Author: Shekari Philemon

Carlos Alcaraz returned from a four-month absence with a clean 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 US Open victory over Roman Safiullin on Monday, showing no signs of the right wrist injury that forced him to miss the French Open and Wimbledon and declaring himself pain-free heading into his title defense. The 23-year-old Spaniard stepped back into Grand Slam and US Open tennis without a warmup tournament, skipping the entire clay and grass seasons, and said he felt as if he was hitting normally and playing his style. He said everything felt great. He acknowledged being more nervous than usual heading into the…

Novak Djokovic lost in the first round of the US Open for the first time in his career Sunday, falling to Argentina’s Mariano Navone 7-6 (5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 in a 4-hour, 36-minute match that left the 39-year-old vomiting, cramping and grimacing through the final sets before the match ended just before midnight. It was the earliest exit of a Grand Slam in Djokovic’s career in two decades, his last first-round loss at a major dating to the 2006 Australian Open. He had been 19-0 in US Open first-round matches entering Sunday night. The defeat snaps a 78-match win…

Venus Williams lost to American wild card Sofia Kenin 6-2, 7-6 (6) in the first round of the US Open, closing out just after 2 a.m. Monday in what could be the final Grand Slam singles match of her career. The match did not begin until 12.13 a.m., the latest start in US Open history, delayed by Novak Djokovic’s 4-hour, 36-minute first-round loss to Mariano Navone on Arthur Ashe Stadium. The 2.01 a.m. finish is the latest ever for a first-round match in the tournament’s history and the third-latest for any women’s match at any stage. Williams, 46, has now…

Aaron Donald came out of retirement Sunday after 17 months away from the NFL, agreeing to a one-year, $20 million deal with the Los Angeles Rams that includes playoff incentives capable of raising the total value to $30 million, according to reports from ESPN and NFL Network. The three-time Defensive Player of the Year was on the practice field Sunday but Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay said the team has not determined whether Donald will play in their season opener, a Week 1 game against the San Francisco 49ers played in Melbourne, Australia. McVay said the team will take…

The Timberwolves traded Josh Green and cash to the Utah Jazz on Saturday in exchange for Cody Williams and John Konchar, clearing the salary space needed to complete their signing of Jonathan Kuminga and opening a roster spot for a 15th player. The trade, confirmed by both teams, moves Green’s $14.7 million salary off Minnesota’s books and onto Utah’s. Minnesota is expected to keep Williams, the No. 10 overall pick in the 2024 draft, and waive and stretch Konchar, spreading his $2.05 million guaranteed salary across three seasons. Saturday was the deadline for waiving a player under the stretch provision.…

Jaylen Brown said goodbye to the city Sunday at a free outdoor event at Boston Common that drew an estimated 10,000 fans, closing a decade-long chapter with the Celtics with a Jaylen Brown Way street sign, and a key to the city presented on behalf of the state of Massachusetts. The event was organized by Brown’s brand, 741 Performance, along with the city of Boston and local restaurant Hue Boston. It ran from 2 to 7 p.m. and required no tickets. Fans signed a message board for Brown and lined up for autographs, which he signed on both Celtics and…

Cardi B has built one of the most improbable careers in modern music, but she will be the first to tell you that the life she dreamed of and the life she is living are not exactly the same thing. In a new cover feature, the rapper spoke openly about the emotional toll that comes with fame, the pressures she never anticipated, and the one piece of advice she wants anyone newly in the spotlight to hear. Cardi and the double edge of success The Bronx-born rapper, whose real name is Belcalis Almánzar, reflected on what it means to have…

Dillon Gabriel threw three touchdown passes in the first half of Cleveland’s 37-13 preseason win over the New England Patriots on Thursday night, giving the second-year quarterback a strong final audition before Sunday’s roster cut-down deadline while leaving Browns coach Todd Monken unwilling to commit to how many quarterbacks the team will keep on its 53-man roster. The Browns’ 2025 third-round pick started the game with Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders held out. He completed 12 of 15 passes for 186 yards in the first half before giving way to sixth-round rookie Taylen Green in the second. Green completed 5…

Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs was charged Thursday with two misdemeanors stemming from an alleged domestic violence incident at his home near Green Bay in May, more than three months after his initial arrest. Brown County District Attorney David L. Lasee announced the charges of misdemeanor battery and misdemeanor criminal damage to property. He said the delay in filing formal charges reflected a fair and complete review of available evidence, some of which only recently became available due to ongoing forensic work by law enforcement. He noted that a criminal complaint is a formal accusation and does not…

The Toronto Raptors will retire Kyle Lowry’s No. 7 jersey after their Jan. 10 game against the Philadelphia 76ers, making Lowry just the second player in franchise history to have his number raised to the Scotiabank Arena rafters alongside Vince Carter. Lowry, 40, signed a one-day contract with the Raptors on July 7 and announced his retirement from a 20-year NBA career. The 7/7 date was chosen deliberately as a nod to his jersey number. In a statement Thursday, Lowry said he has been looking forward to the ceremony for years. He said he always promised he would retire as…