General Sports 24 Hours

Last updated: September 10, 2026, 10:25 PM ET

Tennis: US Open Semifinals Take Shape

For the first time since 1975, the top four seeds in the women's US Open singles draw have all reached the semifinals, setting up a pair of blockbuster matchups in New York. The headline clash pits two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka against Jessica Pegula, who entered the tournament on a hot streak and will need every bit of that form to dethrone the Belarusian. Behind the scenes, the tournament's unsung workers — from chant leaders to rhythm keepers — have been sparking contagious joy for competitors including Coco Gauff and Carlos Alcaraz.

On the men's side, Alexander Zverev's rocky start to the tournament turned into smooth sailing as he booked his place in the semifinals, his fourth major semi of 2026. Zverev credited his run to staying loose — he stayed up until 3:30am watching Ben Shelton and Carlos Alcaraz's blockbuster quarter-final before taking the court himself. Unseeded Karen Khachanov also advanced to his third Grand Slam semifinal when No. 28 Alexander Blockx stopped playing midway through the third set of their quarterfinal due to injuries, with Khachanov leading by two sets. In men's doubles, three-time US Open champions Joe Salisbury and Rajeev Ram beat last year's winners Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos to reach the final.

Golf: Solheim Cup and Irish Open

The Solheim Cup opens Friday in the Netherlands, where Charley Hull and Lottie Woad will face the formidable pairing of Nelly Korda and Allisen Corpuz in the opening match. History suggests another thriller: no more than one point has separated the teams at the past three Solheim Cups played in Europe, and Iain Carter writes there is every reason to expect this week's contest will be just as exciting. At the Irish Open, defending champion Rory McIlroy sits four shots off the lead after what he called possibly the longest round of his career — an opening round played in stormy conditions that took in excess of six hours.

NFL: Seahawks Edge Patriots, Week 1 Buzz

The defending champion Seattle Seahawks came from behind to beat the New England Patriots 13-10 in the opening game of the NFL season. Meanwhile, the league's international push reaches a new frontier this week with its first regular-season game in Melbourne, Australia — the eighth country to host a regular-season game. Our insiders have Week 1 intel on Patrick Mahomes' injury comeback, the Raiders' quarterback situation and which receivers could break out.

College Football: Week 2 Storylines

A star-studded Texas-Ohio State sequel headlines Week, with the problems at QB running deep for Michigan. Arch Manning's development is under the microscope — a mythbusting analysis examines what the Texas quarterback was good at, where he was failing, and whether his improvement is enough. Ohio State, which bowed out of the playoff early last year with critics pointing to a weak schedule, says it wasn't battle tested before — and that's about to change. In Salt Lake City, former Utah defensive back Morgan Scalley takes over as head coach with a simple mandate: no one is going to want to win more as he tries to take the Utes to the CFP. Western Michigan is using its loss to Michigan as motivation with malice, sending a message: don't feel sorry for the Broncos, feel sorry for their opponents. The Bottom 10 ranks UMass' shocking win over Rutgers as the shot heard 'round the world, proving there's hope for everyone. Off the field, the LSU-SEC rift has cooled for now, though questions about the Tigers' leadership linger. LSU president Wade Rousse told Greg Sankey the school has complied with SEC rules and the issue is moot, avoiding an expulsion vote.

College Basketball: Recruiting and Eligibility

Five-star guard NaVorro Bowman Jr., son of former NFL standout NaVorro Bowman, has committed to UConn, giving the Huskies their highest-ranked committed player. Dozens of rosters remain in wait-and-see mode, and we rank the 25 best players stuck in college basketball eligibility limbo.

Basketball: USA Women Roll at FIBA World Cup

The U.S. routed Hungary 108-56 to advance to the semifinals of the women's FIBA World Cup, stretching its tournament winning streak to 34 games. Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark's on-court interactions have become a subplot, but Clark says many stories about their relationship are false takes, insisting the two are having fun playing together for the national team.

Boxing: Garcia vs. Benn

Ryan Garcia says Conor Benn is nothing more than an average fighter who does not deserve a shot at his WBC welterweight title. Benn counters that making the welterweight limit has felt like being dragged down to the pits of hell, though he insists he is healthy and will make weight. Two former champions, a title contender and a celebrity boxing fan break down the title fight and offer their predictions.

Soccer and Rugby: News Roundup

England captain Meg Jones wants the Red Roses to have access to fertility support and egg freezing, calling for the program to be available to players. World Rugby says it would help any nation wanting to switch a Six Nations match to the United States as part of its drive to spread the game stateside. On the pitch, Wrexham suffered a blow with defender Max Cleworth ruled out for two months with a hamstring injury. The WSL is investigating Crystal Palace over recent events, a story featured in this week's sports quiz.

Rugby: WXV Openers and Schmidt's Detail

Holly Aitchison will win her 50th England cap when she starts at fly-half in the Red Roses' WXV opener against Australia on Saturday in Manchester. Scrum-half Rhea Clarke will make her first start when Scotland face Canada, with Evie Gallagher returning on the openside flank. Ulster forwards coach Clarke Dermody praised Joe Schmidt's amazing eye for detail as the coach settles into his role at the Affidea Stadium. Ireland's Aoife Wafer says her side are capable of joining the elite as they build on recent progress.

Cricket: Somerset's Title Charge, England's Weather Woes

Somerset remain in pole position for a first ever County Championship title after beating Leicestershire by 377 runs. England's charge towards a two-day victory in the final Test against Pakistan was halted by rain at Edgbaston.

Snooker: Davies Stuns World Champion

World champion Wu Yize was knocked out of the English Open in the third round, losing 4-1 to Liam Davies in a major upset.

Cycling: Roglic Closes Gap at Vuelta

Primoz Roglic moved into second in the general classification and closed the gap on leader Enric Mas with a fourth-place finish in the time trial on stage 18 at the Vuelta a Espana.

Motorsport: F1's Madrid Move, Hamilton-Leclerc Truce

Formula 1 is heading to football-obsessed Madrid, a move that began as a joke and a fantasy but became reality thanks to the city's beauty and a very big expo centre on the outskirts. Lewis Hamilton says he and Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc have squashed any controversy between them from the Italian Grand Prix.

Gymnastics: Kinsella's Groundbreaking Return

A year after giving birth, Alice Kinsella took the latest step on her groundbreaking return to gymnastics at an international meeting for Great Britain — a comeback she says is hard to put into words.

Doping and Governance: WADA, Valieva, Winter Olympics

Athletes will not be banned from using weight-loss drugs, but the substances will remain on a monitoring list for 2027. Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva will not be able to compete internationally after the sport's governing body revoked her neutral status. Edgar Grospiron has left his position as president of the organising committee for the 2030 French Alps Winter Olympics just 18 months after his appointment.

Hockey: Lawsuits and Investigations

Sixteen former Michigan hockey players sued the university, alleging that the team's former coaches and other school leaders turned a blind eye to decades of ritualized sexual hazing. The attorney representing the family of the Arizona State hockey player who collapsed during a workout has asked campus police to transfer its investigation to an impartial agency, according to a letter.

Obituaries: Baseball and Rugby League Legends

Isao Harimoto, the Korean-Japanese baseball legend who survived the atomic bombing of Hiroshima to record the most hits in Japanese baseball history, has died at the age of 86 in Tokyo. In Wigan, fans paid their respects at the funeral of rugby league legend Sir Billy Boston.