BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Lionel Messi has announced his retirement from international soccer after 21 years representing Argentina. “It was a decision that hurt — and still hurts deeply — but I understand that the time has come,” the 39-year-old Messi says on his Instagram account Monday. Messi played in a record-tying six World Cups, won it in 2022 in Qatar and led Argentina to this year’s final, losing to Spain in extra time in New Jersey. He concludes his international career as Argentina’s all-time leading scorer with 125 goals, 21 of which were in World Cups.
NEW YORK (AP) — Carlos Alcaraz returned to the U.S. Open and looked healthy enough for a run at a repeat. Alcaraz beat Roman Safiullin 6-4, 6-4, 6-4, showing no problems with the right wrist injury that had sidelined the 23-year-old Spaniard since April. Following fellow two-time U.S. Open champion Aryna Sabalenka onto Arthur Ashe Stadium, the No. 2-seeded Alcaraz delivered the all-around game that has made him a fan favorite. The seven-time Grand Slam champion may quickly become a huge betting favorite with top-ranked Jannik Sinner sidelined by a knee injury and No. 4 Novak Djokovic losing in the first round.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — UCLA has fired athletic director Martin Jarmond after six years and is replacing him with former Los Angeles Lakers executive Tim Harris. The change was announced in a letter from Chancellor Julio Frenk on Monday. Jarmond leaves immediately. The Bruins won three NCAA championships last season, including the first by the women's basketball team. Harris will have the title of CEO and athletic director while working on a pro bono basis. Harris graduated from UCLA in 1989 with a sociology degree and played goalkeeper for the men's soccer team. He left the Lakers in February after over 35 years with the NBA franchise.
CHICAGO (AP) — Alex Bregman hit three of Chicago’s franchise-record nine home runs and the Cubs punctuated their August power display with a 17-3 blowout of the Milwaukee Brewers. Clay Holmes pitched six scoreless innings for the Cubs, who launched five homers off Milwaukee starter Kyle Harrison in the first four innings and three more against position player Andrew Vaughn late in the game. Chicago went back-to-back twice, in the first inning and the fourth. The nine longballs matched the second-most by one team in a major league game, according to Sportradar. Toronto hit 10 during an 18-3 victory over Baltimore in September 1987. Chicago finished August with 62 homers, second-most by a big league club in a calendar month behind the 74 hit by the New York Yankees in August 2019.
LONDON (AP) — United States soccer striker Folarin Balogun is reportedly headed to Premier League team Everton on a transfer from Monaco. The move was widely reported on Monday by British media. The British Press Association says the transfer fee offered by Everton is reported to be in the range of 40 million pounds ($54 million) on a four-year deal. It says personal terms had yet to be worked out before the deal could be completed prior to Tuesday’s transfer deadline. Balogun was the top scorer for the U.S. team at the World Cup. He also made headlines after having a one-game suspension deferred by FIFA after U.S. President Donald Trump intervened so he could play in the round of 16.
PHOENIX (AP) — Ketel Marte was back in the lineup for the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday night after a two-week absence. Marte apologized to manager Torey Lovullo for not showing up for a game in Boston. The All-Star second baseman explained that he was in pain and made the decision himself. Marte, who batted cleanup as the designated hitter against Philadelphia, hopes to boost the Diamondbacks as they fight for a playoff spot. Arizona lost 2-1 to the Phillies, falling a half-game behind the San Diego Padres for the final National League wild card. Marte addressed his teammates before the game. He was initially put on the restricted list but later moved to the injured list due to knee inflammation.
NEW YORK (AP) — Thea Frodin is playing her first U.S. Open singles match against the No. 2 player in women’s tennis. It’s a big task for the 17-year-old, but Frodin hits the ball like Serena Williams. Well, like Serena Williams in the movies, anyway. In the 2021 film “King Richard,” Frodin was the body double for actor Demi Singleton, who played the younger Williams. Now, Frodin will play tennis on camera as herself on Wednesday when she faces Elena Rybakina. Frodin won the USTA Billie Jean King Girls’ 18s National Championships to earn a wild card into the field. She was a junior player in California when she was asked to audition for the movie.
NEW YORK (AP) — Stefanos Tsitsipas was not surprised that Nick Kyrgios was suspended from tennis for drugs. Tsitsipas says it was “pretty much expected, to be honest.” He added that he was “surprised it came so late, though.” Kyrgios was banned earlier this month after he revealed he tested positive for cocaine in June when he was in Spain to play at an event. The Australian could be suspended for four years, though a lighter punishment is expected. Tsitsipas was asked about Kyrgios on Monday after upsetting No. 10-seeded Arthur Fils in the first round of the U.S. Open. Tsitsipas and Kyrgios played a fiery match at Wimbledon in 2022.
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Former Cleveland Browns tight end Dae'Quan Wright joined LSU's practice under first-year coach Lane Kiffin on Monday. The 11th-ranked Tigers are preparing for Saturday's season opener against Clemson. Wright and other former NFL players like Zxavian Harris and Blake Cotton may not end up playing depending on how court challenges go. Kiffin supports bringing in former pros, saying it benefits the team and declaring “this is how the real world works.” Nearly 400 athletes are suing the NCAA for additional eligibility.
SANTA CLARA, Cali. (AP) — The San Francisco 49ers started their final set of practices before leaving to play the season opener in Australia with defensive end Nick Bosa still sidelined and tight end George Kittle ramping up to play. Coach Kyle Shanahan said before the team took the field Monday for the first of three practices before the team leaves the country that the plan was for both Kittle and Bosa to get on the field for team drills this week to prepare for the opener against the Los Angeles Rams. But Bosa wasn’t on the field at all for the open portion of practice, while Kittle was participating.
Finals
INTERLEAGUE
Final N.Y. Mets 3 Tampa Bay 2
Final Baltimore 2 Colorado 1
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Final Boston 9 Seattle 8
Final Minnesota 11 Detroit 1
Final Texas 8 Athletics 1
Final Houston 6 Chicago White Sox 3
Final L.A. Angels 10 N.Y. Yankees 1
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Final San Francisco 7 Atlanta 3
Final San Diego 5 Cincinnati 0
Final Washington 6 Miami 3
Final Chicago Cubs 17 Milwaukee 3
Final Philadelphia 2 Arizona 1