Elena Rybakina overpowered Coco Gauff in a fierce US Open semi-final on Thursday to secure a title showdown with defending champion Aryna Sabalenka.
Dhakshineswar Suresh lost to South Korea's Soonwoo Kwon in a hard-fought three-set match, giving the hosts a 1-0 lead in the Davis Cup Qualifiers Round 2 tie. Despite a strong start, Suresh couldn't maintain his momentum against Kwon's improved play. Sumit Nagal now faces Hyeon Chung in the second singles rubber, with India needing a win to level the tie.
Kabaddi player Pawan Sehrawat has replaced shot-putter Tajinderpal Singh Toor as India's male flag-bearer for the Asian Games opening ceremony due to Toor's ceremonial kit not being available. Toor was unable to collect his kit in time to attend the event, leading to the last-minute change.
Second seed Elena Rybakina secured a comfortable 6-3, 6-2 victory over American wildcard Thea Frodin in the first round of the US Open, easing concerns about her recent leg injury. Rybakina, a two-time Grand Slam champion, showed no signs of discomfort as she began her quest for the title and the world number one ranking. Frodin, making her Grand Slam main-draw debut, displayed flashes of brilliance but ultimately couldn't overcome the Australian Open champion.
Due to a delay in receiving his official kit, shot-putter Tajinderpal Singh Toor has been replaced by kabaddi player Pawan Sehrawat as India's flag-bearer for the Asian Games opening ceremony in Nagoya.
India's Davis Cup Final 8 aspirations are in peril after losing both singles matches to Korea in their Qualifier tie. Dhakshineswar Suresh and Sumit Nagal both squandered promising starts, leaving India trailing 0-2 and needing to win all three remaining matches to advance.
Quimcy Dsouza has taken an unusual route to the Asian Games, moving from athletics and football to becoming one of India's leading Teqball players.
American tennis star Frances Tiafoe defeated Japanese qualifier Rei Sakamoto in straight sets (6-3, 7-6(2), 7-5) to secure his spot in the third round of the U.S. Open. Tiafoe, a leading American contender, is aiming to end a 23-year drought for a home men's champion at the tournament, feeding off the energy of the partisan crowd.
American tennis star Taylor Fritz defeated compatriot Darwin Blanch in straight sets at the U.S. Open, showcasing a dominant serve. Fritz, a 2024 finalist, advanced to the second round, where he will face either Mattia Bellucci or Zsombor Piros.
Alexander Zverev defeated Botic van de Zandschulp in straight sets to advance to the U.S. Open semi-finals. Despite an erratic start with serve, Zverev recovered to dominate the match, setting up a clash with Karen Khachanov.
Aryna Sabalenka defeated Kamilla Rakhimova in straight sets, extending her U.S. Open winning streak to 16 matches and strengthening her bid for an unprecedented third consecutive title.
The flag-hoisting ceremony for the Asian Games, involving India and five other contingents, was significantly delayed due to "miscommunication" between the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) and the local organising committee (ANAGOC). The disruption, which lasted over an hour, initially caused confusion and speculation about political issues, but organisers later clarified it was a communication breakdown, adding to existing organisational challenges for the event.
Indian badminton star Kidambi Srikanth was defeated by Hong Kong's Lee Cheuk Yiu in straight games during the quarterfinals of the China Masters Super 750. Srikanth, a former world No.1, lost 16-21, 16-21 in a 39-minute match, ending his campaign despite a strong performance in the previous round.
Commonwealth Games gold-medallist judoka Asmita Dey is intensely preparing for the upcoming Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, acknowledging the significantly tougher competition, especially from Japanese judokas. She is focusing on improving her ground fighting techniques (Ne-Waza) and draws inspiration from Japanese Olympic champion Uta Abe to secure a medal for India.
Linda Noskova eased to a straight sets win over Thailand's Lanlana Tararudee on Wednesday to reach the US Open third round.
Olympic silver medallist Vijay Kumar has urged the 30-member Indian shooting contingent for the Asian Games to prioritise individual medals over team events. He also highlighted the need for significant improvements in coaching, advocating for more former international medallists in the system, and stressed the importance of better grassroots talent identification, drawing comparisons with China. Kumar also commented on the void left by coach Jaspal Rana's death and questioned recent selection policies.
Gael Monfils celebrated his 40th birthday by defeating Adolfo Daniel Vallejo in the first round of the US Open, making him the oldest player since Jimmy Connors in 1992 to win a main-draw singles match at Flushing Meadows on his birthday.
Taylor Fritz delivered a commanding performance at the US Open, defeating Mattia Bellucci 6-0, 6-1, 6-1 to reach the third round without dropping a set. The ninth seed is looking to end a 23-year American wait for a men's Grand Slam singles champion and expressed confidence in his aggressive play. He will next face Francisco Cerundolo.
Aryna Sabalenka overcame Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova in a pulsating three-set thriller, saving her title defence and reaching a sixth consecutive US Open semi-final after a tense tiebreak.
Alexander Zverev, the German top seed, narrowly defeated Italy's Lorenzo Sonego in a gruelling five-set match, continuing his pursuit of a second Grand Slam title after winning the French Open in June.
Defending champion Jannik Sinner ended Novak Djokovic's latest bid to claim a record 25th Grand Slam title in ruthless fashion with a 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 win to reach the Wimbledon final on Friday.
Naomi Osaka battled through an Achilles problem to beat Elise Mertens 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 and reach the US Open fourth round.
South Zone booked their place in the Duleep Trophy final with a dominant seven-wicket win over North Zone in Bengaluru on Wednesday, wrapping up the chase with plenty of time to spare.
Jeetu, as he is known in the IAF, is known for his high intellect, ability to quickly grasp the essentials of complex situations and the readiness to articulate his views clearly and unambiguously. An excellent professional in every sense of the word, he has a well-trained military mind, honed by extensive operational flying and flight testing experience, avers Air Marshal B Manikantan (retd).
This week's OTT releases offer a diverse range of entertainment, from a violent spin on the Devdas story in DC to the return of the Dhamaal gang in Dhamaal 4, and the latest intergalactic adventures of The Mandalorian and Grogu.
India's top men's doubles pair, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, fought hard to defeat Denmark's Kim Astrup and Anders Skaarup Rasmussen, securing their spot in the China Masters Super 750 semifinals. This victory continues their strong performance following recent successes. Meanwhile, veteran Indian shuttler Kidambi Srikanth's journey in the men's singles quarter-finals concluded after a straight-games loss to Hong Kong's Lee Cheuk Yiu.
Frances Tiafoe and Brandon Nakashima have both secured their spots in the Cincinnati Open semi-finals, setting up an all-American showdown.
World number one Aryna Sabalenka and top seed Alexander Zverev were dramatically knocked out of the Cincinnati Open, with Sabalenka losing to Sara Bejlek and Zverev falling to Tommy Paul after saving a match point.
Indian hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh has called for a complete 60-minute performance from his squad in their "do-or-die" FIH World Cup match against Olympic champions Netherlands. Both Harmanpreet and coach Craig Fulton believe India can upset the hosts by playing smartly, maintaining impeccable defense, and capitalising on their underdog status.
Iga Swiatek defeated Elena Rybakina 6-2, 6-3 to win her first title of the season at the Canadian Open. The victory provides a significant confidence boost for Swiatek ahead of the US Open.
Indian badminton star P V Sindhu was defeated by China's Chen Yufei in the second round of the China Open. Sindhu expressed frustration over the tournament's scheduling, which she felt gave her inadequate recovery time compared to her opponent.
Ben Shelton, Learner Tien, Brandon Nakashima, and Rafael Jodar have all secured their spots in the Canadian Open semi-finals, showcasing strong performances and building momentum ahead of the US Open.
Indian badminton star PV Sindhu was defeated by local favourite Chen Yufei in the second round of the China Open. Sindhu, who recently won the Japan Open, lost a close three-game match. Following her exit, she publicly criticised the tournament's scheduling, highlighting the inadequate recovery time she received compared to her opponent. Other Indian shuttlers Ayush Shetty and Lakshya Sen also exited the men's singles.
Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa suffered a defeat against Germany's Vincent Keymer in the Sinquefield Cup, part of the Grand Chess Tour, causing him to slip to joint fourth spot. Meanwhile, Wesley So of the United States emerged as the sole leader after a significant victory over Fabiano Caruana.
Former world No. 1 PV Sindhu bowed out of the BWF Badminton World Championships in New Delhi on Thursday after losing to China's Wang Zhi Yi in the Round of 16.
India has announced a 20-member squad for the upcoming FIH Men's Hockey World Cup, with Harmanpreet Singh leading the team.
Indian badminton ace P V Sindhu was eliminated from the China Open after a tough three-game loss to local favourite and world number four Chen Yufei in the second round. Despite winning the first game, Sindhu couldn't maintain her lead, eventually losing 21-16, 20-22, 18-21 in a match lasting nearly 90 minutes.
India has announced a 20-member squad for the upcoming FIH Men's Hockey World Cup, with Harmanpreet Singh leading the team.
India's chief athletics coach Radhakrishnan Nair has confirmed that javelin ace Neeraj Chopra is in 'perfect physical shape' ahead of the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, expressing strong confidence that India will surpass its previous medal tally and potentially achieve a record number of gold medals.
Indian table tennis star Sathiyan Gnanasekaran believes the Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) league is serving as ideal preparation for the national side ahead of the upcoming Asian Games, highlighting its role in team bonding and match practice.
