Ukrainian qualifier Daria Snigur dedicated her shock victory over Simona Halep in the opening round of the US Open to the people in her war-torn country.
The world number 124 marked her debut in the main draw of a major with a 6-2 0-6 6-4 win at Flushing Meadows on Monday.
Snigur is the lowest-ranked player to win a grand slam match against Halep – one of the favourites for the title – since Maria Sharapova at the same tournament in 2017.
She is also the first female qualifier to win a US Open match against a top-10 seed since Johanna Konta eliminated Garbine Muguruza seven years ago.
Making Snigur's achievement all the more incredible is that the 20-year-old's training base in Kyiv was bombed by Russia, forcing her to instead prepare for the event in Riga.
Reflecting on the biggest win of her burgeoning career, a tearful Snigur said: "This is a victory for Ukraine, for all Ukrainian people, for my family, for my team.
"The situation is bad, of course. I try to do the best for Ukraine, I try to support my country.
"It's not so easy because the war is continuing. Sometimes it's impossible to play but I try to do my best because I want to live in Ukraine.
"I have to say thanks to Simona for this incredible match. I want to thank all the fans who watched our match today."
Two-time major champion Halep has lost just three of her past 19 first-round matches in grand slams, though each of those have come at the US Open.
Snigur will now face Rebecca Marino, who defeated Magdalena Frech in straight sets to advance to the second round.
RJ Barrett is close to signing a four-year extension with the New York Knicks worth up to $120million, according to reports.
The 22-year-old guard will become the youngest player in Knicks history to earn over $100m from a deal.
However, the news may indicate an end to the franchise's pursuit of Donovan Mitchell from the Utah Jazz.
It had been expected that Barrett would be part of those negotiations, but according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the player's agent Bill Duffy of BDA Sports and WME Sports has advised his client is penning an extension in New York.
Barrett made 70 appearances for the Knicks last season, averaging 20 points per game, as well as 5.8 rebounds and 3.0 assists.
The number three pick from the 2019 NBA Draft recorded 3,000 points, 1,000 rebounds and 200 three-pointers before he turned 22, joining an elite group of five to have done so along with Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Luka Doncic.
Aaron Judge blasted his 50th home run of the season, but Shohei Ohtani had the decisive say as the Los Angeles Angels beat the New York Yankees 4-3 on Monday.
With scores locked at 2-2 at the bottom of the fifth inning, Ohtani delivered a two-run blast down right-center field from a Frankie Montas splitter in the zone.
The 398-foot home run was Ohtani's 29th of the season, boosting the two-way star's American League (AL) MVP case, with Judge likely to be his strongest opposition.
Judge produced his 434-foot solo shot over left-center field at the top of the eighth inning to halve the deficit and bring up his 50th home run for the season.
The slugger became just the seventh player to hit 50 home runs before September in AL or National League (NL) history.
Judge also became only the 10th player in MLB history to register multiple 50-home run seasons. Only three Yankees have achieved that feat; Judge, Babe Ruth (four) and Mickey Mantle (two).
"It's just another number," Judge said. "It's great, but I'm kind of upset about the loss."
The defeat leaves the Yankees with a 78-51 record having lost their last three games.
Pujols edges past Bonds all-time milestone
Albert Pujols moved a step closer to 700 career home runs and surpassed the record held by Barry Bonds in the St Louis Cardinals' 13-4 win over the Cincinnati Reds.
Pujols' two-run blast came in the third inning from Reds left-hander Ross Detwiler, bringing up his 694th-career home run.
The blast also tagged his major league record for the 450th different pitcher for a home run, breaking the all-time mark that had been tied with Bonds .
Padres overcome delays for key NL win
The San Diego Padres boosted their NL Wild Card aspirations with a hard-fought 6-5 win over the San Francisco Giants in a game full of delays, including an injury to home plate umpire Marvin Hudson as well as stadium lighting issues.
Brandon Drury's two-run first-inning home run set the Padres on their way before the delays, with three eighth-inning runs keeping the Giants alive, before Nick Martinez closed it out.
The Padres improved to 71-59 to firm up the third NL Wild Card spot, with the Giants back at 61-66. The Milwaukee Brewers, who beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-5 on Monday, split the pair at 68-59.
Serena Williams joined elite company in the final tournament of her playing career becoming the fourth player in the Open Era to win a Grand Slam match in her teens, 20s, 30s and 40s.
Williams joined 18-time Grand Slam champion Martina Navratilova, former world number four and three-time major semi-finalist Kimiko Date Krumm and six-time major winner and sister Venus Williams in achieving the feat.
The American's 6-3 6-3 win over Danka Kovinic in the US Open first round on Monday comes ahead of her 41st birthday next month, with Williams aged 40 years and 337 days.
The 40-year-old has been lauded for her decorated playing career, highlighted by 23 Grand Slam titles, but none of that is possible without endurability.
Williams's career spans 27 years, having turned professional in 1995 and having first played in a major in 1998 at the Australian Open. She played in that year's US Open too and has won every first-round match at Flushing Meadows in her career (21).
The ceremony and pomp after Monday's win was bigger than ever, with words from Oprah Winfrey and Billie Jean King along with an extended interview conducted by Gayle King with Williams, followed by a crowd display of signs reading "We love Serena".
It all offered a level of finality, despite Williams still being live in the tournament, albeit with a tougher test against second seed Anett Kontaveit to come on Wednesday.
Despite all that Williams, who has steered clear of the word retirement instead using "evolution", teased reporters when she replied to a question about the US Open definitively being her final tournament with a smile: "Yeah, I've been pretty vague about it, right? I'm going to stay vague because you never know."
Stefanos Tsitsipas had a shot at rising to the number one ranking at the 2022 US Open but instead he is out in the first round following a four-set loss to Daniel Galan on Monday.
The world number 94 stunned recent Western and Southern Open finalist Tsitsipas in the first two sets by winning the first 11 games of the match, before the Greek rallied but Galan would triumph 6-0 6-1 3-6 7-5 in two hours and 48 minutes.
World number five Tsitsipas, who has never gone beyond the third round at Flushing Meadows, did need treatment for a forearm tightness but admitted he was simply "dominated" by Galan who eventually prevailed on his ninth match point.
The 24-year-old had some form after reaching the final in Cincinnati earlier this month, losing to Borna Coric, and felt it was a missed opportunity, in the absence of Novak Djokovic, to press his case for the top rank across the next fortnight.
"I was very motivated and pumped before the US Open started because I knew I could use this tournament to get closer to the number one spot," Tsitsipas said.
"It would be very weird and very unusual if it didn’t cross my mind, because this is something I wanted since I was a kid and I know this is my chance now to step it up.
"It just didn’t go as planned. Sometimes you just need to let it go, you don’t need to overthink it, you don’t need to push yourself too hard but at the same time it’s difficult because there’s this open opportunity right in front of you, you don’t want to mess it up, you don’t want to waste it."
"My chances are a bit smaller. The margin is not as thin as it used to be now after the US Open but I’m still going to try and add points to my ranking, as much as I can until the end of the year, I really want to perhaps finish in the top three… more opportunities ahead."
Tsitsipas, who only won seven points in the opening set, hit 57 unforced errors for the match compared to Galan's 36.
The Greek only managed 28 winners, with Galan hitting 41, while the Colombian also had the better of the all the key serve categories, winning 74 per cent on his first serve.
"He dominated the match," Tsitsipas said. "I just couldn't get into it."
The Los Angeles Rams were boosted at Monday practice by the returns of running backs Darrell Henderson and Cam Akers after soft tissue injuries.
Rams head coach Sean McVay revealed they were "just being smart" with the pair who had injuries during their Super Bowl-winning campaign last season.
Akers was part of the Rams' Super Bowl triumph after missing most of the season due to an Achilles tear in July last year, while Henderson had a four-game layoff with an MCL sprain.
McVay said the pair were full participants during practice.
"They looked good," McVay told reporters. "They got a few reps and so, it was a good thing.
"Like I mentioned, Darrell was able to get a bunch of full-speed work the other day. Cam looked good today. So I expect all hands on deck."
Henderson led the Rams' running backs for touchdowns last season with five from 10 starts. He had 149 rushing attempts for 688 yards, along with 29 receptions for 176 yards and three TDs.
Serena Williams says the "crazy" crowd support she received in Monday's US Open first-round clash with Danka Kovinic helped will her over the line for a hard-fought victory.
The 40-year-old, who will end her decorated playing career after this year's US Open, triumphed in one hour and 39 minutes with a 6-3 6-3 win amid raucous scenes at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
It was a star-studded turnout at the stadium to watch what could have been Williams' last singles' match, but the six-time US Open winner proved too good, extending her farewell campaign.
Despite staying live in the tournament, Williams was honoured with a lengthy post-match ceremony including addresses from Oprah Winfrey and Billie Jean King and an extended interview with Gayle King, followed by a pre-organised crowd display where letters on cards showed the words "We Love Serena".
The 23-time Grand Slam champion appeared nervy early, including two double faults in the first game, and letting a 2-0 lead slip to trail by a break at 2-3 in the first set.
Williams won the next four games to clinch the opening frame and was decisive in the second set.
"The crowd was crazy," Williams said. "It really helped pull me through… I was really calm. Yes, I got this."
The triumph marked the first step on Williams' farewell tour at the US Open, although she has a sterner test next in the second round against second seed Anett Kontaveit on Wednesday which will likely attract another wild crowd.
"Just keep coming out and supporting me as long as I'm here, and know that I love you so much and I'm so excited to be here," Williams said.
Williams was asked about her decision to move on from playing tennis, which she described as her "evolution" rather than retirement in an essay in Vogue.
"It's been a very hard decision," she said.
"I think when you're passionate about something and you love something so much, it's always hard to walk away.
"Sometimes I think it's harder to walk away than to not. That's been the case for me. I've been trying to decide for a little while what to do.
"I think now's the time. I just have a family. There's other chapters in life. I call it evolution."
Serena Williams battled nerves early but has commenced their US Open farewell campaign with a first-round victory over Danka Kovinic in front of a loud Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd on Monday.
The 22-time major champion, who will end her decorated tennis career after the Flushing Meadows tournament, triumphed in one hour and 39 minutes over the unseeded Montenegrin 6-3 6-3.
Williams will face a bigger test next on Wednesday against second seed Anett Kontaveit who eased past Jaqueline Cristian 6-3 6-0.
Given Williams' impending retirement, there was a sense of expectation but also trepidation inside the star-studded center court and the 40-year-old appeared nervous early on with two double faults in a row in the first game.
But after a topsy turvy first set that included five breaks of serve, Williams eventually got a stronghold of the contest.
Williams improved as the match wore on, hitting 23-18 winners, with Kovinic having 28-9 forced errors.
Kovinic won three games in a row after Williams led 2-0 early, but the American responded in the sixth game to break back to square it up and never looked back.
Williams was forced to save four break points in an epic service game before converting set point after back-to-back aces.
The six-time US Open champion broke Kovinic in the fifth game of the second set to assert her control on the contest, before clinching the match by breaking to love.
WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS
Kovinic – 18/25
Williams – 23/25
ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS
Kovinic – 6/8
Williams – 9/6
BREAK POINTS WON
Kovinic – 2/10
Williams – 5/11
Former US Open champion Dominic Thiem has been bundled out at Flushing Meadows in the first round by Pablo Carreno Busta 7-5 6-1 5-7 6-3 on Monday.
The Austrian, who was back to defend his 2020 title after missing last year due to a wrist injury, was no match for the 12th-seeded Spaniard, despite coming in with a 7-0 head-to-head record.
Four-time Grand Slam finalist Thiem has struggled for the past 14 months, with a mix of injury and form, only gaining entry at the US Open with a wild card.
Thiem is now ranked 211th in the world and has a 9-10 record this season, albeit with an improved past two months.
Former world number three Thiem had waited 426 days between ATP Tour level wins, when he triumphed at the Swedish Open in July this year.
Carreno Busta, who won in Montreal earlier this month, won in three hours and 18 minutes, rallying back from a 2-4 deficit early to peel off 10 of the next 11 games and claim a two-set lead.
Thiem responded in the third set by breaking in the second game, with Carreno Busta committing more unforced errors, but the Austrian could not maintain the pressure in the fourth.
The Austrian hit 44-31 winners but was not helped by unforced errors (54-32), while his first serve percentage was down at 59 per cent, winning only 58 per cent on his first serve.
Every team after every single draft believes they nailed it with their class of rookies. Yet the percentage of draftees who go on to have a transformative impact in their first NFL season is a small one.
Those players who do hit the ground running as rookies can completely change the direction of their franchise. That was the case in 2021, as fifth overall pick Ja'Marr Chase exploded onto the scene and helped propel the Cincinnati Bengals to within minutes of a Super Bowl victory.
Last season also saw Micah Parsons, the first-round pick of the Dallas Cowboys, establish himself as one of the most fearsome defensive players in the league.
Both Chase and Parsons earned individual honours as they won the Offensive and Defensive Rookie of the Year awards respectively.
The 2022 NFL Draft was not of the same standard as the 2021 class, but this group of rookies still features several players who could replicate the rise to stardom Chase and Parsons enjoyed in their maiden campaign.
Aidan Hutchinson - Edge Rusher, Detroit Lions
No edge defender in the NFL draft comes into the league as well-rounded as Hutchinson, who has already flashed his tremendous potential in the preseason for the Lions.
With flexibility, power, quickness and a wide array of pass-rush moves in his arsenal, Hutchinson’s pressure rate of 30.8 per cent was the second best of all edge prospects in this year's class.
The tools that saw him amass 14 sacks in his final season with Michigan should translate excellently to the pros and significantly boost a Lions defense that ranked 27th in pass rush win rate last season.
After a 2021 campaign in which they went 3-13-1 but lost six games by one score, the Lions are viewed by many as a team on the rise.
They are unlikely to compete for the playoffs this year but Hutchinson's floor is high enough for him to quickly blossom into a household name with a standout season for a team that should at least take another step forward on the path to contention.
Chris Olave - Wide Receiver, New Orleans Saints
Olave had to wait to hear his name called after former Ohio State team-mate Garrett Wilson, but he is in a better position to immediately succeed at the highest level.
A smooth and detailed route-runner with the speed to test defenses deep, Olave figures to mesh perfectly with a typically aggressive quarterback in the form of Jameis Winston.
The former Buckeye was sixth in burn rate among wide receivers in this class in 2021, winning his matchup with a defender on 69.9 per cent of his targets. He was tied third in burn yards per target (14.08) while recording the second-highest average depth of target (14.3).
With the health of Michael Thomas still a concern, Olave could quickly become the top target in the Saints' offense. Given his proclivity for gaining separation downfield, such an opportunity has the chance to result in substantial production for Olave, provided Winston's encouraging pre-injury form of 2021 does not prove a false omen.
If they get serviceable quarterback play, the Saints have the roster to contend for a return to the postseason and Olave will have a strong chance of following in Chase's footsteps by winning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year if he is a key factor in a campaign that ends in a playoff berth for New Orleans.
James Cook - Running Back, Buffalo Bills
For the past four years, the Bills have not had a player eclipse 870 rushing yards in a season, so it made sense to take a swing on Cook in the second round.
Despite none of their backs coming close to the 1,000-yard mark of late, the Bills are one of only six teams to average at least 150 rushing yards per game across the past three seasons, reaping the benefits of quarterback Josh Allen's dual-threat skill set.
Cook, the younger brother of Minnesota Vikings star running back Dalvin Cook, was a star during his time at Georgia, averaging 6.5 yards per carry for his career with the Bulldogs and finishing his final season with 1,012 scrimmage yards on 140 touches, ranking fifth among Power 5 backs with 7.2 scrimmage yards per touch. He had seven touchdowns on the ground and four through the air as Georgia rode him to their first National Championship since the 1980s.
Cook thrived because of his burst to the second level and his long speed, which could heighten the big-play threat of a running game that racked up 60 runs of 10 yards or more in 2021, the seventh most in the NFL.
And, even when not afforded a huge advantage, Cook can be effective. He was fifth in the NCAA in yards per carry on plays where there was a run disruption.
His recieving skills saw him record 11 receptions of at least 10 yards, tied for 12th among Power 5 backs, last season. Playing in an offense that consistently has defenes fearing the deep ball from Allen, Cook has the potential to become a dynamic short-game weapon who can take advantage of the underneath space he will often be afforded.
Not since LeSean McCoy have the Bills had a back with the all-round ability Cook possesses. Their offense could be borderline unstoppable should the Bills immediately harness his talents and put Cook in position to ascend to his brother's level of stardom as a rookie.
George Karlaftis - Edge Rusher, Kansas City Chiefs
When the Chiefs selected the Purdue edge rusher with the 30th pick of this year’s NFL Draft, it was the highest draft pick they had committed to the position since taking Dee Ford with the 23rd pick back in 2014.
The Chiefs ranked 19th in the league in sacks in 2020, before plummeting to 29th in that category in 2021, illustrating their inability to take care of arguably the defense's most important job – hitting the quarterback.
This past season, the Chiefs blitzed at the eighth-highest rate in the league (28.1%) and were credited with 278 quarterback pressures. Only nine teams produced more in the regular season. But the league's best quarterbacks thrive against the blitz, and a more sustainable formula for defensive success is to create consistent pressure by sending only four rushers.
That is where Karlaftis can thrive.
In his 26 games at Purdue, Karlaftis totaled 29 tackles for loss and 14 sacks, and his pressure rate of 21.9 per cent was the sixth-best among all edge rushers in this draft class.
Set to play alongside Chris Jones, arguably the premier defensive tackle in the NFL not named Aaron Donald, on the Chiefs' front, Karlaftis could become an immediate difference-maker for a Chiefs' team eyeing another Super Bowl push if his monstrous physical traits translate to the NFL as many expect.
Christian Watson - Wide Receiver, Green Bay Packers
The Packers have one of the greatest quarterbacks in the history of the sport, coming off back-to-back league MVP awards – but it remains to be seen if Aaron Rodgers' weapons are up to the task.
Only Los Angeles Rams receiver Cooper Kupp received more targets in 2021 than Davante Adams, Rodgers' favourite target since 2016 who was traded to the Las Vegas Raiders this offseason. Watson was one of the men picked to help fill the void, selected 34th overall this year’s draft out of North Dakota State.
Standing 6ft 5in tall, Watson is a height-weight-speed receiver who ran a 4.36 40-yard dash and has the versatility to do damage as a receiver and out of the backfield. He carried the ball 49 times for his career in Fargo, averaging eight yards per rush and racked up over 20 yards per reception as a pass catcher.
However, he played against weaker competition in the FCS, and has seemingly been usurped on the depth chart this preseason by fellow rookie Romeo Doubs, who was selected in the fourth round. Doubs is younger, has been producing since his true freshman season and may, at this point, be a better football player, but the Packers will need more than one receiving threat to emerge this season and Watson's athletic gifts, duplicity and big-play upside give him the highest ceiling of any receiver on their roster.
If he establishes a rapport with Rodgers, Watson could play a massive role in finally getting the Packers over the top.
Kaiir Elam - Cornerback, Buffalo Bills
The Bills already have one All-Pro cornerback in Tre'Davious White and hope they have found another after using their first-round pick on Elam.
Elam rose up the draft board following an impressive final season with Florida in which he more than held his own against some of the SEC's best.
His performance against Jameson Williams in the Gators' clash with Alabama was one that drew effusive praise and Elam finished the year 10th among all corners in the draft in burn yards per target allowed, giving up 8.52.
Elam's success in providing tight coverage was on display in his preseason debut against the Indianapolis Colts, offering further encouragement he can enjoy a smooth and swift transition to the pros.
A physical and aggressive corner with the speed to stay in lockstep with blazers like Williams, Elam's man coverage skills may allow a Bills defense that was 22nd in blitz rate (22.9%) last year to throw a more diverse array of pressure packages at opponents as they bid to get over the hump and win a first Super Bowl.
Playing across from a corner of White's reputation, Elam will be tested continually. His own profile will grow rapidly should he pass those tests.
Jimmy Garoppolo will be staying with the San Francisco 49ers for the 2022 season after signing a reworked one-year contract.
Garoppolo had been widely expected to be released by San Francisco before Tuesday's deadline for teams to trim their rosters to 53 players ahead of the regular season.
San Francisco had attempted to trade Garoppolo this offseason as part of the transition to Trey Lance as their starting quarterback. The 49ers traded three first-round picks to select Lance with the third overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
However, a shoulder surgery for Garoppolo complicated the Niners' plans to trade him, with San Francisco unable to find a partner with which to do a deal.
He has worked out away from the team during training camp and preseason but will now serve as the backup to Lance after coming to an agreement on amended terms with the 49ers.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Garoppolo has agreed to a one-year deal worth $6.5million in base salary and $500,000 in roster bonuses. He has bonuses for playing time that could be worth up to $9m.
It is a move that lowers Garoppolo's salary cap number from nearly $27m to just over $8m, giving the 49ers financial flexibility for potential in-season moves and still giving the former New England Patriot the chance to hit the open market in 2023.
Garoppolo arrived in 2017 in a trade with the Patriots. He has a record of 31-14 as a starter for San Francisco and helped the Niners reach Super Bowl LIV in the 2019 season. He and the 49ers were minutes away from another Super Bowl appearance last season, but lost the NFC Championship Game 20-17 to the Los Angeles Rams.
The 30-year-old completed 68.3 per cent of his passes for 3,810 yards, 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions last season.
Garoppolo led the league in yards per completion (12.7) and net yards per attempt (7.68) but was heavily reliant on his receivers creating yards after the catch. Lance, who made two starts while Garoppolo was injured last year, is expected to offer greater upside to the 49er offense with his dual-threat skill set that allows him to make downfield throws that are beyond Garoppolo and excel on the ground as a runner.
The 49ers open the season with a road game against the Chicago Bears on September 11.
Daniil Medvedev says he is not feeling the "extra pressure" of being the defending US Open champion after easing to a 6-2 6-4 6-0 victory over Stefan Kozlov in the first round.
The Russian won the first grand slam title of his career last year when he defeated Novak Djokovic at Flushing Meadows, and started his defence in dominant fashion on Arthur Ashe Stadium on Monday.
The world number one broke American outsider Kozlov eight times in a one-sided encounter in New York, in which he struck 37 winners and committed 19 unforced errors
Top seed Medvedev does not feel burdened by being the man who won the final major of the year in 2021.
"[There is] a little bit [of] extra pressure [in being the defending champion]," he stated, "But mostly, I don't feel it, to be honest.
"Probably the only pressure is I know if I'm not going to play good here, for whatever reason... I will not care that I won it last year, I will just be disappointed that this year did not work out my way."
Medvedev will face Arthur Rinderknech next on Wednesday, after the Frenchman defeated his compatriot Quentin Halys in four sets on day one.
When Chris Binnie won his 10th Caribbean Senior Squash singles title last week, it felt a little more special than the nine others he had won. When the 33-year-old Jamaican dispatched Khamal Cumberbatch of Barbados 14-12, 11-5, 11-5 to win the 2022 title, it was the first time he was winning a singles title on home soil.
It is a feeling he will not forget.
“This is definitely up there for me because I haven’t won a title in Jamaica at the Caribbean level. I have always been winning them abroad,” he told Sportsmax.TV following his record-extending victory.
“All those times I had crowds cheering against me, my followers have just been watching through screens, so it’s great to actually win one here and to have the home support not matter what else was going on, they were so loud and getting behind me. It was great.
“I was super-excited about winning this 10th title. I am just grateful to everyone and this great support system I’ve had throughout the years to actually get 10 titles. It’s been a long journey. When you start, you just think about winning one at a time and then all of a sudden as the years have gone on they have just accumulated so being able to show up every year, play at a high level still I am just thankful for all of that.”
That said, Binnie revealed that playing at home did not make it any easier as the quality of his opponents has been consistent over the years.
“Every year it’s difficult. I don’t think this was any different. You have players who come through always ready to challenge you, ready to keep you on your toes and so,” he said.
“I was always ready. I was getting ready to play, getting ready to win and treat every game as if it was difficult and as a result, I was prepared and ready to get some good results.”
His opponents were tough from the get-go and it speaks to the depth of talent across the region.
“From the quarter-finals on, there were always difficult matches. Playing Chase McQuan from Trinidad and Tobago, a very good player; Alex Arjoon from Guyana in the semis and Khamal Cumberbatch from Barbados in the final, it shows that there is talent all over the Caribbean,” he said.
“In each of those matches, I had to do different things to win. I was happy to get through them.
“This is a strong region. We missed a couple of players this year due to different things but this was like a stronger semis of players that you would get. We continue to see young players come through like Khamal. He is one to watch for the future. I just hope I can hold him off for another year.”
Simona Halep was the first big casualty at the US Open when she was sensationally beaten by qualifier Daria Snigur on day one.
Halep arrived at Flushing Meadows as one of the favourites to win the title after she was crowned Canadian Open champion this month.
The two-time grand slam champion fell at the first hurdle, though, as Ukrainian Snigur consigned her to a stunning 6-2 0-6 6-4 defeat on Louis Armstrong Stadium.
Making her first appearance in the main draw at a major, the unheralded 20-year-old was rewarded for a positive approach, winning eight out of 12 points at the net and breaking five times.
Halep swept the world number 124 aside in the second set, but the outsider claimed the upper hand with break in the first game of the decider and went on to open up a 5-1 lead.
The former world number one showed her fighting spirit to hang in there, reducing the deficit to 5-4, but Snigur demonstrated nerves of steel to serve out the match and looked as shocked as anyone after sealing her place in the second round in New York.
Halep paid the price for 30 unforced errors, crashing out after a run to the semi-final in the last major at Wimbledon.
Andy Murray equalled Lleyton Hewitt by claiming his 47th main-draw win at the US Open as he came through a tricky first-round clash with Francisco Cerundolo.
Just under 10 years on from his maiden grand slam triumph at Flushing Meadows, where he famously beat Novak Djokovic in a near five-hour final, Murray overcame 24th seed Cerundolo in relatively short order.
The world number 51 produced one of the more impressive performances since his return from hip surgery to win 7-5 6-3 6-3 in two hours and 42 minutes on the Louis Armstrong Stadium court.
It is a success that moved him level with Australian great Hewitt, with whom he now shares ninth place on the all-time list for the most main-draw wins in New York.
Additionally, it marked Murray's first straight-sets win at a grand slam since his fourth-round victory over Benoit Paire at Wimbledon in 2017.
Cerundolo, meanwhile, is still awaiting his first main-draw win at a major.
He has enjoyed a breakthrough year, winning his first ATP title at the Swedish Open in July and reaching a career-high ranking of 24, but fell at the first hurdle for the third successive major having failed to qualify for the Australian Open at the start of the year.
Murray will play John Millman or Emilio Nava in the second round.
Rory McIlroy said making history is the reason he plays golf, as the world number three could not resist another jibe at the LIV Golf Invitational Series.
McIlroy claimed an unprecedented third FedEx Cup title on Sunday, edging out Scottie Scheffler in a play-off in the final round of the Tour Championship.
The 33-year-old has enjoyed a resurgence in 2022, despite missing out on major glory.
McIlroy has also become a de-facto spokesperson for the PGA Tour amid the divide caused by breakaway competition LIV Golf.
On his official Twitter account, McIlroy had one last swipe at LIV Golf, while outlining his motivation for playing the game.
"It's an absolute privilege to be a member of the PGA Tour, where I have the opportunity to battle players like Scottie in front of the most incredible fans," McIlroy tweeted.
"Having the chance to do something no one else has done by winning three FedEx Cup titles is why I play this game."
McIlroy has won three PGA Tour titles in the 2021-22 season and on Monday confirmed he will take part in the Italian Open next month.
He will aim to get in some early practice for the Ryder Cup, which takes place at the Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in 2023.
The Washington Commanders' Brian Robinson Jr. has a positive mindset and is in good spirits after undergoing surgery for gunshot wounds suffered during an attempted arm robbery over the weekend.
The rookie running back posted on his Instagram story that, "Surgery went well! Thanks for the prayers! God is Great!"
Commanders coach Ron Rivera told reporters that doctors described Robinson’s surgery as a success and he is on the road to recovery, though, it is too early to make any timetable for a return to the football field.
"I can't get into specifics of it other than to say he's doing well. I had an opportunity to visit with him last night, which was really a relief and kind of cool because he was in a really good place," Rivera said on Monday.
"The doctors were very positive with him and he was very positive as well. He's very fortunate, it's a very unfortunate situation. He's doing well, it's just gonna be a matter of time before he’s back out here. There is no timeline, but, as I said, everything's been very positive."
Washington D.C. police reported the shooting during an attempted robbery or carjacking and the Commanders posted a statement on Twitter on Sunday confirming the 23-year-old Robinson was receiving treatment in a hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.
A third-round pick in this year's draft, Robinson was expected to take over the starting running back job after impressing the coaching staff during training camp and preseason games.
In two exhibition games, Robinson had rushed for 57 yards and one touchdown on 14 carries while incumbent Antonio Gibson had rushed for just five yards on six attempts.
The Commanders, who went 7-10 to finish in third place in the NFC East in 2021, open this season against the visiting Jacksonville Jaguars on September 11.
Rory McIlroy will get some early Ryder Cup preparation when he makes his Italian Open debut next month.
Just under a year before Europe attempt to wrestle the Ryder Cup back off the United States, McIlroy will get a first look at the Marco Simone Golf and Country Club venue where the biennial event will be staged.
McIlroy is riding on the crest of a wave after becoming the first player to win the FedExCup three times in dramatic fashion at East Lake.
The four-time major champion trailed Scottie Scheffler by six shots during his final round of the Tour Championship on Sunday, but a closing 66 sealed a hat-trick of FedExCup victories – and a whopping $18million in prize money.
DP World Tour Rankings leader McIlroy will be on his way to the outskirts of Rome eyeing another title in a tournament that starts on September 15.
The Northern Irishman said: "Not only is the city of Rome steeped in history but so too is their national open, so I am really looking forward to the Italian Open this year.
"It's the first time I have played in Italy, and I've heard the Italian fans are very passionate, so I'm excited to get out there and experience a new challenge."
McIlroy is third in the world rankings behind Scheffler and Cameron Smith.
Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto has suggested the FIA struggle to police the Formula One budget cap effectively.
Binotto's team are competing with Red Bull for the constructors' championship this season, though driver Charles Leclerc's challenge for the drivers' crown is effectively over after a series of poor race calls.
The gap between the two could yet grow as reigning world champion Max Verstappen edges towards a second title, with Red Bull reportedly set to introduce a lighter car in forthcoming races.
There is a strong belief Red Bull will introduce a weight-trimmed chassis four kilograms lighter than their current model, which would facilitate a faster performance overall.
Binotto, though, feels the FIA are not doing enough to enforce the sport's budget cap.
"The number of people in the FIA monitoring it is very little," he told reporters. "It has to improve for the future because it would be really bad if somehow a championship was dictated by a financial regulation and not technical or sporting.
"I cannot know what they are doing, if they have a [lighter] chassis or not, but the budget cap is always a concern. The financial regulations can make differences between teams in the way they are interpreting and executing it.
"We know we need a very strong FIA to make sure they are properly focusing, otherwise the regulations will not be fair and equitable.
"Ferrari would never be capable of introducing a lightweight chassis or a different chassis through a season simply [because of the] budget cap and I would be very surprised if a team is capable of doing it.
"And if they are, it is back to the regulation itself, is it fair enough, is it equitable enough, is the policing sufficient?"
Red Bull principal Christian Horner has suggested the team are not preparing to make a change, stating: "No, there is no [lighter chassis]. These chassis will run for the next few races."
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