Aryna Sabalenka said her semi-final victory over Iga Swiatek at the Cincinnati Open is firmly in the past as she looks towards ending her US Open preparations with a title.
Sabalenka, who has reached her fifth Tour-level final of the year, triumphed in straight sets over Swiatek to set up a showdown with Jessica Pegula in Ohio.
The Belarusian had lost her last three matches against Swiatek, but snapped that run to reach her first Cincinnati Open final at the fourth attempt.
"It was a brilliant performance from me. But I just want to focus on staying in the moment and giving my best tennis every time I'm on the court," Sabalenka said.
"I try to stay calm, confident and aggressive on the court. That definitely gave me a lot of confidence, going into the US Open.
"But that's already in the past, if I focus on this win, it'll stay in the past. I'm really happy with the win."
Having taken a 5-1 lead, Sabalenka saw seven match points saved by Swiatek in the seventh game, squandering two more shortly after as the Pole threatened to produce an unlikely turnaround.
But Sabalenka was able to get over the line at the 10th attempt, saying that period was the toughest moment of the encounter.
"I kept telling myself 'she's the world number one, she's going to keep fighting and doing her best'," Sabalenka said.
"You have to stay aggressive. You have to put pressure on her.
"You have to play your tennis and try. That was my mentality in the tough moments.
"That was definitely the toughest moment of the match. When I'm in the zone, what thoughts do I have? There are no thoughts. Just about the tennis.
"About the next ball coming. Just about hitting and trying to make the right decisions. You have nothing in your head."
Hideki Matsuyama credited his St. Jude Championship triumph down to his new putter as he avoided a late collapse to claim a 10th win in a playoff event.
Matsuyama, who had gone 27 holes without a bogey and held a five-shot lead, saw his lead evaporate after a difficult stretch through holes 12 to 15.
Viktor Hovland and Xander Schauffele briefly passed the Japanese, before a 25-foot birdie putt on the 17th hole regained his advantage at the top of the standings.
Matsuyama would birdie the final hole to card an even-par 70 and a two-shot victory over Hovland and Schauffele, but even he felt the win was slipping from his grasp.
“I felt today's victory slipping away at that point because 17 and 18 are difficult holes enough, let alone to birdie them,” Matsuyama said.
Matsuyama has never shied away from testing different putters on the PGA Tour, usually travelling with five or six to each event.
The 32-year-old continued that tradition at TPC Southwind in Tennessee this time around, but chose to use one he had yet to play with in the competition, something that proved to be a pivotal decision.
“Coming into Memphis, I felt like I needed a change of pace, kind of a refresh with my putter,” Matsuyama said after winning the opening leg of the FedExCup Playoffs.
“I thought about the putters I had, and I felt – because I knew this course. I knew the condition of the greens.
I thought this putter might work, and it did. I putted great, and I won.”
With the triumph, Matsuyama moves on to the BMW Championship for the 11th time in his career after having to withdraw last year due to a back injury.
His best showing in the competition saw him finish third in 2019, five shots behind Justin Rose, but Matsuyama kept his cards close to his chest when asked which flatstick he’ll have in his bag at Castle Pines in Colorado next week.
"Whether or not I'll use it next week, we'll see,” he said. “I've never played Castle Pines and we'll just have to wait and see what the greens are like there before I choose which putter I'll use.”
Jannik Sinner was proud of overcoming a "difficult moment" to reach the Cincinnati Open final after dramatically outlasting Alexander Zverev in a third set tie-break.
Sinner, who was seen visibly struggling with a hip injury for parts of the contest, eventually emerged a 7-6 (11-9) 5-7 7-6 (7-4) victor in over three hours in Ohio.
The world number one picked up the injury in Madrid back in May, further aggravating it in his shock quarter-final defeat by Andrey Rublev at the Canadian Open.
"It means a lot to me. It's a very different moment, what I'm going through, so I'm very happy about this result," Sinner said in an on-court interview.
"The physical aspect, of course, I have to improve, because if I want to win grand slams or a bigger title, I have to be, for sure, more in shape.
"But I just tried to stay there mentally, which I'm very proud (of), and let's see what's coming tomorrow."
Zverev started brightly and was three points away from serving out the opening set until the Italian levelled at 5-5, only for rain to interrupt play.
Sinner returned to claim the early advantage, only for Zverev, who had won all four of their previous encounters, to respond in the second to take the game the distance.
Neither player faced a break point in the decider, but it was Sinner who took control of the tie-break, dropping just one point on serve as the triumph was sealed when Zverev sent a backhand long.
The world number one will face Frances Tiafoe, who reached his maiden ATP Masters 1000 final after defeating 15th seed Holger Rune in three sets.
Data Debrief: Sinner continue hard court dominance
Sinner's triumph saw him become the first Italian in the Open Era to reach the men's singles final at the Cincinnati Open, and the first since 1973 to claim 5+ ATP top five wins in consecutive seasons.
Since the start of the 2023 season, Sinner has won 15 of his 20 matches on hard court against opponents ranked in the ATP’s top five.
World number two, Novak Djokovic (six), has the next-most over that span on the surface.
Collin Rea and two Milwaukee relievers teamed up on a two-hit shutout as the Brewers completed a three-game sweep of the Cleveland Guardians with Sunday's 2-0 win.
Rea (11-4) did not allow a hit until the sixth inning and surrendered just two over seven dominant frames while also hitting a pair of batters. Bryan Hudson and Jared Koenig followed with one perfect inning each to finish off the National League Central-leading Brewers' fifth consecutive win, tying a season high.
Despite Sunday's outcome, the Guardians maintained a two-game advantage over second-place Minnesota in the American Central race after the Twins lost in 10 innings to the Texas Rangers later in the day.
Milwaukee scored all of its runs in the first and second innings to give Rea all the support he would need. Brice Turang delivered an early spark with a lead-off triple in the bottom of the first before crossing the plate on Willy Adames' two-out single off Ben Lively to quickly put the Brewers ahead.
The Brewers threatened again an inning later when back-to-back singles by Sal Frelick and Joey Ortiz put runners at first and third with one out. Eric Haase then brought in Frelick with a groundout to increase the lead to 2-0.
Lively (10-8) kept Milwaukee scoreless over the remainder of his six-inning stint and yielded five hits while striking out five.
Rays cap sweep of Diamondbacks with 12-inning win
Dylan Carlson's run-scoring single in the 12th inning lifted the Tampa Bay Rays to a wild 8-7 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks and a three-game sweep of one of baseball's hottest teams coming into the series.
The defending NL champion Diamondbacks entered St. Petersburg with wins in 18 of their previous 21 games, but left with a third straight loss despite erasing a 6-0 deficit after six innings.
Arizona may also have lost one of its top players for a period of time after All-Star Ketel Marte had to be helped off the field in the ninth inning after aggravating a left ankle sprain. The second baseman missed three games with the injury before returning to the lineup Saturday.
Shortly after Marte's exit, the Diamondbacks forced extra innings when rookie Adrian Del Castillo belted a three-run homer off Tampa Bay closer Pete Fairbanks with one out in the top of the ninth to tie the game at 6-6.
Joc Pederson's two-out run-scoring single in the top of the 10th gave Arizona its lone lead of the day, which was short-lived as Taylor Walls delivered an RBI single in the Rays' half of the inning to extend the contest.
It remained a 7-7 tie until the bottom of the 12th. After Tampa's Jonny Deluca sacrificed the designated runner to third and Walls drew a walk, Carlson ended the game with a single off Justin Martinez (5-4) that gave Rays reliever Edwin Uceta his first major league win.
Uceta (1-0) held the Diamondbacks scoreless in the top of the 12th despite Arizona bringing the go-ahead run to third with none out.
Brandon Lowe and Christopher Morel each went 2 for 4 for Tampa Bay and were responsible for the game's first runs, as Morel doubled in the third and Lowe followed by homering in his second straight game.
The Rays then tagged Arizona starter Merrill Kelly for three more runs in the fifth.
Morel and Lowe each singled in front of Jose Caballero's two-run double that extended the lead to 4-0, and Caballero later scored on Junior Caminero's infield single.
Tampa Bay turned three walks and a wild pitch into another run in the sixth before the Diamondbacks began their rally an inning later.
Jake McCarthy's bases-loaded sacrifice fly in the seventh finally got Arizona on the board, and Corbin Carroll got the Diamondbacks within 6-3 with a two-run homer off Tyler Alexander in the eighth.
McCarthy later opened the ninth with a single before Pederson, who entered following Marte's injury, drew a walk off Fairbanks. Two batters later, Del Castillo sent a pitch into the right field seats to erase Tampa Bay's lead.
Ohtani's 39th homer backs Kershaw's gem as Dodgers edge Cardinals
Shohei Ohtani increased his NL home run lead with his 39th of the season, while Clayton Kershaw delivered his best start since returning from injury to lead the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 2-1 win over the struggling St. Louis Cardinals.
In his fifth start back from off-season shoulder surgery, Kershaw (2-2) scattered four hits and one walk over six shutout innings to help the Dodgers to a seventh win in 10 games. The victory also gave Los Angeles some breathing room atop the NL West, as second-place San Diego fell to three games behind the Dodgers after losing 3-2 to the Colorado Rockies on Sunday.
The Cardinals, meanwhile, have now lost six of seven and fell further behind in the NL wild card race. St. Louis now trails the Atlanta Braves by five games for the final playoff spot.
Kershaw left with a 2-0 lead after the Dodgers scored twice off St. Louis ace Sonny Gray in the fifth inning. Ohtani broke a scoreless tie when he launched the first pitch he saw in the fifth over the right field wall to move one short of his third career 40-homer season as an MLB player.
Mookie Betts followed Ohtani's blast with a walk before moving to third on Gavin Lux's single. Two batters later, Miguel Rojas singled in Betts to increase the margin.
Both Lux and Rojas finished with three hits.
The Cardinals cut into their deficit on Lars Nootbaar's pinch-hit homer off Daniel Hudson in the eighth inning. Michael Kopech protected Los Angeles' lead with a scoreless ninth, however, to record his second save of the series.
Gray (11-8) struck out six over five innings while allowing two runs and seven hits.
Hideki Matsuyama birdied the final hole to clinch a two-stroke victory at the St. Jude Championship.
On a topsy-turvy final day in the first event of the FedEx Cup Playoffs, overnight leader Matsuyama held his nerve at the last at TPC Southwind in Tennessee.
Matsuyama carded his worst round of the tournament on Sunday, but a cool and composed birdie putt sealed a 17 under finish and his 10th win in a playoff event.
The 2021 Masters champion held off 2024's form player Xander Schauffele, who rose up seven places after going round in 63 to tie second on 15 under along with Viktor Hovland.
World number two Scottie Scheffler placed fourth, a shot back, ahead of Sam Burns and Nick Dunlap, whose par on the final hole ensured his place in the top 50, meaning he will be able to play in the second leg of the playoffs.
That will take place next week, at the BMW Championship at Castle Pines in Colorado.
Jessica Pegula will face Aryna Sabalenka in the Cincinnati Open final after battling past Paula Badosa.
World number six Pegula was made to wait for victory after a lengthy rain delay, eventually triumphing 6-2 3-6 6-3 on Sunday.
Sabalenka, the world number three, awaits in the showpiece after clinching a straight-sets victory over Iga Swiatek.
The 30-year-old Pegula raced out the blocks, breaking twice to snatch a 4-0 lead, despite requiring three break points to deal the second blow to Badosa.
Pegula did not look back from there, wrapping up the opener in 38 minutes before the match was paused with the score level midway through the second set.
Badosa utilised that prolonged stoppage to bounce back, taking both break chances to send the semi-final to a decider.
Yet Pegula held her nerve, staving off four break points to hold out for a 2-1 third-set lead before Badosa faltered on her own serve to fall to defeat in just under two hours.
Data Debrief: Pegula matches career-high
Straight off the back of her Canadian Open triumph, Pegula is in red-hot form heading into the final against Sabalenka, aiming for back-to-back WTA 1000 event triumphs.
The six-time major quarter-finalist has now won her last nine matches across WTA Tour outings, matching her previous career-best streak. Pegula is the sixth player in the Open Era to reach the finals at the Canadian and Cincinnati Open in a calendar year after Rosie Casals, Evonne Goolagong, Na Li, Serena Williams and Simona Halep.
Badosa continues to wait for her maiden victory over Pegula, while the Spaniard is also without a top-10 win on the hard courts since beating Barbora Krejcikova two years ago in Sydney.
Jordan Spieth plans to have surgery on his troublesome wrist injury as soon as possible, the American said after his disappointing FedEx Cup playoffs exit.
The three-time major champion could only finish nine-over par at the FedEx St. Jude Championship, leaving him towards the bottom of the leaderboard and well short of the top-10 position required to progress.
Spieth has battled with a wrist issue for over a year, having first suffered the injury ahead of the 2023 PGA Championship before attempting various treatments to avoid going under the knife.
Yet the 31-year-old has acknowledged surgery is now needed, hoping to get the issue with his left hand resolved.
"I've got to have it operated on ASAP, and then I'll go through the process of what I'm supposed to do from there," Spieth said on Sunday.
The tendon issue has shown no signs of healing, with Spieth expecting a three-month recovery period for his wrist to heal.
"If I don't have a reason to try to rush back – which I don't – I'll probably just take it as slow as I can," he added.
Spieth has failed to make the cut eight times this year in 21 tournaments, though Sunday was just the second instance he has not managed to progress past the first round of the FedEx Cup.
"I kept trying not to make excuses for myself because it didn't hurt when I was swinging," Spieth said.
"But it doesn't seem coincidental based on the amount of time, and really the results being the exact same every single week. So I'm very hopeful.
"I think there's some clarity in getting it done. There's also some uncertainty, and so it's a little scary.
"But also, if I can learn to find some patience – which I'm not very good at doing – then I think I could come back stronger."
Aryna Sabalenka reached the Cincinnati Open final for the first time by toppling Iga Swiatek, clinching an impressive 6-3 6-3 victory over the world number one.
Sabalenka needed one hour and 48 minutes to beat Swiatek and book a final meeting with either Jessica Pegula or Paula Badosa.
The Belarusian entered Saturday's heavyweight clash having lost on all three of her previous semi-final appearances at Cincinnati, falling short of the showpiece match in 2018, 2022 and 2023.
However, she produced a fine performance to end that hoodoo on Sunday, preying on a below-par showing from Swiatek, who won just six of 30 points on her second serve throughout.
Sabalenka made her intentions clear by breaking to love in the second game of the encounter, and though Swiatek hit straight back, another break in the sixth game was enough to hand her the opening set.
Both players were tested on their own serve in the second set, with Sabalenka saving four of five break points faced while converting three of 13 she generated on Swiatek's serve.
Swiatek saved a remarkable 10 match points, eight of them against her own serve, as Sabalenka was forced to clinch her victory the hard way, but a fifth break of the match finally got her over the line.
Sabalenka has now made five WTA Tour-level finals in 2024, the joint-most alongside Swiatek and Elena Rybakina.
Data Debrief: Another big scalp for Sabalenka
Sabalenka's victory was her fourth over a world number one at WTA 1000-level events since the format's 2009 introduction, the joint-most of any player alongside Petra Kvitova.
She has now reached a total of 29 WTA Tour-level finals, the most of any player on the tour since 2017 (Swiatek is second with 26).
Louis Rees-Zammit is excited for the future after the former Wales wing made his home debut for the Kansas City Chiefs.
Rees-Zammit, who left rugby union to try his hand in American football, had been expected to miss the Chiefs' preseason game against the Detroit Lions.
However, he overcame injury concerns to feature at Arrowhead Stadium for the first time, albeit Kansas City lost 23-24.
Rees-Zammit took a kick-off, returned a Lions kick-off for 27 yards, and spent time as a wide receiver during his home bow.
"I got to experience [the atmosphere] a little bit," he said.
"I'm excited for another game here next week and then we'll see what happens.
"I'm trying my hardest. I'm working hard in training every day to show what I can do.
"The more reps I get, the better I'll get so I'm excited to see what's going to happen next week and obviously in the future."
The Jamaica Table Tennis Association (JTTA) has announced that twin brothers Malone and Shacoil Bird will represent Jamaica at the 2024 Pan Am U-11 and U-13 Table Tennis Championships. The young athletes will compete in the Boy’s Teams, Boy’s Doubles, and Boy’s Singles events, bringing their exceptional talent to the prestigious tournament set to take place from August 19-25 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
Accompanying the talented duo will be their coach, Orvill Young, and Delegate/Manager, Dale Parham. The team is scheduled to depart Jamaica on Sunday, August 18, 2024, and return on Tuesday, August 27, 2024. JTTA President Ingrid Graham will also join the team on August 22 to meet with Pan Am Table Tennis President Juan Vila to discuss matters concerning the sport's future. Her accommodation is being graciously provided by the Dominican Republic Table Tennis Federation.
The Bird brothers earned their spot in the Pan Am Championships thanks to their outstanding performances in the boy’s under-11 category at the 2024 CRTTF Mini and Pre-cadet Championships. Malone Bird captured gold in the Singles event, while the duo clinched gold in the Doubles event and secured third place in the Teams event, proving their prowess on the regional stage.
"We are confident that they will give a good account of themselves, their country and by extension, the Caribbean," said JTTA President Ingrid Graham.
The JTTA expressed gratitude to the sponsors and donors who played a crucial role in facilitating the team’s participation in the upcoming championships. These include the Sports Development Foundation (SDF), Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA), Western Sports Limited, G.R.O.W.T.H Foundation, and Friends of Table Tennis.
As the Bird brothers prepare to showcase their skills on the international stage, the JTTA is confident that they will represent Jamaica and the Caribbean with pride and excellence. The association, along with their supporters, eagerly anticipates their performances and wishes them success in their pursuit of glory at the 2024 Pan Am U-11 and U-13 Table Tennis Championships.
The inaugural JamRockerz Basketball Classic made a spectacular debut at the Montego Bay Community College on Friday, with intense competition and nail-biting finishes setting the tone for the three-day event. The tournament, featuring a mix of overseas and local teams, has quickly established itself as a must-watch event in the Jamaican basketball calendar.
The six-team tournament includes three overseas-based teams: Team Takeover from Maryland, DC, the Hardwood Kings from Brampton, Ontario, Canada, and P.H.A.S.E.1 Academy International, which is composed of P.H.A.S.E.1 members from both the United States and Canada. Representing Jamaica are P.H.A.S.E.1 Academy teams from Kingston, Montego Bay, and Trelawny, making for a diverse and competitive pool play event.
Friday's action kicked off with a closely contested battle between Hardwood Kings and P.H.A.S.E.1 Academy International, where the latter edged out a 67-65 victory. Dwain Cummings led the way for International with 21 points, eight rebounds, an assist, and two steals. Meanwhile, Hardwood Kings' Elijah Harriott made a valiant effort with 15 points, 12 rebounds, and four blocks.
In the second game, Team Takeover claimed a narrow 56-53 win over Montego Bay. Clausell was instrumental in Takeover’s success, contributing 20 points, nine rebounds, three assists, three steals, and a block. Montego Bay's Daire Patterson stood out with 15 points, 12 rebounds, and four blocks.
Team International returned to the court later in the day for a dominant 65-46 victory over Trelawny. Anthony Ingeton was the star performer, scoring 20 points, grabbing eight rebounds, dishing out an assist, and recording two steals. Trelawny's Daniel Clarke put up a solid fight with 12 points, five rebounds, two steals, and a block.
The final game of the day saw Team Takeover overpower Kingston with a decisive 52-23 win. Takeover’s 6’8” forward Elijah Flowers led with 16 points and five rebounds, while Kingston’s 5’10” guard Lebron Lewison managed eight points and a steal.
Mark Francis, coach of P.H.A.S.E.1 Academy International, praised the high level of competition at the Classic. "The competition is very strong. We are first in our side of the bracket. The other side of the bracket, we definitely have to give respect to. They look very strong and we are looking forward to the semi-finals tomorrow and see if we can win this championship,” Francis remarked. He also noted the impressive skill level on display, highlighting the athleticism and speed of the players, which he believes is comparable to what is seen in Canada.
Wayne Dawkins, global director and coach for P.H.A.S.E.1 Academy, echoed the sentiment, emphasizing the importance of events like the JamRockerz Basketball Classic for the growth and development of basketball in Jamaica. "With the incredible support of our partners, we’re confident that this event will put Jamaica on the map as a global destination for competitive youth basketball,” Dawkins said.
As the JamRockerz Basketball Classic progresses, all eyes will be on the remaining matchups as teams battle for the coveted championship title. With strong performances from both local and international teams, the stage is set for an exciting conclusion to this inaugural tournament.
Dairon Blanco homered twice and drove in a career-high seven runs to power the Kansas City Royals to a 13-1 rout of the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday night.
Blanco, who wielded a bat painted to look like a yellow crayon, hit a two-run homer deep to center field on the first pitch he saw from Reds starter Nick Lodolo in the second inning.
Then the 31-year-old Cuban cleared the loaded bases with a shot deep into the left-field seats in the third and drove in another run with a single in the fourth. He came into the game with just one homer and five RBIs this season.
Vinnie Pasquantino and Hunter Renfroe each added three hits for the Royals, who finished with 16 and won their third straight.
Michael Wacha benefited from the big offensive night. He limited the Reds to four hits over six scoreless innings with one walk and a season-high nine strikeouts.
Lodolo was roughed up for eight runs and eight hits in 2 1/3 innings.
Jeimer Candelario hit his 20th home run for the Reds, who had a four-game winning streak snapped.
Sale beats Angels for 14th win
Chris Sale struck out 10 over six innings to tie for the major league wins lead and Marcell Ozuna went 3 for 3 with an early three-run homer as the Atlanta Braves rolled to a 11-3 win over the Los Angeles Angels.
Sale allowed two runs and six hits with two walks to end a four-start winless streak. He leads the National League with 14 wins and tied Detroit’s Tarik Skubal for most in the majors.
Sale improved to 8-0 in 11 appearances against the Angels with a 1.24 ERA – his lowest versus any team he’s faced at least 10 times.
Michael Harris led off the game against Griffin Canning with a double and Austin Riley singled before Ozuna connected for his 36th home run and a 3-0 lead.
Atlanta broke the game open with a five-run fifth and knocked out Canning.
Whit Merrifield opened the inning with a homer and Travis d’Arnaud had a two-run double before Ramon Laureano’s two-run shot made it 9-0.
Severino goes distance for Mets
Luis Severino pitched his first complete game in over six years and was backed by home runs from Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso as the New York Mets defeated the last-place Miami Marlins, 4-0.
Severino allowed four hits with one walk and struck out eight to end a personal three-game losing streak. He threw a season-high 113 pitches and recorded his second career complete game and first since May 2, 2018, at Houston for the Yankees.
The shutout was the first by a Mets starter since Jacob deGrom blanked Washington on April 23, 2021.
Lindor led off the bottom of the first against Max Meyer with his 24th home run and Alonso did the same in the second, his 27th.
New York extended its lead in the third on Jesse Winker’s RBI single and Mark Vientos doubled home Lindor in the fourth.
The Mets scored once in each of the first four innings for the first time since May 26, 1995, against San Francisco.
Jannik Sinner reached the semi-finals of the Cincinnati Open with a hard-fought 4-6 7-5 6-4 victory over Andrey Rublev, avenging last week's defeat to the Russian in Montreal.
Sinner was eliminated from the Canadian Open by Rublev at his last tournament, having missed the Paris Olympic Games due to a bout of tonsillitis.
He fought back from a set down to avoid a repeat in blustery conditions in Ohio on Saturday, having looked to be in trouble when he faced two break points at a set down.
The world number one saved both of those points before recovering from an awkward fall to win a 26-shot rally at 4-4, ultimately serving out the second set at the second opportunity.
Sinner then held off something of a third-set resurgence from Rublev to seal a gruelling two-hour, 25-minute victory, before expressing pride at the way he responded to adversity.
"It took a lot of mental strength today," Sinner said after his win. "It was very tough conditions, very windy.
"In the first set he started very well and I didn't play my best tennis but in the second set, I felt I had a lot of chances. I waited for my chance. I am very happy to make the semis."
Meanwhile, Aryna Sabalenka teed up a heavyweight semi-final clash with Iga Swiatek in the women's draw, easing to a 6-3 6-2 victory over Liudmila Samsonova.
Sabalenka needed just one hour and 19 minutes to seal her win, reeling off 10 of the last 13 games to level her all-time head-to-head record with Samsonova at 2-2.
Data Debrief: Sabalenka joins exclusive club
Sabalenka is into her fourth semi-final at the Cincinnati Open, a joint-record at the competition among WTA players in the Open Era.
Jelena Jankovic, Serena Williams and Simona Halep are the only other women to achieve that feat.
Joe Schmidt said he cannot recall ever being involved in a more "bizarre" Test as his Australia side were downed 30-12 by South Africa in the Rugby Championship.
Malcolm Marx touched down twice for the Springboks in rainy Perth to make it two from two in the tournament but the Wallabies were hit by a swathe of injuries.
Front-row pair Allan Alaalatoa and Angus Bell were unable to return for the second half and scrums went uncontested after replacement prop James Slipper failed a head injury assessment.
The Wallabies even went down to 14 briefly when hooker Josh Nasser went off injured, though they did return to a full 15.
Reflecting on the unfortunate series of events, head coach Schmidt told Stan Sport: "It's probably one of the most bizarre games I've ever been involved in.
"In over 100 Test matches that I've been involved in I've never had a situation like that before. It happened so early in the game as well. When Slips got a head knock right after half-time.
"And then we were straight down. And then we played with 14 for a period of time before the officials worked out that we were still entitled to have a full pack because of the HIA.
"But I still am proud of the way that the guys fought their way through that second half. And the way that they stayed in the fight in the first half. It could have been, and I know it could have been as easy to say, but it could have been 12-11 at half-time and that would have been a massive lift for the boys."
Australia are winless through their first two matches, both against the Springboks, and will next face Argentina in La Plata on August 31.
Iga Swiatek booked her place in the Cincinnati Open semi-finals after coming from behind to deny Mirra Andreeva on Saturday.
The world number one recovered from losing the opening set to prevail 4-6 6-3 7-5 after two-and-a-half hours, setting up a mouth-watering last-four clash with Aryna Sabalenka.
In the first ever meeting between the players, Andreeva made a positive start as she broke her opponent in the third game, while saving two break points in the sixth and 10th to draw first blood.
That sparked Swiatek into life; a break in the opening game of the second set proved enough for the four-time French Open champion to level the contest.
The Pole broke again in the decider and, after Andreeva squandered the opportunity to break back at 6-5 by sending a backhand long, she won the next two points to advance to the semi-finals.
Data Debrief: A perfect 10 from 10 for stubborn Swiatek
Matching her performance from last year in Cincinnati, where she was beaten in the last four by Coco Gauff, Swiatek will hope to go the extra steps this time around.
The Pole maintained her perfect quarter-final record in 2024, having now won all 10 such matches, and is now 16-1 at this stage in WTA 1000 events, with her only defeat coming against Elena Rybakina by retirement in Rome last year.
With her 30th main-draw victory at a WTA 1000 this season, she becomes only the second player after Serena Williams (36 in 2013) to reach that tally in a single year.
And Swiatek has now reached the highest percentage of semi-finals since the format's introduction in 2009 (17 from 31, 54.8%).
Marketa Vondrousova will miss this month's US Open with a hand injury keeping the former Wimbledon champion sidelined.
The Czech, who withdrew from the Paris Olympics with the same issue, has not played since her SW19 title defence was ended by Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in the first round at the All England Club.
Vondrousova is also going to be absent from Flushing Meadows, where she reached the quarter-finals last year.
Meanwhile, there will be no Cameron Norrie in New York, with the Briton yet to recover from the forearm injury that also saw him miss out on the Games.
"I have been working hard to get my body to full health," he wrote on Instagram. "Unfortunately, my forearm injury is not recovering as soon as I would have hoped.
"I'll take some rest and recharge. Can't wait to get back to competing like a dog."
Puerto Rico finished tops at the recently-concluded 36th Caribbean Amateur Junior Golf Championship (CAJGC), as they won five of the six age-group trophies on offer at the Caymanas Golf Club.
The other trophy went to The Bahamas, while the Vittoria (Izzy) Marley award for sportsmanship went to Stefaniya Mosyagina of the Dominican Republic.
Host country Jamaica (108 points) was second in two categories and third in one to eventually close the championship in fourth place behind Puerto Rico (154), Dominican Republic (131), and the Bahamas (120).
Anissa Robinson of The Bahamas, who scored 249, won the Girls’ 11-13 category for the John Fitzgerald Harewood trophy, while Isabella Ramdeen (255) of Trinidad & Tobago was second, while Jamaica’s Alessandra Coe (262) was third.
Michael Avila of Puerto Rico Boys notched 230 points to win the Boys’ 11-13 category for the Bob Slatter trophy. He finished ahead of Alejandro Balbuena (241) of the Dominican Republic, who tied for second with Bayoan Ortiz of Puerto Rico. Jamaica’s Shasa Redlefsen (243) was just two strokes back in fourth place after taking the lead at the end of the first day. The other Jamaican player, Jacob Schnoor (296), was 11th overall.
The top three in the Girls’ 15 and Under category for the Kenneth Francis trophy were Amelia Santiago (243) of Puerto Rico, Madison Carrol (247) of The Bahamas, and Shania Reyes (247) of the Dominican Republic. Jamaica did not have a competitor in the category.
Mattea Issa receives her runner-up award from Kallan Sooknoor of the Trinidad and Tobago.
For the Boys’ 15 and under group for the Arturo Pellerano trophy, Tomas Rodriguez (220) of Puerto Rico was first, ahead of second place players Fernando Leduc (227) of Puerto Rico and Arman Newman (227) of Bermuda. Jamaica’s two representatives, Kemari Morris (268) and Jamal Stewart (269), were 14th and 15th, respectively.
The Girls’ 18 and Under category for the Peter Hale trophy went to Camila Negroni (235), who led from the first round. Jamaica’s Mattea Issa (239) finished second after she had been the joint leader with Negroni at the end of the second round. The Dominican Republic’s Stefaniya Mosyagina (245) was third.
Issa was also pleased with her performance, though she thought that she could have played better overall.
“It was a very special event to me. This is the venue where I played my first-ever CAJGC back when I was 11 years old, and to be here when I am 17 still competing and still loving the game really means a lot to me. That’s what I have to look at because although I did not play my best this week—II am pretty disappointed in myself—at least there’s some positives to take away.”
Puerto Rico also grabbed the James Moss Solomon trophy for the Boys’ 18 and under, with Evan Pena recording a six under par 210. Jamaica’s Ryan Lue (223) and Rodrigo Huerto of the Dominican Republic were tied for second.
Lue was the only Jamaican to post an under par score when he shot five under par 67 to top the leaderboard for the first round. That was also the lowest individual score of the championship.
Ryan Lue accepts his award from Dr. Carey Wallace, CEO of TEF
Lue said that he was “very happy to compete” on home soil.
“All my friends are here, family, so to play in front of them, it’s just an honour,” he added.
The other local golfers in the category who completed the championship were Aman Dhiman (232 for fifth), Trey Williams (242 for ninth), and Jerone Thomas (256 for 17th).
Jamaica’s Coach Jonathan Newnham thought that his team played well, especially given that the tournament delay due to the passing of Hurricane Beryl meant some key players were no longer available.
“It was a good week. Unfortunately, with the date changes thanks to Hurricane Beryl, we weren’t able to field a full team, so that reduced our chances of winning the category overall, but we had some good individual performances, and I am very proud of the team,” he explained.
Jodi Munn-Barrow, president of the Jamaica Golf Association, said she was proud of the Jamaicans’ effort despite Puerto Rico’s dominance.
“In the end, we are happy that we were able to host a successful tournament,” she noted.
Carlos Alcaraz admitted he played "the worst match of his career" as he suffered a shock defeat to Gael Monfils in the Cincinnati Open on Friday.
The Spaniard started well, racing through the first set before rain delayed proceedings with the second set level at 6-6.
When play resumed 24 hours later, Monfils picked up where he left off, winning the tie-break and the final set, to book a place in the last 16 at Alcaraz's expense.
After struggling to find his footing, Alcaraz says he found it hard to adapt while playing on Centre Court.
"It was really, really tough for me. I felt like it was the worst match that I've ever played in my career. Couldn't play, honestly," Alcaraz said.
"I've been practising really well here in this tournament. The previous days, I was feeling great, hitting the ball clear, you know, moving well.
"Probably I felt like it was another sport playing on the Centre Court [than] on the other courts. The balls were faster on the Centre Court bounced much, much, more than other courts.
"I don't know how I felt like this way, but, honestly, I couldn't control myself. I couldn't be better. So, this match it was impossible to win, and that's all."
Alcaraz's frustration was clear to see as he smashed his racquet on the court four times midway through the third set.
"I felt sometimes that I wanted to break the racquet," Alcaraz added. "It never happened before, because I could control myself in those situations, in those feelings, and most of the time I could control myself, and it could go better in the matches or in the situation that I've been feeling before.
"[This time] I couldn't control myself because, as I said, I was feeling that I was not playing any kind of tennis. So, it was really frustrating for me.
"There is some point that I want to leave the court. I don't want to be on the court anymore.
"So, it was really hurtful moment for me, and that's it. I think some players or a lot of players during their careers and during some certain moments, they can't control themselves, and it was one of those moments for me."
Alcaraz will be chasing his third grand slam title of the year at the US Open, which starts on August 26 in New York.
Malcolm Marx scored two tries in the second half to lead South Africa to a 30-12 victory over Australia in rainy Perth.
After a tight first half, the Springboks asserted their dominance to make it two wins from two in the Rugby Championship ahead of their meeting with New Zealand next week.
Noah Lolesio's penalty gave Australia the early lead, but they could not hold onto it for long as Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu equalised moments before Aphelele Fassi latched onto a long kick to touch down the first try.
Lolesio slotted in two more kicks only to miss another on the stroke of half-time that would have given the Wallabies the lead.
They were punished for it after the break as Marco van Staden and Malcolm Marx twice touched down to maintain South Africa's perfect start.
Though it was a marked improvement for the Wallabies from their opening-day performance in Brisbane, Joe Schmidt still has work to do to get them ready for Argentina next weekend.
Data Debrief: Springboks extend Australian run
South Africa have now won each of their last three Test matches against the Wallabies in Australia. The last time they recorded a longer such winning run was a four-match span from July 1971 to July 1993.
Though Australia have suffered back-to-back defeats, they showed more of a fight. Last week, it took them 75 minutes to score, compared to just three this time around.
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