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As Novak Djokovic overcame a first-round scare to advance to the third round of the US Open, Carlos Alcaraz won the match on Wednesday with a blistering straight-sets victory.

In one hour and 36 minutes, Alcaraz defeated Italian Mattia Bellucci 6-1, 6 0, 6-3, 6-3 on the Arthur Ashe Stadium main court. Alcaraz faces Djokovic in the semi-finals at Flushing Meadows.

The 22-year-old Spanish second seed defeated the 65th-ranked Bellucci, whose best Grand Slam performance came with a bid to Wimbledon’s third round earlier this year. The 22-year-old unfurled a string of 32 winners in a dominant display.

Alcaraz, who will face 32nd seed Luciano Darderi, another Italian, in the next round, said, “I played great, to be honest, from the beginning until the last ball.

He continued, “The sooner I go to bed early the more time I spend in court.”

After falling four sets to American qualifier Zachary Svajda, Serbian legend Djokovic kept his goal of a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam singles title alive.

However, Djokovic was forced to redouble after losing the first set before coming away with a 7-6 (5/7), 6-3, 6-3, 6-1 win.

READ MORE: Sinner, Swiatek Rally Through US Open As Gauff Struggles

Djokovic, 38, stated that he is hoping to improve as the tournament progresses even though he isn’t at his best.

He said, “The more I get into the tournament, the better I feel about my game.”

With his victory, Djokovic will advance to the third round of the US Open, where he will face Britain’s Cameron Norrie, who defeated argentine Francisco Comesana 7-6 (7 / 5), 6-3, 6-7 (0 / 7), 7-6 (7 / 4), in a record-equal 19th time.

Casper Ruud, the 2022 US Open finalist, lost to Belgium’s Raphael Collignon on Wednesday in other men’s tennis matches, falling 6-4, 3-6, 3-6, 6-4, 7-5.

Fourth seed Taylor Fritz defeated South African qualifier Lloyd Harris 4-6, 7-6 (7 / 3), 6-2, 6-4, while compatriot Frances Tiafoe, a seeded 17, also advanced with a four-set victory over qualifier Martin Damm. Tiafoe won 6-4, 7-5, 6-7 (8/10), 7-5.

Rant&nbsp’s “No Class,”

Aryna Sabalenka, the defending champion and world number one, defeated unseeded Russian Polina Kudermetova 7-6 (7/4) 6-2 in the women’s draw.

Sabalenka asserted her control in the second set after taking the first set of a tie-break. In the third round, the Belarusian will face Leylah Fernandez from Canada.

“The first set was extremely aggressive and tight.” I was relieved to be under that pressure and to relieve her. I felt much better in the return game in the second set.

In another instance, Taylor Townsend’s 25th-ranked Latvian Jelena Ostapenko drew a vicious on-court tirade at the American before falling 7-5, 6-1.

Ostapenko accused her of lacking “class” during her rant, according to Townsend.

She told me that I had no education, no class, and that I could watch what happens if we played outside of the US, according to Townsend. Although it was unfortunate, I can put it on my TikTok, you know?

Ostapenko expressed anger over Townsend’s inability to acknowledge a net cord during the game on Instagram.

Emma Raducanu of Great Britain continued her strong start to the tournament by defeating Indonesian qualifier Janice Tjen 6-2, 6-1, in straight sets.

In 21 years, Tjen had become the first Indonesian player to reach the main draw of a Grand Slam, and he followed up with a first-round upset win over Veronika Kudermetova, the 24th seed.

But Raducanu, who is aiming to reclaim the US Open title she won as a qualifier aged 18, comfortably outperforms her. Elena Rybakina, the ninth seed, will face Raducanu in the following round.

Tjen’s tournament came to an end as her exit was followed by another Southeast Asian player, Alexandra Eala, who is also from the Philippines.

Cristina Bucsa of Spain defeated Eala 6-4, 6-3 to make history as the first Filipino player to win a Grand Slam singles match since her defeat of 14th seed Clara Tauson on Sunday.

After drawing 2-2 with Grimsby in a marathon penalty shootout, Manchester United was humiliated on Wednesday when they lost to fourth-place Grimsby.

With only 15 minutes left, League Two side Grimsby scored twice, with Charles Vernam and Tyrell Warren scoring.

With his first goal for the Red Devils, Bryan Mbeumo had sparked a late rally from the club, but Ruben Amorim, who is under contract, was given the opportunity to put more pressure on him.

After a season without victories for United, the Portuguese coach was already under scrutiny.

The 20-time English champions finished 15th overall in their worst league campaign since being relegated in 1974.

One of the worst outcomes in the club’s history has now been lost, leaving them with only two legitimate chances to win the title this year.

READ ALSO: Taribo West declines treatment of ex-internationals at Rufai’s burial in “It’s Disheartening.”

Amorim made eight changes to the Fulham side that won 1-1 on Sunday, but he kept the name of a team that was stuffed to the tens of millions of pounds and had internationals on hand.

Andre Onana made his debut for United on a night of forgettable for the goalkeeper with the signing of Benjamin Sesko, who earned $74 million from RB Leipzig.

Since 1948, Grimsby had been eagerly anticipating a visit from United, and they roared out the blocks to claim a two-goal lead.

Onana and Vernam both enjoyed the 22-minute, potent shot that was fired past him at his near post in Blundell Park, which was well received by the crowd of 9, 000.

The three-division gap between the sides was continued by the hosts in mockuse.

Cameron Gardner had the ball in the net, but a handball prevented him from getting a second chance.

However, when Onana failed to claim a corner and Warren gratefully tapped in, Grimsby did double their lead a moment later.

In the final days of the transfer window, Onana’s poor performance may haveten United’s rumored move for Belgian goalkeeper Senne Lammens.

Bruno Fernandes, Mbeumo, and Matthijs de Ligt, the captain, were thrown on by Amorim at half-time as they attempted to save him.

United were lacking in inspiration after Mbeumo took the ball and curled into the bottom corner from outside the box despite their dominance in the second period.

During Amorim’s troubled reign, Harry Maguire was occasionally forced forward as a makeshift striker, and the England international appeared to have had a big opportunity in the 89th minute when he headed in Mason Mount’s corner.

Five minutes into stoppage time, Sesko skied an incredible chance to make it 2-0 before penalties were required.

With a 4-4 lead, Matheus Cunha had a shot to win the shootout, but Christy Pym saved his effort.

Mbeumo hit the bar to seal United’s fate after 15 more successful spot kicks, including those from both goalkeepers.

Stefanos Tzimas scored twice on his debut to send Brighton into round three with a 6-0 win over Oxford.

With 2-0 victories over Mansfield and Bristol City, Fulham and Everton also advanced.

Jannik Sinner, the reigning world no. 1, won the second round of the US Open on Tuesday, helping women’s draw favorite Iga Swiatek to win the title.

Italian superstar Sinner defeated Czechosia’s 89-ranked Vit Kopriva 6-1, 6-1, and 6-2, only needing 1h 38min to advance to the next round.

“It feels wonderful to be back here.” It’s a very special tournament, according to Sinner, who is attempting to become the first man to win the US Open five times between 2004 and 2008.

In the third round, Alexei Popyrin will face Sinner, 24.

Sinner, who had to withdraw from last week’s Cincinnati Open final against Carlos Alcaraz, expressed his happiness that he is back in good health.

“I have some incredible memories from last year.” Each year has its own uniqueness. You’re starting this tournament, he said, “hopefully in the best way possible, which I did.”

Swiatek from Poland equaled Sinner’s blistering start on the Arthur Ashe Stadium court, who won 6-1, 6-2 over Emiliana Arango from Colombia.

The 24-year-old Polish woman always had the upper hand over the 84th-ranked Arango, who defeated him with some powerful groundstrokes and deft net work.

With the win, Monica Seles’ previous record of 64 wins in a WTA first-round match is broken by Monica Seles, who becomes the first woman in history to do so.

In her post-game press conference, Swiatek’s performance was relegated to a footnote despite the questions dominated by Taylor Swift’s engagement to NFL player Travis Kelce.

READ ALSO: Taribo West declines treatment of ex-internationals at Rufai’s burial in “It’s Disheartening.”

Swiatek’s Swiftie,  ,

Swiatek was a fully paid-up “Swiftie” (the abbreviation for Swift’s millions of devoted fans) when she learned about the singer’s upcoming wedding.

She deserves the best, Swiatek said, “so I’m just happy for her.”

Suzan Lamens from Netherlands will face the six-time Grand Slam singles champion in the second round, which she won in New York in 2022.

However, in a grueling late-night battle that lasted less than three hours, 2023 women’s singles champion Coco Gauff was forced to claw her way past Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic as Sinner and Swiatek advanced to the second round.

Before finally winning 6-4, 6-7 (2 / 7), 7-5 against Tomljanovic, who is ranked 79th in the world, Gauff made 59 unforced errors and 10 double faults.

Gauff acknowledged that the tournament had caused her to feel drained, but that she is happy to make it to the next round.

On the eve of the US Open, Gauff overhauled her coaching staff in an effort to improve her service skills. She won her second Grand Slam of her career earlier this year.

It’s been really difficult, mentally draining, Gauff said, “to be honest.” “But I’m trying,” Although today’s performance wasn’t the best, it was still a step up from last week.

Naomi Osaka, a two-time Olympic champion, was unable to defeat Belgium’s Green Minnen 6-3, 6-4, despite Gauff’s humbling victory.

The former world number one from Japan was delighted to return to a place she cherished as a home.

Osaka, who is seeded 23rd and will next face American Hailey Baptiste, said, “Whenever I play here, the atmosphere feels like home, and it is home for me.”

In his opening match, third-seeded men’s champion Alexander Zverev defeated Chile’s Alejandro Tabilo in straight sets.

Zverev’s victory over the 122nd-ranked Tabilo 6-2, 7-6 (7/4), 6-4 in a match that lasted until Wednesday’s early hours prevented him from making it a second-round exit at Wimbledon last month.

The German, a three-time Grand Slam runner-up, saved a set point in the second set before sealing victory with a break in the match’s final set.

As Premier League Leeds and Sunderland lost on penalties to lower league opponents, Newcastle target Jorgen Strand Larsen scored the winning goal in a 3-2 League Cup win over West Ham on Tuesday.

The Magpies’ £50 million ($67 million) bid for Larsen, who might prove to be Alexander Isak’s replacement, has been reportedly rejected by Wolves.

Vitor Pereira made eight changes after losing both of his team’s opening two Premier League games, but the Norwegian was only introduced 17 minutes into the match.

In three minutes, Larsen put pressure on West Ham manager Graham Potter by scoring two blistering goals to end the game at Molineux.

Rodrigo Gomes put Wolves ahead, but Tomas Soucek and Lucas Paqueta had taken the lead.

However, West Ham are still without a win this season after conceding eight goals in their opening two Premier League games.

READ ALSO: Taribo West declines treatment of ex-internationals at Rufai’s burial in “It’s Disheartening.”

After returning to the Premier League, Leeds have spent nearly $100 million on signing new players, while Sheffield Wednesday supporters are concerned about their ability to survive because their players and staff are frequently paid late.

In a protest against club owner Dejphon Chansiri, the club’s Supporters’ Trust advised the home fans against attending.

However, Wednesday had a chance to celebrate at Hillsborough because Leeds were unable to convert any of their penalties after drawing 1-1.

Following a 1-1 draw, League One Huddersfield also embarrassed Sunderland.

With goals from Fabio Carvalho and Igor Thiago, Brentford defeated Bournemouth to claim the other all-Premier League match of the night by defeating them 2-0.

Oliver Sonne’s stoppage-time winner was necessary for Burnley to defeat second-tier Derby 2-1.

In Dar es Salaam, Ten-Man Madagascar defeated Sudan 1-0 to advance to their first-ever African Nations Championship (CHAN) final, which they won 1-0 thanks to a dramatic extra-time winner.

After drawing 1-1 at the Nelson Mandela National Stadium in Kampala, the Barea will face Morocco, who finished third in their only previous outing three years ago. The Barea will face Morocco, who defeated Senegal 5-3 on penalties.

The first half ended goalless for Madagascar when they dominated possession in front of a sparse Benjamin Mkapa Stadium crowd and created two early chances.

With Walieldin Khidir’s 53-minute penalty missing a gilt-edged header, Sudan, who were playing in their third semi-final after near-misses in 2011 and 2018, had the better chances in the second half.

In the 79th minute, Madagascar’s Fenohasina Razafimaro was sent off for a second bookable offense after scoring the match’s equalizer against Kenya to send the game into penalties. The match appeared to be heading in Sudan’s direction.

Sudan launched a barrage of attacks despite having a one-man advantage, but the match ended 0-0 draw with 90 minutes remaining.

When substitute Toky Rakotondraibe tapped the ball past goalkeeper Mohamed Abooja in the 116th minute to send Madagascar through and sabotage Sudan’s chances of winning their first final, it seemed like the game was about to end in a penalty shootout.

Coach Romuald Rakotondrabe, a coach from Madagascar, said, “Our strength lies in unity.” The players continued to believe until the very end, claiming that both Madagascar and them now have a victory.

Madagascar will face the much more experienced Moroccans, who won the CHAN final on penalties in Kampala with a victory over Senegal. They will face off in the Nairobi final on Saturday.

The players kept their composure in the crucial moments, according to Morocco coach Tarik Sektioui, “but it was a tough match against the defending champions.”

“We have worked hard to get this stage, and we want to win it once more.”

READ ALSO: Taribo West declines treatment of ex-internationals at Rufai’s burial in “It’s Disheartening.”

posing like it and making history! #TotalEnergiesCHAN2024 pic. twitter.com/LXs7m2EYtL

The defending champions Senegal were the first-ever to face off in a CHAN match, and Joseph Layousse, the defending champion, won first when he headed home from close range.

Morocco equalized seven minutes later when Sabir Bougrine fired a fierce shot into the top corner from outside the penalty area. His second tournament goal came in.

Marouane Louadni of Morocco received a straight red card for fouling Vieux Cisse, but the decision was overturned.

The penalty-takers had to take the penalty-takers as extra time came to an end with the teams still tied at 1-1.

Morocco converted all five of their penalties to seal their spot for a date in Nairobi on Saturday, but Senegal struggled when captain Seyni N’Diaye hit the crossbar with their opening effort.

One of the biggest celebrity couples in the world, Taylor Swift, and American football player Travis Kelce, announced their engagement on Tuesday, causing a well-known wedding for the two.

Kelce and Swift both shared images of their wedding proposals in a flower-filled garden in a joint Instagram post, which featured a large diamond ring before Swift flashing a big ring.

Your English teacher and your gym instructor are getting married, the pair captioned the joke.

The 35-year-old couple first revealed their relationship in 2023, and they’ve frequently been seen together at his NFL games and at her performance as Kansas City Chiefs.

Swift closed her critically acclaimed $2 billion Eras tour last year, which saw her become the biggest music star in the world with 149 three-hour shows all over the world.

Millions of fans bought tickets for exorbitant prices, as well as many more who didn’t enter and were willing to sing along other venues.

Swifties, as her fans are known, are currently anticipating the release of her upcoming album, “The Life of a Showgirl,” on October 3.

READ ALSO: Taribo West declines treatment of ex-internationals at Rufai’s burial in “It’s Disheartening.”

Kelce and his brother Jason, both of whom are former NFL players, make the announcement in an episode of his “New Heights” podcast this month.

The Tortured Poets Department, the 14-time Grammy winner’s most recent major release, was released in April of this year.

Swift is well known for her song “Singing about heartbreaks with her famous exes,” but her relationship with Kelce, one of the NFL’s most feared players, has grown in spite of the pressures of fame.

President Donald Trump’s dislike of Swift was exacerbated by the real estate billionaire’s endorsement of his rival Kamala Harris in the previous year’s election, who also publicly endorsed her.