Sports News Roundup: Motor racing-Hamilton vows maximum attack to the end of the F1 season; MLB roundup: Aaron Judge ties AL record with 61st HR and more

Runaway leaders Red Bull and reigning champion Max Verstappen are set for a title double but the battle for the runner-up slot, and some bragging rights as best of the rest, looks open. MLB roundup: Aaron Judge ties AL record with 61st HR Aaron Judge hit his 61st home run of the season to tie the American League record and the visiting New York Yankees defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 8-3 on Wednesday night.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Motor racing-Hamilton vows maximum attack to the end of the F1 season

Seven times Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton vowed maximum attack to the end of the season on Wednesday as Mercedes seek to wrest second place from Ferrari in the constructors' standings and end a win drought. Runaway leaders Red Bull and reigning champion Max Verstappen are set for a title double but the battle for the runner-up slot, and some bragging rights as best of the rest, looks open.

MLB roundup: Aaron Judge ties AL record with 61st HR

Aaron Judge hit his 61st home run of the season to tie the American League record and the visiting New York Yankees defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 8-3 on Wednesday night. Judge's blast to left came on a full count against Tim Mayza (8-1) with no outs in the seventh inning and Aaron Hicks at first after a single.

ATP roundup: Maxime Cressy sweeps Sebastian Korda in Tel Aviv

Fourth-seeded Maxime Cressy racked up 14 aces while posting a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Sebastian Korda in a battle of Americans in the second round of the Tel Aviv Watergen Open in Israel. Cressy had 26 winners against nine unforced errors during the impressive win. He won 90 percent of his first-serve points against 65.1 percent for Korda.

Private equity funds approach Italy's Serie A to explore media rights deal -sources

Apax Partners, Three Hills Capital Partners, Carlyle Group and Searchlight Capital have approached Serie A expressing interest in investing in the media business of Italy's top flight soccer league, three sources close to the matter said on Wednesday. The approach by the four private equity firms comes after Serie A last year failed to reach a media rights deal worth 1.7 billion euros ($1.7 billion) with a group of funds led by CVC Capital Partners due to opposition from some of its clubs, including Juventus and Lazio.

Tennis-Like Federer's farewell, Djokovic wants their biggest rivals at his swansong

Novak Djokovic said he wants his biggest rivals to be by his side when he brings the curtain down on his career, much like Roger Federer's emotional goodbye to the game last week. Images of Federer and Rafa Nadal - who shared one of tennis's most enthralling rivalries - sitting together and crying after combining in a Laver Cup doubles defeat at London's O2 Arena on Friday went viral on social media.

Rugby-All Blacks center Tupaea sidelined for nine months

New Zealand centre Quinn Tupaea will be sidelined for nine months by the knee injury he sustained during a clear-out by Australia's Darcy Swain in Melbourne earlier this month that incensed the All Blacks. The team said on Thursday that further scans on the anterior cruciate ligament injury revealed "more extensive damage" that would require surgery, extending his period on the sidelines by six months.

Soccer-Grealish says his best is yet to come at Manchester City

Manchester City playmaker Jack Grealish said he is "nowhere near" full fitness as he continues his recovery from a groin injury but is confident fans will see the best of him when he returns to the side. Grealish picked up the problem in August and has been limited to six appearances in all competitions this season.

LeBron James headlines ownership group with Major League Pickleball

Four-time NBA champion LeBron James is getting into the pickleball business, as his firm LRMR Ventures headlines a new ownership group buying a team with Major League Pickleball (MLP). The four-times NBA MVP is joined by fellow basketball greats Draymond Green and Kevin Love, as well as investment firm SC Holdings and others, the elite North American league said on Wednesday.

Athletics-Injured Farah out of London Marathon

Britain's four times Olympic champion Mo Farah has withdrawn from his home London Marathon on Sunday after suffering a hip injury. Organizers said on Wednesday that the six times world champion was not fit to compete despite intensive treatment.

Rory McIlroy: 'Golf is ripping itself apart

Rory McIlroy finds himself in a field that includes several LIV Golf players at this week's Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in St. Andrews, Scotland, and once again, he didn't hesitate to express his thoughts on the Saudi-backed upstart circuit. McIlroy told reporters that the LIV continues to create a divide across the sport -- and that divide isn't beneficial for any of the parties involved.

(With inputs from agencies.)