New signing Henrik Stenson is tied for the lead after the first round of LIV Golf Bedminster, shooting a seven-under 64 in his first event since committing to the controversial tour.
Stenson – who was stripped of his position as Ryder Cup captain due to his decision to leave the PGA Tour – collected eight birdies and one bogey, and helped his team Majesticks GC to second in the team standings at 10 under.
Tied for the individual lead is Patrick Reed, who also leads the team standings by one stroke along with his 4 Aces GC teammates Dustin Johnson, Pat Perez and Talor Gooch.
Alone in third place is Thailand's 23-year-old Phachara Khongwatmai at five under, and he is one stroke ahead of both Johnson and Carlos Ortiz, rounding out the top-five.
Martin Kaymer, Ian Poulter, Brooks Koepka and Charles Howell III are all one shot further back at three under, while Lee Westwood headlines the group at two under, and Sergio Garcia is in the logjam at one under.
Bryson DeChambeau finished at even par after a late double-bogey, Louis Oosthuizen is at two over after posting a seven on the par-three seventh hole, and there are only three players below Phil Mickelson after he struggled to four over with five bogeys and one birdie.
Roberto Bautista Agut beat Albert Ramos-Vinolas in straight sets to reach the Austrian Open final, but the Spaniard must wait until Saturday to discover his opponent.
Third seed Bautista Agut proved too strong for compatriot Ramos-Vinolas as he prevailed 6-3 7-6 (7-3) in a little over two hours, despite squandering three match points.
The world number 20 now can now look forward to a first clay-court final since suffering defeat to Matteo Berrettini at the 2018 Swiss Open Gstaad.
However, the other semi-final between Yannick Hanfmann and home wild card Filip Misolic was dramatically suspended in a third-set tie-break due to heavy rain.
Misolic, who had earlier beaten Dusan Lajovic in a clash delayed from Thursday, led 1-0 in the breaker against Hanfmann when play was halted and ultimately called off until Saturday.
The final between Bautista Agut and either Hanfmann or Misolic is still scheduled to go ahead as planned shortly after that second semi-final concludes.
At the Croatian Open, defending champion Carlos Alcaraz beat Facundo Bagnis 6-0 6-4 and will now face Giulio Zeppieri, who saw off Bernabe Zapata Miralles in straight sets.
Jannik Sinner is also through to his first semi-final of 2022 after beating Roberto Carballes Baena 6-4 7-6 (7-5), with Franco Agamenone up next after overcoming Marco Cecchinato.
Iga Swiatek's lengthy unbeaten run on clay was brought to a surprise end by Caroline Garcia at the Poland Open on Friday.
The world number one succumbed to a 6-1 1-6 6-4 defeat to the fifth seed, who ended the French Open champion's 18-match winning streak on the dirt.
It was Garcia's first win over a top-ranked player and sent her into a semi-final against Jasmine Paolini after the Italian came from behind to beat Viktorija Golubic 1-6 6-2 6-2.
Swiatek said: "Maybe I wasn't as disciplined as in previous tournaments, but I'm happy. I felt like my brain didn't intuitively predict where the ball would go, but I'm still learning, right?
"The first two sets depended on her – whether or not she would be in control. At the end of the second she lost control and took advantage.
"In the third set, she got back to her game. But if I had a better first serve percentage, maybe it would have been different.
"I don't know what decision I will make next year. Maybe longer preparation [on clay] will be necessarily, or maybe I'll give up this tournament. We'll see."
Kateryna Baindl became the first lucky loser to reach a WTA Tour semi-final this year by overcoming Petra Martic 1-6 6-3 6-4. Next up for Baindl is Ana Bogdan, who beat Laura Pigossi 6-1 6-1.
World number two Anett Kontaveit was also on the receiving end of an upset, going down 6-1 6-1 to Anastasia Potapova in 49 minutes at the Prague Open.
Potapova will take on qualifier Wang Qiang for a place in the final, with Czech pair Marie Bouzkova and Linda Noskova – only the second female player born after 2004 to reach the last four of a WTA Tour tournament – in action on the other side of the draw.
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes addressed the infamous "study clause" in Kyler Murray's contract on Friday, saying it is "weird" how black quarterbacks are criticised in the NFL.
Murray made headlines earlier this week when it was revealed his five-year, $230.5million contract extension with the Arizona Cardinals contained a clause requiring him to independently watch at least four hours of game film per week during the season.
After the report surfaced, Murray made an impassioned defense of his work ethic, and the Cardinals announced on Thursday that the addendum was removed from his contract.
"Obviously, the black quarterback has had to battle to be in this position that we are to have this many guys in the league playing," Mahomes said after a camp practice.
"Every day, we're proving that we should have been playing the whole time.
"We've got guys that can think just as well as they can use their athleticism. It's always weird when you see guys like me, Lamar [Jackson], Kyler kind of get that on them when other guys don't.
"But at the same time, we're going out there to prove ourselves every day to show we can be some of the best quarterbacks in the league."
However, Mahomes noted all NFL quarterbacks feel pressure to prove their worth.
"You always feel like you have more to prove," he said. "I promise Tom Brady is feeling like he has more to prove.
"That comes with any sport, any competitor. If you're not getting better, you're getting worse. They build you up to tear you down. You've got to kind of know that.
"For me, it's all about how I can make myself better, not what other people say. How can I make myself better so that we go out there and play football games?
"At the end of the day, nothing matters until you're on that football field playing, and that's where you get to prove who you are every single day."
Two-time Masters winner Bubba Watson has become the latest player to sign with the LIV Golf Invitational Series.
Watson has been out of action since the US PGA Championship due to a knee injury and will be a non-playing captain in the Saudi-backed circuit's next tournament in Boston.
The 43-year-old has managed just one top-three finish over the past four seasons, which came at the Waste Management Open in 2020.
LIV Golf CEO and commissioner Greg Norman said: "Bubba Watson is a tremendous addition to LIV Golf – another major champion joining the growing list of stars on our teams.
"His game combines the power, innovation and excitement that the LIV Golf brand represents.
"He's a risk-taker who has cemented his name among the world's very best and we're eager for him to come aboard to bring new energy and audiences to this league."
Brooks Koepka and Henrik Stenson have also recently signed with LIV Golf, with the latter being stripped of the captaincy of Europe's Ryder Cup team as a result.
The series this week announced it will expand in 2023, taking the number of tournaments to 25 with a Team World Championship match play finale at the end of the season.
Max Verstappen thinks it will be impossible for Red Bull to challenge Ferrari in dry conditions at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Reigning Formula One champion Verstappen could only manage fourth in the second free practice session on Friday, with Charles Leclerc almost three tenths of a second quicker.
Rain is forecast for qualifying on Saturday and the Dutchman believes it will be essential for him to have any chance of pushing the Scuderia all the way.
"A bit tricky as expected around here. Just trying to find a balance from high to low speed," said Verstappen.
"Sometimes it worked a bit better, sometimes a bit more tricky but a bit of work to do.
"I think [Ferrari] are a bit ahead of us. I think it will be hard for us to beat that. But I think overnight we will try to close the gap as much as we can and see what the weather will give us as well.
"I think in the dry we can't compete, so maybe in the rain we can, who knows?"
After the disappointment of crashing out from the French Grand Prix last weekend, Leclerc felt Ferrari were on "the right road" with their race simulations.
"It's been a very productive day, changed quite a lot of things on the car on my side," said Leclerc. "FP1 was quite tricky, FP2 we took the right road so confident that we did the right work for Sunday.
"It looks like it's going to rain [on Saturday] so we have to be on top of this and obviously put the tyres in the right window, which is always a difficult thing whenever it's raining.
"This will be our main priority, but hopefully if we manage to put them in the right window, we will still have this advantage."
Jamaica's leading international drivers, Fraser McConnell & Sara Misir, will be in action this weekend in Europe.
McConnell will compete in the Swedish leg of the Nitro RX Series, while Misir will be on the grid in rounds 15 to 18 of the GT Cup at Silverstone Circuit in the UK.
Both meets are this Saturday and Sunday, July 30 and 31.
McConnell occupies first place in the combustion engine supercar class but hopes to better his fourth place in the group E electric class. He is joined in Group E by four-time Rallycross world champion Johan Kristofferson.
Fraser thinks this is an excellent opportunity to learn from his teammate.
"I will be all eyes and ears learning from Johan since he's a four-time World Champion. I'll use him as a benchmark to measure my performance and progress."
Meanwhile, Sara Misir and teammate Steph Sore, who crossed the group finish line in 8th place in round 13 before having mechanical issues in round 14, will be looking to rebound at Silverstone.
"It feels surreal to compete at Silverstone; it is such a popular f1 circuit. We have been testing a few days now, and we're aiming for a strong start which is important for us."
Action from the NitroRX will be live on SportsMax, while the GT Cup is available on YouTube ( https://www.youtube.com/c/GTCupUK).
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers reportedly expect Pro Bowl center Ryan Jensen to be out for the upcoming season, with head coach Todd Bowles confirming he will miss "significant time".
Jensen, Tampa Bay's starting center since 2018, was carted off after suffering a left knee injury during Thursday's training camp practice.
Bowles told reporters on Friday the team were still awaiting test results on Jensen's knee, but a lengthy absence is anticipated for Tom Brady's protector.
"We don't know the severity of it per se, but I do know he'll miss some significant time, up to a couple of months," Bowles said.
"Whether he'll be back later in the season, November or December, that depends on what they find. He won't be available anytime soon."
Jensen's extended absence adds another question mark to an interior offensive line that was already an area of concern for Tampa Bay entering camp due to the departures of 2021 starting guards Ali Marpet and Alex Cappa.
Marpet retired in February, and Cappa signed with the defending AFC champion Cincinnati Bengals in the offseason, although the Bucs did trade for Shaq Mason from the New England Patriots to take over at right guard.
Jensen has not missed a game since signing with Tampa Bay in 2018 following a four-year stint with the Baltimore Ravens, and he was named to his first career Pro Bowl last season.
The 31-year-old re-signed with the Bucs in March on a three-year, $39million contract that includes $23m in guarantees.
The Buccaneers currently do not have any other players with starting experience at center. Robert Hainsey, a 2021 third-round pick who saw just 31 offensive snaps as a rookie, took over the position following Jensen's injury.
Los Angeles Angels two-way star Shohei Ohtani has begun fielding questions about his future as his club appears to be destined for another lost season.
Speaking through translator Ippei Mizuhara after the Angels' 2-0 loss to the Texas Rangers on Thursday, Ohtani was asked if he wanted to stay in Los Angeles through next week's trade deadline.
"Regardless of where I'm playing, I'm going to give it my all and try to win that ballgame in front of me," Ohtani said. "I'm with the Angels right now, and I'm very thankful for what they've done. I love my team and my team-mates.
"Right now I'm an Angel, and that's all I can focus on."
Ohtani (9-6) took the loss on Thursday, scattering eight hits and punching out 11 hitters over six innings but allowing both Texas runs.
Los Angeles fell to 42-57, 22.5 games back of the Houston Astros in the AL West and 11 games out of a Wild Card spot.
The reigning AL MVP has spent each of his five MLB seasons with the Angels, never finishing above .500.
The Angels last appeared in the postseason in 2014 and haven't won a playoff game since 2009.
While Ohtani is not thought to be a serious candidate to be traded ahead of the August 2 deadline, the 28-year-old star is scheduled to become a free agent after next season.
The Arizona Cardinals have removed a controversial "independent study" clause from Kyler Murray's new contract after the quarterback gave an impassioned response to questions about his preparation and work ethic.
NFL.com reported the addendum to the five-year, $230.5million extension earlier this week.
The clause stipulated that the two-time Pro Bowler must watch a minimum of four hours of game film on his own every week during the season over the life of the deal, and the Cardinals could void the contract if Murray did not meet the terms of the agreement.
"After seeing the distraction it created, we removed the addendum from the contract," the Cardinals have now said in a statement. "It was clearly perceived in ways that were never intended.
"Our confidence in Kyler Murray is as high as it's ever been and nothing demonstrates our belief in his ability to lead this team more than the commitment reflected in this contract."
The public revelation of the clause prompted the usually reserved Murray to call an unscheduled press conference on Thursday in which the 2019 number one overall pick lashed out against suggestions he was not properly preparing for his duties.
"I refuse to let my work ethic, my preparation be in question," Murray stated. "I've put in incomprehensible amount of time and blood, sweat and tears and work into what I do.
"To those of you out there who believe that I'd be standing here today in front of you all without having a work ethic and without preparing – I'm honoured that you think that, but it doesn't exist. It's not possible.
"To think that I can accomplish everything that I've accomplished in my career and not be a student of the game and not have that passion, not take this seriously is almost... it's disrespectful and it's almost a joke."
Murray agreed to the extension, which will make him the NFL's second-highest-paid player in terms of average annual salary behind only two-time reigning league MVP Aaron Rodgers, last week. The contract contains $160m in guarantees and will run from 2024 through 2028.
The 2018 Heisman Trophy winner is coming off his best season in which he finished second in the NFL in completion percentage (69.2) and posted a career-high 100.6 passer rating while helping the Cardinals reach the playoffs for the first time since 2015.
Murray's play dropped off during the second half of the year, however, and he also struggled with a no-touchdown, two-interception performance in the Cardinals' 34-11 loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the opening round of the playoffs.
Arizona began last season 7-0 but lost five of the 24-year-old's next seven starts, with Murray producing an 86.5 passer rating during that stretch after recording a 116.8 rating over the first seven games.
NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley will not be signing a contract with LIV Golf.
The legendary 59-year-old met LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman last week to discuss the prospect of becoming an announcer at events on the controversial breakaway tour.
Barkley on Thursday played in the pro-am at the Trump National Golf Club Bedminster in New Jersey, where the third LIV competition started on Friday.
The 11-time NBA All-Star said he had not been made an offer to work on the Saudi-backed LIV Golf series, but stated: "I'm in a win-win situation. If they offer me something good, that's great. If they don't, I've got a great job at TNT."
Barkley on Friday revealed that he will be remaining loyal to TNT.
He told the New York Post: "I want to thank Greg Norman and LIV for their interest in me. I wish those guys great success and nothing but the best.
"But, in my best interest, and being fair to Turner - because Turner and basketball have given me every single thing in my life - it is best for me to move on and I'm staying with Turner for the rest of my TV career."
Xavier Clarke was player of the match as Lignum Vitae got a 44-35 win over Blue Mahoe to kick off the 2022 Jamaica Basketball Showcase at the University of Technology on Thursday.
In total, there were six matches played on Thursday’s day one.
In the second, Phase 1 beat Central Warriors 51-35 thanks to player of the match David Gordon.
Matthew McGowan starred as the Caribbean Basketball Academy secured a 55-37 victory over Hummingbirds in game three.
Game four saw Central Warriors hand Blue Mahoe their second loss of the day with a 54-44 win thanks to player of the game, Alex Levy.
Phase 1 then made it two from two as they secured a 42-34 win over Caribbean Basketball Academy in game five thanks to player of the game, Anthony White.
In the final game, Hummingbirds got one in the win column, beating Lignum Vitae 52-49 with Jadeja McCormack being voted player of the game.
Andy Farrell has signed a new deal to remain Ireland head coach until at least August 2025.
Farrell has been talked up as a potential successor to England boss Eddie Jones, but the 47-year-old on Friday put pen to paper on a two-year extension to his Ireland contract.
The Englishman masterminded a historic first Test series win for Ireland over the All Blacks in New Zealand this month, with a 2-1 triumph putting them top of the world rankings.
Farrell replaced Joe Schmidt after the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan and will be in charge when Ireland attempt to lift the Webb Ellis Cup for the first time in France next year.
He said: "I am happy to extend my contract with Irish Rugby for a further two years. As a group we have made it clear that we are building towards the 2023 Rugby World Cup, and we have taken some decent strides in that regard in recent months.
"Ahead of the tour to New Zealand myself and David [Nucifora, Irish Rugby Football Union performance director] looked at the opportunities and challenges facing the national squad after the tournament in France.
"I am excited about continuing to work with the group and with the next generation of Irish international players."
Nucifora said: "Andy is one of the outstanding coaches in world rugby and his work in leading the transition within the national team since the 2019 Rugby World Cup has been exceptional.
"Ireland are currently the number one ranked team in the world, an incredibly tough five match tour of New Zealand was a success on several levels and a Triple Crown was secured in the 2022 Six Nations Championship.
"A coach of Andy's calibre is always going to be in high demand, and we are delighted that he has agreed to extend his contract with the IRFU.
"This new deal, agreed prior to the Tour of New Zealand, allows us to plan beyond the 2023 Rugby World Cup with the certainty that one of the top coaching talents in the game is spearheading the national programme."
Reigning US Open champion Emma Raducanu believes she needs to cut herself some slack as she aims to improve her consistency on the court.
Having made her breakthrough at last year's Wimbledon championships, Raducanu went on to claim a stunning success at the US Open.
The Briton defeated fellow teenager Leylah Fernandez in straight sets, becoming the first singles qualifier in the Open Era to win a grand slam title.
Yet with the North American swing fast approaching, Raducanu has not yet come close to replicating that form in 2022.
Indeed, since winning the US Open, she has reached just two WTA Tour-level quarter-finals, while she has failed to progress past the second round in any of the three majors.
While acknowledging she needs to add more consistency to her game, the 19-year-old remains relaxed, insisting she is learning to take a step back and enjoy her situation.
"My goal would be towards consistency," she told the Evening Standard. "But equally, I'm going to try and cut myself some slack.
"I'm young and I have achieved something great. I think I should step back and enjoy it.
"I'd say I am too much of a perfectionist. That drives me crazy sometimes. I obviously think it's a great trait, because I don't think I would have had the results I did without that drive and that wanting to be better.
"But it can be really self-destructive at the same time, because you're never happy and you'll always complain or find something wrong."
The Canadian-born star cites her upbringing, and the high standards set by her parents, as crucial to her success.
She added: "They've always had high standards, and told me when things weren't very good, whereas other people might have wanted to encourage me. My parents always told me how it is, and I always had this sense of wanting to prove them wrong.
"Even in primary school, we had a sprint race on sports day and for seven years straight, I won it. I'm undefeated! I really like to win. I love the fight.
"When things get tough, keep getting yourself back up. Keep persevering. Each time you do, it teaches you a lesson and you accumulate experience. Then you can grow a big bank of knowledge that you can tap into."
Raducanu is ranked 10th in the world by the WTA, and this week joined up with Dmitry Tursunov, who will coach her on a trial basis for next week's Citi Open. She split with former mentor Torben Beltz in April.
Luke Donald has taken a dig at Henrik Stenson by declaring he will keep his word and "see it through" if he is named Europe's Ryder Cup captain.
Stenson was last week stripped of the honour of leading Europe against the United States in Rome next year after electing to join LIV Golf.
Donald is reportedly set to replace the Swede, and the Englishman is under the impression he has "a very good chance" of taking the role after holding talks.
"There’s nothing official to report," Donald told Golfweek. "I have been in talks with Guy [Kinnings, Ryder Cup director] at the European Tour. And that's all I know right now.
"I know I have a very good chance, Thomas Bjorn and a couple other guys are under consideration."
Donald, who never finished on a losing side in the four Ryder Cups he played in, says there is no chance he would take up a deal with LIV Golf after agreeing to captain Europe.
"If I got this captaincy, I would live up to my word and see it through," he said. "Let me put it that way. I wouldn't be doing a Henrik."
The 44-year-old Donald is disappointed Stenson defected to join the Saudi-backed LIV Golf series but would "love" to step in for Ryder Cup duty, with the 2016 Open champion out of the picture.
Donald said: "I've certainly had some of my best moments on the golf course in the Ryder Cups. What an amazing honour it is to represent Europe in the Ryder Cup, and I would love to be a captain.
"That would be a huge honour as well. I was surprised that he would put his name forward if his plan was to go to LIV, which, you know, the rumours, and I hate to talk about rumours, but rumours are that he'd been in contact with the rival tours, whatever they were, and he was very interested.
"And I think everyone knew that, the European Tour knew that. They obviously took his word that he wasn't going to do it. We all have to sign a clause or contract saying that we won't have anything to do with (LIV).
"I'm disappointed I guess that he would put his name forward and then go to LIV. I understand certain guys going to LIV, in certain situations in their careers and stuff, that makes sense. But obviously something big to give up."
Donald revealed he has been offered a chance to be part of LIV Golf, but only for a television role.
He said: "Turned that down pretty quickly. A little bit of a slight on my game. I know I haven't played that great, but thanks but no thanks."
Dak Prescott has just one playoff victory in his first six NFL seasons, but he has every intention of making this a memorable year for himself and the Dallas Cowboys.
"It will be the golden birthday," said Prescott, who turns 29 on Friday. "I plan for this to be the golden year."
Both Prescott and Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy received plenty of criticism after a disappointing 23-17 wild-card loss to the San Francisco 49ers last season. That game ended when Prescott ran downfield with six seconds left on the clock and was unable to spike the ball for one last play.
That defeat left Prescott with a 1-3 career postseason record and kept Dallas without a Super Bowl title since 1995.
Prescott has been unable to do what Hall-of-Famers Roger Staubach and Troy Aikman did – lead the Cowboys to a Super Bowl title.
"I mean obviously knowing the quarterbacks that played specifically for this team, and knowing their legacy, and the ones that we hold at the highest standard are the ones that have Super Bowl rings." Prescott said.
"It starts there for me, trying to fill the shoes of those guys that have come before me and do something for this organisation that hasn’t been done in a long time."
While playoff success has eluded Prescott, he did throw a franchise-record 37 touchdown passes last season and threw for 4,449 yards – the fourth-highest single-season total of any Cowboys quarterback.
"When you don’t win games, it goes on our shoulders sometimes and that’s okay,' Prescott said. "I’m a guy that will take it whenever.
"Take the good with the bad and just continue to help my team, help all 53 who will participate in the game, but as coach says, it takes more than that.
"It takes the whole unit, the whole organisation. I don’t really worry about where the criticism or blame or any of that goes."
The Cowboys open their season against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on September 11.
The Philadelphia Phillies rode a strong starting pitching performance from Zack Wheeler to an 8-4 road victory against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday.
All nine Phillies batters finished with at least one hit – racking up 15 total hits as a team – and it got started in the first inning as Darick Hall made it a 2-0 game with his two-run triple. Nick Castellanos then drove in Hall with a base hit to make it 3-0 in the opening frame.
Wheeler never gave the Pirates a chance to fight back into the contest, holding the home side scoreless until late in the seventh inning. He finished with two earned runs from three hits and three walks, striking out eight.
After Alec Bohm's base hit to make it 4-0 in the second inning, there was a lull in the action until Kyle Schwarber made his presence known in the sixth frame.
With two runners on base, Schwarber connected on his 32nd home run of the season, trailing only Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees.
The Pirates rallied hard in the last inning, scoring five runs from four hits off Jeurys Familia, but there was not much to cheer about up until that point, except for an exciting showing from rookie Cal Mitchell.
Mitchell delivered the only runs for his side in the first eight innings with his towering 414-foot, two-run homer to center-field off Wheeler. He finished three-for-four at the plate, also adding a pair of singles.
Judge does it again for the Yankees
Aaron Judge won the New York Yankees another game off his bat as he blasted the game-winning, walk-off home run to defeat the Kansas City Royals 1-0 at home.
Both sides pitched beautifully, with Royals starter Brady Singer giving up just one hit while striking out 10 in seven innings, while Yankees starter Jameson Taillon struck out eight batters in six scoreless frames.
The home run was Judge's league-leading 39th of the season – seven more than any other player.
Angels blow another Ohtani gem
The Los Angeles Angels wasted another terrific starting pitching performance from two-way All-Star Shohei Ohtani, going down 2-0 at home to the Texas Rangers.
Ohtani struck out 11 batters in six innings, giving up two runs from eight hits in his 10th quality start (meaning at least six innings pitched and three or fewer earned runs) of the season. He now has 145 strikeouts for the season – the sixth most in the majors, and the five players ahead of him have all started at least two more contests.
Only Atlanta Braves rookie Spencer Strider (13.4) has a higher strikeouts-per-nine-innings stat than Ohtani's 13.1.
The top seeds were all victorious in Thursday's action at the Atlanta Open, with John Isner prevailing 7-6 (10-8) 4-6 7-6 (7-3) in an all-American showdown against Ben Shelton to close the day's play.
Isner, 37, relied as he usually does on his trusty serve to get the job done in tiebreakers, winning the match despite not breaking Shelton's serve a single time.
The second seed won 85 per cent (60-of-71) of his successful first serves, while Shelton was similarly stout, converting 83 per cent (50-of-60).
Isner will meet fellow American Jenson Brooksby in the quarter-finals after he came back from an early break to defeat Mackenzie McDonald 6-3 6-4.
The biggest differentiating factor between the two players was Brooksby's effectiveness off his second serve, winning 61 per cent (14-of-23) of those opportunities compared to just 22 per cent (four-of-18) from McDonald.
Fourth seed Alex de Minaur defeated fellow Australian James Duckworth 6-4 6-4 in a competitive match, but De Minaur simply created more chances for himself, with five break point opportunities while Duckworth had two.
De Minaur will play France's Adrian Mannarino after he defeated American Andres Martin 7-5 6-3.
Mannarino's main advantage was with his return game, securing four breaks of serve while dropping his own serve only once.
The Seattle Seahawks have locked up standout wide receiver DK Metcalf with a three-year, $72million contract extension.
Metcalf’s deal includes a $30m signing bonus – the highest ever for a wide receiver – with $58.2m guaranteed. His yearly salary of $24m ties him with Buffalo’s Stefon Diggs for the sixth-highest total among receivers.
Metcalf has 216 receptions for 3,170 yards and 29 touchdowns in 49 career games since Seattle selected him with the 64th overall pick in 2019 out of Mississippi. He had 75 catches for 967 yards with a career-high 12 TDs last season.
The new deal keeps Metcalf with the Seahawks through the 2025 season, with his rookie contract set to expire after this season. He doesn’t turn 25 until December and will be 28 years old when his new deal ends.
He sat out practice at training camp this week after he missed all three days of mandatory veteran mini-camp in June with an unexcused absence.
Metcalf and the other Seattle receivers will have a new starting quarterback this season after Russell Wilson was traded to Denver in March. Geno Smith and Drew Lock currently are competing for the starting job.
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