Update on the latest sports
APTENNIS-WIMBLEDON
Djokovic wins Wimbledon to tie Federer, Nadal with 20 Grand Slam titles
WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — Rafael Nadal has joined Roger Federer in congratulating Novak Djokovic on equaling their record of 20 Grand Slam titles. Djokovic won his 20th major by defeating Matteo Berrettini in the Wimbledon final on Sunday.
Nadal said on Twitter that it was an “amazing achievement.” He added that “20 Grand Slam titles is huge and it is amazing that we are 3 players tied on this.” Federer posted a tweet earlier saying it was a “wonderful performance, well done!”
Novak Djokovic tied Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal by claiming his 20th Grand Slam title Sunday, coming back to beat Matteo Berrettini 6-7, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 in the Wimbledon final.
It’s the third consecutive Wimbledon championship for the No. 1 -ranked Djokovic and sixth overall.
NBA FINALS
Bucks, down 2-0, look for life at home
MILWAUKEE (AP) — For the second time this postseason, the Milwaukee Bucks have staggered home with a 2-0 deficit. Milwaukee fans waited 47 years to see the NBA Finals return to their city. They will end up watching Chris Paul, Devin Booker and the Phoenix Suns celebrate a championship at Fiserv Forum if the home team can’t turn things around quickly.
Game 3 is Sunday night, the first NBA Finals game in Milwaukee since 1974 figuring to be a raucous scene inside and outside the arena.
No team has overcome a 3-0 deficit in the NBA, so the Bucks’ situation is dire. But they battled back from a situation that appeared just as bleak last month. The Bucks dropped two games in Brooklyn to start the Eastern Conference semifinals, then took the next two at home to even things up. They won the series in a Game 7 thriller in Brooklyn.
The Bucks are 7-1 at home in the postseason, but now they welcome what was the NBA’s best traveling team. Phoenix was 24-12 on the road during the regular season and has gone 6-2 in the postseason, closing out all three of its series in its opponent’s building.
The Suns opened this series with a pair of double-digit victories in Phoenix, where they were largely in control throughout the second half in both games.
NBA-MAGIC-MOSLEY
Orlando Magic finalize hiring of new coach Jamahl Mosley
UNDATED (AP) — Jamahl Mosley has agreed to become the new coach of the Orlando Magic. The team announced the move Sunday, giving the longtime NBA assistant his first chance at running his own club.
Mosley becomes the 14th coach in Magic history. He replaces Steve Clifford, who left Orlando by mutual agreement after three seasons and two playoff appearances.
The 42-year-old Mosley has spent the last 15 years as an assistant in Denver, Cleveland and Dallas. The last seven seasons were with the Mavericks, and his name has been discussed as a candidate in coaching searches for some time.
MLB-SCHEDULE
Marlins’ López Ks MLB-mark 9 in a row at start, tops Braves
UNDATED (AP) — Marlins right-hander Pablo López set a major league record by striking out the first nine batters to start a game, pitching Miami past the Atlanta Braves 7-4.
A day after the Braves lost star outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. to a season-ending knee injury, their hitters had no answers for López and his early dominance.
López struck out Ehire Adrianza, Freddie Freeman and Ozzie Albies each swinging in the first inning. He then fanned Austin Riley, Orlando Arcia and Dansby Swanson in the second.
In the third, he struck out Guillermo Heredia, Kevan Smith and Ian Anderson.
López broke the mark of eight straight strikeouts to begin a game set by Jim Deshaies in 1986 and matched by Jacob deGrom in 2014 and German Marquez in 2018.
In other MLB action:
— Jose Altuve hit a three-run homer to cap a startling six-run rally in the bottom of the ninth inning, setting off a frenzied celebration and lifting the Houston Astros over the New York Yankees 8-7. The Astros had been shut out by the Yankees in the previous two games. In a series where the teams took turns trolling each other after some lingering ill will over the years, Houston had the final say. Altuve’s homer came with one out against Chad Green, and the Astros star had his jersey ripped off by jubilant teammates.
— Nick Castellanos hit a tiebreaking two-run single off All-Star closer Josh Hader with two outs in the ninth inning, and the Cincinnati Reds beat the Milwaukee Brewers 3-1. The Reds took three of four in the series to pull within four games of the NL Central-leading Brewers. The teams begin a three-game set in Cincinnati on Friday night. The Brewers and Reds are the only teams in the division with winning records at the All-Star break.
— Robbie Ray took a no-hitter into the seventh inning and the Toronto Blue Jays beat Tampa Bay 3-1 Sunday, ending the Rays’ six-game winning streak. The left-hander’s bid ended with one out when Yandy Díaz was awarded a double after a fan reached over the left-field fence and tried to catch his drive. Ray allowed one hit and one walk, while striking out 11 in seven innings. It was his ninth game this season of nine or more strikeouts, tying New York Mets ace Jacob deGrom for most in the majors.
— Wilmer Difo’s tiebreaking single in the ninth inning capped Pittsburgh’s biggest comeback of the season, and the Pirates rallied from an early five-run deficit to beat the New York Mets 6-5. The NL East-leading Mets jumped out to a 5-0 lead against Chase De Jong in the first on a two-run homer by Francisco Lindor and a three-run shot by Michael Conforto. Rodolfo Castro hit two home runs for the Pirates.
— Ronald Torreyes hit a three-run homer, Philadelphia used six pitchers after losing its scheduled starter to COVID-19, and the Phillies hung on to beat the Boston Red Sox 5-4. Torreyes had three of Philadelphia’s six hits and J.T. Realmuto had an RBI single in the third. Philadelphia had to scratch starter Aaron Nola and place the right-hander and three teammates on COVID-19-related injured reserve Sunday. Brandon Kintzler was the opener, Cristopher Sánchez got the win and Ranger Suárez finished it for his second save.
— Adam Engel hit a three-run homer in the 10th inning and the Chicago White Sox rolled into the All-Star break with a 7-5 victory over Baltimore to complete a season sweep of the Orioles. Andrew Vaughn homered twice for the White Sox, who have won five in a row and 10 of 13 overall. Chicago leads the AL Central by eight games over Cleveland. Pinch-hitter Trey Mancini’s two-out, two-homer run in the Orioles ninth made it 4-all.
— Matt Olson hit two of Oakland’s four homers, Chris Bassitt allowed one run in seven innings, and the Athletics beat the Texas Rangers 4-1. Olson is a first-time All-Star who will participate in the Home Run Derby at Coors Field Monday. He homered leading off the fourth inning and with one out of the sixth, giving him 23 longballs this season. Jed Lowrie and Sean Murphy hit back-to-back homers in the second inning for the A’s, who won consecutive games for the first time since mid-June and took two of three at Texas. Bassitt got his 10th win to tie for the AL lead.
MLB-NEWS
Braves try to adjust after Acuña’s season-ending injury
UNDATED (AP) — The Atlanta Braves will have to adjust to playing without All-Star outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. for the remainder of the season. The 23-year-old will have surgery after tearing the ACL in his right knee in the fifth inning of Atlanta’s 5-3 victory over the Miami Marlins on Saturday night.
An MRI showed the severity of the injury. No timetable has been set for the surgery.
Acuña had been set to start for the NL All-Star team in Tuesday’s game, his third appearance. He was hitting .283 with 24 home runs and 52 RBIs for the three-time defending NL East champions.
Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said Sunday before the series finale against the Marlins that he had a very good conversation with Acuña shortly after the MRI results were received. Snitker said Acuña “was in great spirits.”
In other MLB news:
— All-Star pitcher Yusei Kikuchi of the Seattle Mariners was placed on the injured list on Sunday. However, it’s possible that he could still participate in the upcoming All-Star Game festivities in Denver. Manager Scott Servais said he couldn’t comment on Kikuchi’s status “for a number of different reasons,” but that he was “not that concerned with where’s he’s at.” No other details were available about the pitcher’s status.
— Baltimore Orioles first baseman Ryan Mountcastle left Sunday’s game against the Chicago White Sox in the second inning with a left forearm contusion. The team said X-rays were negative. Mountcastle was hit by a Dylan Cease pitch in the first inning. After head athletic trainer Brian Ebel examined him for several minutes, Mountcastle remained in the game to run. However, Pat Valaika replaced him at first to begin the following inning.
— The Red Sox have signed reliever Matt Barnes to a two-year deal that runs through the 2023 season. The 31-year-old is 4-2 with a 2.68 ERA and has 19 saves for the Red Sox in 23 opportunities this season. He was one of five Boston players selected for the All-Star Game. It will be his first All-Star appearance. Barnes has spent his entire career with Boston, which selected him No. 19 overall in the 2011 draft from UConn.
MLB-DRAFT
MLB draft returns, makes All-Star debut
UNDATED (AP) — A year after Major League Baseball limited its draft amid the chaos of COVID-19, it’s set to host a revamped event as part of All-Star festivities in Denver.
The 20-round draft will span three days, with Round 1 slated for primetime Sunday. MLB moved the draft to July’s All-Star weekend, putting the opening round on its network right after the All-Star Futures Game, a showcase for the top players in the minors.
The Pirates hold the No. 1 overall pick. Vanderbilt pitcher Jack Leiter could be in play for the Buccos, along with prep shortstops Marcelo Mayer, Jordan Lawlar and Kahlil Watson, and Louisville catcher Henry Davis.
One more name to know: California high school shortstop Max Muncy, could also go on Day 1. Despite sharing a name and a birthday with the Los Angeles Dodgers slugger, the two aren’t related.
EURO 2020 FINAL
Italy wins Euro 2020, beats England in penalty shootout
LONDON (AP) —Italian soccer’s redemption story is complete. England’s painful half-century wait for a major title goes on. And it just had be via a penalty shootout. Italy won the European Championship for the second time by beating England 3-2 on penalties.
The match finished 1-1 after extra time.
It was England’s third straight failure from the penalty spot in the shootout in front of its own fans at Wembley Stadium.
Italy earned $40.4 million in prize money. England will get $36 million.
Earlier, fans without tickets stormed past security and gained access to the match.
Fans could be seen standing in the Wembley Stadium bowl unable to access their seats.
The 90,000-seat Wembley has a pandemic-restricted capacity of about 67,000.
BRITISH OPEN-WITHDRAWALS
Matsuyama, Watson withdraw from British Open
ST. ANDREWS, Scotland (AP) — Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama (hih-DEH’-kee maht-soo-YAH’-mah) and Bubba Watson have been forced to withdraw from the British Open.
Matsuyama tested positive for the coronavirus ahead of the second round of the Rocket Mortgage Classic on July 2 and has been self-isolating since. He is currently symptom-free but subsequent tests have continued to show positive results.
Hours later Watson had to pull out after being identified as a close contact of someone testing positive for COVID-19.
American golfers Harold Varner and Brandon Steele have come off the reserve list and will play at Royal St. George’s next week.
A total of nine players have now withdrawn from the British Open for various reasons.
LPGA TOUR
Hataoka declared winner as rain-soaked LPGA cut to 54 holes.
SYLVANIA, Ohio (AP) — Nasa Hataoka of Japan is the winner of the Marathon LPGA Classic. The tournament was cut short to 54 holes when the final round at Highland Meadow was washed out. The final round started at 7 a.m. to beat the rain. That didn’t work. The rain was heavy. It flooded the greens. And when the LPGA thought there might be a chance to resume play, the fairways were too drenched to be playable. The LPGA has a major that starts Wednesday in France with the Evian Championship. Hataoka picked up her fourth career LPGA title and first since 2019.
