BOXING fans were left seething after Netflix started experiencing technical issues just hours before Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford’s super-middleweight melee.
Another chimed in: “Netflix don’t ever stream another fight again.”
Despite a litany of viewers having issues, several had no problems streaming the card and praised Netflix for the quality of the stream.
Canelo Alvarez on track to become a BILLIONAIRE in 2026 through huge boxing paydays, tequila drink and gaming
One said: “This Netflix stream ain’t buffered not once.”
And another said: “How does Netflix stream in 8k so well?”
Netflix experienced similar technical issues when it streamed Mike Tyson‘s crossover clash with social media sensation Jake Paul last November.
The intense demand to watch Iron Mike’s return to professional action led to issues with the stream’s quality and left several fans unable to log in to the app entirely.
SANTA CLARA — Denis Bouanga finished with a hat trick after Son Heung-min scored in the first minute and LAFC beat the San José Earthquakes 4-2 on Saturday night at Levi Stadium.
Son gave LAFC (12-7-8) the lead when he used passes from rookie Artem Smolyakov and Mark Delgado to score 54 seconds into the match. It was Son’s second goal in five matches since transferring from Tottenham Hotspur. He ties for the third fastest goal in club history. Smolyakov’s assist was his first in his 19th appearance and Delgado’s was his career-high eighth.
Bouanga took over from there — scoring in the ninth, 12th and 87th minutes for his third career three-goal effort in regular-season play. Bouanga, who won the Golden Boot Award in 2023, has 18 goals on the season — three behind league leader Sam Surridge of Nashville SC.
Preston Judd scored in the 18th minute for the Earthquakes, whose final tally came on an own goal by LAFC defender Sergi Palencia in the 90th minute. Judd’s netter was his career-best seventh. Palencia had assists on two of Bouanga’s goals.
Hugo Lloris saved three shots for LAFC (12-7-8).
Daniel De Sousa Britto totaled two saves for the Earthquakes (9-13-8).
LAFC pulls one point behind the fourth-place Seattle Sounders in the Western Conference with the top four seeds earning home-field advantage in the best-of-three first round.
LAFC travels to play Real Salt Lake on Wednesday. The Earthquakes host St. Louis City on Saturday.
Dubai, United Arab Emirates – A day prior to the marquee India-Pakistan cricket clash at the Asia Cup 2025 in Dubai, it’s a tale of two teams positioned on opposite ends of the pre-match hype metre as political frenzy envelops the fixture.
As a result of the hoopla, the game of cricket has been reduced to a supporting act.
Recommended Stories
list of 4 itemsend of list
India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate faced the heat as his side’s designated news conference representative on Saturday.
The former Netherlands international cricketer was sent to tackle a barrage of questions on the tense atmosphere in the wake of the four-day conflict in May, when the South Asian archrivals came close to an all-out war.
Unlike the pre-tournament news conference, where media persons were discouraged from asking political questions, Saturday’s event was heavier on politics and lighter on cricket.
Doeschate, who has been part of the Indian coaching set-up for over a year, was asked to talk about the players’ mindset in the lead-up to the match and whether the simmering sentiments back home will affect them.
“It will play on the minds of the players, who share the compassion of the Indian public,” Doeschate said.
However, the coach urged them to “put the sentiments and emotions behind” when they step on the field.
“It’s something we have addressed in the dressing room in team meetings. We are aware of the feelings [of Indian fans], but the guys have to play for their country, so they will be as professional and focused as they can be given the circumstances.”
While the conversation occasionally turned to India’s team combination for the match and tackling a new-look Pakistani T20 side, some sections of the media kept steering it back to themes such as “using the sports field as an avenue for protest [against the opponent]” and, cynically, protecting the players from the outside noise.
However, ten Doeschate was careful in his handling of questions on the delicate theme and did not attempt to shut down the constant probing.
He revealed India head coach Gautam Gambhir’s message to the dressing room in the lead-up to the Pakistan match.
“It’s been about being professional, not worrying about things not in our control and trying to be emotionless when approaching the cricket side of things.”
The 45-year-old former allrounder wrapped up by saying the way the Indian team plays on Sunday will “represent how the players feel about the country.”
India’s captain Suryakumar Yadav and head coach Gautam Gambhir at a practice session [File: Sajjad Hussain/AFP]
‘Just another cricket match’
Meanwhile, Pakistan took the opposite approach to the media scrutiny by sending Saim Ayub, a very nonchalant young member of the squad, to deal with the barrage of critical and deceptively political questions.
The allrounder flat-batted the inquest into Pakistan’s inability to beat India in recent games by repeating the “past is past” mantra that every athlete knows so well.
Pakistan’s last win over India, in all formats and competitions, came in October 2021, when Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan guided them home by 10 wickets.
The 23-year-old has never played a match against India, and when he was asked to recount his experience of being on the reserves’ bench during the India-Pakistan game at the ICC T20 World Cup 2024, he simply blamed amnesia for his inability to recall his feelings from last June.
“I could have answered your question better had you asked last year,” he quipped.
Ayub, whose main role in the team is to open the batting, has seen a dip in his run-scoring form since his return from injury this year.
In his 15 T20I innings since May, Ayub has scored 40 or more runs on four occasions, only one of which came during the recent tri-nation T20 series in the UAE.
The left-handed batter dealt with the criticism of his performance with a smirk and said, “The same player can’t be expected to win the match every time.”
“The team is made up of 11 players, and we try that every player stands up on a different day. We can only try to give our best effort and hope that the result goes our way.”
When it was his turn to face questions on the hyped up match and how it could lead to on-field nerves, Ayub was happy to term it “just another cricket match”.
“It can be a big fixture for some people, but for us, it’s just another match where we must improve our performance.”
A changed-up Pakistan team led by a new captain and coach will look to change the recent trend in results against India, while their opponents will aim to not only win the contest on the pitch, but also placate a charged-up fanbase back home.
Pakistan will rely on Shaheen Shah Afridi’s experience against India on Sunday [Sajjad Hussain/AFP]
Dubai, United Arab Emirates – When cricketers from India and Pakistan step onto the field for their Asia Cup 2025 match on Sunday, a lot more than two points will be on the line, according to cricket fans and experts.
The match at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium will be played under the cloud of lingering hostility after their intense four-day conflict in May.
Recommended Stories
list of 4 itemsend of list
While an all-out war between the two cross-border nations was prevented after an internationally brokered ceasefire, a sense of bitterness remains.
“People in India have been very angry about the match ever since this fixture was confirmed,” Kudip Lal, an Indian cricket writer, told Al Jazeera.
“They feel that it’s not right to play this match while the overall relationship between both countries is so strained,” he explained.
Lal said that fans in India see the fixture as a money-making avenue for the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), whom they blame for trying to cash in on the profit generated by these high-profile clashes.
Lal believes the BCCI, widely regarded as the most wealthy and powerful cricket board in the world, could have “easily skipped” the match.
“If the Indian government has stopped issuing visas to Pakistanis, if the diplomatic ties are suspended and Pakistanis visiting India have been sent back, then why have the cricketers been asked to play this match in the aftermath of a war?” Lal questioned.
He expressed fears of a backlash in case India lose the Group A fixture.
Whenever India and Pakistan play, emotions run high and a loss is not taken well by fans on either side of the border.
In the past decades, players’ homes have been torched, their family members have been threatened, and effigy-burning protests have been carried out on the streets.
The current political climate between India and Pakistan is worse than it has been in several decades.
Shared laughs and ‘bromance’ of the past
Despite the political deadlock between the nuclear-armed neighbours, the recent on-and-off-field exchanges between players have been fairly cheerful.
When India last played Pakistan in the Asia Cup in September 2023, the two key talking points were Virat Kohli’s utter dominance of Pakistani bowlers and the countless feel-good moments shared between both teams.
The match was played in the middle of the monsoon season in Sri Lanka, where fans cheered for both teams regardless of their allegiances and danced away their worries during the countless rain delays.
There were memorable player-to-player exchanges that were plucked right out of a social media manager’s dream.
Pakistan’s Shaheen Shah Afridi swapped his on-field aggression for off-field warmth as he handed India’s Jasprit Bumrah a gift hamper for his newborn son. Cue millions of retweets and shares on X and Instagram.
Social media was also flooded with reels highlighting the “bromance” between Kohli and Pakistan allrounder Shadab Khan.
This time, however, experts do not foresee similar public displays of goodwill and friendliness.
“The friendship and warmth seen in the past will not be on display because anything can be blown out of proportion by impassioned fans, and the smallest move can agitate the public,” Sami Ul Hasan, former head of the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) media and communications department, said ahead of the match.
When Pakistan beat India by 10 wickets at the ICC T20 World Cup 2021, Pakistan’s captain Babar Azam and wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan were warmly embraced by Kohli, and all three shared a hearty laugh while walking off the pitch.
“We can’t expect similar scenes to unfold on Sunday,” Hasan said.
“The interpretation and optics of an overtly friendly encounter could go very wrong, and things could blow up on either side of the border.”
India’s Jasprit Bumrah, right, talks with Pakistan’s Haris Rauf, centre, and Shaheen Shah Afridi before their team’s match at Asia Cup 2023 in Colombo [File: Ishara S Kodikara/AFP]
Mixing cricket with politics
Hasan, who has worked with cricketers and cricket officials, said the players will attempt to bat away political questions by saying they are not meant to deal with political matters.
“Sports and politics can never be separated, but athletes aren’t politicians, so they can’t be expected to act like diplomats.”
Despite the heated atmosphere and tense build-up to the fixture, some fans believe the match can still be seen as just another India-Pakistan match.
“Politics shouldn’t be mixed with cricket, which has always helped ease the tensions, so why should it be used as an avenue to propagate politics?” Asad Khan, a Pakistani fan, said.
“When you bring political agendas into cricket, it ruins the game and causes unnecessary stress for the players.”
Khan urged fans to put aside the politically and religiously motivated chants at cricket stadiums and instead enjoy a now-rare India-Pakistan match.
Given the years-long halt in bilateral cricket series between India and Pakistan, their fixtures are limited to multination tournaments.
Cricket fans are hopeful that both teams will not give in to the politically-charged atmosphere and help lighten the mood.
“The players should do their jobs as cricketers and the fans should treat it as just another game,” Ali, a Pakistan fan, said, told Al Jazeera in Dubai.
“Why must the cricketers worry about what happened on the border four months ago,” Ali
But cricket expert Lal believes otherwise.
“When the two teams enter the field on Sunday, they can’t be expected to be completely detached from the conflict. It will play on their minds.”
A hot and humid September evening in Dubai cannot be blamed solely for turning the “Ring of Fire” stadium into a cauldron.
Come Sunday, the latest chapter in a decades-long bitter rivalry will have the players and fans on the edge.
India’s Virat Kohli, left, is a firm fan favourite in Pakistan [File: Fadel Senna/AFP]
The event quickly spiraled after a request to pray for Kirk from Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado led to objections from Democrats and a partisan shouting match.
Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida, a close friend of Kirk’s, told Democrats on the floor that they “caused this” — a comment she later said she stood by, arguing that “their hateful rhetoric” against Republicans contributed to Kirk’s killing.
Johnson banged on the gavel, demanding order as the commotion continued.
“The House will be in order!” he yelled to no avail.
The incident underscored the deep-seated partisan tensions on Capitol Hill as the assassination of Kirk revives the debate over gun violence and acts of political violence in a divided nation. As Congress reacted to the news, lawmakers of both parties publicly denounced the assassination of Kirk and called it an unacceptable act of violence.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said he was “deeply disturbed about the threat of violence that has entered our political life.”
“I pray that we will remember that every person, no matter how vehement our disagreement with them, is a human being and a fellow American deserving of respect and protection,” Thune said.
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco), whose husband, Paul, was attacked with a hammer three years ago, also denounced the fatal shooting.
A few hours after the commotion on the House floor, the White House released a four-minute video of President Trump in which he said Kirk’s assassination marked a “dark moment for America.” He also blamed the violent act on the “radical left.”
“My administration will find each and every one of those that contributed to this atrocity, and to other political violence, including the organizations that fund it and support it,” Trump said as he grieved the loss of his close ally.
One of the fiercest and most widely followed rivalries in sport will be in the spotlight once again when India clashes with Pakistan in cricket’s T20 Asia Cup 2025.
Both teams will be riding a wave of confidence, given their recent form in T20 internationals.
Recommended Stories
list of 4 itemsend of list
Defending champions India made a winning start to their campaign with a nine-wicket thrashing of hosts United Arab Emirates (UAE) in their Group A game in Dubai.
Meanwhile, Pakistan enters the Asia Cup on the back of a tri-nation T20 series win against Afghanistan and the UAE in Sharjah.
Here’s everything you need to know about the match:
When and where is India vs Pakistan?
The Group A fixture is scheduled for Sunday and will begin at 6:30pm (14:30 GMT) at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Why is Dubai hosting India vs Pakistan?
India was slated to host the tournament as per the hosting rights schedule, and while the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) remains the official host of the tournament, it is being played in the UAE due to the recent conflict between India and Pakistan.
Why doesn’t India play bilateral cricket series against Pakistan?
The Indian government has barred its athletes and teams from competing against their Pakistani counterparts in bilateral tournaments in all sports. Indian athletes are also barred from travelling to Pakistan, forcing all India-Pakistan encounters in multination sports tournaments to be hosted at a neutral venue.
Prior to the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, both countries agreed to host each other at a neutral venue during ICC events.
India and Pakistan have mutually agreed to face each other only at neutral venues [File: Eranga Jayawardena/AP Photo]
What’s the weather forecast for India vs Pakistan in Dubai?
September is typically a hot month in the UAE, and this year is no different.
The weather forecast for Sunday is hot and humid, with highs of 41 degrees Celsius (105 degrees Fahrenheit) and partial cloud cover.
It will get slightly cooler in the evening as the match will start just after sunset and the temperature will drop to 33 degrees Celsius (91 degrees Fahrenheit).
What happened in the last India vs Pakistan match?
The last meeting between India and Pakistan was at the same venue, Dubai, on February 23, in the group stage of the ICC Champions Trophy.
A Virat Kohli batting masterclass helped India win by six wickets on a slow Dubai pitch, where Pakistan posted 241 in 49.4 overs. It was India’s 58th win over Pakistan in one-day internationals (ODI). Pakistan have beaten India 73 times in the ODI format.
Virat Kohli celebrates after scoring his century and winning the match against Pakistan in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 [File: Satish Kumar/Reuters]
How many times has Pakistan won the Asia Cup?
Pakistan have lifted the trophy on two occasions – in 2000 and 2012 – and qualified for the final five times.
India are seven-time Asia Cup champions, with 11 appearances in the final.
How many times has India beaten Pakistan in the Asia Cup?
In their 19 clashes in the Asia Cup, India have beaten Pakistan 10 times and lost to their neighbours on six occasions. Three matches, including the group-stage match in 2023, were abandoned due to poor weather.
When was the last time Pakistan beat India?
Pakistan’s last Asia Cup win over India came in the 2022 edition in the UAE. Mohammad Rizwan top-scored with 71 runs in the Super Four clash, but it was Mohammad Nawaz’s 20-ball-41 that took Pakistan over the line in the run chase.
Mohammad Rizwan was the top scorer in Pakistan’s win over India in 2022 [File: Satish Kumar/Reuters]
How many times will India play Pakistan at the Asia Cup?
While Sunday’s match is, so far, the only confirmed India vs Pakistan match at the Asia Cup, they could meet again on September 21 in a Super Fours clash, should they qualify for the second stage.
The September 28 final offers cricket fans the chance of a third India vs Pakistan match in two weeks – if both teams qualify.
India vs Pakistan: Head-to-head in T20Is
Since the inaugural ICC T20 World Cup in 2007, the countries have met in 13 T20Is. India has won 10 times, including the first match in 2007, which was tied and then decided in a Super Over.
Two of Pakistan’s three wins came in Dubai.
Players to watch: India
Abhishek Sharma: The fact that the young top-order batter has managed to carve a spot in a highly competitive T20 Indian batting lineup is enough to mark Sharma as one to watch in the Asia Cup. The 24-year-old boasts the highest career strike rate of 193 among all batters in T20s and backs it up with two centuries and half-centuries in the format.
Varun Chakaravarthy: The 34-year-old leg-spin bowler’s second foray into the Indian side has reaped him big rewards as he has taken 27 wickets in his last 12 T20I matches.
Players to watch: Pakistan
Hasan Nawaz: Pakistan have often been criticised for their batters’ inability to match modern-day T20 batting strike rates, but in Nawaz, they seem to have found a solution to this problem. The 23-year-old has a strike rate of 174, with a T20 hundred and two fifties in his 16 matches.
Sufiyan Muqeem: The left-arm wrist spinner has taken 25 wickets in his 17 T20Is since making his debut less than two years ago and has become a mainstay of the bowling lineup in limited-overs cricket.
Sufiyan Muqeem has become a mainstay of Pakistan’s bowling attack in T20Is [File: Rick Rycroft/AP Photo]
Form guide: India
Prior to the Asia Cup, India hadn’t played a T20 match since hosting England in a five-match series in January and February.
The T20 world champions won the series 4-1 to maintain their dominance at the top of the ICC T20 men’s teams rankings.
In fact, India have only lost three of the 20 T20s they have played since winning the World Cup in June 2024.
Last five results (most recent first): W-W-W-L-W
Form guide: Pakistan
Pakistan’s form in T20s has been mixed of late, and they have won three of their five T20 series this year.
They head into the marquee clash with a series win in the bag.
Last five results (most recent first): W-W-L-W-W
Team news: India
India have been bolstered by Jasprit Bumrah’s return to the T20 side after a long injury and workload management forced layoff.
They are likely to keep the same XI that beat the UAE in the opening match.
As is the norm in Pakistan cricket, the team has gone through a number of changes since the T20 World Cup 2024, including squad shuffling, a change of captaincy and the introduction of new coaching staff.
Since May, though, the team and captain have remained largely unchanged. Pakistan are likely to field a mix of youth and experience in their XI for Sunday’s match.
Predicted XI: Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Haris (wicketkeeper), Salman Agha (captain), Hasan Nawaz, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed, Sufiyan Muqeem.
Squad: Salman Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem.
Where can I buy tickets for India vs Pakistan?
A selection of seats, starting at $135 apiece for the general stand and going up to $4,550 for a two-person hospitality box, are still available on the tournament’s official ticketing website, Platinumlist, and at the stadium’s ticketing office.
How to watch, follow and stream India vs Pakistan?
The Asia Cup cricket tournament starts on Tuesday, but for tournament organisers, sponsors and cricket fans from India and Pakistan, it won’t be before Sunday, when the two regional superpowers face each other, that the event will spring into action.
Any India vs Pakistan match is considered a marquee event, but the recent conflict between the two countries has brought extra heat to the encounter in Dubai.
Recommended Stories
list of 4 itemsend of list
After all, it will be their first meeting since the South Asian archrivals returned from the brink of an all-out war in May, when both countries clashed at their shared border before an internationally-brokered ceasefire.
It has been almost 18 years since India and Pakistan last met in a Test match – the five-day version of cricket widely regarded as the pinnacle of the sport – and almost 13 years since either side crossed the border to play a bilateral series.
But between September 14 and 21, if results go the way the organisers hope for, Pakistan and India could end up playing three times.
A decades-old political rift between the two nuclear-armed countries is blamed for the frosty sporting ties, but the same differences are set aside when a regional or global cricket event comes around.
Pakistan was carved out of India in 1947, resulting in a bloody division of the subcontinent by the colonial British. Over the past 78 years, the nations have fought four wars, exchanged countless skirmishes and remained at odds primarily over the disputed Kashmir region that both claim in entirety but administer parts of.
The Asia Cup is no stranger to political influence and has faced the repercussions of strained ties between the two.
When India hosted the tournament in 1990-91 amid an uprising in India-administered Kashmir, Pakistan pulled out. The following edition, in 1993, was called off amid heightened tensions between the two sides.
But despite the strained relations on a political level and the current cricket impasse, which began in 2013, India and Pakistan have regularly faced each other at tournaments for the International Cricket Council (ICC) and for the Asian Cricket Council’s (ACC) Asia Cup.
Pakistani, front, and Indian soldiers stand on their respective sides of their shared border during the flag-lowering ceremony in Wagah, Pakistan on May 4, 2025 [File: Rahat Dar/EPA]
‘Maximising eyeballs and revenue’
Why, then, is it impossible for both sides to separate politics from sport for bilateral exchanges if they can agree to share a cricket field potentially three times in two weeks?
“It’s all about maximising eyeballs and tournament revenue,” Sami Ul Hasan, former head of the ICC’s media and communication departments, told Al Jazeera.
“When the ICC plans a global event, organisers do not consider rankings or any other factors. It’s all about making sure India and Pakistan play against each other at least once.
“Over the last two decades, the ICC has changed the format of its tournaments multiple times in order to ensure that happens.”
The ICC has, in the past, admitted to fixing tournament draws to ensure Pakistan and India end up in the same group.
Post-tournament viewership figures confirm the high ratings for India-Pakistan matches.
According to the ICC, the India vs Pakistan fixture at the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 was one of the most-watched one-day international matches in India.
It generated over 26 billion minutes of watch time on TV, surpassing the India-Pakistan match from the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, which had recorded 19.5 billion viewing minutes.
Tournament organisers, such as the ICC and the ACC, typically sell broadcasting rights and sponsorships to the highest bidders.
The ICC and ACC distribute the revenue generated at these tournaments amongst their member nations, who stand to benefit from a higher number of India-Pakistan matches as well.
According to Hasan, the first question posed by broadcasters and sponsors is on India-Pakistan matches.
“It’s tricky to pull off multiple India-Pakistan games at global events, but easier to achieve this outcome in smaller tournaments such as the Asia Cup,” he said.
“Even at the Asia Cup, the most they’ve got so far is two matches per tournament. They have been trying for a third [in the final] but it hasn’t materialised yet.”
In the tournament’s 16 iterations since its inception in 1984, India and Pakistan have never met in a final.
Fans gather at a viewing party for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup cricket match between India and Pakistan in New York City, the US, on June 9, 2024 [File: Yuki Iwamura/AP]
‘Don’t care about India vs Pakistan’
Although India versus Pakistan is always the biggest draw at any cricket tournament, fans from other participating nations are not bothered by the lack of attention and respect shown to their teams.
“I only care about Sri Lanka and not about what happens in an India-Pakistan match as long as Sri Lanka walks away with the cup,” Mohammad Akram, a Sri Lankan, said.
“For us, it’s about our team and the same goes for fans of Afghanistan, Bangladesh and other countries.
“Sri Lanka has always been sidelined. It has always been about India and Pakistan, but we don’t mind because our team has played the most finals.”
Sri Lanka are the second most successful team in the Asia Cup and have qualified for a record 13 finals, lifting the trophy six times. Another win in the final would tie them with the reigning champions India.
Sri Lanka are the second most successful team at the Asia Cup [File: Eranga Jayawardena/AP]
Bending the rules
The focus on this rivalry can sometimes lead to unprecedented decision-making and bending of the rules.
At the last Asia Cup held in Sri Lanka two years ago, the India-Pakistan group-stage game was abandoned due to rain. As both teams reached the next round, and with more rain expected, organisers set aside a reserve day to their Super Four fixture, the only match in that round to benefit from the allocation.
That decision was taken in the middle of the tournament, raising eyebrows and attracting criticism from cricket experts and fans of other participating countries.
“Rules must not be bent for anyone. What happened then did not set a good example for the game,” Hasan said. “Playing conditions and rules are signed off prior to the tournament and are not tinkered with.
“Changing them to accommodate certain fixtures gives out a message that everything is about money and commercialisation of that single fixture.”
India and Pakistan faced each other twice in the Asia Cup 2023, but their first match was abandoned due to bad weather [File: Surjeet Yadav/Getty Images]
India’s sporting ambitions
Despite the ongoing political rift between India and Pakistan, both sets of cricket boards and governments have given these fixtures a green light.
In August, India announced a new sports policy whereby its teams and athletes will not be allowed to engage in bilateral sports events with Pakistan, but can face them in international tournaments.
It also prohibited Indian athletes from travelling to Pakistan and refused to host teams and individuals from Pakistan.
The move, according to former ICC official Hasan, is to ensure that India’s ambitions of bidding for the 2036 Olympics and the 2030 Commonwealth Games are not affected.
“For India to say it doesn’t want to play against Pakistan due to political reasons would weaken its case as a potential global sporting hub,” he said.
Cricket is the most popular sport in India, the world’s most populous nation [Amit Dave/Reuters]
NEW YORK — Carlos Alcaraz reasserted his superiority over Jannik Sinner with a 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 victory Sunday in the U.S. Open final — the third Grand Slam tournament in a row where these elite, young rivals met to decide the champion — for his second trophy at Flushing Meadows and sixth overall at a major.
President Trump sat in a sponsor’s suite in Arthur Ashe Stadium and received a mix of cheers and boos when he offered a wave beforehand and again when he was shown on videoboards after the first set. The match’s start was delayed by about a half-hour because thousands of fans were still outside in line, trying to get through the extra security measures in place because of the presence of a sitting president at the tournament for the first time since Bill Clinton in 2000.
Jannik Sinner reacts while losing to Carlos Alcaraz during the U.S. Open men’s singles final Sunday in New York.
(Seth Wenig / Associated Press)
Perhaps the extra wait got to the No. 1-seeded Sinner, who was the defending champion. Right from the beginning, under a closed roof because of rain earlier in the day, No. 2 Alcaraz was better as he sought to reverse the result from when they met at the All England Club less than two months ago.
He did just that, putting his leads over Sinner at 10-5 in their head-to-head series, 6-4 in major trophies, and 2-1 in U.S. Open championships. Plus, this win allowed Alcaraz, a 22-year-old from Spain, to take away the No. 1 ranking from Sinner, a 24-year-old from Italy.
These two guys are so, so much better than the rest of men’s tennis at the moment.
They have combined to collect the past eight Slam trophies in a row, and 10 of 13. Novak Djokovic, whom Alcaraz eliminated in Friday’s semifinals, took the other three in that span.
Carlos Alcaraz, of Spain, celebrates after defeating Jannik Sinner, of Italy, in the U.S. Open men’s singles final Sunday in New York.
(Kirsty Wigglesworth / Associated Press)
Sunday’s showdown represented the first time in tennis history that the same two men played each other in three consecutive Slam finals within a single season.
This hard-court matchup followed Alcaraz’s victory over Sinner after erasing a trio of match points on the French Open’s red clay in June, and Sinner’s victory over Alcaraz on Wimbledon’s grass in July.
Both Sinner, who had won his past 27 hard-court matches at majors, and Alcaraz offered glimpses of why they are so good, although it was rare that both were at their best simultaneously on this occasion.
Alcaraz was elite in the first, third and fourth sets, Sinner’s top efforts arrived in the second.
In sum, Alcaraz was better and for longer, ending up with twice as many winners, 42-21.
Since the start of the 2024 U.S. Open, Sinner had won 33 of 34 matches at the majors and Sunday was his fifth straight final at those events. The loss? To Alcaraz at Roland-Garros.
Indeed, over the last two seasons, Sinner is now 1-7 against Alcaraz and 109-4 against everyone else.
Alcaraz, meanwhile, has won 37 of 38 contests since May. The loss? To Sinner at the All England Club — also Alcaraz’s lone defeat in a Slam final.
In 2025, Alcaraz now has more tournament titles (a tour-leading seven) than losses (his record is 61-6, also the best in men’s tennis).
During his defeat in Wimbledon’s final, Alcaraz was caught by a camera telling his team about Sinner in Spanish: “From the back of the court, he’s much better than me.”
So perhaps that’s why Alcaraz was aggressive Sunday with his sledgehammer of a forehand — and on-target too. Whenever even the smallest opening presented itself, Alcaraz tried to barge on through with that shot, going big early in points, which worked, either for an outright winner or forcing mistakes from Sinner.
Sinner had dropped a total of just one service game in his three matches leading into the final, but he did deal with an abdominal muscle issue in his semifinal Friday. Sinner and his coach said it was nothing serious, which might be right, but Alcaraz broke right away Sunday and five times in all.
To counteract the forehand effectiveness, Sinner made a tactical switch, going increasingly after Alcaraz’s backhand when possible. That both limited Alcaraz’s opportunities to strike a point-ending forehand and drew additional mistakes off the other wing.
Paid off for Sinner. Briefly.
In the first set and third, Alcaraz’s ratios were 11 winners to two unforced errors. Truly remarkable. In the second, those numbers swung the other way: five winners, 11 unforced errors.
An hour and 20 minutes in, it was a set apiece, after Alcaraz ceded one for the first time all tournament, allowing Neale Fraser to retain his distinction as the most recent man to win every set he played at the event — all the way back in 1960.
As Sinner worked his way into things, he would celebrate just about every point he gathered by looking at the corner of the stands where his two coaches and others, including Olympic champion ski racer Lindsey Vonn, were seated and pumped his right fist.
Ah, but it was Alcaraz who seemed to have more of the ticket-buyers on his side.
Good afternoon and welcome to SunSport’s live blog of Celtic vs Man Utd legends!
The two European powerhouses meet again in a star-studded charity match.
Last year, Celtic claimed the bragging rights as Gary Hooper’s second half strike cancelled out Wayne Rooney’s stunning free-kick to take the match to penalties.
The Scottish giants prevailed on spot kicks, winning 5-4 after five perfect penalties.
Today, the likes of Michael Carrick, Joe Hart, Dimitar Berbatov and Darren Fletcher will all roll back the years.
SunSport will bring you minute-by-minute coverage of today’s huge charity match.
Or maybe we should just kick back and enjoy an unexpected but extremely intriguing contest between two all-time great boxers from different eras (and weight classes).
Might as well take the last option because Tyson vs. Mayweather is happening in spring 2026.
CSI Sports / Fight Sports on Thursday announced the upcoming exhibition bout without providing too many other details, such as the date or location of the event or at what weight the fight will take place.
Another detail that hasn’t been revealed is how much money each fighter will earn. No doubt it will be quite a hefty amount, a notion Mayweather may have been referencing when he posted multiple videos Thursday on his Instagram Stories featuring himself sitting in what appears to be a private jet and handling large stacks of cash.
The hype machine has already started, though.
CSI Sports / Fight Sports co-founders Richard and Craig Miele predicted in a news release that the fight would be bigger than Tyson’s record-setting bout with Jake Paul last November. That fight was the most-streamed sporting event of all time and brought in the largest gate for a U.S. boxing or MMA event held outside of Las Vegas.
“Tyson vs. Mayweather will break every broadcast, streaming and economic record set by Mike Tyson in 2024,” the Miele brothers said. “We are planning a robust promotional campaign complete with weekly premium storytelling and worldwide marketing reach. The event itself will be in a world-class venue and be presented to a global audience with new in-ring technology elements that will reshape how boxing is presented, and scoring is achieved for years to come.”
Tyson (59-7, 44 KO) was the undisputed world heavyweight champion from 1987-1990. The then-57-year-old Tyson ended nearly two decades of retirement from professional fighting last year when he fought the then-27-year-old Paul in a sanctioned bout. Paul won that match by unanimous decision.
Mayweather (50-0, 27 KO) won 15 championship belts spanning five weight classes, from super featherweight to light middleweight. He is now 48 and hasn’t fought a professional bout since his 10th-round technical knockout of Conor McGregor in 2017.
The boxers are already in hype mode as well, as evidenced by their comments in the press release announcing the event.
“I still can’t believe Floyd wants to really do this,” Tyson said. “It’s going to be detrimental to his health, but he wants to do it, so it’s signed and it’s happening!”
Mayweather said: “There hasn’t been a single fighter that can tarnish my legacy. … I’m the best in the business of boxing.”
After Dreyer got the tiebreaking goal in the 66th minute, Western Conference-leading San Diego held on against a barrage of LAFC chances to extend its unbeaten streak to six matches in MLS play.
Denis Bouanga scored in the first half for LAFC, but the French star and Son both failed to convert golden scoring chances in the final minutes of expansion San Diego’s first trip 120 miles north to BMO Stadium. CJ Dos Santos made three saves for the visitors, including a diving stop on Son in second-half injury time.
Son was given a hero’s welcome in his first match in Los Angeles, taking the field nearly four weeks after LAFC announced the landmark signing of the South Korean star following his decade at Tottenham. Son played his first three matches on the road for LAFC, scoring a goal and immediately energizing the offense while his new club went unbeaten.
The sellout crowd serenaded Son from the moment he stepped on the field for warmups in Los Angeles, which has the world’s largest Korean population outside Korea. With thousands of fans wearing his jerseys for club and country, Son repeatedly waved to those cheering him on, and he exhorted the crowd into a frenzy right before kickoff.
Bouanga put LAFC ahead in the 15th minute with a beautiful chip volley into San Diego’s net off an excellent pass from teenager David Martínez. Bouanga’s goal was his 15th of the season, all in his last 19 matches.
But Lozano answered in the 33rd minute with a strike from the middle of the box for his ninth MLS goal. The Mexican national team star celebrated by taunting the famously raucous North End supporters’ section.
Dreyer put San Diego ahead with an individual effort by the Danish star, slipping behind LAFC’s back line to collect Jeppe Tverskov’s pass and juking two defenders before firing a left-footed shot for his 14th goal.
LAFC controlled play for long stretches, but couldn’t even it.
Son hit a screamer toward the far top corner in the 45th minute, but Dos Santos made a superb leaping save.
Hugo Lloris’ long pass put Son in a one-on-one break in the 74th minute, but he couldn’t get a shot off.
Son then hit the post in the 78th minute with a shot from the top of the box.
Bouanga got alone on the keeper in the 82nd minute, but waited too long to take a shot.
Son’s hard shot in the 92nd minute was saved by a diving Dos Santos.
A DARTS match ended in bizarre fashion when a player accidentally injured himself on live TV.
The Modus Super Series International Pairs matchup between Wales and South Africa had fans in disbelief when one player pretended to punch another, only for it to inadvertently end in injury.
4
Devon Peterson playfully pretended to punch Richie Burnett after Wales got the better of South Africa in the Modus Super Series International PairsCredit: X @MSSdarts
4
Burnett pretended to go flying from the punchCredit: X @MSSdarts
4
The Welshman accidentally banged his head on a nearby TV in the processCredit: X @MSSdarts
The tie, which was being played between Richie Burnett and Kurt Parry of Wales and Carl Gabriel and Devon Peterson of South Africa, ended in a 4-1 victory for the Welshmen.
And after a sensational 112 checkout from Parry to earn the victory, Peterson playfully pretended to punch Burnett for getting the better of him and his teammate.
Burnett, 58, tried to play along with the friendly playfighting by pretending to go flying as a result of the punch.
But his overenthusiastic reaction ended up leaving him with a real-life bump on the head, after he crashed into a TV in the corner of the room.
Fortunately Burnett seemed absolutely fine, giving his head a rub and laughing off the gaffe.
Fans loved the unusually hilarious moment and reacted on social media.
One labelled it as the “funniest end to a darts match ever.”
While another wrote: “We need Richie on the TV box more often”.
Coco Gauff was struggling for the second time in as many matches this week at the U.S. Open.
At one point during her second-round match against Donna Vekic on Thursday in Arthur Ashe Stadium, the world’s No. 3-ranked player became overwhelmed and couldn’t stop the tears from flowing.
Gauff played through it all, however, and advanced with a 7-6 (5), 6-2 victory. She became emotional again afterward as she thanked the crowd for its support.
“You really helped me a lot,” the two-time major championship winner said during her post-match interview.
Gauff indicated that one member of the crowd in particular provided extra inspiration during the match — U.S. gymnastics legend Simone Biles. The seven-time Olympic gold medalist has been open about her mental health struggles during a career in which she has also won 23 world titles.
“Honestly, I saw her and … she helped me pull it out,” said Gauff, who later told reporters that her “Mount Rushmore of athletes” consisted of Biles and tennis legend Serena Williams. “I was just thinking if she could go on a six-inch beam and do that, with all the pressures of the world, then I can hit the ball in this 75 — I don’t know how big this court is.
Coco Gauff reacts after defeating Donna Vekic during the second round of the U.S. Open on Thursday in New York.
(Frank Franklin II / Associated Press)
“So, yeah, I saw her late in the second getting interviewed by ESPN and, yeah, it brought me a little bit of calm, just knowing her story, with all the things she went through mentally. So, she’s an inspiration, surely, and her presence definitely did help me today.”
During her in-match interview with ESPN’s Katie George, Biles said she came to the U.S. Open specifically to watch Gauff.
“She’s incredible, amazing, and it’s like, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Biles said. “It’s just such a privilege to watch her on home soil and watch Black Girl Magic.”
“Gymnastics is so different, so I just wanted to scream, ‘Go, Coco!’” Biles told Gauff. “But then they were like, ‘Maybe not right now.’ And I was like, ‘Got it.’ But congrats. I love watching you, everything you do.”
The winner of the 2023 U.S. Open and 2025 French Open told her idol: “You’re such an inspiration. Like, seriously. What I said in the [on-court] interview, I was thinking about that literally.
“My mom did gymnastics on a way lower level than you. And so, she was like, ‘If I can focus on that, then you can do that.’ So, I was like, ‘OK, I guess you’re right.’ … You’re an inspiration, seriously.”
Draper said before the tournament that he was “ready to go” despite struggling with a bruised humerus – the bone that runs from the shoulder to elbow – on his left serving arm.
He arrived in New York having not played since his second-round defeat at Wimbledon in early July, having withdrawn from key tournaments in Canada and Cincinnati in order to recover.
The Englishman competed in the US Open mixed doubles tournament alongside Jessica Pegula last week and wore a sleeve on his injured arm during his first-round match.
He admitted afterwards his presence at the tournament had been in doubt, saying: “I wasn’t too sure if I was going to make it here.”
Draper practised in New York on Wednesday morning but later announced he would be unable to continue in the tournament.
It is a bitter blow for the Briton, who had his breakout major performance in New York last year.
His ranking points from his run to the last four will drop off after the tournament, which could impact his bid to qualify for the year-end ATP Tour Finals.
Actually, he arrived at Flushing Meadows with no hairdo — as in no hair at all, aside from some teeny, tiny specks on his head that come to a widow’s peak.
The world’s No. 2-ranked player was asked about his shocking new look following his 6-4, 7-5, 6-4 victory over Opelka. Alcaraz told reporters that he had simply wanted a haircut before the tournament, but one of his brothers “misunderstood” how to use the clippers.
The resulting mess, he said, left him with no choice but to start over with a clean pate.
“The only way to fix it is just shave it off,” a casual Alcaraz said.
Alcaraz isn’t bothered by the situation. As he reminded the reporters, hair grows back.
“I’m not really into, you know, the hair at all,” Alcaraz said. “So I’m the guy who thinks like, OK, the hair grows, you know? And then [in] a few days it’s gonna be already OK, I guess.”
Alcaraz apparently is not kidding about the speed at which his hair grows. He mentioned it to reporters during the Australian Open, after arriving in toasty Melbourne with shorter locks than usual.
Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz serves during a practice session ahead of the Australian Open on Jan. 9 in Melbourne.
(Mark Baker / Associated Press)
“I discussed with my barber that when I get a haircut… three days later it’s grown out,” Alcaraz said in Melbourne. “So I have to go more often.”
Alcaraz unintentionally provided a demonstration during the French Open, where he first sported a rather bushy look during his first-round win over Giulio Zeppieri on May 26.
Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz celebrates after winning a point during his first-round French Open match against Italy’s Giulio Zeppieri on May 26 in Paris.
(Thibault Camus / Associated Press)
Two days later, however, Alcaraz returned to the court for his second-round match against Nuno Borges with a ‘do possibly (but probably not) inspired by Moe Howard from the “Three Stooges.” Alcaraz told befuddled reporters after the match that he “had to do something” about his hair and beard, so he flew in his personal barber.
Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz returns the ball to Portugal’s Nuno Borges during their second-round match of the French Open on May 28 in Paris.
Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz celebrates after defeating Italy’s Jannik Sinner in the French Open final June 8 in Paris.
(Lindsey Wasson / Associated Press)
So if Alcaraz happens to win the U.S. Open championship, like he did in 2022, he might have a lengthy mane while hoisting the trophy at Arthur Ashe Stadium at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.
In the meantime, though, some people might continue to respond to his haircut the way U.S. player Frances Tiafoe did when asked about it by a reporter following his first-round victory over Yoshihito Nishioka.
“It’s definitely terrible,” Tiafoe said with a laugh. “He’s my guy, though. It’s funny. I looked at him and I was like, ‘I guess you’re aerodynamic’ … I don’t know who told him to do that, but it’s terrible. From a guy who gets haircuts week in, week out and prides myself on good haircuts, it’s horrendous.”
Alcaraz also laughed when he was asked about Tiafoe’s comment.
“I know he’s lying,” Alcaraz said. “He likes the haircut. He likes it, he told me.”
Others might react like Irish golfer Rory McIlroy, who expressed his full support for the radical change atop Alcaraz’s head while meeting with the Spaniard earlier Monday.
Overall, Alcaraz told reporters, reactions have been mixed — and he really doesn’t care either way.
“Some people like it. Some people don’t like it,” he said. “To be honest, I’m just laughing about the reaction of the people. It is what it is. So I can’t do anything else right now, so I’m just laughing about everything that they are talking about my haircut.”
Djokovic, who hasn’t won a Grand Slam title in two years, was far from his best against Learner Tien in the opening round at Flushing Meadows.
Novak Djokovic delivered a lesson in Grand Slam tenacity to Learner Tien in the first round of the US Open, as he battled past the American teenager 6-1, 7-6(3), 6-2 and launched his latest quest for a record 25th major title.
Competing in his first singles match since reaching the Wimbledon semifinals last month, and swapping the whites for a sleek all-black outfit, the 38-year-old Serb fought through physical issues on Sunday to secure his 80th win at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Victory also meant Djokovic became the first player since the sport turned professional in 1968 to win 75 straight opening-round matches at the Grand Slams, with 55 of those wins coming in straight sets.
“It was a strange kind of match,” said Djokovic, who looked to be struggling with an injury midway through the match.
“The first set was 20 minutes, and then the second one was one hour and 20, quite the opposite sets we played. It was key for me to hold my nerve in the second set and clinch it in a tie-break.
“After that, I started feeling better. I can always do better, but it’s a great way to start this year’s campaign.”
The seventh seed shrugged off a time violation to consolidate an early break at the start of the contest, and a heated debate with the chair umpire shortly afterwards spurred him on to wrap up the opening set in double-quick time.
The 19-year-old Tien, on a near-impossible mission to hand Djokovic his first opening-round loss at a Grand Slam since the 2006 Australian Open, had his chances to draw level during a draining second set but crumbled in the tie-break.
After treatment for a right foot blister, Djokovic produced heavy groundstrokes from the baseline to break for a 3-1 lead in the third set. The four-time New York champion never looked back from there, booking a match-up with American Zachary Svajda.
“Good thing is that I have two days off. It’s slightly a concern. I don’t have an injury or anything. I just struggled to stay in long exchanges and recover after points,” Djokovic said.
Djokovic has not won a Grand Slam title since the 2023 US Open.
Novak Djokovic, right, shakes hands with Learner Tien after their first-round match [Robert Deutsch/Imagn Images via Reuters]
Ex-US Open champ suffers meltdown in a third-set flashpoint after an errant photographer’s action caused a point replay.
France’s Benjamin Bonzi sent 13th seed Daniil Medvedev crashing out of the US Open in a stormy late-night thriller that boiled over into chaos following an extraordinary third-set meltdown by the Russian.
Bonzi advanced to the second round after holding his nerve to win 6-3, 7-5, 6-7 (5/7), 0-6, 6-4 in three hours and 45 minutes on Sunday night at Flushing Meadows in New York.
The match exploded into drama in the third set as Bonzi served at advantage on match point, leading 5-4 after winning the opening two sets.
After faulting on his first serve, Bonzi prepared to serve again when chair umpire Greg Allensworth suddenly halted play after a photographer mistakenly walked onto the court.
Allensworth called for time after shouting, “Not now, get off the court, please”, before awarding a new first serve to Bonzi on the grounds of a “delay caused by outside interference”.
That prompted an incandescent reaction from Medvedev, who sprinted across the court to remonstrate angrily with Allensworth, accusing the umpire of seeking to end the match early.
“Are you a man? Are you a man?” the 2021 US Open champion asked Allensworth, before shouting into a courtside microphone: “He wants to go home, guys. He doesn’t like to be here; he gets paid by the match, not by the hour.”
Medvedev then turned to the Louis Armstrong Stadium crowd, waving his arms wildly to encourage them to voice their displeasure.
As deafening catcalls and jeers rained down, play was held up for more than six minutes before Bonzi finally got the opportunity to serve for the match once again.
With the Frenchman clearly rattled, Medvedev saved match point and then went on to force a third-set tie-break, which he duly won to keep the match alive.
France’s Benjamin Bonzi returns the ball to Russia’s Daniil Medvedev during their men’s singles first round tennis match [Charly Triballeau/AFP]
Medvedev recovers, then falls at the final hurdle
Bonzi appeared to wilt in the fourth set, Medvedev winning 6-0 to send it to a decider.
But Bonzi showed great resolve in the fifth set, twice recovering from going a break down before breaking Medvedev’s serve to seal victory.
“It was crazy. I may have got some new fans but also some new non-fans,” Bonzi said afterwards.
“The energy was wild. Thanks to all those who were booing that gave me energy in the fifth.”
Bonzi admitted he had lost composure during Medvedev’s third-set antics.
“I never experienced something like that. Maybe we wait five minutes before the match point, and it was so difficult to play,” he said.
“I tried to stay calm and stay in the match, but it was not easy.”
Medvedev, meanwhile, slumped to his seat after the defeat, smashing a racquet violently in frustration.
Medvedev becomes the first former champion to exit this year’s tournament, leaving Flushing Meadows after a disappointing year at the majors, during which he managed to reach the second round just once.
Sunday’s incident was reminiscent of Medvedev’s 2019 match on the same court, when fans booed him for his antics and he later taunted the crowd in his post-match interview, saying the jeers gave him energy. Medvedev had snatched the towel from a ball person during the match and was given a code violation by umpire Damien Dumusois. He then threw his racket in the direction of Dumusois, barked something at him and later flashed his middle finger next to his forehead as he walked past the umpire’s chair, actions that led to him being fined $9,000 for that match.
Medvedev breaks his racket after losing his men’s singles first round tennis match against Bonzi [Charly Triballeau/AFP]
NEW YORK — Daniil Medvedev’s match was delayed more than six minutes between points Sunday night, after a photographer entered the court on match point and the 2021 U.S. Open champion became enraged by the chair umpire’s decision to award his opponent a first serve.
The latest Medvedev meltdown on Louis Armstrong Stadium led to a wild change in the match. The No. 13 seed was a point away from being eliminated, then won the next two sets to force a deciding fifth before Benjamin Bonzi eliminated him from a second straight major with a 6-3, 7-5, 6-7 (5), 0-6, 6-4 victory that ended early Monday.
“I tried to stay calm in the match but it was not easy,” Bonzi said.
Daniil Medvedev, right, reacts next to chair umpire Greg Allensworth after a photographer ran onto the court during his match against Benjamin Bonzi in the first round of the U.S. Open on Sunday night.
(Adam Hunger / Associated Press)
Bonzi had just hit his first serve leading 5-4 in the third set. After he missed it, a photographer left his position before the Frenchman could hit his second.
Chair umpire Greg Allensworth told the photographer to get off the court, then announced that Bonzi would get another first serve because of the delay — which is common in tennis. Medvedev then approached the chair to complain about the decision.
“He wants to go home, guys. He doesn’t like to be here. He gets paid by the match, not by the hour,” Medvedev shouted into the microphones behind the chair.
Medvedev kept encouraging the loud boos on Armstrong, which eventually lasted so long that he then tried to get fans to quiet down so Bonzi could serve. When Bonzi finally did, he missed the first serve and then lost the point, and Medvedev won the game and later the set in a tiebreaker to prolong the match.
“I never experienced something like that,” said Bonzi, who had fans chanting his name at times.
It was reminiscent of Medvedev’s 2019 match on the same court, when fans booed him for his antics and he later taunted the crowd in his post-match interview, saying the jeers gave him energy. Medvedev had snatched the towel from a ballperson during the match and was given a code violation by umpire Damien Dumusois. Medvedev then threw his racket in the direction of Dumusois, barked something at him and later flashed his middle finger next to his forehead as he walked past the umpire’s chair, actions that led to him being fined $9,000 for that match.
Medvedev reached the final that year, then won the title two years later. But he went just 1-4 in Grand Slam tournaments this year and was also upset by Bonzi in the first round at Wimbledon.
Medvedev sat in his chair for a few minutes after the match and repeatedly smashed his racket before eventually departing.
A U.S. Tennis Association spokesman said the photographer was escorted from the court by U.S. Open security and his credential was revoked.
Alyssa Thompson scored in the 86th minute and Angel City snapped an eight-game winless streak with a 1-0 victory over the Orlando Pride on Thursday night at BMO Stadium.
Angel City (5-7-5) had not won a match since May 9. Thompson’s goal was her sixth of the season, second most on the team.
It was Alex Straus’ first win as Angel City coach and the franchise’s first win against the Pride since 2023.
“It felt really good. I feel like I haven’t had a goal in a while,” Thompson said. “So being able to get those goals that I’ve been working on, and just the positions that I’ve been in, in training. It was really nice.”
Orlando (8-5-4) is winless in its last five matches. The Pride were without top scorer Barbra Banda, who injured her hip in the team’s scoreless draw with the Kansas City Current last week. Banda has eight goals this season.
Orlando announced earlier Thursday that they had signed Lizbeth Ovalle from Mexico’s Tigres UANL for a record transfer fee. Ovalle, known as Jacquie, is set to play in the Liga MX Femenil All-Star game this weekend before joining the Pride.
Angel City welcomed back defender Ali Riley, who was available on the bench for the match. Riley was placed on the season-ending injury list midway through the 2024 season because of a chronic leg injury that threatened her career.
Argentine and Chilean fans hurled sticks, stones, and stun grenades during violent clashes at a Copa Sudamericana match in Buenos Aires that left 19 injured. Officials said at least 90 men and 5 women remain in custody. FIFA has condemned the “shocking” violence.
