NEW YORK -- Naomi Osaka’s Grand Slam title wins at the US and Australian Opens have helped catapult the Japanese tennis player up to second, behind Serena Williams, in Forbes’ list of the highest-paid female athletes over the last year.

MONTREAL -- Rafa Nadal will play Russia’s Daniil Medvedev for the Rogers Cup title in Montreal on Sunday after injured Frenchman Gael Monfils withdrew from his semifinal match with the Spanish top seed on Saturday.

Carmelo Anthony had to have been devastated that his request to join Team USA for the FIBA Basketball World Cup was turned down. Even as he had been experiencing one rejection after another of late, he figured with no small measure of optimism that Jerry Colangelo, managing director of USA Basketball, would consider adding him to the roster headed to China late this month. After all, he isn’t just any 35-year-old journeyman pro whose best days are decidedly behind him; he’s the country’s best-ever international player, among only four in hoops annals to have four Olympic medals and the only one in history with three golds in the Summer Games.

KNOTTED at 1-1 in their best-of-seven Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup finals series, the San Miguel Beermen and TNT KaTropa go for the go-ahead when they reengage today for Game Three at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

THE JOSE RIZAL University Heavy Bombers take a shot at bringing down the undefeated College of Saint Benilde Blazers when the two teams collide in National Collegiate Athletic Association Season 95 action today at the FilOil Flying V Arena in San Juan City.

LOS ANGELES -- Portland Trail Blazers guard CJ McCollum has a theory about why so many NBA players declined invitations to play for Team USA at the upcoming FIBA 2019 World Cup: potential embarrassment and injury.

SOUTHEAST Asia-based mixed martial arts promotion REBEL Fighting Championship makes its return in China next month which has two Filipinos featured in the fight card.

FURTHER underscoring that in sports and in life anything is possible, one-stop fitness center Santé Fitness Lab (SFL) recently held the “Langoy Pinoy 30 Minute Swim Challenge” to benefit the country’s paralympic athletes.

THE OLOPSC Parents Teachers Association, Inc. in coordination with the Concepcion Dos Chess Club, is staging the First Inter School Individual Chess Championship on August 31 at the OLOPSC DS Hall (Our Lady of Perpetual Succor College-Dionisio A. Salvador Hall) Campus located in General Ordoñez St. Concepcion Uno, Marikina City.

Tiger Woods almost didn’t tee off for the Pro-Am round of The Northern Trust yesterday. Delayed by around half an hour due to inclement weather, it didn’t seem like a good idea for him following a mediocre practice session. After some thought, however, he opted to get some reps in at 7,370-yard, par-71 Liberty National in Jersey City, New Jersey, anyway. No doubt, improved conditions coupled with the warm temperature spurred him to much-needed action. And for a while there, he appeared to do all right -- until, that is, his back appeared to act up after a wayward drive.

THE Philippine national men’s football team knows that it has its work out for in its qualifying bid for the FIFA World Cup in Qatar in 2022 and the AFC Asian Cup in China in 2023 which is why it is leaving no stones unturned in preparing for it.

PLDT-Smart Omega proved to be unstoppable as it emerged as the first champion of Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Conference 1 of The Nationals held at Eastwood City, Libis last Sunday, July 28.