James O'Brien 
Toby Samuel, a 23‑year‑old British tennis player, was named in Great Britain’s Davis Cup squad to face Ecuador after a rapid rise that saw him break into the world top‑100 and make Grand Slam debuts. He described the call‑up as one of the best moments of his tennis life, highlighting a year of firsts that included a US Open win and a Wimbledon wildcard. The team will meet Ecuador at London’s Copper Box arena.
Emma Raducanu, the 2021 US Open champion, missed this year’s US Open because of a stress fracture, causing her to lose 130 ranking points and drop 19 places to world No. 89, her lowest ranking since returning from surgery. The fall limits her entry into higher‑level tournaments, though she is slated to play the China Open later this month.
Brighton & Hove Albion thrashed Coventry City 5-0 in a Premier League match, highlighted by a spectacular long-range strike from defender Lewis Dunk. Match of the Day pundits Danny Murphy and Wayne Rooney praised the technique of the goal.
Josh Kerr capped a sensational season by winning the 1500m at the inaugural Ultimate Championship in Budapest, securing a $150,000 prize and delivering Britain its first title in the new event. The 28‑year‑old also highlighted his unconventional race schedule, emphasizing freshness over frequent competition.
Andy Burnham finished the Great North Run, marking the first time a sitting Prime Minister has completed the event. He said he loved the experience.
Great Britain’s Georgia Taylor-Brown delivered a dominant performance to claim victory in the women’s World Championship Triathlon Series race in Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic. She finished 36 seconds ahead of the United States’ Taylor Spivey, with Germany’s Lisa Tertsch third, marking her first WCTS win since 2023.
UFC president Dana White said the promotion will discuss whether heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall should vacate his title after a year-long absence caused by a rare eye injury sustained in a no‑contest with Ciryl Gane. Aspinall has returned to training and hinted at a September rematch, but the UFC is weighing the need to keep the division active, similar to Valentina Shevchenko’s recent title vacancy.
Britain’s Alfie Hewett defeated Japan’s Tokito Oda 6-0 7-6 (7-5) to claim his fifth US Open men’s wheelchair singles crown, halting Oda’s bid for a clean Grand Slam sweep in 2026. Hewett, who lost to Oda earlier in the season at the French Open and Wimbledon, described his performance as “possessed” and credited a period of reflection for his resurgence.
Europe’s captain Anna Nordqvist stuck with the English duo Charley Hull and Lottie Woad despite their 6&5 loss in the foursomes and a subsequent fourball defeat. The pairing’s poor results have sparked debate over whether the decision was right as the Solheim Cup heads into its decisive singles matches.
England’s women’s rugby side, the Red Roses, overcame a half‑time deficit to beat Australia 48‑15 in the opening match of the new WXV Global Series. After trailing 10‑5 at the break, England scored seven tries in the second half, extending their record winning streak to 39 matches. The win was highlighted by multiple try‑scorers including May Campbell and Meg Jones.