Man United and Tottenham make woeful starts in the Premier League to puncture preseason positivity
It took just one round of the Premier League to puncture the preseason positivity surrounding Manchester United and Tottenham. Saturday in England's top division began with United getting rolled over by promoted Hull in an embarrassing 2-0 loss. It ended with Tottenham getting overwhelmed in a 3-0 defeat at Brentford. United, the 20-time English champion, has a new permanent manager in Michael Carrick and a freshly renovated midfield but still looks well short of being a title challenger. Tottenham was one of the biggest spenders in Europe this summer with $300 million, and counting, of new players in its squad but it didn't show.
Infantino defies FIFA vice president by going to youth event in Caribbean amid global soccer rift
GENEVA (AP) — Gianni Infantino has defied a request by one of his FIFA vice presidents to stay away from an Under-14 soccer event in the Caribbean this weekend. The FIFA president's visit to the Dominican Republic was a rare public appearance during the global furor over his failed plan to sell future World Cup profits to private investors. On Saturday Infantino posted photos on his Instagram account showing him meeting political and soccer officials from the Dominican Republic on the sidelines of a Caribbean Football Union youth tournament in the Punta Cana resort. He had been asked Friday not to go by Victor Montagliani, who said Infantino's visit would be a distraction from the tournament's games. Montagliani is the Canadian president of Miami-based continental soccer body CONCACAF.
Serena Williams will play mixed doubles with Carlos Alcaraz in her return to the US Open
NEW YORK (AP) — Serena Williams will team up with Carlos Alcaraz to create a powerhouse mixed doubles pair in her return to the U.S. Open. The U.S. Tennis Association announced Saturday that Williams and Alcaraz had been given a wild card into the tournament. The mixed doubles main draw begins Tuesday. It will be Williams’ first time playing at the U.S. Open since 2022. She returned to tennis this summer. Alcaraz announced this week he would return to defend his U.S. Open singles title after being sidelined since April with a right wrist injury. Williams isn't planning to play singles in New York.
Dodgers president shuts down sale rumors after Mark Walter’s $12.5B Lakers deal
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles Dodgers president Stan Kasten has addressed online speculation about the team's future under owner Mark Walter. He stated that the Dodgers are not for sale and no process has started to sell the team. This speculation began after Walter agreed to sell the Los Angeles Lakers for a record-breaking price. Kasten emphasized Walter's commitment to the Dodgers, dismissing any connection to ongoing tax fraud investigations involving Walter’s business empire. Walter, based in Chicago, has led the Dodgers to significant success, including three World Series championships in six seasons. Kasten praised Walter's dedication to the franchise.
Breanna Stewart wants a safe space as transgender debate sparks rallies at Fever games
NEW YORK (AP) — Breanna Stewart has always seen the WNBA as an inclusive places that has served as a safe space for both its fans and the players. That’s been challenged lately. The WNBA has been the subject of recent debates on whether transgender women — people assigned male at birth who transition to align with their gender identity — should be allowed to participate in the league. There has never been such a player in the WNBA. Although the league’s collective bargaining agreement says the WNBA is restricted to women, it contains no more specific language about gender identity or sex assigned at birth. There’s been small rallies and protests outside Indiana Fever games There are two rallies planned before the Liberty face the Fever on Saturday night.
Lando Norris on pole for Dutch Grand Prix as Russell cruises to sprint win
ZANDVOORT, Netherlands (AP) — Lando Norris has beaten his rivals and the weather to take pole position for the Dutch Grand Prix after George Russell took a sprint race win on Formula 1’s return from its mid-season break. McLaren’s Norris made the most of his final run as rain fell to reclaim pole by 0.102 of a second from Russell, whose Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli was third. Russell earlier took the sprint win ahead of Charles Leclerc in second and Lando Norris in third.
Braves' Sale says Brewers' Misiorowski has 'probably the most impressive fastball I've ever seen'
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Milwaukee Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski outdueled one of his favorite pitchers and got quite a compliment from him afterward. Atlanta's Chris Sale said after the Braves' 2-1 loss that it seems like Misiorowski's kind of in a league of his own this year. Sale added that “it's probably the most impressive fastball I've ever seen.” Misiorowski has said on multiple occasions that Sale was one of the pitchers he enjoyed watching the most while growing up. Misiorowski pitched six shutout innings Friday without relying on his fastball nearly as much as usual.
Tommy Edman delivers a 2-strike, 10th-inning walk-off single as the Dodgers edge the Pirates 5-4
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Tommy Edman singled in the winning run with two strikes, lifting the Los Angeles Dodgers over the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-4 in 10 innings. Edman's line drive scored Kiké Hernández from third, keeping the Dodgers undefeated in extra innings this season. Evan Phillips got the win with one inning of relief. The Dodgers have won four in a row for the first time since July and have taken eight of their last 11 games. Pittsburgh's Oneil Cruz tied the game with a two-run homer in the eighth. Dodgers starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto struck out nine and allowed two runs over six innings.
NCAA gets win in court on 5-year eligibility rule, but this is hardly the end of the lawsuits
DENVER (AP) — A federal appeals court has temporarily halted a court order that would have granted thousands of athletes an extra year of eligibility. This decision comes just eight days before the college football season begins. The lawsuit was filed by players who graduated high school in 2022 and were not included in the NCAA’s new rule granting most players five years of eligibility. The ruling puts a hold on the situation until the appeal can be fully heard. The NCAA argues that fairness is subjective, as current athletes and schools have already built their rosters based on existing rules.
Wyndham Clark making it look easy at Bellerive and builds 1-shot lead in BMW Championship
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Wyndham Clark is making it look easy at the BMW Championship. He has gone bogey-free at Bellerive with a pair of 64s and has a one-shot lead. He also has another crowd favorite right on his heels. Gary Woodland is golf's feel-good story as he continues his recovery from 2023 brain surgery. Woodland already won this year at the Houston Open. He shot a 65 and will be in the final group with Clark before a Missouri crowd that is good with cheering on a Kansas native. J.J. Spaun celebrated his 36th birthday with a 66 and was two back.
