Coco Gauff defeated top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka 7-6 (4), 6-3 Friday and set up a showdown with Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen in the today’s final of the WTA Finals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Gauff generated six break points to Sabalenka’s four and built on early momentum in the opening set’s tiebreak that she carried through to the second set.
She’s the youngest player at 20 to make the final at the WTA Finals since Caroline Wozniacki in 2010.
Zheng earlier defeated Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova 6-3, 7-5 to book her place in today’s final.
NFL
Dak Prescott wants to avoid surgery so the star quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys can play again this season after tearing a hamstring, owner Jerry Jones said. Jones confirmed on his radio show that Prescott’s hamstring was partially torn off the bone, a condition known as partial avulsion.
A full tear of the tendon off the bone requires surgery, and that’s what happened two years ago in training camp when former Dallas left tackle Tyron Smith missed 13 games. In Prescott’s case, Jones said it could be a few weeks before it is known whether surgery will be required.
Buffalo Bills coach Sean McDermott said rookie receiver Keon Coleman could miss multiple weeks with a wrist injury, ruling out the player for the game at the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday.
Coleman appeared to be hurt Sunday when he was blindsided by Dolphins safety Jordan Poyer while attempting to make a catch on Buffalo’s eventual game-winning final drive in a 30-27 victory over Miami. Poyer was penalized for unnecessary roughness on the play, which helped set up Tyler Bass for a franchise-record 61-yard field goal.
The rookie second-round pick out of Florida State ranks second on the team with 417 yards receiving, and is tied for the team lead with three touchdown catches.
The AFC East-leading Bills (7-2) could also be minus receiver Amari Cooper for a second straight game. Cooper is listed as questionable and was still wearing a brace on his left wrist while practicing on a limited basis this week.
Will Levis will start for the Tennessee Titans on Sunday when they visit the Chargers after the second-year quarterback missed the last three games with an injured shoulder, coach Brian Callahan said.
Jalen Hurts is off the injury report to play for Philadelphia at the Dallas Cowboys after coach Nick Sirianni revealed his QB is dealing with an ankle issue.
Washington Commanders running back Brian Robinson Jr. will not play Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers because of a hamstring injury. This is the second consecutive game the team’s leading rusher will miss after he was a late scratch last week at the New York Giants.
GOLF
Nico Echavarria moved into position to win consecutive PGA Tour events, shooting a 9-under 63 for a share of the lead in the World Wide Technology Championship in Los Cabos, Mexico.
The Zozo Championship winner two weeks ago in Japan for his first tour title, Echavarria matched Max Greyserman at 12-under 132 at El Cardonal at Diamante.
A Lim Kim had a hole-in-one on the par-3 ninth and birdied the final two holes for a 5-under 67 and one-stroke lead over Nataliya Guseva (68) in the Lotte Championship in Honolulu.
Paul Waring hit the shot of his life to complete a career-low 11-under 61 in the second round of the Abu Dhabi (UAE) Championship and establish a five-stroke lead heading into the weekend of the European tour’s first playoff event. The 229th-ranked Englishman hit a draw with a 3-wood from about 260 yards to inside 4 feet at No. 18 and tapped in the birdie putt to move to 19-under par for the tournament. It is the lowest 36-hole score to par in the tour’s history.
Stewart Cink shot a 5-under 66 to maintain a three-stroke lead in the PGA Tour Champions’ season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship in Phoenix. Bernhard Langer, the 67-year-old German star who has a Champions-record 46 career victories, was second after a 64. He shot his age or better for the 21st time on the tour.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Florida basketball coach Todd Golden is facing allegations of sexual harassment, sexual exploitation, stalking and cyberstalking multiple women — including students — over the past 12 months, according to a report published in the school’s student newspaper.
According to the Independent Florida Alligator, the claims against Golden include unwanted sexual advances on Instagram, requesting sexual favors, and sending photos and videos of his genitalia. The newspaper based its report on a copy of a Sept. 27 Title IX complaint against Golden it said it had obtained.
NO. 1 KANSAS 92, NO. 9 NORTH CAROLINA 89: Hunter Dickinson had 20 points and 10 rebounds for the host Jayhawks (2-0), who blew a 20-point first-half lead against the Tar Heels (1-1) before holding on when Elliot Cadeau missed a 3-pointer as time expired.
STANFORD 80, CAL STATE FULLERTON 53: Benny Gealer scored a career-high 20 points and made six 3-pointers — all in the second half — and Maxime Raynaud had 14 points and 14 rebounds lift the host Cardinal (2-0) over the Titans (0-2).
MLB
Preston Mattingly, a son of former star first baseman and manager Don Mattingly, was promoted to general manager of the Philadelphia Phillies under president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski.
Sam Fuld, the GM since 2020, is studying for his Master of Business Administration degree at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School and will become team president of business operations when he gets his degree in May 2026.
Fuld will oversee business operations departments after his graduation and until then will share GM duties with Mattingly.
Mattingly, 37, played in the minors from 2006-11, then went to Lamar University, where he captained the basketball team and received a bachelor’s degree in 2016. He worked for the Padres from 2017-21, rising to coordinator of major league advance scouting and game planning.
He joined the Phillies as director of player development in September 2021 and was promoted to assistant general manager of player development last November.
New York Mets outfielder Tyrone Taylor had a pair of operations and should be ready for spring training in mid-February. New York said that Taylor had an umbilical hernia repair on Oct. 30 in Phoenix with Dr. Venkata Evani and a right elbow loose body removal Thursday in New York with Dr. James Carr. The Mets said recovery time is about two months.
FIGURE SKATING
Defending champion Yuma Kagiyama performed a near-flawless routine to lead a Japanese sweep of the men’s figure skating short program at the NHK Trophy in Tokyo.
Kagiyama, the 2022 Olympic silver medalist, earned a season-best 105.70 points.
Kagiyama’s compatriot Kao Miura was second with a personal-best 102.96 points while Tatsuya Tsuboi completed a sweep of the top three places for the host nation with 85.02. Andrew Torgashev of the United States was fourth with 84.36.
In the women’s short program, three-time and reigning world champion Kaori Sakamoto of Japan finished first with a season-best 78.93 points. Like the men’s short program, the women’s top three was also swept by the host nation. Mone Chiba was second with 71.69, followed by Yuna Aoki with 69.78. Alysa Liu of the U.S., making a comeback, was fourth with 65.03.
Two-time world champions Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the United States were first after the ice dance short program.
Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko of the U.S., were second with 79.64.
In pairs, world silver medalists Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara of Japan were first after the short program with 71.90 points.