Sports

By TALES AZZONI AP Sports Writer MADRID (AP) — Barcelona is hoping the tough times are finally over. The Spanish club got back to celebrating and to feeling good about its future again with a big victory over its main rival on Sunday. The 3-1 win against Real Madrid in the final of the Spanish

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Top-ranked Iga Swiatek has swept the last four games to beat Jule Niemeier 6-4, 7-5 in the first round of the Australian Open. Swiatek is bidding for her fourth career Grand Slam title. One of those previous ones came at least year’s U.S. Open, where she needed to come back from

DORTMUND, Germany (AP) — Borussia Dortmund has told 18-year-old striker Youssoufa Moukoko to make a decision about his future this month as one of the most sought-after young talents in world soccer weighs up whether to sign a new contract or become a free agent. Moukoko became the youngest player ever to represent Germany at

By HOWARD FENDRICH AP Tennis Writer MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Rafael Nadal has started the defense of his Australian Open title with a bit of a struggle along the way to a four-set victory over a cramping Jack Draper. Nadal was not in peak form but did manage to beat Draper 7-5, 2-6, 6-4, 6-1

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Novak Djokovic is set to make his return to action at the Australian Open after being banned a year ago because he was not vaccinated against COVID-19. He has won 30 of his past 31 tournament matches dating to the end of last season. He is after his 22nd Grand Slam

By MITCH STACY AP Sports Writer CINCINNATI (AP) — The Baltimore Ravens’ season ended with Lamar Jackson not in uniform, not on the bench — not even in Cincinnati with the team. An argument could be made their season ended on Dec. 4, when the star quarterback suffered a knee injury that ultimately sidelined him

By HOWARD FENDRICH AP Tennis Writer MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Bianca Andreescu has defeated the 25th-seeded Marie Bouzkova at the Australian Open. Andreescu traces the path that brought her back to the tennis tour after a mental health break to what she calls “an ‘Aha’ moment” on a beach in Costa Rica during a spiritual

By GREG BEACHAM AP Sports Writer LOS ANGELES (AP) — LeBron James became the second player in NBA history to score 38,000 career points, but Joel Embiid had 35 points and 11 rebounds while the Philadelphia 76ers held off the Los Angeles Lakers 113-112. Russell Westbrook failed to get off a clean shot or a

By DENNIS GEORGATOS Associated Press DENVER (AP) — Nikola Jokic hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 1.2 seconds remaining, capping his 12th triple-double of the season, and the Denver Nuggets won their 13th in a row at home by beating the Orlando Magic 119-116. Jokic connected from the top of the key, stepping back to get

By TRISNADI and NINIEK KARMINI Associated Press SURABAYA, Indonesia (AP) — An Indonesian court began trial Monday against five men on charges of negligence leading to the deaths of 135 people after police fired tear gas inside a soccer stadium, setting off a panicked run for the exits in which many were crushed. The deadly

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Nick Kyrgios has pulled out of the Australian Open a day before he was scheduled to play his first-round match. He has a knee injury. Kyrgios was the runner-up at Wimbledon last year in singles and the men’s doubles champion at the Australian Open and considered the host country’s strongest chance

By DAVID BRANDT AP Sports Writer The Buffalo Bills blew a 17-point advantage before recovering to win Sunday. That narrow escape came less than 24 hours after the Jacksonville Jaguars overcame a 27-point deficit and pulled off one of the most stunning comeback victories in playoff history. No lead is safe and the drama abounds