Retired NBA great Michael Jordan and his fellow owners of two NASCAR teams went to federal court Monday for a hearing in their antitrust fight against the stock car series over what they say is an unfair business model.

23XI Racing, which is owned by Jordan and three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin, and Front Row Motorsports, owned by restaurant entrepreneur Bob Jenkins, sued NASCAR and chairman Jim France in October after months of tense negotiations over NASCAR’s charter system, which is essentially a franchise model that includes revenue sharing.

The two teams say NASCAR gave all Cup Series teams a last-minute, take-it-or-leave-it offer in September that both 23XI and Front Row refused to sign. The owners contend the charter system limits competition by unfairly binding teams to the series, its tracks and its suppliers, and they called the France family and NASCAR “monopolistic bullies.”

The two teams are represented by Jeffrey Kessler, the top antitrust lawyer in the country, who argued repeatedly they are only asking for a temporary injunction that allows them to compete without the clause that would prevent their ongoing lawsuit.

He said NASCAR has since rescinded the charter agreements offered to 23XI and FRM in September.

“We do not challenge the entire charter agreement. We want a return to status quo,” Kessler said. “We are not seeking a seven-to-14-year argument. Let us operate under the terms they offered for the duration of the (court) case and race under the charter terms for the duration of the case.”

Kessler said NASCAR is fighting the injunction because NASCAR does not believe it has a winnable case.

The fight is playing out as NASCAR heads into its championship weekend, with the title-deciding race set for Sunday in Phoenix with 23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick among the four drivers who can win.

After a hearing that lasted nearly two hours, U.S. District Judge Frank D. Whitney said he’d have a decision on 23XI and FRM’s request for a preliminary injunction to be recognized in 2025 as chartered teams by Friday — when cars hit the track in Phoenix.

Tennis

Sabalenka reaches WTA final four >> Aryna Sabalenka reached the semifinals of the WTA Finals with a 6-3, 7-5 win over Jasmine Paolini in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia for a second straight victory in the group stage.

The top-ranked Sabalenka cruised in the first set after building a 4-0 lead, then saved two set points in the second to advance at the year-ending tournament for the top eight ranked players.

Sabalenka will face already eliminated Elena Rybakina on Wednesday in the final group match of the week.

Sabalenka has won 22 of her last 23 matches, and three of the last four tournaments in which she played.

Another round-robin win will secure her the year-end No. 1 ranking for the first time in her career.

In the other Purple Group match, Zheng Qinwen defeated Rybakina 7-6 (4) 3-6, 6-1 to maintain chances of advancing.

Rybakina sits at 0-2 and can’t advance to the semifinals. She lost to Paolini on Saturday, while Sabalenka eased to a straight-set victory over Zheng in the opening match.

Zheng and Paolini will play each other on Wednesday, with the winner advancing to her first WTA Finals semifinal.

NHL

Blues’ Broberg out 4-6 weeks >> St. Louis Blues defenseman Philip Broberg is expected to miss the next four to six weeks because of an apparent right leg injury.

Coach Drew Bannister gave the update on Broberg’s status, calling it a lower-body injury. Bannister called the prognosis good news given how bad the injury looked at the time.

College football

Florida QB Lagway may return this week >> Florida quarterback DJ Lagway’s hamstring injury is “less significant” than initially feared, and the Gators have not ruled him out for Saturday’s game at No. 5 Texas.

“I think a lot of that will be determined as we move our way throughout the week,” coach Billy Napier said. “We do think there’s a pathway for recovery and a return.”

Lagway left Saturday’s 34-20 loss to No. 2 Georgia in the second quarter and returned to the sideline in the second half with his legged wrapped and using crutches. He was the second Florida quarterback to go down this season, joining starter Graham Mertz.