schedule

Who: India vs Sri Lanka
What: Women’s T20 Asia Cup final
Where: Dubai International Stadium, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
When: Sunday, September 13, 6:30pm local time (14:30 GMT)
How to follow: We’ll have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 3:30pm local time (13:30 GMT) before our live text commentary stream.

Record seven-time winners India face defending champions Sri Lanka in the Women’s T20 Asia Cup final on Sunday, as the 15-match competition in the United Arab Emirates readies itself for its closing act.

In a tournament which has largely yielded low-scoring contests, both Indian and Sri Lankan spin units have tasted success – Deepti Sharma spearheading the heavyweights’ charge and captain Chamari Athapaththu leading by example for the title holders.

Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana’s terrific top-order pairing has further strengthened India’s title bid at the tournament, where both teams boast a perfect record.

Having reached the final in every edition of the Women’s Asia Cup they have played, India are favourites to add another trophy to their glittering cabinet.

But Sri Lanka possess a threat of their own – they are one of only two sides who have beaten India in the title clash in past and will be eager to retain the trophy they proudly lifted two years ago.

Before Sunday’s showdown, Al Jazeera Sport takes a closer look at the game:

Who did India and Sri Lanka beat in the semifinals?

India defeated Bangladesh in the first semifinal on Thursday by 40 runs before Sri Lanka beat Pakistan by four wickets in Friday’s low-scoring thriller.

When did India and Sri Lanka last meet?

The pair last met in a T20 international in Thiruvananthapuram on December 30, 2025, as hosts India defeated Sri Lanka by 15 runs, sweeping that series 5-0.

Records swing heavily in India’s favour – they have won nine of their last 10 T20Is against Sri Lanka.

How many Women’s Asia Cup titles have India won?

India are the most successful team in the Women’s Asia Cup, having won a record seven titles.

They won the 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2008 editions, when the tournament was played in a one-day international format, as well as the 2012, 2016 and 2022 T20 editions.

How many Women’s Asia Cup titles have Sri Lanka won?

Sri Lanka have won the Women’s Asia Cup once, winning the last edition in 2024 after beating India by eight wickets in the final.

Who are India’s key players?

India’s openers Shafali and Mandhana are the top two leading scorers in the ongoing edition, having scored 168 and 154 runs each in four matches.

Shafali has registered two half-centuries – scoring identical 64s against Thailand in the opener and Bangladesh in the semifinals – while Mandhana hit an incredible 124 against Hong Kong in the league phase.

With the ball, all-rounder Deepti has been most impactful with her spin bowling, bagging a joint-highest 11 wickets with an average of 3.63.

N Shree Charani has also played a key role with eight wickets and holds the record for the second-most economical bowler (3.27).

Who are Sri Lanka’s key players?

Captain Athapaththu, who bowls right arm off-break, has been Sri Lanka’s most impactful player, sharing the honours of the most wickets with Deepti at 11, with an average of 5.36. Left-arm orthodox bowler Sugandika Kumari has also contributed with six wickets.

With the bat, top-order left-hander Harsthitha Samarawickrama has chipped in 89 runs for the fourth-highest scorer in the competition.

Form guide

Last five matches, most recent first:

• India: W-W-W-W-L
• Sri Lanka: W-W-W-W-L

What have the players said?

India’s Deepti Sharma: “[This] team doesn’t take any team lightly … We always think as a team, ‘How we can do better in each and every game. As a collective team performance, how we can do better.’”

Sri Lanka’s Chamari Athapaththu: “If we can execute our plans in the final, I think we can beat any team.”

Probable India XI

Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Pratika Rawal, Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Richa Ghosh (wicketkeeper), Bharti Fulmali, Deepti Sharma, Prema Rawat, Kranti Gaud, N Shree Charani, Nandani Sharma

Probable Sri Lanka XI

Imesha Dulani, Chamari Athapaththu (captain), Sanjana Kavindi, Harsthitha Samarawickrama, Hasini Perera, Kavisha Dilhari, Nilakshika Silva, Kaushini Nuthyangana (wicketkeeper), Sugandika Kumari, Chamudi Praboda, Mithali Ayodhya

Where can I watch India vs Sri Lanka?

• India: Sony Sports, SonyLIV
• Sri Lanka: TV1, Sirasa TV
• Pakistan: PTV Network, Tamasha
• Bangladesh: T Sports, iScreen
• United Kingdom: Sony MAX
• MENA region: StarzPlay Cricket, StarzPlay

Ben Shelton messed up.

Sure, the U.S. tennis star advanced to his second U.S. Open semifinal in epic fashion, knocking off defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in a five-set marathon that did not end until 3:33 a.m. ET Wednesday.

It was during his on-court interview afterward, however, that Shelton committed a bit of a faux pas while discussing the match that ended later than any other in tournament history.

“I’m just hoping that my best friend and my sister over there don’t have to be at work at 6 a.m. in three hours,” Shelton said following the 6-7 (5), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (10-7) victory. “It’d be huge from their employers to let them have the day off today.”

Shelton certainly didn’t have to give a shout out to two of his loved ones for hanging in there for the entire 4 hours 28 minutes … but since he did, there’s one other person Shelton probably should have mentioned as well: soccer star Trinity Rodman, who also was sitting courtside throughout the match. TV cameras showed her laughing and apparently saying, “What about me?”

Shelton and Rodman have been dating for more than a year, after going Instagram official in May 2025. They are seen in the stands at each other’s sporting events when their schedules allow.

For the record, Rodman apparently did have to work hours later. The U.S. national team and Washington Spirit player posted a video later Wednesday morning on TikTok that showed her inside a gym with the caption, “Yes, I’m at training now.”

She doesn’t seem to hold a grudge over her boyfriend’s omission, though. Rodman posted a video on her Instagram Story of the match’s aftermath, with the caption, “The moment belongs to Shelton!”

And Shelton actually did include Rodman in that moment, with the two of them making eye contact and flashing his signature “dialed-in” hand motion to each other as he celebrated.

Rodman’s schedule with the Spirit hasn’t allowed her to attend all of Shelton’s matches at Flushing Meadows, but she has been to at least three. For his Round 2 victory against Hubert Hurkacz, Rodman wore a black crop top that read, “I ❤️ my boyfriend.”

For the quarterfinal, Rodman carried a Shelton figurine, possibly as a good luck charm.

Shelton will face fellow U.S. player Frances Tiafoe in Friday’s semifinals.

Orange Lutheran High does not have an easy game on its schedule. MaxPreps ranked the school’s schedule as the toughest in the nation, as it faces off against five opponents in the website’s preseason national top 25 rankings.

The first three weeks have been a true gauntlet.

It started with an away game in Florida against Miami Central High, the seventh-best team in the state, according to MaxPreps. Orange Lutheran only lost by one point.

After beating the 15th-best team in California, San Diego Cathedral, last week 38-24, the Lancers faced its biggest test yet: Chandler (Ariz.) Basha, the No. 1 team in Arizona, and ranked 12th nationally. Orange Lutheran is the eighth-ranked team in California and 61st nationally.

A 30-24 loss to Basha last season still hung in the air around Orange Coast College on Friday night, and it looked like Orange Lutheran would be in for another one after Basha senior quarterback and Princeton commit Jake Rogers threw a 62-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Jaden Baldwin on the third play of their first drive.

However, because they didn’t make this season about themselves, Orange Lutheran has a prime directive to make things as hard as possible on opponents. A 23-17 win Friday suggested they followed through on that goal.

After the first quarter, Basha was not able to do anything effective on offense.

Every possession in the third quarter was a three-and-out, with one resulting in a punt out of the end zone. Basha had a bad snap, giving Orange Lutheran two points.

Beyond that, twin brothers and juniors Anhor The Great Johnson and King Rich Johnson swarmed everything that Basha tried to do.

It started with a 75-yard pick-six from King Rich on a snaking sideline return that gave Orange Lutheran a lead they never conceded.

Anhor The Great had so many pass breakups that counting would’ve been a fool’s errand.

Defensive line bat downs and sacks haunted Rogers, who finished the game with 192 yards passing and two touchdowns with two interceptions as well as a less than 50% completion on passes and two interceptions.

Senior lineman Lucas Rhoa got to watch this all unfold from the sidelines, and he was truly in awe after the game.

“One of the best defensive games I’ve seen,” he said. “Really, two big plays and three other points [is all Basha got]. We couldn’t do it without them, because we only put up 23 points.”

The only score given up in the second half was a 30-yard pass from Rogers to senior running back Noah Roberts. It gave the Bears life for the first time since the half. It was also Roberts only big play on a night where he averaged less than two yards per carry.

It was senior night for Orange Lutheran, with emotions flowing around Orange Coast College stadium all night, but it was a sophomore running back who had the most explosive performance.

Ryan Christianson finished with 151 yards rushing and one touchdown on 31 rushes. He was buoyed by Rhoa and a strong offensive line performance.

“Our running back is amazing, he did amazing things,” he said. “I’m proud of the way we played tonight, but there’s so much more we could clean up. So many points were left on the board. If we clean it up we’re going to be very good.”

First year head coach Ray Fenton inherited this insane schedule, but he probably would’ve booked the same battles. Many of his players will be playing Division I football on Saturdays, so why not test them now?

Plus, Orange Lutheran plays in the Trinity League. With highly ranked schools such as St. John Bosco, Mater Dei and Santa Margarita on the schedule, playing weak schools in nonleague games does nothing but harm Orange Lutheran’s talented roster.

“We can’t hide from our league, it’s like the SEC of high school football,” Fenton said.

The hit Channel 4 true crime documentary series recently returned with a brand new special, but fans are still waiting for the second half to air.

Channel 4 has issued a fresh update on its beloved true crime series 24 Hours in Police Custody.

The long-running documentary series has amassed a devoted fanbase since its premiere back in 2014. It offers an unflinching look at police work in the UK and the lengths teams go to in order to bring criminals to justice.

After a months-long wait for new episodes, fans were finally informed they had a new two-part special to look forward to. That was The Ambush, which aired its first half just last week on Sunday night (August 30).

Many fans were left confused when the second part didn’t air the following evening on the Bank Holiday Monday, as a number of fans had expected the double bill to unfold over two nights. They were sadly mistaken, as the second part had always been scheduled to air exactly one week after part one, meaning it will be shown on Sunday, September 6.

Channel 4 has now directly addressed the legion of baffled fans with a cheeky post on its dedicated documentaries Facebook page. The broadcaster posted a series of screenshots of the flurry of remarks regarding the special episodes, including fans asking “Can’t find part two?” and “When is part two?”

The post was captioned: “POV you’re the Social Media Manager reading the comments on the new 24 Hours in Police Custody,” before clarifying exactly when fans can see the new episode. It added: “Watch part two of ‘The Ambush’ this Sunday at 9pm on Channel 4.”

Reacting to the post, many fans admitted they had been left confused and preferred watching both back-to-back. “I wish you’d air the episodes over two nights rather than have to wait a week,” one fan said accompanied by a crying emoji.

Another fumed: “Next time I’ll binge both on the day the second is released. I hate that wait!” Meanwhile a third series fan added: “I’d prefer not to wait a whole week. Had I known in advance I would have waited and watched them both at the same time. Still looking forward to it though.”

Yet another posted: “I’m waiting till Sunday to watch both and ignoring the spoilers,” as one vented: “Please listen to the feedback and NEVER again make us wait a week for part two!!! Consecutive days is long enough.”

24 Hours in Police Custody: The Ambush returns to Channel 4 on Sunday, September 6 at 9pm.

So the appeal is clear for those who manage the financial spreadsheets, but what about everybody else?

US Open organisers have not yet commented in the wake of the Williams-Kenin match, but they have previously argued late scheduling is a benefit to fans.

“Without question late-night matches were heavily discussed and reviewed after the 2022 US Open,” tournament director Stacey Allaster said in 2023, after opting to maintain the late schedule.

“We looked at starting the evening session earlier, instead of 7pm start at 6pm, but it’s not really a possibility because it’s hard for New Yorkers to get here even at 7pm.

“We talked about [changing to] one match at night, but we felt that’s not fair to our fans. One of the realities we have in tennis is that we are not defined by a start and an end time. We can have a short match or we can have a five-hour match.”

And that lack of certainty is where the problems arise. Organisers might not think all matches will run long, but they definitely know it’s a possibility.

A five-set men’s match can easily run for over four or even five hours and a women’s match that goes the distance can comfortably pass the three-hour mark. Put those two matches back-to-back on Arthur Ashe with a short break in-between and suddenly whoever is playing second isn’t finishing until about 3am.

The reason Williams and Kenin started their match so late is that Novak Djokovic’s defeat by Mariano Navone took five sets and over four hours to complete.

By the time Williams and Kenin were finished, the crowd in the 23,933-capacity stadium was sparse.

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL

(Games at 7 p.m. unless noted)

THURSDAY’S SCHEDULE

CITY SECTION

Nonleague

Angelou at Maywood CES

Arroyo at Sylmar

Bell at Eagle Rock

Belmont at Monroe

Canoga Park at Verdugo Hills

Crenshaw at Los Angeles Hamilton

Fremont at South East

Fulton at Panorama, 3:30 p.m.

Gardena at King/Drew

Grant at Legacy

Hollywood at Dymally, 4 p.m.

Jefferson at Lincoln

Los Angeles ar Taft

Los Angeles Marshall at Bernstein

Los Angeles University at Santee

Mayfair at Marquez

Narbonne at Fairfax

Palisades at Granada Hills

San Fernando at Franklin

Van Nuys at Roybal

Washington Prep at Rivera

Westchester at San Pedro, 7:30 p.m.

SOUTHERN SECTION

Nonleague

Arrowhead Christian at San Bernardino

Beaumont at Summit

Beckman at Santa Ana

Bloomington at Pacific

Carter at Banning

Chino at Ayala

Claremont at Glendora

Corona del Mar at Edison

Dana Hills at Esperanza

La Canada at Village Christian

Lancaster at Bishop Diego

Loara at Bolsa Grande

Los Osos at Charter Oak

Norte Vista at Santa Ana Foothill

Ocean View at Buena Park

Pasadena Marshall at Santa Fe

Ramona at Hillcrest

Rancho Cucamonga at Oak Hills

Riverside Notre Dame at Cathedral City

Riverside Prep at Antelope Valley

San Dimas at Colony

Shadow Hills at Yucaipa

Temecula Valley at Paloma Valley

Upland at Villa Park

Valencia at Bishop Amat

Valley View at Vista del Lago

Vista Murrieta at Apple Valley, 7:30 p.m.

Webb at Temecula Prep

Westminster at Garden Grove

Xavier Prep at Serrano

INTERSECTIONAL

Boron at Silver Valley

Chatsworth at Westlake

Cleveland at Castaic

Desert Mirage at Mendez

Firebaugh at Los Angeles Jordan

Granada Hills Kennedy at Canyon Country Canyon

Lawndale at Los Angeles Wilson

Los Angeles Roosevelt at Monrovia

Manual Arts at Lynwood

Mayfair at Marquez

Palos Verdes at Carson

Reseda at Santa Ana Calvary Chapel, 7:30 pm.

Royal at Contreras

South El Monte at Garfield

Venice at Harvard-Westlake

Wenatchee (Washington) at Linfield Christian

West Adams at Compton Early College

Wilmington Banning at Long Beach Cabrillo

8-MAN

CITY SECTION

Nonleague

Animo Robinson at Sotomayor

USC Hybrid at East Valley

SOUTHERN SECTION

Nonleague

Villanova Prep at Coastal Christian

PAL Academy at California School for the Deaf

INTERSECTIONAL

Legacy Christian Academy at Valley Oaks CES

Milken at Mojave, 4 p.m.

Noli Indian at Vista Meridian, 6 p.m.

Sherman Oaks CES at Faith Baptist, 4 p.m.

FRIDAY’S SCHEDULE

SOUTHERN SECTION

Nonleague

Adelanto at Sultana

Alemany at Compton, 6 p.m.

Aliso Niguel at El Toro

Arcadia at La Salle

Arlington at Fontana

Arroyo at Katella

Bassett at Temple City

Big Bear at Glendale

Bishop Montgomery at Simi Valley

Bonita at Western

Bosco Tech at Keppel

Brentwood at Oak Park

Buena at Fillmore

Burbank at Calabasas

Burbank Burroughs at Santa Monica

California at Baldwin Park

Cantwell-Sacred Heart at Nogales

Canyon Country Canyon at Glendale

Capistrano Valley Christian at Laguna Hills

Cerritos at Cerritos Valley Christian

Chaffey at Heritage

Citrus Hill at Arroyo Valley

Coachella Valley at Palm Springs

Compton Centennial at Peninsula, 4 p.m.

Corona at Miller

Covina at Montclair

Crescenta Valley vs/ Golden Valley at Canyon Country Canyon

Damien at Faith Lutheran

Del Sol at Santa Paula

Desert at Desert Christian, 6 p.m.

Dos Pueblos at Santa Barbara

Eisenhower at Cypress

El Dorado at Yorba Linda

El Modena at Tesoro

El Rancho at West Covina

Estancia at Bell Gardens

Etiwanda at Alta Loma

Gabrielino at Azusa

Ganesha at Don Lugo

Garden Grove Pacifica at Anaheim Canyon

Gardena Serra at Los Alamitos

Garey at Sierra Vista

Gahr at Artesia

Glenn at California Military

Grand Terrace at Redlands

Great Oak at Capistrano Valley

Hacienda Heights Wilson at St. Bernard

Hawthorne at West Torrance

Hemet at Rancho Mirage

Heritage Christian at Carpinteria

Highland vs. Santa Margarita at Saddleback College

Hueneme at Oxnard

Huntington Beach at Long Beach Wilson

Irvine University at Portola

JSerra at Crean Lutheran

Kaiser at Granite Hills

Lakeside at Twentynine Palms

La Mirada at Bellflower

La Palma Kennedy at Sunny Hills

La Quinta at Citrus Valley

Littlerock at Viewpoint

Long Beach Jordan at Hesperia

Long Beach Poly at Tustin

Los Amigos at Costa Mesa

Los Altos at Schurr

Loyola at Mira Costa

Marina at Fountain Valley

Millikan at Downey

Mountain View at Hoover, 6 p.m.

Muir at St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy

Murrieta Valley at Cajon

Newbury Park at Arroyo Grande

North Torrance at Mary Star of the Sea

Northview at Torrance

Northwood at Brea Olinda

Norwalk at Pasadena

Ontario at Jurupa Valley

Orange at Elsinore

Orange Vista at Norco

Oxnard Pacifica vs. Hart at College of the Canyons

Palmdale vs. West Ranch at Valencia

Palm Desert at Victor Valley

Paraclete at La Habra

Paramount at Dominguez

Patriot at Canyon Springs

Pioneer at Rancho Alamitos

Placentia Valencia at Rowland

Pomona at Duarte

Rancho Christian at West Valley

Rancho Verde at Murrieta Mesa

Redondo Union at Culver City

Rialto at Desert Hot Springs

Ridgecrest Burroughs at Eastside

Riverside North at Riverside King

Riverside Poly at Redlands East Valley

Rio Hondo Prep at Quartz Hill

Rosemead at El Monte

Rubidoux at Vasquez

Saddleback at Montebello

Salesian at La Serna

San Clemente at Chaparral

San Gabriel at South Pasadena

San Jacinto Valley Academy at Desert Christian Academy

San Juan Hills at Chino Hills

San Marcos at Channel Islands

Santa Ana Valley at Garden Grove Santiago

Santa Rosa Academy at Indian Springs

Saugus at Camarillo

Savanna at Century

Segerstrom at Barstow

Silverado at Corona Santiago

Sonora at Walnut

South Hills at Diamond Ranch

South Torrance at El Segundo

St. Anthony at St. Margaret’s

St. Francis at Crespi

Tahquitz at Moreno Valley

Temescal Canyon at Jurupa Hills

Thousand Oaks at Agoura

Trabuco Hills at St. Bonaventure

Troy at Fullerton

Ventura at Lakewood

Western Christian at Maranatha

Westminster La Quinta at Godinez

Whittier at St. Paul

Whittier Christian at Ontario Christian

Woodbridge at Irvine

Workman at La Puente

Yucca Valley at Colton

INTERSECTIONAL

Anza Hamilton at Tri-City Christian

Bakersfield Liberty at Oaks Christian

Beverly Hills at Army-Navy

Cathedral at Sacramento Grant

Chandler Basha (Arizona) vs. Orange Lutheran at Orange Coast College

Chatsworth at Westlake

Desert Mirage at Mendez

Grace ar El Camino Real

Highlands Ranch Valor (Colo.) vs. Mater Dei at Santa Ana Stadium

Huntington Park at St. Monica, 7:30 p.m.

Inglewood at Gilbert Highland (Ariz.)

Las Vegas Shadow Ridge at Laguna Beach

Leuzinger at San Diego Lincoln

Mira Monte at Nordhoff

Mission Viejo at Folsom

Moorpark at Birmingham

Moreau Catholic at Sherman Oaks Notre Dame

Peoria Centennial (Ariz.) vs. Servite at Cerritos College

St. John Bosco at Pittsburg

South Gate at Warren

Torres at Verbum Dei

Victory Christian Academy at Nuview Bridge

8-MAN

SOUTHERN SECTION

Nonleague

Academy of Careers & Exploration at Calvary Baptist

Cuyama Valley at Laguna Blanca, 3 p.m.

Price at United Christian Academy

INTERSECTIONAL

Chadwick at Mammoth

Coast Union at Laton

Cornerstone Christian at North County St. Joseph Academy

Maricopa at Immanuel Christian

Public Safety Academy at Francis Parker, 6 p.m.

TEACH Tech Charter at Lancaster Baptist

West Shores at Lucerne Valley

SATURDAY’S SCHEDULE

SOUTHERN SECTION

Nonleague

San Marino at Alhambra

Santa Clara at St. Jeanne de Lestonnac, 6 p.m.

INTERSECTIONAL

Dorsey at Castlemont

8-MAN

CITY SECTION

Nonleague

South LA College Prep at Stella, 12 p.m.

SOUTHERN SECTION

Nonleague

Cate at Valley Christian Academy, 6 p.m.

Santa Clarita Christian at Hesperia Christian, 6 p.m.

INTERSECTIONAL

California Lutheran at Downey Calvary Chapel, 6 p.m.

Malibu at Orcutt Academy, 2 p.m.

New Designs Watts at Pasadena Poly, 11 a.m.

New Designs University Park at Lighthouse Christian, 6 p.m.

The season of Honey Deuce cocktails at Flushing Meadows is upon us as the 2026 US Open main draw gets under way in New York this Sunday.

This year’s fourth and final Grand Slam will feature some of the biggest names in tennis and breakout players on the up and up, although there will also be some notable injured absentees.

The mixed doubles title has already been claimed by Czech pair Karolina Muchova and Jakub Mensik on Wednesday night after defeating Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic and Italy’s Flavio Cobolli.

Here’s everything you need to know about the US Open main draw:

Where and when is the US Open?

All the main draw action from August 30 until September 13 is at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, just outside New York City.

The men’s and women’s quarterfinals begin on September 8 , followed by:

Women’s singles semifinals: September 10

Men’s singles semifinals: September 11

Women’s final: September 12

Men’s final: September 13

Who are the top seeds?

Women’s singles: 

1. Aryna Sabalenka
2. Elina Rybakina
3. Jessica Pegula
4. Coco Gauff
5. Mirra Andreeva
6. Karolina Muchova
7. Linda Noskova
8. Iga Swiatek
9. Amanda Anisimova
10. Elina Svitolina

Men’s singles: 

1. Alexander Zverev
2. Carlos Alcaraz
3. Felix Auger-Aliassime
4. Alex de Minaur
5. Ben Shelton
6. Novak Djokovic
7. Daniil Medvedev
8. Flavio Cobolli
9. Taylor Fritz
10. Alexander Bublik

What are some major storylines?

• Top-ranked Jannik Sinner withdraws: The World number one said he was “very sad and disappointed” to withdraw from after being unable to recover from a right knee injury that has sidelined him since winning the Wimbledon title. The Italian pulled out of hard-court tournaments in Montreal and Cincinnati that serve as a warm-up for the US Open.
• Carlos Alcaraz back in action: The Spaniard will look to defend his title after a four-month hiatus from tennis due to a wrist injury, but Sinner’s absence means the crowd will not see the beloved “Sincaraz” rivalry this time.
• Serena Williams, Alcaraz pair up for iconic mixed doubles duo: Two generational greats teamed up for this year’s mixed doubles, although their star power faded as they fell to Cobolli and Bencic in the quarterfinal.
• Serena and Venus Williams receive doubles wildcard: The 23-time Grand Slam champion received a women’s doubles wildcard alongside older sister Venus. They have played together at the US Open nine times, winning in 1999 and 2009. Venus also received a wildcard for the women’s singles.
• 2016 champion Stan Wawrinka handed last-minute wildcard: The former world number three was left off the initial list of wildcard entries in his farewell season, but was handed the entry on Wednesday after several days of outcry from fans over his exclusion.
• Teen sensation Moise Kouame makes US Open debut: The 17-year-old made history at this year’s French Open when he became the youngest male Grand Slam winner in 17 years. However, the Frenchman’s US Open debut ended in the qualifying round after defeat to Nishesh Basavareddy of the US.
• Novak Djokovic continues pursuit of elusive 25th slam: The world number five Djokovic has been in relentless pursuit of a record 25th Slam title since winning his 24th at the US Open in 2023. The Serbian’s ambition has repeatedly been tested by age as the 39-year-old struggled with stifling humidity at this month’s Cincinnati Open. Still, he reached the Australian Open final this year as well as the Wimbledon semifinal.

Is Roger Federer making a comeback?

No. The 45-year-old Swiss icon categorically ruled out a Williams-esque return.

His brief on-court appearance in New York this week was for primetime exhibition matches ahead of a trip to Newport, Rhode Island to be enshrined in the International Tennis Hall of Fame on Saturday.

Who’s likely to lift the trophy?

With Sinner out of contention, Alcaraz has a clear shot at his title defence for a third US Open win.

Wimbledon champion and top seed Alexander Zverev will also be looking to carry momentum from his maiden Slam win in June, although the German was knocked out in the fourth round at last week’s Cincinnati Open.

Arthur Fils, seeded 23rd, could be a surprise contender in the final four after the Frenchman defeated American Frances Tiafoe to clinch his maiden Masters 1000 title in Cincinnati last week.

Over on the women’s side, Gauff will look to defeat top-ranked Sabalenka for a repeat of her maiden US Open title in 2023, although the Belarusian will be eyeing a third consecutive win in New York.

That being said, the 28-year-old has faltered this season after a fourth round defeat in Cincinnati, the Toronto Masters, Wimbledon and a quarterfinal exit at Roland Garros.

World number two Rybakina is hot on Sabalenka’s heels for the top spot with 8,141 points to Sabalenka’s 8,575.

At 32, Jessica Pegula is the oldest top 10 player, but has been a finalist and semifinalist in the past two years and will look to continue that on home soil this year too.

Russian teenager Andreeva bagged her maiden Slam title at the French Open this summer and sits at a career-high world number five, although a fourth round appearance in New York will be her deepest at the US Open.

Alex Eala of the Philippines will be a force to watch after the 21-year-old found her breakthrough with a maiden WTA title this month at the Washington Open.

She received a wildcard for the US Open mixed doubles with Auger-Aliassime, although the duo fell in the first round to husband-and-wife duo of Gael Monfils and Svitolina.

Eala will headline the Stars of the Open exhibition event at Arthur Ashe on Thursday alongside young players Joao Fonseca, Iva Jovic and Learner Tien.

What’s the prize money this year?

A record $108m prize pot is up for grabs this time:

Singles

Winner: $5.5m
Finalist: $2.8m
Semi-finalist: $1.45m
Quarter-finalist: $780,000
Round of 16: $480,000
Round of 32: $290,000
Round of 64: $190,000
Round of 128: $140,000
Qualifying Round of 32: $66,000
Qualifying Round of 64: $48,000
Qualifying Round of 128: $32,000

Doubles ($ per pair)

Winner: $1m
Finalist: $500,000
Semi-finalist: $250,000
Quarter-finalist: $125,000
Round of 16: $75,000
Round of 32: $45,000
Round of 64: $30,000

Who are some notable absences this year?

Alongside Sinner, Brazil’s Fonseca (ATP 26th ranking) and Briton Jack Draper (ATP 141st ranking) will be absent from the men’s side.

Emma Raducanu of Britain, world number 15 Victoria Mboko of Canada and Hailey Baptiste of the US, ranked 34rd, are other big names who won’t be in action.

(Games at 7 p.m. unless noted)

THURSDAY’S SCHEDULE

CITY SECTION

Nonleague

Torres at Manual Arts

SOUTHERN SECTION

Nonleague

Arroyo Valley at Moreno Valley

Colton at Eisenhower

Compton at Orange Vista

El Toro at Marina

Fontana at Jurupa Valley

Glendora at Walnut

Grand Terrace ar Palm Springs

Indian Springs at Indio

Jurupa Hills at Hesperia

Los Alamitos at Huntington Beach

Los Osos at Citrus Valley

Miller at Citrus Hill

Norte Vidta at Rancho Christian

Patriot at Granite Hills

Perris at Redlands East Valley

Placentia Valencia at Santa Ana

Ridgecrest Burroughs at Adelanto

Rim of the World at Western Christian

Riverside Prep at Twentynine Palms

San Gorgonio at Corona

San Dimas at Chaffey

Sultana at Liberty, 7:30 p.m.

Sunny Hills at California

Vista del Lago at Hillcrest

Western at Villa Park

Woodbridge at La Palma Kennedy

INTERSECTIONAL

Fallbrook at Canyon Springs

Long Beach Jordan at Crenshaw

Mendez at Keppel

Orlando Bishop Moore at Palos Verdes, 6 p.m.

Sierra Canyon at Hollywood (Fla.) Chaminade-Madonna, 4p.m.

8-MAN

CITY SECTION

Nonleague

Stella at East Valley

INTERSECTIONAL

Animo Robinson at California School for the Deaf Riverside, 6 p.m.

Downey Calvary Chapel at Valley Oaks CES

New Designs Watts vs. Milken at Birmingham

Sherman Oaks CES at Sage Hill

FRIDAY’S SCHEDULE

CITY SECTION

Nonleague

Arleta ar Bernstein

Canoga Park at Hollywood

Carson at Dorsey

Cleveland at Reseda

Contreras at Los Angeles Wilson

Diego Rivera ar Santee

Franklin at Chatsworth

Gardena at South East

Jefferson at Van Nuys

Los Angeles Marshall at Fairfax

Legacy at Lincoln

Locke at Belmont

Manual Arts at Panorama

Marquez at Bell

Maywood CES at Fremont

Reseda at Cleveland

Sun Valley Poly at San Fernando

Venice at Granada Hills

Washington Prep at Roybal

Wilmington Banning at Huntington Park

SOUTHERN SECTION

Nonleague

Agoura at Westlake

Alemany at Sherman Oaks Notre Dame

Alta Loma at St. Francis

Aliso Niguel at Laguna Hills

Antelope Valley at St. Genevieve

Arcadia at San Gabriel

Artesia at Hacienda Heights Wilson

Azusa at Garey

Banning ar Redlands

Barstow at Serrano

Bassett at Hoover

Bellflower at Trabuco Hills

Bell Gardens at Bishop Montgomery

Big Bear at Glendale

Bishop Amat at Oak Hills

Bolsa Grande at Irvine University

Bonita at Diamond Ranch

Buena at Dos Pueblos

Buena Park at Westminster

Calabasas at Rio Mesa

California Military at Firebaugh

Camarillo at Moorpark

Canyon Country Canyon at Glendale

Cathedral City at San Bernardino

Century at Glenn

Cerritos Valley Christian at Mary Star of the Sea

Chaminade at Valencia

Channel Islands at Viewpoint

Charter Oak at Upland

Chino at West Covina

Coachella Valley at Rancho Mirage

Colony at Norco

Compton Centennial at Beverly Hills

Compton Early College at Magnolia \

Corona Santiago at Temescal Canyon

Costa Mesa at Estancia

Crean Lutheran at Mira Costa

Crespi vs. Golden Valley at Canyon Country Canyon

Cypress at Brea Olinda

Damien at Vista Murrieta

Desert at Lancaster Baptist

Desert Chapel at Whittier Christian

Desert Hot Springs at Xavier Prep

Desert Mirage at San Jacinto Valley Academy

Diamond Bar at Claremont

Don Lugo at Carter

Downey at Capistrano Valley

Eastvale Roosevelt at Summit

El Dorado at Fullerton

El Modena at Segerstrom

El Segundo at Northwood

Elsinore at Temecula Valley

Fountain Valley at Esperanza

Gahr at Cerritos

Ganesha at El Monte

Garden Grove at Garden Grove Pacifica

Hart at Newbury Park

Hemet at Tahquitz

Heritage at Kaiser

Highland at Apple Valley

Lakewood at Paramount

La Puente at Temple City

La Salle at San Marino

Leuzinger at Palmdale

Loara at Lakeside

Long Beach Wilson at JSerra

Knight at Crescenta Valley

Maranatha at Covina

Millikan at Loyola

Montclair at Burbank Burroughs

Montebello at Cantwell-Sacred Heart

Murrieta Mesa at Etiwanda

Newport Harbor at Lancaster

Nogales at Sierra Vista

Northview at La Habra

Norwalk at La Mirada

Oaks Christian at Rancho Cucamonga

Oak Park at Fillmore

Ontario at La Sierra

Ontario Christian at St. Anthony

Orange at Laguna Beach

Oxnard at Ventura

Pacific at Rubidoux

Peninsula at Ocean View

Portola at Irvine

Ramona at Arlington

Rancho Alamitos at Godinez

Rancho Verde at Anaheim Canyon

Riverside Notre Dame at Bloomington

Riverside Poly at Riverside North

Rowland at Baldwin Park

Royal at Carpinteria

San Marcos at Del Sol

San Jacinto at Riverside King

San Juan Hills at Chaparral

Santa Ana Foothill at Tustin

Santa Ana Valley at Katella

Santa Barbara at Corona del Mar

Santa Fe at El Rancho

Santa Margarita at Corona Centennial

Santa Monica at La Canada

Santa Paula at Grace

Savanna at Anaheim

Schurr at L:a Serna

Servite at Murrieta Valley

Silverado at Yucaipa

Sonora at Rosemead

South El Monte at Saddleback

South Hills at Ayala

South Torrance at Arroyo

St. Bonaventure at St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy

St. Monica at Cathedral

St. Paul at Mission Viejo

Tesoro at Dana Hills

Thousand Oaks at Hueneme

Torrance at Redondo Union

Troy at Rio Hondo Prep

Westminster La Quinta at Pioneer

West Ranch at Bishop Diego

West Valley at Santa Rosa Academy

Whittier at Gabrielino

Workman at Mountain View

Yorba Linda at Long Beach Poly

Yucca Valley at La Quinta

INTERSECTIONAL

Aquinas at Boise (Idaho) Bishop Kelly

Bakersfield at Paraclete

Bakersfield Independence at Cajon

Beckman at Pleasant Hill College Park

Burbank at Las Vegas Centennial

California City at Silver Valley

Central at Palm Desert

Chino Hills at Oceanside El Camino

Eagle Rock at Monrovia

Eastside at Rosamond

Hawkins at Verbum Dei, 5 p.m.

Heritage Christian at El Camino Real

Inglewood at Austin Westlake (Texas), 5 p.m.

King/Drew at Culver City

Las Vegas Shadow Ridge at Simi Valley

Los Altos at South Gate

Los Angeles Hamilton at Gardena Serra

Los Ángeles Jordan at Santa Clara

Los Ángeles Roosevelt at Lawndale

Los Ángeles University at Brentwood

Lynwood at Dymally, 4 p.m.

Mayfair at Bullard

Muir at Henderson (NV) Pinecrest Academy Sloane Canyon, 6 p.m.

North County San Marcos at Great Oak

North Torrance at Narbonne

Orange Lutheran at San Diego Cathedral Catholic

Palisades at Harvard-Westlake

Palo Verde Valley at Shadow Hills

Pasadena at Granada Hills Kennedy

Philadelphia Roman Catholic at St. John Bosco

Phoenix (Ariz.) Pinnacle at Edison

Quartz Hill at San Marcos Mission Hills

Rancho Dominguez at Bosco Tech

Salesian at Mesa (Ariz.) Westwood

San Diego Lincoln at Oxnard Pacifica

Spanish Fork (Utah) Maple Mountain at South Pasadena

Sylmar vs. Saugus at College of the Canyons

Taft at Nordhoff

Temecula Prep at Tri-City Christian

Valley View vs. Sports Leadership & Management at Bishop Gorman

Victor Valley at Mater Academy East Las Vegas (Nev.)

Victory Christian Academy at Anza Hamilton

Village Christian at North Hollywood

Warren at Scripps Ranch

West Adams at Pomona

Westchester at St. Bernard

West Torrance at San Pedro

8-MAN

SOUTHERN SECTION

Nonleague

Chadwick at Faith Baptist, 4 p.m.

Mammoth at Flintridge Prep

Maricopa at Frazier Mountain, 6 p.m.

Thousand Oaks Hillcrest Christian at Entrepreneur

Vista Meridian at Calvary Baptist

INTERSECTIONAL

St. Jeanne de Lestonnac at Fulton, 3:30 p.m.

SATURDAY’S SCHEDULE

SOUTHERN SECTION

Nonleague

Webb at Duarte

INTERSECTIONAL

Mater Dei vs. Orem (Utah) at Salt Lake City West

8-MAN

INTERSECTIONAL

Lucerne Valley at San Luis Obispo Classical, 2 p.m.

South L.A. College Prep at Pasadena Poly, 11 a.m.

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL

(Games at 7 p.m. unless noted)

THURSDAY’S SCHEDULE

CITY SECTION

Nonleague

Granada Hills Kennedy at Eagle Rock

SOUTHERN SECTION

Nonleague

Arroyo Valley at Colton

Banning at Santa Ana Calvary Chapel, 7:30 p.m.

Bellflower at Santa Ana

Buena at Castaic

Carter at Kaiser

Cerritos at Cypress

Colony at Alta Loma

Compton at Long Beach Jordan

Corona Centennial vs. Servite at Orange Coast College

Desert Mirage at Duarte

Diamond Bar at Grand Terrace

Etiwanda at Cajon

Garden Grove Pacifica at Beckman

Glendora at San Dimas

Godinez at Irvine University

Great Oak at Vista Murrieta

Huntington Beach at Millikan

Katella at Loara, 6:30 p.m.

La Salle at Cantwell-Sacred Heart

Los Altos at Diamond Ranch

Murrieta Valley at Rancho Cucamonga

Palm Springs at Hemet

Paraclete at St. Bonaventure

Pomona at Lakeside

Ramona at Riverside King

Rancho Christian at Ganesha

Redlands at Fontana

Redlands East Valley at Rancho Verde

Riverside North at Los Osos

Saddleback at Garden Grove Santiago

St. Margaret’s at Arlington

Victor Valley at West Covina

INTERSECTIONAL

Garfield at Montebello

Magnolia at Orlando University (Florida), 4 p.m.

FRIDAY’S SCHEDULE

CITY SECTION

Nonleague

Bernstein at Hawkins

Canoga Park at Arleta, 3:30 p.m.

Carson at Lincoln

Crenshaw at Palisades

Dymally at Dorsey

Fairfax at Hollywood

Fremont at Van Nuys

Granada Hills at North Hollywood

Grant at Los Angeles Wilson

Legacy at Maywood CES

Los Ángeles Marshall at Contreras

Los Ángeles University at Lincoln

Marquez at Verdugo Hills

Narbonne at Cleveland

Panorama at Arroyo

Reseda at Fulton, 3:30 p.m.

Roybal at Jefferson

San Pedro at King/Drew

South East at Wilmington Banning

Sun Valley Poly at Taft

Torres at Manual Arts

SOUTHERN SECTION

Nonleague

Adelanto at Littlerock

Alhambra at Hacienda Heights Wilson

Anaheim Canyon at La Palma Kennedy

Apple Valley at Moorpark

Aquinas at Damien

Arroyo at Azusa

Beaumont at San Jacinto

Beverly Hills at Placentia Valencia

Bishop Amat at St. Paul

Bishop Montgomery at Segerstrom

Bloomington at Corona

Bolsa Grande at Garden Grove

Brea Olinda at Marina

Buena Park at Don Lugo

Calabasas at Alemany

California at Nogales

California Military at Santa Ana Valley

Camarillo at Santa Barbara

Canyon Springs at St. Anthony

Cerritos Valley Christian at Gahr

Channel Islands at Santa Paula

Chaparral at Mission Viejo

Chino at Ontario Christian

Chino Hills at Quartz Hill

Citrus Hill at Jurupa Hills

Claremont at Valley View

Corona del Mar at Lakewood

Covina at La Puente

Dana Hills at San Marcos

Del Sol at Oxnard Pacifica

Desert Hot Springs at Tahquitz

Dominguez at Maranatha

Dos Pueblos at Santa Ynez

Eastvale Roosevelt at Norco

El Monte at Arcadia

Elsinore at Patriot

El Toro at Tesoro

Esperanza at Shadow Hills

Fillmore at La Canada

Fountain Valley at Ocean View

Fullerton at Anaheim

Gabrielino at Artesia

Gardena Serra vs. Palos Verdes at El Camino College

Glendale at San Gabriel

Golden Valley at Pasadena

Grace at Arrowhead Christian

Granite Hills at Sultana

Harvard-Westlake vs. West Ranch at Valencia

Heritage at Garey

Hesperia at Palmdale

Hillcrest at Riverside Poly

Hoover at Nordhoff

Indian Springs at Montclair

Inglewood at Los Alamitos

Irvine at Northwood

Jurupa Valley at Chaffey

Keppel at Compton Centennial

Knight at Canyon Country Canyon

La Habra at Upland

Laguna Hills at Santa Ana Foothill

La Serna at Baldwin Park

Lawndale at Norwalk

Liberty at Temecula Valley

Linfield Christian at Orange Vista

Lompoc Cabrillo at Burbank

Long Beach Cabrillo at Sonora

Long Beach Poly at Downey

Long Beach Wilson at Mayfair

Loyola at Crean Lutheran

Miller at San Gorgonio

Mira Costa at Torrance

Monrovia at Brentwood

Moreno Valley at Eisenhower

Mountain View at Glenn

Muir at Bonita

Murrieta Mesa at Newport Harbor

North Torrance at Orange

Northview at Thousand Oaks

Nuview Bridge at Pacific

Oak Hills at Highland

Oaks Christian at Chaminade

Paloma Valley at Temescal Canyon

Portola at Woodbridge

Rancho Mirage at Yucca Valley

Redondo Union at El Segundo

Rio Hondo Prep at Schurr

Rio Mesa at Hueneme

Riverside Notre Dame at Costa Mesa

Riverside Prep at Century

San Marino at Vasquez

Santa Clara at Firebaugh

Santa Fe at Pioneer

Santa Rosa Academy at Cathedral City

Saugus ar Agoura

Serrano at Warren

Sherman Oaks Notre Dame at Crespi

Sierra Canyon at JSerra

Sierra Vista at Walnut

Silverado at Vista del Lago

South Hills at El Rancho

South Pasadena at Peninsula, 4:30 p.m.

South Torrance at Burbank Burroughs

St. Bernard vs. Los Amigos at Bolsa Grande

Summit at Ayala

Temple City at Whittier

Trabuco Hills at Norte Vista

Trinity Classical Academy at Sage Hill

Tustin at San Clemente

Twentynine Palms at Desert Christian Academy

Valencia at Simi Valley

Western at Salesian

Western Christian at Workman

Westlake at Newbury Park

Westminster at Sunny Hills

West Valley at Capistrano Valley Christian

Xavier Prep at Rim of the World

Yorba Linda at Laguna Beach

Yucaipa at Corona Santiago

INTERSECTIONAL

American Fork (Utah) vs. Mater Dei at Santa Ana Stadium

Angelou at Oak Park

Antelope Valley at Kern Valley

Anza Hamilton at Mountain Empire

Bassett at Mendez

Bell Gardens at Bell

Birmingham vs. Hart at College of the Canyons

Bishop Diego at Paso Robles

Boron at Big Bear

Bosco Tech at Los Angeles Jordan

California City at Eastside

El Camino Real at Lihue Kauai (Hawaii), 4 p.m.

Gardena at Hawthorne

Heritage Christian at San Fernando

La Mirada at South Gate

Lancaster at Henderson Coronado (Nevada)

Las Vegas Centennial (Nevada) at Cathedral

Las Vegas Somerset Academy Losee (Nevada) at Barstow

Lynwood at Franklin

Miami Central (Florida) at Orange Lutheran

Mission College Prep at Oxnard

Monroe at Royal

Orlando Jones (Florida) at Santa Margarita

Palm Desert at Brawley

Paramount at Los Angeles Roosevelt

Perris at Kearny

Rancho Dominguez at Rosemead

River Springs at San Marcos St. Joseph Academy

San Diego Clairemont at Viewpoint

San Jacinto Valley Academy at Valhalla

San Marcos at Aliso Niguel

Santee at South El Monte

St. John Bosco at Las Vegas Bishop Gorman (Nevada)

Tehachapi at Ridgecrest Burroughs

Tri-City Christian at St. Jeanne de Lestonnac, 3:30 p.m.

Venice at St. Monica

Village Christian at Huntington Park

Vincent Memorial at Temecula Prep

Westchester at Santa Monica

8-MAN

CITY SECTION

Nonleague

New Designs University Park at Sherman Oaks CES

SOUTHERN SECTION

Coast Valley League

San Luis Obispo Classical at Coast Union

Majestic League

Entrepreneur at United Christian Academy

Nonleague

Calvary Baptist at Southlands Christian

Lancaster Desert Christian at Maricopa

INTERSECTIONAL

Alpaugh at Cuyama Valley

East Valley at PAL Academy, 3 p.m.

Valley Oaks CES at Frazier Mountain, 5 p.m.

SATURDAY’S SCHEDULE

SOUTHERN SECTION

Nonleague

Compton Early College at Savanna, 1 p.m.

Whittier Christian at La Sierra

INTERSECTIONAL

Viewpoint at Clairemont, 6 p.m.

8-MAN

SOUTHERN SECTION

Nonleague

Coastal Christian at Laguna Blanca, 1 p.m.

Cornerstone Christian at California Lutheran, 10 a.m.

BBC Breakfast viewers were stunned by the quick change

BBC Breakfast viewers have been hit with an unexpected scheduling change this morning.

The hit breakfast show airs every morning from 6am on BBC One with a regular panel of presenters and experts on hand to deliver all the latest news stories, sports and expert insight into what’s going on across the UK.

According to the BBC, a synopsis reads: “The latest news, sport, business and weather from the BBC’s Breakfast team.”

This morning (Sunday, August 16) hosts Roger Johnson and Luxmy Gopal returned to the BBC Breakfast couch on BBC One. However, it wasn’t long before their broadcast was interrupted and they moved channels.

Just over an hour into the show, BBC Breakfast moved from BBC One to BBC Two. This is because of the European Athletics Championships which is reporting live from Birmingham, covering the “opening session on day seven.”

Before the change over, Roger said: “It’s almost time for us to say goodbye on BBC One but Breakfast continues on BBC Two and BBC News channel until 9 o’clock this morning, lots to come from the programme.”

After the quick channel change, Roger told viewers: “If you’ve followed us over from BBC One, thank you for hitting the button, we’re here on BBC Two and the BBC News Channel until 9 o’clock this morning, it’s good to have your company.”

Reacting to the channel change, one person wrote on X: “We haven’t turned over to bbc2 for ages. B***** football probably.”

Another penned: “What you mean I have to lift the remote control and press a button?? When is Newswatch back on??”

Tomorrow’s instalment is expected to continue as usual on BBC One, from 6am to 9.30am.

The programme continued seamlessly as they jumped into their next segment of the importance of pet food banks, with donations dropping off as they struggle to meet the demand of pet owners.

Appearing on the programme, one pet owner Vicky told of her story when she struggled to pay for food for her beloved pets. She said: “Husband was promised work, payments stopped for the work. We were literally living off of peanuts.

“I just remember crying, it was coming up to Christmas. But it was thanks to the pet foodbank that I was able to keep my dogs.”

BBC Breakfast airs every morning from 6am on BBC One