Tuesday’s Sports In Brief

TENNIS

NEW YORK (AP) — Emma Raducanu became only the third defending U.S. Open champion to lose in the first round, eliminated by Alizé Cornet 6-3, 6-3. And yet another past champ bowed out in straight sets when Naomi Osaka, who won two of her four Grand Slam titles in New York, was eliminated by Australian Open runner-up Danielle Collins 7-6 (5), 6-3 in a match that ended after midnight.

Osaka, a former No. 1, also lost in the first round of the French Open this year and has slid to 44th in the rankings. She had been 3-0 head-to-head against Collins, but this fun-to-watch, hard-hitting matchup went the other way.

Earlier on Tuesday, Venus Williams also lost. The seven-time Grand Slam champion bowed out in the first round of the U.S. Open for the second consecutive appearance, losing 6-1, 7-6 (5) to Alison Van Uytvanck.

This was the 23rd trip to Flushing Meadows for Venus, who made it to the final in 1997 as a teen then won the trophy in 2000 and 2001, and her record 91st time participating in a major tournament.

Venus had never lost in the opening round at the U.S. Open until 2020, then was absent last year.

NFL

BEREA, Ohio (AP) — Cleveland starting quarterback Deshaun Watson began serving his NFL suspension for alleged sexual misconduct Tuesday, a punishment that will keep him away from the Browns until Oct. 10.

Watson, who was placed on the reserve/suspended by commissioner list before practice, was spotted leaving the team’s facility and driving away a little after 3 p.m. EDT. He had been required to leave by 4 p.m. in accordance with the suspension he agreed to in a settlement with the league earlier this month.

The 26-year-old was accused of sexual assault and harassment by two dozen women during massage therapy sessions in Texas. He has settled 23 of the 24 lawsuits that were filed against him by the women.

A three-time Pro Bowler with Houston, Watson will miss 11 games, pay a $5 million fine and must undergo mandatory treatment and counseling before he can be reinstated. He’ll be eligible to play in Week 13 on the road against the Texans.

During his suspension, Watson is not permitted to have any contact with Browns personnel.

Watson has always denied any wrongdoing, and he maintained his innocence shortly after agreeing to the settlement worked out between the NFL and NFL Players Association following the league’s appeal of his original six-game suspension.

SOCCER

NEW YORK (AP) — Baseball’s elite are getting involved with one of Europe’s most celebrated soccer clubs.

The New York Yankees are becoming a minority investor in Italian champion AC Milan, the second soccer team the baseball power will partially own after MLS’s New York City.

A Los Angeles-based fund that includes LeBron James also is becoming a minority investor in the seven-time European champion under RedBird Capital Partners, The Financial Times reported Tuesday. RedBird is nearing a deal to purchase a controlling interest in Milan for 1.2 billion euros ($1.2 billion).

Gerry Cardinale, who founded RedBird in 2014 and is a managing partner, announced a preliminary agreement in June to buy Milan from fellow American firm Elliott Management. The closing is to take place by the end of September.

Yankees Global Enterprises, the baseball team’s parent company led by the Steinbrenner family, will take a stake of about 10% in Milan, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity because the final deal has not been announced.

BASEBALL

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Fernando Tatis Jr. had to postpone a scheduled shoulder surgery because he has strep throat, the latest wrinkle in what’s been a turbulent season for the San Diego Padres shortstop.

Tatis was slated to have the labrum in his left shoulder repaired on Tuesday, but that procedure now will be delayed a week or so while he recovers from the illness.

The delay is not expected to affect Tatis’ return next season after he’s done serving an 80-game suspension for testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug.

He missed the first four months of the season with a broken left wrist, an injury that’s believed to have occurred in an offseason motorcycle crash. Tatis was nearing a return from that injury when Major League Baseball suspended him on Aug. 12. The penalty will sideline him for roughly one-third of the 2023 season.

Tatis suffered multiple dislocations in his left shoulder last season, and the Padres had been hoping he would opt for surgery to resolve the problem.

Recovery from the surgery is estimated at four to six months. His spring training could be delayed, but if all goes well, he should be full strength by the time his suspension ends.

NEW YORK (AP) — Los Angeles Dodgers lefty Clayton Kershaw is set to come off the injured list and rejoin the rotation Thursday to face the New York Mets.

Kershaw hasn’t pitched since Aug. 4, when he exited a start against San Francisco because of lower back pain. The 34-year-old three-time NL Cy Young Award winner spent five weeks on the IL with a back injury earlier this season.

Kershaw felt good following a bullpen session Monday is ready to return in a game at Citi Field between NL division leaders.

Manager Dave Roberts said inserting Kershaw into the rotation Thursday will allow the Dodgers to give Dustin May an extra day of rest before his third start following Tommy John surgery. May, who underwent the procedure in May 2021, is 1-1 with a 1.64 ERA and 13 strikeouts in 11 innings.

Kershaw is 7-3 with a 2.64 ERA in 15 starts. He tossed seven perfect innings before being pulled against the Minnesota Twins in his season debut April 13 and carried a perfect game into the eighth inning against the Los Angeles Angels on July 15.

HOCKEY

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson cashed in on a breakout season by agreeing to a seven-year, $50 million contract extension on Tuesday.

Thompson gets a hefty raise from his current three-year, $4.2 million contract, which runs out after this season. The new deal represents the faith the Sabres have in the 24-year-old, who’s coming off a team-leading 38-goal season.

Thompson had 68 points in 78 games last season as he nearly doubled his goal and point totals from his first four NHL seasons combined.

Thompson’s emergence as a top-line forward coincided with Don Granato’s promotion to coach following Ralph Krueger being fired in March of 2021. Granato provided Thompson more playing time from the start, and Thompson shifted from wing to his more natural position, center, to open last season.