Update on the latest sports
TENNIS-US OPEN
Top seeds to compete
NEW YORK (AP) — The second day of the U.S. Open is underway and the No. 1 seeds in both brackets are set to compete.
Novak Djokovic opens his bid to become the first man since 1969 to win a calendar-year Grand Slam when he plays 18-year-old qualifier Holger Vitus Nodskov Rune of Denmark in the first match of the night session in Arthur Ashe Stadium. Djokovic would break a tie with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal for most major titles among men if he wins the tournament. They all have 20.
Women’s No. 1 seed Ash Barty faces Vera Zvonareva, the 2010 U.S. Open runner-up, on Ashe in an afternoon match.
Andy Murray was still hot a day after he lost to Stefanos Tsitsipas in the opening round. Murray said after the match that he “lost respect” for Tsitsipas for pushing the boundaries when it comes to taking breaks during a match. Murray tweeted on Tuesday that it takes Tsitsipas “twice as long to go the bathroom as it takes Jeff Bazos to fly into space.”
MLB-SCHEDULE
Cardinals look to move closer to Reds
CINCINNATI (AP) — The Cardinals are steadily surging, making a late-season playoff push. St. Louis is now within 2 1/2 games of the Reds for the second NL wild-card spot after a 3-1 win at Cincinnati on Monday night. Miles Mikolas, who had been out for much of the year because of an injured right forearm, starts for St. Louis at Great American Ball Park against Sonny Gray, who has strung together a season-high 13 consecutive scoreless innings over his last two starts.
Among the other games on the schedule:
— Salvador Perez has homered in five straight games, matching the Royals record set by Mike Sweeney in 2002. Perez has a pair of grand slams during his home run streak. He’ll try to extend the string when Kansas City hosts Cleveland. The 31-year-old catcher has a career-high 38 homers this season, tied with Toronto’s Vladimir Guerrero Jr. for second in the majors behind Shohei Ohtani.
— New York Mets fans get their say after it was revealed that stars Francisco Lindor and Javier Báez were among the New York players making derogatory hand gestures at Citi Field crowds in response to booing from the fans. The Mets return to action at home this afternoon, playing Miami in the resumption of an April game that was suspended after just one out because of rain on April 11. The Marlins and New York then play a seven-inning game at night.
NFL-PATRIOTS-NEWTON
AP source: Pats cut Newton, clearing way for Jones to start
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — A person with knowledge of the move says the New England Patriots have released quarterback Cam Newton. That clears the way for rookie Mac Jones to open the season as New England’s starting quarterback.
The move brings an abrupt end to Newton’s stay in New England, which is trying to rebound from a disjointed 2020 season. Newton finished 7-8 as the starter in his first season since taking over for Tom Brady following his departure to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
