Coco Gauff shined on the opening day of the Canadian Open on Tuesday, defeating American compatriot Madison Brengle 6-1 6-3 to move to a record of 14-4 from her past 18 matches.
Gauff, who has not lost to anyone ranked lower than world number 22 Amanda Anisimova since the Australian Open, continued that impressive record by cruising past world number 62 Brengle, winning 58 per cent (34-of-59) of her return points in a dominant showing.
Anisimova, who eliminated Gauff from Wimbledon, also made it through her first match unscathed as she defeated hometown Canadian Carol Zhao 6-1 6-3.
China's Qinweng Zheng put another dagger into the Canadians with her 3-6 7-6 (7-5) 6-4 win over Rebecca Marino, but Bianca Andreescu gave the fans something to cheer for as she upset world number nine and winner of this past week's Silicon Valley Classic Daria Kasatkina 7-6 (7-5) 6-4.
Spain's Sara Sorribes Tormo prevailed against American Claire Liu 7-6 (7-4) 2-6 7-6 (7-5) in a three-and-a-half-hour battle of attrition, while Australian qualifier Ajla Tomljanovic upset world number 16 Veronika Kudermetova 6-4 2-6 7-6 (7-4) in two-and-a-half hours.
It was a disappointing showing from world number 10 Emma Raducanu as she went down 7-6 (7-0) 6-2 to the reigning champion of this event, Italy's Camila Giorgi.
Naomi Osaka also will need an early flight home after being forced to retire against Estonia's Kaia Kanepi, pulling the plug due to a persistent back injury while trailing 7-6 (7-4) 3-0.
In the late session, Olympic gold medalist Belinda Bencic successfully navigated the challenge of Tereza Martincova 6-4 6-2 to book a second round fixture against Serena Williams, and world number four Maria Sakkari survived a scare to finish strong and defeat Sloane Stephens 6-2 4-6 6-2.
Nick Kyrgios set up a mouth-watering second-round showdown against world number one Daniil Medvedev after defeating Argentina's Sebastian Baez 6-4 6-4 in his opening match of the Canadian Open on Tuesday.
The in-form Kyrgios is coming off his first ATP singles title since 2019 after winning the Washington Open this past week, where he also won the doubles partnered with Jack Sock.
Against Baez, he served all six of the match's aces to make it through unscathed, and he will now play the top-ranked Russian – who Kyrgios has beaten twice – although he dropped their third meeting at the Australian Open this year.
Dating back to the start of his Wimbledon run, where Kyrgios made his first grand slam final, the Australian has now won 13 of his past 14 matches, with the only loss coming in the Wimbledon final to Novak Djokovic.
Earlier on, 11th seed Matteo Berrettini was the first upset of the day as he went down 6-3 6-2 against Spain's Pablo Carreno-Busta, while fellow Spaniard Pedro Martinez had less success, getting bounced by France's Gael Monfils 7-6 (7-4) 3-6 6-2.
America's Tommy Paul delivered a gut-punch to his neighbours in the Great White North by eliminating Canada's own Vasek Pospisil 6-4 6-4, and his Canadian compatriot Alexis Galarneau also struggled in his 6-4 7-5 loss to Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov.
Marin Cilic showed why he is the 13th seed with a strong 6-3 6-2 win in his all-Croatian battle against Borna Coric, and American Maxim Cressy had similar success against Russia's Aslan Karatsev 6-4 6-4.
In a battle of the French it was Adrian Mannarino prevailing 6-3 6-3 against Arthur Rinderknech, and a pair of Englishmen made their way through unscathed as Daniel Evans won a back-and-forth contest against Filip Krajinovic 6-2 1-6 6-0, while Jack Draper returned to his rain-interrupted fixture against Hugo Gaston to finish the job 6-2 6-3.
Alex de Minaur ensured it would be a grim day for the Canadian fans as he eliminated Denis Shapovalov 7-5 7-6 (7-4), before Holger Rune fought off the challenge of Fabio Fognini to emerge a 6-3 7-5 winner.
In the late session, Roberto Bautista-Agut defeated Marcos Giron 7-6 (7-5) 6-3, ninth seed Cameron Norrie needed just over an hour for his straight sets 6-4 6-4 win over Brandon Nakashima, and Andy Murray had no answer for Taylor Fritz as he went down 6-1 6-3.
Yoshihito Nishioka's strong form held up after his runner-up finish at the Washington Open, cruising past Benoit Paire 6-2 6-3, while 25-year-old Botic van de Zanschulp continued his rise up the rankings with a 6-1 7-5 victory over Miomir Kecmanovic.
12th seed Diego Schwartzman needed three sets to navigate the challenge of Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 1-6 6-3 6-4, and Albert Ramos-Vinolas got the better of Belgium's David Goffin 7-6 (7-2) 6-2.
In the final match of the night, world number 10 Hubert Hurkacz responded to adversity in the second set to pull out a 6-3 6-7 (4-7) 6-2 win against Finland's Emil Ruusuvuori.
The New England Patriots have not officially named an offensive coordinator and are installing a "new offense", but quarterback Mac Jones said he is not overly concerned.
With longtime offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels now the head coach for the Las Vegas Raiders, the Patriots have not named anyone to fill his role. Instead, head coach Bill Belichick is spending more time with the offense and former Detroit Lions coach Matt Patricia and ex-New York Giants coach Joe Judge are also working with the unit.
"I’m going to figure it out. I always have. I always will," said Jones, entering his second NFL season. "At the end of the day, you’re going to have your ups and downs with anything new. I think we’re close on a lot of things. It’s just that 2 per cent we need to fix."
The notoriously tight-lipped Belichick has acknowledged that the Patriots have "streamlined" their offense this year, with multiple players saying the goal is to make it simpler so they can play faster.
Jones and the new-look offense has struggled at times this preseason, with numerous breakdowns and rushers coming free too often.
"It’s just getting the communication down," Jones said. "It’s different than what we’ve done in the past. It’s a little frustrating sometimes, but our offensive line – the players and coaches – are trying the best they can.
"I have all the trust in the world in those guys. It’s not going to happen overnight, but we’re trying to grow."
Jones led the Patriots to a 10-7 record and a playoff berth in his rookie season, throwing 22 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.
New England host the New York Giants in their preseason opener on Thursday night.
The PGA Tour has won their first legal battle against the controversial LIV Golf brand, with a judge ruling on Tuesday that LIV Golf players are not eligible to play in the FedEx Cup starting this week.
Specifically, Talor Gooch, Matt Jones and Hudson Swafford were the three golfers seeking the temporary restraining order to play at the FedEx St. Jude Championship – but a judge ruled that their cases did not prove they were victims of "irreparable harm" due to their highly paid contracts.
The LIV Golf lawyers argued that the FedEx Cup is about "more than money" – even going as far as calling it "the Super Bowl of golf", and comparing former FedEx Cup winners to all-time greats Jack Nicklaus and Greg Norman.
They claimed the PGA Tour was attempting to use monopoly powers to stamp out fair competition, to which the PGA lawyers countered with the facts that five of their top-10 most famous players – based on their Player Impact Program – have already jumped ship, and that Gooch, specifically, signed a contract worth significantly more than the $18million awarded to the winner of the FedEx Cup.
LIV Golf were queried about how they could project a 20 per cent market share while also calling the PGA Tour a monopoly, and that being a monopoly is not illegal, only using monopoly powers against another organisation is.
The judge explained that the breakaway golfers would have ample opportunity to play on the alternate tour; that their upfront LIV Golf contracts took into account the possibility that they would not be eligible for the FedEx Cup and/or major championships; and that the inability to win even more money does not constitute "irreparable harm".
Some other interesting tidbits were revealed during proceedings, including a direct contradiction from a prevalent storyline about the LIV Golf contracts.
LIV Golf lawyers claimed that prize money won from tournaments would be "recouped against the LIV contracts" – with a clip emerging immediately afterwards showing an LIV Golf spokesperson specifically saying during a news conference featuring Pat Perez and Brooks Koepka that all prize money would be "in addition to the contracts".
Their lawyers also confirmed that all 48 spots had been filled for next LIV Golf season, and the judge indicated that the larger-scale antitrust trial would be tentatively scheduled for September.
The Carolina Hurricanes and Martin Necas have agreed to a two-year, $6million contract to keep the young winger with the franchise through the 2023-24 season.
Necas had been a restricted free agent.
Selected 12th overall by the Hurricanes in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, Necas has totalled 119 points (45 goals, 74 assists) in 203 career games.
At 23 years old, Necas is considered a key piece for Carolina's future. He tallied 14 goals and 26 assists last season but managed just five assists in 14 Stanley Cup playoff games.
After the New York Rangers eliminated the Hurricanes in Game 7 of the second round, Necas said he wanted to be a more consistent scoring threat in the future.
"I've got to help the team more, got to produce way more,” Necas said in June. "That's what everyone kind of expects from me. I didn't do it this year, so like I said, it was disappointing for me."
Carolina won the Metropolitan Division last season with a 54-20-8 record.
The fear over the severity of New York Jets offensive tackle Mekhi Becton's right knee injury have become a reality.
Jets coach Robert Saleh told reporters on Tuesday that Becton suffered a kneecap fracture during Monday's practice and his season is "more than likely" over.
Becton has been diagnosed with an avulsion fracture in the knee, according to NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo, and will see a surgeon on Wednesday.
''It's probably the inevitable,'' Saleh said of the severity of the injury.
The Jets were initially optimistic about the injury, with Saleh saying after Monday's practice that: "it doesn’t seem like it's a big deal," but the outlook changed later in the evening after the results of an MRI.
Saleh said he feels "sick" for Becton, who missed the final 16 games of the 2021 season after dislocating his right kneecap in the season opener, and defended the oft-injured 23-year-old after he arrived at training camp healthy and in acceptable shape after battling weight issues following surgery in September.
"His story's not over. He's got full support of this organisation," Saleh added. "And if you're a fan that wants to support him, you're more than welcome, otherwise just keep it moving."
The 11th overall pick of the 2020 draft, Becton started 13 games at left tackle as a rookie and began last season at the position before getting hurt.
In need of depth on the offensive line, the Jets signed veteran guard Caleb Benenoch and guard Chris Glaser on Tuesday.
Free-agent tackle Duane Brown, a five-time Pro Bowler, visited the Jets on Saturday and could be offered a contract.
World number one Scottie Scheffler has hit out at a lawsuit being brought against the PGA Tour by several of LIV Golf's leading names.
With the PGA suspending players who joined the controversial Saudi Arabia-backed circuit, the likes of Phil Mickelson and Bryson DeChambeau are among 11 players to back a legal attempt to reverse those measures ahead of the FedEx Cup Playoffs beginning on Thursday.
While reports suggest only three LIV players – Talor Gooch, Matt Jones and Hudson Swafford – are seeking re-entry to the event, the PGA has accused them of trying "to have their cake and eat it" by attempting to feature at their events.
And Scheffler, who has been a prominent defender of the PGA Tour amid several high-profile players signing up for the LIV circuit, has little sympathy for those fighting suspension.
"I'm definitely curious to see what's going to happen," the 2022 Masters victor told a news conference on Tuesday.
"It's one of those deals where those guys kind of made their decision to go join another tour.
"They broke the rules and regulations of our tour and now they're trying to sue us, which is definitely a bit frustrating.
"I heard that was going to happen and I know some guys aren't surprised to see it, but I definitely am surprised to see some guys now suing us.
"If they win, come out here and play, I mean, that's something that's up to the courts. I can't control what's going to happen in a court case.
"[I'm] definitely interested, but at the end of the day it has no effect on my preparation for the week."
Tyson Fury has confirmed he is planning a return to the boxing ring, as he urged Derek Chisora to accept his offer for a trilogy fight after revealing Isaac Lowe as his new trainer.
Fury claimed in April that he was to retire following a sixth-round knockout of Dillian Whyte at Wembley Stadium, but has repeatedly hinted he was considering a U-turn.
Earlier this week, Fury's co-promoter Frank Warren said the 33-year-old has "itchy feet" and "wants to fight", while the WBC heavyweight champion pledged to face the winner of the upcoming Oleksandr Usyk and Anthony Joshua bout last month.
However, Fury now appears to have a third bout with Chisora, who he has beaten on two previous occasions, in his sights.
On Monday, Fury took to Instagram to reveal his offer to Chisora, declaring: "You're running, Derek, from the trilogy. You call yourself 'war', you should call yourself 'chicken'."
The following day, Fury stood alongside long-time friend and fellow fighter Lowe in a second post, adding: "I've decided to come back to boxing because I can be the first heavyweight world champion in history to have two trilogies, one with Deontay Wilder, one with Derek Chisora.
"I'd always say I'd fight Derek Chisora at the end of my career, and here we are, breaking all records again, setting precedents.
"When I was with [former coach] SugarHill [Steward], Isaac's always been there. He knows me better than anyone on the planet and we're a great team, we're going to finish this together, and here we are, about to take on a massive event."
Fury overcame Chisora on points in 2011 before registering a dominant win in their 2014 rematch in London, while the 38-year-old beat Kubrat Pulev in his last outing in July.
Serena Williams' long and illustrious tennis career is drawing to a close after the American confirmed on Tuesday that the countdown has begun.
Following a long piece in Vogue, Williams wrote of her plan to "move in a different direction" after "these next few weeks", suggesting the US Open – which begins in late August – will be her last outing.
Thanks to her success and brilliance on the court, Williams has become synonymous with tennis and is regarded by many as the greatest the women's sport has ever seen.
Yet, her seemingly imminent retirement cannot be seen as a shock. At the age of 40, Williams has persisted with tennis far longer than most do, and that is testament to her quality and enduring desire for success.
With Williams now reaching the end, Stats Perform takes a look at the key facts, stats and figures of her career; in other words, Serena's remarkable legacy.
Twenty-three… and counting?
Of course, the headline fact for Williams' career is her grand slam titles count.
She has won 23, which is more than anyone else in the Open era.
But she's still got one target left: matching Margaret Court. The Australian's 24 grand slam successes include nine won before the Open era began in 1968, though her overall total has been the benchmark ever since she claimed her final crown at the US Open in 1975.
Clearly, victory for Williams at Flushing Meadows would be the perfect farewell.
The finals hurdle
Even if Williams only reaches the championship match next month, she'll still be equalling a different record.
Assuming she does compete in Queens, Williams heads into the US Open having played in 33 grand slam finals, one more than Martina Navratilova.
But Chris Evert (34) sits out in front, and that record will remain hers for many, many years if Williams cannot reach the finale at Flushing Meadows.
Top of the pile
It's been a while now since Williams was last the highest-ranked player in the world, but in a way that only further highlights how remarkable her career has been.
She's spent 319 weeks ranked as world number one, which is behind only Steffi Graf (377) and Navratilova (332).
While many might have expected Williams to have been top of the pile for even longer, it's worth remembering how she's spent time out due to injuries and pregnancy, with her general involvement in top-level tennis decreasing after 2014 when she played 16 tournaments – in 2016 that halved to eight, and during no year since has she played in more.
Additionally, some will also be surprised to learn she actually only finished the year as the top-ranked female player five times. Nevertheless, that's still third to only Graf (eight) and Navratilova (seven).
Go hard or go home
Such has been Williams' quality, she was always considered a threat regardless of the surface – she's won each grand slam at least three times.
But there's no denying she was at her most lethal on hard courts.
She has won 48 WTA Tour-level titles on hard courts, which is 11 more than anyone else (Graf) in the Open era.
Those 48 come from a grand total of 73 across all surfaces, leaving her ranked fifth behind Navratilova (167), Evert (157), Graf (107) and Court (92).
Surface to say…
Williams' comfort on hard courts goes even further than that.
She's won 539 matches on the surface, making her one of just two female players to surpass 500 victories on one specific ground type.
Navratilova (600 on carpet) is the only other player to achieve the feat, with Serena's sister Venus (498 on hard) the closest to the 23-time grand slam champion.
The grass is greener
Despite that unrivalled excellence, hard courts may not be the surface many feel to be most synonymous with Williams, however.
Wimbledon is the tournament that would appear to be her favourite.
She's reached the final at SW19 11 times. Only Navratilova can better that record for the most finals at one tournament – though it's worth saying she contested the WTA Finals and Chicago 14 times each, Eastbourne 13 times and 12 at Wimbledon.
Boston Red Sox pitcher Chris Sale will miss the remainder of the season due to a fractured right wrist sustained during a bicycle accident on Saturday.
The oft-injured left-hander underwent surgery on Monday, and the team said he is expected to be ready for the start of spring training in 2023.
Sale was already on the injured list and hoped to pitch later in the season after sustaining a broken left pinkie on July 17 against the New York Yankees when he was hit by a line drive in the first inning.
That outing was just Sale's second start of the season after recovering from a fractured rib sustained while working out during the Major League Baseball lockout.
Sale signed a five-year, $145million contract extension with Boston in 2019, but he has pitched a combined 48 1/3 innings since the end of that campaign.
The seven-time All-Star missed the pandemic-shortened 2020 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery before making his 2021 debut on August 14, going 5-1 with a 3.16 ERA in nine starts.
All-Pro linebacker Roquan Smith loves the Chicago Bears, but he does not believe the feeling is mutual.
Smith issued a statement requesting a trade on Tuesday, writing "the new front office regime doesn't value me here".
Set to make $9.735million in the final year of his rookie contract, Smith, who represents himself, had been holding out during training camp while working towards a new deal.
The 25-year-old, however, has become infuriated with negotiating with first-year general manager Ryan Poles and now wants out.
"The new front office regime doesn't value me here," Smith wrote in a statement posted by Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
"They've refused to negotiate in good faith, every step of this journey has been 'take it or leave it'.
"The deal sent to me is one that would be bad for myself, and for the entire LB market if I signed it. I've been trying to get something done that's fair since April, but their focus has been on trying to take advantage of me.
"I wanted to be a Bear for my entire career, help this team bring a Super Bowl back to our city.
"However, they have left me no choice than to request a trade that allows me to play for an organisation that truly values what I bring to the table."
Selected eighth overall in the 2018 draft, Smith has been one of the league's top linebackers and was looking to be paid like one.
Smith was reportedly offended by Chicago's backloaded offer that included de-escalators that are not in the contract of any of the other 94 non-quarterbacks making at least $15m per year.
Smith ranked fifth in the NFL in total tackles last season with 163 to go with 12 tackles for loss to earn second-team All-Pro honours for the second straight year.
In 61 career games, he has 538 total tackles, 43 tackles for loss and five interceptions, making him one of just three defensive players with at least 300 tackles, 30 tackles for loss and five interceptions since 2018, along with Darius Leonard and Jamie Collins Sr.
Smith apologised to Chicago fans and implied he could possibly withdraw the trade request if team ownership can restore the fragmented relationship but said it is unlikely he will ever put on a Bears uniform again.
"I haven't had the chance to talk to the McCaskey family, and maybe they can salvage this," he wrote, "but as of right now I don't see a path back to the organisation I truly love."
Serena Williams, the most decorated tennis player in the open era, has hinted at retirement following the US Open.
One day on from winning her first singles match in 430 days at the Canadian Open, the legendary 23-time grand slam winner confirmed she is "evolving away" from the sport in an interview with Vogue Magazine.
Williams, who is one grand slam title away from matching Margaret Court's all-time record, appears set for one last shot at matching that haul at Flushing Meadows.
With Williams likely to call time on a spectacular career following one last outing at her home slam, below are 10 key quotes from her interview with Vogue.
THE KEY QUOTES
Reluctancy to step away
"I've been reluctant to admit to myself or anyone else that I have to move on from playing tennis. Alexis, my husband, and I have hardly talked about it; it's like a taboo topic.
"It's like it's not real until you say it out loud. It comes up, I get an uncomfortable lump in my throat, and I start to cry. The only person I've really gone there with is my therapist."
Evolution
"I have never liked the word 'retirement'. It doesn't feel like a modern word to me. I've been thinking of this as a transition, but I want to be sensitive about how I use that word, which means something very specific and important to a community of people.
"Maybe the best word to describe what I'm up to is 'evolution'. I'm here to tell you that I'm evolving away from tennis, towards other things that are important to me."
No joy in reaching a "crossroads"
"Ashleigh Barty was number one in the world when she left the sport this March, and I believe she really felt ready to move on. Caroline Wozniacki, who is one of my best friends, felt a sense of relief when she retired in 2020.
"Praise to these people, but I'm going to be honest. There is no happiness in this topic for me. I know it's not the usual thing to say, but I feel a great deal of pain.
"I hate it. I hate that I have to be at this crossroads. I keep saying to myself, I wish it could be easy for me, but it's not. I'm torn. I don't want it to be over, but at the same time I'm ready for what's next."
Family life key
"I never wanted to have to choose between tennis and a family. I don't think it's fair. If I were a guy, I wouldn't be writing this because I'd be out there playing and winning while my wife was doing the physical labour of expanding our family.
"Maybe I'd be more of a Tom Brady if I had that opportunity. Don't get me wrong, I love being a woman, and I loved every second of being pregnant.
"A lot of people don't realise that I was two months pregnant when I won the Australian Open in 2017. But I'm turning 41 this month, and something's got to give."
Wanting Court's record
"There are people who say I'm not the GOAT [greatest of all time] because I didn't pass Margaret Court's record of 24 grand slam titles, which she achieved before the open era that began in 1968.
"I'd be lying if I said I didn't want that record. Obviously I do."
Pride in "extraordinary" record
"If I'm in a grand slam final, then yes, I am thinking about that record. Maybe I thought about it too much, and that didn't help.
"The way I see it, I should have had 30-plus grand slams. I had my chances after coming back from giving birth.
"But I didn't get there. 'Shoulda, woulda, coulda'. I didn't show up the way I should have or could have. But I showed up 23 times, and that's fine. Actually it's extraordinary."
Tiger's advice
"This spring, I had the itch to get back on the court for the first time in seven months. I was talking to Tiger Woods, who's a friend, and I told him I needed his advice on my tennis career. He was adamant that I be a beast, the same way he is!"
"Magical" Wimbledon return
"It felt magical to pick up a racket again. And I was good. I was really good. I went back and forth about whether to play Wimbledon, and the US Open after that."
"I don’t know if I will be ready to win New York, but I'm going to try."
"Unfortunately I wasn't ready to win Wimbledon this year. And I don't know if I will be ready to win New York. But I'm going to try. And the lead-up tournaments will be fun.
"I know there's a fan fantasy that I might have tied Margaret that day in London, then maybe beat her record in New York, and then at the trophy ceremony say, 'See ya!' But I'm not looking for some ceremonial, final on-court moment."
Inspiring female athletes
"I'd like to think that thanks to me, women athletes can be themselves. They can play with aggression and pump their fists.
"They can wear what they want and say what they want and kick butt and be proud of it all."
Serena Williams has revealed she is about to retire from tennis, announcing "the countdown has begun" with the US Open seemingly set to be her final tournament.
With 23 grand slam singles titles, Williams is the most decorated player of the Open Era, but her most recent major success came at the 2017 Australian Open.
The 40-year-old is one title shy of Margaret Court's all-time record and appears set for one last shot at matching the Australian.
Williams wrote on Tuesday of her plan to "move in a different direction" after "these next few weeks" following a long piece in Vogue.
She has already been named on the entry list for the US Open, which starts at Flushing Meadows at the end of August.
Posting an image of her interview on Instagram, Williams said: "There comes a time in life when we have to decide to move in a different direction.
"That time is always hard when you love something so much. My goodness do I enjoy tennis.
"But now, the countdown has begun. I have to focus on being a mom, my spiritual goals and finally discovering a different but just as exciting Serena.
"I'm just going to relish these next few weeks."
Within the Vogue piece, she added: "I'm turning 41 this month, and something's got to give.
"I have never liked the word retirement. It doesn't feel like a modern word to me.
"I've been thinking of this as a transition, but I want to be sensitive about how I use that word, which means something very specific and important to a community of people.
"Maybe the best word to describe what I'm up to is evolution. I'm here to tell you that I'm evolving away from tennis, toward other things that are important to me."
Williams wrote at length about the reasons for her decision, saying: "I started a family. I want to grow that family."
The American great had hinted at this decision on Monday following her defeat of Nuria Parrizas-Diaz at the Canadian Open.
That was Williams' first singles win in 430 days, and she said: "I guess there's just a light at the end of the tunnel.
"I don't know, I'm getting closer to the light, so… lately that's been it for me. I can't wait to get to that light."
When asked what "the light" means to her, Williams responded: "Freedom." She added: "I can't do this forever."
Serena Williams has revealed she is about to retire from tennis, announcing "the countdown has begun" with the US Open seemingly set to be her final tournament.
With 23 grand slam singles titles, Williams is the most decorated player of the Open Era, but her most recent major success came at the 2017 Australian Open.
The 40-year-old is one title shy of Margaret Court's all-time record and appears set for one last shot at matching the Australian.
In a long piece in Vogue, Williams wrote of her plan to "move in a different direction" after "these next few weeks".
Williams has already been named on the entry list for the US Open, which starts at Flushing Meadows at the end of August.
Matt Carpenter is bullish he still has a part to play for the New York Yankees this season, stating that "my mindset is that I'll be back" after fracturing his left foot.
The third baseman fouled off a slider from Seattle Mariners starter Logan Gilbert during the first inning on Monday, and is facing an indefinite spell on the sidelines.
Despite the loss of the 36-year-old, arguably in the best form of his league career for over half a decade, the Yankees still went on to a 9-4 victory to snap a season-worst five-game losing streak.
That solidifies their position atop AL East, and keeps them on track for a rosy postseason spot, though they will now almost certainly have to secure their berth without Carpenter.
But the ex-Cardinals man and three-time All-Star remains optimistic he will get back on the diamond before the close of the season, insisting he is not limiting himself on his return timeframe until he sees a specialist.
"I don't want to say a number because I just don't know, but I'm holding out hope that it'll be a situation where I could come back in the middle of September and can contribute towards a stretch run," Carpenter said.
"So we'll see. I mean, that's my mindset is that I'll be back."
Carpenter finished the at-bat after initially hobbling around, and struck out swinging on the next pitch, and admits it was likely a good thing he failed to make the connection, lest he worsen his injury.
"When I went to swing on the next pitch, as soon as I started to plant and rotate on that back foot, my lower body like gave out and I wasn't able to," he added.
"Thankfully, probably the best thing that happened was to swing and miss – because if I hit it and had to run, I might have made it worse. But I knew it wasn't good."
Carpenter becomes the latest major injury concern for the Yankees, who lost Giancarlo Stanton, Luis Severino, Michael King and Miguel Castro last month.
New York continue against the Mariners this week at T-Mobile Park, before heading back east on Friday to face the Boston Red Sox.
With less than five weeks until the start of the NFL season, Cincinnati Bengals coach Zac Taylor isn't worried about when quarterback Joe Burrow will be back on the practice field.
Burrow, the 2020 top overall draft pick, underwent surgery last month to remove his appendix. While he has been seen on the sidelines at Bengals practices, Burrow has yet to resume football activities.
"He's starting to get better every single day," Taylor said of his star signal-caller. "Again, I don't want to put a timeline on when he gets out here and starts throwing and stuff, but it's been encouraging. He's back to himself in meetings so — looking good."
The Bengals' 2022 season opens on September 11 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, although Burrow is still expected to be healthy enough to start under center.
"He knows himself way better than we do," Taylor said. "I trust the communications with him when we're going to get him back out here.
"We've got plenty of time before the opener and I trust that we'll have a good process in place."
Burrow cemented his place among the game's best young quarterbacks last season, bouncing back from the knee injury that ended his rookie campaign to lead the Bengals to a 10-6 record as a starter in 2021.
The Bengals played in the Super Bowl for the first time since the 1988 season but lost to the Los Angeles Rams.
Over his last eight games of 2021, including four playoff games, Burrow threw for 16 touchdowns and two interceptions while completing 72 percent of his passes.
Aaron Judge ended his four-game home-run drought as the New York Yankees snapped their five-game losing skid with a 9-4 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Monday.
The Yankees, who are top of the American League (AL) with a 71-39 record, had been swept in a three-game series by the St Louis Cardinals along with two defeats to the Mariners at Yankee Stadium in their past five.
But they responded at T-Mobile Park from the outset, with Josh Donaldson hitting a first-inning two-run single along with a third-inning solo home run, sandwiched by Mitch Haniger's blast as the Yankees claimed an early 4-1 lead.
The Yankees pulled clear with three runs in the fifth inning, as Andrew Benintendi doubled on a line drive with Donaldson and Gleyber Torres scoring, followed by Benintendi from Isiah Kiner-Falefa's sac fly.
Judge, who leads the majors in home runs, RBIs, runs, slugging percentage and on-base plus slugging this season, re-discovered his form in the ninth inning after his recent lean stretch.
The Yankees outfielder had a close call with a high ball falling just short of the wall in the third inning, but blasted a solo home run in the ninth with a fly ball over deep center field.
The home run was Judge's 44th home run of the season, continuing his march to history with the AL single-season record of 61, from Roger Maris in 1961, within sight. It also ensures Judge's longest run without a home run this season remains seven games.
More Mets momentum with Reds win
The New York Mets kept up their momentum after winning four games in their five-game series against the Atlanta Braves with a 5-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.
Starling Marte crushed a two-run home run in the first inning off ex-Mets pitcher Justin Dunn, but Francisco Lindor was sensationally denied a fifth-inning blast by a leaping Albert Almora with a high catch on the wall. Tyler Naquin's eighth-inning two-RBI triple sealed the win.
Chris Bassitt sent down eight strikeouts across eight innings for the Mets, whose starters have pitched a league-best 2.21 ERA since July 5. The Mets have won 13 of their 15 games.
Orioles maintain Wild Card push
The in-form Baltimore Orioles boosted their AL Wild Card aspirations with a 7-4 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays.
Home runs from Ramon Urias, Anthony Santander, Ryan Mountcastle and Austin Hays helped the O's clinch their sixth win from their past seven games.
Felix Bautista closed out the victory, with Bo Bichette grounding into a double play, as the O's improved to 57-52 in the AL Wild Card hunt behind the Blue Jays (60-49), Tampa Bay Rays (58-50) and Mariners (59-52).
Serena Williams highlighted the first day of the Canadian Open, defeating Nuria Parrizas-Diaz 6-3 6-4 for her first win since the 2021 French Open.
In doing so, Williams became the fourth player since 2000 to win a WTA-level main draw match after turning 40, joining sister Venus Williams, as well as Kimiko Date Krumm and Martina Navratilova.
She also claimed the all-time record for wins at the Canadian Open, with 35, now one more than Chris Evert.
"I guess there’s just a light at the end of the tunnel," Williams said after the match. "I don’t know, I’m getting closer to the light. Lately that's been it for me. I can’t wait to get to that light."
She added: "I love playing though, so it’s like amazing. But I can’t do this forever. Sometimes you just want to try your best to enjoy the moments and do the best that you can."
Williams' older sister Venus, 42, was beaten on Monday by Swiss Jil Teichmann 6-2 6-3 with the match finshing after midnight following a delayed start due to rain.
One of the three seeded players in action on Monday, 15th seed Simona Halep had no issues cruising through the challenge of Donna Vekic 6-0 6-2.
It was similarly smooth sailing for 14th seed Karolina Pliskova in her all-Czech showdown against Barbora Krejcikova, winning 6-3 6-4, while Latvian 16th seed Jelena Ostapenko handled the challenge of Ukraine's Anhelina Kalinina 6-4 6-2.
Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina defeated in-form qualifier Marie Bouzkova 7-5 6-7 (3-7) 6-1, likely earning a shot at Coco Gauff if the American wins as a heavy favourite tomorrow, while Brazil's Beatriz Haddad Maia beat Italy's Martina Trevisan 6-2 2-6 6-2 in a meeting of two top-30 players.
In a pair of all-American battles, Sloane Stephens edged Sofia Kenin 6-2 7-6 (7-5) 7-5, and world number 187 Asia Muhammad upset world number 25 Madison Keys in straight sets 7-6 (7-5) 6-4.
Alize Cornet defeated her French compatriot Caroline Garcia 3-6 6-3 6-3, and Canada's Katherine Sebov was unable to get the job done in front of her home fans, going down 6-3 2-6 5-7 to Yulia Putintseva.
In better news for the Canadians, Leylah Fernandez won 6-4 6-7 (2-7) 6-3 over Storm Sanders, while veteran two-time Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova was beaten by Alison Riske 6-2 4-6 6-3.
Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay has played down the elbow injury troubling Super Bowl-winning quarterback Matthew Stafford.
Stafford did not throw during Monday's training session during their spring workout as he continued to deal with elbow soreness which he described as "irritating" on Saturday.
McVay, however, insisted that the issue was not a major concern for the 34-year-old quarterback.
"[His absence was] part of the plan," McVay told reporters on Monday.
"We've always stayed true to the first day. This one is a three-day bucket. He'll work tomorrow and you'll see him do a similar workload to what he did last week."
The QB had declined to go into any detail about the extent of the elbow issue on Saturday, with McVay having admitted it was a "little bit abnormal" last week, leading to questions.
Stafford was crucial to the Rams' success last season following his off-season move from the Detroit Lions, becoming the third starting quarterback to win the Super Bowl in his first season with a team, joining Tom Brady (2020 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers) and Trent Dilfer (2000 with the Baltimore Ravens).
Stafford played in all 17 regular-season games in 2021 and then played four postseason games, leading the Rams to their first Super Bowl title since returning from St. Louis.
He finished with 4,886 passing yards and 41 touchdowns in the regular season.
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