Messi keys rally in tourney quarters

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AUGUSTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 10: Honorary Starter Tom Watson of the United States smiles on the first tee during the first round of the 2025 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 10, 2025 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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Inter Miami’s Argentine forward #10 Lionel Messi reacts during the CONCACAF Champions Cup Quartefinal football match between Inter Miami and LAFC at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on April 9, 2025. (Photo by Chris Arjoon / AFP) (Photo by CHRIS ARJOON/AFP via Getty Images)

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Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz reacts during the match against Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo during the Monte Carlo ATP Masters Series Tournament round of 32 tennis match on the Ranier III court at the Monte Carlo Country Club in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin on April 9, 2025. (Photo by Valery HACHE / AFP) (Photo by VALERY HACHE/AFP via Getty Images)

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Messi keys rally in tourney quarters

Down 1-0 on the scoreboard, down 2-0 in total goals in the series and needing three goals to advance, Inter Miami needed a most unlikely rally. Lionel Messi made it happen. Inter Miami is headed to the CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinals for the first time, after Messi — the 37-year-old eight-time Ballon d’Or winner — led a dramatic three-goal comeback. He had two goals, including the clinching penalty kick in the 84th minute, to lift host Inter Miami past LAFC 3-1 on Wednesday night and a 3-2 aggregate win in the two-leg series. “We gave it our all,” Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano said. “We wanted it, and I think it showed. ... Many times luck has to be on your side, and we had it.” For Messi, the series clincher was a bit reminiscent of how he led Argentina past France in the 2022 World Cup final. He scored two goals in that match, one on a penalty kick — then also converted in the penalty-shot shootout that decided the final. Those goals came against Hugo Lloris, who was also in net for LAFC on Wednesday. Inter Miami will face the Vancouver Whitecaps in the semifinals.

Watson casts doubt on merger deal

Hall of Famer and two-time Masters champion Tom Watson doesn’t believe the PGA Tour and LIV Golf will reunify men’s professional golf anytime soon. The 75-year-old Watson, who won his green jackets in 1977 and 1981, believes there are too many obstacles for the PGA Tour to reach a deal with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), which finances the rival LIV Golf League since its inception in 2022. The PGA Tour, European tour and PIF agreed to form an alliance in June 2023, but the sides have been unable to work out a deal. ESPN reported last week that the PGA Tour rejected the PIF’s most recent offer to invest $1.5 billion into PGA Tour Enterprises, the tour’s for-profit entity, which came with the caveat that LIV would remain intact. “They made their choice to play their own tour, and that’s where they are now,” Watson said Thursday after he hit the ceremonial opening tee shots with Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player. “I don’t see a real working mechanism for the two tours to get together. I think that’s one of the reasons you haven’t seen an agreement since June two years ago.”

Alcaraz rolls to win at Monte Carlo

Carlos Alcaraz moved into the Monte Carlo Masters quarterfinals after beating qualifier Daniel Altmaier of Germany 6-3, 6-1 on Thursday. Alcaraz saved nine of the 10 break points he faced and took five of the seven chances he had. “Honestly it was difficult, Danny is playing great,” the second-seeded Alcaraz said. “The score doesn’t show how difficult it was.” At his first clay-court tournament this season, the 21-year-old Spaniard and four-time Grand Slam winner has won four straight sets with the loss of just five games since dropping the opening set to Francisco Cerundolo in the round of 32. Alcaraz next plays No. 12 seed Arthur Fils, who won by an impressive 6-2, 6-3 against 2023 champion and No. 7 seed Andrey Rublev. Two more seeded players were upset on Thursday. No. 4 seed Casper Ruud lost to Alexei Popyrin 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 and No. 5 seed Jack Draper was beaten by Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-4. In the day’s most anticipated match, No. 8 seed Alex de Minaur topped No. 9 seed Daniil Medvedev 6-2, 6-2. —News services