Alex Eala’s streak ends at Belinda Bencic’s hands in Canadian Open

England international John Stones has completed a free transfer to Italian champions Inter Milan after leaving Manchester City at the end of his contract. The experienced centre-back signed a two-year deal with the Serie A giants, bringing an end to a successful decade-long spell at the Etihad Stadium, where he established himself as one of the Premier League’s top defenders. Stones departed Manchester City after his contract expired at the end of June. His move to Inter Milan comes shortly after representing England at the FIFA World Cup 2026, where the Three Lions secured a third-place finish. The defender featured in five matches during the tournament and earned his 94th international cap in England’s semi-final defeat. Following the announcement of his transfer, Stones shared his excitement about beginning a new chapter in Italy. “I’m excited to be here, thank you so much. I’ll see you soon, ciao,” he said in his first message to Inter supporters. The 32-year-old arrives in Milan with a wealth of experience at both club and international level. Since joining Manchester City in 2016, Stones played a crucial role in one of the most successful periods in the club’s history. His composure on the ball, tactical intelligence and ability to play out from the back made him a key figure in City’s defensive setup. During his time in Manchester, Stones helped the club win six Premier League titles, three FA Cups, three League Cups and the UEFA Champions League, adding several other domestic and international honours to his impressive collection. He was widely praised for his partnership with fellow defenders and his contribution to City’s possession-based style of football. Despite his success, the latter stages of his City career were disrupted by recurring injury problems. Fitness issues limited his appearances over the past few seasons, and he made only nine Premier League appearances during the previous campaign. As a result, his departure marked the end of an era for both the player and the club. Inter Milan will hope the experienced defender can strengthen their backline as they prepare to defend the Serie A title. The club sees Stones as an important addition, bringing leadership, experience and a winning mentality to the squad. Moving to Italy also presents a fresh challenge for the England international, who will experience Serie A for the first time in his career. The switch offers him the opportunity to revive his club career while continuing to compete at the highest level in European football. Stones is expected to integrate quickly into Inter’s squad ahead of the new season. If selected, he could make his competitive debut when Inter begin the defence of their Serie A crown against Monza at the San Siro on August 22. With a decorated career already behind him and plenty of experience on the international stage, Stones now begins a new journey in Italy, aiming to add further silverware to his impressive list of achievements while helping Inter remain among Europe’s elite clubs.

KABUL: Afghanistan have handed top-order batter Darwish Rasooli the captaincy for their 2026 Asian Games campaign, naming a largely inexperienced 15-member squad for the tournament in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. The squad reflects Afghanistan’s desire to give emerging players a bigger stage, with six players yet to make their international debuts. Five other members have played fewer than 10 international matches. The Asian Games will take place from September 24 to October 3, with Afghanistan choosing to rest several of their biggest names. Regular captain Rashid Khan has been left out, along with explosive opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz and all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai. Their absence creates an opportunity for younger players to step into important roles. Afghanistan have, however, retained some experience. Najibullah Zadran and Karim Janat are included and are expected to provide leadership and stability around the younger members of the squad. Much of the selection was influenced by performances in the recently completed 11th edition of the Shpageeza Cricket League. Several players impressed enough in the domestic tournament to earn their opportunity on the Asian stage. Top-order batter Mohammad Akram was among the leading performers, scoring 339 runs in eight innings, including one century and two half-centuries. All-rounder Ismat Alam also caught the selectors’ attention. He scored 294 runs and took nine wickets, earning the Shpageeza Cricket League’s best-player award. Wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Ishaq, Hassan Eisakhil, Khalid Taniwal and Imran Mir are among the other promising youngsters selected. Rasooli will now face the challenge of guiding a relatively inexperienced group through a major multi-sport event. His leadership could prove crucial as Afghanistan look to turn their emerging talent into international performers. The Asian Games assignment comes soon after Afghanistan’s scheduled three-match T20I series against India in Delhi. The series is expected to be played in the week leading into the continental competition, giving several players valuable preparation before they travel to Japan. Afghanistan Asian Games squad: Darwish Rasooli (c), Mohammad Ishaq (wk), Mohammad Akram, Hassan Eisakhil, Khalid Taniwal, Imran Mir, Faisal Khan Shinozada, Najibullah Zadran, Farmanullah Safi, Ismat Alam, Karim Janat, Nangyal Kharoti, Arab Gul Momand, Faridoon Dawoodzai, Abdullah Ahmadzai.