General Sports 24 Hours

Last updated: August 31, 2026, 8:02 AM ET

US Open Tennis

Venus Williams’ latest-ever start at the US Open ended in disappointment as she fell in straight sets to fellow American wild card Sofia Kenin, a match that began after midnight in what was the 46-year-old’s 26th singles appearance at the tournament. The night session also saw Novak Djokovic’s shocking exit, as the 24-time Grand Slam champion was upset by Mariano Navone in the first round, ending his remarkable 20-year streak of reaching at least the second week at a major. Meanwhile, third-ranked Jessica Pegula shook off nerves that contributed to a slow start against Elena-Gabriela Ruse, winning her opening match in straight sets. British qualifier Toby Samuel earned his first Grand Slam win with a dominant victory over Tomas Machac, though compatriot Cameron Norrie was beaten after admitting to feeling nervous. ESPN’s experts have weighed in on the tournament, with Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula, Ben Shelton and others all in title contention, while Bill Connelly has ranked the top contenders from favorites to underdogs. One player generating significant buzz is Alex Eala, whose rapid rise has drawn comparisons to both Manny Pacquiao and Maria Sharapova, with the hype and game to make a deep run in New York.

Cricket

England completed a clinical series win over Pakistan, powering to victory by 194 runs on the fourth day of the second Test at Lord’s to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series. Ollie Robinson was the standout performer, with BBC Sport’s Jonathan Agnew praising his rhythmical action as reminiscent of Glenn McGrath, while player ratings from the match highlighted Robinson’s best Test in a year and questioned Joe Root’s recent form. Root himself remained calm about his modest returns, saying he has “14,000 runs for a reason” and is “not too concerned” about his recent struggles with the bat. Off the field, Pakistan will have an audience with King Charles this week, days after a threat to cancel their tour of England was made following an interview with the sons of Imran Khan. In a bizarre development in Northern Ireland, a cricket team was forced to concede a match because of a broken printer.

Golf

Justin Rose produced a moment of magic at the Tour Championship, acing the par-3 ninth hole at East Lake Golf Club from 208 yards during the final round, making easy work of a hole that had troubled many of his peers. Meanwhile, Joe Dean completed a remarkable comeback to win the British Masters, firing a nine-under-par final round of 63 at The Belfry to come from seven shots back and claim his first DP World Tour title. Dean, a former supermarket delivery driver, stormed past the field with a stunning display of aggressive golf to secure a life-changing victory.

Boxing

Katie Taylor’s farewell fight against Flora Pili at Croke Park in Dublin on Saturday night is fast approaching, with all the key details now confirmed for what promises to be an emotional occasion. Taylor will become the first boxer to headline Croke Park since Muhammad Ali beat Al “Blue” Lewis in 1972, and Paddy Maguire, who was the last to box on that iconic night, recalled the atmosphere ahead of Taylor’s historic appearance.

College Football

College football made its annual restart in Ireland, where Bill Belichick’s North Carolina upset TCU in the Dublin College Football Classic, with observers noting the Tar Heels “have improved” under the legendary NFL coach. North Dakota State won their first-ever FBS game with a 33-7 victory over Jacksonville State, as Nathan Hayes completed 14 of 22 passes with two touchdowns and Myles Mitchell ran for 74 yards. Elsewhere, ESPN has identified 20 teams ready to be the next Indiana and win their first national championship, while there is renewed optimism for Cal football under their new leadership, with the program’s university buy-in suggesting they are serious about competing at the highest level. In a historical oddity, the unauthorized 1896 trip to Mexico that got Missouri football in trouble remains one of the lesser-known stories in the sport’s history. In sad news, William Jewell College junior running back Micah Jo Barnett died after a medical emergency on the sideline during the Missouri-based Division II school’s season opener.

NFL

The Dallas Cowboys are waiving running back Jaydon Blue, opting to go with Davis as their backup running back ahead of the new season. Meanwhile, kicker Charlie Smyth has been waived by the New Orleans Saints after losing a kicking competition with Dan Carlson. In legal news, former TCU safety Jacob Fields is facing an assault charge stemming from his alleged punching of a teammate that led to his dismissal from the squad.

Cycling and Other Sports

Enric Mas outsprinted Britain’s Oscar Onley to win stage nine of the Vuelta a España, asserting his claim to the red jersey with a commanding victory. Tom Pidcock won his second cross-country world title at the Mountain Bike World Championships in Italy, dedicating the triumph to Fin Tarling. Ireland closed out the World Rowing Championships with two silver medals on the final day of racing at the Bosbaan in Amsterdam. Curaçao won its second Little League World Series title, beating Nevada 11-2 in the championship game Sunday. Wales boss Craig Bellamy faces an injury blow ahead of the Nations League kickoff after Joe Rodon’s injury was confirmed by Leeds United manager Daniel Farke. In Formula, a selection of images from Monza captures the Italian Grand Prix’s rich history, with the circuit having hosted more F1 races than any other. Finally, fantasy baseball managers should check the Week 22 forecast for pitcher rankings, hitter ratings and schedule observations as the playoff weeks begin.