iPrint is the latest corporate entity to signal its support for 2024 Mouttet Mile by coming onboard as the official billboard advertising partner for the event.
The partnership will see iPrint amplifying the event’s visibility with a series of impactful promotional displays on its traditional and electronic billboards across Kingston and St. Catherine.
“We’re proud to welcome iPrint on board as our advertising partner for the Mouttet Mile. Their expertise in outdoor advertising brings significant visibility and will help to raise public awareness and excitement for the event. We know their placements will reach thousands of potential attendees and will increase the anticipation and excitement for Jamaica’s premier racing event across key areas in Kingston and St. Catherine,” Aswanda Stoddart, SVREL AVP Administration, said.
iPrint’s involvement demonstrates its commitment to supporting Jamaica’s vibrant sports and entertainment scene and aligns with the company’s dedication to innovative advertising solutions that engage the community and bring high-profile events to the forefront.
“The efforts of SVREL in organizing and delivering this exceptional event, which not only elevates the profile of sports in Jamaica but also garners global attention through live broadcasts, are truly commendable,” said Mark Haddad, Sales Director at iprint Group of Companies.
“Supporting the Mouttet Mile aligns perfectly with the vision of enhancing and showcasing Brand Jamaica on the world stage. By collaborating with this diverse and prestigious event, we have a unique opportunity to amplify Jamaica’s cultural and sporting legacy. It is only fitting that we pledge our continued support to ensure the sustained success of the Mouttet Mile for many years to come, further solidifying Jamaica’s reputation as a hub of excellence and innovation,” he added.
SVREL and iPrint look forward to a successful collaboration that brings even more excitement to this year’s Mouttet Mile set for December 7 at Caymanas Park.
Rafael Nadal suffered a straight sets defeat to Botic van de Zandschulp in the opening match of the Davis Cup Finals.
Nadal will call time on his illustrious playing career at the culmination of Spain's Davis Cup campaign.
It was not confirmed whether the 38-year-old would take to the court in Malaga on Tuesday until shortly before the scheduled start time.
And in his first competitive match since losing to old foe Novak Djokovic at the Paris Olympics, Nadal went down 6-4 6-4, despite having the crowd's backing, as Van de Zandschulp put the Netherlands into a 1-0 lead in the quarter-final tie.
Speaking after his win, the Dutchman said: "At the beginning I think we were both nervous. The first games didn't go smoothly. The crowd was tough, understandably.
"That is what it is to play against Rafa in Spain. He is probably the biggest sportsman in Spain to have ever lived.
"I have to say it is tough to close out a match against him, knowing it could be his last. I felt I was hoping a bit more than going for it. I went for it and it helped in the end.
"If I was sat at the side of the court I would have been cheering for him too."
Nadal's defeat means the pressure was put on his heir apparent, Carlos Alcaraz, to overcome Tallon Griekspoor and force a deciding doubles match.
Data Debrief: History maker
If this was to prove his final match, Nadal bowed out with another slice of history to his name.
With this appearance, Nadal became the Spanish player with the most matches played in the Davis Cup in the last 30 years, with this his 43rd. He surpassed Feliciano Lopez.
Great Britain fell short in the Billie Jean King Cup, despite Emma Raducanu's win in their semi-final against Slovakia.
Raducanu beat Viktoria Hruncakova 6-4 6-4 in the opening singles match on Tuesday.
That made the 22-year-old the British player with the highest win percentage in the competition in singles matches (minimum five matches played), with her 85.7% equalling Annabel Croft's effort.
Yet Katie Boulter was unable to keep up the momentum for Great Britain, as she went down 2-6 6-4 6-4 to Rebecca Sramkova, who has now won 18 singles matches since September. When including the Billie Jean King Cup, that is more than any other player in this span.
Boulter's defeat meant Heather Watson and Olivia Nicholls were called upon in the doubles, but they were beaten in straight sets by Hruncakova and Tereza Mihalikova.
Slovakia have now reached the final of this competition for the second time as an independent state, having won the title in 2002.
Roger Federer says Rafael Nadal "made the whole tennis world proud" with his "epic career" as he paid tribute ahead of his retirement at the end of the Davis Cup Finals.
The 38-year-old, a 22-time grand slam champion, is hoping to help Spain win the tournament taking place in Malaga this week, after confirming his retirement back in October.
Nadal has not played a competitive match since losing to Novak Djokovic at the Olympics in August, and it is not yet clear how big of a role he will play when Spain take on the Netherlands in the opening match of the Finals against the Netherlands.
Federer, who retired in 2022 having won 20 grand slams, was one of Nadal's great rivals, winning 16 matches and losing 24 of the pair's meetings.
"Let's start with the obvious: you beat me - a lot. More than I managed to beat you. You challenged me in ways no-one else could," an "emotional" Federer wrote on Instagram.
"On clay, it felt like I was stepping into your backyard, and you made me work harder than I ever thought I could just to hold my ground. You made me reimagine my game - even going so far as to change the size of my racquet head, hoping for any edge.
"You made me enjoy the game even more.
"Maybe not at first. After the 2004 Australian Open, I achieved the #1 ranking for the first time. I thought I was on top of the world. And I was - until two months later, when you walked on the court in Miami in your red sleeveless shirt, showing off those biceps, and you beat me convincingly.
"All that buzz I'd been hearing about you about this amazing young player from Mallorca, a generational talent, probably going to win a major someday - it wasn't just hype.
"We were both at the start of our journey, and it's one we ended up taking together. Twenty years later, Rafa, I have to say: What an incredible run you've had. Including 14 French Opens - historic!
"You made Spain proud... you made the whole tennis world proud."
Federer, who won his final meeting with Nadal before his retirement at Wimbledon in 2019, paired up with the Spaniard for the last match of his career in the doubles for Europe at the Laver Cup.
"It means everything to me that you were there by my side - not as my rival but as my doubles partner. Sharing the court with you that night, and sharing those tears, will forever be one of the most special moments of my career," he added.
"Rafa, I know you're focused on the last stretch of your epic career.
"We will talk when it's done. For now, I just want to congratulate your family and team, who all played a massive role in your success.
"And I want you to know that your old friend is always cheering for you and will be cheering just as loud for everything you do next."
Milwaukee Bucks coach Doc Rivers was impressed by Damian Lillard's "courage" as he secured a late win over the Houston Rockets in the NBA.
Lillard returned to the Bucks' line-up after missing the last three games while in concussion protocol and made a go-ahead layup with 3.9 seconds left to clinch a 101-100 win.
He finished with 18 points and 10 assists to make it three wins from four for Milwaukee, who started the season 2-8.
However, Lillard also missed all six of his 3-point attempts, but Rivers maintained his confidence in the eight-time All-Star, comparing him to one of the NBA's greatest shooters.
"Dame just has great courage, you know?" Rivers said. "Reminds me a lot of Ray Allen in that way.
"Ray didn't have a lot of bad shooting nights, but when he had one, if you had one shot to make, you still wanted to go to him. And that's how you feel about Dame.
"Like, whether he's on fire or not, he just has this thing in him that he believes that he should take the last shot and make the last shot. And he does it over and over."
Brook Lopez scored 27 points on 11-of-15 shooting, along with 10 rebounds, while Giannis Antetokounmpo chipped in with 20 points and 13 rebounds.
The Rockets looked set to extend their winning streak to six games though, as they edged to a 100-99 lead with 1:17 remaining until Lillard's late involvement flipped the script.
"I could feel it was one of those games where I needed to keep going, keep my foot on the gas down the stretch," Lillard said.
"It just came down to those last two plays. I got one to go, and we were able to get a stop on the other end."
Jasmine Paolini says she "gave everything" to help Italy reach a second consecutive Billie Jean King Cup final, after beating Iga Swiatek's Poland in doubles.
Swiatek had pulled the semi-final level after coming from behind to beat Paolini in their singles match earlier on Monday before the world number two stepped in to play the doubles decider.
However, it was Olympic gold-winning pair Paolini and Sara Errani, who would triumph 7-5 7-5 in straight sets.
Poland had three chances to take the first set but were valiantly denied by Italy, who impressively turned things around to win.
They fought from the brink in the second too, coming back from 5-1 down to go on a six-match winning streak and book their place in Wednesday's final.
"It was tough... the intensity was insane, I was a little bit tired, but I said to myself, you still have to play the doubles, you have to give everything for Italy, for my team," said Paolini.
"When I lost the [singles] match, I was a little bit sad, but then tried to go in the locker room and think positive about the doubles."
Italy will make their seventh appearance in the showpiece match, and will play either Great Britain or Slovakia.
Franz Wagner tallied 32 points and eight assists as the Orlando Magic kept rolling with Monday's 109-99 victory over the injury-plagued Phoenix Suns.
Orlando also received 20 points and nine assists off the bench from Anthony Black to extend its winning streak to six games by taking this matchup of teams currently going in opposite directions. Goga Bitadze added 17 points on 7-of-8 shooting along with 10 rebounds for the Magic, who are now 6-4 since All-Star Paolo Banchero went to the sidelines with an oblique injury.
Phoenix was dealt a fourth consecutive loss while playing without three starters in Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal and Jusuf Nurkic. The Suns are 1-5 since Durant went down with a calf injury after starting the season 8-1.
Devin Booker, coming off a season-high 44-point effort in the Suns' loss at Minnesota on Sunday, managed just 17 in this one while missing six of seven shots from 3-point range.
Tyus Jones paced Phoenix with 18 points and eight assists, while Grayson Allen scored 17 points off the bench.
Orlando remained in control after scoring the final four points of the first quarter to take a 26-22 lead after one period. The Magic then dominated the second, shooting 60 percent for the quarter while outscoring the Suns by a 38-26 margin to head into the break owning a 64-48 advantage.
The Magic's lead got as high as 19 points in the second half, and they maintained a double-digit cushion until a Booker 3-pointer with 3:36 remaining got Phoenix within 98-91.
Lillard returns, hits winning shot as Bucks end Rockets' winning streak
Damian Lillard capped his return to the Milwaukee Bucks' lineup by making a go-ahead layup with 3.9 seconds left that lifted his team to a 111-110 win over the Houston Rockets.
Having missed Milwaukee's previous three games while in concussion protocol, Lillard went just 6 of 18 from the field while compiling 18 points and 10 assists in 36 minutes. The eight-time All-Star hit the biggest shot of the night, however, by driving past a Houston defender and eluding another to convert the layup that put the Bucks ahead.
The Rockets then failed to get a shot off before time expired as their five-game winning streak came to an end.
Milwaukee, meanwhile, has now won three of four following a surprising 2-8 start to the season. The Bucks received 27 points on 11-of-15 shooting along with 10 rebounds from Brook Lopez in this victory, while Giannis Antetokounmpo chipped in 20 points and 13 rebounds.
The Rockets got 26 points from Fred VanVleet and 21 from Jalen Green but struggled from the perimeter, shooting just 28.1 per cent from 3-point range.
Houston shot just 26.9 per cent overall in the second quarter and was outscored by a 30-17 margin for the period as the Bucks built a 57-45 half-time lead.
Milwaukee's advantage was 14 points deep into the third quarter before the Rockets began closing the gap. Houston finished the period on a 9-2 run to pull within 83-80 entering the fourth following a three-point play from Alperen Sengun.
The Rockets' surge continued into the fourth quarter, as Sengun's tip-in with 1:58 left put the Bucks at a 100-94 deficit. Milwaukee scored the game's final seven points, however, with AJ Green's clutch 3-pointer with 1:17 remaining cutting the lead to 100-99 and setting up Lillard's game-winner.
Clippers hold on to halt Warriors' run
Norman Powell scored 23 points and the Los Angeles Clippers survived a late comeback attempt by the Golden State Warriors to hand the current Pacific Division leaders a 102-99 loss.
Powell went 5 of 6 from 3-point range on a night the Clippers shot 47.1 per cent from beyond the arc en route to their fifth straight win at the brand-new Intuit Dome. Los Angeles had lost its first four games at the state-of-the-art arena.
James Harden dished out 16 assists to go along with 12 points to help the Clippers end Golden State's three-game winning streak and deal the Warriors just their third defeat in 13 games this season. Ivica Zubac contributed 17 rebounds for Los Angeles.
Stephen Curry finished with 26 points for Golden State and Andrew Wiggins had 22, and the duo nearly led the Warriors back after Powell's 3-pointer with 2:30 left staked the Clippers to a 102-92 lead.
Wiggins answered with a three-pointer of his own with 1:44 to go, and Curry followed with a layup to cut the margin to five points entering the final minute. After Harden misfired on a 3-point try, Wiggins scored off a Draymond Green feed with 35 seconds remaining to pull the Warriors within 102-99.
Powell then was stripped of the ball on the following possession, but both Curry and Gary Payton II missed 3-point shots in the closing seconds as the Warriors' rally fell short.
Powell had 11 points and Harden scored 10 in the first half to lead the Clippers to a 56-45 advantage at half-time. Los Angeles was up 61-49 early in the third quarter before the Warriors reversed momentum, as they outscored the Clippers by a 23-11 count over the next eight minutes to tie the game at 72-72 late in the period.
Joe Mixon's 109 rushing yards and three touchdowns helped get the Houston Texans back on track with Monday's 34-10 win over the floundering Dallas Cowboys.
Houston (7-4) snapped a two-game losing streak behind Mixon's powerful running and a defence that sacked Cowboys' fill-in quarterback Cooper Rush five times and forced two turnovers, including a fumble Derek Barnett returned 28 yards for a touchdown that gave the Texans a 27-10 lead in the fourth quarter.
Dallas (3-7) has now lost five straight, its longest skid since dropping seven in a row in 2015, and fell to 0-5 at home. The Cowboys have been outscored by 118 points (187-69) at AT&T Stadium, the third-largest negative differential through five home games in a season in NFL history.
Rush did throw a 64-yard touchdown pass to KaVontae Turpin in his second straight start subbing for an injured Dak Prescott, and finished with a career-high 354 passing yards with one interception while completing 32 of 55 attempts.
C.J. Stroud threw for 257 yards with an interception for Houston, which extended its lead over the second-place Indianapolis Colts to two games in the AFC South.
The Texans never trailed after Mixon ripped off a 45-yard touchdown run on the game's opening drive, and the veteran running back added a 1-yard scoring plunge late in the first quarter to give Houston a 14-0 lead.
Turpin got Dallas on the board by taking a short pass from Rush and breaking free from the Houston defence nine seconds into the second quarter, but the Cowboys were shut out in the second half after pulling to within 17-10 on Brandon Aubrey's 53-yard field goal with just under six minutes left before half-time.
Burnett's strip sack of Rush and return of the resulting fumble helped put the game away with 12:31 left, and Mixon tacked on his final touchdown of the night with 3:16 remaining to cap a 35-yard drive that began after the Texans stopped the Cowboys on downs.
Iga Swiatek kept Poland's hopes of reaching the Billie Jean King Cup Final alive, coming from behind to beat Jasmine Paolini in their singles match.
The world number two fought back to claim a thrilling 3-6 6-4 6-4 victory in two hours and 36 minutes to level the semi-final tie after Lucia Bronzetti beat Magda Linette in straight sets in the opening match of the round.
Swiatek and Paolini met earlier this year in the final of the French Open, where the Pole brushed the Italian aside in straight sets to clinch a third consecutive crown at Roland Garros, but she faced a much tougher test on Monday.
Both players were unbeaten in Malaga coming into this match, and it looked like Paolini could cause an upset after claiming her first-ever set against Swiatek.
However, Swiatek dug deep to get the win and force the tie to go to doubles, which she will once again play, with Magdalena Frech unable to participate.
Emma Raducanu is already excited to get going in 2025 after reflecting positively on the past 12 months.
The 22-year-old impressed for Great Britain in their Billie Jean King Cup victories over Germany and Canada last week.
Raducanu has struggled with regular injury issues since her remarkable 2021 US Open triumph, but she believes some perspective is needed.
"My assessment is, I think sometimes I need reminding," she told the WTA's official website of her 2024 campaign.
"I'm top 60 in the world and I have played less than 15 events, which is pretty unheard of, in a way.
"I have to pat myself on the back for that. I know I'm a dangerous player. I know no-one wants to pull my name in the draw.
"I take pride in that, and I'm looking forward to hopefully staying on court longer next year."
Raducanu, ranked number 58 in the world, is returning to action in Malaga after two months out with a foot injury.
She will have a part to play when Britain take on Slovenia in Wednesday's semi-finals as she looks to extend her season further.
And a bullish Raducanu intends to work hard on the court heading into the New Year, with the Australian Open fast approaching.
"I think traditionally you'd probably have a bit of a break and take a holiday or something," Raducanu said.
"But I feel like I have had four, five weeks off tennis, and I don't really need any more time off.
"If anything, I'm excited and just itching to get on the practice court, and of course seeing some of my performances this week, it just incentivises me to do more work.
"I'm really pleased with how I've fought and how I'm faring up against these top girls. I feel like I'm in a pretty good spot with my tennis right now."
Jamaican fitness athlete Deidre Lewis continues to prove her dedication and consistency on the international stage, securing a fourth-place finish in the Bikini Fitness Professional category at the IFBB Pro competition in Cancun, Mexico, on Sunday. This latest achievement comes just two weeks after her podium finish at the IFBB Pro Mr. and Miss Argentina competition, where she claimed third place.
In Cancun, Lewis competed against a strong field, with Antigua and Barbuda’s Kimberly Percival taking the top spot. Mexico's Yissel Leon secured second place, and Julia Prado of Mexico finished third. Rounding out the top five was Mexico's Racquel Ramos, further underscoring the high level of competition in the event.
Reflecting on her performance, Lewis expressed pride in her ability to consistently place among the top competitors, highlighting the importance of her preparation and hard work.
"Sometimes the results vary based on the show that you go to. Each show goes for different looks sometimes for Bikini, but to make another top-five is a massive accomplishment. It shows consistency, dedication, and hard work. I'm elated about that," Lewis said.
She added that judges provided valuable feedback, suggesting she work on achieving a leaner physique to enhance her chances of climbing higher in the rankings.
"I’m still working on getting leaner as I enter into another week of preparation for the final round, which is in Chile this coming weekend," she shared.
A Fortnight of Achievements
Lewis’ impressive performance in Cancun follows her standout showing in Argentina, where she finished third behind Brazilian athletes Larissa Dick and Flavia Carneiro. That event saw her on the podium with some of the best athletes in the category, a testament to her growing stature in international fitness competitions.
As Lewis sets her sights on the upcoming event in Chile, her recent results highlight her consistency and determination to improve, qualities that have become the hallmarks of her career. Fans and supporters will undoubtedly be watching closely as she aims for another top finish to cap off a successful competition season.
Patrick Mahomes said the Kansas City Chiefs will use their first loss since Christmas Day 2023 as fuel after the Buffalo Bills halted their unbeaten start to the season.
Josh Allen scrambled for a stunning 26-yard touchdown with just over two minutes to play as the Bills improved to 9-2 with a 30-21 win over the reigning Super Bowl champions.
The result ended the Chiefs' 15-game winning streak, a run that began after they lost to the Los Vegas Raiders on Christmas Day last year and included their dramatic triumph over the San Francisco 49ers at Super Bowl LVIII.
The Chiefs had started this season 9-0 to take control of the race for the AFC's top seed, but they could have few complaints about Sunday's result.
The Bills outgained the Chiefs by 366 yards to 259, also recording 24 first downs to Kansas City's 19 and enjoying almost nine more minutes in possession.
Mahomes, however, was relaxed about the end of his team's winning streak, saying: "The undefeated thing was cool, but that's not our ultimate goal.
"It's a good football team, so there's nothing to hang your head about. We feel like we can play better, so we will get back to work and try to use this as a spark so that we can be a better football team in the end."
The Chiefs rank just 16th in the NFL for yards per game (337.9) and 11th for points per game (24) in 2024, with many of their victories – including against the Denver Broncos in Week 10 and the Baltimore Ravens in Week 1 – coming via last-gasp defensive or special teams plays.
Mahomes actually feels the team could benefit from a reality check, adding: "I'm hoping that [losing] is a benefit.
"I'm not going to say I or we are relaxed, but at the same time I feel like we were just coming away with these wins at the end of the games.
"I think it's going to spark us to have more urgency, especially at the start of football games, especially with the offense, and that comes from me and turning the ball over on the first drive. It's something you can't do in big games like this."
No quarterback has thrown more interceptions than Mahomes' 11 (level with Geno Smith and Jordan Love) this season, while a passer rating of 90.3 ranks him a lowly 20th among all players at the position.
As far as seasons go, you won't find many better than Jannik Sinner's 2024 campaign.
The 23-year-old had long been assured of his place at the top of the ATP rankings heading into 2025, but to further cement his dominance of the men's circuit, Sinner dominated the ATP Finals in Turin last week.
Sinner's 6-4 6-4 defeat of Taylor Fritz ensured he became the first ATP Finals champion since Ivan Lendl in 1986 to win the tournament without dropping a single set.
He became the seventh player to win the event on home soil, and the first Italian champion, as he made it eight titles for the year, including the Australian Open and US Open.
Here, we recap Sinner's brilliant year using Opta's treasure trove of data.
Breakout major success
It almost seems strange to think Sinner began 2024 without a grand slam title to his name. That soon changed at the Australian Open, though, as he defeated Daniil Medvedev in a classic, five-set final.
Sinner did things the hard way at Melbourne Park, also overcoming Andrey Rublev in the quarter-finals and Novak Djokovic in the last four.
At the age of 22 years and 165 days, he became the youngest player to ever achieve successive wins over ATP top-five opponents in the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final of a grand slam, surpassing Michael Stich, who did so at the age of 22 years and 262 days at Wimbledon 1991.
That triumph also made him only the third Italian man to win a grand slam, after French Open champions Nicola Pietrangeli (1959 and 1960) and Adriano Panatta (1976).
By beating Djokovic, Sinner became the first Italian to defeat the ATP's top-ranked player at a major, with Italians previously going 0-23 in such matches since the ATP Rankings were first published in 1973.
Sinner would also record a final victory over Djokovic at the Shanghai Masters later in the year, becoming the first player on record to not face a single break point in back-to-back tour-level meetings with the Serbian.
Slam consistency
Of course, Sinner later followed up his Australian Open triumph by clinching the US Open crown, downing home favourite Fritz in the Flushing Meadows final.
Those major wins were two of seven triumphs for Sinner at hard-court events this year, making him just the fifth player to win seven or more finals on the surface in a year, after Andre Agassi (1995), Pete Sampras (1996), Roger Federer (2004-06) and Djokovic (2015).
But perhaps his remarkable consistency across all four grand slams is what stands out most.
Sinner reached at least the quarter-finals at each of 2024's majors, losing to Carlos Alcaraz in the French Open semi-finals and Medvedev in the last eight at Wimbledon.
At 23 years and 17 days, he became the third-youngest man in the Open Era to reach the quarter-finals at all four slams in a single season, after Sampras in 1993 (22 years and 18 days) and Rafael Nadal in 2008 (22 years and 83 days).
Sinner won 23 matches overall at grand slams this year, with no other player on the ATP Tour bringing up 20 (Alcaraz managed 19).
Top of the world
Following his defeat to Djokovic in the showpiece match at the 2023 ATP Finals, Sinner sat fourth in the ATP Rankings 12 months ago.
He had already clinched top spot for 2024 as early as October 15, when he beat Djokovic in straight sets in the Shanghai Open final.
Since changes were made to the distribution of ranking points in 2009, only two players have ever sewn up top spot earlier – Djokovic in 2015 (September 14) and Nadal in 2010 (September 20).
No Italian had previously topped the ATP Rankings, and few could deny Sinner was a deserving recipient of the accolade. His 70 match wins were the most of any player on the ATP Tour in 2024, while his 92.1% win rate is the best by any player since 2015, when Djokovic won 93.2% of his contests.
Sinner did not let the pressure of being number one affect him, either, going 37-3 since first taking top spot. His 92.5% win rate is the best by any male world number one by some distance, dwarfing Bjorn Borg's 80.4%.
With Djokovic turning 38 next year, most would agree Sinner's breakout season has been good for men's tennis, teeing up what could be a long period of dominance by the Italian and his rival Alcaraz.
His star should continue to rise in 2025.
Rafael Nadal will not let his emotions get the better of him as he focuses on helping Spain win the Davis Cup Finals.
The tournament takes place in Malaga this week, and will mark the end of Nadal's glittering career.
Nadal, a 22-time grand slam champion, confirmed his retirement in October.
But the 38-year-old made it clear he is not treating the Davis Cup as a farewell tour.
"If I am on court, hopefully not, no, because at the end I am not here for retiring," he said when asked if he would be emotional during the competition.
"I'm here to try to help the team.
"Then it's of course going to be my last week on the professional tour, but at the end, we are here in a teams competition.
"The most important thing here is to try to help the team and to stay all focused on what we have to do, which is to play tennis and do it very well.
"Because the rivals are going to be difficult, and the conditions are difficult, too. So then the emotions are going to be for the end.
"To play my last event in Spain, it's something that I am very happy with. Because I will never have the chance to thank enough everybody here in Spain, the support that I receive and the love that I felt."
Spain take on the Netherlands in the opening matches of the Finals on Tuesday, with Germany or Canada their potential semi-final opponents.
Though with Nadal having not played a competitive match since he lost to Novak Djokovic at the Olympics in August, Spain captain David Ferrer is unsure if he will be ready to feature against the Dutch.
"I have not decided the players that are going to play," Ferrer said.
James Harden may consider himself one of the most confident players in the NBA, but he does not expect to overhaul Stephen Curry's all-time 3-pointer record after going second in the charts.
Curry made a pair of 3-pointers as the Los Angeles Clippers beat the Utah Jazz 116-105 on Sunday, finishing with 20 points, 11 assists and six rebounds.
His first 3-pointer of the evening, made with around six minutes to go in the first quarter, was the 2,794th of his NBA career, the second-most in league history.
Having surpassed Ray Allen's total of 2,973, Harden only trails Curry – who has hit 3,782 3-pointers ahead of his Golden State Warriors facing the Clippers on Monday.
Asked about his feat after Sunday's game, Harden said: "Unbelievable accomplishment. It's just a testament to the amount of work that I've been putting in.
"As I get older and just chip away at an unbelievable career, I start to accomplish things like that. So I don't ever want to take it for granted.
"I just want to give motivation to the youth and every other person that's chasing a dream to play professional basketball or whatever it is, so it's an honour."
But when asked if Curry's mark was now within his sights, Harden – who is just a year younger than the all-time record holder – said nobody will ever take that honour, adding: "I'm one of the most confident guys that we have in this league, but no, I probably won't catch Steph.
"I don't think anybody will honestly. He can shoot the s*** out of the ball. Granted a lot of these guys are on that list for being catch-and-shoot players, so they came off pindowns, they were spot shots or whatnot.
"Now, where the game has evolved, guys like Steph are coming off pindowns, he's creating off isos, he's coming off pick-and-rolls.
"There's so many different variables to be able to shoot the 3, make shots and do it at an efficient high level.
"Somebody has to have an unbelievable career, shoot the ball well and make a lot of 3s. If it happens, it's going to be when we're not here anymore. So that'll be in there for a minute."
Julien “Black Dragon” Baptiste, the reigning Massachusetts Middleweight boxing champion, successfully defended his title last Saturday, November 9, with a sixth-round TKO victory over Anthony Hines at Fall Reckoning in Dorchester. The main event saw Baptiste overwhelm his opponent with a flurry of punches, prompting the referee to stop the bout at 2:35 of the penultimate round.
With the victory, Baptiste improved his professional record to 8-4-1, cementing his place as a dominant force in the Massachusetts boxing scene. Reflecting on the win, he expressed gratitude and acknowledged the hard work that went into his preparation.
“And STILL!!!!” Baptiste exclaimed. “I would like to thank God ?? for another opportunity for me to showcase my skills and talents. Training camp was on point from beginning to end. Mark DeLuca made sure that I got 1% better each day. Was it easy? Hell no ?, but if you want to stay champion, you’re gonna have to be uncomfortable until you get comfortable to get the job done.”
The fight marked another milestone in Baptiste’s journey, one that began in his youth as the son of Jamaican and Grenadian parents. His mother, Donna Holder Willemsen, hails from Duncans in Trelawny, Jamaica, while his father, Egbert Baptiste, who is battling cancer, is from Grenada. Julien credits both of them for his drive and determination.
“Their strength and spirit, along with my mother’s, drive me to success,” he said.
Baptiste’s introduction to boxing came after his college football career as an All-American free safety. While pursuing his NFL dreams, he was invited to a boxing gym by a cousin from Jamaica, and from that moment, he found a new passion.
“I fell in love with it,” he recalled. “I was there every day. That was in New York. Then I left New York and came to Massachusetts, back to the town I went to school at, looking for work. The first gym I worked at just happened to have a boxing gym and a coach. And here I am now as Massachusetts champion.”
In 2023, Baptiste captured the vacant United States Boxing Federation (USBF) Middleweight title, which he has successfully defended three times. His Massachusetts title has also been defended on three occasions, adding to his growing legacy.
“I know what is at stake every time I fight because my belts are on the line every time I fight. Whenever I fight here in Massachusetts, both my belts are on the line,” he said.
Now 35, Baptiste acknowledges that time is not on his side in the sport, but he remains focused on his ultimate goals.
“I’m coming to the end of my athletic career. I just want to get on ESPN,” he said. “I fought on ESPN earlier this year at Madison Square Garden in February and lost by split decision. I want to get back on that stage, so hopefully by next year, I should be back on a bigger stage on television or something of that nature.”
Beyond boxing, Baptiste’s aspirations include securing a home and retiring from the sport with his health intact.
“I want to leave the game with my mind and my brains, my health. I want to be one of the ones leaving with my health. I want to help the youth and show that there are ways to get out of situations to better yourself,” he said.
With his dedication, resilience, and a drive rooted in his Caribbean heritage, Julien Baptiste continues to embody the spirit of a champion both inside and outside the ring.
The Cleveland Cavaliers are relishing the chance to test themselves against the Boston Celtics.
Cleveland extended their perfect record as they became just the fourth team in NBA history to go 15-0 to start a season by beating the Charlotte Hornets 128-114 on Sunday.
The Cavs are tied for the second-best start to a season, trailing only the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors, who went 24-0.
Cleveland, inspired by LeBron James, beat the Warriors in the NBA Finals that year. All three of the previous teams to go 15-0 to start a season have reached a championship series (2015-16 Warriors, 1993-94 Houston Rockets and 1948-49 Washington Capitols).
Next up for the Cavs are the reigning NBA champions, and first-year coach Kenny Atkinson, who rested talisman Donovan Mitchell against the Hornets, cannot wait for the task of facing the Celtics, who beat Cleveland in the Eastern Conference semifinals last season.
"Boston Garden," Atkinson said after becoming the first coach to win his first 15 games in charge of a team. "What's better than that?
"It's great for the NBA, right? Everybody is going to be watching, and I know our guys are anxious. I know they remember last year. We're going well. They're going well. It's great for the league. Great for our franchise. We're excited.
"It's going to be a great test for us. They obviously play a different style, five-out with five shooters, so it's going to be a really good test for us.
"We're at that point right now, 15-0. Let's test ourselves against the best and see where we stand and see where we're going to make adjustments or not make adjustments.
"It actually comes at the perfect time."
Jarrett Allen had 21 points and 15 rebounds against Charlotte, and was one of four Cleveland players to finish with over 20 points, along with Darius Garland (25), Ty Jerome (24) and Evan Mobley (23).
"It's a rematch," said Allen of facing the Celtics, though he missed last season's playoff series due to a rib injury.
"I know they didn't have some players. And we didn't have me, so I want to try and beat them and test where we are with them.
"Everyone is showing tons of energy, all over the city. It's incredible how Cleveland has adopted us. They come to every game, yelling for everything. The city of Cleveland has our backs."
The Celtics, who will visit the White House later this week to celebrate last season's success, have gone 11-3 to start the campaign and are second in the Eastern Conference behind the Cavs.
Josh Allen threw a fourth-quarter touchdown pass and ran for a game-sealing touchdown late as the Buffalo Bills ended the Kansas City Chiefs' quest for a perfect season with Sunday's 30-21 win.
James Cook added two rushing touchdowns and the Bills' defence intercepted Patrick Mahomes twice as the AFC East leaders handed the Chiefs their first defeat since Christmas Day of last season. The two-time defending Super Bowl champions had won 15 consecutive games, including a 27-24 victory over the Bills in Buffalo during the 2023 AFC Playoffs, and started this season 9-0.
Allen completed 27 of 40 passes for 262 yards with one interception in the sixth straight win for Buffalo (9-2). His 12-yard touchdown pass to Curtis Samuel extended the Bills' lead to 23-14 with 12:51 left to play.
The Chiefs answered with a 10-play, 70-yard drive capped by Mahomes' second touchdown pass of the day to Noah Gray, a 1-yard strike that got the Chiefs within two points with 7:53 remaining.
Buffalo responded, however, by marching 70 yards in 12 plays on the ensuing possession, which Allen finished by scrambling out of the pocket on a 4th-and-2 play and eluding several defenders for a pivotal 26-yard touchdown with 2:17 to go.
Mahomes threw for three touchdowns but was held to 196 yards on 23-of-33 passing. Xavier Worthy had a 10-yard touchdown catch early in the second quarter for Kansas City's first points and finished with 61 yards on four receptions.
Steelers hold off Ravens to strengthen lead atop AFC North
The Pittsburgh Steelers stymied Lamar Jackson and pulled out an 18-16 victory over the Baltimore Ravens in the latest slugfest between these AFC North rivals.
The win was the fifth straight for the first-place Steelers (8-2), giving them some breathing room atop the division as they moved 1 1/2 games in front of the second-place Ravens (7-4).
Led by Jackson, Baltimore entered the game with the NFL’s top-ranked offence, but was held to season lows in points, total yards (329) and first downs (16).
Pittsburgh kept the Ravens out of the end zone until 1:06 remaining in the fourth quarter, when Jackson hooked up with Zay Flowers for a 16-yard touchdown to bring Baltimore within 18-16. The Steelers then stopped the potential game-tying 2-point attempt as Jackson’s desperation pass fell incomplete.
The two-time NFL MVP finished with 207 yards and an interception after entering Week 11 leading the league with a sensational 123.2 passer rating.
Russell Wilson also struggled, throwing for just 205 yards with an interception. All of Pittsburgh’s points came via kicker Chris Boswell, who converted all six of his field goal attempts to match a franchise single-game record he already co-owned.
Lions demolish Jaguars to improve to 9-1
The Detroit Lions obliterated the over-matched Jacksonville Jaguars, rolling to a 52-6 blowout win for the largest margin of victory in franchise history.
The NFC-leading Lions, who won their eighth straight to improve to 9-1 for the first time since 1934, also set a franchise record in total yards with 645. The defence held the Jaguars to a mere 170 total yards for a difference of 475 yards – the third-largest gap in total offence in a single game since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger.
Detroit quarterback Jared Goff bounced back after throwing five interceptions in last Sunday’s 26-23 comeback win over the Houston Texans, as he completed 24 of 29 passes for 412 passing yards – his most since 2019 – and four touchdowns for a perfect 158.3 passer rating.
Amon-Ra St. Brown was on the receiving end of two of Goff’s touchdown throws and finished with a season-best 161 yards on 11 catches.
Jameson Williams had a career high in receiving yards with 124 – with 64 coming on a touchdown grab in the third quarter – and Detroit’s dangerous running tandem of David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs combined for 144 rushing yards and three touchdowns.
For the Jaguars, the 46-point drubbing marked the largest defeat in franchise history and further spread speculation about the job security of head coach Doug Pederson. Jacksonville will head into its Week 12 bye with a 2-9 record and four straight losses.
Blocked field goal secures Packers' comeback win over Bears
Karl Brooks blocked Cairo Santos' 46-yard field goal attempt as time expired as the Green Bay Packers escaped with a 20-19 come-from-behind win over the Chicago Bears to further enhance their play-off hopes.
Brooks' game-saving play came moments after the Packers took a 20-19 lead on quarterback Jordan Love's 1-yard touchdown run with 2:59 remaining, a score set up by Love's 60-yard completion to Christian Watson.
The Bears stuffed running back Josh Jacobs on the ensuing 2-point conversion attempt, however, before three completions by rookie quarterback Caleb Williams put them in range for Santos' foiled field goal try.
Love threw a touchdown pass to Jayden Reed earlier in the game and finished with 261 yards and an interception while completing 13 of 17 attempts. Jacobs rushed for 76 yards and had a 7-yard touchdown run that put Green Bay (7-3) up 14-13 with 6:34 left in the third quarter.
The Bears went back ahead on D'Andre Swift's 39-yard touchdown run in the final minute of the third quarter, though Williams' pass on the 2-point try fell incomplete to keep the score 19-14.
Chicago (4-6) was dealt a fourth straight loss - and 11th in a row to long-time rival Green Bay - despite Williams recording 231 passing yards and 70 rushing yards in a turnover-free performance for the 2024 No. 1 overall pick.
Watson racked up a career-high 150 yards on just four catches in the Packers' first game since a Week 9 home defeat to NFC North-leading Detroit.
Seahawks stun 49ers on Smith's late touchdown run
Geno Smith's go-ahead 13-yard touchdown run with 12 seconds remaining further tightened the race in the NFC West as the Seattle Seahawks came away with an important 20-17 road win over the San Francisco 49ers.
Smith's late heroics lifted Seattle (5-5) to just its second victory in its last seven games and created a three-way tie for second place in the division between the Seahawks, 49ers and Los Angeles Rams, who posted a 28-22 win at New England on Sunday. All three teams trail the first-place Arizona Cardinals by one game.
Seattle also received 110 yards on 10 catches from Jaxon Smith-Njigba and a strong effort from a previously struggling defence that held the defending NFC champion 49ers to a season-low 277 total yards. San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy managed just 159 yards on 21-of-28 passing with one touchdown and one interception.
The 49ers still appeared on their way to a third straight win after taking a 17-13 lead on Purdy's 3-yard touchdown pass to Jauan Jennings with 9:33 left and then stopping the Seahawks on 4th-and-1 at the San Francisco 37-yard line on the following series.
Seattle was able to get the ball back again with 2:38 left, however, and Smith engineered an 11-play, 80-yard drive the veteran quarterback capped with his go-ahead scramble.
Smith finished 25 of 32 for 221 yards with one interception, while Kenneth Walker III had 54 rushing yards and gave the Seahawks a 13-10 edge with a 1-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter.
Jennings led San Francisco, which played without star tight end George Kittle due to a hamstring injury, with 10 catches totalling 91 yards.
Dobbins' touchdown run lifts Chargers to fourth straight win
In another Week 11 game that went down to the wire, the Los Angeles Chargers outlasted the Cincinnati Bengals by a 34-27 score as J.K. Dobbins ripped off a tie-breaking 29-yard touchdown run with 18 seconds left.
Dobbins' second touchdown of the night sparked Los Angeles (7-3) to a fourth consecutive win despite the Chargers blowing a 21-point third-quarter lead. Cincinnati (4-7) rallied behind three Joe Burrow touchdown passes, including a pair to Ja'Marr Chase, to erase a 21-6 deficit.
Burrow finished with 356 yards on 28-of-50 passing as the Bengals' offence got a lift from the return of wide receiver Tee Higgins, who recorded 148 yards and a touchdown on nine catches after missing three games with an injured quadriceps.
Chase added 75 yards on seven catches, and his 17-yard touchdown grab with 12:21 remaining knotted the score at 27-27. However, the Bengals' next two drives ended in missed field goals by Evan McPherson that contributed to their second straight loss.
The Chargers' defence also forced a late three-and-out before Justin Herbert brought Los Angeles into Cincinnati territory with 28 and 27-yard completions to Ladd McConkey. Dobbins then broke free up the middle before shaking off a defender and diving into the end zone for the go-ahead points.
Herbert threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to Will Dissly and a 26-yard scoring strike to Quentin Johnson to help the Chargers build a 24-6 half-time lead. The standout quarterback recorded 297 yards despite completing just 17 of 36 attempts while adding a team-high 65 rushing yards.
McConkey delivered his best game as a pro as the rookie accumulated 123 yards on six receptions.
Darius Garland amassed 25 points and a season-high 12 assists, while three other Cleveland players had at least 21 points as the Cavaliers extended their perfect start to the season with Sunday's 128-114 win over the Charlotte Hornets.
Cleveland became the fourth team in NBA history to win its first 15 games in a season despite holding out leading scorer Donovan Mitchell. Ty Jerome started in the five-time All-Star's place and tied a career high with 24 points on 9-of-15 shooting while adding eight assists.
The 2015-16 Golden State Warriors, who opened with 24 consecutive wins, are the only team to start a season 16-0. The Cavaliers will try to become the second when they visit Boston on Tuesday night for a showdown with the defending NBA champion Celtics, a game in which Mitchell is expected to play.
Cleveland also received 23 points and 11 rebounds from Evan Mobley and 21 points and 15 boards from Jarrett Allen while leading the Hornets from nearly start to finish.
LaMelo Bell led Charlotte with 31 points and 12 assists hours after being handed a $100,000 fine from the NBA for using an anti-gay slur during a post-game interview following the team's win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday.
Mobley had 10 points and both Garland and Jerome dished out five assists as the Cavs built a 38-28 lead after one quarter. Cleveland went into half-time owning a 72-59 advantage, though the Hornets put up 40 points in the third quarter to close within 102-99 entering the fourth.
Garland helped Cleveland pull away in the final period, however, by scoring nine points for the quarter and sparking an 8-0 run that gave the Cavs a 124-109 lead with 1:41 left.
Mavericks overcome Doncic's absence to hold off Thunder
P.J. Washington posted 27 points and a career-high 17 rebounds as the Dallas Mavericks withstood the absence of Luka Dončić and held on for a 121-119 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Despite Doncic missing his first game of the season with a bruised right knee, Dallas handed the Thunder just their third loss in 14 contests behind Washington's big night and a 23-point effort from Kyrie Irving.
The Mavericks also had to overcome a 36-point, eight-assist performance from Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as well as Jalen Williams' 27 points on 11-of-17 shooting.
Reserves Jaden Hardy and Naji Marshall went a combined 10 of 15 from the field while contributing 13 points each to the Mavericks' second straight win following a four-game losing streak.
Behind Washington's 17 points and nine rebounds, Dallas emerged with a 66-58 lead at half-time and later stretched the margin to 14 points when Irving's 3-pointer midway through the fourth quarter put the Mavericks up 112-98.
The Mavericks were held without a field goal over the final two minutes, however, as Oklahoma City closed on a 10-2 spurt to nearly prevail.
Gilgeous-Alexander's 3-pointer with 25.2 seconds left closed the gap to 121-118, and he made it a two-point game by hitting a free throw after being fouled with 4.3 seconds remaining. He then deliberately missed the second attempt, which the Thunder rebounded for a chance at the winning shot.
Luguentz Dort's 3-pointer at the buzzer was off the mark, however, as Oklahoma City's three-game winning streak came to an end.
Randle's 35 points, winning shot lift Timberwolves over Thunder
Julius Randle finished a season-high 35-point effort by hitting a 3-pointer at the buzzer that gave the Minnesota Timberwolves a dramatic 120-117 win over the now-slumping Phoenix Suns.
After getting the ball back on a shot-clock violation with 2.7 seconds left, the Timberwolves got the ball to Randle out of a timeout and the veteran forward knocked down a 25-foot shot that lifted Minnesota to a second straight victory following a three-game losing streak.
Phoenix, meanwhile, has lost three in a row and fell to 1-4 since losing former league MVP Kevin Durant to a calf injury. The Suns went 8-1 with Durant available for the season's first nine games.
Playing without sharpshooter Bradley Beal as well, Phoenix had its skid extended despite Devin Booker pouring in a season-high 44 points to go along with seven assists.
Grayson Allen added 18 points off the bench for the Suns and gave Phoenix a 117-115 lead by draining a 3-pointer with 56 seconds remaining.
Minnesota pulled right back even, however, as Anthony Edwards was fouled on the following possession and made both free throws. The Suns then missed three shots in the waning seconds before turning the ball over to set up Randle's winning basket.
Edwards finished with 24 points and six assists while going 9 of 15 from the field.
Phoenix started the game hot, opening up a 29-14 lead over the first 10-plus minutes largely behind Booker's 17 first-quarter points. The Suns held a 13-point advantage deep into the second quarter before Randle's 3-pointer at the buzzer brought Minnesota within 64-54 at the half.
The Timberwolves continued to close the gap in the third, outscoring Phoenix 32-26 for the period and getting 13 points from Edwards to trim the Suns' lead to 90-86 entering the fourth.
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