Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.
MLB roundup: Rangers top A’s after firing manager
Glenn Otto ended a nine-start winless streak and Marcus Semien delivered a home run as the Texas Rangers edged the Oakland Athletics 2-1 on Monday in Arlington, Texas. The victory capped a transitional day for the Rangers, who parted ways with manager Chris Woodward. Tony Beasley, who had coached third base for the club, was victorious in his first game as interim manager.
Tennis-Halep beats Haddad Maia for third Canadian Open title
Simona Halep ended Beatriz Haddad Maia’s dream run in Toronto with a hard-fought 6-3 2-6 6-3 victory to claim her third Canadian Open title on Sunday. Halep’s serving woes from her semifinal win carried over at the outset of the final as she produced four double faults and was broken in the opening game before quickly falling 3-0 behind.
Boxing-Joshua to use lessons learned from Usyk defeat in rematch
A “re-invented” Anthony Joshua said he is well aware of Oleksandr Usyk’s tricks and knows what he must do to defeat the Ukrainian when they meet in their rematch in Jeddah on Aug. 20. Usyk beat Joshua in front of a sell-out crowd at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last September to take the WBA, WBO, IBF, and IBO belts.
Soccer-Klopp proud of Liverpool for keeping up intensity after Nunez red card
Juergen Klopp said he is proud of Liverpool for fighting back to secure a 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace on Monday despite being reduced to 10 men after Darwin Nunez was sent off. Forward Luis Diaz canceled out Wilfried Zaha’s opener for Palace. Nunez was red carded for a head-butt on his home debut.
Tennis-Tiafoe beats Berrettini, Murray edges Wawrinka in Cincinnati
Frances Tiafoe was unable to break Matteo Berrettini’s serve but the American showed grit in the tiebreakers to beat last year’s Wimbledon runner-up 7-6(3) 4-6 7-6(5) in the opening round of the Cincinnati Open on Monday. Britain’s Andy Murray got the better of Stan Wawrinka 7-6(3) 5-7 7-5 in a clash of former Grand Slam winners to advance at the ATP Masters event, the last tune-up before the U.S. Open kicks off in New York from Aug. 29.
Cricket-ICC must protect test, ODI formats amid rise of T20 leagues: Dev
Former India captain Kapil Dev has called on cricket’s governing body (ICC) to take steps to protect the test and one-day international formats amid the global growth of lucrative domestic Twenty20 competitions. The proliferation of T20 leagues has further strained cricket’s already-bloated calendar, with new competitions in the United Arab Emirates and South Africa set to begin early next year.
Golf-British Open champion Smith to miss BMW Championship with hip injury
British Open champion Cameron Smith has withdrawn from this week’s BMW Championship due to a hip injury, the PGA Tour announced on Monday. The Aug. 18–21 event at Wilmington Country Club in Delaware is the second of three tournaments in the FedEx Cup Playoffs after Will Zalatoris won the first at the St. Jude Championship in Memphis.
Brittney Griner’s legal team appeals against Russian drugs sentence
The defense team of Brittney Griner, the U.S. basketball star jailed for nine years in Russia on drugs charges, appealed on Monday against her conviction for narcotics possession and trafficking. Griner was convicted on Aug. 4 in a verdict that U.S. President Joe Biden called “unacceptable”. Washington says she was wrongfully detained and has offered to exchange her for Viktor Bout, a Russian arms dealer serving a 25-year prison sentence in the United States.
Tennis-Fitter Murray hopes consistency will bring seeding reward
Andy Murray said his body is feeling the best it has “in a really long time” but that he still needs to take his game up a level if he wants to compete in the latter stages of tournaments on a regular basis. Murray, who has battled through various injuries in recent years, reached the second round of the Cincinnati Open on Monday with a 7-6(3) 5-7 7-5 win over Stan Wawrinka.
Tennis-Early Cincinnati exit jolts Fernandez’s US Open preparations
Leylah Fernandez suffered a blow to her U.S. Open preparations on Monday after losing 6-4 7-5 to Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova in the Cincinnati Open first round while Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina was among those advancing in the WTA 1000 event. Canadian Fernandez, the 2021 U.S. Open runner-up, was playing only her third singles match since returning from a foot injury she suffered at the French Open.
(With inputs from agencies.)
