General Sports 24 Hours

Last updated: September 12, 2026, 8:23 AM ET

Tennis: US Open Finals Set

Aryna Sabalenka has lost the No. 1 ranking to Elena Rybakina, but Saturday's US Open final offers immediate revenge. The pair meet as the top two seeds in a clash of big hitters, and our experts' picks split on whether Sabalenka's power or Rybakina's composure decides the title. Sabalenka described the ranking snub as a "red rag to a bull" — extra fuel for a final she enters with something to prove.

On the men's side, Ben Shelton powered past Frances Tiafoe in an all-American semifinal to book Sunday's championship match against top seed Alexander Zverev. Shelton now stands one win from becoming the first American man in 23 years to claim a major — and he will carry the ultimate home-court pressure into the showdown with Zverev.

In doubles, Taylor Townsend and Katerina Siniakova completed their career Grand Slam as a team, defeating wild-card pair Ashlyn Krueger and Robin Montgomery for their first US Open title together. The victory caps a dominant stretch for the duo across all four majors.

The tournament also paused to mark the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, with a ceremony remembering the victims before play.

Boxing: Garcia vs. Benn

Conor Benn and Ryan Garcia both comfortably made the welterweight limit for their WBC title fight, though Benn then put on 32lbs in 12 hours after the weigh-in — a rehydration swing that raised eyebrows ahead of Saturday's bout. Figures from across the boxing world offered their predictions for a fight that pits Benn's pressure against Garcia's hand speed.

Garcia is well positioned to become this generation's face of boxing, using the very thing that once stopped people taking him seriously — his outsized personality — as his biggest commercial weapon. Two former champions, a title contender and a celebrity boxing fan broke down the matchup and offered their picks, with opinion split on whether Garcia's speed or Benn's engine decides it.

College Football: Week 2

Boston College hosted Rutgers in its annual Red Bandanna Game on Friday night, honoring Welles Crowther on the 25th anniversary of 9/11 — a tribute with special meaning for both schools. The game's Red Bandanna uniforms led the best looks of the week, carrying even more emotion than usual.

Miami's offense delivered a staggering 856 yards and 42 first downs in a 77-7 demolition of Florida A&M in its home opener. The Hurricanes scored on nearly every possession in a performance that will have ACC defenses on notice.

Week 2 also sets up early College Football Playoff narratives, with the SEC and Big Ten squaring off in blueblood matchups, the Big 12 and SEC staging early conference challenges, and the Group of Six facing an elimination weekend. A star-studded Texas-Ohio State sequel headlines the slate, while Michigan's quarterback problems run deep. Ohio State, meanwhile, says it wasn't "battle tested" before last year's early playoff exit — a knock the Buckeyes are about to answer.

At Texas, students and alumni have turned overnight stadium camp-outs into tradition, with the front of the line holding its position since Thursday night ahead of the Longhorns' marquee matchup. Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning has been a name since high school, and his also-famous grandfather had far more time to adjust to the spotlight.

The SEC presidents and chancellors met Thursday and imposed no punishment on LSU following discussion of a potential expulsion. Jason Candle, after 17 years at Toledo, is ready to light it up on the East Coast as he takes over UConn football.

NFL

The Cowboys have handed Christian Parker the coordinator job, making him the youngest DC in franchise history, and Dallas is betting his youth becomes a winning X factor as he tries to fix the NFL's worst defense from last season. Around the league, the buzz ahead of Week 1 centers on Patrick Mahomes' injury comeback, breakout candidates, playoff sleepers and how the Raiders will handle their quarterback situation.

Cricket

Pakistan debutant Razaullah lit up Edgbaston with stunning hitting on day three of the final Test, sending the match into a fourth day and leaving England needing 130 to win. England face a chase of 130 after Razaullah produced thrilling resistance. Former captain Alastair Cook said England had "no plan" and were out of control in the face of the onslaught, and Michael Vaughan joined the criticism of Joe Root's tactics.

Cricket: County Championship

Durham sealed promotion from Championship Division Two with two games to spare, beating Middlesex by 93 runs. Head coach Ryan Campbell explained how a winter of soul-searching — and a Three Peaks challenge — fueled a successful summer.

Snooker

Shaun Murphy snatched a final-frame victory over Judd Trump to reach the semifinals of the English Open, edging a thriller that went to the deciding frame.

Rugby League

Lowly Hull FC stunned second-placed Leeds 18-12 in Super League, ending a dire season in style with one of the competition's biggest upsets of the year.

Rugby Union

England scrum-half Natasha Hunt says the inaugural British and Irish Lions women's tour to New Zealand — the first Test of which is exactly a year away — is massive motivation as she returns from injury.

Golf

Shane Lowry carded a course-record 62 to take control of the Irish Open at Doonbeg, while putting woes prevented defending champion Rory McIlroy from making a second-round charge. At the Solheim Cup, Carlota Ciganda provided a late sparkle as Europe tied the United States 4-4 on a dramatic opening day. Earlier, Nelly Korda played like the world No. 1 in a record-setting partnership with Allisen Corpuz, helping the Americans split the opening foursomes 2-2 in a loud and wet start.

Cycling

Ireland's Eddie Dunbar won the 19th stage of the Vuelta a Espana as Spain's Enric Mas maintained his overall lead with two stages remaining.

Formula 1

F1 got its first taste of the Spanish Grand Prix's brand-new Madring on Friday, and early impressions suggest the most risky circuit of the calendar — already claiming its first victims — will take guts to get right. FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem said it would be "not acceptable" for Fernando Alonso to leave F1 while stuck in an uncompetitive position.

Basketball

Sophie Cunningham says she is focused on the Fever's playoff push and not the commotion around Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White declaring for the WNBA draft. At next week's NBA owners' meetings, the next steps in the Clippers investigation, league expansion and NBA Europe could all be decided.

At the FIBA Women's World Cup, the semifinal matchups are set, with Team USA, France, Germany and Spain still standing ahead of Saturday's games.

Soccer

Swansea City winger Zeidane Inoussa has joined Gornik Zabrze on loan for the remainder of the season, the Polish club confirmed.

Fantasy Baseball

For Week 24 (Sept. 14-20), the fantasy baseball forecaster previews pitcher rankings, hitter ratings and schedule observations to set your lineups for the playoff round.