08/08/2026

SPORTS SATURDAY | AUG 8, 2026

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More Montreal mayhem

Sabalenka, Pegula advance in Toronto

Cameron Norrie in action against Alex de Minaur (not pictured) during his straight-sets victory in the third round of the National Bank Open in Montreal. – AFPPIC

TOP- R ANKED Aryna Sabalenka advanced to the fourth round of the WTA Toronto Masters yesterday by defeating China’s Zhang Shuai 6-3, 6-4. The 28-year-old reigning US Open champion from Belarus, a four-time Grand Slam winner, dropped only seven points on her first serve to advance in 76 minutes. Sabalenka, with a 38-6 record and three titles this year, struggled to find a rhythm in her return games early. “I was trying to step in and then I would step back and nothing really clicked,” she said. “In the end I finally started moving a little bit better and find ing my rhythm so I’m really happy at the end it really clicked.”

C AMERON NORRIE extended the upset chaos at the ATP Montreal Masters yesterday, rallying from a set and two breaks down to stun third seed Alex de Minaur 5-7, 7-6 (7-5), 6-1 in an epic lasting almost three hours. The battling Briton appeared on the brink of defeat before producing a remarkable turnaround, saving a match point in the eighth game of the second set before forcing a deciding tiebreak. De Minaur, who had been the high est remaining seed in an increasingly depleted draw, was unable to recover after missing his chance to close out the contest. The Australian raced into a 4-1 lead in the opening set and won six of the next seven games to take control. Norrie gradually turned the momen tum in the second, however, and lev elled the match by edging the tiebreak 7-5. The 2021 Indian Wells champion then dominated the decider, winning the first five games on his way to a 6-1 victory. “It was a great match to win and test my level,” said Norrie. “I can take so much confidence from this one. “The level was so high in the first set. He came out firing and I had to match it. Alex stayed tough and stole the first set but took his foot off the gas just slightly in the second. “I just battled point for point and managed to come out 6-1 in the third set. I was fortunate and I’ll take (the win).” The result adds to a string of sur prises at the US Open tune-up event, which has been severely weakened by the absence of several leading players. Top seed Alexander Zverev suffered an early exit, while Canadian second seed Felix Auger-Aliassime withdrew through injury and fourth seed Daniil Medvedev was also eliminated.

Battling Norrie survives match point to oust De Minaur as depleted draw opens up

Sabalenka said she enjoys being atop the rankings, a spot she has held for more than 100 weeks in her career. “I love it. It just means I’m ahead and they have to come up with something crazy to play such tennis and I’m only get ting better from that,” Sabalenka said. “I enjoy being the one being chased. It’s really fun. It’s tough challenges but I love to go through it and it makes me stronger.” Sabalenka next plays against Russian 16th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova, who eliminated Australian Talia Gibson 5-7, 6 1, 6-3. Sabalenka leads their personal rivalry

World No. 1 Jannik Sinner and 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic were absent from the tourna ment altogether. With De Minaur now out, fifth-seeded defending cham pion Ben Shelton becomes the highest remaining seed and the player to beat as the tournament heads into the fourth round. Norrie will next face Frenchman Arthur Fils, who defeated Argentina’s Mariano Navone 6-3, 6-2. The 24th-ranked Fils secured his fourth Masters 1000 round-of-16 appearance of the season and claimed his 25th victory of 2026 despite com mitting 30 unforced errors. A strong serving performance, including four aces and four breaks of Navone’s serve, proved enough to carry him through. “I couldn’t put in a serve during warm-up,” Fils said. “But I found my rhythm during the match and hit some good spots.” Fils, who endured a lengthy injury absence before returning to competition, said he was simply enjoying being back on the big stage. “It has been a tough time for me, I was injured a lot. But I enjoy being back on the big stage – it means a lot. Still, no pressure,” he said. – AFP

5-4 thanks to a victory this year on Berlin grass, but Alexandrova won their most recent hardcourt match in a third-set tie-breaker last year at Doha. “Great player. Super aggressive. Fast game. Always have to stay low,” Sabalenka said. “It’s always great battles and a lot of things to work on.” American third seed Jessica Pegula advanced to the round of 16 by defeating Uzbekistan’s Kamilla Rakhimova 6-4, 6-0 in 68 minutes. Pegula will play for a quarterfinal berth against Russian 15th seed Diana Shnaider, who eliminated compatriot Anna Kalinskaya 6-3, 6-3, in 77 minutes. Polish seventh seed Iga Swiatek advanced with a 6-2, 6 1 romp over Swiss Viktorija Golubic in 66 minutes, landing 18 winners and losing only 14 points on her serve. “For sure it was a good day and I’m really happy with the way I played,” Swiatek said. Swiatek countered Golubic’s versatile shots by forcing the match tempo. “I played back her slice pretty well so the change of rhythm didn’t bother me that much,“ Swiatek said. “I tried to pick the right balls to attack because I was controlling the pace. It was just about the decision making.” She next faces 10th seed Marta Kostyuk, who dispatched US 19th seed Madison Keys 6-3, 6-1 in 72 minutes. – AFP

Formula One to have more sprint races in 2027: Domenicali

Montoya gives Sainz brutal reality check CA R LOS SAINZ may have to stick it out with Williams even if he wants to leave. That is the warn ing from former Formula 1 racer Juan Pablo Montoya who does not believe there are any signifi cant opportunities out there for the Spaniard, who has made it clear he is considering his future.

else he can go. That is the tough reality of it for him. “In his position he needs to make the most of the fact that Williams really wants him and get the best deal he can out of them and commit to it. “He needs to help ensure the right people are in the right places and that he has more say in what’s going on.” Audi has been touted as a potential destination, after Sainz turned them down two years ago, mostly because his rally champion father Carlos Snr has a long-standing affiliation with the German brand. However, sources indicate the most likely out come is that they continue with their current pairing of experienced veteran Nico Hulkenberg and highly-rated F1 sophomore Gabriel Bortoleto. Alpine does have a potential vacancy. Pierre Gasly is tied down to a long-term deal but Franco Colapinto has not yet secured his place on the 2026 grid. Boss Flavio Briatore has not shown any public signs that he is looking for alternative options, but he could be tempted to make a move for Sainz should the four-time Grand Prix winner become available. And the Spaniard could also become a target for Aston Martin, should his compatriot Fernando Alonso decide that this year is his last on the F1 grid. The 45-year-old has said he is likely to decide over this summer break whether or not to continue rac ing in the sport. – Express Newspapers

FO R MULA ONE will have more sprint races in 2027 than the current six but will main tain the scarcity value, chief executive Stefano Domenicali said yesterday. The 2027 calendar has yet to be pub lished, with the Iran war casting lingering uncertainty over Middle Eastern races, but Domenicali said it will again be 24 rounds next year after a likely 23 in 2026. “Our sprint format continues to drive higher Friday attendances and stronger daily attendances through our race week end. “We expect to expand the number of sprints for next year and to provide further details soon,” Domenicali told analysts after F1 owners Liberty Media published the company’s second quarter 2026 results. “We want to do (it) in the right way because of course this will allow us also to make sure that the scarcity is a value. So if commercially we would go everywhere, of course that’s not anymore a value.” Reduced distance sprint races, with eight points to the winner, are held on Saturday mornings with qualifying replac ing the usual second Friday practice. The main grand prix remains on Sunday after

Saturday qualifying. Flavio Briatore, the boss of Renault owned Alpine, told www.the-race.com this week that Formula One should have a sprint at every race weekend. “I’d do it every race. Because we need to give something more to the spectator. Because we do nothing for the spectator,” said Briatore. “Friday morning is only technical. You go two laps, you come back, and the people, OK. After Saturday in the morning, after you have the qualifying, and that’s the finito , you have the race. “With the sprint race, at least you have two races, two starts, and the driver is driv ing for something. He’s not driving only for the engineering. And for me, we need to have the sprint race. For me, 24 races, 24 sprint races.” Formula One reported a 38% decrease in revenue to US$764 million (RM3.2b) for the three months to end-June 2026 due to there being four fewer races. Domenicali also said, without providing figures, that the US broadcast partnership with Apple had led to a 13% rise in viewer ship and total hours watched. – Reuters

Sainz rejected offers from the likes of Audi and Alpine in 2024 to join Williams, after months of talks and conversations following the news that he had lost his Ferrari seat to seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton. And last year it looked to be the right call as Williams were clearly the top midfield team. But they have not adapted well to the 2026 regu lations and their competitiveness has waned. Just 11 points scored across the first half of the season has them ninth in the constructors’standings, above only Aston Martin who waited to upgrade their car until the last race before the summer break, at which point they became faster than Williams, and new comers Cadillac. The situation has frustrated both Sainz and Alex Albon, but the Spaniard has been the most vocal of the two drivers in terms of what it means for his future. He said ahead of this year’s break that he would speak with team principal James Vowles as well as his own personal team before making a decision about his future. But Montoya told Express Sport : “There’s nowhere