FIFA launches Arsene Wenger-led global coaching, talent project

FIFA launched a global program led by Arsene Wenger on Friday to help close the gap on Europe’s dominance in soccer by improving coaching and ...

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Capitals star Alex Ovechkin moves past retired legend Mark Messier on NHL’s career goals list

Crowds seldom give loud ovations to opposing players. Alex Ovechkin isn’t just a regular opponent.Ovechkin scored two goals and moved into eight place on the ...

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Former IAAF chief Lamine Diack attends court hearing

Lamine Diack, the former head of track and field’s world governing body, returned to court in Paris on Friday for questioning over bribery charges and ...

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Southampton’s Maya Yoshida agrees to play for Sampdoria on six-month loan

Southampton defender Maya Yoshida has agreed to join Serie A club Sampdoria on loan for the rest of the season on Friday, the final day ...

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Keisuke Honda signs with Brazilian club Botafogo

Former Japan international Keisuke Honda posted a short video of himself on his Twitter account on Friday, saying in Portuguese he is joining Brazilian club ...

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Curtis Granderson retires after 16 seasons

Three-time All-Star outfielder Curtis Granderson announced his retirement Friday after 16 seasons in the major leagues.Granderson played for seven teams. He was an All-Star for ...

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Dominic Thiem outplays Alexander Zverev to reach first Australian Open final

Locked in an even-as-can-be Australian Open semifinal, Dominic Thiem looked up at his guest box, patted his belly and stuck out his tongue, as if ...

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Jets forward Michael Parker ignites offense in victory over Susanoo Magic

The Chiba Jets wrapped up a perfect January in league play by topping the Shimane Susanoo Magic on Friday night.The Jets’ 90-79 victory, their ninth ...

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Thai forward Teerasil Dangda joins S-Pulse

Thai international striker Teerasil Dangda has returned to the J. League with the Shimizu S-Pulse on a full transfer, the first-division club announced Friday.The 31-year-old ...

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Sofia Kenin eyes bright lights of first Grand Slam final

Sofia Kenin enjoys the bright lights and the big city, which is why she aspires to reside in Manhattan one day and perhaps explains why ...

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Naoya Inoue to meet John Riel Casimero in bantamweight title unification bout

Bantamweight Naoya Inoue, the WBA’s super champion and IBF champion, will face WBO title holder John Riel Casimero of the Philippines on April 25 in ...

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Last dance for Sunwolves complicates matters in 2020 Super Rugby campaign

Lance Conrad wrote in “The Price of Nobility” that “only a fool would underestimate a man with nothing to lose.”It is a mantra that perhaps ...

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Ex-Devils coach John Hynes leads Predators past his old team

New coach John Hynes got more than a measure of satisfaction against his former team Thursday when the Nashville Predators beat the New Jersey Devils ...

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Veteran reliever Yoshihisa Hirano agrees to deal with Mariners

The Mariners added a veteran arm to their bullpen Thursday, agreeing to a $1.6 million, one-year contract with Yoshihisa Hirano.Seattle also agreed to a minor ...

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Trae Young carries Hawks past Sixers

Trae Young thought it was important for him to play up to his status as an All-Star starter. After all, the Hawks’ point guard was ...

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Chiefs, 49ers will be the toughest Super Bowl to pick in many years

Even the oddsmakers aren’t sure about this Super Bowl.That’s how close the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers match up. The Chiefs are a ...

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Chris Paul, Kyle Lowry among NBA All-Star reserves, with six first-timers selected

The NBA All-Star Game is going to have plenty of new faces.The NBA released the list of the players Thursday voted by the league’s head ...

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Sharks’ Tomas Hertl out for season with knee injury

Tomas Hertl will miss the rest of the season for the San Jose Sharks with a serious knee injury.The Sharks said Thursday that Hertl tore ...

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J. League board decides to reappoint Mitsuru Murai as chairman

The J. League board of directors agreed Thursday to extend the tenure of chairman Mitsuru Murai.At a meeting in Tokyo, the board voted to grant ...

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Novak Djokovic ends Roger Federer’s title hopes in Australian Open semifinals

Novak Djokovic was wondering, right along with everyone else, what sort of shape Roger Federer would be in for their Australian Open semifinal.So Djokovic was ...

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Japan Cricket Association takes ambitious steps to grow the game

Three years ago, Japan didn’t have an active Under-19 cricket team. Today, however, Japan is one of 16 teams taking part in the ongoing Under-19 ...

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Russia faces blanket track ban at 2020 Olympics

Russian track and field athletes may be banned from a second straight Summer Olympics after the Athletics Integrity Unit recommended severe sanctions be imposed on ...

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Sofia Kenin, Garbine Muguruza reach Australian Open final

So long in the shadows of other American tennis players, Sofia Kenin is into her first Grand Slam final at age 21 — and she ...

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Strong defense, rebounding help Evessa build solid foundation in pursuit of playoff appearance

After splitting a pair of away games last weekend with the Utsunomiya Brex, the Osaka Evessa passed the midway point of the season with a ...

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Damian Lillard notches first career triple-double in Blazers’ triumph over Rockets

Damian Lillard laughed when asked about his first career triple-double.“It’s about time,” he said. Lillard had 36 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds, and the ...

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Fun-loving tight ends Travis Kelce, George Kittle revel in Super Bowl party

They’ve got swagger, style and lots and lots of catches.Kansas City’s Travis Kelce and San Francisco’s George Kittle are talkative tight ends at this year’s ...

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Lucio, a starter on Brazil’s 2002 World Cup-winning squad, retires at 41

World Cup and Champions League winner Lucio announced his retirement on Wednesday at the age of 41.The Brazilian defender spent the last two years playing ...

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Manchester City reaches League Cup final despite loss to rival Manchester United

Pep Guardiola slumped to his haunches in the technical area and put his head in his hands after seeing his Manchester City players squander yet ...

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Canucks rally past Sharks for fourth straight victory

Rookie defenseman Quinn Hughes and forward Tanner Pearson each had a goal and an assist as the Vancouver Canucks rallied for a 5-2 victory against ...

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Dominic Thiem upsets No. 1 Rafael Nadal in epic encounter in Australian Open quarterfinals

Outplayed at his own brand of physical tennis for much of the match, Rafael Nadal finally claimed a set to try to start a comeback ...

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Liverpool defeats West Ham to take 19-point lead atop Premier League standings

Mohamed Salah scored a penalty and set up Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s goal as Liverpool beat West Ham 2-0 Wednesday to go 19 points clear at the ...

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Vanessa Bryant says she’s ‘completely devastated’ by death of Kobe Bryant and daughter

Vanessa Bryant made her first public comment Wednesday since the helicopter crash that killed her husband Kobe Bryant, one of their daughters and seven others, ...

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Dusty Baker replaces AJ Hinch as Astros manager

Dusty Baker has been hired to replace AJ Hinch as the manager of the Houston Astros.The team announced the hiring on Wednesday and said Baker ...

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Hall of Fame defensive end Chris Doleman dies of brain cancer at 58

Chris Doleman was clinging to his preferred position of outside linebacker, struggling through his second NFL season with the Minnesota Vikings.The team’s vision for his ...

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Sapporo gets JOC approval to move forward in bidding process for 2030 Winter Olympics

The Japan Olympic Committee has given Sapporo the green light to enter the dialogue stage of the 2030 Winter Games bid process with the International ...

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Japan names delegation chief for Tokyo Paralympics

Japanese Paralympic Committee chairman Junichi Kawai has been appointed chief of the Japanese delegation for the Tokyo Paralympics, the committee said Wednesday.Kawai, who is totally ...

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Tributes build outside ‘House that Kobe Built’

Fans call it The House that Kobe Built, and since Kobe Bryant’s death in a helicopter crash mourners by the thousands have gathered daily outside ...

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U.S. women defeat Haiti to open Olympic qualifying

Christen Press scored the opening goal off a shoeless assist from Lynn Williams and the United States beat Haiti 4-0 on Tuesday in its opening ...

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Virus in China affects sports events, Olympic qualifiers

Amid growing concern at the spread of a new virus outbreak in China, international sports have been postponed and Olympic qualifying tournaments are being taken ...

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Goeido secure in decision to retire

Retiring sumo wrestler Goeido said Wednesday there were no questions about his choice to hang up his mawashi, because he had failed in a do-or-die ...

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Tokushoryu’s unlikely run among sumo’s best surprises

January 2020 served up one of the best sumo tournaments of recent times.After both yokozuna pulled out in the first few days — having managed ...

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Overloaded schedule affects J. League clubs on pitch

It’s not even February, and a J. League team has been eliminated from the Asian Champions League.Following Melbourne Victory’s 1-0 win at Kashima Stadium on ...

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Kawamura laying foundation for bright future

Yuki Kawamura has been one of the best players in Japanese high school basketball in the last couple of years. He lived up to fans’ ...

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Brave Blossoms head coach Jamie Joseph calls for structural reform

Japan coach Jamie Joseph put the cat among the pigeons Wednesday when he said the Brave Blossoms could not hope to remain a top eight ...

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Alexander Zverev ousts Stan Wawrinka to reach Aussie Open semifinals

Alexander Zverev began 2020 with three consecutive losses, which meant he had plenty of problems — and plenty of time on his hands ahead of ...

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Zion scores 14 in road debut, Pelicans down Cavs

Zion Williamson’s NBA road debut didn’t have much flash or any fireworks. It wasn’t a show, and that was just fine with the hyped rookie.Check ...

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Renovations at Tokyo Games facilities leading to shortage of sports and exhibition facilities

Renovation work on Olympic and Paralympic venues in Tokyo has been making it difficult for people to find places to play tennis and for companies ...

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AC Milan pays tribute to Kobe Bryant at San Siro match

AC Milan and its fans paid tribute to Kobe Bryant with lights and applause before and during Tuesday’s Italian Cup game against Torino at the ...

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Ahead of Tokyo Paralympics, one coach teaches and preaches rewards of training disabled athletes

While some are looking for big rewards from the swell of interest to come from the Tokyo Paralympics, Toshiro Ueda is convinced a brighter future ...

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Man United condemns ‘unwarranted attack’ on vice chairman Ed Woodward’s home

Manchester United on Tuesday condemned what the club called an “unwarranted attack” by vandals on the home of its executive vice chairman, Ed Woodward.Footage posted ...

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Kashima fail to reach ACL group stage, FC Tokyo qualify

Melbourne Victory denied Kashima Antlers a place in the Asian Champions League group stage on Tuesday, upsetting the J. League club 1-0 in a playoff.With ...

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Kotaro Matsushima to join French side Clermont

Rugby World Cup star Kotaro Matsushima will join French side ASM Clermont Auvergne from July, the winger’s Japan Top League club Suntory Sungoliath confirmed Tuesday.The ...

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Japan coach Julio Lamas outlines goals for team before upcoming Asia Cup qualifiers

Japan men’s national team head coach Julio Lamas said that it wasn’t a surprise that his team didn’t play as well as it had hoped ...

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Urawa Reds acquire Australia U-23 captain Thomas Deng

Australia under-23 captain Thomas Deng has agreed to join the Urawa Reds ahead of the upcoming J. League season, the club announced Tuesday.In a statement ...

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Ex-Olympic snowboarder Kazuhiro Kokubo gets suspended prison term for smuggling cannabis

A court on Tuesday sentenced former Olympic snowboarder Kazuhiro Kokubo to three years in prison, suspended for four years, for smuggling cannabis from the United ...

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Nick Castellanos signs four-year deal with Reds

Free agent outfielder Nick Castellanos has signed a $64 million, four-year deal with the Cincinnati Reds on Monday.It was Cincinnati’s latest big-money move to emerge ...

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BayStars manager Alex Ramirez believes team has talent to contend

Alex Ramirez, the manager of the Yokohama BayStars, responded to the loss of his best player, by declaring the dawning of a new generation.Ramirez expects ...

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Vern Cotter named Fiji’s new rugby head coach

Former Scotland coach Vern Cotter on Tuesday was named the new head coach of the Fiji rugby team.New Zealand-born Cotter succeeds Australian John McKee, who ...

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Lakers’ next game postponed after Kobe Bryant’s death

The NBA postponed the Los Angeles Lakers’ next game against the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday night after the deaths of retired superstar Kobe Bryant, ...

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Jakub Vrana sparks Capitals in win over Canadiens

The Washington Capitals proved they can score a lot of goals even without Alex Ovechkin.Jakub Vrana had a goal and an assist as the Eastern ...

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Arsenal secures spot in F.A. Cup fifth round

Mikel Arteta hailed Arsenal’s “hungry” youngsters after Bukayo Saka and Eddie Nketiah fired their side into the F.A. Cup fifth round with a 2-1 win ...

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Kobe Bryant tribute kicks off Super Bowl media night

Chants of “Kobe! Kobe! Kobe!” broke a moment of a silence that kicked off a more subdued Super Bowl media night.The NFL opened the most ...

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Sofia Kenin advances to Australian Open semifinals

Sofia Kenin’s breakthrough run at a Grand Slam tournament has continued to the semifinals at the Australian Open.The 21-year-old Kenin beat No. 78-ranked Ons Jabeur ...

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Gianna Bryant, 13, was going to carry on a basketball legacy

She had next.Her name was Gianna Maria Onore Bryant. The world, now and forever, knows her as Gigi. Her dad, Kobe Bryant, called her Mambacita. ...

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Rockets’ Eric Gordon scores career-high 50 points in triumph over Jazz

Eric Gordon scored a career-high 50 points to lead the short-handed Houston Rockets to a 126-117 victory over the Utah Jazz on Monday night despite ...

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Injury-plagued Goeido to retire as ozeki

Injury-plagued ozeki Goeido, who was poised to forfeit his elite ranking after finishing the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament with a 5-10 record, has decided ...

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Steady Rafael Nadal beats animated Nick Kyrgios at Australian Open

Rafael Nadal left the muttering and the preening, the underarm serving and the ‘tweening, to his younger, flashier opponent, Nick Kyrgios.Surely, Nadal was content to ...

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Kobe Bryant’s death draws tributes from Asian fans, politicians

Kobe Bryant was a hugely popular figure in Asia, no more so than in China where basketball rivals soccer as the most popular sport.However, his ...

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Soccer player Shiho Shimoyamada helps blaze trail for Japan’s LGBT athletes

Soccer player Shiho Shimoyamada has been encouraged by the response she has received since she became Japan’s first openly gay professional athlete in February last ...

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Dominic Thiem reaches Australian Open quarterfinals for first time

Two-time French Open finalist Dominic Thiem is into the quarterfinals at the Australian Open, which is an all-new experience for him.The fifth-seeded Thiem beat No. ...

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Japanese athletes, officials mourn tragic death of Kobe Bryant

Japanese sports stars paid tribute to NBA legend Kobe Bryant on Monday after he was killed along with his teenage daughter in a helicopter crash.The ...

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Kobe Bryant: His legacy in Japan

What does Kobe Bryant mean to Japan’s basketball culture?Simply put, he was the most popular player here since Michael Jordan retired for good in 2003. ...

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John McEnroe blasts ‘homophobic’ Margaret Court

John McEnroe blasted fellow tennis great Margaret Court’s “offensive and homophobic” views on Monday as the Australian Open prepared to mark 50 years since her ...

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Tokushoryu revels in improbable basho triumph

A day after a Cinderella story unfolded at Tokyo’s Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokushoryu spoke about his improbable victory at the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament and ...

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Nathan Chen matches Brian Boitano with fourth straight national title

Rocketman has launched — straight to a fourth national title.With stratospheric jumps and the sort of stage presence that even Elton John would appreciate, Nathan ...

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Pro Bowlers remember Kobe Bryant as AFC tops NFC again

Green Bay linebacker Za’Darius Smith hastily organized an homage to Kobe Bryant minutes before the Pro Bowl.Smith and his NFC teammates learned about Bryant’s death ...

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Kobe Bryant’s death leaves NBA players, others in shock

Kobe Bryant authored some of his most memorable moments at Madison Square Garden and made himself a centerpiece of the Lakers-Celtics rivalry.Bryant was remembered for ...

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Basketball legend Kobe Bryant dies in helicopter crash

Retired professional basketball star Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, on Sunday morning.He was 41. The former Los Angeles Laker and ...

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Amid tears and laughter, underdog Tokushoryu brings down house after winning maiden title

After a victory no one would have dared predict, Tokushoryu also proved to be a champion in the afterglow on Sunday.After spending 12 of sumo’s ...

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Brex beat Evessa to remain in playoff chase

Three wins separate the top four teams in the six-team East Division, and the Utsunomiya Brex are in a spirited fight along with the Alvark ...

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Steelers edge Sungoliath in intense rematch of 2019 final

Dan Carter kicked 15 points as Kobe Kobelco Steelers, the Japan Top League defending champions, won a scintillating rematch with last season’s runners-up Suntory Sungoliath ...

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Kashiwado carved out place despite presence of legend

There have been a few rikishi in the history of sumo whose careers have been akin to supermassive black holes — so overwhelmingly dominant that ...

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Mizuki Matsuda wins Osaka Women’s Marathon, takes big step toward 2020 Olympic berth

Mizuki Matsuda won the Osaka Women’s Marathon, a race which doubled as a qualifier for this summer’s 2020 Tokyo Games, for the second time in ...

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Tokushoryu perseveres for first Emperor’s Cup of career

Rank-and-filer Tokushoryu overcame all odds at the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament and beat ozeki Takakeisho in the final bout on Sunday to win his ...

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Sofia Kenin beats Coco Gauff in fourth round to reach quarterfinals

Coco Gauff’s latest history-making Grand Slam run at age 15 ended with a 6-7 (5-7), 6-3, 6-0 loss in the Australian Open’s fourth round to ...

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LeBron James passes Kobe Bryant on NBA scoring list in Lakers’ loss

LeBron James was a teenager when he first met Kobe Bryant at a youth basketball camp, in awe of his idol and ears open as ...

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NHL’s young stars step up during All-Star showcase

Young Laila Anderson delivered one of the most poignant moments of the weekend when she introduced the Blues’ four All-Stars. The players who stood out ...

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Jon Rahm taking lead into final round at Torrey Pines

Jon Rahm is playing some of his best golf with two victories and a runner-up in his last four tournaments. He was at his best ...

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Nathan Chen soars to personal best in dominant short program at U.S. Championships

Coming off illness and spending much of his days as a full-time college student, Nathan Chen shouldn’t have been capable of setting a personal best ...

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BayStars unveil Keita Sano as team’s new captain

Keita Sano modeled the Yokohama BayStars’ new visitors’ uniform on a slightly windy Saturday night at Osanbashi Pier in Yokohama. While all the BayStars will ...

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Alvark outplay Grouses in series opener

Alvark Tokyo guard Seiya Ando didn’t participate in the B. League All-Star Game on Jan. 18 in Sapporo, but he’s demonstrated time after time that ...

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Russian women lead after short program at European Championships

Russia is set to sweep the women’s event at the European Figure Skating Championships on Friday, after dominating the pairs.Alena Kostornaia took the women’s lead ...

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Top-ranked Rafael Nadal keeps it simple in chaotic third round at Australian Open

Rafael Nadal was awake at 1 a.m., engrossed in Roger Federer’s third-round match at the Australian Open.The top-ranked Nadal explained, after beating fellow Spaniard Pablo ...

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Wild Knights, Brave Lupus stay unbeaten

The Panasonic Wild Knights and Toshiba Brave Lupus maintained their unbeaten starts to the Japan Rugby Top League season on Saturday with wins over the ...

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Tokushoryu pulls ahead of Shodai in New Year Basho title race

Unheralded Tokushoryu stands one win away from an improbable championship at the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament after beating Shodai in a battle of the ...

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Attacker Serginho to leave Antlers for Chinese club

Attacking midfielder Serginho will leave the Kashima Antlers for Chinese second-division side Changchun Yatai, the J. League club said Saturday.The 24-year-old Brazilian, who also played ...

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Kyokutenho was a trailblazer

In 1991, though most people didn’t realize it at the time, the Oshima stablemaster made a decision that would dramatically alter the course of sumo ...

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Liu rallies to defend title

Alysa Liu watched Mariah Bell put out the performance of her life. Then the 14-year-old defending champion did Bell one better.Liu needed all of her ...

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Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks soar past Hornets in Paris

With the world’s two most expensive soccer players cheering him on in Paris on Friday night, Giannis Antetokounmpo took a while to entertain them.The Greek ...

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Jacques Nienaber succeeds RWC winner Rassie Erasmus as South Africa coach

World champion South Africa on Friday named Jacques Nienaber as the new Springboks head coach, replacing Rassie Erasmus who led the squad to victory in ...

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Roger Federer outlasts John Millman in five sets for 100th match victory at Australian Open

This was the sort of match, riveting and rollicking, that keeps Roger Federer in tennis — even with all of those Grand Slam titles and ...

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Madelene Sagstrom cards 10-under 62 to take lead in Gainbridge LPGA

Madelene Sagstrom birdied seven of the first nine holes and shot a 10-under 62 on Friday to take the second-round lead in the Gainbridge LPGA.Sagstrom ...

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Kosuke Hagino eyes gold after Olympic hangover

Olympic champion Kosuke Hagino admits he was swimming “slower than the women” during a rut after the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, but has backed ...

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NFL player Antonio Brown released on bail by Florida judge

NFL free agent Antonio Brown was released on bail Friday after a night in a Florida jail, where he turned himself in to face charges ...

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Olympic boxing qualifiers moved to Jordan

The IOC has announced that Jordan will host 2020 Olympic boxing qualifiers for Asia and Oceania after an event in Wuhan, China, was canceled due ...

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LSU coach Ed Orgeron agrees to new six-year, $42 million contract

Louisiana State coach Ed Orgeron has agreed to a new contract extension worth more than $7 million annually and which runs through the 2026 season, ...

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Hannaryz edge Brave Thunders, extend win streak to seven

The Kyoto Hannaryz are playing consistent, high-level basketball after a difficult stretch earlier this season.Coach Honoo Hamaguchi’s club collected its seventh straight victory on Friday, ...

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Sentoryu embodied colorful sumo nickname

Since Takamiyama first blazed a trail to Japan in 1964, 30 other Americans have followed the giant Hawaiian into professional sumo.Akebono and Musashimaru reached the ...

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Title chase heats up at New Year Grand Sumo Tournament

Rank-and-filers Tokushoryu and Shodai both won on Friday to stay in a tie for the lead at the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament.No. 17 maegashira ...

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LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo named NBA All-Star Game captains

It’ll be an All-Star rematch: Team LeBron vs. Team Giannis.LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers and Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks will be ...

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Tiger Woods opens with 69 at Torrey North in first tournament of year

Tiger Woods had his lowest opening round of the year since 2011. It wasn’t enough to be among the leaders Thursday at the Farmers Insurance ...

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Football Association of Thailand gives Akira Nishino a two-year contract extension

The Football Association of Thailand on Friday gave a two-year contract extension to former Samurai Blue boss Akira Nishino as dual national team manager, praising ...

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Jessica Korda takes early lead at Gainbridge LPGA; rookie Yui Kawamoto two shots off pace

Jessica Korda shot a 6-under 66 in high wind Thursday to take the first-round lead in the Gainbridge LPGA at Boca Rio, the tour’s first ...

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Most dangerous lead in hockey? This season, it’s all of them

Joel Quenneville remembers years past when NHL teams leading going into the third period could feel comfortable chalking up two points. A win was a ...

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Liverpool’s Takumi Minamino shines in Premier League debut

Liverpool attacker Takumi Minamino made his Premier League debut in a 2-1 win over the Wolverhampton Wanderers on Thursday, earning high praise for his performance ...

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Free-agent receiver Antonio Brown turns himself in at Florida jail

NFL free agent Antonio Brown turned himself in at a Florida jail on Thursday night following accusations that he and his trainer attacked another man.Brown ...

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Dmitri Aliev captures first European figure skating title

Russia’s Dmitri Aliev won his first European figure skating title on Thursday after short-program leader Michal Brezina plummeted out of the medals with an erratic ...

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LeBron James’ triple-double leads Lakers past Nets

LeBron James is on his way to Philadelphia, set to pass Kobe Bryant on the NBA’s career scoring list in the former Lakers star’s hometown.It’ll ...

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Wang Chiang eliminates Serena Williams in Australian Open third round

Down to what sure felt like her last chance, Serena Williams came through with a cross-court forehand winner to close a 24-stroke point, then raised ...

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Burnley beats Manchester United for first time at Old Trafford since 1962

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer knows how badly he’s doing at Manchester United. However, the manager can’t seem to find any solutions.“When you’re at Man United there’s ...

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WADA shuts down Moscow drug-testing lab again

The World Anti-Doping Agency ordered Moscow’s drug-testing laboratory to be shut down again Wednesday.That followed WADA’s finding last month that data stored at the lab ...

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Yuka Osaki hopes to secure a spot on Japan national team after becoming a mother

Just over a year after giving birth to her first child, Yuka Osaki decided to return to the court with the goal of representing her ...

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Wizards rookie Rui Hachimura cleared for basketball activities

Washington Wizards rookie Rui Hachimura can resume basketball activities after his recovery from a groin injury, coach Scott Brooks said Wednesday.Hachimura, the No. 9 overall ...

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Shodai, Tokushoryu still atop leaderboard

Shodai and Tokushoryu each retained their leading records at the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament on Thursday, while ozeki Goeido suffered an eighth loss and ...

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Hanakaze’s longevity moves into fifth decade

In March 1986, while Mike Ditka, Walter Payton and William “The Refrigerator” Perry and the rest of the Chicago Bears were still celebrating their Super ...

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Olympic soccer qualifiers in China moved to Nanjing due to outbreak of deadly virus

A four-nation Asian qualifying group for the women’s Olympic soccer tournament on Wednesday was switched from Wuhan, China, to Nanjing due to the outbreak of ...

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Pelicans rookie Zion Williamson scores 22 points in NBA debut

Zion Williamson scored the final point of his first NBA regular season game as a packed and standing crowd belted out chants of “M-V-P!”Then the ...

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Amid rain and red hue, Daniil Medvedev, Angelique Kerber advance at Australian Open

Red dust and rain gave some of the blue courts at the Australian Open a more Roland Garros hue, adding yet another freakish element to ...

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Shimane coach Yukinori Suzuki gets two-month suspension for power harassment

Shimane Susanoo Magic head coach Yukinori Suzuki has received a two-month suspension by the league for power harassment, it was announced on Tuesday.Suzuki’s punishment is ...

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Yuta Watanabe scores career-high 40 points in NBA G League game

Yuta Watanabe scored a career-high 40 points for the NBA G League’s Memphis Hustle on Wednesday.The second-year pro, a two-way player for the NBA’s Memphis ...

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Giants quarterback Eli Manning retires after 16 years

Eli Manning, who led the New York Giants to two Super Bowls in a 16-year career that saw him set almost every team passing record, ...

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Blue Jackets edge Red Wings for season-best sixth straight victory

The Columbus Blue Jackets roll into their long winter break after six weeks of solid play and a season-high six-game win streak.Columbus went back and ...

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Mets choose coach Luis Rojas to replace Carlos Beltran as manager

Caught off guard in a quick split with Carlos Beltran, the New York Mets want some continuity for a change.So with spring training only three ...

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Nathan Chen aiming for fourth straight title at U.S. Championships

Long stints atop U.S. men’s figure skating were common for decades. No fewer than eight skaters, including Dick Button, Scott Hamilton and Brian Boitano, have ...

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Coco Gauff wins to sets up showdown with Naomi Osaka in third round of Australian Open

Plenty was going badly for Coco Gauff in the second round of the Australian Open.The double-faults kept coming Wednesday, nine in all. The deficits, too: ...

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Kenki Fukuoka pulls out of Olympic rugby sevens camp with knee injury

Brave Blossoms World Cup star Kenki Fukuoka has pulled out of an upcoming training camp for Japan’s Olympic rugby sevens squad because of a knee ...

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Journeyman Raheem Mostert becomes star for 49ers

Before taking the field each week, Raheem Mostert seeks out motivation.There it is in a list of all the times he’s been cut by NFL ...

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Hunt family finally gets to see Chiefs back in Super Bowl

Clark Hunt remembers well the celebrations four years ago that surrounded the golden anniversary of the Super Bowl, the championship game whose name was coined ...

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Arsenal fights back for draw with Chelsea on wild night in Premier League

Wins might still be in short supply for Mikel Arteta in Arsenal’s worst league campaign in a quarter of a century, yet some fighting spirit ...

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Olympic women’s soccer qualifiers moved out of Chinese city due to coronavirus concerns

Women’s soccer qualifiers for the Tokyo Olympic Games will be moved from the Chinese city at the center of a virus outbreak to another location ...

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NHL teams realize backup goaltender is important position

The Boston Bruins had it all set up to honor backup goalie Jaroslav Halak on Tuesday night for becoming the 74th goalie in NHL history ...

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Expectations getting higher as Tiger Woods gets older

The expectations seem to get higher even as Tiger Woods gets older.Isn’t it supposed to be the other way around? Of course, it doesn’t quell ...

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Zion Williamson making debut for Pelicans at pivotal time

Zion Williamson opened with a joke — about himself.A months-long recovery from arthroscopic knee surgery is finally behind the New Orleans Pelicans rookie and top ...

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Kitazakura known best for talent, attitude outside ring

Rikishi who are famous for something other than results in the ring usually achieve that status through some notable aspect of their personality.But whether it’s ...

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Shodai, Tokushoryu earn 10th wins

Rank-and-filers Shodai and Tokushoryu maintained their joint lead with one-loss records at the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament on Wednesday, while ozeki Goeido staved off ...

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AFC holds firm in face of Champions League boycott by Iran

Despite threats of an Iranian boycott of its flagship club competition, the Asian Football Confederation has confirmed that Champions League matches involving Shahr Khodro and ...

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Hajime Moriyasu running out of time to right Olympic ship

With just half a year to go until the Summer Olympics, Japan head coach Hajime Moriyasu is running out of time and sympathy.Moriyasu, the first ...

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Michael Hooper steps down as Waratahs captain

Michael Hooper has stepped down as captain of the New South Wales Waratahs for the next Super Rugby season but hopes to continue as Wallabies ...

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Gold-medalist Allison Schmitt seeks fourth Olympic swim berth

Going back to school and training with Arizona State’s swimmers occasionally reminds four-time Olympic gold medalist Allison Schmitt of her relatively advanced age by her ...

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Derek Jeter, Larry Walker elected to baseball Hall of Fame

Derek Jeter came within one vote of being a unanimous pick for the Hall of Fame while Larry Walker also earned baseball’s highest honor on ...

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Outfielder Marcell Ozuna, Braves reach $18 million, one-year deal

Free agent outfielder Marcell Ozuna and the Atlanta Braves reached an $18 million, one-year deal Tuesday that puts him on the team he helped beat ...

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Racquet-kicking Naomi Osaka reaches third round in Melbourne

Reigning Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka overcame a mid-match fit of pique on Wednesday to set up a potential third-round clash with 15-year-old prodigy Coco ...

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Mai Mihara waging battle against anorexia, sources say

Mai Mihara, who has withdrawn from every event she was scheduled to compete in this season due to illness, was recently seen in a Coming ...

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F.A. charges Manchester United over players’ misconduct in loss to Liverpool

Manchester United has been charged by the Football Association over misconduct of its players in a 2-0 defeat to runaway Premier League leader Liverpool.United’s players ...

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Shodai still tied for tournament lead

No. 4 maegashira Shodai put on an electric performance at the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament on Tuesday to retain his place at the top ...

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Kotoshogiku experienced brief but memorable time in spotlight

There are eight active wrestlers who have spent time at sumo’s second-highest rank.Two of them, Hakuho and Kakuryu, went on to greater things, getting promoted ...

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Jack Nicklaus turns 80 and remains a big part of golf’s conversations

Jack Nicklaus turns 80 on Tuesday, no closer to retirement than when he was at the peak of his golf career.Never mind that he rarely ...

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Maria Sharapova falls in Australian Open opening round; Rafael Nadal cruises to victory

Maria Sharapova hasn’t won a tournament since 2017, and her ranking slipped to 136th by the end of last year.After a 6-3, 6-4 loss to ...

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Empire Maker, 2003 Belmont Stakes winner and prolific sire, dies at 20

Empire Maker, who won the 2003 Belmont Stakes to spoil Funny Cide’s Triple Crown bid and went on to become a prolific stallion, died of ...

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Chan Gailey, Josh Boyer named new coordinators for Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins announced the hiring of Chan Gailey as offensive coordinator Monday, and promoted Josh Boyer to defensive coordinator.Steve Marshall was hired as offensive ...

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Blazers’ Damian Lillard scores franchise-record 61 in OT victory over Warriors

Damian Lillard set a franchise record with 61 points, including a career-best 11 3-pointers, and the short-handed Portland Trail Blazers outlasted the equally depleted Golden ...

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Gaby Lopez beats Nasa Hataoka in seven-hole playoff at LPGA season opener

Having already battled for five extra holes into darkness without producing a champion a day earlier, Gaby Lopez and Nasa Hataoka showed up to work ...

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Longtime Mariners ace Felix Hernandez accepts minor league deal with Braves

Longtime Seattle Mariners ace Felix Hernandez reached a minor league deal with the Atlanta Braves on Monday that includes an invite to big league spring ...

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Noel Acciari’s late goal lifts Panthers past Wild

Doink. Doink. Winner.Noel Acciari scored with 5.6 seconds left in the third period and the Florida Panthers rallied to win their fifth straight game, beating ...

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Manchester United goalie Sergio Romero unhurt in car crash

Manchester United goalkeeper Sergio Romero escaped unhurt after crashing his Lamborghini on his way to training on Monday, a club source told AFP.Romero, 32, was ...

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Victorious Novak Djokovic drops a set in Australian Open first round for first time since 2006

Novak Djokovic did something he hadn’t in 14 years: He dropped a set in a first-round match at the Australian Open.That didn’t bother him, though. ...

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Ash Barty roars back for winning start in Melbourne

So this is how the Barty begins Down Under.Top-ranked Ash Barty lost the first set of her first-round match at the Australian Open, where she’s ...

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England wraps up third test, turns series around to lead South Africa 2-1

England walloped South Africa by an innings and 53 runs in the third test on Monday to turn the series around and lead 2-1 with ...

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Teenage phenom Coco Gauff sets high goals after repeat win over Venus Williams

Everyone had the same question when the Australian Open draw was revealed: What were the odds that Coco Gauff and Venus Williams would face each ...

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Controversial tennis great Margaret Court complains she is ‘persecuted’ for beliefs

Australian tennis great Margaret Court said she was being “persecuted” for her beliefs on Monday after criticism of her anti-gay views overshadowed 50th-anniversary celebrations of ...

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Geraint Thomas targets Tour de France and Tokyo Olympics

Geraint Thomas has revealed twin aims for the 2020 season, with a tilt at a second Tour de France title and glory on the slopes ...

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Legendary Futabayama set standard for sumo greatness

Yokozuna Hakuho’s incredible 43 championships, 15 perfect titles and numerous other records and achievements rightly see him often referred to as the greatest rikishi in ...

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Shodai maintains share of first place

Rank-and-filer Shodai snapped a seven-bout losing streak against ozeki Takakeisho on Monday to leave himself in a two-way tie for the lead at the New ...

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Patrick Kane gets 1,000th point as Blackhawks beat Jets

Patrick Kane’s 1,000th career point created one big party for the Chicago Blackhawks.Everyone was invited. Kane reached 1,000 when he picked up an assist on ...

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Liverpool continues title march

Mohamed Salah ripped off his Liverpool jersey at a freezing Anfield after completing a 2-0 victory over Manchester United in stoppage time on Sunday, rousing ...

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Raheem Mostert carries 49ers into Super Bowl

From No. 2 pick in the draft to one of the last two teams standing.It has been a remarkable turnaround for the Super Bowl-bound San ...

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Yudai Baba shines for Legends in rout

Yudai Baba had his best all-around game in the NBA G League on Saturday.The Texas Legends rookie swingman finished with a season-high 14 points along ...

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Naomi Osaka gets Australian Open title defense off to winning start

Naomi Osaka began her Australian Open title defense in emphatic fashion, breaking the net with a serve as she dismantled unseeded Czech Marie Bouzkova on ...

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Patrick Mahomes dazzles again as Chiefs reach first Super Bowl since 1970

With his best imitation of a tightrope walker, Patrick Mahomes high-wired the Chiefs into their first Super Bowl since 1970.Oh sure, Mahomes did his usual ...

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Saracens vow to win back trust after accepting relegation punishment

European champion Saracens vowed Sunday to win back the trust of the rugby world after accepting their stunning relegation from the English Premiership.The Premiership title ...

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Iran accuses AFC of bias over match-hosting ban

Iran on Sunday accused Asian soccer’s governing body of bias for a proposed ban on it hosting club matches, after a spate of security incidents ...

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Berrick Barnes leads Black Rams past Blues

Berrick Barnes kicked eight points to lead Ricoh Black Rams past Munakata Sanix Blues 18-16 on Sunday for their first win of the Japan Top ...

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Chelsea beaten at Newcastle with last-chance header

Isaac Hayden headed the winning goal deep into stoppage time to give Newcastle a 1-0 win over Chelsea in the English Premier League on Saturday.Fourth-place ...

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Kokkai helped European rikishi arrive in sumo world

The first rikishi whose place of origin was listed as somewhere outside Japan was Hiraga, who joined professional sumo in 1934.Three decades later, Jesse Kuhaulua ...

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Three tied for New Year Basho lead

Takakeisho and Shodai maintained their share of the lead at the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament on Sunday following losses by two of the five ...

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Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal confident about safety of Australian Open

As messages on video boards cautioned Australian Open spectators to “be aware we are expecting a reduction in air quality” Saturday, Roger Federer and Rafael ...

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Osaka to face young guns at Australian Open

Asked to select the female player under 25 who is likely to have the best career, American tennis legend Chris Evert hesitates, hums and haws ...

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Conor McGregor lassos ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone in 40 seconds in victorious UFC return

Conor McGregor came back with a big bang.McGregor stopped Donald Cerrone with a head kick and punches 40 seconds into the first round at UFC ...

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German star Lukas Podolski leaving Vissel

Vissel Kobe announced Saturday that former Germany international Lukas Podolski is leaving the J. League first-division club upon the expiration of his contract.The 34-year-old striker ...

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Brave Blossoms star Kenki Fukuoka sets sights on Tokyo Olympics

Rugby World Cup star Kenki Fukuoka said Saturday he was relieved to score a try in his final 15s match of the season as he ...

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Astros, Red Sox try to look ahead in wake of sign-stealing scandal

Players from two teams at the center of baseball’s sign-stealing scandal faced their fans on Saturday for the first time since the Houston Astros and ...

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Daiya Seto breaks 11-year-old Japan 200-meter butterfly record

Daiya Seto sped to a Japan-record 1 minute, 52.53 seconds to win the men’s 200-meter butterfly on Saturday in the Champions Swim Series 2020 in ...

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Ash Barty wins first title at home ahead of Aussie Open

Top-ranked Ash Barty has fine-tuned for the first tennis major of the season by winning her first title on home soil with a 6-2, 7-5 ...

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Free agent Yoshihisa Hirano hoping to continue career in majors

Free agent right-hander Yoshihisa Hirano said Saturday he is seeking to continue his career in the majors.The 35-year-old is still without a contract with only ...

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IOC, Paralympics join Russian doping court case

The International Olympic Committee and the International Paralympic Committee want to have a say on Russia’s doping ban.With Russia facing a four-year ban on its ...

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Rule change helps Angels with Shohei Ohtani’s pitching rehab

Two-way talent Shohei Ohtani can take pitching rehab assignments in the minors without losing his place in the Los Angeles Angels’ major league lineup thanks ...

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Robbie Deans’ Wild Knights top Steve Hansen’s Verblitz

Former All Blacks coach Steve Hansen remains winless in the Japan Rugby Top League after his Toyota Verblitz side were beaten 40-20 by Robbie Deans’ ...

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Shodai takes first loss, blowing New Year meet wide open

Rank-and-filer Shodai suffered his first defeat and relinquished his sole lead at the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament on Saturday.No. 4 maegashira Shodai lost to ...

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Yama succeeds after sumo

Life after professional sumo (for those who don’t qualify for elder status) is generally quite prosaic.The vast majority of wrestlers end up working in regular ...

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Iran’s soccer federation objects Asian Champions League hosting ban

Iran’s soccer federation said Friday it has been banned from hosting international matches inside the country.The “federation received a letter today from the Asian Football ...

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Yuta Nakayama nets first goal for Zwolle in draw with Utrecht

Yuta Nakayama struck late to help PEC Zwolle snatch a 3-3 draw against Utrecht in the Dutch top flight on Friday.The defender found the net ...

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One-armed Canadian amateur makes ace at American Express pro-am event

One-armed Canadian amateur Laurent Hurtubise made a hole-in-one playing alongside two PGA Tour pros in The American Express pro-am event.Born without a right hand, Hurtubise ...

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Dragons Hall of Fame infielder, manager Morimichi Takagi dies at 78

Morimichi Takagi, who held down second base for Nippon Professional Baseball’s Chunichi Dragons for the better part of 21 years and twice managed the Central ...

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Tony La Russa accused of sign-stealing

Three-time World Series champion manager Tony La Russa used a camera-aided system to steal signs from opposing MLB teams in the late 1980s, retired star ...

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Cirelli scores career-first hat trick in rout of Jets

Anthony Cirelli had shaving cream on his ear, hair and T-shirt. He didn’t mind a bit.The foam was part of the celebration his Tampa Bay ...

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Naomi Osaka aims for third Grand Slam win

Naomi Osaka has learned to appreciate her victories more after enduring the “toughest” year of her fledging career and the Japanese world No. 3 says ...

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Raptors win from beyond arc

Feeling fresh after a lengthy injury layoff, Marc Gasol helped the Toronto Raptors pile up the points Friday night.Gasol scored a season-high 20 and matched ...

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Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes playing starring role with big money on horizon

The Kansas City Chiefs had just lost to the Tennessee Titans, their fourth defeat in the first 10 games of the season, and much of ...

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Conor McGregor finds structure in life rolling into UFC 246

Conor McGregor used to train whenever he felt like it, and he stayed up late every night. He would sleep deep into the daylight hours, ...

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Teenage star Jun Nishikawa plays down possible Barcelona move

Japan youth international Jun Nishikawa said Friday he heard through friends Barcelona was interested in signing him but denied there had been any contact from ...

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Carlos Sainz wins third Dakar Rally title

Carlos Sainz confirmed his third Dakar Rally triumph on Friday after ensuring defending champion Nasser Al-Attiyah didn’t escape in the Saudi desert.Sainz stayed within minutes ...

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Shodai takes control on sixth day

Rank-and-file wrestler Shodai seized the sole lead at the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament with a convincing win over former ozeki Tochinoshin on Friday.No. 4 ...

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Former yokozuna Kitanoumi was imposing figure in sumo

Intimidation factor is something that cannot be discounted when it comes to finding reasons for success in sumo.Some of the greatest yokozuna of all time ...

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Giants make Alyssa Nakken first female major league coach

APAlyssa Nakken became the first female coach on a major league staff in baseball history Thursday when she was named an assistant under new Giants ...

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Beltran out as Mets manager amid scandal

Carlos Beltran, called out on a curveball again.So for the second time since they last threw a pitch, the New York Mets are in the ...

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Sakakibara siblings set course for Tokyo 2020

When it came time for Sydney-based brother and sister BMX riders Kai and Saya Sakakibara to decide which country they would represent as athletes, the ...

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Brandon Ingram explodes for 49 points to carry Pelicans past Jazz

The New Orleans Pelicans wildly celebrated Brandon Ingram’s off-balance jumper in the final seconds of regulation, believing it had won the game.Turns out it didn’t. ...

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Badminton world No. 1 Kento Momota discharged from Tokyo hospital

Kento Momota, the world’s top-ranked men’s badminton player, was discharged from a Tokyo hospital on Friday, four days after he was injured in a car ...

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Olympic symbol installed at Odaiba Marine Park

The Olympic symbol, consisting of five interlocking rings colored blue, yellow, black, green and red, was installed at Odaiba Marine Park on Friday, floating on ...

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Judge orders Rio Olympic venues shut on security grounds

A Brazilian court on Wednesday ordered that the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics facilities be closed to the public over safety concerns.The Rio Games — ...

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New boss Quique Setien has difficult task of replacing injured Luis Suarez at Barcelona

Quique Setien’s first task at Barcelona will be a difficult one: Replace injured striker Luis Suarez.Just before Setien arrived at the Camp Nou, Suarez was ...

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Stolen away: Brooklyn pitcher Carl Erskine recalls 1951 sign-stealing scam

Stealing signals. Banging on a trash can. Beating the Dodgers in October.Sounds very familiar to Carl Erskine. “If they’re going to go back to 2017 ...

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Ash Barty reaches Adelaide International semifinals

French Open final opponents Ash Barty and Marketa Vondrousova delivered the same outcome at the Adelaide International on Thursday: A dominating victory for the No. ...

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WWE Hall of Famer Rocky ‘Soulman’ Johnson, dies at 75

Rocky “Soulman” Johnson, a WWE Hall of Fame wrestler who became better known as the father of actor Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, has died. He ...

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Ukrainian Sergey Sokolovsky follows sumo great Taiho’s career path

Sergey Sokolovsky recently took the new recruit exam and, when he makes his competitive debut in March, the 22-year-old will become the first-ever Ukrainian in ...

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Shodai among trio tied for top spot

Shodai headlines a group of three men tied for the lead at the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament after besting fellow rank-and-filer Hokutofuji on Thursday ...

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Well-traveled bench boss Josep ‘Pep’ Claros takes over in Fukuoka

The Rizing Zephyr Fukuoka have turned to Josep “Pep” Claros to orchestrate a turnaround for the struggling B2 club.It’s another reclamation project for the well-traveled ...

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Mets remain silent on new manager Carlos Beltran’s future with team

While the Houston Astros and Boston Red Sox took decisive action in jettisoning their managers after Major League Baseball concluded they were involved in nefarious ...

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Blue Jays newcomer Shun Yamaguchi excited about change of scenery, opportunity to pitch in majors

Right-hander Shun Yamaguchi, the newest addition to the Toronto Blue Jays’ pitching staff, said Wednesday that overcoming eastern Canada’s cold weather will be his top ...

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Serena Williams to play for U.S. in Fed Cup qualifier against Latvia

Serena Williams will be part of the U.S. team for its Fed Cup qualifier against Latvia, the U.S. Tennis Association said Wednesday.It will be the ...

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Naomi Osaka joins top tennis players in relief effort for Australian fires

Reigning Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka joined several other top players on Wednesday for a charity match to help relief efforts for the wildfires that ...

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Kendrick Nunn ignites Heat in victory over Spurs

Kendrick Nunn was the last Miami player off the court at halftime, required to hang out for an extra minute or two in order to ...

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Man United defeats Wolves, but loses Rashford to injury

Manchester United beat Wolverhampton 1-0 in an F.A. Cup third-round replay on Wednesday but lost Marcus Rashford to an injury that could force him out ...

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Blackhawks start strong en route to road triumph over Canadiens

Corey Crawford doesn’t know why he plays well against his hometown team.The veteran goalie stopped 32 shots to help the Chicago Blackhawks beat the Montreal ...

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Paul Tagliabue, George Young among 10 senior candidates headed to Pro Football Hall of Fame

Former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue has made the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his fifth attempt.Tagliabue and former New York Giants general manager George ...

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Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald returning for 17th season

Arizona Cardinals star wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald will return for a 17th season in the NFL after agreeing terms on a one-year extension, the franchise ...

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Kakuryu pulls out of New Year meet, joining Hakuho on injury list

Kakuryu withdrew from the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament on Thursday, joining fellow yokozuna Hakuho on the sidelines due to injury.Kakuryu pulled out of the ...

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Titans’ gamble hiring Mike Vrabel close to paying off

Titans safety Kenny Vaccaro listened to how coach Mike Vrabel praised his performance in Tennessee’s wild-card win with the hint of a smile.“I know how ...

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Keisuke Honda planning to establish amateur soccer team

Former Japan midfielder Keisuke Honda has said he plans to establish an amateur football club in Tokyo following a failed venture in Austria.The 33-year-old will ...

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England’s Ben Stokes wins ICC’s player of the year award

England all-rounder Ben Stokes has been voted as ICC player of the year and won the Sir Garfield Trophy for his superb 12 months in ...

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Israel’s baseball team hopes to keep surprising run going at Tokyo Olympics

As a baseball-crazed kid growing up in Miami, Danny Valencia dreamed of playing in MLB. The thought of heading to the Olympics, for a foreign ...

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Top-ranked doubles player Robert Farah tests positive for steroids

Top-ranked doubles player Robert Farah says he tested positive for a banned anabolic steroid.Farah made the announcement on social media hours after he pulled out ...

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Toronto midfielder Tsubasa Endoh awaits breakthrough moment for MLS in Japan

When newly minted FC Cincinnati striker Yuya Kubo makes his MLS debut in March, few will be more eager to welcome him than Tsubasa Endoh.The ...

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MLB could fight tech with tech to stop sign stealing

If Major League Baseball really wants to stop its teams from electronically stealing signs, it might consider fighting technology with more technology.In a sport that’s ...

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Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame voters strike out on Tuffy Rhodes again

Tuffy Rhodes could be tough to figure out.Sometimes, he’d flash a big smile and crack jokes. Catch him in a good mood, and you might ...

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Tochiazuma’s bloody rivalry with Asashoryu a spectacle

In terms of sumo’s vintage years, 1976 was one of the best.The bumper crop included three-time champion Chiyotaikai, fellow ozeki Kotomitsuki (also a title winner), ...

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Kakuryu suffers second straight loss

New sekiwake Asanoyama took his first loss of the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament on Wednesday, while yokozuna Kakuryu fell to his third defeat.Asanoyama fell ...

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Tottenham, Newcastle advance from FA Cup replays

Tottenham held off a late fightback from second-tier Middlesbrough to win 2-1 in their FA Cup replay and advance to the fourth round on Tuesday.Newcastle ...

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Man United scraps planned training camp in Middle East

Manchester United has scrapped a planned midseason training camp in the Middle East amid high tensions in the region, manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said Tuesday.“If ...

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WNBA players see salaries, benefits increased in eight-year labor deal

The WNBA and its union announced a tentative eight-year labor deal Tuesday that will allow top players to earn more than $500,000 while the average ...

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Australian Open qualifying delayed due to wildfire smoke

Qualifying rounds for the Australian Open were delayed Wednesday as toxic smoke from widespread bushfires continued to choke Melbourne, throwing the Grand Slam’s schedule into ...

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Red Sox manager Alex Cora fired in sign-stealing scandal

The Boston Red Sox fired manager Alex Cora on Tuesday, a day after baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred implicated him in the sport’s sign-stealing scandal.Cora was ...

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Badminton world champ Kento Momota released from Malaysian hospital

World No. 1 men’s badminton player Kento Momota has been released from a hospital in Malaysia, a hospital source said Wednesday, after being injured in ...

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Hakuho pulls out of New Year meet after losing two straight bouts

Hakuho, winner of the Kyushu basho in November and one of two yokozuna on the banzuke for the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament, withdrew from ...

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Manchester United holds talks with Sporting Lisbon to sign Bruno Fernandes: reports

Manchester United has held talks with Portuguese side Sporting Lisbon over the transfer of midfielder Bruno Fernandes, but the clubs have yet to agree on ...

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Ash Barty overcomes late collapse to triumph in second round at Adelaide International

Although 2019 was a breakout year for No. 1-ranked Ash Barty, the Australian is finding 2020 to be an early challenge.After losing in her first ...

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Ruben Boykin growing into role as assistant coach for Osaka Evessa

Gratitude and passion sum up the new chapter of Ruben Boykin Jr.’s basketball career.Boykin is grateful to be employed as a full-time basketball coach. Boykin ...

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Kisenosato is gone, but his impact lives on

The current boom in sumo popularity is a product of many factors.Increased exposure through various media channels is one reason, as is the fact that ...

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Hakuho, Kakuryu fall to 1-2 records

Yokozuna Hakuho and Kakuryu each fell to their second defeats at the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament on Tuesday, leaving the title open for sekiwake ...

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Former Hanshin Tigers catcher Koichi Tabuchi headlines Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame’s 2020 class

Koichi Tabuchi touched Senichi Hoshino’s Hall of Fame plaque and jokingly wondered why his friend was wearing a Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles hat.“He played for ...

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Barcelona axes manager Valverde in midseason with Liga lead

Barcelona made a rare coaching change midway through the season, replacing Ernesto Valverde with former Real Betis manager Quique Setien on Monday.The move came four ...

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Yuma Kagiyama’s rocket to stardom continues at Youth Olympics

In the biggest competition of his career, Yuma Kagiyama rose to the occasion and gave the performance of his life on Sunday.The 16-year-old star roared ...

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Kento Momota should be able to resume practice in one month, hospital director says

World No. 1 men’s badminton player Kento Momota might be able to leave the hospital in Malaysia on Wednesday and should be able to return ...

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Astros fire manager AJ Hinch, GM after MLB bans them for sign-stealing scandal

The Houston Astros’ sign-stealing scandal cost manager AJ Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow their jobs, and Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora could be ...

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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s first career triple-double guides Thunder past Timberwolves

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s goal was to play a better all-around game. He did that and then some.Gilgeous-Alexander had 20 points, a career-high 20 rebounds and 10 ...

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LSU claims national title with victory over Clemson

From small-town Ohio kid to Louisiana Legend, Joe Burrow capped his record-breaking, Heisman Trophy-winning season by bringing a national championship to Louisiana State.Burrow threw five ...

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Brown hire Kevin Stefanski as head coach

Kevin Stefanski is getting a turn at fixing the busted Browns.The Vikings offensive coordinator was officially hired by Cleveland on Monday as the 18th full-time ...

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Artemi Panarin ignites Rangers in rout of Islanders

Rangers coach David Quinn isn’t surprised by anything Artemi Panarin does.Panarin had two goals and three assists to match a career high with five points, ...

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Two Romanian weightlifters set to lose Olympic medals for doping

Two more weightlifters face being stripped of their medals from the 2012 Olympics over doping.The International Weightlifting Federation has said Romanians Roxana Cocos and Razvan ...

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Clemson’s Dabo Swinney, LSU’s Ed Orgeron leading evolution in coaching styles

Dabo Swinney can turn most any issue into an extended, persuasive sermon. If he was a salesman, we’d all probably be buying time shares.Ed Orgeron ...

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Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch ‘not sure’ about future

Marshawn Lynch muscled his way into the end zone for two more postseason touchdowns for the Seattle Seahawks, capping an unexpected bonus chapter at what ...

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Samurai Japan has chance to reach new audience at Tokyo Olympics

Samurai Japan manager Atsunori Inaba, during a lecture in Hokkaido last month, noted there was no parade after the national team’s win in the Premier12 ...

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Technical acumen couldn’t get Kotomitsuki over hump

The three pillars of sumo are shin-gi-tai, which translate as heart-technique-physique.Heart is the most important as a strong fighting spirit can make up for deficiencies ...

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Endo completes sweep of yokozuna

Fan-favorite No. 1 maegashira Endo brought Ryogoku Kokugikan to its feet on Monday with a stunning upset of yokozuna Hakuho on the New Year Grand ...

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Caroline Wozniacki withdraws from Kooyong tourney ahead of final Australian Open

Former world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki will have no further preparation before her final career appearance at the Australian Open after withdrawing Monday from the ...

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Patriots star Julian Edelman arrested for vandalism in California

New England Patriots star Julian Edelman was arrested in Southern California on suspicion of misdemeanor vandalism after jumping on the hood of someone’s car, authorities ...

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Kyrie Irving returns with 21 points as Nets pound Hawks

Kyrie Irving hadn’t played in two months and all he did in his return was make 10 of 11 shots in the best shooting night ...

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Packers hold off Seahawks in divisional round

Aaron Rodgers connected with Davante Adams eight times for 160 yards and two touchdowns, Green Bay’s spruced-up defense fended off a spirited Seattle rally, and ...

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Novak Djokovic leads Serbia to win over Spain in ATP Cup final

Novak Djokovic beat Rafael Nadal, again, in a must-win match to keep Serbia in contention. Then he went back on court within an hour and ...

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Badminton world No. 1 Kento Momota slightly injured in crash in Malaysia; driver dies

Badminton world No. 1 Kento Momota was among four people lightly injured in a crash in Malaysia on Monday which left their driver dead.The accident, ...

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Kimia Alizadeh, Iran’s only female Olympic medalist, defects

Iran’s only female Olympic medalist said she defected from the Islamic Republic in a blistering online letter that describes herself as “one of the millions ...

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Chiefs climb out of 24-point hole to beat Texans, earn spot in AFC title game

Patrick Mahomes stalked up and down the sideline like a field marshal rallying his troops, the brilliant young quarterback imploring the Kansas City Chiefs to ...

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Kento Momota opens Olympic year with Malaysia triumph

Kento Momota, the world’s No. 1 men’s badminton player, opened his year by winning the Malaysia Masters on Sunday.Momota beat Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen 24-22, 21-11 ...

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Federica Brignone wins World Cup combined event; Mikaela Shiffrin skis out

Federica Brignone won a World Cup Alpine combined event on Sunday after most top racers including Mikaela Shiffrin failed to complete a tricky opening super-G ...

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Portuguese rider Paulo Goncalves killed after Dakar crash

Portuguese motorbike rider Paulo Goncalves has died after a crash during Sunday’s Dakar Rally seventh stage, organizers announced.The 40-year-old suffered the fatal accident after 276 ...

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Shibuya captain Leo Vendrame hopes Emperor’s Cup can lead to team’s first-ever B. League crown

After achieving one of their goals for this season, the Sunrockers Shibuya are now moving on to shoot for the second: the B. League championship.After ...

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Shun Murakami scores big at Qualifying Series opener in China

Shun Murakami opened the 2020 men’s World Surf League Qualifying Series with a massive win at the Corona Open China on Sunday, racking up 5,000 ...

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Cerezo signs defender Yuta Koike from Belgium’s Sint-Truiden

Cerezo Osaka have acquired defender Yuta Koike on a full transfer from Belgium’s Sint-Truiden, the J. League first-division side announced Saturday.The 23-year-old left-back joined Kashima ...

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American-born Akebono blazed path to pinnacle of sumo

Rowan, an anglicization of the Irish O Ruadhain, isn’t a name widely found in sport.Indeed, apart from a South African cricketer active from the 1930s ...

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Sunrockers capture crown

The Sunrockers Shibuya are back on top of Japanese basketball for the first time in five years.The Tokyo side claimed the Emperor’s Cup title on ...

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Top League kicks off in front of big crowds

The 2019-2020 Japan Rugby Top League season kicked off Sunday with a plethora of world superstars and Rugby World Cup winners playing in front of ...

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Yokozuna duo experience mixed fortunes on Day 1

Hakuho started his pursuit for a record-extending 44th career championship on a winning note on Sunday, while fellow yokozuna Kakuryu suffered a shocking defeat on ...

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Serena Williams breaks 3-year title drought at ASB Classic

Serena Williams broke a three-year title drought when she beat fellow American Jessica Pegula 6-3, 6-4 on Sunday to win the singles final at the ...

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Sapporo mayor meets with IOC chief Thomas Bach about bid to host 2030 Winter Olympics

Sapporo Mayor Katsuhiro Akimoto met with International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach in Lausanne on Saturday to discuss the city’s proposed bid to host the ...

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U.S. Open champion Bianca Andreescu withdraws from Australian Open with knee injury

Australian Open organizers said Saturday that U.S. Open champion Bianca Andreescu, Juan Martin del Potro and Richard Gasquet have withdrawn due to knee injuries.“The Australian ...

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Nationals star Max Scherzer ready to get going again

With a “2019 World Series Champions” patch stitched onto the right sleeve of his white Washington Nationals jersey, and his eyes — one brown, one ...

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Derrick Henry runs through Ravens to lead Titans into AFC title game

With his bright red shoes and relentless running, Derrick Henry grabbed the spotlight and wouldn’t let go.When he was done leading Tennessee into the AFC ...

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Liverpool sets record, extends lead in Premier League

By gaining redemption for one of the darkest days in its history, Southampton succeeded in pushing record-breaking Liverpool even closer to its first English league ...

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49ers dominate Vikings to reach NFC title game

Jimmy Garoppolo threw a TD pass on his opening drive as a playoff starter and then watched San Francisco’s defense and running game take over ...

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Corinne Suter claims maiden win on World Cup circuit

Switzerland’s Corinne Suter won the women’s fog-hit downhill on Saturday, her maiden victory on the World Cup circuit.The 25-year-old reigning world downhill silver medalist, clocked ...

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Rome Diamond League meet moved to Naples

The Rome Diamond League meet this year will take place in Naples, the Italian Athletics Federation announced on Saturday.The fifth of the 15-meet series on ...

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Sunrockers, Brave Thunders advance to Emperor’s Cup final

The dynamic duo of Sebastian Saiz and Ryan Kelly guided the Sunrockers Shibuya to their first Emperor’s Cup gold-medal game with a 96-69 win over ...

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Karolina Pliskova outplays Naomi Osaka in Brisbane International semifinals

Former world No. 1 Naomi Osaka was eliminated in the semifinals of the Brisbane International on Saturday, losing in three sets to defending champion Karolina ...

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Novak Djokovic puts Serbia into ATP Cup final

It took some on-the-spot shot-making genius to get captains and players from both teams applauding, and to separate Novak Djokovic from Daniil Medvedev in the ...

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Yokohama FC’s Kazuyoshi Miura receives contract extension

Yokohama FC on Saturday announced a contract renewal for former Japan striker Kazuyoshi Miura, the world’s oldest professional soccer player, which will take him into ...

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Hurricanes shut down Coyotes behind Petr Mrazek

Petr Mrazek made this shutout look easy. He made it sound simple, too.Mrazek stopped 32 shots and the Carolina Hurricanes scored twice in 63 seconds ...

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Kenyan marathon star Wilson Kipsang Kiprotich suspended for doping violations

Wilson Kipsang Kiprotich, the former world record holder for the men’s marathon, has been provisionally suspended for doping violations.The 37-year-old Kenyan was charged with two ...

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Blades climb to fifth in Premier League with victory over Hammers

Scotland’s Oliver McBurnie fired Sheffield United into fifth place in the Premier League as a calamitous mistake and more VAR drama condemned West Ham to ...

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Kento Momota advances to Malaysia Masters semis

Kento Momota lost the second game on Friday but recovered to beat China’s Huang Yu Xiang 21-13, 19-21, 21-9 to book a semifinals berth at ...

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Grizzlies prevail against Spurs for fourth straight win

The Memphis Grizzlies are on their longest winning streak of the season, defeating teams above them in the standings and relying on youthful excitement in ...

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Mets pitcher Noah Syndergaard accepts $9.7 million, one-year deal to avoid salary arbitration

Right-hander Noah Syndergaard on Friday agreed to a $9.7 million, one-year deal with the New York Mets to avoid salary arbitration.Syndergaard is coming off a ...

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JOC chief Yasuhiro Yamashita becomes IOC member

Japanese Olympic Committee President Yasuhiro Yamashita was elected a member of the International Olympic Committee at its general assembly on Friday.Yamashita, a 62-year-old former judoka ...

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Hydrogen to fuel 2020 Olympic flame

Organizers of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics unveiled a plan to use hydrogen as the fuel for its Olympic flame cauldron at a meeting of the ...

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Mo Farah wishes he had known earlier that coach Alberto Salazar faced doping ban

Olympic champion Mo Farah said on Thursday he would have been “the first one out” had he known that his former coach Alberto Salazar faced ...

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Tottenham’s Hary Kane out until April with hamstring injury

Harry Kane will be sidelined until April after Tottenham revealed the England captain needs surgery to repair a ruptured tendon in his left hamstring.Kane suffered ...

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Kai Toews launches pro career with Utsunomiya Brex

Kai Toews’ pro career will begin with the Utsunomiya Brex, it was announced on Friday.The talented point guard was second among NCAA Division I players ...

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Andres Iniesta says he hopes to finish playing career in Japan

Former Spain and Barcelona great Andres Iniesta hopes to finish his playing career in Japan with J. League’s Vissel Kobe, Spanish media reported Thursday.Following rumors ...

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Brave Blossoms to host Wales in June test

The Brave Blossoms, who reached the quarterfinals of last year’s Rugby World Cup in Japan, will play host to Wales on June 27, both nation’s ...

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Sharks’ Joe Thornton puts stamp on victory over Blue Jackets

Joe Thornton is being asked to take on a bigger role these days.And at 40, Jumbo Joe has responded. Thornton scored and moved into a ...

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Kaetlyn Osmond talks about struggles after retirement

For the better part of two decades, Kaetlyn Osmond knew exactly what she’d be doing every day. Her world was figure skating.She retired last May ...

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Michelle Wie expecting her first child this summer

Michelle Wie is expecting her first child — a girl — this summer.The often-injured golfer announced the news Thursday on Instagram. She married Jonnie West, ...

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Yuya Kubo joins FC Cincinnati

Striker Yuya Kubo will join FC Cincinnati via transfer from Belgian first-division side Gent, the Major League Soccer team announced Thursday.The 26-year-old Kubo, a former ...

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Innovative golf course designer Pete Dye dies at 94

Pete Dye never thought golf was meant to be fair, inspiring him to build courses that visually intimidated recreational players to the best in the ...

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Naomi Osaka battles into semis in Brisbane

Defending Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka, two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova and Madison Keys won quarterfinal matches Friday at the Brisbane International.Osaka beat Kiki Bertens ...

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Russell Westbrook scores 34 in return, but Thunder roll past Rockets

The Oklahoma City Thunder spoiled Russell Westbrook’s return.Westbrook scored 34 points, but the Thunder beat the Houston Rockets 113-92 on Thursday night. Westbrook was a ...

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New Giants coach Joe Judge is old school

Joe Judge has every intention of bringing old-fashioned blue-collar football back to the struggling New York Giants.Roughly three minutes after being introduced as the head ...

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Tokyo 2020 creative director Kaoru Sugano resigns over ‘power harassment’ allegations

One of the creative directors for this year’s Tokyo Olympics has resigned following allegations of what are being termed “power harassment.”Kaoru Sugano stepped away from ...

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Old-fashioned No. 9’s are back in fashion in Italy

Forget the false nine. Traditional No. 9’s are back in vogue in Serie A.From Romelu Lukaku to Ciro Immobile and Andrea Belotti — and even ...

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American qualifier Jennifer Brady stuns world No. 1 Ash Barty at Brisbane International

World No. 1 Ash Barty suffered a surprise 6-4, 7-6 (4-7) defeat on Thursday to American qualifier Jennifer Brady, who claimed the first top-10 win ...

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Brave Thunders edge Alvark in Emperor’s Cup quarterfinals

The Kawasaki Brave Thunders bounced back from early scoring struggles and edged the Alvark Tokyo 69-66 on Thursday to advance to the All-Japan Basketball Championship ...

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Athletes’ village features accessibility, scenic views

Details of the waterfront athletes’ village for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games were revealed Thursday, with organizers emphasizing its accessibility and ease of ...

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Sumo practice blowups nothing new in sport ruled by traditions

The problem of violence reared its ugly head in sumo again recently, but this time it came with a twist.Instead of a hazing and bullying ...

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Flyers skate past Capitals

Travis Konecny, Robert Hagg and Kevin Hayes each scored one goal to lift the host Philadelphia Flyers past the Washington Capitals 3-2 on Wednesday night.After ...

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New Year Basho provides intriguing mix of storylines

Every sumo tournament contains a myriad of storylines.One of the most fascinating aspects of the sport is the fact that the kachikoshi/makekoshi delineation of winning ...

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Jazz pounce on short-handed Knicks

Emmanuel Mudiay has never lacked confidence, though the former seventh overall draft pick knew he could get better.Mudiay scored a season-high 20 points against his ...

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Shogo Akiyama wanted to make history by joining Reds

Shogo Akiyama knew the Cincinnati Reds were the only MLB team that never had a player born in Japan. The chance to break a barrier ...

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New milestone for Ted Barton with broadcasts from Russia

For the past several years, announcer Ted Barton’s goal has been to help globalize figure skating by providing free video streams of the sport to ...

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Mike McCarthy gets a chance with second iconic team in Cowboys

Mike McCarthy didn’t take long before mentioning that his Super Bowl title came at the home of the Dallas Cowboys.The former Green Bay coach then ...

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Jets rookie guard Koh Flippin, a player with interesting name, displaying a solid game

Koh Flippin roams the court with quick steps, impressive overall court awareness and a sense of purpose.What’s more, the 23-year-old Chiba Jets rookie maximizes his ...

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George Perles, longtime Michigan State coach, dies at 85

George Perles, who coached Michigan State to a Rose Bowl victory in 1988 and was a key defensive assistant for the dominant Pittsburgh Steelers teams ...

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Brewers give manager Craig Counsell three-year contract extension

Milwaukee general manager David Stearns didn’t have to do much thinking when it came to a new long-term deal for Brewers manager Craig Counsell.“Both Craig ...

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Spain rolls into ATP Cup quarters after Roberto Bautista Agut victory; Rafael Nadal edges Yoshihito Nishioka

Spain advanced to the quarterfinals of the ATP Cup even before Rafael Nadal stepped on the court Wednesday at the Perth Arena.Spain, which won the ...

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Serena Williams, Caroline Wozniacki win another doubles match in Auckland

Serena Williams and Caroline Wozniacki prolonged their one-time-only doubles partnership Wednesday when they advanced to the semifinals of the ASB Classic.Playing together for the first ...

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Baylor’s Matt Rhule agrees to become Panthers next coach

David Tepper is entrusting Baylor’s Matt Rhule to lead the Carolina Panthers out of what he views as a cycle of “long term mediocrity.”The Panthers ...

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Shanghai to stage 2021 Club World Cup final according to local reports

Shanghai will host the opening ceremony and final of the expanded 2021 Club World Cup in China, state media said.Eight Chinese cities will stage matches ...

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MLB to investigate reports 2018 champion Red Sox stole signs

Major League Baseball says it will investigate allegations the Boston Red Sox illegally used their video replay room to steal signs between opposing pitchers and ...

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Anthony Davis bruises back in Lakers’ win over Knicks

The Los Angeles Lakers gathered around Anthony Davis while the six-time All-Star writhed in pain on the Staples Center floor.Another breezy blowout win had just ...

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Australian NBA players join forces to help aid wildfire recovery efforts

Nine Australian NBA stars have partnered with the league and the National Basketball Players Association Foundation to donate $750,000 towards relief and recovery efforts for ...

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Leagues sell data to cash in on legal betting

U.S. professional sports leagues struck out in their quest for a cut of sports betting money by claiming they needed payments to help protect the ...

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National Stadium less than sum of its parts

The new National Stadium is open for business, having survived a December opening gala featuring J-pop icons Arashi and the 2019 Emperor’s Cup final with ...

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Rui Hachimura inspires Japan’s young basketball talent to dream big

The emergence of Rui Hachimura has absolutely been a catalyst for Japanese basketball and given younger Japanese players the inspiration to dream of one day ...

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City humiliates United in first leg of League Cup semifinal

Trailing 3-0 at home to their fierce local rivals in a cup semifinal, Manchester United’s players were jeered by their own supporters as they traipsed ...

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Maria Sharapova slams ‘second-hand’ Brisbane event as men take over

Five-time Grand Slam champion Maria Sharapova said the Brisbane International felt like “a second-hand event” with women relegated to outside courts to make way for ...

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Court date set for UAE appeal against Qatar’s Asian Cup win

A legal challenge by the United Arab Emirates soccer federation that threatens Qatar’s 2019 Asian Cup title will be heard at sport’s highest court.The Court ...

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Pelicans’ Zion Williamson now in full-court, five-on-five drills

When Zion Williamson finished his first full-court, five-on-five work since returning to practice last week, he spent extra one-on-one time with assistant coach Fred Vinson ...

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Head coach Gregg Berhalter optimistic United States will train in Qatar before World Cup

Having canceled a training camp in Qatar that was to have started this week, U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter is optimistic his team will train in ...

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CFL’s Montreal Alouettes get new owners

The Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League have new owners.The CFL announced Monday the team now belongs to two executives of Crawford Steel — ...

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Oliver Kahn promises to tone down temper in new boardroom role at Bayern Munich

Former goalkeeper Oliver Kahn promised Tuesday that he will tone down his notorious temper in his new boardroom role at Bayern Munich.Kahn was known as ...

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Hans Tilkowski, West Germany’s 1966 World Cup goalkeeper, dies at 84

Hans Tilkowski, the West Germany goalkeeper in the 1966 World Cup final against England, has died. He was 84.German soccer club Borussia Dortmund said Monday ...

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Novak Djokovic does double duty against France as Serbia makes ATP Cup quarters

Novak Djokovic patted the left side of his chest above his heart with his right hand, wished his Serbian supporters a Merry Christmas, and told ...

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Predators fire coach Peter Laviolette after recent skid

Nashville general manager David Poile thought he made the key moves to win the Stanley Cup. With the Predators struggling to keep pace in the ...

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Shogo Akiyama clinches three-year, $21 million deal with Reds

Outfielder Shogo Akiyama on Monday agreed to a $21 million, three-year deal with the Cincinnati Reds, the only major league team that hasn’t had a ...

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Cowboys hire Mike McCarthy to replace Jason Garrett

Mike McCarthy won a Super Bowl and went to the playoffs eight straight years while coaching two-time MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers.The Dallas Cowboys are hoping ...

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Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic drops career-high 47 on Hawks

Nikola Jokic wasn’t keeping track of his points as the night wore on. He just knew he was scoring a lot.“I never know that,” he ...

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Arsenal advances to F.A. Cup fourth round with victory over Leeds United

Reiss Nelson secured Arsenal’s passage to the F.A. Cup fourth round by sealing a 1-0 victory over Leeds United after the English Premier League side ...

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Alabama QB Tua Tagovailoa announces he’s entering 2020 NFL Draft

Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa put an end to the initial question about his future, announcing Monday that he is entering the NFL Draft and closing ...

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Defending champ Ryoyu Kobayashi places fourth in Four Hills Tournament

Ryoyu Kobayashi fell short in the defense of his Four Hills Tournament title after finishing fourth overall in the famous weeklong ski jumping competition.Kobayashi landed ...

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Australia wins third test to sweep series against New Zealand

Australia closed out its home test season in emphatic fashion by crushing New Zealand by 279 runs in the third test and completing a 3-0 ...

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Serena Williams, Caroline Wozniacki win first doubles match

They’re friends, they’re former World No. 1s in singles and on Monday they became doubles partners for the first time as Serena Williams and Caroline ...

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Organizers unveil art posters for Tokyo Games

Organizers of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics on Monday unveiled the official art posters for the games, including designs by manga artists, painters, calligraphers ...

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Tomokazu Harimoto, Mima Ito headline Japan’s 2020 table tennis squad

The Japan Table Tennis Association announced Monday the six players who will represent the Olympic host nation at the 2020 Tokyo Games.The men’s team consists ...

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Dallas Cowboys moving on without Jason Garrett as coach

Jason Garrett is out as coach of the Dallas Cowboys after missing the playoffs with an underachieving team in a make-or-break season.The Cowboys made it ...

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Mario Balotelli again subjected to racist abuse

There was yet another incident of racism in the Italian first division on Sunday as Mario Balotelli was once again the target of racist chants ...

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Patriots in unfamiliar spot entering offseason of unknowns

For the first time in three years, the Patriots won’t enter the offseason following a Super Bowl appearance.Now the franchise that has hoisted six Lombardi ...

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Naomi Osaka recalls ‘eye-opening’ post-U.S. Open pep talk from Beyonce

Japanese sensation Naomi Osaka has revealed her excitement at meeting her idol Beyonce, saying the U.S. singer “smelled expensive” and gave her a morale-boosting pep ...

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Nishioka cruises to another upset as Japan moves to 2-0 at ATP Cup

Yoshihito Nishioka notched his second upset to start the season after downing world No. 26 Nikoloz Basilashvili in straight sets Monday, as injury-hit Japan continued ...

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Lakers put on block party in victory against Pistons

After Dwight Howard blocked Andre Drummond’s shot with a perfect combination of timing and athleticism, he wagged a Mutombo finger at the uproarious Staples Center ...

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Former F1 star Fernando Alonso gets behind wheel at Dakar Rally for first time

Fernando Alonso didn’t have any pitfalls in the first stage of his Dakar Rally debut as the 2020 edition of motorsport’s grueling 7,500-km marathon began ...

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Justin Thomas loses lead late, hangs on to capture title in playoff

Justin Thomas won a tournament he thought he threw away Sunday with a superb wedge to 3 feet for birdie on the third playoff hole ...

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Vikings deal Saints fresh playoff heartbreak

After tight end Kyle Rudolph emerged from a purple swarm of celebrating Vikings near the corner of the end zone, he took an opportunity to ...

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‘Super’ Takumi Minamino makes Liverpool debut in F.A. Cup win over Everton

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp described Takumi Minamino as “super and outstanding” after the Japanese international made his debut in a 1-0 F.A. Cup win over ...

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Jets pull away from Alvark in second half for series sweep

The Chiba Jets led by the slimmest of margins at halftime on Sunday afternoon.The Jets then found a higher offensive gear to operate in. They ...

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China hails history maker Wu Lei after heroics against Barcelona

Wu Lei’s late equalizer for Espanyol against Barcelona heralds “a new chapter” in Chinese soccer, the country’s media declared on Sunday, as the forward’s heroics ...

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Ash Barty donating Brisbane winnings to wildfire relief

Ash Barty was flying home across Australia following the Fed Cup final when she saw the early signs of devastation from the wildfires that are ...

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Marcus Stoinis fined for homophobic slur during Big Bash League

Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis was slapped with a hefty fine on Sunday after directing a homophobic slur at Kane Richardson during a domestic Twenty20 Big ...

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Milestones in play for many in 2020 season

With the NPB season set to begin on March 21, it won’t be long before players are back in uniform and training with their teams ...

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Grizzlies take advantage of Paul George’s absence to top Clippers

Jae Crowder scored 27 points and the Memphis Grizzlies took advantage of Los Angeles star Paul George’s absence to rout the Clippers 140-114 on Saturday.Jaren ...

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Dominant Petra Vlhova snaps Mikaela Shiffrin’s winning slalom streak

Mikaela Shiffrin hugged her biggest rival in slalom for a few seconds and gave her some pats on the back.Just beaten by Petra Vlhova in ...

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Man City eases to F.A. Cup win; United settles for draw

Watching John Stones make defensive mistakes while playing for England in the Nations League finals in June, Port Vale striker Tom Pope took to Twitter ...

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Brandon Tanev’s OT goal lifts Penguins over Canadiens

Teddy Blueger set up Brandon Tanev’s overtime goal for the Pittsburgh Penguins with a shot that turned into a juicy rebound.The Montreal Canadiens were stunned ...

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Naomi Osaka gains new perspective after ‘near death’ experience while on vacation

Naomi Osaka had what she calls a near-death experience in the offseason. Which means, at the very least, she felt really out of her depth.She ...

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Derrick Henry carries Titans in stunning upset of Patriots

When the eerie Foxborough fog lifted, it became clear that New England’s reign atop the NFL was ending.Derrick Henry ensured that with the kind of ...

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Novak Djokovic says wildfires could cause problems for Australian Open

Novak Djokovic has voiced concerns about the impact of the devastating wildfires in Australia on tennis’ season-opening major, saying organizers may have to consider delaying ...

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Wizards rookie Rui Hachimura still recovering from surgery following groin injury

Washington Wizards rookie forward Rui Hachimura will be re-evaluated in two weeks while he continues to recover from a minor procedure associated with a groin ...

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Jose Mourinho insists no quick fixes for Spurs in transfer window

Jose Mourinho on Friday said Tottenham will be “intelligent” in the January transfer window and there will be no quick fixes at the Premier League ...

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India’s Irfan Pathan announces retirement from cricket

Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan announced his retirement from all forms of the game on Saturday, bringing the curtain down on an illustrious career that included ...

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Brave Thunders extend win streak to 16; Golden Kings halt Brex’s 15-game unbeaten run

The Kawasaki Brave Thunders built a big lead in the first half on Saturday against the visiting Toyama Grouses.In the second half, they never let ...

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Gael Monfils secures France’s first triumph at ATP Cup

Gael Monfils secured France’s first victory at the ATP Cup, rallying from a break down in the second set and saving three breakpoints as he ...

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U.S. Soccer Federation cancels plans for men’s team to hold training camp in Doha

The U.S. Soccer Federation said Friday it had canceled plans for the men’s national team to train in Doha, Qatar, this month “due to the ...

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Quarterback Nathan Rourke guides Ohio to Famous Idaho Potato Bowl triumph over Nevada

Ohio quarterback Nathan Rourke is projected to be the top quarterback taken in the Canadian Football League draft this spring. He’s pretty good at the ...

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Australia’s Marnus Labuschagne reaches new peak with first double century

Australia’s Marnus Labuschagne’s stellar summer reached a new peak with his first double century before New Zealand showed great resolve on a deteriorating Sydney Cricket ...

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Warriors executive Rick Welts will be forever grateful to David Stern

When Rick Welts bought his first home in California he eagerly invited his boss at the time, then-NBA commissioner David Stern, over to show it ...

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Capitals battle past Hurricanes

Ilya Samsonov isn’t playing like a rookie. He isn’t playing like a backup, either.Samsonov made 18 of his 38 saves in the first period, and ...

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Star James Harden ignites Rockets with triple-double in victory over 76ers

Houston Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni is convinced James Harden operates on a different level than most players, especially after his latest dazzling performance.Harden had 44 ...

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Japan secures victory over Uruguay in ATP Cup

Yoshihito Nishioka thrashed higher-ranked Pablo Cuevas with a 6-0, 6-1 rout, as injury-hit Japan made a statement against Uruguay on the second day of the ...

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Panthers’ Christian McCaffrey a double All-Pro pick

Christian McCaffrey’s versatility and superb statistics helped him to a rare double: The Carolina Panthers running back has made The Associated Press NFL All-Pro Team ...

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Tottenham striker Harry Kane out with torn hamstring

Tottenham striker Harry Kane sustained a tear in his left hamstring muscle during the 1-0 loss at Southampton, the Premier League club said Friday.Tottenham did ...

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Canadiens sign free-agent forward Ilya Kovalchuk to one-year contract

The Montreal Canadiens signed free-agent forward Ilya Kovalchuk to a one-year contract on Friday to offset several injuries.The struggling NHL club agreed to a two-way ...

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New Angels manager Joe Maddon says Shohei Ohtani should bat more often

Pitcher and designated hitter Shohei Ohtani should bat more often for the Los Angeles Angels when he returns from two major operations, new Angels manager ...

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Nick Kyrgios serves up funds for Australia recovery at ATP Cup debut

Nick Kyrgios served 20 aces in a win that cost him $4,000 in local currency and helped set up Australia’s opening ATP Cup win over ...

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Fujitsu Frontiers rout Kwansei Gakuin University for fourth straight Rice Bowl title

The Fujitsu Frontiers had no intention of spoiling the last game for Kwansei Gakuin University Fighters head coach Hideaki Toriuchi. The defending champions, however, were ...

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Zlatan Ibrahimovic embraces ‘top-level challenge’ at AC Milan

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is giving himself six months to see if he can still play elite-level soccer with one of Europe’s storied clubs.The 38-year-old striker was ...

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Antlers sign Japan U-23 defender Daiki Sugioka

The Kashima Antlers have acquired defender Daiki Sugioka from Shonan Bellmare, the J. League team announced on Friday.The 21-year-old is among a handful of new ...

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White Sox, outfielder Luis Robert finalize $50 million, six-year deal

Luis Robert is locked in with the Chicago White Sox — for the next six years at least, and possibly for the opening day lineup, ...

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Aoyama Gakuin sets meet record in decisive victory

His final-leg runner Keigo Yuhara was still on the road running. But Aoyama Gakuin head coach Susumu Hara was already high-fiving his other athletes at ...

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Marnus Labuschagne notches another century as Australia continues domination of New Zealand

Marnus Labuschagne scored his fourth century in five matches this summer as Australia continued its dominance of New Zealand by reaching 283-3 after the first ...

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Reviewing last year, previewing 2020 in sumo

Happy New Year to you all. Here’s to a great 2020.Sumo is the daytime soap opera of sports when it comes to drama. Action inside ...

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Luka Doncic helps Mavericks pull away from Nets

With Luka Doncic resting and Dallas’ other two top scorers out with injuries, Seth Curry kept the Mavericks even with Brooklyn until the 20-year-old phenom ...

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Sam Wyche, boundary-pushing coach of Bengals, dies at 74

Sam Wyche, who pushed the boundaries as an offensive innovator with the Cincinnati Bengals and challenged the NFL’s protocols along the way, has died. He ...

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Yankees pitcher Domingo German suspended 81 games for violating domestic violence policy

New York Yankees pitcher Domingo German will miss the first 63 games of the 2020 season as part of an 81-game ban for violating MLB’s ...

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Kings’ Dewayne Dedmon fined $50,000 for requesting a trade

Sacramento Kings center Dewayne Dedmon has been fined $50,000 by the NBA for public comments about wanting a trade.The league made the announcement on Thursday, ...

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Avalanche whip Blues to end four-game home losing streak

With a big offensive push, the Colorado Avalanche turned the page on a tough stretch at home and against the St. Louis Blues in particular.Nazem ...

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Liverpool blanks Sheffield United

Goals from Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane helped Premier League leader Liverpool restore its 13-point advantage at the top of the table as it saw ...

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Sunrockers continue to make progress under coach Tsutomu Isa in second year at helm

Sunday’s game provided ample evidence of the growth and potential of the Sunrockers Shibuya under Tsutomu Isa, who became head coach in October 2018 after ...

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Tokyo to see record number of competing nations in Paralympics

This year’s Tokyo Paralympics will set a participation record with athletes from around 170 national organizing bodies competing, surpassing the record 164 bodies that took ...

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Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal lead calls for ATP Cup, Davis Cup to merge

Superstars Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal said Thursday there was little point in having two men’s team tennis competitions so close together and suggested the ...

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Redskins appoint Ron Rivera as coach

The Washington Redskins hired Ron Rivera as their coach on Wednesday in owner Dan Snyder’s latest step to try to turn around the wayward franchise.Washington ...

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Manchester United’s Paul Pogba set for ankle surgery

Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba is set to undergo ankle surgery that could keep him out for a month.Pogba has been seeking external medical advice ...

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Justin Burrell says Diamond Dolphins must step up their game

The Nagoya Diamond Dolphins endured a difficult December, winning just two of 10 games. They have lost six consecutive games, and veteran forward Justin Burrell ...

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Aoyama Gakuin moves out to big lead

Aoyama Gakuin University got off to a good start toward recapturing the Hakone ekiden title as it finished first on the opening day of the ...

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Stars stage furious rally to beat Predators in Winter Classic

Alexander Radulov scored the eventual winner as the Dallas Stars scored four unanswered goals to come from behind and beat the Nashville Predators 4-2 in ...

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Antlers hand coaching reins to Brazilian Zago

The Kashima Antlers on Thursday announced Brazilian Antonio Carlos Zago will be the club’s new manager.The 50-year-old Zago, who played in the J. League for ...

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Brighton draws with Chelsea on sensational goal by Alireza Jahanbakhsh

Having finally ended a goal drought, Alireza Jahanbakhsh is now celebrating the greatest strike of his career.With an acrobatic overhead kick, the Brighton forward stunned ...

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Don Larsen, who threw only perfect World Series game, dies at 90

Don Larsen, the journeyman pitcher who reached the heights of baseball glory in 1956 for the New York Yankees when he threw a perfect game ...

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Bucks hold off short-handed Timberwolves

The Milwaukee Bucks were happy to get another win though they know they didn’t play up to their standards.Giannis Antetokounmpo had 32 points and 17 ...

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Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert rushes for three TDs in Rose Bowl victory over Wisconsin

Justin Herbert faked a handoff and went on the run of his life in the fourth quarter of the Rose Bowl.Oregon’s 198-cm quarterback gracefully stiff-armed ...

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Ex-NBA commissioner David Stern passes away at 77

David Stern had basketball as a passion and law as a profession, one he figured he could return to if a job at the NBA ...

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