Juventus Earns 2nd Straight 3-0 Win, Como Gets First Serie A Point in 2 Decades 

Juventus' Dušan Vlahovic scores the 0-3 goal during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Hellas Verona and Juventus FC, in Verona, Italy, 26 August 2024. (EPA)
Juventus' Dušan Vlahovic scores the 0-3 goal during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Hellas Verona and Juventus FC, in Verona, Italy, 26 August 2024. (EPA)
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Juventus Earns 2nd Straight 3-0 Win, Como Gets First Serie A Point in 2 Decades 

Juventus' Dušan Vlahovic scores the 0-3 goal during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Hellas Verona and Juventus FC, in Verona, Italy, 26 August 2024. (EPA)
Juventus' Dušan Vlahovic scores the 0-3 goal during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Hellas Verona and Juventus FC, in Verona, Italy, 26 August 2024. (EPA)

Juventus became the only Serie A team to win both of its opening two matches of the season after Dušan Vlahovic scored twice in a 3-0 victory over Verona on Monday.

Right-back Nicolo Savona also scored on his full debut as Juventus earned a second straight 3-0 win.

Vlahovic put the visitors ahead after 28 minutes when he found space in the Verona backline and fought off the attention of three defenders to steer the ball home from 12 yards.

Savona doubled the lead with a header 11 minutes later and Vlahovic rounded off the scoring from the penalty spot eight minutes into the second half.

Verona is ninth with three points.

Meanwhile, Como earned its first Serie A point in more than two decades when Cesc Fabregas’ team came back from a goal down to draw 1-1 at Cagliari.

Fabregas, the former Arsenal and Barcelona midfielder, helped guide Como back into the top flight last season after a 21-year absence, but the Lombardy-based club lost its opener 3-0 to Juventus.

However, it showed resilience on a sunny evening in Sardinia.

Roberto Piccolo put the host ahead when he stole in between a hesitant defender and goalkeeper to nod home after 44 minutes.

The goal marked the fifth season in a row that the 23-year-old striker has scored for a different Serie A club, after previous stints with Lecce, Empoli, Atalanta and Spezia.

Como equalized eight minutes into the second period. Alberto Dossena headed down a corner kick from the right and Como-born Patrick Cutrone was on hand to dispatch the ball high into the net.

Both goalkeepers made good saves in the last 15 minutes to maintain the stalemate.



Sinner Eyes Smooth Start to US Open Campaign After Controversy 

Jannik Sinner of Italy speaks to the media during a press conference ahead of the 2024 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 23, 2024 in New York City. (Getty Images/AFP)
Jannik Sinner of Italy speaks to the media during a press conference ahead of the 2024 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 23, 2024 in New York City. (Getty Images/AFP)
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Sinner Eyes Smooth Start to US Open Campaign After Controversy 

Jannik Sinner of Italy speaks to the media during a press conference ahead of the 2024 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 23, 2024 in New York City. (Getty Images/AFP)
Jannik Sinner of Italy speaks to the media during a press conference ahead of the 2024 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 23, 2024 in New York City. (Getty Images/AFP)

The first round of the US Open continues on Tuesday as the world's top players battle for Grand Slam glory in New York.

A host of big names will be in action as men's top seed Jannik Sinner meets Mackenzie McDonald while women's top seed Iga Swiatek meets Kamila Rakhimova.

French Open and Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz will also get his campaign underway against Li Tu while former Grand Slam champions Jelena Ostapenko and Naomi Osaka are set to face off.

TOP MEN'S MATCH: SINNER v McDONALD

Controversy has surrounded Australian Open champion Sinner in the week before the year's final Grand Slam. The Italian escaped a doping ban having been cleared after twice testing positive for the banned drug clostebol in March.

Sinner, who maintains his innocence, has continued to play after successfully challenging provisional suspensions and comes into the match on the back of winning the Cincinnati title but he has been under intense scrutiny in New York so far.

"It's not ideal before a Grand Slam," Sinner said.

"But in my mind I know I haven't done anything wrong. I had to play already for months with this in my head, but remembering that I haven't done really anything wrong.

"I always respect that these rules and I always will respect these rules of anti-doping. Obviously a relief for myself having this result. It's just good to be back here ... I'll just try to enjoy as much as I can and hopefully have a good tournament."

The 23-year-old has weathered the storm so far but will hope to avoid a hostile reception from fans when he takes on American McDonald in the day session at Arthur Ashe.

TOP WOMEN'S MATCH: SWIATEK v RAKHIMOVA

Iga Swiatek will look to hit the ground running after a run to the Cincinnati semis as the Pole returns to the venue of her 2022 triumph still not as assured on hardcourts as she is on clay.

"In 2022, that was the Grand Slam that I was least chilled at. Even though I won, I didn't feel comfortable on the court at all. I didn't feel like I can play my game naturally," she said.

"It would be stupid for me to expect that I'm going to feel it (in the) next years. The 2022 Open actually taught me that I can win even though I'm not feeling 100%.

"So I wouldn't say I'm relaxed, because it's impossible to be relaxed in New York, especially, with everything that's going on around."

OSAKA FACES TRICKY TEST

Osaka has struggled to find the form that led her to four Grand Slam titles, including two at New York, after returning to the tour from a lengthy maternity break.

She faces a tricky hurdle in her opener in the form of 2017 French Open champion Ostapenko.