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[1/5] Apr 2, 2023; Miami, Florida, US; Daniil Medvedev celebrates with the Butch Buchholz championship trophy after his match against Jannik Sinner (ITA) (not pictured) in the men's singles final on day fourteen of the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY SportsApril 2 (Reuters) - Daniil Medvedev beat Italy's Jannik Sinner 7-5 6-3 to win the Miami Open on Sunday for his fourth title of the year and 19th overall. Medvedev broke Sinner for 3-1 in the second set and cruised from there, his powerful groundstrokes and impenetrable defense carrying him to the finish. With the win Medvedev earned his fifth Masters 1000 title and improved to 6-0 lifetime against Sinner. Sinner, who also made the Miami final in 2021, is still searching for his first Masters 1000 title.

☆ Kvitova draws on experience to triumph in Miami
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/7] Apr 1, 2023; Miami, Florida, US; Petra Kvitova (CZE) celebrates with the Butch Buchholz championship trophy after her match against Elena Rybakina (KAZ) (not pictured) in the women's singles final on day thirteen of the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY SportsApril 1 (Reuters) - Petra Kvitova said she drew on her deep well of experience to come through an epic first set tie-breaker and upset Elena Rybakina 7-6(14) 6-2 for her first Miami Open title on Saturday. "Experience today played a good role in my mind," Kvitova told reporters after the match. With the win Kvitova became the second-oldest women to triumph at the Miami Open, after Serena Williams in 2015. Kvitova said athletes from those countries should also not be allowed to compete at the Paris Olympics.

The Russian called himself a "hard court specialist" at Indian Wells last month while complaining about the slow speed of the courts and it is hard to argue with his expertise. "I love hard courts. If it would be my choice, it would be only hard courts," he told reporters. Even if I know that I can play well enough on the grass and clay, on hard courts I feel the most fluid. "The earlier you lose in Miami, the more clay court practice you can get," he told Tennis Channel.

☆ Kvitova upsets Rybakina to win first Miami Open title
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/4] Apr 1, 2023; Miami, Florida, US; Petra Kvitova (CZE) reacts after winning a first set tiebreaker against Elena Rybakina (KAZ) (not pictured) in the women's singles final on day thirteen of the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY SportsApril 1 (Reuters) - Petra Kvitova turned back the clock to upset Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina 7-6(14) 6-2 on Saturday to win her first Miami Open crown and ninth WTA 1000 title. The veteran Czech player, seeded 15th, ended an epic, 22-minute first set tiebreak by converting her fifth set point when 10th-seeded Rybakina's forehand landed in the net. The 33-year-old Kvitova, who won Wimbledon in 2011 and 2014 and who had recently contemplated retirement, put her hands on her head in astonishment when Rybakina's forehand sailed long to seal the win. Kvitova, who fended off five set points in the see-saw tiebreak, said capturing it was the key to the match.

☆ League and players reach tentative contract agreement
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

April 1 (Reuters) - The NBA and the NBA Players Association have agreed to a tentative labor contact that still needs to be ratified by both sides, the league and the union said late on Friday. Details of the agreement will be made available once the term sheet is finalized, the sides said. The age limit to enter the NBA will remain at 19 years old, which means most players coming out of high school will have to wait at least one year before entering the league, the paper reported. The NBA's last work stoppage came in 2011 when the players were locked out for more than five months. Reporting by Rory Carroll in Los Angeles Editing by Toby DavisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Horse racing-Implementation of anti-doping program for racehorses in U.S. delayed
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

April 1 (Reuters) - The implementation of the first nationwide anti-doping program for racehorses in the U.S. has been delayed by at least one month as it awaits approval by the federal agency that oversees it, the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) said. read more"We are disappointed by today's procedural ruling related to the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) approval processes," HISA said in a statement on Friday. "This ruling institutes a 30-day waiting period prior to the implementation of HISAs Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) Program and solely addresses a procedural concern with the FTC's approval order. "It does not address the substance of the ADMC rules or the constitutionality of the ADMC Program or HISA more broadly." HISA's racetrack safety program, which launched in July 2022, remains in effect.

☆ Alcaraz, Rybakina stay on course for 'Sunshine Double' in Miami
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY SportsMarch 28 (Reuters) - Indian Wells champions Carlos Alcaraz and Elena Rybakina stayed on course to complete the 'Sunshine Double' with straight sets wins at the Miami Open on Tuesday. Paul fell behind an early break again in the second set on a missed forehand for 2-1. Alcaraz is now three wins away from the 'Sunshine Double,' something he needs to retain his world number one ranking from Novak Djokovic. The 10th-seeded Kazakh deployed her clean groundstrokes and feasted on the Italian's soft second serve in the tight first set. "I would say that, of course, maybe I'm moving not as good as I was moving in Indian Wells but overall I think that I'm trying to keep that level from Indian Wells," she told reporters after reaching the semi-finals.

☆ Djokovic to miss Miami Open over vaccine status, tournament director says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

March 17 (Reuters) - Novak Djokovic will miss next week's Miami Open after the Serbian was denied an exemption that would have allowed him to enter the U.S. despite not being vaccinated against COVID-19, tournament director James Blake said on Friday. "We tried to get Novak Djokovic to be allowed to get an exemption, but that wasn't able to happen," Blake told Tennis Channel. "Obviously, we're one of the premier tournaments in the world, we'd like to have the best players that can play. Djokovic, 35, is also missing the ongoing Masters event in Indian Wells, California due to inability to secure the exemption. He has not played at Indian Wells or the Miami Open - which together comprise the "Sunshine Double" - since 2019.

☆ Rybakina knocks out defending champion Swiatek to reach Indian Wells final
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

March 17 (Reuters) - Elena Rybakina knocked out defending champion Iga Swiatek with a 6-2 6-2 semi-final victory at Indian Wells on Friday to set up a clash against Aryna Sabalenka in the final. Two months after Rybakina knocked Swiatek out of the Australian Open in the fourth round, the Wimbledon champion once again put in an impressive display against the world number one. Rybakina was in control from the start, breaking early to take a 2-0 lead, before going on to clinch the first set when Swiatek produced a double fault on set point. "I really played well today, it was a really nice atmosphere tonight," Rybakina said in her on-court interview. Rybakina will be out for revenge when she faces Sabalenka, who defeated her in the Australian Open final in January.

"I was quite angry honestly because the court crew wouldn't let us warm up before the match," Ruud said. "I don't know if it was good or not but Netflix was there catching it all. Canada's Auger Aliassime feels the impact of the show most acutely in the U.S., where Netflix has its biggest market. "I thought the episode was really great but there were a couple things that were missed," the American said. "But it's been fun to be part of something Netflix has made together with (the Formula One) "Drive to Survive" and the golf series ("Full Swing").

LOS ANGELES, March 5 (Reuters) - Novak Djokovic has formally withdrawn from the draw for the Indian Wells tournament, organisers said on Sunday in an indication that the world number one's application for a COVID-19 vaccine waiver to enter the U.S. might have failed. The Serbian, who is one of the most high-profile athletes unvaccinated against the virus, applied to the U.S. government last month for special permission to play at ATP Masters events at Indian Wells and Miami. Djokovic has not competed at the back-to-back ATP Masters events in Indian Wells and Miami, two of the biggest tournaments on the ATP calendar and known as the "Sunshine Double", since 2019. Indian Wells tournament director Tommy Haas, the United States Tennis Association and the U.S. Open were among those also hoping the 22-time Grand Slam champion would be allowed to enter. He would have been a heavy favorite to win his sixth Indian Wells title when the tournament kicks off in the Southern California desert on Wednesday.

☆ Woods skipping Players Championship, next start likely Masters
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

March 4 (Reuters) - Twice-champion Tiger Woods was not listed in the field for next week's The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, meaning his next start will likely come at the Masters in April. Woods has said his schedule would be limited to the majors and a few other events each year, given the injuries he suffered in a 2021 car crash. Woods' most recent start at The Players Championship came in 2019 when he tied for 30th place a month before he ended an 11-year major title drought at the Masters where he claimed a fifth Green Jacket and 15th career major. The Masters runs April 6-9. Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto and Rory Carroll in Los Angeles; Editing by William MallardOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Grizzlies' Morant suspended at least two games after gun video
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] Mar 3, 2023; Denver, Colorado, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) dribbles during the first quarter against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY SportsMarch 4 (Reuters) - Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant has been suspended by the team for at least the next two games after he was seen displaying what appeared to be a gun at a nightclub on his Instagram live account early Saturday morning. Morant also allegedly made threats against the head of security at a Memphis mall, which led to the filing of a police report, the paper said. Morant is averaging 27.1 points, 8.2 assists and 6.0 rebounds in 53 games this season for the Grizzlies, who are currently in second place in the Western Conference. The suspension means he will miss Sunday's game against the Clippers and Tuesday's game against the Lakers.

☆ Kyrgios withdraws from Indian Wells and Miami with knee issue
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

LOS ANGELES, Feb 27 (Reuters) - Nick Kyrgios has withdrawn from next month's Masters 1000 tournaments in Indian Wells and Miami as he continues to recover from surgery on his left knee, event organisers said on Monday. After contesting his first Grand Slam final at Wimbledon in July, he won the ATP 500 Citi Open in August, and reached to U.S. Open quarter-finals in September. But pain in his knee forced him to withdraw from the Japan Open in October and he then pulled out of his home major, the Australian Open, in January and underwent surgery. The world number 19, who is known for his thunderous serve and on-court outbursts, has yet to make his 2023 season debut. Reporting by Rory Carroll in Los Angeles, editing by Pritha SarkarOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

LAFC prevailed in the most thrilling final in league history against Philadelphia last season when Gareth Bale's stunning extra time goal tied the rollercoaster affair 3-3. The home side then broke the hearts of the Union in a one-sided penalty shootout to claim their first MLS Cup and cap a season where they also won the Supporters' Shield for having the best regular-season record. Earlier this month Forbes announced that LAFC was the first MLS club to reach $1 billion in value. "Leading into the World Cup in 2026, you want to build momentum and gain more exposure, and I think this partnership is going to truly be beautiful." While Fox and FS1 will still carry some games on traditional cable, the bulk of the matches will be streamed on Apple TV through its MLS Season Pass at a price of $79 a year for Apple TV+ subscribers and $99 for those without.

"I don't know what that reaction is going to be," said Woods, who will tee it up at the PGA Tour's Genesis Invitational this week. "I know that some of our friendships have certainly taken a different path, but we'll see when all that transpires. Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson and Brooks Koepka are among the big names who have left the PGA Tour for the lucrative, Saudi-backed LIV Golf. While banned from PGA Tour events, LIV players have been invited to compete at the Masters. Woods called world number one Rory McIlroy the PGA Tour's "ambassador" and said he had been extraordinary at navigating the new, and at times hostile, terrain.

☆ Magician Mahomes shows steely side as Chiefs QB named Super Bowl MVP
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( Amy Tennery | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The 27-year-old led the Chiefs to a 38-35 win over the Philadelphia Eagles at Super Bowl 57, throwing for 182 yards and three touchdowns at State Farm Stadium. But Mahomes showed he still had the magic touch after the break, engineering an extraordinary comeback by throwing two touchdown passes and scrambling 26 yards late in the fourth quarter. read more"I told you all this week there's nothing that's going to keep me off that football field," said Mahomes. "We challenged each other to win this football game so shout out to my team mates - we're Super Bowl champs." Reporting by Amy Tennery in Glendale, Arizona, additonal reporting by Steve Keating and Rory Carroll; Editing by Peter RutherfordOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

LOS ANGELES, Feb 9 (Reuters) - Briton Emma Raducanu has been handed a wild card for next month's WTA 1000 event at Indian Wells, tournament organisers announced on Thursday. Raducanu, who became an international sensation when at 18 years old she won the 2021 U.S. Open as a qualifier, struggled with injuries and inconsistent play last year and has seen her world ranking plummet to 80. Last month she suffered an ankle injury in Auckland before falling to American teenager Coco Gauff in the second round of the Australian Open. Raducanu was troubled by pain in her abs early on against Gauff but bounced back to force a second set tiebreak in a match that offered fans a tantalising glimpse into the future of women's tennis. Reporting by Rory Carroll in Los Angeles; Editing by Ken FerrisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Super Bowl media embraces surprise new A-lister: Donna Kelce
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Amy Tennery | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

PHOENIX, Feb 9 (Reuters) - As celebrities descended on Phoenix this week ahead of Super Bowl 57, a brand new A-lister emerged that few had heard of before: Donna Kelce. But first she is going through the Super Bowl's exhaustive news cycle, dressed in her now-famous combination Eagles-Chiefs jersey. "You can't tell my mom anything right now - she's an absolute superstar," said Travis Kelce, 33, the eight-time Pro Bowler who helped the Chiefs hoist the Lombardi Trophy three years ago. More than 180,000 signatures were signed to a Change.org petition as of Wednesday evening, demanding that Donna be allowed to make the coin toss on Super Bowl Sunday, and she signed a promotional deal with KIND Snacks. Donna has likened seeing her two sons in the Super Bowl to winning the lottery, with a career in professional sports a wild gamble for even the most gifted athlete.

James is 36 points away from surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's career record of 38,387 and his complete game reminds Dumars of 20-times major tennis champion Roger Federer. "I've seen people try to make him shoot his outside jump shot, and he's made them. He is averaging 30 points per game and was selected to his record-tying 19th All-Star game last month. "It's going to be maybe 22, 23, 24 years that you have to play at a super high level. "I know in the NBA we've never seen that before."

The United States has in place a vaccine requirement for foreign air travellers that is not expected to be lifted before main draw action kicks off on March 9. Indian Wells tournament director Tommy Haas recently said that it would be a "disgrace" if Djokovic was not allowed to compete at Indian Wells and other tournaments in the United States this year. read moreHaas said Indian Wells organisers would do everything to help Djokovic's chances of playing. Even if Djokovic is unable to compete at Indian Wells there will still be plenty of talent on show. Spanish great Rafael Nadal, teenage world number two Carlos Alcaraz and defending champion Taylor Fritz were among those named on Wednesday's entry list.

[1/7] Feb 7, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Former Los Angeles Lakers player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar hands the game ball to forward LeBron James (6) after James becomes the NBA all time scoring leader against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second half at Crypto.com Arena. /Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY SportsFeb 7 (Reuters) - Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the NBA's all-time leading scorer on Tuesday, setting the new mark with a fadeaway jumpshot late in the third quarter of a home game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Lakers great Abdul-Jabbar, who took the title from Wilt Chamberlain with his signature skyhook on April 5, 1984, sat courtside at Tuesday's game. "I just want to say thank you to the Laker faithful, you guys are one of a kind," James said. Reporting by Rory Carroll in Los Angeles; Editing by Peter RutherfordOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Someone who's able to play for this long and be as productive as he's been since day one. "Everybody is excited for him, but we're still trying to win games and hopefully we do that the same night he breaks the record." The Lakers are 25-29 and 13th in the Western Conference standings but just four games off the number four seed. "At the end of the day he's not going to change the way he plays, he just wants to win games," Reaves said. "His biggest thing is to win games."

James needs 36 points to eclipse Lakers great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's record of 38,387 points and will get his first chance to do so at home on Tuesday against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Tickets for that game start at $284, 50% higher than the team's season average, according to ticket retailer StubHub. "This might be one of those things that helps endear him to L.A.," said longtime Lakers fan Mike DeMars. "For me it's hard to compare different eras because the game was different back in the 80s and 90s," said Ellis. Reporting by Rory Carroll in Los Angeles Editing by Toby DavisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

LOS ANGELES, Feb 4 (Reuters) - Lakers forward LeBron James returns to Los Angeles on the verge of becoming the NBA's all-time leading scorer after wrapping up a five-game road trip in New Orleans on Saturday night. 'King James' now needs just 36 points to pass fellow Lakers great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's record 38,387 career points after contributing 27 points in the Lakers' 131-126 loss to the Pelicans. Ticket prices for those games have predictably skyrocketed and Hollywood's biggest stars are expected to be seated courtside. At this point the only question is what kind of shot he will take to seize the a title. Reporting by Rory Carroll in Los Angeles; Editing by Lincoln FeastOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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