Dubai: Perhaps the most exciting weekend of sport since we started this season! Big wins, even bigger losses and lots of controversy, we’re here to unfold it all for you.
Here is Gulf News’ winners and losers a weekend packed with action.
Winners
India Women Cricket: India produced a dominant display to defeat Sri Lanka by 72 runs and claim a record-extending eighth Women’s Asia Cup title in Dubai.
Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma set the tone with a blistering 129-run opening partnership, helping India post 183-5 before their bowlers took complete control of the chase, dismissing Sri Lanka for just 111.
Yet, the celebrations were overshadowed by controversy at the presentation ceremony, with India refusing to accept the trophy from Asian Cricket Council president Mohsin Naqvi, who is also Pakistan’s interior minister.
Kimi Antonelli: The Italian younster strengthened his grip on the Formula 1 world championship with victory at the inaugural Madrid Grand Prix, claiming his eighth win of the season to extend his advantage at the top of the standings.
The Mercedes driver capitalised on a perfectly timed Virtual Safety Car pit stop to move ahead of Lando Norris, before keeping Max Verstappen at bay to secure another crucial victory. With George Russell finishing fifth, Antonelli’s championship lead has now stretched to 81 points after 14 rounds, leaving the 20-year-old increasingly clear at the top as he closes in on a maiden world title.
Elena Rybakina: The Kazakh claimed her first US Open title with a statement victory over two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka, winning 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 in a thrilling final at Flushing Meadows.
Rybakina produced a composed and powerful display to withstand Sabalenka’s fightback before dominating the deciding set, securing her third Grand Slam title and second major of 2026. The victory also sees Rybakina rise to world No. 1 for the first time, ending Sabalenka’s 99-week reign at the top of the rankings and further establishing herself as one of the leading forces in women’s tennis.
Alexander Zverev: The German completed a remarkable Grand Slam double by defeating Ben Shelton to claim his maiden US Open title, winning 6-3, 7-6, 5-7, 6-2 in New York.
Zverev was able to withstand Shelton’s third-set fightback before taking control again in the fourth, finally ending the heartbreak of his 2020 US Open final defeat. Having already lifted his first Grand Slam at the French Open earlier this year, Zverev has now established himself as the dominant force of the 2026 season, becoming the first man since 2017 to win two Grand Slam titles in the same year.
Losers
Lando Norris: The young Englishman was one of the biggest losers of the Madrid Grand Prix after a weekend that promised so much but ultimately delivered another blow to his championship hopes.
The McLaren driver produced a brilliant qualifying lap to take pole and looked firmly in control of the race, building a lead of more than six seconds before a badly timed Virtual Safety Car allowed Kimi Antonelli and Max Verstappen to pit ahead of him.
Norris was forced to pit later and dropped down the order, eventually recovering to third but missing out on a victory that looked his for the taking. With Antonelli extending his championship lead to 81 points and Norris now 106 points off the top, the Madrid result represents a huge missed opportunity in his title challenge.
Ben Shelton: After seeing his historic run end in heartbreak in front of his home fans, Shelton cut an emotional figure in his post-match interview.
The 23-year-old had captured the imagination of the American crowd, becoming the first Black American man to reach the US Open final since Arthur Ashe in 1972 and putting himself within touching distance of ending the country’s 23-year wait for a men’s Grand Slam champion.
After beating Carlos Alcaraz and Frances Tiafoe on his way to the final, Shelton battled back to take the third set against Alexander Zverev, but ultimately fell 6-3, 7-6, 5-7, 6-2. Despite the disappointment, his run represents a major breakthrough and suggests the American has the game to challenge for Grand Slam titles for years to come.
Manchester United: The Red Devils were left frustrated after suffering a controversial 1-0 defeat to Manchester City in the derby, with the decisive Erling Haaland goal later confirmed to have been wrongly allowed to stand.
Pro Ref admitted the VAR should have recommended an on-field review after failing to properly consider Enzo Fernandez’s offside position and his impact on Lisandro Martinez.
The defeat adds to a difficult start for United, who have now won just one of their opening four Premier League games and sit 13th with only four points. Despite City playing with 10 men for more than an hour, United failed to make their numerical advantage count, leaving Michael Carrick’s side with mounting pressure and plenty of questions to answer.
