Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr was on the verge of tears as he faced the media following his side's third consecutive loss, dropping their record to a borderline unsalvageable 2-7.
The Raiders were favourites at home against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday after the visitors named a new interim head coach and offensive playcaller during the week, but an explosive performance from running back Jonathan Taylor carried the Colts to a 25-20 win.
Las Vegas committed no turnovers, but struggled to move the ball, averaging just 3.2 yards per carry on 24 attempts, while the Colts had 207 rushing yards from 30 attempts, buoyed by a 66-yard touchdown scamper from Taylor.
Speaking to reporters after the game, Carr had to pause several times to gather himself as he tried to explain how it does not feel to him that every member of the team is giving their all.
"I can't speak for everybody – I know where I stand, I love the silver and black, and I'm going to give it everything I can every time I'm out there," he said.
"I love [head coach] Josh [McDaniels], I love our coaches. They've had nothing but success – way more than I've ever had.
"I'm sorry for being emotional, I'm just p***** off about some of the things that a lot of us try and do just to practise, and what we put our bodies through just to sleep at night.
"For that to be the result of all that effort, it p***** me off, it p***** a lot of guys off. It's hard… I wish everybody in that room felt the same way about this place.
"As a leader, that p***** me off, if I'm being honest."
He said there was a players' meeting immediately after the loss where leaders addressed their concerns "man-to-man".
"We had our leaders address it man-to-man just now," he said. "It was good, it needed to be done, it needed to be said, and I think for me, I'm always going to just show the way.
"I'm going to show the way, show them what it looks like, show them how hard it is. In the huddle in the second quarter I told them 'this is going to be hard, but we're going to come back and win this game, I believe it'.
"It's going to be hard, though. It's not going to be easy, you've got to do the hard things. Josh always preaches 'do the hard things right'.
"I'm not perfect, I'm never going to be perfect, but the love I have for this place and the effort I give is going to be second-to-none every time.
"I think the emotion of just nine years of stuff hit me today, for how much I really love this place. It's not going to change anything, I'm going to come out here and fight and compete next week, and that's what I'm going to do."
When asked if he believes the coaching staff needs to take accountability for their six losses by one-possession margins – including three blown leads of at least 17 points – Carr refused to point the finger.
"We all take accountability, and the NFL, it's one-score games all the time," he said. "So this team has to learn how to finish those.
"There's been so many of them – six, right? You flip all of those, and everyone is feeling good about it, and I'd feel great about everything.
"That just isn't the case, but it's on all of us. But for me, I'm going to speak for myself and I'm going to come in, take my coaching from Josh, and he'll be hard on me like he always is.
"And I'm thankful for it, we'll keep going forward, and all that. I think if everyone takes that mindset, that's when you get better."
The Raiders travel to take on the Denver Broncos in Week 11, needing a win to keep their slim playoff chances alive.
Green Bay Packers rookie Christian Watson was the star of the show in his side's 31-28 comeback win in overtime against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday.
With no career receiving touchdowns coming into the contest, the second-round draft pick got one on the board in the first quarter, reeling in a deep ball for a 58-yard touchdown in response to CeeDee Lamb's opening score.
A 12-yard rush from Aaron Jones would give the Packers a lead, before Dalton Schultz tied things up with the fourth touchdown of the first frame.
Second-quarter scores to Cowboys running back Tony Pollard and a second for Lamb gave their side a 28-14 lead at halftime, but Dallas would not score the rest of the way.
Watson brought it back to a one-possession game with his second touchdown to begin the fourth quarter, and he struck again with 2:29 remaining in regulation to tie the game and force overtime.
After the Cowboys failed to convert a fourth down in the extra period, the Packers marched downfield and set-up a game-winning 28-yard field goal for Mason Crosby.
With Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers desperate for a new go-to option, Watson was targeting on eight of his 20 passes for a whopping 40 per cent target share. For reference, Cooper Kupp of the Los Angeles Rams leads the league with a 31.7 per cent target share entering Week 10.
Watson caught four of his eight targets for 107 yards and three touchdowns, while to all other receivers Rodgers completed 10 passes for 117 yards and no scores.
Saturday gets his first Sunday win
In his first game as a head coach above the high school level, Indianapolis Colts legend Jeff Saturday led his team to a 25-20 road win against the Las Vegas Raiders.
In a surprising move that was not announced pre-game, interim coach Saturday opted to return the starting quarterback role to veteran Matt Ryan, pivoting away from second-year youngster Sam Ehlinger.
Ryan was serviceable, completing 21 of 28 passes for 222 yards and no turnovers, but they relied on their running game to get the job done.
Star running back Jonathan Taylor was the Colts' workhorse, carrying 22 times for 147 yards and two scores, highlighted by a 66-yard touchdown run to take the lead in the third quarter.
Floyd Mayweather collected a routine victory in his exhibition boxing match against YouTube star Deji Olatunji on Sunday.
Mayweather, who is considered one of the greatest boxers to ever live, was never threatened, slowly building his pace in the eight-round fight.
He finished the job in the sixth round with an extended flurry, allowing the referee to step in and call it off for a TKO victory.
It is Mayweather's third exhibition since May as he continues to accept fights from non-professional boxers, having last fought professionally against Conor McGregor back in 2017, while his last win against a boxer was in 2015.
Speaking in the ring to DAZN after the result, Mayweather pointed to some swelling under his own eye as an indication that the crowd got their money's worth.
"I'm glad that he landed a good shot, this is part of fighting, this is a part of entertainment," he said. "These people want to see entertainment, and fun, and that's what we both gave them tonight."
He finished with some encouraging words to his opponent, saying "you're a hell of a fighter, a hell of a competitor, keep up the great work, and keep building".
Taylor Fritz stunned Rafael Nadal on his ATP Finals debut on Sunday, producing a powerful display to beat the 22-time grand slam winner 7-6 (7-3) 6-1 in the duo's group-stage opener.
The American put Nadal under pressure from the off in Turin, failing to give up a single break point as he dominated on his own serve to take the 36-year-old to a tie-break in the opening set.
Nadal allowed Fritz to seize the initiative with a double fault at the start of that tie-break, and the American grasped his opportunity by clinching the first set with a big forehand winner.
The top seed's struggles continued into the second set as Fritz, moving well and dictating proceedings from the baseline, claimed the match's first break four games in before going 5-1 up by repeating the trick in a back-and-forth sixth game.
Fritz then wrapped up the win with another dominant display of serving, clinching his second victory over Nadal and denting the Spaniard's bid to win a title that has eluded him throughout his illustrious career.
Having been beaten by Tommy Paul at the Paris Masters and Frances Tiafoe at the US Open, Nadal has now suffered three consecutive defeats, and he must bounce back when he faces Felix Auger-Aliassime on Tuesday.
ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS
Nadal – 7/4
Fritz – 8/1
WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS
Nadal – 18/4
Fritz – 23/2
BREAK POINTS WON
Nadal – 0/0
Fritz – 2/9
Kyrie Irving remains suspended by the Brooklyn Nets for his sharing of problematic material on Twitter, and he took to the social media platform again on Sunday in an attempt to explain himself.
Irving, 30, played a career-low 29 games last season as he took a stand against New York's vaccine mandate, and he has a list of tasks to complete before he can return to the floor for this campaign.
The former champion with the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers is facing intense backlash after sharing a film containing anti-semitic conspiracies, and when initially asked to apologise, he refused, instead choosing to dance around the subject without taking accountability.
Irving eventually did issue an apology after his suspension was announced, and he vaguely tweeted again on Sunday in defense of his character.
"I was not put here on earth to participate in any religious/political wars or incite racial disharmony/prejudice within communities," he wrote.
"We are all equal under the sun and I am here to participate in the building of an Equal world and follow the Word from the Most High/GOD/YAH."
Irving has met with league commissioner Adam Silver, who is Jewish, and still has to meet with Jewish leaders in order to fulfil the requirements set before he can begin the process of returning to play.
Josh Allen threw an overtime interception as the Justin Jefferson-inspired Minnesota Vikings fought back to prevail 33-30 in the game of the NFL season so far.
Minnesota looked set to fall short in the biggest test of their credentials as contenders to date when Greg Joseph missed an extra point after a C.J. Ham touchdown to leave the Vikings trailing 27-23 in the fourth quarter.
Yet an already engrossing contest to that point served as merely a prelude to an inexplicable finale that ensured this game will go down as an all-time classic.
The Vikings' hopes looked to be over when they faced fourth and 18 on their own 27-yard line with two minutes remaining, only for Jefferson to produce an astonishing show of athleticism to leap and bend backwards to snatch a desperation throw away from the clutches of Bills defender Cam Lewis and keep the drive alive.
Six plays later, after two more completions to Jefferson, the Vikings had fourth down at the Bills' one-yard line. Dalvin Cook's drop of a Kirk Cousins pass looked to have sealed the game for Buffalo, but the Bills were flagged for offside. The Vikings did not take their second chance, though, with Cousins stopped short on a quarterback sneak.
Incredibly, however, the Bills likewise could not execute a quarterback sneak from their own goal-line, Allen fumbling the snap into the hands of Minnesota linebacker Eric Kendricks for a go-ahead touchdown.
Allen still had 36 seconds to force overtime and, with the help of a hugely controversial diving catch from Gabe Davis, he did just that, setting up Tyler Bass for a game-tying 29-yard field goal.
The Vikings won the coin toss and, though they again failed to find the endzone after a stunning 24-yard throw from Cousins to Jefferson put Minnesota on the Buffalo two-yard line, the boot of Joseph gave them the lead.
Minnesota's profligacy meant Allen had the chance to win the game with a touchdown, but having driven the Bills to the Vikings' 20-yard line, Allen threw his fourth red-zone interception in two games to Patrick Peterson as Kevin O'Connell's visitors held on to triumph and move to 8-1. A second straight loss drops the Bills to 6-3.
Chiefs in cruise control
While the Bills, their primary AFC rivals, lost the game of the year, the Kansas City Chiefs enjoyed a much calmer afternoon, easing past the Jacksonville Jaguars 27-17 thanks to a four-touchdown day for Patrick Mahomes.
They now have the lead of the AFC at 7-2, with the Miami Dolphins their closest challengers at 7-3 as a 39-17 win over the Cleveland Browns moved Mike McDaniel's team to the top of the AFC East ahead of the Bills, who are now third in their division. The Tennessee Titans are 6-3 after a 17-10 defeat of the Denver Broncos.
Fields heroics not enough for Bears
Justin Fields is emerging as one of the best young quarterbacks in the NFL over recent weeks, and he delivered another scintillating showing for the Chicago Bears versus the Detroit Lions.
Fields threw for 167 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 147 yards and another two scores, including an incredible 67-yard scamper in the fourth quarter. However, a missed extra point gave the Lions a chance to win with a touchdown, and Jamaal Williams clinched it for Detroit with a one-yard run that sealed a 31-30 triumph.
The Bears made unwanted history in defeat, becoming the first NFL team ever to score at least 29 points in three consecutive games and lose all three.
George Russell was lauded by team-mate Lewis Hamilton after winning the Brazilian Grand Prix, with the first-time Formula One race winner left "speechless" by his success.
Having won Saturday's sprint race, Russell led from the start in an eventful race on Sunday, coming out on top after two restarts following safety cars at the Interlagos Circuit.
Russell had to fend off Hamilton – who had earlier clashed with Max Verstappen but come away largely unscathed and unpunished – after the second safety car, but there was no bad blood between the Mercedes duo at the end.
"What an amazing feeling," said Russell after sealing Mercedes' first win of the season. "Just a huge thank you to the whole team for making this possible.
"It has been an emotional rollercoaster this season. This was a tough race, I felt in control.
"Lewis was super-fast and when I saw the Safety Car, I thought this is going to be a really difficult end, he put me under so much pressure.
"I am speechless. On the in lap, all of these memories start flooding back, starting with my mum and dad at go-karting and going through to all of the support I have had from the rest of my family, my girlfriend, my trainer, my manager.
"The list is endless. I can't thank them all enough, I am super proud."
Hamilton said: "A huge congratulations to George. What an amazing drive he did today.
"He did an amazing qualifying yesterday, so he truly deserves it. To my team, so proud of everyone back at the factory and here. This is an incredible result.
"We’ve worked so hard through this year to get a 1-2 and to get a win, and so this is hugely deserved by everybody so a huge thank you."
On his collision with old rival Verstappen, who received a five-second time penalty, Hamilton added: "What can I say, you know how it is with Max."
The harmony in the Mercedes camp was not replicated in the other teams.
While Red Bull's Sergio Perez was left infuriated by Verstappen, who refused to hand sixth place back to the Mexican after failing to overtake Fernando Alonso, Charles Leclerc also wanted Ferrari to concede Carlos Sainz's place on the podium to boost his chances of finishing second in the world championship.
Leclerc will now head into the final race in Abu Dhabi on level points with Perez.
"I think we can be happy with that," said Sainz. "It is a shame that Mercedes are so quick but congratulations to George."
Tony Finau collected the third win from his past seven PGA Tour starts as he cruised to a convincing four-stroke triumph at the Houston Open on Sunday.
Finau's four-stroke lead was the same buffer he held coming into the final trip around Memorial Park Golf Course after posting rounds of 65, 62 and 68.
After winning back-to-back events in July at the 3M Open and the Rocket Mortgage Classic, Finau – who finished with a final-round score of 16 under – has now won more titles in his past seven starts than he did in his first 211 to begin his career (two).
Speaking to NBC after stepping off the final green, Finau admitted he was not comfortable in such an unfamiliar position with a giant lead.
"It feels great – honestly, on the first hole I didn't know if I had it in me today," he said. "It was one of those days where I just fought, and fought, and I made a lot of nice putts on the front-nine to calm me into things.
"I've never been in this position before, with that big of a lead with nine holes to play. A lot of new nerves, I would say, but overall as the round went on I felt better, and I'm just happy to get the 'W' today.
"I've always had belief, but the confidence when you win is contagious. I've always been a very hopeful person, I work extremely hard on my body and my game, and now I'm starting to bear the fruits of that labour. It feels amazing to have that be the case.
"You never know what's going to happen in this game, but you always try to put your best foot forward, that's what I've done over the years, and I'm starting to put together a pretty full-package game."
Alone in second place at 12 under was Tyson Alexander, who had never previously finished better than tied for 44th in his seven PGA Tour starts.
Ben Taylor was the only player at 11 under in third, and there was a further three-stroke gap to the rest of the field.
World number two Scottie Scheffler finished tied for ninth at six under for his second consecutive top-10 finish, while former world number one Jason Day was one further back.
Sergio Perez hit out at Max Verstappen after his Red Bull team-mate refused to hand him sixth place at Sunday's Brazilian Grand Prix, saying: "If he has two championships, it's thanks to me".
Verstappen overtook Perez following a late safety car at the Interlagos Circuit to take sixth, having been encouraged by his team to challenge Ferrari duo Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc in third and fourth, as long as he could first overtake Fernando Alonso.
With Verstappen unable to take points off the Ferraris, he was told to hand his position back to Perez, who is battling Leclerc for second place in the drivers' championship standings.
However, the two-time world champion failed to do so before telling race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase: "You guys don't ask that again to me, okay? Are we clear about that? I have given my reasons."
Perez was infuriated by Verstappen's failure to give way, exclaiming over team radio: "It shows who he really is."
Speaking to Sky Sports after finishing seventh – a result which leaves him level with Leclerc in the standings, Perez said: "I was told to let him by and that I was going to get the position back.
"I don't know what the complications were on his side. I have no idea, maybe you should ask him about it.
"I have nothing to say, really. After all I have done for him, it is a bit disappointing, to be honest. I am really surprised."
Perez went further when asked about the incident in Spanish by ESPN, declaring: "If he has two championships, it's thanks to me."
However, Verstappen told Sky Sports he remained willing to support Perez in next week's final race of the season, while refusing to explain his decision not to hand the place back.
"I have my reasons for that, we just discussed that [in the debrief]," he said. "I think it was good that we finally just sat together and talked about it, and we'll just move forward from here.
"If we go to Abu Dhabi [next Sunday] and he needs support, it is not the end of the world. It is all about who finishes ahead, anyway.
"If he needs the help, I am there, but it is good that we first talked about it now and cleared everything that was there and why I didn't do it."
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner, meanwhile, insists the team will prioritise Perez's battle for second next time out.
"We will go to Abu Dhabi to get Checo the second place and Max will support that," Horner told Sky Sports. "We won't talk about what happens internally, but the drivers shook hands on it.
"We work as a team, we race as a team and our priority is to help Checo get second in the championship. We will do the best we can to achieve that and if Max can help in any way, he will do."
George Russell led from the start in a dramatic, stuttering Brazilian Grand Prix on Sunday to clinch his first Formula One win, holding off Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton.
Having won the sprint race at the Interlagos Circuit on Saturday, Russell kept his composure while those around him clashed and collided in a race full of incident.
The race was halted by a red flag on the first lap, with Daniel Ricciardo crashing into Kevin Magnussen, and Hamilton was perhaps fortunate to come away unscathed and unpunished after a collision with Max Verstappen following the restart – which saw the world champion handed a five-second time penalty.
A second safety car was brought out after Lando Norris lost power on the track with 19 laps remaining, but another fine restart from Russell saw him see off Hamilton and claim a deserved maiden victory.
Sunday's race was dramatic from the start as Ricciardo and Magnussen crashed out as early as Turn 8 – and the restart brought another collision, this time between old rivals Hamilton and Verstappen.
Hardly strangers to battles and bruises down the years, Hamilton and Verstappen tussled on Turn 2.
Verstappen got around the seven-time world champion on Turn 1, but despite appearing to have the racing line on the inside on the next corner, it was the Dutchman who was punished after a significant collision – though both cars were able to stay in the race.
Charles Leclerc was also sent spinning into the barrier after an incident involving Norris, but the Ferrari was able to continue.
Hamilton recovered swiftly, with the Mercedes driver clawing his way ahead of Norris, Carlos Sainz and Sergio Perez.
A three-second loss in the pits cost Verstappen further time, though the Red Bull's speed was on show as he quickly cruised back into the points.
However, Norris' vehicle failed him on lap 52, resulting in a second full safety car. Having seen his 11-second lead cut by that stoppage, Russell might have lost his nerve, but a wonderful restart propelled him out of Hamilton's DRS range.
Sainz came in third, leaving Leclerc dismayed, though the day belonged to Mercedes, who are aiming to cap a frustrating season with a flourish.
Team-mates tussle
There are few friends in F1, it would seem. While Hamilton was happy to congratulate his team-mate Russell on a maiden F1 success, there was frustration within the ranks of Ferrari and Red Bull.
Leclerc was begging Ferrari to instruct his team-mate Sainz to give way, and concede a podium place, in order to boost his chances of finishing second in the world championship.
Verstappen, meanwhile, ignored Red Bull's instructions to hand sixth place back to Perez if he was unable to pass Fernando Alonso. "I have given you my reasons," Verstappen said on the team radio.
Magnussen's weekend ends in sorrow
Haas driver Magnussen took a shock pole in qualifying on Friday, though he went down to eighth in the sprint race. However, by Turn 8 on the first lap, the 30-year-old had crashed out.
Ricciardo, who could now face a grid penalty in his last race for McLaren, was to blame for clipping the back of Magnussen's car, with the Australian compounding the issue when he failed to avoid the spinning Haas, sending both vehicles into the wall and out of the race.
IN THE POINTS
1. George Russell (Mercedes)
2. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) +1.529 seconds
3. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) +4.051s
4. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) +8.441s
5. Fernando Alonso (Alpine) +9.561s
6. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) +10.056s
7. Sergio Perez (Red Bull) +14.080s
8. Esteban Ocon (Alpine) +18.690s
9. Valtteri Bottas (Alfa Romeo) +22.552s
10. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) +23.552s
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
Drivers
1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) 429
2. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) 290
3. Sergio Perez (Red Bull) 290
4. George Russell (Mercedes) 265
5. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) 240
Constructors
1. Red Bull 719
2. Ferrari 524
3. Mercedes 505
4. Alpine 167
5. McLaren 148
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers strengthened their grip on first place in the NFC South as they survived a fourth-quarter fightback from the Seattle Seahawks to prevail 21-16 in Munich.
Tampa Bay went into the NFL's first regular-season game in Germany having got back on track with a last-gasp 16-13 win over the Los Angeles Rams and on top in their division despite an underwhelming 4-5 record.
For three-and-a-half quarters, there was little sub-par about the Buccaneers' performance at the Allianz Arena, where they led 21-3 with under nine minutes remaining.
Geno Smith threw touchdowns to Tyler Lockett and Marquise Goodwin to cut their advantage to 21-16, but Tom Brady delivered a clock-killing final drive to seal the game for the Bucs, who improve to 5-5, a game ahead of the 4-6 Atlanta Falcons with a tie-breaking head-to-head win in the NFC South. The Seahawks drop to 6-4.
After a scoreless first quarter, the Bucs took the lead at the end of a 13-play drive, Brady connecting over the middle with Julio Jones, who galloped into the endzone for a 31-yard touchdown.
While Smith and the Seahawks' offense continued to struggle, Brady looked increasingly comfortable and led another 13-play drive that was capped by a Leonard Fournette rushing touchdown to put Tampa Bay up 14-0.
Seattle responded in the third quarter with a 55-yard field goal but did not look like stopping the Bucs' offense until a remarkable trick play saw Fournette intercepted by Tariq Woolen while trying to throw to Brady.
But Smith fumbled in the red zone on the subsequent drive and Brady's four-yard touchdown pass to Chris Godwin seemingly put the game beyond doubt.
Smith connected with Lockett to give Seattle hope that was furthered by Goodwin's diving touchdown grab after a Cody Barton interception.
However, the Bucs gained three first downs on the final drive to end any prospect of a turnaround in Bavaria.
Scotland coach Gregor Townsend says his side missed "the best opportunity in our history" to defeat New Zealand for the first time on Sunday.
A Stuart Hogg penalty try and Darcy Graham crossing over, coupled with a trio of penalties for Finn Russell, helped Scotland into a 23-14 second-half lead at Murrayfield.
But points from the boot of Jordie Barrett and a Jack Dempsey sin-bin allowed the All Blacks to fight back before Scott Barrett and Mark Telea bundled over to maintain New Zealand's streak in Scotland.
The All Blacks have not lost in 32 Tests against Scotland, stretching back 117 years, and Townsend acknowledged his team squandered a glorious opportunity after a 31-23 defeat.
"We're disappointed. There was so much to be proud of but we didn't see it through," he told Amazon Prime.
"It was a show of resilience after going 14-0 down to one of the best teams in the world, but we didn't get the win.
"You don't get to play New Zealand very often and that's the best opportunity in our history we've had to beat them."
The manner of defeat added greater frustration for Scotland, given they led 17-14 against New Zealand at half-time for just a third time in history, with the other two occurrences coming in 1905 and 1990.
Scotland captain Jamie Ritchie acknowledged the missed opportunity after the match, though he dedicated the performance to Doddie Weir, who was in attendance to mark five years since the launch of his charity that raises awareness of motor neurone disease.
"It's tough to be on the wrong side of the result. We were there or thereabouts for 70 minutes," Ritchie said. "It's some of the best rugby we've played over the last three weeks and I'm so proud of the players.
"We're glad we could put on a decent show for Doddie [Weir], just a shame we couldn't get the win. We spoke about being brave today and nothing defines brave more than Doddie."
Ian Foster had come under scrutiny for an underwhelming 2022 for the All Blacks, though praised New Zealand's fightback after they collected their sixth straight Test win.
"It was a tough game. I thought Scotland were tremendous, they put us under a lot of pressure," the All Blacks coach said. "Our bench was strong and that strength and composure was important.
"It was a high penalty count game and that allowed Scotland to get into our half too often, so we need to work on that.
"It would have been easy for us to panic in the last 15 minutes and [captain] Sam Whitelock deserves a lot of credit for keeping the boys calm."
Casper Ruud opened his ATP Finals campaign with a 7-6 (7-4) 6-4 triumph over Felix Auger-Aliassime in Turin.
The victory put Ruud top of the Green Group, with the pool's two other players, Rafael Nadal and Taylor Fritz, set to face off later on Sunday.
A tight first set saw each game go to serve as it went all the way to a tie-break, with Ruud – this year's beaten US Open finalist – finding a crucial break at 3-2 up, giving him the momentum to nose ahead.
They continued to be closely matched in the second set too, though Ruud again managed to break Auger-Aliassime at a critical juncture in the match.
With the set tied at three apiece, ATP Finals debutant Auger-Aliassime double-faulted at 40-15 down on his own serve to put Ruud within two games of victory.
The world number four took full advantage, who is making his second appearance in the season-ending tournament, kicking on to secure a straight-sets success without offering a single break point to begin his tournament in impressive fashion.
ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS
Ruud - 5/1
Auger-Aliassime - 14/3
WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS
Ruud - 19/5
Auger-Aliassime - 30/9
BREAK POINTS WON
Ruud - 1/1
Auger-Aliassime - 0/0
Tommy Fleetwood edged out Ryan Fox in a dramatic finish to defend his Nedbank Golf Challenge crown and end a three-year winless run on the DP World Tour.
Fleetwood and Fox went into the final round three shots behind Rasmus Hojgaard and Thomas Detry at Gary Player Country Club in Sun City, where play was suspended on Sunday due to thunderstorms.
The leaders had only managed five holes before the delays, though Fleetwood raced into the ascendancy after the restart as he carded a five-under 66, including an eagle and four birdies to triumph.
"It has been a great week," Fleetwood said. "I already had so many amazing memories with this place and felt like I had such a great connection to it, so this [win] just added to that."
Victory for Fleetwood was never a certainty until the 18th hole, though, as a wayward tee shot saw Fox bogey the last hole to finish on 10-under, one shot behind the Englishman.
An erroneous drive meant Fox relinquished the chance to not only win the event but also to jump above Rory McIlroy at the top of the season-long DP World Tour rankings.
"I played great and didn't miss a shot until the 18th," Fox said. "I certainly would've like to have played the 18th a little bit better and made Tommy work a little bit harder, but it's an incredibly tough golf course to play down the stretch.
"All of us were there or thereabouts with three holes to play, but Tommy was the one who held it together. Fair play to him. If you had given me second at the start of the week, I definitely would've taken it."
Shubhankar Sharma finished on nine-under to claim third, with Richie Ramsay a further shot behind in fourth as Fleetwood secured his sixth DP World Tour title.
It was also his first triumph since winning the Nedbank Golf Challenge in 2019, with the past two editions cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, as Fleetwood climbed to fourth in the rankings ahead of the season-ending DP World Tour Championship.
Mark Telea scored two tries on debut as New Zealand mounted a second-half comeback to maintain their unbeaten streak over Scotland after a 31-23 victory at Murrayfield.
Late tries for Scott Barrett and Telea saw the All Blacks defend their perfect record against Scotland, who squandered a 23-14 lead as they failed to defeat the All Blacks for a 32nd straight Test.
The All Blacks raced into a two-try advantage as debutant Telea's driving run teed up Samisoni Taukei'aho before the winger crossed over himself four minutes later on Sunday.
But Scotland fought back amid a frenetic start as Anton Lienert-Brown was sin-binned for a Stuart Hogg penalty try, with Darcy Graham capitalising on the one-man advantage to dive over in the 14th minute.
Finn Russell's penalty ensured Scotland led New Zealand at half-time in a Test for just a third time in history, before the fly-half added another six points with his boot from range after the interval.
However, a Jordie Barrett penalty and Jack Dempsey sin-bin saw the All Blacks battle back before Scott Barrett and Telea bundled over to keep their 117-year unbeaten run against Scotland going.
The Seattle Seahawks are keen on signing quarterback Geno Smith for next season after his stellar campaign so far.
Arriving as part of a trade deal with the Denver Broncos that saw franchise QB Russell Wilson depart after nine years in the Pacific Northwest, Smith edged fellow new arrival Drew Lock to a starting berth and has excelled in 2022.
A campaign that began with a surprise win against the Broncos has seen Seattle stand 6-3 for the year and top of the NFC West ahead of Sunday's game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Munich.
Smith has been a major part of the Seahawks' success, completing 73.1 per cent of his passes and throwing for 2,199 yards, with the NFL Network's Ian Rapoport stating Seattle are keen to secure him to a new contract.
An offer is yet to be made to Smith, who is a free agent in 2023, but discussions are set to take place following the conclusion of the season – which may be later than was initially expected given the team's surprise playoff push.
Victory against the Bucs on Sunday would extend the Seahawks' win streak to five, with only the Philadelphia Eagles (eight) and Minnesota Vikings (six) on a longer run.
Israel Adesanya lost to Alex Pereira for a third time on Saturday, costing the UFC champion his middleweight belt, but he is already looking forward to a rematch.
Pereira is the only fighter ever to have stopped Adesanya, knocking him out in one of a pair of kickboxing wins.
And at UFC 281 at Madison Square Garden, the Brazilian repeated the trick, winning by TKO in the final round of a bout Adesanya had enjoyed the better of to that point.
Adesanya was not impressed by the stoppage, saying: "I'm grateful. What a life, what a moment.
"It's f***ing crazy, isn't it? It's similar to the last time – same story. It's crazy. I was fine, I was still lucid, but s*** happens.
"I talked to my coaches, and I trust them, but I was fine. I could see everything. My eyes might have rolled back a little bit, but I was lucid."
It was only a second UFC defeat for Adesanya and his first at middleweight, where he had been champion since 2019. Pereira only entered the UFC for the first time last November.
But Adesanya accepts the risk of defeat as part of the role as champion, replying when asked if he would be pursuing a rematch: "Of course, of course. Come on, man.
"This was my third fight in 10 months. Every time I fight, I risk losing what you guys deem as the prestigious belt.
"I put it on the line because I'm not trying to just fight once and then chill, do my lap around and parade as a champion and not risk so much.
"I put it on the line, and this is what happens. Dare to be great – and I am."
Adesanya referred to Leonardo DiCaprio's portrayal of Jordan Belford in The Wolf of Wall Street as he added: "'I'm not f***ing leaving'. Yeah, I'm still right here. I'm not going anywhere."
Kevin Durant insists suspended Brooklyn Nets teammate Kyrie Irving's spirit is high despite there being no timetable on his return to the side.
Irving was handed an indefinite team-imposed suspension by the Nets, for at least five games, after the seven-time All-Star shared an allegedly antisemitic film and book on social media a fortnight ago.
The Nets point guard's minimum five-game ban elapsed after Brooklyn won 110-95 over the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday.
Brooklyn owner Joe Tsai put out a statement on Friday stating that "the Nets and Kyrie, together with the NBA and NBPA, are working constructively toward a process of forgiveness, healing and education". Irving met with Tsai this week along with NBA commissioner Adam Silver as they move toward a resolution on the saga.
Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn confirmed that Irving would not play in Sunday's game with the Los Angeles Lakers and added there was no timetable for his return.
"The good thing is Joe put out that statement that shows where the collaboration or alignment is right now," Vaughn told reporters. "I have no idea or timetable at all.
"I do know not available [for Sunday], I have been told that. So I can give you that."
Durant, who top scored with 27 points against the Clippers, said he was eager for Irving to return to the court and move on from the episode.
"His spirit is high," Durant told reporters about Irving. "[He's] looking forward to playing again. He's a gamer. He loves to play. Hopefully all this stuff is over with, we can move past it and get him back on the floor soon.
"That's been out of our control. And as players we try to lock in on the game, practices. We just try to lock in and whenever that figures itself out, it will. That's over a lot of our heads right now so we just got to control what we can."
The Nets showed they can win without Irving, claiming victories in four of the five games he has missed during this ban, with Seth Curry popping up with 22 points off the bench against the Clippers following off-season ankle surgery.
Durant added: "We're going to have to be one of those teams that any given night, somebody will have to step up and make huge plays for us.
"Obviously we're missing [Irving], so we're going to have to look for where those points are going to come from. I think the guys are doing it as a group."
The Brooklyn Nets secured their third win from their past four games led by Kevin Durant and Seth Curry as they pulled away late to secure a 110-95 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday.
Durant top scored with 27 points along with six rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks, while Curry drained four three-pointers in his 22 points off the bench. Nic Claxton also had 13 points with 14 rebounds.
Curry scored 14 points with two assists in the fourth quarter as the Nets extended their four-point lead with a 35-24 final period.
The Nets, who confirmed the permanent appointment of Jacque Vaughn as head coach on Wednesday, were excellent defensively again, keeping their opposition below 100 points for the fifth straight game.
For the Clippers, who were still without Kawhi Leonard due to knee stiffness, Paul George scored 17 points with four rebounds and four assists, while Ivica Zubac added 16 points with 15 rebounds.
Nets guard Edmond Sumner (11 points, four assists and three steals) reached double-figure scoring for the third time in five games since stepping into the starting lineup in place of Kyrie Irving for a team-imposed suspension.
Irving's five-game minimum suspension has now ended but Vaughn confirmed he would not play in Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Lakers. The victory starts the Nets' four-game road trip in style, improving Brooklyn to 6-7 on the season, while the Clippers are 7-6.
Doncic responds after form dip
Luka Doncic responded to his drop-off in form with 42 points as part of a triple-double as the Dallas Mavericks won 117-112 over the Portland Trail Blazers.
Doncic had started the season with an historic run of nine 30-point games, but that was halted in the past two games, both where he scored less than 30.
The Slovenian guard turned that around on 13-of-22 field shooting, also making 15-of-18 from the stripe, along with 13 rebounds, 10 assists and two steals.
Tatum and Embiid both score 40-plus
Jayson Tatum reached 40 points for the 13th time in his career, the third most in Boston Celtics history, as he scored 43 points in their 117-108 win over the Detroit Pistons.
Tatum finished with 43 points, including seven three-pointers, along with 10 rebounds and three assists. The Celtics small forward scored 28 of his points in a dominant first half.
Joel Embiid produced a season-best scoring return of 42 points as the Philadelphia 76ers triumphed 121-109 over the Atlanta Hawks after a brilliant first-half shooting display.
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