Arsenal forward Gabriel Martinelli has signed a “long-term” contract extension, the Premier League leaders said Friday. The 21-year-old Brazil international has scored seven goals this season to boost Arsenal's title bid in his fourth season in north London.The club did not specify the length of the deal but manager Mikel Arteta called it “a new long-term contract.”“Gabi is still very young, so we know there's still much more to come from him and it's great that we'll be on this journey together,” Arteta said in the club's announcement.Martinelli was not quoted in the announcement.The forward has started all 19 league games this season. He has made 111 appearances in his Arsenal career since signing from Sao Paulo club Ituano in July 2019.

Martinelli was not quoted in the announcement

Manchester City's goalkeeper Stefan Ortega, bottom, saves on Arsenal's Gabriel Martinelli during the English FA Cup 4th round soccer match between Manchester City and Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester

Arsenal forward Gabriel Martinelli signs contract extension

A Japanese company embroiled in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic corruption scandal said Thursday it would strengthen oversight to prevent further wrongdoing. Kadokawa “seriously betrayed public trust,” company president Takeshi Natsuno said. He bowed deeply with two other executives to show remorse in a news conference.Tsuguhiko Kadokawa, the son of the founder, was arrested in September on suspicion of bribing Haruyuki Takahashi, a member of the Tokyo Olympic organizing committee, with 69 million yen ($480,000).Kadokawa Group was chosen as an Olympic sponsor and published the Games program and guidebooks.Takahashi is a former executive at the Japanese advertising company Dentsu, which played a key role in 2013 in landing the Olympics for Tokyo, and then became the Tokyo Games marketing arm.Takahashi was arrested and released from jail after being held for about four months. Japanese media say he is denying the corruption charges.He also faces bribery allegations in connection with several companies tied to the Tokyo Olympics: Aoki Holdings, a clothing company that dressed Japan’s Olympic team; Daiko Advertising Inc., ADK Marketing Solutions, and Sun Arrow, which produced the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic mascots named Miraitowa and Someity.Any trials are likely to be slow moving as the Japanese court process tends to be drawn out, and more than a dozen people are involved.Prosecutors say Takahashi acted in ways to favor the companies with sponsorships and other benefits related to the Olympics in return for the bribes.Prosecutors say, besides the bribery scandal, a separate probe is ongoing into bid-rigging and the choice of venues for Olympic test events.The sprawling corruption allegations surrounding Tokyo have caused the bid by the northern Japanese city of Sapporo for the 2030 Winter Games to be placed “on hold.”Sapporo was considered the favorite for 2030, partially because of Japan's reliability and heavy spending to hold the delayed Tokyo Games.The Switzerland-based International Olympic Committee is reported to have Salt Lake City as the lone candidate to hold the 2030 Games.Salt Lake organizers have said they would prefer 2034, not wanting to directly follow Los Angeles, which will hold the 2028 Summer Olympics.The official price tag for the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics was $13 billion, although a government audit suggested real costs might be twice that much. About 60% of Tokyo Olympic spending was public money.The Games were postponed for a year and held in 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kadokawa “seriously betrayed public trust,” company president Takeshi Natsuno said

Workers prepare to remove giant Olympic rings from the waterfront area at Odaiba Marine Park after 2020 Summer Olympics came to an end on Aug. 8 in Tokyo

Tokyo Olympic bribery scandal rolls on; company apologizes

Trae Young rose up for a 3-pointer in the second half that left his hands way too hard, hurtling toward the basket before slamming off the backboard and through the hoop. Atlanta's star guard shrugged and ran back down the court with a sheepish grin.Things were going the Hawks way Wednesday night, leading to a blowout victory. Dejounte Murray scored 21 points, Young added 20 points and 12 assists and Atlanta rolled past the Phoenix Suns 132-100.The Hawks had lost four of five games coming into Wednesday's game, but played much better on both ends of the floor.<h2>Atlanta never let up, pushing to a 102-67 advantage by the end</h2>“We wanted to win really bad and knew it had to start on the defensive end,” Murray said. “The defense took care of the offense.”The Hawks never trailed, jumping to a 9-4 lead with three 3-pointers. Atlanta never let up, pushing to a 102-67 advantage by the end of the third quarter and leading by 43 points in the fourth.Just about everyone was hitting shots for the Hawks, who made 52 of 91 shots (57.1%), including 19 of 33 (57.6%) on 3-pointers. Bogdan Bogdanovic added 18 points off the bench.“When you're getting downhill, moving the ball, sharing the ball, things like that can happen,” Hawks coach Nate McMillan said. “I thought tonight we did a good job moving the ball and getting it to the open man.”Phoenix — with star guard Devin Booker close to returning from a groin injury — lost for just the second time in eight games. The Suns were sloppy with 16 turnovers that turned into 31 points for the Hawks and had a dismal shooting night, hitting just 4 of 28 (14.3%) shots from 3-point range.“They were a lot faster then us especially in transition and we just couldn’t make a shot for whatever reason,” Suns coach Monty Williams said.Mikal Bridges led the Suns with 23 points but shot just 6 of 18 from the field, including 1 of 7 on 3s. Deandre Ayton added 20 points and nine rebounds.“It felt like we were on a treadmill,” Ayton said. “It felt like we were hamsters running in one spot. The game was going too fast and we were making some points but not putting a dent into the lead.”The Hawks used a 13-0 run early in the second quarter to take a 66-47 lead into halftime. Murray led Atlanta with 15 points before the break while Bridges had 17 for the Suns.Phoenix shot just 18 of 47 (38.5%) in the first half, including 2 of 16 (12.5%) from 3-point range.<h2>Suns sign Lee</h2>The Suns announced Wednesday that they've signed guard Saben Lee for the rest of the season.Lee has emerged as the team's backup point guard over the last three weeks after being signed to back-to-back 10-day contracts. He's filling in for Cam Payne, who remains out with a foot injury.To make room for Lee on the roster, the Suns released Duane Washington Jr., who played in 31 games this season, starting three. He averaged 7.9 points, but shot just 36.7% from the field.Lee had six points, three assists, three steaks and three rebounds in 21 minutes against the Hawks.<h2>Tip-ins</h2>Hawks: Onyeka Okongwu made all seven of his shots. He finished with 17 points. ... Former Suns center Frank Kaminsky got a technical foul in the fourth quarter. ... Young reached 3,000 career assists.Suns: Booker, Payne and G Landry Shamet (foot) were out. ... Hosted a 54th straight sellout crowd.

Things were going the Hawks way Wednesday night, leading to a blowout victory

Atlanta Hawks guard Dejounte Murray (5) dunks over Phoenix Suns guard Chris Paul during the first half of an NBA basketball game

Murray scores 21 points, Hawks roll past Suns 132-100

Brazilian soccer player Dani Alves has agreed to turn in his passport and wear a tracking device if he is set free pending the sexual assault investigation against him, his lawyers said in an appeal filed to a Spanish court this week. Alves was provisionally detained in January after being accused of sexually assaulting a woman at a nightclub on Dec. 30. A judge ordered the veteran player to be jailed without bail after analyzing the initial probe by authorities and hearing testimony from Alves, the alleged victim and a witness.Alves has denied any wrongdoing.<h2>“Festive” way</h2>In the appeal obtained by The Associated Press on Wednesday, Alves offered to report to the court and to authorities as often as required, including daily, and to not leave Spain. He would not get within 500 meters (yards) of the accuser or her home or work place, and would not communicate with her in any matter. The appeal said he would agree to wear a device allowing authorities to constantly monitor his whereabouts to make sure he complied with his obligations.The appeal said Alves would pay bail in the amount established by the judge, in addition to giving up his travel documents to authorities. The judge had denied Alves bail in part because he was deemed a flight risk.Alves' lawyers, which includes the same one who worked for Lionel Messi in his tax fraud case, claimed that the accusations alone made by the alleged victim were not enough to prompt his detention without bail.They said there were inconsistencies in her testimony, including when she said she was scared of Alves and his friends at the nightclub even though security cameras showed that she and her friends were in a “festive” way.They also point to images that showed that the accuser was not forced into the bathroom where she claimed to have been assaulted.Alves initially denied having sex with her but later admitted to a consensual sexual encounter.The lawyers said in the appeal that he initially denied that he had sex with her because he wanted to protect his wife and children.The accuser has reportedly relinquished her right to seek financial compensation from Alves if he is eventually found guilty.<h2>Lost sponsorships</h2>Under Spain’s sexual consent law passed last year, sexual assault takes in a wide array of crimes from online abuse and groping to rape, each with different possible punishments. A case of violent rape can receive a maximum sentence of 15 years.The 39-year-old Alves won 42 soccer titles, including three Champions Leagues with Barcelona and two Copa Americas with Brazil. He played in his third World Cup last year in Qatar.Alves had his contract with Mexican club Pumas terminated after his arrest. He was detained after returning from Brazil to Spain and agreeing to talk to authorities about the case. His lawyers said Alves has also lost sponsorships because of his arrest.

The judge had denied Alves bail in part because he was deemed a flight risk

Dani Alves offers to turn in passport, wear tracking device

Jamal Murray is locked in right now — with his shot, with his swagger and especially with his confidence in his team. “It’s fun to play basketball," the Denver point guard said. “But we still have room to improve. We’re not satisfied with where we’re at.”Murray scored 32 points, Nikola Jokic got his 16th triple-double of the season and the Western Conference-leading Nuggets held off the reeling New Orleans Pelicans 122-113 on Tuesday night.Murray made a season-high seven 3-pointers to give him 771 for his career and move him past J.R. Smith for second place on the franchise list. He's just 33 away from matching Will Barton for the top spot.“I'll get that in three games,” cracked Murray.

See, swagger.His smooth jumper was so in rhythm early in the game Tuesday that Nuggets coach Michael Malone didn't want to take him out. Malone didn't, either, until later than usual.“I don’t want to be the guy that puts the fire out,” said Malone, whose team trailed by 12 in the second quarter before closing the gap to 60-57 at halftime and taking control in the third. “Jamal was really, really good in all areas of the game tonight.”Ditto for Jokic, who finished with 26 points, 18 rebounds and 15 assists as the Nuggets improved to 16-0 when he has a triple-double.“I’m happy as long as we are winning games and the players are happy around me,” Jokic said.CJ McCollum and Herbert Jones both scored 21 points for the Pelicans, who have dropped nine straight games. They finished 3-13 in January.Part of the reason for the slide has been the absence of standout Zion Williamson, who has missed 15 games in a row with a hamstring injury.“We’ve got to keep our heads down and keep working,” coach Willie Green said. “It’s hard to win in the NBA. We’re seeing that. There was some beauty in what I saw tonight. ... We’re right there, but we have to sustain it for 48 minutes.”The Nuggets led by 13 early in the fourth quarter only to see the Pelicans cut it to five on several occasions, including a layup by Jones with less than a minute remaining. Murray and Jokic each converted a pair of free throws down the stretch to help Denver fend off New Orleans and move to 23-4 at home.Jokic, who’s been dealing with tightness in his left hamstring, had another efficient shooting performance in going 10 of 14 from the floor. It was the 92nd triple-double of his career.“He was pretty dominant across the board,” Green said.

<h2>Tip-ins</h2>Pelicans: Williamson is steadily progressing from a strained hamstring, according to Green. “It’s something we don’t want to rush, but we’re definitely excited to see him on the floor," he said. ... Brandon Ingram finished with 16 points and nine assists. ... Larry Nance Jr. scored 11 of his 13 points in the fourth quarter.Nuggets: Rookie guard Collin Gillespie (broken right leg) has been cleared for shooting and light running. “We’re not putting any pressure or a rush on him,” Malone said. ... Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Aaron Gordon each had 15 points.<h2>Trade talk</h2>Nuggets guard Bones Hyland was limited to 4:43 and scored two points. His name has been mentioned in trade speculation.Asked where he stands with Hyland, Malone responded: “I stand with Bones. Bones is on our team.”<h2>Rising stars</h2>Hyland was selected to the NBA’s Jordan Rising Stars Challenge. So were Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado and forward Trey Murphy III. The mini-tournament will take place on Feb. 17 in Salt Lake City as part of All-Star weekend.

“It’s fun to play basketball," the Denver point guard said. “But we still have room to improve

Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray gestures to the crowd as time runs out in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the New Orleans Pelicans Tuesday

Murray, Jokic help Nuggets hold off Pelicans 122-113

Saudi Arabia added to its influence in global soccer Wednesday, winning a seat on FIFA’s ruling Council before being set to be confirmed as host of the 2027 Asian Cup. The election win at the Asian Football Confederation’s annual meeting followed Cristiano Ronaldo moving last month to play in the Saudi league and longstanding speculation about a likely bid to host the World Cup in 2030 or 2034.Saudi soccer federation president Yasser Almisehal was among six Asian soccer officials elected by AFC members to represent them on FIFA’s decision-making council through 2027. Saudi Arabia is the only candidate to host the Asian championship that year.Qatar federation president Sheikh Hamad Al Thani, whose country hosts the Asian Cup next January, also was elected to a FIFA position for the first time. Sheikh Hamad was picked by 40 of the 45 voting federations and Almisehal got 35.The 37-member FIFA Council is chaired by the governing body’s president Gianni Infantino, who had a front-row seat Wednesday to the election meeting in Bahrain.The election results confirmed Saudi Arabia and Qatar at the heart of Asian soccer politics with the AFC presidency scheduled to be vacant in 2027.AFC president Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa was reelected by acclamation Wednesday to a final four-year term in a job he has held since 2013. He is also formally No. 2 to Infantino as the most senior of FIFA’s eight vice presidents.FIFA Council positions — which pay a $250,000 salary in Zurich — were also won by Japan’s Kohzo Tashima and Mariano Araneta of the Philippines, who retained their seats, and newcomer Hamidin Bin Mohd Amin, the Malaysian soccer federation leader.Losing candidates for the FIFA seats were Du Zhaocai from China and South Korea's Chung Mong-Gyu, a scion of the Hyundai-owning family who lost his seat in 2019.AFC members were also voting for a FIFA seat protected for a woman. The candidates were from Laos and Bangladesh.Later in the meeting, the Saudi bid to host the 2027 Asian Cup was due to be confirmed unopposed. India withdrew its bid in December.

The election results confirmed Saudi Arabia and Qatar at the heart of Asian soccer politics with the AFC presidency scheduled to be vacant in 2027

Saudi soccer influence grows by winning seat on FIFA Council

Tottenham manager Antonio Conte will undergo surgery to remove his gallbladder on Wednesday and spend some time away from the team. Conte recently experienced “severe abdominal pain,” Tottenham said in a short statement, and was diagnosed as having cholecystitis."(Conte) will return following a period of recuperation,” Tottenham said.Tottenham is in fifth place in the Premier League, has advanced to the fifth round of the FA Cup and resumes Champions League play this month in the round of 16 against AC Milan.

Conte recently experienced “severe abdominal pain,” Tottenham said in a short statement, and was diagnosed as having cholecystitis

Tottenham's head coach Antonio Conte reacts during the English Premier League soccer match between Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur at the Craven Cottage Stadium in London

Conte to undergo surgery, have time away from Tottenham

It has been a long wait for Stephy Mavididi and Montpellier. After more than a year without finding the net, the English striker scored two goals over the weekend, hitting form again at the right time — just before leader Paris Saint-Germain's visit on Wednesday.Before Sunday's 2-0 win at Auxerre, Montpellier and Mavididi were in full doubt mode following a run of four straight losses in all competitions.Amid growing anger from fans who displayed insulting banners an threw flares onto the field to force a match to be stopped for several minutes two weeks ago, the 2012 French champions had dropped close to the relegation zone. And Mavididi was desperately looking for his first goal since last Jan. 23, when the former England under-20 player scored a superbly-taken winner in stoppage time against Monaco.After that scintillating night, everything went downhill for the former Arsenal academy player. Mavididi injured his knee during training, keeping him sidelined for a couple of months, and then tore a muscle in his left thigh on the opening day of the current season in August.The 24-year-old Mavididi — who joined the southern team during the 2020 offseason — only came back in October and has played just 10 league matches so far in Montpellier's lackluster campaign.His scoring drought ended in the 62nd minute in Auxerre when he collected a lofted cross on the edge of the box, dribbled past a defender and concluded the move with a powerful strike under the bar. Mavididi's second goal came 10 minutes from time at the end of a counterattack.“It had been a while, but I always kept on working," Mavididi said after moving three goals behind Glenn Hoddle's record of 27 goals for the English player with the most goals in the French league.Montpellier struggled for long spells at Auxerre and Mavididi's clinical efficiency made up for his team's defensive inadequacies that still need to be fixed by coach Romain Pitau.“We all congratulated him because we did not have much chances, maybe just two and we converted them,” said goalkeeper Benjamin Lecomte, who returned to Montpellier this month to help his former teammates stay in the top division.Lecomte, who had been playing on loan at Espanyol from Monaco, had a successful stint in Montpellier from 2017-19, earning international calls from France coach Didier Deschamps. He was brought back as a replacement for Jonas Omlin, who left for German club Borussia Mönchengladbach.Club officials hope that Lecomte will restore the defensive stability the team lacks, having conceded 40 goals in 20 matches this season. In his 80th match in a Montpellier shirt, Lecomte was already decisive, stopping a penalty in the closing stages.“It's only one step, we need to carry on," Pitau said after his players managed a first clean sheet this year to move up to 14th place in the standings, five points above the danger zone.Keeping another one at home against PSG's attacking armada could prove too difficult, although the Qatari-backed side has been struggling since the turn of the year. PSG has won only one of its last four league games, losing two, and coach Christophe Galtier acknowledged there is a problem.“We did not propose anything in the first half, we lacked rhythm and intensity, and the players made a lot of technical mistakes,” he said after PSG was held to 1-1 draw by Reims on Sunday.Starting with the Montpellier game, PSG will play seven matches in February, including major tests against Bayern Munich in the Champions League and rival Marseille in a domestic doubleheader.In other matches Wednesday, second-place Lens hosts Nice and third-place Marseille travels to Nantes.

Before Sunday's 2-0 win at Auxerre, Montpellier and Mavididi were in full doubt mode following a run of four straight losses in all competitions

Montpellier's Mavididi hitting form again ahead of PSG test

Novak Djokovic's Australian Open championship returned him to a rather familiar spot on Monday: No. 1 in the ATP rankings. His four-place rise from No. 5 to replace Carlos Alcaraz at No. 1 is the largest jump to the top spot in the 50-year history of the computerized rankings for men's tennis.“You never know how much more time you have left, so, of course, I nurture and celebrate these moments of becoming No. 1 again and Grand Slam champion," the 35-year-old Djokovic said after beating Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-3, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5) in the final at Melbourne Park on Sunday night, "even more than I have, maybe ever in my career. I don’t take it for granted.”Aryna Sabalenka's first major title moved her up from No. 5 to a career-best-equaling No. 2 in the WTA rankings, behind only three-time major champion Iga Swiatek.Ons Jabeur, twice a finalist at Slams in 2022, went from No. 2 to No. 3, followed by No. 4 Jessica Pegula, No. 5 Caroline Garcia and No. 6 Coco Gauff.The player Sabalenka beat in Saturday's Australian Open final, Elena Rybakina, makes her top 10 debut at No. 10, up from No. 25.This marks Djokovic's 374th week leading the ATP, adding to his record. He earned a 10th title at the Australian Open and tied Rafael Nadal with 22 Grand Slam trophies.Alcaraz slid to No. 2. He had become the youngest man to be No. 1 when he took over at age 19 after winning the U.S. Open last September. Alcaraz missed the Australian Open because of a leg injury.Nadal, who hurt his left hip flexor during a second-round loss to Mackenzie McDonald of the United States, dropped from No. 2 to No. 6.Tsitsipas went from No. 4 to No. 3 because of his run in Melbourne; he would have been No. 1 for the first time if he had managed to win the title. Casper Ruud, a two-time Grand Slam runner-up who lost in the second round to Jenson Brooksby of the United States, went from No. 3 to No. 4. Andrey Rublev is No. 5 after getting to the quarterfinals.Cracking the top 20 for the first time is Tommy Paul, a 25-year-old American who reached his first Grand Slam semifinal before exiting against Djokovic. Paul's showing in Melbourne lifted him 16 spots from No. 25 to No. 19.He is one of 10 U.S. men in the top 50, something that last happened in 1995.

The player Sabalenka beat in Saturday's Australian Open final, Elena Rybakina, makes her top 10 debut at No. 10, up from No. 25

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

Djokovic back at top of ATP rankings; Sabalenka No. 2 in WTA

Swiss skier Marco Odermatt overcame a tricky course setting to win a men’s World Cup super-G Sunday for his second victory in two days, just over a week before the start of the world championships. Odermatt extended his lead in both the overall and super-G standings, as his closest challenger, Norway's Aleksander Aamodt Kilde, was among the 10 racers in the top 30 who failed to finish.“It was a difficult super-G, I also had my troubles. I got very tight in one, two gates as well,” Odermatt said.His win came a day after he made a triumphant return from his injury layoff, having skipped two races last week to rest a sore left knee.“Two very important races for me, and as well for that mini comeback, to do this before the world champs, so now I definitely know everything fits,” the defending overall champion said.Odermatt was far from clean on the challenging Olympia delle Tofane course but just made it through a tough section about 30 seconds into the run. Skiers were coming over a roll and approached a double left turn, where many were going too fast to make the next gate.“It was on the limit. It was a very difficult turn to get the timing right. At course inspection everyone saw it a bit differently,” Odermatt said.Home favorite Dominik Paris was 0.76 seconds behind in second for his first podium of the season. Austrian skier Daniel Hemetsberger trailed by 1.03 in third.The course in the Italian Dolomites with its marquee Tofane Schuss is a usual stop on the women’s circuit but was hosting men’s World Cup races this weekend for the first time in more than three decades.A slalom in Chamonix, France, next Saturday is the last men’s World Cup race before the Feb. 6-19 world championships in Courchevel and Méribel.

“It was a difficult super-G, I also had my troubles. I got very tight in one, two gates as well,” Odermatt said

Switzerland's Marco Odermatt speeds down the course during an alpine ski, men's World Cup super-G, in Cortina d'Ampezzo

Swiss skier Odermatt wins super-G for 2nd win in 2 days

A long time coming getting back to the top of the podium, Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier held up their shiny medals, smiled and waved once more to an audience left captivated by their sensational skating. It sure beat watching like last January when Frazier contracted COVID-19 and they had to withdraw from the event in Nashville, Tennessee. Frazier watched the event quarantined in his hotel room, while a disappointed Knierim closed herself off and stuck close to family.The dynamic twosome have another national pairs gold at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships with a spectacular free skate Saturday night that scored them an overall season-best 227.97.“It means the world for me and I think I can speak for Alexa, too, especially after missing last year to return, and to return to the top of the podium, it's a great achievement," Frazier said. “But more importantly for us, we've been reflecting a lot throughout the season, our personal journeys and our partnership. So coming here, just so many emotions in the U.S. championships every time you come and this was a week filled with emotions, and that was all heart tonight.”The reigning world champions were forced to pull out the night before last year's competition when Frazier tested positive, denying them a chance to defend their 2021 title from their first season together.Skating second-to-last and ahead of eventual silver medalists Emily Chan and Spencer Howe, Knierim and Frazier performed a breathtaking routine to Harry Styles' “Sign of the Times" for a 146.01 to win by more than 30 points. They recovered from a slight miscue in their planned triple toeloop-double toeloop-double toeloop combination by going clean the rest of the way and executing all the difficult elements with flair and determination.When they were done, fans jumped to their feet in a rousing ovation.The tandem, who train in Southern California and paired up after Knierim’s husband Chris retired from skating in 2020, had to petition for a spot on the Olympic team for Beijing after missing the 2022 nationals. There, they helped the Americans to a silver medal in the team event and placed sixth in pairs. The twosome also earned silver in the Grand Prix final last month.Knierim and Frazier held a commanding lead of more than 15 points over Chan and Howe — 81.96 to 66.86 — after a personal-best short program Thursday heading into Saturday’s free skate.It's the fifth pairs gold for Knierim, who won three with her husband.“I think I’m just so wrapped up in doing what I love that the numbers of championship gold medals for me here will never amount to how much I just love skating,” she said. “I could have no medals and I would probably feel the same way about it.”Chan and Howe continued their breakout season with a season-best score of 196.86 and their 130.00 free skate, set to a rendition of “Unchained Melody." They lost points when Chan fell on their throw triple loop.Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea placed third with a 184.01. They came into Saturday sitting third after scoring a 65.75 short program, then Kam fell on their opening triple twist in the free skate and nearly slid into the boards. The two teamed up just four months ago and have high hopes of an Olympic run.Sonia Baram and Daniel Tioumentsev were fourth at 179.08, scoring a 115.96 in the free skate to move up from fifth place after the short program with a beautiful routine Saturday at SAP Center.Earlier Saturday, Madison Chock and Evan Bates defended their ice dancing title Saturday at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, scoring 137.85 in the free dance for a top total score of 229.75.The recently engaged couple has medaled at nationals in every season since 2013. That’s 11 straight years, which matches former training mates Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue (2012-22) for the most consecutive years on the U.S. ice dance podium.“It’s a great honor to be one of the teams with the longest longevity in the sport,” Chock said. “It’s something that we really pride ourselves on because we’re very motivated people. That’s something that drives us through our career, and we’ve had a lot of success because of that.”

The reigning world champions were forced to pull out the night before last year's competition when Frazier tested positive

Brandon Frazier, top, and Alexa Knierim perform during the pairs free skate at the U.S. figure skating championships in San Jose

Knierim, Frazier capture pairs gold at US skating nationals

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

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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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Sports

Arsenal forward Gabriel Martinelli signs contract extension

Tokyo Olympic bribery scandal rolls on; company apologizes

Murray scores 21 points, Hawks roll past Suns 132-100

Dani Alves offers to turn in passport, wear tracking device

Murray, Jokic help Nuggets hold off Pelicans 122-113

Saudi soccer influence grows by winning seat on FIFA Council

Conte to undergo surgery, have time away from Tottenham

Montpellier's Mavididi hitting form again ahead of PSG test

Djokovic back at top of ATP rankings; Sabalenka No. 2 in WTA

Swiss skier Odermatt wins super-G for 2nd win in 2 days

Knierim, Frazier capture pairs gold at US skating nationals

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