FIBA: Canada targets Olympic success after first World Cup bronze

MANILA -- Small forward Dillon Brooks said Canada would take "good momentum" into next year's Paris Olympics after beating the United States to win bronze at the FIBA World Cup on Sunday.

Canada won 127-118 in overtime in Manila to claim their first World Cup podium finish, denying the United States a medal for a second straight tournament.

Canada had already qualified for their first Olympics since 2000 by finishing as one of the two highest-placed teams from the Americas at the World Cup.

Brooks, who finished the game as Canada's top scorer with 39 points, said the medal would fuel their ambitions when the new NBA season starts next month.

"It's good momentum for us, we'll hold on to that throughout the season," he said.

"I'm going to see a lot of my team-mates during the season.

"Guys that weren't here, that's motivating to them as well, to want to join us, to get better, to make a run at the Olympics."

Canada led for most of the game and built double-digit leads in both the first and third quarters.

They looked to have the game won until the United States' Mikal Bridges hit a game-tying three-pointer with 0.2sec remaining.

Canada quickly took control in overtime, with Brooks and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in imperious form.

"This team was amazing, special, it's the beginning of something that's going to last for a long time," said head coach Jordi Fernandez.

"All 12 guys came in and worked every day since August 1, they got at least 1 percent better every day.

"They built the identity that we just showed."

Fernandez said Gilgeous-Alexander, who scored 31 points, was "to me the MVP of this World Cup".

Bridges called Canada's point guard a "slithery" player to defend.

"He knows how to get away from you," Bridges said of Gilgeous-Alexander.

"He's an unbelievable player."

Fernandez paid tribute to Brooks's leadership after the Houston Rockets player helped keep the United States' stars quiet while scoring points at the other end.

Brooks was booed by the Manila crowd earlier in the tournament but they serenaded him with chants of "MVP" against the United States.

Brooks said he was determined to help the team win after losing in the semi-finals to Serbia.

"Having that edge every single game, how I prepared for the game, how I was trying to be a leader out there for my team-mates, I've got to bring this back to Houston," he said.

Agence France-Presse

NBA: Red-hot Suns feeding off Kevin Durant ahead of clash with Spurs

The Phoenix Suns will go for their sixth straight win when they host the suddenly dangerous San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday night.

Phoenix (43-35) is coming together as the regular season heads into the final stretch and its roster is nearly whole. The Suns flexed their considerable muscle on Sunday in a 128-118 win on the road in Oklahoma City, with Kevin Durant scoring 35 points, 13 of those in the fourth quarter, in Phoenix’s fifth consecutive victory, its longest winning streak since November.

Devin Booker finished with 22 points and 10 assists for the Suns, while Deandre Ayton had 19 points and 11 rebounds and Chris Paul had 16 points and eight assists.

Phoenix shot 56.8 percent from the floor in Sunday’s win to match its season high. The Suns remain in fourth place in the West and are three games up on the Lakers and New Orleans in the race to clinch the conference’s guaranteed playoff spots without having to participate in the play-in tournament.

The Suns are 6-0 with Durant in the lineup. Phoenix is becoming the team insiders expected it to be when Durant was brought to the Valley of the Sun.

“There’s not a way that he can’t score,” Phoenix coach Monty Williams said about Durant after Sunday’s win. “Those kind of players — they want those (clutch) shots. They’re so used to having the ball in their hands. … Guys work their tails off to be ready for those shots and he and Booker are a case in point. That’s what Kevin does.”

Phoenix has won the first two games with the Spurs this season and has defeated San Antonio eight straight times dating back to May 2021.

The Spurs (20-58) head to Phoenix after a rousing 142-134 overtime win in Sacramento on Sunday that snapped a six-game losing streak. San Antonio got a combined 56 points from reserves Doug McDermott (season-best 30 points) and Julian Champagnie (career-high 26 points).

Nine of McDermott’s points came in the extra period in which the Spurs never trailed, while Champagnie scored 22 of his points before halftime.

San Antonio also got a triple-double from Tre Jones (17 points, 11 assists, 10 rebounds) in the win, a double-double from Dominick Barlow (12 points, 10 rebounds), 16 points from Zach Collins, 15 from Malaki Branham and 13 from Keita Bates-Diop.

“I think it’s the defensive end, really,” Jones said. “That’s the main thing for us. We came out in overtime and they scored right away but then we were able to string a few stops together. We were able to get some stops in the middle of it all and that really helped us.”

San Antonio was without Devin Vassell, Jeremy Sochan and Keldon Johnson due to injuries.

“It was a great night for us,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “We had a lot of guys play really well. We had career games by three or four guys. I’m just happy for them. They have been busting their butts all year. We don’t have many wins.”

-reuters

NBA: Doncic dazzles in vain as Mavs downed by Pelicans

LOS ANGELES -- Luka Doncic scored 37 points but it was not enough to stop the Dallas Mavericks from slipping to defeat against the depleted New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday.

Slovenian star Doncic dragged the Mavs to within one point of the Pels with four seconds remaining after a driving lay-up made it 112-111.

The 23-year-old was left shaking his head in disappointment after a three-point effort on the buzzer that would have snatched victory bounced off the rim to hand New Orleans a 113-111 win.

Doncic finished with 11 rebounds and seven assists in addition to his 37-point haul, with Spencer Dinwiddie providing support with 24 points and Christian Wood 23 points.

But Dallas were ultimately pipped by a balanced New Orleans line-up that saw eight players finish in double figures.

The victory was made all the more impressive given injuries that deprived New Orleans of regular starters Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram.

Trey Murphy III scored 22 points -- making 8-of-8 from the field -- while C.J. McCollum made 14 points with 11 assists.

McCollum later admitted he could barely watch as Doncic launched his last-gasp three-point attempt on the buzzer.

"When he shot it I just thought 'Please don't go in, please don't go in'," McCollum told an on-court interviewer.

"I didn't shoot the ball well but a lot of young guys stepped up tonight and that's what we're going to need all season long.

"We're a solid team. Guys work hard, get in early and stay late and they relish these kind of opportunities to come out and put on a show."

The Pelicans improved to 3-1 with a win to move into second in the Western Conference behind leaders Portland. Dallas fell to 1-2 with the loss.

In other games on Tuesday, the Washington Wizards took their season record to 3-1 with a 120-99 romp against the Detroit Pistons at home.

Kyle Kuzma led the Washington scorers with 25 points with Kristaps Porzingis adding 20. Will Barton added 16 from the bench, including four three-pointers.

Agence France-Presse

MLB: Ohtani signs record $30-M deal with Angels for 2023

LOS ANGELES -- Japanese star pitcher and slugger Shohei Ohtani signed a one-year Major League Baseball deal worth $30 million to remain with the Los Angeles Angels for the 2023 season, the club announced Saturday.

The 28-year-old unique double threat inked the largest-ever MLB deal for a player eligible for arbitration, surpassing the $27 million given to Mookie Betts by the Boston Red Sox in 2020.

Reigning American League Most Valuable Player Ohtani's deal is fully guaranteed. He remains set to become a free agent after next season.

Ohtani has never gone through the arbitration process with the Angels, avoiding it this time as he did when he signed a two-year deal worth $8.5 million before the 2021 campaign.

Ohtani makes a hefty salary jump after making only $3 million last season and $5.5 million this year.

The battle for this year's AL MVP award figures to be between Ohtani and Aaron Judge, who has matched the AL one-season home run record by hitting 61 so far this season for the New York Yankees, matching the mark of 61 set 61 years ago by ex-Yankee Roger Maris.

On the mound as a right-handed pitcher, Ohtani is 15-8 with a 2.35 earned-run average and 213 strikeouts over 161 innings.

He was hurling a no-hitter into the eighth inning on Thursday against Oakland and is set to make his final start of the season in Oakland on Wednesday in the club's season finale.

With the bat, Ohtani is hitting .276 this season with 34 homers, 29 doubles, 11 stolen bases and 94 runs batted in over 152 games.

Ohtani entered the weekend with a 15-game hit streak, the longest active run in the major leagues.

He ranks in the top four in the AL in pitching wins, strikeouts, earned-run average and homers.

Despite Ohtrani's heroics, the Angels are days away from finishing off a seventh consecutive losing season. They haven't reached the MLB playoffs since 2014 and haven't won a playoff game since 2009.

Agence France-Presse

MLB: Judge blasts 61st homer to equal Maris record

TORONTO, Canada -- New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge blasted his 61st home run of the season on Wednesday to equal the legendary Roger Maris's longstanding American League record.

Judge, who has been motoring towards Maris's record all season, had been stuck on 60 home runs after failing to homer in seven straight games and 33 at bats.

But the 30-year-old power-hitter ended his drought in spectacular fashion on Wednesday, crushing a 394-foot homer on a 3-2 count from Toronto pitcher Tim Mayza in the seventh inning to give New York a 5-3 lead.

Judge's record-equaling blast brought the Rogers Centre crowd to its feet for a rousing ovation as Yankees players gathered at home plate to congratulate the right fielder as he rounded the bases.

Yankees legend Maris -- whose son Roger Maris Jr. was on hand to witness Judge's homer -- set his single season American League record of 61 home runs in the 1961 season.

That record stood as the best single season home record tally for all of Major League Baseball before it was surpassed multiple times by Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire during baseball's steroid era in the late 1990s.

Barry Bonds, who was also heavily implicated in the infamous BALCO drug scandal, holds the outright single season record of 73 home runs set in 2001.

Agence France-Presse

NFL: Russell Wilson booed and loses on Seahawks return

LOS ANGELES -- Denver quarterback Russell Wilson's return to Seattle started with hearty boos and finished with a 17-16 loss to Geno Smith and the Seahawks on Monday.

Wilson piloted the Seahawks to nine winning seasons, eight playoff appearances, two NFC championships and a Super Bowl title in his 10-year tenure in Seattle.

But his relationship with the team soured and he departed in March for the Broncos -- the team he and the Seahawks beat 43-8 in the 2014 Super Bowl.

Earlier this month he signed a five-year deal worth a reported $245 million with Denver and none of his prior achievements in Seattle mattered to Seahawks fans who jeered him all night, while joyously cheering his former backup Smith.

While the focus was on Wilson and his return to Seattle, it was also a huge moment for Smith, who beat out Drew Lock for the starting job -- the first time he starts a season as a team's top quarterback since he played for the New York Jets back in 2014.

Smith rose to the occasion by completing 23 of 28 passes for 195 yards and two touchdowns.

Both touchdowns came in the first half, when Smith was ruthlessly efficient in completing 17 of 18 passes for 164 yards.

"They wrote me off," Smith said of his critics in a post-game television interview.

Seattle didn't score in the second half, but they held on with the help of a solid defensive effort and the Broncos' inability to take advantage of their opportunities.

Wilson completed 29 of 42 passes for 340 yards, hitting Jerry Jeudy with a 67-yard touchdown pass.

But Denver committed 12 penalties and gave up two second-half fumbles on the goal line.

After those disappointments, Broncos coach Nathaniel Hackett opted against going for it on fourth down with just five yards needed to extend Denver's final drive.

Instead he brought in kicker Brandon McManus, who missed a 64-yard field goal attempt.

Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said he was "surprised" the Broncos didn't let Wilson -- renowned for his fourth-quarter and overtime comebacks -- try to extend the drive.

But Wilson had no problem with the decision.

"I believe in coach Hackett," he said. "I believe in what we're doing here."

While it was the first time Wilson found himself on the wrong side of the notoriously noisy Seahawks crowd, he said the atmosphere didn't affect him.

"I couldn't have been more locked in," he said. "It just didn't go our way. But guess what? There's 16 more games to go."

Agence France-Presse

NBA: Durant set to stay with Nets after management talks

NEW YORK -- Kevin Durant looks set to remain with the Brooklyn Nets after holding talks with the club's management team, the Nets said in a statement on Tuesday.

Durant, who requested a trade from the club on June 30, met Nets chiefs in Los Angeles on Monday to discuss his future.

A statement from Nets manager Sean Marks on Tuesday indicated that the 33-year-old 12-time NBA All-Star would remain a Brooklyn player.

"(Head coach) Steve Nash and I, together with (owners) Joe Tsai and Clara Wu Tsai, met with Kevin Durant and Rich Kleiman in Los Angeles yesterday," Marks said.

"We have agreed to move forward with our partnership. We are focusing on basketball, with one collective goal in mind: build a lasting franchise to bring a championship to Brooklyn."

The statement appears to draw a line under the frenzy of speculation surrounding Durant's future.

A slew of teams had reportedly been interested in restructuring their rosters in an effort to accommodate the superstar.

Earlier this month, multiple US reports said Durant had issued an ultimatum to Nets owner Tsai -- telling him to either fire Marks and Nash or grant his request for a trade.

Durant's trade demand in June came less than a year after he signed a four-year $198 million contract extension with Brooklyn.

However the 33-year-old has grown increasingly frustrated with the direction of the franchise according to reports, and was eager for a change of scenery.

The Nets had hoped to build a super-team around Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving. 

However the trio of stars were unable to turn Brooklyn into championship contenders and were swept in the first round of this year's playoffs by the Boston Celtics.

Agence France-Presse

Tennis: Kyrgios defeats top-ranked Medvedev at Montreal Masters, Alcaraz ousted

MONTREAL, Canada -- Nick Kyrgios broke twice in the final set as he rallied to topple world number one Daniil Medvedev in the second round of the ATP Montreal Masters on Wednesday.

Australia's Wimbledon finalist beat Medvedev 6-7 (2/7), 6-4, 6-2 to produce his second career upset of a reigning number one after ambushing Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon in 2014.

Kyrgios produced his usual on-court antics, complaining about a high bounce, hitting a ball into the stands to draw a warning and bickering with his player box in moments of tension.

But after gathering his formidable resources, the 27-year-old ranked 37th finished off the match in exactly two hours.

"This is our fourth meeting and we know each other well," Kyrgios said. "I don't go in looking at the rankings, just the guy in front of me.

"I had a clean objective today -- play a lot of serve and volley and execute better.

"Hopefully I can keep this rolling and keep on winning. Medvedev is a machine -- he's number one for a reason."

Both players were coming off weekend title wins, Kyrgios at the Washington 500 on Sunday and Medvedev at Los Cabos, Mexico, on Saturday.

Kyrgios has won 14 of his last 15 matches to improve to 29-7 for 2022.

Medvedev lost for the 11th time in 2022, but by reaching the final at Los Cabos -- where he lifted his first trophy of the season -- he is assured of taking the number one ranking into his US Open title defense later this month.

He was barred from Wimbledon as the tournament excluded Russian and Belarussian players over Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Second-seeded Carlos Alcaraz, who like Medvedev enjoyed a first-round bye, fared no better in his opening match.

American Tommy Paul spoiled the Spaniard's Canadian debut with a 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (9/7), 6-3 victory.

The unseeded American converted his fifth match point to seal the second-round victory in three hours and 20 minutes.

Alcaraz came into the event with two prestige Masters 1000 titles from Miami and Madrid and holding a 42-7 record this season.

But the 34th-ranked Paul claimed victory on a volley winner after holding off the Spaniard's charge from 5-2 down in the third set. The American stayed in the match as he rallied from a 4-1 deficit in the second set to start his comeback surge.

- Comfortable tennis -

"It was nice to finish this match at the net," said Paul, who fired 36 winners to Alcaraz's 33. "I did a lot of things well today.

"I played a good level of tennis, comfortable tennis. I'm happy to get through and now have to recover for tomorrow."

Fourth seed Casper Ruud backed up his defeat earlier this season of Alex Molcan, beating the Slovakian 7-6 (7/3), 6-3 in just under two hours.

The Norwegian with three trophies so far in 2022 had to work to win the opening set after dropping serve as he tried to close it out leading 5-4. 

It eventually took a tiebreaker for Ruud to prevail. He sealed his third-round place in straight sets for his 36th win of the season. 

"It's always a tough fight against him," Ruud said.

"He's very fast and can give everyone problems," he added of the player coached by Novak Djokovic's former mentor Marian Vajda.

Elsewhere, Italian Jannik Sinner needed three sets to get past Adrian Mannarino 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 while Alex de Minaur lined up an all-Aussie Thursday match against Kyrgios by defeating Grigor Dimitrov 7-6 (7/4), 7-5.

Agence France-Presse

MLB: Iconic Red Sox slugger Ortiz enters Baseball Hall of Fame

NEW YORK -- Former Boston Red Sox slugger David Ortiz, whose batting helped spark the club to three Major League Baseball titles, was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday.

The ceremony was staged near the museum and baseball showplace at Cooperstown, New York.

The 46-year-old Dominican nicknamed "Big Papi" was part of the team that ended Boston's 86-year title drought by winning the 2004 World Series and added crowns in 2007 and 2013, when he was named the World Series Most Valuable Player.

"My teammates were always there for me and that's something I'm always going to appreciate," Ortiz said of his Red Sox years.

"Teammates are your second family. I'm going to love you guys forever... I'm going to thank you guys for the rest of my life. I don't think I would have made it without all of you."

Ortiz thanked dozens of people who helped guide his path to stardom, including Dominican Republic and United States youth coaches for developing his skills and work ethic.

"I knew once I got my shot I was going to work hard and never let it go until I played my last game," Ortiz said.

Ortiz was a first baseman and designated hitter in his 20 MLB seasons, finishing his career with a .286 batting average, 541 home runs and 1,768 runs batted in.

"When they told me, 'I don't want you to move them over, I want you to bring them in,' the rest is history," Ortiz said. "When you believe in someone, you can change the world."

The left-hander was originally signed by the Seattle Mariners in 1992 but traded to Minnesota in 1996 before making his MLB debut with the Twins in 1997.

Ortiz was released by Minnesota in 2003 and signed with the Red Sox, playing for them through 2016. He was a 10-time MLB All-Star in 14 seasons with Boston, setting a Red Sox season record with 54 homers in 2006.

The Red Sox retired Ortiz's jersey number, 34, in 2017.

Ortiz noted how Boston recovered from the bombing at the 2013 Boston Marathon and how much love he felt from city fans.

"I've never seen a community reunite and bounce back like Boston," Ortiz said, adding, "I'll always be there for you Boston. I love you Boston."

Ortiz was the only player voted into the Hall in 2022 by the Baseball Writers' Association of America, being named on 77.9% of ballots in his first year of eligibility.

Also entering the Hall of Fame on Sunday were "Golden Days Committee" electees Gil Hodges, Jim Kaat, Tony Oliva and Minnie Minoso plus "Early Era Committee" electees Bud Fowler and Buck O'Neil.

Agence France-Presse

MLB: Eight ejected after Mariners and Angels stage brawl

LOS ANGELES -- A Major League Baseball melee between the Los Angeles Angels and Seattle Mariners delayed Sunday's game and ended with the ejection of the manager and three players from each club.

Tensions regarding inside pitches thrown over the past two days boiled over when Seattle batter Jesse Winker was struck on the right hip by a 91.1-mph fastball from Angels pitcher Andrew Wantz in the top of the second inning at Angels Stadium in Anaheim, California.

Players cleared both benches and relief pitchers emptied the bullpens to join the ugly brawl in front of the Angels dugout down the third-base line.

The first skirmish lasted more than six minutes; the next resumed on the field and play was halted for about 17 minutes in all.

Issues swelled Saturday when Angels star Mike Trout dodged a 95-mph fastball from Seattle relief pitcher Erik Swanson, and then rose again Sunday when Wantz hurled a 92.9-mph fastball behind Seattle rookie Julio Rodriguez in the first inning, sparking warnings for both teams.

After outfielder Winker was struck by the ball, he held up his left hand and exchanged words with Wantz, and then took a few steps toward first base before running to the Angels dugout.

Home plate umpire John Bacon and third-base umpire Adrian Johnson tried to restrain Winker, who escaped them and ran to Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon. 

They threw their hands to each other's faces as players from both teams raced onto the field to join the fray.

The shoving and pushing saw multiple players dragged to the turf and once the fracas finally ended, players exchanged verbal taunts while the punishments were being determined.

Mariners manager Scott Servais and Angels interim manager Phil Nevin were ejected. So were Angels players Wantz, Raisel Iglesias and Ryan Tepera, and Seattle players Winker, Rodríguez and J.P. Crawford.

Jose Suarez, who was the original Angels pitcher before Wantz was inserted into the lineup Sunday, entered after Wantz was ejected and threw six innings in the Angels' 2-1 eventual victory.

Agence France-Presse

Swimming to set up 'open category' for transgender athletes

BUDAPEST, Hungary - Swimming intends to set up an 'open category' to allow transgender athletes to compete in a separate class at the elite level, Husain Al-Musallam, president of governing body FINA, announced on Sunday. 

The policy will, however, exclude many transgender athletes from women's elite swimming. 

"I do not want any athlete to be told they cannot compete at the highest level," Al-Musallam told an extraordinary congress of his organization. 

"I will set up a working group to set up an open category at our meets. We will be the first federation to do that." 

He was speaking after FINA unveiled a policy on inclusivity which was then approved by the members. 

Brent Nowicki, FINA's CEO, said the organization was determined to maintain separate men's and women's competition. 

He added that FINA "recognizes that certain individuals may not be able to compete in the category that best aligns with their legal gender alignment or gender identity." 

Under the rules, he said, male competition would be open to all.

But "male-to-female transgender athletes and intersex athletes can only compete as female athletes in FINA competition, or set a world record, if they can prove they have not experienced any element of male puberty." 

In the debate that followed, Dr Christer Magnusson, a Swedish member of FINA's medical committee, was among those who complained that the implication was that boys aged as young as 10 would have to decide to start transitioning. 

Last year, the International Olympic Committee announced guidelines but asked federations to produce their own 'sport-specific' rule. 

FINA set up three expert committees, one medical, one legal and one of athletes, to look at the issue. 

The medical committee found that men who transitioned to woman retained advantages. 

"Some of the advantages males acquire in puberty are structural and are not lost with hormone suppression," said Dr Sandra Hunter of the Marquette University in Milwaukee. 

"These include larger lungs and hearts, longer bones, bigger feet and hands." 

The legal experts concluded that the policy of excluding most transgender swimmers would be legal. 

They were "necessary and proportionate to achieve a legitimate objective," said London-based barrister James Drake. 

For the swimmers, Cate Campbell, an Australian four-time Olympic gold medalist said: "My role is to stand here today and tell trans people we want you to be part of the broader swimming community ... but also to stand here and say... 'listen to the science'." 

In the United States, swimming has moved to the center of the debate over transgender women competing against natal women, as Lia Thomas has become the face of the issue. 

Thomas, a freestyle specialist, competed for the University of Pennsylvania, men's team from 2017-19. 

After transitioning and undergoing required hormone therapy, she raced on the women's team this season. 

Thomas became the first known transgender athlete to win an elite US collegiate title when she edged Olympic medley silver medalist Emma Weyant in the 500m freestyle in Atlanta in March. 

Agence France-Presse

Tennis: No sweat as impressive Kyrgios sees off Tsitsipas

HALLE WESTFALEN, Germany -- Nick Kyrgios impressively rallied past Stefanos Tsitsipas at the Halle grass court tournament on Wednesday to hammer home his status as a Wimbledon threat but only after a spat with the chair umpire over sweating.

Kyrgios defeated world number six Tsitsipas 5-7, 6-2, 6-4 to reach a second successive quarter-final after also making the last eight in Stuttgart five days ago.

The 27-year-old smashed his racquet after losing the opener after saving three set points.

He then got into a minor spat with the chair umpire in the third game of the second set, landing himself with a warning for time-wasting.

"He said I was playing too slow - statistically I'm one of the fastest," Kyrgios said. 

"I had to walk to the sidelines to get my towel, there is this thing called sweat in 30 Celsius heat that runs down onto your hands.

"I needed to wipe my hands and he gave me a warning."

Kyrgios immediately sat down mid-game on his bench and thrashed the point out with the chair before returning to the court amid cheers.

"The support I get from crowds around the world is amazing. They want me to go out and put on a show," he said.

Kyrgios called what he judged a frivolous warning "an unnecessary part of the game. It's not needed in a stadium full of people".

"I later hit two aces just to prove my point."

Kyrgios, who has played only five events this season outside of Australia, said he is proud of winning on his own terms - without a coach and playing only when it suits him - while still keeping his ranking at its current 65th.

"There needs to be more grass events for sure, I've been talking about it for ages," he said after defeating the second seeded Greek while saving seven of eight break points in just over two hours.

"If we had six grass court tournaments in Australia, I'd never leave the country."

Kyrgios will play a Friday quarter-final against Pablo Carreno Busta after the Spanish sixth seed beat Sebastian Korda 6-4, 0-6, 6-3.

The Australian said that his lack of a massive tennis work ethic is actually a help to his game.

"If I can beat some of the best players in the world and play at this level with as few events as I play, I'm pretty happy.

"I've got a lot of people whom I'm playing for back home and they all want me to keep winning matches like this. This just proves that you can do it all your own way."

Agence France-Presse

Haney blasts Kambosos as ‘not a true champion’ after missing weight

George Kambosos was slammed Saturday as not “a true champion” after initially failing to make the weight for his clash with Devin Haney to become the unified and undisputed lightweight world champion.

Unbeaten American Haney, the long-time WBC title holder who holds a 27-0 record, hit the scales at 134.92 pounds (61.19 kg) for Sunday’s blockbuster bout in Melbourne.

But when Australian Kambosos, who holds the WBA, IBF and WBO belts, stepped up he was 0.36 pounds overweight for the 135-pound limit fight.

After first changing his underwear then stripping naked in a bid to make the grade, he was given the mandatory two hours to lose the extra ounces.

Kambosos, also unbeaten at 20-0, returned 75 minutes later to weigh in at 134.49, but Haney was incredulous.

“He sucked up, he’s dry. But I’m a true champion and true champions make weight,” said the American who also got a huge boost with his father and lead trainer Bill granted an 11th hour visa.

Bill Haney had initially been denied permission to enter Australia over a three-decade-old drug conviction.

Haney, who easily defended his WBC title for a fourth time in December, winning by a unanimous decision over challenger Joseph Diaz, is considered favorite for the bout at Marvel Stadium in front of an expected 50,000 fans.

On the line are the lightweight titles of the sport’s four sanctioning bodies — WBA, IBF, WBO and WBC — for the first time in modern boxing history.

Whoever wins will be crowned the first undisputed lightweight champion since Pernell Whitaker in 1992 and the first ever in the four-belt era, which began in 2004.

Kambosos, who honed his craft as a former sparring partner of the great Manny Pacquiao, is currently the WBA, IBF and WBO champion after stunning Teofimo Lopez at Madison Square Garden in November.

He claimed coming in overweight was part of his plan to unsettle Haney.

“Art of war, baby. Deception. Let them believe everything,” he said. “Everything is for a cause, everything is for a process.

“It changes his mindset now. Bring it on, I’m ready.”

Kambosos had originally been in talks to fight Vasiliy Lomachenko in his first title defense, but the plans fell through when the Ukrainian opted to stay in his homeland after Russia invaded.

Agence France-Presse 

Tennis: Zverev downs Alcaraz to reach French Open semi-final after thriller

PARIS, France -- Alexander Zverev beat Carlos Alcaraz in a dramatic four-set clash on Tuesday to secure a French Open semi-final meeting with Rafael Nadal.

The German third seed claimed a 6-4, 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory over 19-year-old Spanish sensation Alcaraz after three hours and 18 minutes.

Zverev moved into his second straight last-four match at Roland Garros with his first-ever Grand Slam win over a top-10 player.

"I hope I can win it before he starts beating us all and we have no chance," said Zverev.

"The match was swinging his way. I'm extremely happy to win the tie-break."

The 2020 US Open runner-up will face 13-time champion Nadal in the semis on Friday.

Alcaraz has won four titles this year, including two Masters 1,000 events, but made 56 unforced errors as he missed the chance to reach a first major semi-final.

Instead, Olympic champion Zverev reached the last four at a Slam for the fifth time in his career to maintain his bid for a maiden title at one of the sport's four biggest events.

It also gave him a measure of revenge for the heavy defeat he suffered against Alcaraz in the Madrid Masters final earlier this month.

Alcaraz delighted the Court Philippe Chatrier crowd with a rally to take the third set.

A dramatic fourth set saw Zverev miss a chance to serve out the tie, but he sealed victory on his second match point in the tie-break.

- Zverev holds off fightback -

Alcaraz paid for making 16 unforced errors as Zverev took the opener thanks to the only break in game five.

It was the world number three who drew first blood in the second set too, as Alcaraz netted on a second break point in the seventh game, before a confident hold to love gave Zverev a 5-3 advantage.

Alcaraz managed to lift himself for an attack on Zverev's next service game, but the German saved a break opportunity and managed to close it out for a two-set buffer on his third set point with an ace.

The crowd tried to lift Alcaraz as he started his attempt to come back from two sets down and win for the first time in his young career.

He did improve slightly and held his first four service games without trouble, before digging deep to save a break point in the ninth game of the third set to edge 5-4 in front.

That brush with the exit door energised the youngster, and he quickly brought up two set points with a brilliant passing shot.

He needed just one to force a fourth set, breaking Zverev for the first time as the 25-year-old prodded wide.

Alcaraz looked the more likely to make a breakthrough for much of the next set, but Zverev, aided by one incredible backhand, made a move in the ninth game when his opponent double-faulted on a second break point.

But Zverev failed to serve out the match, as Alcaraz hammered a magnificent return into the corner and then whipped away a backhand to break straight back.

A tie-break of the highest quality ensued, with both players hitting a series of breath-taking winners.

A stunning backhand up the line gave Alcaraz the first set point, but he mishit into the net.

Zverev netted on his first match point but quickly brought up a second, which he took with a thunderous backhand return.

Agence France-Presse

Olympics host Paris under scrutiny after Champions League 'fiasco'

PARIS, France - French authorities faced questions Sunday over police tactics at the Paris Champions League final between Liverpool and Real Madrid that descended into scenes of chaos before kick-off, with critics asking if the capital was ready to host the Olympics in two years' time.

Liverpool called for an investigation into the treatment of their supporters ahead of the game at Paris' Stade de France on Saturday which the club said left thousands of ticket holders struggling to enter the stadium.

But European football's governing body UEFA blamed a problem with fake tickets, while the French government criticized the behavior of the English fans. 

The chaos outside France's national stadium prompted the kick-off to be delayed by over half an hour before the match was eventually won 1-0 by the Spanish side.

The scenes -- which saw some fans manage to vault into the stadium while evading security and police use tear gas -- were not what the French capital wanted two years before it hosts the 2024 Olympics and one year before the same venue hosts the rugby World Cup final.

The French interior ministry said 105 people had been detained, of whom 39 were placed under arrest and remanded in custody meaning they could face charges.

UEFA blamed "fake tickets which did not work in the turnstiles" for the 35-minute delay to the final.

But Liverpool said they were "hugely disappointed" that their supporters had been subjected to an "unacceptable" breakdown of the security perimeter.

"We have officially requested a formal investigation into the causes of these unacceptable issues," the club said.

Merseyside Police, which had officers deployed in Paris, said "the vast majority of fans behaved in an exemplary manner".

The UK government's Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis told Sky News that the English fans were "treated with a very aggressive approach."

But French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin pointed the finger at Liverpool fans, saying "thousands of British 'supporters' either without tickets or with fake ones forced their way through and sometimes behaved violently towards the stewards".

French Sports Minister Amelie Oudea-Castera said that "attempts at intrusion and fraud by thousands of English supporters complicated the work of the stadium staff and the police."

Yet political foes of the government and President Emmanuel Macron said that the scenes pointed to wider problems in France and shamed the country.

"The image this gives is lamentable and it is also worrying because we see that we are not prepared for events like the Olympic Games," far-left French politician Jean-Luc Melenchon told BFM-TV.

He denounced "a complete failure of the police strategy... the people were treated as they usually are during any kind of demonstration. We can't continue like this."

Far-right leader Marine Le Pen told RTL that the world had seen on Saturday that "France is no longer able to organize major events without things degenerating."

French newspaper Le Monde commented: "The party that was supposed to precede the final... was spoilt and turned into real chaos."

"From party to fiasco," said France's leading sports daily L'Equipe.

Merseyside's leading regional newspaper the Liverpool Echo argued that poor organization and not the Liverpool fans were to blame.

"UEFA's shameless attempts to control (the) Liverpool narrative show they'll never learn after Champions League disgrace," it said.

Aurore Berge, a deputy for Macron's ruling party, said Paris had "barely three months" to get ready for the final which it was awarded after Saint Petersburg was stripped of the event due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Police fired tear gas after several dozen people attempted to climb over barriers, according to an AFP reporter on the scene, with security staff having to round up about 20 fans who succeeded in clearing the fence and getting into the ground.

Thousands of mainly Liverpool supporters were still massed outside the stadium with half an hour to go to kick-off.

UEFA said they were "sympathetic" to the fans affected and would review the situation together with local police and authorities,.

For Ronan Evain, executive director of the Football Supporters Europe network, the events "raises the question of France's ability to organize events of this size". 

"We continue to see the same organizational strategy that have already failed in the past. There is a very strong need to modernize the approach to securing these events," he told AFP.

In contrast to the scenes outside the stadium, Paris police noted that proceedings at two vast fans zones hosting thousands of supporters from both sides had taken place in a good atmosphere and without major incident.

Some 40,000 Liverpool supporters without a match ticket had packed into their zone in eastern Paris to enjoy the atmosphere. Despite the disappointment of defeat they left the area without any issue.

The Paris fire brigade -- which looks after all kinds of emergency situations -- said the night had largely been calm although it had treated some supporters for the effects of tear gas as well as excess alcohol consumption.

Agence France-Presse

Tennis: Fired-up Djokovic braced for Alcaraz and Nadal challenge at French Open

PARIS, France -- Novak Djokovic admits he will be fired up by the fiasco of his high-profile deportation from Australia when he targets a record-equaling 21st major on his Grand Slam return at the French Open. 

World number one Djokovic captured a second Roland Garros title in 2021 followed by a sixth Wimbledon to move to 20 majors alongside Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

However, his unseemly exit from Melbourne following his refusal to be vaccinated opened the door for Nadal to claim a second Australian Open and 21st Grand Slam crown.

"It's something that I never faced before," said Djokovic, who turns 35 on Sunday, the opening day of the French Open.

"The amount of pressure and everything that I was feeling in the first few months of the year, as much as I've felt pressure in my life and my career, that was something really on a whole different level."

Djokovic has played only five tournaments in 2022 but arrives in Paris buoyed by a sixth Italian Open title, becoming just the fifth man to win 1,000 career matches in the process.

It was his 38th Masters triumph, two more than Nadal at the top of the all-time list.

He did not drop a set in Rome as he finished a memorable week with a final victory over Stefanos Tsitsipas, the man he defeated from two sets down in the 2021 French Open title match.

With 13-time French Open champion Nadal suffering a recurrence of a foot injury, another Spaniard is likely to be Djokovic's biggest headache in Paris.

Carlos Alcaraz, just 19, has rocketed to six in the world on the back of four titles -- three on clay -- in 2022.

- 'Special' Alcaraz-

He won a second Masters title in Madrid, sweeping Nadal, Djokovic and third-ranked Alexander Zverev on the way.

"He definitely is special," admitted Djokovic of Alcaraz who also claimed the prestigious Miami Masters earlier in the year.

Alcaraz was ranked 97 this time last year. He was only two when Nadal won the first of his 13 French Opens in 2005 but he made his mark at the 2021 tournament where he came through qualifying to reach the third round.

Djokovic has been responsible for two of only three losses suffered by Nadal in Paris.

One of those came in a bruising semi-final 12 months ago, the most recent clash of the pair's epic 58-match rivalry.

Nadal comes into Paris with major question marks over his ability to lift a 14th title.

A rib injury in March was followed by the re-emergence in Rome of his chronic foot injury where he limped to defeat in the last-16.

The 35-year-old Spaniard is due to practice at Roland Garros for the first time on Wednesday where he will have his own doctor on hand to assess his fitness.

- 'Living with injury' -

"I am a player living with an injury; it is nothing new," said Nadal, now ranked fifth in the world.

"Since I came back, the foot has been tough. It's tough for me to be able to practice the proper way."

Russian world number two Daniil Medvedev, who gave up a two-sets lead to lose to Nadal in the Australian Open final, only returned to action in Geneva this week after undergoing a hernia operation.

The US Open champion has 13 titles to his name but has yet to master the draining demands of clay.

At Roland Garros, he was winless in his first four visits before managing to stop the rot with a quarter-final run in 2021.

Medvedev is likely to use the ban on Russian players at Wimbledon this year as fuel for a surprise title tilt.

Greek world number four Tsitsipas has enjoyed a solid clay season.

He defended his Monte Carlo title before making the last-eight in Barcelona and semi-finals in Madrid.

Agence France-Presse

Tatum out-duels Giannis, as Celtics force decider vs. Bucks

Boston forward Jayson Tatum poured in 46 points as the Celtics defeated the NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks 108-95 on Friday to force a decisive game seven in their Eastern Conference playoff series.

With his team facing elimination, Tatum delivered, drilling seven of the Celtics' 17 three-pointers and helping them withstand a 44-point, 20-rebound performance from Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo and knot the best-of-seven series at three games each.

Antetokoumpo posted the first 40-point, 20-rebound game since Shaquille O'Neal in 2001, but his third 40-point outburst in four games wasn't enough for the reigning champs to advance.

They'll have to battle for a place in the Eastern Conference finals in Boston on Sunday -- the same day that the team Milwaukee beat in last season's championship series, the Phoenix Suns, play the Dallas Mavericks in game seven of their Western Conference series.

Tatum reeled off 11 straight Boston points in the fourth quarter to help thwart a rally by the Bucks, who closed a 13-point deficit to four on Antetokounmpo's three-pointer early in the final period.

It looked briefly as if the Bucks might author another impressive comeback victory, after erasing a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit to win game five on Wednesday.

But Tatum and the rest of the Celtics wouldn't let that happen.

"I think we played with a little more toughness this game," Tatum said. "Our season was on the line. I knew that and we knew that. We had to give it all we've got."

Jaylen Brown scored 22 points, and point guard Marcus Smart added 21 points for the Celtics.

Jrue Holiday scored 17 for Milwaukee, who remain without three-time All-Star forward Khris Middleton, who has missed nine games with a sprained left knee.

Agence France-Presse

Golf: Jason Day grabs 3-stroke lead at PGA Wells Fargo

Australia's Jason Day, chasing his first US PGA title in four years, seized a three-stroke lead after Friday's rain-soaked second round of the Wells Fargo Championship.

Day fired a three-under par 67 to stand on 10-under 130 for 36 holes as more than half an inch of rain fell Friday at TPC Potomac at Avenel with more rain predicted all weekend.

The 34-year-old Aussie, who has Filipino lineage, made five birdies against two bogeys to finish three ahead of American Max Homa, who shot 66. Americans Luke List, Kurt Kitayama, Denny McCarthy and James Hahn shared third on 134.

"It's nice to be able to get in at 10-under through two rounds, especially with what kind of weather we've got coming in on the weekend," Day said.

"It's nice to be back in the mix, nice to be leading. It's still two more days left, so I can't get too far ahead of myself."

The suburban Washington course is hosting a PGA event for the first time since 2018 as a one-off because Quail Hollow, the regular Wells Fargo course in Charlotte, will host the Presidents Cup in September.

Day, ranked 127th, could win the title on the first Mother's Day since his mother, Adenil Day, died of cancer in March at age 65.

"I lost a little bit of momentum with my mum passing away and all that stuff," Day said. "Finally finding my footing again is nice."

Day, the 2015 PGA Championship winner who has been nagged for years by back issues, seeks his 12th US PGA title and his first since the 2018 Wells Fargo.

"All the work that I put in in the off-season, off weeks, it's starting to show," Day said. "I'm finding a lot of confidence in that swing."

Back-nine starter Day sank a seven-foot birdie putt at the par-3 12th, a 10-foot birdie putt at 18, back-to-back birdies at the par-5 second and par-3 third and an 11-foot birdie putt at the par-4 eighth on the soggy layout.

"When you have conditions like this, it's really hard to commit to a shot because you're going in there and you're doing it a lot quicker than your normal pre-shot routine," Day said.

Four-time major winner and defending champion Rory McIlroy, who opened with a 67, fired a 73 to make the cut on the number at level par 140.

US 10th-hole starter Joel Dahmen, who briefly led after an eagle at the par-4 14th had five bogeys and a triple bogey in the last 10 holes to shoot 75 and was nine back on 139.

- PGA: Garcia clock error -

Spaniard Sergio Garcia was vindicated in complaining about a Thursday lost ball penalty after the PGA said Friday that a review found the three-minute clock to find his ball started too soon, while Garcia was trying to cross a creek to the area where the ball landed.

A statement said his ball was found within the correct time limit.

That didn't erase the one-stroke penalty, however, and didn't ease reactions to comments Garcia made in frustration that seemed to indicate he was planning to drop the PGA Tour for the rival LIV Golf circuit, which debuts next month in London.

"I can't wait to leave this tour," Garcia said Thursday. "Can't wait to get out of here.

"Just a couple more weeks until I don't have to deal with you any more."

Garcia, who didn't speak to reporters after either round, fired a 71 on Friday to stand on 138.

Agence France-Presse

NBA: Paul shines for Suns in win over Mavs

LOS ANGELES -- Chris Paul and the Phoenix Suns poured it on in the fourth quarter, pulling away for a 129-109 victory over the Dallas Mavericks and a commanding 2-0 lead in their NBA playoff series.

Paul scored 14 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter as Western Conference top seeds Phoenix broke open a close game, withstanding a 35-point performance from Mavericks star Luka Doncic.

Dallas trying to head home for games three and four with a split of two games in Phoenix, took a 60-58 lead into halftime.

But the Mavs had no answer for Paul, who keyed a 23-2 fourth quarter scoring run that effectively sealed it for Phoenix with minutes to spare.

Devin Booker scored 21 of his 30 points in the second half for the Suns, who connected on a franchise playoff record 64.5% of their shots from the field. That included 52% from three-point range as the Suns drained 13 baskets from beyond the arc.

"(We) just had to be a little bit more aggressive," Paul said. "That second quarter we started turning it over. They got it going. Shooters were making shots and we just wanted to stay the course."

Booker helped launch the turnaround with back-to-back three pointers early in the third quarter, but the Suns' 89-83 lead heading into the final period of the physical, sometimes testy contest looked tenuous.

Paul, however, took control, making six straight shots to gut-punch Dallas.

"We just did what we were supposed to do," Paul said as he looked to games three and four in Dallas starting on Friday. "We won two games at home."

Agence France-Presse

Boxing: Stevenson dominates Valdez in super featherweight unification bout

LOS ANGELES -- Shakur Stevenson dominated Oscar Valdez on the way to a unanimous decision victory Saturday to add the Mexican's World Boxing Council super featherweight title to his own World Boxing Organization belt.

American Stevenson improved to 18-0 as he handed Mexico's Valdez his first defeat in 31 professional fights.

Stevenson sent Valdez to the canvas with a left to the head in the sixth round on the way to his first defense of the WBO title he won with a 10th-round technical knockout of Jamel Herring in October.

Valdez upset Miguel Berchelt in 2021 to win the WBC title and retained it with a unanimous decision over Robson Conceicao in September.

The 31-year-old Mexican, a two-time Olympian, was embroiled in controversy when the bout against Conceicao was allowed to go ahead after he tested positive for the banned stimulant phentermine eight days before the fight.

Valdez blamed the positive result on herbal tea and authorities ruled the drug was prohibited only during competition.

On Saturday, Valdez had no answer for Stevenson's speed and movement. Two judges scored it 118-109 in favor of Stevenson and a third saw it 117-110 for the American.

"He is a tough champion, but I prepared to beat him," Stevenson said in an in-ring interview. "I'm ready for anyone, I want all the belts."

But Stevenson had personal business to attend to immediately after the fight. He dropped to one knee in the ring to propose to his girlfriend, rapper Young Lyric, who said yes. The couple have a baby daughter.

Valdez acknowledged that Stevenson was the better fighter on the night.

"He has a very great boxing quality and today he was the best in the ring," Valdez said. "He moves very well, he's a champion. He has speed, he's a great boxer."

Agence France-Presse