عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Sports

Fritz Topples Alcaraz as Team World Surge Into Laver Cup Lead

Team World's Taylor Fritz (R) of the USA celebrates with Team World Captain Andre Agassi (L) of the USA after Fritz defeated Team Europe's Carlos Alcaraz of Spain during Day 2 of the Laver Cup tennis tournament in San Francisco, California, USA, 20 September 2025. EPA/JOHN G. MABANGLO
Team World's Taylor Fritz (R) of the USA celebrates with Team World Captain Andre Agassi (L) of the USA after Fritz defeated Team Europe's Carlos Alcaraz of Spain during Day 2 of the Laver Cup tennis tournament in San Francisco, California, USA, 20 September 2025. EPA/JOHN G. MABANGLO
TT
TT

Fritz Topples Alcaraz as Team World Surge Into Laver Cup Lead

Team World's Taylor Fritz (R) of the USA celebrates with Team World Captain Andre Agassi (L) of the USA after Fritz defeated Team Europe's Carlos Alcaraz of Spain during Day 2 of the Laver Cup tennis tournament in San Francisco, California, USA, 20 September 2025. EPA/JOHN G. MABANGLO
Team World's Taylor Fritz (R) of the USA celebrates with Team World Captain Andre Agassi (L) of the USA after Fritz defeated Team Europe's Carlos Alcaraz of Spain during Day 2 of the Laver Cup tennis tournament in San Francisco, California, USA, 20 September 2025. EPA/JOHN G. MABANGLO

American Taylor Fritz shocked world number one Carlos Alcaraz 6-3, 6-2 as Team World won all three singles matches at the Laver Cup on Saturday to power into the lead in the global tennis event.

Fritz, ranked fifth in the world, notched his first victory over the Spanish superstar after three previous defeats, including in the semi-finals at Wimbledon this year.

Added to victories for Australian Alex De Minaur and Argentina's Francisco Cerundolo, it gave captain Andre Agassi's team a 7-3 lead over Team Europe with the night's doubles still to come.

The first team to 13 points will lift the cup on Sunday, AFP reported.

Two weeks after beating Italian Jannik Sinner in the US Open final to claim a sixth Grand Slam crown and return to number one, Alcaraz was not at his sharpest.

Fritz took full advantage with an aggressive game, breaking Alcaraz once in the first set and twice in the second and saving both break points he faced.

"I knew what I had to do before I came out here tonight, the question was just if I was going to be able to do it," Fritz said.

"I didn't second guess myself, didn't play too safe. I played with no fear on the big points."

Agassi was an energetic observer and adviser on the sideline at Chase Center, home of the NBA's Golden State Warriors.

Warriors superstar Stephen Curry got a warm reception when he officiated at the coin toss -- assisted by retired Swiss tennis great and Laver Cup co-creator Roger Federer -- before the Alcaraz-Fritz match.

Team World had trailed 3-1 after the opening day.

But with victories worth two points on Saturday, Team World pulled level on Australian De Minaur's 6-1, 6-4 win over world number three Alexander Zverev of Germany.

Argentina's Cerundolo then outlasted Denmark's Holger Rune 6-3, 7-6 (7/5).

World number eight De Minaur, a late replacement for the injured Frances Tiafoe, raced through the opening set and held firm as third-ranked Zverev kept it close in the second.

"I knew it was only going to get harder," said De Minaur, who claimed just his third victory over Zverev in 11 encounters.

All three of those wins have come in team events, two at the ATP Cup and one at the United Cup.

"I think it brings a different type of energy," De Minaur said. "I enjoy when there's a bench, teammates I'm playing for."

De Minaur used his speed and a deft touch at the net, saying he needed to employ a wide variety of shots on the unusually slow Laver Cup surface.

De Minaur even channeled Federer, who was in the stands, with an effective backhand slice.

"He wrote the playbook, I just read it," De Minaur said.

Most Viewed

 
 
Sports

Youngest F1 Title Leader Antonelli to Keep ‘Raising Bar’ After Japan Win

Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli of Italy celebrates on the podium after winning the Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix at the Suzuka International Racing Course racetrack in Suzuka, Japan, 29 March 2026. (EPA)
Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli of Italy celebrates on the podium after winning the Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix at the Suzuka International Racing Course racetrack in Suzuka, Japan, 29 March 2026. (EPA)
TT
TT

Youngest F1 Title Leader Antonelli to Keep ‘Raising Bar’ After Japan Win

Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli of Italy celebrates on the podium after winning the Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix at the Suzuka International Racing Course racetrack in Suzuka, Japan, 29 March 2026. (EPA)
Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli of Italy celebrates on the podium after winning the Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix at the Suzuka International Racing Course racetrack in Suzuka, Japan, 29 March 2026. (EPA)

Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli vowed to "keep raising the bar" after winning Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix to become the youngest driver in Formula One history to lead the championship standings.

The 19-year-old Italian took advantage of a mid-race safety car to jump into the lead after a dreadful start from pole position, crossing the line ahead of McLaren's Oscar Piastri and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc.

Antonelli's Suzuka victory came two weeks after the first grand prix win of his career in China and sent him top of the championship standings after three races, nine points ahead of team-mate George Russell.

Mercedes are struggling to contain the excitement building around their young driver, even if Antonelli said he was "not thinking too much about the championship".

"Of course it's great but it's still a long way to go and I need to keep raising the bar, because George is very quick," he said.

"For sure he's going to be back at his usual level and also competitors will eventually get closer."

Antonelli led home Piastri by 13.722sec, with Leclerc a further 1.548sec back in third.

Russell finished fourth to drop to second in the championship standings on 63 points. Leclerc is third on 49.

Russell battled Piastri for the lead over the first half of the race but pitted just before the safety car which dropped him out of contention for the win.

Piastri secured second in his first grand prix start of the season, after crashing on his way to the grid in the opener in Australia and missing the race in China because of a technical problem.

Piastri led for the first half of the race before the safety car gave Antonelli his chance.

"It would have been really interesting to see what would have happened without that," said Piastri.

"A shame that we never got to see what would have happened, but I think for us to be disappointed at this point about finishing second is a pretty good place to be."

- Poor starts 'making life harder' -

McLaren's world champion Lando Norris was fifth ahead of Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton and Alpine's Pierre Gasly.

Red Bull's four-time world champion Max Verstappen, the winner in Japan for the past four years, was eighth after starting from 11th on the grid.

Antonelli had become the youngest pole-sitter in F1 history in China and again was at the head of the grid.

But he suffered a shocking start and was down in sixth by the first corner.

Piastri took the early lead ahead of Leclerc, with Norris, Russell and Hamilton all sweeping past Antonelli.

"It's an area where I need to work a lot because it's definitely not good enough," said Antonelli.

"I'm just making my life a lot harder."

The young Italian had made up some of the lost ground when a crash by Haas driver Ollie Bearman brought out the safety car during the pit stop window.

Piastri had already pitted but Antonelli was able to dive in for fresh tires moments after the safety car was deployed and emerged in front of the Australian, a stroke of luck that effectively won him the race.

"I was very lucky with the timing of the safety car," said Antonelli.

Bearman got out of his car unaided but was limping badly as race marshals helped him off the track.

Haas later said he had "a right knee contusion" and initial X-rays showed no fractures after hitting the barrier at high speed.

Formula One now takes an extended break until the Miami Grand Prix on May 3.

The Bahrain and Saudi Arabia races scheduled for April have been cancelled because of the war in the Middle East.

Sports

Mexico, Portugal Draw 0-0 as Azteca Stadium Reopens After World Cup Renovations

Mexican fans cheer for their team during a friendly football match between Mexico and Portugal at the Banorte (formerly known as Azteca) Stadium in Mexico City on March 28, 2026. (AFP)
Mexican fans cheer for their team during a friendly football match between Mexico and Portugal at the Banorte (formerly known as Azteca) Stadium in Mexico City on March 28, 2026. (AFP)
TT
TT

Mexico, Portugal Draw 0-0 as Azteca Stadium Reopens After World Cup Renovations

Mexican fans cheer for their team during a friendly football match between Mexico and Portugal at the Banorte (formerly known as Azteca) Stadium in Mexico City on March 28, 2026. (AFP)
Mexican fans cheer for their team during a friendly football match between Mexico and Portugal at the Banorte (formerly known as Azteca) Stadium in Mexico City on March 28, 2026. (AFP)

Mexico and Portugal played to a scoreless draw on Saturday night in a warm-up match that marked the reopening of the Azteca Stadium after nearly two years of renovations for the 2026 World Cup.

Goncalo Ramos had the best scoring chance in the match when he rattled the goalpost in the 26th minute.

The iconic Azteca stadium, which hosted the finals of the 1970 and 1986 World Cup tournaments, has been closed since May 2024 for renovations for the upcoming World Cup, where it will host five matches: three first-round matches and two for the knockout stages.

On Saturday, the Mexicans were without 12 players through injury, including six starters that helped the team win the CONCACAF Nations League and the Gold Cup last year.

The Portuguese also faced the match with absences, most notably those of forwards Cristiano Ronaldo and Rafael Leão.

Mexico opens its tournament June 11 in Mexico City against South Africa in the opening match of the tournament.

The Mexicans will play against Belgium next Tuesday at Soldier Field in Chicago, while Portugal face the United States at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

Portugal will make its debut in the World Cup on June 17 against the winner of the intercontinental playoffs match between Jamaica and Congo.

Sports

Kit Confusion: US and Belgian Players Can’t Tell Which Team’s Jersey Is Which from Distance

Alexis Saelemaekers #22 of Belgium is challenged by Christian Pulisic #10 of the United States during the International Friendly match between United States and Belgium at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on March 28, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Getty Images/AFP)
Alexis Saelemaekers #22 of Belgium is challenged by Christian Pulisic #10 of the United States during the International Friendly match between United States and Belgium at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on March 28, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Getty Images/AFP)
TT
TT

Kit Confusion: US and Belgian Players Can’t Tell Which Team’s Jersey Is Which from Distance

Alexis Saelemaekers #22 of Belgium is challenged by Christian Pulisic #10 of the United States during the International Friendly match between United States and Belgium at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on March 28, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Getty Images/AFP)
Alexis Saelemaekers #22 of Belgium is challenged by Christian Pulisic #10 of the United States during the International Friendly match between United States and Belgium at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on March 28, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Getty Images/AFP)

Christian Pulisic couldn't figure out teammates from opposing Belgians in a friendly with kit confusion.

“That can’t happen. It was a bit strange,” the US star said after Saturday's 5-2 loss to Belgium.

The US wore its new Nike jerseys with red and white horizontal stripes that resemble a waving flag, an apparent homage to American jerseys at the 1994 World Cup with vertical red-and-white stripes.

Belgium had on its new Adidas road jerseys with a background of a light color called Frozen Blue mixed with pink and black trim, a tribute to surrealist artist René Magritte.

“It definitely was a little bit difficult whenever you do like a quick glance to tell which was which. It was almost like a 50-50 thing,” American midfielder Weston McKennie said. “So you definitely have to maybe take a little more time on the ball before you made a decision or play one touch to a player.”

Both teams exchanged uniform plans well ahead of the match, according to the US Soccer Federation, and the outfits were cleared before the game by the match officials.

Belgium’s home jersey in a solid red while the US’s other is dark blue with a subtle star pattern and red trim, which it plans to wear for Tuesday’s friendly against Portugal.

While the flawed fashions became apparent during the first half, neither team had different sets of jerseys on site they could switch to at the break.

Decisions could depend on shorts — the US wore blue and Belgium white. The Americans had white socks and the Belgians blue.

Players hadn't been concerned about the game's sartorial aspects.

“I didn’t know until we took off the pre-match, whatever, shirts and then saw it and I was like — everyone was a bit shocked,” Pulisic said. “A lot of times you get the ball, you look up, you can’t really lock in on something. You only can base it off the color of the shirt. That’s how it works. And when it’s very similar, it's difficult.”