Formula One world champion Max Verstappen has history in his sights at the United States Grand Prix this weekend.
Crowned champion for the second successive season at the Japanese Grand Prix two weeks ago, Verstappen has the chance to further illustrate his dominance at the Circuit of the Americas.
Should he prevail in Austin, he will equal Sebastian Vettel and Michael Schumacher as the driver with the most wins in a single F1 season with his 13th victory,
Schumacher achieved the feat in 2004 for Ferrari, with compatriot Vettel matching him nine years later for Red Bull in the 2013 campaign.
Verstappen and Red Bull will look to make it lucky 13 amid the continued fallout over their cost cap breach last season.
Last week, the FIA announced Red Bull had been found guilty of a "minor" cost cap breach and a procedural breach.
There have been no details of any prospective penalties released by the sport's governing body, however, in a letter to the FIA, McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown said the breach "constitutes cheating".
Brown's comments are likely to be the talk of the paddock in Texas this week, but Red Bull will look for their most emphatic riposte to come on the track.
They have won the last seven races. Only once, when they won nine in a row in 2013, have they gone on a longer run. An eighth successive victory would be the seventh-longest winning streak in F1.
FERRARI ANYTHING BUT RELIABLE
After initially threatening to produce a compelling title fight in both the drivers and constructors' championship, Ferrari have wilted miserably as Red Bull's main rivals.
Along with well-documented strategy struggles, reliability has been a big contributor to Ferrari's woes.
Carlos Sainz's form has encapsulated that point. He has retired in five of his last 16 races in the Formula One, as many as in his previous 61 appearances in the competition.
MERCEDES TO MAKE 2023 FIGHTBACK?
Lewis Hamilton has won five times in Austin but the seven-time world champion appears unlikely to challenge this year, with Mercedes still waiting for their first win of a dismal season.
Yet Hamilton is confident the Silver Arrows will bounce back next season and ensure that, unlike the much-maligned W13, their W14 car can return the dominant force of the modern era to the front of the grid.
"I think for us we know what the problems are with this car," Hamilton said. "I believe that we as a team, we've not gone from being world champions to not being able to build a good car.
"I have no doubt that we'll have a better car next year. Whether or not we've rectified every issue that we have this year, we'll find out when we get there."
Trinidad & Tobago head coach Kemba Duncan gave her players all the credit after their 66-42 victory over Grenada at the Netball Americas World Cup Qualifiers at the National Indoor Sports Centre in Kingston on Tuesday.
Both teams entered the game with three wins from three games and begun the top-of-the-table clash in a competitive manner, battling throughout the first quarter which T&T eventually won 17-12. The leaders then held Grenada to just eight points in the second quarter, entering the half with a 32-20 lead. The Trinis then enjoyed a spectacular third quarter, contrary to the one they had against St. Vincent & the Grenadines on Monday. They forced the Grenadians into several turnovers and capitalized on those mistakes to enter the fourth quarter up 49-29 before eventually sealing a 66-42 win, their fourth in as many games.
Goal shooter Afeisha Noel and goal attack Joelisa Cooper dominated the Grenada defence with 45 goals from 49 attempts and 12 goals from 16 attempts, respectively.
“I think it was all about the players,” said Duncan.
“They had their goals and stayed focused. They worked together and maintained discipline to achieve the score we wanted.”
Even with a massive lead in the fourth quarter, Duncan’s team maintained a high level of intensity on both ends, something she says they’ve emphasized with big goals in mind.
“We have been training to maintain intensity. I think it’s the level of the game that is played in the higher tournaments so we want to push towards that.”
Grenadian captain Shakira Collymore blamed said injuries were a factor in their performance.
“We have a lot of injuries so we weren’t able to enjoy the entire match but I think we put up a good fight. We were able to stay with them for the first two quarters but couldn’t stick it out. We have more matches to play.”
In Tuesday’s other results, Jamaica got their highest point total of the tournament with an 81-27 win over the Cayman Islands, Barbados beat the USA 47-26 and St. Vincent & the Grenadines beat St. Lucia 49-36.
Russell Westbrook believes his hamstring injury in the Los Angeles Lakers' preseason finale could have been caused by his different role coming off the bench.
Westbrook started on the bench in Friday's preseason defeat to the Sacramento Kings but played just five minutes before coming off due to a concern with his left hamstring.
The 2017 NBA MVP recovered from his knock and returned to the starting lineup for his side's 123-109 loss to the Golden State Warriors in their NBA season opener on Tuesday.
And when asked whether his bench role against Sacramento played a role in his injury, he said: "Absolutely - I've been doing the same thing for 14 years straight.
"Honestly, I didn't even know what to do pregame. Being honest, I was trying to figure out how to stay warm and loose. That's something I just wasn't accustomed to."
Coach Darvin Ham suggested in preseason that Westbrook may be used from the bench as part of a different strategy following their hugely disappointing campaign last year.
The Lakers finished 11th in the Western Conference with a 33-49 record despite boasting stars payers such as Westbrook, LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
Westbrook's start on Tuesday, the 1,005th time in 1,022 career games that he had played with the first unit, proved futile with reigning champions the Warriors winning comfortably.
Speaking on Westbrook's starting role after the game, Ham said: "You want to start the game off the right way in terms of your energy and being in attack mode, and no one better than him [Westbrook].
"I thought he was solid. A couple possessions I wish I can get back, but overall, I thought he was solid."
Westbrook finished up with 19 points, 11 rebounds and three assists in 31 minutes on court.
The Lakers face city rivals the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday as they look for their first win of the season.
Belief is a powerful emotion.
Athletes from a variety of sports over the years have spoken about the power of self-belief that allowed them to overcome the odds and prevail.
In the world of fantasy football, where the stakes are substantially lower, it is easy to lose faith after a few bad weeks given the season is so short.
Still, even as the losses mount, it's important to not get discouraged, trust in your line-up decisions and, most importantly, remember that it's just a bit of fun.
Not everything is going to go right for all your players in every game, but with Week 7 on the horizon, Stats Perform has gone through the numbers and identified four offensive players and a defense deserving of your faith for the upcoming slate of games.
Quarterback: Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys @ Detroit Lions
Prescott is finally set to return to the lineup after Cooper Rush kept the Cowboys firmly in the mix during his absence with a fractured thumb.
There may some reticence to roll with Prescott in fantasy in his first game since the season opener.
Against the Lions, there's little reason to have such concerns. Their defense is allowing 7.37 yards per pass play, the second most in the NFL, while only the Cleveland Browns have conceded more offensive touchdowns than Detroit's 18.
Game flow could work against Prescott putting up a huge fantasy performance if the Dallas defense allows the Cowboys to build a big lead, but there's no reason to expect him to struggle on his return.
Running Back: Kenneth Walker, Seattle Seahawks @ Los Angeles Chargers
Walker backed up his explosive performance against the New Orleans Saints in Week 5 with a strong showing in Week 6 as the Seahawks knocked off the Arizona Cardinals.
He racked up 97 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries versus Arizona and now gets to face a Charger run defense that has displayed no improvement despite heavy offseason investment.
Only the New York Giants (5.61) are allowing more yards per rush than the Chargers (5.56). Walker already has seven rushes of 10 yards or more this season and, if you have this exciting rookie on your roster, you can afford to believe he will deliver in a substantial way in LA.
Wide Receiver: Deebo Samuel, San Francisco 49ers vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Samuel was kept relatively quiet as the 49er offense endured a difficult day in Atlanta last week, failing to score in the second half of their 28-14 loss to the Falcons.
Even so, he still managed seven catches for 79 yards and his fantasy managers who may be worried about a drop-off from the San Francisco attack should stay calm.
The 49er run game sputtered in Atlanta, gaining just 50 yards, but it looked at its best on the two carries Samuel received out of the backfield.
Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan last season turned to putting Samuel in the backfield to give his offense a spark and it produced stunning results. Don't be surprised to see him do the same here.
With the Chiefs level with the Lions with 18 offensive scores allowed, a varied role for Samuel on Sunday could spell a highly productive effort on an offense that may benefit from the return of All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams.
Tight End: Robert Tonyan, Green Bay Packers @ Washington Commanders
The Green Bay offense is in dreadful shape, with some questioning whether it is broken beyond repair following a dismal defeat to the New York Jets at Lambeau Field.
Aaron Rodgers has called for the Packers to simplify their attack in the wake of that loss. Any huge schematic changes seem unlikely but what is probable is that Rodgers will focus on the few targets he trusts.
One such target is Tonyan, who was last week targeted 12 times, catching 10 passes for 90 yards.
With Randall Cobb on the sideline through injury, Allen Lazard and Tonyan will likely be Rodgers' favoured weapons in the passing game. Whether he can engineer an upturn in Green Bay's fortunes is open for debate, but Tonyan's place in the pass-catching hierarchy for the Packers gives him plenty of fantasy value against a Commanders defense that has allowed 12 passing touchdowns, the second-most in the league.
Defense/Special Teams: New Orleans Saints at Arizona Cardinals
Is your faith in the New Orleans defense shaken by the Cincinnati Bengals' comeback against the Saints? Well here come the Cardinals to make everything all better.
The Cardinals managed nine points against a Seahawks team that has allowed 163 this season. Only the Lions have given up more.
On a per-play basis, the Steelers are the sole team to put up fewer yards (4.77) than the Cardinals (4.81).
The Saints' defense is not as fearsome as in days gone by, but it has the benefit of facing an utterly anaemic offense in Week 7 and is worthy of some belief as a result.
Daniel Ricciardo's likely exit from Formula One demonstrates the ruthless nature of the sport and is a fate which could befall any driver, according to Ferrari's Carlos Sainz.
Ricciardo will leave McLaren at the end of an underwhelming 2022 campaign, to be replaced by Oscar Piastri.
With only Williams and Haas possessing vacant seats for 2023 following Alpine's move for Pierre Gasly, Ricciardo recently acknowledged he was unlikely to remain on the grid next year.
The Australian, who has also been linked with a reserve position at Mercedes, said: "I think the reality is now I won't be on the grid in 2023, I think it's now just trying to set up for 2024."
Asked about Ricciardo's situation by Motorsport.com, Sainz expressed sympathy for his rival and said all F1 drivers were only as good as their last race.
"I feel for Daniel because I know how good he is. I always rated him super highly," Sainz said. "He found himself in a car and at a team that maybe he didn't find himself comfortable at, and that's enough for your career to start going through a different path.
"He might take a year off, he might not. But if he comes back in two years and he wins a race, no one remembers the two years with McLaren.
"This is why in F1 you always need to focus on the next race, because in the next race you can change everyone's impression.
"Every driver knows this, because it happens to all of us at a lower scale at every race. You're always as good as your last race, unfortunately, in this sport.
"If that gets amplified to a season, then you're only as good as your last season, and that's why Daniel is in such a difficult situation.
"No one remembers your good days, it only counts if you are half a second off in the last qualifying or the last season, and there's nothing we can do about it.
"It's how the sport rates us, it is how the sport treats us. That is why the highs are so high. When you win, you're a hero: your best weekend and you're the best driver in the world. No one is better than you.
"But then, when you are going through a bad moment, it's a sport that is very tough."
Kevin Durant's trade request was the sort of "test" the Brooklyn Nets needed to bond and get better, according to Kyrie Irving.
The Nets will begin their 2022-23 season on Wednesday against the New Orleans Pelicans after a topsy-turvy offseason.
Both Durant and Irving are set to be in the Brooklyn line-up, despite the pair appearing to be on their way out when the 2014 MVP asked for a trade.
A deal with the Nets proved difficult to do, as Durant has four years remaining on his contract, meaning the team asked for a huge price in talks.
It was then reported Durant had returned to the Nets but promised to stay only if head coach Steve Nash and general manager Sean Marks were replaced.
Eventually, a statement from Marks said Durant had "agreed to move forward with our partnership" regardless.
That might not seem ideal preparation for the season, but Irving suggested the saga had actually brought the Nets closer.
"When Kev made that request, I feel like we got better," he told Stadium. "Afterwards, not initially. Now, where we are now, I feel like we can honestly say we got better.
"We know the principles that are needed for success, but without going through some tests in the summer time or during the season, we wouldn't be able to be as close and bonded as we are now."
Irving added: "[Durant] is one of the greatest to ever do it, and he wants his chance to win. Give him his request.
"But other than that, I think he believes not only in me but in himself."
Tom Brady is cutting the same frustrated figure he did in his final season with the New England Patriots, but Ryan Fitzpatrick is still not ruling out a Super Bowl run in case "Tom becomes Tom again in the playoffs".
Brady briefly retired in the offseason, only to soon reverse that decision and return to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
But the legendary quarterback then missed time in the preseason and has struggled so far in the 2022 season, with the Bucs falling to 3-3 with Sunday's shock defeat to the lowly Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Tampa Bay offense that ranked seventh and second in Brady's first two years with the team is now down in 21st.
The 45-year-old is moving the ball only 6.7 yards per passing attempt. He has only dipped below that mark once since 2002, throwing for 6.6 yards per attempt in 2019 before leaving the Patriots.
Former Bucs QB Fitzpatrick is concerned, although he is not writing off a record-extending eighth Super Bowl success.
"I think I've seen this from him before," Fitzpatrick told The Bill Simmons Podcast on The Ringer.
"His last year in New England, it was another example of a year where there was so much visible frustration from him.
"He was exasperated all the time by his team-mates and play-calling, and you could visibly see him upset more than usual on the field and the sideline. That's what this year feels like a little bit.
"That being said, I've played for Todd Bowles in New York. First of all, his defensive scheme is great, it's tough to go against, he's very aggressive. That trickles down to the team.
"I think they won some games early because of the defense, and they haven't performed so well of late.
"I still see the Bucs as a team that is going to sleepwalk their way to 10-7, make the playoffs, and then hopefully it all comes together because maybe then Tom becomes Tom again in the playoffs. That's just what this season feels like right now, for me."
Brady is in his 23rd season in the NFL, and Fitzpatrick has been in awe of his focus up to this point.
"That's always been the amazing thing about him when I watch him," he added. "Even though it's been so long, he's so locked in all the time.
"Whether it's been an inferior opponent or a big game on Sunday, Monday night, Thursday night, he was always so locked in.
"I'm just missing that a little bit when I watch him this year."
Steve Kerr was "thrilled" with the Golden State Warriors' opening night win over the Los Angeles Lakers as the coach recognised his defending champions are "not where we need to be".
The Warriors received their championship rings and unveiled their seventh banner on Tuesday following last season's NBA Finals defeat of the Boston Celtics.
A night of celebration was then capped with a first victory of the new campaign as the Warriors defeated the Lakers 123-109.
With so much else going on outside the game, coach Kerr was wary of the potential for an upset.
But even with the Warriors still looking to improve over the course of the season, he said, they "took care of business".
"I'm thrilled with the win," said Kerr. "Ring night is never an easy game, and the first game of the season is usually filled with some nerves early on.
"We're not where we need to be, but we took care of business."
Reigning Finals MVP Stephen Curry led the Warriors in scoring 33 points and was already thinking of a title defence.
"After tonight, the journey really begins in terms of everybody's best shot," Curry said. "You've got some really talented teams that are going to be gunning for you. You have to be ready for it all.
"It's going to be a really long journey, but this is why we play. We're competitive. This is why we work as hard as we do. We can't just sit there and look at that ring."
LeBron James revealed the Los Angeles Lakers performed as he expected on opening night despite a disappointing defeat to the Golden State Warriors.
Tuesday's game was always likely to be a tough one for the Lakers, who missed the playoffs last season as the Warriors won the title.
And so it proved, with a dominant third quarter seeing the Warriors ease to a 123-109 victory.
James, entering his 20th season, led the Lakers with 31 points but acknowledged the team will need time at the start of the year working with new coach Darvin Ham.
"For us, I think we are what I expected from tonight," James said.
"Some great moments, some not so good moments, and that just comes from a team that's coming together for the first time. There's a lot of new pieces, a whole new system, coaching staff.
"But I loved the way we competed. Obviously with the turnovers, we're not going to win ball games like that, but once we start getting on the same page and know where guys are going to be, start going through in our system how we want to perform, that will get better with time.
"It was what I expected. We had some good times, and some other times were not as good as we would like."
The Lakers had 21 turnovers to the Warriors' 18, including 12 from their 'big three' of James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook, which the four-time MVP said was "not acceptable".
That was not the only area in which the Lakers struggled, however, as they were a miserable 25.0 per cent from three-point range, making just 10 of 40 attempts.
The Lakers ranked 22nd in the NBA in three-point shooting last year (34.7 per cent), and James suggested the Warriors – 35.6 per cent on Tuesday and 36.4 per cent in 2021-22 – were letting their opponents shoot.
"We're getting great looks, but it also could be teams giving us great looks," James said.
"To be completely honest, we're not a team that's constructed of great shooting. That's just the truth of the matter. It's not like we're sitting here with a lot of lasers on our team.
"That doesn't deter us from trying to get great shots, and when we get those opportunities, we take them. But we're not sitting here with a load of 40-plus career three-point shooting guys."
The Lakers have still not won on opening night since 2016.
Marcus Smart credited his own "maturity" for not escalating an altercation with Joel Embiid in which he claimed the Philadelphia 76ers center tried to break his arm.
Reigning Defensive Player of the Year Smart has had a long-standing rivalry with Embiid.
The Boston Celtics guard has been ejected eight times in his NBA career, with one of those coming against the 76ers in 2019 after he shoved Embiid to the ground when his back was turned.
Smart stayed on the court on Tuesday, although he was whistled for a technical foul – the third against the 76ers of his career – following another tussle with Embiid in a 126-117 Celtics win.
The players' arms became tangled as they battled for a rebound, before Smart angrily grabbed the ankle of Embiid, who dropped to the floor.
Embiid, who has only once been ejected from an NBA game and never against the Celtics, avoided punishment.
"I went for a rebound. Basketball play," Smart said. "I went for the steal. Basketball play. The referee blows his whistle, calls a foul.
"I stop playing, my arm's still stuck in there, and [Embiid] tries to break it. And then I'm the only one who gets a tech. Everybody saw it."
He added: "I don't have to keep talking about it. If I did that, I'm probably ejected, suspended three games, four games, fined.
"But the fact that I was the only one that got something out of that is beyond me. Especially as defending DPOY, and that's how he gets treated. It's tough.
"It's maturity. I could have cracked his head open, but I didn't. And that's the maturity we have.
"So, we move on from it. It is what it is, and we control what we can control."
The Boston Celtics left a tumultuous offseason behind them on opening night to deliver a first win for interim head coach Joe Mazzulla, as Jayson Tatum said: "We're all in this together."
Mazzulla was making his coaching bow against the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday having replaced Ime Udoka for this NBA season.
Udoka, who led the Celtics to the NBA Finals in his first year as coach in 2021-22, was suspended by the team for the entire campaign for "violations of team policies" following an "improper" consensual relationship with a female staff member.
Assistant Mazzulla has temporarily stepped up to the top job, but there was no sign of the saga impacting the Celtics' play in their 126-117 victory over the highly fancied 76ers.
Tatum had 35 points and 12 rebounds in 39 minutes, as team-mate Jaylen Brown – reportedly part of trade talks for Kevin Durant earlier this year – also scored 35 points in 39 minutes.
Tatum and Brown became the first pair of team-mates to each score at least 35 points in a season opener since Los Angeles Lakers duo Wilt Chamberlain (35) and Jerry West (39) in 1969-70 – likewise against the 76ers.
Keeping both performing at a high level will be key to Mazzulla's hopes this year.
"He wouldn't have took any of the credit for tonight," Tatum said of Mazzulla. "But the thing that I like about Joe and admire about him is that he's very honest that he doesn't know everything.
"He wants us to help him out as much as he's helping us out. It's like we're in a relationship, and we're all on the same page and trying to accomplish the same thing. We're all in this together."
Mazzulla added: "I'm grateful for the relationship we have. These guys have been through a lot together, and they're great players, so it's just a matter of working together.
"So, I appreciate their trust and buy-in, but they come up with a lot of good stuff as well, and we kind of just figure it out."
The New York Yankees are moving on to the American League Championship Series, but the 2022 season is over for outfielder Aaron Hicks.
Playing left field, Hicks collided with shortstop Oswaldo Cabrera in the third inning of the Yankees’ victory in Game 5 of the League Division Series on Tuesday.
Hicks exited the game with a left knee injury and told reporters afterward that MRI results showed a significant enough injury to end his season.
"Extremely disappointing," Hicks told reporters. "[This season] is obviously something special and I want to be a part of it. And now I'm no longer going to be able to play on the field to help this team win, help this team win a World Series and now I just gotta watch on the sidelines."
Powered by home runs from Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge, the Yankees beat the Guardians in Tuesday’s decisive Game 5 and advance to a showdown against the Houston Astros in the ALCS.
The Yankees have not said who will take Hicks’ place on the ALCS roster but hope that versatile infielder D.J. LeMahieu has recovered enough from his right foot injury to return.
Hicks was replaced in left field Tuesday by utility Marwin Gonzalez, while Matt Carpenter made a pinch-hit appearance, taking his first swings since missing the end of the regular season with a fractured foot.
Tim Locastro played 26 games in the Yankees' outfield this season but projects more as a defensive replacement and pinch runner after hitting .186 this season.
New York face a quick turnaround, with Game 1 of the ALCS scheduled for Wednesday night in Houston.
The Golden State Warriors have begun their title defense in fine fashion, defeating the Los Angeles Lakers 123-109 at home on the opening night of the NBA season.
With the Warriors receiving their championship rings in a ceremony before the game, they were determined to make it a night to remember, with reigning Finals MVP Stephen Curry leading the way.
Curry finished with 33 points on 10-of-22 shooting, hitting four-of-13 from long range and all nine of his free throws to lead both teams in scoring. He also chipped in seven assists, six rebounds and four steals.
Jordan Poole had 10 of his 12 points in the first half to lead the Warriors to a 59-52 halftime lead, before Klay Thompson took over to begin the third quarter, scoring his side's first seven points on three consecutive shots to ignite a 32-19 frame, blowing the game open in the process.
The Warriors' lead peaked at 91-64 late in the third quarter, before the visiting Lakers scored 38 in the fourth to trim the final score to a respectable figure.
In his 20th season, LeBron James looked as strong as ever, finishing with 31 points (12-of-25 shooting) with 14 rebounds and eight assists, while Anthony Davis had 27 points (10-of-22 shooting) with six rebounds, four steals and two blocks, although Davis posted the worst plus/minus of the game at minus 21.
Tatum, Brown combine for 70 in Celtics win
In what was officially the first game of the season, the Boston Celtics and interim head coach Joe Mazzulla collected an impressive 126-117 home win against the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Celtics had to compete with a spectacular James Harden performance, who led the 76ers with 35 points on nine-of-14 shooting, including five-of-nine from long range and 12-of-12 from the free throw line, while adding eight rebounds and seven assists.
Harden had a plus/minus of plus one in his 37 minutes, meaning the 76ers were outscored by 10 in the 11 minutes he was on the bench.
For Boston, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown were almost unstoppable all night, scoring 35 points each at a combined 61 per cent from the field (27-of-44), while Tatum also grabbed 12 rebounds and Brown had two steals.
New signing Malcolm Brogdon showed no signs of needing an adjustment period, making an immediate impact off the Celtics' bench with 16 points (seven-of-11 shooting) and four assists in 24 minutes.
The top seed in action on Tuesday at the Guadalajara Open made it through her opening match unscathed as Maria Sakkari defeated Marta Kostyuk 6-4 6-4.
Sakkari is one of the players needing a strong result in the tournament to break into the top-eight of the world rankings to qualify for the upcoming WTA Finals, entering the week at 10th, but only needing to make up one spot, with number eight Simona Halep out due to injury.
With her victory over Kostyuk, Sakkari avoided notching four consecutive losses for the first time this season, and will likely only need one more win to move into WTA Finals contention.
Her next opponent appears to be world number 16 Danielle Collins, who had no issue dispatching American compatriot Caroline Dolehide 6-4 6-1 to book her second-round fixture against Magdalena Frech after the Polish qualifier beat Yulia Putintseva 6-3 6-4.
World number seven Daria Kasatkina also should be locked into the WTA Finals after cruising past China's Lin Zhu 6-1 6-2, while 18th-ranked Beatriz Haddad Maia's season is over after a disappointing 7-5 6-2 upset loss to Katerina Siniakova.
Petra Kvitova needed to reach the final to have a chance of qualifying, but after a strong first set she fell 3-6 6-2 6-0 against Canada's Bianca Andreescu. In a good day for the Canadians, Eugenie Bouchard also beat Kayla Day 7-5 6-3 as the former world number five fights her way back up the rankings after a long injury layoff.
Italy's Elisabetta Cocciaretto defeated Russia's Anastasia Potapova 6-2 6-1, while Latvia's top talent Jelena Ostapenko cruised past America's Lauren Davis 6-1 6-3.
Madison Keys was too strong for Magda Linette in a 6-3 6-3 triumph, and in an all-Czech matchup, Marie Bouzkova downed Tereza Martincova 6-2 7-5.
Croatia's Donna Vekic eliminated Brazil's Laura Pigossi 6-4 6-1, and Italy's Martina Trevisan showed why she is top-30 in the world with a convincing 6-4 6-3 straight sets win against Japan's Nao Hibino.
In the last match of the night, world number 10 Caroline Garcia survived an early scared to come from behind and defeat Rebecca Marino 6-7 (2-7) 6-3 7-6 (7-5).
Tampa Bay Lightning coach Jon Cooper implored his players to "man up" after their 3-2 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday left them with only one win from their first four games.
The Lightning have made it to three consecutive Stanley Cup Finals, winning championships in 2020 and 2021 before falling to the Colorado Avalanche in the 2022 decider.
Against the Flyers, Tampa Bay led 2-0 in the second period after a quick double from Steven Stamkos, but they were unable to defend their lead.
Scott Laughton snatched one goal back in the second term for the Flyers, before James van Riemsdyk and Noah Cates struck in the third for the comeback win.
Speaking to the media after the game, Cooper said it was inexcusable to fall apart the way his side did, and that it is easy to take for granted all the winning they have had in recent years.
"This is a stinger," he said. "We should never leave this game with zero points... probably should have left with two.
"This group should close that game out, and we didn't. That's probably a little bit of a concern. We probably take things for granted with this team, just for the past decade, what's gone on.
"Early on in this first week and half, two weeks, it's not going the way we're used to it going. We have to fight through it, you've got to man up."
Flyers coach Jon Tortorella heaped praise on his 24-year-old goaltender Carter Hart, who saved 38 shots in the victory.
"Carter was outstanding," he said. "He kept us in it, and we found a way at the end.
"We hope we're building a little bit of a mindset of resiliency. I think each time it happens that way and you succeed, it just builds it for you.
"We've done some good things in just finding ways to win the games at key times late in the game.
"They're showing me they're ugly, they're showing me it doesn't matter, and they still have a little bit left in the tank to get things done."
Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Zack Wheeler was at his dominant best as he held the San Diego Padres scoreless through the first seven innings to set up a 2-0 road win in Game 1 of the NLCS.
With a trip to the World Series on the line, the Phillies got off to the perfect start thanks to starring performances from their marquee players.
Wheeler allowed only one hit and one walk in his seven innings, striking out eight batters, after a season where he posted the sixth-best ERA (2.82) in the National League.
His opposing number starting on the mound for the Padres, Yu Darvish, was not much worse, also pitching seven full innings, and while he only allowed three hits, two of them traveled over the fence to decide the game.
Two-time MVP Bryce Harper broke the scoreless tie in the fourth inning, connecting on a 368-foot home run to left-field, and teammate Kyle Schwarber dwarfed that distance with his home run in the sixth.
Schwarber – who finished the season second in the majors with 46 home runs – blasted his longest of the year with a 488-foot nuke into the upper deck at right-field.
In a pitching masterclass, there were only four combined hits in the game, and with his performance, Wheeler became only the second player to ever have a playoff game with seven shutout innings, at least seven strikeouts and no more than one hit in less than 100 pitches. The only other instance was Don Larsen's perfect game for the New York Yankees back in 1956.
The New York Yankees are through to the ALCS for the third time in the past six seasons after defeating the Cleveland Guardians 5-1 in the win-or-go-home Game 5 of the ALDS on Tuesday.
New York's Jameson Taillon and Cleveland's Aaron Civale were the scheduled starters on Monday, but with the game being rained out, the extra day of rest allowed the Yankees to hand Nestor Cortes the start, while the Guardians stuck with Civale.
Civale was only able to get one out before his night was over, after a walk and a hit-by-pitch set up Giancarlo Stanton for a three-run home run in the first inning.
An inning later, likely AL MVP Aaron Judge also blasted a home run to extend the Yankees' lead to 4-0.
Cortes ended up pitching beautifully on short rest, making his way through five innings in 61 pitches, conceding one run from three hits and one walk.
Jonathan Loaisiga, Clay Holmes and Wandy Peralta combined out of the Yankees' bullpen to hold the Guardians scoreless for the last four frames, with Anthony Rizzo driving home one more insurance run in the fifth inning.
Judge finished the game two-for-four as the only Yankee with multiple hits, and for Stanton, his big home run salvaged a series where he had only one hit from his other 15 plate appearances.
The Yankees will meet the Houston Astros in the ALCS, which kicks off on Wednesday. The Astros were the Yankees' opponents in both of their other ALCS appearances in the past six years, with the Astros winning both times.
Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay has become the first NFL owner to back the removal of Washington Commanders owner Dan Snyder.
"I believe there’s merit to removing him," Irsay told reporters gathered for the NFL owners meetings in New York on Tuesday. "There’s consideration that he should be removed."
His comments come as Snyder faces several scandals and investigations into workplace conduct in Washington. The league has been investigating allegations of sexual misconduct and financial impropriety.
Removing Snyder would be unprecedented and requires 24 votes from the other owners.
"I think potentially there could be, but we’ll see," Irsay said when asked if at least 24 owners would vote for removal.
"It’s something we have to review, we have to look at all the evidence and we have to be thorough and it’s something that has to be given serious consideration.
"I believe in the workplace today, the standard that the shield stands for in the NFL, that you have to stand for that and protect that. I just think once owners talk among each other they will arrive at the right decision."
Snyder’s problematic ownership became an issue again last week when ESPN reported, citing anonymous sources, that he has hired private investigators and told people he has enough information to expose fellow owners and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. The Commanders released a statement saying the Snyders will not sell the team.
"It is highly inappropriate, but not surprising, that Mr. Irsay opted to make statements publicly based on falsehoods in the media,'' the statement said.
"It is unfortunate that Mr. Irsay decided to go public with his statement today, while an investigation is in process, and the team has had no opportunity to formally respond to allegations.
"The Commanders have made remarkable progress over the past two years. We are confident that, when he has an opportunity to see the actual evidence in this case, Mr. Irsay will conclude that there is no reason for the Snyders to consider selling the franchise. And they won't.''
Snyder then issued a second official statement addressing specific allegations made by the ESPN article, which he said contained "false and malicious statements".
"There is one allegation in the ESPN article that I feel it is important to address immediately," it says. "The article cited unnamed sources who said: 'they've been told that Snyder instructed his law firms to hire private investigators to look into other owners' and Commissioner Goodell.
"That is patently false and intended to erode the trust and goodwill between owners that I take quite seriously. I have never hired any private investigator to look into any owner or the Commissioner. I have never instructed or authorised my lawyers to hire any private investigator on my behalf for any such purpose. And I never would."
Tanya Snyder, the team's co-CEO, and Commanders president Jason Wright are representing the team at this week's owners' meetings.
Grigor Dimitrov crashed out of the Stockholm Open to the unseeded Jiri Lehecka in a three-set thriller on Tuesday, as Botic van de Zandschulp also fell at the first hurdle at the European Open.
Dimitrov, seeded sixth in the Swedish capital, came up short against Lehecka, who seized a surprise 6-4 1-6 7-6 (7-5) win, his first on the ATP Tour since July.
Victory for Alex de Minaur was far more predictable, a 150th at tour level coming courtesy of a straight-sets defeat of Benjamin Bonzi.
In Antwerp, Dominic Stricker handed Van de Zandschulp a swift exit, winning 6-2 6-4 to stay on Lehecka's coat tails in pursuit of a place at the Next Gen ATP Finals.
Stricker's reward for this win will be a second-round encounter with French veteran Richard Gasquet, who knocked out three-time grand slam champion Stan Wawrinka on Monday.
At the Napoli Cup, fifth seed Miomir Kecmanovic saw off wildcard Flavio Cobolli with ease, but others found life rather tougher.
Respective seventh and eighth seeds Albert Ramos-Vinolas and Adrian Mannarino fell to Nuno Borges and Pedro Cachin.
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