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Djokovic Overcomes Norrie to Make US Open Last 16

Novak Djokovic, of Serbia, reacts against Cameron Norrie, of Great Britain, following a third round of the US Open tennis championships, Friday, Aug. 29, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Novak Djokovic, of Serbia, reacts against Cameron Norrie, of Great Britain, following a third round of the US Open tennis championships, Friday, Aug. 29, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
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Djokovic Overcomes Norrie to Make US Open Last 16

Novak Djokovic, of Serbia, reacts against Cameron Norrie, of Great Britain, following a third round of the US Open tennis championships, Friday, Aug. 29, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Novak Djokovic, of Serbia, reacts against Cameron Norrie, of Great Britain, following a third round of the US Open tennis championships, Friday, Aug. 29, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

Novak Djokovic beat Britain's Cameron Norrie in four sets on Friday to became the oldest man to reach the US Open last 16 since Jimmy Connors in 1991.

The 38-year-old Djokovic earned a record 192nd Grand Slam match win on hard courts as he defeated Norrie 6-4, 6-7 (4/7), 6-2, 6-3, staying in the hunt for an unprecedented 25th major title.

"Coming into any match you really want to win in straight sets without any drama but obviously that's not possible," said Djokovic.

"It's good that I get tested. I obviously haven't had any matches since Wimbledon.

"I'm still trying to find my rhythm and my groove on the court."

Djokovic has now defeated Norrie in all seven of their meetings and is through to the fourth round in New York for the 16th time in his career.

On Sunday he will play German veteran Jan-Lennard Struff, who has already knocked out two seeds in Holger Rune and Frances Tiafoe, AFP reported.

A lone break of Norrie's serve in the seventh game was enough for Djokovic to pocket the opening set, but not before he summoned the physio to work on his lower back.

The Serbian star headed off court for a medical timeout and returned to serve out the first set.

"It's all right, you have some ups and downs. You don't want to reveal too much to the rivals listening," said a grinning Djokovic, refusing to elaborate on the nature of his back issue.

He had the chance to make further inroads in the second set but Norrie saved three break points and then pinched the tie-break from his smoldering rival who double-faulted on set point.

Norrie took that momentum into the third set with an early break, drawing an emphatic response from Djokovic as he responded by winning four straight games.

Djokovic soon made the set his and another break to start the fourth set gave him the cushion required to close out a milestone victory.

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Henderson Praises ‘Big-Game’ Bellingham amid Outside Noise

Jude Bellingham #10 of England applauds the fans following victory after the International Friendly match between England and Costa Rica at Inter&Co Stadium on June 10, 2026 in Orlando, Florida. (Getty Images/AFP)
Jude Bellingham #10 of England applauds the fans following victory after the International Friendly match between England and Costa Rica at Inter&Co Stadium on June 10, 2026 in Orlando, Florida. (Getty Images/AFP)
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Henderson Praises ‘Big-Game’ Bellingham amid Outside Noise

Jude Bellingham #10 of England applauds the fans following victory after the International Friendly match between England and Costa Rica at Inter&Co Stadium on June 10, 2026 in Orlando, Florida. (Getty Images/AFP)
Jude Bellingham #10 of England applauds the fans following victory after the International Friendly match between England and Costa Rica at Inter&Co Stadium on June 10, 2026 in Orlando, Florida. (Getty Images/AFP)

England midfielder Jordan Henderson has leapt to the defense of Jude Bellingham, saying the polarizing 22-year-old is central to the team despite outside scrutiny and that his influence is often misunderstood.

Bellingham has become a focal point for England both on and off the pitch, with his performances and demeanor often dissected by media and fans after a meteoric rise that has taken him from teenage prospect to one of the squad's leading figures.

The Real Madrid midfielder is a player fans and media seem to either love or hate, and his intense on-field emotions have sparked widespread debate ‌over whether ‌his behavior stems from passion or ego.

There have been questions around ‌whether ⁠he should start ⁠for England, who kick off the World Cup against Croatia in Dallas on Wednesday.

"I honestly couldn't speak highly enough of him," Henderson told reporters after England's training session. "I know a lot gets written in the media, and I find it hard to read sometimes, because I just know how big an influence he is on this team, how good a teammate he is off the field and what he gives us is just something really special.

"I think he really gives us ⁠the X-factor. He's had big moments in his career. He's a ‌big-game player. He's got experience in tournaments, so he's ‌a huge, huge player for us in this tournament."

While Bellingham's rapid ascent has meant increasing responsibility in ‌major matches, Henderson was keen to highlight the contributions people do not see.

"If you ‌ask any player in the group, they'll tell you how much of a good teammate he is, how well he trains," Henderson said. "I know he's young, but he's very mature in his head.

CONTROVERSIAL SELECTION

Henderson was a controversial selection himself, with manager Thomas Tuchel choosing the Brentford player who turns 36 on the ‌day of England's opening match over younger midfielders Cole Palmer, Phil Foden, Morgan Gibbs-White and Adam Wharton.

Asked about his role at his ⁠fourth World Cup, Henderson -- ⁠who was left out of Gareth Southgate's squad for the 2024 Euros -- said Tuchel told him "to be myself, regardless how much I'm playing, whether I'm playing every game, whether I'm not playing as much, just to be myself and enjoy being back in the squad."

Croatia's squad will feature Luka Modric, who at age 40 is playing in his fifth World Cup.

"I think his career speaks for itself," Henderson said. "He's a top world-class player, so hard to play against, hopefully he doesn't perform as well as we know he can against us, but I haven't seen him have a bad game yet, so it'll be a difficult test, of course, for whoever plays in midfield."

Henderson's inclusion in Tuchel's squad made him the first Englishman to be selected for seven major tournaments.

"Whether you're my age or whether you're 25, you never know when the last one is, to be honest, which is why you've got to treat every one like the last one," he said.

Sports

New Zealand Brush Aside Politics ahead of World Cup Opener against Iran

Chris Wood #9 and Darren Bazeley, Head Coach of New Zealand, during the press conference of New Zealand one day ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group G match between Iran and New Zealand at Los Angeles Stadium on June 14, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Getty Images/AFP)
Chris Wood #9 and Darren Bazeley, Head Coach of New Zealand, during the press conference of New Zealand one day ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group G match between Iran and New Zealand at Los Angeles Stadium on June 14, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Getty Images/AFP)
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New Zealand Brush Aside Politics ahead of World Cup Opener against Iran

Chris Wood #9 and Darren Bazeley, Head Coach of New Zealand, during the press conference of New Zealand one day ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group G match between Iran and New Zealand at Los Angeles Stadium on June 14, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Getty Images/AFP)
Chris Wood #9 and Darren Bazeley, Head Coach of New Zealand, during the press conference of New Zealand one day ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group G match between Iran and New Zealand at Los Angeles Stadium on June 14, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Getty Images/AFP)

New Zealand ‌coach Darren Bazeley brushed aside the political backdrop to his side's World Cup opener against Iran on Monday, saying his players were focused solely on football despite heightened attention surrounding the match.

The Group G clash in Los Angeles comes after months of conflict involving Iran and a day after Washington and Tehran announced a framework agreement for a deal to end their war.

Asked about the wider significance of the fixture, Bazeley insisted New Zealand had prepared as they would for ‌any other match.

"To ‌be honest, we've treated it as a ‌normal ⁠game," he told ⁠reporters on Sunday.

"We prepare the same for every international game that we play, and we've done nothing different for this game. For us, it's a big game because it's a World Cup game, and we want to do well here at the World Cup."

Captain Chris Wood, New Zealand's all-time top scorer, ⁠echoed his coach's view.

"All we've been focused ‌on is football," said the ‌striker. "Once you go through the white lines, nothing else matters."

The match is ‌expected to draw a large Iranian diaspora crowd in ‌Los Angeles, although it remains unclear how much support the national team itself will receive from a fan base divided by politics.

But Bazeley said his players were relishing the prospect of a big ‌atmosphere.

"All the players prefer playing in big crowds and big atmospheres. It's what we came ⁠to the ⁠World Cup for," he said.

The fixture marks New Zealand's return to the World Cup after a 16-year absence, and Bazeley said his squad had spent years preparing for the occasion.

"We've waited a long time to be here," he said. "We're excited to get going."

New Zealand face an Iran side ranked 20th in the world and unbeaten through Asian qualifying, but Wood said the tournament had already shown there was little separating many of the competing nations.

"It's exciting that mostly all the games have been quite tight and quite close, and everybody's had a chance to win," he said. "That gives us confidence."

Sports

Qatar’s Keeper Abunada Enjoys ‘Most Beautiful Moment’ at World Cup After Setbacks

Qatar's goalkeeper Mahmud Abunada greets supporters as he leaves the pitch after the FIFA World Cup 2026 group stage match Qatar against Switzerland, in San Francisco, USA, 13 June 2026. (EPA)
Qatar's goalkeeper Mahmud Abunada greets supporters as he leaves the pitch after the FIFA World Cup 2026 group stage match Qatar against Switzerland, in San Francisco, USA, 13 June 2026. (EPA)
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Qatar’s Keeper Abunada Enjoys ‘Most Beautiful Moment’ at World Cup After Setbacks

Qatar's goalkeeper Mahmud Abunada greets supporters as he leaves the pitch after the FIFA World Cup 2026 group stage match Qatar against Switzerland, in San Francisco, USA, 13 June 2026. (EPA)
Qatar's goalkeeper Mahmud Abunada greets supporters as he leaves the pitch after the FIFA World Cup 2026 group stage match Qatar against Switzerland, in San Francisco, USA, 13 June 2026. (EPA)

Qatar's resilience against Switzerland ‌owed much to goalkeeper Mahmoud Abunada, whose key saves kept them in the game, a remarkable comeback for a player once close to retirement due to a serious back injury.

The 26-year-old, who made his international debut last year, made six saves as Qatar grabbed a dramatic 1-1 late equalizer against Switzerland to earn their first-ever World Cup point.

The achievement was described by Abunada, who was named Man of the Match, as "the most beautiful moment of my career".

Fighting back tears as he received his award, he said "I dedicate this moment to my mother and to my family."

Coach ‌Julen Lopetegui's decision ‌to start Abunada raised eyebrows, given his limited ‌experience ⁠and the presence ⁠of Meshaal Barsham, a key player in Qatar's 2023 Asian Cup win.

Abunada, who is of Palestinian descent, exceeded expectations in his seventh international appearance, despite the pressure of playing on the world stage against a team that had reached the round of 16 in four of their last five appearances at the tournament.

"He has a strong presence on the pitch and ⁠an impressive ability to challenge himself," Younes Ali, who ‌coached him at his former club ‌Al Arabi, told Reuters.

That resilience was clear against Switzerland, as the goalkeeper bounced back ‌from an early error in the 14th minute, when he conceded ‌a penalty against Remo Freuler that Breel Embolo converted, to produce a string of key saves, most notably a brilliant close-range stop to deny Ruben Vargas.

RETIREMENT SHADOW

After being promoted to Al Arabi's first team, Abunada was called up to ‌the Qatar national team in 2020, but struggled to secure a regular starting spot.

Just as he was ⁠beginning to establish ⁠himself, he suffered a serious back injury that sidelined him for the entire 2023-24 league season, after a second surgery in Munich, Germany.

His fortunes did not improve the following season, with just nine league appearances for Al Arabi, amid reports he had contemplated retirement due to his ongoing injury struggles.

However, he rebounded by joining Al Rayyan for a fresh start, featuring in 20 of 22 league matches and finishing the 2025-26 season as the best goalkeeper.

Abunada's determination paid off, as he became Qatar's first-choice goalkeeper at the World Cup, making his major tournament debut against Switzerland.

"After undergoing two back surgeries, he showed great determination to become the starting goalkeeper, and he succeeded in achieving his dream," Ali said.