MOTOR SPORTS
Verstappen bounces back
Max Verstappen's record-breaking dominance in Formula 1 resumed Sunday with his victory in the Japanese Grand Prix, leading almost the entire race on a sunny day in central Japan. His abrupt breakdown two weeks ago in Melbourne, Australia, looks like a blip in his total command over F1. He was out on the fourth lap when the rear brakes caught fire. Nothing like that this time. Verstappen basically led from start to finish except briefly after a pit stop. He was followed across the finish line by Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez -- 12.5 seconds behind -- and Carlos Sainz of Ferrari. Sainz was 20 seconds off the pace. The three-time defending F1 champion is again this season's points leader and now has won 22 of the last 26 races dating from the start of the 2023 season. Only two other drivers have won in that span -- Red Bull teammate Perez and Sainz, the winner in Australia two weeks ago.
GOLF
Korda makes it 4 in a row
Nelly Korda is on a roll not seen on the LPGA Tour in 16 years. She won four of the first seven holes, largely making the rest of the final Sunday in the T-Mobile Match Play a formality in beating Leona Maguire 4 and 3 at Shadow Creek. Lorena Ochoa in 2008 was the last player to win four consecutive starts. Korda, the world's top-ranked player, will try to tie the record of five -- set by Nancy Lopez in 1978 and matched by Annika Sorenstam in 2004-05 -- in two weeks at the season's first major, The Chevron Championship outside Houston. Because Korda took seven weeks off after winning in January in her hometown of Bradenton, Fla., this victory was her third in a row in a scheduled event. Four players share the record of four in a row, with Mickey Wright doing it twice.
Burmester wins in Miami
Dean Burmester of South Africa won for the first time on the LIV Golf League by closing with a 4-under 68 and beating Sergio Garcia in a playoff Sunday when the Spaniard hit into the water on the second extra hole at LIV Golf Miami. It was the third time Garcia has lost a playoff in LIV Golf, and the second time this year.
TENNIS
Collins continues streak
Danielle Collins powered to her second consecutive WTA title, following her Miami Open victory with the Charleston Open championship on Sunday. Collins defeated 2017 Charleston champion Daria Kasatkina 6-2, 6-1 for her 13th consecutive match victory. She became the first player since Serena Williams in 2013 to win Miami and Charleston in consecutive weeks. Collins, a 30-year-old who has said this season will be her last on the WTA Tour because she's suffering from endometriosis, has made it a memorable one. She led 3-0 in the opening set, where she broke Kasatkina's serve twice as the crowd cheered the American's every move. Collins didn't let up in the second set, taking a 5-0 lead before the Russian held serve. Collins closed the match with a volley at the net, pumping her fist as her face broke into a smile. Collins, who is ranked 22nd, has won 26 of her past 27 sets.
FOOTBALL
Pats reach deal with safety
The Patriots are re-signing safety Kyle Dugger to a four-year contract, a person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press on Sunday. The new deal is worth a base salary of $58 million, which includes $32.5 million in guarantees, and has a maximum value of $66 million, according to the person who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because terms have not been announced. Dugger started all 17 games last season and led the Patriots with 71 solo tackles and two interceptions. The 28-year-old has totaled nine interceptions and 343 combined tackles over the past four seasons since being drafted in the second round out of Lenoir-Rhyne in 2020.
BASKETBALL
Vols hire Marshall's Caldwell
Tennessee Athletic Director Danny White has moved quickly and gone outside the historic Lady Vols' program in hiring Marshall Coach Kim Caldwell as only its fourth head coach in the NCAA era. White announced the hiring Sunday, within a couple of hours of the women's national championship game. It's a game the Lady Vols have not played in since 2008 when they won their eighth and last national title under Pat Summitt. Caldwell will be introduced at a news conference Tuesday, wrapping up a search that started April 1 when White fired Kellie Harper after five seasons at her alma mater and a 108-52 record. She replaced Holly Warlick, promoted to replace Summitt and fired after going 172-67 in seven seasons. Caldwell won the 2024 Maggie Dixon NCAA Division I Rookie Coach of the Year award for her work at Marshall, going 26-7 to earn the program's second NCAA Tournament berth ever and first since 1997. She is 217-31 in eight seasons as a head coach. She led her alma mater Glenville State to the 2022 Division II national title and has earned seven NCAA Tournament berths. Caldwell won the Pat Summitt Trophy for the 2021-22 season as the WBCA's NCAA Division II coach of the year.
BASEBALL
Strider placed on 15-day IL
The Atlanta Braves placed ace right-hander Spencer Strider on the 15-day injured list on Sunday and recalled right-hander Allan Winans from Triple-A Gwinnett. The move with Strider was expected after an MRI on Saturday revealed a sprained ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. No decision on possible season-ending Tommy John surgery is expected before Strider is evaluated further by Dr. Keith Meister in Arlington, Texas, at a date to be determined. Winans was 1-2 with a 5.29 ERA in six starts with Atlanta last season and was expected to be a part of Gwinnett's rotation. The Braves have not said if Winans will at least temporarily fill Strider's spot in the Atlanta rotation. Strider complained about discomfort in his elbow after pitching four innings, allowing five runs on seven hits, in Atlanta's 6-5 win over Arizona on Friday night. He led the majors with 20 wins and 281 strikeouts last season.
Surgery for D-backs' SS
Arizona Diamondbacks shortstop Geraldo Perdomo will have surgery on Monday to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee. Perdomo, 24, was placed on the 10-day injured list before Sunday's game against the Atlanta Braves. Diamondbacks Manager Torey Lovullo said he wasn't given a timeline of how long Perdomo will be out but said the normal recovery time for the surgery is six to eight weeks. Perdomo was an All-Star in 2023 when he hit .246 with 6 home runs and 16 stolen bases.