tennis

HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS TENNIS

SOUTHERN SECTION PLAYOFFS
WEDNESDAY’S RESULTS
First Round

DIVISION 2
Woodbridge 13, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 5
Orange Lutheran 13, Great Oak 5
Redondo Union 10, Santa Margarita 6
San Juan Hills 13, Diamond Bar 5
Aliso Niguel 10, Newport Harbor 8
Chadwick 14, Laguna Beach 4
Tesoro 13, Huntington Beach 5
Calabasas 15, Temecula Valley 3
Crean Lutheran 15, Los Osos 3
Peninsula at Bonita
Marlborough 10, South Pasadena 8
San Marino 14, Crescenta Valley 4
Crossroads 16, Claremont 2
Westlake 13, Yorba Linda 5
Troy 10, Oak Park 8
Harvard-Westlake 15, Northwood 3

DIVISION 3
Anaheim Canyon, bye
Santa Monica 12, Patriot 6
Whitney 15, Arlington 3
Cate 13, Dos Pueblos 5
Temple City 13, Buckley 5
San Clemente 10, Cypress 8
Eastvale Roosevelt 11, Riverside King 7
El Toro at Los Alamitos
Brentwood 16, Liberty 2
West Ranch 10, CAMS 8
Campbell Hall 17, Yucaipa 1
Capistrano Valley 9, Ayala 9 (CV wins on games 75-68)
Flintridge Prep 10, Long Beach Poly 8
Arcadia 11, Sunny Hills 7
Corona Santiago 13, Redlands 5
Palm Desert, bye

DIVISION 4
Sierra Canyon 12, Quartz Hill 6
Esperanza 12, Fullerton 6
Pasadena Poly 11, Mission Viejo 7
Placentia Valencia 11, Camarillo 7
Rancho Cucamonga 10, Carpinteria 8
Dana Hills 10, Fairmont Prep 8
San Dimas 10, Irvine 8
Oaks Christian 11, La Serna 7
Keppel 9, San Marcos 9 (Keppel wins on games 79-74)
Murrieta Mesa 14, Silverado 4
Torrance 11, Orange County Pacifica Christian 7
Simi Valley 10, Alta Loma 8
Geffen Academy 11, Mayfield 7
Agoura 10, West Torrance 8
St. Margaret’s 12, Warren 6
Marymount 16, Westminster La Quinta 2

DIVISION 5
Thacher, bye
Valencia 11, Oxford Academy 7
Milken Community 10, Louisville 8
Riverside North 13, Valley View 5
Burbank 16, Long Beach Wilson 2
Millikan 14, Oak Hills 4
Maranatha 14, Rowland 4
Golden Valley 15, Chaparral 3
Chino Hills 10, Webb 8
Lakewood St. Joseph 13, Burbank Burroughs 5
Santa Barbara 13, Laguna Blanca 5
Beverly Hills 10, Citrus Valley 8
Santa Fe 11, Serrano 7
Cerritos 12, Pasadena Marshall 6
Bishop Montgomery 13, Xavier Prep 5
Paloma Valley 9, La Palma Kennedy 9 (PV wins on games 87-75)

DIVISION 6
Woodcrest Christian 10, La Habra 8
Flintridge Sacred Heart 15, Lancaster 3
Garden Grove 10, Mayfair 8
Ontario Christian 10, Estancia 8
Santa Monica Pacifica Christian 9, Western Christian 9 (PC wins on games 70-66)
Villa Park 10, Corona 8
Vista del Lago 11, San Bernardino 7
Linfield Christian 10, La Quinta 8
San Jacinto 12, Riverside Notre Dame 6
Village Christian 16, Indio 2
Downey 11, Summit 7
Hillcrest 10, Western 8
Montclair 14, Hesperia 4
El Modena 14, Hacienda Heights Wilson 4
Heritage 13, Chino 5
Saugus 14, La Mirada 4

DIVISION 7
Temescal Canyon 11, Los Altos 7
Los Amigos 9, Rosemead 9 (Los Amigos wins on games 79-78)
El Rancho 10, La Sierra 8
Malibu 16, Twentynine Palms 2
South Hills 13, Azusa 5
Laguna Hills 17, Orange Vista 1
Ventura 12, Savanna 6
Apple Valley 10, Chaffey 8
Norwalk 9, Canoga Park AGBU 9 (Norwalk wins on games 70-66)
La Salle 13, Coachella Valley 5
Ramona 12, Granite Hills 6
Segerstrom 11, San Gabriel 7
Bolsa Grande 12, Westminster 6
Oakwood 17, Miller 1
Northview 12, Indian Springs 6
Arroyo 17, Highland 1

DIVISION 8
Alhambra, bye
Bishop Diego 14, YULA 4
Rim of the World 10, Foothill Tech 8
Nogales 13, Paramount 5
Tahquitz 13, Grand Terrace 5
Costa Mesa 12, Knight 6
Duarte 10, Workman 8
Whittier 11, de Toledo 7
St. Bonaventure 12, Edgewood 6
Oxnard 10, Channel Islands 8
Bellflower 10, Rancho Alamitos 8
Arroyo Valley 10, Moreno Valley 8
Canyon Springs 12, Cathedral City 6
Garden Grove Santiago 14, Carter 4
Hueneme 14, Banning 4
Academy for Academic Excellence 14, La Puente 4

FRIDAY’S SCHEDULE
(Matches at 3 p.m. unless noted)
First Round

DIVISION 1
Sage Hill at Corona del Mar
JSerra at Mater Dei
Mira Costa at Palos Verdes
Fountain Valley at Portola

Second Round

DIVISION 2
Orange Lutheran at Woodbridge
San Juan Hills at Redondo Union
Chadwick at Aliso Niguel
Calabasas at Tesoro
Crean Lutheran vs. Bonita / Peninsula
San Marino at Marlborough
Westlake at Crossroads
Harvard-Westlake at Troy

DIVISION 3
Santa Monica at Anaheim Canyon
Whitney at Cate
Temple City at San Clemente
Roosevelt vs. El Toro / Los Alamitos
Brentwood at West Ranch
Campbell Hall at Capistrano Valley
Flintridge Prep at Arcadia
Corona Santiago at Palm Desert

DIVISION 4
Esperanza at Sierra Canyon
Pasadena Poly at Placentia Valencia
Rancho Cucamonga at Dana Hills
San Dimas at Oaks Christian
Keppel at Murrieta Mesa
Simi Valley at Torrance
Agoura at Geffen Academy
Marymount at St. Margaret’s

DIVISION 5
Valencia at Thacher
Milken at Riverside North
Millikan at Burbank
Maranatha at Golden Valley
Lakewood St. Joseph at Chino Hills
Santa Barbara at Beverly Hills
Santa Fe at Cerritos
Bishop Montgomery at Paloma Valley

DIVISION 6
Woodcrest Christian at Flintridge Sacred Heart
Ontario Christian at Garden Grove
Santa Monica Pacifica Christian at Villa Park
Linfield Christian at Vista del Lago
San Jacinto at Village Christian
Hillcrest at Downey
El Modena at Montclair
Heritage at Saugus

DIVISION 7
Temescal Canyon at Los Amigos
Malibu at El Rancho
Laguna Hills at South Hills
Apple Valley at Ventura
Norwalk at La Salle
Ramona at Segerstrom
Bolsa Grande at Oakwood
Arroyo at Northview

DIVISION 8
Bishop Diego at Alhambra
Rim of the World at Nogales
Tahquitz at Costa Mesa
Whittier at Duarte
St. Bonaventure at Oxnard
Bellflower at Arroyo Valley
Garden Grove Santiago at Canyon Springs
Academy of Academic Excellence at Hueneme

Note: Quarterfinals (Divisions 2-8) Nov. 10; Semifinals (all divisions) Nov. 12; Finals (Divisions 1-4) Nov. 14 at University of Redlands; Finals (Divisions 5-8) Nov. 14 at The Claremont Club.

CITY SECTION PLAYOFFS

MONDAY’S RESULTS

Semifinals

DIVISION I

#5 GALA 21.5, #1 LA Marshall 8

#3 North Hollywood 15.5, #2 Chatsworth 14

DIVISION II

#1 Granada Hills Kennedy 17.5, #4 Bell 10

#2 Carson 20.5, Gardena 9

Note: Division II Finals Nov. 5 at 11 a.m. at Balboa Sports Center; Division I Finals Nov. 6 at 11 a.m. at Balboa Sports Center.

Jannik Sinner’s first Paris Masters crown moves the Italian past Carlos Alcaraz and back into the ATP’s top spot.

Italy’s Jannik Sinner powered past Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-4, 7-6(4) to capture his maiden Paris Masters title on Sunday, a triumph that catapulted the 24-year-old back to the summit of the men’s rankings ahead of the ATP Finals.

The second seed knew only victory would suffice to leapfrog rival Carlos Alcaraz atop the standings, and he delivered in style to become just the fourth player in tournament history to lift the trophy without dropping a set.

For Auger-Aliassime, the stakes were equally high but the outcome crushingly different. The Canadian ninth seed needed the title to secure his spot at the season-ending ATP Finals in Turin, but instead saw his hopes dashed in a high-quality final.

Sinner’s Paris conquest marked his first Masters crown of the year and fifth title of 2025, extending his remarkable indoor hardcourt winning streak to 26 matches.

‘Intense final’

“It’s huge, honestly. It was such an intense final here, and we both knew what’s on the line. Also him, he’s in a very tough and difficult spot, but from my side, I’m extremely happy,” Sinner said in an on-court interview.

“The past couple of months have been amazing. We’ve tried to work on things, trying to improve as a player. Seeing these kind of results makes me incredibly happy.

“Another title this year. It has been an amazing year, no matter what comes now in Turin. I’m extremely happy.”

Sinner made his intentions clear from the opening game, breaking Auger-Aliassime’s serve before consolidating the break as he controlled rallies while the Canadian leaked unforced errors.

Despite the majority of the crowd rallying behind the underdog, Auger-Aliassime struggled to match Sinner’s relentless power and precision.

Sinner untouchable on serve

Sinner proved untouchable on the serve, mixing deep groundstrokes with drop shots and half-volleys to bamboozle his opponent.

The Italian’s dominance was complete in the opening set, when Auger-Aliassime failed to earn a single break point while Sinner dropped just three points on serve, sealing the set with a flourish by firing a cross-court forehand winner.

The second set offered more resistance, however, as Auger-Aliassime showed his mettle, saving five break points.

But even his resolute defence could not crack Sinner’s serving stranglehold as the set headed to a tiebreak.

Auger-Aliassime held his own in the tiebreak until a crucial error handed Sinner the advantage, and the Italian needed no second invitation to surge into the lead.

Sinner then delivered the knockout blow on match point, forcing Auger-Aliassime wide during the rally before unleashing a searing backhand winner down the line to claim his fifth Masters crown.

Auger-Aliassime is set to play this week in Metz, where he had a first-round bye, in a last attempt to secure the final spot at the ATP Finals the following week.

SOUTHERN SECTION PLAYOFFS

(Matches at 2 p.m. unless noted)

WEDNESDAY’S SCHEDULE

First Round

DIVISION 2
Sherman Oaks Notre Dame at Woodbridge
Great Oak at Orange Lutheran
Redondo Union at Santa Margarita
Diamond Bar at San Juan Hills
Newport Harbor at Aliso Niguel
Laguna Beach at Chadwick
Huntington Beach at Tesoro
Temecula Valley at Calabasas
Los Osos at Crean Lutheran
Peninsula at Bonita
Marlborough at South Pasadena
Crescenta Valley at San Marino
Claremont at Crossroads
Yorba Linda at Westlake
Troy at Oak Park
Northwood at Harvard-Westlak

DIVISION 3
Anaheim Canyon, bye
Patriot at Santa Monica
Arlington at Whitney
Dos Pueblos at Cate
Buckley at Temple City
San Clemente at Cypress
Riverside King at Eastvale Roosevelt
El Toro at Los Alamitos
Liberty at Brentwood
West Ranch at CAMS
Yucaipa at Campbell Hall
Capistrano Valley at Ayala
Long Beach Poly at Flintridge Prep
Arcadia at Sunny Hills
Redlands at Corona Santiago
Palm Desert, bye

DIVISION 4
Quartz Hill at Sierra Canyon
Fullerton at Esperanza
Mission Viejo at Pasadena Poly
Camarillo at Placentia Valencia
Carpinteria at Rancho Cucamonga
Fairmont Prep at Dana Hills
Irvine at San Dimas
La Serna at Oaks Christian
San Marcos at Keppel
Silverado at Murrieta Mesa
Torrance at Orange County Pacifica Christian
Simi Valley at Alta Loma
Geffen Academy at Mayfield
West Torrance at Agoura
St. Margaret’s at Warren
Westminster La Quinta at Marymount

DIVISION 5
Thacher, bye
Oxford Academy at Valencia
Milken Community at Louisville
Riverside North at Valley View
Long Beach Wilson at Burbank
Oak Hills at Millikan
Rowland at Maranatha
Golden Valley at Chaparral
Webb at Chino Hills
Burbank Burroughs at Lakewood St. Joseph
Laguna Blanca at Santa Barbara
Beverly Hills at Citrus Valley
Santa Fe at Serrano
Cerritos at Pasadena Marshall
Xavier Prep at Bishop Montgomery
La Palma Kennedy at Paloma Valley

DIVISION 6
La Habra at Woodcrest Christian
Flintridge Sacred Heart at Lancaster
Garden Grove at Mayfair
Estancia at Ontario Christian
Santa Monica Pacifica Christian at Western Christian
Villa Park at Corona
Vista del Lago at San Bernardino
Linfield Christian at La Quinta
Riverside Notre Dame at San Jacinto
Indio at Village Christian
Downey at Summit
Western at Hillcrest
Hesperia at Montclair
Hacienda Heights Wilson at El Modena
Chino at Heritage
La Mirada at Saugus

DIVISION 7
Los Altos at Temescal Canyon
Los Amigos at Rosemead
El Rancho at La Sierra
Twentynine Palms at Malibu
Azusa at South Hills
Orange Vista at Laguna Hills
Ventura at Savanna
Chaffey at Apple Valley
Canoga Park AGBU at Norwalk
La Salle at Coachella Valley
Granite Hills at Ramona
Segerstrom at San Gabriel
Westminster at Bolsa Grande
Miller at Oakwood
Indian Springs at Northview
Highland at Arroyo

DIVISION 8
Alhambra, bye
Bishop Diego at YULA
Foothill Tech at Rim of the World
Paramount at Nogales
Grand Terrace at Tahquitz
Costa Mesa at Knight
Workman at Duarte
de Toledo at Whittier
Edgewood at St. Bonaventure
Oxnard at Channel Islands
Rancho Alamitos at Bellflower
Arroyo Valley at Moreno Valley
Cathedral City at Canyon Springs
Carter at Garden Grove Santiago
Hueneme at Banning
La Puente at Academy for Academic Excellence

FRIDAY’S SCHEDULE

First Round

DIVISION 1
Sage Hill at Corona del Mar
JSerra at Mater Dei
Mira Costa at Palos Verdes
Fountain Valley at Portola

Note: Second Round (Divisions 2-8) Nov. 7; Quarterfinals (Divisions 2-8) Nov. 10; Semifinals (all divisions) Nov. 12; Finals (Divisions 1-4) Nov. 14 at University of Redlands; Finals (Divisions 5-8) Nov. 14 at The Claremont Club.

CITY SECTION PLAYOFFS

THURSDAY’S RESULTS

At Balboa Tennis Center, Encino

Finals

OPEN DIVISION

#1 Palisades 24.5, #2 Granada Hills 5

MONDAY’S SCHEDULE

(Matches at 12:30 p.m. unless noted)

Semifinals

DIVISION I

#5 GALA at #1 L.A. Marshall

#3 North Hollywood at #2 Chatsworth

DIVISION II

#4 Bell at #1 Granada Hills Kennedy

#3 Gardena at #2

Note: Division II Finals Nov. 5 at 11 a.m. at Balboa Sports Center; Division I Finals Nov. 6 at 11 a.m. at Balboa Sports Center.

CITY SECTION PLAYOFFS

(Matches at 12:30 p.m. unless noted)

MONDAY’S SCHEDULE

First Round

DIVISION I
#1 LA Marshall, bye
#9 Cleveland at #8 Wilmington Banning
#12 LACES at #5 GALA
#4 Eagle Rock, bye
#3 North Hollywood, bye
#11 SOCES at #6 Van Nuys
#10 Taft at #7 San Pedro
#2 Chatsworth, bye

DIVISION II
#16 Fairfax at #1 Granada Hills Kennedy
#9 LA University at #8 New West
#12 Sylmar at #5 Franklin
#13 Verdugo Hills at #3 Bell
#14 LA Wilson at #3 Gardena
#11 Jefferson at #6 Downtown Magnet
#10 Legacy at #7 Grant
#15 Sun Valley Poly at #2 Carson

TUESDAY’S SCHEDULE

Semifinals

OPEN DIVISION
#4 El Camino Real at #1 Palisades
#3 Venice at #2 Granada Hills

Note: Division I-II Quarterfinals Oct. 29 at higher seeds; Open Division Finals Oct. 30 at 11 a.m. at Balboa Sports Center; Division I-II Semifinals Nov. 3 at higher seeds; Division II Finals Nov. 5 at 11 a.m. at Balboa Sports Center; Division I Finals Nov. 6 at 11 a.m. at Balboa Sports Center

A TENNIS star fell off stage in agony after losing to his COUSIN in a historic final.

Arthur Rinderknech faced his relative Valentin Vacherot, the world No204, in a shock Shanghai Masters final line-up.

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Vacherot was an alternate for qualifying, getting in when others withdrew, then came through the entire field, beating Novak Djokovic in the semi-final.

And the emotional showdown was set when Frenchman Rinderknech won the second semi, leading to a lovely embrace on the court between the relatives.

Vacherot, 26, had only won one ATP Tour-level match before his extraordinary week, sealing the title with a comeback 4-6 6-3 6-3 victory in the final in front of Roger Federer.

That made him the lowest-ranked Masters 1000 champion in tennis history, 52 places lower than the previous record, and the first man from Monaco to win an ATP crown in the Open Era.

The cousins hugged at the net and Vacherot wrote on the TV camera lens: “Grandpa and Grandma would be proud.”

They both then paid tearful tributes to one another during the presentation speeches.

But as Vacherot – whose ranking will soar a whopping 164 places to 40th – spoke on the microphone, crouching Rinderknech, 30, took a tumble off the back of the stage.

He had been struggling physically during the match and there was a dramatic thud.

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Commentators thought he may have cramped up – but laughing Vacherot saw the funny side of his cousin’s discomfort.

He joked: “I think we need some help please!”

Tennis stars following in parents’ footsteps

TALK about pressure…

These rising stars are all making their way in tennis.

But they have got something in common – they’ve got a famous parent who also made their name in the sport.

So who are the players hoping to follow in the footsteps of their tennis mums and dads?

And a physio quickly arrived on the scene with a seat and started massaging Rinderknech’s leg.

A stunned Vacherot – cheered on by his girlfriend Emily Snyder in the crowd – said: “I mean, just all like crying, it’s just unreal.

“What just happened? I have no idea what’s happening right now.

“I’m not in a dream, it’s just crazy.

“I’m just so happy with my performance these last two weeks i just want to thank everyone that has put a brick in my career since the beginning.

“Sharing this final was really tough, there has to be one, but I think there’s just two winners today, one family that won and I think for the sport of tennis, this story is just unreal.

“I wish there could be two winners but unfortunately there’s only one and, for myself, I’m happy it could be me.”

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Monaco’s 204th-ranked Vacherot ousts Djokovic before his cousin beats Medvedev to set up a rare tennis masters final.

Cousins Valentin Vacherot and Arthur Rinderknech will meet in a dream final of the Shanghai Masters after pulling off stunning semifinal upsets of former champions Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev.

World number 204 Vacherot became the lowest ranked player to reach an ATP Masters 1000 final after he defeated a struggling Djokovic 6-3, 6-4 on Saturday.

Hours later, Rinderknech knocked out former US Open champion Medvedev 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 to complete an extraordinary family double.

“I can’t even say it’s a dream because I don’t think even one person in our family dreamt about it,” Rinderknech said about facing his cousin in Sunday’s final.

“It was a dream that came out of nowhere.”

Qualifier Vacherot troubled Djokovic with drop shots and punishing rallies, and the Serbian fourth seed, struggling to turn, took medical timeouts during both sets.

“This is just crazy. … Just to be on the other side of the court [from Djokovic] was an unbelievable experience,” said Vacherot, who became the first player from Monaco to reach an ATP Tour final in the open era.

Djokovic broke Vacherot in the first game of the match, but the 26-year-old immediately broke back and had built a 4-3 lead when the Serbian took his first medical timeout.

Vacherot won the next two games with ease to secure the first set and put Djokovic through a 12-minute battle for the first game of the second set, which the 38-year-old managed to win after saving two break points.

A double fault led to Djokovic losing his serve as Vacherot took a 5-4 lead that tipped the set in his favour.

“Such a pleasure to play at least once against you. Don’t retire,” Vacherot told Djokovic as both players shook hands at the net.

Four-time Shanghai Masters winner Djokovic congratulated Vacherot, who is set to break into the top 50 in the world rankings.

“Going from qualifications, it’s an amazing story. I told him at the net that he’s had an amazing tournament but more so his attitude is very good and his game was amazing as well,” the world number five told reporters.

“So it’s all about him. I wish him all the best in the finals, and the better player won today.”

‘I’m going to fight like crazy’

World number 54 Rinderknech threw caution to the wind after losing the first set to Medvedev, getting an early break and saving five break points in a 12-minute game to go 3-0 up in the second.

Medvedev struggled with the 30-year-old Frenchman’s strong returns, finding the net from the baseline multiple times as Rinderknech won the second set 6-2 as Vacherot watched from the stands.

A decisive break secured the third set for Rinderknech as Medvedev saved the first match point with a 207km/h (129mph) serve down the middle but gave away the second with a double fault.

“I was like, ‘You know what? Maybe I’m going to lose, but I’m going to fight like crazy,’” Rinderknech said.

“‘I’m going to make him tired for tomorrow, and at least I’m going to help [Valentin] to at least try to start the match a little bit ahead physically.’

“Then somehow I got the break and then another one finished the set, and then I was like, ‘You know what? I’m just going to try everything and give it my best,’ and somehow it worked out.”

The second-seeded American reached her first semifinal since the French Open in June.

Coco Gauff put down a spirited challenge from 66th-ranked Eva Lys to earn a 6-3 6-4 victory in Beijing on Thursday and reach the China Open semifinals for a second successive year.

Gauff, who is bidding to become the first woman to win back-to-back titles at the WTA 1000 event, had battled through three-setters in the previous two rounds and had to overcome stiff resistance from the German.

“I’m happy with how I played today. She’s a tough opponent, she hit a couple of great shots on the run,” Gauff said.

“I think I need to stay confident in my game and not be too passive when I have the lead. I played one passive point in this match, but otherwise I played well.”

It was a fast and furious start to the first set as both players fired off a string of winners and traded early breaks as the momentum swung wildly.

Following a run of five straight breaks of serve it was defending champion Gauff who finally seized control, taking a 5-3 lead when Lys sent a backhand wide and then consolidating to clinch the first set.

The world number three appeared to have found her range on serve in the second set and eased through a couple of holds, but a brief wobble and a few double-faults from the American added some late drama.

Serving for the match at 5-4, however, Gauff held her nerve to close out the win in an hour and 28 minutes.

The two-time Grand Slam champion next faces either compatriot Amanda Anisimova or Italian Jasmine Paolini, who meet in the second quarterfinal on Thursday.

Sinner rebounds from his recent US Open final defeat to Carlos Alcaraz with a third title of the season in Beijing.

Jannik Sinner has won the 21st title of his career by thrashing American teenager Learner Tien 6-2, 6-2 in the China Open final.

The Italian lifted the trophy for the second time on Beijing’s hard courts on Wednesday, having done so on his tournament debut in 2023, and is eyeing a return to world number one.

The 24-year-old’s only loss on Beijing’s centre Diamond Court has been to great rival and top-ranked Carlos Alcaraz, who won last year’s final in three gripping sets.

“A very, very special place for me,” said the victorious Sinner, a four-time Grand Slam champion and top seed this week.

Alcaraz was not defending his title in the Chinese capital and on Tuesday won the Japan Open in Tokyo.

Sinner broke immediately in the first set on the way to outclassing the 19-year-old Tien, who was in his first ATP final.

“Congrats to Jannik on a great week, another title, an honour to share the court with you today,” he told the world number two afterwards.

The world number 52 got a rare chance to break in the second game of the second set but Sinner quickly retook control, ending a one-sided match with 10 aces over the 1h, 12min final.

Sinner eyes the number 1 ranking

Tien would have been Beijing’s lowest-ranked champion in tournament history.

At 19 years and nine months old, Tien would also have been the second-youngest American Tour champion since Andy Roddick in 2002.

As it was, he was never really in it, despite some flashes of his rich potential.

“You are showing throughout the whole season what a talent you are,” Sinner said in the aftermath.

Sinner’s emphatic win was his third title this season, after victories at the Australian Open and Wimbledon.

Sinner may now have a chance to snatch back the top ranking before the season ends after Alcaraz pulled out of the Shanghai Masters injured on Tuesday.

The Spaniard took the world number one ranking from Sinner when he defeated the Italian in the US Open final on September 7.

Sinner will be the top seed in Shanghai, which began this week.

Alcaraz returns to number one spot after winning his sixth Grand Slam title and second of 2025 in four sets in New York.

Carlos Alcaraz pulled off a calm yet ferocious performance to end his great rival Jannik Sinner’s reign and win the US Open men’s singles final in four sets in front of a sellout crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York City.

Alcaraz claimed his second US Open title with a 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 win on Sunday as United States President Donald Trump watched along with his entourage. Trump’s presence delayed the match start time due to the extensive security checks for the spectators.

In a perfect echo of the triumph that first propelled him to the number one spot in 2022, Alcaraz’s second New York title lifted him back to the top of the world rankings, as the 22-year-old Spaniard displaced Sinner and took his Grand Slam trophy haul to six.

“I want to start with Jannik. It’s unbelievable what you’re doing the whole season; great level during every tournament that you’re playing… I’m seeing you more than my family,” said Alcaraz, who took his win-loss record with Sinner to 10-5.

“It’s great to share a court, to share the locker room, to share everything with you.

“I’m just really proud about the people I have around. Every achievement I’m having is because of you, thanks to you… This one is yours.”

As grey clouds hovered over the iconic Arthur Ashe Stadium, Alcaraz continued to deliver the sunshine tennis that has lit up Flushing Meadows over the last two weeks, consolidating an early break by faking a drop to hit a winner that wrong-footed Sinner.

He beamed after pulling off an outrageous half-volley at the net, and wrapped up the opening set shortly afterwards, finishing it off with a big serve, which Sinner crashed into the net as the Italian’s metronomic precision briefly deserted him. But Sinner hit back to take the next set after saving an early break point.

It was the third straight Grand Slam final between the duo this year.

After missing a few steps to drop his first set of the championship, Alcaraz blasted his way to a 5-0 advantage in the third set before Sinner got on the board, and the Spaniard closed it out with a monster serve.

Sinner conjured up two breathtaking volleys in the opening game of the fourth set to roaring applause and held serve after being pushed to the limit again. But he cracked under the pressure and handed the crucial break to Alcaraz in the fifth game.

Resembling a flamingo in full flight in his bright pink vest, Alcaraz soared ahead to secure the victory on his third match point, and celebrated by raising his fists before a warm embrace with his rival and wild celebrations with his team.

A dejected Sinner was left to contemplate another Grand Slam final loss to Alcaraz this season after coming up short in their French Open epic in June. Although, he beat the Spaniard to take his Wimbledon crown the following month.

“A lot of big stages and matches we played this season,” Sinner said, after quickly composing himself.

“I tried my best today. I couldn’t do more.”

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.

Fendrich writes for the Associated Press.

Second seed Carlos Alcaraz took down 24-times major winner Novak Djokovic 6-4 7-6(4) 6-2 with clinical precision to reach the US Open final, prevailing in a highly anticipated showdown that packed the house at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

The match on Friday was billed as the hottest ticket in New York and lived up to the hype, with a scoreline that belied its intensity, as the 2022 champion Alcaraz soaked in deafening cheers on match point.

Djokovic had won their two most recent meetings, including in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open earlier this year, but the 38-year-old showed wear and tear against the Spaniard 16 years his junior.

“It’s something that I’m working on, just the consistency on the matches, on the tournaments, on the year in general,” said Alcaraz, who won his fifth major title at Roland Garros this year and finished runner-up at Wimbledon.

“Just not having up-and-downs in the match. Just the level that I start the match, just wanted to keep that level really high during the whole match.”

Djokovic dropped his serve when he sent a shot past the baseline in the opening game and was unable to set up a single break point chance in the first set, which Alcaraz closed out with an unreturnable serve.

Urged on by the celebrity-packed stands, the seventh seed got in the fight in the second set, sending over a superb backhand to convert on a break point in the second game.

But Alcaraz had not dropped a set so far in New York and was not about to start as he put his foot on the gas, setting up a break point after surviving a 16-shot rally with one of his fine forehand winners and converting from the baseline.

Down 0-2 in the tiebreak, Djokovic outlasted his opponent in a cheeky exchange at the net and paused to take in the roars of the crowd, a reminder of the Serb’s perennial appeal two decades after his Flushing Meadows main draw debut.

But the Spaniard kept his nerve, closing out the tiebreak with two more unreturnable serves before Djokovic gifted him a break point with a double fault in the fourth game of the third set.

“It’s not easy playing against him, to be honest,” said Alcaraz, who hit twice as many winners as his opponent.

“I’m thinking about the legend, what he has achieved in his career. It’s difficult not to think about it. So that makes facing him even tougher.”

The writing was on the wall for Djokovic as he hit another double fault on the penultimate point of the match, and he leaned on the net as he congratulated his opponent with a grin after handing over the contest with a wide forehand.

“Of course, it’s frustrating on the court when you are not able to keep up with that level physically. But at the same time, it’s something also expected,” said Djokovic, who picked up the last of his four US Open titles in 2023.

“It comes with time and with age.”

Sinner overcomes spirited Auger-Aliassime challenge

Defending champion Jannik Sinner battled past 25th seed Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-1 3-6 6-3 6-4 in the second semifinal to set up another blockbuster title clash with Alcaraz and renew one of the sport’s most compelling rivalries.

Shortly after Alcaraz wove his magic to dismantle Djokovic, the usually machine-like Sinner misfired at times but prevailed to ensure a third successive major final with the Spaniard.

The Italian world No 1 faced brief resistance in the fifth game of the contest but dialled up the intensity to hold and wrapped up the lopsided opening set when Auger-Aliassime sent a backhand wide.

Auger-Aliassime settled his nerves in his second New York semifinal, breaking for a 5-3 lead in the next set en route to levelling the match, before going toe-to-toe with Sinner in the third set, only for the momentum to shift again.

Sinner, who took a medical timeout for an unspecified issue earlier, found his groove to close out the third set and staved off a strong challenge from his reinvigorated Canadian opponent with some clutch serving in the next set to advance.

Sinner will face off against Alcaraz for the third successive Grand Slam final on Sunday. Sinner captured the Australian Open and Wimbledon titles this season but lost to Alcaraz in an epic five-set battle in the French Open final.

“Sunday is a very special day and an amazing final again,” said Sinner. “I feel like our rivalry started here (in 2022) playing an amazing match. We are two different players now, with different confidence too.”

One of the most thrilling and unexpected moments in the tennis world in recent weeks was headlined by a Latina.

On Aug. 25, during the first round of the U.S. Open women’s singles tournament, U.S. player Madison Keys — who went into the competition ranked sixth in the world and had previously won the 2025 Australian Open — was defeated by Mexico’s Renata Zarazúa after three neck-and-neck sets.

The Mexican native, who is ranked 82nd in the world, previously had an 0-6 record against opponents ranked in the top 10.

After the over-three-hour match, Zarazúa revealed that she was so nervous before playing Keys that she was nearly in tears — but that she felt dialed in as the first game began.

“I’m a little bit small in height, so coming in here, it was like: ‘Oh, my God. This is huge!’ But I was just trying to focus on the court,” said Zarazúa, who stands 5 feet 3 inches tall. “I just tried to find my way and enjoy it, because I knew that when I retire, I’m going to be really happy about it.”

By securing this win, Zarazúa became the first Mexican player to defeat a top 10 seed at a major since Angélica Gavaldón upset No. 3 player Jana Novotná in the 1995 Australian Open.

When she was done with post-match obligations, Zarazúa noticed her phone was blowing up with messages and mentions online.

“It was funny because it was the first time I got a lot of followers in a few hours,” she told The Times in a Zoom interview. “It was hard at the moment, because I didn’t want to distract myself too much with social media. So I just left it until the tournament was over, and now I’m just looking at the messages and all of that. The attention was a bit more than I expected. Singers and actors and actually [reached out] and I was like, ‘Oh, this is cool.’”

Mexican actor Eiza González was one of the stars whose message surprised Zarazúa; she admitted she is a big fan of the “Baby Driver” star. She also noted that notable brands like Evian and sports networks like ESPN and Televisa also contacted her following her first-round win.

But Zarazúa didn’t let the spotlight affect her preparation for her second-round singles match against France’s Diane Parry.

“I honestly kept my routines going exactly the same. Even though the chaos was going on, the next day [my team and I] were back on the courts at 9 a.m. practicing, because that’s how I was preparing before my first round,” she said. “I didn’t really celebrate because I don’t think it was the right time. I literally stayed in my room, had dinner and went to bed early.”

During her second singles match on Aug. 28, she began to feel the weight of expectations as a sizable Mexican crowd cheered her on.

“I felt like I just couldn’t shake the nerves off. I just didn’t want to let the people down,” Zarazúa said. “At some point during the match I realized I should be doing this for me. I should be winning for me and not to please people. That’s what helped me settle the nerves and when I started playing better.”

Zarazúa ultimately exited the tournament after losing to Parry in a three-set match that ended in a super tiebreak.

“My mind started overthinking a little bit more than I should have, but I think that will help me as an experience for the next matches that I’m in that situation,” she said. “I’ve never felt that much support from the people. It was one of those days that you will remember forever, but it was also really heartbreaking.”

Zarazúa was also eliminated in the second round of women’s doubles play on Sunday alongside her partner Miyu Kato, after losing to the duo of Wu Fang-Hsien and Fanny Stollár.

When asked what it felt like to be the face of Mexican tennis, Zarazúa said she doesn’t feel burdened by the title.

“For me it’s more of a motivation, actually, because I’m a little bit older in the tennis world. I’m 27, so sometimes you really need that push to keep you going or something to look forward to,” she said. “For me to be that face of Mexico is what keeps me alive. Honestly, I don’t take it as an extra pressure on myself.”

Over on the women’s doubles side of the bracket, perennial star Venus Williams staged her comeback after a 16-month hiatus alongside 22-year-old Canadian Leylah Fernandez.

There is an over two-decade age gap between Williams and Fernandez (who has Ecuadorean and Filipino heritage). Yet their chemistry on the court did not point to that being a struggle.

The duo was a late wild-card entry into the tournament, and handily defeated its first three opponents without dropping a set.

“I feel like we kind of don’t really need to say much on court, and it just kind of flows,” Fernandez said after one of the pair’s wins last week. “That’s what I like, that we don’t need to talk as much, plan so many things. When I cross, I know Venus is behind me moving to the other corner; when she crosses, I’m going to go to the other corner. Just kind of like a nice harmony dynamic.”

Williams added, “I think we have a very similar mindset, similar attitude. So I think we’re on this wavelength that makes it easy for us to really move in the same direction.”

But this isn’t the first time that Fernandez has found success on the U.S. Open stage. In 2021, she made it to the women’s singles final of the tournament as an unseeded player before losing to fellow tennis youngster Emma Raducanu in straight sets. Their match was the first U.S. Open women’s singles final between two teenagers since 1999. En route to the final, Fernandez beat marquee players like Naomi Osaka, Angelique Kerber and Aryna Sabalenka.

Williams and Fernandez’s underdog run came to an end Tuesday in a straight-sets loss to the top-seeded duo of Taylor Townsend and Katerina Siniakova in the quarterfinals.

Following the loss, Fernandez thanked Williams for reminding her why she decided to play tennis.

“It’s just been an incredible week and a half being here and learning so much from from Venus. I’m just kind of like a sponge, so I’m just sucking everything in and learning,” Fernandez said in a post-match interview Tuesday. “Venus playing on the court, for joy, brought me back [to] why I started playing tennis … I started playing tennis for the love of the game and for bringing joy on court, not only for myself, but also for the fans.”

Brazilian Beatriz Haddad Maia entered the U.S. Open as the top-ranked active Latina player in the tournament. The 29-year-old São Paulo native advanced to the women’s singles round of 16 before being bested by American Amanda Anisimova. Haddad Maia and her doubles partner, Laura Siegemund, were eliminated from the women’s doubles bracket in the second round by Marta Kostyuk and Elena-Gabriela Ruse.

Three Colombianas also made an appearance at the U.S. Open earlier in the tournament.

Camila Osorio lost her first-round singles match against New Zealand’s Lulu Sun in three sets. The 23-year-old player also reached the women’s doubles round of 16 with her partner Yue Yuan, where they lost to Townsend and Siniakova.

Emiliana Arango ran into Iga Swiatek, the second-ranked player in the world and 2025 Wimbledon singles champion, in the first round of the women’s singles tournament. The 24-year-old Arango was defeated by Swiatek in her U.S. Open debut.

Julieta Pareja was also making her U.S. Open debut on both the singles and doubles brackets. At 16, she was the youngest player at this year’s tournament. Pareja was eliminated in the first round of singles play by 9th-ranked Elena Rybakina. She and her doubles partner Akasha Urhobo were ousted in the first round by Xu Yifan and Yang Zhaoxuan.

Who went to the Texas ICE career expo?

(Julio Cortez / Associated Press)

My colleague Brittny Mejia wrote about the two-day career expo staged by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Arlington, Texas, last week.

It was ICE’s first major event since $170 billion was earmarked for border and immigration enforcement in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which was signed into law on July 4. Included in the legislation was tens of billions for new deportation agents and other personnel.

According to ICE, 3,000 people attended the expo, and nearly 700 received tentative job offers. This adds on to the more than 100,000 applications that the Department of Homeland Security claims to have received in recent weeks.

The agency has tried to sweeten the deal with incentives such as bonuses of up to $50,000 and student loan repayment benefits, in an effort to hire 10,000 deportation officers by the end of the year.

As aspiring ICE agents created a line out the doors of the career expo, a group of about 30 protesters yelled “Go home Nazis,” among other things, at expo attendees.

Of particular note was the sizable Latinx representation among the ICE agent hopefuls.

An interaction that Mejia captured between one young Latinx man named Ricardo with his friend over text captured the tension of communal versus personal goals.

“Oh hell no Ricardo I thought you was joking. I will not speak to you ever again if you become and ice agent … You have a dad who was deported dude.”

ICE officials say it’s the first of several hiring events planned around the country. According to the ICE website, there is a DHS expo scheduled for Sept. 15 and 16 in Provo, Utah.

Read Mejia’s full coverage of the expo here.

Stories we read this week that we think you should read

Unless otherwise noted, all stories in this section are from the L.A. Times.

Immigration and the border

Arts & Entertainment

Climate

(Jackie Rivera / For The Times; Martina Ibáñez-Baldor / Los Angeles Times)

Reigning champ Aryna Sabalenka beat Jessica Pegula while Amanda Anisimova upset Naomi Osaka to make first US Open final.

Amanda Anisimova rallied from a set down to defeat four-times Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka 6-7(4) 7-6(3) 6-3 and reach the US Open final, where she will take on holder Aryna Sabalenka for another shot at a maiden major crown.

“Oh my God. It means the world,” the 24-year-old said on Thursday after reaching her first final at Flushing Meadows.

“I’m trying to process that right now. It’s absolutely a dream come true. This has been a dream of mine like forever to be in the US. Open final and the hope is to be the champion.”

Twice US Open champion Osaka was playing in her first major semifinal since 2021 and embraced the big occasion in the prime-time glare of Arthur Ashe Stadium.

The pair twice traded breaks in a tight opening set, and after a delayed line call by the automated system disrupted play, Osaka refocused and let out a big roar when Anisimova hit a shot into the net on set point in the tiebreak.

The 23rd seed struggled to carry the momentum forward in the next set, however, with Anisimova matching Osaka’s intensity.

After the players traded ferocious hits for 12 games in the next set, Anisimova pounced in the tiebreak to drag the match to a decider.

The eighth seed, who lost 6-0 6-0 to Iga Swiatek in the Wimbledon final two months ago, surged ahead 4-1 thanks to a forehand winner and held her nerve from there to close out the victory and reach back-to-back Grand Slam finals.

“She was really giving me a run for the final. I wasn’t sure I would make it past the finish line. I tried to dig deep. It was a huge fight out there,” Anisimova added.

“I tried to stay positive. There was a lot of nerves in the beginning and that’s something I’m trying to work on. Yeah, this tournament means so much to me that I think that was really getting to me.

“In the end, you’re just trying to fight your way through. I’m trying to enjoy the moment. We were both playing amazing tennis, and sometimes that was like ‘how are we making these shots?’ but we were and we just kept going.”

Sabalenka keeps back-to-back dream alive

Reigning champion Sabalenka came from behind to beat American fourth seed Jessica Pegula in three sets to return to the US Open final.

World number one Sabalenka overcame Pegula 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in a rerun of last year’s final.

It’s the Belarusian’s third successive appearance in the Flushing Meadows final.

“It was a really tough match – she played incredible tennis as always and I had to work really hard to get this win,” said Sabalenka.

“Just super happy to be back in the final and hopefully I can go all the way again.”

Sabalenka, 27, is seeking to become the first player to win consecutive singles titles in New York since Serena Williams won three in a row from 2012-2014.

She has now made the final at four of the last five Grand Slams but has not added to her haul of three majors since winning the 2024 US Open.

“I’ll go out there on Saturday and I’ll fight for every point like the last point of my life,” she said.

Top-seed Jannik Sinner cruised through the semifinals, losing only seven games to Italian compatriot Lorenzo Musetti.

Defending champion Jannik Sinner continued his ruthless run at the US Open by beating 10th seed Lorenzo Musetti 6-1 6-4 6-2 on Wednesday in the first all-Italian men’s Grand Slam quarterfinal.

The world number one, who also holds the Australian Open trophy, extended his hardcourt winning streak to 26 matches and will take on Canadian 25th seed Felix Auger-Aliassime in the semifinal on Friday.

“It was a good performance, I was very solid, I started well … It’s nearly midnight, so thank you all for staying,” Sinner told the crowd.

“Obviously, we know each other well,” he said of Musetti.

“We’re from the same country, there are so many Italians in the draw. Many Italians here so it’s nice to play here. Playing Davis Cup together and stuff but you have to take the friendship away for the match. When we shake hands, everything is fine.

“It’s amazing, I’m sure that back home some Italians are not sleeping. It’s a special country and we have amazing support.”

Sinner’s thunderous hitting from the word go helped him take a 5-0 lead, and while the loudest applause of the evening came when Musetti got on the board, that was the only joy he had in the opening set.

Musetti briefly threatened to break early in the second, but Sinner staved off his challenge to double his advantage, before easing through the next set and finishing it with a clean hold.

“Every player in the semifinals of a Grand Slam is playing amazing tennis,” Sinner added.

“It’s a very special tournament. The last Grand Slam of the year. There’s no better place to play a night match here, on the biggest stadium we have, with an amazing crowd.

“It means a lot to me.”

Osaka returns to semis for the first time since 2020, while Amanda Anisimova gets Wimbledon revenge against Iga Swiatek.

Naomi Osaka returned to the US Open semifinals on Wednesday with a 6-4 7-6(3) win over Karolina Muchova, as the four-time Grand Slam champion delivered a battling display to underline her resurgence on the sport’s biggest stage.

Four years after winning the last of her four major titles, the Japanese 23rd seed, who returned last season after a lengthy maternity break, stretched her unbeaten streak in major quarterfinals to 5-0 and booked a clash with Amanda Anisimova on Friday.

“It means so much. I’m surprised I’m not crying,” said Osaka, who only two years ago was watching the semifinals from the stands at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

“I was sitting up there watching and hoping I would have an opportunity to play on this court again, so my dreams are coming true … There’s been so much hard work you guys haven’t seen.

“I’m just grateful to my team. Hopefully, you guys will come and watch my next round.”

Muchova, who had been on court for more than 10 hours over four draining rounds, took treatment in the locker room for an apparent left leg issue after she dropped a tight opening set, but came out firing to break at the start of the next.

She struggled to move at times with heavy strapping on her thigh, but continued to frustrate her opponent with her inventive brand of tennis to break for a 5-4 lead, only for Osaka to wrest back the initiative and go through after the tiebreak.

“It was an incredibly difficult match,” Osaka added.

“She is one of the best players in the world. Every time I play against her, it’s so difficult.

“Last year, she beat me when I had one of my best outfits. I was really upset. I’m just grateful to be here.”

Anisimova avenges Wimbledon embarrassment

Anisimova flipped the script earlier on Wednesday, ousting second seed Iga Swiatek 6-4 6-3 to reach her first US Open semifinal and exact revenge for one of the most brutal defeats in Grand Slam history.

Less than two months after suffering a devastating 6-0 6-0 loss to Swiatek in the Wimbledon final, the American eighth seed won 67 of 121 points to complete the turnaround in 96 minutes on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

“Playing here is so freaking special,” Anisimova said in her on-court interview. “I’ve been having the run of my life here … Today proved everything for me. I can do it.”

The 24-year-old’s transformation from July’s tears to Wednesday’s triumph epitomises tennis’s capacity for redemption.

After watching back the painful Wimbledon footage on Tuesday night, Anisimova admitted she was “slow as hell” in that final but approached this rematch with renewed purpose.

“Today is definitely the most meaningful victory I’ve had in my life,” she told reporters. “I really came out there with, like, not an ounce of fear … I was constantly moving and trying to get myself going.”

Swiatek acknowledged that her opponent’s aggressive return game proved decisive.

“I couldn’t win today’s match playing like that, serving like that, and with Amanda being so aggressive on the returns,” the six-time Grand Slam champion told reporters.

The American dominated on return, converting four of nine break opportunities while Swiatek managed just two breaks from four chances, ending her bid for a seventh Grand Slam title and second US Open crown in the quarterfinals for the second straight year.

The American’s journey from Wimbledon devastation to US Open breakthrough serves as a powerful reminder that in tennis, the greatest comebacks often follow the most crushing defeats.

Novak Djokovic set up a titanic US Open semifinal with Carlos Alcaraz as the Serbian star kept his bid for a record 25th Grand Slam firmly on track.

The 38-year-old Djokovic advanced to a record-equalling 14th US Open semifinal on Tuesday with a four-set win over fourth seed Taylor Fritz, eliminating the last American in the men’s draw.

Djokovic’s 6-3, 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 victory saw him improve to 16-0 against US opponents in New York, as he reached the last four of a major for the 53rd time.

“It was an incredibly close match. It was really anybody’s match,” said Djokovic, who also drew level with Jimmy Connors for the most US Open semifinal appearances.

“I thought I was really lucky to save some crucial break points in the second set. I think for most of the second and third sets, he was the better player.”

Fritz saved two match points in a tight fourth set, before sealing his own fate with a double fault.

“That last game was nerve-racking. A tough one for Taylor to finish with a double fault; he didn’t deserve that,” said Djokovic.

Djokovic and Alcaraz will square off for the first time since the Australian Open quarterfinals in January, when the Serbian won in four sets to take a 5-3 edge in their rivalry.

Friday’s encounter is their fifth at a Grand Slam, but first at Flushing Meadows. Djokovic has won all three past meetings on hard courts.

Djokovic spars with crowd, wears down Fritz

Djokovic broke Fritz straight away inside a raucous Arthur Ashe Stadium as he zipped into a 3-0 lead in the first set and brought up set point on his opponent’s serve in the eighth game.

Fritz resisted and piled on the pressure in the following game, earning five break points.

He could not convert, though, as Djokovic relied on his trademark grit to foil Fritz, including in an astonishing 25-stroke rally.

Djokovic eventually held to clinch the set, but Fritz carved out more chances in the fourth and sixth games of the second set.

His failure to capitalise allowed Djokovic to again seize the initiative by breaking for a 4-3 advantage. Fritz broke back with Djokovic serving for a two-set lead, only to tamely surrender his own serve with a double-fault in the ensuing game.

Djokovic made no mistake this time to pouch the set and mockingly blew kisses to the crowd as he walked to his chair.

But he began to get riled up with the pro-Fritz support willing their man back into the contest, prompting Djokovic to plead with the umpire to do more to quieten the crowd.

His focus dipped fleetingly, and Fritz broke to nudge 3-1 ahead and force a fourth set. It went on serve until Djokovic brought up two match points with Fritz trying to stay alive.

Fritz scrambled to save both, but Djokovic earned another shot and the American double-faulted to seal his rival’s passage to the last four.

Alcaraz demolishes Lehecka

Earlier on Tuesday, Alcaraz, who has yet to drop a set at Flushing Meadows in 2025, cruised into the semifinals, demolishing Czech Jiri Lehecka 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Alcaraz had the crowd in the palm of his hand as he fired off 28 winners and never faced a break point, putting on yet another almost pristine performance.

Alcaraz broke in the first game, helped on his way by a pair of Lehecka double faults, and the Spaniard got the crowd going as he triumphed in a thrilling, cat-and-mouse exchange at the net in the 10th game, sending a backhand winner streaking past the Czech.

The 2022 champion kept the momentum going in the second set, converting a break point at the net in the first game, and Lehecka became visibly agitated as he went down another break with a double fault in the seventh game.

Alcaraz smiled in disbelief as he nailed a series of precise shots to set up a break point in the seventh game of the final set, but Lehecka dug in to hold.

Alcaraz let out a triumphant cheer as he prevailed in a 12-shot rally on break point in the ninth game and deployed his golf swing celebration to the delight of fellow Spaniard and 2017 Masters champion Sergio Garcia, who was in attendance.

“I just played a really – or almost – perfect match,” he said. “I’m just feeling great and hungry to make it.”

The five-time major winner has only been broken once so far in the tournament and could retake the number one world ranking from Italy’s Jannik Sinner, although he is trying not to think about it.

“If I think about the number one spot too much, then I’m going to put pressure on myself, and I don’t want to do that,” he said.

The world tennis No 1 beat Bublik in the round of 16, losing just three games and reversing a shock loss to the Kazakh in June.

Defending champion Jannik Sinner said he enjoyed the vibe of playing under the Arthur Ashe Stadium lights after he continued his hardcourt Grand Slam run by hammering 23rd seed Alexander Bublik to make the US Open quarterfinals.

The Italian tennis player came into the match on Labour Day, seeking his 25th straight major match win on his preferred surface, and never looked in danger against a tricky rival, bolting out of the blocks to win 6-1, 6-1, 6-1 on his night session debut this year.

“It’s always special to go on Ashe to play,” Sinner said after the match on Monday.

“Night matches, they’re a bit different because there’s a bit more attention, I feel. It’s a different vibe, also, around the court. It’s very loud. It’s also different to play.

“It was the first time for me this year. It was nice. You have the good and the bad if you play in the evening. It’s very special, and you feel very privileged to step onto court in the night on the biggest court we have.”

A mere 81 minutes after the clash began, Sinner was back in the locker room after gaining revenge for a shock defeat by Bublik on June 20, in the Halle Open final – his only loss to a player not named Carlos Alcaraz this year.

“We know each other well. We’ve had some tough battles this year, so we know each other a bit better,” the top-seeded Sinner said.

“He had a tough match last time [against Tommy Paul], finishing late. He didn’t serve as well as he does. I broke him in every set, and it gave me the confidence to play well.”

A double break helped Sinner build a 4-0 lead before Bublik could even get on the board, and the dominant 24-year-old chased down a drop shot to fire home a deep backhand winner that wrapped up the opening set with another break.

Bublik’s attempts to disrupt Sinner’s rhythm with more drop shots proved futile, but it was his service errors that left him trailing by two sets, before Sinner wheeled away to his eighth straight grand slam quarterfinal.

Up next is a meeting with compatriot Lorenzo Musetti. Sinner said it would be a great occasion for Italian tennis.

“It’s great to see. Italian tennis is in great form. We have so many players and different game styles,” he said.

“Lorenzo is one of the biggest talents we have in our sport. I’m looking forward to this one. From an Italian point of view, it’s great to have for sure one Italian player in the semis.

“I know that there are a lot of Italian players in the crowd. It makes everything special.”

Jelena Ostapenko has apologised for some of the words she used in a tense altercation with American Taylor Townsend at the US Open, which led to a backlash, with the Latvian stating that English was not her native language.

The controversy ignited after Townsend, who is Black, beat 2017 French Open champion Ostapenko 7-5, 6-1 in a tough second-round battle on Wednesday before being dragged into a verbal duel by her opponent following their handshake.

Townsend revealed part of the exchange in her on-court interview, saying Ostapenko accused her of having “no class” and “no education”, adding in a news conference that the Latvian would have to answer if there were “racial undertones” to the row.

Ostapenko said on Instagram that her anger stemmed from Townsend’s refusal to apologise for benefitting from a net cord – when the American’s shot clipped the net and stayed in play – and accused her of being disrespectful.

Most players tend to hold up their racket in apology after winning such a point, following age-old traditions in the sport.

The altercation prompted four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka to wade into the debate, with the Japanese player saying that using the words that Ostapenko did were the worst things to utter to criticise a Black player.

“I wanted to apologise for some of the things I said during my second-round singles match,” Ostapenko said on Saturday.

“English is not my native language, so when I said education, I was speaking only about what I believe as tennis etiquette, but I understand how the words I used could have offended many people beyond the tennis court.

“I appreciate the support as I continue to learn and grow as a person and a player.”

Townsend said later it was nice that Ostapenko apologised.

“That’s fine. That’s cool,” she added. “At the end of the day, I think that it’s a lesson for her … you can’t push your expectations on other people. That’s what happened.

“She expected me to react a certain way, and I didn’t, and it infuriated her, which led her to say things that are hurtful, belligerent, offensive, not only to me but to the sport and a whole culture of people I try to represent the best I can.”

American Coco Gauff said Townsend, who will take on Barbora Krejcikova in the fourth round, was one of the nicest people she knew.

Townsend said a lot of people were finding out about her following the incident.

“There’s a lot of familiar faces here, but there are a lot of people who maybe didn’t have any idea who I was,” she said.

“People being able to see me now, but then being able to go back and go into my history and follow my journey and figure out how has she gotten here, I think that’s super cool.”