AVONDALE, Ariz. (AP) — NASCAR Commissioner Steve Phelps said Friday "we are trying our hardest" t...

AVONDALE, Ariz. (AP) — NASCAR Commissioner Steve Phelps said Friday "we are trying our hardest" to settle the federal antitrust lawsuit with the two teams suing the racing series in the most expansive comments yet from the defendants.Phelps read from a statement that ran over six minutes and took no questions on the litigation between 23XI Racing, owned by Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin, and Bob Jenkins-owned Front Row Motorsports. Both sides recently participated in two days of mediation and didn't come to a resolution, but NASCAR had been hoping that continued conversations would lead to a settlement it could announce ahead of Sunday's championship-deciding season finale. <div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>"NASCAR is fully aligned with our race team partners who have submitted declarations hoping to end this litigation," Phelps said at Phoenix Raceway in the annual state of the sport news conference."We are trying our hardest. I am trying my hardest both as a fan as well as the commissioner of this sport that I've loved since I was 5 years old. While two out of the 15 teams may not share that view and seem set on an unfortunate court battle, I hope that we can all agree that our racing is as good as it has ever been and we care about how we serve our fans, especially as we look forward to capping off our season by celebrating new champions across all of our national series."NASCAR this weekend will crown its champions in the Truck Series, Xfinity Series and finally the season-ending Cup Series finale on Sunday. Hamlin is one of four drivers eligible for the winner-take-all title.The lawsuit was filed a year ago by 23XI Racing, co-owned by NBA Hall of Famer Jordan and three-time Daytona 500 winner Hamlin. Front Row Racing, a much smaller team, aligned with 23XI and they were the only two organizations out of 15 to not sign extensions last year on new charter agreements. The new charter agreements were presented to the teams at the start of the 2024 playoffs with a deadline for them to sign. It followed over two years of tense negotiations over the charters, which are at the heart of NASCAR's business model as they guarantee revenue and access to weekly races.23XI and Front Row likely will go out of business without them and are racing this season unchartered, which comes with significantly reduced prize money.Other teams have called for a settlement to move forward, but mediation sessions and private negotiations have not worked. The trial is scheduled for Dec. 1.U.S. District Judge Kenneth Bell this week dismissed NASCAR's countersuit against Curtis Polk<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nascar-antitrust-lawsuit-jordan-f961b36a7b8038bc895d045ce26c3005">,</a> the longtime business manager for Jordan and one of 23XI's owners.NASCAR has routinely refused to discuss the lawsuit but Phelps made an exception Friday with his prepared statement. "This is not an antitrust case. The 2025 charter agreement is an improvement on the 2016 framework," Phelp said as he read off enhancements that include "over $3 billion in guaranteed payments to the teams, enterprise value that is roughly $1.5 billion now to the race teams, guaranteed starting positions each week that allow teams to sell sponsorship on the best billboards in sports, the Next Gen car, and charters guaranteed for 14 years until at least 2039, plus an obligation to negotiate in good faith beyond that."The bottom line here is NASCAR is committed to charters."Phelps also defended the Florida-based France family who founded the sport in 1948, financially supports it and has grown it into the top motorsports series in the United States. "The France family started NASCAR in 1948 using their own resources, grit and ingenuity. They have taken countless personal and financial risks, investing billions of dollars and untold hours into growing this sport to create opportunity for teams to race in front of fans for nearly eight decades," Phelps said. "We are proud of what we built for fans together with the race teams, especially since the charters were introduced. ... We'll continue to defend and preserve it."Make no mistake, the lawsuit puts this at risk."___AP auto racing: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing">https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing</a>

AVONDALE, ARIZONA - OCTOBER 31: NASCAR Commissioner Steve Phelps speaks to the media during the NASCAR annual "State of the Sport" press conference at Phoenix Raceway on October 31, 2025 in Avondale, Arizona.

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NASCAR commissioner: 'We are trying our hardest' to settle lawsuit

AVONDALE, Ariz. (AP) — NASCAR Commissioner Steve Phelps said Friday “we are trying our hardest” t...

<div>
AVONDALE, Ariz. (AP) — NASCAR Commissioner Steve Phelps said Friday “we are trying our hardest” to settle <a href="https://apnews.com/article/nascar-lawsuit-b0aaf3b03a5896ff3f341930312c743a">the federal antitrust lawsuit</a> with the two teams suing the racing series in the most expansive comments yet from the defendants.
Phelps read from a statement that ran over six minutes and took no questions on the litigation between 23XI Racing, owned by Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin, and Bob Jenkins-owned Front Row Motorsports. 
Both sides recently participated in two days of mediation and didn't come to a resolution, but NASCAR had been hoping that continued conversations would lead to a settlement it could announce ahead of Sunday's championship-deciding season finale. 
<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>
“NASCAR is fully aligned with our race team partners who have submitted declarations hoping to end this litigation,” Phelps said at Phoenix Raceway in the annual state of the sport news conference. 
“We are trying our hardest. I am trying my hardest both as a fan as well as the commissioner of this sport that I’ve loved since I was 5 years old. While two out of the 15 teams may not share that view and seem set on an unfortunate court battle, I hope that we can all agree that our racing is as good as it has ever been and we care about how we serve our fans, especially as we look forward to capping off our season by celebrating new champions across all of our national series."
NASCAR this weekend will crown its champions in the Truck Series, Xfinity Series and finally the season-ending Cup Series finale on Sunday. <a href="https://apnews.com/article/nascar-championship-hamlin-penalty-conspiracy-lawsuit-9d54ca3a32411f1d3af1b7ae7c6da746">Hamlin is one of four drivers eligible</a> for the winner-take-all title. 
The lawsuit was filed a year ago by 23XI Racing, co-owned by NBA Hall of Famer Jordan and three-time Daytona 500 winner Hamlin. Front Row Racing, a much smaller team, aligned with 23XI and they were the only two organizations out of 15 to not sign extensions last year on new charter agreements. 
The new charter agreements were presented to the teams at the start of the 2024 playoffs with a deadline for them to sign. It followed over two years of tense negotiations over the charters, which are at the heart of NASCAR’s business model as they guarantee revenue and access to weekly races. 
23XI and Front Row likely will go out of business without them and are racing this season unchartered, which comes with significantly reduced prize money.
Other teams have called for a settlement to move forward, but mediation sessions and private negotiations have not worked. The trial is scheduled for Dec. 1.
U.S. District Judge Kenneth Bell this week <a href="https://apnews.com/article/nascar-antitrust-lawsuit-jordan-f961b36a7b8038bc895d045ce26c3005">dismissed NASCAR's countersuit against Curtis Polk,</a> the longtime business manager for Jordan and one of 23XI's owners.
NASCAR has routinely refused to discuss the lawsuit but Phelps made an exception Friday with his prepared statement. 
“This is not an antitrust case. The 2025 charter agreement is an improvement on the 2016 framework," Phelp said as he read off enhancements that include "over $3 billion in guaranteed payments to the teams, enterprise value that is roughly $1.5 billion now to the race teams, guaranteed starting positions each week that allow teams to sell sponsorship on the best billboards in sports, the Next Gen car, and charters guaranteed for 14 years until at least 2039, plus an obligation to negotiate in good faith beyond that.
“The bottom line here is NASCAR is committed to charters.”
Phelps also defended the Florida-based France family who founded the sport in 1948, financially supports it and has grown it into the top motorsports series in the United States. 
“The France family started NASCAR in 1948 using their own resources, grit and ingenuity. They have taken countless personal and financial risks, investing billions of dollars and untold hours into growing this sport to create opportunity for teams to race in front of fans for nearly eight decades,” Phelps said. "We are proud of what we built for fans together with the race teams, especially since the charters were introduced. ... We’ll continue to defend and preserve it. 
“Make no mistake, the lawsuit puts this at risk.”
___
AP auto racing: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing">https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing</a>
</div>

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AVONDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Kyle Larson is stuck in a 23-race NASCAR losing streak and really hasn't d...

AVONDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Kyle Larson is stuck in a 23-race NASCAR losing streak and really hasn't done much better in his sprint car, either. His momentum hit a wall after his failed second attempt to run the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. Larson crashed and failed to finish both races in a demoralizing hit he didn't realize he'd carry for so many months. He has never experienced a slump like this, even when he drove for Chip Ganassi Racing and only won six races. “Even when I was not ever winning, I could still go to sprint car racing and win and that would keep your confidence in yourself that you can do it," Larson said. "This year when they both took a dip, you're like ‘Man this sucks’ and like ‘How am I going to get out of this?’ and ‘Like, is it me?’ ‘Is is the cars?’ ‘Is is the bad luck?’<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>“You're just down, searching for answers and sticking through it. Then it slowly started turning around, maybe not as quickly as I would like, but quietly we were getting better and now the NASCAR stuff? We're peaking at the right time.”Larson will race Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron, and Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Denny Hamlin and Chase Briscoe on Sunday in <a href="https://apnews.com/article/nascar-championship-phoenix-hendrick-gibbs-f5e0088b021fe5d9e73a14002c5a7589">NASCAR's winner-take-all championship finale.</a> He's the only driver in the final four with a championship, the one he won in 2021, his first season at Hendrick.Hamlin, Briscoe and then Byron all won to earn their spots in the field, while Larson failed to win in the playoffs and earned the final berth through points. Even so, he likes how the No. 5 Chevrolet is running the last nine week and likes his chances Sunday. “I feel like we can win at any point,” Larson said noting he'd run in the top-five the last month. “I feel like that's back to where we are. To me, it doesn't seem like it's been that long since we've won because we've at least been contending to win the last four races.”Larson has one previous victory at Phoenix, in the 2021 championship race he won. He has three top-fours in five races since. William ByronAnother trip to the championship, another middle seat on a commercial flight for Byron.Two years after Byron needed to win at Martinsville Speedway to make the playoffs, he did it again this year. And just like any NASCAR driver who doesn't own an airplane, he had to quickly find a way to get to Phoenix Raceway.Hendrick Motorsports wasn't leaving in time to get Byron to Texas, so he once again booked a commercial flight. And yes, the reigning two-time Daytona 500 champion was once again in a middle seat. The only Charlotte native in a sport based predominantly in the city and its suburbs, Byron breezed his way through his home airport and the most he was recognized was by the cashier at a pizza place. “It costs a lot of money to get a plane and I feel like commercial for me is just as easy,” he said. “I live 15 minutes from the commercial airport in Charlotte. I go TSA Precheck. I keep my head down. It’s great. I love it. I like to get treated like a normal person, which I am.”Byron has a chance to bookend this season with victories. He opened it with a win in his second consecutive Daytona 500 and now can close it at Phoenix with a victory that would give him his first NASCAR Cup title. This is Byron's third straight appearance in the final four, and he finished third the last two years as a finalist. It would be a remarkable way to end a season that began on such a high with the Daytona victory, then suffered an unavoidable rollercoaster of a year because the No. 24 Chevrolet team can only go down after opening on the top with 34 races remaining.“You come off of Daytona, it sets it up for the year for you. You’re a Daytona champion. That’s the Super Bowl,” said team owner Rick Hendrick. "But then you've got to run all the races because you want to be a champion. You’re going to run through down times. We may be behind as an organization at certain tracks. “Daytona is special, but I think right after you win Daytona, you realize that, hey, we got to be up in the points, we got to win races, we got to advance. There’s a tremendous amount of pressure all year long. William had a fast start. But I don’t think after two, three races, you can’t live on that. You got to move on.”Chase BriscoeBorn and raised in Indiana, Briscoe is a <a href="https://apnews.com/article/nascar-playoffs-briscoe-jgr-championship-eea7fff29aac9abc9a727828e71011a1">dirt track kid who idolized Tony Stewart</a>, a fellow Hoosier and NASCAR Hall of Famer. He wanted nothing more than to make it to North Carolina and somehow enter a NASCAR race. He would be content if he made just one start, he didn't even care at what level of the national series Briscoe got his shot. If it came in a development series, so be it, Briscoe still would have made it. He sure did, and with a team owned by Stewart, no less. But when Stewart-Haas Racing closed at the end of last season, he needed a new job. Joe Gibbs Racing grabbed him and, in the best equipment of his career, he's raced his way into a shot at his first NASCAR championship. Back in Mitchell, Indiana, the high school gymnasium will be open Sunday night to root on their local hero.“The Lawrence County Tourism Board rented an LED TV. I don’t know how many people are going to show up — might be a hundred people, might be 1,500, I don’t know,” Briscoe said. "Obviously the whole city has gotten behind me and this run. They lined the entire Main Street up with checkered flags, running a 19 flag at City Hall. “So yeah, it’s pretty cool how into it my city is, there’s only like 3,000 people there in the first place. All 3,000 are pretty excited about it.”Briscoe scored the first Cup win of his career at Phoenix when he still drove for SHR. In his one visit to Phoenix with JGR this spring, he crashed and finished 35th.Denny HamlinHamlin is the sentimental favorite and recognized as the greatest NASCAR driver to never win a championship. He was the first driver to qualify for the finale by winning at Las Vegas, a victory that marked the 60th of his career and tied him for 10th on the all-time win list. Hamlin is a three-time Daytona 500 winner and long ago made peace with the idea he may never win a Cup title.This is his sixth wide-open shot at the title — first time in the finale since 2021 — and he let the first five chances slip away through a comedy of errors. Hamlin is not the most likeable driver among fans, but his tenacity in suing NASCAR along with Michael Jordan over antitrust claims, the candid opinions he offers both on his “Actions Detrimental” podcast and social media, and the recent <a href="https://apnews.com/article/nascar-phoenix-hamlin-championship-father-144c85d10eae9fd48c208bbc8759ef77">revelation that his father is dying,</a> has given him strong outside backing.If there was any doubt, NASCAR listed Hamlin in the top-five in voting for most popular driver.“Shocking. I don’t know that I’ve ever been in the top 10. So that in itself was quite a shock,” Hamlin said. "I’m not really sure what it is. I think it’s probably a culmination of all of it. I do think that people can only understand you for what they see on TV. “Sometimes you rub ’em the wrong way, and sometimes they connect with you. I’m not sure. Certainly it’s super unusual to see my name on the list.” ___AP auto racing: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing">https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing</a>

AVONDALE, ARIZONA - OCTOBER 30: Phoenix Raceway President Latasha Causey (C) poses with 2025 NASCAR Cup Series Championship 4 drivers, (L-R) Chase Briscoe, Kyle Larson, Denny Hamlin and William Byron attend a fan event during NASCAR Championship Media Day at Phoenix Raceway on October 30, 2025 in Avondale, Arizona.

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AVONDALE, Ariz. (AP) — NASCAR bristled at the notion race fans might be skeptical if Denny Hamlin...

<div>
AVONDALE, Ariz. (AP) — NASCAR bristled at the notion race fans might be skeptical if Denny Hamlin is penalized at any point in the title-deciding finale at Phoenix Raceway.
Hamlin is in the final four of Sunday's winner-take-all race as a driver for Joe Gibbs Racing. As co-owner of 23XI Racing, he's entangled in a contentious antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR that is hurtling toward a Dec. 1 trial.
He has maintained that NASCAR and its at-track officials have treated both Hamlin and 23XI fairly with no bogus penalties and no increased scrutiny on the teams as their cars go through inspection. 
<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>
But, Hamlin has a longtime problem with speeding on pit road and has been flagged for it five times through 37 races. NASCAR President Steve O'Donnell sternly answered “No” when asked if there was any concern that fans might claim a conspiracy if Hamlin is penalized for any reason on Sunday. 
O'Donnell was then asked why he was so certain fans wouldn't be skeptical of a NASCAR penalty against Hamlin. He touted the officiating. 
“We have all the technology in place. We have an unbelievable officiating team. I think that question actually is a bit absurd,” O'Donnell said. “I’m pretty confident in the decisions we’ll make and the transparency we’ve had throughout the year.”
Hamlin himself thinks the No. 11 Toyota will be treated fairly Sunday, as he and the 23XI lineup have been all year. 
“I don't think they could possibly think to do anything, I just think that would be counterproductive to anything going on,” Hamlin said. “I would also say that over the last year, I feel like they've been very fair to me. They've separated the two and whether they may not like Denny the car owner, that might be one thing. But I feel like they've treated me very fairly as a driver.”
Earlier in Friday's annual “State of the Sport” news conference, O'Donnell praised the officiating this year and noted that the last two consecutive years he'd been questioned at the same media event about “officiating questions, about missed calls, bad calls.”
But, O'Donnell said that under senior vice president of competition Elton Sawyer, he can't think of a single time this season that Sawyer has had to defend an officiating call. 
“I want to give a bit of a tribute to the team,” O'Donnell said. “I think those guys deserve acknowledgment for doing a hell of a job throughout the year. I think our competitors would share that, as well.”
Conspiracies aside, there's still the matter of how NASCAR will feel if Hamlin does win the championship, is presented with the Cup by one of their top executives, and then sit across a federal courtroom from NASCAR in one month.
The trophy presentation has previously been made by Steve Phelps, who was president at the time but was promoted to commissioner of NASCAR this year. NASCAR chairman Jim France, who is named in the lawsuit, has never presented the trophy, although his nephew did when Brian France was chairman.
Hamlin laughed at the potentially awkward situation. 
“All it would do is probably make people tune-in for the trophy presentation,” Hamlin said. “I shake hands with Phelps most weekends. I don't know how it's really any different. I shake hands with Jim in the courtroom, too. Is it awkward? Yeah, probably. But to me, it's not a big deal.”
___
AP auto racing: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing">https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing</a>
</div>

KANSAS CITY, KANSAS - SEPTEMBER 27: Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 Sport Clips Haircuts Toyota, looks on during qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series Hollywood Casino 400 Presented by ESPN BET at Kansas Speedway on September 27, 2025 in Kansas City, Kansas.

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NASCAR pushes back at idea of Hamlin being targeted in final

PARIS (AP) — Jannik Sinner dismissed Ben Shelton 6-3, 6-3 to reach the Paris Masters semifinals f...

PARIS (AP) — Jannik Sinner dismissed Ben Shelton 6-3, 6-3 to reach the Paris Masters semifinals for the first time on Friday and move closer to regaining the world No. 1 ranking.Sinner's seventh straight win over the American also extended his indoor winning streak to 24 dating to November 2023.If Sinner takes the Paris title, his first Masters trophy of the year, he will return to No. 1 on Monday.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>He next faces defending champion Alexander Zverev or 2020 champion Daniil Medvedev, who met late Friday.Felix Auger-Aliassime ended wild card Valentin Vacherot’s impressive run in Paris by 6-2, 6-2 in their quarterfinal.Vacherot had won his previous 10 Masters matches — including his first title in Shanghai this month — but Auger-Aliassime proved too strong for the Monegasque player as he advanced to his fourth Masters semifinal.Auger-Aliassime has reached 10 tour-level semifinals this season, going on to win titles in Adelaide, Montpellier and Brussels.The Canadian will next meet Alexander Bublik after the Kazakh ousted sixth-seeded Alex de Minaur 6-7 (5), 6-4, 7-5 without dropping serve.Bublik has won 30 of 37 matches since the French Open and four titles, and he's the first Kazakh to reach a Masters semifinal.___AP tennis: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/tennis">https://apnews.com/hub/tennis</a>

NANTERRE, FRANCE - OCTOBER 31: Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada thanks the support after defeating Valentin Vacherot of Monaco in the quarter finals during day five of the Rolex Paris Masters 2025 on October 31, 2025 in Nanterre, France.

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Auger-Aliassime, Sinner clinch spots in Paris Masters semis

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — The Turkish Football Federation has suspended 149 referees and assistant re...

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — The Turkish Football Federation has suspended 149 referees and assistant referees for their alleged involvement in a betting scandal involving professional soccer leagues.The federation said Friday it had decided to impose sanctions of between eight to 12 months against the 149 officials, while investigations were continuing against another three."The reputation of Turkish soccer is built on the sanctity of the effort on the field and the unwavering integrity of justice. Any act that betrays these values is not merely a violation of the rules, but a breach of trust," federation president Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu said in a statement.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>"Recent investigations have revealed that some referees were involved in betting activities in a manner completely incompatible with the spirit of football. This is not merely a violation – it is an abuse that wounds consciences and poisons justice."Haciosmanoglu had announced on Monday that government agencies determined that 371 of 571 active referees had at least one account with a betting company. He said 152 refs with accounts placed bets on soccer, including seven top-level refs and 15 top-level assistants.Haciosmanoglu said that 10 referees placed bets on more than 10,000 matches each over five years while some only placed one bet. One referee allegedly placed bets on 18,227 games.Citing judicial sources, broadcaster Haberturk said that investigations were also underway against clubs and players. It reported that some 3,700 players are under investigation.___AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

ISTANBUL, TURKIYE - APRIL 23: Turkish Football Federation President Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu makes a speech at the gala dinner held at Ciragan Palace ahead of the opening of UEFA's Istanbul Office on April 23, 2025 in Istanbul, Turkiye.

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Turkish soccer bans 149 referees as betting scandal rocks pro leagues

Brazil international Lucas Paqueta has been reprimanded and warned about his future conduct despi...

Brazil international Lucas Paqueta has been reprimanded and warned about his future conduct despite being cleared of spot-fixing allegations this year.An independent commission imposed sanctions after the Premier League player was found to have failed to co-operate with an English Football Association investigation into the original charges.West Ham forward Paqueta, acting on legal advice, responded "No comment" to numerous questions when interviewed.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Potential penalties included a fine and suspension but the commission opted for the lowest punishment after considering mitigating factors. Among them it noted the FA was "apparently not interested in what the player had to say at the second interview."It also considered the toll the charges had had on Paqueta, including the impact on his mental health, the likely collapse of a transfer to Manchester City and his legal fees.Paqueta was ultimately cleared of spot-fixing in July when a commission found charges by the FA to be unproven after the governing body claimed he had deliberately received yellow cards in four separate matches between 2022 and 2023 to affect betting markets.A 314-page document published last month told how conversations held in a Rio salon owned by Paqueta's mother may have led to a flurry of bets.The FA claimed 542 bets had been placed by 253 different bettors, alleging at least 27 could be connected to Paqueta from his homeland. It said bets amounting to 46,759 pounds ($62,920) had been placed, resulting in winnings of 213,704 pounds ($287,585) and a profit of 166,945 pounds ($224,660).In its written reasons, the commission said betting data was not "illustrative of a spot-fix" and "in many respects inconsistent with a spot-fix, but consistent with alternative explanations."The commission said, rather than a spot-fixing operation, a more likely explanation for the betting patterns was the "random passing of 'hot tips' or perceived 'inside information' within Brazil.""It simply makes no sense for a well-paid individual, who has amply demonstrated his generosity and who appears to have no interest in betting, to 'give his family members or friends' an advantage over bookmakers for comparatively modest sums," it wrote.The commission determined the FA would pay 90% of the costs of the commission and Paqueta 10%, given the spot-fixing charges accounted for the "overwhelming majority" of the costs.___AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

LEEDS, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 24: Lucas Paqueta of West Ham United looks on during the Premier League match between Leeds United and West Ham United at Elland Road on October 24, 2025 in Leeds, England.

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Paqueta warned for failure to co-operate with spot-fixing investigation

NYON, Switzerland (AP) — Bayern Munich's stadium is set to host another Champions League final in...

NYON, Switzerland (AP) — Bayern Munich's stadium is set to host another Champions League final in 2028, and staging the 2029 final is a contest between Wembley Stadium in London and Barcelona's renovated Camp Nou.UEFA confirmed Friday the list of interested bidders from among its member associations, suggesting a long-speculated final in New York will not happen until at least 2030."The declarations of interest are not binding, and the final proposals must be delivered with the bid dossiers by June 10," UEFA said in a statement.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Munich hosted the final last season and Wembley staged the previous final in 2024. Barcelona has not been the final venue since 1999.The UEFA executive committee is due to decide next September on hosts for all club competitions' finals in 2028 and 2029.The Champions League final this season is at the Puskas Arena in Budapest — with a new early evening kickoff time in Europe — and the 2027 final is at Atletico Madrid's stadium.___AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

MUNICH, GERMANY - OCTOBER 18: General view outside the stadium prior to the Bundesliga match between FC Bayern München and Borussia Dortmund at Allianz Arena on October 18, 2025 in Munich, Germany.

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Munich hosting 2028 UCL final; Wembley, Camp Nou compete for 2029

SAO PAULO (AP) — Raphael Veiga scored twice and Palmeiras overturned a 3-0 first-leg deficit with...

SAO PAULO (AP) — Raphael Veiga scored twice and Palmeiras overturned a 3-0 first-leg deficit with a 4-0 victory over Liga Deportiva of Ecuador on Thursday to advance to the Copa Libertadores final.Midfielder Veiga scored in the 68th and 82nd minutes after Ramon Sosa and Bruno Fuchs' first-half goals.Palmeiras, which won the Copa Libertadores in 1999, 2020 and 2021, will take on Flamengo in an all-Brazilian final on Nov. 29 at estadio Monumental in Lima, Peru.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>It guarantees Brazil an eighth title in the past nine editions of the tournament.Flamengo, playing most of the second half with 10 men, salvaged a scoreless draw with Racing Club on Wednesday to advance 1-0 on aggregate in the earlier semifinal.___AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

SAO PAULO, BRAZIL - OCTOBER 30: Raphael Veiga of Palmeiras celebrates after scoring the team's fourth goal via penalty with teammates during the Copa CONMEBOL Libertadores 2025 semi-final second leg match between Palmeiras and LDU Quito at Allianz Parque on October 30, 2025 in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

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Palmeiras' huge comeback sets up Copa Libertadores showdown with Flamengo

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Lamar Jackson returned for the Baltimore Ravens, and so did the chants...

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Lamar Jackson returned for the Baltimore Ravens, and so did the chants of "M-V-P!" - on the road.Jackson threw for 204 yards and four touchdowns, showing little rust in his return from a right hamstring strain, and the Ravens routed the Miami Dolphins 28-6.The two-time MVP completed 18 of 23 passes in his first start since Week 4 against Kansas City, and the Ravens (3-5) won their second straight as they hope to make a run in the wide-open AFC North.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>"It felt great," Jackson said. "I didn’t have any problems. I was feeling good out there."Tight end Mark Andrews made two touchdown catches. Jackson’s other TD passes went to tight end Charlie Kolar and receiver Rashod Bateman.Derrick Henry rushed 119 yards on 19 carries. Jackson ran the ball five times for 14 yards.Jackson connected on his first nine passes of the second half before he finally missed DeAndre Hopkins on a deep throw in the final minute of the third quarter. The game was out of reach by then, and Jackson had already thrown for his fourth TD — <a href="https://x.com/NFL/status/1984083574925263316">a 9-yard toss to Bateman</a> that put Baltimore up 28-6."It’s do or die," Jackson said. "Win or go home. Usually we start off winning games. But right now we’re behind, and we’ve all got to step it up."The Ravens were 1-5 just five days ago but have put together consecutive impressive wins after Tyler Huntley led them to a 30-16 victory over Chicago last Sunday."We had two games that we needed to win in four days," Baltimore coach John Harbaugh said. "And they were absolute must-wins. And for our guys to step up the way they did ... is commendable. And it just means we’re two games under .500. That’s all it means. But we’re two games under .500, right? We were four games under .500."Tua Tagovailoa, who completed 25 of 40 passes for 261 yards with an interception, led the Dolphins 80 yards down the field early in the fourth, a promising drive that included two fourth-down conversions. But receiver Malik Washington fumbled at the 10, and Dolphins fans began to exit Hard Rock Stadium en masse with more than 10 minutes remaining."You want to dictate the terms. You want to fix stuff," Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said. "That sucks. All of that does. But it’s a pretty consistent formula of - fans enjoy winning. Our expectation is that we have to do that work and do the right things for fans to enjoy the experience. Unfortunately we didn’t do that tonight, so we’ve got to get back to work to give them something to cheer about."De’Von Achane had 14 carries for 67 yards. Jaylen Waddle caught six passes for 82 yards.The Dolphins (2-7) outgained the Ravens 226 yards to 109 and held them to 1 of 6 on third down in the first half, but Miami trailed 14-6 because of a slew of mistakes.On Miami’s second drive, rookie Tahj Washington fumbled at the Dolphins 4, and Andrews caught a 2-yard TD from Jackson on fourth down on the Ravens’ ensuing possession.Achane led the Dolphins back down the field with runs of 19 and 22 yards, but a false start by offensive lineman Larry Borom on fourth-and-1 forced Miami to kick a field goal, which Riley Patterson missed from 35 yards out.The Ravens’ offense answered again. Jackson escaped the grasp of linebacker Jaelan Phillips and connected with Isaiah Likely for a 35-yard pickup, which set up Andrews’ 20-yard score — aided by two Dolphins defenders running into each other in coverage — that put Baltimore ahead 14-3."Against a good team like that, you just can’t give them an inch," Phillips said, "or they’ll take a mile."Miami’s only points were Patterson’s field goals of 49 and 43 yards.Good companyJackson became the fourth player in NFL history to throw at least four touchdown passes against the Dolphins in at least three games. Tom Brady did it five times, and Josh Allen and Drew Bledsoe both did it three times.Jacksons’ previous two such games against Miami were both of the five-TD, no-interception variety.Bad call?Just when it appeared the Dolphins were regaining momentum in the second, rookie running back Ollie Gordon was flagged for tripping on a play where it appeared that he slipped. The penalty wiped out a 36-yard catch by Waddle."I saw a guy ... slip," McDaniel said, "and he was called for intentionally tripping somebody. That’s what I saw."InjuriesDolphins: Gordon (ankle), LB Chop Robinson (concussion), S Ifeatu Melifonwu (toe) and CB Rasul Douglas (toe) left with injuries.Up nextRavens: At Minnesota on Sunday, Nov. 9.Dolphins: Host Buffalo on Nov. 9.___AP NFL: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nfl">https://apnews.com/hub/nfl</a>

MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 30: Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens celebrates a play against the Miami Dolphins during the third quarter in the game at Hard Rock Stadium on October 30, 2025 in Miami Gardens, Florida.

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AVONDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Dennis Hamlin took out multiple mortgages on his Virginia home, maxed out ...

AVONDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Dennis Hamlin took out multiple mortgages on his Virginia home, maxed out every credit card and nearly went broke trying to get his son into NASCAR.Denny Hamlin made it 21 years ago — driving for Joe Gibbs, no less! — and his resume boasts 60 career wins, three Daytona 500s among that tally. There's not much left for his son to do at 44 years old.Except win a championship, of course. Denny Hamlin is widely considered the greatest driver to never win the Cup and goes into Phoenix Raceway as the sympathetic favorite to win the championship in NASCAR's winner-take-all finale.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Dennis Hamlin will not be here. He's too sick to travel.Hamlin says his father is dying."I know for a fact this is my last chance for my dad to see it. I don't want him going and never getting to see the moment," Hamlin told The Associated Press of his dad, now 75 and battling a serious illness.Hamlin had long come to terms with his championship heartbreaks and made new goals — tops of the list was hitting 60 wins. When it became clear Hamlin could potentially reach it this year, the race for that milestone became more urgent.And when Hamlin won at Las Vegas in September to grab the first of four championship berths, he openly wept as he collected the checkered flag that moved him into a tie for 10th on NASCAR's all-time list.He was still emotional two hours after the race as he reflected on all the sacrifices his parents made and the financial leverages they did so their son could chase his childhood dream. Hamlin was going to wait to get home to North Carolina and celebrate with his dad in person."He was just so happy and he always tells me I'm the best, no matter if I win or not, he always says I'm the best," Hamlin said. "He's a big hype guy and I sat in his garage and talked with him, he's got all my old memorabilia and it's just good to reminisce. He's a reminiscent guy and right now I am just cherishing those hours that I have with them each week."He races against fellow Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Chase Briscoe, as well as Hendrick Motorsports drivers Kyle Larson and William Byron, and the highest finisher Sunday will win the title. It's an even split between the winningest championship teams in NASCAR, and a battle between Chevrolet and Toyota<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nascar-championship-phoenix-hendrick-gibbs-f5e0088b021fe5d9e73a14002c5a7589">.</a>Larson is the only driver with a previous championship. Byron is back in the championship race for the third consecutive year, while Briscoe is making his debut in his first season driving for Gibbs.Hamlin isn't sure if the other drivers would be happy if he wins, but he suspects good friend Larson might be OK with it. Larson told The Associated Press if he doesn't win, he'd be pleased with a Hamlin championship."He's a deserving champion and nearing the end of his career, so if I couldn't win, I'd love to see him because you'd think he'd have one on his resume. He deserves it," Larson told the AP. "I could see how (his dad) absolutely gives extra motivation, and I think sympathy goes a long way. It's not going to stop me from wanting to beat him, but there's a lot of reasons a Denny Hamlin championship would feel good."I truly think everybody in the sport would be happy, probably even the folks at NASCAR."See, Hamlin drives for Gibbs but teamed with NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan in 2020 to form 23XI, the team that launched in 2021. They didn't like the deal offered after two years of contentious negotiations on new charter agreements, refused along with Front Row Racing to sign the agreements, and sued instead.The lawsuit is contentious and ugly, mediation so far hasn't worked but talks continue as NASCAR claims it very much wants to settle before the Dec. 1 trial.Hamlin — backed by Jordan's resolve not to give in — is happy to let the case go to trial. He says NASCAR chairman Jim France shakes his hand before each court proceeding, that he's treated fairly at the track by NASCAR officials, and doesn't believe NASCAR will try any tricks to interfere with his ability to have an equal shot at the title.But even if NASCAR wanted to enter some gamesmanship with the No. 11 team, Hamlin has a history of his own self-sabotage in these situations.This is realistically his sixth wide-open look at the title, and he's notoriously squandered them all away: Hamlin spun in the 2010 finale, had a bad pit stop in 2014, overheated because the team put too much tape on the front grille in 2019, and then strategy or lack of speed on the No. 11 Toyota cost him in 2020 and 2021.This year is his first back in the championship four in four seasons, and comes in a year in which he's won a series-high six races and performed extremely well with new crew chief Chris Gayle, who was forced upon him in an offseason reorganization at Gibbs that pushed Chris Gabehart, the crew chief who has extracted the most out of Hamlin in these later years of his career, into a management role.Hamlin was outspoken about the change he never asked for and didn't have great confidence in Gayle. But, he left it up to Gayle to find his footing with the No. 11 and now Gayle is farther in the playoffs than he'd ever been before.Hamlin now feels some regret over his harsh criticism when JGR first took Gabehart from him and has learned to trust and feel extremely comfortable with Gayle.And, hopefully, win that elusive title and then return to North Carolina to again sit in the garage with his dad and talk about the race. But this time would be unlike any other.Jordan in 2024 gave Dennis Hamlin an autographed cigar enclosed in a glass case. It came with a note that said “Break it when we win the championship.” Dennis Hamlin explained it in an episode of the Netflix series NASCAR: Full Speed<a href="https://youtu.be/96p028u8-8g?si=y74P27p9dbTQsQSD">.</a>"I'm supposed to break that and smoke that cigar. That's what I'm going to do," Dennis Hamlin said on the show. "I'd give everything I have, every car in this garage, the house, whatever, if I could make that happen."___AP auto racing: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing">https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing</a>

MARTINSVILLE, VA - OCTOBER 26: Denny Hamlin (#11 Joe Gibbs Racing King's Hawaiian Toyota) talks with his crew prior to the running of the NASCAR Cup Series Xfinity 500 on October 26, 2025 at Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, VA.

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PARIS (AP) — Jannik Sinner beat Francisco Cerundolo 7-5, 6-1 in the third round of the Paris Mast...

PARIS (AP) — Jannik Sinner beat Francisco Cerundolo 7-5, 6-1 in the third round of the Paris Masters on Thursday to extend his indoor winning streak to 23 matches and maintain his chances of reclaiming the No. 1 ranking.The four-time Grand Slam champion needs to win the tournament to take the top spot from Carlos Alcaraz. Sinner's quarterfinal opponent on Friday will be Ben Shelton.The fifth-seeded American beat 12th-seeded Andrey Rublev 7-6 (6), 6-3 to secure his place in the eight-man, season-ending ATP Finals in Turin, Italy.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Sinner is chasing a fifth title of the year and 23rd overall. He won an ATP 500 tournament in Vienna last Sunday despite having cramps.“Hopefully, I can recover physically, which is my main priority" Sinner said ahead of his eighth match against Shelton. "Today was a great match and a great performance from my side.”He leads Shelton 6-1 overall.Later Thursday, defending champion Alexander Zverev played Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.<h3>Vacherot keeps going</h3>There seems to be no stopping Valentin Vacherot, who reached another Masters quarterfinal by beating Cameron Norrie 7-6 (4), 6-4.Already this month, Vacherot made a stunning run from the qualifiers to win the Shanghai Masters for his first career title. He downed 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic in the semifinals and beat his own cousin Arthur Rinderknech in the final.“I never expected it,” Vacherot said. “Good thing that I keep going here, maybe enjoying the matches even more than in Shanghai.”The 40th-ranked Vacherot, who is from Monaco, beat Rinderknech again in the second round here in Paris, setting up a match against Norrie after the British player eliminated Alcaraz.Vacherot had five aces and saved all five break points against Norrie, who dropped serve once.Vacherot next faces ninth-seeded Felix Auger-Aliassime, who rallied past Daniel Altmaier 3-6, 6-3, 6-2. Victory maintained Auger-Aliassime's chances of reaching the eight-man, season-ending ATP Finals in Turin, Italy.<h3>Other matches</h3>Fourth-seeded American Taylor Fritz lost 7-6 (5), 6-2 to No. 13 seed Alexander Bublik; No. 6 Alex De Minaur won 6-2, 6-2 against 2018 champion Karen Khachanov; and 2020 champion Daniil Medvedev reached his 25th Masters quarterfinal with a 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4 win over Lorenzo Sonego.<h3>Race to Turin</h3>De Minaur qualified for the ATP Finals for the second consecutive season and Shelton for the first time, leaving one spot left.Auger-Aliassime will leapfrog Lorenzo Musetti only if he reaches the final in Paris.___AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

NANTERRE, FRANCE - OCTOBER 30: Jannik Sinner of Italy against Francisco Cerundolo of Argentina during day four of the Rolex Paris Masters 2025 on October 30, 2025 in Nanterre, France.

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LONDON (AP) — England forward Michelle Agyemang is set to miss the rest of the season after teari...

LONDON (AP) — England forward Michelle Agyemang is set to miss the rest of the season after tearing an anterior cruciate ligament in her knee while playing in a friendly against Australia.Agyemang, who scored crucial goals in England's run to the title at Euro 2025, was taken off on a stretcher in the second half of England's 3-0 win on Tuesday in Derby."I am so grateful for all the kind words and the support from everyone," Agyemang wrote on Instagram on Thursday. "Recovery starts now, I will be back stronger than before."<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Agyemang is on loan at Brighton from Arsenal, which said the injury rules Agyemang out of the rest of the 2025-26 season."We are in close contact with Brighton as we determine a treatment and recovery programme for Michelle," Arsenal said. "We will be giving Michelle our full support as she begins the road to recovery."The 19-year-old Agyemang was named UEFA's young player of the tournament for Euro 2025 after her late goals off the bench when England was in jeopardy in the quarterfinals and semifinals.___AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

BASEL, SWITZERLAND - JULY 27: Michelle Agyemang of England poses for a photograph with the UEFA Women's EURO trophy after her team's victory in the UEFA Women's EURO 2025 Final match between England and Spain at St. Jakob-Park on July 27, 2025 in Basel, Switzerland.

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LOS ANGELES (AP) — Blake Snell thinks bad luck had about as much to do with his Game 5 struggles ...

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Blake Snell thinks bad luck had about as much to do with his Game 5 struggles as the Toronto Blue Jays."Luck plays in baseball, too," he said.The two-time Cy Young Award winner gave up two home runs on his first three pitches, then faltered again late in a 6-1 loss Wednesday night that put the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers on the brink of a Fall Classic defeat.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>The Blue Jays took a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series and can steal the title away from LA with a win Friday in Game 6 in Toronto.Snell allowed back-to-back homers to Davis Schneider and Vladimir Guerrero Jr., the first back-to-back leadoff homers ever in a Series game. Each of the first three pitches were fastballs, and Snell’s next 22 pitches after that were offspeed.<figure class="article-segment--embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Snell: “I’m not one to make excuses… it’s just pretty unlucky. Only so much you can do, and that’s baseball.” <a href="https://t.co/lj04W0gMZh">pic.twitter.com/lj04W0gMZh</a>— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) <a href="https://twitter.com/SportsNetLA/status/1983748388475826231?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2025</a>
</blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></figure>"First pitch of the game, 97 (mph) fastball up and in, he hits it 98, it goes out," Snell said of Schneider. "Pretty unlucky. Vlad, yeah, that's just a bad pitch."He said he didn't think he was giving away any cues on the type of pitch he was going to throw."I just think they're ambushing a fastball," he said. "They just read swings and they're ambushing, as they should and as I thought they would."Snell overcame the early trouble only to give up a leadoff triple to Daulton Varsho in the fourth on a ball hit 75.6 mph."I'm not one to make excuses or anything close to that, but that's pretty unlucky," he said. Snell couldn't finish the seventh inning. He left runners on first and third after a walk, a single and two wild pitches, and the Blue Jays leading 3-1. Still, the sellout crowd of 52,175 stood to applaud."Yeah, just frustrated," he said. "I felt good, I felt strong. I've been training to be ready for this and be strong. I trust me."Edgardo Henriquez replaced Snell and walked Guerrero. Addison Barger, who singled and moved up on Snell's pair of wild pitches, scored on Henriquez’s wild pitch, making it 4-1."Against a really good pitcher like him, you have to be ready to hit. He's going to come after you, he's going to challenge you," Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. "There's a time to grind 'em and there's a time to be ready to hit. Just pretty cool it worked out the way it did."Snell gave up five runs and six hits in 6 2/3 innings, struck out seven and walked four on 116 pitches."He gave us everything he had," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. "I think that early on they were just on the fastball, and you got to sort of adjust if that’s the case."Snell began strongly in his first postseason with the Dodgers, who signed him to a $182 million, five-year deal last winter. Snell had an 0.86 ERA in his first three starts.In the NL Division Series, Snell allowed one hit in six shutout innings and struck out nine as the Dodgers beat the Philadelphia Phillies 4-3 to take a 2-0 series lead.The left-hander nicknamed "Snellzilla" was stellar in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series, a 2-1 win over the Milwaukee Brewers. He allowed one baserunner in eight shutout innings and struck out 10 while facing the minimum, something no one had done in the postseason since Don Larsen’s World Series perfect game in 1956.The Dodgers went on to sweep the Brewers in four games and go into the World Series with a shot of momentum.Then Snell got shelled in Game 1, losing 11-4. He gave up five runs, including three of the nine Toronto had in the sixth inning. Before that, Snell had allowed just two runs in 21 innings and struck out 27 batters.On Wednesday, Snell got no help from a stone-cold Dodgers’ offense that managed just one run and four hits. Shohei Ohtani was hitless with a strikeout. Will Smith and Mookie Betts struck out twice, while Freddie Freeman had three strikeouts."We all know what we're capable of, and we haven't done it for two games," Freeman said. "They just outplayed us."The defense let Snell down, too.Betts and Tommy Edman faltered in the first couple innings on potential ground-ball double plays, forcing Snell to work longer."Blake pitched a heck of a ball game," Roberts said. "But, yeah, giving up bases and not converting outs when you have an opportunity to convert outs, that came back to bite us."

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 29: Blake Snell #7 of the Los Angeles Dodgers walks to the dugout during a pitching change in the seventh inning against the Toronto Blue Jays in game five of the 2025 World Series at Dodger Stadium on October 29, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.

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DALLAS (AP) — Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis left Wednesday night’s game against the Indi...

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DALLAS (AP) — Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis left Wednesday night’s game against the Indiana Pacers late in the first quarter with left lower-leg soreness and didn't return.
Davis hit a floating jumper near the left baseline for his second field goal of the game and hobbled when starting back downcourt. He crouched near the Mavericks’ bench and was attended to before being led to the locker room. In the pregame injury report, Davis had been listed as available with bilateral Achilles tendinopathy.
The 32-year-old 10-time All-Star suffered <a href="https://apnews.com/article/mavericks-anthony-davis-luka-doncic-a94612fee43cfa220d4dd5b17156f1fa">an adductor injury on Feb. 8</a> in his Mavericks home debut a week after being acquired from the Lakers in <a href="https://apnews.com/article/luka-doncic-anthony-davis-lakers-mavericks-trade-7c8064be5c8e941489f14500fa43f5e7">the controversial trade</a> that sent Luka Doncic to Los Angeles. Davis missed Dallas’ next 18 games. He returned to play in eight of the Mavericks’ final 10 games. They finished 39-43, missing the playoffs a year after reaching the NBA Finals.
<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>
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AP NBA: <a href="https://apnews.com/NBA">https://apnews.com/NBA</a>
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DALLAS, TEXAS - OCTOBER 24: Anthony Davis #3 of the Dallas Mavericks handles the ball during a game against the Washington Wizards at American Airlines Center on October 24, 2025 in Dallas, Texas.

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Mavs lose Davis vs. Pacers due to lower leg soreness

TORONTO (AP) — Kevin Durant scored 31 points, Jabari Smith Jr. added a season-high 25 and the Hou...

TORONTO (AP) — Kevin Durant scored 31 points, Jabari Smith Jr. added a season-high 25 and the Houston Rockets thumped the struggling Toronto Raptors 139-121 on Wednesday night.Alperen Sengun had 18 points, nine assists and eight rebounds as the Rockets won their second straight after starting the season with back-to-back losses.Amen Thompson scored 18 points and Tari Eason added 14 points for the Rockets. Steven Adams scored 12 points and led Houston with 12 rebounds.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Houston outrebounded Toronto 53-22. Seven Rockets players had five or more rebounds. Durant finished 11 of 19 from the field and 4 of 8 from 3-point range.Scottie Barnes scored 31 points and Brandon Ingram matched his season high with 29 for Toronto, which lost its fourth straight after winning its season opener at Atlanta. All four defeats have been by 10 points or more.With Jakob Poeltl (sore lower back) out of the lineup, Raptors rookie Collin Murray-Boyles scored 13 in his first career start.Immanuel Quickley had 15 points for Toronto, and RJ Barrett and Sandro Mamukelashvili each scored 10.The Raptors made a season-best 21 of 40 from long range. Eight of Toronto’s baskets in the second quarter were 3s.The Rockets took the lead for good by closing the first half on an 11-0 run and then opened the third quarter with a 14-4 run. Houston led 84-67 with 8:12 left in the third, its biggest advantage.The Rockets were up 106-91 after three and maintained a double-digit edge for all but 19 seconds of the fourth.Toronto’s past three losses have all been against Texas teams. The Raptors lost at Dallas last Saturday and were beaten at San Antonio on Sunday.Up nextRockets: At Boston on Saturday.Raptors: At Cleveland on Friday.___AP NBA: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nba">https://apnews.com/hub/nba</a>

TORONTO, CANADA - OCTOBER 29: Kevin Durant #7 of the Houston Rockets dribbles against Scottie Barnes #4 of the Toronto Raptors during the second half at Scotiabank Arena on October 29, 2025 in Toronto, Canada.

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LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers have shuffled their slumping lineup for Game 5 of the ...

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers have shuffled their slumping lineup for Game 5 of the World Series on Wednesday, notably moving Mookie Betts down in the order for the first time in four years and benching Andy Pages.Betts will bat third in the lineup submitted by Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, while Freddie Freeman moved down to fourth. Catcher Will Smith moved up to second behind Shohei Ohtani.Roberts made the changes after the defending champions batted .214 while splitting the first four games with the Toronto Blue Jays. Los Angeles has only 34 hits — 10 fewer than Toronto — and has relied heavily on seven homers to drive in its 17 runs.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>"In the postseason, you've got to be a little bit more reactive than the regular season," Roberts said. "When I netted out the value of what I feel gives us the best chance to win today, that was a decision I made."Roberts wouldn’t get any deeper into the details of his reasons for the moves at the top of his lineup."As far as Mookie and Will, I just feel that that's the best way to win the game tonight," Roberts said. "So both players were alerted, and both players are all on board."Game 5 will be the first time since 2021 that Betts isn’t starting in one of the top two spots in Los Angeles’ lineup.The eight-time All-Star and three-time World Series champion has been the Dodgers’ No. 2 hitter nearly all season behind Ohtani. Roberts resisted any temptation to move Betts during rough spots in his underwhelming regular season at the plate. But Betts is 3 for 19 with no RBIs and no extra-base hits in the World Series after going 2 for 12 without scoring a run in the past two games at Dodger Stadium, and Roberts decided he could wait no longer."There's some mechanics,” Roberts said. "They’re making good pitches. He's working hard to kind of clean some things up. ... All that matters is just going out there and taking four or five good at-bats, and so all I'm concerned about is tonight, and I know that's what's on Mookie’s mind, too."Smith is 4 for 17 with a homer and four RBIs in the World Series while also catching every inning.Alex Call is in the lineup in place of Pages, who is 1 for 15 in the World Series and 4 for 50 with one RBI in the entire postseason. Call will play left field while Kiké Hernández moves to center.Pages had an .828 OPS at the start of July during a first half that inspired All-Star talk around the outfielder, but he dropped off in the second half. Only his defense in center field — and the Dodgers’ lack of a tempting alternative — likely kept Pages in the lineup this long into his October struggles.Roberts is giving a start to Call, who is 4 for 17 in his first MLB postseason as a backup outfielder. The Dodgers are eager to get more runners on base for Ohtani from the bottom of their lineup.Roberts said he inserted Call to improve the Dodgers' "at-bat quality, seeing pitches, the potential to get somebody on base for Shohei at the top. I feel good with Kiké in center field and Alex’s defense in left."

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 27: Mookie Betts #50 of the Los Angeles Dodgers looks on at the end of the ninth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays in game three of the 2025 World Series at Dodger Stadium on October 27, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.

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Liverpool fielded a weakened team and got duly punished in a 3-0 loss to Crystal Palace in the Le...

Liverpool fielded a weakened team and got duly punished in a 3-0 loss to Crystal Palace in the League Cup on Wednesday, the latest setback to strike the beleaguered English champions.Ismaila Sarr scored two first-half goals at Anfield and Yeremy Pino added a third for Palace, which consigned Liverpool to a sixth defeat in its last seven games in all competitions.Also advancing to the quarterfinals were Premier League leader Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea, while defending champion Newcastle beat Tottenham 2-0.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><h3>Quarterfinal draw</h3><ul>
<li>Arsenal vs. Crystal Palace</li>
<li>Cardiff vs. Chelsea</li>
<li>Manchester City vs. Brentford</li>
<li>Newcastle vs. Fulham</li>
</ul><h3>Liverpool in freefall</h3>After four straight losses in its tottering Premier League title defense, Liverpool is now out of one of the two domestic cups in what is proving to be an unexpectedly poor start to the season.This latest loss can at least be explained by manager Arne Slot resting most of his top players — like Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, Cody Gakpo and Alexander Isak — and not even putting them on the bench.A team filled mostly with youngsters was cut apart by Sarr, who scored in the 41st and 45th minutes to add to his goals for Palace in victories over Liverpool in the Community Shield — in a penalty shootout — and the Premier League already this season.Amara Nallo, an 18-year-old defender, came on as a 67th-minute substitute for Liverpool and was sent off 12 minutes later for committing a foul as the last defender. In his only other appearance for the Reds — in the Champions League in January — Nallo was also red-carded four minutes after coming on as a sub.Pino scored Palace’s third goal in the 88th.<h3>Arsenal record-breaker</h3>Max Dowman became Arsenal’s youngest-ever starter, at 15 years, 302 days, in the team’s 2-0 win over Brighton.The league leaders also played a weakened team but that didn’t affect them, with Ethan Nwaneri and Bukayo Saka — on as a substitute for Dowman — netting the goals.<h3>City comeback</h3>Man City came from behind to beat second-tier Swansea 3-1, with Jeremy Doku, Omar Marmoush and Rayan Cherki scoring.Prolific City striker Erling Haaland was rested completely, not even making it onto the bench.<h3>Chelsea's latest red</h3>Chelsea beat Wolverhampton 4-3 in a wild match at Molineux featuring a fifth red card of the season for Enzo Maresca’s ill-disciplined team.Chelsea went 3-0 up by halftime thanks to goals by Andrey Santos, Tyrique George and Estevao, only for Wolves to reply through Tolu Arokodare and David Moller Wolfe.Liam Delap, making his comeback from injury, was sent off in the 86th for collecting two yellow cards before Jamie Gittens made it 4-2. Wolfe scored again for Wolves in stoppage time.<h3>Newcastle controversy</h3>Newcastle’s first goal against Tottenham — a header from Fabian Schar at a corner — was contentious, with the set piece swung in just as Spurs defender Djed Spence got to his feet after putting his boot back on.Tottenham’s protests to the referee were ignored, and Nick Woltemade added a second by heading in a cross ahead of goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky, who missed his attempted punch clear.___Steve Douglas is at <a href="https://twitter.com/sdouglas80">https://twitter.com/sdouglas80</a>___AP soccer: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/soccer">https://apnews.com/hub/soccer</a>

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 29: Liverpool Manager Arne Slot gives instructions to Wataru Endo of Liverpool during the Carabao Cup Fourth Round match between Liverpool and Crystal Palace at Anfield on October 29, 2025 in Liverpool, England.

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PARIS (AP) — Jannik Sinner's bid to reclaim the No. 1 ranking got off to a good start Wednesday w...

PARIS (AP) — Jannik Sinner's bid to reclaim the No. 1 ranking got off to a good start Wednesday with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Zizou Bergs in the second round of the Paris Masters, which the Italian needs to win to knock Carlos Alcaraz off the top spot.Sinner's 65-week reign as No. 1 ended in September when Alcaraz won the U.S. Open final against him for his sixth major title and the top spot. But Alcaraz lost in Paris on Tuesday in the second round to unseeded Cameron Norrie, opening the door for Sinner in their seesaw rivalry.Sinner had Bergs under constant pressure, forging 11 break-point chances and converting three, while not conceding a break point of his own.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>“I was very precise, and I also started off with a break straight away, which gives you a bit more confidence,” said Sinner, who is chasing a fifth title of the year and 23rd overall. “I’m very happy how I served today.”The 24-year-old Sinner clinched victory on his first match point and plays unseeded Francisco Cerundolo in the third round.“I felt like mostly the movement (was good)," said Sinner, who won an ATP 500 tournament in Vienna on Sunday despite having cramps.Defending champion Alexander Zverev joined Sinner in round three by rallying from 3-1 down in the final set to beat Camilo Ugo Carabelli 6-7 (5), 6-1, 7-5.The third-seeded German made a telling difference on his second serve, winning 78% of points compared to 42% for his opponent, who dropped his serve four times. Zverev next plays 15th-seeded Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.Elsewhere, ninth-seeded Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada rallied from a break down in the second set and 3-0 down in the third set tiebreaker in a 5-7, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (4) win over Frenchman Alexandre Muller.Auger-Aliassime's erratic performance combined 50 winners and 55 unforced errors as he he maintained his chances of reaching the season-ending, eight-player ATP Finals in Turin, Italy.He next faces unseeded Daniel Altmaier, who beat eighth-seeded Casper Ruud 6-3, 7-5 to end the Norwegian's Turin chances. Seventh-seeded Lorenzo Musetti lost 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 to fellow Italian Lorenzo Sonego, who next plays No. 11 Daniil Medvedev, the 2020 champion and 2021 runner-up.Medvedev had a walkover after Grigor Dimitrov — the 2023 tournament runner-up — pulled out of their match with a shoulder injury.<h3>Family affair</h3>Valentin Vacherot came out on top again in the battle of the cousins as he beat Arthur Rinderknech 6-7 (9), 6-3, 6-4.“It was very physical. Mentally, it was hard, as well,” Vacherot said. “We were very tense, I think the crowd could see it.”A little more than two weeks ago, Vacherot won the Shanghai Masters final against Rinderknech, making a run from qualifying in China to win his first career tournament.The 40th-ranked Vacherot, who is from Monaco, plays Norrie next.___AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

NANTERRE, FRANCE - OCTOBER 29: Jannik Sinner of Italy against Zizou Bergs of Belgium during day three of the Rolex Paris Masters 2025 on October 29, 2025 in Nanterre, France.

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MADRID (AP) — Real Madrid will seek compensation from UEFA after a Spanish court dismissed appeal...

MADRID (AP) — Real Madrid will seek compensation from UEFA after a Spanish court dismissed appeals filed by the European soccer organization against a ruling that said the governing body breached EU competition law when it blocked plans for a breakaway Super League.On Wednesday, the court in Madrid dismissed the appeals that were also filed by the Spanish league and the national soccer federation.The Court of Justice of the European Union had ruled in 2023 that soccer's governing bodies UEFA and FIFA acted contrary to EU law and abused their market dominance.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Madrid said in a statement it was "delighted" with the ruling, "confirming that UEFA, in the Superliga matter, seriously infringed the European Union's free competition rules ... by abusing its dominant position.""The club announces that it will continue to work for the good of global football and fans, while claiming substantial damages from UEFA," Madrid said.The Spanish league said it respected the new court ruling but downplayed its significance, saying "the decision does not approve or endorse any specific competition format, nor does it refer to the initial project announced in 2021, which has since been modified by its promoters.""The court's decision focuses exclusively on procedural aspects, establishing that authorization systems must be based on transparent, objective and reviewable criteria, without making any statements regarding the substance or viability of potential alternative tournaments," the league said.Madrid did not specify the damages it would seek.The club added that this year it "held numerous discussions with UEFA to seek solutions, without reaching any compromise on more transparent governance, financial sustainability, protection of players' health and improvements to the fan experience, including free and globally accessible broadcasting models as was the case at the FIFA Club World Cup."The breakaway Super League project that was originally launched in 2021 quickly collapsed after protests by fans across Europe.___AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

MADRID, SPAIN - OCTOBER 22: Players of Real Madrid line up for a team photo prior to the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD3 match between Real Madrid C.F. and Juventus at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on October 22, 2025 in Madrid, Spain.

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