Serena Williams loses to Raducanu; US Open next
MASON, Ohio (AP) — Serena Williams has fallen to 0-2 in matches since announcing “the countdown has begun” on her career. She lost 6-4, 6-0 to U.S. Open champion Emma Raducanu in the Western & Southern Open on Tuesday night. The 40-year-old Williams said last week in a Vogue magazine essay and an Instagram post that her career was winding down. She did not explicitly say the U.S. Open, which begins Aug. 29 in New York, would be her last tournament. Williams is a 23-time Grand Slam champion, most recently in 2017 at the Australian Open. She has said expanding her family is a big reason she plans to step away.
AP sources: Tiger meets with top players against LIV Golf
WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — The PGA Tour is in Delaware for the first time and so is Tiger Woods. Just not to play. Two people familiar with the situation told The Associated Press that Woods attended a private meeting of top players to discuss the threat of Saudi-funded LIV Golf. One person invited to the meeting said it was a time to get on the same page about the Saudi threat and how the PGA Tour needs to respond. Another person said the meeting was held away from Wilmington Country Club at a hotel. PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan was not invited. Woods has been a strong opponent of LIV Golf. The series has played three events offering $25 million apiece in prize money to a group of players that include Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Phil Mickelson and Bryson DeChambeau.
NBA schedule won't have games on Election Day this year
The NBA will be off on Election Day. The league’s schedule for the coming season will have all 30 teams playing on Nov. 7. That's the night before the midterm elections. The NBA is hoping teams use that night as an opportunity to encourage fans to get out and vote, plus amplify the need for civic engagement. Nov. 8 is Election Day and no NBA teams have games scheduled then. The move is a rarity for the league. The NBA typically plays no games on Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve and tries to avoid scheduling games on the day of the NCAA men’s basketball championship game.
PICK SIX: Key transfers to watch, and not just at QB
Southern California quarterback Caleb Williams isn’t a typical transfer since he followed Lincoln Riley from Oklahoma and is playing for the same coach he had last year. But his status as a quarterback transfer isn’t unusual at all. No position has been impacted more by the NCAA rule changes allowing players to transfer without sitting out a season. The top two quarterbacks in the 2021 class according to composite rankings of recruiting sites compiled by 247Sports already have left their original schools. Williams was ranked second. Quinn Ewers was ranked first and has transferred from Ohio State to Texas.
Arozarena's early homer sends Rays past skidding Yankees 3-1
NEW YORK (AP) — Randy Arozarena hit a three-run homer off Nestor Cortes in the first inning and the Tampa Bay staff made it stand up, leading the Rays over the skidding New York Yankees 3-1. Starter Jeffrey Springs and four relievers combined on a four-hitter, and the crowd of 41,083 at Yankee Stadium booed their AL East leaders at times. The Yankees have lost 11 of 13 and are 8-17 since reaching the All-Star break at 64-28. Tampa Bay won its fourth straight and closed within nine games of the Yankees. It is New York’s smallest margin since also being nine ahead on June 15. The Rays trailed by 15 1/2 games after getting swept at Cincinnati July 8-10. New York barely avoided by shut out for the third straight game.
Braves sign rookie OF Harris to $72 million, 8-year contract
ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Braves have signed rookie outfielder Michael Harris II to a $72 million, eight-year contract to remain with his hometown team. The 21-year-old Harris is the youngest player in the majors. His early-season promotion has bolstered the Braves’ hopes for another championship run. The deal runs through the 2030 season with team options for 2031 and 2032. If both option years are activated, the total value of the contract would be $102 million over 10 years. Harris has emerged as one of the National League’s top rookies as an offensive and defensive standout. He is hitting .287 with 12 home runs. Harris was born in DeKalb County, Georgia, and was drafted by the Braves out of Stockbridge High School, south of Atlanta.
Cody Bellinger benched by Dodgers as struggles continue
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Cody Bellinger has been benched by the Los Angeles Dodgers. The 2019 NL MVP has seen his production fall off dramatically since. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts says Bellinger might sit out the final three games of the team’s series at Milwaukee. Bellinger is batting .206 with 15 homers and 50 RBIs. He started in center field Monday night against the Brewers, going 0-for-4 with two strikeouts, and has two hits in his last 19 at-bats. Chris Taylor shifted from left field to center for Tuesday’s game, with Joey Gallo joining the lineup in left.
Crawford's HR with 2 outs in 9th lifts Giants past D-backs
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Brandon Crawford hit a game-ending two-run homer off Ian Kennedy moments after Thairo Estrada’s two-out triple, and the San Francisco Giants rallied past the Arizona Diamondbacks 2-1.The Giants came back against Arizona’s bullpen after Dbacks ace Merrill Kelly outdueled Jakob Junis.Christian Walker homered leading off the fourth inning for the game’s lone run until the final swing by Crawford for his sixth homer.
Seattle QB Lock tests positive for COVID-19; out vs. Bears
RENTON, Wash. (AP) — Seattle Seahawks quarterback Drew Lock has tested positive for COVID-19 and will miss the team’s preseason game against Chicago. The Seahawks issued a statement regarding Lock’s positive test about two hours following the end of a practice in which Lock was a full participant and led the No. 1 offense. Seattle coach Pete Carroll announced after practice that Lock would start Thursday’s game against the Bears after he served as the backup to Geno Smith in last weekend’s preseason game in Pittsburgh. Lock was acquired from Denver as part of the trade that sent Russell Wilson to the Broncos and has been competing with Smith for the starting job with the Seahawks.
Rangers seek momentum, new manager to contend again in '23
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Texas Rangers are looking to build some momentum and find a new manager heading into 2023. They are more than a decade removed from their only World Series appearances in 2010 and 2011. They have their longest stretch of consecutive losing seasons in the franchise’s half-century in Texas. Manager Chris Woodward was fired as the team's manager late in his fourth season of an extended rebuilding process. They have to win at least 29 of their last 46 games to avoid having a losing record for the sixth year in a row.