Jannik Sinner cruised past Felix Auger-Aliassime to set up a semi-final with Alexander Zverev in the Monte Carlo Masters.
The Italian second seed defeated his Canadian opponent 6-3 6-4 to extend his winning streak in Masters 1000 events to 20 matches – a run during which he has lifted titles at Paris, Indian Wells and Miami.
“I feel like it was a step forwards today,” said Sinner, who dropped a set at a Masters event for the first time in 186 days during his last-16 win against Tomas Machac.
“It was a very tough match. I knew I had to get better in certain areas. The serve is not there yet, where I would love it, but all things considered I’m very happy.
“But in any case, very happy to be back in the semis.”
St. John Bosco, the new No. 1 high school baseball team in Southern California after taking two of three games last week from the previous No. 1 team, Orange Lutheran, could end up facing the Lancers (8-3) again at this week’s Boras Classic if both teams make it to Friday’s final at Mater Dei.
St. John Bosco, however, is in the toughest part of the 16-team Boras Classic bracket. The Braves (11-3) face a big challenge in their opener on Tuesday at 9 a.m. at Mater Dei against 12-1 Norco, which has the option of throwing either sophomore star Jordan Ayala or senior Landon Hovermale.
Also on St. John Bosco’s side is Huntington Beach and star pitcher Jared Grindlinger. The Oilers open at noon against Los Osos at Mater Dei.
Orange Lutheran plays Fountain Valley in a 9 a.m. opener at JSerra. Corona could be strongest challenger on Orange Lutheran’s side and plays JSerra in a 6 p.m. opener on Tuesday.
Quarterfinals are Wednesday and semifinals are Thursday.
This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.
With a 30-point lead by the end of the third quarter, much of the end of Sunday’s NCAA championship victory was a celebration of what UCLA had built en route to its 79-51 victory over South Carolina.
By the final buzzer, it was a full-blown party.
It was one of the largest margins of victory in Final Four history.
UCLA won an AIAW title in 1978 against Maryland before women’s basketball was an NCAA sport.
UCLA’s Kiki Rice, right, drives around South Carolina’s Raven Johnson during the first half of the NCAA national title game on Sunday.
(Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)
Last season, UCLA’s 34-point loss to Connecticut in the semifinal became the worst loss in tournament history.
This season, there was no doubt UCLA was ready for the moment and it ensured it could reverse the history books.
It was perhaps the most UCLA performance the Bruins could have had. In their final collegiate games, Lauren Betts (14 points, 11 rebounds) and Gabriela Jaquez (21 points, 10 rebounds) earned double-doubles and all five starters scored in double digits. They dominated the boards (49-36), played stellar defense and most important, didn’t turn the ball over often.
After the Bruins held Texas to a season-low 44 points in Friday’s semifinal, they held the Gamecocks to 51, also their lowest total all season.
UCLA’s Lauren Betts shoots over South Carolina’s Maryam Dauda in the first half of the NCAA national championship game Sunday.
(Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)
The Bruins jumped out early while South Carolina struggled with the Bruins’ size and went three for 18 from the floor. Kiki Rice (10 points, six rebounds, five assists) hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer to end the opening quarter with the Bruins holding on to a 21-10 lead.
Near the end of the first, Betts came back to the bench coughing and sputtering, seemingly unable to clear her throat. At the start of the second quarter, she was at the end of the UCLA bench and used an inhaler before returning to the game.
UCLA’s suffocating defense held the Gamecocks to 25.7% shooting in the first half. Unlike Friday’s win over Texas, the Bruins’ offense recovered from a one-for-10 stretch far earlier.
South Carolina made a mid-second quarter adjustment into a zone defense and a half-court press that forced one 10-second violation and another turnover that led to a fast-break layup and and free throw from Ta’Niya Latson.
UCLA’s Gabriela Jaquez celebrates after scoring while being fouled during the first quarter Sunday against South Carolina.
(Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)
UCLA led 36-23 at the half.
One of the Gamecocks’ only interior presences, center Madina Okot, had three fouls early in the third quarter. With her off the floor, UCLA extended its lead to 18 off a three-pointer from Charlisse Leger-Walker.
Midway through the quarter, a sequence of a Betts layup over the South Carolina defense, a Betts block of a Latson shot and a Jaquez fast-break layup gave the Bruins a resounding 22-point lead.
The Bruins outscored the Gamecocks 25-9 during the third quarter to earn a 61-32 lead off a 13-0 run. It was the largest lead ever for a team going into the fourth quarter of an NCAA championship game.
South Carolina shot a season-worst 18 for 62 from the floor and two for 15 from three-point range.
UCLA players, including Kiki Rice, left, and Gabriela Jaquez celebrate after winning the NCAA women’s basketball national championship on Sunday.
(Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)
The Bruins held Latson to four points and Raven Johnson to three on one-for-seven shooting.
South Carolina had taken down then-undefeated UConn in the semifinal on Friday.
UCLA will need to rebuild with few returners, but now that her players have won a national title, coach Cori Close should have her pick of the transfer portal.
Now, Close and the Bruins have championship pedigree.
Highlights from UCLA’s win over South Carolina in the NCAA women’s basketball national championship game.
Before they head to north London, those present in east London will remember this experience for a long time.
Leeds sold out their entire 9,000 allocation, taking up all the space behind one of the goals and contributing to a fantastic atmosphere.
For most of the game, the Whites looked in complete control. Japan’s Ao Tanaka gave them a first-half lead, with England striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin doubling their advantage with a 75th-minute penalty that looked to have killed the game off.
But in the 11 minutes of injury time, Mateus Fernandes and Axel Disasi scored to take the tie into extra-time.
Taty Castellanos and Pablo both had goals ruled out for offside by the video assistant referee (VAR) in a breathless extra-time period, where Leeds also had two shots cleared off the line.
There was added drama as Areola suffered a leg injury at the end of injury time, meaning Herrick – who was on loan at fifth-tier Boreham Wood as recently as January – was handed a first Hammers appearance in the 120th minute and just before the shootout.
He saved from Piroe, but Perri ensured he would be the goalkeeping hero with his two saves.
“This is the magic of the cup, anything can happen and today was a crazy and memorable game. Happy that we won the match and we are into the semi-finals now,” said Perri.
“For this fanbase it shows the magic of them, the love they have for this team. It is a pleasure to play for this team.”
Leeds United will play Chelsea at Wembley after reaching the FA Cup semi-finals for the first time in 39 years.
Daniel Farke’s side beat Premier League relegation rivals West Ham 4-2 on penalties to progress after a thrilling 2-2 draw on Sunday.
Last year’s beaten finalists Manchester City will take on Championship side Southampton in the other semi-final.
The Saints, whose only FA Cup triumph was back in 1976, stunned Premier League leaders Arsenal on Saturday to set up the encounter with seven-time winners City.
Leeds last reached the FA Cup last four in 1987, when they were beaten 3-2 by eventual winners Coventry City at Hillsborough, and lifted the trophy for the only time in 1972.
Their meeting with eight-time winners Chelsea will also stir up memories of the 1970 showpiece between the sides, in which the Blues triumphed after a replay at Old Trafford – the first FA Cup final at that time to require one since 1912.
This year’s ties will be played at Wembley on the weekend of 25-26 April.
The Final Four in men’s and women’s basketball is scheduled for this weekend, and Southern California has two players to root for who were high school graduates from the area.
McDonald’s All-American Brayden Burries, a freshman at Arizona from Eastvale Roosevelt, has been a key player in the Wildcats’ season, averaging 16.1 points.
Gabriela Jaquez has helped the UCLA’s women’s team reach the Final Four, averaging 13 points a game for the 35-1 Bruins.
The men’s semifinals and final are Saturday and Monday at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
The women’s semifinals and final are Friday and Sunday at the Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix.
This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.
There’s no way of sugar coating it – losing Dan Ballard is a massive blow to Northern Ireland’s hopes of reaching a first World Cup in 40 years.
The Sunderland defender has been integral to the progress of Michael O’Neill’s young side and he has an impact in both boxes.
While he has always been a physical presence, his composure on the ball has also improved from playing Premier League football this season.
Excluding Kieran Morrison, who has only played in the cup competitions for Liverpool, losing two of his four Premier League players is awful luck for O’Neill, after Conor Bradley was sidelined with a knee injury in January.
Thankfully for NI, Ruairi McConville, who was also an injury doubt when the squad was announced, has played two sets of 90 minutes for Norwich City in the past week.
He will be an option for stepping in for Ballard and has impressed in his short international career to date, as will Oxford United’s Ciaron Brown and Bolton’s Eoin Toal.
