Category: 6. Sports

NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Alex Palou of Chip Ganassi Racing will receive the Astor Challenge Cup following Sunday’s Borchetta Bourbon Music City Grand Prix presented by WillScot at Nashville Superspeedway, one of many honors forthcoming at the season’s final event.

Either Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s Louis Foster or PREMA Racing’s Robert Shwartzman will be honored as the series’ Rookie of the Year as one of the tightest battles in series history is settled.

SEE: Event Details

Also, Andretti Global’s Dennis Hauger will be formally crowned as the INDY NXT by Firestone champion.

This weekend’s on-track activity begins with a full day of Saturday action. The first practice is at 10:30 a.m. ET on FS1 followed by qualifying for the NTT P1 Award at 2 p.m. and the final practice on FS2.

Sunday, the final race of the INDY NXT by Firestone season, the 65-lap Music City Grand Prix, will roll off at 11:30 a.m. ET on FS1. Later, on FOX, the Borchetta Bourbon Music City Grand Prix will be presented at 2 p.m., with FOX One, the FOX Sports app and the INDYCAR Radio Network also providing coverage.

A look at additional items of note as the season comes to a close:

The Tight Rookie of the Year Battle

This rookie battle is certainly one to watch, and it could finish as the closest margin since 2019 when Felix Rosenqvist edged Colton Herta by five points.

Foster (No. 45 Desnuda Tequila Honda) enters the final race eight points ahead of Shwartzman (No. 83 PREMA Racing Chevrolet). In this scoring system, that’s not much.

Both rookies have won a pole this season. Shwartzman was the surprising NTT P1 Award winner for the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge, and he could become the first “500” Rookie of the Year since Teo Fabi in 1983 to also win the series’ Rookie of the Year Award. Foster was the top qualifier at Road America.

Shwartzman’s best finish of the season is ninth in Race 2 at Iowa Speedway; Foster (photo, above) twice earned his best race result – 11th – on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course and at Road America.

Foster has finished ahead of Shwartzman in nine of the 16 races, and last weekend’s race at the Milwaukee Mile was the second time they have finished next to each other. Foster was 17th, Shwartzman 18th.

Rasmussen Strong on Ovals

Yes, Ed Carpenter Racing’s Christian Rasmussen (photo, above) won last weekend’s Milwaukee race thanks to a late-race opportunity to pit for new tires, but it shouldn’t have been a surprise he capitalized on them. The driver of the No. 21 ECR Splenda Stevia Chevrolet has excelled on oval tracks throughout his first full season in the series.

In the five oval races, Rasmussen has an average finish of 4.8, and the 168 points he has earned in those races ranks him third behind Palou (211) and Arrow McLaren’s Pato O’Ward (198). Those two drivers will finish the season 1-2 in the standings.

Rasmussen has 34 more oval points than six-time series champion Scott Dixon, the Chip Ganassi Racing driver who is third in the overall standings, and more than 100 points than three former “500” winners: ECR teammate Alexander Rossi (76 points), Team Penske’s Will Power (67) and Andretti Global’s Marcus Ericsson (61). Rasmussen has 63 more oval points than two-time Indy winner Josef Newgarden of Team Penske.

Coincidentally, it was last year in Milwaukee that ECR owner/driver Ed Carpenter decided to step out of the No. 20 car in favor of Rasmussen, who up until then had only driven the entry on road courses and street circuits (he drove the team’s third car at Indy). Rasmussen delivered finishes of 11th and 16th in the Milwaukee doubleheader and hasn’t looked back.

One more Rasmussen nugget: He is the third former INDY NXT by Firestone season champion since 2018 to have won an NTT INDYCAR SERIES race. The others are O’Ward (nine wins) and Andretti Global’s Kyle Kirkwood (five).

Several Drivers Eye First Series Win

Rasmussen became the series’ first new winner since Christian Lundgaard triumphed in 2023 in Toronto. Earlier that season in Long Beach, Kirkwood scored his first series win.

Rasmussen’s Milwaukee victory means that there are 15 drivers in this 27-car field who have won series races. Among the 12 who have not are Marcus Armstrong of Meyer Shank Racing w/ Curb-Agajanian, who is tied for sixth place in the standings.

Other non-winners with a strong chance to break through this weekend in Nashville are AJ Foyt Racing’s David Malukas (No. 4 Clarience Technologies Chevrolet) and Santino Ferrucci (No. 14 Phoenix Investors Chevrolet), and Juncos Hollinger Racing’s Conor Daly (No. 76 Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet). Malukas is a two-time race runner-up, including this year’s “500.” Ferrucci (photo, above, front) finished second in this year’s street race in Detroit while Daly finished third in Race 1 last year in Milwaukee. At Nashville last year, Ferrucci was the highest-finishing of the non-winners in sixth place.

Rasmussen became the 299th driver in history to win a series race. Who will become No. 300?

Competitive Balance Again on Display

Rasmussen’s victory in Milwaukee illustrated the competitive balance of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, which should again be on display in Nashville.

Ed Carpenter Racing became the sixth team in the past two-plus seasons to win a race. The other teams to have reached victory lane in that period are Chip Ganassi Racing, Team Penske, Andretti Global, Arrow McLaren and Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.

Three other teams have second-place finishes this season. AJ Racing has two (Malukas at Indy, Ferrucci in Detroit). Meyer Shank Racing w/ Curb-Agajanian finished second at Road America with Rosenqvist while Dale Coyne Racing finished second in Toronto with Rinus VeeKay.

Last year at Nashville, drivers finishing on the podium represented three different teams, and there were six teams with drivers finishing in the top 10.

Newgarden Looks To Extend Streak

Newgarden (photo, above) earned his first NTT INDYCAR SERIES victory in 2015 at Barber Motorsports Park, and he has been winning races almost ever since.

The driver of the No. 2 Astemo Team Penske Chevrolet stands third among active drivers with 31 career races wins, which has him tied with Paul Tracy, Dario Franchitti and Helio Castroneves for 10th place on the sport’s all-time list. But Newgarden does not have a win this season, which is noteworthy.

Newgarden has won at least one race in 10 consecutive seasons, and in nine of those years he has won multiple races. In 2022, he won five. On four occasions, he won four. He has averaged 3.1 race victories per season.

Newgarden’s 2025 drought is part of Team Penske’s difficult season. The team’s only race win this year came two races ago when Power won at Portland International Raceway. In the 25 seasons since the team’s winless 1999 campaign, Roger Penske’s group has won 145 races, an average of 5.8 per season. The only year when only one Team Penske driver won a race was 2011, when Power won six.

“Presented by Tennessee Sounds Perfect”

From dazzling fans with her athletic brilliance to reshaping the business of sport as a tournament owner and entrepreneur, Billie Jean King has spent decades entertaining, empowering and elevating the game. Her legacy isn’t just etched in her remarkable collection of tournament trophies; it’s embedded in the DNA of women’s tennis. 

Now in its 28th year, the Billie Jean King Power Hour, created and organized by the WTA, is a cornerstone of the WTA’s mentor-driven education initiatives and a core program of the WTA’s Player Development.

This year’s session, hosted by King in the US Open’s Arthur Ashe building, brought together emerging WTA stars alongside impactful former players Ilana Kloss, Leslie Allen and Shelby Rogers to reflect, connect and ignite change.

Aligned with the WTA’s Rally the World campaign, the Power Hour is both a celebration and a challenge. It calls on every WTA player to recognize their role in a global entertainment property, one that champions equality, unity, and advancement. Players don’t just win matches on the WTA Tour; they win battles for recognition, visibility and respect.

Players are reminded of the bold stand taken 55 years ago by the Original 9 alongside the visionary leadership of promoter Gladys Heldman. Together, these courageous women created the Virginia Slims Circuit and laid the foundation for today’s thriving Hologic WTA Tour.

King’s message to this year’s cohort of players was clear: “You are here because someone fought for you. Now it’s your turn to fight for the next generation.”

Players were encouraged to dream big, push boundaries, and use their stages to elevate current and future generations. Through storytelling, shared experiences, and candid conversations, the event reinforced that greatness isn’t just measured in trophies, it’s measured in impact.

Among the promising talents who attended the 2025 Power Hour in New York were Alyssa Ahn, Emiliana Arango, Hailey Baptiste, Lois Boisson, Louisa Chirico, Fiona Crawley, Thea Frodin, Amelia Honer, Suzan Lamens, freshly crowned Montréal champion Victoria Mboko, Annika Penickova, Kristina Penikcova, Tatiana Prozorova, Zeynep Sonmez, Moyuka Uchijima and Akasha Urhobo.

 

 

Manchester United and Chelsea have agreed a deal for winger Alejandro Garnacho, sources have told ESPN.

The 21-year-old is set to move to Stamford Bridge for a fixed fee of £40 million. United will also receive 10% of any future transfer.

Garnacho will undergo a medical in London on Friday before signing a contract until 2032.

United sources have told ESPN that Chelsea’s initial offer for the Argentina international was £25 million. United have been able to negotiate a higher fee, although it falls below their valuation of £50m.

Garnacho was axed from Ruben Amorim’s first team squad this summer and missed the preseason tour of the United States.

He was critical of the Portuguese coach after being left on the bench for the Europa League final against Tottenham in May.

The forward has been training away from the main group at Carrington alongside other members of the so-called “bomb squad” Jadon Sancho, Antony and Tyrell Malacia.

Garnacho leaves Old Trafford having come through the club’s academy to make 144 senior appearances. He scored 26 goals including in the 2024 FA Cup final against Manchester City.

He was part of United’s FA Youth Cup winning team in 2022 and was named the club’s young player of the year in the same season.

ESPN’s James Olley contributed to this report.

Chelsea have agreed a £40m fee to sign Manchester United forward Alejandro Garnacho.

The 21-year-old Argentina international was told to find a new club by head coach Ruben Amorim at the end of last season.

Sources from United say the initial Chelsea offer was £25m, but Garnacho’s transfer – which includes a 10% sell-on clause – will now be the club’s fourth largest ever sale after Cristiano Ronaldo, Romelu Lukaku and Angel di Maria.

Chelsea will have spent more than £500m, including add-on clauses, on wingers in just over three years since Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital bought the club.

It will be more than £650m with strikers included – again with add-ons – but there have been significant player sales, with Chelsea likely to fully balance the books this summer on departures.

Garnacho’s move comes as forward Christopher Nkunku, 27, closes in on a move from Chelsea to AC Milan.

Senegal striker Nicolas Jackson is also in talks over an initial loan switch to Bayern Munich, which could include an obligation to buy the 24-year-old.

Player sales are important to Chelsea this summer because of Uefa sanctions, which included a fine of 31m euros (£26.7m), but also a requirement to maintain a “positive transfer balance” in this window to register new signings for the Champions League.

The imminent transfer of Nkunku for an initial £32m means the Blues will have banked at least £263.2m – minus add-ons and future fees – which is a Premier League record for player sales in a summer window.

They had already surpassed their previous highest total of £215.9m, set in 2023, prior to the confirmation of the Frenchman’s departure.

Garnacho held talks with Chelsea in January when his priority became a move to Stamford Bridge and United initially wanted £60m for him.

As a homegrown player, having joined United’s youth system from Atletico Madrid as a 16-year-old in 2020, the fee will also be important towards meeting the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR).

The Old Trafford club have already spent £200m on a new forward line of Benjamin Sesko, Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo.

Garnacho’s last competitive game for United was May’s Europa League final – after which he questioned Amorim’s decision not to start him in 1-0 defeat by Tottenham.

Although he did go on the club’s post-season tour of Asia, he was not selected for the three-match summer trip to the United States.

Garnacho was ordered to train at different times to Amorim’s squad, along with fellow outcasts Tyrell Malacia, Jadon Sancho, Antony and Marcus Rashford, who subsequently joined Barcelona on loan.

When asked about the player’s future in Chicago, boss Amorim said “sometimes things don’t work out”.

Michael Johansson, Physically Challenged (P) class, and Anders Hӧije, Open (O) class, were gold medalists at the end of Day 2. Hӧije scored full points and spent only 115 seconds on four timed controls (three tasks in each), and won by 12 seconds.

With 20 competitors scoring full points on Day 1, aiming for the right level of steadiness on day 2 was paramount for success. Many of the 20 missed one point or more today, and in the end only 6 athletes had full scores over both days. Today, 2 controls were voided in the race, plus several controls for P class only because the extremely dry and hot terrain surface deteriorated into soft sand that was impossible for wheelchairs.

Most successful was Hӧije, but Tommi Hakuli, Finland pushed him close. Only 7 seconds longer again at the timed controls, Lithuania’s Robertas Stankevic took the bronze. The six podium placings went to six different nations.

Full concentration was needed in the highly complex rocky terrain  Photos: WTOC 2025

The P class was a close contest between Johansson and the Spaniard Alejandro Aguilar Lara, who ended with the same points score but 69 seconds longer at the timed controls (including penalty scores for wrong answers). Ola Jansson, Sweden, who along with Johansson is a multiple medal winner at World and European level, was third. Sweden and Ukraine both had two athletes in the top six.

The competition took place in mid-town Sümeg in Hungary, with some kites sited in spectacular positions high up on the steep slopes leading up to the castle.

The Championships now move to Slovakia, with tomorrow being a Model Event day. The next competition is the Relay on Saturday.

Leading results, PreO 2 days combined

O Class

1. Anders Hoije SWE 69 points + 115 seconds
2. Tommi Hakuli FIN 69 + 127
3. Robertas Stankevic LTU 69 + 134
4. Krystian Petersburski POL 69 + 143
5. Marcello Lambertini ITA 69 + 147
6. Jo Inge Fjellstad NOR 69 + 358

P class

1. Michael Johansson SWE 60 + 287
2. Alejandro Aguilar Lara ESP 60 + 356
3. Ole Jansson SWE 55 + 243
4. Nicola Galvan ITA 55 + 533
5. Vladyslav Vovk UKR 54 + 299
6. Serhii Bielanenko UKR 52 + 299

TOP WOMEN’S MATCH: ARYNA SABALENKA V LEYLAH FERNANDEZ

Aryna Sabalenka looked favourite to win her maiden Grand Slam at the U.S. Open in 2021 after top seed Ashleigh Barty suffered a shock third-round exit.

But the Belarusian, who had brushed aside three seeded opponents in straight sets to reach the last four, went down to unseeded Leylah Fernandez, who in turn lost the final to a qualifier, Emma Raducanu.

Since then, Sabalenka has won three Grand Slams, but the defending champion did not get a chance to avenge her loss to the Canadian four years ago, until now.

“You know, I think I bet I don’t remember anything from that match, because I think I changed a lot. I had really tough challenges after that, and I went through. I found myself. I become a better player and a person,” Sabalenka said.

“So I think it’s going to be a completely different match. I bet I just don’t even try to remember that match… I love rematches. So I’m actually super excited facing her here again.”

Fernandez has struggled since reaching the French Open quarter-finals in 2022, never making it past the third round of a Grand Slam.

But the 22-year-old won her first WTA title since 2023 at the Washington Open last month, and will look to carry that momentum with the hope of pulling off yet another upset against the world number one.

TOP MEN’S MATCH: NOVAK DJOKOVIC V CAMERON NORRIE

Novak Djokovic kept his quest for a record 25th slam on track after being given a brief scare against Zachary Svajda in the second round, where he fought back from a first-set loss to win in four sets.

The 38-year-old, who had struggled with a blister on his foot in the first round and dealt with some stiffness during the second set against Svajda, said he was going through an internal tussle as well.

“I’m just trying to be locked in, you know. Just trying to solve the riddle once I’m on the court,” Djokovic told reporters on Wednesday.

“It’s not like I’m not finding joy on the court competing. I enjoy competing, but I don’t enjoy not playing well. That’s why I put extra pressure on myself and my team to be better the next day, the next match.”

Djokovic has won all six of his previous matches against his next opponent Cameron Norrie. The Briton has won only two sets against Djokovic, including the first set in their Wimbledon semi-final clash in 2022, where the Serbian staged a comeback to take victory.

“There is always something to prove once you step out onto the court, which is you’re still able to win a tennis match,” Djokovic said. “You have days like this where you’re not playing at your best, but you just kind of find a way.”

RISING RADUCANU FACES RYBAKINA TEST

The U.S. Open of 2021 remains the only title Emma Raducanu has won on the WTA Tour, but the Briton has made some progress in her bid to recapture her old form, with dominant straight-sets wins in the first two rounds where she has dropped a total of six games.

But Raducanu, who took world number one Sabalenka into two tiebreaks in a three-set defeat at the Cincinnati Open earlier this month, now faces a fellow Grand Slam winner in ninth seed Elena Rybakina, who is also yet to drop a set in her campaign.

Rybakina beat a 19-year-old Raducanu 6-0 6-1 in their only meeting in 2022 before winning Wimbledon the same year.

“I think she’s a top opponent. She’s won Wimbledon. She’s been at the top of the game for so long and very dominant and has big weapons, has a huge serve and big groundstrokes. So I do want to see how my game suits and fits against the top,” Raducanu said. “It’s going to be a tough match.”

Rybakina, however, did not see her previous win over Raducanu as being significant to their upcoming contest.

“She’s a tough opponent and definitely she knows this place better than anyone else, and I’m looking forward for this match. I know that I need to improve a little bit,” the 26-year-old said.

U.S. OPEN ORDER OF PLAY ON FRIDAY

ARTHUR ASHE STADIUM

32-Luciano Darderi v 2-Carlos Alcaraz

4-Jessica Pegula v Victoria Azarenka

7-Novak Djokovic v Cameron Norrie

Taylor Townsend v 5-Mirra Andreeva

LOUIS ARMSTRONG STADIUM

9-Elena Rybakina v Emma Raducanu

6-Ben Shelton v Adrian Mannarino

1-Aryna Sabalenka v 31-Leylah Fernandez

Jerome Kym v 4-Taylor Fritz

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.

Italian gymnast Lorenzo Bonicelli has been transferred to the spinal unit of Niguarda Hospital in Milan, according to a post on social media from the Ghislanzoni Gal Sports Club of Lecco, where he trained as a youngster.

On 23 July, during the FISU 2025 World University Games in the Rhine-Ruhr region, Bonicelli, 23, sustained a neck injury while performing a triple flipping dismount off the still rings during the qualifying round.

He underwent surgery in Germany to reduce a cervical sprain trauma with subluxation of the fifth vertebra, and a tracheotomy was performed to help him breathe. He was later moved to a hospital in Milan where he began to communicate and eat on his own.

On Wednesday (27 August) “after weeks in intensive care, Bonni was transferred to the Spinal Unit of Niguarda Hospital,” reads a post on Instagram from Ghislanzoni Gal, which launched a fundraising campaign to support his rehabilitation journey.

“It’s an important step – the first step of a long and complex path that will require time, strength and patience. At his side are the doctors, his family, friends and an entire community that continues to show its closeness,” the post continued.

Since his transfer from Germany to Italy, Bonicelli has been accompanied by his family and his girlfriend Lisa Rigamonti, a former gymnast and now a nurse, who in recent days provided further updates on his condition.

“He will begin motor physiotherapy once the vital aspects being monitored in intensive care are stabilised,” she told La Gazzetta dello Sport on 20 August. “Only then, in the spinal unit, will we face the other stages of this journey. Only from that day will we focus on physical rehabilitation.”