U.S./World Sports category, Page 157
Wimbledon to get 1st-time champ when Elena Rybakina plays Ons Jabeur
WIMBLEDON, England — The names and faces of the star players at Wimbledon didn’t matter to Elena Rybakina when she was a child. The majesty of the tournament made pretty a big impression, though. On Saturday, she’ll get a chance to add her name to the pantheon of greats at...
Uncertain future for Pac-12 after defections to Big TenVideo
The Pac-12 can make a case as the most successful conference in collegiate athletics, amassing more than 500 NCAA championships while leading the nation in titles 56 of the past 62 years. But when it comes to the biggest moneymakers, football and men’s basketball, the “Conference of Champions” has come...
Rafael Nadal withdraws from Wimbledon before semifinal with injury
WIMBLEDON, England — Rafael Nadal withdrew from Wimbledon on Thursday because of a torn abdominal muscle, announcing his decision a day before he was supposed to play in the semifinals. “Unfortunately, as you can imagine, if I am here, it’s because I have to pull out from the tournament,” Nadal...
Tadej Pogacar wins 6th stage of Tour and takes yellow jersey
LONGWY, France — Tadej Pogačar is back in the yellow jersey at the Tour de France. And it’s earlier than perhaps even he expected. On the way to his wins in the 2020 and 2021 Tours, Pogačar took the yellow jersey in the mountains, but on Thursday all he needed...
At Wimbledon, Ons Jabeur 1st woman from Africa in pro Slam final
WIMBLEDON, England — Ons Jabeur’s steady progress from year to year — up the tennis rankings, through the draws of various tournaments and, now, at Wimbledon — has carried her to a Grand Slam singles final, the first African woman and Arab woman to make it that far in the...
Griner appears in court, pleads guilty in Russia drugs trial
MOSCOW — Jailed American basketball star Brittney Griner on Thursday pleaded guilty to drug possession during her trial in Moscow but said she had no intention of committing a crime. Representatives for Griner confirmed to The Associated Press that the WNBA star pleaded guilty to drug possession charges. Russian news...
NASCAR penalizes driver Noah Gragson for intentional Road America crashVideo
NASCAR on Wednesday penalized Noah Gragson for a deliberate and dangerous crash he caused in the Xfinity Series race at Road America. Gragson, who turns 24 later this month, was docked 30 points and fined $35,000 by NASCAR for intentionally crashing into Sage Karam on Saturday at the road course...
During ‘other’ 1982 championship run, Michael Jordan led USA Basketball past Yugoslavia
RALEIGH, N.C. — Michael Jordan’s iconic shot against Georgetown 40 years ago that gave North Carolina coach Dean Smith his first NCAA title wasn’t the only championship performance he had that year. Far less known, but at the time equally as important, Jordan helped the United States restore its claim...
Simon Clarke wins crash-marred Stage 5, Wout van Aert keeps Tour lead
ARENBERG PORTE DU HAINAUT, France — Australian rider Simon Clarke won a crash-marred fifth stage of the Tour de France on Wednesday, and Wout van Aert clung to the leader’s yellow jersey despite coming off his bike. The big winner though was Slovenian rider Tadej Pogačar, who kick-started his bid...
Hampered Rafael Nadal gets past Taylor Fritz at Wimbledon; Nick Kyrgios next
WIMBLEDON, England — Wincing from abdominal pain, unable to ply his customary relentless style of tennis, Rafael Nadal worried that he might need to stop playing in the Wimbledon quarterfinals against Taylor Fritz. Up in the Centre Court stands, Nadal’s father was waving his arms, motioning to the 22-time Grand...
Former champion Simona Halep back in Wimbledon semifinals
WIMBLEDON, England — In a roundabout way, Simona Halep is finally getting a chance to defend her Wimbledon title. And she’s picking up right where she left off. Halep won the title at the grass-court Grand Slam in 2019, but she missed a chance to play as reigning champion in...
‘Most stressful thing’ in tennis creates angst at Wimbledon
WIMBLEDON, England — Imagine this happening in your line of work: Posted online and regularly updated for the entire world to see is an objective, black-and-white assessment of how you’ve been faring over the past 52 weeks, how you compare to your colleagues and competitors and how your current status...
Big 12 reportedly looking to add Pac-12 schools, could become largest FBS conference
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Just 12 months ago, the Big 12 Conference was rocked by news that Texas and Oklahoma planned to depart the league for the Southeastern Conference in 2025. That left the the prospect of the Big 12 having just eight active members, but the conference moved quickly...
White House: President Biden read letter from Brittney GrinerVideo
Brittney Griner’s appeal to President Joe Biden in a handwritten letter continued to garner reaction Tuesday after the WNBA All-Star acknowledged she feared never returning home and asked Biden not “forget about me and the other American Detainees.” Griner’s letter was delivered through her representatives to the White House on...
Tiger Woods looking at British Open as ‘historic’ occasionVideo
The British Open is scheduled for Royal Liverpool, Royal Troon and Royal Portrush over the next three years. The Old Course at St. Andrews typically is used every five years. That adds to the perspective of Tiger Woods playing this year. When he said Tuesday that “this is a pretty...
Down 2 sets, Novak Djokovic tops Jannik Sinner for 26th Wimbledon win in row
WIMBLEDON, England — It says a lot about Novak Djokovic that a two-sets-to-none hole at Wimbledon on a day he was hardly at his best never seemed insurmountable. Djokovic spotted 10th-seeded Jannik Sinner of Italy the huge lead Tuesday, then worked his way back to win 5-7, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2,...
Wout van Aert wins Tour stage 4 in style and extends overall lead
CALAIS, France — Belgian rider Wout van Aert won the hilly fourth stage of the Tour de France and extended his overall lead after attacking strongly on the day’s final climb on Tuesday. The Belgian rider kept the leader’s yellow jersey for the Jumbo-Visma team after taking it for the...
Everything you need to know about UCLA and USC joining the Big Ten
A Southern California native and veteran of several Big Ten winters, Myles Johnson knows the first words likely uttered by former Pac-12 athletes once their new conference smacks them like a midwinter Lake Michigan breeze. “Help! Help!” Johnson, the onetime Rutgers center who spent his final college basketball season at...
Wimbledon’s all-white clothing bothers some, delights others
WIMBLEDON, England — Before being interviewed on Centre Court about his return to the Wimbledon quarterfinals, Nick Kyrgios traded in his all-white grass-court shoes for a red-and-white pair of basketball sneakers, and swapped out his white hat for a red one. Big deal? Not to Kyrgios. Not to many, probably....
Alex Morgan scores twice; U.S. women down Haiti in World Cup qualifierVideo
MONTERREY, Mexico — Alex Morgan scored a pair of first-half goals, and the U.S. women’s national team defeated Haiti, 3-0, on Monday night in the opening match of the CONCACAF W Championship. The tournament determines the region’s four direct berths in the 2023 Women’s World Cup, co-hosted by Australia and...
Poulter, 2 others win court stay to play in Scottish OpenVideo
VIRGINIA WATER, England — Ian Poulter and two other players who signed up for the Saudi-funded LIV Golf series won a stay Monday from a British court that allows them to play in the Scottish Open. Poulter, Adrian Otaegui of Spain and Justin Harding of South Africa challenged their suspension...
‘Composed, mature’ Nick Kyrgios in Wimbledon quarters years laterVideo
WIMBLEDON, England — Nick Kyrgios stepped into a nearly full Centre Court to polite applause Monday, exited about 3 1/2 hours later to a louder ovation and, somehow, the 100-year-old stadium survived the experience. In the warmup period, Kyrgios flicked a ball between his legs and closed with an underarm...
Tyler Reddick’s team confident after breakthrough NASCAR victoryVideo
ELKHART LAKE, Wis. — Tyler Reddick finally has his first Cup Series victory and probably a spot in NASCAR’s playoffs. He is not letting off the gas now. The Richard Childress Racing driver and his team have bigger goals than simply qualifying for the playoffs. “We talk about being a...
Joey Chestnut is chomp champ again in July 4 hot dog contest
NEW YORK — Frankfurter-munching phenom Joey “Jaws” Chestnut gobbled his way to a 15th win Monday at the Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest, powering down 63 hot dogs and buns at the annual exhibition of excess. In a decisive chowdown comeback, women’s record-holder Miki Sudo downed...
Scott McLaughlin picks up IndyCar victory in front of his parentsVideo
LEXINGTON, Ohio — As Scott McLaughlin celebrated with his parents and Team Penske on the quaint victory podium at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, a full-blown crisis raged across the paddock at Andretti Autosport. McLaughlin picked up his second career IndyCar victory on Sunday, his first with his parents in attendance...
