Tennis

6:25 PM ET Associated Press TURIN, Italy — Rafael Nadal‘s bid to win one of the few titles missing from his glittering career started poorly as he was beaten in straight sets by eighth-seeded Taylor Fritz in their opening match at the ATP Finals on Sunday. After a close-fought opening set, Fritz dominated the second

3:20 PM ET Associated Press GLASGOW, Scotland — – Belinda Bencic keeps delivering big titles for Switzerland. The Olympic singles champion made sure Switzerland won the biggest prize in women’s team tennis for the first time on Sunday, completing a near-perfect tournament by beating Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic in straight sets in the Billie Jean King

7:33 PM ET Associated Press MILAN — American Brandon Nakashima stayed perfect as he won the Next Gen ATP Finals on Saturday with his second straight-set victory over Jiri Lehecka this week. Nakashima took just 80 minutes to win 4-3 (5), 4-3 (6), 4-2, securing the title on the first of three championship points when

1:26 PM ET Australia edged hosts Britain 2-1 in the semifinals of the Billie Jean King Cup Finals on Saturday to move into the summit clash where they will look to win their first title since 1974. Storm Sanders was Australia’s hero after she won the first singles rubber before returning for the deciding doubles

5:05 PM ET Associated Press GLASGOW, Scotland — The unheralded Czech Republic upset the United States to reach the Billie Jean King Cup semifinals for the first time in four years Friday. The Czechs will meet Switzerland on Saturday in Glasgow after the Swiss beat Canada 2-1. Fellow group winners Australia and Britain meet in

6:55 PM ET Associated Press GLASGOW, Scotland — Britain pulled off an unlikely 3-0 victory over Spain in the Billie Jean King Cup on Thursday to reach the semifinals of the top team event in women’s tennis for the first time in 41 years. Australia also reached the last four in Glasgow, but the story

11:39 PM ET SYDNEY — Rafael Nadal and world No. 1-ranked Iga Swiatek were among the top players who had their pre-Australian Open tournament destinations set when the draw was held for the new United Cup mixed teams event on Thursday. Nadal, who will team with world No. 13 Paula Badosa for Spain, is headed

7:18 PM ET Associated Press GLASGOW, Scotland — Coco Gauff and Caty McNally beat the Polish pair of Magda Linette and Alicja Rosolska 6-1, 6-2 to give the United States a 2-1 win at the Billie Jean King Cup team event on Wednesday. Earlier Linette beat Madison Keys 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 in singles to force

4:34 PM ET Associated Press GLASGOW, Scotland — Australia and Kazakhstan claimed victories on the opening day of the Billie Jean King Cup, the biggest team event in women’s tennis. The Australians, bidding for a first title in the competition in 48 years, beat Slovakia 2-1 in Group B thanks to victories by Storm Sanders

11:19 PM ET Associated Press FORT WORTH, Texas — Caroline Garcia plopped on a cowboy hat to go with the trophy she was holding after telling fans she had enjoyed her first trip to Texas. There was plenty for the Frenchwoman to like in Cowtown. Garcia took a tight first set and went on to

12:00 AM ET Associated Press MELBOURNE, Australia — Former world No. 1 Ash Barty has emphatically ruled out ever making a comeback to tennis, or switching to another sport. Launching her autobiography at Melbourne Park — scene of her Australian Open triumph in January just two months before her shocking retirement announcement — the 26-year-old

7:19 PM ET Associated Press FORT WORTH, Texas — Caroline Garcia rolled to a 6-3, 6-2 semifinal victory over Maria Sakkari on Sunday, reaching the championship of the WTA Finals for the first time in her career. Garcia will face either top-ranked Iga Swiatek or Aryna Sabalenka on Monday night with a chance to join

12:30 PM ET ESPN News Services PARIS — Danish teenager Holger Rune fought back from a set down to beat favorite Novak Djokovic 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 and win his first Masters title on Sunday. Rune, who beat four other top-10 players in Hubert Hurkacz, Andrey Rublev, Carlos Alcaraz and Felix Auger-Aliassime en route to the

8:32 PM ET Associated Press FORT WORTH, Texas — Caroline Garcia claimed the last spot in the semifinals of the season-ending WTA Finals with a 4-6, 6-1, 7-6(5) round-robin victory over Daria Kasatkina on Saturday. The sixth-ranked Frenchwoman became the first in 30 matches this season to beat Kasatkina after losing the first set to

3:10 PM ET Associated Press PARIS — Novak Djokovic beat Stefanos Tsitsipas for the eighth straight time, edging an entertaining semifinal 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (4) to stay on track for a record-extending seventh Paris Masters title Saturday. The 21-time Grand Slam champion next faces unseeded Danish teenager Holger Rune, who has never been in a

12:49 PM ET Associated Press Top-ranked Carlos Alcaraz will miss the rest of the season after suffering an abdominal muscle tear while playing at the Paris Masters. The Spanish teenager pulled out during a second-set tiebreaker against fellow 19-year-old Holger Rune in their quarterfinal on Friday. Following medical exams, the US Open champion posted details

7:13 PM ET Associated Press FORT WORTH, Texas — Jessica Pegula dropped her head to the table in front of the microphone, smiling while hoping there might be a consolation victory awaiting her in her WTA Finals debut. The Buffalo native was New York honest about going winless in all three singles matches, capped by

3:03 PM ET Associated Press PARIS — Novak Djokovic stayed on course for a record-extending seventh Paris Masters title by dispatching Lorenzo Musetti 6-0, 6-3 in the quarterfinals on Friday. Djokovic, who has titles in Israel and Kazakhstan this season, is chasing a record-extending 39th Masters title. Musetti caused Djokovic problems in the French Open