Sports News Roundup: Celtics pound Warriors for 11th straight win; Phillies reach 3-year extension with ace Zack Wheeler and more
Running the third leg, the 100 and 200m specialist received the baton in first place and handed off without giving up any ground in a 45.68-second split, the third fastest of his team. Tennis-Nadal hails 'amazing' Alcaraz after exhibition defeat Rafa Nadal said one good thing about nearing the end of his career is that he will not have to face Carlos Alcaraz too many times after the 37-year-old Spaniard lost to his compatriot in an exhibition match in Las Vegas on Sunday.
Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.
Tennis-Nadal hopes to leave Indian Wells unscathed with focus on claycourt season
Rafa Nadal said he hopes to avoid any injury setbacks at Indian Wells so he can be fully fit for the upcoming claycourt season in what could be his final year on the ATP Tour. The 37-year-old, who has won 14 of his 22 Grand Slam titles on the red clay of Roland Garros, has suggested his career could be coming to a close and missed this year's Australian Open due to pain in his surgically repaired hip.
Athletics-Lyles helps U.S. to world indoor 4x400 podium in possible Paris preview
Noah Lyles helped the U.S. team to a silver medal in the 4x400 metres relay -- a distance he rarely runs -- at the world indoor athletics championships on Sunday, a preview perhaps of his Paris Olympic intentions. Running the third leg, the 100 and 200m specialist received the baton in first place and handed off without giving up any ground in a 45.68-second split, the third fastest of his team.
Tennis-Nadal hails 'amazing' Alcaraz after exhibition defeat
Rafa Nadal said one good thing about nearing the end of his career is that he will not have to face Carlos Alcaraz too many times after the 37-year-old Spaniard lost to his compatriot in an exhibition match in Las Vegas on Sunday. Nadal, who has won 22 Grand Slam titles, added that the future of Spanish tennis was in good hands with the 20-year-old. Alcaraz has already won majors at the U.S. Open and Wimbledon and is ranked number two in the world behind Novak Djokovic.
NHL roundup: Kirill Kaprizov's hat trick guides Wild past Sharks
Kirill Kaprizov notched a hat trick, completing it with the go-ahead score with 3:59 remaining in the third period, to lift the Minnesota Wild to a 4-3 win over the San Jose Sharks on Sunday evening in Saint Paul, Minn. Kaprizov has five career hat tricks, including two in the last two weeks. Frederick Gaudreau also scored for Minnesota, which snapped a three-game winless streak. Matt Boldy recorded a pair of assists.
Boxing-Serrano pulls out from Meinke bout after allergic eye reaction to braiding gel
Featherweight champion Amanda Serrano was almost blinded by chemicals in her braiding gel, the boxer said after Saturday's title defence against Nine Meinke was cancelled. The Puerto Rican, the main event in the San Juan card, was forced to pull out of the bout after failing a medical test.
Reports: Bucs agree to 2-year extension with WR Mike Evans
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Pro Bowl wide receiver Mike Evans are in agreement on a two-year, $52 million extension with five-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Mike Evans, ESPN and NFL Network reported Monday. The deal includes $35 million guaranteed, according to the ESPN report.
NBA roundup: Celtics pound Warriors for 11th straight win
A dominant first half allowed the Boston Celtics to extend their winning streak to 11 games by beating the visiting Golden State Warriors 140-88 on Sunday. Boston made 15 of 24 3-point attempts in the first two quarters and led 82-38 at halftime. Boston's 44-point halftime lead was the largest in the franchise's history.
Motor racing-Alpine appoint three technical directors after more departures
Renault-owned Alpine announced another managerial shake-up on Monday with three new bosses replacing technical director Matt Harman and aerodynamics head Dirk de Beer, who have left the Formula One team after a dismal start to the season. Alpine said in a statement that both had chosen to leave and seek new challenges.
Phillies reach 3-year extension with ace Zack Wheeler
The Phillies and right-hander Zack Wheeler are in agreement on a three-year extension that will keep the ace in Philadelphia through the 2027 season. The team did not disclose financial terms Monday, but multiple outlets reported the extension is worth $126 million, which would make the deal the highest ever in terms of average annual value.
Tennis-Rublev retains ranking points and prize money after Dubai default appeal
Andrey Rublev will retain the ranking points and prize money earned at the Dubai Tennis Championships, despite getting defaulted from the tournament for unsportsmanlike conduct, after an appeal to the ATP. Rublev was defaulted by the chair umpire after a Russian-speaking official appeared to accuse him of using an obscenity, while he yelled at the line judge during his semi-final with Kazakhstan's Alexander Bublik on Friday.
(With inputs from agencies.)