Jannik Sinner played down any injury concerns and said he was looking forward to starting his Cincinnati Open campaign this week.
Sinner fell to a quarter-final defeat to Andrey Rublev at the Canadian Open in Montreal and was seen holding his hip at various stages of the encounter.
Nevertheless, the world number one said his only real concern was returning to the intensity of matches after skipping the Paris Olympics due to tonsillitis.
"I feel quite good. Obviously, I made nearly one week without practising before, and then after playing for two-three days in a row, a bit more than usual, (that) could (have had) a potential impact to the hip," Sinner told reporters.
"But I'm not afraid. I feel good with the hip, and I'm just looking forward to going back on court here."
Sinner holds a poor record in Cincinatti, having never advanced to the quarter-finals, and was the victim of a shock loss to Dusan Lajovic in the round of 32 last year.
However, the Italian is confident of a better run this time around, starting with an opening against either Tallon Griekspoor or Alex Michelsen.
"Here usually I struggle a little bit to play because of the conditions but I'm looking forward to see my reaction this year, because it's a great test," said Sinner.
The Australian Open champion believes a good tournament can act as a perfect platform for the final slam of the year in New York, which begins at the end of this month.
"I believe this tournament can give you a lot of confidence for the US Open, which is the last grand slam we have," Sinner said.
"So in my mind, this is a very important tournament. "We go day by day. I have a couple of days to prepare and hopefully show some good tennis."
Sixteen seasons, seven Grand Finals, and four Premierships.
Romelda Aiken-George’s CV borders on unrivalled in Australian netball circles, making it even more incredible that she has been one of the final players signed over the past two Suncorp Super Netball (SSN) League seasons.
The Jamaican superstar played every game of the 2023 season for the NSW Swifts as a replacement player, including a losing Grand Final against the Thunderbirds, but was informed she would not be offered a Swifts contract ahead of the 2024 campaign.
“At the end of last season, I knew my role in the Swifts environment,” Aiken-George said.
Fortunately for Aiken-George, the Adelaide Thunderbirds, which also boast her Jamaican compatriots Shamera Sterling-Humphrey and Latanya Wilson, were in the market for an experienced goal shooter.
“Tania made it clear, 'you’re coming to play your role. You’re not filling in for anyone; you’re just coming in to do your thing'. I knew I still had so much more to give,” Aiken-George explained.
Since joining the Thunderbirds, Aiken-George has flourished under the tutelage of Obst.
The Sunshine Girl veteran played every game of the Thunderbirds premiership campaign, as she tallied more than 500 goals and led the league in offensive rebounds.
Aiken-George cut a cool and composed figure in the goal circle for the Thunderbirds all season, offering a consistent out ball for those up court.
She saved her best until last, though, with the champion shooter named the 2024 Grand Final Player of the Match with 42 goals and 10 offensive rebounds.
Reflecting on the campaign, the 35-year-old said the Thunderbirds environment has allowed the best version of herself to flourish.
“This environment I’m in, everyone is always having a hand in what I do, making sure when I rock up to training, I’m in the best mental headspace. When I look back at when I first came here, I was very closed off, but just being here, I feel like everyone helps me to bring out my weapon and to be comfortable,” Aiken-George shared.
“In that final game, Tania said something to me, and I went back out on court, and my shoulders felt as big as a backboard, and I felt like a superwoman,” she added.
With 227 games of national league experience, Aiken-George is well placed to comment on club environments and coaching structures.
She said the Thunderbirds approach is unique and believes the open lines of communication between Obst and her players were key to their success.
“This group is just so amazing. Every week we held each other so accountable, and there was a lot of space for learning each week. The way we analyse the game is so different from any other team I’ve been a part of, and by doing that, we pick up on little things I don’t think other teams pick up on,” Aiken-George reasoned.
“The way we look at the game through our own eyes and then chat with Tania, it’s just so great. By having those tough conversations each week, we grew and grew every week. We expect so much from each other, but in a loving way. We’ve got something special over here,” she noted.
Despite missing the 2022 season due to pregnancy, Aiken-George has maintained her lofty standards since her return, but she was quick to point out that the drive to improve still burns deep inside her.
“I’m still trying to find ways I can make myself better. I’m just one of many women who have had a child and gone back into sports yearning for success, because that’s how we rate how we’ve done. So, I just want to play, and I just love the game,” Aiken-George ended.
Alexei Popyrin declared his victory at the Canadian Open “means the world” after he defeated Andrey Rublev in straight sets to claim his maiden ATP 1000 title.
Popyrin won 6-2 6-4 to become the first player to win the Canadian Open title in their first main draw appearance in 17 years. The last player to do so was 24-time Grand Slam singles winner Novak Djokovic in 2003.
The 25-year-old defied the odds to beat favourite and world number six Rublev in his third defeat of a top-10 opponent in Montreal.
For the current world number 62, it was a sign that all the effort had been worth it.
"It means the world, for all the hard work I've put in over the years, all the sacrifices I have made," said Popyrin.
"Not just me, but my family, my girlfriend, my team, everybody around me. They have sacrificed their whole lives for me and for me to win this for them is just amazing."
The victory also makes Popyrin the first Australian to win a Masters 1000 since Lleyton Hewitt won Indian Wells in 2003.
He became the fourth-lowest ranked ATP Masters 1000 champion, just two weeks after being defeated by Alexander Zverev on clay courts in the round of 16 in the Olympics men’s singles.
Popyrin fared better against Rublev, who remained optimistic about his performance despite the upset.
“It's a very positive and really good week. [It’s a] really big step forward, and I feel proud of myself that I was able to be really good all the week mentally,” reflected Rublev.
“If we compare my match against him at Monte-Carlo when I was losing, I was behaving 10 times more, and it was first round.
“Here it was a final. Much more pressure. Yes, I still showed a bit emotions today, but compare the matches when I was losing the same way, I think I did much better job.
“That's why I had a little chance in the second set, but it was just not my time I guess.”
Jessica Pegula reflected on a “really special” win at the Canadian Open in Toronto, after defeating fellow American Amanda Anisimova in the final.
The victory marked Pegula’s second straight Canadian Open title, as she fended off an Anisimova comeback to win 6-3 2-6 6-1.
The 30-year-old, who was seeded third, has become just the seventh player in the Open Era to defend her Canadian Open title, the most recent having been Martina Hingis in 2000.
Pegula, who hails from Buffalo, New York, enjoyed her achievement all the more for the presence of family and friends.
"Toronto, it's nice, it's so close to Buffalo, I had a lot of friends, family, and my grandparents, my husband was able to come today. That's cool, I don't really get that at a lot of tournaments,” said Pegula.
"Then to be able to win the tournament as well, and to be able to share that moment with them is really special.
“I don't know what it is about Canada, but I just seem to do well. Yeah, I'll take it.”
The victory means Pegula has become the first woman to win 10 consecutive singles matches at the Canadian Open since Serena Williams. The 23-time grand slam winner triumphed in 14 straight matches between 2011 and 2014.
"I know everyone's talking about my record, but it's nice to be able to get through the week and to back it up," said Pegula. "So, just super excited, I mean, an honour, really.”
It took Pegula one hour and 27 minutes to defeat Anisimova and win her sixth WTA singles title. It also marked her third career WTA 1000 title (Guadalajara 2022, Montreal 2023 and Toronto 2024).
It was Anisimova's first Tour-level final in over two years, with the 22-year-old having defeated four top-20 players on her way there.
"I put the work in, I kept my head down, and I tried to come back to the sport with more of a relaxed feeling," Anisimova reflected.
"Trying to enjoy each day as it comes and not being so serious about everything, because that takes away the joy from a lot of things. That approach to my everyday life has helped me a lot."
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Marquise Brown will not need to go under the knife after he suffered a dislocated shoulder.
Brown joined the Chiefs as a free agent, having impressed with the Arizona Cardinals last season, finishing the campaign with 51 catches for 574 yards and four touchdowns.
However, his Chiefs debut ended early as he sustained a dislocation of his shoulder joint in Kansas City's preseason opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Having caught a pass from Patrick Mahomes on the first play of the game, Brown was tackled and landed awkwardly on his left shoulder.
Thankfully for the Chiefs, Brown has avoided the need for surgery.
"They were able to get the joint back into place without surgery, which is a positive,'' Reid said.
"Then we'll just see on the recovery. He is back in Kansas City now. He stayed over in Jacksonville until they got that thing situated.''
Brown's status will be monitored ahead of the Chiefs' season opener against the Baltimore Ravens on September 5.
Alexei Popyrin overcame Andrey Rublev in straight sets to win his maiden ATP 1000 title at the Canadian Open.
Popyrin won 6-2 6-4 to complete a remarkable run in Montreal, becoming the fourth-lowest-ranked player to win an ATP 1000 title in the process.
The Australian saved the three break points he faced in set one and, despite dropping a game in the second set, immediately hit back to take the impetus away from Rublev, who had stunned world number one Jannik Sinner en route to the final.
It marked Popyrin's third victory over a top-10 opponent at the tournament, while he also snapped Sebastian Korda's eight-match winning streak in the semi-finals.
Data Debrief: Popyrin ends Aussie wait
Popyrin became the first Australian since Lleyton Hewitt to win a Masters 1000 trophy.
That victory for Hewitt came at Indian Wells in 2003, when Popyrin was only three years old.
Jessica Pegula successfully defended her Canadian Open crown by beating Amanda Anisimova in Monday's final.
Pegula, who was seeded third, prevailed 6-3 2-6 6-1 against her fellow American in Toronto.
The 30-year-old ended Anisimova's hopes of a shock title, and a fifth top-20 win of the tournament.
Pegula was on fire in the opening set, dominating on her serve, but Anisimova responded with a swift break in the second as she rallied to draw the match.
Yet two breaks in quick succession put Pegula firmly on top in the decider, and though Anisimova clawed back two match points, her opponent got the job done at the third time of asking.
Pegula has now won six Tour-level titles, with three of these being WTA 1000 events (Guadalajara 2022, Montreal 2023 and Toronto 2024).
Data Debrief: Pegula's Canadian comforts
Hailing from Buffalo, just south of the border, Pegula has certainly enjoyed a fine run in Canada over the past two years.
She is only the second player this century to secure the title at the Canadian Open in both Toronto and Montreal, along with Simona Halep, while she became the seventh player in the Open Era to defend her title at the Canadian Open after Chris Evert, Evonne Goolagong, Martina Navratilova, Regina Marsikova, Monica Seles and Martina Hingis.
No player had successfully defended a WTA 1000 title since Iga Swiatek did so at Rome in 2022, and no player had done so on hard court since Ashleigh Barty, who defended her Miami crown in 2021.
Mookie Betts went 2 for 4 with a homer and three RBIs in a dazzling return from the injured list that sparked the Los Angeles Dodgers to a key 5-2 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday.
In his first game since fracturing his left hand on June 16, Betts hit a two-run homer that broke a scoreless tie in the third inning and later added a run-scoring single to lead Los Angeles in the opener of this four-game series between National League division leaders.
Shohei Ohtani also had a two-run homer, his NL-leading 36th of the season, to help Clayton Kershaw earn his first win since September in the three-time Cy Young Award winner's best start of the season.
Kershaw (1-2) held the Brewers to one run and three hits through 5 2/3 innings in his fourth start since returning from offseason shoulder surgery.
The Dodgers have now won four straight and moved a half-game ahead of the East-leading Philadelphia Phillies in the race for the NL's best record. Milwaukee dropped to 2 1/2 games behind Los Angeles and has lost two in a row following a five-game winning streak.
Betts stepped to the plate with Teoscar Hernandez aboard in the third inning and drove a 2-1 pitch from Milwaukee starter Freddy Peralta over the left field wall to stake Kershaw to a 2-0 lead.
Ohtani made it 4-0 two innings later by following a Kevin Kiermaier single with an opposite-field homer off Peralta (7-7), who was tagged for four runs on five hits in six innings.
Kershaw departed with two out and a runner on in the sixth in favour of Joe Kelly, who was greeted by a home run by William Contreras that brought the Brewers within 4-2.
Betts struck again in the seventh, however, with a two-out single that plated Ohtani, who drew a walk and advanced to second with his 33rd stolen base of the season.
Three Dodger relievers then combined to keep the Brewers scoreless over the final three innings, with Daniel Hudson working a perfect ninth to notch his ninth save.
Valdez stars again as Astros win sixth straight
Framber Valdez and the Houston Astros both extended their unbeaten runs as the American League West leaders opened a three-game series with the Tampa Bay Rays with a 6-1 victory.
Valdez (12-5), who lost a no-hit bid with two outs in the ninth inning in his previous outing, struck out nine while yielding just one run and three hits over 5 2/3 innings to improve to 7-0 with a 2.68 ERA over his last nine starts. The Astros have won all of those appearances.
Yainer Diaz supplied the big blow in Houston's sixth consecutive win with a three-run homer in the third inning. Alex Bregman added a solo shot to help the Astros move a half-game ahead of the Seattle Mariners for sole possession of the AL West lead.
Bregman's blast off Taj Bradley in the first inning put Houston ahead quickly, and the Astros broke the game open with four runs in the third.
After Bradley walked Chas McCormick and gave up a single to Jose Altuve, Yordan Alvarez drove in McCormick with a two-out hit to increase the margin. Diaz then belted the first pitch he saw into the left field seats for a 5-0 advantage.
The Rays got on the board in the bottom of the third when Taylor Walls tripled and scored on Jose Caballero's sacrifice fly, but managed just two hits off Valdez and two Houston relievers the rest of the way en route to their fifth loss in seven games.
Houston tacked on one more run in the fifth as Alvarez doubled, advanced to third on Jeremy Pena's infield single and scored on a fielder's choice groundout off the bat of Jake Meyers.
Bradley (6-7) lost his third straight start after allowing six runs and eight hits over 4 1/3 innings.
Braves score in 10th to win duel of aces with Giants
Travis d'Arnaud drove in the game's lone run with a sacrifice fly in the 10th inning as the Atlanta Braves earned a needed 1-0 win over the San Francisco Giants in the opener of a four-game series.
The game featured a matchup of standout pitchers that lived up to its advanced billing, as both Atlanta's Chris Sale and the Giants' Blake Snell turned in dominant performances despite neither factoring in the final outcome.
Sale racked up a season-high 12 strikeouts while permitting just three hits over seven scoreless innings, while the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Snell fanned 11 Braves and surrendered two hits in 6 1/3 shutout innings.
The Braves finally broke the deadlock with Orlando Arcia placed as the designated runner to start the 10th. Sean Murphy then singled off Taylor Rogers to move the go-ahead run to third before d'Arnaud's fly ball to right was deep enough to enable Arcia to score.
Raisel Iglesias was able to strand the Giants' designated runner in the bottom of the inning by recording two strikeouts before getting Patrick Bailey to fly out and end the game. The Atlanta closer also pitched a scoreless ninth to keep the contest at 0-0.
The lack of run support prevented Sale from becoming the majors' first 14-game winner this season, though his outstanding effort helped the Braves increase their lead over the rival New York Mets to one game for the NL's final wild card spot.
Atlanta entered the series having gone 7-14 over its previous 21 games to fall out of the top spot in the wild-card race.
The Giants have now dropped two straight following a 12-3 stretch that got them back into the play-off picture. San Francisco is now 2 1/2 games behind Atlanta in the standings.
Haason Reddick was acquired by the New York Jets in a trade this past March.
Just over four months later, the star edge rusher has now requested to be traded from the Jets before ever playing a game with them.
Reddick informed the Jets on Monday he wants to be traded, according to multiple reports.
The Jets, however, have made it clear they have no plans to deal him.
Shortly after the news of Reddick's trade demand broke, the Jets announced they won't honour his request.
"We have informed Haason that we will not trade him, that he is expected to be here with his teammates, and that he will continue to be fined per the CBA if he does not report," Jets general manager Joe Douglas said in a statement. "Since the trade discussions back in March we have been clear, direct and consistent with our position. Our focus will remain on the guys we have here as we prepare for the regular season."
New York acquired Reddick from Philadelphia in late March after he had initially asked the Eagles for a new contract.
Since passing his physical with the Jets, he has not joined his new team for any activities. He skipped both their voluntary and mandatory mini-camp and has been holding out all of training camp.
Due to make $14.25million in 2024 in the final year of his deal, Reddick is facing more than $1million in mandatory fines by skipping the first three weeks of camp.
Drafted 13th overall by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2017 draft, Reddick has emerged as one of the league's premier pass rushers over the last four seasons.
Since 2020, his 14 forced fumbles are the most in the NFL, while his 50 1/2 sacks rank fourth.
The 29-year-old was named to his second Pro Bowl team last season when he registered 11 sacks and 13 tackles for loss.
In 2022, his 16 sacks trailed only Nick Bosa's 18 1/2 for the most in the NFL.
Barbados’ women’s tennis team made history on Saturday by advancing to Americas Group II of the Billie Jean King Cup at the National Racquet Centre in Tacarigua, Trinidad & Tobago.
The Bajans first went 4-0 in Pool A preliminary round action with wins over Antigua & Barbuda (3-0), Jamaica (2-1), Bahamas (3-0) and Trinidad & Tobago (2-1) from August 5-8 before coming up against El Salvador in the promotional playoff on Saturday.
El Salvador advanced to that playoff thanks to a second-place finish in Pool B after three wins and one loss.
In the first match of Saturday’s playoff, El Salvador’s Michelle Irigoyen secured a dominant 6-0, 6-2 victory over Barbados’ Serena Bryan before Gabrielle Leslie tied proceedings at 1-1 with a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Sara Valentina Cruz Bonilla.
The deciding doubles match was a fitting way to determine the victor as both teams left it all on the court.
Barbados’ Hannah Chambers and Cherise Slocombe went up against El Salvador’s Bonilla and Irigoyen.
Chambers and Slocombe took the first set 6-3 before the El Salvador pair roared back into it with a bagel (6-0) in the second set.
The teams then played out a marathon third and deciding set which Barbados eventually won 11-9 to book their spot in Americas Group II.
Costa Rica will join them in Group II after beating Jamaica 2-1 in the other playoff.
Jamaica’s Melaika Russell delivered an impressive performance to secure a bronze medal in the Female 17-18 Road Race at the Caribbean Junior Cycling Championships in St. Martin on Sunday. Russell's remarkable determination and grit were on full display as she crossed the finish line in 2:06:23.840, just behind her rivals from Guadeloupe and Martinique.
The race, held under challenging conditions, saw competitors from across the region push their limits. Russell, despite not being fully aware of her speed throughout the race, remained focused on finishing strong.
"It feels great. I did not even know I was running that fast. I just wanted to go out and try and finish. I was running blind, and it was difficult, but all praise and thanks to God. Without Him, this would not be possible," Russell expressed after the race, her voice filled with gratitude and relief.
The young Jamaican cyclist has a special connection to the St. Martin venue, where she felt a familiar sense of magic that has accompanied her throughout her career. "This stadium has always been magic for me. This is where I got my two world medals and the beginning of my career; I felt the magic again today," she shared.
This bronze medal is more than just another achievement for Russell; it's a symbol of her hard work and dedication. "This race was really important; it meant a lot, and to come away with a huge PB (personal best) is amazing," she said, adding that she plans to celebrate but remains focused on not getting too carried away.
The gold medal was claimed by Guadeloupe’s Emma Glorianne, who finished in 2:06:22.145, while Dahila Reine from Martinique took the silver with a time of 2:06:22.829. Russell was hot on their heels, showing that Jamaican cycling is on the rise, with young talents like her leading the charge.
Andrey Rublev said reaching the Canadian Open was "worth the wait", while it also backed up his decision to skip the Paris Olympics.
Rublev made the call not to participate at Roland-Garros as he instead focused on readying himself for the North American swing.
And the Russian's US Open preparations stepped up another gear as he defeated Matteo Arnaldi 6-4 6-2 on Sunday to reach the final of the Canadian Open for the first time in his career.
Rublev had to overcome a rain delay in the process of defeating the Italian in Montreal.
"The wait has been worth it. I'm happy to be in my first Canadian final." Rublev said, as reported by the ATP's official website.
"I just want to recover, rest well and be ready for [the final].
"The idea [of not going to the Olympics] was to be more ready for Canada, so if I'm in the final it means we did really well."
Rublev will go up against someone who was competing at the Olympics when he faces Alexei Popyrin on Monday.
In his second match of the day, Popyrin ended Sebastian Korda's eight-match winning streak to prevail 7-6 (7-0) 6-3 and progress to the first ATP 1000 final of his career.
"It means the world, it's an amazing achievement for myself to be honest, and sometimes you have to pat yourself on the back," said Popyrin.
"I'll do that, but it's all hands on deck and back to work.
"It was a topsy-turvy first set with some breaks here and there. I had some points at 5-4 but played some sloppy points and didn't convert.
"I just stayed mentally strong and I knew exactly what I was going to do on my next break point if I got an opportunity."
Popyrin (62) is the lowest-ranked player to reach the final of the Canadian Open in the men's singles since Harel Levy, a qualifier, in 2000.
Amanda Anisimova celebrated a "huge accomplishment" after she teed up a Canadian Open show-piece against Jessica Pegula.
Anisimova claimed her fourth top-20 victory of the week in Toronto on Sunday as she downed Emma Navarro 6-3 2-6 6-2.
That victory makes Anisimova, now ranked 132nd in the world after she took a break from tennis in 2023, the lowest-ranked finalist at the Canadian Open in the last 40 years.
But she is not done there.
"This is a huge accomplishment for me, and something I've been working really hard towards," Anisimova said, as reported by the WTA's official website.
"I'm just super happy, honestly, with my week here, and I'm pretty surprised with how well I've been able to do so far.
"I'm still hungry for more, and I hope that I can really do well [in the final]."
Anisimova took a sabbatical last year to focus on her mental health, but the American always had her sights set on a return to the top level.
"I knew that when I stepped away that I really wanted to come back and I didn't want to finish my career on that note," Anisimova said.
"There was still a lot that I wanted to achieve, and just not finish at such a young age, because I had sacrificed so much and given so much to the sport. So, yeah, I knew that I still had many years that I wanted to play."
Compatriot Pegula stands in the way of Anisimova and glory, with the world number six defeating Diana Shnaider 6-4 6-3.
Pegula is the first player since Simona Halep (2015-2016) and the first American since Jennifer Capriati (2001-2002) to reach consecutive finals at the Canadian Open.
"Getting a chance to defend my title is something that doesn't always happen, so I'm excited that I get to put myself in a good spot to do so," Pegula said.
"I think it's cool to have my name with a lot of other big names in history that have either played well here or been able to defend the title as well, so it's super special."
Only Serena Williams (18) and Venus Williams (six) have reached more WTA 1000 finals than Pegula (four) among American players since the format was introduced in 2009.
The Seattle Mariners received a big night from Cal Raleigh and another outstanding pitching performance to complete a three-game sweep of the floundering New York Mets with Sunday's 12-1 win.
Raleigh drove in a season-high five runs with a pair of homers, while Luis Castillo fanned nine over six strong innings as the Mariners won their fourth consecutive game. Sunday's rout kept Seattle in a virtual tie with the Houston Astros for first place in the American League West.
The Mets, meanwhile, were swept in a three-game series for the first time since May 28-29. New York, which was shut out in each of this series' first two matchups, remained a half-game behind the Atlanta Braves for the National League's third and final wild card.
Castillo (10-11) continued Seattle's stellar run of pitching by limiting the Mets to one run and four hits. The right-hander also received plenty of support from Raleigh, who went 3 for 4, and from a three-hit night from Jorge Polanco which included a solo homer.
Victor Robles and Randy Arozarena drove in two runs each in the Mariners' highest scoring game of the season.
Mets starter Luis Severino kept Seattle's bats mostly quiet early on, with Polanco's solo homer in the second the game's lone run through four innings of play.
The Mariners broke through in the fifth, however. Dominic Canzone led off with a double and Arozarena later singled before Raleigh sent Severino's pitch over the right field wall for a 4-0 advantage.
Severino (7-6) finished with eight strikeouts while permitting four runs in five innings.
Jeff McNeil finally ended New York's scoring drought with a solo homer in the top of the sixth, but the Mariners countered with six runs against the Mets' bullpen in their half of the inning.
Polanco began the outburst with a double before New York's Ryne Stanek walked two batters to load the bases. Leo Rivas and Robles then each delivered RBI singles, with a throwing error by McNeil on Robles' hit allowing an additional run to score for a 7-1 lead.
Two batters later, Raleigh launched a three-run homer to further increase the margin.
The Mariners got two more runs in the seventh despite managing just one hit in the inning. Robles drew a bases-loaded walk before Mets reliever Phil Maton hit Arozarena with a pitch to force in the final run.
Astros complete sweep of Red Sox to extend winning streak
The Astros kept pace with Seattle in the AL West by cruising to their fifth consecutive victory, a 10-2 rout of the scuffling Boston Red Sox highlighted by back-to-back homers by Alex Bregman and Yordan Alvarez during a five-run fifth inning.
Bregman's three-run blast off Brennan Bernardino staked Houston to a 4-0 lead, and Alvarez followed with his third homer in two games to help send the Astros to a three-game series sweep.
Jeremy Pena also homered for the Astros and finished 3 for 5. Jose Altuve also collected three hits and Yainer Diaz contributed a two-run double to support a solid start from Hunter Brown (10-7), who struck out nine while allowing two runs over 5 1/3 innings.
Boston has now lost four straight and may be down a starting pitcher for a while after James Paxton exited Sunday's contest in the first inning with a strained right calf.
Lucas Sims replaced Paxton and allowed a lead-off walk to Mauricio Dubon and a one-out single to Altuve before being removed in the third inning. Bernardino came on in relief and hit Alvarez with a pitch to load the bases, then uncorked a wild pitch that enabled Dubon to score the game's first run.
Pedro Leon and Altuve singled in front of Bregman's game-breaking homer that was followed by Alvarez's 25th home run of the season. The Astros tacked on another run in the fifth when Pena singled, stole second, and scored on Jake Meyers' base hit.
Houston put up four more runs in the sixth - all with two out - to put the game out of reach.
Bregman doubled and Alvarez was walked intentionally to set up Diaz's double that plated both runners for an 8-0 advantage. Pena then homered over the Green Monster in left field to further pad the margin.
Brown's only trouble occurred in the bottom of the sixth, when he gave up two singles and a walk to load the bases with none out. The right-hander walked Wilyer Abreu two batters later to force in the Red Sox's first run, and Masataka Yoshida greeted reliever Caleb Ferguson with an RBI single to bring Boston within 10-2.
Burger homers again as Marlins snap Padres' seven-game win streak
Jake Burger went 3 for 4 and homered for a third straight game, and the Miami Marlins held off a late comeback attempt to end the San Diego Padres' winning streak at seven games with Sunday's 7-6 victory.
Burger's two-run blast off Dylan Cease helped Miami build a 5-0 lead after two innings. The homer was the third baseman's 12th since the All-Star break, the most of any player in the majors over that time frame.
Jesus Sanchez also had a two-run homer as the Marlins ended a three-game skid. Max Meyer (3-2) pitched a career-high 6 1/3 innings while allowing four runs to earn the victory.
Cease (11-9) was dealt his first loss since July 7 and struggled early on, as the Marlins recorded four first-inning hits that led to a pair of runs. Xavier Edwards and Burger began the bottom of the first with consecutive singles, with Edwards later scoring on Jonah Bride's infield hit and Otto Lopez knocking in Burger with a single.
The Marlins then took advantage of a pair of San Diego errors that put two on in the second for Burger, who crushed Cease's pitch over the center field wall for a 5-0 lead.
Cease lasted five innings while being charged with all five runs, only two of which were earned due to the errors.
Meyer kept the Padres scoreless until the fifth, when Xander Bogaerts doubled and later scored on a David Peralta groundout.
San Diego further closed the gap in the sixth inning, which Luis Campusano began with a single and Luis Arraez followed with a double off Meyer. Both players scored on ground-outs by Jurickson Profar and Jake Cronenworth, respectively, to pull the Padres within 5-3.
Peralta doubled in a run in the seventh to cut Miami's lead to one, but Sanchez gave the Marlins some breathing room in the bottom of the inning by following Burger's single with his 14th homer of the season.
Donovan Solano's pinch-hit, two-run homer in the eighth brought the Padres within 7-6, and San Diego got the tying run to second in the ninth when Ha-Seong Kim doubled with two out. Kim's hit was initially ruled a home run before being overturned after a video review.
The Marlins then called on reliever George Soriano, who fanned Campusano for the final out to register his second career save.
Sebastian Korda booked his place in the semi-finals of the Canadian Open after knocking out number two seed Alexander Zverev in three sets.
The American egded the entertaining clash in a third-set decider, eventually emerging a 7-6 (7-5) 1-6 6-4 victor in two hours and 19 minutes on Court Central.
Zverev started the encounter in Toronto on the front foot, earning a break of serve in the second game as he raced into a 3-0 lead early on.
However, his American opponent would fight back, winning three games in row to level the scores, maintaining his momentum to triumph in a first-set tiebreak.
But Zverev would respond emphatically, however, cruising through the second set without breaking a sweat to take the pairs first ever encounter the distance.
Korda and Zverev would hold their respective serve, but the German would be the first to blink, losing the ninth game on serve to hand his opponent the advantage.
And the American would grasp the opportunity with both hands, ending the encounter with a fierce serve as Zverev sent the ball high and and long.
Korda will face the winner of Hubert Hurkacz and Alexei Popyrin for a place in Monday's final.
Data Debrief: Korda continues impressive run
Korda can't stop winning at the moment, with his success in Toronto making it the fouth consecutive semi-final he has reached in as many events.
The world number 18 won 11 of his 15 service games, also saving five of the nine break points he faced in Toronto.
Caleb Williams feels the Chicago Bears are growing in confidence ahead of the new NFL season, having made his debut in Saturday's dominant preseason win over the Buffalo Bills.
Williams – the top overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft – shared snaps with fellow quarterbacks Austin Reed, Tyson Bagent and Brett Rypien as Chicago triumphed by a 33-6 scoreline.
He completed four of his seven attempted passes for 95 yards, avoiding any interceptions or sacks, with the highlight being a 26-yard bullet to tight end Cole Kmet.
With the Bears also using the ninth overall draft pick to take wide receiver Rome Odunze, hopes are high at Soldier Field that 2024 could mark an end to their three-year playoff drought.
Williams is positive regarding the progress they have already made, saying: "There's an understanding that it is preseason, that everybody's not going to show their looks and what they would do versus us and vice versa.
"But it definitely feels good to get out there. The last time I was out there on the field other than practice was November 18. You go that long without something, it's tough.
"But it's been great. The guys have made it fun, they made it easy on me, they've been great from the beginning. My progress, I would put it on them.
"To get out there and have the confidence that we had out there, it's only going to get better and we can't wait."
Head coach Matt Eberflus has also been impressed as Chicago bid to improve on last season's 7-10 record, which was only good enough for fourth place in the NFC North.
"There's certainly positivity there," Eberflus said of Williams' debut. "We're not going to squash that.
"I do feel like we have a lot of work to do and a lot of things to accomplish as a football team, not just Caleb.
"We've all got to play good around him. It's important that we keep improving before that first game."
Louis Rees-Zammit described his Kansas City Chiefs debut as a "great first experience" after the rugby star-turned NFL hopeful featured in their preseason defeat to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Having won 32 caps for Wales, scoring five tries at last year's World Cup in France, Rees-Zammit stunned the rugby world by turning his back on the sport in January to enter the NFL's International Player Pathway Program.
Rees-Zammit signed with the reigning Super Bowl champions in March, with head coach Andy Reid saying he showed promise as a running back.
On Saturday, the 23-year-old featured as a running back, kicker and kick-returner, as well as part of the Chiefs' punt coverage team, as they were beaten 26-13 by the Jags.
The Welshman finished his debut with two carries for one yard, one reception for three yards and one special teams tackle, returns he is keen to build on.
"It was a great first experience," Rees-Zammit told the Irish NFL Show. "I loved it, I loved getting the snaps I did, on special teams as well, which was great.
"I've just got to look back on this, review it and see how I can get better.
"The atmosphere was great, it was pretty electric in the stadium and there was a load of Chiefs fans, which helped massively. It was a great game and I'm looking forward to the next one."
Kansas City face the Detroit Lions and the Chicago Bears in their final two preseason outings before beginning their quest for a third straight Super Bowl with a blockbuster meeting with the Baltimore Ravens on September 5.
Andrey Rublev pulled off a shock in the Canadian Open quarter-final, knocking out an ailing Jannik Sinner in three sets.
The world number one pulled out of the Olympics due to illness and appeared to be struggling with a recurring hip injury as he was beaten 6-3 1-6 6-2 in Montreal on Saturday.
In a rain-hit match, Rublev took the first set before Sinner rallied to force a decider but he could not retain his momentum as the Russian snapped his eight-match winning streak on hard courts.
"It was a really great match of mine. I was playing really well today, and I'm happy that I was able to win," Rublev said.
"I don't know, not much to say, because I still, for the moment, really don't understand what's happening, because Jannik is an amazing player and he's playing unbelievable for the past two years.
"I was just hoping that I would be able to fight with him, to show great tennis. In the end, I think we had a lot of great rallies, a lot of long rallies.
"To be able to win this kind of match, of course, it's always special. I needed those matches, especially after some bad moments this year. So, of course I'm happy."
Since the start of the 2020 season, Rublev is now one of four players to defeat the ATP's number one on multiple surfaces, along with Novak Djokovic, Daniil Medvedev and Holger Rune.
Meanwhile, Alexander Zverev prevailed in straight sets against Rune earlier on Saturday to reach the last eight with a 6-3 7-6 (7-5) win.
Excluding team events, Zverev is now in an 11th ATP-level quarter-final in 2024. It is the most of any player this season, while the German (11) is one of just two to reach 10+ ATP event QFs this year, along with Sinner (10).
Jackson Merrill hit another tying home run and Luis Arraez drove in three runs, including the go-ahead run in the 10th, to lift the San Diego Padres to their season-high-tying seventh straight win, 9-8 over the Miami Marlins on Saturday.
David Peralta had three hits and Jake Cronenworth drove in two runs for the Padres, who have won 16 of 18 overall and 17 of 21 on the road.
With automatic runner Tyler Wade at second, Ha-Seong Kim opened the 10th with a walk. Both runners moved up on Kyle Higashioka's sacrifice before Arraez's soft grounder to first put the Padres ahead.
Tanner Scott got the final three outs for his 19th save and first as a member of the Padres, who acquired him from the Marlins at the trade deadline.
San Diego trailed 7-3 after Miami's six-run sixth but got two runs back in the seventh and Merrill followed Xander Bogaerts' leadoff walk in the eighth with his 17th home run and fifth in 10 games to tie it.
Four of those home runs lifted the Padres into a tie, with three coming in the ninth inning.
Jake Burger and Vidal Brujan homered for the Marlins, who have lost three straight and nine of 13.
McCarthy hits two homers in Diamondbacks' rout of Phillies
Jake McCarthy hit a pair of two-run homers and All-Star Ketel Marte also went deep before leaving with an ankle injury as the red-hot Arizona Diamondbacks rolled to an 11-1 rout of the Philadelphia Phillies.
Corbin Carroll also homered for the Diamondbacks, who have won 14 of 17 to move into a wild-card spot and remain 3 ½ games behind the NL West-leading Dodgers.
Marte exited in the fourth inning after he was knocked on his back covering second by Garrett Stubbs' head-first slide. Marte fell to the ground in pain and eventually left the field under his own power with a trainer.
Arizona starter Zac Gallen also departed early after moving awkwardly in attempting to field a ground ball in the fifth inning. There was no immediate word on his injury, but the ace right-hander missed a month earlier this season with a right hamstring injury.
McCarthy had his first career multi-home run game.
Marte homered in the first off Aaron Nola to reach 30 for the second time in his career. He hit 32 homers in 2019.
Hoskins homers in Brewers' 1-0 win
Rhys Hoskins homered in the 8th inning and rookie Tobias Myers and two relievers combined on a three-hitter as the Milwaukee Brewers won their fifth in a row, 1-0 over the Cincinnati Reds.
Hoskins took reliever Tony Santillan deep for his 20th home run, giving him a 14-game hitting streak.
Myers allowed three hits over 7 1/3 innings and struck out a career-high nine. Seven of his strikeouts were against the first three batters in the Reds order; Jonathan India, Elly De La Cruz and Tyler Stephenson.
Joel Payamps got the final two outs of the eighth for the win and Devin Williams struck out the side in the ninth for his first save of the season.
Cincinnati's Nick Martinez gave up one hit and struck out seven in a season-high seven innings.
Milwaukee (67-49) moved a season-high 18 games over .500.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
