PARIS (AP) — Clearly hampered by a bad left knee, two-time French Open finalist Casper Ruud dropp...

PARIS (AP) — Clearly hampered by a bad left knee, two-time French Open finalist <a href="https://apnews.com/article/french-open-novak-djokovic-rafael-nadal-sports-e9d54797c9eda432387139e36f42424e">Casper Ruud</a> dropped 13 of the last 14 games and lost 2-6, 6-4, 6-1, 6-0 to Nino Borges in the second round at <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/french-open">Roland-Garros</a> on Wednesday, then revealed he had been playing in pain off-and-on throughout the clay-court season.The seventh-seeded Ruud reached at least the semifinals each of the past three years in Paris — he was the runner-up to <a href="https://apnews.com/article/french-open-rafael-nadal-novak-djokovic-sports-paris-cc06de2a02fa187162431ebee0e8db3a">Rafael Nadal in 2022</a> and <a href="https://apnews.com/article/djokovic-ruud-french-open-roland-garros-final-d7bda9f570b010ea48cf8a05b397291e">Novak Djokovic in 2023</a> — and this exit is his earliest at the tournament since bowing out in the second round in his debut in 2018.He's been taking pain-killing and anti-inflammatory pills the past several weeks, and did so again Wednesday. But Ruud said the knee began bothering him in the first set against Borges, who is ranked 41st and became the first Portuguese man to get to the French Open's third round.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Ruud said the worst shot for his knee is an open-stance backhand, in which he slides on his left foot, so he's been avoiding it in practice.“Certain movements out there are kind of what makes it painful. Certain shots are painful to do. When you’re playing matches, you can’t really control it in the same way (as in practice). You do everything you can to get to every ball,” said Ruud, who also reached the final at the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/rafael-nadal-us-open-tennis-championships-sports-casper-ruud-e39829809365f69e01f324c7e151b05a">2023 U.S. Open</a>. “Sometimes you kind of forget that this is a shot I shouldn’t go for.”He was visited by a trainer and took some pills during Wednesday's match, but nothing seemed to help.“It's a Slam. I love this tournament," Ruud said. "Looking back, I tried my best to continue (and tried) to avoid the shots that are hurting. But towards the end, there were also other movements that started hurting, so it wasn’t ideal.”He said the problems began in his first clay event of the pre-French Open stretch, at Monte Carlo in April, and that he had medical exams a couple of weeks later in Madrid — where <a href="https://apnews.com/article/madrid-open-ruud-draper-e05483cf675df62a13d658ac68f8a320">he went on to win the title</a>. Ruud pulled out of the Geneva Open, which was played last week.Now he'll have more tests done.“I took five days completely off at home. It wasn’t enough to make the pain go away,” Ruud said. “I wish I could stay here longer.”

PARIS, FRANCE - MAY 28: An injured Casper Ruud of Norway leaves the court after his loss against Nuno Borges of Portugal in the second round of the singles competition on Court Suzanne-Lenglen during the 2025 French Open Tennis Tournament at Roland Garros on May 28th, 2025, in Paris, France.

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LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — The driver suspected of attempted murder for plowing into a crowd of Li...

LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — The driver suspected of attempted murder for plowing into a crowd of Liverpool soccer fans celebrating their team's Premier League championship was ordered held an additional day for questioning, police said Wednesday.Seven people remained hospitalized in stable condition, as the number of wounded was increased to nearly 80 people, Merseyside Police said. That number has nearly doubled since Monday as police learned of additional injuries.The city had been celebrating Liverpool's record-tying 20th title when the driver turned down a street that was closed to traffic and rammed into a sea of fans, transforming a day of joy into a catastrophe.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Police said the 53-year-old British man in custody is also suspected of being high on drugs and driving dangerously. They believe he dodged a roadblock by following an ambulance that was rushing to treat someone of a suspected heart attack.The driver has not been identified, which is typical in Britain when a suspect has not been charged with a crime.Police had to get an extension to hold the man longer than 48 hours and will have to either charge him with a crime by Thursday evening or set him free.

A police forensic officer works at the scene on Water Street in Liverpool, north-west England on May 27, 2025, where a car ploughed in to crowds that had gathered on May 26 to watch an open-top bus victory parade for Liverpool's Premier League trophy parade. Police said Monday they were not treating a Liverpool car ramming which left 27 people hospitalised as terrorism, after a vehicle ploughed into crowds celebrating Liverpool's Premier League football title. "We believe this to be an isolated incident, and we are not currently looking for anyone else in relation to it," Merseyside Police Assistant Chief Constable Jenny Sims told a press conference, adding a 53-year-old British man had been arrested.

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WROCLAW, Poland (AP) — Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca seemed as surprised as anyone when he was told ...

WROCLAW, Poland (AP) — Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca seemed as surprised as anyone when he was told Mykhailo Mudryk had been spotted in Poland ahead of the club's Conference League final against Real Betis.Mudryk, who became one of Chelsea's biggest signings when he arrived for $108 million in 2023, hasn't played since it emerged in December that he was facing a doping investigation.Until now, the Ukrainian winger has kept a low profile but photos and videos on social media appeared to show him posing with fans Tuesday while wearing a jacket with the Chelsea badge.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>"To be honest, I just, I don't know. He's here, or he's coming?" Maresca said, glancing around in surprise when asked at his pre-game news conference what he thought of Mudryk being in Wroclaw ahead of Wednesday's game."He’s here? I'm happy for Misha (Mudryk) to be here. I don't know, just happy for Misha to be here."Mudryk hasn't posted on social media since a statement about the case in December when he acknowledged an unnamed "banned substance" had been found in a sample he'd given."I know that I have not done anything wrong and remain hopeful that I will be back on the pitch soon," he posted at the time.Neither Chelsea nor the English Football Association have provided any updates on the progress of the case since then.Mudryk could be awarded a medal from the Conference League final because he played in Chelsea's first four games of the league phase, scoring three goals. He scored in his most recent game, a 2-0 Conference League win over German club Heidenheim on Nov. 28.Mudryk signed an eight-and-a-half-year contract when he signed for Chelsea in Jan. 2023, keeping him at the club until 2031.___AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 10: Mykhaylo Mudryk of Chelsea during the Premier League match between Chelsea FC and Arsenal FC at Stamford Bridge on November 10, 2024 in London, England.

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CHICAGO (AP) — Michael Busch and Matt Shaw hit run-scoring singles in the 11th inning, lifting th...

CHICAGO (AP) — Michael Busch and Matt Shaw hit run-scoring singles in the 11th inning, lifting the Chicago Cubs past Colorado 4-3 on Tuesday night and sending the Rockies to their 21st consecutive series loss.Chicago has won nine of 11 while the Rockies fell to 9-46 and are on pace to finish 27-135. Colorado is 0-18 in series this season and also lost its last three in 2024. The Rockies exceeded the 20 straight lost series by the Chicago White Sox last year.Brenton Doyle put the Rockies ahead 3-2 with an RBI grounder off Chris Flexen (3-0).<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Automatic runner Pete Crow-Armstrong stole third with one out in the bottom half and scored when Busch singled past the drawn-in infield and through the shortstop hole against Tyler Kinley (0-2).Pinch-runner Jon Berti stole second off catcher Hunter Goodman and Shaw blooped an opposite-field single into short right that landed just 175 feet from home plate.Colorado built a 2-0 lead in the first against Germán Márquez when Seiya Suzuki had an RBI single and Pete Crow-Armstrong hit into a run-scoring forceout.Ryan McMahon hit a run-scoring single in the fourth and Brenton Doyle homered in the seventh off Cade Horton, who allowed a season-low four hits in six-plus innings.Key momentChicago tied a season high with six stole bases and was thrown out twice. Runners have been successful on 23 of 29 tries against Goodman.Key statColorado is 2-13 since Warren Schaeffer replaced Bud Black as manager.Up nextCubs LHP Matthew Boyd (4-2, 3.42 ERA) and Rockies RHP Tanner Gordon (1-1, 4.38) are scheduled to start Wednesday night.___AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - MAY 27: Brenton Doyle #9 of the Colorado Rockies runs around the bases on his solo home run in the seventh inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on May 27, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois.

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INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Tyrese Haliburton finished with 32 points, 15 assists and 12 rebounds without...

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INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — <a href="https://x.com/i/status/1927546613091782848">Tyrese Haliburton</a> finished with 32 points, 15 assists and 12 rebounds without a turnover in a historic postseason performance to lead the Indiana Pacers past the New York Knicks 130-121 on Tuesday night for a 3-1 lead in the Eastern Conference finals.
<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pacers-nba-tyrese-haliburton-father-7004b97599cba544e43487a8cb5ab381">With his father, John, back in Gainbridge Fieldhouse,</a> Haliburton became the first player with such a stat line in the postseason since turnovers were first tracked in 1977-78 and he carried the Pacers within a victory of their second trip to the NBA Finals. Nikola Jokic and Oscar Robertson are the only other players to post 30 points, 15 assists and 10 rebounds in a playoff game.
Game 5 is Thursday in New York. 
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“I'll look at that later and reflect on that at a different time. For me, it's just about winning,” Haliburton said. “ <a href="https://apnews.com/article/indiana-pacers-nba-playoffs-605a18e82487e49c912af7071fa40f93">I wanted to prove</a> I could respond when my back is against the wall, my team's back is against the wall. I feel like we responded the right way."
Pascal Siakam added 30 points while Haliburton had four steals in his second career postseason triple-double. Obi Toppin's 3-pointer with 46 seconds left sealed it.
Jalen Brunson scored 31 points. Karl-Anthony Towns had 24 points and 12 rebounds, and OG Anunoby finished with 22 points. But the Knicks couldn't rally from another double-digit deficit. 
It marked the first time in the series the home team won and leaves the Knicks one loss away from getting eliminated for the second straight year by Indiana.
“We've all got to be better. We've got to be better as a team,” Towns said after shaking off a left leg injury with 2:11 to play to finish the game. “It's unfortunate we couldn't find a way tonight when we found a way in all the other series to do it.” 
Nearly a dozen former Pacers players, including Jermaine O'Neal and Lance Stephenson, joined Haliburton's father in the heavily gold-clad crowd. So did WWE Hall of Famer Triple H, rappers Rob 49 and 50 Cent and singers John Mellencamp and Jelly Roll. Haliburton also brought New York firefighter Hans Perez, a Pacers fan, to the game and gave him a signed No. 0 jersey.
John Haliburton had been forced to watch Indiana’s previous eight postseason games from afar after he ran onto the court and confronted Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo following his son’s last-second shot to eliminate Milwaukee in the first round. The Pacers allowed him to return for Game 4 and he sat in a suite.
Both teams were shooting at a clip of 70% long into the first quarter as the Pacers raced to a 43-35 lead. Haliburton helped Indiana close the half on a 6-0 run to make it 69-64 as he finished the half just two rebounds short of his third career triple-double.
“He was our leader tonight and we had some difficult film stuff yesterday, not fun,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. “We allowed things to go a different direction than they needed to go in Game 3 and tonight we were determined to turn it back in our direction.”
Did they ever.
Indiana opened the second half with an even more aggressive style that spurred a 9-2 run and closed the quarter on a 9-4 spurt to extend the margin to 102-91. Siakam scored the final five points of a 9-3 run early in the fourth to give Indiana a 111-96 lead.
New York got as close as six three times in the closing minutes but couldn't get any loser.
___
AP NBA: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/NBA">https://apnews.com/hub/NBA</a>
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INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MAY 25: Tyrese Haliburton #0 of the Indiana Pacers shoots the ball during the game against the New York Knicks during Game 3 of the 2025 Eastern Conference Finals on May 25, 2025 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE

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TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Kody Clemens hit his fifth home run of the season, with father Roger Clemens w...

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Kody Clemens hit his fifth home run of the season, with father Roger Clemens watching from the stands, and the Minnesota Twins beat Tampa Bay 4-2 Tuesday night to stop the Rays' season-high, six-game winning streak.A 29-year-old son of the seven-time Cy Young Award winner, Kody Clemens extended his hitting streak to a career-high eight games when he homered off leading off the second against Taj Bradley (4-4).Joe Ryan (5-2) won his fourth straight decision, allowing one run and five hits in six innings. Jhoan Duran worked around a walk in the ninth for his ninth save in 10 chances, throwing six of 21 pitches 100 mph or higher.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Carlos Correa had three hits for the Twins, who went ahead on Brooks Lee's first-inning sacrifice fly. Lee hit into a run-scoring forceout in the sixth and Kameron Misner had a run-scoring groundout in the seventh.Bradley (4-4) allowed three runs - two earned - and five hits in seven innings, matching his season high.A crowd of 10,046 was the Rays' 33rd sellout in 36 games at Steinbrenner Field, the Rays' temporary home this season. Tampa Bay, which dropped back to .500 at 27-27, is 17-19 at home going into Wednesday's finale of a nine-game homestand.Key momentIRays second baseman Brandon Lowe fielded Lee’s sixth-inning chopper with runners on first and second and sailed his throw to second over leaping shortstop Jose Caballero for an error that allowed Ryan Jeffers to score.Key statRyan's walk to Misner in the second inning was his 10th in 11 starts the year. Twins pitchers have walked the fewest batters in the major leagues this season.Up nextRays RHP Drew Rasmussen (3–4, 2.60 ERA) starts Wednesday against Twins RHP Pablo López (4–2, 2.31 ERA), who has held opponents to two earned runs or fewer in eight of nine starts this season.___AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

TAMPA, FLORIDA - MAY 27: Joe Ryan #41 of the Minnesota Twins reacts in the sixth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at George M. Steinbrenner Field on May 27, 2025 in Tampa, Florida.

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DETROIT (AP) — San Francisco Giants right-hander Justin Verlander threw during a bullpen session ...

DETROIT (AP) — San Francisco Giants right-hander Justin Verlander threw during a bullpen session on Tuesday night as the 42-year-old, three-time Cy Young Award winner tries to work his way back from a strained right pectoral muscle.Verlander wore road-gray uniform pants and a black, short-sleeve crew neck as he threw from the mound in the bullpen at Detroit's Comerica Park, where the Giants played the second of a three-game series with the Tigers, losing 3-1.Verlander struggled with velocity and command because of discomfort during his most recent start on May 18 against the Athletics, a game which he left after four innings. <div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>He threw on the side last Wednesday, but remained unsatisfied with his fitness and was placed on the 15-day injured list the day before the Giants' current road trip began Friday in Washington.The move was retroactive to May 19 and the Giants are hopeful Verlander will be back after missing just two starts. Verlander said the issue wasn’t related to the neck problems that sidelined him for much of the 2024 season.Verlander has struggled in his first season with the Giants and is still searching for his first win after 10 starts. He is 0-3 with a 4.33 ERA.Verlander has 41 strikeouts and 21 walks for his worst ratio since 2008 and is allowing the most base runners per inning (1.404) of any season with more than two starts.The 2011 AL MVP has a career record of 262-150 with a 3.31 ERA in 536 starts.___AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 18: Justin Verlander #35 of the Giants pitches in the top of the 2nd inning against the Athletics at Oracle Park on May 18, 2025 in San Francisco, California.

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BERLIN (AP) — Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann has called up Mainz forward Jonathan Burkardt to hi...

BERLIN (AP) — Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann has called up Mainz forward Jonathan Burkardt to <a href="https://apnews.com/article/germany-nations-league-musiala-squad-db4e0e5fd7f68f7bb20bfb1ba7ea5264">his squad</a> for upcoming Nations League games after Stuttgart’s Angelo Stiller dropped out with an injury.Burkardt will join the team at its training base in Herzogenaurach on Friday, the German soccer federation said Tuesday, in preparation for the Nations League semifinal against Portugal in Munich on Wednesday, and the final or third-place playoff against either Spain or France four days later.The 24-year-old Burkardt has played three games for Germany. He was the Bundesliga’s top-scoring German player with 18 goals for Mainz this season.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Stiller, who starred for Stuttgart as the team <a href="https://apnews.com/article/german-cup-final-stuttgart-bielefeld-a94b14fc6c743e572fd2b7ba9b3682fc">won the German Cup</a> on Saturday, dropped out with a recurrence of the ankle ligament injury that had kept him out for two weeks previously. The DFB said Stiller has “not completely healed.”Stiller was involved in three of Stuttgart’s four goals as it defeated Arminia Bielefeld 4-2 in the cup final.___AP soccer: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/soccer">https://apnews.com/hub/soccer</a>

BOCHUM, GERMANY - MAY 10: Jonathan Burkardt of 1. FSV Mainz 05 looks on during the Bundesliga match between VfL Bochum 1848 and 1. FSV Mainz 05 at Vonovia Ruhrstadion on May 10, 2025 in Bochum, Germany.

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LOS ANGELES (AP) — Former Major League Soccer MVP Carlos Vela announced his retirement Tuesday.  ...

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Former Major League Soccer MVP Carlos Vela announced his retirement Tuesday.The 36-year-old Vela spent the previous seven seasons with Los Angeles FC, which signed the Mexican forward as its first designated player in 2017 before the expansion club had played a game.Vela became LAFC’s leader in goals (78), assists (59) and games played (152) in a career highlighted by his MVP season in 2019, during which he set an MLS record with 34 goals. LAFC won the MLS Cup in 2022 and earned Supporters’ Shield trophies in 2019 and 2022 during Vela’s tenure.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>“Helping to build LAFC and winning trophies for the club is a highlight of my career,” Vela said in a statement. “This club means so much to me and my family, and I am proud of everything we have accomplished together with the great fans of Los Angeles. I am excited to begin this next chapter in my journey here in LA.”Vela’s contract with LAFC ran out after the 2023 season, and he remained unsigned until last September, when <a href="https://apnews.com/article/lafc-carlos-vela-return-125a6ebdbf9c5c57de4f8be8864f9631">he rejoined the club for the playoff stretch</a>. But Vela played only four minutes as a substitute in one playoff game, and LAFC did not re-sign him for the current season.Vela and his family live in Los Angeles, and the club named him its first Black &amp; Gold Ambassador while announcing his retirement.In his new role, Vela will “help us grow the LAFC brand, strengthen our connection with supporters, and continue to inspire the next generation of players,” general manager John Thorrington said.A Cancún native, Vela began his youth career with Chivas before moving to Arsenal as a 16-year-old prospect in 2005. He spent much of his Arsenal tenure on loan to several Spanish clubs before landing at Real Sociedad, where he played for six years before joining LAFC.Vela was one of MLS’ best players for his first several seasons with LAFC, earning four All-Star selections and three spots in the MLS Best XI. He was the fastest player in MLS history to compile 75 goals and 50 assists in his career, and he is the top Mexican goal-scorer in league history.“From the beginning, Carlos has been more than just a player — he has been the heartbeat, the captain and the face of LAFC,” Thorrington said. “Carlos arrived in Los Angeles with a shared vision of building something truly special, and he delivered on that promise in every way. From unforgettable goals to historic victories, Carlos helped make LAFC what it is today.”Vela played for Mexico at the World Cup in 2010 and 2018, but he also feuded with El Tri’s management at times, leading to long stretches away from the national team. Vela declared himself retired from international football in 2020.LAFC will honor the forward on Noche de Carlos Vela, to be held Sept. 21 at BMO Stadium during a match against Real Salt Lake.___AP soccer: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/soccer">https://apnews.com/soccer</a>

LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 05: Carlos Vela #10 of LAFC lifts the trophy to celebrate after winning the MLS Cup Final match between Philadelphia Union and LAFC as part of the MLS Cup Final 2022 at Banc of California Stadium on November 5, 2022 in Los Angeles, California.

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LAFC legend Vela announces retirement

CINCINNATI (AP) — Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase said that while he doesn’t want to play in ...

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CINCINNATI (AP) — Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase said that while he doesn’t want to play in the preseason, he understands that may be what’s best for a Cincinnati team that has lost its first two games the past three seasons.
“It sounds like we need to play in the preseason,” Chase said on Tuesday after the Bengals wrapped up their first organized team activity practice.
After starting 0-2 in 2022 and 2023 — seasons where the Bengals barely played their top players in the preseason — the Bengals used a similar approach last season and dropped their first three games en route to a 1-4 start.
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While many Bengals players were shaking off rust during the first few weeks of the 2024 season, Chase had added pressure. He opted to not participate in training camp as he tried to negotiate a contract extension.
“I wasn’t mentally ready to be on the field,” Chase said. “I was in my own head.”
With Chase as well as wide receiver Tee Higgins now secured on long-term deals, Chase has much more peace of mind entering the 2025 season. Quarterback Joe Burrow was excited to see those contract extensions finalized early this offseason.
“It’s great when you can reward guys who do it the right way, work really hard to go out and play great on Sundays and play great week in and week out,” Burrow said. “It’s great to have them for the next four years, and I will here, too, so we’ve got the core here, and that’s exciting.”
Chase won the receiving triple crown last season as he led the NFL in receptions (127), receiving yards (1,708) and touchdown catches (17). He said that he got back to playing with a “chip” on his shoulder during the middle of last season, and he’s trying to keep that mindset entering the 2025 season.
“I’m challenging myself, pushing the guys around me, learning more of the offense and learning more defenses,” Chase said. “Seeing the small things from the defense in pre-snap tells.”
Last season, even though Chase reached the statistical goals that he set for himself, the Bengals didn’t make the playoffs. When Chase was asked about the goals that he’s setting for 2025, he focused on team success.
“We didn’t make the playoffs for two years straight,” Chase said. “That’s my chip (on my shoulder) right there.”
Coach Zac Taylor said last week that having Chase and Higgins both under contract certainly provides the team with security, but it doesn't impact his job as a play caller.
“You’re looking at this year. How can we be the best 2025 Bengals team,” he said. “There’s a lot of things, now that we get these guys in the system a little longer and not just Tee and Ja’Marr, we can continue to grow and tweak, and that’s been a really good part of our offseason so far. I think it’s still challenging to those guys who have been here for several years. Some of the new things that we’re working on is good and it’s pushing their boundaries a little bit, and they’ve taken it the right way.”
NOTES: The Professional Football Writers Association announced on Tuesday that Burrow was selected as the winner of the George Halas Award. The award recognizes an NFL player, coach or staff member who overcomes the most adversity to succeed. Last season, Burrow recovered from a significant wrist surgery and went on to lead the NFL in passing yards with 4,918. He is the first member of the Bengals organization to receive the award since then-defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer was recognized in 2010.
___
AP NFL: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nfl">https://apnews.com/hub/nfl</a>
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NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - DECEMBER 15: Ja'Marr Chase #1 of the Cincinnati Bengals warms up prior to an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium on December 15, 2024 in Nashville, Tennessee.

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Bengals' Chase open to preseason changes to avoid slow start

PARIS (AP) — João Fonseca is making a habit of drawing big crowds at tennis tournaments — and of ...

PARIS (AP) — <a href="https://apnews.com/article/joao-fonseca-australian-open-brazil-teenager-74afe91813d66e7762aad7803db8063a">João Fonseca</a> is making a habit of drawing big crowds at tennis tournaments — and of beating seeded opponents in his Grand Slam debuts.The 18-year-old from Brazil delighted a loud and overflowing group of spectators at 1,500-capacity Court 7 on Tuesday and won the first <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/french-open">French Open</a> match of his nascent career, beating 30th-seeded Hubert Hurkacz 6-2, 6-4, 6-2.“I’m young, and I’m getting the experience of everything now,” Fonseca said. “So I’m learning a lot from this circuit and this environment.”<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Fonseca needed just 1 hour, 40 minutes to wrap up the victory, producing more than twice as many winners, 36, as unforced errors, 15, and repeatedly delivering booming forehands.“I mean, he's (got) a very powerful game,” said Hurkacz, who reached the Wimbledon semifinals in 2021 <a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-wimbledon-tennis-sports-53bd9e520b452c3347741a8e052ebb96">by beating Roger Federer</a> in the last match of the 20-time major champion's career. "He's definitely an all-around player and can develop a lot. It's difficult to play against him."All along, Fonseca heard plenty of support from the Brazilians who haven't had a Grand Slam champion to cheer for since Gustavo Kuerten was winning three French Open titles in 1997, 2000 and 2001.Fonseca, the 2023 U.S. Open junior champion and currently ranked 65th, played his first match in the main draw of a major at the Australian Open in January, when he knocked off No. 9 seed Andrey Rublev.___More AP tennis: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/tennis">https://apnews.com/hub/tennis</a>

PARIS, FRANCE - MAY 27: Joao Fonseca of Brazil celebrates winning match point against Hubert Hurkacz of Poland during the Men's Singles First Round match on Day Three of the 2025 French Open at Roland Garros on May 27, 2025 in Paris, France.

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Brazilian teen Fonseca beats Hurkacz in Roland Garros debut

MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay (AP) — Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi have been partners on the pitch for sever...

MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay (AP) — Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi have been <a href="https://apnews.com/article/luis-suarez-inter-miami-lionel-messi-1a8519bd76ab6324ce4b3eb93ab054fa">partners on the pitch</a> for several years. Now they’re teaming up off it as businessmen.Suarez announced on Tuesday he has founded a professional soccer team in his native Uruguay, and he is bringing his Inter Miami teammate along on the project.Suarez, the all-time scoring leader of Uruguay’s national team, explained in a video posted on his social media accounts that the team formerly known as Deportivo LS will now be called LSM and will start playing professional soccer in the Uruguay’s fourth division.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>“Deportivo LS is a family dream that began in 2018. We have grown a lot with more than 3,000 members,” Suarez said. “I want to offer Uruguayan soccer, the place I love and where I grew up as a child, opportunities and tools for teenagers and children to grow.”The 38-year-old Suarez <a href="https://apnews.com/article/suarez-retires-uruguay-soccer-f8a5798c9a1d65cb98b00996a8a36d29">retired from international soccer</a> last September, played with Messi at Barcelona for six seasons, and they’ve been teammates the past two years with Inter Miami.“I’m proud and happy that you chose me, so I hope to contribute everything I can to continue growing and, above all, to be by your side in this,” said Messi, who was sitting alongside Suarez in the video.It’s still unclear what Messi’s role will be in the project, although local media reported that he will be a partner. It was also reported that Álvaro Recoba, a former player for the Uruguay national team and Inter Milan, will be the team’s coach.The announcement also launched the club’s Instagram account, which had over 40,000 followers two hours after its creation.Suárez and his family opened an 20-acre sports complex in 2018 in Ciudad de la Costa on the outskirts of Montevideo. It has numerous activities for more than 3,000 members.The club has a synthetic turf stadium with a capacity for 1,400 spectators, among other fields.___AP soccer: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/soccer">https://apnews.com/hub/soccer</a>

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL - MARCH 09: Lionel Messi #10 and Luis Suarez #9 of Inter Miami CF arrive for the MLS game between Inter Miami CF and Charlotte FC on Sunday March 9, 2025 at Chase Stadium, Fort Lauderdale,Fla.

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DUBLIN, Ohio (AP) — The Memorial always will be known as the tournament Jack Nicklaus built and T...

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DUBLIN, Ohio (AP) — The Memorial always will be known as the tournament Jack Nicklaus built and Tiger Woods once dominated.
These days, it's hard to escape the cloud of LIV Golf at Muirfield Village, even if the only evidence of LIV players such as Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm is their photos on the wall as past champions.
It was three years ago at the Memorial when an email began filling inboxes across the golf industry <a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-golf-sergio-phil-mickelson-dustin-johnson-21f4722d284a2b9ed0c95652de809522">announcing the first batch of defectors who signed up to play in the inaugural LIV Golf Invitational</a>.
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Dustin Johnson was the headliner. Another PGA Tour member headed for the Saudi-funded league was Hudson Swafford. He lasted three years before he was relegated out of LIV and now has nowhere to play, at least not anywhere close to home. <a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-sports-portland-jamal-khashoggi-golf-738ec5ff95756774f6a4700df8ec0637">Brooks Koepka bolted three weeks later</a>. Cameron Smith waited until the PGA Tour season was over.
“It's kind of weird. It feels like it almost didn't happen anymore. It's like we're in a different timeline right now," Viktor Hovland said Tuesday.
One year and two lawsuits later, PGA Tour board members Jimmy Dunne and Ed Herlihy showed up at the Memorial and played in the pro-am.
Unbeknownst to any player in the field, Dunne and Herlihy — along with PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan — had been meeting secretly with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia to strike a deal. The framework agreement had been signed the day before.
The news <a href="https://apnews.com/article/liv-golf-pga-europeann-tour-saudi-arabia-a316315863e88d3f69b763fbdc82ebe0">dropped and shocked a week later</a> on June 6, 2023. The agreement was never finalized. Negotiations are said to be ongoing, but nobody is talking about what might happen.
"We're still kind of in the same position, kind of in a stalemate,” Hovland said. “So it's a little weird, but certainly miss some of the guys.”
There is nothing quite as obvious about LIV this year at Muirfield Village. But then, Rory McIlroy chose to skip out on Nicklaus' tournament for the first time in eight years, another reminder of the disruption the Saudi-funded league has brought to golf.
The Memorial is now in its third year as a $20 million tournament, a spike in prize money to respond to the threat of LIV Golf. The objective of the PGA Tour — a plan hatched by the players at a Delaware meeting in August 2022 — was to create <a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-d655d436cd3fbe1b35b5140fd774dadf">a series of big-money events that would bring together all the top players.</a>
At first, they were required to play them all. That's no longer the case, which explains why McIlroy decided to skip the Memorial. This is the third signature event he has missed this year.
That's his prerogative, of course. McIlroy is not the only player to sit out a tournament that has the best field and the highest purse. Scottie Scheffler didn't go to Philadelphia because he wanted to make room for his two hometown tournaments in the Dallas area.
McIlroy is playing the RBC Canadian Open next week.
He once was the strongest voice against LIV Golf, first stating his opposition to the concept two years before LIV even launched, and then standing squarely in the PGA Tour's corner when the breakaway league set sail in 2022.
McIlroy also has been known to switch positions, striking conciliatory tones in an effort to help golf patch itself back together.
“I think everyone’s just got to get over it,” McIlroy said in February on how to repair this mess. “We all have to say, ‘OK, this is the starting point and we move forward.’ ... How we all come back together and move forward, that's the best thing for everyone.”
The question is who is most responsible for that?
This is where Scheffler has stepped in to offer perspective to those who think the fix is simple.
McIlroy has a big voice. Scheffler has been the consistent voice. Twice in the last two years, Scheffler has left little room for interpretation on how he feels about the divide in golf and where the responsibility lies.
It was last year at The Players Championship when Scheffler was asked if fans were disillusioned by the splintering of stars between the PGA and LIV.
“If guys want to go take the money and leave, then that’s their decision,” he said. “If the fans are upset, then look at the guys that left. We had a tour, we were all together, and the people that left are no longer here. At the end of the day, that’s where the splintering comes from.”
The subject came up again to golf’s No. 1 player last week at Colonial. This time Scheffler was asked if he would have won 11 times in the last 15 months if he had faced LIV players more than four times a year (five including the Olympics). That was followed by whether he knew anything about progress in getting the two tours together.
“If you want to figure out what’s going to happen in the game of golf, go to the other tour and ask those guys,” Scheffler said. “I’m still here playing the PGA Tour. We had a tour where we all played together, and the guys that left, it’s their responsibility I think to bring the tours back together. Go see where they’re playing this week and ask them.”
The subtle humor was found in his few words.
LIV wasn't playing anywhere last week, or this week. It returns next week in Virginia after a long break, and then the best from two tours get together at the U.S. Open.
That's how it started three years ago during the week of Memorial. That's how it is now.
___
On The Fringe analyzes the biggest topics in golf during the season. AP golf: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/golf">https://apnews.com/hub/golf</a>
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DUBLIN, OHIO - MAY 27: Tee box marker is seen prior to the Memorial Tournament presentedy by Workday at Muirfield Village Golf Club on May 27, 2025 in Dublin, Ohio.

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UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) — It's been a week of homecomings for Paige Bueckers as the former UConn s...

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UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) — It's been a week of homecomings for Paige Bueckers as the former UConn star will play in the state of Connecticut for the first time since helping the Huskies win the school's 12th national championship nearly two months ago.
Last week was a chance to play in her home state of Minnesota. Now she'll be trying to get the Dallas Wings their first victory of the season as they face the winless Sun on Tuesday night.
“It will be weird not stepping on this court with a UConn uniform,” Bueckers told reporters Monday. “It will be something I enjoy with a new team and new organization. It’s great to be back, great to continue on this journey.”
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Bueckers has never lost at Mohegan Sun Arena, where the Sun plays their home games. She went 15-0 at the arena, including winning four Big East championships while playing for UConn. She looked right at home during shootaround Tuesday morning, hitting the halfcourt shot at the end of practice. Something she's done nearly every time in her rookie season so far.
“I have some great memories here. I don’t think we lost here in my UConn career so we’ll try to carry those vibes over to this game and approach it with a winning mentality,” Bueckers said.
Despite the Wings' 0-4 record to start the season, the No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft has gotten off to a strong beginning to her career. She leads the team in points (13.0), assists (6.3) and steals (1.8).
“She just continues to do things that should be surprising but aren’t,” Wings coach Chris Koclanes said. “I take a step back to just appreciate, the type of player and even more so the type of person that she is.”
The rookie coach has been impressed with Bueckers' mental approach to the game and how much she invests into it.
“She wants to really be a great leader and is committing time into developing those skills to help this culture and her teammates as a rookie.” he said. “So that’s been really impressive on the floor. I think you take for granted some of the things she’s able to do. But extremely high IQ, she’s picked up, you know, concepts and reads, very early. And then it’s just, you know, she’ll adapt to the physicality.”
She had 12 points and 10 assists in her first homecoming game against the Lynx at the Target Center last Wednesday.
“We’re not setting expectations for ourselves, just taking it day by day,” Bueckers said. “Setting expectations limits you in what you can accomplish. We’re trying to grow in the film room, grow in the weight room, grow on the court and grow with our chemistry. Stay optimistic, stay positive, don’t let the last game affect the next game. Learn from the past and have it motivate you to be better.”
Dallas returns on June 20 to play at Connecticut for a second and final time this season.
___
AP WNBA: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball">https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball</a>
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COLLEGE PARK, GEORGIA - MAY 24: Paige Bueckers #5 of the Dallas Wings pushes the ball up the court against the Atlanta Dream during the fourth quarter at Gateway Center Arena on May 24, 2025 in College Park, Georgia.

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Bueckers returns to Connecticut hoping to get 1st win as pro

PARIS (AP) — Novak Djokovic experienced the lowest of lows — pulling out of the French Open after...

PARIS (AP) — Novak Djokovic experienced the lowest of lows — pulling out of the French Open after tearing the meniscus in his right knee — and the highest of highs — winning a long-sought Olympic gold medal for Serbia — at Roland-Garros last year. This trip to the site went smoothly, once he got going.Other than some first-set interruptions by, and lengthy discussions about, the windy, wet weather, the 24-time major champion was unbothered during a 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 victory over 98th-ranked Mackenzie McDonald of the United States at Court Philippe-Chatrier in the first round.“He makes it seem like a video game, almost, for him,” said McDonald, a 30-year-old Californian who played college tennis at UCLA and twice has been to the fourth round at Grand Slam tournaments. “He’s able to just do so much. I don’t even think he was playing his best tennis or his highest level. But if I pushed him to a different point, he would bring it up.”<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>One example: When McDonald earned his first break points, getting to love-40 at 3-2 in the second set, Djokovic came up with three big serves, a 120 mph (193 kph) ace, a 123 mph (199 kph) ace and a 122 mph (197 kph) service winner.Djokovic compiled 32 winners — 18 more than McDonald — and just 20 unforced errors in a match that eventually was played with the lights on and the retractable roof closed.“I’m a competitor, and losing stings,” McDonald said, “but playing Novak on that court is something I’ll remember.”Before Djokovic, who just turned 38 and won his 100th career title last weekend, walked onto the playing surface, he was identified by the stadium announcer by his total number of Slam trophies, the three he's won at the French Open, and the Summer Games gold he won “here in Paris.”“I still remember last year’s Olympic Games. It was the last time I was here,” Djokovic said afterward. “The emotion is very strong.”The medal that means so much to him?“I don’t have the medal with me. But I have a picture of the medal in my bag,” he said. “The medal is with my father. My dad likes trophies more than I do, so I gave him mine.”What else happened at the French Open on Tuesday?Once Coco Gauff found her rackets — a relatively important piece of equipment for a tennis player — all was well for her in the first round. Gauff showed up on court, opened her bag and peered inside to find it was missing her rackets. The start of the warmup was delayed, but then everything went Gauff's way, and the 2023 U.S. Open champion got past Olivia Gadecki 6-2, 6-2. Other winners included the No. 3 seeds, Jessica Pegula and Alexander Zverev, and 18-year-old Mirra Andreeva, but 2021 U.S. Open champion Daniil Medvedev, who was seeded 11th, lost to Cam Norrie 7-5, 6-3, 4-6, 1-6, 7-5 across nearly four hours.Who is playing at Roland-Garros on Wednesday?The second round begins on Day 4, with a schedule that includes defending champions Iga Swiatek and Carlos Alcaraz, 2024 runner-up Jasmine Paolini and two-time finalist Casper Ruud. Swiatek meets 2021 U.S. Open champion Emma Raducanu in the day session's last match in the main stadium.___Howard Fendrich has been the AP’s tennis writer since 2002. Find his stories here: <a href="https://apnews.com/author/howard-fendrich">https://apnews.com/author/howard-fendrich</a>. More AP tennis: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/tennis">https://apnews.com/hub/tennis</a>

PARIS, FRANCE - MAY 27: Novak Djokovic of Serbia reacts against Mackenzie McDonald of United States during the Men's Singles First Round match during Day Three of the 2025 French Open at Roland Garros on May 27, 2025 in Paris, France.

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Djokovic irked by weather in 1st-round win at French Open

LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — A 53-year-old British man who injured 65 people when his car rammed int...

LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — A 53-year-old British man who injured 65 people when his <a href="https://apnews.com/article/liverpool-crystal-palace-arsenal-women-trophy-parade-b2929e5981eeff72e074bf9c901a0bc5">car rammed</a> into a crowd of Liverpool soccer fans celebrating their team’s Premier League championship was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, police said Tuesday.The driver was also being held on suspicion of dangerous driving and driving on drugs, Detective Chief Superintendent Karen Jaundrill said.The incident late Monday afternoon turned a jubilant parade into a tragedy that sent 50 people to hospitals for treatment of their injuries. Eleven remained hospitalized Tuesday in stable condition.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>The wounded included four children, one of whom had been trapped beneath the vehicle with three adults.Driver dodged road blockPolice had closed off much of the area to traffic, but the driver is believed to have maneuvered around a road block by following an ambulance that was rushing to treat a person suspected of having a heart attack, Assistant Chief Constable Jenny Sims said.Merseyside Police said they were not treating the incident as terrorism and were not looking for other suspects. The force has not identified the arrested driver. Police in Britain usually do not name suspects until they are charged.Detectives were still working to piece together why the minivan plowed into crowds packing a narrow street just after the players of Liverpool Football Club had celebrated its championship with an open-topped bus parade.The incident cast a shadow over a <a href="https://apnews.com/article/liverpool-tragedy-heysel-hillsborough-e1f6ed9776382106cdb92b1913f81e06">city that has suffered twin tragedies</a> linked to the soccer team and led to widespread expressions of shock, sadness and support.“It is truly devastating to see that what should have been a joyous celebration for many could end in such distressing circumstances,” King Charles III said in a statement while on a visit to Canada. “I know that the strength of community spirit for which your city is renowned will be a comfort and support to those in need.”Crime scene scoured for evidenceWater Street, near the River Mersey in the heart of the city, was cordoned off by police tape, and a blue tent had been erected on the road strewn with the detritus of celebration, including bottles, cans and Liverpool flags.Teams of officers wearing white forensic suits scoured the damp streets for evidence and snapped photos of clothing and other items left behind as people fled the chaotic scene.Hundreds of thousands of Liverpudlians had crammed the streets of the port city in northwest England on Monday to celebrate the team winning England’s Premier League this season for a record-tying 20th top-flight title.As the parade was wrapping up, a minivan turned down a cordoned-off street just off the parade route and plowed into the sea of fans wrapped in their red Liverpool scarves, jerseys and other memorabilia. A video on social media showed the van strike a man, tossing him in the air, before veering into a larger crowd, where it plowed a path through the group and pushed bodies along the street before coming to a stop.“It was extremely fast,” said Harry Rashid, who was with his wife and two young daughters as the minivan passed by them. “Initially, we just heard the pop, pop, pop of people just being knocked off the bonnet of a car.”Rashid said the crowd charged the halted vehicle and began smashing windows.“But then he put his foot down again and just plowed through the rest of them, he just kept going,” Rashid said. “It was horrible. And you could hear the bumps as he was going over the people.”Suspect partly identified to stop rumor millPolice quickly identified the suspect as a white local man to prevent misinformation from flooding social media, Liverpool City Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram said.Rotheram said police acted appropriately to tamp down online speculation about the person responsible as false rumors spread rapidly online of there being another incident.“Social media is a cesspit,” he said, referring to the conjecture and misinformation. “It was designed to inflame. It was designed to divide. The message of hate doesn’t go down well here.”Last summer, a teen in the nearby town of Southport killed three girls in a <a href="https://apnews.com/article/southport-stabbings-sentencing-axel-rudakubana-c03e5ab59cd2e2f5baf849710c9d6b3d">stabbing rampage at a dance class</a> and wounded 10 others, including two adults. An incorrect name of the suspect was spread on social media and people said he was an asylum-seeker. In fact, he had been born in the U.K. Rioting spread across England and Northern Ireland, targeting Muslims and refugees in hotels for asylum-seekers, lasting about a week.Liverpool soccer legacy tainted by tragedyPrime Minister Keir Starmer said he was appalled by the tragedy as he hailed the bravery of rescuers and said the country’s thoughts were with the city and its people.“Scenes of joy turned to utter horror and devastation,” Starmer said Tuesday. “Liverpool stands together and the whole country stands with Liverpool.”The storied franchise has been associated with two of the biggest tragedies in professional soccer.Its fans were largely blamed for the 1985 disaster at Heysel stadium in Belgium when 39 people — mostly supporters of Italian team Juventus — died when Liverpool backers surged into the rival’s stand.Four years later, a crush at Hillsborough stadium in Sheffield led to the deaths of 97 Liverpool fans.___Associated Press writer Jill Lawless contributed to this report.

Police officers stand on duty at a cordon at the entrance to Water Street, at the scene of an incident, on the sidelines of an open-top bus victory parade for Liverpool's Premier League title win, in Liverpool, north-west England on May 26, 2025.

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Liverpool driver arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after injuring 65 people

PARIS (AP) — Ben Shelton reached the third round at the French Open for the second year in a row ...

PARIS (AP) — <a href="https://apnews.com/article/shelton-tv-interviewers-australian-open-djokovic-afeabdc6a98d38b1c792a09ef9c70c49">Ben Shelton</a> reached the third round at the <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/french-open">French Open</a> for the second year in a row — and this time, the American didn't even need to swing his racket, moving on Tuesday when Hugo Gaston withdrew from the tournament because of an abdominal injury.The 13th-seeded Shelton's best Grand Slam results were making it to the semifinals at the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-open-semifinals-shelton-djokovic-alcaraz-medvedev-dd382fc3ad4bdc823a6c53ec22e7e679">2023 U.S. Open</a> and the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/shelton-sinner-de-minaur-sonego-australian-open-729cfdf6f9bbdd403236ee921bb97265">Australian Open this January</a>.He was supposed to face France's Gaston in the second round at Roland-Garros on Wednesday night. The tournament replaced that matchup in Court Philippe-Chatrier with No. 10 seed Holger Rune of Denmark against unseeded Emilio Nava of the United States.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Shelton advances to a meeting on Friday against two-time major finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas or Matteo Gigante. That means Shelton will have had four days without competition following his five-set victory over Lorenzo Sonego in the first round Sunday night.___AP tennis: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/tennis">https://apnews.com/hub/tennis</a>

US Ben Shelton plays a backhand return to Italy's Lorenzo Sonego during their men's singles match on day 1 of the French Open tennis tournament on Court Philippe-Chatrier at the Roland-Garros Complex in Paris on May 25, 2025.

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Shelton reaches 3rd round after opponent withdraws with injury

VATICAN CITY (AP) — That Pope Leo XIV is a Chicago White Sox fan and likes to play tennis has alr...

VATICAN CITY (AP) — That Pope Leo XIV is a Chicago White Sox fan and likes to play tennis has already been established.The most pressing sports question for many locals inside the Vatican and surrounding Italy concerning the first American pope remains a mystery, though.Does Leo support an Italian soccer club?<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Leo cast doubt on the assumption that he’s a Roma fan during a private audience with freshly crowned Italian champion Napoli — Roma’s rival — on Tuesday. But his comments revealed that he follows the Italian game.When Leo entered the Clementine Hall inside the Apostolic Palace where Napoli’s players and staff were seated, there was a slight delay before the guests applauded.“Maybe they didn’t want to applaud because in the media they say I’m a Romanista,” Leo said, referring to Roma fans. “That’s what the press says. Not everything that you read in the press is true.”Pope Francis, Leo’s predecessor, was from Argentina and was a card-carrying supporter of Buenos Aires soccer club San Lorenzo.Napoli clinched its fourth Serie A title following a 2-0 win over Cagliari on Friday with goals from Scott McTominay and Romelu Lukaku.Napoli president and film producer Aurelio Del Laurentiis presented Leo with a Napoli No. 10 shirt — the same number worn by the late Diego Maradona when he played for the southern Italian team — with the pope’s name on it and featuring signatures from all of the club’s players.“You’re a No. 10,” De Laurentiis said, referring to the number often worn by a team’s most talented forward.When De Laurentiis introduced Napoli coach Antonio Conte, the pope cut him off and said “I know him from the (TV) screen, I’ve seen him many times.”Conte has also coached Italy’s national team, as well as Juventus, Chelsea and Inter Milan.“He’s profoundly Catholic,” De Laurentiis said of Conte. “He’s someone who believes in God very attentively and goes to pray often.”Leo cited the “social aspect” of Napoli’s title.“We know how popular soccer is in Italy and practically the entire world,” Leo said. “So, in that respect, the social value of an achievement like this, which is greater than the mere technical-sports aspect, is an example of a team that works together, in which the individual talents are sacrificed for the common good.”The pope also warned that “when sports becomes a business, it risks losing the values that make it educational, and it can actually become un-educational.”“I want to make an appeal to parents and sports officials: you need to pay careful attention to the moral quality of the sports experience at the competitive level, because it has an impact on the humane growth of young people,” Leo said.The meeting with Napoli came less than two weeks after Leo held a private audience with top-ranked tennis player Jannik Sinner.___AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

VATICAN CITY, VATICAN - MAY 27: (EDITOR NOTE: STRICTLY EDITORIAL USE ONLY - NO MERCHANDISING). Pope Leo XIV meets with Napoli President Aurelio De Laurentis, managers and players of the Napoli Football Team, winners of the Italian championship 2024/2025 during an audience at the Apostolic Palace on May 27, 2025 in Vatican City, Vatican.

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Pope Leo casts doubt on his soccer allegiances during Napoli meeting

PARIS (AP) — Coco Gauff caused a brief and amusing delay at the French Open on Tuesday when she s...

PARIS (AP) — Coco Gauff caused a brief and amusing delay at the French Open on Tuesday when she stepped onto Court Philippe-Chatrier without her rackets.Gauff looked confused before a ball boy ran out minutes later carrying her pack of mint-colored rackets.“That’s better,” said the court announcer, drawing laughter, applause and smiles from the crowd in the tournament’s main stadium.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><figure class="article-segment--embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
When you forget your rackets 😅 <a href="https://twitter.com/CocoGauff?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CocoGauff</a> <a href="https://t.co/bG3hbaTuWW">pic.twitter.com/bG3hbaTuWW</a>— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) <a href="https://twitter.com/TennisChannel/status/1927339035032207788?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 27, 2025</a>
</blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></figure>Despite the mix-up, No. 2-seeded Gauff went on to defeat Australia’s Olivia Gadecki 6-2, 6-2 in her opening match.The American jokingly blamed her coach for the missing rackets.“Honestly, as long as I’ve been on tour, my coach has always put the rackets in the bag before the match because he’s very superstitious,” she said. “I’m blaming it on my coach. It’s OK.”Gauff was a 2022 finalist at Roland-Garros and is among the title contenders again.___AP tennis: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/tennis">https://apnews.com/hub/tennis</a>

PARIS, FRANCE - MAY 27: Coco Gauff of United States celebrates her victory at the end of the her Women's Singles First Round match against Olivia Gadecki (not seen) of Australia during Day Three of the 2025 French Open at Roland Garros in Paris, France on May 27, 2025.

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OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The NCAA baseball tournament opens Friday with play in 16 double-elimination r...

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The NCAA baseball tournament opens Friday with play in 16 double-elimination regionals.Regional winners advance to best-of-three super regionals next week, and the final eight go to the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska, beginning June 13.Who's hot<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Northeastern's 27-game win streak is the longest in Division I since Fairfield rolled off 28 straight in 2021. The Huskies (48-9) are making their fourth NCAA appearance since 2018 under Mike Glavine, younger brother of Baseball Hall of Fame member Tom Glavine. The Huskies are the No. 2 regional seed in Tallahassee, Florida, and open against Mississippi State.No. 13 national seed Coastal Carolina (48-11) brings an 18-game streak into its home regional. The Chanticleers swept the Sun Belt regular-season and tournament titles under Kevin Schnall, who took over for longtime coach Gary Gilmore this year. They open against Fairfield.Columbia (29-17) has won nine in a row and 16 of 17. The Ivy League champions are a No. 4 regional seed and meet No. 16 national seed Southern Mississippi.Who's notArizona State (35-22) and Kentucky (29-24) each have lost four straight.The Sun Devils are batting .266 with a total of 12 runs and two homers over their past four and are coming off a 2-0 loss to BYU in the Big 12 Tournament.The Wildcats lost their final regular-season series against No. 1 national seed Vanderbilt by a total of four runs and then lost 5-1 to Oklahoma in the SEC Tournament.Still waitingEast Carolina (33-25), which received the American Athletic's automatic bid by winning the conference tournament as a No. 6 seed, has never reached the College World Series in 34 previous NCAA Tournament appearances, the longest streak of its kind. The Pirates are in the field for the ninth time in 10 years.Clemson (44-16) has never won a national championship, or finished as runner-up, in 46 previous appearances.The curse of the No. 1 national seed was finally broken last year when Tennessee won the national championship. Before that, the only No. 1 to win it all was Miami in 1999.Welcome to the partyBig South Tournament champion USC Upstate, a full Division I member since 2011, is making its tournament debut. The Spartans are second in the nation in scoring at 9.7 runs per game, and Johnny Sweeney is third in RBIs (81) and Scott Campbell is 17th in batting average (.400). They open at No. 11 national seed Clemson, just over an hour southwest of their Spartanburg, South Carolina, campus.Toughest regionalThe Oxford Regional, hosted by Mississippi, gets the nod.The Rebels earned the No. 10 national seed after winning three games in the SEC Tournament to reach the final, where it lost 3-2 to Vanderbilt. They expect to get back No. 3 starter Mason Nichols and right fielder Ryan Moerman from injury.Their opponent, Murray State (39-13), is in the tournament for the first time since 2003 after winning the Missouri Valley Tournament. The Racers had a three-run lead against the Rebels in Oxford on March 5 before losing 8-7 in 10 innings.Georgia Tech (40-17), the No. 2 regional seed, is the first ACC regular-season champion since 1999 to not host. The Yellow Jackets are matched against Western Kentucky (46-12), which set a school record for wins and has the Conference USA player and newcomer of the year in Ryan Wideman and pitcher of the year in Drew Whalen.No guaranteesRegional hosts have advanced to super regionals 66.8% of the time (267 of 400) since the tournament went to its current format in 1999. Last year, 10 hosts won regionals.The fewest hosts to advance were seven in 2007 and 2014, eight in 2018 and nine in 2017 and 2023.Feeling a draftEleven projected first-round picks in the Major League Baseball amateur draft are in the tournament, including four of the top six, according to MLB.com analyst Jim Callis.Heading the group are three left-handed pitchers: Tennessee's Liam Doyle (2), LSU's Kade Anderson (3) and Florida State's Jamie Arnold (5).Next are Oregon State SS Aiva Arquette (6), Oklahoma RHP Kyson Witherspoon (11), North Carolina C Luke Stevenson (16), Tennessee 2B Gavin Kilen (18), Wake Forest SS Marek Houston (19), Arizona OF Brendan Summerhill (20), Auburn OF-C Ike Irish (21) and Southern Mississippi RHP J.B. Middleton (22).

HOOVER, AL - MAY 22: Tennessee pitcher Liam Doyle (12) pitches the ball during the SEC Softball Tournament Quarterfinals game between Texas Longhorns and Tennessee Volunteers on May 22, 2025, at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium in Hoover, Alabama.

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Play ball! Things to know entering the NCAA baseball regionals

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