TOP STORY:
TEN--ATP FINALS
LONDON — Novak Djokovic overcame an illness — and Alexander Zverev — to advance to the last four of the ATP Finals. Despite requiring a tissue to blow his nose between points, Djokovic beat Zverev 6-4, 6-1 on Wednesday to earn a second straight victory at the season-ending tournament. By Sam Johnston. SENT: 550 words, photos.
SOCCER:
SOC--SWITZERLAND-QATAR
LUGANO, Switzerland — Qatar stunned eighth-ranked Switzerland 1-0 in an international friendly on Wednesday as Akram Afif's late goal gave the 2022 World Cup host a surprising victory. Afif scored on a breakaway with four minutes remaining to send an early message that 96th-ranked Qatar may be catching up to the more established soccer powers four years before it plays in its first World Cup. By Daniella Matar. SENT: 400 words, photos.
SOC--UEFA-EUROPEAN SUPER LEAGUE
NYON, Switzerland — European soccer leaders came to UEFA on Wednesday seeking answers about Real Madrid's plan for a breakaway Super League that threatens the game's historic structure. They got no new details from officials representing top clubs, according to people familiar with the meeting of UEFA's strategy council. By Graham Dunbar. SENT: 500 words, photos.
OLYMPICS:
OLY--2026-CALGARY BID
CALGARY, Alberta — Calgary's bid to host the 2026 Winter Olympics was rebuffed on Tuesday when local voters said "no" in a nonbinding referendum. Unofficial results showed that 56 percent voted against bidding for the Olympics. Results showed that out of 767,734 eligible voters, 304,774 cast ballots and 171,750 of those voted against the Olympic bid. SENT: 500 words, photos.
OLY--SPAIN-KOSOVO
MADRID — The Spanish government has decided to grant athletes from Kosovo the same rights as other nationalities when participating in international competitions held in Spain. SENT: 300 words.
TENNIS:
TEN--RADWANSKA-RETIREMENT
WARSAW, Poland — Former Wimbledon finalist Agnieszka Radwanska announced Wednesday she is retiring from tennis after a 13-year career. The 29-year-old Pole, who reached a career-high ranking of No. 2, says she is "no longer able to train and play the way I used to." SENT: 200 words, photos.
RUGBY:
RGU--WOMEN'S WORLD CUP
RGU--WELLINGTON, New Zealand — New Zealand has won the right to host the 2021 Women's Rugby World Cup, bringing the tournament to the southern hemisphere for the first time. World Rugby voted 25-17 in Dublin on Wednesday to award the hosting rights to New Zealand over a rival bid from Australia. SENT: 300 words.
RGU--SCOTLAND TEAM
EDINBURGH, Scotland — Scotland coach Gregor Townsend regards beating South Africa on Saturday at Murrayfield would be a bigger achievement than beating England this year. Scotland hadn't beaten England in a decade when it pulled off an impressive win in February in the Six Nations. SENT: 400 words, photos.
BASEBALL:
BBO--MLB ALL-STARS-JAPAN
NAGOYA, Japan — Takuya Kai hit a go-ahead double off Dan Otero in the eighth inning, capping a comeback from a four-run deficit that led Japan over the MLB All-Stars 6-5 Wednesday and clinched the six-game exhibition series 4-1. Down 5-1, Japan tied the score with a four-run seventh against Hector Velazquez. By Jim Armstrong. SENT: 450 words, photos.
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