Eala earns swift US Open win vs Oliynykova to reach 3rd round

Pakistan ODI captain Shaheen Shah Afridi has avoided giving a long-term commitment about his leadership ahead of the 2027 ICC World Cup, saying that he remains captain “for now”. Speaking at a joint press conference with the captains of the teams participating in the National Champions Cup, Shaheen was asked whether he had received assurances that he would continue leading Pakistan until the World Cup. His response was brief. “For now, I am the captain,” he said. The left-arm fast bowler also stressed the importance of the Champions Cup in preparing Pakistan for the global tournament. He said the competition would help the national team build a wider pool of players and identify suitable replacements in case of injuries. Shaheen pointed out that injuries have frequently affected Pakistan’s World Cup campaigns. He said having additional players ready would make it easier for the team management to deal with any fitness concerns before the 2027 tournament. He added that the Champions Cup would allow players to perform in their preferred positions while competing against strong domestic opposition. According to Shaheen, the tournament will be important not only for individual players but also for assessing the overall strength and fitness of the national squad. He said the performances of players during the competition would help selectors identify those capable of contributing to Pakistan’s World Cup plans. “Our focus is on the World Cup,” Shaheen said, stressing that consistent performances and fitness would be key factors in selection. The National Champions Cup is scheduled to begin on Tuesday at Multan Cricket Stadium. Four teams will participate in the competition: Pakistan Greens, Pakistan Whites, Pakistan Blues and Pakistan Gold. Each team will face the others once during the league stage. The top two sides will qualify for the final, which is scheduled for August 18. The tournament’s trophy unveiling ceremony was held earlier, with the captains of all four teams attending the event. Shaheen Shah Afridi is leading Pakistan Gold, while Sahibzada Farhan is captaining Pakistan Blues and Saim Ayub is leading Pakistan Whites. Faheem Ashraf represented Pakistan Greens at the ceremony in place of their regular captain, Shadab Khan.

NEW YORK: World No. 1 Jannik Sinner has withdrawn from the US Open after failing to recover fully from a right knee injury, dealing a major blow to the tournament just days before the final Grand Slam of the season. The five-time Grand Slam champion confirmed on Friday that he would not compete at Flushing Meadows despite making every effort to return to competitive tennis. “Even though I have been working hard with my team and my medical staff, we have now had to make the difficult decision that I will not be able to compete at the US Open this year,” Sinner said in a statement. The 24-year-old Italian explained that he had recently returned to court in Monte Carlo with his team but realised that his knee still required additional recovery time. “I’m very sad and disappointed, as New York has a special place in my heart,” Sinner said, adding that he had been eagerly anticipating the tournament and the atmosphere created by its fans. Sinner has not played competitively since lifting the Wimbledon trophy on July 12. His injury had already forced him to withdraw from the US Open preparation events in Cincinnati and Montreal, raising doubts about whether he would be fit enough to defend his position among the tournament favourites. His absence will be particularly significant given his remarkable 2026 campaign. Sinner has recorded 44 victories against just three defeats this season and has collected six titles, including his Wimbledon triumph. The Italian was also expected to arrive in New York with strong motivation after winning the US Open in 2024. However, his title defence will now have to wait. Sinner’s withdrawal also changes the dynamics of a tournament that had been building toward another chapter in his growing rivalry with Carlos Alcaraz. Alcaraz, Sinner’s biggest contemporary rival, announced on Thursday that he would return to competition at the US Open after spending more than four months on the sidelines with a wrist injury. The Spaniard lost last year’s US Open final to Sinner, making his return one of the most anticipated storylines of this year’s tournament. With Sinner now absent, Alcaraz will have an opportunity to strengthen his position in the Grand Slam race. Sinner’s 2026 season has not been without setbacks. At the French Open, he arrived as the overwhelming favourite but suffered a surprise second-round exit while struggling in a severe heatwave. For now, the Italian will remain in Europe and concentrate on rehabilitation. His target is to return for the Asian swing, with tournaments in Beijing and Shanghai among his planned objectives. For the US Open, however, one thing is certain: the defending 2024 champion and current world No. 1 will be watching from afar, leaving the Grand Slam field wide open for a new champion.

GLASGOW: Pakistani boxer Fatima Zahra made history by winning a bronze medal in the women’s 60kg boxing event at the Commonwealth Games, becoming the first Pakistani woman to secure a boxing medal at the prestigious multi-sport event. Fatima’s campaign ended in the semi-finals after she was defeated by Canadian boxer Maria. Despite the loss, she earned the bronze medal under the tournament’s competition format, marking a significant milestone for Pakistan’s women’s boxing. During the semi-final, the Canadian boxer established a 4-1 lead in the opening round. The referee stopped the contest in the second round, bringing the bout to an early conclusion and ending Fatima’s hopes of reaching the final. Before advancing to the semi-finals, Fatima delivered an impressive performance in the quarter-finals by defeating New Zealand’s Jordan Wilson. The victory secured her place among the top four boxers in the competition and guaranteed Pakistan a medal. The achievement is particularly significant as it marks Pakistan’s first boxing medal at the Commonwealth Games since 2014. It also represents a historic breakthrough for women’s boxing in the country, with Fatima becoming the first Pakistani female boxer to reach the podium at the Games. Speaking after the semi-final, Fatima said the bronze medal was an important achievement, although the team had entered the event with hopes of winning the gold medal. She described the medal as an encouraging step for Pakistani women’s boxing and said it would inspire more female athletes to pursue the sport at the highest level. Fatima added that the journey to the Commonwealth Games had required years of hard work, dedication and sacrifice. She said reaching the podium showed that Pakistan’s women boxers were making steady progress and moving in the right direction. Sports officials and boxing supporters praised her achievement, describing it as a major boost for women’s boxing in Pakistan and a source of inspiration for the country’s young athletes. The women’s 60kg boxing final will be held on Saturday, with India’s Priya set to face Canada’s Mary Almahdi in the gold medal contest.

TORONTO: Former world number one Iga Swiatek produced a commanding performance to defeat Diana Shnaider 6-2, 6-1 and reach the Toronto Masters semi-finals, where she will face Elina Svitolina in a highly anticipated showdown. The six-time Grand Slam champion needed only 64 minutes to dispatch the Russian and move into the last four of the Canadian Open. Swiatek controlled the contest from the opening exchanges, using her powerful groundstrokes and precise movement to keep Shnaider under constant pressure. The Polish seventh seed never faced a break point and dominated the match with impressive consistency. She quickly established a 5-2 advantage in the opening set before breaking Shnaider again and serving it out in 31 minutes. The second set proved even more one-sided. Swiatek broke early to move ahead 2-1 before another strong sequence of winners helped her extend the advantage. A third break finally ended Shnaider’s resistance and completed a convincing victory. “From the beginning, I went for it. I felt like I could dominate,” Swiatek said after the match. She also praised her ability to adapt to difficult windy conditions, saying she focused on staying solid rather than overplaying. The victory is significant for Swiatek, who has endured a challenging 2026 season. It marks her first WTA 1000 semi-final of the year, giving her an opportunity to build momentum ahead of the US Open. Standing between Swiatek and a place in the final is Elina Svitolina, who produced a dramatic comeback against Ekaterina Alexandrova. The Ukrainian ninth seed lost the opening set 6-3 but responded brilliantly, winning the second 6-0 before completing a 3-6, 6-0, 6-3 victory. Svitolina recovered after an early setback and showed her fighting spirit when Alexandrova briefly threatened to extend the match late in the deciding set. The upcoming semi-final promises another intriguing chapter in their rivalry. Swiatek has won three of their five meetings, but Svitolina won their two encounters earlier in 2026, including a three-set victory in the Rome semi-final. With both players arriving in Toronto with plenty to prove, their semi-final is shaping up as one of the tournament’s most compelling battles.