NEW YORK (AP) — Nolan McLean became the first New York Mets pitcher to win his first three major-...

NEW YORK (AP) — Nolan McLean became the first New York Mets pitcher to win his first three major-league starts, tossing eight magnificent innings Wednesday night in a 6-0 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies that completed a three-game sweep.Mark Vientos homered and drove in three runs as the resurgent Mets moved within four games of first-place Philadelphia in the NL East. They improved to 7-2 against the rival Phillies this year, clinching the season series and a potential postseason tiebreaker.The teams play a four-game series in Philadelphia from Sept. 8-11.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>New York began the night with a 3 1/2-game lead over Cincinnati for the final National League wild card.The Mets are 8-3 since McLean (3-0) made his debut Aug. 16 against Seattle. The 24-year-old right-hander allowed four hits and walked none with six strikeouts, throwing 95 pitches and lowering his ERA to 0.89. He retired 15 straight batters following Alec Bohm's second-inning single and faced the minimum until Bryce Harper's two-out single in the seventh.Bohm and Max Kepler opened the eighth with singles, but McLean preserved the shutout by retiring Nick Castellanos and Bryson Stott on medium-depth flyouts and inducing Harrison Bader to hit a squibber back toward the mound. McLean pounded his right fist into his glove as the Citi Field crowd of 41,893 roared.Brooks Raley tossed a one-hit ninth to close out the five-hitter.Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto and Pete Alonso had consecutive RBI singles in the third against Taijuan Walker (4-7), who gave up four runs and 10 hits in five innings against his former team.Vientos added an RBI single in the fifth and a two-run homer in the seventh. Brandon Nimmo had three of New York's 12 hits.Key momentNew York opened the third with five straight hits off Walker in an 11-pitch span.Key statsThe Mets batted .568 (21-for-37) with runners in scoring position during the series. They have won 10 straight and 24 of 30 against Philadelphia at home, counting last year's playoffs.Up nextPhillies RHP Aaron Nola (2-7, 6.52 ERA) starts Thursday night against Cal Quantrill (4-11, 5.51) and the visiting Atlanta Braves in the opener of a four-game series.Mets RHP Clay Holmes (11-6, 3.60 ERA) pitches Thursday night against Miami.___AP MLB: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mlb">https://apnews.com/hub/mlb</a>

NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 27: Nolan McLean #26 of the New York Mets pitches during the game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the New York Mets at Citi Field on Wednesday, August 27, 2025 in New York, New York.

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GRIMSBY, England (AP) — Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim said his players “spoke for me rea...

GRIMSBY, England (AP) — Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim said his players “spoke for me really loud” after slumping to one of the most embarrassing losses in the club’s history on Wednesday.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/man-united-grimsby-town-league-cup-29568545348ec122dbfff530002c6981">United was beaten 12-11 in a penalty shootout</a> by Grimsby Town, a team from the fourth tier of English soccer, in the second round of the League Cup. United had trailed 2-0 before scoring two late goals to snatch a 2-2 draw and force a shootout.In a dig at his own players, Amorim praised Grimsby for being “the only team that was on the pitch.”<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>“The best players lose because a team can win against any group of players,” Amorim said, “and I think the (United) team and the players spoke really loud today, so that’s it. We lost, the best team won.”Amorim accused his team of playing “without any intensity.”“We were completely lost and it’s hard to explain and that’s why I think they spoke really loud,” he said.Asked what he meant by that specific comment, Amorim said: “I think it was clear for everybody what happened today.”Amorim guided United to a 15th-place finish in the Premier League last season — its lowest ever in the competition — and has yet to earn a win in three games this season, after a loss to Arsenal and a draw at Fulham in the league.“We have a game on the weekend (against Burnley) and then we have two weeks (during the international break). And we will sort things out,” Amorim said when asked where the Grimsby result left him and his team.___AP soccer: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/soccer">https://apnews.com/hub/soccer</a>

GRIMSBY, ENGLAND - AUGUST 27: Ruben Amorim, Manager of Manchester United, looks dejected after his team concede during the Carabao Cup Second Round match between Grimsby Town and Manchester United at Blundell Park on August 27, 2025 in Grimsby, England.

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CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago White Sox placed Luis Robert Jr. on the 10-day injured list Wednesday,...

CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago White Sox placed Luis Robert Jr. on the 10-day injured list Wednesday, a tough blow for the center fielder after he started to deliver at the plate.Robert has a left hamstring strain. He left Tuesday night's 5-4 loss to Kansas City because of hamstring soreness.The White Sox also recalled outfielder Will Robertson from Triple-A Charlotte before their series finale against the Royals.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>The 28-year-old Robert got off to a tough start this year, batting .190 with nine homers, 35 RBIs and 93 strikeouts in his first 79 games. He was believed to be on the market ahead of the trade deadline, but the White Sox opted to keep the slumping slugger.He has been much better since the All-Star break, hitting .298 (34-for-114) with five homers and 18 RBIs in his last 31 games.Robert, a 2023 All-Star, has 102 homers and 102 steals in 577 career games, joining Minnie Miñoso, Ray Durham and Alexei Ramírez as the only players to record at least 100 homers and 100 steals with the franchise.___AP MLB: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mlb">https://apnews.com/MLB</a>

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - AUGUST 30: Luis Robert Jr. #88 of the Chicago White Sox reacts after popping up with the bases loaded in the second inning against the New York Mets at Guaranteed Rate Field on August 30, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois.

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GRIMSBY, England (AP) — Manchester United sank to a new low under Ruben Amorim by getting elimina...

GRIMSBY, England (AP) — Manchester United sank to a new low under Ruben Amorim by getting eliminated by fourth-tier Grimsby Town after a marathon penalty shootout in the second round of the English League Cup on Wednesday.Grimsby won 12-11 on spot-kicks at the 9,000-capacity Blundell Park on England's east coast, with Bryan Mbeumo missing the decisive penalty. United needed late goals by Mbeumo and Harry Maguire just to salvage a 2-2 draw in regulation, having trailed 2-0 at halftime.It will go down as one of the most embarrassing results in United’s history and leaves the team winless in three games so far this campaign, after a woeful 15th-place finish in the Premier League last season.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Grimsby’s jubilant fans stormed onto the field to celebrate with the players after Mbeumo’s spot kick rebounded off the crossbar to seal United’s fate.<figure class="article-segment--embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
"The greatest upset of all time" says Nigel Reo-Coker! Unbelievable scenes as Grimsby Town take down Manchester United on penalties in the Carabao Cup 👏 <a href="https://t.co/vIMd6WoKsL">pic.twitter.com/vIMd6WoKsL</a>— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) <a href="https://twitter.com/CBSSportsGolazo/status/1960815980256333860?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 27, 2025</a>
</blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></figure>“It's an amazing feeling, one that will live on forever,” said Grimsby's Charles Vernam, who scored one of the team's goals.Grimsby is currently fourth in League Two, and finished the match with a lineup containing several academy graduates and a Faeroe Islands international.United, meanwhile, had 200 million pounds ($270 million) worth of new signings just in its attack in Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko. Cunha also failed in the shootout by having his weak attempt saved and Sesko took United's 10th penalty — only ahead of goalkeeper Andre Onana.After Onana and Grimsby goalkeeper Christy Pym converted their penalties, the shootout reverted to the outfield players once again. Bruno Fernandes scored his for United, but Mbeumo couldn't.“Going into the penalty shootout, the gaffer (manager) said to us, ‘Lads, all the pressure is on them,’ and it was really," Grimsby midfielder Kieran Green said.The result piles more pressure on Amorim, who came into the game with 16 wins from his 44 matches in charge of United after being hired in November. He sat in the dugout during the shootout, not even watching the kicks.United was only playing in the second round — for the first time since 2014 — after failing to qualify for European competition last season. That year, the team lost 4-0 at third-tier MK Dons in the second round.___AP soccer: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/soccer">https://apnews.com/hub/soccer</a>

GRIMSBY, ENGLAND - AUGUST 27: Bryan Mbeumo of Manchester United looks dejected after missing his teams thirteenth penalty during the Carabao Cup Second Round match between Grimsby Town and Manchester United at Blundell Park on August 27, 2025 in Grimsby, England.

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NEW YORK (AP) — Novak Djokovic overcame a slow start to beat Zachary Svajda 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-3, 6-...

NEW YORK (AP) — Novak Djokovic overcame a slow start to beat Zachary Svajda 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-3, 6-1 on Wednesday, remaining unbeaten for his career in the first two rounds of the U.S. Open.Djokovic appeared to be laboring physically early in the match, as he was at times in his first-round victory. But after getting broken to fall behind 3-1 in the third set, he finally began looking like the player who has won a men’s-record 24 Grand Slam titles, including four of them in New York.The No. 7-seeded Djokovic won the next eight games against the American qualifier to open a 3-0 lead in the fourth set and eventually closed it out in just 26 minutes after the first set took an hour.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>The 38-year-old Djokovic has reached the third round in all 19 appearances in New York.___AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 27: Novak Djokovic of Serbia returns against Zachary Svajda of the United States during their Men's Singles Second Round match on Day Four of the 2025 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 27, 2025 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City.

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RIGA, Latvia (AP) — Cedi Osman scored 20 points as Turkey upset host nation Latvia 93-73 at a sol...

RIGA, Latvia (AP) — Cedi Osman scored 20 points as Turkey upset host nation Latvia 93-73 at a sold-out Xiaomi Arena on the opening day of <a href="https://apnews.com/article/eurobasket-2025-jokic-doncic-antetokounmpo-51c8927f54492896677dc58eb5c5064d">EuroBasket</a> on Wednesday.Turkey seized the initiative from the start as Ercan Osmani converted the tip-off into a dunk within seconds. After that, the only time Latvia led was when it had a one-point advantage for 19 seconds in the first quarter.Kenan Sipahi added 19 points for Turkey and Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun chipped in with 16 points, eight rebounds and seven assists.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Latvia next faces Estonia on Friday, when Turkey plays the Czech Republic.The Group A matches and all the knockout rounds - from Sept. 6 through Sept. 14 - are taking place in Riga.Earlier in the group, Neemias Queta led Portugal to its first EuroBasket win in 18 years, 62-50 over the Czechs.The Boston Celtics center finished with 23 points, 18 rebounds, four blocks and two steals, becoming the first player to have at least 20 points and 15 rebounds in their EuroBasket debut since FIBA began tracking rebounding numbers in 1995.Portugal’s previous win in the tournament was a 94-85 victory over Israel in 2007.In Group B - in Tampere, Finland - Germany took command in the second half to beat Montenegro 106-76.Germany only led 46-43 at the break before the reigning World Cup champion went on a 33-12 run in the third quarter, sparked by four 3-pointers from Andreas Obst.Sacramento Kings guard Dennis Schroder, who was the MVP at the World Cup, had 21 points, with Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner adding 22 points and eight rebounds on his 24th birthday.Germany next plays Sweden while Montenegro takes on Lithuania, which beat Britain 94-70 in the first game of the tournament.Denver Nuggets center Jonas Valanciunas led the way with 18 points and nine rebounds for Lithuania, whose coach Rimas Kurtinaitis said his players looked nervous at times as they missed a number of 3-pointers and free throws.___AP sports: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/sports">https://apnews.com/hub/sports</a>

RIGA, LATVIA - AUGUST 27: Portugal's Neemias Queta (88) celebrates after their victory against Czechia during the Group A opening match at the FIBA EuroBasket 2025 at Riga Arena on August 27, 2025 in Riga, Latvia.

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LOS ANGELES (AP) — Alyssa Thomas had 12 points, 16 rebounds and 15 assists for her WNBA single-se...

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Alyssa Thomas had 12 points, 16 rebounds and 15 assists for her WNBA single-season record seventh triple-double, and the Phoenix Mercury beat the Los Angeles Sparks 92-84 on Tuesday night.Thomas secured her 18th career triple-double with 2:50 left in the fourth quarter on a shot in the lane. She broke her own record of six triple-doubles in a season, set in 2023.Thomas, who had 13 points, 12 rebounds and 16 assists in a win on Friday, also became the first player in WNBA history to post at least 10 points, 15 rebounds and 15 assists in a game.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Phoenix (23-14) moved past New York (23-15) for sole possession of fourth place in the WNBA standings.Satou Sabally had a team-high 19 points and Kahleah Copper added 18 for Phoenix. Sami Whitcomb made five of her first six 3-pointers and finished with 17 points. DeWanna Bonner added 14 points.The Mercury went 11-of-25 from 3-point range, with nine makes coming from players off the bench.Dearica Hamby had 25 points, eight rebounds and five steals for Los Angeles (17-19). Rickea Jackson had 21 points and four 3-pointers, and Kelsey Plum scored 20. Plum reached 700 points on the season — the third time she's done that in her career.Thomas had just one point at halftime after attempting two field goals, to go with 10 assists and seven rebounds.___AP WNBA: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball">https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball</a>

LOS ANGELES, CA - AUGUST 26: Alyssa Thomas #25 of the Phoenix Mercury drives to the basket during the game against the Los Angeles Sparks on August 26, 2025 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE

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NEW YORK (AP) — Ryan Helsley is having one heck of a time adjusting to his new role in the big ci...

NEW YORK (AP) — Ryan Helsley is having one heck of a time adjusting to his new role in the big city.And he's hearing it from New York fans, too.Acquired by the Mets in a late July trade to give them a lights-out tandem at the back of the bullpen, Helsley endured his latest meltdown Tuesday night when he coughed up a two-run lead in the eighth inning against rival Philadelphia.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>The struggling reliever issued a one-out walk to Nick Castellanos and then served up a two-run homer to former St. Louis teammate Harrison Bader that tied the score at 5. <figure class="article-segment--embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Harrison Bader brings the <a href="https://twitter.com/Phillies?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Phillies</a> level in the 8th against his former club! <a href="https://t.co/XtMT4x2rf7">pic.twitter.com/XtMT4x2rf7</a>— MLB (@MLB) <a href="https://twitter.com/MLB/status/1960520492193817043?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 27, 2025</a>
</blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></figure>After a walk to pinch-hitter Bryson Stott, the right-hander was booed off the Citi Field mound by a crowd of 41,914.All-Star closer Edwin Díaz rescued Helsley by retiring the next five Phillies batters - four on strikeouts. New York recovered to win 6-5 on Brandon Nimmo's game-ending RBI single in the ninth, but Helsley's troubles are a major concern as the Mets fight for a playoff spot with 30 games remaining this season."I've been through that," Díaz said. "My advice to him is just play with your head up. We trust him. We know what (kind of) pitcher he is. He's one of the best closers in the game. He's going through some bad moments right now but we trust in him."A two-time All-Star closer for the Cardinals, Helsley has completely flopped as Díaz's setup man with the Mets. He is 0-3 with a 10.38 ERA and four blown saves in 11 appearances since coming over from St. Louis in exchange for three minor leaguers on July 30. He has given up 14 runs (10 earned), 13 hits and seven walks in 8 2/3 innings.Those numbers are difficult to fathom, considering Helsley normally pairs his 100-mph fastball with a sharp slider. But he's hung his breaking ball too often since arriving in New York, and opposing hitters have made him pay.Mets manager Carlos Mendoza intimated Helsley could be tipping his pitches."We've just got to get Helsley right. Too good of stuff for them to be taking some really good swings on fastballs, really good takes on the sliders. So we've got to look back and see what we're missing," Mendoza said. "Because for those teams to have comfortable at-bats like that, something's going on there and we have to figure it out."The 31-year-old Helsley, born in Oklahoma, enters games to "Hells Bells" by AC/DC and can become a free agent after the World Series. He was 3-1 with a 3.00 ERA and 21 saves in 36 outings with the Cardinals this season, racking up 41 strikeouts in 36 innings.That after he led the majors with 49 saves last year, when he finished 7-4 with a 2.04 ERA and won the Trevor Hoffman National League Reliever of the Year Award.But since joining the Mets, he's been a mess on the mound."There's an adjustment period coming to a new team," Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said before Tuesday's game."We're asking him to take on a new role. That's certainly been well documented. When you don't have results immediately, it's natural to press a little bit, and what we're trying to do is help him exhale a little bit, take a deep breath. The stuff is still there. He's been good in this league for a long time, he's going to be good again."___AP MLB: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mlb">https://apnews.com/hub/mlb</a>

NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 15: Ryan Helsley #56 of the New York Mets looks on during the game between the Seattle Mariners and the New York Mets at Citi Field on Friday, August 15, 2025 in New York, New York.

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Kapalua Resort, the Hawaii course where the PGA Tour has started every year since 1999, is shutti...

Kapalua Resort, the Hawaii course where the PGA Tour has started every year since 1999, is shutting down for two months as it tries to save its water-starved courses during a dispute over the handling of a century-old water system on Maui.The 60-day closure, which starts Sept. 2 for the Plantation and Bay courses at Kapalua, has raised concerns it might not be able to host The Sentry to start the tour's 2026 season."The golf course has been damaged with no water for months," Alex Nakajima, the general manager of Kapalua Golf and Tennis, said Tuesday. "I proposed to the owner that we need to shut the golf course to increase our chances to save the golf course and the tournament."<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>He feels the best hope is to use what little water Kapalua gets for a slow-releasing fertilizer and to keep customers off the course while the staff removes dead grass.Kapalua, known for the contrast of lush green fairways and the Pacific blue horizon, is more a blend of yellow and brown these days as the grass dies. Nakajima said the course has not had water since July 25.Tadashi Yanai, the Japanese billionaire who owns Kapalua and who founded the apparel brand Uniqlo, Kapalua homeowners and Hua Momona Farms filed a lawsuit last week against Maui Land &amp; Pineapple, alleging it has not maintained the water delivery system.At the center of the dispute is the 11-mile Honokohau Stream and Ditch System that runs from the West Maui mountains and supplies irrigation water to the Kapalua area."MLP has knowingly ... allowed the Ditch System to fall into a state of demonstrable disrepair. That disrepair, not any act of God, or force of nature, or other thing, is why users who need it are currently without water," the lawsuit says.Maui Land &amp; Pineapple did not immediately respond to a message from the AP seeking comment. Race Randle, the CEO, said in a statement to Hawaii news outlets the lawsuit was an effort to obtain irrigation water "when West Maui is experiencing a historic drought.""Having tried and failed to get the regulatory agencies to force this irresponsible water use, the golf courses, unfortunately, turned to the courts," he said.The lawsuit claims Yanai entered into "water delivery agreements" when he bought the Kapalua properties that would allow the courses to be kept in good condition. The filing says these agreements stipulated Maui Land "will at all times exercise commercially reasonable efforts to manage, repair and maintain" the ditch system for a reliable delivery of irrigation water.The PGA Tour said only that it was monitoring "the ongoing water conservation requirements affecting Kapalua Resort."The tour said it has been in touch with the title sponsor, Wisconsin-based Sentry Insurance, along with Kapalua Resort, Maui County and Hawaii's state government to assess any potential impact in staging the $20-million signature event. The tournament is scheduled for Jan. 8-11.TY Management — Yanai's company — said The Sentry brings in some $50 million in economic benefits, plus the tour and Sentry's charitable component.The lawsuit, filed in state court on Maui, asks that Maui Land &amp; Pineapple honor agreements and take reasonable steps to repair and maintain the ditch system so that water can be reliably delivered.The lawsuit claims the current drought has no bearing on the problem and cites U.S. Geological Survey data showing the watershed in the West Maui mountains gets more annual rainfall than Portland and Seattle."Water is scarce not because rain is falling in significantly smaller quantities. Rather, water is scarce because MLP has failed to honor its promises to maintain the infrastructure used to collect, carry, and store it properly," the suit claims.Meanwhile, Troon-managed Kapalua Resort had been offering discounts to customers because of the deteriorating conditions of its golf courses.Nakajima said the course will have to be closed to have any hope of staging The Sentry."We have to do this immediately," he said. "Every day the golf course is dying."

KAPALUA, MAUI, HAWAII - JANUARY 05: Fans walk along the course during the final round of The Sentry at The Plantation Course at Kapalua on January 5, 2025 in Kapalua, Maui, Hawaii.

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NEW YORK (AP) — Venus Williams will compete in women’s doubles at the U.S. Open after receiving a...

NEW YORK (AP) — <a href="https://apnews.com/article/venus-williams-us-open-2025-muchova-7e03bb36c7a37229e3985d21e95b18bb">Venus Williams</a> will compete in women’s doubles at <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/tennis">the U.S. Open</a> after receiving a wild-card entry with 2021 singles runner-up Leylah Fernandez on Tuesday.The 45-year-old Williams is appearing at her first Grand Slam tournament in two years after making a comeback to pro tennis last month following 16 months away from the tour.She competed in mixed doubles last week, then in singles on Monday night - both also via wild-card invitations from the U.S. Tennis Association.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Williams exited in the first round each time, but was thrilled to be back out on court after dealing with injuries and illness. She had surgery for uterine fibroids last year, and spoke Monday following her three-set exit in singles against 11th-seeded Karolina Muchova about being relieved to be pain-free."Oh, what did I prove to myself?" Williams said, repeating part of a reporter's question at her postmatch news conference. "I think for me, getting back on the court was about giving myself a chance to play more healthy. When you play unhealthy, it’s in your mind. It’s not just how you feel. You get stuck in your mind, too. So it was nice to be freer."She was the oldest person to play singles at the U.S. Open since 1981, and the spectators loved every moment of it, greeting her with camera phones held aloft, shouting "Let's go, Venus!" during the match and ushering her off the Arthur Ashe Stadium court with a standing ovation.In addition to her seven Grand Slam singles trophies, Williams owns 14 major titles in women's doubles, all with her younger sister, Serena, as her partner. Two of those came in New York, in 1999 and 2009.They last played together at the U.S. Open in 2022, the year Serena played her final singles match there.___More AP tennis: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/tennis">https://apnews.com/hub/tennis</a>

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 23: Venus Williams of the United States talks to the press ahead of the US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 23, 2025 in New York City

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The Masters is making a rare change to its qualifying criteria by eliminating invitations to PGA ...

The Masters is making a rare change to its qualifying criteria by eliminating invitations to PGA Tour winners in the fall and joining the R&amp;A in recognizing winners of six national opens on every main tour in the world.Augusta National and the R&amp;A announced plans Tuesday to align aspects of their criteria to create a path to the Masters and British Open for winners or top finishers in the South African Open, Australian Open, Japan Open, Spanish Open, Hong Kong Open and Scottish Open.The Opens in South Africa and Australia are among the five oldest in golf.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>This builds on the “Open Qualifying Series” the R&amp;A created in 2013 to attract players from every continent where golf is played. The difference is that Augusta National invites only the winner, while the British Open often provide three or four spots for the leading finishers."The Masters Tournament has long recognized the significance of having international representation among its invitees," Chairman Fred Ridley said. "We, along with The R&amp;A, have a shared commitment to the global game and are proud to work together. Today’s announcement strengthens our organizations’ collective vision of rewarding top talent around the world who rise to the top of historic national open championships."The Masters has the smallest field of the four majors and prefers it stay under 100 players to enhance their experience.Adding as many as six spots from the national opens meant losing the invitations to the PGA Tour’s weaker fall events. Last year, all eight winners in the fall were not already eligible and four of them were outside the top 100 in the world ranking.The previous year, three of the fall winners were outside the top 150 in the world. Those tournaments fall after the FedEx Cup season and typically are players who are trying to keep their tour cards.Ridley had said in April at the Masters that the club looks at its qualifications each year. He said international events “will be part of our examination.”The Masters had made a few tweaks over the years, such as adding the NCAA champion to the field. But this is the first significant change since 2013 when it did away with the top 30 from the PGA Tour money list and reduced from the top 16 to the top 12 leading finishers in the previous Masters.Except for the Scottish Open in July, which is sanctioned by the PGA Tour and European tour, the other national opens Augusta National and the R&amp;A identified are from October through February.The R&amp;A will release in September its Open Qualifying Series for the 2026 Open at Royal Birkdale, but the six national opens will be part of them. This year’s Open included 24 players who earned spots through 11 events as part of the Open Qualifying Series. That did not include the Hong Kong Open, Spanish Open or Japan Open, though the Japan Open winner was exempt through a different category."We’re delighted to have the strength of the Masters supporting the national opens," said Johnnie Cole-Hamilton, championships director of the R&amp;A. "It sends a really powerful message to the globe about these pathways to our championships, and it shines a light on these tours."The opens identified by the R&amp;A and Augusta National are part of the Asian Tour (Hong Kong), Japan Golf Tour, Sunshine Tour, PGA Tour of Australian and European tour.Though not the objective, it also creates opportunity for players from Saudi-backed LIV Golf. The R&amp;A created an exemption category for the leading LIV player this year. Augusta National did not, preferring to use its special invitation if it feels someone should be invited. Joaquin Niemann has received that invitation twice.But LIV players, while suspended by the PGA Tour, can enter these national opens to chase spots to the Open and Masters. Niemann’s invitation to the Masters in 2024 was largely due to his Australian Open victory.___AP golf: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/golf">https://apnews.com/hub/golf</a>

AUGUSTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 07: A detailed view of a pin flag on the ninth green during a practice round prior to the 2025 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 07, 2025 in Augusta, Georgia.

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Masters tweaks qualifying rules, will invite winners of 6 national opens

NEW YORK (AP) — Jannik Sinner looked fully recovered from a recent illness as he started his U.S....

NEW YORK (AP) — Jannik Sinner looked fully recovered from a recent illness as he started his U.S. Open title defense Tuesday with a 6-1, 6-1, 6-2 victory over Vit Kopriva.The top-ranked Sinner had to stop <a href="https://apnews.com/article/tennis-score-alcaraz-sinner-949498d279a8b9710a63320ffc719dee">playing in the Cincinnati final</a> against Carlos Alcaraz on Aug. 18 because he was sick, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/jannik-sinner-withdrawal-us-open-mixed-doubles-d14da5f843fad92aa0a7f561f721651a">pulled out of the U.S. Open mixed doubles tournament</a> that began the next day and said he still wasn’t quite feeling 100% late last week.But he had extra time to recover with first-round matches now spread over three days with the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-open-2025-tennis-sunday-15-days-37dc061ef4b984b9d6cb01df891c98ec">tournament’s new Sunday start</a> and nothing seemed wrong when the No. 1 seed rolled through his Czech opponent in 1 hour, 39 minutes.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>“Obviously very happy that I’m healthy again, that we did our best to be in the best possible shape here,” Sinner said.The Italian earned his second Grand Slam title when he beat Taylor Fritz last year in Flushing Meadows, then went on to add two more this year at the Australian Open and Wimbledon. He is trying to join Rod Laver, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic as the only men to reach the final of all four Grand Slams in the same year in the Open era, which began in 1968.“Amazing memories,” Sinner said of returning to New York. “Obviously every year is different. You come here starting this tournament hopefully the best possible way, which I did.”He had won 26 straight matches on hard courts before the Cincinnati final.___More AP tennis: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/tennis">https://apnews.com/hub/tennis</a>

Jannik Sinner of Italy celebrates defeating Vit Kopriva of the Czech Republic in their men's singles first round tennis match on day three of the US Open tennis tournament at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York City on August 26, 2025.

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Sinner rolls to dominant 1st-round win at US Open

FAYETTEVILLE, Ga. (AP) — Christian Pulisic is returning to the U.S. national team for friendlies ...

FAYETTEVILLE, Ga. (AP) — Christian Pulisic is returning to the U.S. national team for friendlies next month against South Korea and Japan after skipping June exhibitions and the CONCACAF Gold Cup to take time off, a decision that led to a spat with coach Mauricio Pochettino.Pulisic, the top American player, offered to play in friendlies against Turkey and Switzerland ahead of the Gold Cup but didn’t want to participate in the tournament, an offer that was rejected by Pochettino. The 26-year-old played in about 100 club matches during his first two seasons with AC Milan and wanted an extensive break in the summer before the U.S. hosts next year’s World Cup, a decision criticized by several former U.S. stars.He was among 22 players picked Tuesday for the games against South Korea on Sept. 6 at Harrison, New Jersey, and Japan three days later at Columbus, Ohio. One more player will be added, the U.S. Soccer Federation said.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Defender Sergiño Dest could play his first national team game in 18 months after recovering from a torn an ACL on April 20, 2024. Winger Tim Weah also is back after missing the Gold Cup because FIFA gave player priority to the Club World Cup.Forwards Josh Sargent and Alejandro Zendejas returned after being left off the Gold Cup roster. Sargent scored in Norwich’s first four games.Goalkeepers Jonathan Klinsmann and Roman Celentano are among four players who could make debuts along with defenders Noahkai Banks and Tristan Blackmon. Klinsmann, a son of former coach Jurgen Klinsmann, is joined on the roster by midfielder Sebastian Berhalter, a son of ex-coach Gregg Berhalter.Blackmon, a 29-year-old Vancouver defender, also was being courted by Canada.Goalkeepers Matt Turner and Zack Steffen were surprising omissions, left off along with defenders Cameron Carter-Vickers and Joe Scally, midfielders Brenden Aaronson, Johnny Cardoso, Weston McKennie, Aidan Morris, Yunus Musah and Tanner Tessmann, and forward Haji Wright.Several players were bypassed because they are hurt or recovering from injuries, including left back Antonee Robinson (knee surgery in May), midfielder Malik Tillman (calf), and forwards Patrick Agyemang (hernia surgery), Folarin Balogun (ankle), Ricardo Pepi (knee surgery following injury on Jan. 29).Gio Reyna was not included after transferring Saturday to Borussia Mönchengladbach.Using a roster missing most projected World Cup starters, the U.S. lost to Mexico 2-1 in the Gold Cup final. Pochettino kept 12 players from his Gold Cup roster.Turner was the U.S. starting goalkeeper from 2022 through last spring but after playing sparingly with his club was supplanted by Matt Freese during the Gold Cup. Turner has started three games since his return to Major League Soccer’s New England, one fewer than his total for Crystal Palace in all of 2024-25.Steffen, a starter for much of 2022 qualifying, has played six games for Colorado since returning July 12 from right knee surgery.Other Gold Cup players dropped included goalkeeper Chris Brady; defenders Miles Robinson, John Tolkin and Walker Zimmerman; midfielders Quinn Sullivan; and forwards Paxten Aaronson and Brian White.The roster:Goalkeepers: Roman Celentano (Cincinnati), Matt Freese (New York City), Jonathan Klinsmann (Cesena).Defenders: Max Arfsten (Columbus), Noahkai Banks (Augsburg), Tristan Blackmon (Vancouver), Sergiño Dest (PSV Eindhoven), Alex Freeman (Orlando), Nathan Harriel (Philadelphia), Tim Ream (Charlotte), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace).Midfielders; Tyler Adams, Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver), Luca de la Torre (San Diego), Diego Luna (Salt Lake), Jack McGlynn (Houston), Sean Zawadzki (Columbus).Forwards: Damion Downs (Southampton), Christian Pulisic (AC Milan) Josh Sargent (Norwich), Tim Weah (Marseille), Alex Zendejas (América).___AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

MILAN, ITALY - AUGUST 23: Christian Pulisic of AC Milan runs with the ball during the Serie A match between AC Milan and US Cremonese at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on August 23, 2025 in Milan, Italy.

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SASSUOLO, Italy (AP) — Veteran Serbian midfielder Nemanja Matic signed a one-year contract with p...

SASSUOLO, Italy (AP) — Veteran Serbian midfielder Nemanja Matic signed a one-year contract with promoted Serie A club Sassuolo on Tuesday.The 37-year-old Matic’s contract with Lyon was recently terminated by mutual consent. He brings a wealth of experience following long spells at Chelsea and Manchester United.It will mark Matic’s second season in the Italian league after playing under Jose Mourinho at Roma in 2022-23.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Sassuolo won Serie B last season. The Emilia-Romagna club was beaten 2-0 by defending champion Napoli in its Serie A opener on Saturday.The deal includes an automatic renewal for a second season if certain objectives are reached.___AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Lyon's Serbian midfielder #31 Nemanja Matic runs on the pitch during the French L1 football match between Lyon (Olympique Lyonnais) and Sco Angers at the Parc Olympique Lyonnais Groupama stadium in Decines Charpieu,central-eastern France on May 17, 2025.

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Sassuolo sign veteran midfielder Matic

It’s a love story and, baby, she said yes: Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are engaged, they announ...

It’s a love story and, baby, she said yes: Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are engaged, they announced Tuesday.In a five-photo joint post on Instagram, the superstar singer and football player revealed their engagement, the fairytale culmination of a courtship that for two years has thrilled and fascinated millions around the world, but especially Swifties, the pop star’s <a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-eras-tour-end-06a41d7c717486f2c0e99a7304789912">enormous and ardent fan base.</a>“Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married,” the caption read, accompanied by an emoji of a dynamite stick.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><figure class="article-segment--embed"><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/DN02niAXMM-/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DN02niAXMM-/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank"> <div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div>
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<script async="" src="https://www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script></figure>Kelce was a famous football player when they met — a star tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs and a Super Bowl champion — but Swift’s unique level of fame catapulted him into a different orbit entirely. Their relationship was documented in countless shots of Swift celebrating at Chiefs games and fan videos of Kelce dancing along at Swift’s Eras concert tour as it traveled the globe.There were those who speculated, with no evidence, that the relationship was not genuine but a cynical ploy for more fame, while some even theorized it was a plot to <a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-endorsement-democrats-harris-trump-3a5f4827a930d5cf5439febaf014de76">influence the U.S. elections.</a> In the end, those voices were quieted by a happy couple who simply looked in love — now with an engagement ring rivaling the size of Kelce’s three Super Bowl rings.It’s unclear when and where the two got engaged. A representative for Swift did not immediately respond to The Associated Press’ request for comment.The news broke in the middle of the Kansas City Chiefs’ media availability, though after head coach Andy Reid had departed. That left Chiefs defensive end Mike Danna to field questions about his teammate’s engagement.“Man, it’s incredible. I was caught off guard but you know, great for them,” Danna said, a few minutes after the news raced across social media. “But you know, great for them. That’s a blessing. Any time you find that type of joy, blessing, love — that’s a beautiful thing.”Like many of the Chiefs, Danna has hung out with Swift and Kelce at a New Year’s party and after most of their home games.“I’ll think of a good little engagement gift,” Danna said. “Maybe some Pop-Tarts back to her. It won’t be homemade.”___AP Sports Writer Dave Skretta contributed to this report from Kansas City, Missouri.

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JANUARY 26: Taylor Swift celebrates with Travis Kelce #87 of the Kansas City Chiefs after defeating the Buffalo Bills 32-29 in the AFC Championship Game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on January 26, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri.

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Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce announce engagement 💍

NEW YORK (AP) — Good thing Iga Swiatek had a Swift start to her U.S. Open. There was some big new...

NEW YORK (AP) — Good thing Iga Swiatek had a Swift start to her U.S. Open. There was some big news waiting when she got off the court Tuesday.Swiatek quickly found out that <a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-travis-kelce-engaged-d585627eb98b69428ce206a2c8a9cb7d">Taylor Swift had become engaged to boyfriend Travis Kelce</a>, a topic that dominated her postmatch news conference much more than matters of tennis.Swiatek has been a devoted Swiftie for more than a decade, got a <a href="https://x.com/iga_swiatek/status/1801593731809726504">handwritten note from the singer</a> while attending an Eras Tour concert shortly after winning the 2024 French Open and knows her way around Swift’s music just as well as she does the court.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>“Obviously she had a lot of boyfriends, so we know all about that. So hopefully this one will, you know, stick forever,” Swiatek said. “Travis seems like a great guy. She seems super happy, so I’m happy for her.”The 24-year-old from Poland had an easy start to her quest to win the U.S. Open and Wimbledon in the same year, needing just an hour to beat Emiliana Arango 6-1, 6-2.That seemed largely forgotten soon after. Her team showed her the news of Swift and Kelce — who <a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-open-taylor-swift-4f92f1af167f695f0a196bb61b7ddf52">attended last year’s U.S. Open final</a> together — on Instagram, which conveniently happened right around the time she was wrapping up her match.“She posted when I finished,” Swiatek said. “Maybe that’s not a coincidence, I don’t know.”Swiatek listened when Swift was the record guest on the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-new-heights-podcast-e26d4150cd1fa7bf7cea189e48237663">“New Heights” podcast</a> Kelce does with his brother, Jason, eager for news about the singer’s next album, “The Life of a Showgirl.” Swiatek will obviously buy it — she’s just not sure how yet.“I kind of want to go to the store and buy it there physically,” he said. “I don’t know if there are going to be other ones released, because she does these countdowns on the website. I don’t know if she’s going to do another one or something. But maybe next one I’m going to actually preorder, but for sure I want to have the original, the first one, and I’m probably going to go in October to some store and buy it physically.”Swiatek was puzzled when some reporters laughed at the number of Swift questions she received, and jokingly denied a request to tackle an actual tennis one.She played brilliantly in a match in which she won the point on 23 of 26 first serves and had a 26-5 advantage in winners in the opening match of the day on Arthur Ashe Stadium.Swiatek went nearly a week between matches after losing in the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-open-2025-mixed-doubles-9fbe922ae808b86bd71ae2e65e4a970c">mixed doubles championship match</a> with Casper Ruud last Wednesday night. But her rhythm came right back in a dominant start to the tournament.A second title for the 2022 champion at Flushing Meadows would make her the first woman to win Wimbledon and the U.S. Open in the same year since Serena Williams in 2012. Swiatek also has a chance to regain the No. 1 ranking if she wins the title and Aryna Sabalenka loses before the quarterfinals.That can all wait. Swiatek — and her friends she texted to make sure they knew — were more interested in talking about Swift.“Well, I’m just happy for her, because she deserves the best,” Swiatek said.___More AP tennis: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/tennis">https://apnews.com/hub/tennis</a>

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 26: Iga Swiatek of Poland reacts against Emiliana Arango of Colombia during their Women's Singles First Round match on Day Three of the 2025 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 26, 2025 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City.

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NEW YORK (AP) — Carlos Alcaraz showed up at the U.S. Open on Monday for his first-round match wit...

NEW YORK (AP) — <a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-open-2025-sinner-alcaraz-sincaraz-tennis-67008332662fe8fcc1ebbf0e501a9495">Carlos Alcaraz</a> showed up at <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/tennis">the U.S. Open</a> on Monday for his first-round match with a new look: a shaved head.Alcaraz, who is seeded No. 2 at Flushing Meadows, caused a bit of a buzz with his buzz cut when he got to the tournament grounds before heading out to beat big-serving Reilly Opelka 6-4, 7-5, 6-4 in just over two hours at Arthur Ashe Stadium at night.The 22-year-old Spaniard’s play, as is often the case, was a cut above. He made just 17 unforced errors, won 50 of 58 first-serve points, saved all three break points he faced, broke Opelka three times and improved to 19-0 in opening contests at Grand Slam tournaments.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Prior to playing, Alcaraz ran into golf star Rory McIlroy, who reached out his hand to rub the scalp’s stubble. When Alcaraz played in the U.S. Open’s mixed doubles event last week, he did so with a full head of hair.During the on-court interview after his win, Alcaraz tried to crowd-source opinions about the change."I got to ask the people if they like the new haircut or not. Did you like it, guys?" he asked the Ashe spectators.They roared their approval."I think," Alcaraz said, "they like it."At least one other athlete - and friend - did not think the new ‘do was all that sharp: Frances Tiafoe, who lost in the semifinals in New York to Alcaraz in 2022. That was the year Alcaraz won the title at the U.S. Open for the first of his five Grand Slam trophies."It’s horrible. It’s terrible. It’s definitely terrible. That’s my guy, though," Tiafoe said when asked about Alcaraz’s haircut. "Funny, I looked and him, and I was like, 'I guess you’re aerodynamic.'"Tiafoe’s critique wasn’t finished there."I don’t know who told him to do that, but it’s terrible. From a guy who gets haircuts week in, week out, who prides himself on good haircuts, it’s horrendous," Tiafoe said. "But at the end of the day, it’s Carlos, and that’s my guy."___More AP tennis: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/tennis">https://apnews.com/hub/tennis</a>

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 25: Carlos Alcaraz of Spain celebrates after winning the second set against Reilly Opelka of the United States during their Men's Singles First Round match on Day Two of the 2025 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 25, 2025 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City.

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WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand fast bowler Will O'Rourke will be sidelined for up to ...

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand fast bowler Will O'Rourke will be sidelined for up to three months because of a stress fracture in his lower back.O'Rourke sustained the injury during New Zealand's test series in Zimbabwe earlier this month.He will not have to undergo surgery but will take part in a strength and conditioning program.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>O'Rourke is likely to miss New Zealand's Twenty20 series against Australia, T20 and one-day series against England in October and white ball series against the West Indies in November. He could return for New Zealand's three-test series against the West Indies in December.The 24-year-old O'Rourke has quickly become a mainstay of New Zealand's pace attack, taking 39 wickets in 11 tests since his debut against South Africa last year.___AP cricket: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/cricket">https://apnews.com/hub/cricket</a>

LUCKNOW, INDIA - MAY 27: Will O’Rourke of of Lucknow Super Giants celebrates the wicket of Liam Livingstone of Royal Challengers Bengaluru during the 2025 IPL match between Lucknow Super Giants and Royal Challengers Bengaluru at Match 70 Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium on May 27, 2025, in Lucknow, India.

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NEW YORK (AP) — Netflix has won the Japanese media rights to carry next year's World Baseball Cla...

NEW YORK (AP) — Netflix has won the Japanese media rights to carry next year's World Baseball Classic, marking the first time it will stream a live event in Japan.Netflix will stream all 47 games of the tournament. Team Japan is the defending champion after winning it in 2023 when Shohei Ohtani struck out United States slugger Mike Trout for the final out in Japan's 3-2 victory in Miami.A consortium of media companies, including Amazon Prime video, had the Japanese media rights for the previous World Baseball Classic.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Next year's WBC will be the sixth edition of the tournament and will feature 20 teams competing in four first-round pools in Tokyo; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Houston and Miami. It will start on March 5 with the finals slated for March 17 in Miami.Netflix is also expected to be in contention to carry the Home Run Derby in the U.S. as Major League Baseball is considering its options for a three-year deal that would begin next year.___AP MLB: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mlb">https://apnews.com/hub/mlb</a>

ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 12: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers hits a solo home run against the Los Angeles Angels during the ninth inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on August 12, 2025 in Anaheim, California.

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NEW YORK (AP) — Australian Open champion Madison Keys was undone by 89 unforced errors and was up...

NEW YORK (AP) — Australian Open champion Madison Keys was undone by 89 unforced errors and was upset in the first round of the U.S. Open 6-7 (10), 7-6 (3), 7-5 by Renata Zarazua of Mexico on Monday.The sixth-seeded Keys, who was the runner-up at Flushing Meadows in 2017, made so many mistakes, including 14 double-faults, that Zarazua needed to produce just eight winners to earn the biggest victory of her career.The 82nd-ranked Zarazua had lost in either the first or second round in all eight of her previous Grand Slam appearances.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Keys earned her first major championship at Melbourne Park in January, defeating No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the final.In addition to her run to the final in New York eight years ago before losing to good friend Sloane Stephens, Keys also was a semifinalist at the U.S. Open in 2018 and 2023.But with her left thigh heavily taped Monday, the big-hitting Keys struggled for stretches in Arthur Ashe Stadium against the 5-foot-3 Zarazua, who came into the day with a 0-6 record against opponents ranked in the top 10.“I’m a little bit small in height, so coming in here, it was like: ‘Oh, my God. This is huge,” Zarazua said about the largest stadium in Grand Slam tennis, which holds nearly 24,000 spectators.“When I retire, I’m going to be really happy about it,” Zarazua said, “so I was like, ‘Just enjoy it.’”She certainly did.When the match ended with Keys missing yet another forehand, Zarazua smiled as wide as possible, held her racket atop her head as she began walking forward for a handshake, then placed a hand over her face.This one certainly was memorable, in part because it did not come easily — even though Keys kept having problems and Zarazua kept moving ahead across the 3 hours, 10 minutes of action.The trouble for Zarazua was that she had a hard time closing the deal.She went up 4-2 in the first set, then was a point from owning it five times, but couldn’t convert any of those opportunities. Eventually, Keys converted her third set point.In the second set, Zarazua fell behind 3-0, then took five games in a row to lead 5-3. She trailed 6-5 after another run by Keys, but this time came through in the tiebreaker to force a third set.Zarazua led in the decider and served for the win at 5-3, but Keys broke there and then held for 5-all.At the end, though, Zarazua took the last two games.While Keys was one of 25 American players in the women’s singles draw at their home Grand Slam tournament, Zarazua is Mexico’s lone entrant in the bracket.“It’s a country that we don’t have many tennis players, as you can see,” Zarazua said. “We just try to give our best. But definitely, I could hear some Mexicans cheering, so that was very nice.”___More AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 25: Madison Keys of the United States plays a forehand shot against Renata Zarazua of Mexico during their Women's Singles First Round match on Day Two of the 2025 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 25, 2025 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City.

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Australian Open champ Keys upset by Zarazua in 1st round of US Open

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