Coco Gauff loses after citing an ‘insane’ wave of racist abuse following previous match in Beijing

October 8, 2026

BEIJING (AP) — Coco Gauff lost to a player she had beaten in all five of their previous matchups after receiving what she described as an "insane" amount of racist comments on social media following a controversial point in the preceding round. The 19th-ranked Elise Mertens beat the fourth-ranked Gauff 6-3, 6-3 to reach the China Open quarterfinals on Wednesday. In Monday's match against home player Sun Xinran, Gauff stopped a rally after electronic advertising boards lining the court flickered during a point late in the first set. Sun appeared about to win the point when Gauff ...

Padres avoid elimination, beat Brewers 4-3 in NLDS Game 3 with Cronenworth’s HR, King’s relief

October 8, 2026

SAN DIEGO — When right-hander Michael King dramatically emerged from the bullpen in a darkened Petco Park to pitch in the eighth inning of Game 3 just two days after he made a five-inning start in Game 2, the San Diego Padres' desperate determination to extend their season was clear. The ...

Kiké Hernández continues clutch postseason hitting for Dodgers with a 2-run homer off Chris Sale

October 8, 2026

ATLANTA — Kiké Hernández is no stranger to postseason success. The veteran Dodgers utilityman took advantage of his first start in these playoffs and delivered the key blow in Los Angeles' 3-1 win over the Atlanta Braves in Game 3 of their NL Division Series on Tuesday ...

Once kicked out of Yankee Stadium, Nick Martinez returns to pitch Rays into AL Championship Series

October 8, 2026

NEW YORK — Ejected from Yankee Stadium during his college days, Nick Martinez will be back in the Bronx on Wednesday trying to pitch the Tampa Bays Rays into the AL Championship Series. Martinez spent 2009-11 playing for Fordham, a school just 5 miles from the big ballpark. His last trip ...

Chase Briscoe fends off Kyle Larson’s last-lap surge to win in Las Vegas

October 7, 2026

LAS VEGAS — Chase Briscoe held off a last-lap charge from points leader Kyle Larson to win the NASCAR Cup Series race on Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Briscoe swept all three stages on the 1.5-mile track to earn the maximum 75 playoff points. Larson lost control on the final stretch, hit the wall and collided with Tyler Reddick, who slid into the infield but still recovered to finish third. "I saw Kyle charging hard behind me on those final laps," Briscoe said. "He was pushing as hard as he possibly could on the high line, and I just tried to stick to my defensive marks, stay ...

LIV Golf in line to get initial investment as it tries to emerge from bankruptcy

October 7, 2026

BC Partners Credit on Monday announced an initial investment in LIV Golf, part of a targeted $300 million in cumulative financing to help the beleaguered circuit emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy with a team-focused golf league with players as equity owners. The announcement comes two days before the first of several hearings related to the bankruptcy filing from Sept. 8. The financing by funds advised on the BC Partners Credit platform requires bankruptcy court approval. It would allow LIV to start planning on a 2027 season, which includes a 10-tournament schedule, half of them at ...