Sinner relishing the moment after magnificent Miami Open performance

Jannik Sinner said he is enjoying every moment of his sensational start to the 2024 season after winning the Miami Open on Sunday for his third title of the year.

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Ohtani’s arrival brings hope and nostalgia home to Little Tokyo

Shohei Ohtani’s powerful arms and boyish face, looking up from under a Dodger blue helmet, loom 15 stories over Los Angeles’ Little Tokyo neighborhood from the side of the Miyako Hotel.

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Savea calls for change in All Blacks' eligibility regulations

All Blacks forward Ardie Savea has called on New Zealand's rugby authorities to consider updating the country's eligibility rules or risk being left behind as the sport continues to evolve.

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Nakajima dominates Indian Open for first DP World Tour win

Japan's Keita Nakajima cruised to a wire-to-wire victory at the Indian Open on Sunday to lift his maiden DP World Tour title by four strokes.

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Japan handed 3-0 win after North Korea called off World Cup qualifier

Japan has been awarded a 3-0 victory after North Korea called off a World Cup qualifier between the sides that was scheduled to be held in Pyongyang earlier this month, the Japan Football Association said Saturday.

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Collins beats Rybakina to win Miami Open

American Danielle Collins upset the odds to win the Miami Open title on Saturday, beating Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan 7-5, 6-3 to claim her first WTA 1000 title in her final season on the tour.

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Shohei Ohtani is home and focused on baseball. Dodgers fans are relieved.

The top deck of Dodger Stadium is far from the action but may have the best view in baseball. Straight ahead are the San Gabriel Mountains. During night games, as the sun goes down, the sky glows pink. Down below, the full choreography of the game is on display, offering a panoramic view shunned by the movie stars and moguls who fill the sections behind home plate.

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Nissan’s Rowland comes up just short in Formula E’s electric Tokyo debut

It was nearly a dream home race for Nissan and Oliver Rowland, who took second in the first Tokyo E-Prix on Saturday as Formula E made its long-awaited debut in Japan.

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Wrestlers from sumo's scandal-hit Miyagino stable to join Isegahama

The Japan Sumo Association on Thursday announced the closure of the scandal-hit Miyagino stable for the foreseeable future and the indefinite transfer of its wrestlers and elders to the Isegahama stable.

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'Sho-time' at last as Ohtani delights in Dodgers home debut

After flying 5,477 miles from Tokyo to Los Angeles to see Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani make his regular season home debut for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Hiroaki Miyazaki had one request.

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Pacific League pennant set to be tight race as Buffaloes chase dynasty in 2024

The Orix Buffaloes have the makings of a Pacific League dynasty after winning three straight pennants.

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Red Sox sign Japanese pitcher Naoyuki Uwasawa from Rays

The Boston Red Sox have acquired Japanese pitcher Naoyuki Uwasawa from the Tampa Bay Rays for cash considerations, both teams announced Wednesday.

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DraftKings shares slump after NCAA proposes college prop bet ban

DraftKings shares tumbled on Wednesday after National Collegiate Athletic Association President Charlie Baker announced he is pushing to ban college proposition betting, a popular type of side wager that allows gamblers to bet on an event or statistical outcome that’s not directly tied to the final result of a game.

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Age won't determine when I retire, says Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi will not consider his age as a deciding factor in his retirement plans, the Argentine forward said, adding that he has no clear idea of what he will do when that time comes.

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Hachimura logs 16-point double-double as Lakers win in OT

Japanese forward Rui Hachimura had his first double-double of the NBA season Tuesday as the Los Angeles Lakers overcame a late-game deficit to beat the Milwaukee Bucks 128-124 in double overtime.

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Ten years from home World Cup, Saudi Arabia sizes up 'huge challenge'

A decade before it hosts the FIFA World Cup, the size of the task facing Saudi Arabia is becoming apparent, including building stadiums, hotels and transport links.

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MLB pulls plug on clubs' ties with NPB teams

Fretting over irregular contacts with overseas players, MLB has ordered its teams to suspend working agreements with NPB clubs, multiple sources from both leagues with knowledge of the matter said Tuesday.

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Mykhailo Mudryk sends war-torn Ukraine to Euro 2024

Ukraine qualified for Euro 2024 on Tuesday by beating Iceland 2-1 Tuesday, delivering an emotional boost to a country ravaged by war since the Russian invasion of February 2022.

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SoftBank lefty Moinelo set for hefty contract extension

Cuban left-handed pitcher Livan Moinelo has basically agreed to a contract extension with the SoftBank Hawks through 2028, a club official said Monday.

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Tominaga looks to NBA Draft and Olympics after NCAA exit

With the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's March Madness exit closing the curtain on his college basketball days, Keisei Tominaga is moving to the next phase of his career.

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In Russia, fingers point anywhere but at Islamic State group for concert hall attack

Bodies were recovered, flowers were laid and fingers were pointed Sunday as competing narratives took shape over who was behind the terrorist attack on a Russian concert hall where at least 137 people out to enjoy an evening of music were killed.

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Ohtani to speak Monday on allegations surrounding ex-interpreter

Shohei Ohtani remained mum on Sunday on the gambling and theft allegations surrounding his former interpreter, but Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said he hoped Ohtani's plans to speak on Monday would bring "clarity."

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Sun returns to Miami as Swiatek dominates and Osaka earns big win

After two days of rain, the sun returned to the Miami Open on Saturday in a good omen for Iga Swiatek, who launched her bid to become just the second woman to win the "Sunshine Double" more than once with a breezy 6-1 6-1 win over Italy's Camila Giorgi.

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Daiya Seto qualifies for third Olympics with 200 IM victory at trials

Japanese swimmer Daiya Seto qualified for his third Olympics by winning the 200-meter individual medley at national trials on Saturday.

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Longtime Orioles owner Peter Angelos dies at 94

Longtime Baltimore Orioles owner Peter Angelos died Saturday at the age of 94, the team announced.

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Max Verstappen continues pole perfection in Australia

Red Bull's Formula One world champion Max Verstappen took pole position for the Australian Grand Prix on Saturday with Carlos Sainz qualifying alongside him on the front row for Ferrari two weeks after undergoing surgery for appendicitis.

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Japan's Kaori Sakamoto first woman in 56 years to claim three-peat

Japan's Kaori Sakamoto retained the figure skating world title with a stellar performance in Montreal on Friday and became the first woman to win three straight crowns since American Peggy Fleming in 1968.

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MLB launches investigation of Ohtani and ex-interpreter scandal

Major League Baseball on Friday announced a formal investigation into the scandal swirling around Shohei Ohtani and his former interpreter amid charges the Los Angeles Dodgers superstar was the victim of "massive theft."

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Nishikori defeated in comeback match at Miami Open

Former world No. 4 Kei Nishikori's return to the ATP Tour after a lengthy injury absence ended in a first round 6-3, 6-4 loss to Sebastian Ofner.

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Dodgers shield Shohei Ohtani from media after interpreter fired

Dodgers public relations officials blocked media from asking Shohei Ohtani questions in South Korea on Thursday after the team fired his interpreter for an alleged connection to an illegal bookmaking operator.

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North Korea won't host World Cup qualifier against Japan: report

North Korea will not host a World Cup qualifier with Japan that was scheduled to be held in Pyongyang next week, Kyodo reported late Thursday, citing the president of the Japan Football Association.

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Yamamoto shelled in debut as Dodgers lose to Padres

The Los Angeles Dodgers' new big-money signing Yoshinobu Yamamoto said he "felt responsible" after enduring an MLB debut to forget in a 15-11 loss to the San Diego Padres on Thursday.

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Tomiyasu signs long-term contract extension at Arsenal

Japan defender Takeshiro Tomiyasu has signed a long-term contract extension at Arsenal, the English Premier League leaders announced Wednesday, with local media reporting the deal runs until 2026 with an option for another year.

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Murray beats dizzy Berrettini as Osaka advances in Miami

Two-time Miami Open champion Andy Murray fought back for a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 win over struggling Italian Matteo Berrettini in the first round at Hard Rock Stadium on Wednesday, while Naomi Osaka advanced to the second round in a breezy two sets.

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Ohtani interpreter fired for alleged 'massive theft'

Ippei Mizuhara, the longtime interpreter for Shohei Ohtani, was fired by the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday after wire transfers from Ohtani's bank account were sent to a Southern California bookmaking operation, according to multiple media reports.

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Japan warns football fans not to go to North Korea for World Cup qualifier

Japan has warned soccer fans not to attempt to travel to "hostile" North Korea for next week's men's World Cup qualifier in Pyongyang.

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Tennis rallies around Sabalenka at Miami Open after boyfriend's death

World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka intends to play in the Miami Open this week, organizers said Tuesday, as fellow players offered their support following the death of her boyfriend in an apparent suicide.

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Russians and Belarusians will not take part in Paris Games opening parade

Russians and Belarusians will not take part in the parade of athletes at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics in July, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said Tuesday.

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MLB exhibition attendance in Seoul remains low

Attendance remained low for the first three exhibition games in Seoul before the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres play the first-ever MLB regular-season games in South Korea later this week.

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Dodgers beat South Korean national team in exhibition finale

Max Muncy and Will Smith drove in two runs apiece, leading the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 5-2 win over South Korea's national team in the final exhibition game Monday.

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Swiatek crushes Sakkari to win second Indian Wells title

Iga Swiatek dominated Maria Sakkari to win the Indian Wells final 6-4 6-0 on Sunday and claim the title for a second time in the California desert.

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Dodgers trounce S. Korea's Kiwoom as Ohtani strikes out twice

The Los Angeles Dodgers pounded out 17 hits to beat South Korea's Kiwoom Heroes 14-3 in an exhibition game Sunday, ahead of the season-opening two-game series against the San Diego Padres.

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Sumo: Rookie Takerufuji keeps outright lead, claims winning record

Top-division debutant Takerufuji maintained the outright lead Sunday at the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament with an impressive victory over former komusubi Ryuden.

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Sakkari weathers Gauff storm to book Swiatek clash in Indian Wells final

Maria Sakkari endured a spirited fightback from Coco Gauff to stun the third seed 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-2 in a rain-interrupted Indian Wells semifinal on Friday and set up an intriguing rematch of the 2022 title clash with Iga Swiatek.

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Terunofuji pulls out of Spring Basho over health issues

Injury-plagued yokozuna Terunofuji withdrew from the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament on Saturday due to lower back pain and other health problems.

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Mbappe presence at Olympics 'very difficult,' says Deschamps

France soccer coach Didier Deschamps has cast doubt on Kylian Mbappe's chances of representing his country at this year's Paris Olympics, saying that it would be "very difficult" to compete at the Games straight after Euro 2024.

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Men's and women's tennis tours advance talks to merge commercial rights

The ATP Tour and WTA Tour are pushing ahead with efforts to merge the commercial and media rights of the men's and women's tennis tours, bringing in an external adviser to study options, three people familiar with the situation said.

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Ohtani releases photo with woman who appears to be his wife

The Los Angeles Dodgers posted a photo Friday on the team's official X social media account of star player Shohei Ohtani alongside a woman that appears to be his wife, with the two posing near an airplane before their departure for South Korea.

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Dodgers' Yoshinobu Yamamoto loses final spring training start

Yoshinobu Yamamoto gave up four runs on eight hits over 4⅔ innings to take a loss in his final spring training start as the Los Angeles Dodgers were beaten 8-1 by the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday.

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Reports: White Sox trade Dylan Cease to Padres

The Chicago White Sox traded right-hander Dylan Cease to the San Diego Padres for four players, according to multiple reports on Wednesday night.

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See-through baseball pants become eye-opening controversy for MLB

At the end of this month, Major League Baseball will officially commence its 2024 season, and with spring training already in full swing, the chatter among hardcore fans and casual observers has been unusually spirited. In theory, that would be great for MLB as it seeks to expand its reach amid a prolonged decline in the sport’s popularity and cultural cachet that was offset some with a series of popular rule changes last year.

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Former champions Al Hilal seal Asian Champions League semifinal spot

Al Hilal wrapped up a place in the Asian Champions League semifinals as a 2-0 win over fellow Saudi Pro League side Al Ittihad in Jeddah’s King Abdullah Sports City on Tuesday completed a 4-0 aggregate victory.

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Talks between PGA Tour and Saudi fund 'accelerating'

PGA Tour chief Jay Monahan said Tuesday talks with the Saudi Arabian backers of LIV Golf were "accelerating" but was tight-lipped on how the proposed joint venture between the two bodies would work.

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Barcelona into Champions League last eight with 3-1 win over Napoli

Barcelona reached the Champions League quarterfinals for the first time in four years after a thrilling 3-1 home win over Napoli in their last-16 second leg gave them a deserved 4-2 aggregate victory on Tuesday.

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Japan-North Korea World Cup game to stay in Pyongyang, says JFA

Japan's World Cup qualifier against North Korea will be played in Pyongyang as planned later this month, the Japan Football Association said it had been told on Monday.

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'Japanese Steph Curry' Keisei Tominaga shoots for stars and NBA with Nebraska

Early in the second half of a game against the Michigan State Spartans last season, Nebraska Cornhuskers guard Keisei Tominga brought the home crowd in Lincoln, Nebraska, to its feet.

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Premier League rivalry between Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola ends on high note

The curtain came down on one of the greatest Premier League managerial rivalries as Juergen Klopp and Pep Guardiola hugged heartily after their sides had slugged each other to a standstill at Anfield on Sunday.

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Sprint queen Miho Takagi pulls out of all-round championship at worlds

A day after clinching her second career world speed skating sprint championship, Miho Takagi withdrew from her bid for a second all-round championship on Saturday.

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Verstappen continues winning streak in Saudi Arabia

Max Verstappen won the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix from pole position on Saturday as Red Bull continued their dominant start to the Formula One season with a second one-two in as many races.

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J1 debutants Machida see off Kashima for first home win

J. League first-division debutants Machida Zelvia continued their excellent start to the season, beating Kashima Antlers 1-0 for their first home J1 win Saturday.

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Naomi Osaka off to winning start at Indian Wells

Naomi Osaka powered through on a third match point to advance to the second round of the ATP-WTA BNP Paribas Open with a 6-3, 6-1 win over Italian qualifier Sara Errani on Thursday

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Boxing great Mike Tyson to face Jake Paul in exhibition

Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson will return to the ring to face Youtuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in an exhibition bout screened on Netflix, organizers announced on Thursday.

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Red Bull suspends woman who accused Christian Horner of inappropriate behavior

Red Bull has suspended the female employee who accused team boss Christian Horner of inappropriate behavior, a source close to the investigation into the matter confirmed on Thursday.

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Yoshinobu Yamamoto has shaky outing in second spring start for Dodgers

Yoshinobu Yamamoto yielded five runs in a wild three-inning spring training outing as the Los Angeles Dodgers won 12-9 against the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday.

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'Sporting geniuses are made, not born': How to be an all-star sports parent

If you want your child to be a superstar athlete like Shohei Ohtani, a good place to start is to take a look at what his parents did, consciously and unconsciously, to help an ordinary boy become baseball’s biggest attraction.

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Baseball United to bring professional baseball to Saudi Arabia

Baseball United has signed an agreement that gives it an unlimited term to host its professional league and tournaments in Saudi Arabia, a source close to the matter said Tuesday.

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Mbappe double fires PSG past Real Sociedad to Champions League quarters

Kylian Mbappe fired Paris Saint-Germain into the Champions League quarterfinals with a brace in a 2-1 win at Real Sociedad on Tuesday, with his team cruising through 4-1 on aggregate.

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Djokovic returns as Gauff hopes for a U.S. win at Indian Wells

Novak Djokovic returns to Indian Wells for the first time in five years seeking a record sixth title while Coco Gauff looks to become the first U.S. woman to win the tournament since Serena Williams in 2001 when main-draw action begins on Wednesday.

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FIA chief faces allegation of interference at 2023 Saudi Grand Prix

The head of Formula One's governing body, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, is under investigation for allegedly interfering in the outcome of last year's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, the BBC reported on Monday.

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Ski jumper Kasai earns first World Cup point overseas in five seasons

Japan's Noriaki Kasai finished 28th at a ski jumping World Cup event in Finland on Sunday, earning his first tournament point in five seasons at an overseas meet.

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Osako vows to run in men's marathon at Paris Olympics

Two-time Olympian Suguru Osako said Monday he "plans to" represent Japan in the men's marathon at the Paris Olympics, having been coy over his participation.

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Abe outgunned in IBF featherweight title shot against Lopez

Japanese boxer Reiya Abe fell short in his bid to unseat Mexico's Luis Alberto Lopez as IBF world featherweight champion on Saturday, losing a one-sided bout via eighth-round technical knockout.

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Alaska's 52nd annual Iditarod sled dog race mushes to starting line

The world's most famous sled-dog race got underway on Saturday when 38 mushers and their canine teams, one of the smallest rosters of competitors ever, lined up in downtown Anchorage, Alaska, to start the 52nd annual running of the Iditarod.

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Verstappen cruises to 'unbelievable' Red Bull one-two in Bahrain

Three-time world champion Max Verstappen began his title defense in flawless fashion on Saturday at the Bahrain Grand Prix when he guided his Red Bull team to a crushing one-two triumph.

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Defending champions Vissel Kobe suffer late 1-0 defeat to Kashiwa

Reigning champions Vissel Kobe were dealt an early setback to their J. League first-division title defense on Saturday, going down 1-0 at home against Kashiwa Reysol.

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Mao Shimada wins back-to-back junior world titles

Mao Shimada captured gold for the second year in a row at the women's junior figure skating world championships on Friday, becoming Japan's first figure skater to win back-to-back titles in any junior division.

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Juergen Klopp says Liverpool's young players must be given time to grow

Liverpool fans and the media must avoid sensationalizing the Premier League club's young players and give them the time they need to grow and learn, manager Juergen Klopp said.

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Record-setting Iowa star Caitlin Clark to enter WNBA draft

Caitlin Clark, the all-time NCAA women's college basketball scoring leader, announced on Thursday that she will enter the WNBA draft following this season.

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