Coco Gauff has become the youngest player in 23 years to advance to the third round of the U.S. Open. The 15-year-old Floridian continues to show that her run to the fourth round at Wimbledon last month was no fluke as she earned a 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 win over Timea Babos of Hungary.
Gauff now prepares for a meeting with defending champion Naomi Osaka, who is seeking her third title in the last five Grand Slams. The top-ranked Osaka stormed to a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Magda Linette after needing three sets to win her opening-round match on Tuesday. Kobe Bryant and Colin Kaepernick were on hand as Osaka looked strong from the baseline and was never in serious trouble.
American Taylor Townsend pulled off the biggest victory over her career by surprising former No. 1 and two-time major champion Simona Halep. The 23-year-old Townsend came back to edge Halep, 2-6, 6-3, 7-6.
Andrea Petkovic opened Thursday’s schedule by upsetting No. 6 seed Petra Kvitova, 6-4, 6-4. The two-time Wimbledon champ never got into a rhythm from the baseline or the net and piled up 32 unforced errors in losing to the 88th-ranked Petkovic.
No. 19 seed Caroline Wozniacki advanced to the third round by fighting back a challenge from American Danielle Collins to win, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.
On the men’s side, second-seeded Rafael Nadal advanced to the third round with a walkover after Thanasi Kokkinakis pulled out before their match with a right shoulder injury. Sixth seed Alexander Zverev reached the third round with his second five-setter of the week, edging Frances Tiafoe, 6-3, 3-6, 6-2, 2-6, 6-3. Zverev is 5-0 this year in matches that go the distance.
No. 14 John Isner won his second-round match in straight sets. No. 15 David Goffin has moved into Round 3, as have No. 23 Stan Wawrinka, No. 28 Nick Kyrgios and unseeded American Denis Kudla.
MLB
Victor Caratini’s second home run of the night was a three-run blast in the seventh inning that gave the Cubs a 4-1 victory and a three-game sweep of the Mets. Caratini also belted a solo shot in the second, one inning after J.D. Davis put New York ahead with a long drive to center. Jon Lester worked six innings as Chicago climbed within 1 1/2 games of the NL Central-leading Cardinals.
In MLB news, the New York Yankees have reacquired the YES Network, joining Amazon and the Sinclair Broadcast Group to buy an 80% stake in the channel from The Walt Disney Co. The deal values YES at $3.47 billion. Disney was required to sell off Fox's regional sports networks as part of its $71 billion deal to acquire Fox's entertainment assets. That deal closed in March.
The Baltimore Orioles are extending the protective netting at Camden Yards in an effort to protect fans from foul balls hit into the seats. The netting will extend down each foul line to near each foul pole and is expected to be in place for Baltimore's next home game on Sept. 5 against Texas.
NFL
Rookie Jarrett Stidham bolstered his bid to be Tom Brady's backup by throwing two touchdown passes for New England before the New York Giants scored on the final play for a 31-29 victory over the Patriots. The fourth-round pick from Auburn threw both of his TDs to Demaryius Thomas for 35 and 3 yards. Josh Gordon played for New England. Julian Edelman left on the first drive following an injury scare to the same hand that caused him to miss the first three preseason games.
Taylor Bertolet kicked two field goals for the game's only scores, but missed three other attempts in his bid to make New York's roster as the Jets topped the Philadelphia Eagles 6-0 in a snoozer of a preseason finale. The kicking job still appears up for grabs for the Jets after a shaky summer from Bertolet. Rookie Clayton Thorson played the entire game for the Eagles. He was 12 of 26 for 84 yards and an interception.
Undrafted rookie Tyree Jackson hit David Sills for an 8-yard touchdown with 8 seconds left in rallying the Buffalo Bills to a 27-23 win over the Minnesota Vikings to close the preseason. Victor Bolden recovered Jackson's fumble in the end zone and Marcus Murphy scored on a 79-yard punt return as the Bills scored three touchdowns in the final 3:53 to overcome a 23-6 deficit.
In NFL news, the Arizona Cardinals have traded offensive lineman Korey Cunningham to the New England Patriots for a sixth-round pick in next year's draft, pending a successful physical The 6-foot-6, 311-pound Cunningham started six games at left tackle for the Cardinals last season. The 24-year-old was selected in the seventh round of the 2018 draft out of Cincinnati.
The Packers have agreed to send outside linebacker Reggie Gilbert to the Titans for a conditional 2020 draft pick. The move is pending a physical. Gilbert played all 16 games for Green Bay last season and ranked second on the team with 15 quarterback pressures.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Central Michigan took down UAlbany in its season opener Thursday, 38-21.
Clemson is looking like the same dominant team that captured last year’s national championship. Travis Etienne ran for a career-high 205 yards and three touchdowns, including one from 90 yards out as the Tigers opened their season with a 52-14 pounding of Georgia Tech. His 90-yard score tied for the longest rushing TD in Tigers history. Etienne added scoring runs of 14 yards and 48 yards as Clemson opened a 35-0 lead. Trevor Lawrence was picked off twice after throwing just four interceptions last year. He finished 13 of 23 for 168 yards, including a 62-yard scoring strike to Tee Higgins.
Kellen Mond threw three touchdown passes and ran for another score in just more than three quarters as No. 12 Texas A&M hammered Texas State, 41-7. Mond threw for 194 yards and accounted for three touchdowns in the first two quarters as the Aggies raced to a 28-0 halftime lead.
Zack Moss ran for 181 yards and a touchdown and No. 14 Utah scored three more TDs off three BYU turnovers and beat the Cougars 30-12 on Thursday night in the opener for both teams. The Utes (1-0) earned their ninth straight victory in the 100th game in the Holy War rivalry. Moss propelled the offense after halftime by gashing the Cougars for a series of big runs. He averaged 6.2 yards on 29 carries.
In college football news, the college football season opener for Boise State and Florida State will be played Saturday at Tallahassee instead of Jacksonville. The move is due to the threat of Hurricane Dorian, which is expected to slam the Jacksonville area. The game has also been moved to a noon start, seven hours before it was originally scheduled. The decision to move the football game was made to keep fans away from the coastal region ahead of storm making landfall.
Kentucky coach Mark Stoops will receive an annual raise of $500,000 plus incentives over the remaining six years of a restructured contract following the Wildcats' best season in 41 years. The seventh-year coach will earn $4.75 million this season with increases up to $6 million in 2024-25. Stoops will also receive a $250,000 bonus for each Kentucky win of nine or more, replacing the previous deal that paid the same amount for the seventh and eighth victories. Incentive bonuses include $50,000 for winning Southeastern Conference Coach of the Year and $100,000 as national Coach of the Year. Stoops would owe Kentucky $1.75 million if he terminates the contract with five years remaining, with steady decreases depending on the number of remaining seasons. Kentucky went 10-3 and won the Citrus Bowl to cap its best season since 1977.
The NCAA is closely watching legislation in California that could dramatically change college sports in the nation's most populous state. The proposal would allow athletes to earn money through endorsements and sponsorships of their names, likenesses and images. It would bar schools, conferences and associations like the NCAA from enforcing policies that prohibit such payments. The NCAA would also not be able to declare a school or athlete ineligible for taking the money. The NCAA has a working group looking at the issue, though it opposes paying athletes like school employees. The bill faces a key test Friday, when an Assembly committee will decide whether to advance it or kill it.
NBA
Brooklyn Nets forward Wilson Chandler has been suspended 25 games without pay by the NBA for testing positive for a drug that increases the release of growth hormone. The league says Chandler's suspension will begin with the first regular-season game in which he is healthy and eligible to play. The Nets signed the veteran forward during their busy offseason and expect him to play a valuable role in the absence of Kevin Durant, who is still recovering from a ruptured Achilles tendon. Chandler has averaged 12.9 points in 11 seasons since being taken in the first round of the 2007 draft.
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