AP National Sports

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The Oklahoma City Thunder have signed coach Mark Daigneault to a multiyear contract extension after emerging as one of the NBA’s most improved teams. General manager Sam Presti announced the deal Wednesday but did not disclose the terms, per team policy. Daigneault led the Thunder to a 40-42 record and a play-in

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Riyad Mahrez could be the latest big-name player heading to Saudi Arabia. The Manchester City winger was not included in a 25-man squad for the team’s preseason tour of Japan and South Korea amid reports he is joining Al-Ahli in a deal worth up to 30 million pounds ($38.7 million). Mahrez

By DOUG FERGUSON AP Golf Writer HOYLAKE, England (AP) — The ever-changing nature of links golf has come to Royal Liverpool for the British Open. A month ago the grass was brown during a heat wave. Now it’s green because of rain. The most favorable conditions are dry and crusty and fast. Regardless of grass,

By DAVE SKRETTA AP Sports Writer IndyCar will implement a new, stronger piece of hardware designed to keep rear wheels attached to the car during a wreck. The change comes after a tire flew off Kyle Kirkwood’s car and narrowly missed a packed grandstand during the Indianapolis 500. The series said Wednesday that chassis manufacturer

PARIS (AP) — Netherlands midfielder Xavi Simons returned to Paris Saint-Germain following an impressive season in the Dutch league only to be sent on loan to Leipzig. PSG said Wednesday that the 20-year-old Simons, who joined the French champions from PSV Eindhoven, will be loaned to the Bundesliga side for the 2023-24 season. Simons signed

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Coming off a breakout season, outside linebacker Alex Highsmith has signed a new contract that will keep him with the Pittsburgh Steelers for the next five seasons. The two sides announced the deal on Wednesday, a week before the team reported to training camp. The 25-year-old Highsmith was in the final year

By BRIAN WITTE Associated Press ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — A Maryland official on a powerful state board says there’s “too much foot-dragging” between the Maryland Stadium Authority and the Baltimore Orioles to renew the team’s lease at Camden Yards. Treasurer Dereck Davis, who is one of three members of the Maryland Board of Public Works,

NEW YORK (AP) — The NBA’s French connection continues to grow. The league announced Wednesday that the Brooklyn Nets and Cleveland Cavaliers will play in Paris on Jan. 11 in the third regular-season game held at Accor Arena. In January, the Chicago Bulls beat the Detroit Pistons in Paris, which is hosting the 2024 Olympics.

By TALES AZZONI AP Sports Writer HOYLAKE, England (AP) — Royal Liverpool is filled with rich golf history but it’s the redesigned 17th hole that is getting most of the attention ahead of the British Open this week. The picturesque par 3 was bulldozed into place a few years ago to provide some drama on

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — England seamer Stuart Broad has joined an elite club of test bowlers by claiming his 600th test wicket. Broad started the fourth Ashes test on 598 wickets and moved one closer by claiming Australia opener Usman Khawaja lbw for three in the fifth over of the morning session on Wednesday. Shortly

By TOM WITHERS AP Sports Writer CLEVELAND (AP) — Defensive tackle Perrion Winfrey was cut by the Cleveland Browns after police opened an investigation into him being involved in a robbery. The team made the move just days before training camp is scheduled to begin, ending Winfrey’s troubled tenure with the Browns. He was selected

By STEVE DOUGLAS AP Sports Writer HOYLAKE, England (AP) — Rasmus and Nicolai Hojgaard are the first set of twins to play at the British Open. They are 22-year-old Danes. Ask Nicolai and he says he has a slightly thinner face than his brother and he has shorter hair at the moment. There’s barely anything

By DOUG FERGUSON AP Golf Writer HOYLAKE, England (AP) — R&A chief Martin Slumbers won’t rule out taking money from Saudi Arabia’s national wealth fund. Slumbers is concerned about the big increases in prize money in professional golf. He spoke of finding a balance in growing the game and boosting the purse at the British

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Chinese tennis player Zhang Shuai has quit a match after her opponent rubbed out a ball mark with her foot following a disputed line call at the Budapest Grand Prix. The second-seeded Zhang retired from the match while trailing 6-5 in the first set against Hungarian opponent Amarissa Toth at the

By CASSIDY HETTESHEIMER Associated Press MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — There’ll be 32 national teams competing across Australia and New Zealand in the Women’s World Cup. A 33rd team — unofficial by international soccer standards — will be watching from the stands. Members of the Afghanistan national women’s soccer team paid a visit to Morocco’s public

COURCHEVEL, France (AP) — Jonas Vingegaard is on course to bring the yellow jersey to Paris for a second straight year after the Danish rider took a huge lead over his main rival in cycling’s biggest race. The defending champion dropped Tadej Pogacar in the last big stage in the Alps to increase his overall

LORIENT, France (AP) — World Cup winner Benjamin Mendy has signed a two-year deal with French soccer club Lorient only days after the France international was found not guilty at a retrial of raping a woman and the attempted rape of another. The 29-year-old Mendy left Manchester City last month after his contract expired. He

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Stuart Broad claimed his 600th test wicket for England and under-fire wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow took three catches as Australia reached 299-8 at stumps on the first day of the fourth Ashes test. It already looks like another close contest in a fascinating series which Australia leads 2-1. Broad joined test cricket’s