AP National Sports

By CHARLES ODUM AP Sports Writer ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Top-ranked and defending national champion Georgia is looking for improvement despite sitting one win away from back-to-back titles. Quarterback Stetson Bennett and the Bulldogs weren’t satisfied with their play in their dramatic 42-41 win over Ohio State in the Peach Bowl’s College Football Playoff semifinal.

By KEN POWTAK Associated Press BOSTON (AP) — Fenway Park, the MLB’s oldest active ballpark, has been transformed into an outdoor hockey arena for the NHL’s 14th annual Winter Classic. With the logos of the Boston Bruins and Pittsburgh Penguins hanging Monday atop the seats above the park’s fabled 37-foot Green Monster, the league’s annual

By TIM BOOTH AP Sports Writer SEATTLE (AP) — The 2024 NHL Winter Classic is headed to the Pacific Northwest as the Seattle Kraken will host the Vegas Golden Knights in a matchup at T-Mobile Park. The game between the Golden Knights and Kraken will be played on Jan. 1, 2024, bringing together the league’s

PASADENA, Calif. (AP) — Flower-covered floats, marching bands and equestrian units celebrated the New Year on a chilly but dry Monday as the 134th Rose Parade slipped through a gap in California’s siege of drenching storms. Pasadena’s annual floral spectacle offered the optimistic theme of “Turning the Corner” for 2023, and former U.S. Rep. Gabby

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) — The Atlanta Falcons have released receiver Cameron Batson from the practice squad after an altercation with police led to his arrest over the weekend. Batson has been on the Falcons’ practice squad all season but didn’t play in a game. He spent the previous four seasons with the Tennessee Titans.

By TALES AZZONI AP Sports Writer MADRID (AP) — Espanyol has challenged the result of the derby against Barcelona to the Spanish soccer federation. Espanyol says Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski was ineligible to play because of a suspension. The teams drew 1-1 on Saturday. Espanyol played under protest because of Lewandowski’s participation despite him being

By DOUG FEINBERG AP Basketball Writer South Carolina finished 2022 how it started the year: No. 1 in The Associated Press Top 25 women’s basketball poll. While the top-ranked Gamecocks cruised to a win in their lone game last week, then-No. 4 Indiana, No. 6 N.C. State and No. 7 Virginia Tech all lost as

By JOHN MARSHALL AP Basketball Writer Purdue solidified its No. 1 ranking in The Associated Press men’s college basketball poll following UConn’s first loss of the season while No. 23 Charleston moved into the rankings for the first time in 20 years. The Boilermakers remained No. 1 for the fourth straight week. They received all

By JOHN ZENOR AP Sports Writer TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Alabama quarterback Bryce Young and linebacker Will Anderson Jr. are heading to the NFL, where both could contend for the top draft spot. Young, the 2021 Heisman Trophy winner, and the two-time unanimous All-American Anderson announced their decisions to skip their senior seasons two days

NEW YORK (AP) — Tennis great Martina Navratilova says she has been diagnosed with throat cancer and breast cancer. The 18-time Grand Slam singles champion and member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame said in a statement released Monday that her prognosis is good and she will start treatment this month. The 66-year-old Navratilova

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Tampa Bay Lightning rookie defenseman Nick Perbix has signed a $2.25 million, two-year contract extension. Perbix has three goals, five assists and is plus-8 in 29 games this season. He is tied for second in goals among Lightning defensemen and is fourth in scoring. The Elk River, Minnesota, native was a

By STEPHEN WHYNO AP Hockey Writer The St. Louis Blues have placed captain Ryan O’Reilly and winger Vladimir Tarasenko on injured reserve. The team says O’Reilly has a broken foot and Tarasenko an injured hand. O’Reilly is expected to be out for at least six weeks and Tarasenko for four. The Blues last week put

SYDNEY (AP) — Rafael Nadal lost again at the United Cup mixed teams tournament chalking up Monday’s defeat to Alex De Minaur to rustiness. The second-ranked Nadal lost to the Australian 3-6 6-1 7-5 after having been beaten by Britain’s Cameron Norrie in three sets. The record 22-time Grand Slam champion said he needs more

AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) — Venus Williams is back in the win column. The 42-year-old Williams beat qualifier Katie Volynets 7-6 (4) 6-2 in the first round at the ASB Classic for her first singles victory since Wimbledon in 2021. The seven-time major champion has been awarded a wild-card entry to play at the Australian

By MAURICIO SAVARESE AP Sports Writer SANTOS, Brazil (AP) — Thousands of mourners began paying their respects to Pelé in a solemn procession past his coffin at the Vila Belmiro Stadium in his hometown of Santos on Monday. The Brazilian soccer great died Thursday after a battle with cancer. The three-time World Cup winner was

By MAURICIO SAVARESE AP Sports Writer SANTOS, Brazil (AP) — Fans lined up early Monday outside the Vila Belmiro Stadium ahead of Pelé’s funeral in his hometown of Santos. The Brazilian soccer great died Thursday after a battle with cancer. He was 82. Pelé scored scored some of the best goals of his career at

ADELAIDE, Australia (AP) — Novak Djokovic lost his doubles match but received a warm welcome from the crowd at the Adelaide International. The 21-time major winner was deported from Australia a year ago after arriving unvaccinated against COVID-19 at a time when the country was still subject to strict quarantine regulations and proof of vaccination.

AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) — Leylah Fernandez has opened her 2023 season with an emphatic 6-1, 6-1 win over 15-year-old Brenda Fruhvirtova in the first round of the ASB Classic. Third-seeded Fernandez needed only 61 minutes to sweep by the Czech teenager, who entered the main draw on a wild card. Fernandez said expectations on