Update on the latest sports
APTENNIS-US OPEN (NOTE: Match is still in progress)
Djokovic continues pursuit of Grand Slam; Osaka considers another break
NEW YORK (AP) — Novak Djokovic (NOH’-vak JOH’-kuh-vich) is continuing his pursuit of the calendar Grand Slam in a third-round match against Kei Nishikori (kay nih-shih-KOHR’-ee) at the U.S. Open.
Djokovic has won all 23 matches he’s played at the four most important tournaments in tennis in 2021. That means he is five victories away from a 28-0 mark that would make him the first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to win all four major tennis singles championships in one season. Djokovic would become the first man since 1969 to win a calendar-year Grand Slam. He would also pass Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal for most major titles among men. He tied them with 20 after winning this year’s Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon.
Djokovic is trying to avoid a recent run of upsets at the U.S. Open. On Friday, defending champion Naomi Osaka and two leading men’s seeds — No. 3 Stefanos Tsitsipas (SEET’-see-pahs) and No. 5 Andrey Rublev — all lost.
Among other matches on Saturday:
— Tokyo Olympic gold medalist Belinda Bencic (BEN’-chich) is back in the fourth round at Flushing Meadows. The 11th-seeded Bencic eliminated No. 23 Jessica Pegula (peh-GOO’-luh) 6-2, 6-4 in a rematch from the Summer Games. Bencic was a semifinalist at the 2019 U.S. Open, her best Grand Slams showing.
— French Open semifinalist Maria Sakkari collected her eighth victory this season against an opponent ranked in the top 20 by defeating two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova (kuh-VIHT’-oh-vuh) 6-4, 6-3. The 17th-seeded Sakkari hit nine aces, was never broken and has made it to Week 2 at the U.S. Open for the second year in a row.
— Bianca Andreescu is now 10-0 for her U.S. Open career and back in the fourth round of the tournament she won in 2019. The sixth-seeded Canadian had little trouble advancing with a 6-1, 6-2 victory over 104th-ranked Greet Minnen of Belgium, who has never beaten a top-10 player.
— Oscar Otte (OH’-teh) has given the U.S. Open men’s bracket a trio of qualifiers in the fourth round for the first time since the tournament began keeping qualifying records in 1982. It’s also the first time at any Grand Slam tournament that three male qualifiers reached Week 2 since the 1995 French Open. Otte, a German who is ranked 144th, beat Andeas Seppi of Italy 6-3, 6-4, 2-6, 7-5. He is the lowest-ranked man to get to the fourth round in New York since No. 179 Jiri Novak in 2006. Qualifiers Peter Gojowczyk and Botic van de Zandschulp won third-round matches Friday. Otte’s next opponent will be Wimbledon runner-up Matteo Berrettini.
— Women’s No. 1 Ash Barty tries to reach the quarterfinals for the first time in her U.S. Open career when she plays Shelby Rogers in an evening match. Barty has a 5-0 career mark against Rogers, with four wins against her over a three-month span this year. Barty skipped the tournament last year, when it was played without fans.
— Tokyo Olympic gold medalist Alexander Zverev plays American Jack Sock in Arthur Ashe Stadium at night.
MLB-NEWS
Rays rookie Wander Franco back in lineup
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Tampa Bay Rays rookie shortstop Wander Franco was back in the starting lineup for Saturday’s game against the Minnesota Twins after clearing MLB concussion protocols. Franco extended his on-base streak to 33 games with a seventh-inning walk Thursday night against the Boston Red Sox. He left after the at-bat with a headache. He was checked by a trainer after pointing toward his head several times earlier in the plate appearance. The 20-year sat out last night’s game with the Twins.
In other MLB news:
— Pinch-hitter Gleyber Torres broke up Baltimore’s no-hit bid with an infield single that bounced off the glove of second baseman Jahmai Jones with one out in the seventh inning. With runners at first and third, Torres rolled a ball to the left of second base against Marcos Diplan. Jones tried to backhand the ball but couldn’t control it, allowing Anthony Rizzo to score from third. Rizzo had reached on Jones’ error leading off the inning. The Orioles were trying for what would have been the record ninth no-hitter in the majors this season, topping the mark set in 1884, the first year overhand pitching was permitted.
NBA-NETS-PISTONS TRADE
Pistons get DeAndre Jordan in multiplayer deal with Nets
DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Pistons have acquired veteran center DeAndre Jordan in a multiplayer trade with the Brooklyn Nets. The Pistons also received four second-round picks and cash considerations from the Nets in exchange for forward Sekou Doumbouya and center Jahlil Okafor.
The 33-year-old Jordan signed a free-agent deal with Brooklyn on July 6, 2019, part of a big summer for the Nets that also included Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving joining the team. Jordan averaged 7.5 points and 7.5 rebounds in 57 games last season. He made 43 starts but had dropped out of the rotation by the end of the year.
T25 COLLEGE FOOTBALL-SCHEDULE
No. 2 Oklahoma holds on for 40-35 win over Tulane
UNDATED (AP) — Spencer Rattler passed for 304 yards, and No. 2 Oklahoma beat Tulane 40-35 in a game that was relocated from New Orleans because of Hurricane Ida. Oklahoma led by five in the fourth quarter and Tulane had possession, but quarterback Michael Pratt ran for 12 yards on a fourth-and-13 play. Tulane turned the ball over on downs, and Oklahoma ran out the clock. Oklahoma’s Gabe Brkic tied an FBS record with three field goals of 50 or more yards. Pratt passed for 296 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another score.
In other T25 action:
— Jaquan Brisker and Ji’Ayir Brown intercepted Graham Mertz deep in Penn State territory in the final 2½ minutes to preserve the 19th-ranked Nittany Lions’ 16-10 victory over No. 12 Wisconsin. Wisconsin had its string of 25 consecutive victories in home openers snapped because of its red-zone failures. The Badgers dominated time of possession but had four scoreless trips inside Penn State’s 25-yard line, including three inside the 10.
T25 COLLEGE FOOTBALL NEWS
Oregon DE Thibodeaux injured in opener against Fresno St.
EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Oregon defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux injured his left ankle in Saturday’s game against Fresno State. Thibodeaux, mentioned as a possible Heisman candidate this season, was injured in the first half of No. 11 Oregon season opener, but returned after having the ankle taped. The 6-foot-5, 258-pound third-year sophomore emerged from halftime wearing street clothes and a walking boot on his left leg.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL-MISSISSIPPI-VIRUS
Kiffin to miss Ole Miss opener after positive COVID-19 test
UNDATED (AP) — Mississippi coach Lane Kiffin will miss the opener against Louisville with a breakthrough case of COVID-19.
Kiffin announced the positive test on Saturday, two days ahead of the Rebels’ opener in Atlanta.
Kiffin says he, his staff and his players are all fully vaccinated. He said no other members of the team are expected to miss the game because of COVID-19.
LPGA-SOLHEIM CUP
Steady Europe takes early lead over US at Solheim Cup
TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — Defending champion Europe has surged in front at the 2021 Solheim Cup in women’s golf.
The Europeans won three of the opening four alternate-shot matches to take a 3 1/2- 1/2 lead over the U.S. The matches were tight, with no group ever leading by more than two holes at any point.
The Europeans thrive in the foursomes format at the biennial event. The U.S.’s last victory in opening foursomes came in 2007. Europe is seeking its second victory on U.S. soil in the Solheim Cup’s 31-year history.
F1-NETHERLANDS GP
Verstappen takes pole ahead of Hamilton
ZANDVOORT, Netherlands (AP) — Dutch driver Max Verstappen has won the pole position for Sunday’s Netherlands Grand Prix, to the delight of his Orange Army of fans.
The Red Bull driver’s final lap Saturday was just good enough to beat Mercedes star Lewis Hamilton by .04 seconds and his teammate Valtteri Bottas by .034.
Verstappen’s orange-clad fans stood and roared when he went past the main grandstand area and sealed his season-leading seventh pole of the season. That is four more than F1 record holder Hamilton.
Hamilton missed out on record-extending 102nd career pole but leads Verstappen by three points in the standings.
NFL-OBIT-ILLKIN
Former Pro Bowl lineman, broadcaster Tunch Ilkin dies at 63
UNDATED (AP) — Former Pittsburgh Steelers offensive lineman and broadcaster Tunch Ilkin has died. He was 63.
The popular Ilkin was a fixture on the Steelers’ offensive line after being taken in the sixth round of the 1980 draft. He played 13 of his 14 seasons in the NFL in Pittsburgh, making the Pro Bowl in 1988 and 1989 as an athletic right tackle under Hall of Fame coach Chuck Noll. He appeared in 176 games for the Steelers, making 143 starts.
Ilkin spent 23 years as part of the organization’s radio broadcast team. He revealed last fall that he was battling Lou Gehrig’s disease and had been hospitalized recently with pneumonia. He is survived by his wife and three children.
