Lakers guard Patrick Beverly grabbed a courtside camera in an effort to show referee Eric Lewis what everyone who'd watched the replay already knew: LeBron James was fouled on his missed layup at the end of regulation. Instead of getting the call, Beverly drew a technical foul that gave Boston the lead to start overtime and the NBA-leading Celtics went on to beat Los Angeles 125-121 on Saturday night.“The best player on earth can’t get a call. It's amazing,” Lakers coach Darvin Ham said. “As much as you try not to put it on the officiating, it's becoming increasingly difficult.”Jaylen Brown scored 37, completing a tying three-point play with 4.1 seconds left in regulation and adding 11 more points in overtime to help the Celtics snap a three-game losing streak. Brown added nine rebounds, Jayson Tatum had 30 points and 11 rebounds, and Malcom Brogdon scored 15 of his 26 points in the second half of a see-saw game that had 19 lead changes — six in the fourth quarter — and 15 ties.James had 41 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. But it was his missed layup at the end of regulation that enraged him on the court and left him simmering at his locker afterward.“I don't understand. I don't understand what we're doing, and I watch basketball every single day," said James, who sat with a towel covering his head during overtime and barely looked up as he spoke from at his locker. "I watch games every single day and I don't see it happening to nobody else. It's just weird.”Anthony Davis had 16 points with 10 rebounds, coming off the bench for the second game in a row after missing 20 with a foot injury. Beverly scored 15, twice giving the Lakers the lead in the final minute of the fourth. But he also missed a foul shot that might have clinched it, and his technical gave the Celtics the lead to start overtime, and they never trailed again.“At the end of the day, the players decided that game,” Brown said. “We made plays down the stretch; they made plays down the stretch. And I thought it was a good game. It was probably one of the greater games in our recent Lakers-Celtics matchup. And I’m happy we came out on top.”With Celtics Hall of Famer Paul Pierce cheering his former team on from the sideline and the team’s broadcasters — Boston’s Cedric Maxwell and L.A.’s Mychal Thompson — talking trash on press row, the Celtics swept their longtime rivals in the two-game season series. There was a vocal contingent of Lakers fans making noise when the visitors opened an 11-point lead in the third quarter. But they were out-shouted by the locals when Tatum, who scored 15 in the third, including three 3-pointers, helped erase an 11-point deficit.Beverly hit a 3-pointer to give the Lakers the lead with 52 seconds left and then, after Boston tied it, scored on a putback dunk that made it 104-102 with 19 seconds to play. But after Brown missed a 3, Beverly missed one of two free throws; Al Horford missed a 3, and Brown scored on the putback and picked up a delayed foul call.“That was just the craziness of the game,” Brown said. “It looked like they might have missed a call on their end toward the end of the game. But that’s just life. They’ll be all right.”One game after missing a pair of free throws with 8 seconds left in a one-point game against the Knicks, Brown hit this one to tie it 105-all with 4.1 seconds to play. The Celtics (36-15) have the NBA’s best record despite losing their previous three games.TIP-INSJames is 116 points away from matching Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s NBA record for career points, 38,387. … Pierce was wearing what appeared to be shamrock pajama pants. … Westbrook missed his first six shots, as the crowd taunted him to shoot, before finishing with 12 points on 4 of 14 shooting. … Brown picked up his fifth foul on the first possession of the fourth quarter. … The Celtics beat the Lakers 122-118 in L.A. on Dec. 13. Tatum scored 44 points. Davis had 37 points and 12 rebounds. James scored 33 with nine boards and nine assists. … The Celtics were without point guard Marcus Smart and big man Robert Williams III, who both have sprained ankles.

“The best player on earth can’t get a call. It's amazing,” Lakers coach Darvin Ham said. 

Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James (6) reacts after missing a shot late in the fourth quarter during an NBA basketball game against the Boston Celtics

Brown forces OT, Celtics snap skid by beating LA 125-121

Novak Djokovic found this trip to Australia far less complicated, and far more successful, than that of a year ago. Unable to enter his best event in 2022 after being deported from the country because he was not vaccinated against COVID-19, Djokovic accomplished all he could have wanted in his return: He resumed his winning ways at Melbourne Park and made it back to the top of tennis.Only briefly challenged in the final on Sunday night, Djokovic was simply better at the most crucial moments and beat Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-3, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5) for a record-extending 10th Australian Open championship and record-tying 22nd Grand Slam title overall. As a bonus, Djokovic will vault from No. 5 to No. 1 in the ATP rankings, a spot he already has held for more weeks than any other man.“I want to say this has been one of the most challenging tournaments I’ve ever played in my life, considering the circumstances. Not playing last year; coming back this year,” Djokovic said, wearing a zip-up white jacket with a “22” on his chest. “And I want to thank all the people that made me feel welcome, made me feel comfortable, to be in Melbourne, to be in Australia.”And a moment later, he uttered a statement that is truly significant, given all the 35-year-old from Serbia has done on a tennis court: "This probably is the, I would say, biggest victory of my life."Djokovic stretched his unbeaten streak in Melbourne to 28 matches, the longest run there in the Open era, which dates to 1968. He adds trophy No. 10 to the seven from Wimbledon, three from the U.S. Open — where he also was absent last year because of no coronavirus shots — and two at the French Open, to match rival Rafael Nadal for the most by a man.Only two women — Margaret Court, with 24, and Serena Williams, with 23 — are ahead of him.This was also the 93rd ATP tour-level title for Djokovic, breaking a tie with Nadal for the fourth-most.“I would like to thank you for pushing our sport so far,” Tsitsipas told Djokovic.Djokovic was participating in his 33rd major final, Tsitsipas in his second — and the 24-year-old from Greece’s other one also ended in a loss to Djokovic, at the 2021 French Open.Superior throughout on this cool evening under a cloud-filled sky, Djokovic was especially so in the two tiebreakers. He took a 4-1 lead in the first, then reeled off the last three points. He led 5-0 in the closing tiebreaker and, when it finished, he pointed to his temple before climbing into the stands, where he pumped his fist and jumped with his coach, Goran Ivanisevic, and other members of the entourage, then collapsed, crying.When Djokovic returned to the playing surface, he sat on his sideline bench, buried his face in a white towel, and sobbed some more.Little doubt this is of no solace to Tsitsipas, but there is no shame in failing to defeat Djokovic in Melbourne. Challenging his dominion on those blue hard courts is every bit the monumental task that taking on Nadal on the red clay at Roland Garros is.Perhaps surprisingly, Tsitsipas was willing to engage in the kind of leg-wearying, lung-searing back-and-forths upon which Djokovic has built his superlative career. How did that work out? Of points lasting at least five strokes, Djokovic won 43, Tsitsipas 30.Then again, on those rare occasions that Tsitsipas did charge the net, he likely regretted the decision, because Djokovic often conjured up a passing shot that was too tough to handle.The trophy for which they were playing was displayed on a pedestal near a corner of the court, and both men would get within reach of it whenever wandering over to towel off between points at that end. So close, yes, but for Tsitsipas, never truly close enough.It’s not as though he played all that poorly, other than a rash of early miscues that seemed to be more a product of tension than anything.It’s that Djokovic was, put simply, too unyielding. Too accurate with his strokes, making merely 22 unforced errors, 20 fewer than his foe. Too speedy and flexible chasing shots (other than on one second-set point, when, running to his left, Djokovic took a tumble).Djokovic pushes and pushes and pushes some more, until it’s the opponent who is something less than perfect on one swing, either missing or providing an opening to pounce.That's what happened when Tsitsipas held his first break point — which was also a set point — while ahead 5-4 in the second and Djokovic serving at 30-40. Might this be a fulcrum? Might the outcome’s tilt change? Might Djokovic relent? Might Tsitsipas surge?Uh, no.A 15-stroke point concluded with Djokovic smacking a cross-court forehand winner that felt like a statement. Two misses by Tsitsipas followed: A backhand long, a forehand wide. Those felt like capitulation. Even when Tsitsipas actually did break in the third, Djokovic broke right back.There has been more than forehands and backhands on Djokovic’s mind over the past two weeks.There was the not-so-small matter of last year’s legal saga — he has alternately acknowledged the whole thing served as a form of motivation but also said the other day, “I’m over it” — and curiosity about the sort of reception he would get when allowed to go to Australia this time because pandemic restrictions were eased.He heard a ton of loud support, but also dealt with some persistent heckling while competing, including applause after faults Sunday.There was the sore left hamstring that has been heavily bandaged for every match — until the final, that is, when only a single piece of beige athletic tape was visible.And then there was the more complicated matter of his father, Srdjan, being filmed with a group of people with Russian flags — one with an image of Vladimir Putin — after Djokovic’s quarterfinal. The tournament banned spectators from bringing in flags of Russia or Belarus, saying they would cause disruption because of the ongoing invasion of Ukraine. Djokovic and his father said it was a misunderstanding; Srdjan thought he was with Serbian fans.Still, Srdjan Djokovic did not attend his son’s semifinal or the final.No matter any of it, Djokovic excelled as he so often has, winning 17 sets in a row after ceding one in the second round last week.“He is the greatest,” Tsitsipas said, “that has ever held a tennis racket.”

He resumed his winning ways at Melbourne Park and made it back to the top of tennis

Djokovic beats Tsitsipas for 10th Australian Open, 22nd Slam

The Australian Open men’s singles final between Novak Djokovic and Stefanos Tsitsipas has started under an open roof at Rod Laver Arena on Sunday.In addition to the championship, the winner will claim the No. 1 spot in the ATP rankings.For the fourth-seeded Djokovic, it’s also a chance to win his 10th Australian Open title a year after he wasn’t allowed to compete at Melbourne Park because he was not vaccinated for COVID-19.&nbsp;It would also be the 35-year-old Serbian player’s 22nd Grand Slam singles title, tying him with Rafael Nadal for the men's record.The third-seeded Tsitsipas is trying to become the first Greek player to win a Grand Slam singles title. In his only other major final, Tsitsipas won the first two sets against Djokovic but lost the match in five.

In addition to the championship, the winner will claim the No. 1 spot in the ATP rankings

Djokovic, Tsitsipas start Australian Open men's final

Freestyle skier Alex Hall’s happy place this winter has been sliding down hand rails outside of offices and schools all over Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota and other midwestern spots. The steeper and twistier, the better. Last winter, he found happiness at the Beijing Olympics on a run that nobody mistook for high-flying but that purists in his sport understood was worth what it earned — a gold medal.Hall is among those at the action park who refuses to go all-in on “spin to win” — the idea that maxing out flips and twists is the only way for a freeskier or snowboarder to make it big. He would rather do things his way and let the judges decide, whether it's at the Olympics or the Winter X Games this weekend.“Adding some flavor has been a goal of mine for sure in the last couple of years,” said the 24-year-old, who was slated to compete in slopestyle, big air and knuckle huck in Aspen.“It’s always a little bit of a risk as a rider to do it that way, especially in competitions, because you never really know how it’s going to score, or how you’re going to do," Hall said. "But ultimately, at least for myself, I know I’m doing all this stuff because I enjoy doing it. You've just got to go out on the limb and go for it.”Hall won at Beijing with a run that didn't look like anything that had preceded it over a week-plus on the super-sized slopestyle course. He edged teammate Nick Goepper, with tricks no one else tried.Hall skimmed the top of one jump while spinning 720 degrees, then jumped again on the same “kicker” and threw a 540-degree spin while reaching backward with his right hand and grabbing his left ski.Where others were flying and maxing out on jumps with 1440 degrees of spin or more, Hall never got more than 3 feet off the ground on that one. His final trick was just as difficult — a vertebrae-testing jump called a “pretzel” that involved 900 degrees of spin one way, then, as the G-forces were taking over, stopping the spin in midair and twisting 180 degrees the other way.He wasn't sure how it would score, only that it was something he really liked.“You try to find a middle to be true to yourself and do a little more creativity, which is what I’ve been trying to push the last couple years,” Hall said. “You have to figure out how far you want to push that progression piece.”Australia snowboarder Scotty James shares Hall's ethos. James' switch backside double cork 1260 is as tough as anything out there, even if it doesn't always gets the love it deserves.The devil is in the details: James executes that trick while riding backward and flipping without being able to see the landing.For about an hour at the Olympics last year, James was in the lead after landing that trick, even though Japan's Ayumu Hirano had put down the most progressive jump — a triple cork, in which he went head over heels three times while twisting above the pipe.The scoring brought outrage across the snowboarding world and social media: How could a triple cork be losing to anything that wasn't a triple cork? Hirano landed the triple cork again on his final run and earned enough points to overtake James.The Aussie, who added a silver to go with his Olympic bronze from 2018, had been critical of judging in the past but said he was fine with that result.“The wow factor is unreal, when you watch Ayumu’s run," James said. "I think that’s probably where people were just a bit torn between the two different runs. It’s completely different.”James said he's not willing to put that trick above all else in the pursuit of victories — or at the expense of everything else that has made him stand out over the years. He didn’t even need a triple cork to win the gold medal at Winter X on Friday night.“The really relevant point is I’m doing it because I can live with it,” James said. “If I went the other way, I would feel like I might just be another sheep in the herd following the leader.”The push and pull between height and style will again be a front-burner issue in action sports as the 2026 Olympics in Italy approach.On Friday, New Zealand’s Zoi Sadowski-Synnott backed up her Olympic gold by defending her X Games title in snowboard slopestyle with a run included back-to-back double corks, the likes of which have made her stand out as one of the sport’s highest-flying jumpers for years.“It’s pretty exciting, the more you level up,” Sadowski-Synnott said.Canadian freeskier Megan Oldham became the first woman in skiing or snowboarding to land a triple cork in competition later Friday, and earned a perfect score of 50 to capture the title in big air.While she has the big tricks, she respects the downsizing happening elsewhere on the mountain.“It’s cool to see that people are kind of pushing in a different direction,” Oldham said. “The audience is able to follow along, too, because it’s smaller tricks and they can kind of understand how you’re landing and what trick you’re doing.”Hall said whether he goes big or small, wins or lose, the ultimate goal is to remember why he got into this sport in the first place: fun.“Just take time to realize, there’s no reason to do it unless I’m enjoying it," Hall said.

He wasn't sure how it would score, only that it was something he really liked

Alex Hall of the United States, checks the score following his run in the slopestyle finals

Winter X daredevils ride fine line between height, happiness

Italy has been boosted by the return of Montpellier flyhalf Paolo Garbisi for the start of the Six Nations. Garbisi was absent from the enlarged training squad last week as he recovered from a knee injury and was expected to miss at least the opening two rounds.But on Saturday he was included in the 33-man group for the opening two games against France and England. Garbisi has quickly established himself as the team's leading flyhalf since his debut in the 2020 Six Nations.Experienced lock Marc Fuser, however, was out injured.Italy opens against defending champion France in Rome on Feb. 5.

Experienced lock Marc Fuser, however, was out injured

Italy's head coach Kieran Crowley watches on as players warm up, prior to the start of the Six Nations rugby union match between Ireland and Italy at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin

Six Nations: Italy's Garbisi recovers from knee injury

Pedri marked his 100th Barcelona appearance by scoring to squeeze past Girona 1-0 and increase their lead of the Spanish league on Saturday. The 20-year-old Pedri started on the bench as Xavi rotated his lineup ahead of a busy week, but the playmaker replaced the injured Ousmane Dembélé in the 25th minute.Girona stymied the league front-runner until Pedri's fellow substitute, Jordi Alba, found him with a low cross at close range in the 61st. Pedri, who won the 2021 Golden Boy for the continent’s most promising under-21 player, is considered one of the pillars of Barcelona’s post-Messi rebuild. The Spain midfielder has scored six times this season.Xavi’s team moved six points clear of Real Madrid before the titleholder hosts third-placed Real Sociedad on Sunday at the Liga's midway point.Dembélé asked to be substituted after he was apparently bothered by his left thigh following a sprint. Barcelona has yet to give any information on his status. He walked off the field and watched the rest of the game from the dugout.The France forward, who suffered a series of injuries in his first seasons with Barcelona, has avoided serious injury since returning from a knee issue in November 2021.Xavi said was Dembélé injured but the nature of it won't be known until an exam on Sunday.“It is too bad because he is one of our most decisive players,” Xavi said about his speedy winger. Dembélé has eight goals in this campaign and is Barcelona's best one-on-one attacker in open space.That left Barcelona without its top two scorers. Robert Lewandowski, who leads the league with 13 goals, completed a three-game league suspension. Forward Ferran Torres was also suspended.With Ansu Fati and Raphinha unable to generate much in attack, Xavi sent on Jordi Alba at halftime at left back for Marcos Alonso to help find a breakthrough.A series of one-touch passes freed Alba down the left flank to square the ball across the goalmouth, where goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga let it slip through his hands and Pedri ensured Barcelona extended its winning streak to eight games across all competitions.Girona, in 12th place, did nothing in attack until a late push. Ivan Martín was left wide open in front of the goal in the 86th, only to volley a cross high and wide.Girona coach Michel was sent off in stoppage time with a direct red card for vehemently protesting what he thought was a foul on one of his players.“We made a huge effort and played a good game,” Michel said. “We only threatened them two or three times, but they only had that one chance that they converted. With what we saw on the field the defeat is not fair.”

The 20-year-old Pedri started on the bench as Xavi rotated his lineup ahead of a busy week

Barcelona's Pedri celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Girona and FC Barcelona at the Montilivi stadium in Girona

Pedri leads win at Girona in 100th game for Barcelona

United States midfielder Weston McKennie was left out of the Juventus squad for this weekend’s match amid a potential move to the English Premier League. McKennie has been strongly linked with a move to Leeds, which is coached by American Jesse Marsch.And Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri confirmed Saturday that he did not call up McKennie for Sunday’s match against Monza.“He absolutely won’t be involved, he’s at the center of transfer rumors,” Allegri said. “I think the club has already reached an agreement with the club he’ll be joining.”The 24-year-old McKennie joined Juventus from Schalke in 2020, becoming the Bianconeri’s first American player. He has made nearly 100 appearances for Juventus, scoring 13 goals.McKennie was a key member of the U.S. squad at the World Cup and has scored nine goals in 41 appearances for his country.Leeds already has U.S. midfielders Tyler Adams and Brenden Aaronson and this week hired former U.S. international Chris Armas as assistant coach.

He absolutely won’t be involved, he’s at the center of transfer rumors, Allegri said

“He absolutely won’t be involved, he’s at the center of transfer rumors,” Allegri said

McKennie left out of Juventus squad amid possible Leeds move

Union Berlin fans brought fire to the city derby as their team consolidated second place in the Bundesliga by beating Hertha Berlin 2-0 on Saturday. Goals either side of halftime from Danilho Doekhi and Paul Seguin earned Union its fourth consecutive league win over its old rival and left Hertha mired at second-from-last at the season's midpoint.The second half commenced with a spectacular pyrotechnics display from Union fans, who ignored the stadium announcer’s pleas for them to stop. Many of the supporters seemed to be delayed getting to the game – particularly those carrying flags – but they made up for their lateness after the break.After losing both of its opening games in 2023, Hertha pushed forward more and was initially met only by stiff resistance as the game settled into a tough-tackling midfield battle.Union started to threaten only toward the end of the first half. It was enough to seize the lead in the 44th minute when Doekhi headed in a free kick from captain Christopher Trimmel. It was the Dutch defender’s third goal in three games for Union, all set up in similar fashion by Trimmel.Seguin scored in the 67th after the smoke cleared from the fans’ fireworks show, tapping into an empty net after Sheraldo Becker crossed to finish off a counterattack.Union keeper Frederik Rönnow produced an outstanding save to deny Lucas Tousart a response.Freiburg moved to fourth with a 3-1 win at home over Augsburg, Werder Bremen defeated Wolfsburg 2-1 to bounce back from two demoralizing defeats, and American defender John Brooks made his Hoffenheim debut but couldn’t prevent his new team losing at home to Borussia Mönchengladbach 4-1.Also, Mainz enjoyed a 5-2 win at home over Bochum.League leader Bayern Munich hosted Eintracht Frankfurt in the late game.

The second half commenced with a spectacular pyrotechnics display from Union fans, who ignored the stadium announcer’s pleas for them to stop

Richter let's fly from range but it's turned behind for a corner

Union Berlin beats Hertha in derby, stays 2nd in Bundesliga

FIFA banned Uruguay players Fernando Muslera and José María Giménez for four games each on Friday for aggressively confronting match officials when the team was eliminated from the World Cup last month. Veterans Edinson Cavani and Diego Godín must also serve one-game bans when Uruguay next plays, FIFA said in disciplinary verdicts.The players must all carry out community service on a soccer project and pay fines of up to 20,000 Swiss francs ($21,600), FIFA said.<h2>Uruguay players confronted German referee</h2>Disorder flared when Uruguay failed to advance to the round of 16 in Qatar despite beating Ghana 2-0 in its final group-stage game on Dec. 2.The Uruguayan soccer federation was also fined 50,000 Swiss francs ($54,000) and must close some of its stadium for one home game.FIFA disciplinary judges ruled the federation “was responsible for the discriminatory behavior of its supporters as well as for the misconduct, offensive behavior and violation of the principles of fair play” by players.Uruguay players confronted German referee Daniel Siebert after the final whistle at Al Janoub Stadium.They believed Uruguay should been awarded a penalty kick in stoppage time. One more goal scored would have sent Uruguay to the round of 16 instead of South Korea.South Korea advanced instead and created one of the most memorable images of the World Cup.<h2>Fourth World Cup and Giménez</h2>As Uruguay and Ghana played out stoppage time across the city in Doha, South Korean players and staff gathered in the center circle after their 2-1 win over Portugal to watch on cellphones as their rivals played and waited to discover who would advance as runner-up in Group H.Cavani, Godín and goalkeeper Muslera were each playing at their fourth World Cup and Giménez was at his third.Uruguay has not yet announced its opponents for games in the late March international break.

The players must all carry out community service on a soccer project and pay fines of up to 20,000 Swiss francs ($21,600), FIFA said

Uruguay's Edinson Cavani, right, argues with referee Daniel Siebert of Germany, at the end of a World Cup group H soccer match against Ghana at the Al Janoub Stadium in Al Wakrah

FIFA bans 4 Uruguay players for disorder at World Cup

Barcelona and defender Marcos Alonso have reached an agreement to extend his contract until the end of the 2023-24 season, the Spanish club said Friday. Alonso joined Barcelona as a free agent in September after terminating his contract with Chelsea. His initial contract only tied him to Barcelona until the end of this season.The 32-year-old Alonso has scored two goals in 19 appearances since arriving to Camp Nou. He has played both as a left back and as a central defender for coach Xavi.He was part of a major overhaul of Barcelona's squad last summer made possible by the club selling some of its future television rights and other assets.Barcelona said that his buyout clause remained at 50 million euros ($54 million).

Alonso joined Barcelona as a free agent in September after terminating his contract with Chelsea

Barcelona's Marcos Alonso, left, celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during the Champions League group C soccer match between Viktoria Plzen and FC Barcelona at the Doosan Arena in Plzen,

Marcos Alonso agrees to contract extension with Barcelona

Novak Djokovic's father stayed away from the 21-time Grand Slam champion's semifinal victory on Friday after getting embroiled in a flap involving spectators who brought banned Russian flags to Melbourne Park. Srdjan Djokovic released a statement saying he would not be at Rod Laver Arena, “so there is no disruption.”Novak Djokovic wound up beating unseeded American Tommy Paul 7-5, 6-1, 6-2 to earn a berth in the men's singles final.Afterward, the younger Djokovic defended his father, saying there was “absolutely no intention whatsoever to support any kind of war initiatives or anything like that” and adding that he was sorry the whole episode “escalated so much.”He also said he wasn't sure yet whether his father would attend Sunday's final against Stefanos Tsitsipas.“Throughout the event, we’ve spoken with players and their teams about the importance of not engaging in any activity that causes distress or disruption,” Tennis Australia said.“We will continue to strive for the safety of fans at the event and reiterate our position banning flags from Belarus and Russia," the group added. "Tennis Australia stands with the call for peace and an end to war and violent conflict in Ukraine.”After Novak Djokovic's quarterfinal victory over Russian player Andrey Rublev on Wednesday, Srdjan Djokovic was filmed standing with a group of people waving Russian flags — at least one showing an image of Vladimir Putin — outside the main stadium.Four people were kicked out of the tournament because of the flags and for threatening security guards that night, police and Tennis Australia said.On Jan. 17, the second day of the Australian Open, flags from Russia and Belarus were banned from Melbourne Park after more than one was brought into the stands by spectators the day before.Normally, flags can be displayed during matches at Melbourne Park. But Tennis Australia reversed that policy for the two countries involved in the invasion of Ukraine that began nearly a year ago, saying the flags were causing disruption.Athletes from Russia and Belarus were barred last year from competing in various sports events, including men’s World Cup qualifying in soccer and Wimbledon, the Billie Jean King Cup and Davis Cup in tennis, because of the war in Ukraine. Russia invaded, with help from Belarus, in February.Russian and Belarusian players have been allowed to play at the Australian Open, French Open and U.S. Open, but as “neutral” athletes, so their nationalities are not acknowledged on any official schedules or results for the event and their countries’ flags are not displayed on TV graphics.

Novak Djokovic wound up beating unseeded American Tommy Paul 7-5, 6-1, 6-2 to earn a berth in the men's singles final

The parents of Novak Djokovic of Serbia, father Srdjan and mother Dijana react during his post match speech following his win over Andrey Rublev of Russia at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne

Djokovic's dad stays away from Australian Open semifinal

Tommy Paul went into his first career Grand Slam semifinal with a specific game plan to confront Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open. Makes sense, right? Have to approach that sort of match with a way you think will help you win. And then, Paul explained, it all fell apart rather quickly in what became a 7-5, 6-1, 6-2 loss to Djokovic, who has won nine of his 21 Grand Slam titles at Melbourne Park.“I mean, he didn’t let me do all those things,” said the 25-year-old American, who was born in New Jersey, grew up in North Carolina and is now based in Florida, “because of things that he did so well.”They played under the lights in front of a packed house at Rod Laver Arena. Djokovic knows these settings and circumstances so well, especially at a tournament where he's won 27 matches in a row and is 19-0 in semifinals and finals for his career. He will face Stefanos Tsitsipas on Sunday for the title.“I mean, walking on the court was cool,” said Paul, the first U.S. man in the semifinals at Melbourne Park since Andy Roddick in 2009. “Playing the match and getting beaten like that kind of sucked. But, I mean, it’s great I got to see the level of where I want to be and know how good I have to play if I want to beat people like that. It was I think a good experience."Let's let the unseeded Paul explain what his strategy was and what happened:— “I wanted to serve and volley some. I didn’t serve and volley once. ... When I did make my first serve, I felt like he was returning it to the baseline. I was automatically on defense. Like, you get down love-30 in your service games, it’s hard to be like, ‘All right, I’m going to serve and volley now.’"— “Wanted to throw in drop shots. Didn’t get an opportunity to do any of that because he was hitting so deep.”— “Wanted to change up pace with my slice. Missed my first three slices of the match. I was like, ‘All right, I’m going to start hitting my backhand; I’m not slicing well today.'”— “Attack on the second serve. He definitely surprised me. On big points, he was going big seconds. Pretty much every point, the average second-serve speed was a little higher than I thought it was going to be.”All of that said, Paul did make some inroads against Djokovic.He did, after all, win more of the 23 points that lasted at least nine strokes, 14-9.There were the two break points in the match's opening game — although Djokovic ended up holding there.“It felt like things were getting away from me really fast,” Paul said. “Felt like points were moving really fast. In-between-points time was going really quick.”There was the four-game run that turned Paul's 5-1 deficit into 5-all in the opening set — although Djokovic then proceeded to collect seven games in a row and 14 of the remaining 17.“I was really fortunate to kind of hold my nerves toward the end of the first set. That was a key,” Djokovic said. “After that, I started swinging through the ball more.”The 35th-ranked Paul had never been past the fourth round at a Grand Slam tournament before.His first trip to the semifinals of a major will lift his ranking into the top 20 for the first time.“I want to keep moving up the rankings, you know? It would be nice to end the year top-10. I feel like the way I started the year is the right path to do it,” he said. “Obviously I have a lot of matches to win this year. Hopefully get some titles, too. I don’t want to just lose in semifinals. I want to have my name on some trophies.”

The 35th-ranked Paul had never been past the fourth round at a Grand Slam tournament before

Novak Djokovic, left, of Serbia is congratulated by Tommy Paul of the U.S. after their semifinal at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia

Paul says Djokovic thwarted his Australian Open gameplan

It took four days for the No. 2 Ohio State women to go from unbeaten to second place in the Big Ten. If the Buckeyes don't find a fix quickly, coach Kevin McGuff knows the slide could accelerate.Here, in perhaps the top women's basketball conference as February looms, nothing is a given. With four teams ranked in the top 11, six in The Associated Press Top 25 and all six within three games of the league lead, every night seems like musical chairs. And every night, it seems someone else is being left out.On Thursday, it was McGuff's team again.“I think there are several teams in the league, that if they play their best basketball down the stretch, can make a deep run in the (NCAA) Tournament and maybe to Dallas," McGuff said after a 78-65 loss at No. 6 Indiana. “There are a lot of teams that have upperclassmen with great experience. Indiana is one of them, but that's really across the Big Ten and, obviously, that makes it difficult.”This week's first two games gave McGuff a glimpse of how tough the final month of the regular season might be. After starting 19-0 and climbing as high as a school-record tying No. 2, Ohio State's quest for a perfect season came crashing down Monday night on its home court with an 83-72 loss to No. 10 Iowa. Then came the trip to Indiana where they were greeted by a mariachi band and another regular-season record-breaking crowd of 10,455. The previous mark stood 11 days.Meanwhile, the Hoosiers' win, coupled with their 10-point victory Monday at No. 13 Michigan, suddenly has Indiana's swelling fan base dreaming about adding a third line to the conference championship banner. The Hoosiers won the 2002 Big Ten Tournament title but their only previous regular-season crown came in 1983.Still, record-setting coach Teri Moren and her players recognize the next month will be as difficult or more difficult than the first three months, which included a nine-game stint witout all-conference guard Grace Berger.“They're all big if you ’re chasing something the way we’re chasing something,” Moren said. “You can’t overlook anything and make the moment bigger than it is.”So far, Indiana's only stumble came at Michigan State on Dec. 29.But anything can happen with 10 of 14 teams entering Friday with winning records and some outside the leading pack building momentum.Yes, Indiana (19-1, 9-1) seems well-positioned with a 6-0 mark against ranked teams including its only scheduled meeting against perennial power No. 10 Maryland. They even own road wins at Michigan and No. 22 Illinois.What's left? Two matchups against the Hawkeyes (16-4, 8-1) and potential national player of the year Caitlin Clark, two more against resurgent rival Purdue (14-6, 5-5) and rematches with the Buckeyes (19-2, 8-2) and Michigan (16-5, 6-4).Iowa’s three losses all came to ranked teams — UConn, North Carolina State and at Illinois — and now it must navigate a final month that includes two dates against Maryland and trips to Nebraska and Penn State in addition to the Hooisers.Ohio State still plays Maryland twice, travels to Michigan and Penn State and hosts the Hoosiers. And, of course, nobody will forget about the Terrapins, winners of 10 their last 11, or even Illinois, which has only won two of its last five but also has only two games left against ranked foes.In fact, everyone is expecting February to be as wild and wacky as any championship chase in the country.“The potential’s there, we’ve seen it,” Moren said of her team making a third straight deep postseason run. “But I also know this can be a funny game, right? If you’re not ready night in and night out, you’re always in jeopardy of coming up short.”Especially in the Big Ten.

In fact, everyone is expecting February to be as wild and wacky as any championship chase in the country

Indiana's Mackenzie Holmes reacts after making a basket and getting fouled during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Ohio State

Big Ten's depth poses strong challenge for women's title run

Luka Doncic left the Dallas Mavericks' game against the Phoenix Suns on Thursday night with a sprained left ankle. The Mavericks said he would not return to the game.Doncic played just three minutes before limping to the locker room during a timeout. The 23-year-old, who was voted an All-Star for the fourth straight season earlier Thursday, came into the game averaging 33.8 points, 9.1 rebounds and 8.6 assists.Doncic was trying to make a move close to the basket against Phoenix's Cam Johnson, but stepped on Mikal Bridges' foot before passing the ball and limping away. He grabbed at his lower left leg before Dallas coach Jason Kidd called for a timeout.The Suns and Mavericks both had a 25-24 record coming into the game.

The Mavericks said he would not return to the game

Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) and teammate Josh Green (8) celebrate during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Miami Heat in Dallas

Mavericks All-Star Doncic leaves game with ankle injury

The Knicks are a young team that's still learning how to string together victories. They're hoping to bottle several lessons from their latest outing.Julius Randle had 37 points and nine rebounds, and hit the free throws that gave New York the lead for good in a 120-117 overtime win over the East-leading Boston Celtics on Thursday night.Jalen Brunson added 29 points, seven assists and a game-ending blocked shot for the Knicks, who have won two straight. RJ Barrett had 19 points and Immanuel Quickley finished with 17 points and five rebounds."We held our own," Barrett said. “We played together and we played hard. We got the good result.”Boston’s Jaylen Brown had a chance to put the Celtics ahead with 7.6 seconds remaining, but misfired on two free throws, forcing the Celtics to foul.“Just got to be better,” Brown said. “Tonight was just a rough game and I’m a better basketball player than I played today. Those two free throws embodied the whole game for me.”Jayson Tatum, who was voted an All-Star game starter for the third consecutive season prior to tip-off, finished with 35 points and 14 rebounds. Brown added 22 points and nine rebounds for Boston, which has lost three straight for just the second time this season.New York led by 13 in the fourth quarter but scored just four points in the final 5:26 of regulation to help the Celtics send the game to OT.Randle said he never saw panic in his teammates' eyes during the Celtics' comeback.“Just poise,” he said. “We've been in those type of situations all year. So I feel like we're getting more and more comfortable in those situations.”Boston scored the first five points of the extra frame. New York responded by scoring the next six, taking a 116-115 lead on Barrett’s 3-pointer from the wing.“I didn't have a good shooting night, but I was ready to take that shot,” Barrett said. “I feel like we're getting more comfortable in those situations.”Brown nudged the Celtics back in front with a driving layup out of a timeout with 24 seconds remaining. Randle’s two free throws then put New York back in front for good at 118-117.Boston had a final chance to tie but Brunson blocked Malcolm Brogdon's 3-point try.Tatum hit his first five shots of the night. He struggled in the second and third quarters but had 11 in the fourth quarter to lead Boston’s rally.The Celtics struggled to find an offensive flow throughout, shooting 41% with 13 turnovers.<h2>Frantic finish</h2>The Knicks outscored the Celtics 33-25 in the third quarter and took a six-point edge into the fourth.The lead grew to 102-89 on a pair of free throws by Miles McBride with just over seven minutes to play. The Celtics charged back and had a chance to win it regulation, but Tatum missed a 19-footer and Robert Williams had his follow shot blocked as time expired.<h2>Tip-ins</h2>Knicks: Randle had a driving, one-handed dunk over Tatum late in the third that was part of a 14-5 run to put New York in front 87-78. . … Outscored the Celtics 48-42 in the paint. … Evan Fournier missed his second straight game (personal reasons).Celtics: Dropped to 18-6 at home, with three of those defeats coming in overtime. ... Marcus Smart sat for the third straight game with a sprained right ankle. Interim coach Joe Mazzulla said he is wearing a special sock to help reduce swelling. He remains day-to-day. … Boston hit 7 of their first 9 attempts from the field and led by as many as 15 points in the first quarter. They finished the period by hitting 5 of their final 18 shots and held a 60-58 halftime lead. … Tuesday marked the Celtics’ 6,000th regular-season game.

"We held our own," Barrett said. “We played together and we played hard. We got the good result”

New York Knicks forward Julius Randle (30) drives to the basket to score as Boston Celtics center Al Horford, right, defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Jan. 26, 2023, in Boston

Randle scores 37, Knicks rally to beat Celtics 120-117 in OT

Novak Djokovic put aside some shaky play in the early going and took over his Australian Open semifinal against unseeded American Tommy Paul on Friday, winning 7-5, 6-1, 6-2 to close in on a 10th championship at Melbourne Park and 22nd Grand Slam title overall. Djokovic’s parents and brother are in town for the tournament for the first time since he claimed major trophy No. 1 there back in 2008, but his father stayed away from this match after getting caught up in a flap connected to spectators who brought banned Russian flags on site earlier in the week.<h2>"I like that number"</h2>Forget about that potential distraction. Forget about the heavily taped left hamstring that was an issue last week. Forget about how Djokovic produced twice as many unforced errors, 24, as winners, 12, in the opening set. Forget that he dropped four games in a row in one stretch. As usual, Djokovic summoned what it took to extend his Australian Open winning streak to 27 matches, the longest in the Open era, which dates to 1968.There was a pause in that string of victories a year ago, of course, when Djokovic was deported from Australia before competition began because he was not vaccinated against COVID-19. He still has not gotten the shots, but the strict border controls established by the country during the pandemic have been eased.On Sunday, No. 4 seed Djokovic will take on No. 3 seed Stefanos Tsitsipas, who eliminated Karen Khachanov 7-6 (2), 6-4, 6-7 (6), 6-3 to reach his first final at Melbourne Park and second at a Slam.Whoever wins the final will rise to No. 1 in the ATP rankings. For Djokovic, that would mark a return to a spot he has occupied for more weeks than anyone; for Tsitsipas, if would mark a debut there.“I like that number. It’s all about you. It’s singular. It’s ‘1,‘” said Tsitsipas, who was 0-3 in Australian Open semifinals before Friday. “These are the moments that I’ve been working hard for.”Djokovic has never lost a semifinal or final in Melbourne, going a perfect 19-0, and his nine triumphs there already are a men’s record. If he can add one more to go alongside his seven titles at Wimbledon, three at the U.S. Open and two at the French Open, the 35-year-old from Serbia would equal Nadal for the most Grand Slam trophies earned by a man.Djokovic is 10-2 against Tsitsipas, taking the last nine encounters in a row.Tsitsipas’ other major final came at the 2021 French Open, when he grabbed the first two sets before blowing that big lead and losing to Djokovic in five.Which was all related to an amusing moment this week, when Djokovic said about Tsitsipas: “He has never played a final, am I wrong?” Reminded by reporters about what happened at Roland Garros, Djokovic replied: “That’s right. Sorry, my bad.”Asked about that exchange Friday, Tsitsipas responded with a deadpan expression and the words: “I don’t remember, either.”Until this week, the 35th-ranked Paul never had been past the fourth round in 13 previous appearances at majors.The 25-year-old was born in New Jersey and grew up in North Carolina, playing tennis at a club where the walls were festooned with posters of Andy Roddick — the last American man to win a Grand Slam singles title, way back at the 2003 U.S. Open. That drought will continue for now, because even though Djokovic was not at his best in the opening set, he was good enough at the end of it, breaking in the last game, and never relented.The blips for Djokovic arrived right at the outset.The footwork was not up to his usual reach-every-ball standard. The shotmaking was subpar. The serving was so-so.He got into a bit of a discussion with the chair umpire. He started gesturing and shouting in the direction of coach Goran Ivanisevic and the rest of this entourage.In the first game, Djokovic flubbed an overhead, a weakness he’s never solved. He dumped a backhand into the net. He double-faulted. And just like that, three minutes in, he offered up a break point to Paul. Djokovic saved that, but then another missed backhand provided another break chance to someone playing the biggest match of his life.Djokovic saved that, too, collected that game and would race to a 5-1 lead. Then came the lull. He got broken when serving for the set there. And again at 5-3, when Paul walloped a down-the-line forehand and Djokovic’s backhand on a 29-stroke point landed out.<h2>"Couldn’t be more ready for this moment"</h2>Paul held for 5-all. Might he be making a match of it?Not for much longer. Djokovic, the greatest returner or his, or maybe any, generation, broke to close that set, when Paul sent a forehand wide. Serbian flags were displayed throughout the stands and Rod Laver Arena was filled with chants of Djokovic’s two-syllable nickname, “No-le! No-le!”The contest was never much of a contest from there on out.Tsitsipas had a harder time strictly following the rules governing the 25-second serve clock and foot-faults than he did outplaying Khachanov for nearly three full sets, then recovered after blowing two match points late in the third.Tsitsipas regained his footing quickly, grabbing a 3-0 lead in the fourth and closing out the win about 40 minutes after his initial opportunity.Looking ahead to Sunday, he declared: “Couldn’t be more ready for this moment.”

Djokovic summoned what it took to extend his Australian Open winning streak to 27 matches, the longest in the Open era

Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrates after defeating Tommy Paul of the U.S. in their semifinal at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Friday, Jan. 27, 2023

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Djokovic beats Tsitsipas for 10th Australian Open, 22nd Slam

Djokovic, Tsitsipas start Australian Open men's final

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Djokovic's dad stays away from Australian Open semifinal

Paul says Djokovic thwarted his Australian Open gameplan

Big Ten's depth poses strong challenge for women's title run

Mavericks All-Star Doncic leaves game with ankle injury

Randle scores 37, Knicks rally to beat Celtics 120-117 in OT

Djokovic tops Paul; faces Tsitsipas in Australian Open final

Sports

Brown forces OT, Celtics snap skid by beating LA 125-121

Djokovic beats Tsitsipas for 10th Australian Open, 22nd Slam

Djokovic, Tsitsipas start Australian Open men's final

Winter X daredevils ride fine line between height, happiness

Six Nations: Italy's Garbisi recovers from knee injury

Pedri leads win at Girona in 100th game for Barcelona

McKennie left out of Juventus squad amid possible Leeds move

Union Berlin beats Hertha in derby, stays 2nd in Bundesliga

FIFA bans 4 Uruguay players for disorder at World Cup

Marcos Alonso agrees to contract extension with Barcelona

Djokovic's dad stays away from Australian Open semifinal

Paul says Djokovic thwarted his Australian Open gameplan

Big Ten's depth poses strong challenge for women's title run

Mavericks All-Star Doncic leaves game with ankle injury

Randle scores 37, Knicks rally to beat Celtics 120-117 in OT

Djokovic tops Paul; faces Tsitsipas in Australian Open final