Russell on top ahead of Hamilton in final Italian GP practice

Monza: Title-chasing George Russell topped the times for Mercedes ahead of Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton in Saturday's third and final free practice at the Italian Grand Prix.

The two Britons, who lie second and third in the championship 59 points adrift of leader Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes, finished the session narrowly ahead of four-time

champion Max Verstappen of Red Bull and the 20-year-old Italian, who was fourth. librea.one

Antonelli went into Saturday's action knowing that wherever he qualified he was set to start Sunday's race from the back of the grid after taking penalties for power-unit changes.

Russell clocked a fastest lap in one minute and 22.219 seconds to outpace Hamilton by 0.226sec before the session ended after Hamilton and Verstappen revived memories of their acrimonious 2021 battle for the title with a near-clash on track in the final seconds.

World champion Lando Norris was fifth for McLaren, four-tenths off the pace, ahead of Charles Leclerc in the second Ferrari, Racing Bulls' rookie Arvid Lindblad and Oscar Piastri in the second McLaren.

The session came alive in the final 15 minutes as Russell went top ahead of Antonelli, Verstappen and the two Ferraris, the Englishman clocking 1:22.463 to outpace his team-mate by two-tenths.

This delivered mock-qualifying conditions with some teams considering slipstreaming practice ahead of qualifying later Saturday, a session expected to be run in higher temperatures than Friday when the track was recorded at a season-high 56C.

Verstappen showed his exasperation at the heavy traffic in typical outright fashion on team radio: "This Ferrari again... always in the way."

Russell trimmed his time and Hamilton rose to second ahead of the Dutchman with Antonelli third before a late scrap and skirmish between the two multiple champions in the final seconds.

خسر المنتخب القطري الأول للكرة الطائرة للرجال أمام نظيره التايلاندي بثلاثة أشواط دون مقابل في مستهل مشواره بالبطولة الآسيوية للرجال 2026 المقامة حاليا بمدينة فوكوكا اليابانية، وتستمر حتى 14 سبتمبر الجاري.

وخسر المنتخب القطري بنتيجة أشواط (22 - 25، و19 - 25، و14 - 25)، ضمن منافسات المجموعة الثالثة.

وتغلب المنتخب الكوري الجنوبي على الصين تايبيه بثلاثة أشواط دون رد في المباراة الثانية ضمن المجموعة.

ويواجه المنتخب القطري غدا نظيره منتخب الصين تايبيه، ضمن الجولة الثانية من منافسات المجموعة الثالثة.

ويتطلع المنتخب القطري إلى التعويض وتحقيق فوزه الأول في البطولة عندما يلتقي نظيره منتخب الصين تايبيه، قبل أن يختتم مبارياته في دور المجموعات بمواجهة كوريا الجنوبية يوم 8 سبتمبر الجاري.

ويتأهل إلى الدور ربع النهائي صاحبا المركزين الأول والثاني من كل مجموعة، إلى جانب أفضل منتخب يحتل المركز الثالث.

ويسعى المنتخب القطري إلى حسم تأهله إلى الأدوار الإقصائية وتجاوز دور المجموعات، قبل خوض منافسات دورة الألعاب الآسيوية ''آيتشي-ناغويا 2026'' المقررة في اليابان خلال الفترة من 19 سبتمبر الجاري إلى 4 أكتوبر المقبل.

New York, USA: Serena and Venus Williams electrified Arthur Ashe Stadium but fell to Chan Hao-ching and Maya Joint in three thrilling sets in their return to the US Open women's doubles on Friday.

The superstar sisters, whose 14 Grand Slam doubles titles include two US Opens, rallied from a break down in the third set and led the deciding 10-point tiebreaker 5-0 but fell 6-3, 6-7 (6/8), 7-6 (10/7).

Venus, 46, and Serena, 44, hadn't played Grand Slam doubles since the 2022 US Open and last won a title together at Roland Garros in 2018.

They showed flashes of their brilliant best, Serena proving particularly dangerous patrolling the net but struggling with her serve.

After recovering from losing the first set to level the match in the second-set tiebreaker.

They belted no fewer than 20 winners in the set, holding serve throughout and leveled the match when Joint smacked an overhead long to roars from the crowd.

Chan and Joint regrouped to seize a 4-2 lead in the third. The sisters rallied, but get to the finish line as Taiwan's Chan and Joint fought back superbly to clinch the victory.

For Serena Williams, the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion considered by many to be tennis's greatest women's player, it was her first return to the courts of Flushing Meadows since then.

The 44-year-old had returned to major singles play as a Wimbledon wild card four years after "evolving away" from the game.

At the All-England club she lost to Joint in a Centre Court clash that captured the imagination of both diehard and casual tennis fans.

Even that experience didn't prepare Joint for the atmosphere on the cavernous Ashe Stadium.

The sisters received a thunderous ovation when they took court, all business in understated white outfits.

Every blistering volley and overhead smash from the Americans received raucous cheers, and when they sprinted to the lead in the decisive 10-point tiebreaker the noise was deafening

"The atmosphere was surreal," Joint said. "Being able to play aginst such legends of the game is super special."

Paris, France: Head coach Luis Enrique has agreed a three-year contract extension with two-time defending European champions Paris Saint-Germain, the Ligue 1 giants announced Friday.

The Spaniard's previous deal had been due to expire at the end of this season, but he has signed a new contract lasting until 2030.

The news was announced ahead of PSG's Ligue 1 match against Monaco at the Parc des Princes, with players Joao Neves, Fabian Ruiz, Willian Pacho, Lucas Beraldo and Senny Mayulu all also penning contract extensions.

"They represent the present and the future of our club's project," PSG president Nasser al-Khelaifi said in a statement.

"Together, we're aiming to build for the long term, to remain true to our values, and to continue writing a story that our supporters can be proud of."

Luis Enrique, joined by those five Champions League winners, was given a raucous reception from the home fans when the announcement was made. PSG went on to lose the game 2-1, to leave them still without a win three matches into the new Ligue 1 season.

"It is not the best moment to talk about this but what I can say is that it is the first time in my career -- and I am an old coach -- in which I have stayed more than three years in the same club," said the 56-year-old after the match.

"I am more motivated now than I was in my first year here, which is bizarre for me. I am very happy and I hope to be up to the job."

The former Barcelona and Spain boss was appointed PSG coach ahead of the 2023/24 season, tasked with leading them to a long-awaited maiden European Cup.

He achieved that with a stunning 5-0 final victory over Inter Milan in the 2025 Champions League final, before Paris successfully defended their title by beating Arsenal on penalties in May.

PSG have also won three Ligue 1 titles and two French Cups since Luis Enrique replaced Christophe Galtier at the helm.

Spanish World Cup winner Ruiz has extended his deal until the end of next season, with an optional extra year.

Portugal midfielder Neves, Brazilian defender Beraldo, Ecuador centre-half Pacho and youngster Mayulu have all signed deals until 2031.