Category: Sports

Current MotoGP champion Marc Marquez is preparing to make his return to racing at this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix, according to an announcement from his team Ducati on Tuesday. The comeback follows dual surgical procedures after a crash at Le Mans earlier this month.

The champion was sidelined from both the French Grand Prix race and the entire Catalan Grand Prix weekend due to a foot fracture sustained during a severe highside crash in Le Mans’ sprint race.

The 33-year-old underwent surgery to repair a metatarsal fracture and also had a shoulder procedure that had been planned for after his home Catalan Grand Prix.

“Following a positive medical check, Marc will travel to Mugello tomorrow,” Ducati announced in their statement.

“He is scheduled for a final trackside assessment on Thursday to secure the ‘fit to race’ clearance for the Italian Grand Prix.”

In a separate development, Ducati’s Italian test rider Michele Pirro will take over for Marquez’s brother Alex on the Gresini Racing motorcycle following the Spaniard’s severe crash at the Catalan Grand Prix.

Alex faces time away from both the Italian and Hungarian Grands Prix due to a minor vertebra fracture near his neck area, combined with a fractured right collarbone.

PARIS, May 26 – Top-ranked tennis player Aryna Sabalenka secured a commanding victory in her first-round match at the French Open, defeating Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 6-4, 6-2 on Tuesday.

The Belarusian player quickly established control on the sunny Court Philippe Chatrier, jumping out to a 4-0 advantage before mistakes began affecting her performance. This allowed Bouzas Maneiro to recover two service breaks and position herself to serve for a 5-5 tie.

However, a critical double fault gave the top-seeded player the opening set, and she dominated early in the second set by building a 5-0 lead.

Bouzas Maneiro managed to extend the match by holding serve and then breaking back to make it 5-2, but another double fault sealed Sabalenka’s straightforward advancement.

“That’s the most enjoyable part of the game that I can come to the net to play points there, it’s so much fun,” last year’s runner-up Sabalenka said.

“I’m so happy I was able to improve on that part of the game and bring it on court.”

The New York Knicks dominated Cleveland with a commanding 130-93 victory Monday night, completing a four-game sweep of the Eastern Conference finals and earning their first trip to the NBA Finals since 1999.

Karl Anthony-Towns led the charge with 19 points and 14 rebounds, while OG Anunoby contributed 17 points in the decisive win over the Cavaliers. Landry Shamet added 16 points coming off the bench, and both Mikal Bridges and Jalen Brunson chipped in 15 points each for New York, which has now won 11 straight games during their playoff run. Only three other teams have achieved such a streak in postseason play, with Golden State being the most recent in 2017 during their 15-game run to their second championship in three years.

Despite Donovan Mitchell’s 31-point effort for Cleveland, the Cavaliers were completely outmatched and suffered their first postseason sweep since falling to Golden State in the 2018 NBA finals.

In other tennis news from Paris, players and fans at the French Open are dealing with unusually hot conditions as temperatures have reached 33 degrees Celsius (91 degrees Fahrenheit) during the opening days of the clay-court tournament. The extreme heat has created faster playing conditions on the courts and sent spectators seeking relief at water fountains. Russian-born Australian player Daria Kasatkina noted the exceptional conditions, saying “I don’t remember the last time it was so hot at Roland Garros.”

The mental pressures of professional tennis were highlighted as the tournament continues, with recent racket-smashing incidents by players like Daniil Medvedev and Daniel Altmaier drawing attention to the sport’s psychological challenges. Former top-five player Andrey Rublev explained the unique pressure, saying “you are alone and they are watching you” and admitting he’s “one of those guys” who let emotions “take over me.”

In baseball, Houston Astros pitcher Tatsuya Imai combined with relievers Steven Okert and Alimber Santa to throw a no-hitter against the Texas Rangers in a 9-0 victory. This marked the first no-hitter in major league baseball since Shota Imanaga and two Chicago Cubs relievers accomplished the feat against Pittsburgh on September 4, 2024. The 23-year-old Santa made history by becoming the first pitcher to complete a no-hitter in his major league debut, throwing two perfect innings and striking out Brandon Nimmo to end the game.

In hockey action, Andrei Svechnikov scored at 14:06 of overtime to give the Carolina Hurricanes a 3-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens, putting Carolina ahead 2-1 in their Eastern Conference Final series. Shayne Gostisbehere and Taylor Hall scored in regulation for the Hurricanes, while Frederik Andersen made 11 saves. Montreal got goals from Mike Matheson and Lane Hutson, with goaltender Jakub Dobes stopping 35 shots.

Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson was named Eastern Conference finals MVP, earning the Larry Bird Trophy after averaging 25.5 points and 7.8 assists during the sweep of Cleveland. The All-Star guard, who signed with New York as a free agent four years ago, has justified the team’s decision to build around him by leading them to their first Finals appearance in a quarter-century.

In legal news, a Dominican judge ruled that Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco is criminally responsible for sexual and psychological abuse of a minor but will not serve a sentence. Judge José Antonio Núñez determined that Franco was a victim of extortion by the minor’s mother, who received a ten-year sentence for trafficking her daughter. Franco was arrested in January 2024 in connection with a relationship involving a 14-year-old girl, and full sentencing is scheduled for June 16.

Soccer news features Crystal Palace and Rayo Vallecano preparing for Wednesday’s Conference League final, with the winner earning a spot in the Europa League for the 2026-27 season. The match represents Palace’s chance to win their first European trophy in a competition they initially didn’t want to participate in after being demoted from the Europa League.

Finally, Inter Miami announced that Lionel Messi is dealing with a left hamstring issue described as “an overload associated with muscle fatigue.” The team confirmed Messi underwent testing Monday but did not provide a timeline for recovery, adding uncertainty as Argentina prepares to open training camp for this year’s tournament on June 1 in Kansas City.

Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog has found a high-tech solution to manage his recovery from a serious knee injury that kept him off the ice for three years. The hockey star now relies on tiny sensors placed in his skate insoles during games and practices, and even wears them in his regular shoes while walking his dog.

These devices track every aspect of his movement, creating detailed biomechanical profiles that helped guide his return to professional hockey. The technology monitors everything from his stride patterns to whether he’s putting too much pressure on his surgically repaired right knee.

The system analyzes his workload during games and practices, examining how his feet interact with different surfaces and calculating when he might be approaching his physical limits. This data helps prevent him from pushing too hard during training, which could cause setbacks lasting days or weeks.

“This detects any red flags before I even feel them,” said Landeskog, whose team trails Vegas 3-0 in a Western Conference Final in which he has two of the Avalanche’s six goals. “It’s been super important for me, and a huge help.”

The technology comes from Plantiga, an artificial intelligence company that develops movement analysis platforms for professional athletes. Their system is currently being used by players and teams across the NBA, NFL, WNBA and MLB, as well as college programs, elite runners, recreational athletes, and NHL players like Landeskog.

“What we’re trying to detect is the smoke before the fire,” explained Matthew Jordan, the vice president of performance science at Plantiga as well as an associate professor, faculty of kinesiology/sport medicine center, at the University of Calgary. “Imagine you’re at the point where your knee is just at the cusp of the next day it’s going to be like, ‘My knee’s killing me. I can hardly walk.’ We can see in the data before you reach that tipping point.”

Landeskog’s knee problems started when a skate blade sliced his right knee during the 2020 playoffs in the Edmonton bubble. Despite the injury, he continued playing and contributed to the Avalanche’s Stanley Cup championship in 2022 when they defeated Tampa Bay.

However, that Cup-winning game marked the beginning of a long absence from hockey. Following a missed season, Landeskog had cartilage replacement surgery on May 10, 2023.

In spring 2024, Landeskog was introduced to Plantiga, the Vancouver-based human analytics company founded by Quin Sandler and his late father, Norman McKay. The company was created to monitor athlete movement using wearable technology placed inside shoes.

Landeskog connected with the Plantiga team through strength and conditioning coach Marcin Goszczynski. The 33-year-old player met with Jordan during a game when the Avalanche visited Calgary.

“We discussed his injury and his frustration with the process,” Jordan recounted. “You have to remember at this point the tunnel was dark and long — there was no light … we were miles from the end of the tunnel.”

Jordan introduced Landeskog to a Canadian ski racer who had overcome a similar injury.

“It was a relief for Gabe to know that another athlete out there had been able to conquer this injury,” Jordan said. “Has among the best mindsets, and he is 100% resilient and gritty to the core.”

Using “Norman,” the movement analysis system named after Sandler’s father, potential changes in Landeskog’s movement patterns are identified before they can become problematic.

“We’re trying to put really good data (together) that him and his trainer will use,” Sandler said. “There’s this fine Goldilocks zone that we help him stay in, and honestly he’s been killing it.”

Landeskog made his return last season during Game 3 of the playoffs against Dallas, marking his first NHL appearance in approximately 1,032 days. His comeback continued this season with 14 goals and 21 assists across 60 regular-season games.

During the season, Jordan monitors Landeskog’s skating technique remotely. He sometimes identifies moments that require closer examination when the data shows readings outside the Swedish forward’s typical range.

“Essentially, put out the ‘smoke’ before it turns into a ‘fire,’” Jordan explained. “In an athlete’s world, a fire can mean a new injury, a reinjury to the tissue, a loss of performance or a setback in rehab.”

While similar in concept to health-tracking devices like the Oura Ring, Plantiga uses laboratory-quality sensors that capture 400 data points every second.

This means an athlete’s movement can be measured with 20-to-30 times more precision than typical smartphones or smartwatches.

“A supercharged human movement measuring device,” Jordan said.

Establishing baseline measurements for Landeskog’s walking pattern and body mechanics involved his dogs, the late Zoey and current pet Mila, who enthusiastically joined these data-gathering walks.

“We can see subtle things in your walk patterns well before it manifests as something very clinical or significant,” Jordan said.

The information eliminated uncertainty from Landeskog’s training routine.

“He’d get on the ice and be like, ‘Oh, I feel good today.’” Jordan said. “It’s like, ‘I think I’m just going to go hard. I feel like my knee feels really good. Oh (no), I went too far. My knee’s flared up. I’ve got to take a week off.’ With all these setbacks he couldn’t catch any progression.”

Now, when the data suggests he should rest, he follows that guidance. He’s a finalist for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, which is awarded to the NHL player who exemplifies perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication.

“I’m humbled and honored by it, but I think for me, the ultimate prize I’ve already won,” Landeskog said. “That’s to continue working and getting to play hockey.”

Environmental advocates and Indigenous Australian protesters are standing their ground at a Brisbane city park slated for Olympic stadium construction, despite government warnings they face forced removal when building begins next week.

The demonstrators have established an Aboriginal tent embassy at Victoria Park, one of Brisbane’s limited downtown green areas, which is set to be cordoned off starting Monday for Olympic stadium development.

Queensland state officials have issued warnings that protesters must leave voluntarily or face removal.

“As it stands, participants say they intend to remain at the site and continue their campaign,” Aboriginal elder Gaja (Aunty) Kerry Charlton said in a phone interview.

“They also point to protections under the (Queensland) Human Rights Act, which they argue supports their right to maintain and defend cultural heritage.”

The building timeline moves forward despite a pending request to Australia’s federal government from Indigenous communities seeking permanent protection for the park as a “significant Aboriginal area.”

Victoria Park, home to numerous mature trees, is called Barrambin (meaning “Windy Place”) by the Yagara and Magandjin peoples, who view the location as holding cultural and spiritual importance.

Premier Steve Crisafulli stated the state cannot accept construction delays for the 63,000-seat venue.

“Queensland is feeling a sense of pride, and we’re not going to have that hijacked by a group of activists, I’m just not going to do that,” he said during media remarks last week.

Crews hired by the organization responsible for 2032 Games facilities started installing barriers at the park Tuesday, in a section next to where the Save Victoria Park advocacy group conducted a news briefing.

The protesters claimed the Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority (GIICA) attempted to interfere with their media event.

“We old grannies would say there was a bit of humbug happening there. It was probably, in layman’s terms, some sabotage of our media gathering,” Charlton remarked.

GIICA explained it has conducted site survey work since October and uses temporary barriers for safety purposes, while Queensland Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie said workers were “left shaken” following confrontations with demonstrators.

Crisafulli announced Victoria Park as the Olympic stadium site more than a year ago, abandoning a campaign pledge that he would not approve a new arena in the city.

He has stated that no more than one-third of the park’s green area will be utilized for the stadium and an aquatics facility being constructed for Australia’s third Olympic Games.

The Save Victoria Park organization commissioned an independent evaluation by hydrogeologist Ted Hamer, who determined the site sits above an active waterway supplied by a natural spring that could be “permanently terminated or unacceptably diminished” by Olympic stadium development.

“The importance of permanent spring-fed freshwater sources, springs and the associated ecology to Aboriginal people and early settlers is undeniable,” Hamer concluded in his evaluation.

Charlton indicated activists are ready for an extended battle to preserve the park.

“My ancestors were in the park, their children, grandchildren. We all visited there and played there,” she explained.

“That cultural heritage is tied to the protection of the spring and the trees — and also those animals and habitats that are connected to that ecosystem.”

The Carolina Hurricanes are developing a pattern in their playoff series.

Carolina claimed their second consecutive overtime victory against the Montreal Canadiens on Monday night, securing a 3-2 triumph in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals thanks to Andrei Svechnikov’s goal at 14:06 of the extra period.

The Hurricanes now hold a 2-1 advantage in the best-of-seven series as they prepare for Game 4 on Wednesday in Montreal.

Carolina previously captured a 3-2 overtime victory on Saturday when Nikolaj Ehlers found the back of the net in the extra frame.

Svechnikov fired a wrist shot from above the right faceoff circle that deflected off goaltender Jakub Dobes before finding the corner of the net. Officials initially credited Sebastian Aho with the goal on a deflection from the crease area, but later changed the scoring to give Svechnikov the winner.

“In the room, we don’t care who gets it done,” Aho said. “We just go in wave after wave.”

Shayne Gostisbehere and Taylor Hall provided the other goals for Carolina, while Frederik Andersen stopped 11 shots, just one more than his previous game total. The Hurricanes, who suffered a 6-2 defeat in Game 1 of the series, have compiled a 10-1 record in the postseason.

“There’s two really good teams going at it right now,” Aho said. “Just stick with the process and play our game and trust that it’ll give us the result we want at the end. That’s been the case the last two games, and just keep on going.”

Mike Matheson and Lane Hutson tallied for Montreal, which suffered consecutive losses for the first time in 17 games during their current postseason run. Dobes turned aside 35 shots while also recording an assist.

“You need everything working against a team like that,” Montreal coach Martin St. Louis said of Carolina. “At this stage, you’ve got to put it all together. Execution is part of that, jam is part of that. It’s not one thing, you’ve got to put it all together and I know we can.”

Carolina opened the scoring at 8:24 of the first period.

The puck emerged from the corner in Montreal’s zone to Carolina forward Mark Jankowski, who fired a shot from the bottom of the right faceoff circle that deflected off Canadiens forward Kirby Dach’s stick blade. The puck found Gostisbehere as he moved through the left circle, and he converted with a one-timer.

Montreal evened the score 1-1 at 15:28 of the opening period.

The Canadiens won a puck battle behind Carolina’s net, with Ivan Demidov feeding the puck out front to Matheson, who beat Andersen’s glove with a wrist shot from above the right hashmarks.

The Hurricanes quickly regained their lead after Dobes made consecutive saves on Hall from close range, but Hall converted on his third attempt to put Carolina ahead 2-1 at 16:22 of the first period.

Montreal earned its second power play opportunity at 4:18 of the second period.

Cole Caufield delivered the puck to Hutson as they entered the Carolina zone, received it back, then passed to Hutson again just above the crease. Hutson redirected the puck home to level the score 2-2 at 4:43.

Noah Dobson seemingly scored at 8:27 of the third period for the Canadiens, but Carolina successfully challenged that Caufield was offside entering the zone 29 seconds before the goal.

“I feel like at times we’re playing too slow and sometimes we play at the right pace but we don’t execute,” St. Louis said. “We didn’t expect this to be easy, and we’re OK with that.”

Three Houston Astros pitchers delivered the first no-hitter in Major League Baseball since 2024, blanking the Texas Rangers 9-0 on Monday night in Arlington, Texas.

Tatsuya Imai (2-2) issued four walks while recording two strikeouts across a career-best six innings. Steven Okert navigated around a leadoff walk in the seventh inning. Alimber Santa completed two flawless innings in his big league debut to finish off Houston’s 18th franchise no-hitter and fifth combined no-hitter in team history.

The previous no-hitter was thrown by three Chicago Cubs pitchers against the Pittsburgh Pirates in a 2-0 victory on Sept. 4, 2024. Houston’s last no-hitter came when Ronel Blanco shut down the Toronto Blue Jays 10-0 on April 1, 2024. The Rangers were previously no-hit by the New York Yankees’ Corey Kluber in a 2-0 defeat on May 19, 2021.

Christian Walker launched a three-run home run while Yordan Alvarez contributed a solo blast for Houston, which secured its fourth consecutive victory. Kumar Rocker (2-5) surrendered four runs on four hits across five innings as Texas suffered its fourth straight defeat.

Orioles 9, Rays 7 (13 innings)

Colton Cowser delivered a two-run home run in the 13th inning, marking his second walk-off homer in consecutive days, as Baltimore defeated Tampa Bay to start a three-game series.

Cedric Mullins drove in the go-ahead run with a single in the top of the 13th before Nick Fortes pushed Tampa Bay’s advantage to 7-5 with a sacrifice fly. Baltimore then mounted a comeback. Leody Taveras opened the bottom of the 13th with an RBI double and Jackson Holliday’s sacrifice fly evened the score once more. Cowser connected off Jesse Scholtens (5-3).

Pete Alonso and Blaze Alexander each collected three hits for the Orioles. Dietrich Enns (3-0) worked the top of the 13th. Jonathan Aranda and Victor Mesa Jr. went deep while Chandler Simpson contributed three hits for the Rays.

Brewers 5, Cardinals 1

Power pitcher Jacob Misiorowski surrendered one run on two hits across seven innings and equaled his career best with 12 strikeouts while guiding Milwaukee past visiting St. Louis.

Misiorowski (5-2) carried a no-hitter into the sixth before Pedro Pages broke it up with a leadoff single, leading to the Cardinals’ lone run. The Brewers ace fired 57 pitches of at least 100 mph, the most since the majors began tracking velocity in 2008. Aaron Ashby closed out the contest with two shutout innings.

Milwaukee plated three runs in the first against Matthew Liberatore, highlighted by Christian Yelich’s two-run homer. Liberatore (2-3) gave up three runs on seven hits in five innings, fanning a career-high 10.

Pirates 2, Cubs 1

Henry Davis crushed a go-ahead home run in the seventh inning to propel host Pittsburgh to a victory over Chicago.

Davis’ fourth homer of the season, off Cubs reliever Trent Thornton (2-1), provided the Pirates their fourth win in six games and handed Chicago its ninth straight loss. The Cubs’ current losing streak is their longest since dropping 10 consecutive games from July 7-16, 2022.

Pirates pitchers held the Cubs to just a solo home run by Michael Busch in the fifth inning. Following starter Carmen Mlodzinski’s five-inning effort that allowed one run and five hits, Wilber Dotel (1-0) fired three scoreless frames for his first career victory. Gregory Soto notched his sixth save after a clean ninth inning.

Phillies 3, Padres 0

Kyle Schwarber and Brandon Marsh homered while Jesus Luzardo delivered six solid innings as visiting Philadelphia shut out San Diego.

Luzardo (4-4) allowed four hits in a 104-pitch performance. Three relievers completed the game, with Jhoan Duran working the ninth inning for his 10th save of the year and 100th of his career.

Griffin Canning (0-3) pitched a season-high 6 2/3 innings and yielded three runs on three hits.

White Sox 3, Twins 1

Munetaka Murakami and Drew Romo homered to support six strong innings from Anthony Kay as Chicago defeated visiting Minnesota. Kay (4-1) captured his third consecutive decision and Seranthony Dominguez worked the ninth to secure his 11th save.

Both teams exchanged solo home runs in the first inning, with Brooks Lee connecting for Minnesota two batters into the game before Murakami responded in the bottom half. Romo launched a two-run blast for the White Sox in the second.

Twins starter Zebby Matthews (1-2) produced his third quality start in as many appearances this season. He allowed three runs and five hits in six innings.

Yankees 4, Royals 3

Anthony Volpe lined a two-run, go-ahead single in the ninth inning as visiting New York won for the 12th consecutive time over Kansas City. Tim Hill (2-2) earned the victory in relief, and David Bednar collected his 12th save.

Cody Bellinger homered and J.C. Escarra went 3-for-4 for the Yankees. Starter Will Warren allowed two runs on three hits over six innings.

Lucas Erceg (3-2) blew his fourth save chance of the season for the Royals. Salvador Perez and Bobby Witt Jr. hit solo homers.

Reds 7, Mets 2

Spencer Steer drove in three runs and Tyler Stephenson hit a two-run homer to highlight a four-run fourth inning for visiting Cincinnati, which defeated struggling New York.

JJ Bleday went deep and Eugenio Suarez finished 2-for-3 with two runs for the Reds, who have won four of five. Nick Lodolo (1-1) allowed one run on six hits in six innings.

Marcus Semien, batting cleanup for the first time this season, went 2-for-4 with a homer as the Mets suffered their sixth loss in seven games. Nolan McLean (2-4) surrendered seven runs on five hits over 3 1/3 innings.

Diamondbacks 6, Giants 2

Ketel Marte maintained his hot streak with four hits and three RBIs, Merrill Kelly threw seven sharp innings and Arizona opened a three-game series with a win at San Francisco.

Gabriel Moreno homered and scored twice for the Diamondbacks, who swept a three-game home series over the Giants last week. Corbin Carroll contributed two of Arizona’s 11 hits as the Diamondbacks won for the eighth time in nine games.

Giants starter Landen Roupp (5-5) lasted five innings while giving up four runs (two earned) on seven hits.

Nationals 10, Guardians 2

Curtis Mead hit two of Washington’s six home runs and the visiting Nationals cruised past Cleveland for their third straight win.

James Wood collected four hits, including a home run, for Washington. Luis Garcia Jr. accumulated three hits, including a two-run homer and a two-run single. Jacob Young and CJ Abrams also went deep, and Zack Littell (4-4) allowed one run in a season-high seven innings.

Rhys Hoskins homered for the Guardians, who have lost two of three. Tanner Bibee (0-7) surrendered seven runs in three innings.

Marlins 8, Blue Jays 2

Kyle Stowers, Javier Sanoja and Owen Caissie each recorded two hits and two RBIs as visiting Miami defeated Toronto for its season-best fourth consecutive win.

Janson Junk (3-5) gave up one run on eight hits in five innings for the Marlins. Toronto native Liam Hicks singled, walked and scored twice.

Ernie Clement homered for the Blue Jays, who have lost two straight. Trey Yesavage (2-2) allowed five runs on five hits in 6 2/3 innings.

Dodgers 5, Rockies 3

Freddie Freeman hit a go-ahead double in a four-run seventh inning and Los Angeles rallied for a victory over visiting Colorado to open a three-game series.

Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Andy Pages also recorded RBIs in the seventh as the Dodgers returned home following a 7-2 road trip. Los Angeles right-hander Emmet Sheehan surrendered two runs over six innings, and Kyle Hurt (1-0) allowed a run as the bullpen’s franchise-record 38-inning scoreless streak came to an end.

Ezequiel Tovar hit a solo home run and had two RBIs for the Rockies, while Tanner Gordon threw five innings of one-run ball in his first start of the season. Willie Castro and Tovar had two hits apiece for Colorado, which lost for the sixth time in its past seven games.

Mariners 9, Athletics 2

Luke Raley and Dominic Canzone belted two-run homers during a six-run third inning, powering Seattle to a victory over the Athletics at West Sacramento, Calif.

Randy Arozarena went 3-for-5 with a homer and three RBIs while J.P. Crawford belted a solo shot. The Mariners hit a season-best four homers for the fourth time. Raley and Josh Naylor had two hits apiece for the Mariners, who had lost six of their previous nine games. Nick Kurtz drew a third-inning walk to tie the Athletics’ single-season record of reaching base in 48 consecutive games.

Shea Langeliers homered for the Athletics, who lost for the third time in four games. The A’s lead the American League West despite having a .500 record one-third into the season.

CLEVELAND (AP) — Four years ago, the New York Knicks took a chance on Jalen Brunson, bringing him aboard as a free agent and constructing their roster with him as the centerpiece.

Brunson validated their faith by guiding the franchise to its first NBA Finals appearance in 25 years.

The All-Star floor general posted averages of 25.5 points and 7.8 assists as New York completed a four-game sweep of the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference championship round, capturing the Larry Bird Trophy for series MVP honors. During Monday’s decisive 130-93 victory in Game 4, he contributed 15 points and five assists.

“It’s an honor to be here in this city and this organization,” Brunson said, flanked by former Villanova University teammates Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges. “I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

“We’re still writing our story, but I like the journey that we’re on right now.”

Doubts circulated throughout the NBA when New York offered a four-year, $104 million deal to the former Dallas Mavericks guard in 2022. Brunson quieted numerous doubters by posting 24.0 points per game in his debut season, followed by three consecutive All-Star nods.

Following New York’s Eastern Conference finals appearance in 2025, where they fell to the surprising Indiana Pacers, Brunson dominated the Cavaliers series from beginning to end. His 38-point performance in the opener sparked the Knicks’ remarkable rally from a 22-point fourth-quarter deficit.

“He just puts in the work. He’s a testament of that,” Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns said. “He believes in that, and he showcases that every single day to all of us and it drives us to be better.”

Brunson’s dedication immediately caught the attention of New York coach Mike Brown following his hiring last summer, eventually forcing the coach to modify his own sleep schedule as the 29-year-old’s intensity during morning practice sessions became legendary. Brown drew comparisons between Brunson’s drive and basketball icons Stephen Curry and Tim Duncan.

“Their quiet strength, all the time, is what they all have in common,” Brown said. “Jalen’s work ethic is off the chart and he makes me adjust because he goes so hard every day. When your leader is that way, it’s easy to be a coach.”

New York later added Bridges and Hart through trades, then completed their roster by obtaining Towns from the Minnesota Timberwolves as the finishing touch. This quartet now stands four victories from delivering the organization’s first championship since 1973.

“There is no player, no other guard I’d want to be in this position with than J.B.,” Bridges said.

French tennis veteran Gael Monfils expressed his desire to follow in the footsteps of sports legends Cristiano Ronaldo and LeBron James by competing into his 40s, as he outlined plans for upcoming tournaments at Wimbledon, Montreal and the U.S. Open before concluding his career at home during the Paris Masters.

The tennis player, who will celebrate his 40th birthday in September, said his emotional goodbye to Roland Garros following a first-round defeat to fellow Frenchman Hugo Gaston on Monday, with scores of 6-2 6-3 3-6 2-6 6-0. He departed the court to thunderous applause from fans honoring his two-decade professional journey.

Monfils plans to conclude his playing career at season’s end as he works to maintain his physical condition through his 40s.

“Why do I want to get to the States? Because I want to play until 40. My wish is to be an athlete that plays until 40 years old,” Monfils said.

“Like Stan (Wawrinka), LeBron, Cristiano, (Patrice) Evra, like all of the athletes who have managed to continue their sport until the age of 40.

“That’s what I want to do. You know that whatever happens this summer, I’m locked in to train.”

The player, who achieved a career-high ranking of world number six and has found particular success on clay courts, noted that competing on the clay surface has become increasingly difficult in recent years.

He intends to request a wildcard entry for the U.S. Open while also scheduling appearances at Wimbledon and Montreal.

“Hopefully Wimbledon. Then need to decide if we go to Washington or not,” he said.

“I think we will ask Montreal, hopefully. I want to say goodbye to Montreal. Obviously I will ask the French Federation to have the U.S. Open wildcard. Hopefully I will have this one.

“Asia is a bit blurry, to be honest. Then the end of the year, I can tell you I will play Lyon, the new tournament. Nicolas (his agent) wants me to play Vienna, and then hopefully, Paris.”

Throughout his career, the 13-time ATP champion advanced to the French Open semi-finals in 2008 and contributed significantly to France’s Davis Cup campaigns in 2010 and 2014.

The NBA Finals won’t begin until June 3, meaning the schedule will accomplish what the Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers and Cleveland Cavaliers couldn’t manage in recent weeks.

It will stop the New York Knicks from winning.

At least for several days.

The Knicks have secured their spot in the NBA Finals, arriving there with one of the most impressive runs in league history. New York completed a four-game sweep of the Eastern Conference finals Monday evening, defeating the Cavaliers 130-93 and pushing their winning streak to 11 games.

Knicks coach Mike Brown gave all praise to his players.

“They’re just great, great human beings and they’re obviously fantastic basketball players,” Brown said.

The Knicks defeated the Hawks in six games during Round 1, then swept both Philly in Round 2 and Cleveland for the Eastern Conference championship.

Now, the Knicks await either Oklahoma City or San Antonio. The Western Conference title won’t be decided until Thursday at the earliest, and whichever team wins that Thunder-Spurs matchup will host the Knicks for Game 1 of the NBA Finals next week.

The Knicks, who last suffered a defeat on April 23 (they were actually down 2-1 to the Hawks in that opening-round series following consecutive one-point defeats), have joined an exclusive group of teams entering the championship round with such a lengthy winning streak.

Just three other franchises — the Los Angeles Lakers in 1989, the Lakers once more in 2001 and Golden State in 2017 — have entered the NBA Finals riding postseason winning streaks of 11 games or longer.

The Lakers posted an 11-0 record through the first three playoff rounds in 1989 (when the opening round was best-of-five) before Detroit swept them in the finals. The 2001 Lakers also went 11-0 in the initial three rounds, then dropped Game 1 of the finals to Philadelphia before sweeping the remaining games to claim the championship.

Golden State achieved a 12-0 mark in Rounds 1-3 during 2017, then captured the first three finals games against Cleveland — reaching 15-0 for the playoffs — before losing Game 4 of the finals and closing out the series in Game 5.

New York isn’t simply winning. The team is winning decisively. Overwhelmingly so.

The Knicks have outscored their opponents by 262 points during this 11-game winning streak. This represents the most dominant 11-game stretch in NBA history — whether regular season or playoffs.

Boston outscored opponents by 243 points across an 11-game period in 2024. Milwaukee recorded 11-game stretches where they outscored teams by 230, 231 and 236 points (with some games overlapping between two of those runs) during 1970-71.

Those Celtics and Bucks teams both captured NBA championships in their respective seasons.

The Knicks’ average scoring margin in playoff rounds leading up to the Finals this season stands at 19.4 points per game. The previous best combined differential for all pre-Finals rounds was Golden State’s 16.3-point average per game in 2017.

The Knicks have captured six straight road playoff games by double digits. No franchise in NBA history has ever achieved such a postseason streak.

They’ve won those contests by a remarkable combined total of 161 points.

The former record for consecutive double-digit road playoff victories was five, accomplished twice — by Miami in 2013 (by a combined 75 points) and Golden State in 2017 (by a combined 88 points). Both franchises won NBA championships in those years.

The Cleveland Cavaliers’ promising season came crashing down Monday night as they suffered a crushing 130-93 defeat to the New York Knicks in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals.

The lopsided loss completed New York’s series sweep and secured the Knicks their first trip to the NBA Finals since 1999, while leaving Cleveland facing difficult questions about their future.

After finally breaking through to reach the conference finals, Donovan Mitchell and his teammates appeared overwhelmed by the moment and outmatched by their opponents. The pressure of the big stage seemed too much for a Cleveland squad that looked exhausted from grueling seven-game battles against Toronto and Detroit in previous playoff rounds.

The Cavaliers’ fate was essentially decided when they surrendered a 22-point fourth-quarter advantage in Game 1 at Madison Square Garden. From that point forward, New York controlled every aspect of the series, outperforming Cleveland in shooting, rebounding, and coaching.

Cleveland now enters what promises to be a chaotic offseason filled with major personnel decisions and potential roster reconstruction.

The team’s February trade deadline gamble – sending guard Darius Garland from their “Core Four” to the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for James Harden – failed to produce the desired results. While Mitchell supported the Garland trade, the chemistry between him and Harden never developed as hoped, and the team struggled with consistency throughout the season.

Harden holds a $42.3 million player option for next season but is anticipated to decline it and potentially re-sign with Cleveland as a free agent. However, the 36-year-old’s performance fell short of offensive expectations while his defensive play was particularly problematic.

Mitchell’s situation presents even greater complexity. Cleveland can offer him a five-year, $350 million super-max extension as soon as this offseason, but financial considerations may lead the organization to delay that decision while evaluating whether the seven-time All-Star justifies such an enormous investment.

As the Knicks built a 33-point lead in the fourth quarter, Mitchell and Cleveland’s other key players were pulled from the game. The 29-year-old sat on the bench watching a franchise he once supported as a child celebrate their 11th consecutive playoff victory.

The disappointing conference finals exit will intensify questions surrounding coach Kenny Atkinson’s job security. Despite leading the team to a No. 1 seed in his debut season, last year ended with a frustrating second-round elimination against Indiana.

While Atkinson guided the Cavaliers one round deeper this postseason, it remains unclear whether that progress will satisfy owner Dan Gilbert, who has invested over $400 million in a franchise that has yet to deliver him a second championship.

New York’s dominant performance highlighted every weakness in Cleveland’s roster and may prompt Gilbert to pursue even more dramatic changes. The sight of his team being thoroughly dominated in Game 4 – with thousands of visiting fans chanting “Knicks in 4!” – likely left a lasting impression.

The Cavaliers will keep close tabs on superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo’s uncertain future in Milwaukee, as the Bucks have previously shown interest in 24-year-old Cleveland forward Evan Mobley.

Another intriguing possibility involves LeBron James and the chance for the NBA’s all-time scoring leader to complete another homecoming. Currently a free agent dealing with tensions in Los Angeles Lakers, James is exploring his options while Cleveland could certainly use his services once again.

CLEVELAND – The New York Knicks crushed the Cleveland Cavaliers 130-93 in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals Monday night, completing a sweep and earning their first trip to the NBA Finals in 25 years. Karl-Anthony Towns led the way with 19 points and 14 rebounds in the decisive victory.

New York’s championship series berth ends a drought dating back to 1999, while their current postseason surge has reached 11 consecutive wins – a new franchise playoff record that ties the third-longest single-postseason streak in NBA history.

The Knicks received balanced scoring throughout their roster. OG Anunoby contributed 17 points while Landry Shamet came off the bench to add 16 points, connecting on all four of his three-point attempts. Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges each chipped in 15 points, and Josh Hart recorded six points along with 11 rebounds and six assists.

For Cleveland, Donovan Mitchell paced the scoring with 31 points and Evan Mobley added 15 points with seven rebounds. The Cavaliers had reached their first Eastern Conference finals since 2018 before falling to New York. James Harden struggled significantly, managing just 12 points while committing five turnovers and missing all six three-point attempts.

New York’s head coach Mike Brown will make his second NBA Finals appearance as a coach, having previously guided the Cavaliers to their first Eastern Conference title in 2007.

The 37-point margin of defeat represented the worst playoff home loss in Cavaliers franchise history.

The Knicks controlled the boards completely, out-rebounding Cleveland 60-33. Backup center Mitchell Robinson was particularly effective, collecting 10 rebounds in just 18 minutes of action.

New York seized control early with a devastating 20-0 scoring run spanning 5 minutes and 52 seconds from the end of the first quarter into the second period. Towns capped the surge with a thunderous dunk, pushing the score to 50-26.

The lead continued to grow as New York eventually stretched their advantage to 61-32 following Shamet’s third three-pointer of the opening half.

Cleveland started strong as Mitchell tallied 10 points and Mobley scored seven in the game’s first six minutes, giving the Cavaliers a 17-14 edge. However, a 9-0 New York run flipped the momentum permanently. Robinson’s entrance sparked the Knicks with six points and four rebounds, fueling a 24-9 run to close the first quarter.

Cleveland was dealt an additional blow when backup point guard Dennis Schroder was ruled out due to illness shortly before tipoff.

Several notable celebrities attended the game courtside to support the Knicks, including comedian Tracy Morgan, filmmaker Spike Lee and actor Timothee Chalamet.

The SEC’s top official tried to manage expectations Monday, making clear his conference won’t be making any decisions about College Football Playoff expansion during this week’s spring meetings taking place in Destin, Florida.

SEC commissioner Greg Sankey supports growing the current 12-team format to 16 teams, while the Big Ten, ACC and Big 12 are all backing a larger 24-team structure.

Just last week, Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti indicated his conference’s schools are prepared to support the 24-team proposal and would be willing to hold off if the SEC doesn’t agree.

Both commissioners face a December 1 deadline to reach consensus if any playoff growth is to take effect for the 2027-28 season.

Speaking to the media, Sankey acknowledged his conference wouldn’t “have a unanimous vote right now on a number.”

Rather than rushing to a decision, Sankey explained his league plans to examine every element of the 24-team proposal during this week’s meetings, including potential drawbacks.

“Four to 12 was monumental, I think it was justifiable, and you want to be careful about how far you go,” he stated.

Moving to 24 teams would likely mean the end of conference championship games, which Sankey strongly opposes. He pointed to existing SEC television deals as a barrier to such expansion, along with the significant financial hit from losing the SEC championship game.

Georgia president Jere Morehead publicly opposed the 24-team format last week.

“I was OK with going to 16,” he told The Athletic. “I thought that was a good number. But 24 scares me, particularly jumping from 12 to 24. If we went to 16 and tried that for a few years, see how it goes, and then we can evaluate whether we should go to 24. And from my standpoint, I would just stay at 12 then, if we can’t get an agreement on 16.”

Still, he left the final call to Sankey, and their shared perspective became clear Monday.

SEC presidents, athletics directors and coaches will also discuss their concerns this week about the lack of progress from the College Sports Commission in Washington, D.C. regarding NIL enforcement and oversight.

CLEVELAND — New York supporters turned Monday night’s Eastern Conference finals Game 4 into their own celebration at Rocket Arena, as the Knicks stood just one victory away from completing a sweep of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Standing on the brink of their first NBA Finals berth since 1999, the Knicks drew massive support from thousands of traveling fans, including several high-profile celebrity supporters who made the trip to Cleveland.

The volume of “Let’s Go Knicks!” cheers during pregame warmups suggested New York supporters may have actually outnumbered local fans, leaving Cleveland supporters clinging to slim hopes their team could achieve the impossible by overcoming a 3-0 series deficit. No NBA team in history has accomplished such a comeback, with teams holding a perfect 164-0 record when leading 3-0 in best-of-seven playoff series.

The star-studded New York contingent included actor Timothée Chalamet with his girlfriend Kylie Jenner, filmmaker Spike Lee, comedian Tracy Morgan, several rappers, and former Knicks legends Walt “Clyde” Frazier and Allan Houston.

Cleveland countered with rapper Machine Gun Kelly representing the home team, while also bringing back fan-favorite guard Matthew Dellavedova from their 2016 championship squad for good luck. The Cavaliers had previously hosted pop superstar Taylor Swift and her fiancé, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, during Game 3.

New York fans had already made their presence felt during the Knicks’ Game 3 victory, prompting Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell to acknowledge the crowd dynamics were affected by Cleveland’s poor performance.

“I’m from New York, this doesn’t shock me. They do it in every arena,” Mitchell said. “That’s how Knicks fans are. I was one back in the day.”

ARLINGTON, Texas — Houston Astros right-handed pitcher Tatsuya Imai completed six innings without surrendering a hit Monday night in his team’s game against the Texas Rangers.

The rookie hurler struggled with his control early, issuing walks to three of the initial four batters he encountered, though a double play in the opening frame helped limit the damage. From that point forward, Imai found his rhythm and set down 16 consecutive Rangers hitters.

Imai’s control issues continued sporadically as he walked Brandon Nimmo to start the fourth inning, marking his fourth free pass of the contest. However, Ezequiel Duran immediately followed with a ground ball that resulted in another double play.

The 28-year-old pitcher is experiencing his debut major league campaign after making the transition from professional baseball in Japan. Through his initial five outings with Houston, Imai had compiled a 1-2 record alongside an 8.31 earned run average. During Monday’s six-inning performance, he delivered 57 strikes among his 97 total pitches while recording two strikeouts. The Astros maintained a 4-0 advantage.

Texas leadoff man Joc Pederson was denied a hit in the third inning thanks to an impressive defensive sequence when shortstop Jeremy Peña executed a backhand stop followed by an off-balance throw to first base for the out. The Rangers came closest to breaking through in the fifth inning when Justin Foscue and Danny Jansen each made solid contact that resulted in deep fly balls.

The Los Angeles Dodgers welcomed back their veteran utility player Kiké Hernández on Monday night as he made his season debut against the Colorado Rockies following a lengthy recovery from elbow surgery.

Hernández, who calls himself the team’s “clown in the clubhouse,” was scheduled to start at third base batting ninth, filling in for the injured Max Muncy in the series opener.

“Just getting his energy back is going to be good for our group,” manager Dave Roberts commented.

The 34-year-old veteran missed the season’s opening 53 games while recovering from offseason elbow surgery to address an injury that had plagued him throughout the previous campaign.

“It’s fixed and I’m feeling pretty good right now,” Hernández stated from the dugout before Monday’s game.

The versatile player will contribute at second and third base, potentially fill in at outfield positions when needed, and serve as a pinch-hitting option from the bench. Muncy remains out with a right wrist problem but may return by Wednesday.

During the offseason, Hernández underwent surgery to repair damaged muscle tissue and a torn extensor tendon in his left elbow. The procedure addressed an injury he initially sustained during the season that progressively worsened over time.

“He’s a tough competitor, tough player,” Roberts noted. “I don’t think anyone appreciated how severe the injury was.”

Despite playing with the torn tendon, Hernández persevered through the discomfort and contributed to the Dodgers’ second straight World Series championship. He participated in all 17 playoff contests, posting a .250 batting average with nine runs scored, one home run, and seven RBIs. However, continuing to play caused the tendon to separate from the bone, necessitating surgical intervention.

“It was a rough year,” he explained. “The best description that I can put on it is every time I would get in my batting stance I would feel like I had a blowtorch on.”

Following the World Series victory, an MRI scan showed significant swelling, leaving Hernández to choose between rehabilitation or surgery. Uncertain about the decision, he allowed his family and agent to make the final call.

They reminded him of his previous attempt to play through a core injury for three seasons, which resulted in additional damage and multiple operations. They encouraged him to have another procedure performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache.

“I woke up with ElAttrache telling me, ‘This is the worst injury I’ve ever seen of this kind and I don’t know how you played,’” he recalled. “I told him, ‘Thank you, I take it as a compliment.’”

While still under the influence of post-surgery medication, Hernández contacted Andrew Friedman via FaceTime and asked ElAttrache to share his assessment with the president of baseball operations.

Before his phone was confiscated, Hernández told Friedman: “I did this for you so you better bring me back.”

In February, Hernández secured a $4.5 million, one-year deal to return for his 10th season with the organization.

Due to his surgery and rehabilitation schedule, Hernández was unable to participate in the World Baseball Classic representing his homeland of Puerto Rico.

“That hurt my soul a little more than I was in pain physically last year just because I’ve been dreaming about playing in the WBC in Puerto Rico since I was 13 years old and it kind of felt like it got taken away from me,” he shared. “You got to find a way to look at positives in life. I was like, it would have sucked a lot more if we’d lost the World Series and I still didn’t get to play in the WBC. It was a fair trade.”

Last October, Hernández set a franchise record with his 87th postseason appearance. He currently holds the eighth position in major league history with 103 playoff games.

Among players of Puerto Rican heritage, he ranks fourth with over 100 career postseason appearances, behind Jorge Posada (125), Bernie Williams (121), and Yadier Molina (104).

“Doing that as a Latino is very important, especially in the city where there’s such a big Latino community and we’re living in some rough times,” he said. “Especially in this city, the last two years there’s been a lot of weird things going on, so I take the responsibility to not only represent this organization but the Latino community, the Puerto Rican community. It’s something that’s very touching to my heart.”

Beginning the season on the injured list provided an unexpected benefit, allowing Hernández to spend quality time with his newborn son born in February and his daughter.

Once he stopped experiencing daily pain, he realized he could return by the end of his IL period.

“It didn’t feel like I had to rush, it didn’t feel like I was going to lose my spot,” he said. “That was very key.”

He completed 12 rehabilitation games with Triple-A Oklahoma City, hitting .214 with two doubles and three RBIs.

“I had lot of fun with those guys,” he said. “Now I’m back with my guys here and I’m ready to go.”

As the Dodgers pursue a third consecutive World Series title, Hernández plans to mentor younger teammates when he’s not providing comic relief.

“I’m in charge of checking guys,” he said. “I think guys know if I’m on them, and I’m tough on them, it means I care a lot about them.”

To make room for Hernández on the roster, utility player Santiago Espinal was designated for assignment.

The 31-year-old former All-Star recorded a .220 batting average with three doubles, one home run, and four RBIs across 26 games with the Dodgers.

“I’ll lob a call to him in the next couple days to thank him for everything he did for us,” Roberts said. “He was fantastic. Obviously, we had a tough decision to make. We were very forthright up front about the expectations. I think he respected that.”

A Dominican Republic court handed down a suspended sentence Monday to Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco for sexually abusing a minor, allowing the former All-Star to avoid prison time.

Judge Jose Ramon Nunez cited “particular circumstances” as the reason for the lenient ruling in the case, which was prosecuted in the Caribbean country where the alleged crimes occurred.

The court also convicted the victim’s mother on charges of trafficking the minor to Franco and attempting to extort money from him.

Franco, who earned All-Star honors with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2023, had previously been convicted in June 2025, but that decision was reversed and a new trial was ordered.

Speaking to reporters outside the courthouse, Franco appealed to his supporters, saying “to please continue supporting me and trust God, that soon, through God’s faith, we are heading up again.”

The alleged abuse occurred over approximately four months starting in December 2022, when Franco was 21 years old and the victim was 14.

The Dominican-born player became a star with the Tampa Bay Rays and earned All-Star recognition in 2023.

Franco inked a $182 million deal with the Rays in 2021 and was considered among baseball’s most promising young players before the accusations surfaced publicly in August 2023.

Franco remains on unpaid leave, with the Rays stating he has not reported to the team in Florida.

In a statement Monday, the Rays indicated they respect the legal proceedings and the court’s ruling, adding they will continue collaborating with Major League Baseball’s abuse policy organization. The team did not specify whether they plan to continue their relationship with Franco.

The decision may be challenged on appeal, and the complete legal reasoning has not been made public. Franco’s legal representative said they would review the full details before deciding on future actions.

Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco has received a judicial pardon in the Dominican Republic despite being found guilty of sexually abusing a minor, avoiding any prison time.

A Dominican Republic judge determined Monday that Franco was both a perpetrator and a victim in his case, following his initial conviction in June 2025. Franco had been sentenced to two years of suspended prison time for an unlawful relationship with a 14-year-old girl in his home country.

Following an appeal by Franco’s legal team, a new trial was ordered. A three-judge panel reviewed the case and on Monday found Franco guilty while also determining he was victimized through extortion by the minor’s mother.

“In this case, the court has considered not only the conduct regarding an anomalous or abnormal relationship between the defendant and a minor, but also that the defendant in this specific case is also a victim,” Judge Jose Ramon Nunez said, per Listin Diario. “A victim of rapacious human behavior, which forgets principles and values and, once the problem arises, tries to profit from it at the expense of the very dignity of the one who should have been protected.”

Investigators discovered Franco made two payments exceeding $100,000 to the victim’s mother, reportedly to permit the relationship to persist for approximately two months beginning in 2022.

The victim’s mother received another conviction for trafficking and was sentenced to 10 years in prison for money laundering and additional charges.

Regarding Franco’s professional baseball future, the conviction remains on his record and he continues on Major League Baseball’s restricted list. Franco may face suspension under the league’s Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy.

“We are aware of today’s verdict in the Wander Franco trial and will conclude our investigation at the appropriate time,” MLB said in a statement to multiple outlets.

Franco remains under contract with the Rays, who signed him to an 11-year, $182 million extension in 2021. He receives no pay while on the restricted list.

“The Tampa Bay Rays are aware of today’s ruling in the Dominican Republic involving Wander Franco,” the team said in a statement to the Tampa Bay Times. “We respect the legal process and the decision issued by the court. This is a serious matter, and our thoughts remain with those affected by the case.

“The Rays will continue to cooperate fully with Major League Baseball as it completes its review under the league’s Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy. Out of respect for the legal process and all parties involved, we will have no further comment at this time.”

Franco, now 25, hasn’t appeared in an MLB game since Aug. 12, 2023. He was selected as an All-Star that season during his third year in the majors, posting a .282 career batting average with 30 home runs and 130 RBIs across 265 games.

Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum announced Monday that Iran’s national soccer team will establish their base in Mexico and make daily trips to the United States for their World Cup matches, following Washington’s decision not to accommodate the squad during the tournament.

According to Sheinbaum, FIFA contacted her administration after American officials indicated they preferred Iran not remain in the country for the duration of the June 11-July 19 competition, despite Iran being slated to compete in three Group G games on US soil.

“We have no reason to deny them the possibility of staying in Mexico,” Sheinbaum stated during her daily press briefing.

Iran’s schedule includes matches against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15, Belgium in Los Angeles on June 21, and Egypt in Seattle on June 26.

Neither the White House nor the State Department provided immediate responses to requests for comment.

In March, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that while Iran was welcome to participate in the World Cup, he felt it wasn’t suitable for Iran’s team to remain in the United States “for their own life and safety.”

On Saturday, Mehdi Taj, who leads Iran’s football federation, announced the team’s headquarters would relocate from Arizona to Tijuana, the Mexican border city, for the duration of the tournament. FIFA validated this change on Monday.

Taj explained that this relocation would help prevent visa complications and enable direct Iran Air flights to Mexico.

Iran’s World Cup participation has faced examination since late February, when the United States participated alongside Israel in strikes against Iran, sparking a conflict that created uncertainty about whether Tehran would deploy its team to compete in one of the host nations.

In March, Taj revealed Iran was discussing with FIFA the possibility of relocating its group matches to Mexico for security reasons, with Sheinbaum indicating Mexico’s willingness to host them. FIFA maintained the original schedule.

This situation sparked broader questions about Iran’s tournament participation. In April, Trump’s envoy for global partnerships, Paolo Zampolli, proposed Italy as Iran’s replacement, which drew dismissive reactions from Italian officials and FIFA.

Iran secured its fourth straight World Cup berth by finishing first in its group during the third round of Asian qualifying last year.

As the World Cup approaches, Charlotte FC defender Tim Ream is focused on earning a spot on the U.S. Men’s National Team roster while recognizing the tournament’s broader significance for American soccer.

The Major League Soccer player understands that the upcoming competition carries weight beyond individual performance, as the team’s success could help cultivate interest in soccer among a new wave of American supporters.

Ream, who plays for the Charlotte-based MLS franchise, is working toward what would be his second World Cup appearance with the national team. The defender sees the tournament as a crucial opportunity for both personal achievement and the sport’s development in the United States.

Argentine soccer superstar Lionel Messi is nursing a hamstring injury with less than three weeks remaining until the World Cup kicks off, his club Inter Miami announced Monday following his early exit from what was expected to be his last match before the international tournament.

The 38-year-old star was substituted out of Sunday’s high-scoring 6-4 Major League Soccer win against the Philadelphia Union during the 73rd minute after he grabbed the back of his leg following a free kick attempt.

“After undergoing further medical tests this Monday, the initial diagnosis indicates an overload associated with muscle fatigue in his left hamstring,” Inter Miami said in a statement.

“The timeline for his return to physical activity will depend on his clinical and functional progress.”

Inter Miami’s head coach Guillermo Hoyos minimized concerns following the game, suggesting Messi looked tired after competing on what he described as a “heavy” playing surface.

The Major League Soccer season is now on break for the World Cup tournament, scheduled to take place across the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11 through July 19.

Argentina’s national team coach Lionel Scaloni has named the eight-time Ballon d’Or recipient to a preliminary 55-player roster released this month, with the title-defending squad set to face Algeria in Kansas City on June 16 for their tournament opener.

Messi served as captain when Argentina claimed their third World Cup championship in Qatar during 2022 and is anticipated to once again lead the national team in what may mark his sixth World Cup appearance.

PARIS – Tennis veteran Gael Monfils played his final match at the French Open on Monday, falling to fellow Frenchman Hugo Gaston in a five-set first-round encounter that ended 6-2 6-3 3-6 2-6 6-0. The 39-year-old received an emotional send-off from fans who celebrated his two decades of entertaining tennis at Roland Garros.

The match came just hours after veteran player Stan Wawrinka also concluded his French Open career. Monfils battled through the contest on Court Philippe Chatrier, giving supporters the extended match they hoped to witness despite struggling to reach his peak performance level.

Following a video tribute highlighting his memorable moments and special bond with Paris crowds, Monfils addressed the audience with heartfelt remarks.

“Here we are, I love you all so much. I’ll try to be quick and to the point,” Monfils told the crowd after watching the tribute presentation.

The emotional farewell included gratitude to his family members, including his parents and wife, fellow professional player Elina Svitolina, along with his coaching team and the French Tennis Federation. He then turned his attention to the fans who supported him throughout his career.

“I’d like to thank you all,” he continued. “Every year I come to play at the French Open, I get goosebumps. Every time, I say to myself ‘this is magical’. I’ve created something powerful, unique, exceptional.”

“I’m going to miss you. This tournament is fabulous, it’s magical. Roland Garros, I love you, I owe you everything.”

The match itself provided drama as Monfils, who plans to retire when this season concludes, dropped the opening set before attempting a comeback in the second. Though fans erupted when he showed signs of mounting a challenge, Gaston quickly regained control to take a two-set advantage.

Spectators hoping for a dramatic finish got their wish as Monfils secured a crucial break to lead 5-3 and claim the third set. He then dominated the fourth set to force a deciding fifth set, but Gaston composed himself to win the final set without dropping a game.

Gaston expressed mixed emotions after defeating his countryman in such a significant moment.

“There are a lot of emotions,” Gaston reflected. “There is joy but mostly sadness, I’m so sorry for you, Gael. I want to congratulate you, thank you for all you have done for us, the young players, and for your incredible career.”

“You’re a French legend, a legend of our sport.”

The ceremony continued with video messages from tennis stars including Rafa Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Gilles Simon, Richard Gasquet, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Wawrinka, bringing smiles to Monfils’ face as his Roland Garros career officially came to an end.

The Los Angeles Dodgers welcomed back versatile player Enrique Hernandez on Monday night as he returned from the 60-day injured list to face the Colorado Rockies in his first game of the season.

The 34-year-old utility player has bounced back from left elbow surgery and will take the field at third base while batting in the ninth position.

Hernandez went under the knife in November following elbow problems that sidelined him for two months during the 2025 campaign. He inked a one-year deal valued at $4.5 million in February to rejoin the Dodgers organization.

The surgical procedure also kept Hernandez from representing Puerto Rico during the World Baseball Classic in March.

His return comes at an opportune moment as third baseman Max Muncy continues to battle right wrist discomfort after taking a pitch from Milwaukee Brewers left-hander Aaron Ashby on Friday. Muncy has been absent from the starting lineup for three consecutive days, though he participated in outfield throwing exercises before Monday’s contest.

To make room for Hernandez on the roster, the Dodgers placed utility man Santiago Espinal on waivers for assignment.

The 31-year-old Espinal compiled a .220 batting average with one home run and four RBIs across 26 appearances this season. The former 2022 All-Star selection for Toronto posted a .260 career batting mark with 31 homers through 604 games spanning time with the Blue Jays (2020-23), Cincinnati Reds (2024-25) and Dodgers.

Last season, Hernandez managed a .203 batting average alongside 10 home runs and 35 RBIs in 92 contests. Throughout his 12-year major league career, including nine seasons with the Dodgers across two different periods, Hernandez maintains a .236 career batting average with 130 home runs and 470 RBIs over 1,275 games.

Hernandez has built his reputation on delivering in high-pressure postseason moments. He has connected for 16 home runs with 42 RBIs across 103 career playoff contests while contributing to the Dodgers’ World Series championships in 2020, 2024 and 2025.

During his time with the Boston Red Sox in 2021, Hernandez launched five home runs in the postseason as the team advanced to the American League Championship Series before losing to the Houston Astros.

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Right when Colorado welcomed back their reigning Norris Trophy recipient Cale Makar, the Avalanche may now be facing the loss of Hart Trophy candidate Nathan MacKinnon.

At minimum, they’ll have a severely restricted MacKinnon, which described his condition after a puck struck his right knee during Sunday evening’s 5-3 defeat to the Vegas Golden Knights.

This series has been challenging for the Avalanche, with the Presidents’ Trophy champions now trailing 3-0 in the Western Conference Final. Facing potential elimination on Tuesday evening, coach Jared Bednar expressed willingness to utilize MacKinnon however possible.

“For him to be able to come back out, get some work done late in the second period and intermission and be able to come out and even help us on the power play and empty-net situations, if that’s all he can do, we’ll take it,” Bednar said. “It’s better than anything else, in my opinion, we can put on the ice.”

While that statement might draw considerable discussion within the Avalanche dressing room, the Golden Knights currently command Colorado’s complete attention.

Although the Avalanche may have entered the series as favorites — the league’s top regular season team facing one so eager to reach the playoffs they dismissed their coach with eight contests left — circumstances have changed dramatically.

The statistical reality is overwhelming.

This marks the 50th occasion in conference finals or league semifinals where a series has reached 3-0. Every one of the previous 49 teams holding that lead advanced to the Stanley Cup Final, with 47 completing the series within six games.

Just four teams have overcome 3-0 series deficits in any playoff round. Los Angeles in 2014 became the latest team to achieve this feat when they eliminated San Jose in their opening-round matchup.

Additionally, there’s the notorious Presidents’ Trophy curse. Chicago in 2013 represented the last franchise to capture both that award and the Stanley Cup during the same campaign. Colorado already experienced the challenge of achieving this double, earning the Presidents’ Trophy during the 2021 COVID-shortened season before falling in six games during the second round… to the Golden Knights.

“There’s going to be a sense of urgency, but it’s got to be smart urgency,” defenseman Josh Manson said. “It’s got to be desperation. It’s got to be our best style of play the whole night. You’ve got to maintain that sense of do or die, while playing up to the edge. That’s what makes it so difficult.

“The margin of error is so thin now, and you’ve got to be able to balance that for at least 12 periods.”

Colorado needs exactly that many periods minimum to achieve something no other team has managed this late in playoff competition. They must perform like the squad that appeared to be the NHL’s finest for six months and during the initial two playoff rounds when they posted an 8-1 record.

“We know where we’re at,” wing Martin Necas said. “We know it doesn’t happen very often, but we still feel confident in this group. It’s not like we’ve been outplayed every game and their team is better than ours. We had a lot of stretches this season where we won four in a row. So we just focus on the next game and take it home and anything can happen.”

Bringing the series back to Denver for Game 5 would represent progress.

“Our team’s played with more intensity and more desperation as the series (has) gone on,” Bednar said. “Hasn’t worked out for us yet. I think with the hill to climb, it’s definitely a tough one. It just doesn’t happen very often, and we’re certainly understanding of that, but I think we have a lot of pride and a lot of character in our room that displayed that time over time throughout the course of the year,

“This will be our most difficult challenge, but I believe that we will show up and we will be ready to play.”

Professional golfer Wyndham Clark has decided to skip this week’s Charles Schwab Challenge tournament after capturing victory at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson on Sunday, joining Brooks Koepka in withdrawing from the event.

Clark delivered a spectacular final-round performance, shooting 11-under-par 60 to secure a total score of 30 under par for the tournament. His winning total came within one stroke of matching Scottie Scheffler’s record-tying performance from the previous year.

The victory represents Clark’s fourth career PGA Tour triumph and his first win since capturing the 2024 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am earlier this season.

Clark’s impressive performance significantly improved his standing in professional golf rankings, moving him up from 75th to 44th position in the Official World Golf Ranking. His FedEx Cup position also saw a dramatic jump from 82nd place to 34th.

Lanto Griffin has been called up from the alternate list to fill Clark’s vacant spot in the Charles Schwab Challenge field at Colonial Country Club. The tournament marks the second consecutive week of competition in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex area.

Koepka made his withdrawal decision on Sunday following a tied-for-14th finish at the Byron Nelson tournament.

The international soccer governing body FIFA announced Monday that Iran has officially moved its World Cup preparation facility from an American location to Mexico due to Middle East conflict concerns and security issues.

The Iranian national soccer team had initially chosen a training facility in Tucson, Arizona, as their primary base for World Cup preparations, but decided to relocate following joint military operations by the United States and Israel against Iran that began in late February.

FIFA released its complete roster of team training locations on Monday, showing Iran will now use Centro Xoloitzcuintle in Tijuana as their base of operations.

Iran’s scheduled group matches remain unchanged at this time. The team is placed in Group G and will face New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15, followed by Belgium on June 21 in the same city, and conclude group play against Egypt in Seattle on June 26.

The proximity of Tijuana to the U.S.-Mexico border near San Diego may assist with visa complications when the team must cross into the United States, according to Mehdi Taj, president of the Iran Football Federation.

Taj first revealed the training camp relocation on Saturday before FIFA provided official confirmation.

“All team base camps for the countries participating in the World Cup must be approved FIFA,” Taj said in a statement. “Fortunately, following the requests we submitted and the meetings we held with FIFA and World Cup officials in Istanbul, as well as the webinar meeting we had yesterday in the Tehran with the respected FIFA secretary general, our request to change the team’s base from the United States to Mexico was approved.”

Iranian representatives indicated earlier this month that their athletes and coaching staff had not yet obtained United States visas.

The World Cup tournament, jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, is scheduled from June 11 through July 19.

Professional golfer Tyrrell Hatton from England will skip this week’s LIV Golf Korea tournament after he and his wife Emily celebrated the arrival of their first baby last week, according to an announcement from his LIV Golf team on Monday.

Taking Hatton’s place on the Legion XIII roster will be 33-year-old German golfer Max Rottluff, who will be making his first appearance in LIV Golf competition.

The 34-year-old Hatton plans to rejoin competition next week when he competes in LIV Golf Andalucia at Real Club Valderrama located in Sotogrande, Spain.

Currently experiencing one of his strongest competitive periods, Hatton has achieved four top-10 results across 10 tournament appearances, highlighted by a third-place tie at The Masters tournament in April. This Masters performance represents his best showing in any major championship event.

For this week’s competition, Jon Rahm’s Legion XIII squad will consist of Rahm himself along with Tom McKibbin, Caleb Surratt and Rottluff.

Toronto manager John Schneider announced Monday that the team’s ace pitcher Dylan Cease will be sidelined on the 15-day injured list after suffering a left hamstring strain.

The 30-year-old right-handed pitcher exited Sunday’s matchup with the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates during the fifth inning after experiencing what the organization described as “mild left hamstring discomfort.”

During the game, Cease was observed shaking his left leg while pitching, prompting Schneider and head athletic trainer Jose Ministral to visit the mound to evaluate the eight-year veteran. Cease managed to get Spencer Horwitz out before Mason Fluharty took over pitching duties.

“It doesn’t look too terrible, knock on wood,” Schneider told reporters Monday. “Just trying to be smart and not have it get worse. Don’t know the exact timeline yet … hoping it’s a minimal stay.”

During his abbreviated outing, Cease allowed two runs on four hits while recording eight strikeouts and issuing one walk over 4 2/3 innings. This marked just the second occasion in 11 starts this season where he was unable to pitch at least five complete innings.

In other injury news, Blue Jays star first baseman Vladimir Guerrero was scratched from Monday’s starting lineup against the Miami Marlins due to elbow discomfort.

Guerrero sustained the injury when he was struck by a pitch on his right elbow during Sunday’s contest against the Pirates.

Schneider classified Guerrero’s condition as day-to-day.

“See how he feels as the day goes on,” Schneider explained to the media. “But didn’t want to push it with him, just in talking to him last night and today.”

Guerrero has struggled offensively this season, managing only three home runs across 53 games. The five-time All-Star is currently hitting .287 with 22 RBIs.

After signing a seven-year, $210 million deal with the Blue Jays in December, Cease has established himself as one of baseball’s most reliable starting pitchers. Over the past five seasons, he joins just three other starters – fellow Blue Jays Kevin Gausman, Patrick Corbin and Jose Berrios – in making 30 or more starts each year.

This injury represents the first time in Cease’s major league career that he will be placed on the injured list due to a physical condition.

Cease played the previous two seasons with the San Diego Padres, where he threw the franchise’s second no-hitter in 2024 while posting a 14-11 record with a 3.47 ERA across 33 starts. He recorded 224 strikeouts and earned fourth place in National League Cy Young voting.

His first five big league campaigns were spent with the Chicago White Sox. He finished as the American League Cy Young runner-up in 2022 after going 14-8 with a 2.20 ERA and a career-best 227 strikeouts in 32 starts.

Cease has achieved 200 or more strikeouts in five consecutive seasons and holds a career record of 68-61 with a 3.83 ERA over 199 starts.

A Milwaukee Brewers pitcher made baseball history Monday night by delivering an unprecedented number of triple-digit fastballs during his team’s 5-1 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals.

Jacob Misiorowski launched 57 fastballs clocking 100 mph or higher, shattering the previous mark of 47 set by Cincinnati’s Hunter Greene in a September 2022 matchup against St. Louis. The feat represents the most high-velocity pitches recorded in any single contest since official pitch tracking technology was implemented in 2008.

The 24-year-old hurler struck out 12 batters to equal his personal best while improving his season record to 5-2. During his seven-inning performance, Misiorowski surrendered just two hits and one walk, lowering his earned run average to 1.83.

Of his 96 total pitches, 40 registered at 101 mph, while 22 reached 102 mph. Nine of his offerings hit at least 103 mph, with his fastest clocking 103.4 mph on three separate occasions.

Misiorowski tied another record held by Greene from that same 2022 contest by recording nine strikeouts on pitches exceeding 100 mph.

After walking JJ Wetherholt on a 3-2 inside pitch to start the game, the Cardinals managed just one baserunner until Pedro Pagés blooped a single leading off the sixth inning. St. Louis scored their lone run later that inning, ending Misiorowski’s streak of 29 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings.

The franchise record for consecutive scoreless innings belongs to Teddy Higuera, who threw 32 straight shutout frames in 1987. Misiorowski entered Monday’s contest having blanked opponents across his previous four starts.

Scorching temperatures at the French Open are creating unprecedented conditions at Roland Garros, with players and spectators struggling with the extreme heat

PARIS (AP) — Competitors at the French Open report they haven’t faced such sweltering conditions at Roland Garros since the 2024 Paris Olympics, which took place during the summer months of July and August. The mercury has climbed to 33 degrees Celsius (91 degrees Fahrenheit) during the tournament’s first two days, well above typical late May temperatures in Paris. Weather forecasts predict these scorching conditions will persist throughout the opening week. Beyond creating discomfort for spectators and athletes, the oppressive heat has accelerated court conditions. Russian-born Australian competitor Daria Kasatkina noted, “I don’t remember the last time it was so hot at Roland Garros.”

Western Conference basketball finals stand even at 2-2 as Spurs and Thunder prepare for decisive Game 5

Victor Wembanyama appears unfazed by high-pressure situations. On December 28, 2024, during a chilly, wet morning in New York, Wembanyama had free time before the San Antonio Spurs’ charter departure to Minnesota. He used social media to invite people to meet him at Washington Square Park for chess matches. That morning brought four games with an even split: two victories, two defeats. Now, the Spurs face Oklahoma City in a different type of strategic battle — the Western Conference finals, with Game 5 scheduled for Tuesday at the Thunder’s home venue. The current tally mirrors that New York morning: two victories, two defeats for each side.

Mexican leader expresses support for hosting Iran’s World Cup squad after venue change from United States

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum expressed comfort with her nation serving as host for Iran’s World Cup team following the relocation of their training facility from the United States to Mexico for the summer soccer tournament. While the Iranian squad will continue playing their matches on U.S. soil, their preparation base has shifted to Tijuana, Mexico, located just south of San Diego, California. FIFA officially announced this change on Monday. This development unfolds amid ongoing conflict in Iran. During a press briefing, Sheinbaum revealed that a FIFA official informed her that the United States preferred not to have the Iranian soccer team spending extended time on American soil outside of competition.

Indianapolis 500 champion Felix Rosenqvist embraces hectic post-victory schedule

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The reality of Felix Rosenqvist’s Indianapolis 500 triumph began settling in rapidly. Following his ceremonial milk consumption and the traditional celebratory dousing, the victor of the most closely contested race in Indy 500 history commenced his champion obligations. He dedicated two hours to media interviews while still in his racing suit before proceeding to additional photography sessions. A brief celebration followed before early morning television appearances, more photo opportunities, and Monday evening’s traditional post-race banquet where his prize money will be revealed. Despite another race approaching in Detroit next weekend, the 34-year-old Swedish driver had no complaints. Instead, he focused on enjoying the rewards of his victory.

Spire Motorsports celebrates growth following second victory but maintains higher aspirations

CONCORD, N.C. (AP) — Daniel Suarez’s unexpected triumph at the Coca-Cola 600 delivered Spire Motorsports their second win of the season, equaling the success of racing powerhouse Hendrick Motorsports. However, Suarez emphasized the team’s continued hunger for more achievements. He commended the organizational framework established by team owner Jeff Dickerson and crew chief Ryan Sparks. Spire, previously viewed as a smaller NASCAR operation, is reshaping industry perceptions. Dickerson has set goals of placing two vehicles in the playoffs and securing three race victories this season, while Suarez believes the team has yet to maximize its capabilities.

UCLA secures top NCAA baseball tournament position, leading offensive powerhouse Georgia Tech

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — UCLA has claimed the top national seed position for the NCAA baseball tournament following their commanding season-long performance. The tournament commences Friday with 16 double-elimination regional competitions. Regional champions progress to eight best-of-three super regional matchups, with those winners advancing to the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska, starting June 12. The Bruins dominated both the Big Ten regular season and tournament championships. Their 51 victories represent the highest win total entering regionals since Tennessee’s 53 wins in 2022. Atlantic Coast Conference champion Georgia Tech earned the second seed, followed by Georgia, Auburn, North Carolina, Texas, Alabama, and Florida.

Milwaukee pitcher establishes new benchmark with 57 triple-digit fastballs in single contest

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Milwaukee’s Jacob Misiorowski delivered 57 pitches reaching at least 100 mph — establishing a new single-game record since pitch monitoring began in 2008 — while recording 12 strikeouts to equal his career best Monday against the St. Louis Cardinals. The prior mark for 100-mph pitches in one game was 47, set by Cincinnati’s Hunter Greene against St. Louis on September 17, 2022. The 24-year-old right-handed pitcher hit 101 mph on 40 of his 96 total pitches. He reached 102 mph on 22 deliveries and achieved at least 103 mph nine times, with his peak velocity measuring 103.4 mph.

Messi adds to growing list of star player injury worries before major tournament

A mounting number of injuries to soccer’s elite performers are emerging before next month’s World Cup competition. Lionel Messi has been added to a concerning list that previously included Lamine Yamal. While Kylian Mbappé and Mohamed Salah have recovered from their injuries before the tournament co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, attention now turns to Messi. The Argentine superstar exited the field after grabbing his left hamstring during an Inter Miami Major League Soccer match on Sunday. Spain’s Yamal missed Barcelona’s season finale due to a muscle injury in his left leg. Other players definitively ruled out include France’s Hugo Ekitike and Brazilian stars Rodrygo and Éder Militão.

Atlanta Dream maintains perfect start with remarkable comeback ability in WNBA standings

The Atlanta Dream has demonstrated exceptional comeback capability by overcoming 15-point deficits twice this season, including Sunday’s victory against Phoenix. According to ESPN, no other WNBA franchise has accomplished this feat. The Dream tops the WNBA standings with a 4-1 record and remains the sole team with only one loss. Coach Karl Smesko credits challenging competition with strengthening the team’s resolve. Atlanta achieved the top position in power rankings for the first time this season. Los Angeles’ Kelsey Plum received recognition as the AP player of the week.

Extended games create unique tactical opportunities, though star players rarely determine outcomes

The automatic runner rule has made extra innings one of the remaining situations where managers readily employ intentional walks, a tactic that had been declining in popularity. From 1974 to 2019, before the automatic runner implementation, intentional walks occurred every 140 plate appearances overall but every 27 in extra innings. Since 2020, intentional walks happen every 335 plate appearances in regular play, yet in extra innings, they occur every 16.7 plate appearances. Extra-inning intentional walks have actually become more frequent than in previous eras.

Canadian national team captain Alphonso Davies is expected to sit out his country’s World Cup opening match next month due to injury, though he should see action later in the tournament, according to head coach Jesse Marsch’s announcement on Monday.

The captain sustained a hamstring injury on May 6 while playing for Bayern Munich in the Champions League semi-final second leg. When questioned about whether this injury would prevent Davies from participating in Canada’s World Cup kickoff match against Bosnia and Herzegovina on June 12 in Toronto, Marsch provided an update.

“I think Alphonso will play in the World Cup,” Marsch stated during a press conference at Canada’s training facility in Charlotte, North Carolina, before discussing the captain’s availability for the tournament opener. “No, I don’t think he’ll be ready quite on June 12 … but we’ll see.”

While Davies was included among the 32 players selected for Canada’s training camp roster announced earlier Monday, Marsch confirmed the player would not participate in the Charlotte sessions. Instead, Davies will rejoin his teammates just before their June 1 exhibition match against Uzbekistan in Edmonton.

This latest injury adds to a series of physical setbacks that have prevented Davies from representing his country for an entire year of international competition.

The quick left back sustained an ACL injury while competing for Canada in March 2025. After returning to action with Bayern Munich in December, he experienced a torn muscle fiber in his right hamstring during February, followed by another hamstring strain in March that forced him to miss two Canadian friendly matches.

The official World Cup squad announcement is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET (2300 GMT) this Friday.

Following their tournament opener, Canada’s schedule includes matches in Vancouver against Qatar on June 18 and Switzerland on June 24.

A California court has ordered San Diego Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr. to pay approximately $3.74 million to Big League Advance following a legal battle over a financial agreement the baseball player signed as a teenager.

The dispute stems from a contract Tatis entered into with Big League Advance (BLA) in 2017, when he was just 18 years old. Under the terms of that agreement, the company provided Tatis with $2 million upfront in exchange for 10 percent of his future major league baseball earnings. At the time, Tatis had spoken positively about the arrangement, noting that the immediate funding enabled him to employ a personal trainer and make other career-enhancing investments.

The legal trouble began when Tatis ceased making his required payments in 2024, leading BLA to initiate arbitration proceedings to recover the money they claimed was due. In response, Tatis filed a lawsuit against the company in June 2025, arguing that BLA had enticed him into what essentially constituted an illegal lending arrangement.

The lawsuit stated: “Defendants have built a business model that preys on young, financially unsophisticated athletes, offering lump-sum advances in exchange for significant portions of their future earnings.”

An arbitrator ruled in favor of BLA last fall, determining that Tatis owed the full $3.74 million amount that had accumulated since he stopped making payments. Tatis then sought relief from the San Diego County circuit court, but California state judge Judy S. Bae ruled on Friday that his petition was filed too late to be valid.

Judge Bae determined that Tatis had forfeited his right to judicial review because his petition should have been submitted before the arbitration process commenced. However, Tatis’ legal team indicated they plan to challenge this decision.

“The court made significant findings against BLA, and the only thing they prevailed on was timeliness of the challenge,” attorney Mitts explained to Front Office Sports, referencing the judge’s determination that BLA could be classified as a lender and that California law applies to the case. “That is something which we are very likely to appeal, and we feel strongly we have a very good chance.”

The financial stakes are substantial for Tatis, who signed a massive 14-year, $340 million contract with the Padres in 2021 when he was considered one of baseball’s most promising young talents. Based on that contract, his total obligation to BLA under their original agreement would amount to $34 million.

Now 27 years old, Tatis has established himself as one of baseball’s premier players, earning three All-Star selections, two Gold Glove awards, a Platinum Glove award, and two Silver Slugger honors. Throughout his seven-season career with San Diego, spanning 722 games, he has maintained a .275 batting average while hitting 152 home runs, driving in 409 runs, and stealing 136 bases. His career was interrupted in 2022 when he missed the entire season due to a combination of a wrist injury and an 80-game suspension for using a prohibited substance.

Italian tennis professional Matteo Berrettini described himself as having a “psycho” mindset when it comes to battling back from injuries after defeating Marton Fucsovics 6-7(2) 7-5 6-1 6-2 on Monday at the French Open, his first time competing in the tournament since 2021.

The player, who previously held the world number six ranking, has faced ongoing health challenges that caused him to miss eight of the last 18 Grand Slam tournaments since finishing second to Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon five years ago.

Now ranked 105th globally while fellow Italian Jannik Sinner holds the top spot and carries his country’s major tournament expectations, the 30-year-old athlete explained that physical setbacks have been a constant throughout his tennis journey.

“When injuries come, you’re always negative and you don’t want to stop, and you think ‘I could have done this’ or ‘I could have done that’ but I look in the mirror and I’m so proud of my career and what I’ve achieved,” Berrettini shared with media members.

“Those who know me since I was a kid know I’ve been getting injured since I was 12, basically. It’s a part of who I am. If I have a big serve, big forehand, I also have this issue.

“I also have a resilient mind and always work hard to come back … I like to compete. I like to put myself in situations where most people would struggle … I’m a little bit psycho.

“I like to compete. I like to have fun with it. I like to win as many matches as possible. It’s been five years since I played Paris. It feels good to be here talking about a win.”

Berrettini will face Arthur Rinderknech in Roland Garros’ second round and is already anticipating Wimbledon’s start next month, though he may require a wild card entry to compete at the All England Club.

“My agent is here. I don’t know if he’s going to ask for a wild card, but I don’t think they’re going to give me one,” the Italian player said.

“We’ll see. If I get in, I get in. Otherwise, I’ll play the qualifiers. I know the level that I have. I know that I’ve been in worse situations in terms of rankings. Of course, Wimbledon is one of my favourite tournaments.

“Last year I was seeded in Wimbledon and I couldn’t really compete the way I wanted to. So it’s more important the way I’m competing than what I’m competing for.”

A California policy designed to address transgender athlete participation in high school sports is facing widespread criticism from families across the spectrum. Under the current system, when male competitors participate in female events, dual first-place awards are given if a male athlete finishes ahead of female competitors.

This dual-winner approach was implemented during this month’s California Interscholastic Federation state track and field meet, resulting in multiple instances where both male and female athletes shared the top spot on the awards platform. However, the compromise solution has failed to satisfy families involved, with parents from both sides of the competition expressing dissatisfaction and calling for policy revisions.

The Portland Timbers announced Monday they have terminated head coach Phil Neville’s contract by mutual agreement, with the team currently sitting in 13th place in the Western Conference as they enter the World Cup break.

The coach from England led the team to a disappointing 4-8-2 start this season and compiled a 27-31-24 overall record since taking over before the 2024 campaign.

“We are appreciative of Phil’s commitment and efforts during his time with the Portland Timbers,” said Timbers general manager Ned Grabavoy in a statement. “This offseason we had pointed discussions about the areas we needed to build on and improve. Ultimately, we have not seen the progress we’ve needed to, and, most importantly, results have fallen well short of expectations.”

The team is scheduled to resume play in July with 20 matches left in the regular season.

During Neville’s inaugural season in Portland, the club set a franchise record with 65 goals scored and earned their first playoff berth since 2021. The team also qualified for the postseason last year.

“To my staff, thank you for your incredible loyalty and hard work,” Neville stated in a release. “And to the most incredible bunch of players: thank you for the effort, the good times, the good results, the bad results, and all the laughs we shared together. I realize we are in a results business, and the results haven’t been to the expectation of this football club.”

The 49-year-old Neville previously played for Manchester United (1994-2005) and Everton (2005-13) in the English Premier League, earning 59 caps for England’s national team. His coaching experience includes leading England’s women’s national team (2018-21) and Inter Miami (2021-23).

The NCAA announced Monday that UCLA has earned the top overall seed for the 2026 NCAA Division I Baseball Championship, with the Southeastern Conference placing a dozen teams in the 64-team tournament field.

Regional play gets underway Friday across 16 different locations, with each site being hosted by the tournament’s top 16 seeded programs.

The Bruins compiled an impressive 51-6 record throughout the regular season, capturing both the Big Ten Conference title and the conference tournament championship.

Following UCLA in the seeding are Georgia Tech (48-9) at number two, then Georgia (46-12), Auburn (38-19), North Carolina (45-11-1), Texas (40-13), Alabama (37-19), Florida (39-19), Southern Mississippi (44-15), Florida State (38-17), Oregon (40-16), Texas A&M (39-14), Nebraska (42-15), Mississippi State (40-17), Kansas (42-16), and West Virginia (39-14).

The Southeastern Conference’s dominance is evident not just in total representation with 12 teams, but also in holding five of the tournament’s top eight seeds.

Each regional location will conduct four-team round-robin competition to determine 16 Super Regional participants, who will then advance to compete at eight separate venues. Super Regional action is set to commence June 5.

The Men’s College World Series, featuring eight teams, opens June 12 in Omaha, Nebraska.

Last year’s champion LSU failed to qualify for the 64-team bracket after completing the regular season with a 30-28 record.

Regional matchups and participating teams, listed by seeding at each location:

At UCLA (51-6): Virginia Tech (30-24), Cal Poly (36-22), Saint Mary’s (CA) (34-25)

At Georgia Tech (48-9): Oklahoma (32-21), The Citadel (35-24), UIC (27-27-1)

At Georgia (46-12): Boston College (36-21), Liberty (41-19), LIU (30-20)

At Auburn (38-19): UCF (31-21), NC State (32-22) Milwaukee (25-31)

At North Carolina (45-11-1): Tennessee (38-20), East Carolina (36-22-1), VCU (37-23)

At Texas (40-13) UC Santa Barbara (38-18), Tarleton State (37-19), Holy Cross (25-28)

At Alabama (37-19): Oklahoma St. (37-20), USC Upstate (33-28), Alabama St. (34-21)

At Florida (39-19): Miami (FL) (38-18), Troy (32-29), Rider (33-18)

At Southern Miss. (44-15): Virginia (36-21), Jacksonville St. (46-13), Little Rock (36-26)

At Florida St. (38-17): Coastal Carolina (37-21), NIU (35-17), St. John’s (33-24)

At Oregon (40-16): Oregon St. (43-12), Washington St. (30-26), Yale (30-13-1)

At Texas A&M (39-14): Southern California (43-15), Texas St. (36-24), Lamar (34-25)

At Nebraska (42-15): Ole Miss (36-21), Arizona St. (37-19), South Dakota St. (24-31)

At Mississippi St. (40-17): Cincinnati (37-20), Louisiana (39-23), Lipscomb (29-24)

At Kansas (42-16): Arkansas (39-20), Missouri St. (34-19), Northeastern (38-20),

At West Virginia (39-14): Wake Forest (38-19), Kentucky (31-21), Binghamton (31-20)

PARIS, May 25 – Four-time French Open winner Iga Swiatek advanced smoothly into the second round with an easy win on Monday, while another beloved champion at Roland Garros could not extend his tournament run as Stan Wawrinka played his final match in Paris.

French favorite Gael Monfils, who like Wawrinka plans to retire at season’s end, hopes to continue his tournament when he faces fellow Frenchman Hugo Gaston during the evening session on Court Philippe Chatrier.

Swiatek has struggled to find her best form on tour in recent months, but returning to Paris’s clay courts provided the ideal setting to regain her timing with a 6-1 6-2 victory over Australia’s Emerson Jones.

“I’m really happy with the way I played,” said the Polish player, who seeks her seventh Grand Slam championship. “It was a solid match from the beginning to the end. I technically knew how to play, so I just did it, and it was a good day, for sure.”

While Swiatek played during cooler conditions, Paris Olympics gold medalist Zheng Qinwen battled the intense heat and fell 6-4 6-0 to Polish qualifier Maja Chwalinska.

Zheng has shown uneven results following elbow surgery last year and explained to media that Chwalinska’s high-bouncing shots disrupted her game plan on the smaller court seven.

“She has a good game on clay and the court was really small when she played high balls to me,” said Zheng, whose ranking will fall from world number 56 to outside the top 100. “I couldn’t go more back like on the big courts. That also makes a difference … honestly, the conditions were tough for me. The weather has been really hot.”

HUGE SCARE

Recent Rome champion Elina Svitolina also faced difficult conditions during the afternoon but managed to overcome a major challenge, defeating Anna Bondar 3-6 6-1 7-6 (10-3) before her husband Monfils represents the veteran players later in the day.

Wawrinka, another member of the veteran group at age 41, battled hard in a 6-3 3-6 6-3 6-4 loss to Dutch lucky loser Jesper de Jong before receiving recognition from supporters on Court Simonne Mathieu and tennis legends in a video tribute.

“I’m always surprised to receive so much love and so much support from other players or from the fans or from tournaments in general,” the 2015 champion told reporters. “I’ve been on tour for more than 20 years. When I was young, my dream was to be a professional player, to be in the top 100, to have the opportunity to play those tournaments.”

“I never expected to achieve so much in the tennis, but I never put any limit on my career. I always wanted more. I always walk out to get more, push myself, push my own limits, and try to find my own way to get there.”

“I’m happy and proud of what I achieved all these years. Today it was really tough. It’s never easy to say goodbye to something you love so much and you dedicate your life to.”

As Wawrinka concluded his Paris story, Spain’s Rafael Jodar started his with a dominant 6-1 6-0 6-4 victory over Aleksandar Kovacevic in his Roland Garros main draw debut, supporting the rising expectations surrounding him.

In other matches, world number two Elena Rybakina dispatched Veronika Erjavec easily with a 6-2 6-2 win for her tour-leading 31st victory this season, while Matteo Berrettini defeated Marton Fucsovics 6-7(2) 7-5 6-1 6-2 in his first Roland Garros appearance since 2021.

Former finalist Jasmine Paolini, Daria Kasatkina, Anastasia Potapova and Amanda Anisimova all secured straightforward wins to advance to the next round.

The Los Angeles Lakers have made their first front office move of the offseason, bringing aboard Rohan Ramadas from the New Orleans Pelicans to serve in one of two newly established assistant general manager roles, according to multiple reports released Monday.

Ramadas previously held the position of vice president of basketball operations and strategy with the Pelicans, where he had earlier worked as director of analytics.

Lakers president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka announced earlier this month that the organization intended to bring on two assistant GMs, with one position concentrating on scouting responsibilities and the other on analytics work.

An alumnus of Southern California, Ramadas brings experience from the aerospace sector along with his background in analytics.

The hiring of Ramadas marks the beginning of what’s anticipated to be an active offseason for the organization. Star player LeBron James has entered unrestricted free agency and is reportedly weighing options to remain with the team, join another franchise, or retire following a record 23 NBA seasons.

Guard Austin Reaves, who had a strong season, holds a player option in his current deal amid speculation he may enter free agency. Veterans Marcus Smart and Deandre Ayton also possess player options, while Rui Hachimura has become a free agent.

The Lakers compiled a 53-29 record during the 2025-26 regular season while managing injuries to James, Reaves and Luka Doncic. The team earned the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference playoffs but saw their season end in the second round against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Doncic remained sidelined throughout the postseason due to a hamstring injury.

While defending champion Carlos Alcaraz sits out this year’s French Open, another emerging Spanish tennis talent has stepped into the spotlight at Roland Garros.

Nineteen-year-old Rafael Jodar made an impressive debut on Monday, overwhelming Aleksandar Kovacevic with a commanding 6-1, 6-0, 6-4 victory in his first-round match. The young player demonstrated the same ruthless approach on clay courts that made his idol, record 14-time champion Nadal, legendary at the tournament.

Following an outstanding clay court season leading up to tennis’s second major championship, Jodar lived up to expectations in his 94-minute Roland Garros main draw debut.

“I think I did things well from the start and I’m super happy to get my first win in Paris,” Jodar shared with reporters after the match.

“First matches are always difficult in the tournament. So I had to serve very well. I tried to play my game during the first two sets, and even when the things got a little bit trickier in the third set and I had to face break points, I played well.”

“When you’re playing a five-sets match, everything can go up and down. You just have to face it the best way possible.”

The energetic and aggressive player’s meteoric rise has been remarkable. Just over a year ago, Jodar held the 903rd position in world rankings. Last month, he broke into the top 50 after capturing his maiden ATP championship in Morocco, followed by a semifinal appearance at the Barcelona Open. He continued his strong form with consecutive quarterfinal showings in Madrid and Rome.

These achievements propelled him to 29th in global rankings, though Jodar remains cautious about setting unrealistic goals for himself.

“I still have to learn a lot of things in the tour,” he explained. “It’s just my first year and I’m experiencing a lot of things in this past few months.”

“But these experiences are really helping me to develop as a player, I think as a person, because I’m learning a lot when I’m playing the tournaments and when I’m preparing for the matches.”

“It’s good to have that feeling to be able to compete in the French Open and in all these tournaments. I’m very grateful to be part of this tournament.”

Jodar’s tennis journey began at age six with coaching at the Club de Tenis Chamartin. He chose to pursue collegiate tennis in America during 2024-25, attending the University of Virginia. His accelerated development led him to turn professional at the beginning of 2026, but his time in the United States provided important life lessons.

“I learned a lot of things … maybe to be more mature,” Jodar reflected. “I think that living there alone, it was great to develop and to do things by myself.”

“Sure, there were coaches and players on my team that were helping me to try to get used to the new culture and to the new things in the U.S., but it was a new chapter, new culture for me, actually a new life.”

“I think the way I approached those months were really helpful for me, and I think I matured a lot in those months in college.”

Jodar’s French Open journey continues with his next match against Australia’s James Duckworth.

Victor Wembanyama acts as though he’s experienced this situation previously.

On December 28, 2024, during a chilly and wet morning in New York, Wembanyama found himself with free time before the San Antonio Spurs’ charter departure to Minnesota that afternoon. He decided to share a social media post inviting people to meet him at Washington Square Park for chess games.

That morning’s chess session resulted in an even split: two victories, two defeats.

Now, the Spurs and Oklahoma City find themselves engaged in a different type of chess game — the Western Conference finals, with Game 5 scheduled for Tuesday evening at the Thunder’s home venue. The current tally mirrors that New York morning: two victories, two defeats.

Both Spurs coach Mitch Johnson and Thunder coach Mark Daigneault have compared this series’ strategic exchanges to chess, where mental strategy proves equally crucial to physical execution. Wembanyama, who frequently carries his personal chess set while traveling, recognizes this comparison.

“There’s definitely similarities, as in any strategy game,” Wembanyama said after San Antonio’s series-tying 103-82 romp on Sunday night. “It’s fun. It’s very fun. In the playoffs at some point, especially when a series drags on, everybody knows the other team almost by heart. … I would say the coaches hold a lot of this load of the chess match, the coaching staff, all the strategy, it’s a lot.”

Neither team can claim “checkmate” at this stage: San Antonio captured Game 1, Oklahoma City secured Games 2 and 3, while the Spurs claimed Game 4. The aggregate statistics reveal remarkable balance: the Spurs hold a 446-442 scoring advantage, San Antonio shoots 43%, while Oklahoma City connects at 42%. Though individual contests haven’t always been tight — the Thunder’s 15-point Game 3 victory, the Spurs’ 21-point Game 4 triumph — the overall series remains exceptionally competitive.

“The series is 2-2 and basically zero-zero and it’s first to two games now,” Thunder guard and two-time reigning NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said. “I mean, it’s not at the front of our mind, but it is a fact and it is the reality of where we are.”

The even split through four games between these organizations should come as no surprise. These franchises previously clashed in the 2012 and 2014 West championship series — both reaching 2-2 deadlocks after four contests, with the Thunder ultimately prevailing in 2012 and the Spurs claiming victory in 2014.

This marks the seventh occasion when teams with at least 62 regular season victories have faced each other in playoff competition. Among the previous six matchups, three reached 2-2 ties entering Game 5.

In those instances — Chicago-Utah in the 1997 finals, Boston-Los Angeles Lakers in the 1985 finals and Lakers-Milwaukee in the 1972 West finals — the Game 5 victor also captured Game 6 to claim the series.

“Nothing from (Sunday) will carry over in Game 5,” Daigneault said. “That’s a blank slate. We have the same exact opportunity that they do to go get that game. So, we’ve got to win the gaps between the game right now. We’ve got to get recovered, get ourselves mentally back to zero, learn the lessons from (Game 5) that we can apply forward and get ourselves ready to go.”

Spurs president — and former coach — Gregg Popovich clearly maintains familiarity with the locker room layout.

Following San Antonio’s Game 3 loss, Popovich made an unexpected locker room visit after the contest. The entire Spurs roster was present, along with all coaches, general manager Brian Wright, athletic trainers and additional staff.

Popovich stepped away from coaching duties after suffering a stroke in 2024. While his voice volume has diminished from previous levels, his messages continue to carry significant weight throughout the organization when he chooses to speak.

“Pop’s been around throughout the course of the season, but that was the first time he walked into the locker room and was like, ‘Nah, that’s BS. That’s not how we play basketball,’” Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox said in a televised postgame interview on NBC. “And obviously, he had some choice words for it, but that was the first time all season that he came into the locker room right after a game and told us how he felt. And everybody felt that.”

The Spurs faced one-point deficits on three early Game 4 occasions, the final instance at 8-7. San Antonio responded with 16 consecutive points to establish command and maintain control throughout.

Perhaps Popovich excels at chess as well.

“When you get into these series, we spoke pregame about the chess match and you can get into a little bit of a whirlwind in terms of, ‘Do I adjust and counter?’ or ‘Do I just want to do it better?’” Johnson said. “And both answers are right.”

The son of golf legend Tiger Woods struggled to repeat his championship performance at this year’s Team TaylorMade Invitational in Belleair, Florida. Charlie Woods concluded the American Junior Golf Association tournament in a tie for 28th position, finishing at 4-over par across the three-day competition.

The 17-year-old golfer carded a final-round score of 73, which was 3-over par on Sunday. Luke Ringkamp from Palm Desert, California claimed victory in the event, posting an impressive 13-under par total after shooting a 64 in his final round at Pelican Golf Club.

Charlie Woods, who has made his college commitment to Florida State, captured last year’s tournament title with a commanding 15-under par performance at Streamsong Golf Resort in Bowling Green, Florida.

Korean Golf Club revealed on Monday that Danny Lee will transition to a wild-card position for what remains of the LIV Golf season.

Doyeob Mun, who currently leads the KPGA Tour Genesis points standings, will take Lee’s place in the roster for no fewer than the upcoming two tournaments, which includes this week’s competition in South Korea.

“We are excited for Doyeob to join the KGC family,” Korean GC shared Monday on X, noting that Mun will be formally presented during a team press conference on Tuesday.

The 34-year-old Mun participates in competitions on both the KPGA Tour and Asian Tour circuits.

This week’s LIV Golf Korea tournament kicks off Thursday at Asiad Country Club in Busan.

Korean GC’s remaining roster includes captain Byeong Hun An, along with Younghan Song and Minkyu Kim. The squad sits at the bottom of the 13-team LIV Golf standings.

The 35-year-old Lee captured the 2015 Greenbrier Classic during his PGA Tour career and claimed victory at the LIV Golf Tucson tournament in 2023, achieving the win in only his second event after joining the circuit. This season, Lee’s top performance across seven LIV Golf tournaments was a T32 finish at Adelaide in February.

Professional golfer Tiger Woods ended a nearly two-month social media silence Monday with a Memorial Day tribute honoring his deceased father, Earl, and military veterans.

Woods shared on X that his father served as a Special Forces operator, completing two tours in Vietnam during his 20-year military career. “To all those like my father, we all say thank you for your sacrifices. Without them we wouldn’t have the greatest country on Earth,” Woods posted.

The Monday tribute marked Woods’ first social media activity since March 31, when he announced his decision to step back from professional golf to concentrate on his health and pursue a “lasting recovery.”

Woods’ father Earl served as a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army before his death in 2006 at 74 years old.

The 50-year-old golfer traveled back to Switzerland on Sunday, likely to continue rehabilitation efforts that started after his March 27 misdemeanor DUI arrest following a rollover accident near his Florida residence. Woods had spent approximately 10 days in Florida.

The champion golfer, who has claimed 15 major championships during his 82 PGA Tour wins, is reportedly receiving “intense” psychological care to address what sources describe as painkiller dependency issues.

Veteran baseball player Chris Taylor, who earned All-Star honors and captured two World Series titles during his time with the Los Angeles Dodgers, has officially called an end to his 12-season professional career.

The 35-year-old athlete initially filed his retirement documents on Friday, but appeared to reconsider his decision on Saturday before ultimately making his final choice on Sunday.

“Clearing up any confusion, I’ve officially decided to retire from the game I’ve dedicated my entire life towards,” Taylor wrote in an Instagram post on Sunday. “I’m beyond grateful to all of my coaches and teammates, and the organizations who allowed me to live out my childhood dream. I’ll forever cherish the memories along the way and most of all, the friendships that will last a lifetime. Thank you to the loyal fans who have supported me through my success and stuck with me through the struggles.”

The retirement announcement came after Taylor suffered a fractured left forearm last Wednesday when struck by a pitch during a game for Triple-A Salt Lake, which is affiliated with the Los Angeles Angels. During this season, he recorded a .255 batting average along with 15 RBIs across 32 games for the team.

Taylor spent the majority of his career with the Dodgers from 2016 through 2025. He earned his All-Star selection in 2021 and claimed World Series titles in both 2020 and 2024.

His standout postseason performance came in 2017 when Taylor earned MVP honors for the National League Championship Series, posting a .316 batting average with two home runs and three RBIs as the Dodgers defeated the Chicago Cubs 4-1 in the series.

Throughout his career, Taylor compiled a .248 batting average and .746 OPS, along with 110 home runs and 443 RBIs over 1,123 games with the Seattle Mariners (2014-16), Dodgers and Angels (2025). In postseason play, he maintained a .247 average with nine homers and 26 RBIs across 80 games.

As a versatile defender, Taylor logged 448 career starts in the outfield, complemented by 241 starts at shortstop, 127 at second base and 51 at third base.

A remarkable second-round performance of 61 strokes earned Japanese golfer Ryuichi Oiwa his first major championship appearance, securing a berth in next month’s U.S. Open alongside two fellow countrymen.

The 28-year-old completed the two-day qualifying tournament in Hino, Japan, with a total score of 12-under 128, edging out Kaito Onishi by one shot and Taihei Sato by two strokes to claim the top qualifying position.

Two additional Japanese players, Riki Kawamoto and Taichi Nabetani, who placed fourth and fifth respectively, will serve as first and second alternates for the major championship scheduled for June 18-21 at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, N.Y.

Currently ranked 378th globally, Oiwa competes primarily on the Japan Tour and will be making his debut appearance in a Grand Slam event.

His qualifying campaign began with a 3-under 67 at Hino Golf Club’s King Course, a round that featured five birdies but was marred by a double-bogey on the par-4 14th hole. His spectacular follow-up round included nine birdies without a single bogey, highlighted by three consecutive birdies on holes 15 through 17.

Onishi, age 27 and ranked 811th worldwide, has appeared in 32 PGA Tour events and currently plays on the Korn Ferry Tour, where he captured the UNC Health Championship tournament in 2024.

The 27-year-old reached 11-under par with rounds of 64 and 65, bouncing back from a double-bogey on the par-4 13th hole in his final round by recording birdies on the 14th, 16th, and 17th holes.

Sato, 32, holds the 424th position in world rankings and recently earned his inaugural Japan Tour victory at the Fortinet Players Cup in 2025.

The 32-year-old completed qualifying at 10-under par with rounds of 66 and 64, including an eventful opening nine holes that featured two bogeys, three birdies, and an eagle.

Swiss tennis veteran Stan Wawrinka concluded his French Open career Monday with a heartfelt farewell at Roland Garros, falling to Dutch competitor Jesper de Jong 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in what marked his final appearance at the prestigious tournament.

The 41-year-old athlete, who captured his first major championship at the 2014 Australian Open before claiming victories at Roland Garros and the U.S. Open in following seasons, plans to conclude his professional tennis career before the year ends.

While Wawrinka thrilled supporters with a strong showing to the third round in Melbourne this year, his Paris farewell was cut short when De Jong, who entered the main draw as a lucky loser, dominated the opening set and maintained composure to secure victory despite a temporary setback.

“Thank you all. It’s hard, I don’t want to say goodbye to you here,” Wawrinka said, before thanking tournament director Amelie Mauresmo and French Tennis Federation chief Gilles Moretton.

“It’s thanks to tournaments like this one that I dreamed of becoming a tennis player. I grew up with the goal of competing here one day.

“It was an amazing experience to be able to share this moment here on court. Well done to Jesper for the match.”

Spectators at Court Simonne Mathieu called out Wawrinka’s name throughout the match, celebrating his powerful shots and exploding with enthusiasm when the Swiss player evened the match at one set each. However, De Jong quickly regained control.

The 25-year-old, ranked 106th globally, only reached the main tournament after Frenchman Arthur Fils withdrew due to injury. He claimed the third set following an intense early battle and sealed the victory in a closely contested fourth set.

“It’s not about me today,” the 25-year-old De Jong said in a brief on-court interview.

“A funny story about Stan, he played my coach when I was a ball kid. I don’t want to say he’s old. But it’s all about Stan today, especially the way he fought.”

Following a brief video montage displayed on the stadium’s large screen, a visibly moved Wawrinka praised the crowd for making his final Paris appearance memorable.

“Three hours of emotion, three hours of battle thanks to you, thanks to the support you’ve given me all these years,” Wawrinka added.

“I wanted to keep going, to go as far as possible until I was 41 to experience emotions like today. I’ve been lucky enough to experience them for a very long time. You never want to say goodbye when you’re passionate about something.

“I know it was the end; I gave everything for this sport, and I know it’s the right choice. I would have loved to be back here, in front of you but unfortunately this was my last match at Roland Garros.”

A second commemorative presentation followed, featuring tributes from Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner and Gael Monfils honoring Wawrinka’s distinguished career.

Ukrainian tennis player Elina Svitolina faced a challenging opening match at the French Open on Monday, needing three grueling sets to defeat Anna Bondar 3-6 6-1 7-6 (10-8) and advance to the second round.

The seventh-seeded Svitolina struggled early on the Suzanne Lenglen Court, dropping the first set after failing to maintain momentum following an early service break. This marked the second encounter between the two players in just one month, with Bondar having previously defeated the Ukrainian in straight sets at the Madrid Open.

While Svitolina dominated the second set 6-1, the match proved far more challenging than the score indicated. The 31-year-old found herself in trouble again during the final set, trailing 3-1 before fighting back to break serve and take a 4-3 lead.

Drama continued as Svitolina served for the match at 5-4, only to lose her serve without winning a single point. She dropped eight consecutive points and suddenly faced a 6-5 deficit. However, she managed to hold serve and force a super tiebreak, where Bondar ultimately faltered.

“Definitely the support of you guys has been unbelievable, this kind of battle is never easy. It was an amazing match, I’m pleased with my performance,” said the Rome champion following her victory. “A first round like this puts you right on track. Mental strength took me over the line, as well as my physical condition.”

This marks Svitolina’s fourth straight three-set match, highlighting her recent pattern of hard-fought victories. The Ukrainian was scheduled to watch from the Philippe Chatrier Court stands later Monday as her husband, Gael Monfils, begins his final French Open campaign against fellow Frenchman Hugo Gaston.

“I will tell him to enjoy it. He always brings the best show,” she commented about her husband’s upcoming match.

During Monday’s extended battle between Washington and New York, the Nationals quickly decided to put Juan Soto on base intentionally when extra innings began in the 10th. The Mets responded by doing the same to James Wood in their half of the inning. When Soto stepped up to the plate again in the 12th, Washington initially pitched to him before eventually walking him intentionally after the count reached 2-0.

This tactical chess match wasn’t unexpected. The automatic runner rule that places a runner on second base to start extra innings has created one of the few situations where managers still readily use intentional walks – a tactic that had been losing popularity.

Major League Baseball saw just 753 intentional walks during the 2019 season, marking the lowest total since 1961 when fewer teams and games existed.

The trend has continued downward from that point. The 2023 season produced only 474 intentional walks, while last year saw 556. Similar to how analytics-focused strategists discourage sacrifice bunts due to wasted outs, putting additional runners on base is viewed as dangerous.

However, extra innings present a different strategic landscape. With first base empty at the start of each inning and the potential for setting up double-play opportunities, there’s minimal risk in walking strong hitters intentionally if the game remains tied in the bottom half.

Between 1974 and 2019, before the automatic runner rule existed, intentional walks occurred once every 140 plate appearances. During extra innings specifically, that frequency increased to once every 26.7 plate appearances.

Following the 2020 rule implementation, intentional walks now happen once every 335 plate appearances in regular situations. But in extra innings, they occur once every 16.7 plate appearances. Extra-inning intentional walks have become more frequent than in previous eras.

While some baseball fans appreciate the added strategic elements, others find it disappointing to see elite players like Soto prevented from hitting. The major league leaders in extra-inning RBIs since 2020 include:

1. Eugénio Suarez, 22

2. Josh Naylor, 21

3. Alec Bohm, 20

4. Adolis García, 20

5. Daulton Varsho, 18

Meanwhile, the players receiving the most extra-inning intentional walks are:

1. José Ramírez, 25

2. Aaron Judge, 19

3. Juan Soto, 16

4. Shohei Ohtani, 15

5. Bryce Harper, 15

Despite the two intentional walks issued to Soto, the Mets prevailed on Monday with a 10-run explosion in the 12th inning, winning 16-7. Carson Benge contributed two hits and three RBIs during that decisive frame. Benge currently leads MLB with six extra-inning RBIs this season.

In other baseball action, Reid Detmers of the Los Angeles Angels delivered a dominant performance Sunday night, recording 14 strikeouts across eight innings while allowing just one hit. Jake Burger’s second-inning home run was the sole blemish on Detmers’ otherwise perfect outing.

The Angels defeated the Texas Rangers 2-1 when a ninth-inning throwing error by Justin Foscue decided the contest.

Tuesday night brought dramatic late-inning action as the Arizona Diamondbacks trailed San Francisco by two runs entering the bottom of the ninth with two outs and a runner on base. Adrian Del Castillo delivered an RBI single, Ryan Waldschmidt reached on catcher’s interference, and Ketel Marte capped the comeback with a three-run homer for a 5-3 victory. San Francisco’s win probability had reached 95.4% according to Baseball Savant.

The Diamondbacks have capitalized on a favorable schedule stretch, posting an 8-2 record against the Giants and Rockies over their past 10 contests.

Lionel Messi exited his final club match before the upcoming World Cup on Sunday after appearing to experience discomfort in his thigh, though Inter Miami coach Guillermo Hoyos believes the issue was simply exhaustion from challenging playing conditions.

The eight-time Ballon d’Or recipient was removed from the game in the 73rd minute after grabbing the back of his thigh following one of his signature free kicks during Inter’s 6-4 victory over the Philadelphia Union in Miami.

“We don’t have a medical report on that yet, but we will have one shortly,” Hoyos told reporters when asked why the talismanic forward was taken off.

“He was genuinely suffering from fatigue in that regard; it is indeed fatigue. He was tired, the pitch was heavy and when in doubt, the standard approach is always to ensure you don’t take any risks.”

Major League Soccer is now taking a mid-season break for the World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19.

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni announced a 55-man squad, including Messi, on May 11. He will need to reduce it to 26 before FIFA’s June 1 deadline.

Messi was highly influential as Argentina won the World Cup for a third time in Qatar four years ago. They open their title defence against Algeria in Kansas City on June 16.

Inter Miami’s team captain Lionel Messi was forced to leave the field early during Sunday night’s 6-4 home win against the Philadelphia Union after what appeared to be a left thigh injury.

The incident occurred in the 70th minute when the two-time consecutive MLS MVP was seen clutching the upper portion of his left thigh following a free kick attempt. The soccer legend from Argentina asked to be taken out of the game and walked to the locker room after Mateo Silvetti came in as his replacement.

The 28-year-old player, who leads the league with 20 goal contributions this season (12 goals and eight assists) across 14 games, was able to walk off the field without assistance. During his fourth campaign with Inter Miami, Messi has recorded 107 goal contributions (62 goals and 45 assists) over 67 appearances, starting 59 of those contests.

Team coach Guillermo Hoyos downplayed concerns about the substitution, though he acknowledged not having discussed the situation with Messi following the game’s conclusion.

“As far as I know, we don’t have a report on that yet, but he really was fatigued. It was fatigue,” Hoyos said after the match. “Yes, it was fatigue. He was tired, the field was heavy, and rather than doubt, you always say not to take the risk.”

Major League Soccer enters a six-week hiatus following Sunday’s games, with the FIFA World Cup scheduled to kick off June 11 and continue until July 19.

Messi is anticipated to represent Argentina, the current World Cup title holders, although the roster for this year’s tournament remains unannounced. Argentina’s opening Group J contest is set for June 16 against Algeria in Kansas City. The team will prepare for group competition with exhibition games against Honduras on June 6 at Texas A&M’s Kyle Field and Iceland on June 9 at Auburn’s Jordan-Hare Stadium.

The Colorado Avalanche’s playoff troubles deepened Sunday night as they dropped into a 3-0 series deficit against the Vegas Golden Knights with a 5-3 defeat in the Western Conference finals, and now their top scorer Nathan MacKinnon may be sidelined with injury.

MacKinnon, who scored a league-leading 53 goals during the regular season, hurt his right leg in Sunday’s game after blocking a one-timer from Shea Theodore with his right knee late in the second period, with less than eight minutes remaining.

The star forward collapsed to the ice immediately and clutched his right leg after the puck struck the side of his right knee directly. Despite being down on the ice, he managed to clear the puck beyond the blue line but couldn’t stand up, prompting officials to halt play for medical attention.

MacKinnon left the ice on his own despite limping and tried to continue playing, taking two additional shifts before heading to the locker room late in the second period due to his injury.

During the final period, MacKinnon managed only one regular-strength shift, though he did participate in a power play situation and during a 6-on-5 scenario when Colorado pulled their goaltender in the final minutes.

Colorado goalie Scott Wedgewood praised MacKinnon’s determination after the game, saying: “You might have to kill him to get him off the ice. Just kind of the person he is, the competitor he is. He obviously proves that every time he’s on the ice. He wants to win more than anybody. Just another example.”

Head coach Jared Bednar provided no injury update during his post-game media session regarding MacKinnon’s availability for Tuesday’s Game 4, when Colorado will be fighting to avoid elimination.

The 30-year-old MacKinnon has recorded points in nine of Colorado’s 12 playoff contests, including an assist in the first period of Sunday’s game, bringing his postseason total to 15 points on seven goals and eight assists.

MacKinnon’s injury occurred in the same contest that saw star defenseman Cale Makar return to action after missing the series’ first two games due to an upper-body injury.

Miami completed a dominant three-game sweep of New York on Sunday when Heriberto Hernandez launched a dramatic walk-off grand slam in a 4-0 victory over the Mets.

The game-ending blast came after New York chose to intentionally walk Xavier Edwards, bringing Hernandez to the plate. He connected on a 0-1 changeup from Devin Williams (3-2), sending it just beyond the wall in right-center field. The dramatic finish marked the first walk-off grand slam to decide a scoreless game in major league baseball since Justin Maxwell accomplished the feat for the Royals on Sept. 22, 2013.

A.J. Ewing managed two hits for New York, but the Mets struggled throughout the series, managing just two runs on 11 hits across three games. The team has been outscored 28-14 while dropping five of their past six contests. Miami’s sweep represented their first series sweep since opening the season with three consecutive victories against Colorado.

Pete Fairbanks (2-2) surrendered one hit and issued one walk in the ninth inning, receiving defensive help from catcher Liam Hicks, who gunned down a baserunner attempting to steal. New York went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position and left 10 men on base.

Orioles 5, Tigers 3 (Game 1)

Colton Cowser delivered a dramatic three-run homer with two outs in the ninth inning, powering Baltimore past visiting Detroit in the opener of a day-night doubleheader.

Jackson Holliday drew a one-out walk and swiped second base, followed by Leody Taveras earning a walk against Kenley Jansen (1-3). Following a flyout, both runners advanced on a double steal before Cowser connected for his second home run of the season. Gunnar Henderson also went deep for Baltimore.

Framber Valdez delivered six solid innings for Detroit. Matt Vierling collected three hits and plated the opening run for the Tigers.

Tigers 4, Orioles 1 (Game 2)

Troy Melton worked into the sixth inning in his season debut as Detroit snapped an eight-game losing streak by defeating host Baltimore, avoiding a sweep and splitting the doubleheader.

Dillon Dingler crushed a two-run homer in the first inning while Kevin McGonigle contributed two RBIs for the Tigers, who captured just their third victory in a 19-game span. Melton, activated Sunday following multiple rehabilitation assignments this spring, pitched 5 2/3 innings while allowing one run on two hits. Tyler Holton and Drew Anderson provided relief work in what became a combined three-hitter.

Trevor Rogers (2-6) gave up four runs on four hits across 4 2/3 innings. He hasn’t reached the sixth inning in his previous six outings. Baltimore designated hitter Adley Rutschman walked twice and scored the team’s only run.

Dodgers 5, Brewers 1

Andy Pages homered while Yoshinobu Yamamoto limited Milwaukee to one run over seven innings, leading visiting Los Angeles to victory in the series finale between division leaders.

Yamamoto (4-4) scattered seven hits while striking out three and walking one. Will Klein and Tanner Scott each contributed scoreless innings as the Dodgers’ bullpen extended their franchise record to 38 consecutive scoreless frames. The streak represents the longest in the majors since 2017 when Cleveland’s bullpen recorded 38 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings.

During Los Angeles’ four-run fourth inning, Pages’ homer followed Kyle Tucker’s two-run triple. Milwaukee starter Brandon Sproat (1-3) surrendered three runs on four hits in four-plus innings. He fanned seven but issued four walks, hit a batter and threw a wild pitch.

Twins 6, Red Sox 5

Brooks Lee snapped a tie with a two-run single in the sixth inning, propelling visiting Minnesota to victory and completing a three-game series sweep of Boston.

Lee finished 2-for-4 with a double, joining three other Twins with multiple hits. Orlando Arcia went 3-for-5 with a double and one run. Minnesota starter Bailey Ober (6-2) worked five innings while allowing four runs on seven hits with three strikeouts.

Masataka Yoshida and Willson Contreras both homered while Wilyer Abreu collected two doubles for Boston. Starter Sonny Gray allowed three runs on six hits in four innings, striking out four and walking two.

Pirates 4, Blue Jays 1

Esmerlyn Valdez connected for a two-run homer in his first career major league hit, helping visiting Pittsburgh defeat Toronto and salvage the series finale.

Pittsburgh right-hander Mitch Keller (5-2) delivered six solid innings, surrendering one run, four hits and three walks while striking out five. Spencer Horwitz and Oneil Cruz added solo homers while Gregory Soto navigated a hit-by-pitch and walk for his fifth save.

Ernie Clement extended his hitting streak to seven games with an RBI single to left in the fourth. Toronto lost starting pitcher Dylan Cease (two runs and four hits over 4 2/3 innings) in the fifth inning due to left hamstring discomfort before star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. departed in the bottom of the fifth after being struck on the right elbow by a pitch.

Yankees 2, Rays 0

Aaron Judge connected on a walk-off two-run homer with no outs in the ninth inning, lifting New York past visiting Tampa Bay.

New York halted a three-game slide and won for the fifth time in 15 games following a 16-3 surge. The Yankees also defeated Tampa Bay for the first time in five meetings this season, while the Rays suffered just their fifth loss in 27 games and saw a five-game winning streak end.

New York’s Ryan Weathers scattered four hits across seven innings. The left-hander struck out four and walked three. Tampa Bay starter Drew Rasmussen allowed five hits in seven frames. The right-hander fanned six and issued one walk.

Guardians 3, Phillies 1

Travis Bazzana launched a solo homer and collected three hits, while fellow rookie Parker Messick tossed 5 2/3 scoreless innings, lifting Cleveland over Philadelphia.

Steven Kwan recorded three hits as American League Central Division leader Cleveland won for the eighth time in nine games and improved to 14-4 since May 6. Messick (6-1) struck out six while lowering his ERA to 2.24, allowing five hits and two walks. The left-hander maintains a 0.60 ERA over 30 career interleague innings, the lowest in franchise history.

Andrew Painter (1-5) worked 6 1/3 innings for Philadelphia, surrendering two runs on six hits. The right-hander struck out three and walked two in his 10th major league appearance. Kyle Schwarber went 2-for-4, ending a 13 at-bat hitless streak that included 11 strikeouts, while Bryce Harper drove in Philadelphia’s run with a sacrifice fly.

Royals 8, Mariners 6

Salvador Perez went 3-for-4 with three RBIs as Kansas City defeated visiting Seattle.

Seth Lugo pitched 6 1/3 quality innings for the Royals, who won their second consecutive game following a 1-10 stretch. Maikel Garcia and Carter Jensen each drove in two runs.

Rookie Colt Emerson went 4-for-4 with three doubles while Julio Rodriguez homered for Seattle, which has dropped six of nine games. The contest stood at 8-3 before the Mariners scored three runs with two outs in the ninth.

Astros 8, Cubs 5

Nick Allen homered, singled twice, drove in two runs and scored twice, helping visiting Houston complete a three-game sweep of struggling Chicago.

Christian Walker homered for the third time in two games while Jake Meyers also went deep for Houston, which has won four of five. Astros starter Peter Lambert (3-4) surrendered three runs and five hits over five innings. The right-hander struck out five and walked four.

Michael Busch homered while Pedro Ramirez delivered an RBI double for his first MLB hit and later scored in the three-run second inning for the Cubs, who have dropped eight straight and 12 of 14. Chicago left-hander Shota Imanaga (4-5) allowed seven runs and seven hits in six innings, striking out six and walking one.

Nationals 2, Braves 1

Foster Griffin threw six scoreless innings while Nasim Nunez and Luis Garcia Jr. each drove in a run as visiting Washington defeated Atlanta.

Griffin (6-2) allowed just three hits, struck out six and walked one for the Nationals, who became the first team this season to capture a road series against Atlanta.

Ozzie Albies scored for Atlanta in the ninth on Nunez’s fielding error before Orlando Ribalta, Washington’s third pitcher of the inning, entered and recorded two outs for the save.

Diamondbacks 9, Rockies 1

Ketel Marte and Corbin Carroll spearheaded a 13-hit offensive explosion while Ryne Nelson dominated Colorado’s lineup in Phoenix.

Marte went 3-for-4 with three RBIs and three runs while Carroll finished 4-for-4 with two RBIs and two triples. Nelson (2-3) worked a career-high eight innings, striking out three and walking three, recording his first victory since April 8. Arizona’s Tommy Troy went 2-for-4 with two runs in his major league debut.

Colorado starter Jose Quintana exited in the second inning with what the team later described as left elbow discomfort. It marked just the second time in Quintana’s 15-year career he failed to pitch beyond the second inning. Jake McCarthy collected two hits for the Rockies, who suffered their fifth loss in six games.

Giants 8, White Sox 5

Rafael Devers blasted a grand slam while Casey Schmitt hit his third homer in four games as San Francisco outpowered visiting Chicago in the deciding game of their three-game interleague series.

Schmitt also doubled, scored three times and drove in three runs while Devers contributed five RBIs — four coming on his tie-breaking fifth-inning grand slam for the Giants. Robbie Ray lasted just four innings in his start due to seven walks. Keaton Winn (1-1) followed with two scoreless frames.

Chase Meidroth led off the game with his fourth homer while Miguel Vargas launched his 12th for the White Sox, who finished a 2-4 Western road trip. Chicago starter Noah Schultz (2-4) was charged with six runs on six hits in four-plus innings.

Athletics 5, Padres 2

Carlos Cortes opened Sunday’s game with a leadoff homer as the visiting Athletics salvaged the final game of their weekend series against San Diego.

Athletics star Nick Kurtz reached base three times on two hits and a walk, extending his on-base streak to 47 games, one shy of the club’s single-season record held by Mark McGwire (1996).

Ty France homered for the Padres, cutting the deficit to 4-2 in the seventh, but the Athletics added an insurance run in the ninth on Tyler Soderstrom’s RBI single.

Angels 2, Rangers 1

Donovan Walton scored on second baseman Justin Foscue’s throwing error in the bottom of the ninth as Los Angeles completed its first three-game series sweep of the season with a 2-1 victory over Texas in Anaheim, Calif.

Walton entered as a pinch runner for Jorge Soler, who singled against Gavin Collyer (1-1) with one out and advanced to second when Jo Adell was hit by a pitch. Oswald Peraza then grounded into a potential double play, but Walton scored on Foscue’s errant throw to first baseman Jake Burger.

Starter Reid Detmers turned in a commanding performance for the Angels, who have won three straight for the first time since April 4-6. Detmers allowed one hit — Burger’s leadoff homer in the second — while striking out a career-high 14 batters with zero walks over eight innings. He retired a career-high 21 consecutive batters after Burger’s homer.

Victor Wembanyama of San Antonio requested possession of the basketball during the closing moments of the opening half. He received it while standing 65 feet away from the rim.

Three Oklahoma City players stood between him and the basket. He dribbled three times. He earned three points.

And he accomplished it with remarkable ease.

The successful three-point shot from near midcourt as time expired in the first half generated perhaps the most thunderous cheers of his evening, though it represented just one of many instances where Wembanyama dominated Game 4 of the Western Conference finals on Sunday.

Despite sitting out most of the fourth quarter, he recorded 33 points, eight rebounds, five assists and three blocked shots while the Spurs defeated the Thunder 103-82 to even the Western Conference championship series at two victories each.

“The truth is that we had never been in this kind of situation before,” Wembanyama said. “It was our first deficit in a playoff series and we just responded. It was nothing amazing. It wasn’t magic. We just did what we needed to do.”

Put differently, he expressed no shock at the outcome. A squad that won 62 games during the regular season — and one that has now defeated Oklahoma City six times in nine meetings this year — should no longer be caught off guard by any development.

Game 5 takes place Tuesday in Oklahoma City.

Following San Antonio’s defeat in Game 3, Wembanyama accepted responsibility for the loss, stating that the Spurs were “going to see what we’re made of” in Game 4 and emphasizing his need to better involve his teammates.

He fulfilled those promises completely.

“I saw a lot and I’m not surprised,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said. “I think our competitive response all year has been pretty good — and he’s been at the forefront of that more often than not. I think tonight, not speaking for him, he felt an obligation to set a tone for us in a variety of ways.”

Wembanyama tallied 11 points during the opening quarter, added 11 more on 10 shooting attempts in the second quarter, and concluded that stretch with his buzzer-beating three-pointer before intermission.

On the defensive side, his performance may have been even more impressive.

The unanimous Defensive Player of the Year — who received recognition on Sunday evening as a first-team All-NBA selection for the first time — spearheaded a defensive performance that limited Oklahoma City to their lowest point total of the season while forcing a season-high-tying 20 turnovers.

Prior to Sunday, the Thunder had scored at least 108 points in every playoff contest.

“We’ve played 12 playoff games. When you play 12 playoff games, they’re not all going to be masterpieces,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. “As much as you want to win, there’s nights where you just don’t have it for whatever reason.”

On Sunday, Wembanyama may have provided that reason. The Thunder were outscored by 29 points during his minutes on the court. They converted 18 of 41 attempts in the paint, with Wembanyama significantly impacting those shots, forcing more outside attempts — where they managed just 12 of 50.

When asked about how the Spurs contained the Thunder so effectively, he responded:

“I’m not going to get into details, but in general, being more disciplined and just trusting the game plan even more,” Wembanyama said.

The Spurs will travel to Oklahoma City on Monday for Tuesday’s game, with the victor moving within one win of reaching the NBA Finals. Wembanyama clearly understands that despite this significant victory, the challenge only intensifies moving forward.

“The series is far from over,” Wembanyama said. “We’ve got six more wins before we can rest.”

Oklahoma City Thunder’s Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic earned every single first-team vote from the media panel, securing their spots on the All-NBA first team that was revealed Sunday evening.

Each player captured all 100 first-team votes from the media panel, earning them 500 total points apiece.

San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama (498) received one second-place vote, preventing him from achieving unanimous status. Dallas Mavericks’ Luka Doncic (91 first-place votes, 482 points) and Detroit Pistons’ Cade Cunningham (60, 414) rounded out the first team.

Gilgeous-Alexander, who claimed his second consecutive MVP award this month, secured his fourth consecutive All-NBA first team spot. This season, he posted averages of 31.1 points, a personal-best 6.6 assists and 4.3 rebounds while connecting on 55.3% of his field goal attempts.

Jokic, who has earned MVP honors three times, placed second in voting behind Gilgeous-Alexander. The center claimed his sixth All-NBA first-team honor after posting 27.7 points per game and topping the league in both rebounds (12.9) and assists (career-high 10.7) per contest, becoming just the second player alongside Russell Westbrook to record triple-double averages across multiple seasons in NBA history.

Wembanyama secured his first All-NBA first-team recognition. He placed third in MVP balloting and earned unanimous Defensive Player of the Year recognition. Wembanyama posted career-high averages of 25.0 points and 11.5 rebounds while pacing the league with 3.1 blocks per contest.

Doncic and Cunningham each appeared in 64 contests — falling one game short of the 65-game minimum for awards consideration — but successfully appealed to remain eligible for honors. Doncic sat out two games after traveling to Slovenia for his daughter’s birth and suffered a hamstring injury in his 64th appearance, sidelining him for the remainder of the regular season, while Cunningham was absent for 11 games due to a collapsed lung.

Doncic topped the NBA in scoring (33.5) for the second time in his professional career while earning first-team All-NBA recognition for the sixth time and his first with the Lakers. His previous five selections came during his tenure with the Dallas Mavericks. He established a Lakers franchise record by connecting on 254 three-pointers while also contributing 8.3 assists and 7.7 rebounds per game.

Cunningham has emerged as the primary catalyst behind the Pistons’ improvement, as the team posted the Eastern Conference’s top regular season record. He captured his first All-NBA first-team selection by averaging 23.9 points, a career-high 9.9 assists and 5.5 rebounds.

Boston Celtics’ Jaylen Brown (384 points) earned 44 first-place votes while securing a second team position. His second team teammates included Los Angeles Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard (four, 277), Cleveland Cavaliers’ Donovan Mitchell (two, 276), Houston Rockets’ Kevin Durant (241 points) and New York Knicks’ Jalen Brunson (197).

The third team consists of Philadelphia 76ers’ Tyrese Maxey (168 points), Nuggets’ Jamal Murray (149), Atlanta Hawks’ Jalen Johnson (125), Pistons’ Jalen Duren (121) and Thunder’s Chet Holmgren (87).

Notable players who failed to make any team included Portland Trail Blazers’ Deni Avdija (26) and Knicks’ Karl-Anthony Towns (14).

Several players were ineligible due to failing to meet the 65-game requirement, including Lakers’ LeBron James, Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo, Minnesota Timberwolves’ Anthony Edwards and Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry.

LAS VEGAS (AP) — A controversial ruling on what the Vegas Golden Knights believed was a legitimate goal created a pivotal momentum shift Sunday, allowing the Colorado Avalanche to build a commanding 3-0 advantage that proved significant in Game 3 of the Western Conference Final.

The sequence proved potentially decisive as the Avalanche work to overcome their 2-0 series disadvantage.

Vegas player Pavel Dorofeyev seemed to net a power-play score with 7:26 remaining in the opening period, but referees instantly nullified the goal and maintained their decision following video examination. The Golden Knights celebrated immediately despite the initial ruling being against them, going through their congratulatory routine while expecting the call to be reversed after official video analysis.

Referees determined on the ice that the puck deflected off Dorofeyev’s glove, as reported by the ESPN broadcast, and concluded the video evidence was not definitive enough to overturn.

Dorofeyev’s stick may have also been positioned above the crossbar, though it appeared to be approximately level with it.

Colorado capitalized on the momentum shift when Jack Drury broke free on a solo rush, using deceptive moves against Vegas netminder Carter Hart to net a short-handed score with 6:45 remaining, extending the lead to three goals.

Star forward Wilfried Zaha has concluded his tenure with Charlotte FC, with both the player and organization announcing the departure on Sunday.

The forward’s loan agreement concludes on June 30, and Charlotte’s upcoming contest won’t occur until July 22 when they face Atlanta United following the World Cup break.

“The moment has come to say goodbye, but I just wanted to thank Charlotte, the city, for welcoming me and my family with open arms and allowing me to fall in love with the game again,” Zaha wrote on Instagram.

“There’s been many highs and many lows, but it’s about the journey in the end, and I loved every minute. … I’m going to miss you all dearly, but keep our relationships in my heart forever!!”

The 33-year-old forward recorded three goals and four assists across 13 appearances during the current campaign. In his inaugural season with Charlotte, he contributed 10 goals and 10 assists, helping the team secure a playoff berth.

“Wilfried has been an important part of Charlotte FC since his arrival on loan last winter and has played a key role in our attack since joining,” Charlotte general manager Zoran Krneta said in a statement. “Last season, Wilf helped us reach the top four in the Eastern Conference for the first time, and he approached every match with a hunger and desire to perform for our supporters.”

The forward was playing on loan from Turkish club Galatasaray.

Zaha was not selected for the Ivory Coast squad for the upcoming World Cup. He has recorded five goals in 36 international appearances for the Ivory Coast national team.

America’s premier racing events united in remembrance of Kyle Busch during Memorial Day weekend’s biggest motorsports celebrations, as both IndyCar and NASCAR paid special homage to the two-time champion who passed away unexpectedly on Thursday.

The 41-year-old racing star succumbed to complications from severe pneumonia and sepsis just three days ahead of both the Indianapolis 500 and NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600, where he had been scheduled to compete.

During pre-race ceremonies, NASCAR CEO Steve O’Donnell delivered heartfelt remarks while standing alongside Busch’s wife Samantha and their children – 11-year-old Brexton and 4-year-old Lennix. O’Donnell declared that “Kyle Busch is NASCAR. He was one of a kind and there will never be another.”

The organization has announced plans to retire Busch’s iconic No. 8 until his son Brexton reaches racing age, with O’Donnell addressing the family directly during the ceremony.

“Samantha, I want you to know that this sport stands with you, and that you and your children are NASCAR family forever. And Brexton and Lennix, your dad loved you with all his heart. Everyone gathered here, everyone behind you, everybody watching on TV, and all those people up in that grandstand are your family — and we’ve got you,” O’Donnell stated.

Charlotte Motor Speedway organizers created a massive tribute featuring Busch’s number 8 and autograph displayed prominently on the frontstretch infield. Every competing vehicle in the 39-car lineup carried special Busch commemorative decals.

A particularly moving tribute occurred during the eighth lap, when both track announcers and television broadcasters observed complete silence in the driver’s honor.

While Busch had been piloting the No. 8 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing since 2023, his greatest achievements came during his tenure with Joe Gibbs Racing from 2008 through 2022, where he captured NASCAR Cup Series championships in 2015 and 2019 behind the wheel of the No. 18 Toyota.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway also incorporated memorial elements, including a special mention during opening ceremonies and Dale Coyne Racing’s decision to replicate Busch’s distinctive lettering style on Romain Grosjean’s No. 18 entry.

On the 18th lap of the Indianapolis 500, the facility’s electronic scoring display illuminated with Busch’s image and name, along with his birth and death years “1985-2026.”

Busch had previously conquered Indianapolis Motor Speedway twice, claiming NASCAR’s Brickyard 400 victories in both 2015 and 2016.

Felix Rosenqvist secured victory in the most narrow Indianapolis 500 finish ever recorded, overtaking David Malukas in a thrilling final-lap battle that ended with just 0.0233 seconds separating the two drivers.

The dramatic conclusion unfolded when Malukas appeared positioned for victory after surpassing race leader Marcus Armstrong following the final restart with one lap remaining. As Rosenqvist and Armstrong engaged in an intense side-by-side duel through the back stretch and into the closing turn, Rosenqvist managed to generate sufficient power to distance himself from Armstrong and slip behind Malukas before executing the winning maneuver in the last 50 feet. The previous record for the tightest finish occurred in 1992 when Al Unser Jr. defeated Scott Goodyear by 0.043 seconds across the yard of bricks.

NASCAR paid tribute to the late Kyle Busch during the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. NASCAR CEO Steve O’Donnell stood alongside Busch’s widow Samantha and their children, Brexton and Lennix, providing comfort during the ceremony. “We got you,” O’Donnell told the family before the race began. Former driver Kurt Busch and Kyle’s parents were also present for the tribute. The two-time Cup Series champion passed away Thursday at age 41 due to severe pneumonia that developed into sepsis. Memorial gestures included displaying a large No. 8 on the frontstretch grass, observing a moment of silence, and maintaining quiet during the eighth lap of the race.

At the CJ Cup Byron Nelson in McKinney, Texas, Wyndham Clark fired an impressive 11-under 60 to claim victory on Sunday, finishing three strokes ahead of Si Woo Kim and surpassing defending champion Scottie Scheffler after beginning the final day in a tie with the top-ranked local favorite. The 2023 U.S. Open winner, who completed the tournament at 30-under 254, seized the lead for the first time during the final round with an eagle on the par-5 12th hole and established two-shot advantages twice over the closing four holes with crucial birdie putts while posting 28 on the back nine. Both Kim and Scheffler finished with matching 65s.

Tennis star Novak Djokovic rallied from a set deficit to defeat French player Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard 5-7, 7-5, 6-1, 6-4 in the opening round of the French Open, marking his record 82nd Grand Slam tournament appearance. The evening crowd enthusiastically supported the possibility of an upset, though Djokovic hasn’t suffered a first-round Grand Slam defeat in two decades. Following two competitive sets, Mpetshi Perricard appeared to lose momentum. Djokovic wasn’t the only veteran player to advance at Roland Garros, as 36-year-old Marco Trungelliti defeated Kyrian Jacquet 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 after recently becoming the oldest man in the professional era to enter the top 100 rankings.

Ukrainian player Marta Kostyuk’s first-round French Open victory became emotionally challenging after learning beforehand that a missile nearly struck her parents’ residence in Ukraine. Kostyuk struggled to contain her emotions following her 6-2, 6-3 defeat of Oksana Selekhmeteva on Court Simonne-Mathieu during the opening day of the clay-court Grand Slam in western Paris, where temperatures reached 33 Celsius (91 Fahrenheit). Runner-up Alexander Zverev also progressed to the next round, while former U.S. Open champion Emma Raducanu and former French Open finalists Sloane Stephens and Sofia Kenin were eliminated.

Italian teenager Kimi Antonelli claimed his fourth consecutive Formula 1 victory at the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal after Mercedes teammate George Russell suffered an engine failure. The title-contending Mercedes drivers delivered an exciting performance over 30 laps, exchanging the lead multiple times and nearly making contact before Russell encountered mechanical problems. This cleared the way for the 19-year-old Antonelli to win ahead of Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton, who passed Red Bull’s Max Verstappen for second place with six laps remaining in cold and windy conditions at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Antonelli now holds a 43-point advantage over Russell in the championship standings.

The Premier League season concluded with West Ham facing relegation while Tottenham secured their top-flight status, as Pep Guardiola and Mohamed Salah bid emotional farewells following remarkable tenures in English football. Despite West Ham’s 3-0 victory over Leeds, they couldn’t escape the relegation zone because fourth-from-bottom Tottenham won 1-0 at home against Everton, maintaining a two-point cushion over West Ham. Guardiola’s ten-year period at Manchester City ended with a 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa. Salah received a standing ovation and kissed the Anfield pitch when substituted in his 442nd and final appearance for Liverpool during a 1-1 draw with Brentford.

Arsenal owner Stan Kroenke witnessed his team’s players celebrate with the Premier League trophy following their campaign-ending 2-1 victory at Crystal Palace. Captain Martin Odegaard gazed skyward and back at the trophy in amazement before leading his celebrating teammates in lifting it amid tickertape and fireworks inside Selhurst Park. Arsenal secured their first English league championship since 2004 with one match remaining after three consecutive runner-up campaigns. Kroenke traveled to London for the trophy presentation and watched the Palace match alongside his son, Josh.

Katherine Legge’s historic attempt to become the first woman to complete racing’s “Double” – covering 1,100 miles across two tracks in one day – ended prematurely when she crashed during the Indianapolis 500. The English driver completed only 17 of 200 scheduled laps at Indianapolis Motor Speedway before colliding with Ryan Hunter-Reay’s car, eliminating both vehicles from competition. Both drivers were examined and cleared at the track’s medical facility. Legge proceeded to Charlotte Motor Speedway for the Coca-Cola 600, where she started in 37th position.

New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson remains focused on the immediate task rather than reflecting on his team’s 10-game winning streak or the prospect of reaching the NBA Finals, despite being one victory away from that goal. Brunson and his teammates are concentrating on the opening 12 minutes of Monday night’s Game 4 in the Eastern Conference finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers. This focused approach has propelled New York to a 10-game winning streak with an average victory margin of 22.5 points, putting them one win away from their first finals appearance since 1999. No NBA team has ever surrendered a 3-0 series lead, and the Knicks show no indication of becoming the first among 164 such series.

The WNBA reversed a technical foul penalty against Dallas Wings player Paige Bueckers on Sunday, two days after the controversial call was made during a game.

The incident occurred when Bueckers was attacking the basket during the third quarter and received a foul call from Indya Nivar. After the referee’s whistle, Bueckers clapped her hands three times, which resulted in the technical foul being assessed.

“I was hyped and showing passion and joy and I got penalized for that,” the second-year guard told reporters Saturday.

The league’s reversal spares Bueckers from paying a $500 penalty. The decision also preserves a friendly wager between Bueckers and teammate Alysha Clark, who bet that Bueckers could avoid receiving any technical fouls this season. Clark revealed she assisted in getting the call overturned.

“I gave her a little something to send in with it,” Clark said. “I just felt it wasn’t warranted. If I’m going to win money out of her I want it to be legit. I want to be able to sleep at night. I don’t want that it’s not deserving to get her money.”

While disagreeing with the original call, Bueckers recognized that league referees face a “really extremely hard job” and are working to maintain better game control compared to the previous season.

Nevertheless, she argued that players should have the freedom to display emotion during games.

“See that we were down a ton and we’re making a run, so we’re obviously going to be hyped up and showing a bunch of passion and joy and fire, like, that’s what basketball’s all about,” Bueckers said.

In Sunday’s action, Bueckers contributed 24 points as the Wings defeated the New York Liberty 91-76, improving their season record to 4-3.

The captain of the Golden Knights, Mark Stone, will take the ice Sunday evening as Vegas hosts the Colorado Avalanche for Game 3 of the Western Conference finals in Las Vegas.

Vegas coach John Tortorella revealed the news roughly 2 1/2 hours before game time. The Golden Knights currently hold a 2-0 advantage in the series.

Stone has been sidelined for five consecutive games after suffering a lower-body injury on May 8 during Game 3 of the second-round matchup with the Anaheim Ducks.

Vegas defenseman Noah Hanifin expressed enthusiasm about Stone’s comeback, noting the veteran’s clutch performance with 92 points (44 goals, 48 assists) across 121 career playoff contests.

“It’s huge,” Hanifin said to reporters about Stone. “Obviously, his talent speaks for itself but just his character and leadership, just to have him back in the room and get his voice back, it’s going to be huge for our team.

“Anytime he comes back it’s like he didn’t miss a beat so we’re very excited to have him back in the lineup.”

Stone has compiled seven points (three goals, four assists) through nine playoff games.

The 34-year-old Stone achieved career-best numbers this season with 73 points (28 goals, 45 assists) and a plus-26 rating across 60 games.

Throughout 766 NHL contests with the Ottawa Senators (2012-19) and Golden Knights, Stone has accumulated 707 points (259 goals, 448 assists) with a plus-167 rating.

On the other side, Avalanche star defenseman Cale Makar’s availability remains uncertain as he will reportedly evaluate his condition before game time. He has sat out both opening games of the series due to an upper-body injury.

Colorado coach Jared Bednar remained tight-lipped about Makar’s status.

“You’ll have to wait and see,” Bednar said to reporters.

Makar has participated in nine playoff games this postseason, contributing four goals and one assist.

The 27-year-old Makar earned the Norris Trophy as the league’s top defenseman in 2021-22 and 2024-25, and has received another nomination this season.

He captured the Conn Smythe Trophy when the Avalanche won the Stanley Cup four years ago.

Makar has amassed 507 points (136 goals, 371 assists) across 470 career games during seven seasons with the Avalanche. He posted 20 goals and 59 assists in 75 games throughout the 2025-26 regular season.

PARIS, May 24 – The opening day of the French Open tennis tournament on Sunday brought dramatic matches and surprising results across the courts in Paris (all times listed in GMT):

2134 DJOKOVIC ADVANCES PAST PERRICARD

Third-seeded Serbian player Novak Djokovic managed to defeat French competitor Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in four sets, winning 5-7 7-5 6-1 6-4 during first-round action.

1854 BASAVAREDDY UPSETS FRITZ

In a major surprise, American Taylor Fritz, seeded seventh, fell to compatriot Nishesh Basavareddy, who holds the 148th world ranking. The 21-year-old wildcard entry secured victory with scores of 7-6(5) 7-6(5) 6-7(9) 6-1 in their opening-round encounter.

1749 FONSECA ADVANCES TO ROUND TWO

19-year-old Brazilian player Joao Fonseca dominated his opening match against Luka Pavlovic, winning 7-6(6) 6-4 6-2. The 28th-seeded player, who made it to round three in the previous year’s tournament, will next meet Croatia’s Dino Prizmic.

1730 RADUCANU ELIMINATED BY SIERRA

Emma Raducanu from Britain, who claimed the 2021 U.S. Open title, was defeated by Argentina’s Solana Sierra with scores of 6-0 7-6(4).

1548 ANDREEVA DEFEATS FERRO

Eighth-seeded Russian player Mirra Andreeva, who reached the semi-finals in 2024, secured a straightforward 6-3 6-3 victory against French player Fiona Ferro.

1514 BAPTISTE ELIMINATES FORMER TITLEHOLDER KREJCIKOVA

26th-seeded American Hailey Baptiste mounted a comeback after dropping the first set to defeat Barbora Krejcikova, the 2021 French Open winner and 2024 Wimbledon champion, with scores of 6-7(7) 7-6(6) 6-2.

1414 ZVEREV OVERPOWERS BONZI

Second-seeded German Alexander Zverev launched his campaign for his maiden Grand Slam championship with a commanding straight-set victory over French player Benjamin Bonzi, 6-3 6-4 6-2.

The three-time Grand Slam finalist, who reached the Roland Garros final in 2024, may see increased opportunities with defending two-time champion Carlos Alcaraz absent due to a wrist injury.

Nevertheless, the 29-year-old confronts significant competition, particularly from world number one Jannik Sinner, who has been in exceptional form.

1205 KHACHANOV DEFEATS GEA

13th-seeded Russian Karen Khachanov eliminated French wildcard entry Arthur Gea with scores of 6-3 7-6(3) 6-0.

1142 BENCIC OVERWHELMS KRAUS

Swiss 11th seed Belinda Bencic handled Austria’s Sinja Kraus with ease, securing a 6-2 6-3 win on Court Philippe-Chatrier.

The Tokyo 2020 Olympic gold medalist hopes for an extended tournament run this year, having never advanced past the third round at Roland Garros previously.

0909 COMPETITION BEGINS

Matches commenced under clear, sunny conditions, with temperatures at Roland Garros reaching approximately 28 degrees Celsius. Public weather service Meteo France predicted temperatures would climb to 34 degrees later in the day.

Former Olympic champion Belinda Bencic, holding the 11th seed, faced Austrian qualifier Sinja Kraus in the opening match on Court Philippe Chatrier.

CLEVELAND (AP) — With the New York Knicks riding a remarkable 10-game winning streak and standing just one victory away from the NBA Finals, Jalen Brunson refuses to get ahead of himself or dwell on past successes.

Instead, Brunson and his teammates are laser-focused on the opening moments of Monday night’s Game 4 in the Eastern Conference finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

“So you have the first possession, the first quarter, and then you have the end of the first half and you go on,” Brunson explained following Saturday’s 121-108 win. “You just continue to just deal with what’s in front of you and just have your teammates’ back. Make sure everyone’s on the same page, making sure that everyone’s holding each other accountable. That’s just the most important thing right now.”

This tunnel-vision mentality has propelled New York to their current 10-game victory run, with the team dominating opponents by an average of 22.5 points per game. The Knicks now sit one win away from reaching their first championship series since 1999.

Throughout NBA history, no team has ever overcome a 3-0 series deficit, and New York shows no indication of becoming the first squad to surrender such an advantage across 164 attempts.

Each time observers believe the Knicks have reached their ceiling, the team discovers another level. Forward OG Anunoby, who sat out the final two contests of the Philadelphia series with a strained right hamstring, contributed 21 points, seven rebounds and four assists in Saturday’s triumph.

During the current winning streak, Anunoby ranks second on the team in scoring, putting up 19.8 points across eight games.

Brunson has been posting 29 points per game in this series and 27.8 throughout the playoffs, while Karl-Anthony Towns is recording a double-double with 16.8 points and 10.3 rebounds, plus 6.1 assists.

According to Brunson, the team’s depth and preparedness philosophy has been evident throughout the series.

“We have a bunch of individuals in that we locker room who work really hard and they’re very psychotic about their work and the things they do, and making sure that they’re ready physically and mentally so when their number’s called and then when there’s time to go out there, they’re ready,” Brunson noted. “We have a lot of real professionals on our roster.”

New York has controlled the series momentum ever since mounting a comeback from a 22-point fourth-quarter deficit to beat Cleveland 115-104 in the opener. Towns emphasized that despite their commanding position, the Knicks maintain the same urgency they had at the series start.

“We’ve got to come out with that same desperation as Game 1. What got us here as a team, we’ve won all these games in a row as a team, we’ve had this winning streak as a team. As long as we stay together, we stay unified, we always have felt that the sky’s the limit for us,” he stated.

The scheduling disparity shows Cleveland preparing for their 14th contest since April 29, compared to New York’s ninth game in that span.

The Cavaliers are struggling from beyond the arc at just 29.4% and have converted 50 of 74 free throw attempts. While Donovan Mitchell continues averaging 26 points in the series, he appears to lack the explosive speed displayed in earlier playoff rounds.

Coach Kenny Atkinson hopes his squad can discover enough energy to prevent a sweep, but acknowledges his players are exhausted after surviving back-to-back seven-game series against Toronto and Detroit to reach their first Eastern Conference final in eight years.

“I said it before this series, the rest disadvantage is real. It’s massive, right? And it plays into it. I don’t think anybody has a grip on what that really means saying, ‘Well why are you shooting so below expected? Is that a part of it?’ I don’t know. I don’t have that answer,” he admitted.

Colorado Rockies pitcher Jose Quintana was forced to leave Sunday’s game against the Arizona Diamondbacks after experiencing discomfort in his left elbow, cutting his outing short in the second inning.

The 37-year-old left-handed pitcher departed the game with one out remaining in the bottom of the second frame while his team was already trailing 5-0 on the road.

Team officials later confirmed that Quintana was dealing with left elbow discomfort that prompted his early departure.

The veteran pitcher’s exit came suddenly, with no relief pitcher warming up in the bullpen at the time. Medical staff visited the mound after Quintana allowed a hard-hit ground-rule double to Ketel Marte, and the starter left the field moments later.

This marks another injury setback for Quintana, who missed several weeks earlier this season due to a hamstring injury that kept him sidelined from March into April. His performance on Sunday was challenging, as he surrendered six earned runs on six hits, pushing his season earned run average up to 5.27.

Blas Castano took over pitching duties for Colorado, throwing 3 2/3 innings in relief following Quintana’s departure.

MONTREAL, May 24 – Championship frontrunner Kimi Antonelli secured his fourth consecutive Formula One victory on Sunday at the Canadian Grand Prix after his Mercedes teammate George Russell was forced to withdraw due to a power unit malfunction before reaching the race’s midpoint.

Russell, who began the race from the front position, had been engaged in an exciting duel with Antonelli for the top spot before his car came to a stop alongside the track during lap 30 of the 68-lap event at Montreal’s Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

Lewis Hamilton of Ferrari claimed the runner-up position, finishing 10.7 seconds behind the 19-year-old Italian driver, while Red Bull’s Max Verstappen secured third place for his first podium finish of the current season.

Following the race, Antonelli expanded his championship advantage over Russell from 18 points to 43 points after completing five grand prix events, with Mercedes claiming victory in all races as well as three Saturday sprint competitions.

PARIS, May 24 – Novak Djokovic launched his pursuit of a historic 25th Grand Slam championship by setting a new record and overcoming an early challenge, defeating Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard 5-7 7-5 6-1 6-4 in Sunday’s French Open first round.

The Serbian tennis star surpassed Roger Federer’s record for most Grand Slam men’s singles tournament appearances, reaching 82 total competitions, though he struggled early at Court Philippe Chatrier after competing in just one clay court match this season.

His lack of recent clay court practice became evident when Mpetshi Perricard secured a 6-5 advantage in the first set, then sealed it with a powerful ace to become the first player in 17 years to win an opening set against Djokovic in Roland Garros’s first round.

“Congratulations to Giovanni,” Djokovic said in French. “I played him for the first time and it’s practically impossible to see where he will serve. It’s something I’ve seen maybe one or two times in my career, with Reilly Opelka or Ivo Karlovic.

“In a match like that, you have to stay focused and wait for an opportunity. It was a bit difficult, but in the end, I found my best tennis and best return game at the right moment.”

The tournament’s third seed managed to handle more of Mpetshi Perricard’s baseline power and finally capitalized on his 10th break opportunity in the second set to even the match, with the 39-year-old gradually increasing his intensity to dominate the third set.

After Mpetshi Perricard needed medical attention for wrist and arm problems and managed to recover an early break in the fourth set, Djokovic regained the lead at 4-3 and secured his opening victory in his 22nd consecutive Grand Slam tournament appearance.

Following his victory, Djokovic performed a small celebratory dance before acknowledging his supporters in the crowd.

“Beautiful atmosphere, it gives me a lot of sensations on the court,” he said.

Los Angeles Dodgers versatile player Enrique Hernandez will take the field Monday for his first game of the season following his recovery from left elbow surgery.

The 34-year-old had the surgical procedure in November after being sidelined for two months during the 2025 season because of elbow problems. Hernandez returned to the Dodgers organization by signing a one-year deal valued at $4.5 million in February.

The surgical recovery kept Hernandez from representing Puerto Rico during the World Baseball Classic in March.

Monday’s starting lineup against the Colorado Rockies is expected to include Hernandez.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts spoke with reporters Sunday about Hernandez’s return, saying: “There’s a different energy with (Hernandez). There’s a levity. There’s an intensity. There’s a good worker in there, a winning player. So I’m looking forward to having that edge.”

Hernandez’s return comes at a crucial time as third baseman Max Muncy has been dealing with right wrist discomfort following a hit-by-pitch from Milwaukee Brewers left-hander Aaron Ashby on Friday.

Muncy remained out of action Saturday and Sunday and faces additional medical testing if his wrist continues to cause problems Monday.

The 35-year-old Muncy has posted a .258 batting average this season with 12 home runs and 19 RBIs across 48 games.

Last season, Hernandez recorded a .203 batting average with 10 homers and 35 RBIs in 92 games. Throughout his 12 major league seasons, including nine with the Dodgers across two different periods, Hernandez maintains a career .236 batting average with 130 home runs and 470 RBIs in 1,275 games.

Hernandez has built his reputation on postseason performance, delivering 16 home runs and 42 RBIs in 103 career playoff games while contributing to the Dodgers’ World Series championships in 2020, 2024 and 2025.

During his time with the Boston Red Sox in 2021, Hernandez connected for five home runs in the postseason as the team advanced to the American League Championship Series before losing to the Houston Astros.

Chicago Cubs right-handed pitcher Edward Cabrera has been added to the 15-day injured list Sunday after developing a blister on the middle finger of his throwing hand.

The Cubs made the roster move effective Thursday and brought up left-handed pitcher Jordan Wicks from Triple-A Iowa as Cabrera’s replacement. Chicago entered Sunday’s matchup with the Houston Astros holding a 29-23 record but sitting in third place within the National League Central division while enduring a seven-game skid.

The 28-year-old Cabrera has posted a 3-2 record with a 4.00 ERA across 10 starts this season.

Chicago’s pitching staff continues to face injury challenges, with left-hander Matthew Boyd still recovering from left knee surgery performed on May 7. Boyd completed a simulated multi-inning session from the mound Friday and is expected to face live hitters during batting practice this week while the team plays a four-game series in Pittsburgh.

The Cubs have already ruled out right-hander Cade Horton for the season following elbow surgery, while left-hander Justin Steele may not return from his left flexor strain until after the All-Star break.

Wicks compiled a 0-1 record with a 6.28 ERA in eight appearances for Chicago last season and was 0-2 with a 4.44 ERA in seven Triple-A starts this year.

American tennis player Taylor Fritz experienced a surprising early exit from the French Open on Sunday, falling to compatriot Nishesh Basavareddy in a first-round upset that highlighted his ongoing struggles following injury.

The seventh-seeded Fritz lost 7-6(5) 7-6(5) 6-7(9) 6-1 to the 21-year-old wildcard entry on Court Suzanne Lenglen in Paris, marking another disappointing result in what has been a challenging clay court campaign disrupted by physical setbacks.

Fritz had been sidelined for two months with a knee problem and only returned to competition last week in Geneva, where he also suffered an opening-round loss. The rust from his extended absence was evident as he struggled against Basavareddy’s varied tactical approach.

The match began competitively with both players trading games in the opening set before Basavareddy claimed it in a closely contested tiebreaker. Fritz appeared to find his rhythm early in the second set but quickly lost momentum when his opponent broke serve and began implementing effective drop shots that created difficulties throughout the contest.

Facing the prospect of consecutive first-round exits at Roland Garros, Fritz watched as the world number 148 Basavareddy delivered powerful serves in the second-set tiebreak to establish a commanding two-set advantage.

The third set remained on serve through 12 games, with Fritz showing emotion by screaming after winning the tiebreak and saving a match point to extend the contest. However, Basavareddy maintained his composure and dominated the final set to secure his first victory over a top-10 opponent.

Basavareddy will advance to face either Alexander Shevchenko or Alex Michelsen in the second round of the tournament.

British racing driver Katherine Legge’s bid to complete one of motorsports’ most challenging feats came to an abrupt halt Sunday when she was involved in a crash during the Indianapolis 500, ending her participation after only 18 laps.

The 45-year-old was attempting the demanding “double” – racing in both the Indy 500 and the NASCAR Coca-Cola 600 on the same Memorial Day weekend, covering a total of 1,100 miles with minimal time between events.

The incident occurred as Legge navigated Turn 2 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Ryan Hunter-Reay lost control of his Chevrolet and hit the wall, creating smoke that obscured Legge’s vision. When she finally spotted Hunter-Reay’s damaged vehicle, she was forced to make a sudden maneuver to the left to avoid contact, but the evasive action sent her spinning into the infield barrier.

“He came back up the track, so last minute I had to go left. It just wasn’t enough time to avoid,” Legge explained after the crash.

Both drivers walked away from their damaged vehicles without assistance and were evaluated at the medical facility with no injuries reported. Legge was driving the No. 11 Chevrolet for HMD Motorsports with A.J. Foyt Racing.

Despite the setback, Legge remained committed to attempting the second half of her ambitious plan, traveling to Charlotte to compete in the evening NASCAR race from the 37th starting position.

“Desperately frustrating,” she said about the early end to her Indy 500 run. “To be taken out by something not in your control, it would be slightly better to be taken out by something in your control … we were looking forward to a long day, 1,100 miles.”

The crash left Legge with limited time to shift her focus and equipment for the NASCAR event. “I need to have an attitude adjustment, because right now I’m pissed,” she admitted. “And disappointed. I need to get on that plane and try and get into the right mindset.”

Legge was the sole female competitor in this year’s Indianapolis 500 field. She became the sixth driver to attempt the Memorial Day weekend double since John Andretti pioneered the concept in 1994 for AJ Foyt Racing. Andretti managed a 10th-place finish at Indianapolis but encountered engine problems after 220 laps at Charlotte.

“Very few drivers ever get the opportunity to attempt the ‘double,’ and I do not take that opportunity lightly,” Legge had said before the weekend. “This challenge is about pushing through perceived limits … and trying to do something unique.”

Only Tony Stewart has successfully completed both races on the lead lap in the same day, accomplishing the feat in 2001.

Weather conditions forced the cancellation of Sunday’s final game between the St. Louis Cardinals and Cincinnati Reds at Cincinnati, marking the second weather-related postponement of the weekend series.

The canceled contest will be rescheduled as part of a split-doubleheader on August 17th.

Friday’s series opener also fell victim to bad weather conditions. The National League Central division teams responded by playing two games on Saturday, with St. Louis dominating the opening contest 8-1 before Cincinnati fought back to win the nightcap 7-6 in an 11-inning thriller.

St. Louis enters Monday’s three-game road series against the Milwaukee Brewers having dropped three of their previous four contests.

Meanwhile, Cincinnati has captured three victories in their last four outings. The Reds begin a three-game road series against the New York Mets on Monday.

Two Toronto Blue Jays stars were forced to leave Sunday’s matchup against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the fifth inning after suffering separate injuries.

Right-handed pitcher Dylan Cease departed the contest with what team officials described as “mild left hamstring discomfort” while Toronto trailed 2-1. Mason Fluharty stepped in to replace Cease, who had recorded eight strikeouts and allowed four hits and two runs with one walk over 4 2/3 innings of work.

Meanwhile, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. exited after taking a pitch from Mitch Keller that struck his right elbow. The first baseman immediately headed to the clubhouse while Lenyn Sosa entered the game as a pinch runner.

Medical tests later revealed that Guerrero sustained a right elbow contusion, though team officials confirmed that X-ray results came back negative.

Prior to his injury, Guerrero had drawn two walks and crossed home plate once during the contest.

Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Jonny DeLuca has been sidelined with a right hamstring strain, landing him on the 10-day injured list as of Sunday.

The roster move takes effect retroactively from Saturday.

DeLuca suffered the hamstring injury while running out an infield single during the seventh inning of Tampa Bay’s 4-2 win against the New York Yankees on Friday, experiencing a pull in the muscle during the play.

This season, DeLuca has posted a .269 batting average along with two home runs and 19 RBIs across 41 games. The 27-year-old player holds career statistics of a .244 batting average with 10 home runs and 60 RBIs over 192 games between his time with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Rays.

To fill the roster vacancy, the Rays brought up outfielder Victor Mesa Jr. from Triple-A Durham on Sunday.

The 24-year-old Mesa posted a .188 batting average with one home run and six RBIs during 16 games with the Miami Marlins last season. This year in the minor leagues, he has been performing well with a .350 batting average, three home runs, and nine RBIs across 21 games at two different levels.

PARIS, May 24 – Key results and action from Sunday’s opening day of the French Open tennis tournament (all times GMT):

1730 RADUCANU ELIMINATED BY SIERRA

Emma Raducanu of Britain, who won the 2021 U.S. Open title, was defeated by Argentina’s Solana Sierra in straight sets, 6-0 7-6(4).

1548 ANDREEVA DEFEATS FERRO

Eighth-seeded Mirra Andreeva from Russia, who reached the 2024 French Open semifinals, secured a straightforward 6-3 6-3 victory against France’s Fiona Ferro.

1514 BAPTISTE UPSETS FORMER TITLEHOLDER KREJCIKOVA

Hailey Baptiste, the 26th seed from the United States, staged a comeback from one set behind to defeat Barbora Krejcikova 6-7(7) 7-6(6) 6-2. Krejcikova captured the 2021 French Open crown and won Wimbledon in 2024.

1414 ZVEREV OVERPOWERS BONZI

Second-seeded Alexander Zverev of Germany launched his pursuit of his first Grand Slam championship with a commanding straight-set triumph over France’s Benjamin Bonzi, winning 6-3 6-4 6-2.

The three-time Grand Slam finalist, who reached the Roland Garros final in 2024, may see an opening with defending two-time champion Carlos Alcaraz absent due to a wrist injury.

Nevertheless, the 29-year-old German confronts a tough path ahead, particularly with world number one Jannik Sinner playing at an exceptional level.

1205 KHACHANOV DISPATCHES GEA

Thirteenth-seeded Karen Khachanov of Russia eliminated French wildcard recipient Arthur Gea with a 6-3 7-6(3) 6-0 victory.

1142 BENCIC ADVANCES PAST KRAUS

Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic, seeded 11th, handled Austria’s Sinja Kraus with ease, winning 6-2 6-3 on Court Philippe-Chatrier.

The Tokyo 2020 Olympic gold medalist hopes for an extended tournament run this year, as she has never advanced past the third round at Roland Garros.

0909 COMPETITION BEGINS

Tournament play commenced under bright sunshine, with temperatures at Roland Garros reaching approximately 28 degrees Celsius and public weather service Meteo France predicting highs of 34 degrees later Sunday.

Former Olympic champion Belinda Bencic, the 11th seed, faced Austrian qualifier Sinja Kraus in the opening match on Court Philippe Chatrier.

Supporters of the Los Angeles Angels are delivering an unmistakable demand to owner Arte Moreno: it’s time to sell the franchise.

Coordinated through social media platforms including Instagram pages like Angels Boycott and Angels Central, supporters have organized demonstrations at Angel Stadium in recent weeks. These protests are set to reach their peak during Sunday’s nationally televised matchup against the Texas Rangers on Peacock, broadcast from Anaheim, California.

Friday saw Angels supporters encouraged to dress entirely in black while making their voices heard. Saturday brought more than 100 demonstrators to the stadium’s main entrance ahead of the Angels-Rangers contest to voice opposition to Moreno’s leadership.

This followed Thursday’s demonstration by supporters in an otherwise vacant upper section, who gained attention through the trending shirtless “tarps off” movement. Stadium-wide chants of “Sell the Team” and profane expressions targeting Moreno have become commonplace.

Angels supporters cite numerous grievances with the organization, primarily centered on team performance. The franchise hasn’t posted a winning season since 2015 (85-77), and they’re currently under their sixth manager, Kurt Suzuki, since Mike Scioscia’s departure following the 2018 campaign.

The Angels currently hold Major League Baseball’s worst record at 19-34 entering Sunday’s action.

The Angels Central social media page released this statement regarding their movement:

“The chants will continue all season long because this is no longer just about wins and losses. It’s about accountability, leadership, and the future of the franchise. We are not rooting for wins anymore, we are rooting for change.

“For the first time in a long time, Angels fans are united behind one common goal, change in ownership. And the frustration is directed at the person that is responsible for holding this organization hostage. Arte Moreno.”

The franchise entered the American League in 1961 under entertainer Gene Autry’s ownership. Following his 1998 passing, his widow Jackie Autry assumed control of the organization.

The Walt Disney Company held ownership until 2003, transferring the Angels to Moreno after the team captured its sole World Series championship in 2002.

Moreno purchased the franchise for $183.5 million, with Forbes now estimating its worth at $2.8 billion, ranking 11th among MLB franchises in value.

During August 2022, Moreno announced initial steps toward selling the organization. With multiple potential buyers expressing interest, a transaction appeared imminent.

However, the following January saw Moreno declare the team had “unfinished business” and removed it from the market.

After serving as a consistent playoff contender throughout the 2000s’ first decade, the Angels have reached the postseason only once since 2009, suffering a three-game sweep by the Kansas City Royals in the 2014 American League Division Series.

Those three contests represent the entirety of Mike Trout’s playoff experience, despite the three-time American League MVP’s stellar career.

The Angels face multiple organizational challenges.

Primarily, Moreno has faced criticism for failing to invest in free agents to complement two generational talents — Trout and Shohei Ohtani, who earned five MVP awards combined while wearing Angels uniforms. When Moreno did make significant financial commitments, the investments proved unsuccessful.

Prior to the 2012 season, the Angels committed to a 10-year, $240 million contract with 32-year-old Albert Pujols, whose production with the Angels fell far short of his initial 11 seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Following Anthony Rendon’s 2019 World Series victory with the Washington Nationals, the Angels signed him to a seven-year, $245 million deal. He’s no longer with the organization — an arrangement was reached for deferred payments to fulfill his contract’s final year — appearing in just 257 games. He contributed 22 home runs and 125 RBIs. During his 146 games with Washington in 2019, he recorded 34 homers and 126 RBIs.

Beyond on-field matters, the Angels and Anaheim — which owns Angel Stadium — continue negotiations regarding stadium lease terms and facility improvements.

The current lease extends through 2032, with the organization seeking renovations to the venue that opened in 1966 and lacks modern stadium amenities. It ranks as the fourth-oldest facility in the majors.

Anaheim mayor Ashleigh Aitken has notified Moreno that the team must abandon its Los Angeles branding and return to the Anaheim Angels name — used from 1997-2004 — before meaningful discussions can proceed.

The California state Assembly unanimously approved legislation titled the “Home Run for Anaheim Act,” mandating the team restore its former name as a prerequisite for any future stadium development, lease, or sale agreements. The measure awaits state Senate consideration.

Star slugger Juan Soto was pulled from the New York Mets’ starting roster for Sunday’s matchup against the Miami Marlins after falling ill.

Manager Carlos Mendoza revealed that Soto arrived at the stadium Sunday morning suffering from a fever and body aches.

“Soto’s ill, so he is out of the lineup,” Mendoza told reporters before the game. “He’s been battling the past three days, show up with fever today, body aches, didn’t have much sleep. Hopefully he recovers.”

“There’s a lot of people for the past week have been dealing with this. Kind of a like a flu going around,” Mendoza added.

The team had planned to use Soto as their designated hitter batting third in the order. MJ Melendez will now take over the DH role instead.

The 27-year-old Soto connected for a solo home run during New York’s 2-1 defeat to Miami on Friday. The four-time All-Star and 2020 National League batting champion currently leads the team with 10 home runs while posting 21 RBIs and maintaining a .294 batting average across 37 games this season.

Professional golfer Tiger Woods has returned to Switzerland aboard his $50 million private aircraft on Sunday, where he is expected to continue his recovery program.

According to Celebplanes.com, Woods’ Gulfstream V departed Saturday evening from Stuart, Florida, completing a nearly nine-hour flight to Zurich.

The New York Post captured images on May 14 showing Woods exiting a private aircraft at Palm Beach International Airport, located approximately 45 miles from his Jupiter Island, Florida residence. Woods had previously been receiving treatment in Switzerland, traveling there shortly after facing misdemeanor DUI charges stemming from a rollover accident near his home on March 27.

On April 1, Florida’s Martin County Court Judge Darren Steele approved a travel request filed by Woods’ legal representative, Douglas Duncan, who argued the 50-year-old golf champion required an “intensive, highly individualized and medically integrated program” away from media and public scrutiny.

Woods, 50, had recently come back to the United States, apparently to support his girlfriend, Vanessa Trump, 48, following her breast cancer diagnosis. Trump has described Woods as “her strength” while facing her medical challenge.

Trump, who was previously married to Donald Trump Jr., shared news of her diagnosis through social media on Thursday.

“Tiger has been very supportive of Vanessa through all of this and is really just focused on being there for her,” a source told the New York Post. “He’s proud of how positive she’s stayed and how she’s handling everything so far. She’s been so strong and he truly believes she’s going to be OK. He’s just trying to support her however he can right now.”

Regarding Woods’ situation, he is reportedly receiving “intense” psychological care at a Swiss rehabilitation facility to address what has been described as his painkiller dependency.

After the Florida incident, Woods — who has captured 15 major championships among his 82 professional wins — announced he would skip the Masters Tournament in Augusta, Georgia. He also withdrew his name from consideration for captain of the United States’ 2027 Ryder Cup team.

PARIS, May 24 – Monday’s opening round action at the French Open features several marquee matchups, including four-time winner Iga Swiatek, second-ranked Elena Rybakina, and recent Italian Open victor Elina Svitolina among the featured competitors.

Additionally, past winner Stan Wawrinka and French favorite Gael Monfils are set to make their final appearances at Roland Garros before hanging up their rackets.

FEATURED MEN’S SHOWDOWN: GASTON VERSUS MONFILS

The evening session on Court Philippe-Chatrier will showcase an intriguing battle between two French competitors – one seeking to establish himself while the other enjoys his final moments on this grand stage.

Hugo Gaston, positioned beyond the top 100 in rankings, will deploy his signature arsenal of unconventional tactics against one of France’s most captivating performers of recent decades, the 39-year-old Monfils.

While the 25-year-old Gaston may not possess elite ranking status, his inventive style, clever drop shots, and tactical diversity have consistently challenged superior opponents, especially on clay surfaces where he excels.

Standing opposite him is Monfils, who may have lost some of his spectacular athletic abilities from earlier years but retains sufficient determination during his farewell campaign to pose a legitimate threat.

The seasoned player, who has accepted his retirement choice with tranquility, is savoring each moment of his concluding season while maintaining his fierce competitive spirit.

“Since I have been able to voice my desire to retire from tennis, and it was important to me, I have been feeling well,” Monfils said.

“I feel immensely lucky to be able to say goodbye, to hit the balls with all the players, and to be able to compete on a few games with all those young players.

“I’m a competitor, which is why I try to push myself in some of the games. But I’m really enjoying myself and I feel lucky that I’m able to be on tour one last season with great players.”

PREMIER WOMEN’S ENCOUNTER: JONES AGAINST SWIATEK

Previous Roland Garros winner Swiatek enters her preferred venue in an unusual position – sitting third in world rankings and without a clay championship since her previous victory here in 2024.

The Polish player, who has never been eliminated prior to the fourth round at Roland Garros, achieved only one semifinal showing on clay this season in Rome and acknowledges adopting a “humble” mindset.

Known for emphasizing the psychological elements of competition, Swiatek’s clay season difficulties have subjected her to heightened examination – a sharp difference from her commanding 2024 run when she felt freed from outside pressures.

“Last year I felt like I needed to really work more in a tennis way than mental (aspects) on these tournaments, but I felt a lot of pressure, a lot. Everybody was just looking at my claycourt results and judging,” she said.

“But in 2024, every day I just enjoyed. I really didn’t feel any kind of pressure from the outside. Maybe I was really focused just on myself and I was really in the zone, in my own bubble, and went for it.”

Currently Swiatek understands she must remain “willing to fight for every match” while confronting what she recognizes as constantly evolving difficulties.

“Honestly, every year is different, no matter if you’re dominating the court or not, there are different obstacles to face,” she said.

“So it’s more I need to adjust to that and not really the results or tennis itself.”

Her opponent will be Australian wildcard recipient Emerson Jones, who is participating in her first main draw at Roland Garros.

MONDAY’S FRENCH OPEN SCHEDULE (seeding indicated by prefix number):

COURT PHILIPPE-CHATRIER (starting at 1000 GMT)

Emerson Jones (Australia) v 3-Iga Swiatek (Poland)

Veronika Erjavec (Slovenia) v 2-Elena Rybakina (Kazakhstan)

32-Ugo Humbert (France) v Adrian Mannarino (France)

Hugo Gaston (France) v Gael Monfils (France)

COURT SUZANNE LENGLEN (starting at 0900 GMT)

22-Arthur Rinderknech (France) v Jurij Rodionov (Austria)

7-Elina Svitolina (Ukraine) v Anna Bondar (Hungary)

Tessah Rajaonah (France) v 6-Amanda Anisimova (U.S.)

Daniel Merida (Spain) v 5-Ben Shelton (U.S.)

COURT SIMONNE MATHIEU (starting at 0900 GMT)

13-Jasmine Paolini (Italy) v Dayana Yastremska (Ukraine)

Stan Wawrinka (Switzerland) v Jesper De Jong (Netherlands)

15-Casper Ruud (Norway) v Roman Safiullin (Russia)

Anastasia Zakharova (Russia) v 10-Karolina Muchova (Czech Republic)

The New York Knicks stand just one victory from the NBA Finals, riding a historic 10-game playoff winning streak that has rewritten the record books.

This remarkable run has broken both franchise and league records for dominance.

After falling behind Atlanta 2-1 in the opening round, the Knicks have been unstoppable, capturing 10 straight wins. They rallied to take the final three contests against the Hawks, then dominated Philadelphia with a complete sweep in Round 2, and currently hold a commanding 3-0 advantage over Cleveland in the Eastern Conference finals.

While the victories appear effortless, Knicks coach Mike Brown emphasized that “there’s nothing easy about this” and acknowledged that having “a little bit of luck” helps as well.

“They’re doing the things I always talk about: they’re holding each other accountable, they’re believing in the process, they’re playing with a competitive spirit that is unmatched,” Brown said. “If you do those things while focusing on the detail and communicating and bringing energy and effort you have a chance to string some games together.”

Here’s an examination of the statistics behind this month-long dominance by the Knicks:

During these 10 straight playoff victories, the Knicks have outscored their opponents by a total of 225 points. No team in NBA history has ever achieved such a dominant margin during any 10-game stretch in either regular season or postseason play.

Prior to this playoff campaign, the Knicks’ most dominant 10-game winning streak occurred from Oct. 24 through Nov. 11, 1969, when they outscored opponents by 168 points. That team captured the NBA championship.

The previous record for the most dominant 10-game playoff winning streak belonged to the 2016-17 Golden State Warriors, who outscored their opponents by 171 points during their championship run. Mike Brown, currently the Knicks’ head coach, served as an assistant coach on that Warriors team.

Before this streak, the NBA record for point differential across any 10-game span was held by the Milwaukee Bucks during the 1973-74 season with a 214-point margin. However, the Bucks went 9-1 in those contests. The previous record for the most dominant 10-game winning streak also belonged to Milwaukee, who outscored opponents by 212 points from Feb. 11 through Feb. 24, 1971.

New York’s current 10-game winning streak ranks as the fifth-longest in a single postseason.

Golden State opened the 2017 playoffs with 15 consecutive wins. San Antonio captured 12 straight in the 1999 playoffs, while the Los Angeles Lakers achieved 11-game playoff winning streaks twice — in 1989, when Detroit swept them in the NBA Finals, and in 2001 when they defeated Philadelphia for the championship.

The Knicks now join Boston (2024), Cleveland (2016 and 2017), San Antonio (2012) and New Jersey (2003) as teams with 10-game winning streaks within the same postseason.

Before this year, the Knicks’ longest playoff winning streak within a single season was six games in 1999.

New York has tallied 1,222 points during their winning streak. The Knicks become the eighth team to score that many points across a 10-game postseason span.

Among the previous seven teams, five claimed NBA championships — Golden State in 2017, the Lakers in 1987, the Lakers in 1985, Philadelphia in 1967 and Boston in 1959.

The two that fell short were Denver in 1985 and San Antonio in 1983.

The Knicks are converting 53.8% of their shots during this 10-game run, the highest percentage in the NBA since this streak started on April 25.

Oklahoma City ranks second at 50.1% since that date. No other team in the league has shot above 50% during these past four weeks.

New York has captured five straight playoff road games — matching the longest such streak in franchise history. Last season’s Knicks also achieved a five-game road winning streak.

However, all five victories in this current Knicks’ streak have been decided by double digits — tying the longest such streak in NBA playoff history.

Miami won five consecutive road games by double digits in 2013, and Golden State accomplished the same feat in 2017. Both teams won NBA titles in those respective seasons.

PARIS, May 24 – Action from the opening day of the French Open tennis tournament on Sunday (all times in GMT):

1205 KHACHANOV DEFEATS GEA

Russian player Karen Khachanov, seeded 13th, eliminated French wildcard Arthur Gea with scores of 6-3, 7-6(3), 6-0.

1142 BENCIC ADVANCES PAST KRAUS

Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic, the 11th seed, dominated Austria’s Sinja Kraus with a comfortable 6-2, 6-3 win on Court Philippe-Chatrier.

The Olympic gold medalist from Tokyo 2020 hopes to make a strong showing this year, as she has never advanced past the third round at Roland Garros.

0909 TOURNAMENT BEGINS

Competition commenced under bright sunshine, with temperatures at Roland Garros around 28 degrees Celsius and France’s national weather service predicting highs of 34 degrees later in the day.

Olympic champion Belinda Bencic, seeded 11th, faced Austrian qualifier Sinja Kraus in the opening match on Court Philippe Chatrier.

SUNDAY’S FRENCH OPEN MATCH SCHEDULE (numbers indicate tournament seeding):

COURT PHILIPPE CHATRIER (matches start at 1000 GMT)

Sinja Kraus (Austria) v 11-Belinda Bencic (Switzerland)

Benjamin Bonzi (France) v 2-Alexander Zverev (Germany)

8-Mirra Andreeva (Russia) v Fiona Ferro (France)

Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard (France) v 3-Novak Djokovic (Serbia)

COURT SUZANNE LENGLEN (matches start at 0900 GMT)

13-Karen Khachanov (Russia) v Arthur Gea (France)

26-Hailey Baptiste (United States) v Barbora Krejcikova (Czech Republic)

7-Taylor Fritz (U.S.) v Nishesh Basavareddy (U.S.)

Ksenia Efremova (France) v 18-Sorana Cirstea (Romania)

COURT SIMONNE MATHIEU (matches start at 0900 GMT)

15-Marta Kostyuk (Ukraine) v Oksana Selekhmeteva (Russia)

Katie Volynets (U.S.) v Clara Burel (France)

Titouan Droguet (France) v 26-Jakub Mensik (Czech Republic)

28-Joao Fonseca (Brazil) v Luka Pavlovic (France)

PARIS, May 24 – The opening day action from the French Open tennis tournament got underway Sunday with favorable weather conditions (all times listed in GMT):

1142 BENCIC ADVANCES WITH DOMINANT WIN

Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic, seeded 11th in the tournament, dominated her opening match against Sinja Kraus from Austria, winning decisively 6-2, 6-3 on the main Court Philippe-Chatrier.

The Olympic gold medalist from Tokyo 2020 hopes to make a stronger showing this year, as she has yet to advance past the third round at Roland Garros in previous attempts.

0909 TOURNAMENT BEGINS

Competition commenced with clear, sunny conditions as temperatures at Roland Garros reached approximately 28 degrees Celsius, with France’s public weather service Meteo France predicting highs of 34 degrees later in the day.

The day’s first featured match on Court Philippe Chatrier showcased former Olympic winner Belinda Bencic, ranked 11th, against Austrian qualifier Sinja Kraus.

SUNDAY’S COMPLETE MATCH SCHEDULE (seeding numbers shown as prefixes):

COURT PHILIPPE CHATRIER (competition starts at 1000 GMT)

Sinja Kraus (Austria) versus 11-Belinda Bencic (Switzerland)

Benjamin Bonzi (France) versus 2-Alexander Zverev (Germany)

8-Mirra Andreeva (Russia) versus Fiona Ferro (France)

Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard (France) versus 3-Novak Djokovic (Serbia)

COURT SUZANNE LENGLEN (competition starts at 0900 GMT)

13-Karen Khachanov (Russia) versus Arthur Gea (France)

26-Hailey Baptiste (United States) versus Barbora Krejcikova (Czech Republic)

7-Taylor Fritz (U.S.) versus Nishesh Basavareddy (U.S.)

Ksenia Efremova (France) versus 18-Sorana Cirstea (Romania)

COURT SIMONNE MATHIEU (competition starts at 0900 GMT)

15-Marta Kostyuk (Ukraine) versus Oksana Selekhmeteva (Russia)

Katie Volynets (U.S.) versus Clara Burel (France)

Titouan Droguet (France) versus 26-Jakub Mensik (Czech Republic)

28-Joao Fonseca (Brazil) versus Luka Pavlovic (France)

Ukrainian tennis star Marta Kostyuk delivered a commanding 6-2, 6-3 victory over Oksana Selekhmeteva during Sunday’s opening round at the French Open, demonstrating remarkable composure after learning of a devastating missile attack that occurred near her family’s residence earlier that day.

The 23-year-old athlete, who has claimed titles at Rouen and Madrid, continued her impressive clay court performance this season, now boasting 12 consecutive victories. However, she revealed that the triumph was clouded by troubling news from her homeland regarding a missile impact close to her parents’ dwelling in Ukraine on Sunday morning.

“I’m incredibly proud of myself today,” an emotional Kostyuk said during her on-court interview.

“I think it was one of the most difficult matches of my career. This morning, 100 metres away from my parents’ house, a missile destroyed a building. It was a very difficult morning for me.”

“I didn’t know how this match would turn out. I didn’t know how I’d handle it.”

Since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine began, Kostyuk has emerged as one of tennis’s most outspoken critics of the ongoing conflict.

Her first-round adversary Selekhmeteva, who holds the tournament’s 15th seed, was originally from Russia but changed her national representation to Spain prior to competing at Roland Garros.

The French Open tennis tournament launched Sunday in Paris amid sweltering heat as spectators wearing panama hats filled Roland Garros stadium, creating an atmosphere more reminiscent of a resort than a grueling tennis competition, with walkways featuring violin performances of Coldplay’s “Viva la Vida” and similar soft-rock favorites.

Tournament organizers scheduled matches to begin at 0900 GMT (1100 local time) as thermometers were forecast to climb above 30 degrees Celsius (86 Fahrenheit).

The opening day featured Russian Karen Khachanov, seeded 13, facing French hope Arthur Gea on Court Suzanne Lenglen one hour before 11th-seeded Swiss Belinda Bencic started action on Court Philippe Chatrier against Austria’s Sinja Kraus.

The premier clay court tournament faced significant player losses when two-time champion Carlos Alcaraz withdrew last month due to a wrist injury, followed by highly anticipated local favorite Arthur Fils pulling out Saturday with an injury.

World number one Jannik Sinner of Italy enters as the top men’s contender, while the women’s competition appears highly competitive with no clear frontrunner.

Serbia’s Novak Djokovic, pursuing a milestone 25th Grand Slam championship, was scheduled to begin his tournament run later Sunday against powerful French server Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard.

In women’s action, Russian eighth seed Mirra Andreeva represented the top-ranked player competing when she faced French wildcard recipient Fiona Ferro.

PARIS, May 24 – Action commenced on the opening day of the French Open tennis tournament on Sunday with detailed scheduling across multiple courts.

Competition started at 0909 GMT under clear skies at Roland Garros, with temperatures reaching 28 degrees Celsius and France’s national weather service predicting highs of 34 degrees later in the day.

The tournament’s opening match on Court Philippe Chatrier featured 11th-seeded former Olympic champion Belinda Bencic competing against Austrian qualifier Sinja Kraus.

Court Philippe Chatrier’s schedule included additional marquee matchups with Benjamin Bonzi of France facing 2nd-seeded Alexander Zverev of Germany, 8th-seeded Mirra Andreeva of Russia taking on France’s Fiona Ferro, and Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard of France challenging 3rd-seeded Novak Djokovic of Serbia.

Court Suzanne Lenglen featured matches beginning at 0900 GMT, including 13th-seeded Karen Khachanov of Russia versus Arthur Gea of France, 26th-seeded Hailey Baptiste of the United States against Barbora Krejcikova of the Czech Republic, 7th-seeded Taylor Fritz facing fellow American Nishesh Basavareddy, and Ksenia Efremova of France competing against 18th-seeded Sorana Cirstea of Romania.

Court Simonne Mathieu also began play at 0900 GMT with 15th-seeded Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine facing Oksana Selekhmeteva of Russia, Katie Volynets of the United States taking on Clara Burel of France, Titouan Droguet of France challenging 26th-seeded Jakub Mensik of the Czech Republic, and 28th-seeded Joao Fonseca of Brazil competing against Luka Pavlovic of France.

Stephen Kolek delivered a masterful complete-game shutout performance, guiding the Kansas City Royals to a convincing 5-0 victory over the Seattle Mariners at home on Saturday.

The right-hander improved to 3-0 on the season, allowing just four hits and one walk while striking out two batters. This marked Kolek’s second career complete-game shutout, with his previous one coming last May while playing for the San Diego Padres. The achievement represented Kansas City’s first complete-game shutout since September 13, 2020, and became the fourth such performance across all of baseball this 2026 season.

Offensively, Bobby Witt Jr. paced the Royals with two hits and scored twice, while Michael Massey also collected two hits. Carter Jensen contributed significantly despite going 1-for-2, crossing the plate once and driving in two runs. The victory marked Kansas City’s first win during their current nine-game homestand, which had begun with four consecutive defeats.

Seattle’s Luke Raley provided the lone bright spot for the visitors, going 3-for-3 and recording a double. Mariners starting pitcher George Kirby took the loss, falling to 5-4 after surrendering five runs (three earned) on nine hits across six innings of work.

In other MLB action, the Los Angeles Dodgers dominated the Milwaukee Brewers 11-3, with Teoscar Hernandez driving in six runs to match his career high. The Dodgers’ bullpen extended their franchise-record scoreless streak to 36 innings, surpassing the previous team record of 33 innings set in 1998.

St. Louis and Cincinnati split their doubleheader, with the Cardinals taking the opener 8-1 behind Bryan Torres’ two-run homer in his major league debut. The Reds bounced back to win the nightcap 7-6 in 11 innings on Blake Dunn’s game-winning infield grounder.

Philadelphia ended Cleveland’s seven-game winning streak with a 3-0 shutout victory, as Zack Wheeler pitched six strong innings and Bryson Stott knocked in two runs for the Phillies.

Houston defeated Chicago 3-0 as Christian Walker homered twice and Kai-Wai Teng threw six innings to send the Cubs to their seventh straight loss.

Other notable results included San Diego’s 2-0 victory over Oakland, Toronto’s 5-2 win against Pittsburgh, San Francisco’s 10-3 rout of the White Sox, Minnesota’s 4-2 triumph over Boston, Washington’s 2-0 shutout of Atlanta featuring a combined one-hitter, Miami’s 4-1 victory over the Mets, Arizona’s 5-4 win against Colorado, and Los Angeles Angels’ 5-2 defeat of Texas behind Mike Trout’s 417th career home run.

Oklahoma City Thunder officials have declared that guard Ajay Mitchell will be unable to play in Sunday’s Game 4 of the Western Conference finals because of a strained right calf muscle.

The sophomore player, who has filled in as a starter for All-Star Jalen Williams on seven occasions during the first three playoff rounds, initially hurt his calf during the final moments of Game 2 in Oklahoma City. While he did take the court for Game 3’s opening tip, his performance was subpar. The injury flared up again with 8:19 remaining in the third quarter.

During that moment, Mitchell received a Flagrant 1 penalty for his contact with San Antonio’s Stephon Castle, exited the game, and remained on the sideline for the remainder of Oklahoma City’s 123-108 victory.

Williams, who put up 26 points in the series opener but managed just four points in seven minutes during Game 2, sat out Game 3 with a strained left hamstring. His status for Sunday’s contest in San Antonio is listed as questionable.

Following their opening game defeat, the defending champions now hold a 2-1 advantage in the series.

During the regular season, Mitchell significantly improved his offensive production from his first year, posting 13.6 points per contest. His free-throw accuracy ranked 23rd league-wide at 87%, and he earned fifth place in Sixth Man of the Year consideration.

Mitchell’s postseason performance has been even more impressive, contributing 15.1 points and 4.3 assists per game across 11 playoff appearances.

Cason Wallace, a third-year guard who contributed 8.6 points per game in the regular season and 8.1 points through 11 playoff contests, is anticipated to get the starting nod for Game 4.

CLEVELAND — It appears Taylor Swift has developed an interest in basketball as well.

The internationally renowned pop star was spotted sitting courtside during Saturday night’s Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals, accompanied by her fiancé and Cleveland native Travis Kelce, as the Cavaliers faced off against the New York Knicks in a crucial matchup for the home team.

The duo, with Kelce having recently inked a 3-year, $54 million deal with the Kansas City Chiefs, arrived at their Rocket Arena seats just before game time. Their presence generated considerable excitement among attendees who noticed the celebrity couple in attendance.

It didn’t take long for Kelce to get into the game spirit, showing enthusiastic support for the Cavs throughout the contest.

Swift has become a regular fixture at Chiefs home games since beginning her relationship with Kelce several years ago. She also joined him for Game 1 of the AL Championship Series at Yankee Stadium in 2024.

Kelce has previously attended Cavs games, and both he and his brother, Jason, were honored with a bobblehead promotion by Cleveland in 2024.

The pair revealed their engagement last year, with wedding plans reportedly set for sometime during the upcoming summer months.

New York currently holds a 2-0 advantage in the best-of-seven playoff series following victories in both games at Madison Square Garden.

George Russell claimed pole position for the Canadian Grand Prix in dramatic fashion Saturday, delivering a clutch final qualifying lap that edged out his Mercedes teammate and championship leader Kimi Antonelli in Montreal.

The British driver, who had already won Saturday’s sprint race from the front row, managed to outpace the Italian by a razor-thin margin of 0.068 seconds in the closing moments of the qualifying session, just after the 19-year-old had posted what appeared to be the fastest time.

“That is the most exhilarating feeling in the world when it comes last minute out of nowhere,” Russell exclaimed over team radio following an excited celebration. “We made that a bit tricky…”

McLaren’s reigning champion Lando Norris secured third position for Sunday’s race, with Australian teammate Oscar Piastri starting fourth. Race officials have issued a ‘Rain Hazard’ warning from race director Rui Marques, suggesting wet conditions could impact the race.

Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton earned fifth place on the grid but faces a potential investigation for allegedly blocking other drivers. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen will start sixth and expressed frustration with his car’s performance on the straights.

“I have no idea what is going on. I don’t really have a lot of words,” the four-time world champion from the Netherlands stated. “Everything is so confusing. I also didn’t like the set-up change we made. I think (Sunday) will be chaos regardless of the weather.”

This marks Russell’s third consecutive pole position at the Canadian venue, where he converted a similar starting position into victory at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve last season. Mercedes brought significant car improvements to Montreal for this weekend’s competition.

The outcome seemed uncertain just minutes before the session ended, as Russell had abandoned his initial fast lap attempt and returned to the garage with six minutes remaining without posting a competitive time. He then completed two quick laps, with the second securing his pole position.

Russell had not appeared among the top three drivers in the earlier qualifying segments, while Antonelli topped the Q1 session and Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar led Q2 times. Antonelli currently holds an 18-point championship advantage over Russell after winning the previous three races.

“That last lap came from nowhere,” Russell explained afterward. “It was such a great feeling when it was such a challenging session and you pull it all together on that last lap to throw yourselves up the leaderboard is epic. Kimi was more competitive than I and we weren’t as clear ahead of everyone else as yesterday, so it was a challenge but I redialled my driving and put it together.”

Hadjar will occupy seventh position on Sunday’s starting grid alongside Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. Racing Bulls newcomer Arvid Lindblad qualified ninth, while Alpine’s Franco Colapinto earned tenth place after showing improved speed following his strong Miami performance.

Antonelli, who had criticized Russell after the sprint race and suggested penalties were warranted, appeared more composed following qualifying.

“I am pretty happy. There was still a little bit left on the table but George did a great lap and all eyes on tomorrow,” he commented. “We will see what the weather is like but we will try and be ready for anything.”

Norris, who finished second in the sprint race between the two Mercedes drivers, acknowledged the difficulty of maximizing performance but praised his team’s efforts.

“It’s clear these guys (Mercedes) are a little bit quicker. It’s nice to be closer than we were yesterday,” he noted. “The weather will be different tomorrow. We are in a good place and the place we need to be.”

Multiple media outlets, including mlb.com, are reporting that the Los Angeles Angels have inked right-handed pitcher Taijuan Walker to a minor league contract.

Philadelphia released Walker during the current season.

The one-time All-Star pitcher experienced difficulties during his tenure in Philadelphia. Following his signing of a four-year contract worth $72 million with the Phillies in 2023, Walker posted a 5.12 ERA over more than three seasons with the club.

During 2026, he appeared in five games and compiled a 9.13 ERA over 22 2/3 innings pitched.

The 33-year-old pitcher holds a career ERA of 4.27 across 256 games with 234 starts, having played for multiple organizations including the Seattle Mariners (2013-16, 2020), Arizona Diamondbacks (2017-19), Toronto Blue Jays (2020), New York Mets (2021-22), and Phillies.

Iran’s national soccer team will establish their World Cup preparation base in Tijuana, Mexico, after receiving FIFA approval to relocate from their originally planned Arizona training facility, according to an announcement made Saturday by the country’s soccer federation leadership.

“We will be based in the Tijuana camp, which is near the Pacific Ocean and on the border between Mexico and the United States,” stated Iran’s soccer federation President Mehdi Taj in a video message shared on the organization’s Telegram social media channel.

The federation president explained that this relocation will help eliminate visa-related issues and enable the team to fly directly to Mexico using Iran Air transportation.

FIFA has not yet provided a response to requests for comment regarding this approved venue change.

The Iranian squad is scheduled to compete in three Group G matches: facing New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15, meeting Belgium in the same city on June 21, and concluding group play against Egypt in Seattle on June 26.

“The total distance between us and the venue of our games in Los Angeles is 55 minutes by flight,” Taj explained, noting that the Tijuana location actually places them closer to their competition sites compared to the original Arizona training facility.

For several months, Iran has encountered challenges regarding travel logistics and security preparations for the upcoming World Cup, which will take place across venues in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Earlier this month, Iranian federation representatives revealed that team members and support staff had not yet obtained necessary U.S. visas, despite the tournament beginning in less than four weeks.

According to Taj, the federation has requested FIFA provide assurances regarding visa processing, security measures and overall treatment of the Iranian delegation throughout the competition.

The World Cup tournament is scheduled to run from June 11 through July 19.

MONTREAL, May 23 – In a stunning upset at the IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship, Norway defeated Sweden 3-2 on Saturday, capitalizing on special-teams play to secure their first win against their Nordic neighbors in a decade and a half.

The victory significantly improves Norway’s chances of advancing to the tournament’s playoff stage. Norway’s success came from converting short-handed opportunities into goals, netting twice while playing with a man disadvantage.

Noah Steen led Norway’s offensive effort with two goals, while Eirik Salsten provided the game-winning score during the middle portion of the final period. Goaltender Henrik Haukeland was instrumental in preserving the victory, stopping 32 shots and withstanding Sweden’s late-game offensive surge.

Sweden managed to find the net through Ivar Stenberg and Lucas Raymond, but squandered scoring opportunities and committed crucial mistakes that proved costly in the defeat.

The historical significance of the victory cannot be understated – prior to Saturday’s contest, Norway had managed just one win against Sweden in 19 world championship encounters, achieving that lone victory in a shootout 15 years earlier in Bratislava.

GIZA, Egypt, May 23 – Ukrainian heavyweight boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk came dangerously close to suffering one of boxing’s greatest upsets before delivering a dramatic knockout of Dutch former kickboxer Rico Verhoeven with merely one second remaining in the 11th round of their WBC championship bout.

The Saturday night spectacle dubbed ‘Glory in Giza’ at Egypt’s Pyramids was widely anticipated to be a one-sided affair, but Verhoeven completely defied expectations from the first bell, with some judges’ scorecards showing him leading despite having only one professional boxing match 12 years prior.

The 39-year-old Ukrainian appeared unusually sluggish and came into the fight at his heaviest weight ever, forcing him to enter the 11th round desperately needing a decisive moment to secure what most observers had assumed would be a routine victory.

That crucial moment arrived in the final seconds of the penultimate round when Usyk connected with a devastating right uppercut that sent Verhoeven to the canvas. Although the Dutchman managed to beat the referee’s count, the official intervened to halt the contest.

“I thought it was an early stoppage but in the end it’s not up to me,” the 37-year-old Verhoeven said to DAZN. “I was already super thankful for this opportunity for Usyk to take this fight.”

The bout put only the WBC championship on the line for Verhoeven, while Usyk’s WBA and IBF titles would have been declared vacant had he suffered defeat.

The Ukrainian champion ultimately maintained his perfect professional record at 25 victories without a loss.

“This fight was hard. It was a good fight. I was just boxing, my right uppercut, bang. Thank you god,” Usyk commented after the fight.

“Right now, in Ukraine, my people and my country — there is bombing. My people are sitting in bomb shelters. My family. My daughter sent me a message: ‘Papa, I love you, I’m afraid.’ I said, ‘oh my God’.”

A Verhoeven victory would have ranked among boxing’s most stunning upsets, potentially exceeding the shock of Mike Tyson’s 1990 loss to underdog James ‘Buster’ Douglas.

Many boxing analysts predicted Usyk, an Olympic gold medalist from 2012 and seasoned professional, would finish the contest by the midway point or even sooner.

The theatrical pre-fight entrances featured Verhoeven dressed as a pharaoh, accompanied by torch-bearing attendants against the backdrop of the illuminated Pyramids.

Usyk chose a Roman gladiator theme, donning centurion armor and helmet while fireworks exploded overhead. However, the actual fight proved to be among his most challenging, as he struggled against an opponent who refused to fold under pressure.

According to various media outlets, midfielder Tanner Tessmann has been excluded from the U.S. men’s national soccer team’s squad for the 2026 World Cup.

Many observers had viewed Tessmann as a likely starter after he took part in six training camps under head coach Mauricio Pochettino.

The 24-year-old player, known for his versatility, appeared in five of nine Europa League matches and started 22 of 29 Ligue 1 contests for Lyon during the current season. His campaign ended on May 8 due to a muscle injury that wasn’t anticipated to affect his World Cup participation, according to The Athletic.

Diego Luna also failed to secure a spot on the 26-player squad despite recording four goals and four assists across 18 matches since joining under Pochettino in 2024. Luna, who has been managing a muscle injury, gained recognition for his tough playing style, exemplified when he continued playing in a friendly match against Costa Rica last year after suffering a broken nose.

Club América winger Alejandro Zendejas earned selection despite his last USMNT appearance being in October. He was included in four of Pochettino’s squads during 2024 and 2025 and has tallied 12 goals plus 7 assists in 28 Liga MX games this season, starting 23 of those contests.

Gio Reyna will reportedly join the American squad for the tournament beginning June 11.

The 23-year-old possesses strong playmaking abilities, though his selection by Pochettino has sparked debate due to his injury-prone career, poor club form, and previous behavioral concerns with the national team. This season, Reyna started only four games and participated in 19 total matches for Borussia Monchengladbach, scoring once with zero assists.

Seattle Sounders midfielder Cristian Roldan reportedly earned a roster spot, alongside three players who were absent from the 2022 World Cup team: center backs Miles Robinson and Chris Richards, who were injured four years ago, and forward Ricardo Pepi, who was reportedly among the final players cut from the previous World Cup squad.

Fifty percent of the current U.S. squad competed in the 2022 World Cup held in Qatar.

Pochettino plans to formally reveal the roster during a Tuesday event in New York City.

The United States, co-hosting alongside Canada and Mexico, will compete in Group D against Paraguay, Australia and Turkey. Their opening match is scheduled for June 12 versus Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.

UNITED STATES WORLD CUP ROSTER

Goalkeepers: Matt Freese, Chris Brady, Matt Turner

Defenders: Max Arfsten, Sergino Dest, Alex Freeman, Mark McKenzie, Tim Ream, Chris Richards, Antonee Robinson, Miles Robinson, Auston Trusty, Joe Scally

Midfielders: Tyler Adams, Sebastian Berhalter, Cristian Roldan, Weston McKennie, Gio Reyna, Malik Tillman

Forwards: Brenden Aaronson, Haji Wright, Folarin Balogun, Christian Pulisic, Ricardo Pepi, Tim Weah, Alejandro Zendejas

The defending champion at the Team TaylorMade Invitational is facing an uphill battle to repeat his victory from a year ago. Charlie Woods, Tiger Woods’ teenage son, finds himself in a tie for 23rd place following a second-round score of 73, three strokes over par, during Saturday’s play in Belleair, Florida.

The 17-year-old high school senior from The Benjamin School in North Palm Beach, Florida, started his round at the 10th hole. During his first nine holes of play, Woods managed an even-par performance by balancing two bogeys with two birdies.

Woods encountered significant difficulty early in his back nine, recording a triple bogey at the first hole and adding another bogey at the second. However, he managed to recover somewhat with a birdie on the seventh hole.

Last year’s tournament saw Woods capture the championship at Streamsong Resort’s Black course with an impressive 15-under-par performance, defeating several of the country’s premier junior golfers, including Miles Russell.

Following his victory in the previous year’s competition, Woods experienced a significant improvement in his standing within the AJGA rankings, currently holding the No. 13 position overall.

DENVER (AP) — Things look challenging for the Colorado Avalanche: Trailing 2-0 following a pair of defeats at home. Without Cale Makar. Just three goals scored in the series despite being the league’s top-scoring squad. Now traveling to Vegas. Historical precedent not in their favor.

“We dug a hole,” forward Logan O’Connor said as the Avalanche prepared for Game 3 at Vegas on Sunday night in the Western Conference Final. “It’s on us (to get out).”

The statistics, however, work against them. Since 1982, visiting teams that have taken a 2-0 lead in the conference finals maintain a perfect 13-0 series record, according to NHL Stats.

However, the Avalanche have climbed back from a comparable challenging position previously in playoff competition.

Admittedly, it occurred 27 years ago when they dropped two consecutive games at home to begin the 1999 Western Conference semifinals against Detroit before mounting a comeback to win.

“Uphill climb,” Colorado goaltender Scott Wedgewood said. “We have to flip the script on them, in their rink.”

Maybe a different environment can ignite something. Colorado posted a 2-0 record at Vegas during the regular season, including a 6-5 shootout victory.

“Any building you go into, you can kind of use the crowd noise and advantage in your favor,” forward Parker Kelly said. “Teams come out hard in their home building, so we’ve got to be able to weather the storm, push back and get to our game quick.”

It wasn’t so long ago when Vegas overcame some challenging circumstances. The Golden Knights trailed Colorado 2-0 in a second-round series in 2021, only to win four straight. Avalanche forward Nicolas Roy recalls it well — he was with the Golden Knights back then.

“We’ve just got to put on our work boots,” Roy said. “If you have a great effort next game and you win it, then obviously shift the momentum. We believe in this group.”

Colorado very well could have back Makar, who is up for the Norris Trophy as the league’s top defenseman. He has been sidelined all series by an upper-body injury.

“He will tell us when he’s ready to play,” Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said. “No one can go into Cale’s body and feel what he’s feeling, so when he feels like he can do all the things he needs to be able to do on the ice to play, then he’s going to make the decision to play.”

The atmosphere in the locker room combines anger with frustration, Bednar said.

“Which I think is normal. It’s all fine,” said Bednar, whose team is outshooting the Golden Knights by a 68-53 margin. “We’ve got to be better than we were in Game 1 and 2. It’s not like we didn’t go and compete hard or play harder, but again, with it being such a fine line, a mistake or two can cost you the hockey game. We need to do a little bit better job of forcing them into a few more mistakes, and we have to clean up some of our own.”

Several of Colorado’s leading scorers have had difficulty against the Golden Knights’ tight defense. Only captain Gabriel Landeskog, Ross Colton and Valeri Nichushkin have goals on Carter Hart in the series. Nathan MacKinnon, who had a league-leading 53 goals in the regular season, has been neutralized, along with 100-point scorer Martin Necas. Another dependable offensive contributor, Brock Nelson, is a minus-5 in the series.

“If I felt like we played our best game in Game 1 and our best game in Game 2 and we lost, I’d be a little bit more like, ‘Oh, I’m really worried about this,’” Bednar said. “They still haven’t seen our best, and maybe we haven’t seen their best, either. We have a number of areas in our game that we can improve for Game 3 to give us a better chance of winning.”

CASABLANCA, Morocco (AP) — Eighteen Senegalese soccer supporters imprisoned following violent incidents during a tumultuous Africa Cup of Nations championship match received official pardons Saturday from Morocco’s king, according to the Royal Cabinet.

The Senegalese supporters received prison sentences in February lasting up to one year for charges that included damaging sporting facilities and committing violence during a sporting event. Several of the fans have already served their complete sentences.

“Given the long-standing fraternal ties between the Kingdom of Morocco and the Republic of Senegal, and on the occasion of (Muslim holiday) Eid al-Adha, King Mohammed VI has graciously granted, for humanitarian reasons, his royal pardon to Senegalese supporters convicted of offenses committed during Africa Cup of Nations competitions,” the Royal Cabinet said in a statement.

The championship match in January saw Senegalese supporters trying to rush onto the playing field, while Senegalese players left the game in protest after officials awarded a controversial late penalty to host nation Morocco.

While Senegal ultimately secured a 1-0 victory and claimed the trophy, the Confederation of African Football later took the unprecedented step of removing Senegal’s title and naming Morocco as champions. Senegal subsequently announced plans to challenge this ruling.

The controversial final and its consequences led high-ranking officials from both nations to urge restraint amid rising tensions that human rights organizations in Morocco characterized as “hate speech targeting sub-Saharan residents.” Leadership from both Morocco and Senegal committed to preserving diplomatic relationships and executed numerous agreements designed to enhance trade and investment between the countries.

New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu announced to media members that she intends to take the court Sunday when her team faces the Dallas Wings at home.

The All-Star guard, who has earned four selections to the prestigious team, has been out of action due to an injury to her left foot that occurred during a May 3 preseason victory against Connecticut.

Ionescu has been back in practice sessions since Monday and confirmed to reporters following Saturday’s practice that she expects to suit up for Sunday’s contest.

Following Thursday’s 87-70 defeat to the Golden State Valkyries, Liberty head coach Chris DeMarco shared positive thoughts about getting his star player back on the court in the near future.

“She looks good,” DeMarco said. “It’s really about the recovery and how she’s feeling later in the day and the next day. And so yeah, we’re really close there and we’re happy with her progress.”

When speaking with reporters Saturday, Ionescu described her status as “day to day” and remained uncertain about her availability for Monday’s game against the Portland Fire.

During the 2025 season, Ionescu put up averages of 18.2 points, 5.7 assists, 4.9 rebounds and 1.3 steals across 38 contests, starting in every game for the Liberty.

Selected first overall in the 2020 WNBA Draft, she has compiled career averages of 16.7 points, 5.9 assists and 5.5 rebounds over 181 games with New York, starting 177 of those contests. She was instrumental in helping the Liberty capture the WNBA championship in 2024.

American tennis player Emma Navarro captured her inaugural clay court championship on Saturday, defeating top-seeded Victoria Mboko of Canada 6-0, 5-7, 6-2 at the Internationaux de Strasbourg in France.

Despite facing four aces from Mboko, Navarro capitalized on her opponent’s six double faults to claim her third career championship and first victory since winning the Merida Open in Mexico this past February.

The American dominated on serve, converting 34 of 46 first-serve opportunities and successfully defending seven of 10 break point chances during the 2 hour and 20 minute encounter.

Mboko’s performance was hampered by a critical double fault on game point during the final set, along with a slip at a pivotal moment. The Canadian will have little time to recover from the defeat, as she’s scheduled to face Czechia’s Nikola Bartunkova in Sunday’s French Open opening round.

Grand Prix SAR La Princesse Lalla Meryem

Croatia’s Petra Marcinko, seeded sixth, earned her first WTA championship when unseeded opponent Anhelina Kalinina withdrew during the second set of their final match in Rabat, Morocco.

Following Marcinko’s 6-2 first set victory in the WTA 250 clay tournament, Kalinina received medical attention from a physician for blisters affecting her right foot.

The Croatian had already taken the opening three games of the second set when the Ukrainian player decided to withdraw after 46 minutes of play.

Kalinina had also been seeking her first WTA Tour championship.

French tennis professional Gael Monfils expressed satisfaction on Saturday about motivating Black athletes to pursue success in tennis, noting that his upcoming retirement will provide him with better perspective on his career’s influence.

The athlete began his professional career in 2004 and captured 13 ATP championships, though his captivating playing style featuring spectacular displays and physical prowess earned him devoted followers both in France and internationally.

As the 39-year-old prepares for his last French Open tournament and career conclusion at season’s end, he acknowledged that he hasn’t yet fully grasped his impact while actively competing.

“Of course, now that I’m finishing, I think I’ll see a bit more,” Monfils told reporters.

“I think when you’re in it, it’s tough to look around (and see) how much influence you have had. I’m very grateful if I’ve inspired some players.

“Of course I know some young kids, they like my style, the way I play, the way I move, for the Black community also to see someone on the tour … I think it was important.

“I inspired some Black players to say yeah, they can make it … So I’ll see it a bit later and during this last year.”

The tennis star participated in a special exhibition match on Court Philippe Chatrier on Thursday, where the ceremony combined tennis action, musical performances and honors recognizing his twenty-year professional journey.

Former world number one Naomi Osaka, who participated in the tribute event, praised Monfils for his contribution to expanding the sport through his visibility and achievements.

“Yeah, seeing representation is so important, and on the women’s side, for me growing up, I had Serena and Venus (Williams), so I was so grateful to them,” Osaka, who has a Haitian-American father and a Japanese mother, said.

“On the men’s side I always looked up to him and (Jo-Wilfried) Tsonga for such a long time. It’s just so important. And obviously there’s a wave of Black French guys coming up. I can see that he’s inspired … a lot of players here.

“I really love the way he carries himself and the way he represents us. He’s just such a really cool guy. It’s nice to talk to him now, because we talk about our kids. It’s just a funny thing to have in common with him.”

Monfils will face fellow French player Hugo Gaston in his first-round match at Roland Garros as he attempts to prolong his farewell appearance at the French Open, which begins on Sunday.

Bad weather conditions have forced the postponement of Saturday’s scheduled matchup between the Detroit Tigers and Baltimore Orioles at Baltimore’s home field.

Officials have rescheduled the postponed contest for Sunday at 12:35 p.m. ET. The original Sunday game, which wraps up the three-game series, will still take place later that evening at 6:05 p.m.

The Orioles kicked off their 10-game home stretch with a 7-4 win over Detroit on Friday night. Home runs by Pete Alonso and Jackson Holliday contributed five runs to Baltimore’s victory, ending a three-game skid for the home team.

Detroit continues to struggle, having dropped seven consecutive contests and falling in 10 of their past 11 games.