Jamaican racing sensation Fraser McConnell is gearing up for an intense weekend of action as he heads into Rounds three and four of the Nitrocross championship on October 5 & 6 in Utah.
Following a stellar performance at the season’s opening rounds in Richmond, Virginia, McConnell holds second place in the overall standings, just 11 points behind leader Kevin Eriksson.
McConnell’s dominant showing at Richmond Raceway on September 7 & 8 saw him secure a third-place finish in Round 1, followed by a thrilling battle for first in Round 2.
After clinching the top qualifier spot and winning his semi-final, McConnell started the Round 2 final in pole position. Despite taking an early lead, a dramatic half-spin pushed him off his racing line, allowing Eriksson to take the win. McConnell finished second ahead of Viktor Vranckx.
Looking ahead to the Utah rounds, McConnell remains optimistic about his chances.
“I’m really looking forward to this weekend, going back to Utah, the birthplace of Nitrocross,” he shared.
“It all started there with the Nitro World Games in 2018 and 2019, so it's a very special place for everyone involved.”
McConnell also highlighted the challenge of the upcoming track. “Salt Lake is one of the craziest tracks on the calendar, with the biggest gap jump and a lot of demanding corners. It requires high speed from us drivers. I'll just go out there and hit my marks as usual, trying to extract as much as I can from the car while proudly repping Jamaica.”
With back-to-back podium finishes in Rounds 1 and 2, McConnell is confident about continuing his strong run.
“We’re second in the championship with 107 points, and I’m looking forward to continuing that streak this weekend,” he said.
McConnell currently leads defending champion Robin Larsson by four points and is poised to close the gap further in his pursuit of overtaking Eriksson.
McConnell's season is sponsored by JustBet, Proven, Tru Shake, Rainforest, and the Jamaica Tourist Board.
Coco Gauff came from behind to defeat Yuliia Starodubtseva and reach the semi-finals of the China Open.
Gauff was no match for the qualifier in the first set of Thursday's tie, but the American rallied back to win 2-6 6-2 6-2.
The world number six will face Paula Badosa, the 15th seed, on Saturday.
She is vying for a place in her first final since she triumphed in Auckland in January, and her first at a WTA 1000 event since she won the Cincinnati Open in 2023.
Data Debrief: Comeback queen
Including retirements, Gauff (two) has achieved multiple match wins from a set down at a single WTA 1000 event for the first time in her career, and for the first time at a single WTA event overall since last year's US Open.
Since the format's inception in 2009, meanwhile, only Caroline Wozniacki (eight) has reached more WTA 1000 semi-finals than Coco Gauff (seven) before turning 21. World number one Iga Swiatek (five) is the only other player to reach 5+ semi-finals over that span.
Badosa stands between Gauff and the final. She beat home hope Zhang Shuai in the quarters, and became the second Spaniard to reach the semi-finals of the China Open since the inception of the tournament in 2004 after Garbine Muguruza in 2015.
She is the second oldest player to reach the semi-finals of the China Open in their maiden appearance after Amelie Mauresmo in 2006.
Karl-Anthony Towns bade farewell to the Minnesota Timberwolves as he completed a trade to the New York Knicks.
In a three-team trade also involving the Charlotte Hornets, Towns has joined the Knicks with Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo heading the other way.
Towns, a four-time NBA All-Star, averaged 19.1 points, 9.0 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game last season.
Having joined the Timberwolves in 2015, Towns said goodbye in an emotional social media message.
"To the Timberwolves Family: Nine years ago, I arrived in Minnesota as a young man with a dream," he said.
"Little did I know that this place would become my home, and its people would become my family.
"Your love, support, and unwavering loyalty have fuelled my journey and inspired me to be the best player I could be. You'll always hold a special place in my heart. Thank you for everything."
Towns could well meet his old team on October 13, with the Wolves and Knicks slated to play each other in preseason.
Andy Ibáñez hit a tiebreaking three-run double in Detroit's four-run eighth inning, and the Tigers finished a sweep of the Houston Astros with a 5-2 victory in Game 2 of their AL Wild Card Series on Wednesday.
Parker Meadows homered as Detroit ended Houston's run of seven consecutive appearances in the AL Championship Series. It was a sweet moment for Tigers manager A.J. Hinch, who led Houston to a championship in 2017 and was fired in the aftermath of the Astros' sign-stealing scandal.
Next up for the wild-card Tigers is a trip to Cleveland to take on the AL Central champions in a best-of-five AL Division Series. Game 1 is on Saturday.
Kerry Carpenter sparked Detroit's eighth-inning rally with a one-out single off Ryan Pressly, who converted his first 14 postseason save opportunities. Carpenter advanced to third on a single by Matt Vierling and scored on a wild pitch, tying it at 2.
Pressly departed after Colt Keith reached on a two-out walk, and closer Josh Hader walked Spencer Torkelson to load the bases.
Hinch then sent Ibáñez up to hit for Zach McKinstry, and Ibáñez lined a 1-2 sinker into the corner in left for a 5-2 lead.
Hader, who signed a $95 million, five-year contract with Houston in January, allowed three hits and walked two in 1 1/3 innings.
Detroit used seven different pitchers a day after ace Tarik Skubal won the series opener. Sean Guenther pitched 1 2/3 innings for the win in Game 2, and Will Vest handled the ninth for the save.
Just making it to the playoffs seemed improbable before Detroit went 31-13 down the stretch in the regular season.
Padres finish off Braves
Kyle Higashioka ignited a five-run second inning with a solo home run and the San Diego Padres held on for a 5-4 victory over the Atlanta Braves to complete a sweep of their NL Wild Card Series.
Manny Machado added a two-run double with the bases loaded, and Jackson Merrill followed with a two-run triple as the sellout crowd of 47,705 - the largest in Petco Park history - roared.
The Padres head up Interstate 5 to face Shohei Ohtani and the NL West rival and top-seeded Los Angeles Dodgers in a National League Division Series starting Saturday night. San Diego eliminated the 111-win Dodgers in a 2022 NLDS.
Jorge Soler hit a solo homer in the fifth and Michael Harris II had a two-run shot in the eighth, but Robert Suarez pitched a perfect ninth to seal the one-run victory.
Both starting pitchers exited early.
Atlanta left-hander Max Fried was done after two innings after he was hit on his left hip by a comebacker from Fernando Tatis Jr. two batters into the game. He stayed in and got out of a bases-loaded jam. He then allowed five runs on six straight hits with two outs in the second.
Padres right-hander Joe Musgrove departed in the fourth with right elbow tightness. He had two stints on the injured list this season with right elbow inflammation.
Royals complete sweep of punchless Orioles
Bobby Witt Jr. beat out an infield single to drive in the go-ahead run and send the Kansas City Royals into an AL Division Series with a 2-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles for a two-game sweep of their Wild Card Series.
With two outs and runners at the corners in the sixth inning, Witt hit a grounder to the edge of the dirt behind second base, where Jordan Westburg made a diving stop and threw to first. Witt was already there after zooming 90 feet in 4.14 seconds, allowing Kyle Isbel to score from third.
It was the second consecutive game in which the AL batting champion provided the decisive hit. Witt's RBI single Tuesday in Game 1 plated the only run in a 1-0 victory.
Kansas City, which endured two seven-game losing streaks over the final month of the season, advances to face the AL East champion New York Yankees. Game 1 is Saturday in the Bronx.
Baltimore got its only run of the series on Cedric Mullins’ fifth-inning home run off starter Seth Lugo.
Five Kansas City relievers allowed one hit over 5 2/3 scoreless innings, with Lucas Erceg working a perfect ninth for his second save of the series.
The Orioles went 1 for 13 with runners in scoring position in the series and struck out 22 times.
They have lost 10 straight postseason games for the longest active streak in baseball. Only three teams in MLB history have lost more postseason games in a row than the 2014-2024 Orioles.
Brewers rally to force Game 3
Jackson Chourio tied it in the eighth with his second homer of the night and Garrett Mitchell delivered a two-run shot later in the inning to give the Milwaukee Brewers a 5-3 victory over the New York Mets that evened their NL Wild Card Series.
The teams will play a decisive Game 3 on Thursday night. The Brewers will attempt to become the first team to rally to win a best-of-three Wild Card Series after losing the opener since MLB went to this expanded playoff format in 2022.
Milwaukee trailed 3-2 when Chourio led off the eighth by homering off Phil Maton, making his fourth appearance on the mound in five days. The 20-year-old rookie also opened the bottom of the first with a drive to right, becoming the youngest player to hit a leadoff homer in the postseason.
After Blake Perkins singled and William Contreras hit into a double play, Willy Adames kept the eighth inning alive with a single. Mitchell then sent a first-pitch curveball just over the wall in right-center to send the American Family Field crowd into a frenzy.
Joe Ross pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings for the win and Devin Williams retired the side in order in the ninth to earn the save.
Steve Kerr believes the competition for places will allow the Golden State Warriors "a chance to reinvent ourselves" ahead of the new NBA season.
The Warriors are aiming to improve on a difficult 2023-24 season, during which they finished 10th in the Western Conference and missed out on the playoffs for only the third time in 12 years.
Kerr struggled to find his strongest combination and constantly rotated during the campaign, using 27 different starting line-ups.
Aside from Stephen Curry, who he sees as a guaranteed starter, the head coach does not think choosing his strongest team will be an easy task either.
However, Kerr is aiming to use the selection dilemma to his and his players' advantage.
"There is competition across the board," he told reporters. "It's not as simple as: 'Who is going to be the two?' It's got to be: 'Who is going to be the five? Who's the four?' We know that Steph is the one, but what's the combination?"
"The starting line-up is going to have to be dependent, not only on the first five fitting, but the second fitting as well. We've got a lot of work to do to figure out line-ups. All the guys can do is compete.
"This feels like a new beginning for us, whereas last year felt like an extension of who we already were. It gives us a chance to reinvent ourselves a little bit.
"It's easier when you know your starting five, and you know your first four guys off of the bench. [It is] way easier as a coach knowing that.
"But, we don't have that. So, let's turn that into a positive and turn it into competition. Let's establish our identity out of that competition."
Carlos Alcaraz described Jannik Sinner as "a beast" and the world's best player after downing the Italian in Wednesday's remarkable China Open final.
Alcaraz and Sinner battled it out for over three hours in the Beijing showpiece match, with Alcaraz eventually triumphing 6-7 (6-8) 6-4 7-6 (7-3).
The Spaniard took the decisive tie-break with a remarkable run of seven straight points, having lost a tie-break in the opening set to fall behind.
At the age of 21 years and 150 days, Alcaraz is the youngest player to defeat the world number one in an ATP event final after losing the opening set since Juan Martin del Potro (20 years, 356 days), who came back to beat Roger Federer at the US Open in 2009.
Speaking after his sixth career win over the Italian (four defeats), Alcaraz outlined his belief he had overcome the very best in the sport.
"He could have won in two, I could have won in two, he could have won in three. It was a really close match," said Alcaraz.
"Jannik, once again, he showed that he's the best player in the world, at least for me.
"The level that he's playing, it's unbelievable. It's a really high quality of tennis. His shots, physically, mentally... he's a beast."
Sinner breezed into a 3-0 lead in the third-set tie-break, only for Alcaraz to show extraordinary resilience to maintain his 100% record against Sinner this year, having previously beaten him at Indian Wells and Roland Garros.
"I never lost hope. Honestly I knew that every tie-break Jannik plays is almost on his side," Alcaraz said of the decider.
"I thought that in the third set, I'm not going to lie down after two mini-breaks for him. I thought, 'okay, I have to give everything that I have just to try to give myself the opportunity to be close'.
"During the whole week I've been playing great tennis. Probably sometimes the luck went to my side a little bit in the matches."
Carlos Alcaraz struck seven successive points in a deciding tie-break to seal a remarkable victory over world number one Jannik Sinner in the China Open final.
The leading lights of tennis' next generation of stars battled it out for well over three hours in Beijing on Wednesday before Alcaraz finally prevailed 6-7 (6-8) 6-4 7-6 (7-3).
Having cruised into a 5-2 lead in the opening set, Alcaraz wobbled to allow defending champion Sinner to reel off four of the next five games to force a tie-break that the Italian won with three breaks of serve.
An hour-long second set was settled in Alcaraz's favour, but a topsy-turvy decider went the distance.
Having given up the first break, Sinner responded by hitting back in game eight to restore parity, with another tie-break required.
Sinner breezed into a 3-0 lead, only for Alcaraz to string together an extraordinary run of seven straight points to claim the crown.
Data Debrief: King Carlos
It is now 6-4 to Alcaraz in the head-to-head between the Spaniard and Sinner.
Alcaraz has now won all three of their matches this season, triumphing previously at both Indian Wells and Roland-Garros. It is the first time either of the duo has won three straight matches against the other.
At the age of 21 years and 150 days, Alcaraz is the youngest player to defeat the world number one in an ATP event final after losing the opening set since Juan Martin del Potro (20y 356d), who came back to beat Roger Federer at the US Open in 2009.
LeBron James believes it would be "unfair" to put too many expectations on the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Lakers will be working under a new coach in the upcoming season, with JJ Redick having come in to replace Darvin Ham.
Los Angeles were defeated 4-1 by the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs last season.
And though the core of a roster that reached the conference finals two seasons ago remains in place, James does not think expectations should be too high, too early.
"I don't have any expectations," James said after the first day of the Lakers' training camp.
"And that's unfair to put any expectations on us right now. The only thing that we can count on each other is how we come to practice and come to work every day."
James said it had been a "great first day" but stressed that it will take time for the Lakers to adjust to their new coach's methods.
He added: "It was very detail oriented.
"It's a collision course for all of us. We're all learning on the fly."
The Lakers kept hold of Max Christie over the offseason, and James believes he will be a crucial cog in 2024-25.
"I think Max will be a big part of our rotation," James said.
"He's gotten better and better and I'm happy we were able to bring him back in the summertime. I look forward to a bright season from him."
Michael King matched a season high with 12 strikeouts over seven innings and Fernando Tatis Jr. hit a two-run homer on his first playoff swing in four years as the San Diego Padres defeated the Atlanta Braves 4-0 in an NL Wild Card Series opener on Tuesday night.
King was stellar in becoming the first pitcher to have 12 strikeouts with no runs and no walks allowed in his first career postseason start. He joined Kevin Brown and Sterling Hitchcock as the only Padres pitchers with double-digit strikeout games in playoff history. He allowed five hits and walked none.
Jason Adam struck out the side in the eighth and Robert Suarez pitched the ninth.
Tatis' 415-foot shot landed in the second deck in left field at Petco Park and sent the towel-waving, sellout crowd of 47,647 into a frenzy. The 25-year-old star, who missed just more than 2 1/2 months this season with a stress reaction in his right thighbone, watched the ball fly away, tossed his bat aside, gestured toward the home dugout and did his signature stutter-step around third base.
Game 2 in the best-of-three playoff is Wednesday night. If the Padres win the series, they'll face their biggest rivals, the NL West champion Los Angeles Dodgers, in the National League Division Series. The Padres eliminated the 111-win Dodgers in a 2022 NLDS.
Kyle Higashioka homered in the eighth and had a sacrifice fly in the second. He is 3 for 30 against Atlanta, with three homers.
The Braves clinched a playoff berth by winning the second game of a makeup doubleheader against the New York Mets on Monday in Atlanta. They are without NL Cy Young Award favourite Chris Sale for this series. The left-hander was scratched from the late game Monday with spasms.
Skubal pitches Tigers past Astros for 1-0 series lead
Tarik Skubal tossed six shutout innings in his postseason debut, and the Detroit Tigers held on to beat the Houston Astros 3-1 in Game 1 of their best-of-three AL wild-card series.
The win was the Tigers’ first in the playoffs since 2013.
Skubal, a heavy favourite to win the AL Cy Young Award, struck out six, allowing four hits and a walk in his first taste of the MLB playoffs.
Detroit scored all their runs with two outs in the second inning, with Jake Rogers, Trey Sweeney and Matt Vierling each hitting RBI singles off Houston starter Framber Valdez.
Valdez was saddled with the loss after allowing three runs and seven hits in 4 1/3 innings.
The Astros’ bats were held quiet for most of the afternoon until a ninth-inning rally that ultimately came up short.
Yordan Alvarez led off the ninth with a double before being subbed out for pinch runner Zach Denzenzo, who scored on a Yainer Diaz single off Jason Foley.
Beau Brieske entered with one out and walked the bases loaded before forcing Jason Heyward to line out to end the game.
Witt delivers as Royals blank Orioles
Bobby Witt Jr.’s RBI single off Corbin Burnes broke a scoreless tie in the sixth inning, Cole Ragans pitched six strong innings, and the Kansas City Royals edged the Baltimore Orioles 1-0 in a wild-card Game 1.
The defeat extended Baltimore’s postseason losing streak to nine games, dating back to the 2014 ALCS against Kansas City.
Witt slapped a single into left field with two outs in the sixth inning, driving in Maikel Garcia for the game’s only run.
Witt spoiled an otherwise sterling performance from Burnes, who gave up five hits – all singles – over eight innings.
Ragans allowed four hits over six innings while striking out eight, throwing 60 of his 80 pitches for strikes.
Sam Long, Kris Bubic and Lucas Erceg allowed just one hit out of the bullpen over the game’s last three innings.
Cedric Mullins and Ramon Urias hit doubles for the Orioles, who managed just five hits.
Mets ride momentum to opening win
Mark Vientos highlighted a five-run fifth inning with a two-run single to lead the indefatigable New York Mets to an 8-4 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers in an NL Wild Card Series opener.
The Mets didn’t earn a playoff berth until they rallied late from a three-run deficit to win the opening game of a makeup doubleheader in Atlanta on Monday, one day after the regular season was supposed to end.
Now they’re a win from heading to Philadelphia for an NL Division Series.
Since Major League Baseball went to the current postseason format in 2022 that features four best-of-three Wild Card Series, the Game 1 winner has gone on to advance in each of the eight series. Only one of those eight series even made it to a winner-take-all third game.
Milwaukee has lost 10 of its last 11 playoff games, a stretch that began with its Game 7 home defeat against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2018 NL Championship Series.
Jesse Winker and pinch-hitter J.D. Martinez each drove in two runs for the Mets. Winker, who batted .199 with a .567 OPS for the Brewers last year before bouncing back this season, drew a chorus of boos each time he batted and appeared to exchange words with Milwaukee shortstop Willy Adames after hitting a two-run triple in the second.
Luis Severino allowed four runs and eight hits over six innings and Jose Butto and Ryne Stanek combined to pitch three hitless innings with four strikeouts in relief.
Brice Turang had three hits and William Contreras had two hits and two RBIs for the Brewers.
Jamaica's beach volleyball teams are set to compete at the NORCECA Beach Volleyball Continental Tour in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic from October 2 – 4, 2024. This is the first NORCECA Tour since the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Jamaica has steadily built a reputation in regional beach volleyball, with the national teams achieving notable results in recent years. Jamaica made it to the final round of Olympic Qualifications in 2016 in the
women’s category. More recently Jamaica’s beach volleyball teams competed at the 2023 Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games in San Salvador El Salvador.
The campaign to qualify for beach volleyball at the Olympic Games, Los Angeles 2028 represents a new chapter for Jamaica’s beach volleyball, one that will take Jamaica’s players to international qualifying
events, giving them the opportunity to face world-class talent and gain invaluable experience.
Jamaica’s male team will be represented by Ryck Webb and Mark Blake. Both players were recipients of individual awards at the 2023 CAZOVA Senior Men’s Championship and competed at the 2023 CAC
Games.
Jamaica’s female team will be represented by experienced campaigner Petal Smith and newcomer Kristina Lumsden-Miller who was a member of the Jamaica’s history making Senior Women’s Volleyball Team who created history by winning the 2023 CAZOCA Senior Women’s Championship.
The Jamaica Volleyball Association is calling on corporate Jamaica and fans to rally behind the national beach volleyball teams as they embark on this exciting journey. Sponsorship opportunities are available,
offering companies and brands the chance to align with one of the nation’s most promising sporting campaigns.
Jamaica’s team of Tommi Gore and Senna Summerbell produced a creditable showing in the fifth race of the ADAC GT4 Germany series as they secured two top-15 finishes at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Styria, at the weekend.
The Jamaican duo, dubbed the Reggae Racers, displayed their prowess as they drove their Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Club Sport to a 14th place finish after qualifying in ninth position in race one.
They were up with the pace from a strong start but later faded down the track in a fiercely competitive field.
However, the Avia W&S Motorsport representatives improved significantly in the second race, where they went nine places better to place fifth after placing fourth in qualifying.
The team of Jan Marschalkowski and Philipp Gogollok from Eastside Motorsport, finished tops to register their first win of the series. They won ahead of Finn Zulauf and Josef Knopp, also representing Avia W&S Motorsport.
With much positive to take from their performances, Gore and Summerbell will target even more improvements in the final race of the season scheduled for October 18-20 in Hockenheim, Germany.
“I am so happy to be a part of this team and ready to end the year strong. We had a big jump in results from the start of the season with this change, so we can only expect things to get better from here,” Gore said.
The Avia W&S Motorsports team, which currently occupies second position in the team ranking on 179 points, are the defending champions in the ADAC GT4 Series. They are 11 points behind leaders Hofor Racing.
Naomi Osaka was forced to retire from her China Open meeting with Coco Gauff due to a lower back injury, sending the American through to the quarter-finals.
Osaka, who was aiming for her fourth successive win after returning from maternity leave, had earlier caused Gauff plenty of problems as she took the opening set.
After a series of breaks to open the match, Osaka went into the changeover 3-2 up but received treatment on her back after appearing to struggle with her movement.
Some error-prone play by Gauff allowed Osaka to clinch a third break before serving out the opener, but she swiftly gave up a break to go behind in the second set.
Gauff ultimately edged a hard-fought, 51-minute second set featuring several more breaks, with Osaka retiring before the decider could get underway, having struggled to land her first serves in the latter stages.
Gauff now advances to the China Open quarter-finals for the second year in a row, with Ukraine's Yulia Starodubtsewa up next for the world number six.
Fellow American and second seed Jessica Pegula, meanwhile, was beaten in straight sets by Paula Badosa, who will face home favourite Zhang Shuai in the last eight.
Data Debrief: Twenty up for Gauff
The victory may not have come in the manner she envisaged, but Gauff has brought up her 20th career win over a former grand slam champion on the WTA Tour.
Since 2000, Gauff is the fifth player to achieve 20 such wins before turning 21, along with Maria Sharapova, Kim Clijsters (28 each), Martina Hingis (24) and Serena Williams (22).
With the presence of the President of Panam Sports, Neven Ilic, the President of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, authorities of the 41 member countries, and representatives of the Pan American Confederations, the General Assembly of the Pan American Sports Organization will be held on October 2 and 3 in Asuncion, Paraguay.
The event, which will be held at the Conmebol Convention Center in the Paraguayan capital, will be of utmost importance, since the authorities who will have the mission of leading Panam Sports for the next 4 years will be elected.
For the position of President, the current head of the Organization, Neven Ilic, will seek reelection after two terms at the helm of Panam Sports.
Unlike the last election four years ago where he had no contenders and was unanimously elected by the 41 member countries, this time he will have an opponent.
It is the Second Vice President of the Organization, Keith Joseph of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The election is scheduled for 4 p.m. on Wednesday, October 2.
There will not only be an election of the President, as the Assembly must elect the Executive Board members and the 3 Vice Presidents of Panam Sports, who are elected according to the three zones determined for the elections: Group 1, North America; Group 2, Central America and the Caribbean; Group 3, South America.
At the Assembly, in addition to the elections, the traditional progress reports of the last 4 years from President Neven Ilic, Secretary General Jimena Saldaña, Treasurer Richard Peterkin and the different Panam Sports Commissions will be presented.
The President of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, who will participate for the last time in the Assembly of the continent before leaving office in March of next year, is also expected to make a speech.
It should be noted that the two days of the LXII General Assembly of Panam Sports will be broadcasted live for the whole world through the Panam Sports Channel.
Jannik Sinner will face Carlos Alcaraz in a blockbuster China Open final after the Italian downed home favourite Buyunchaokete in the last four.
Sinner, who overcame Daniil Medvedev in last year's final in Beijing, beat Buyunchaokete 6-3 7-6 (7-3) on Tuesday, extending his winning streak to 15 matches.
Buyunchaokete did well when standing up to Sinner in baseline rallies early on, also impressing when under pressure by saving eight of the nine break points he faced.
Sinner did manage to break six games into the opener, however, and he drew on all his experience in the second-set tie-break, surging into a 6-1 lead before seeing out his two-hour, seven-minute victory.
Sinner has won four of his nine head-to-head meetings with final opponent Alcaraz, beating him in their only previously final clash for the Umag Trophy in 2022.
"Of course, tomorrow is going to be completely different," Sinner said. "We know each other very well. It's going to be tactical, but I'm looking forward to it.
"I'm happy to be here again in the final. My season is going very, very well and playing finals is always great. I just hope tomorrow is going to be a good match from both of us."
Data Debrief: Sinner stands alone
Since the start of 2023, Sinner (13/23) has reached the final on 56.5% of his ATP main-draw entries on hard courts.
He has now surpassed Novak Djokovic (54.5%, 6/11) for the highest rate on the surface over that span, among players with a minimum of 10 tournaments entered.
Carlos Alcaraz is through to the China Open final after powering past Daniil Medvedev in straight sets on Tuesday.
The Spaniard prevailed 7-5 6-3 in the semi-final in Beijing in 86 minutes, extending his hard-court hot streak.
The pair were evenly matched in the opening exchanges and traded breaks, with Medvedev defending three of the six break points he faced in the first set, as both failed to find an early edge.
Eventually, Alcaraz nosed in front, winning the last three games in a row to take the lead.
The second set followed a similar story, though Medvedev would lose his serve in the fifth game, giving himself a mountain to climb.
Alcaraz stayed in control after that, even as the Russian valiantly defended three match points in the final game, setting up a meeting with either reigning champion Jannik Sinner or home wild card Bu Yunchaokete.
Data Debrief: Coming in hot
Alcaraz has won each of his last eight tour-level matches and is in strong form as he bids to finish the year as world number one.
This win over Medvedev moves him to a record of 7-1 against ATP top-five opponents this year, surpassing Sinner (six) for the outright most ATP top-five wins of any player so far in 2024.
Jared Goff was proud of making history, as he set an NFL single-game record by completing all 18 of his pass attempts to help the Detroit Lions to victory.
The Lions beat the previously unbeaten Seattle Seahawks 42-29 on Monday, with Goff eclipsing Hall of Famer Kurt Warner's 10-for-10 performance in 2005, the previous standard for most passes in a game without an incompletion.
The quarterback threw for 292 yards, including touchdown passes to Jameson Williams and Amon-Ra St. Brown on his perfect evening, while also hauling in the latter's 7-yard toss for a touchdown in the third quarter.
That made him the first quarterback with a receiving touchdown since Zach Wilson in 2022, while he also became the first QB in NFL history with 15 or more pass attempts with no incompletions in a game.
Goff was aware that he was closing in on a perfect game, even if he had doubts at one point.
"I knew I did it in the first half last week, so I was aware of it then, and I was kind of aware of it today in the middle of the third quarter," he said.
"I couldn't think of one [incompletion], but then I threw the one out of bounds that ended up being offensive pass interference, and I was like, 'Does that count?' I didn't know if that counted or not.
"But yeah, it was a good day."
On his touchdown reception, he added: "No, I think that's my first one, too. Ever.
"And I'm saying all the way back to 7 years old, I think that's my first one."
Lions coach Dan Campbell did not realise how impressive Goff's performance had been after the game, choosing to give the game ball to Williams and safety Kerby Joseph for their strong play.
"I just gave the game ball to somebody else," Campbell laughed. "So, I feel awful right now.
"I knew he played a heck of a game. I did not realize he was perfect. I did not know he was literally 18 for 18.
"I thought what really kick-started him was that he had to move a little in the pocket, got spun around and hung with Jamo [Williams] and hit him on the hook for the first down, that was big because he was rolling after that."
LeBron James is feeling revitalised, saying the chance to play alongside son Bronny for the Los Angeles Lakers gives him "pure joy".
James is set to start his 22nd season in the NBA, tying Hall of Fame inductee Vince Carter for the most in NBA history.
While the Lakers had an up-and-down season last time out, making the playoffs with a late surge only to exit in the first round, James is going into this one on a high.
The 39-year-old won gold at the Paris Olympics with Team USA, their fifth in a row, being named MVP of the tournament.
This season, he has added motivation, as he will become the first father to team up with his son, who joined the Lakers as a second-round draft pick, in the NBA.
"It's a lot of excitement, a pure joy, to be able to come to work every day, put in hard work with your son every day and be able to see him continue to grow," James said at the Lakers media day.
"We push each other. He pushes me. I push him. We push our team-mates, and vice versa.
"So, it's just a very joyous moment, not only for myself but for our family. It's pretty awesome. Gives you a lot of life.
"I feel really good physically. Mentally, I feel really good. Really sharp. Very fresh. Looking forward to getting to work.
"I have not thought about what the future holds. Kind of just living in the moment. Especially with Bronny being here, too. I don't want to take this moment for granted."
James, who will turn 40 in December, believes that the tough games in the Olympics, and playing alongside fellow greats Steph Curry and Kevin Durant, also helped to renew his spirit for basketball.
"When you're with 11 other unbelievable, great talents, some of the best talent we've ever seen, it gives you a lot of joy to be able to play the game, play it at a high level," he added.
"For myself individually, to go out there at my age, the miles that I have, and to be able to play at the level I played at, it gave me like, 'Okay, I do have a lot in the tank, a lot, and I can help a big part of a team win the ultimate.
"It felt damn good to play meaningful basketball at the highest level.
"So, to have that feeling again where you're playing like meaningful basketball, every possession means something - if you make a mistake, it burns you. That was good to relive that moment."
The new NBA season begins on October 22, with the Lakers facing the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Jared Goff set an NFL single-game record by completing all 18 of his pass attempts, and caught a touchdown pass as well to lead the Detroit Lions to a 42-29 victory over the previously unbeaten Seattle Seahawks on Monday.
Goff threw for 292 yards with touchdown passes to Jameson Williams and Amon-Ra St. Brown on his perfect evening, which eclipsed a 10-for-10 performance from Hall of Famer Kurt Warner in 2005 that had been the NFL's standard for most passes in a game without an incompletion.
The veteran quarterback was flawless as a receiver as well, as he hauled in St. Brown's 8-yard toss for a touchdown during a back-and-forth third quarter in which both teams scored touchdowns on their two possessions.
Detroit (3-1) also got two rushing touchdowns from Jahmyr Gibbs, who finished with 78 rushing yards on 14 attempts in the Lions' second straight win.
Seattle (3-1) was dealt its first loss after starting 3-0 under first-year coach Mike Macdonald despite piling up 516 total yards. Macdonald's defence had trouble coming up with stops, however, as Detroit produced touchdowns on all five of its red-zone trips.
Kenneth Walker returned from a two-game absence to rush for 80 yards and three touchdowns for Seattle, while Geno Smith threw for 395 yards and a touchdown and DK Metcalf recorded 104 yards on seven receptions.
The Lions never trailed after building a 14-0 lead with back-to-back touchdown drives, the first a 12-play, 93-yard series capped by David Montgomery's 1-yard touchdown run late in the first quarter.
After recovering a fumble by Metcalf in Detroit territory which Carlton Davis returned 49 yards to the Seattle 14, Gibbs ended a 3-play drive with a 3-yard touchdown run on the first play of the second quarter.
The Seahawks answered with a 10-play, 70-yard sequence culminating in Walker's 1-yard touchdown run with 10:08 to go in the first half, but Goff marched Detroit 70 yards in nine plays on the ensuing possession as the Lions took a 21-7 lead on Gibbs' 1-yard touchdown run with 5:11 left before half-time.
Seattle closed the gap on the opening drive of the third quarter, which Smith finished with a 9-yard touchdown pass to AJ Barner after the Seahawks converted three times on third or fourth down.
Montgomery took Goff's short toss 40 yards on the following possession, however, to set up St. Brown's well-thrown touchdown pass to Goff on a trick play that fooled the Seattle defence.
Smith promptly moved the Seahawks 80 yards in eight plays on their next drive as Seattle pulled to within 28-20 on Walker's second 1-yard TD run of the night. Smith's pass on the ensuing 2-point conversion attempt fell incomplete, however.
Detroit quickly restored a two-score advantage, though, as Goff hit Williams near midfield on the next play from scrimmage and the speedy wide receiver outran the Seahawks' defenders for a 70-yard touchdown with 2:52 remaining in the third quarter.
The Seahawks continued to fight back, as Walker brooke lose for a 23-yard run on the following drive before concluding it with a 21-yard touchdown to bring Seattle within 35-27 with 12 seconds elapsed in the fourth quarter.
Detroit forced a punt on Seattle's next series, however, before Goff fired a 29-yard completion to Tim Patrick and a 30-yard pass to Sam LaPorta before extending the lead to 42-27 with an 8-yard touchdown strike to St. Brown with 5:23 to play.
Seattle was stopped on downs from the Detroit 3-yard line on its next possession, and Kerby Joseph later sealed the Lions' win by intercepting Smith with a minute left. The pick came after the Seahawks got two points on a safety when Dre'Mont Jones sacked Goff in the end zone.
Titans get first win, extend Dolphins' struggles
The Tennessee Titans rode strong performances from running back Tony Pollard and kicker Nick Folk, as well as a stout defensive effort, to their first win of the season with Monday's 31-12 victory over the punch-less Miami Dolphins.
Pollard rushed for 88 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries as Tennessee (1-3) prevailed in what turned out to be a battle of backup quarterbacks after the Titans' Will Levis left the contest in the first quarter with a right shoulder injury.
Mason Rudolph threw for just 85 yards in place of Levis but led seven scoring drives, five of which ended on field goals by Folk that helped give Tennessee's Brian Callahan his first win as an NFL head coach.
Miami (1-3) generated little offence under Tyler Huntley, the Dolphins' third starting quarterback in three weeks and second since top signal-caller Tua Tagovailoa sustained a concussion in a Week 2 loss to the Buffalo Bills that landed him on injured reserve.
The Dolphins were held to 184 total yards in their third consecutive loss, with Huntley managing just 96 on 14-of-22 passing.
After neither team moved the ball effectively during a scoreless first quarter, Rudolph got the Titans in range for Folk's 53-yard field goal 44 seconds into the second for the game's first points.
The Dolphins were stopped on 4th-and-1 from the Tennessee 46 on the ensuing possession, with the favourable starting position leading to Folk's 52-yard kick with 8:20 left before half-time.
Huntley then led Miami on a 10-play, 44-yard drive capped by Jason Sanders' 44-yard field goal to cut the lead to 6-3, but a 27-yard pass from Rudolph to Tyler Boyd late in the first half allowed Tennessee to extend its lead at the break on Folk's 47-yard field goal.
Sanders knocked home a 56-yard attempt midway through the third quarter before the Titans finally scored the game's first touchdown on the following series.
After Pollard ripped off a 41-yard run to put Tennessee inside the Miami 10, Tyjae Spears took a direct snap and powered into the end zone from seven yards out for a 16-6 advantage with six minutes left in the third quarter.
Folk's fourth field goal, a 51-yard boot, increased the margin entering the fourth before the Titans' defence came up with another big stand.
The Dolphins opted to go for it from 4th-and-1 at their own 39-yard line, but running back Devon Achane was stuffed for a loss and Tennessee turned the stop into Folk's 29-yard field goal and a 22-6 advantage.
Miami answered with its best drive of the night, an 11-play, 70-yard sequence capped by Huntley's 1-yard touchdown run with 3:36 left that trimmed their deficit to 22-12. The Dolphins failed to convert the resulting 2-point attempt.
Huntley was called for intentional grounding in the end zone on Miami's next possession, however, to give the Titans two more points on a safety.
Pollard concluded the scoring with a 4-yard touchdown run with 24 seconds left, ending a 4-play drive where the Titans started at the Miami 20 after the Dolphins botched an onside kick attempt following the safety.
Major League Baseball career hits leader Pete Rose, who was banned from the game and barred from the Hall of Fame for gambling on his sport, has died. He was 83 years old.
A spokesperson from Clark County, Nevada, confirmed Rose’s death on Monday. A cause of death has yet to be determined.
Starring for his home-town Cincinnati Reds in the 1960s and ‘70s, Rose was the heart and soul of the “Big Red Machine” and helped them win two World Series titles and four National League pennants.
A 17-time All-Star, “Charlie Hustle” was an unquestioned fan favourite on the field, known for his relentless play and passionate demeanour. Playing in 24 major league seasons, Rose accumulated 4,256 career hits, long considered one of baseball’s most unbreakable records.
Rose broke the previous hits record in 1985, surpassing Ty Cobb’s mark of 4,191 hits to nationwide adulation, and he even received a call from President Ronald Reagan.
Rose’s sterling legacy, however, was tarnished just four years later by one of the most infamous scandals in sports history.
On March 20, 1989, Major League Baseball opened an enquiry into gambling allegations against Rose, who had taken over as the Reds’ manager. The Commissioner’s Office found that Rose placed bets through bookies and friends on baseball games, including ones involving his own team.
MLB’s enquiry found that “accumulated testimony of witnesses, together with the documentary evidence and telephone records, reveal extensive betting activity by Pete Rose in connection with professional baseball and, in particular, Cincinnati Reds games, during the 1985, 1986, and 1987 baseball seasons.”
In August 1989, Commissioner A. Bartlett Giamatti announced Rose’s lifetime ban from baseball. “One of the game’s greatest players has engaged in a variety of acts which have stained the game, and he must now live with the consequences of those acts,” Giamatti said.
In 1991, the Hall of Fame ruled that Rose’s transgressions made him ineligible for induction.
Rose initially maintained his innocence and downplayed the ban, believing that he would one day be reinstated.
As time passed, however, he changed his tune. In a memoir released three months after his ban, Rose admitted to gambling on baseball, but legally.
In “Play Hungry,” a memoir published in 2019, he seemed to admit to all the allegations.
“I don’t think betting is morally wrong. I don’t even think betting on baseball if morally wrong,” Rose wrote. “There are legal ways, and there are illegal ways, and betting on baseball the way I did was against the rules of baseball.”
Rose’s banishment would go on to serve as a precedent, with certain voters refusing to vote for some players who played in the “steroid era” of the 1990s and 2000s.
As Rose aged, his disgrace gradually faded from public consciousness, and there were some who lobbied for the ban to be lifted, believing that four decades of ostracisation was punishment enough.
While Rose never got to see his bust in Cooperstown, he is represented by several pieces of memorabilia in the Hall of Fame, including the cleats he wore when he became baseball’s hits king.
Rose was voted the 1973 NL MVP, and a helmet from that season also resides in Cooperstown, a reluctant nod to one of baseball's iconic players.
While Rose played stints with the Philadelphia Phillies and Montreal Expos, he played more than 18 seasons with the Reds, sharing the field with Hall of Famers like Johnny Bench, Joe Morgan and Tony Perez.
The switch-hitting Rose was the lead-off hitter and tone-setter for the Reds’ feared Great Eight lineup, and Cincinnati inducted him into the team’s Hall of Fame in 2016. A year later, the club retired his No. 14 and unveiled a bronze statue outside of Great American Ballpark.
His fans will remember Rose for his enthusiasm and competitiveness as much as for his measurable achievements.
Rose was known for giving full effort to the game he loved, and he earned his “Charlie Hustle” moniker for running to first base even after walks.
In so many ways, Rose embodied everything baseball fans have loved about the game for over a century, but that legacy will forever be coupled with his wrongdoings and public fall from grace.
Rose was a career .303 hitter who retired with more walks than strikeouts. He holds MLB records for games played (3,562) and plate appearances (15,890), and his 44-game hitting streak in 1978 is the longest in National League history.
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