Germany’s Alexander Zverev was the only one of the top four seeds to escape the upset bug during quarterfinal action on Friday at the Terra Wortmann Open in Halle, Germany.

The top-seeded Zverev held off Belgium’s Raphael Collignon 7-6 (10), 7-6 (2) as both players uncorked 14 aces and lost no service games during their two-hour battle.

No. 2 seed Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada earned three match points against Frances Tiafoe, but the American fended off each one to earn a 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (12) victory.

No. 3 seed Ben Shelton reached match point against No. 5 Taylor Fritz, but he couldn’t convert as Fritz rallied for a 6-7 (5), 7-6 (8), 7-6 (3) triumph. Fritz unleashed 24 aces and stopped all four of Shelton’s break points as both Americans maintained their serve throughout.

While Zverev and Fritz will meet in one semifinal on Saturday, the unseeded Tiafoe faces unseeded Daniel Altmaier in the other. The German wild card earned his spot with a 6-4, 6-7 (6), 6-4 victory over No. 4 seed Daniil Medvedev of Russia.

HSBC Championships

Unseeded Brandon Nakashima needed just 93 minutes to knock out top-seeded Alex de Minaur of Australia with a 7-5, 6-3 quarterfinal victory in London. Nakashima owned a return rating of 184 as he won 30.8% (16 of 52) of the points on de Minaur’s serves.

Nakashima will meet No. 7 seed Francisco Cerundolo in Saturday’s semifinal action as the Argentina native defeated Great Britain’s Arthur Fery 7-6 (1), 3-6, 6-4.

No. 8 seed Tommy Paul upset No. 4 seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina of Spain by a 6-3, 7-6 (4) count as Paul held his serve throughout. Paul will meet unseeded Ugo Humbert in the other semifinal as the left-handed Frenchman stopped Australia’s Rinky Hijikata 6-1, 6-2.

–Field Level Media

Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi lost an appeal and will stand trial on rape charges in France.

An appeals court in Versailles concluded that there was sufficient evidence for Hakimi, 27, to stand trial, according to a statement provided to The Athletic on Friday.

Hakimi has denied any wrongdoing since being charged in March 2023. A 24-year-old woman alleged he assaulted her in February 2023, according to previous reports.

The Paris Saint-Germain fullback, who is part of Morocco’s squad at the World Cup, said he is looking forward to the opportunity to clear his name.

“Justice looked me in the eyes and said to me: ‘If you weren’t famous, there never would have been a case,'” Hakimi posted Friday on X, translated from French.

“I chose to remain silent for years. I thought that staying dignified, being patient, and trusting the justice system would allow the right decisions to be made.

“Today, a story that is not mine is being told at the expense of my family, my life, and above all, the truth. Sometimes I feel like I’ve become an easy target.

“I’ve been waiting for this trial since day one. And now I’m looking forward to it. Finally, I will be able to speak.”

Rachel-Flore Pardo, the plaintiff’s lawyer, praised the decision to move forward with a trial.

“The investigating chamber has ruled that there is sufficient evidence against Achraf Hakimi for committing rape,” Pardo wrote on X.

“This decision is perfectly consistent with the evidence in the case and in line with the opinions of the public prosecutor, the investigating judge, and the advocate general at the Court of Appeal.

“… The hope is that this trial will help other women, and further crack the fortress of denial and impunity surrounding sexual violence, even in the world of men’s football.”

No trial date has been set for Hakimi, who played the full 90 minutes in each of Morocco’s first two World Cup matches, including a 1-0 win over Scotland on Friday in Foxborough, Mass. Morocco (1-0-1, 4 points) conclude Group C action against Haiti on Wednesday in Atlanta.

–Field Level Media

Former NFL All-Pro Marshawn Lynch has become an accomplished photographer in his retirement. He can now add “credentialed World Cup photographer” to his resume, thanks to his appearance at the United States’ 2-0 victory over Australia on Friday.

Lynch, a former running back who racked up 6,381 yards and 58 touchdowns on the ground as a member of the Seattle Seahawks, was back in Seattle Stadium to shoot the United States’ second World Cup victory in as many games.

Lynch, 40, has been a credentialed photographer since at least last August, when he was spotted throwing a stiff arm to protect his camera during a preseason content between Seattle and the Las Vegas Raiders.

He was also seen rubbing elbows with several celebrities on hand, including NBA star Devin Booker.

Devin Booker ?? Marshawn Lynch

Two legends linked up at the USA’s match vs Australia ??

(??: @Suns) pic.twitter.com/yKrIMeIwp2

— PHNX Suns (@PHNX_Suns) June 19, 2026

The five-time Pro Bowler, who also played for the Buffalo Bills and Raiders during a 12-year career that resulted in over 10,000 career rushing yards, was also seen delivering a pregame speech to fans outside the stadium.

That type of versatility is par for the course for Lynch, who has worked as an actor, been a sports franchise owner (most notably with the NHL’s Seattle Kraken), and dabbled with cannabis and holoportation investments since his NFL career ended.

–Field Level Media