Defeats for Kartal and Boulter condemn Britain to loss
Men will play Germany in quarter-finals of Davis Cup
Great Britain’s stay at the Billie Jean King Cup finals lasted only one match as they lost against Czechia in the quarter-finals in Shenzhen. Anne Keothavong’s side were bidding to reach the last four for the fourth time in five years but were considerable underdogs and defeats for Sonay Kartal and Katie Boulter sealed their fate.
Led by the Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova, the entire Czech team is ranked higher than any of Britain’s players, and it was Noskova who sealed victory with a 6-2, 7-6 (3) win against Boulter. That followed a lengthy struggle between Marie Bouzkova and Kartal lasting a minute short of three hours, which the Czech eventually won 7-6 (2), 4-6, 6-4.
World No 9 returns to form in 6-3, 6-3 win against Kamil Majchrzak
Max Purcell and Rinky Hijikata click in doubles as Australia progress
Alex de Minaur has returned to form to seal Australia’s Davis Cup progression, with the hosts beating Poland 3-1 in Brisbane also thanks to some earlier doubles brilliance.
The world No 9 found top gear on Sunday at Pat Rafter Arena, beating Kamil Majchrzak 6-3, 6-3 to clinch a 3-1 result that sends Australia into the Cup’s penultimate round next year.
World No 9 beats Maks Kasnikowski 6-3, 6-0 in World Group I tie
James Duckworth loses to Kamil Majchrzak 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 in Brisbane
Alex de Minaur has taken his frustrations out in a Davis Cup thumping to put Australia up 1-0 in their must-win Brisbane tie against Poland, before Kamil Majchrzak edged James Duckworth in a tense two-hour affair.
The world No 9, keen to rediscover his mojo after a disappointing second-round US Open loss, lit up Pat Rafter Arena on Saturday afternoon with a dominant 6-3 6-0 defeat of world No 231 Maks Kasnikowski.
Despite the drama on the court, the poor condition of Arthur Ashe Stadium was just one problem among many
At the end of another comically late night and early morning in Flushing Meadows, when the remaining spectators were departing, a familiar scene was unfolding on the US Open tournament grounds. A handful of workers had congregated directly beneath a hole in the ceiling inside one of the tournament shops as they tried to stop water from flowing out of a broken pipe and ruining thousands of pounds worth of merchandise below.
This was not a surprising sight. Upon entering Arthur Ashe Stadium this year, fans were greeted by some ominous signs: “Pardon our appearance while we write the next chapter of Arthur Ashe Stadium.” The tournament’s appearance, it must be said, was hideous. Inside the corridors and rooms at one of the biggest sporting events in the world, it felt like its main building was falling apart.
We take a look at some of our favourite snapshots from New York as Elena Rybakina and Alexander Zverev both triumphed in the final grand slam of the year
Dual grand slam doubles champion named after tennis suspension
Alex de Minaur leads Australia team to face Poland in tie in Brisbane
Max Purcell, the grand slam doubles champion left shattered when having to serve a ban for an anti-doping breach, is back in the Australian tennis fold, selected as part of Lleyton Hewitt’s Davis Cup team to face Poland.
The 28-year-old Purcell, who received widespread sympathy throughout tennis from those who felt the 18-month ban was unfair and smacked of double standards, could play his first Davis Cup rubber for two years next week.
I can’t lie, part of me wondered if Andreeva would ever win a slam. Not because I doubted her talent, but because I feared that at some point in every major, she’d be out-hit by an opponent with a bigger but not necessarily better game. In the event, though, her preternatural grasp of the game is worth more than a few mph, the question no longer how but how many.
Word up and welcome to the US Open 2026 – day nine!
We’re 4-4 in the doubles and knocking up on Ashe. Thinking more about the match, I’d expect Townsend to use top spin to hit cross at Sabalenka’s backhand, taking her outside the lines if possible. She’ll also try and slow the game down, I think, and frustrate the champ, who doesn’t enjoy the wind-ups.
Townsend comes out wearing a coat that wouldn’t be out of place in the Night’s Watch, photo to follow but, in the meantime:
Australian wildcard loses 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 to Luciano Darderi
Sweeney frustrated by loss but says he had ‘an amazing week’
Dane Sweeny’s gallant and “career-changing” US Open campaign has come to a frustrating end with a tough third-round loss to seeded Italian Luciano Darderi.
Sweeny complained of a hip injury during the 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 defeat to the world No 22 that left Australia without a second-week singles hope in New York for the first time in five years.
Australian No 1 falls to Botic van de Zandschulp 6-4, 7-5, 6-2
Wildcard Dane Sweeny last Australian standing in New York
Alex de Minaur has blown his best opportunity to claim a maiden grand slam crown after crashing out in the US Open second round in New York. Australia’s world No 7 slumped to a shock straight-sets loss to Botic van de Zandschulp, the Dutchman he had beaten in all four of their previous meetings.
In a demoralising display, De Minaur dropped serve five times and only broke his 70th-ranked opponent once in a 6-4, 7-5, 6-2 defeat on Thursday (Friday AEST). He also racked up 30 unforced errors compared to just 23 winners in the two-hour, 43-minute upset on The Grandstand.
Australian free to play again after having suspension reduced
ITIA accepts Kyrgios’s use of cocaine was outside of competition
Fallen Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios has entered a treatment program after accepting a one-month ban for testing positive to cocaine.
After admitting his “huge mistake” when initially suspended for failing a drugs test on June 22 at an ATP 250 tournament in Spain, Kyrgios is allowed to compete again from Friday.
In the hunt to be the first American to end the Grand Slam drought, Frances Tiafoe is hoping to channel the Knicks’ championship energy while he’s in Flushing Meadows.
Tiafoe advanced to the third round of the U.S. Open, defeating Rei Sakamoto in three sets in front of noted celebrity Knicks fan Ben Stiller on Wednesday night, and was asked afterward about the noticeable number of fans wearing Knicks gear at this year’s tournament.
Tiafoe, whose sporting allegiance lies with the Washington, D.C. teams, first pretended not to know who the Knicks were before suggesting he hoped to use some of their positive vibes to help him in this year’s U.S. Open.
Frances Tiafoe reacts after his straight-set win over Rei Sakamoto during the second round of the U.S. Open on Sept. 2, 2026 at Louis Armstrong Stadium. Getty Images
“Hopefully I can go off that Knicks energy, even though I’m a huge DC Sports fan. That was nuts, man. What a run. Happy for them,” Tiafoe said.
He said that he had reached out to Stiller, a fan of Tiafoe’s and has previously been spotted at events cheering him on, to congratulate him on the Knicks’ victory.
“I texted them to say congrats to them. Yeah, I mean these guys were going to San Antonio and everything, so they were really locked in. It was great, man,” Tiafoe added.
The 28-year-old couldn’t let the moment pass to make one bold prediction about his Wizards, though.
Actor Ben Stiller in the stands after Frances Tiafoe of the U.S. wins his second-round match against Japan’s Rei Sakamoto on Sept. 2, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters
“But Wizards will win the ‘ship next year, so it’s cool,” Tiafoe said.
Tiafoe is one of several American players whom tennis fans have pinned their hopes on to win a Grand Slam title in Queens for the first time since Andy Roddick in 2003.
He will face Valentin Vacherot in the third round and said that he has not played him yet in his career.
The Knicks won the NBA Finals in June to take the crown for the first time since 1973. Charles Wenzelberg / NY Post
In terms of preparation, his plan is simple.
Watch some tape, be the student,” Tiafoe said. “Watching runs, see who he has played, what have you. I’ll know a decent amount in a couple of days.”
Australia’s No 1 beats Andrea Guerrieri 6-2, 6-2, 6-4 after delays
Taylah Preston and Daria Kasatkina bow out after first-round defeats
After having his tournament opener against Andrea Guerrieri postponed until day four, Alex de Minaur had to endure another two-hour rain delay before putting away the Italian qualifier in straight sets.
The world No 7 advanced with a 6-2, 6-2, 6-4 victory to set up a second-round clash with Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp.
German scrapes home 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (7), 7-5, 6-4 in thriller
‘I think this is the longest first-round match I’ve played’
Alexander Zverev rallied just in time to avoid becoming the first men’s No 1 seed to lose in the first round of a grand slam tournament since 2003, edging Lorenzo Sonego 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (7), 7-5, 6-4 in a US Open match that ended in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
Zverev could not cash in on repeated chances to break Sonego’s serve for much of the night and was in danger of becoming the first top-seeded man to fall in his first match in a major tournament since Ivo Karlovic beat Lleyton Hewitt at Wimbledon in 2003.
