US OPEN
NEW YORK (AP) — Serena Williams equaled her most-lopsided victory ever in 30 professional meetings with sister Venus, beating her 6-1, 6-2 in the third round of the U.S. Open.
Serena shook off an early ankle injury to win seven straight games and seize control in perhaps her most dominant performance since giving birth to her daughter a year ago Saturday.
The sisters earliest meeting in a Grand Slam tournament in 20 years was over early, with Venus unable to do anything to blunt Serenas power, even after the crowd tried desperately to get behind her early in the second set.
Earlier, top-ranked Rafael Nadal overcame a shaky start and used his customary relentless style to wear down No. 27 seed Karen Khachanov physically and mentally, eventually getting to the fourth round with an entertaining and back-and-forth 5-7, 7-5, 7-6 (7), 7-6 (3) victory that took 4 hours, 23 minutes.
Nadal was two points away from falling into a two-set hole. Then he was two points away from dropping the third set. And then he was one point from losing the fourth set and being pushed to a fifth. As all of those key moments presented themselves, he managed to come through.
BASEBALL
NEW YORK (AP) — Andrew McCutchen is shaving his beard for a possible World Series run. Ryan Madson is switching bullpens, trying to help another team win a title. And Josh Donaldson is hoping hes healthy enough to contribute.
The Milwaukee Brewers? They were a busy bunch, swinging trades to get starter Gio Gonzalez, outfielder Curtis Granderson and reliever Xavier Cedeno.
Several contending teams swung into action, making trades to bolster potential playoff rosters. A player must be on a club by Aug. 31 to be eligible for the postseason.
McCutchen was sent from San Francisco to the New York Yankees for a pair of minor leaguers. The Dodgers, having seen closer Kenley Jansen wobble since coming off the disabled list, got Madson from the Nationals for a minor league pitcher.
The Indians trade for Donaldson mightve been the most intriguing of the day. Cleveland is running away with the AL Central, but its not certain how Donaldson, a third baseman who was the 2015 AL MVP, might be used. Donaldson hasnt played in the majors since May 28 because of a strained calf and only began a minor league rehab assignment this week.
GYMNASTICS
DENVER (AP) — Not a month into her new job as CEO of the U.S. Olympic Committee, Sarah Hirshland has seen enough from USA Gymnastics. Shes calling for yet another shake-up in the federations leadership as it tries to remake itself in the wake of the Larry Nassar sex-abuse scandal.
Hirshland sent out a statement calling for changes in the USA Gymnastics leadership, only hours after the federation awkwardly fired the coach it had hired only three days earlier as its elite program coordinator. The coach, Mary Lee Tracy, was an early supporter of Nassar when allegations against him began to surface. Then, without permission this week, Tracy reached out to one of her fiercest critics, gold-medalist Aly Raisman, who is suing USAG.
GOLF
NORTON, Mass. (AP) — Justin Rose missed the cut in the FedEx Cup playoffs opener and decided to make the most of it. He stayed home in the Bahamas for six days, opting out of the pro-am and not arriving to the Dell Technologies Championship until the evening for the opening round.
And then he was off and running at the TPC Boston.
On a breezy day that kept scoring unusually high, Rose putted for birdie on all but two holes and made his six birdies count by keeping bogeys off his card. Three birdies over his last four holes gave him a 6-under 65 and a one-shot lead.
Russell Knox and Abraham Ancer were one shot behind with strong finishes of their own.
In his first time back at the TPC Boston in five years, Tiger Woods had a 72, the 10th time in his last 11 tournaments he didnt break par in the opening round.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Georgia Hall shot a 9-under 63 to take a three-stroke lead in the Cambia Portland Classic and break the tournament 36-hole record.
The Womens British Open winner four weeks ago for her first LPGA Tour title, the 22-year-old Englishwoman made five straight birdies in the middle of the back nine. She missed a chance to match the course record of 62 when her long birdie try went to the right on the par-4 18th.
Hall had a 15-under 129 total. She had four birdies on the front nine, three in a row on Nos. 5-7, and began the birdie streak on the par-5 12th at tree-lined Columbia Edgewater.
Minjee Lee was second, following her opening 64 with a 68. Marina Alex, the first-round leader after tying the course record with a 62, had a late bogey in a 71 to fall into a tie with Megan Khang at 11 under.
SOCCER
CARSON, Calif. (AP) — Tierna Davidson scored her first career goal, Christen Press added a second-half goal and the U.S. womens national team extended its unbeaten streak to 20 games with a 3-0 victory over Chile in an exhibition match.
Four weeks after winning the Tournament of Nations in Illinois, the Americans looked fairly sharp in their first-ever meeting with Chile in front of a large and lively Southern California crowd.
The U.S. improved to 17-0-3 since last years Tournament of Nations. Ellis used 17 players and experimented with combinations in this comfortable friendly for the worlds No. 1-ranked team. Those experiments should yield results that will aid Ellis preparations for games that matter against tougher opponents.
The sides will play another exhibition in San Jose on Tuesday in the Americans final warmup match before the start of World Cup qualifying in early October.
US OPEN
NEW YORK (AP) — Serena Williams equaled her most-lopsided victory ever in 30 professional meetings with sister Venus, beating her 6-1, 6-2 in the third round of the U.S. Open.
Serena shook off an early ankle injury to win seven straight games and seize control in perhaps her most dominant performance since giving birth to her daughter a year ago Saturday.
The sisters earliest meeting in a Grand Slam tournament in 20 years was over early, with Venus unable to do anything to blunt Serenas power, even after the crowd tried desperately to get behind her early in the second set.
Earlier, top-ranked Rafael Nadal overcame a shaky start and used his customary relentless style to wear down No. 27 seed Karen Khachanov physically and mentally, eventually getting to the fourth round with an entertaining and back-and-forth 5-7, 7-5, 7-6 (7), 7-6 (3) victory that took 4 hours, 23 minutes.
Nadal was two points away from falling into a two-set hole. Then he was two points away from dropping the third set. And then he was one point from losing the fourth set and being pushed to a fifth. As all of those key moments presented themselves, he managed to come through.
BASEBALL
NEW YORK (AP) — Andrew McCutchen is shaving his beard for a possible World Series run. Ryan Madson is switching bullpens, trying to help another team win a title. And Josh Donaldson is hoping hes healthy enough to contribute.
The Milwaukee Brewers? They were a busy bunch, swinging trades to get starter Gio Gonzalez, outfielder Curtis Granderson and reliever Xavier Cedeno.
Several contending teams swung into action, making trades to bolster potential playoff rosters. A player must be on a club by Aug. 31 to be eligible for the postseason.
McCutchen was sent from San Francisco to the New York Yankees for a pair of minor leaguers. The Dodgers, having seen closer Kenley Jansen wobble since coming off the disabled list, got Madson from the Nationals for a minor league pitcher.
The Indians trade for Donaldson mightve been the most intriguing of the day. Cleveland is running away with the AL Central, but its not certain how Donaldson, a third baseman who was the 2015 AL MVP, might be used. Donaldson hasnt played in the majors since May 28 because of a strained calf and only began a minor league rehab assignment this week.
GYMNASTICS
DENVER (AP) — Not a month into her new job as CEO of the U.S. Olympic Committee, Sarah Hirshland has seen enough from USA Gymnastics. Shes calling for yet another shake-up in the federations leadership as it tries to remake itself in the wake of the Larry Nassar sex-abuse scandal.
Hirshland sent out a statement calling for changes in the USA Gymnastics leadership, only hours after the federation awkwardly fired the coach it had hired only three days earlier as its elite program coordinator. The coach, Mary Lee Tracy, was an early supporter of Nassar when allegations against him began to surface. Then, without permission this week, Tracy reached out to one of her fiercest critics, gold-medalist Aly Raisman, who is suing USAG.
GOLF
NORTON, Mass. (AP) — Justin Rose missed the cut in the FedEx Cup playoffs opener and decided to make the most of it. He stayed home in the Bahamas for six days, opting out of the pro-am and not arriving to the Dell Technologies Championship until the evening for the opening round.
And then he was off and running at the TPC Boston.
On a breezy day that kept scoring unusually high, Rose putted for birdie on all but two holes and made his six birdies count by keeping bogeys off his card. Three birdies over his last four holes gave him a 6-under 65 and a one-shot lead.
Russell Knox and Abraham Ancer were one shot behind with strong finishes of their own.
In his first time back at the TPC Boston in five years, Tiger Woods had a 72, the 10th time in his last 11 tournaments he didnt break par in the opening round.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Georgia Hall shot a 9-under 63 to take a three-stroke lead in the Cambia Portland Classic and break the tournament 36-hole record.
The Womens British Open winner four weeks ago for her first LPGA Tour title, the 22-year-old Englishwoman made five straight birdies in the middle of the back nine. She missed a chance to match the course record of 62 when her long birdie try went to the right on the par-4 18th.
Hall had a 15-under 129 total. She had four birdies on the front nine, three in a row on Nos. 5-7, and began the birdie streak on the par-5 12th at tree-lined Columbia Edgewater.
Minjee Lee was second, following her opening 64 with a 68. Marina Alex, the first-round leader after tying the course record with a 62, had a late bogey in a 71 to fall into a tie with Megan Khang at 11 under.
SOCCER
CARSON, Calif. (AP) — Tierna Davidson scored her first career goal, Christen Press added a second-half goal and the U.S. womens national team extended its unbeaten streak to 20 games with a 3-0 victory over Chile in an exhibition match.
Four weeks after winning the Tournament of Nations in Illinois, the Americans looked fairly sharp in their first-ever meeting with Chile in front of a large and lively Southern California crowd.
The U.S. improved to 17-0-3 since last years Tournament of Nations. Ellis used 17 players and experimented with combinations in this comfortable friendly for the worlds No. 1-ranked team. Those experiments should yield results that will aid Ellis preparations for games that matter against tougher opponents.
The sides will play another exhibition in San Jose on Tuesday in the Americans final warmup match before the start of World Cup qualifying in early October.
