London, Aug 29: Chelsea star Cole Palmer will remain sidelined until after the international break because of a groin injury that has also kept him out of England’s squad.
The 23-year-old forward sat out Chelsea’s 5-1 victory over West Ham a week ago after feeling some pain during pre-game warmups.
He’ll miss Saturday’s game against Fulham at Stamford Bridge.“Cole is out,” manager Enzo Maresca said Friday, describing Palmer’s status as “day by day.” England coach Thomas Tuchel left Palmer out of the national squad for two World Cup qualifiers. England hosts Andorra at Villa Park in Birmingham next Saturday and visits Serbia three days later.“I spoke with Thomas a few times, but in the end it’s Thomas’ decision,” Maresca said. “He is not available tomorrow, so it shows that he has some problem.” (AP)

US OPEN

New York, Aug 29: The U.S. Open delivered two memorable storylines on Thursday, as American Tommy Paul battled through one of the tournament’s latest-ever finishes in a dramatic five-set win, while veteran Venus Williams rolled back the years to claim her first women’s doubles victory at Flushing Meadows since 2014.
Paul, the 14th seed, edged Portugal’s Nuno Borges in a gripping second-round clash that lasted four hours and 25 minutes, ending at 1:46 a.m. in Arthur Ashe Stadium. It marked the 17th-latest finish in U.S. Open history and the second-latest second-round conclusion.
The American looked set for a routine victory after taking the first two sets and holding match points in the third, but Borges rallied strongly to push the contest into a deciding fifth set.
Paul eventually prevailed 7-6 (6), 6-3, 5-7, 5-7, 7-5, breaking Borges in the final game with a frantic exchange that left him momentarily unsure whether he had actually won the point.
“I was all twisted around when I hit the last shot,” Paul admitted afterward. “I didn’t even know if he made it or not. I threw my hands up like I won the point, but I wasn’t actually sure.”Exhausted but relieved, Paul praised the fans who stayed late into the night. “Definitely was happy that it was with the win and not a loss,” he said.
“It was an emotional roller coaster, for sure.” He next faces Kazakhstan’s Alexander Bublik, the 23rd seed, in the third round.
The match followed another late-night spectacle earlier in the week, when Daniil Medvedev’s five-set opening-round loss to Benjamin Bonzi stretched into the early hours, setting the tone for what has already been an eventful tournament.While Paul’s marathon win unfolded in the main stadium, history was also being made on the doubles courts. Venus Williams, at 45, partnered with Canada’s Leylah Fernandez to defeat the sixth-seeded pairing of Lyudmyla Kichenok and Ellen Perez 7-6 (4), 6-3 in Louis Armstrong Stadium.
For Williams, it was her first women’s doubles triumph at the U.S. Open in more than a decade, and her first win in the format at any Grand Slam since the 2018 French Open. The seven-time Grand Slam singles champion had lost early in singles and mixed doubles earlier in the week, but alongside Fernandez she rediscovered her spark.The duo quickly became fan favourites, with the crowd repeatedly breaking into chants of “Here we go, Venus, here we go!” and rising to its feet after they clawed back from 5-2 down to steal the opening set in a tiebreaker.
Fernandez, the 2021 singles runner-up in New York, said teaming up with Williams felt surreal. “I felt like a kid on Christmas Day,” she said, recalling her excitement after learning that Williams wanted to partner with her. “It’s probably the biggest compliment I’ve ever gotten,” she added, after Venus likened her competitive spirit to that of Serena.
Williams, who twirled and waved to the crowd after the victory, described Fernandez as “the best partner I ever played with — outside of Serena.”
With the win, the pair advanced to face Ulrikke Eikeri and Eri Hozumi in the second round. For Williams, who returned to the tour in July after a 16-month absence, the result reaffirmed her belief in continuing.
“I didn’t have to come back to play tennis, but eventually I found my way back,” she said. “With some luck, we’ll stay, maybe win another round and just keep getting better.”
As midnight thrillers and veteran comebacks lit up Flushing Meadows, the U.S. Open once again underlined why it is regarded as the most unpredictable of all Grand Slams. (AP)

New York, Aug 29: This would not have been easy for anyone, and it was not easy for Coco Gauff. She is aware of the expectations of others. She has her own expectations, too, of course.
An exit in the second round of the U.S. Open on Thursday night simply would not do. And double-faulting her way to defeat might just be the worst possible scenario. So after she missed two consecutive serves to get broken and fall behind in the opening set against Donna Vekic in Arthur Ashe Stadium, Gauff felt overwhelmed and couldn’t hide it.
The tears came. They wouldn’t stop. She covered her face with a towel on the sideline. When she walked back out on court after the changeover, Gauff kept dabbing at her eyes between points, trying to focus, trying to figure out a way to win. After she did just that, straightening out her serving issues in the second set and eliminating Vekic 7-6 (5), 6-2, Gauff cried some more.
“I just show people what it’s like to be a human, and I have bad days, but I think it’s more about how you get up after those bad moments and how you show up after that,” said Gauff, who is seeded No. 3 at Flushing Meadows, where she won the first of her two Grand Slam titles in 2023. “I think today I showed that I can get up after feeling the worst I’ve ever felt on the court.” Her serving woes resurface from time to time, including when 19 double-faults contributed to a loss that ended her title defense in New York a year ago. (AP)

By Our Reporter

Shillong, Aug 29: A high octane Shillong Premier League 2025 clash saw Mawlai come out on top as they beat Langsning 1-0 at the SSA Stadium at First Ground, Polo, here on Friday.
Banraplang Pyngrope’s 52nd minute header was all that separated the two former champions, though there could have easily been numerous other goals in what was a very exciting match.
Victory moved Mawlai up to second place from fourth.
They now have 6 points, three behind leaders Nangkiew Irat, who Mawlai lost to on 21 August.
This was Langsning’s first defeat of the season and they dropped to fourth place with 4 points.
Incidentally, Mawlai have now won six of the last seven SPL meetings between these two clubs, with the other result being a draw.
The first half saw both sides test the waters. Loving Suting hammered a long-range shot in the 17th minute straight to Langsning goalkeeper Rajat Paul Lyngdoh and a minute later Brolington Warlarpih, who made an appearance in the first XI for Mawlai for the first time this season, struck a free-kick into the upright.
Langsning’s Apborlang Kurbah managed to clear a corner off the line later on and in the 36th minute his team had their best chance to go ahead with a handball giving them a free-kick on the edge of the box.
However, Atlanson Kharmaw slammed it into the wall of defenders and the scoreline at the break remained 0-0.
Mawlai came out hungrier in the second half, with Langsning’s defence in a bit of disarray. Arkini Laloo headed a corner onto the crossbar and Loving then forced Rajat Paul into making a diving save, with the ball being parried away for a corner.
That set-piece resulted in the goal, with Robertson Khongriah’s kick being met by Banraplang’s header at the near post.
From then on Mawlai were dangerous on the counter but had to mainly soak up the pressure as Langsning threw whatever they could to get the equaliser.
Long throw-in expert Chusrang Sangma’s efforts almost led to goals twice for Langsning, while Kevin Rymbai could have done better with the two opportunities he had to score for Mawlai but had one blocked by Rajat Paul and the other he sent wide.
Even 10 minutes of stoppage time yielded no joy for Langsning, while Mawlai revelled in a hard-fought victory that put them back in the fight for the SPL 2025 title.
This match was also notable for being the first time in the SPL that the new rule regarding goalkeepers was applied.
Mawlai’s Banshanskhem Kharsyntiew held the ball with his gloves for more than eight seconds in the box, leading the referee Lightstar Kharduit to award Langsning a corner.
The next SPL 2025 match will take place on Monday between the two clubs currently in the relegation zone – Rangdajied United and Nongrim Hills. Kick-off will be at 4:30pm.

Canberra, Aug 29: A rare baggy green cap worn by Sir Donald Bradman during the 1946–47 Ashes has been acquired by the National Museum of Australia for AU$438,500 (approx. US$286,700), with the federal government covering half the cost.
The cap, one of only 11 known to exist, was worn by Bradman when he captained Australia in the first post-war series against England. The hosts dominated the five-Test contest 3-0, a triumph that set the stage for the legendary 1948 “Invincibles” tour, where Australia went unbeaten in England.
Arts Minister Tony Burke described the purchase as a significant moment for the nation’s cultural heritage. “You’d be hard-pressed to meet an Australian who hasn’t heard of the great Donald Bradman, arguably the greatest cricketer of all time. To have one of his iconic baggy greens on display ensures future generations can connect with both our sporting and cultural history,” he said.
National Museum director Katherine McMahon echoed the sentiment, calling the cap “a national treasure.” “Sir Donald’s baggy green marks the life of Australia’s most celebrated batsman and reflects a time when sporting heroes gave Australians hope after the heartbreak of the Second World War,” she noted.
The newly acquired artefact joins the museum’s Landmarks gallery, which showcases defining chapters of Australian history. Another of Bradman’s baggy greens is held at the Australian Sports Museum, while the remaining nine are privately owned. (Agencies)

Bengaluru, Aug 29: Pacer Aditya Thakare snapped three wickets in three overs as Central Zone occupied driver’s seat reducing minnows North East to 168 for 7 on the second day of the Duleep Trophy quarter-final after piling up a massive 532 for 4 in their first essay.
North East in reply were comfortably placed at 128 for 2 when left-arm spinner Harsh Dubey (2/19 in 17 overs) and his Vidarbha teammate Thakare (3/23 in 11 overs) removed four opposition batters for an addition of only six runs in a space of five overs with a fifth batter in NE skipper Rongsen Jonathan (4) being run-out.From 128 for 2, NE suddenly slumped to 136 for seven before Ankur Malik (31 batting) and Palzor Tamang (3 batting) ended the day without further hiccups.But North East Zone are still 364 runs behind Central’s first innings score. Central skipper Rajat Patidar allowed his batters to carry on for 25 overs in the morning in which they added another 100 runs to their overnight score of 432/2.
Danish Malewar (203 retired out) duly completed his maiden first class double hundred and then promptly retire as left-handed Yash Rathod (87 not out off 108 balls) added another 89 runs with Shubham Sharma (34 batting).
When North East batted, their opening pair of Karnajit Yumnam (48) and Techi Doria (20) added 72 runs in a cautious stand during which they played former India seamer Deepak Chahar (0/37 in 8 overs) with ease.
It was Dubey, who drew the first blood with an arm ball that Doria tried to leave only to find it peg back his stumps coming in with the angle.
Karnajit tried to steal a run but made the mistake of chancing opposition skipper Rajat Patidar’s arm as his accurate throw allowed Aryan Juyal to complete the run-out without fuss.
Jehu Anderson (17) and Ashish Thapa (35) added another 53 runs for the third wicket before Dubey struck once again. This was also Dubey’s 100th first-class scalp in just his 20th game.
He altered his length slightly when Anderson tried giving him the charge only to be stumped in the process.
Then in the 49th, 51st and 53rd over, Thakare struck with the old SG Test ball.
He first lured Thapa to go for an expansive cover drive and was snapped inches off the ground by Shubham Sharma.
The next victim Hem Chhetri got himself into a tangle trying to pull a well-disguised short ball and was caught at fine leg.
Pheiroijam Jotin was Thakare last victim, who drove a fullish delivery but it landed in the hands of the gully fielder. To make matters worse, even Jonathan ran himself out.
Brief Scores: Central Zone 532/4 decl (Danish Malewar 203 rtd out, Rajat Patidar 125, Yah Rathod 87).
North East Zone 168/7 (Karnajit Yumnam 48, AdityaThakare 3/23, Harsh Dubey 2/19). (PTI)

By Our Reporter

Shillong, Aug 29: Meghalaya celebrated National Sports Day 2025 with a host of programmes across the state, honouring athletes, launching new initiatives, and promoting emerging sports.
At the central event organised by the Department of Sports & Youth Affairs in Shillong and Tura, 136 athletes and 22 coaches of the recent 6th Meghalaya Games were felicitated. In addition, financial assistance under the YESS Meghalaya initiative was extended to 103 beneficiaries, with cheques worth ₹45 lakh distributed to youth organisations, NGOs and societies.
Launched in 2022, YESS Meghalaya—a flagship programme of Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma—aims to empower young people through awareness campaigns, educational projects, and grassroots activities that promote leadership and community participation.
Speaking at the occasion, Sports & Youth Affairs Minister Shakliar Warjri highlighted the significance of National Sports Day as a celebration of fitness, inclusivity, and empowerment. He also announced the launch of Megha Fit Phase 1, an initiative with an initial investment of over ₹20 lakh to promote a healthier and more active lifestyle across the state. Warjri further revealed that the government has sanctioned ₹100 crore for establishing dedicated sports hostels to nurture upcoming talent.
In Tura, the programme was attended by Nipon Hajong, MCS, Additional Deputy Commissioner, West Garo Hills, who underscored the unifying and transformative role of sports in society. Athletes also took a pledge to uphold the values of sportsmanship and discipline as part of the day’s observance.To commemorate this occasion, students from various schools across Thadlaskeiñ, Laskeiñ, and Amlarem Blocks in West Jaiñtia Hills District actively participated in a wide range of sporting events on Friday. Among the activities organised for children were races, traditional games, football matches, fun exercises, and mass drills. Teachers also narrated stories about hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand, sharing his achievements to inspire the young minds.
Meanwhile, at Umiam Lake, the Umiam Sailing Club (USC), in collaboration with the UDAY Sailing Foundation and the Yachting Association of India (YAI), launched a three-day Sailing Awareness Campaign. The event, held under the theme “Every State, Every Lake”, drew 65 participants including USC sailors, school students, and kayaking enthusiasts.
The opening ceremony featured the administration of the Sports Pledge, an introduction to sailing, and community interactions. Over the three days, the campaign will include joy rides, yoga sessions on pontoons, sailing practice races, and a one-day regatta, culminating with a prize distribution ceremony on August 31.
A USC spokesperson expressed delight at the enthusiastic response, noting that the initiative seeks to demystify sailing and showcase it as a sport accessible to all, while celebrating the natural beauty of Meghalaya.

Zandvoort, Aug 29: The Formula 1 title race is back and the tension is building.
Ahead of this weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix, the first race in four weeks, Oscar Piastri is just nine points ahead of his McLaren teammate and title rival Lando Norris, who won three of the last four races before the mid-season break.
Norris had the edge over Piastri in both of Friday’s practice sessions, while Max Verstappen ended up in a gravel trap.
“The intensity will naturally increase as we get closer to the end of the year, and I’m ready for that,” Piastri said Thursday.The Australian has won praise for his ability to stay cool in his first season as a true title contender, but he acknowledged that the nerves are there, even if they’re not always obvious.“I don’t believe anyone that says they don’t get nervous because I don’t think that’s possible, and I think it would be a bit weird if you weren’t nervous,” he said. “Ultimately the nerves can be good or bad and it’s how you manage it that decides that. I think for me, being calm is part of who I am, but definitely I’ve learned through the years that is how I get the most out of myself as well.”Despite the break, Norris remained F1’s in-form driver as he went fastest in both practice sessions.Norris beat Piastri by 0.292 of a second in the first session, with the Australian second and Lance Stroll third for Aston Martin. Incidents including two red flags limited the second session but Norris was still top by .087 from Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso, with Piastri .002 further back in third.Verstappen’s home race got off to a bad start as the four-time champion ended the first practice stuck in the gravel in bizarre circumstances, sliding off the track at the first corner after attempting a practice start. He was sixth fastest in the first session and fifth in the second. (AP)

Monaco, Aug 29: The Europa League draw on Friday set up two rematches of European Cup finals and two games in Germany for Israeli club Maccabi Tel-Aviv.
Feyenoord, the 1970 champion of Europe, will host Celtic in one its league phase games and Nottingham Forest will have a home game against Swedish side Malmo, which was a semi-professional team in 1979 when it lost the European Cup title match to the English club.Maccabi Tel-Aviv got away games in Germany against Stuttgart and Freiburg, and also will travel to play Aston Villa – in Birmingham, England – and PAOK in Greece.
Israeli clubs have been playing UEFA-organized games in neutral countries for security reasons during the conflict in Gaza, and Maccabi Tel-Aviv has hosted European games this season in Backa Topola, Serbia.
Maccabi Tel-Aviv’s home games are against Dinamo Zagreb, Lyon, Midtjylland and Bologna.Roma – whose coach Gian Piero Gasperini won the Europa League with Atalanta two season ago – will have two trips to Glasgow to to play fierce Glasgow rivals Celtic and Rangers among its eight opponents.The Europa League uses the same 36-team league format as the Champions League. Teams play eight different opponents during the league phase and are ranked in a single-standings table.Villa was one 11 teams in Friday’s draw that played in the Champions League last season, though its coach Unai Emery is a four-time Europa League winner: three times with Sevilla and once with Villarreal.Villa’s slate of opponents includes a trip to Fenerbahce, which parted ways with coach Jose Mourinho earlier Friday.
Forest is in the second-tier Europa League instead of Crystal Palace, the English FA Cup winner which was demoted by UEFA in a complex case relating to owners having stakes in multiple clubs. Palace will play in the Conference League instead.
Forest and its Portuguese coach Nuno Espirito Santo will play two opponents from Portugal, at home to Porto and away to Braga.The top eight teams go directly to the round of 16 in March. Teams placed ninth to 24th advance to the knockout playoffs in February. The bottom 12 teams are eliminated. (AP)

Monaco, Aug 29: Fiorentina’s quest to win the Conference League enters a fourth straight season with opponents including Mainz and Dynamo Kyiv from the draw ceremony on Friday.
The Italian club was top ranked in the 36-team draw after being twice a beaten finalist – against West Ham and Olympiakos in back-to-back years – and losing in the semifinals last season.
Fiorentina’s slate of six opponents through mid-December was completed by Rapid Vienna, AEK Athens, Sigma Olomouc and Lausanne. UEFA aims to confirm the fixture schedule by Sunday.
Crystal Palace makes its European debut only reluctantly in the third-tier Conference League after a complex legal fight with UEFA.The English FA Cup winner was demoted by UEFA from the Europa League for a breach of rules limiting investors having a significant stake in multiple clubs who qualify for the same competition. Lyon, majority owned by American businessman John Textor, stayed in the Europa League instead of Palace. (AP)