Jannik Sinner continued his US Open title defence in dominant fashion as he swept past fellow Italian Lorenzo Musetti to reach the semi-finals in New York.
Labelled an “artificial intelligence” player by Alexander Bublik in the last round, Sinner’s scintillating form carried on as he won 6-1 6-4 6-2.
Musetti, ranked 10th, was unable to convert any of his seven break points, while he hit just 12 winners to his compatriot’s 28 on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
“We know each other very well. We’re from the same country, there’s so many Italian players in the draw, so it’s nice to play here,” Sinner said.
“Obviously playing Davis Cup together and stuff like this you have to take the friendship away, but when you shake hands everything is fine.”
In a ruthless first set, Sinner rattled through the first five games and conceded just five points before Musetti eventually held serve to get himself on the board for 5-1.
Sinner closed out the opener after just 27 minutes, but his momentum slowed in the second set as Musetti stepped up his level.
But the top seed managed to grab the decisive break at 4-4 and served it out comfortably before breaking twice in the third to secure the win just before midnight at Flushing Meadows.
“From my point of view it was a great performance, very solid,” Sinner added.
He has now won 26 consecutive matches at hard-court Grand Slam tournaments.
The 24-year-old will face Felix Auger-Aliassime in Friday’s semi-final after the Canadian defeated Alex de Minaur of Australia.
Joao Pedro hits a brace on debut against former club Fluminense to send Chelsea into FIFA Club World Cup 2025 final.
England’s Chelsea defeated Fluminense of Brazil 2-0 to reach the final of the FIFA 2025 Club World Cup, with Blues debutant Joao Pedro netting twice against his boyhood club.
The Brazilian forward, who was at Fluminense from age 10 until leaving for Watford in 2020, curled his new club in front at MetLife Stadium on Tuesday from the left side of the box in the 18th minute.
The 24-year-old, who joined the Londoners from Brighton for $81.5m last week, sealed the win in the drilled effort that went in off the underside of the bar early in the second half.
Chelsea’s Joao Pedro scores their first goal past Fluminense’s Fabio [Mike Segar/Reuters]
Temperatures were soaring in New Jersey, which will stage next summer’s FIFA 2026 World Cup, ahead of the 3pm kickoff.
A crowd of 70,556, which was only 10-15 percent short of capacity, attended the game, despite the 34 degrees Celsius (93F) at kickoff, with humidity that made it feel like 40C (104F).
FIFA had, however, cut ticket prices from $473.90 to $13.40 last week.
It did not take long for the action on the field to reach similarly heated levels soon after Pedro’s opener, when Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah handled in his own area.
Video Referee Assistant (VAR) intervened, and the original awarding of the penalty was overturned. Fluminense were incensed, but Chalobah’s arm was in a natural position by his side.
Fluminense’s best opening came moments earlier, when Marc Cucurella was forced to clear Hercules’s shot off the line in the 27th minute.
Former Chelsea defender Tiago Silva, who appeared 113 times for Brazil, lined up against his former club since departing the London club last October.
The 40-year-old was far busier than his former teammates in their defensive lines, with his keeper, Fabio, drawn into a number of saves.
Chelsea’s Joao Pedro scores their second goal [Agustin Marcarian/Reuters]
There was little the oldest player in the tournament, at 44, could do about either of Pedro’s strikes, the second a brilliant finish following a counterattack early in the 56th minute. Cole Palmer set the move in motion by dribbling past three players before laying off for Enzo Fernandez, who in turn laid on to Pedro.
Much like his first goal, where he took two steps to start to celebrate, then stopped and clasped his hands, Pedro showed respect to his former club by muting his response to both strikes.
Chelsea will now seek to secure a second FIFA Club World Cup, following their 2021 victory.
European teams will win their 12th straight Club World Cup title, and 17th in 18 tries, the lone exception a 2012 victory by Brazil’s Corinthians over Chelsea.
The London-based club has earned $88.4m to $103.8m for reaching the final, the amount depending on a participation fee FIFA has not disclosed.
Who: Real Madrid vs Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) What: Semifinal 2, FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Where: MetLife Stadium, New Jersey, United States When: Wednesday, July 9 at 3pm local time (19:00 GMT)
How to follow: We’ll have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from noon (16:00 GMT) in advance of our live text commentary stream.
The last two winners of the UEFA Champions League clash for the remaining spot in the final of the FIFA Club World Cup (CWC) when Real Madrid play Paris Saint-Germain in an epic face-off at the 82,500-seat MetLife Stadium, just outside New York.
Real are hoping to add a record sixth CWC crown to their collection while PSG need to win this trophy to complete a rare quintuple of major titles in a single season.
The contest has some extra spice thrown in with superstar Kylian Mbappe, an ex-PSG player, lining up against his old club for the first time since signing with Real Madrid last year.
Here is all to know before the second CWC semifinal:
How did Real Madrid reach the semifinals?
Los Blancos finished atop Group H with two wins and one draw.
Real opened their CWC campaign with a 1-1 draw against Al Hilal in Miami, before thumping Mexican side Pachuca 3-1 in a rematch of their FIFA Intercontinental final last December. The Spaniards ensured a smooth passage into the knockout rounds with a 3-0 demolition of RB Salzburg in the final group fixture on June 27.
In the round of 16, Real played out a tough 1-0 win against timeless rivals Juventus at Hard Rock Stadium. They then prevailed in a five-goal thriller to eliminate Borussia Dortmund 3-2 in a 2024 Champions League final rematch, capped off by Mbappe’s spectacular match-winning bicycle strike in the 94th minute.
Mbappe’s bicycle strike against Borussia Dortmund in stoppage time put Real Madrid through to the semifinals [File: Vincent Carchietta/Imagn Images via Reuters]
How did PSG reach the semifinals?
PSG finished atop Group B with two wins and one loss.
They opened their Club World Cup with a dominant 4-0 victory against Atletico Madrid at the famous Rose Bowl in Los Angeles.
In their second group fixture, the European champions suffered a shock 1-0 defeat to Botafogo after a first-half goal from Igor Jesus proved to be the match-winner for the Brazilian side.
PSG bounced back in their final group match to defeat hosts Seattle 2-0 at Lumen Field to comfortably qualify for the knockout stage.
In the last 16, the French side demolished Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami 4-0 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
In the quarterfinal, they hit top gear, crushing the challenge of German champions Bayern Munich to win 2-0 and cruise into the last four of the tournament.
Mbappe vs Dembele: The battle of the high-scoring forwards
Real Madrid have netted 11 goals in the Club World Cup so far, while PSG have 12; both teams have been boosted by the return of their injured star strikers, with Ousmane Dembele and Mbappe scoring in the quarterfinals.
The two forwards, who were teammates at PSG until Mbappe’s move to Real Madrid in June 2024 and play together for the France national team, enjoyed incredible offensive statistics in the 2024-25 season.
Mbappe’s superb goal against Dortmund on Saturday was his 44th for Real Madrid in 58 appearances this season.
Dembele, meanwhile, blossomed after Mbappe’s departure from the Paris club, switching from the wing to the attacking talisman role in coach Luis Enrique’s system, scoring 34 goals in 51 appearances across all competitions in 2024-25, and carrying PSG to domestic and European titles.
“I’m feeling really good. It’s the best season of my career,” Dembele told PSG’s official website. “I signed for PSG to have moments like this. It’s been an exceptional year, for me personally and for the team as a whole. It’s magnificent. But we want more. Once you’ve tasted it [championships], you want more.”
Once teammates, now rivals. Dembele, left, and Mbappe celebrate PSG’s French Cup Final victory over Olympique Lyonnais at Stade Pierre Mauroy, Decathlon Arena on May 25, 2024, in Villeneuve d’Ascq, France [Jean Catuffe/Getty Images]
Head-to-head
The last time these two sides met was in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 in 2022 when Mbappe still played for PSG.
Real Madrid won the knockout match 3-2 on aggregate before going on to lift their 14th European title – but PSG were a very different team then, and that was before Enrique took charge of the French side.
How many Club World Cup titles have Real Madrid won?
Real Madrid have won the FIFA Club World Cup a record five times. Their last victory was in 2023 when they beat Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal 5-3.
They also won the trophy in 2015 and 2017, 2018 and 2019.
They also hold the most tournament wins (12) and the most total goals scored in the competition (40).
Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr scores the match-winning fifth goal against Al Hilal in the 2023 FIFA Club World Cup final on February 11, 2023, in Rabat, Morocco [Michael Steele/Getty Images]
What titles have PSG already won this season?
PSG achieved their best season in club history in the 2024-25 campaign, winning a perfect four-out-of-four titles: Ligue 1, Coupe de France, Trophee des Champions and the UEFA Champions League trophy.
In doing so, PSG became the first French side to win a continental treble and also a continental quadruple.
If they win the FIFA Club World Cup, they can add a fifth trophy to their spectacular season, completing a rare quintuple of titles in one season.
Manchester City, in 2023, were the last club side to win five titles in a single season: Premier League, FA Cup, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, FIFA Club World Cup.
Team news: Real Madrid
Gonzalo Garcia, who has led the Real Madrid attack in Mbappe’s absence and scored four goals in five appearances, will likely hand back the starting job to the French superstar against PSG. Earlier in the tournament, Mbappe was hospitalised with gastroenteritis but is now believed to be ready to lead the line from the opening whistle.
“He is still not perfect, not 100 percent, but he is getting better every day,” Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso said of Mbappe after their quarterfinal victory over Dortmund.
Centre back Dean Huijsen, who picked up a late red card against Borussia Dortmund in the quarterfinal, will not play due to suspension.
Real continue to be without the injured trio of David Alaba, Eduardo Camavinga and Endrick.
Team news: PSG
Enrique will be without suspended defenders William Pacho and Lucas Hernandez after both were sent off in PSG’s 2-0 quarterfinal win over Bayern Munich. Lucas Beraldo is expected to be named Pacho’s replacement in the starting XI.
Up front, Dembele is a strong probability to make his first start of the tournament after coming on as a substitute against Munich, with Bradley Barcola moving to the bench.
PSG remain relatively injury-free with only Nordi Mukiele unavailable.
Injured during the group stage of the Club World Cup, Dembele, left, came on as a substitute against Bayern Munich in the quarterfinal and is now pushing for a starting position against Real Madrid in the semifinal [Jason Allen/ISI Photos via Getty Images]
Possible lineups:
Real Madrid: Courtois; Alexander-Arnold, Asencio, Rudiger, F Garcia; Valverde, Tchouameni, Guler, Bellingham; Mbappe, Vinicius Jr
Xabi Alonso, Real coach: “The tactical battle with Luis Enrique will be a big test for us. We will prepare for the upcoming game [PSG] in a positive spirit after today’s [quarterfinal] victory.”
Luis Enrique, PSG coach: “It doesn’t matter who we play in the semifinals. All that matters is that we are there and that we want to get to the final.”
Antonio Rudiger, Real defender: “PSG are a very, very tough team to play against,” Real defender Antonio Rudiger told FIFA. “They’ve shown they’re one of the best teams in Europe, so it’ll be a hard match. But we’re Real Madrid and we’re ready for the challenge.”
Xabi Alonso, centre, faces the biggest test of his young Real Madrid managerial career against European champions PSG in the Club World Cup semifinal at MetLife Stadium on Wednesday [File: Hannah Mckay/Reuters]
When: Tuesday, July 8 at 3pm local time (19:00 GMT)
How to follow: We’ll have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from noon (16:00 GMT) in advance of our live text commentary stream.
Chelsea will be hoping to seal their spot in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup (CWC) final with victory against Brazil’s Fluminense in the opening semifinal on Tuesday.
The Blues are striving to become the first side to win the CWC for a second time but face a formidable task against the Rio de Janeiro giants, who are unbeaten in the tournament.
Here is all to know before their semifinal showdown at MetLife Stadium, just outside New York:
How did Chelsea reach the semifinals?
Chelsea finished second in Group D to another Brazilian super club, Flamengo.
The London-based club opened their campaign with a 2-1 win over Los Angeles FC, before stumbling to a tough 3-1 loss against Flamengo. They qualified for the knockout stage with a 3-0 defeat of Esperance de Tunisie.
Enzo Maresca’s side faced the Group C winners Benfica in the last 16, beating the Portuguese side 4-1 after extra time.
The Blues then played a second Brazilian club in the quarterfinals, beating Palmeiras 2-1 to qualify for the final four.
Cole Palmer, right, scores the first goal for Chelsea against Palmeiras in the FIFA Club World Cup quarterfinal at Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US, July 4, 2025 [Lee Smith/Reuters]
How did Fluminense reach the semifinals?
Fluminense, who qualified for the CWC as winners of the 2023 Copa Libertadores, were unbeaten in Group F, finishing second behind Borussia Dortmund with one win and two draws.
They played out a 0-0 scoreline with Dortmund in their tournament opener, then defeated South Korean side Ulsan HD 4-2. In their final group fixture, they played out 0-0 against Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa.
In the knockout phase, Fluminense upset Inter Milan 2-0 in Charlotte, then ended the fairytale run of Saudi club Al Hilal in the quarterfinal, winning 2-1 and booking their place in Tuesday’s semifinal.
Did Fluminense captain Thiago Silva play for Chelsea?
The inspirational 40-year-old, regarded by many as one of the greatest defenders of all time, is the former skipper of Chelsea, having played more than 150 matches for the English club from 2020 until 2024.
Silva was a fan favourite at Stamford Bridge and won three trophies during his time with Chelsea, including the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup.
Silva is expected to be in the starting XI against his old club.
Fluminense’s Thiago Silva will suit up against his old club Chelsea in Tuesday’s Club World Cup semifinal [File: Hannah Mckay/Reuters]
Head-to-head
This will be the first competitive meeting between Fluminense and Chelsea.
When did Chelsea win the FIFA Club World Cup?
Chelsea won the 18th edition of the CWC in 2021, hosted in the United Arab Emirates.
The Blues won the final 2-1 against Palmeiras at the Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.
The tournament was originally planned to take place in late 2021 in Japan, but was moved to February 2022 in the UAE due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Cesar Azpilicueta of Chelsea lifts the trophy after the FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2021 final against Palmeiras at Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, UAE, February 12, 2022 [Francois Nel/Getty Images]
Is this the first CWC appearance for Fluminense?
Fluminense made their Club World Cup debut at the 2023 tournament in Saudi Arabia, making it all the way to the final in Jeddah where they lost to Manchester City 4-0.
Team news: Chelsea
Chelsea will be without Levi Colwill and Liam Delap after both received their second yellow cards of the tournament against Palmeiras in the quarterfinal.
Moises Caicedo will rejoin the Blues squad after serving his suspension.
On the injury front, Romeo Lavia and Reece James were both held back against Palmeiras and are questionable heading into Tuesday’s match. Omari Kellyman is unavailable for selection.
Team news: Fluminense
Fluminense will be without Juan Pablo Freytes and Mathues Martinelli – who scored the game-winner against Al Hilal in the quarterfinal – after both received their second yellow cards of the tournament in their last-eight final against the Saudi club.
Key defender Rene returns to the club from suspension and is expected to reclaim his place in the starting XI at the expense of Gabriel Fuentes, whom coach Renato Gaucho might redeploy in an attacking midfield role against Chelsea.
Talisman Jhon Arias should again lead Fluminense’s forward line.
Central midfielder Otavio was a pretournament scratching after suffering a season-ending Achilles tendon tear in May.
Jhon Arias has enjoyed a breakout tournament for Fluminense at the FIFA CWC 2025, providing the Brazilian side with a constant attacking threat [File: Carl Recine/FIFA via Getty Images]
Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca said: “I watched some games that they [Fluminense] have played. And you can see that they are very well-organised. They have some very good players. The manager [Gaucho] is doing a fantastic job.”
“And again, it will be the same [in the semi] final. The energy from the Brazilian team in this competition has been high … Probably … because you are starting now the season, while we are finishing the season. So, the energy is normal. It is different. And we try to deal with that in a different way.”
Renato Gaucho, who has helped Fluminense defy the odds to knock out Champions League runners-up Inter Milan in the last 16 and Al Hilal in the quarterfinals, spoke after his side qualified for the semifinal against Chelsea.
“It is another step forward, thanks to everyone’s efforts. Participating in the Club World Cup is a unique opportunity … We do not know when we will have the chance to participate again. I dedicate this qualification [victory over Al Hilal] to our fans, and I imagine the wonderful atmosphere in Rio de Janeiro, just as it was wonderful here in the stadium, it was a deserved victory.”
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca during training in Miami, Florida, US, on July 3, 2025 [Marco Bello/Reuters]
Chelsea beat Palmeiras 2-1 to reach the semifinals of the FIFA Club World Cup where they will face Fluminense.
A late own goal off Palmeiras defender Agustin Giay lifted Chelsea to a 2-1 victory in Philadelphia, sending the Premier League side into the Club World Cup semifinals.
A shot by Chelsea’s Malo Gusto from the right side deflected off Palmeiras’ Richard Rios and Giay. Goalkeeper Weverton was unable to control the caroming ball before it went into the net.
Chelsea will play Fluminense on Tuesday in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Brazilian side defeated Al Hilal 2-1 earlier on Friday.
Palmeiras’ Weverton scores Chelsea second with an own goal [Susana Vera/Reuters]
Cole Palmer scored his first of the tournament in the 16th minute for Chelsea before Estevao, who will join Chelsea after the tournament, tied it in the 53rd minute.
Palmer had been criticised by the Chelsea fans for his lack of production despite leading the team in shots on goal during the tournament.
He proved his worth on the goal, taking a pass from Trevoh Chalobah and dribbling from just outside the box to 15 yards out before scoring with a left-footed strike.
“I’ve been working on … the shot in training. I just saw the space and went there,” Palmer told DAZN after the match.
“The manager just said to keep calm and do lots of passes, and we should be all right.”
Chelsea fans didn’t know whether to cheer or cry, however, when Estevao tied it with a brilliant, tight-angle shot for the equaliser.
Estevao of Palmeiras scores his team’s first goal past Robert Sanchez of Chelsea during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 quarterfinal [Carl Recine/FIFA via Getty Images]
He made a verbal agreement with Chelsea in May 2024 but was not permitted to move to England until he turned 18 on April 24, delaying his transfer to the current window.
The clubs arranged that he would remain with Palmeiras until their tournament run ended.
“You can see he [Estevao] is a top player, so we are excited for him [to join Chelsea after the tournament],” Palmer said of his soon-to-be teammate.
Joao Pedro made his Chelsea debut in the 54th minute, two days after his signing from Brighton & Hove Albion of the Premier League was confirmed.
The Brazilian had 10 goals and six assists for Brighton last season.
Chelsea’s Cole Palmer scores their first goal of the game [Lee Smith/Reuters]
Pedro’s new manager at Chelsea, Enzo Maresca, was glowing about all aspects of the win.
“It has been a tough game, as we expected,” the Blues boss told DAZN.
“We needed lots of energy. At the end, congratulations to the players because they were very good.
“I’m happy because we won, and also happy because Estevao scored. The perfect night.”
Real Madrid face Borussia Dortmund, while Paris-Saint Germain take on Bayern Munich in the other quarterfinals on Saturday.
