July 3, 2026 4:22 am
Alex Ovechkin is returning for a 22nd NHL season after re-signing with the Washington Capitals. The league’s career goal-scoring record holder inked a deal with a $1 million salary and bonuses worth an additional $8 million. Ovechkin turns 41 in September. He has 929 goals after scoring 32 in his 40-year-old season. The Russian superstar broke Wayne Gretzky’s mark of 894 goals in April 2025. He had said in recent months he was waiting until the offseason to decide whether to return or retire. Ovechkin in a news release sent out by the Capitals declared, “I’m back.”
July 3, 2026 4:25 am
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Stewart Cink got off to a great start in a bid to win his third straight senior major. Cink was the only player to make five birdies on the back nine at Scioto Country Club on Thursday, shooting a 3-under 67 for a share of the first-round lead in the U.S. Senior Open with Charlie Wi. The 53-year-old Cink has four wins in nine PGA Tour Champions starts this year, including the Senior PGA Championship and the Tradition. The last player to win the Senior PGA, Tradition and U.S. Senior Open in the same year was Jack Nicklaus in 1991. Scioto, the Donald Ross course hosting its third U.S. Senior Open, is where Nicklaus learned to play the game.
July 1, 2026 4:17 am
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Trea Turner hit a three-run home run during a five-run second inning, Bryce Harper’s misjudged double scored two runs in the fourth, and the Philadelphia Phillies beat struggling Pittsburgh ace Paul Skenes and the Pirates 10-6. Skenes (6-8) lasted four innings, allowing six hits and a season-high seven earned runs. He has not won in his last nine starts. Henry Davis hit a homer as the Pirates scored twice in the third, but Brandon Marsh got one of those runs back with a solo shot in the bottom half. Orion Kerkering (6-0) got five straight outs in the seventh and Jhoan Duran pitched the ninth for his 22nd save.
July 2, 2026 4:20 am
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Folarin Balogun scored his third goal of the World Cup before being sent off with a red card in the second half, and Malik Tillman converted on a free kick to give the 10-man United States squad a 2-0 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina to advance to the round of 16. Balogun dominated the first half with his goal and several other chances that helped the U.S. control the match early but the Americans had to scramble down a man after his foul against Tarik Muharemovic in the 64th minute. Tillman helped seal the win when he scored on a free kick from just outside the box in the 82nd minute.
July 2, 2026 4:23 am
LONDON (AP) — Barbora Krejcikova needed seven match points to knock French Open champion Mirra Andreeva out of Wimbledon in the biggest upset of the women’s tournament so far. Coco Gauff also reached the third round after coming from a break down in the third set to beat Solana Sierra. Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka and men’s No. 1 Jannik Sinner also advanced. Novak Djokovic finished off Day 3 by beating Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 on Centre Court to continue his quest for a 25th major title.
July 1, 2026 4:24 am
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Cristopher Sánchez returned to form after a couple of shaky outings, allowing only three hits in seven innings as the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 8-0. Sánchez (10-3) struck out nine and walked only two in becoming the first pitcher this season to reach 10 wins. Sánchez was supported by rookie Justin Crawford’s two-run single in the second inning, then a three-run seventh inning outburst that included an RBI double by Trea Turner and RBI single by Bryce Harper. Pittsburgh starter Bubba Chandler (3-8) pitched well into the seventh inning, but couldn’t escape the Philadelphia rally. Early on, he was undone only by No. 9 hitter Crawford.
July 1, 2026 4:28 am
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — The U.S. team spent Monday like millions of other interested followers of the World Cup. The players watched thrilling games from other venues that included a major upset with Germany falling to Paraguay, three games that went down to the wire and two nervy shootouts. Then the reality quickly set in that they would soon be back in the spotlight themselves. The U.S. has a round of 32 matchup against Bosnia-Herzegovina on Wednesday that will go a long way to determining how successful this World Cup will be.
July 1, 2026 4:26 am
LeBron James will not be back with the Los Angeles Lakers and plans to play a record-extending 24th NBA season elsewhere. His decision is perhaps the biggest domino that will fall during the NBA’s offseason player movement window, alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo being traded by Milwaukee to Miami — one of James’ former stops. The Lakers released a statement Tuesday thanking James for his eight seasons with the club. James can begin talking officially to new clubs after 6 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, when the league’s free agent period opens. He will not be able to sign with a new team until July 6.
July 1, 2026 4:27 am
LONDON (AP) — Serena Williams was beaten 6-3, 6-7 (6) 6-3 by 20-year-old Maya Joint of Australia in her first professional singles match in nearly four years in the opening round of Wimbledon. The 44-year-old Williams showed off the same powerful serve and heavy groundstrokes that led her to 23 Grand Slam singles titles — seven of them at Wimbledon — but Joint was able to handle the American standout’s pace and win the big points by moving Williams around on Centre Court. Williams played two doubles matches just before Wimbledon to announce her comeback to the sport she once dominated but she hadn’t played a singles match since the 2022 U.S. Open.
June 30, 2026 4:24 am
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Esmerlyn Valdez and Jared Triolo both hit home runs to help the Pittsburgh Pirates escape an early five-run deficit, and Endy Rodriguez closed the deal with a three-run homer in the ninth for an 11-7 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday night. The Pirates posted a six-run fifth inning against struggling starter Aaron Nola. The Phillies fought back with two runs in the eighth to cut the lead to one run, but Rodriquez homered on a two-out pitch off reliever Chase Shugart in the ninth.
