Author: Guardian sport

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Millionaire apologises for snatching Majchrzak’s souvenir cap from young fan at US Open

  • Polish businessman Piotr Szczerek says: ‘I made a grave mistake’

  • Majchrzak had given cap to boy in crowd after five-set victory

Moments after the tennis player Kamil Majchrzak celebrated the biggest win of his career at the US Open last week, he handed his cap to a beaming young boy. What happened next sparked tears, outrage, a detective hunt across social media and, finally, a grovelling apology.

It came from Piotr Szczerek, a millionaire businessman from Poland, who had snatched the cap out of the boy’s hand and stuffed it into his bag. Videos of the incident showed the youngster looking deeply upset and asking: “What are you doing?” while Majchrzak – who was oblivious to the situation after his five-set victory against the ninth seed, Karen Khachanov – walked away.

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Felix Auger-Aliassime stuns No 3 Zverev to return to US Open second week

  • Auger-Aliassime beats Zverev in four-set thriller

  • Zverev suffers earliest New York exit since 2018

Felix Auger-Aliassime stormed into the last 16 of the US Open on Saturday night with a rousing comeback win over world No 3 Alexander Zverev, knocking out one of the title favorites 4-6, 7-6 (7), 6-4, 6-4 on Louis Armstrong Stadium.

The Canadian 25th seed had not reached the second week in New York since his semi-final run in 2021 but summoned some of the best tennis of his career to secure a first grand slam victory over a top-five opponent. The match stretched to three hours and 48 minutes and finished shortly before midnight, delaying the night session that followed.

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Premier League: 10 things to look out for this weekend

How Ruben Amorim could stop the rot, Brighton to go Greek and an Anfield baptism of fire for Eberechi Eze

Calling Chelsea “Cole Palmer FC” is not much of an insult. Oh no, you have one of the best attackers in the world. Oh no, you got him for a bargain price. Oh no, he won you the Club World Cup last month. Still, no side ever wants to be completely reliant on one player. Chelsea aim to depend more on the collective than the individual. They have struggled without Palmer in the past but thrived in his absence against West Ham last week. Palmer withdrew with a groin injury during the warm-up and is a doubt to face Fulham in the Saturday lunchtime kick-off. However, Enzo Maresca has options. Estêvão Willian came in for Palmer against West Ham and was exceptional on the right wing. João Pedro and Pedro Neto were excellent. Chelsea have enough talent at their disposal to beat Fulham without Palmer. Jacob Steinberg

Chelsea v Fulham, Saturday 12.30pm (all times BST)

Manchester United v Burnley, Saturday 3pm

Tottenham v Bournemouth, Saturday 3pm

Sunderland v Brentford, Saturday 3pm

Wolves v Everton, Saturday 3pm

Leeds v Newcastle, Saturday 5.30pm

Brighton v Manchester City, Sunday 2pm

Nottingham Forest v West Ham, Sunday 2pm

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Carlos Alcaraz laughs off ‘horrendous’ US Open haircut after brother’s clippers slip

  • Brother gives 2022 champ haircut in barber’s absence

  • Frances Tiafoe among critics of new style

Carlos Alcaraz thought the biggest challenge he would face in the early stages of this year’s US Open was the 145mph serves of his 6ft 11in first round opponent, Reilly Opelka. Instead it turned out to be his own brother.

Alcaraz wanted a haircut before the tournament and, in the absence of his usual barber, Victor Martínez, asked one of his brothers to give him a trim. It did not go well.

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Premier League: 10 talking points from the weekend’s action

Richarlison and Martín Zubimendi are changing things up at Spurs and Arsenal while Graham Potter needs to get ugly

Ruben Amorim has been a highly successful Manchester United manager against continental opposition and promoted Premier League clubs. He’s been respectable against the top teams in England, with a win at the Etihad, a draw at Anfield and a win on penalties against Arsenal. But he’s been hopeless when faced with opponents from mid-table. Last season, after taking over in November, Amorim supervised 14 league games against clubs that ended up between seventh and 17th. United won two, drew two and lost 10, scraping eight points out of a possible 42. One of those two wins was at Craven Cottage, a streaky 1-0. Here, again, they needed luck to take the lead as Leny Yoro got away with a two-hands push on Calvin Bassey; this time they blew it, and they couldn’t complain. United had been the better team for 20 minutes, Fulham for about 75. Tim de Lisle

Match report: Fulham 1-1 Manchester United

Match report: Everton 2-0 Brighton

Match report: Crystal Palace 1-1 Nottingham Forest

Match report: Manchester City 0-2 Tottenham

Match report: Arsenal 5-0 Leeds

Amorim tells United to ‘grow up’, Fernandes says referee triggered penalty miss

Match report: Brentford 1-0 Aston Villa

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Australia stack up runs and salvage pride with huge win over South Africa

Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh and Cameron Green smashed blistering hundreds as Australia steamrollered South Africa by 276 runs in the third and final one-day international of the series in Mackay.

South Africa had already clinched the series, leaving the 50-over world champions to play for pride in the last match. Australia’s opening pair set the tone with a 250-run partnership between player-of-the-match Head (142) and Marsh (100), before an incendiary unbeaten 118 from Green powered Australia to a mammoth 2-431.

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Premier League: 10 things to look out for this weekend

Spurs must forget Eze humiliation, Isak will be all the talk on Tyneside and Everton begin a new era at Hill Dickinson

Enzo Maresca’s request for Chelsea to replace the injured Levi Colwill with a new centre-back remains unanswered. The club’s position is straightforward: there are no suitable defenders on the market and, in any case, it is up to Maresca to find internal solutions. The Italian can call upon Josh Acheampong, who performed well against Crystal Palace on the opening weekend. The 19-year-old started with Colwill’s long-term absence complicated by Tosin Adarabioyo’s minor injury. Adarabioyo may return for Friday night at West Ham but there is a case to give Acheampong another chance next to Trevoh Chalobah. Acheampong, who counts Manchester City as one of his many suitors, stood up to Jean-Phillipe Mateta in the goalless draw with Palace. It is worth having another look at whether he can cope as the central centre-back when Chelsea morph into a back three in possession. Replacing Colwill’s line-breaking passes will not be easy but Maresca has options. Jacob Steinberg

West Ham v Chelsea, Friday 8pm (all times BST)

Manchester City v Tottenham, Saturday 12.30pm

Brentford v Aston Villa, Saturday 3pm

Burnley v Sunderland, Saturday 3pm

Bournemouth v Wolves, Saturday 3pm

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Coco Gauff parts ways with her coach days before US Open campaign

  • World No 3 dismisses Daly ahead of US Open

  • Gauff adds biomechanics guru Gavin MacMillan

  • 21-year-old seeks to fix serve woes in New York

Coco Gauff has reportedly split with coach Matthew Daly just days before the start of the US Open, making another shakeup to her support team on the eve of the year’s final major. The move was first reported by Bounces.

The world No 3 and two-time major champion will continue to work with her longtime coach Jean-Christophe Faurel but has added biomechanics specialist Gavin MacMillan to her corner. MacMillan was spotted with Gauff during a Wednesday practice session at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York.

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PGA Tour ends decade-long absence from Trump-owned courses with Doral return in 2026

  • PGA Tour adds Miami Championship at Trump Doral

  • First Tour event at Trump venue since 2016 split

  • Event part of crowded spring with majors, big purses

The PGA Tour will return to Donald Trump’s Blue Monster course in Miami next spring, ending a decade-long absence from Trump-owned venues.

The Miami Championship, a $20m Signature Event scheduled for the first weekend in May 2026, will mark the 56th time the Tour has played at Trump National Doral but the first since 2016, the year Trump won his first US presidential election. That year, the WGC-Cadillac Championship was pulled from the resort and relocated to Mexico City after Cadillac ended its sponsorship.

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Premier League: 10 talking points from the weekend’s action

Kyle Walker has World Cup in his sights, Nottingham Forest remain potent in attack and James Trafford delights the Manchester City fans

It has been a constant in the last two seasons: Manchester United are doing OK in a game, resembling something approaching a football team, then out of nowhere all their good work is ruined by goalkeeping incompetence somehow predictable and unpredictable. And that was exactly what happened against Arsenal, United starting fairly well, only to concede a corner and fall behind in inexcusably soft circumstances. Usually, André Onana is the man responsible, but in his absence, Altay Bayindir seized the mantle with alacrity. We can be absolutely certain that Ruben Amorim has already told his bosses he must have a new keeper and, though they have already spent heavily, the position must be addressed as a matter of urgency because if it is not, this will continue happening and they might soon be facing questions about whether a new manager is necessary. It is pointless building a swish new house only for the owners to knowingly leave the back door open, get burgled and sack the builder. Daniel Harris

Match report: Manchester United 0-1 Arsenal

Match report: Nottingham Forest 3-1 Brentford

Match report: Chelsea 0-0 Crystal Palace

Match report: Brighton 1-1 Fulham

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Premier League: 10 things to look out for on the opening weekend

Another new era at Tottenham, De Cuyper can shine for Brighton and Aston Villa remind us this is a business

A visit to an expectant Anfield, where Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitiké will be out to impress on their Premier League debuts, represents a daunting start for a Bournemouth team that have lost three-quarters of last season’s backline to the pulling power of Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and Liverpool this summer. Defensive issues are not exclusive to Andoni Iraola before the Premier League opener, however. Arne Slot voiced concern over the champions’ pre-season vulnerability before and after the Community Shield against Crystal Palace, when the absence of Ryan Gravenberch for family reasons was keenly felt. “Three times we lost the ball very simple in our midfield and three times they could counterattack us,” reflected the Liverpool head coach. Gravenberch will be missing again on Friday due to suspension but Slot expects the team with the second-best defensive record in the Premier League last season to react as soon as the serious business begins. “Mixed teams, new players coming in, Virgil [van Dijk] being sick, Alisson not being there,” he listed as reasons for Liverpool’s recent difficulties on Thursday. “But all of this is not an excuse when we start the league. We will 100% be ready on Friday.” Andy Hunter

Liverpool v Bournemouth, Friday 8pm (all times BST)

Aston Villa v Newcastle, Saturday 12.30pm

Brighton v Fulham, Saturday 3pm

Sunderland v West Ham, Saturday 3pm

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