Author: Shekari Philemon

Coco Gauff defeated Jessica Pegula 6-2, 6-4 Sunday to win her second Cincinnati Open title, completing a dominant week that produced five straight-set victories and produced the first all-American women’s final at the tournament in 56 years. The last time two American women played for the Cincinnati title was in 1970, when Rosie Casals defeated Nancy Richey. The 2026 final came together when Pegula eliminated defending champion Iga Swiatek in the semifinals Saturday and Gauff defeated Sara Bejlek, setting up a fifth career meeting between the two Americans, with the head-to-head now tied at five wins apiece. She raced to…

Marc Stad has completed a deal to become the controlling owner and largest shareholder of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Minnesota Lynx in a transaction valued at $4.5 billion, sources told ESPN, marking the fourth-largest franchise sale in NBA history. Stad, the founder and managing partner of Dragoneer Investment Group, had been a significant minority investor in both franchises under the ownership group of Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez. He will now take the controlling stake after buying the majority of Lore’s share. Lore will retain a minority investment and Rodriguez will increase his equity stake, though the exact sizes of…

Klay Thompson signed a two-year, $13 million contract with the Miami Heat on Sunday after clearing waivers, joining a team that spent weeks waiting for the chance to add one of the NBA’s most prolific three-point shooters to a roster built around Giannis Antetokounmpo. The deal includes a player option in the second season. He is ranked fourth on the NBA’s all-time list for three-pointers made, a career 41 percent shooter from beyond the arc who made more than 200 three-pointers in a season for the 11th time last year. For context, the franchise has had a player make 200…

The Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints have each been fined $500,000 by the NFL following the multiple fights that broke out during their joint training camp practice Tuesday in Oxnard, California, the league announced Thursday. The fines come after punches were thrown on both practice fields, play was stopped multiple times, a helmet was tossed in one confrontation and a player was body-slammed in another. Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer and Saints coach Kellen Moore had briefly discussed ending the session early before deciding to run it to its scheduled conclusion. The NFL said its Competition Committee has emphasized sportsmanship…

Elena Rybakina retired from her Cincinnati Open quarterfinal against Iga Swiatek on Thursday night after suffering what appeared to be a left ankle injury, ending a match that carried significant ranking implications for the 27-year-old. She was trailing 4-1 and serving at deuce in the first set when she took a medical timeout to have trainers address her left ankle. She had appeared to injure herself during the previous point. After several minutes of treatment, she returned to the court and attempted one serve before deciding she could not continue. The timing was particularly costly because Rybakina had a clear…

Jannik Sinner will miss the US Open due to a right knee injury, the world No. 1 announced Friday on social media, ending the Italian’s bid to defend the title he won at Flushing Meadows in 2024. He said in an Instagram post that he and his team had made the difficult decision after returning to the court in Monte Carlo over the previous few days and realizing he still needs more time to recover. He said he is very sad and disappointed, noting that New York has a special place in his heart and that he was looking forward…

James Harden agreed to a three-year, $97 million contract to return to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday, completing a deal that will push the 11-time All-Star past $500 million in career earnings and keep the backcourt pairing with Donovan Mitchell intact for a team that reached the Eastern Conference finals last season. The contract includes a player option for the 2028-29 season and a trade kicker. He turns 37 on Aug. 26 and will become just the second player in NBA history to sign for more than $90 million in guaranteed salary at that age or older, with LeBron James…

Los Angeles Lakers minority owner Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong has no plans to sell his stake as the ownership transition continues, his family attorney confirmed Thursday, adding a stable element to an otherwise fluid ownership picture. The attorney described Iger and Kushner as good friends and said the family looks forward to being supportive partners. He said they are excited about the Lakers’ future and anticipate more championship years. Soon-Shiong, 74, bought into the team in 2010 when he purchased a 4 percent stake from Magic Johnson. He is a surgeon and cancer research pioneer with a net worth estimated above…

Kent Bazemore spent ten years in the NBA, earning nearly 78 million dollars over the course of his professional career. By most measures, that is the kind of financial foundation that should outlast retirement comfortably. But the former shooting guard is now speaking openly about how quickly that security can erode once the paychecks stop and the lawyers show up. His recent comments about the financial consequences of his divorce have spread rapidly across social media, landing in a moment when several other high-profile athletes are navigating similar legal battles of their own. What happened when the career ended Bazemore…

The Cleveland Cavaliers acquired forward Peyton Watson from the Denver Nuggets in a five-team trade Wednesday, agreeing to give the 23-year-old wing a four-year, $88 million contract as they retool their roster following a sweep by the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference finals. Watson will sign his new deal with a player option and trade kicker as part of the sign-and-trade that brings him to Cleveland. He had career highs last season across all major statistical categories, averaging 14.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 0.9 steals per game while shooting 41 percent from three-point range. He started…