Reuters Sports News Summary

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Chargers place standout S Derwin James (hamstring) on IR

The Los Angeles Chargers ​placed Derwin James on injured reserve on Saturday and the veteran safety will ​miss at least the next four games. James played the first ‌three ​games, but was sidelined with a hamstring injury following the Sept. 27 game at Buffalo. The 30-year-old was ruled out for the next three weeks and suffered a setback in his rehab as the Chargers prepared for their game at the Los Angeles Rams ‌this Sunday.

Tennis-Shnaider downs Fernandez in Pan Pacific Open final in Tokyo

Russia's Diana Shnaider overcame a second-set collapse to beat Canada's Leylah Fernandez 6-4 5-7 6-2 on Sunday and claim the Pan Pacific Open title in Tokyo. Shnaider eased through the first set but looked in trouble after relinquishing the second and had to defend three break points early in the decider, before going on to clinch ‌victory in two hours and 18 minutes.

NBA roundup: LeBron James delivers late as Sixers get by Knicks

LeBron James converted a key putback and finished with 20 points, nine rebounds and ‌eight assists as the Philadelphia 76ers edged the visiting New York Knicks 98-93 on Friday. On a night when all NBA games were the teams' openers in NBA Cup play, Philadelphia was without Jaylen Brown (knee), giving Anfernee Simons an opportunity to shine in an expanded role. Simons scored 21 points on 7-of-11 shooting. Tyrese Maxey led the Sixers with 27 points, while VJ Edgecombe hit a clutch 3-pointer and finished with 13 points. The Sixers have ⁠won five of ​their first six games.

Motorcycling-Marquez wins Malaysian Grand Prix, ⁠extending MotoGP championship lead

Reigning MotoGP champion Marc Marquez won the Malaysian Grand Prix on Sunday for the first time since 2018 to take a 44-point lead over absent title rival Jorge Martin in the championship. Marquez shot out of ⁠the blocks and beat his brother Alex, the pole-sitter, into the opening turn. Alex Marquez was able to quickly regain the lead but ran wide a turn later to hand it back, and his brother ​made no mistakes from that point on to claim the chequered flag.

Pope Leo tries to stay neutral as basketball rivals descend on Vatican

Popes have received heads of ⁠state, royalty and pilgrims by the busload in the Vatican's Paul VI Audience Hall. On Saturday, Pope Leo received his old college basketball team and, in a show of sportsmanship that went only so far, their opponents. Leo, the first ⁠American ​pope, greeted the men's and women's teams from his alma mater Villanova, where he graduated in 1977, and from their rival Notre Dame, before roughly 7,000 players, guests and supporters.

Athletics-Kenyan Chepkirui takes back NYC Marathon title, Almgren wins in debut

Kenyan Sheila Chepkirui took back her New York City Marathon crown in two hours, 24 minutes and 36 seconds on Sunday, ⁠while Sweden's Andreas Almgren (2:06:01) won the men's race in his debut over the distance. The 2024 champion Chepkirui was running all by herself when she crossed the line, two years after she held ⁠off compatriot Hellen Obiri, who finished third, a ⁠second slower than American Jess McClain (2:24:42).

Motor racing-Hamilton recalls Schumacher after first Ferrari pole, hails Antonelli

Lewis Hamilton recalled Ferrari's glory years with Michael Schumacher as one seven-time Formula One world champion harked back to another on Saturday with his first pole position for the Italian team. The achievement ‌at Mexico City's Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez ‌was the Briton's first pole since July 2023 and first, apart from in two sprint ​races, since his arrival at Maranello from Mercedes.