Defending Champion Sinner Storms into Cincinnati Open Semi-finals

MASON, OHIO - AUGUST 14: Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada (L) and Jannik Sinner of Italy shake hands after Sinner defeated Auger-Aliassime 6-0, 6-2 during Day 8 of the Cincinnati Open at the Lindner Family Tennis Center on August 14, 2025 in Mason, Ohio. Dylan Buell/Getty Images/AFP
MASON, OHIO - AUGUST 14: Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada (L) and Jannik Sinner of Italy shake hands after Sinner defeated Auger-Aliassime 6-0, 6-2 during Day 8 of the Cincinnati Open at the Lindner Family Tennis Center on August 14, 2025 in Mason, Ohio. Dylan Buell/Getty Images/AFP
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Defending Champion Sinner Storms into Cincinnati Open Semi-finals

MASON, OHIO - AUGUST 14: Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada (L) and Jannik Sinner of Italy shake hands after Sinner defeated Auger-Aliassime 6-0, 6-2 during Day 8 of the Cincinnati Open at the Lindner Family Tennis Center on August 14, 2025 in Mason, Ohio. Dylan Buell/Getty Images/AFP
MASON, OHIO - AUGUST 14: Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada (L) and Jannik Sinner of Italy shake hands after Sinner defeated Auger-Aliassime 6-0, 6-2 during Day 8 of the Cincinnati Open at the Lindner Family Tennis Center on August 14, 2025 in Mason, Ohio. Dylan Buell/Getty Images/AFP

Defending champion Jannik Sinner swept past Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-0 6-2 on Thursday to reach the Cincinnati Open semi-finals, with the world number one extending his hardcourt winning streak to 25 matches.

Sinner delivered a dominant performance, capitalizing on his opponent's 29 unforced errors to claim his first win in three meetings against the Canadian 23rd seed in just 71 minutes, Reuters reported.

"Today I felt great on court. I think you saw that but every day is going to be different," Sinner said. "Tomorrow is a day off, which is good for me. We will try and put some reps in and then see what I can do in the semis."

The 23-year-old Italian became only the fifth man this century to record 25 consecutive victories on the surface alongside Novak Djokovic, Rafa Nadal, Roger Federer and Andy Murray.

He will next face French qualifier Terence Atmane, who continued his impressive run by upsetting Danish seventh seed Holger Rune 6-2 6-3.

"I don't think any words can describe how I feel right now," Atmane, 23, said. "It's pretty insane to be honest. I cannot believe it.

"Being here in the semi-finals of a Masters 1000, breaking into the Top 100 and even more with the win tonight — it's also a lot of money for me, so it's going to be very helpful for my career. It means a lot to me. I'm very emotional about it."

Canadian Open champion Ben Shelton advanced to the quarter-finals after beating Czech 22nd seed Jiri Lehecka 6-4 6-4.

"I'm hungry. I'm in a good rhythm," Shelton said. "I'm playing good tennis and my body feels good.

"I think the confidence along with not being satisfied, wanting to prove myself over and over every time that I'm out on the court, and having things that I want to get better at is a huge motivation for me and it pushes me every match."

Next up for the American fifth seed is German third seed Alexander Zverev.
In the women's draw, American second seed Coco Gauff secured her place in the quarter-finals with a 6-2 6-4 win over Italy's Lucia Bronzetti.

"For the most part I played aggressive. Maybe got a bit passive in some of those games. But it's tough. The balls are super light and they fly," Gauff said.

"She wasn't giving me much pace. I was trying to play with control but also aggressive. I think I did well. I missed a couple of balls. But I learned from it and was able to close it out."

The twice Grand Slam champion will next face another Italian, seventh seed Jasmine Paolini, who knocked out Barbora Krejcikova 6-1 6-2 in a rematch of the 2024 Wimbledon final, which the Czech won.



Asian Cup Draw Postponed

The draw for January's Asian Cup finals has been postponed (AFC)
The draw for January's Asian Cup finals has been postponed (AFC)
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Asian Cup Draw Postponed

The draw for January's Asian Cup finals has been postponed (AFC)
The draw for January's Asian Cup finals has been postponed (AFC)

The draw for January's Asian Cup finals, which was due to be held in Riyadh on April 11, has been postponed, the Asian Football Confederation announced on Thursday.

Officials have rescheduled the event to a later date "to ensure the undisrupted attendance of all stakeholders at the final draw ceremony," the governing ⁠body said in ⁠a statement.

"The AFC expressed its appreciation to the Local Organizing Committee for the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027™ for their full readiness to host the draw as planned, and it appreciates the understanding and continued cooperation of its Participating Member Associations, fans and stakeholders," the statement added.

Saudi Arabia is due to host the 24-team quadrennial continental championship for the first time with the last remaining round of qualifiers taking place on Tuesday.

Qatar are the defending champions and have already secured their ⁠berth ⁠at the finals alongside four-times winners Japan, plus fellow World Cup qualifiers South Korea, Iran, Jordan, Australia and Uzbekistan.

The AFC announced on Tuesday that the latter stages of the Asian Champions League Elite would go ahead as planned in Jeddah, with matches running from April 13 to 26.


Maguire: Amorim Had Great Ideas but they Did Not Click at Man United

Manchester United's English defender #05 Harry Maguire is sent off the pitch after receiving a red card during the English Premier League football match between Bournemouth and Manchester United at the Vitality Stadium in Bournemouth, southern England on March 20, 2026. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP)
Manchester United's English defender #05 Harry Maguire is sent off the pitch after receiving a red card during the English Premier League football match between Bournemouth and Manchester United at the Vitality Stadium in Bournemouth, southern England on March 20, 2026. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP)
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Maguire: Amorim Had Great Ideas but they Did Not Click at Man United

Manchester United's English defender #05 Harry Maguire is sent off the pitch after receiving a red card during the English Premier League football match between Bournemouth and Manchester United at the Vitality Stadium in Bournemouth, southern England on March 20, 2026. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP)
Manchester United's English defender #05 Harry Maguire is sent off the pitch after receiving a red card during the English Premier League football match between Bournemouth and Manchester United at the Vitality Stadium in Bournemouth, southern England on March 20, 2026. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP)

Manchester United defender Harry Maguire said former manager Ruben Amorim had strong ideas, but they ultimately “didn’t work” at Old Trafford, further praising interim manager Michael Carrick for overseeing a smooth transition.

United have revived their season since Carrick took charge in January, rising into the Premier League’s top three after earning 23 points in 10 games, with only one defeat. "I really like Ruben, he’s ⁠got great ideas. ⁠The ideas just didn’t work at Manchester United," Maguire said of Amorim in an interview with Britain's The Guardian.

"It just didn’t click or work and us, as players, have got to ⁠take a lot of responsibility for that as well."

Amorim was known for his back-three system, but Maguire said he feels more comfortable in a back four.

“In the middle of a back three, it is more cautious, a sweeper-type role and not as much driving forward with the ball, which has been a big part of ⁠my ⁠game throughout my career," he said, according to Reuters.

"I feel like it has been a great transition. Credit to Michael and his staff for making it so smooth.” Maguire was named last week in Thomas Tuchel's 35-man England squad as they host Uruguay at Wembley Stadium on March 27, followed by a clash with Japan at the same venue four days later.


Hamilton Says More Committed to F1 than Ever at 41

Ferrari's British driver Lewis Hamilton in Suzuka. Toshifumi KITAMURA / AFP
Ferrari's British driver Lewis Hamilton in Suzuka. Toshifumi KITAMURA / AFP
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Hamilton Says More Committed to F1 than Ever at 41

Ferrari's British driver Lewis Hamilton in Suzuka. Toshifumi KITAMURA / AFP
Ferrari's British driver Lewis Hamilton in Suzuka. Toshifumi KITAMURA / AFP

A rejuvenated Lewis Hamilton said Thursday that he was more committed to Formula One "than ever" aged 41 and believes he trains harder than any other driver.

The seven-time world champion has made a strong start to the season with Ferrari and is fourth in the championship after two races, 18 points behind leader George Russell of Mercedes, said AFP.

Hamilton finished third in China to claim a podium place for the first time since joining Ferrari ahead of the 2025 season, and he said he had been putting in the hard yards ahead of this week's Japanese Grand Prix.

"I was in Tokyo between this race and the last race, I've run like 100 kilometers," the Briton said.

"I know that none of the drivers I'm racing against have trained as hard as I am and giving it what I am, especially at my age.

"I love that, that I still have that drive to push myself," he added.

Hamilton boasted that he was returning to his hotel after a morning run just as other drivers were getting up.

"The commitment is there, more than ever," he said.

"I dedicate absolutely everything I have to this challenge."

Hamilton endured a nightmare first season with Ferrari last year, finishing sixth in the championship and suffering the indignity of becoming the first driver to be eliminated from Q1 at three consecutive grands prix.

His fortunes have changed markedly with new regulations and car designs this season, which have produced noticeably more overtaking in races than in recent years.

Hamilton got the better of team-mate Charles Leclerc after a titanic tussle in Shanghai and he said he found battling drivers "much more fun".

"That's how racing should be," he said.

"It should be back and forth, it shouldn't be one move is done and then that's it."