Osaka rises to No. 2 after win
Naomi Osaka’s Australian Open championship moved her up one spot to No. 2 in the WTA rankings, while men’s finalist Daniil Medvedev rose to a career-best No. 3 behind winner Novak
Djokovic on the ATP list. Jennifer Brady, the 25-yearold American who was the runner-up to Osaka, jumped 11 spots to No. 13, her first time inside the top 20. Aslan Karatsev’s historic run from qualifying to the final four before losing to nine-time Australian Open champion Djokovic allowed him to vault 72 places from 114th to 42nd. Serena Williams climbed four spots from No. 11 to No. 7 to get back into the top 10 after making it to the semifinals in Australia a year after losing in the third round there.
Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes and his fiancee, Brittany Matthews, are parents to a girl. Matthews announced the Sunday birth of Sterling Skye Mahomes in a tweet . ... A person familiar with the situation tells AP the Carolina Panthers have agreed to one-year contracts with restricted free agent wide receivers Brandon Zylstra and Keith Kirkwood . ... Four-time Pro Bowl offensive lineman Mike Iupati, who starred at Anaheim Western and Idaho, is retiring after 11 seasons in the NFL with three NFC West teams.
New York Rangers star Artemi Panarin is taking a leave of absence after a Russian tabloid printed allegations from a former coach that he attacked an 18-yearold woman in Latvia in 2011.
Toronto assistant Chris Finch was introduced as the replacement for Ryan Saunders, who was fired Sunday night as coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves, who have the NBA’s worst record. The Sparks re-signed 15year veteran Seimone Augustus, who contributed 5.9 points while shooting 54.5% from three-point range in her first season with the team. Augustus, who helped the Minnesota Lynx win four WNBA titles, played in 21 games during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. The 6-foot guard/forward shot 49.1% from the field while stabilizing the second unit with her “invaluable leadership experience,” coach Derek Fisher said in a team statement.
Ohio’s major league sports teams beginning their seasons this spring could be allowed up to 30% of fan capacity under approved pandemic plans, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said . ... American forward Jordan Morris tore his left anterior cruciate ligament while on loan for Swansea in the English League Championship, three years after rupturing his right ACL during a match for Major League Soccer’s Seattle Sounders. ... Three-time Pro Bowl guard and former San Diego Charger Doug “Moosie” Wilkerson died at 73, the team announced.