The Cincinnati Bengals got Joe Burrow back on the practice field Wednesday for the first time since the star quarterback injured his right calf early in training camp.

Burrow had been sidelined since straining his calf on a scramble during a July 27 practice. The 2022 Pro Bowl selection took part in throwing drills Wednesday without the compression sleeve on his lower right leg that he had been wearing during his recovery period.

"It was really great to have him back out there," Bengals center Ted Karras told reporters afterward. "He's the leader of this team and I'm just really happy he's back."

Burrow's return bodes well for his chances of being ready for Cincinnati's season opener against the AFC North rival Cleveland Browns on Sept. 10.

The 2020 No. 1 overall pick had his rookie campaign cut short after 10 games by a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, but has not missed a game due to injury over the last two seasons while leading the Bengals to the playoffs both years.

Burrow delivered a breakout 2021 season in which he threw for a franchise-record 4,611 yards and 34 touchdowns and helped the Bengals to their first Super Bowl appearance since 1988. The 2019 Heisman Trophy winner set another team record with 35 touchdown passes in 2022 while compiling 4,475 passing yards and completing 68.3 per cent of his throws. 

"Joe has a supreme command of the operational aspect of our offence, (so) it is ratched up a little bit," Karras said of Wednesday's practice. "Not that we're not going hard with anyone else out there, but when [number] nine's back there you can feel the difference."

Cincinnati finished 12-4 last season to capture its second straight AFC North title before again reaching the conference title game, which the Bengals lost 23-20 to the eventual Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs. 

Beto and Arnaut Danjuma saved Everton from an embarrassing Carabao Cup exit to the Football League’s bottom side as Sean Dyche’s men came from behind to edge past dogged Doncaster.

Having lost their opening three Premier League games without so much as scoring, a tie against the side 92nd in the standings looked just what the doctor ordered for Sean Dyche’s men.

But Everton’s start to the season threatened to go from bad to worse as League Two’s bottom side took a deserved lead through Joe Ironside’s header.

Doncaster were dreaming of a famous win, but the Premier League visitors belatedly showed signs of life as striker Beto – on as a substitute early in the second half – scored a day after signing from Udinese, before Danjuma secured a late 2-1 victory.

It was a gut punch for Grant McCann’s side but a morale-boosting win for the Toffees, although Dyche will be alarmed by much of his side’s display in South Yorkshire, where they return to take on Sheffield United on Saturday lunchtime.

They looked jittery from the outset and Joseph Olowu wasted a great chance from a corner that followed panicked play at the back.

Doncaster continued to unsettle careless Everton, with Tommy Rowe lashing over from a corner before Zain Westbrooke thrashed a 25-yard drive just wide.

“Premier League, you’re having a laugh” rang around the ground as Everton toiled, taking 41 minutes to manage a shot of any kind at the Eco-Power Stadium.

Danjuma slammed that effort across the face of goal and three minutes later the visitors fell behind.

A short corner routine ended with the ball being played to the edge of the box, where Rowe swung over a cross for Ironside to flick a header past Jordan Pickford from six yards.

Offside appeals were legitimate but there is no VAR at this point of the Carabao Cup.

There would have been an immediate Everton response had goalkeeper Ian Lawlor not smartly stopped Amadou Onana, before Pickford prevented Rowe scoring a second in stoppage time.

But Doncaster remained a threat after the break, with George Broadbent seeing a shot saved before Vitaliy Mykolenko blocked a Mo Faal effort with his hand from a Rowe cutback.

Olowu nearly turned a Mykolenko cross past his own goalkeeper and off balance Beto’s left-footed shot off target summed up their night.

But that chance also lit a fire under the new boy and moments later he had his first goal in blue.

Abdoulaye Doucoure played a hopeful ball down the left channel and Beto beat Olowu to smartly direct it home in the 73rd minute.

“We scored a goal” sung the dancing Everton fans, whose team were now in the ascendancy as Beto saw a header hit a post before Danjuma’s curling effort kissed the crossbar.

Play was scrappy as Doncaster attempted to hold on, with James Garner seeing a close-range attempt blocked before Danjuma broke Doncaster hearts.

Cutting in from the left and collecting a return pass, he made just enough space to get away a right-footed snapshot from just inside the box and beat Lawlor.

Doncaster pushed for a leveller but they had run out of gas, while the offside flag denied Beto his second in stoppage time.

Rangers’ Champions League hopes were extinguished in Eindhoven as PSV ran out comprehensive 5-1 play-off winners to go through 7-3 on aggregate.

Michael Beale’s side, who drew 2-2 draw with the Dutch outfit at Ibrox last week, deservedly fell behind in the 35th minute of the return game in the Philips Stadion when Ismael Saibari headed in.

The Moroccan attacker added a second in the 53rd minute and while Gers skipper James Tavernier pulled a goal back in the 64th minute, PSV captain Luuk de Jong wasted little time in restoring the two-goal lead with a header similar to the one he scored in Glasgow.

Joey Veerman compounded Rangers’ misery when he fired in number four before hapless Gers defender Connor Goldson scored an own goal to confirm the Light Blues will drop down to the Europa League.

It was a dismal performance from Rangers who carried almost no threat until it was too late.

From the first leg, Beale drafted in midfielder John Lundstram and winger Rabbi Matondo, with Abdallah Sima and Ryan Jack dropping out.

The home side soon warmed to the task and De Jong headed a corner over the bar before Gers keeper Jack Butland beat away a Veerman drive.

In the 19th minute, home winger Johan Bakayoko floated a cross to the back post and De Jong headed wide as PSV gradually increased the pressure.

Only a fine reaction save from Butland denied Saibari from close range and there was a VAR check seconds later when Ibrahim Sangare went down in the box under a challenge from Borna Barisic.

Rangers survived but only for a few moments, until Veerman got behind Tavernier and crossed from the byline for Saibari to head past Butland from six yards.

The goal seemed to drain Rangers of real belief and they almost came unstuck again just before the break when Bakayoko’s angled drive escaped the far post.

The start to the second half was no more encouraging for the visitors.

Barisic picked up an injury just after the break and was replaced by Dujon Sterling before the Light Blues fell further behind.

Jordan Teze’s cross to the back post evaded Tavernier and De Jong knocked the ball back for Saibari to ease into the net from close range.

Saibari went looking for his hat-trick and was denied by a Butland save.

Sam Lammers and Danilo came on for Cyriel Dessers and Nicolas Raskin and there was an quick pay-off.

Lammers took a Cantwell pass and knocked it across goal for Tavernier to steer in from a couple of yards out to give the visitors an unlikely lifeline, taken away less than two minutes later when De Jong headed in a free-kick from Veerman.

A Bakayoko drive was pushed away by Butland while at the other end Matondo hit the outside of the post with a drive.

In the 78th minute Veerman fired a pass from Teze low past Butland for number four before Goldson took a pass from his keeper and knocked the ball into his own net to complete a miserable night for the Govan side, who somehow have to regroup for the Old Firm visit of Celtic on Sunday.

Chelsea had to rely on reinforcements from the bench to survive a scare as a Mauricio Pochettino’s young selection recovered from a goal down to beat League Two AFC Wimbledon 2-1 in the Carabao Cup second round.

It took a first Chelsea goal from substitute Enzo Fernandez to break the visitors’ stubborn resolve at Stamford Bridge, after they had stunned home fans to take the lead through midfielder James Tilley’s 19th-minute penalty.

Noni Madueke equalised from the spot in first-half added time, as an unfamiliar starting XI made heavy weather of seeing off Johnnie Jackson’s team.

Pochettino brought in three players for their full first-team debuts – Mason Burstow, Ian Maatsen and Diego Moreira – but it took the introduction of a more recognised trio in the second half for them to see off the Dons, who were a stubborn defensive match for their Premier League opponents.

Nicolas Jackson, fresh from his first goal for the club against Luton, was introduced and provided a spark that had been absent, with Malo Gusto and Fernandez helping lend Chelsea the required bite.

The World Cup-winner struck the winner 18 minutes from the end after an unfortunate error from goalkeeper Alex Bass, as Wimbledon went down fighting.

The visitors had been awarded a penalty in the 16th minute when Robert Sanchez flew from his goal in an attempt to deal with Morgan Williams’ deep free-kick, instead crashing his fist into the face of Harry Pell. From the spot, Tilley thumped his kick down the centre as Sanchez dived to his right.

Chelsea almost hit back within minutes when Marc Cucurella, in the side despite reported negotiations over a move to Manchester United, carried the ball to the byline and pulled it back for Maatsen who turned cleverly and struck a low left-footed effort. Bass was relieved to see the ball skid inches past his near post off defender Joe Lewis.

On the half-hour mark, Cucurella again was the provider from the left, this time whipping in a cross which Burstow headed narrowly wide.

Madueke, making his first start under Pochettino, looked Chelsea’s best hope of a first-half response, his penetrating runs and movement off the ball as great a threat to Wimbledon’s lead as the home side could muster. But with the visitors camped largely in their own half, there was little room in which to manoeuvre.

Then on the stroke of half-time came a way back. Madueke, on another darting run, won a penalty as Alex Pearce went to ground with a clumsy challenge. The 21-year-old stepped up and capped a fine individual first period by clipping it coolly past Bass for 1-1.

It was the hosts’ only shot on target of the opening 45 minutes despite enjoying 85% of possession but the arrival at half-time of Jackson ignited something in attack.

His clever footwork and vision found Conor Gallagher and Chelsea’s captain for the night finally warmed the hands of Bass with a right-footed shot that was well saved in the 54th minute.

Fernandez was summoned from the bench and almost made an instant impact, striking at goal from 30 yards and drawing a superb two-handed save from Bass at full stretch. He would not have to wait much longer for his first Chelsea goal.

In the 72nd minute a long ball up from the back was hit by the onrushing goalkeeper straight into Jackson, the ball deflecting into Fernandez’s path to give the Argentinian the simple task of bending it into an empty goal with Bass stranded.

The goalkeeper went a long way towards making amends with a flurry of fine saves to keep the score down.

It was a brave showing from him and his team and might it might have earned them a penalty shoot-out had substitute Ali Al-Hamadi’s last-gasp effort not deflected wide off Axel Disasi.

However, Chelsea’s strength in reserve ultimately eased the Blues into the third round.

Chelsea had to rely on reinforcements from the bench to survive a scare as a Mauricio Pochettino’s young selection recovered from a goal down to beat League Two AFC Wimbledon 2-1 in the Carabao Cup second round.

It took a first Chelsea goal from substitute Enzo Fernandez to break the visitors’ stubborn resolve at Stamford Bridge, after they had stunned home fans to take the lead through midfielder James Tilley’s 19th-minute penalty.

Noni Madueke equalised from the spot in first-half added time, as an unfamiliar starting XI made heavy weather of seeing off Johnnie Jackson’s team.

Pochettino brought in three players for their full first-team debuts – Mason Burstow, Ian Maatsen and Diego Moreira – but it took the introduction of a more recognised trio in the second half for them to see off the Dons, who were a stubborn defensive match for their Premier League opponents.

Nicolas Jackson, fresh from his first goal for the club against Luton, was introduced and provided a spark that had been absent, with Malo Gusto and Fernandez helping lend Chelsea the required bite.

The World Cup-winner struck the winner 18 minutes from the end after an unfortunate error from goalkeeper Alex Bass, as Wimbledon went down fighting.

The visitors had been awarded a penalty in the 16th minute when Robert Sanchez flew from his goal in an attempt to deal with Morgan Williams’ deep free-kick, instead crashing his fist into the face of Harry Pell. From the spot, Tilley thumped his kick down the centre as Sanchez dived to his right.

Chelsea almost hit back within minutes when Marc Cucurella, in the side despite reported negotiations over a move to Manchester United, carried the ball to the byline and pulled it back for Maatsen who turned cleverly and struck a low left-footed effort. Bass was relieved to see the ball skid inches past his near post off defender Joe Lewis.

On the half-hour mark, Cucurella again was the provider from the left, this time whipping in a cross which Burstow headed narrowly wide.

Madueke, making his first start under Pochettino, looked Chelsea’s best hope of a first-half response, his penetrating runs and movement off the ball as great a threat to Wimbledon’s lead as the home side could muster. But with the visitors camped largely in their own half, there was little room in which to manoeuvre.

Then on the stroke of half-time came a way back. Madueke, on another darting run, won a penalty as Alex Pearce went to ground with a clumsy challenge. The 21-year-old stepped up and capped a fine individual first period by clipping it coolly past Bass for 1-1.

It was the hosts’ only shot on target of the opening 45 minutes despite enjoying 85% of possession but the arrival at half-time of Jackson ignited something in attack.

His clever footwork and vision found Conor Gallagher and Chelsea’s captain for the night finally warmed the hands of Bass with a right-footed shot that was well saved in the 54th minute.

Fernandez was summoned from the bench and almost made an instant impact, striking at goal from 30 yards and drawing a superb two-handed save from Bass at full stretch. He would not have to wait much longer for his first Chelsea goal.

In the 72nd minute a long ball up from the back was hit by the onrushing goalkeeper straight into Jackson, the ball deflecting into Fernandez’s path to give the Argentinian the simple task of bending it into an empty goal with Bass stranded.

The goalkeeper went a long way towards making amends with a flurry of fine saves to keep the score down.

It was a brave showing from him and his team and might it might have earned them a penalty shoot-out had substitute Ali Al-Hamadi’s last-gasp effort not deflected wide off Axel Disasi.

However, Chelsea’s strength in reserve ultimately eased the Blues into the third round.

Zeki Amdouni’s last-minute goal clinched Burnley a 1-0 win at Nottingham Forest and sent his side into the third round of the Carabao Cup.

The Switzerland forward, signed from Basel in July, stepped off the bench late in the second half and volleyed home from six yards to settle a largely forgettable tie between two Premier League rivals in the Clarets’ favour.

There was a minute’s applause before kick off for police officer Sergeant Graham Saville, the uncle of Forest defender Joe Worrall, who has died after being hit by a train last Thursday while trying to save a distressed man on railway tracks.

Worrall was suspended following his dismissal in Saturday’s 3-2 Premier League defeat at Manchester United, while Forest boss Steve Cooper made seven changes.

Argentina’s World Cup-winner Gonzalo Montiel, on loan from Sevilla, and Brazilian teenager Andrey Santos made their full debuts and Anthony Elanga made his first start for the club.

Burnley boss Vincent Kompany made 10 changes from Sunday’s 3-1 home league defeat to Aston Villa, with Aaron Ramsey and Jacob Bruun Larsen making their first starts.

Neither side created a chance worthy of note until the 36th minute when Forest midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate blazed over after Chris Wood had intercepted a wayward back-pass.

Burnley, who had already lost Brazilian Vitinho to injury in a tepid first half, were forced to replace Ramsey and Hjalmar Ekdal early in the second.

Sweden defender Ekdal went down during a goalmouth scramble and needed lengthy treatment before being stretchered off the pitch and replaced by Josh Cullen.

Both Forest and Burnley tried to inject some urgency into their play, but Nathan Redmond’s shot veered off to the corner flag and Willy Bolly produced an air-shot with his shooting chance.

Forest skipper Ryan Yates lifted the home crowd when he headed Elanga’s cross inches wide.

But Amdouni, a 78th-minute replacement for Jay Rodriguez, volleyed home unmarked from Josh Brownhill’s headed flick-on to seal victory for the visitors.

Fellow substitute Wilson Odobert had a  golden chance to put the tie to bed moments later when he raced through on goal and although goalkeeper Matt Turner blocked his effort, Forest could not muster an equaliser.

Lukas Jensen was the hero for League One Lincoln as they continued Sheffield United’s miserable start to the season with a 3-2 Carabao Cup penalty shootout victory at Bramall Lane.

After a drab 90 minutes ended goalless, the Imps goalkeeper saved spot-kicks from Louis Marsh and Benie Traore to send his side through.

This was not the performance or result that the Blades will have been looking for having lost their opening three Premier League games of the season and boss Paul Heckingbottom will have been presented with more questions than answers.

Mark Kennedy’s side will now dream of drawing one of the big boys in the next round after a deserved win.

It was no surprise that United did not fire as they fell in line with the majority of Premier League clubs by making wholesale changes to their side for the visit of the Imps.

And that had an inevitable effect on the game as the Blades were unable to play with any fluency and Lincoln more than held their own.

Reeco Hackett had a curling shot saved by Adam Davies, while the visitors also wasted several good moments on the counter-attack.

The Blades had to wait until the 51st minute to have a shot on target as Ollie Norwood sent debutant Cameron Archer through on goal, but the striker’s aim was off and he shot straight at Jensen.

Lincoln finally cut the Blades open on a transition after Daniel Mandroui’s incisive pass was perfect for Teddy Bishop, but he could only stab wide from close range.

Sheffield United looked the likeliest to force a late goal which would avoid the shootout lottery, but John Egan flashed a header wide and Auston Trusty could only plant his free header straight at Jensen.

That meant it would be decided from the spot and after Jensen had kept out poor Marsh and Traore efforts, the job was done when Egan skied the final penalty of the night.

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has described the behaviour of Spanish Football Federation president Luis Rubiales as “inappropriate” – but called for FIFA’s investigation to be allowed to run its course.

Rubiales has refused to quit for kissing Spain player Jenni Hermoso after their World Cup final win over England on August 20.

All of Spain’s 23 World Cup winners, plus another 58 players, have said they will not represent their country until Rubiales has left his post.

Rubiales, 46, was provisionally suspended by world governing body FIFA on Saturday for an initial period of 90 days pending an investigation into his conduct in Sydney after Spain’s victory.

The president grabbed his crotch in the stadium’s VIP area in celebration, when he was stood metres away from Spain’s Queen Letizia and her teenage daughter.

Ceferin, head of Europe’s governing body, feels the full disciplinary process must be allowed to be completed without added distraction, but admits change must follow.

“I am a lawyer and one of the vice-presidents of FIFA. His case is in the hands of the disciplinary body of the international federation. Any comments I might make would feel like pressure,” Ceferin told French media outlet L’Equipe in his first public comments since the incident.

“I just have to say that I am sad that such an event overshadows the victory of the Spanish national team.

“We should change things. I had a meeting today with Laura McAllister (vice-president of UEFA) to find ways to change the way we behave. We must do more.”

Ceferin added: “Of course, what he did was inappropriate. We all know it. I hope he knows that was inappropriate.

“This is enough for the moment because the disciplinary committee will decide.”

In his current role with the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), Rubiales is also a vice-president of UEFA.

Ceferin said: “He is suspended from all his functions, everywhere. There is no need to suspend it twice.”

Rubiales and the RFEF have also been ordered not to contact Hermoso either directly or through intermediaries.

Hermoso has accused the RFEF of a “manipulative, hostile and controlling culture” and said Rubiales’ kiss was “an impulse-driven, sexist, out-of-place act without any consent on my part”.

The Spanish Football Federation is also reportedly considering whether it has grounds to sack World Cup-winning head coach Jorge Vilda, who is still in the post after most of his coaching staff resigned in protest against Rubiales.

The president was applauded by Vilda after repeatedly insisting that he would not quit at the RFEF’s extraordinary general meeting last Friday. The federation is said to be exploring options over whether they can sack the head coach.

The RFEF regional heads have also called for Rubiales’ resignation, while members of the Spanish government have added their voices to those demanding he step aside.

On Monday, Rubiales’ mother Angeles Bejar announced she was going on hunger strike over the “inhuman” treatment of her son and locked herself in a church in Motril.

According to Spanish media outlet Marca, the priest of the Divina Pastora parish confirmed Rubiales had convinced his mother to leave the church and seek medical treatment at hospital, with her feet swollen and also suffering from fatigue.

Teenagers Thomas Bloxham and James Edmondson scored on their senior debuts as Blackburn romped to an 8-0 win at League Two Harrogate.

Rovers enjoyed their biggest victory since 1963 in a heavily one-sided Carabao Cup second round tie, with John Buckley (2), Jake Garrett, Sam Gallagher, Dilan Markanday and Zak Gilsenan also on target for the Championship side.

The visitors, who made 10 changes to the side that started Sunday’s Championship win at Watford, had the outcome wrapped up by half-time, cruising into a 4-0 lead.

First, Gallagher fed Garrett in the penalty box and he fired across goal into the  bottom left corner of Mark Oxley’s net for the 10th-minute opener.

Gallagher got on the scoresheet himself three minutes later, capitalising on Will Smith’s failure to cut out a Buckley through-ball before coolly beating an exposed Oxley.

Buckley went on to make it 3-0 in the 34th minute after Andy Moran had rounded Oxley and squared to the unmarked midfielder six yards from the visitors’ goal.

Markanday then rubbed salt in the wounds by firing into the bottom corner from the edge of the box in first half added-time.

There was no respite for the hosts after the restart with Buckley converting from the penalty spot after Warren Burrell had brought down Sondre Tronstad.

Gilsenan then rifled a 20-yard free-kick into the roof of the net, then fellow substitute Bloxham showed nimble footwork in the box before finding the bottom corner to make it 7-0.

Edmondson, introduced in the 63rd minute, tucked a one-on-one chance under Oxley 12 minutes later to become the third goalscoring substitute on a satisfying night for the visitors.

England got their Vitality T20 International series off to a winning start after beating New Zealand by seven wickets in the first game at Chester-le-Street.

In their first 20-over contest since the whitewash defeat to Bangladesh in March, England got off to a flying start, taking three wickets in the powerplay.

Glenn Phillips top-scored for the visitors with 41 off 38 before falling to Luke Wood, who finished with three wickets alongside Durham quick Brydon Carse.

Although Jonny Bairstow was dismissed early on, Dawid Malan’s 54 off 42 balls put England in the driving seat along with Harry Brook’s unbeaten 43 off 27 balls, giving the hosts the advantage going into the second T20 at Old Trafford on Friday.

Despite being given an early scare when Finn Allen smashed three consecutive sixes off the first over, a change of ends in the fourth helped Wood kick off a dominant powerplay for England.

The Lancashire bowler took the first wicket of the evening as Devon Conway feathered behind to Jos Buttler and more wickets tumbled when Carse resumed from the Finchale End to earn his first T20 international scalp for England after clean-bowling Allen.

Wood struck again to send Tim Seifert’s bails flying as New Zealand were suddenly 38 for three after six overs.

Their woes continued when Moeen Ali clipped Mark Chapman’s off-stump in the eighth over but Phillips and Daryl Mitchell tried to regain control with some good running to keep the scoreboard ticking over.

Liam Livingstone ended the partnership, however, tempting Mitchell into looping the ball to long-off aiming for a six, but Brook was on the boundary to comfortably catch.

Phillips was the dominant batter at the crease looking to keep his foot on the gas, but he was beginning to run out of partners when Mitchell Santner sliced the ball straight to Wood off Adil Rashid.

Wood’s return in the 17th over saw Phillips eventually fall for 41 after Sam Curran made an excellent dive to his left.

Carse was handed the ball for the final over and ended Ish Sodhi and Adam Milne’s quickfire 26-run partnership, taking both of their wickets to finish with figures of three for 23.

Set 140 to chase, Bairstow opened the batting, smashing four off Tim Southee, but was caught out by the Black Caps captain as he edged to Mitchell at slip.

Aiming to capitalise on their positive start, Milne and Southee restricted England to singles but the introduction of Lockie Ferguson saw Will Jacks suddenly tee off, smashing back-to-back fours before thumping one into the stands for six.

Not to be outdone, Malan put away three consecutive fours off Santner and some more tidy running brought England to 61 for one at the end of the powerplay.

Sodhi struck in the seventh over when Jacks appeared to accidentally clip the ball with his bat twice allowing Allen to comfortably catch, but Malan instantly responded by belting a huge six over an outstretched Chapman at deep midwicket.

Not letting his omission from the provisional 50-over World Cup squad phase him, Brook dispatched two successive Sodhi deliveries into the stands and just after England reached the 100-run mark, Malan fired another ball into the crowd to bring up his 50.

Ferguson soon ended Malan’s heavy hitting with Mitchell catching the batter at mid-on, but Brook continued to put runs on the board before Livingstone put the game to bed in style with a huge six with 36 balls to spare.

Chocolate-loving Dominic Stricker caused a major upset at the US Open by knocking out seventh seed Stefanos Tsitsipas.

The 21-year-old qualifier from Switzerland, ranked 128 in the world, stunned two-time grand slam finalist Tsitsipas with 7-5 6-7 (2) 6-7 (5) 7-6 (6) 6-3 victory to reach the third round.

Stricker is a former French Open junior champion who recently admitted his coach had told him to cut down on chocolate and cookies but it was Tsitsipas who was left feeling sour after a four-hour slog on the Grandstand Court.

“You know, I came out today pretty well today and felt good from the first set,” said Stricker.

“Over four hours it was a tough battle and I’m just super happy right now. I’m going to enjoy the rest of the day and recover tomorrow.

“It’s such a great day for me and such a great win. It gives me a lot of confidence. I believe a lot in me now.”

Remarkably, Stricker could have been on the plane back to Bern last week having faced a match point in the second round of qualifying.

He has now achieved his best result at a grand slam, having bettered his run to the second round at Wimbledon earlier this summer.

Tsitsipas served for the match at 5-3 in the fourth set, and the Greek said: “That hasn’t happened to me before. It’s the first time for me.

“Usually I’m much tougher mentally, and I have shown it by coming back. Even though sometimes I get broken serving for the match, let’s say, I still find ways in the tie-break or perhaps in the fifth set. Today was not the case.”

Second seed Novak Djokovic is safely through to round three after demolishing Spain’s Bernabe Zapata Miralles.

The Serbian, chasing a 24th grand slam title, dropped just six games in a 6-4 6-1 6-1 victory.

Inter Milan have signed France defender Benjamin Pavard on a permanent deal, the clubs have announced.

The 27-year-old World Cup-winner moves after four years with the German giants in which he added four Bundesliga titles and the Champions League to his medal collection.

He also won the Club World Cup, European Super Cup and German Cup during a Bayern career in which he made 163 appearances and scored 12 goals.

Bayern chief executive Jan-Christian Dreesen said: “We would like to thank Benjamin Pavard for four extremely successful years together.

“Not least in our historic year, he was a very important part of the team, especially as he was the match-winner in the final of the Club World Cup.

“We respect his desire for a new challenge and have therefore agreed on a move to Inter Milan. We wish him all the best and much success for his future in Serie A in Italy.”

Pavard began his professional career with Lille before joining Bayern after a three-year spell with Stuttgart.