltimore Orioles
Toronto Blue Jays 6-4 New York Yankees
Atlanta Braves 7-6 Washington Nationals
Yankees at Mets
A crucial Subway Series between the Yankees and New York Mets (70-71) gets underway on Friday. Jordan Montgomery starts for the Yankees, while city rivals the Mets send Tylor Megill to the mound.
Quade Cooper will make a remarkable return for the Wallabies after being named to play for the first time since 2017 when Australia face South Africa on Sunday.
Cooper had been part of Australia's squad for the Bledisloe Cup against New Zealand, but was not used in any of the three Tests which the All Blacks comfortably won.
Wallabies head coach Dave Rennie has rolled the dice for the Rugby Championship showdown against South Africa on the Gold Coast, with 33-year-old Cooper named at fly-half, displacing 21-year-old Noah Lolesio.
Cooper's career has taken several turns since his last cap in 2017 against Italy, frozen out at Brad Thorn's Reds in Super Rugby, before a one-year stint at the Rebels and a move to play in Japan in 2019.
"He's had a really positive impact since joining the group, put pressure on us as selectors and he's excited to get out there and perform on Sunday night," Rennie said.
Angus Bell will earn his first start in the front-row, while Izack Rodda also comes into the starting line-up, with the backline unchanged.
Wallabies hooker Feleti Kaitu'u and back-rower Rob Leota are in line for debuts off the bench.
The match will see Australia captain Michael Hooper equal George Gregan's record for most Tests as Wallabies skipper when he steps out for the 59th time.
Meanwhile, Brodie Retallick has been named as captain for New Zealand after a head knock to Ardie Savea ahead of their Test against Argentina on Sunday.
Hooker Asafo Aumua will make his first Test start for the All Blacks, while prop Joe Moody returns following foot surgery via the bench.
"Brodie is a great leader in this team and we don't take his leadership for granted," said All Blacks coach Ian Foster. "We think this is a great honour for him, and he and his family can be hugely proud.
"He's playing really well and leads from the front. He has come back into the black jersey this year and just picked up where he left off.
"He also has an experienced partner in Beaudy [Barrett] alongside him who is bringing a calmness to the team and a sense of direction and we’re seeing that in the way he plays."
Australia: Tom Banks, Andrew Kellaway, Len Ikitau, Samu Kerevi, Marika Koroibete, Quade Cooper, Tate McDermott; Angus Bell, Folau Fainga'a, Allan Alaalatoa, Izack Rodda, Matt Philip, Lachlan Swinton, Michael Hooper, Rob Valetini.
Replacements: Feleti Kaitu'u, James Slipper, Taniela Tupou, Rob Leota, Pete Samu, Nic White, Reece Hodge, Jordan Petaia.
New Zealand: Jordie Barrett, Sevu Reece, Anton Lienert-Brown, David Havili, George Bridge, Beauden Barrett, TJ Perenara; Karl Tu'inukuafe, Asafo Aumua, Nepo Laulala, Brodie Retallick, Scott Barrett, Akira Ioane, Dalton Papalii, Luke Jacobson.
Replacements: Samisoni Taukei'aho, Joe Moody, Tyrel Lomax, Tupou Vaa'I, Ethan Blackadder, Brad Weber, Damian McKenzie, Rieko Ioane.
Canadian teenager Leylah Fernandez shocked US Open second seed Aryna Sabalenka 7-6 (7-3) 4-6 6-4 to reach her first grand slam final on Thursday.
Fernandez continued her giant-slaying run at Flushing Meadows, where the 19-year-old sensation has stunned defending champion Naomi Osaka, 2016 winner Angelique Kerber, fifth seed Elina Svitolina and Sabalenka en route to the decider.
Fellow teenage sensation Emma Raducanu or 17th seed Maria Sakkari await Fernandez in Saturday's final in New York.
The defeat is a bitter blow for Belarusian star Sabalenka, who has never reached a major final, having also lost in the final four at Wimbledon this year.
The semi-final was full of momentum swings, but 52-23 unforced errors and 8-2 double faults ultimately were costly for Sabalenka, who lost the final game on her serve to love to hand Fernandez victory.
Sabalenka had raced to an early 3-0 lead inside 10 minutes on Arthur Ashe Stadium, dominating with her power, missing only one of her first 13 first serves, before Fernandez settled into the contest.
Trailing 4-2, Fernandez – the youngest woman to beat multiple top-five opponents at the same slam since Serena Williams in 1999 – broke back as Sabalenka's first serve let her down, with the former converting the third of three break points.
Fernandez, who survived a break point to level it up at 4-4, eventually closed out the first set in a tie-break.
Sabalenka made a statement by breaking to love in the opening game of the second set, but Fernandez responded with a break of her own to level it at 2-2.
The second seemed destined for another tie-break, however Sabalenka broke to lead 5-4 and she never looked back as the 23-year-old forced a deciding set.
Fernandez seized control, breaking Sabalenka to move 4-2 ahead, though the latter responded immediately, despite the teenager taking her service game to deuce after trailing 0-40.
However, Fernandez held serve at 5-4 before breaking Sabalenka again to love to claim another memorable victory at the US Open.
Data Slam: Oh, Canada!
Fernandez's victory marks the second time in three years that a Canadian teenager has reached the US Open final, with then-19-year-old Bianca Andreescu beating Serena Williams in 2019. Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime remains alive in the men's semi-finals too.
WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS
Fernandez – 26/23
Sabalenka – 45/52
ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS
Fernandez – 6/2
Sabalenka – 10/8
BREAK POINTS WON
Fernandez – 4/7
Sabalenka – 4/11
Novak Djokovic knows he faces a tough challenge in his US Open semi-final with Alexander Zverev after coming from a set down to beat Matteo Berrettini.
The Serbian triumphed 5-7 6-2 6-2 6-3 to thwart Berrettini's revenge mission, having defeated the Italian in this year's Wimbledon final.
The world number one now faces the man who denied him a shot at the Golden Slam, with Zverev dumping Djokovic out of the semi-finals at Tokyo 2020.
And the 20-time grand slam winner was full of praise for his next opponent.
"He's in tremendous form, he's been winning a lot," said Djokovic, who still has the Calendar Grand Slam in his sights. "He has comfortably moved to the semi-finals here.
"I know his game well, we played in Tokyo. He's one of the best players in the world, but the bigger the challenge the more glory in overcoming it."
Reflecting on his victory over Berrettini, Djokovic felt he found his best form after dropping the opening set.
"This was a great match, with a lot of energy on and off the court," he said.
"Matteo is a terrific player and every time we face each other it's a close battle.
"When I lost the first set, I managed to forget about it and move on. I was locked in at the start of the second and it was the best three sets I've played so far."
The playoff-chasing Toronto Blue Jays recorded their seventh consecutive win after beating American League (AL) East rivals the New York Yankees 6-3.
Toronto – enjoying their best winning streak since 2016 – are the hottest team in MLB with 10 victories in their last 11 games as they try to secure a Wild Card berth.
The streaking Blue Jays are only one and a half games behind the slumping Yankees in the AL Wild Card race after Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit his 41st home run of the season.
Guerrero Jr. is now just three homers shy of Hall of Fame father Vladimir Sr.'s career high set in 2000 for the Montreal Expos.
As for the Yankees, they have lost five straight games and nine of 11 since winning 13 consecutive games.
Win number 90 for San Fran
The San Francisco Giants became the first team to 90 wins this season with a 7-4 triumph over the Colorado Rockies and series sweep. At 90-50, the Giants moved to a season-high 40 games over .500 for the first time since 1993.
The Baltimore Orioles scored nine runs in the eighth inning to trump the Kansas City Royals 9-8. The Orioles became the first team in the modern era to have a reliever earn the win in his MLB debut in back-to-back games after Mike Baumann on Tuesday and Manny Barreda on Wednesday, according to Stats Perform.
The San Diego Padres outlasted the Los Angeles Angels 8-5 after scoring all their runs in the second inning. With Baltimore's result, it is the first time in the modern era that two MLB teams had an eight-plus run inning that accounted for all their runs on the same day, per Stats Perform.
Keuchel struggles… again
The Oakland Athletics got to out-of-form Chicago White Sox ace Dallas Keuchel in their 5-1 win. Keuchel allowed five runs on eight hits over 5.2 innings with three strikeouts and a walk.
Don't run on Renfroe
Hunter Renfroe was the hero in the Boston Red Sox's 2-1 win over the AL East-leading Tampa Bay Rays. After hitting a two-run homer in the eighth inning, the Red Sox star produced a stunning throw from deep centerfield to thwart Joey Wendle's attempt for a triple for the final out of the ninth.
Wednesday's results
Seattle Mariners 8-5 Houston Astros
San Francisco Giants 7-4 Colorado Rockies
Texas Rangers 8-5 Arizona Diamondbacks
Minnesota Twins 3-0 Cleveland Indians
Detroit Tiger 5-1 Pittsburgh Pirates
Miami Marlins 2-1 New York Mets
Baltimore Orioles 9-8 Kansas City Royals
Toronto Blue Jays 6-3 New York Yankees
Boston Red Sox 2-1 Tampa Bay Rays
Washington Nationals 4-2 Atlanta Braves
Chicago Cubs 4-1 Cincinnati Reds
Milwaukee Brewers 4-3 Philadelphia Phillies
St Louis Cardinals 5-4 Los Angeles Dodgers
San Diego Padres 8-5 Los Angeles Angels
Oakland Athletics 5-1 Chicago White Sox
Dodgers at Cardinals
The Dodgers (88-52) will look to bounce back against the Cardinals (70-68) in St Louis on Thursday. Tony Gonsolin starts for the Dodgers as the Cardinals send Jake Woodford to the mound.
Novak Djokovic moved within two wins of an historic calendar Grand Slam at the US Open after completing a merciless comeback against Matteo Berrettini 5-7 6-2 6-2 6-3 en route to the semi-finals.
Berrettini was seeking revenge for his Wimbledon final loss to Djokovic and the Italian sixth seed gave himself a good chance after winning the opening set at Flushing Meadows on Wednesday.
But Berrettini was helplessly outclassed in a devastating display from world number one Djokovic, who is bidding to become just the third man to sweep all four majors in a year and first since 1969.
The 20-time major champion, who can also break the record for most men's slam titles – currently tied with Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, will face Alexander Zverev in the New York semis.
For the third consecutive match, Djokovic done it the hard way, rallying after dropping the opening set, just like he did against Jenson Brooksby and Kei Nishikori.
In a brutal display of big hitting, Berrettini had the crowd roaring – firing down seven aces and saving two break points in a marathon first set lasting one hour, 17 minutes.
Berrettini held serve in a physically demanding sixth game after 12 minutes and seven deuces.
Djokovic – not without his chances – did not look like his usual self, spraying a forehand wide as Berrettini seized control following four set points.
Berrettini was looking to claim his first win over Djokovic after three consecutive defeats and earn his first top-10 victory at a grand slam (0-5 heading into the contest), but the Serb star turned the match on its head into the second set.
Djokovic, though, flipped the switch as he broke for the first time to move 3-1 ahead before consolidating for a 4-1 lead, silencing the pro-Berrettini crowd in New York, where the latter was unable to stop the rot.
Berrettini looked deflated and tired in the third set – Djokovic racing out to a commanding 3-0 advantage.
Djokovic missed the chance to move 5-2 ahead but it only delayed the inevitable as he fended off a break point the very next game to eventually earn a two-sets-to-one lead.
And the 34-year-old could not be stopped as he celebrated his 80th US Open match win in emphatic fashion.
Data slam: Can Djokovic be stopped?
Djokovic extended his winning streak at grand slams to 26 matches, while he also remains unbeaten in US Open quarter-finals (12-0). The record-chasing star also owns a 9-0 major record in 2021 after dropping the first set.
WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS
Djokovic – 44/28
Berrettini – 42/43
ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS
Djokovic – 12/4
Berrettini – 17/2
BREAK POINTS WON
Djokovic – 5/16
Berrettini – 1/5
Alexander Zverev is riding a wave at the US Open after his confidence-boosting win over world number one Novak Djokovic en route to claiming gold at the Olympic Games.
Zverev survived a first-set scare to power past Lloyd Harris 7-6 (8-6) 6-3 6-4 in Wednesday's US Open quarter-final.
The German fourth seed will face either Djokovic, who is bidding to become just the third man to complete a calendar Grand Slam and first since 1969, or Matteo Berrettini for a spot in the men's final at Flushing Meadows.
Zverev – last year's US Open runner-up – said he has been fuelled by his semi-final win over Djokovic at the Tokyo Games.
"It's the biggest tournament in the world, Tokyo. It's the Olympics," Zverev said during his post-match news conference.
"Winning there against the world number one, especially that I was down a set and a break, being kind of out of the match, then coming back, it was different than the other matches. The emotions were different.
"Also securing a medal for Germany was very special to me. This year it seems like nobody can beat him in a big match, nobody can beat him at the grand slams.
"I feel like I was the first player to beat him in a very big match this year. That does give you something. To any person it would give you something.
"As I said before also, I think it was very important for me to back it up in the finals, back it up in Cincinnati. Hopefully I can continue this streak."
Zverev is in the midst of a career-best 16-match winning streak and has clinched 37 of 40 sets on the hard courts after winning Olympic gold and his fifth career ATP Masters 1000 crown in Cincinnati.
The 24-year-old is bidding to become the second man in history to win Olympic gold medal and the US Open/US Championships title in the same season, after Andy Murray in 2012.
On preparing against Djokovic, Zverev added: "You have to be perfect, otherwise you will not win.
"Most of the time you can't be perfect. That's why most of the time people lose to him. Against him, you have to win the match yourself. You have to be the one that is dominating the points. You have to do it with very little unforced errors.
"He is the best player in the world. He is very difficult to beat. But he's still also got to win tonight. He's playing Matteo Berrettini who is in very good form, finals of Wimbledon. I think he's looking forward to that match, as well. It's going to be an interesting match to watch those two."
Maria Sakkari reached her second grand slam semi-final of the year after upstaging fourth seed Karolina Pliskova 6-4 6-4 at the US Open.
Sakkari made history at this year's French Open, where she became the first Greek woman to reach a grand slam singles semi-final.
The 17th seed continued her impressive 2021 with a straight-sets victory over former world number one and 2016 US Open finalist Pliskova in New York on Wednesday.
After one hour, 21 minutes on court, Sakkari will face high-flying English teenager Emma Raducanu for a spot in the Flushing Meadows decider.
Pliskova entered the quarter-final, having rediscovered her best form after a slow start to the season – the Czech star claimed just 15 wins from her first 12 WTA Tour tournaments before winning 19 matches from five events, reaching two finals, since the start of July.
But Sakkari proved too good on Arthur Ashe Stadium, where the 26-year-old utilised her almost flawless serve.
Sakkari lost just two points on serve in the opening set – claiming 92 per cent of her first serves, while hitting 12 winners and clinching the decisive break.
Pliskova owned three top-20 wins this season as she was looking to emulate countrywoman Hana Mandlikova, who won the US Open in 1985.
But the second set followed a similar pattern, Sakkari tallying 10 winners while winning 11 of her 12 first serves, closing out the match at the third time of asking.
Data Slam: Sakkari matches career high
With her dominant win over Pliskova, Sakkari – who did not face a break point – tallied her 31st victory of the year. It equalled her best return from 2019, when she finished with a 31-23 win-loss record.
WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS
Pliskova – 14/20
Sakkari – 22/12
ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS
Pliskova – 6/3
Sakkari – 4/1
BREAK POINTS WON
Pliskova – 0/0
Sakkari – 2/5
Michael Jordan and Patrick Ewing were in attendance for New York Yankees great Derek Jeter's Hall of Fame induction.
Jeter entered the baseball Hall of Fame on Wednesday, alongside MLB trio Larry Walker, Ted Simmons and Marvin Miller in front of basketball royalty.
NBA Hall of Famer Jordan – a six-time champion, and Ewing were in Cooperstown, New York to celebrate Jeter's illustrious career.
Jeter won five World Series titles with the Yankees, where the 47-year-old spent his entire career from 1995 to 2014.
HE finished with 3,465 hits, 1,923 runs, 260 homers and 1,311 RBIs, with a .310 average, .377 OBP and .817 OPS in 11,195 at-bats.
The 14-time All-Star also earned World Series MVP honours to go with five Gold Glove and Silver Slugger awards.
"It's been a hell of a ride," Jeter said midweek.
Over the Yankees' 13-year playoff streak from 1995 to 2007, shortstop Jeter led the team in games (1,835), runs (1,379) and hits (2,356).
The Yankees claimed four World Series during that run before adding a fifth in 2009.
"For so many years, I represented New York and the Yankee organisation in the best light possible," he said. "Now I represent you. Know that I'm here to support you, guide you, protect you.
"Most importantly, I'm here to love you. I want you to find someone that inspires you, and when the time is right, I want you to inspire others."
Oscar De La Hoya has overcome coronavirus after spending three days in hospital, the boxing great has confirmed.
De La Hoya was due to come out of retirement to face former UFC champion Vitor Belfort in Los Angeles on September 11.
However, the 48-year-old had to withdraw from the fight after falling ill with COVID-19.
Former world heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield, 58, has been named as a replacement for De La Hoya, though that decision has been met with scrutiny.
Indeed, the event has now had to be moved to Florida due to licensing issues.
Holyfield has not fought in over a decade.
Three days ahead of the bout that was supposed to make his return, De La Hoya offered an update of his recovery on his official Twitter account.
"Hey guys, I am out of the hospital. I was in there for three days," De La Hoya tweeted.
"COVID hit me really hard. I was in the best shape of my life and I really can't wait to get back in the ring.
"Thank you very much for all your well wishes and all your support. I appreciate it."
David Haye is ending his retirement to fight Joe Fournier in the headline bout.
Alexander Zverev won his 16th match in a row with a straight-sets victory over Lloyd Harris on Wednesday to reach the US Open semi-finals.
The fourth seed saved a set point from Harris in a tense opener and built on that to earn a 7-6 (8-6) 6-3 6-4 triumph in a little over two hours.
Zverev has dropped just one set across his five matches at Flushing Meadows this year and will face either Novak Djokovic or Matteo Berrettini as he seeks a place in back-to-back finals.
"I just hope their match goes on for eight hours and 30 minutes," Zverev joked when asked who he would prefer to face in the semi-finals.
"I didn't have a lot of chances on Harris' serve today and somehow managed to win that first set, which loosened me up a little bit and I started playing a lot better.
"In the third set, he started swinging. He started playing incredible tennis. So yeah, I'm happy to be through in three."
Harris beat three top-30 seeds to make it to this stage and more than held his own in the opening set against Zverev, who lost to Dominic Thiem in last year's final.
After sharing a break of serve apiece, Harris led 6-5 in the tie-break but lost the next three points to offer his opponent a platform to build from.
Despite struggling with a minor back problem, Zverev took advantage of his unseeded opponent's five unforced errors by holding throughout the second set.
The four-time grand slam semi-finalist raced into a 4-0 lead in the third set, but Harris slowly regained his composure and claimed the next three games.
Zverev's monster serve came to his rescue, however, as he took the eighth game and eased over the line in style with his 21st ace of the contest.
DATA SLAM
Zverev did not have things all his own way as he struggled in the opening set and was sloppy when leading 4-1 in the final set, but he ultimately proved too strong for an opponent ranked 46th in the world.
Last year's beaten finalist Zverev has served 83 aces and just 15 double faults across his first five matches and won 82 per cent of his first-serve points against Harris. Whether it is Djokovic or Berrettini, a tougher test awaits in the semi-finals.
WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS
Zverev – 43/26
Harris – 34/26
ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS
Zverev – 21/5
Harris – 13/1
BREAK POINTS WON
Zverev – 4/9
Harris – 2/3
A frantic spell has followed Formula One's mid-season break, with a number of noteworthy moves this week squeezed in ahead of the third leg of a triple-header.
Max Verstappen and Red Bull have two wins from two since the campaign resumed, but Mercedes have responded by firming up their 2022 plans.
George Russell is in, with Valtteri Bottas out, replacing Kimi Raikkonen at Alfa Romeo. Raikkonen's final F1 season has been slowed by a positive coronavirus that continues to keep him out.
Alex Albon will get another chance in Russell's place at Williams, meanwhile.
But all thoughts of next year must now be put on the backburner as the series heads to Monza for the Italian Grand Prix.
Verstappen leads the way again, three points clear, but second-placed Lewis Hamilton has fond memories of this event, with seven pole positions, seven fastest laps and five wins – all records, the latter shared with Michael Schumacher.
A sixth victory is badly needed, preventing Verstappen from building up a head of steam again.
The Dutchman is looking for his eighth triumph of the year, a tally that only Hamilton himself in 2016 (10 wins) has reached without ending the year as world champion.
LAST TIME OUT
It was routine for Verstappen at Zandvoort as he became the first home winner of the returning Dutch GP.
The Red Bull superstar took pole comfortably and capitalised on a track that makes overtaking extremely difficult.
With Mercedes also running a slower car, Hamilton's only hope was a strategic triumph.
But Verstappen followed his rival in the first two times he pitted, wiping out any advantage, and the Briton ultimately settled for pitting a third time to pursue the fastest lap.
Ahead of his big move, it was a weekend to forget for Russell, who crashed in Q2 and then endured difficulties on race day, also speeding in the pit lane to end any chance of a points finish.
WHAT TO EXPECT IN ITALY
Sprint qualifying returns after a mixed reception at Silverstone, where Hamilton took pole for the shorter race but was beaten by Verstappen in the Saturday dash.
In a championship as tight as this, the extra points on offer could prove crucial.
The race will be of primary concern, though, and Mercedes need a result at a circuit Hamilton enjoys. The defending champion last week acknowledged Red Bull had pulled clear again in the second half of the season.
But the Austrian outfit will also want a better display from Sergio Perez, their second man.
His underwhelming performance in the Netherlands left Verstappen all alone against Hamilton and Bottas, who will want to bow out with a fifth constructors' title.
TOP FIVE OPTA FACTS
Fixture on the calendar – This will be the 70th grand prix at Monza, a record that explains why so many F1 benchmarks have been set in Italy. Schumacher's 247.6 km/h in 2003 stands as the fastest average speed from a race winner, while an unsurpassed eight different drivers led the 1971 edition.
Ferrari frustration – Although Ferrari have recorded 19 wins and 21 pole positions at Monza, neither Scuderia driver finished their previous home race. Not 1970 to 1972 have Ferrari had both men fail to finish consecutive Italian GPs.
Another Lewis landmark – On 3,999.5 points, Hamilton will aim to become the first F1 driver to reach 4,000. He is almost 1,000 clear of his nearest rival Sebastian Vettel, who has 3,053.
Latest Honda hero – Verstappen's next victory will be his 13th with a Honda engine, matching Nigel Mansell's tally. The pair trail only Ayrton Senna (32) in that regard.
A day to remember – Verstappen and Hamilton will be hoping to add this to the list of famous September 12 races: Fernando Alonso's only Monza win with Ferrari in 2010, Niki Lauda's 1976 return after his Nurburgring crash and Jackie Stewart's breakthrough 1965 triumph.
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
Drivers
1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – 224.5
2. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) – 221.5
3. Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes) – 123
4. Lando Norris (McLaren) – 114
5. Sergio Perez (Red Bull) – 108
Constructors
1. Mercedes – 344.5
2. Red Bull – 332.5
3. Ferrari – 181.5
4. McLaren – 170
5. Alpine – 90
Emma Raducanu says she is on her "own journey" after sensationally reaching the semi-finals of the US Open.
Raducanu's 6-3 6-4 win over Belinda Bencic – her first career top-40 opponent – saw her become the first qualifier in the Open Era to advance to the last four at Flushing Meadows, the 18-year-old doing so without dropping a set.
She also became the lowest-ranked player in history (150) to make this stage of the tournament, with Kim Clijsters in 2009 and Billie Jean King in 1979 achieving the same feat having been unranked.
Raducanu, who will face either Karolina Pliskova or Maria Sakkari for a place in the final, said: "I have an absolutely amazing team. I have a team back home who could not be here. I am sure they are watching, I hope!
"Thank you so much everyone. I wish you could be here with me but everything we have been working for has shown here.
"To have so many young players here doing so well shows how strong the next generation is. Everyone is on their trajectory, so I am just here doing what I can control, and it is my own journey."
Raducanu grew into the contest after being immediately broken to love and trailing 2-0, proving particularly robust on her opponent's serve.
Bencic landed 61 per cent of her first serves yet managed only a single ace. The Olympic champion was made to work for the 23 points she won on her first serve and then took just nine of a potential 21 on her second.
Raducanu, who managed six aces of her own, added: "Of course, playing Belinda, she is such a great opponent and is in great form, she hits the ball so hard, I had to adjust and adapt and it was a really tough match.
"I am so happy to come through and thank you so much for all your support today.
"It was 0-30 in my last couple of service games so to hold was pretty big, it was one point at a time and trying to focus on what I can control.
"Belinda was going to fight to the end but I am really pleased to come through that."
Emma Raducanu's stunning run at the US Open went on as she claimed the biggest scalp of her career against Belinda Bencic to reach the semi-finals, making history in the process.
Raducanu is the first qualifier in the Open Era to advance to the last four at Flushing Meadows and is sensationally still yet to drop a set, this time overcoming the Olympic champion – her first career top-40 opponent – 6-3 6-4.
Now, in this US Open packed full of surprises, the 18-year-old will certainly fancy her chances against either Karolina Pliskova or Maria Sakkari.
Raducanu had lost the opening two games against Shelby Rogers in the previous round but then won 12 of the remaining 13. She would have been prepared then for another tough start, immediately broken to love and again trailing 2-0.
The teenager soon grew into the contest and had Bencic on the back foot, able to squander an opportunity in the sixth game with a rash, rushed effort at the end of a rally but still break when her opponent double-faulted and then found the net.
Raducanu battled back from 0-30 down to hold and went after the Bencic serve again. Her ability to consistently return unsettled the more experienced player, who survived a scare after another double fault yet was beaten at the net when the next break point arrived, teed up by a staggering rally and forehand winner.
The opener was swiftly settled before Bencic gained a measure of control in the second only to be disrupted by the same issues again. A sublime Raducanu return gave her another opportunity, taken courtesy of the latest double fault.
Three-time major champion Andy Murray had told Amazon Prime that Raducanu would find it "difficult" to enjoy this match, but she cracked a smile having passed up a further opening and a wide grin then greeted the momentous clinching point.
Data Slam: Bencic beaten by Raducanu returns
This match was decided on Bencic's serve, as she became increasingly frustrated by her inability to break down Raducanu's return game. The 11th seed landed 61 per cent of her first serves yet fired in only a single ace. Bencic was made to work for the 23 points she won on her first serve and then took just nine of a potential 21 on her second.
WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS
Raducanu – 23/12
Bencic – 19/21
ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS
Raducanu – 6/2
Bencic – 1/5
BREAK POINTS WON
Raducanu – 3/6
Bencic – 1/5
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