TENNIS

Aryna Sabalenka won her first title since the Australian Open in January by defeating Jessica Pegula 6-3, 7-5 at the Cincinnati Open in Mason, Ohio, on Monday.

Sabalenka, who had moved up one place in the rankings to No. 2 before the match, did not lose a single set en route to her 15th WTA title. In Cincinnati, she had never made it past the semifinals and had lost three times.

The 26-year-old Sabalenka is now considered the favorite at the US Open, which begins in New York on August 26. She missed Wimbledon due to a shoulder injury, but then returned to the tour two weeks ago in Washington.

Universities

FOOTBALL: Furman’s football helmets this season will include a sticker in memory of defensive lineman Bryce Stanfield, who died on Feb. 9, two days after collapsing during practice at the school’s stadium.

Two weeks later, Furman announced that Stanfield’s cause of death was a pulmonary embolism, which had nothing to do with football.

ICE HOCKEY

NHL: The Columbus Blue Jackets traded forward Patrik Laine to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for defenseman Jordan Harris and a second-round draft pick in 2026.

The Blue Jackets were without 26-year-old Laine for much of the 2023-24 season. He sought help from the NHL’s Player Assistance Program in January and revealed that his problems were mental in nature. He was acquitted in July.

FOOTBALL

US MEN: The United States will play a friendly against Mexico in Guadalajara on October 15. This could be the second game for Mauricio Pochettino, who is currently negotiating the position of coach of the Americans.

The U.S. will play Canada in Kansas City on Sept. 7 and New Zealand three days later in Cincinnati. They will be the first games since a first-round exit from the Copa America that prompted the U.S. Soccer Federation to fire coach Gregg Berhalter. Mikey Varas, an assistant to Berhalter, will likely lead the team for the September games.

HENRY GOES: After leading France to a silver medal at the Olympic Games, Thierry Henry resigned from his coaching job. The French Football Federation said he cited personal reasons for his resignation.

PREMIER LEAGUE: Jamie Vardy rescued a point for Leicester on their return to Premier League football with a second-half header to equalise at 1-1 against visitors Tottenham, who largely dominated the first half.

RIDE A BIKE

SPANISH VUELTA: Overall leader Wout van Aert won the sprint in Castelo Branco, Portugal, to secure the third stage.

Van Aert, wearing the red leader’s jersey, shot into the lead with about 250 metres to go, leaving Australian Kaden Groves behind and reversing the outcome of Sunday’s second stage when Groves took the sprint victory.

TEAM CHANGE: After winning three medals for Australia at the Olympic Games, track cyclist Matt Richardson switched teams eight days later to ride for Great Britain.

BASKETBALL

NBA: Las Vegas coach Becky Hammon again denied former Aces player Dearica Hamby’s claim that the team mistreated and traded her because of her pregnancy.

Hamby, who was traded to Los Angeles in January 2023, played for the organization from 2015 to 2022, beginning when the Aces were based in San Antonio. She was named the league’s Sixth Player of the Year in 2019 and 2020 and won a bronze medal in 3×3 basketball at the Paris Olympics.

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