Category Archives: Deportes

Carlos Alcaraz Defeats Sebastian Korda to Claim Next Gen ATP Finals Title

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Carlos Alcaraz has ended his brilliant season with a bang…

The 18-year-old Spanish tennis player defeated Sebastian Korda of the United States to win the Next Gen ATP Finals on Saturday.

Carlos AlcarazThe top-seeded Alcaraz seemed to take a while to find his proper rhythm and had to save a number of break points in his first two service games. But he found his stride there was no turning back as he saw off Korda 4-3 (5), 4-2, 4-2 in 82 minutes.

Alcaraz had seen two championship points saved by Korda in the fifth game of the third set but that only delayed the inevitable as he won on his third, with a smash at the net.

The victory made Alcaraz the youngest player to earn 32 tour-level wins in a season since Andrei Medvedev went 32-11 in 1992 when he was 18.

Alcaraz has moved more than 100 places up the rankings this season to a career-high No. 32 and reached the U.S. Open quarterfinals.

Both Korda and Alcaraz had won all four of their matches in the tournament for the top 21-and-under players on the ATP Tour. Alcaraz had only dropped one set all week – in the third group game, after he had already secured a semifinal spot.

The ATP Finals will also be in Italy, in Turin next week.

There are different rules at the Next Gen tournament, including on-court coaching, no-Ad scoring, medical timeout limits, and Hawk-Eye making all the line calls.

The most drastic change is the shorter first-to-four set, with a tiebreaker at 3-3.

Cris Cyborg Knocks Out Sinead Kavanagh to Retain Bellator’s Women’s Featherweight Title

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Less than two minutes… That’s the time it took Cris Cyborg to roll past her latest opponent.

The 36-year-old Brazilian mixed martial artist, Bellator’s women’s featherweight champion, was as dominant as ever in defending her belt for the third time, knocking out Sinead Kavanagh in the first round of the Bellator 271 main event on Friday night in Hollywood, Florida.

Cris "Cyborg" Justino

This fight looked like most of the fights during Cyborg’s 16-year pro career. She came out blitzing Kavanagh, trapping her against the cage and unleashing punches that within the first minute had bloodied her face.

Kavanagh (7-5), a 35-year-old from Ireland who trains in the same SBG Dublin gym as Conor McGregor, did manage to get her back off the cage and, relying on her background as an amateur boxer, she began trading punches with Cyborg, which wasn’t the best idea.

A right hand wobbled the challenger and another right sent her crashing to the canvas, flat on her back. Referee Jason Herzog immediately jumped in to wave off the fight as a knockout at 1 minute, 32 seconds of Round 1.

For Cyborg (25-2, 1 NC), a former 145-pound champion in the UFC, Strikeforce and Invicta FC promotions, it was her fifth straight win and the 11th first-round knockout of her career.

Cyborg, who lives and trains in Southern California, has just one loss in her past 27 fights, a run of success that extends back to her pro MMA debut in 2005.

In an interview afterward inside the cage, Cyborg, who was a 25-1 betting favorite, smiled as she apologized to her coaches.

“I’m sorry, my team,” she said. “I didn’t do anything that we planned.”

Then Cyborg put this virtuosic performance behind her and shifted her focus to her next title defense. She mentioned that she had called for a fight with former UFC title challenger Cat Zingano, who has won two fights since signing with Bellator two years ago.

“But I leave it to Scott Coker,” Cyborg said, referring to the Bellator president. “I don’t choose fights.”

However, a fight might end up choosing her. Cyborg was reminded that among those in the crowd at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino was two-time PFL lightweight champion Kayla Harrison, who is a free agent and has been checking out her options. She was at UFC 268 last Saturday. On Friday night, she was at Bellator 271.

“Kayla, thanks for coming to the fights. I really appreciate you’re here,” Cyborg said to Harrison, a 2012 and 2016 Olympic gold medalist in judo. “I’m here. If you want to fight me one day, it’s gonna be a great fight.”

Carlos Correa Wins American League’s Rawlings Platinum Glove Award

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Carlos Correa is celebrating a

The 27-year-old Puerto Rican professional baseball shortstop, currently a free agent, is winner of the Rawlings Platinum Glove Award in the American League.

Carlos CorreaThe award is given to the best defensive player in each league.

Correa, the Houston Astros shortstop was joined by St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado, who won in the National League.

The two superstar fielders also represented the top defensive team award winners — Correa’s Astros were named the AL’s Gold Glove Team, and Arenado’s Cardinals were named the NL’s Gold Glove Team.

The Gold Glove Team Award honors the best defensive team in each league.

This is the first career Platinum Glove Award for Correa, who was also a first-time Gold Glover this year.

It’s the fifth consecutive Platinum Glove Award for Arenado, but his first with the Cardinals, after he won every year from 2017-20 with the Colorado Rockies.

The Gold Glove Team Award was introduced last year, and Houston and St. Louis are both first-time winners. Cleveland and the Cubs won the inaugural award in 2020.

Correa and Arenado were chosen as the top fielders from among this year’s Gold Glove Award winners through a combination of fan voting and a sabermetric component, the SABR Defensive Index.

Correa led the AL with +21 Defensive Runs Saved in 2021, while Arenado was one of the top defenders in the NL by various metrics like Ultimate Zone Rating (+5.7) and Statcast’s Outs Above Average (+10).

The Cardinals and Astros were the top two teams in the MLB by Defensive Runs Saved — St. Louis led MLB with +86 DRS, and Houston was second with +78 DRS. They were also the top two fielding teams by Outs Above Average, with the Cardinals’ +50 OAA leading MLB and the Astros’ +45 OAA second-best.

 

Carlos Alcaraz Advances to Final at This Year’s Next Gen ATP Finals

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Carlos Alcaraz is one win away from proving he’s nex-gen ready…

The 18-year-old Spanish tennis player defeated Argentina’s Sebastian Baez on Friday to reach the final round at the Next Gen ATP Finals.

Carlos Alcaraz Alcaraz dominated from the start in semifinal to win 4-2, 4-1, 4-2 in just 62 minutes.

The only time Alcaraz appeared to struggle was in the penultimate game of the match, when he faced three break points. But he responded with three serves of speeds over 133 mph – including two aces.

He’ll next face American Sebatian Korda, who beat compatriot Brandon Nakashima in five sets on Friday to become the first American to reach the final at the Next Gen ATP Finals.

Both Korda and Alcaraz won all three of their matches in the round-robin group stage.

It is the fourth edition of the tournament in Milan for the top 21-and-under players on the ATP Tour. It was canceled last year because of the coronavirus pandemic. The ATP Finals will also be in Italy, in Turin next week.

There are different rules at the Next Gen tournament, including on-court coaching, no-Ad scoring, medical timeout limits, and Hawk-Eye making all the line calls.

The most drastic change is the shorter first-to-four set, with a tiebreaker at 3-3.

Dani Alves Making Surprise Return to FC Barcelona

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Dani Alves is making a surprise comeback…

The 38-year-old Brazilian professional footballer has completed a shock return to FC Barcelona, becoming the first signing under new coach Xavi Hernandez, the club announced on Friday.

Dani Alves

The Brazil international had been a free agent since leaving Sao Paulo in September.

Barca were reluctant to bring back Alves, according to ESPN sources, but the return of Xavi, who was appointed as manger last week following the firing of Ronald Koeman, caused a change of opinion.

“FC Barcelona and Dani Alves have reached an agreement in principle for the player to join the football first team for the remainder of the current season,” said the club in a statement. “The Brazilian will be joining training from next week but will not be able to play until January.

“The club will announce the full details at his official presentation as a new FC Barcelona player.”

Xavi will be given less than €10 million to strengthen the faltering squad in January, according to ESPN, despite chief executive Ferran Reverter saying earlier this year that the club would have double that amount.

Circumstances around the club’s January budget changed with lucrative extensions to young stars Ansu Fati and Pedri, although the costs involved in firing Koeman and hiring Xavi will not have a major effect on spending moving forward, sources have said.

Alves joined Barca from Sevilla in 2008 and won 23 trophies during a glittering eight years at the club before leaving for Juventus in 2016.

He later had a spell with Paris Saint-Germain before leaving in 2019 to spend two years with Sao Paulo.

With the World Cup in Qatar next year, Alves, who won an Olympic gold medal with his country this past summer, is keen to find top-level football in a bid to make Tite’s squad for the tournament.

Paula Badosa Upsets Top Seed Aryna Sabalenka in Debut Career Match at WTA Finals

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Paula Badosa is off to a stellar start…

The 23-year-old Spanish professional tennis player, competing in her first-ever WTA Finals, started off slowly but won 10 games in a row to upset top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 6-0 on Thursday in their opening match at the WTA Finals.

Paula BadosaSabalenka, the world´s No. 2-ranked player, dominated early in the match to take a 4-2 lead, but Badosa recovered and won four games in a row to win the first set and then controlled the second with three breaks.

“I played pretty good, the conditions here are tough to play, but I played an amazing match. I knew I had to play like this to beat her,” Badosa said.

Sabalenka, who won titles in Abu Dhabi and Madrid this season, is the first seed in Mexico because world No. 1 Ash Barty of Australia decided not to defend her WTA Finals title due to continuing COVID-19 travel and quarantine restrictions.

Barty had to undergo two weeks of quarantine when she returned to her Brisbane home in September after the US Open and did not want to do the same again traveling to Mexico.

“I am really disappointed of myself and this match, but hopefully I can bring myself back,” Sabalenka said.

Badosa is having a breakthrough season after starting the year ranked 70th. She will next play Maria Sakkari, who used her strong first serve to extend her dominance over former French Open champoin Iga Swiatek with a 6-2, 6-4 win earlier Thursday.

“My life has changed so much and very fast, I have so much more stress now with a lot of eyes on me,” Badosa said. “The ceiling is high for me, I have always dream big, I want to play in this type of tournaments to play against the best and being challenged every day.”

All of the players are having to adjust their game to the nearly 5,000-feet altitude of Guadalajara, Mexico’s second-largest city.

The tournament, which was canceled last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, features a round-robin group stage before the semifinals.

The WTA Finals are being played in Guadalajara for this year only, with the event scheduled to return to Shenzhen, China, in 2022.

Carlos Alcaraz Makes History While Reaching the Semifinals at the Next Gen ATP Finals

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Carlos Alcaraz is two wins away…

The 18-year-old Spanish tennis player will head into the semifinals at the Next Gen ATP Finals in fine form after he captured his third consecutive round-robin win Thursday to top Group A with a 3-0 record.

Carlos Alcaraz

Alcaraz, who secured his qualification for the last four on Wednesday when he downed Brandon Nakashima, overcame Argentine Juan Manuel Cerundolo 4-0, 4-1, 2-4, 4-3(3) after 84 minutes in Milan.

In their first head to head meeting, Alcaraz overpowered the World No. 91 from the baseline with his deep, heavy-hitting and saved nine of the 10 break points he faced to secure victory. With his triumph, Alcaraz is the youngest player to earn 30 tour-level wins in a season since Rafael Nadal, 18, went 30-17 in 2004.

“I am very happy to get to the semi-finals,” Alcaraz said in his on-court interview. “It is so important and to be able to play in the semi-finals here is amazing. To play these kinds of matches and this level, I am really glad. I am playing really, really well and feel very comfortable in Milan. I want to end the year with a title.”

Under the watchful eye of coach Juan Carlos Ferrero, Alcaraz has dropped just one set at the 21-and-under event as he continues to live up to his top seed status in Italy. The former World No. 1 has been instructing his protégé to great effect courtside throughout the event, with on-court coaching allowed at the Next Gen ATP Finals.

“I had to be really focused on my serve, make first serves and play aggressive on big points,” Alcaraz added. “Making first serves helped me. It is something I am trying to add to my game. The most important points is when you want the first serves.”

Earlier this year, Alcaraz lifted his maiden tour-level trophy in Umag and made headlines when he upset World No. 3 Stefanos Tsitsipas en route to the quarterfinals at the US Open.

Cordoba champion Cerundolo was already out of the tournament before his match against Alcaraz after losing his first two round-robin matches. But the World No. 91 demonstrated what he was capable off by taking a set off the Spaniard at the Allianz Cloud.

Loopy Godinez Set to Make Modern UFC History Once Again with Fight Against Loma Lookboonmee

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Lupita “Loopy“ Godinez isn’t afraid to stay busy…

The 28-year-old Mexican mixed martial artist and UFC fighter will step in on short notice to fight Loma Lookboonmee at UFC Fight Night on November 20 in Las Vegas, UFC officials have confirmed.

Loopy Godinez Godinez’s next fight comes one month after she fought twice in the span of two weeks, making history during that period.

Lookboonmee’s original opponent, Cheyanne Buys, withdrew this week after testing positive for COVID-19, Buys wrote on Instagram. Godinez vs. Lookboonmee will be contested at strawweight.

When she steps into the Octagon next week, Godinez will set a modern UFC record with three fights in the span of 43 days, per ESPN Stats & Information research. The previous record was 65 days set by Dustin Pague in 2012. Top UFC prospect Khamzat Chimaev fought three times in 67 days last year.

Godinez’s activity would be the shortest span between three fights since Tank Abbott and Don Frye fought three times in one night at UFC: Ultimate Ultimate 96 on December 7, 1996.

Godinez (6-2) beat Silvana Gomez Juarez via first-round submission in her second UFC bout October 9. A week later, the Mexican fighter, who lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, fell to Luana Carolina via unanimous decision October 16 in a flyweight fight. Godinez, 28, is 1-2 in the UFC.

Lookboonmee (6-2), a 25-year-old prospect out of Thailand, has won two straight in the UFC.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Becomes MLB’s Youngest Hank Aaron Award Winner

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Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is making MLB history…

The 22-year-old Dominican-Canadian professional baseball infielder for the Toronto Blue Jays has been named the winner of the 2021 American League Hank Aaron Award.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

He’s the youngest player to win the award, and only the fourth Blue Jay to receive the honor.

Guerrero hit .311/.401/.601 with 48 home runs, 111 RBIs, 123 runs scored and 363 total bases. He led MLB in runs and total bases, tied for the Major League Baseball lead in homers and paced the AL in on-base percentage, slugging and OPS. Guerrero was also a first-time MLB All-Star in 2021.

“I’m very proud to be able to work hard and have my hard work shine through with an award like this,” Guerrero said on the MLB Network broadcast, via interpreter Alanna Rizzo. “I’m very proud and very happy.”

Bestowed annually since 1999, the Hank Aaron Award honors the best overall offensive performer in each league. Guerrero is the fifth Blue Jays hitter to win the award, and the first since Josh Donaldson in 2015. Bryce Harper received this year’s honor in the National League.

This year’s other AL finalists were Yankees slugger Aaron Judge, Orioles center fielder Cedric Mullins, Angels two-way star Shohei Ohtani, A’s first baseman Matt Olson, Royals catcher Salvador Perez and Cleveland third baseman José Ramírez.

The award is decided by a special panel of Hall of Fame players from a list of seven finalists in each league, which is determined by a panel of MLB.com writers. Each team submits a candidate.

Previously, Aaron helped select the panel of Hall of Famers who voted for the award winner. Aaron died in January at age 86. Aaron’s widow, Billye, spoke of her husband’s legacy on MLB Network’s announcement show.

“He did so much to enhance many causes,” Billye Aaron said. “We sat and talked about trying to help kids, who, like Henry was at the time, were trying to find themselves and follow their dreams.”

Said MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred: “While Hank Aaron’s impact on the field was so significant we named an on-field achievement award after him, he was so much more than an all-time great baseball player. He was a successful baseball executive, businessman, social activist, philanthropist, baseball ambassador, role model and a loving husband and father.”

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Among American League MVP Finalists

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Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is among the most valuable…

The 22-year-old Dominican-Canadian professional baseball player and Toronto Blue Jays star is a finalist for American League MVP in voting by the Baseball Writers Association of America.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr.The BBWAA revealed finalists for American League and National League MVPs, Cy Young Awards, Rookies of the Year and Managers of the Year on Monday night.

The winners — decided on ballots sent at the end of the regular season — will be revealed next week.

Guerrero is in the final three of the AL MVP voting along with fellow teammate Marcus Semien and Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels. 

Ex-St. Louis Cardinals skipper Mike Shildt was nominated for NL Manager of the Year less than a month after he was fired. The other finalists are Milwaukee‘s Craig Counsell and San Francisco‘s Gabe Kapler.

The Cardinals won 17 straight games down the stretch and made the postseason for the third time in four years under Shildt, but the 2018 Manager of the Year was cut loose because of what general manager John Mozeliak termed “philosophical differences.” Oliver Marmol was promoted from bench coach to replace Shildt.

The NL MVP race is down to Philadelphia’s Bryce Harper, Washington’s Juan Soto and San Diego’s Fernando Tatis Jr. Harper is the only former MVP of that trio, earning the honor in 2015 with the Nationals.

In a sign of how voters’ priorities have changed, none of the six MVP finalists played for teams that made the postseason.

Soto, Tatis and Guerrero were all 22 on the final day of the season, and this is the first time a trio of players younger than 23 was among the finalists. The last time even two players that young were finalists was 1956, when Hank Aaron finished third in NL voting and Al Kaline was third in the AL.

Max Scherzer is a finalist for a fourth Cy Young Award after splitting the season between the Nationals and Dodgers, but all the other finalists would be first-time winners.

Milwaukee’s Corbin Burnes and Philadelphia’s Zack Wheeler are finalists in the NL, while the AL honor is down to the Yankees’ Gerrit Cole, the White Sox’s Lance Lynn and the Blue Jays’ Robbie Ray, who is now a free agent.

Postseason star Randy Arozarena and teammate Wander Franco of the Tampa Bay Rays are finalists for AL Rookie of the Year along with Astros right-hander Luis Garcia. Franco appeared in just 70 games but still got attention after reaching base in 43 consecutive games, matching Frank Robinson’s record from 1956 for longest by a player age 20 or younger.

Cardinals outfielder Dylan Carlson, Reds second baseman Jonathan India and Marlins left-hander Trevor Rogers are finalists for NL Rookie of the Year.