National Sports - The Morning Sun

Norway's Casper Ruud celebrates after defeating Croatia's Marin Cilic during their semifinal of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium Friday, June 3, 2022 in Paris. Ruud won 3-6, 6-4, 6-2, 6-2. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

French Open updates | Gauff, Pegula move into doubles final

Coco Gauff now has a chance to leave Roland Garros with two trophies. The 18-year-old Gauff and Jessica Pegula advanced to the women’s doubles final at the French Open by beating Madison Keys and … more

6/3/22

Danielle Kang hits from the waste area on the 17th hole during the second round of the U.S. Women's Open golf tournament at the Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club in Southern Pines, N.C. on Friday, June 3, 2022. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

Danielle Kang playing U.S. Women's Open with tumor on spine

Danielle Kang revealed Friday that she played the first two rounds of the U.S. Women’s Open with a tumor on her spine. The 29-year-old Kang is the 12th-ranked player in the world. She said she … more

By STEVE REED | 6/3/22

Boston Celtics center Al Horford (42) celebrates during the second half of Game 1 of basketball's NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors in San Francisco, Thursday, June 2, 2022. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)

Celtics were resilient in Game 1; Warriors now must respond

In Game 1, Boston showed its resilience. In Game 2, Golden State gets a chance to answer. Over the last two months, no teams in the NBA have shown more of a bounce-back ability than the Celtics and … more

By TIM REYNOLDS | 6/3/22

New York Yankees pitcher Clay Holmes speaks to a reporter on the field before the first baseball game of a doubleheader against the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday, June 2, 2022, in New York. The 29-year-old right-hander has gone from worst to first in the standings and from off the big league roster to a possible All-Star appearance. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

Clay time: Holmes transforms into elite relief with Yankees

Ninth innings in the Bronx have become Clay Time, with Clay Holmes entering with his cap pulled low like Andy Pettitte and picking off batters like clay pigeons. The 29-year-old New York Yankees … more

By RONALD BLUM | 6/3/22

FILE - San Francisco 49ers center Alex Mack (50) walks back to the locker room after an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, Jan. 9, 2022, in Inglewood, Calif. Seven-time Pro Bowl center Alex Mack is retiring after 13 years in the NFL, leaving a major hole in the middle of the offensive line for the San Francisco 49ers. The 36-year-old Mack announced his retirement on Friday, June 3, 2022, in a move the Niners had been bracing for this offseason. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong, File)

7-time Pro Bowl C Alex Mack retires after 13 years in NFL

Seven-time Pro Bowl center Alex Mack is retiring after 13 years in the NFL, leaving a major hole in the middle of the offensive line for the San Francisco 49ers. The 36-year-old Mack announced his … more

By JOSH DUBOW | 6/3/22

FILE - From the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, top from left; Garbine Muguruza holds the trophy after defeating Serena Williams, Saturday, June 4, 2016; Latvia's Jelena Ostapenko kisses the cup after defeating Romania's Simona Halep, Saturday, June 10, 2017; Romania's Simona Halep kisses the trophy after defeating Sloane Stephens, Saturday, June 9, 2018. Bottom from left: Australia's Ashleigh Barty kisses the trophy after defeating Marketa Vondrousova of the Czech Republic, Saturday, June 8, 2019; Poland's Iga Swiatek kisses the trophy after defeating Sofia Kenin, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2020; Barbora Krejcikova kisses the trophy after defeating Russia's Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Saturday, June 12, 2021. Each of the past six women to win the trophy at Roland Garros had never won a Slam title – some had never won a title anywhere. (AP Photo/File)

Can Gauff top Swiatek? At Surprise Slam, anything can happen

Even Coco Gauff has looked ahead to her French Open final and concluded that Iga Swiatek is definitely the favorite. But the French Open is the Surprise Slam, one that produces unexpected results … more

By HOWARD FENDRICH | 6/3/22

FILE - A Roland Garros 2022 ball flies over the clay court during a second round match at the French Open tennis tournament in Roland Garros stadium in Paris, France, Thursday, May 26, 2022. The French Open is the only Grand Slam tournament held on clay — which actually isn’t truly clay, but the dust from red brick on top of a layer of crushed white limestone. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, File)

What is it about French Open clay that makes for surprises?

Why is the French Open more likely to produce first-time and one-time Grand Slam champions than the Australian Open, Wimbledon or the U.S. Open? Why are there so many surprising results at Roland … more

By HOWARD FENDRICH | 6/3/22

FitzMagic runs out: 39-year-old journeyman QB is retiring

Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick has confirmed to The Associated Press that he plans to retire. His career spanned 17 seasons and nine teams and made him one of the NFL's most colorful and beloved … more

By JOHN WAWROW | 6/3/22

Los Angeles Angels' Mike Trout (27) runs to the dugout after scoring off of a single hit by Jared Walsh during the first inning of a baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays in Anaheim, Calif., Tuesday, May 10, 2022. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

LEADING OFF: Angels star Trout set to draw a crowd in Philly

Angels star Mike Trout is likely to have a big rooting section at Citizens Bank Park all weekend for a series against the Phillies. Trout is from the South Jersey city of Millville, about an hour’s … more

By The Associated Press | 6/3/22

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Tony Gonsolin throws to the plate during the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets Thursday, June 2, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Gonsolin sharp again, Dodgers blank Mets 2-0 in NL showdown

Tony Gonsolin pitched two-hit ball over six sharp innings and the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the New York Mets 2-0. The loss snapped New York’s six-game winning streak in the opener of a … more

By BETH HARRIS | 6/3/22

Boston Celtics center Al Horford (42) celebrates with teammates during the second half of Game 1 of basketball's NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors in San Francisco, Thursday, June 2, 2022. (AP Photo/John Hefti)

Analysis: Celtics in 2022 have parallels to Warriors in 2015

When the Golden State Warriors look at the tape of Game 1 of the NBA Finals, they’ll see both the present and the past. They’ll see the Boston Celtics, the 2022 version. They’ll also see a team … more

By TIM REYNOLDS | 6/3/22

Warriors collapse in 4th quarter to lose Game 1 of Finals

The ball was moving, the shots were falling and the arena was rocking in a very familiar third quarter for the Golden State Warriors. Then came the fourth quarter and a surprising collapse by the … more

By JOSH DUBOW | 6/3/22

New York Yankees' Jameson Taillon pitches during the first inning in the second baseball game of the team's doubleheader against the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday, June 2, 2022, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Ohtani tagged in Bronx again, Yanks hand Angels 7th L in row

Matt Carpenter ended an 11-pitch at-bat with a leadoff home run against Shohei Ohtani, Gleyber Torres and Aaron Judge added solo shots off the two-way star, and the New York Yankees beat the Los … more

By JAKE SEINER | 6/2/22

Broadcaster Kaat uses offensive nickname for Yankees' Cortes

Minnesota Twins broadcaster Jim Kaat referred to New York Yankees left-hander Nestor Cortes as “Nestor the Molestor” during a broadcast Thursday, the second offensive remark in the past year by … more

6/2/22

Yankees' Taillon perfect through 6 innings vs Angels

Yankees right-hander Jameson Taillon has pitched six perfect innings against the Los Angeles Angels. Taillon has five strikeouts on 71 pitches Thursday. His season-high pitch count is 94. Shohei … more

6/2/22

Baseball honors Gehrig while raising awareness of ALS

Baseball celebrated the life and legacy of Lou Gehrig on the 81st anniversary of the Hall of Famer's death. Gehrig died of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Players and umpires wore red 4-ALS bands. New … more

By NOAH TRISTER | 6/2/22

Transformative year: Black coaches now lead 50% of NBA teams

The last 12 months have been a transformative year in the NBA when it comes to diversity among coaches. Eight coaching jobs have been filled by Black candidates. Now, half the league’s franchises … more

By TIM REYNOLDS | 6/2/22

CFP board chair: New format ideally in place by June 2023

The university leaders who oversee the College Football Playoff want the next format for determining a champion settled by this time next year. Mississippi State President Mark Keenum says the … more

By RALPH D. RUSSO | 6/2/22

Ingrid Lindblad, of Sweden, watches a putt on the 10th hole during the first round of the U.S. Women's Open golf tournament at the Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club in Southern Pines, N.C. on Thursday, June 2, 2022. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

Lindblad sets U.S. Women's Open amateur mark with 6-under 65

Sweden’s Ingrid Lindblad shot a 6-under 65, the lowest round by an amateur in the 77-year history of the U.S. Women's Open, to take the early lead at Pine Needles. Because the 22-year-old Lindblad … more

By STEVE REED | 6/2/22

FILE - Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby walks to the podium to speak during the Big 12 football media days July 14, 2021, in Arlington, Texas. The conference is holding its spring meetings. Bowlsby, who announced his retirement earlier this year with plans to stay on until his replacement is in place, figures he is down to 30-90 days on the job. (AP Photo/LM Otero, File)

'Some weirdness' at Big 12 with future and soon former teams

Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby acknowledges the there is “some weirdness” with the conference's annual spring meetings. There are 14 schools taking part this week in North Texas. There are … more

By STEPHEN HAWKINS | 6/2/22