Sports News Roundup: Chess-China's Ding Liren defies odds to become world champion; Soccer-Kane says Spurs' slow starts 'unacceptable' and more

Chess-China's Ding Liren defies odds to become world champion

China's Ding Liren was crowned on Sunday as the 17th world chess champion in a tense match against Russian-born Ian Nepomniachtchi in Astana, Kazakhstan, in the last chapter of an odds-defying sequence of events. Thirty-year-old Ding won the rapid chess playoff by 2.5 points to 1.5, capitalizing on Nepomniachtchi's mistakes in time trouble in the last of the shorter-format games, following the pair's 7-7 tie in a psychological battle across 14 longer "classical" games.

Soccer-Kane says Spurs' slow starts 'unacceptable'

Tottenham Hotspur have frequently spoken about the need to tighten up their leaky defence over the last few weeks but striker Harry Kane said it is time to put words into action after they coughed up early goals again on Sunday. Liverpool were 3-0 up inside 15 minutes at Anfield and while Tottenham pegged the hosts back to 3-3, Diogo Jota's stoppage-time goal earned the Merseyside club a 4-3 victory.

MLB roundup: White Sox surge past Rays, snap 10-game skid

Andrew Vaughn's walk-off three-run homer capped a seven-run ninth inning as the Chicago White Sox snapped their majors-worst 10-game losing streak with a 12-9 win over the visiting Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday. Down 9-5 heading into the ninth against reliever Jalen Beeks (0-2), Chicago gradually trimmed the lead and eventually tied it on Adam Haseley's RBI single before Vaughn rocked a 2-2 curve off Garrett Cleavinger deep to left for the comeback victory. Chicago's win came a day after the Rays scored 10 runs in the seventh inning to break up a no-hitter in a 12-3 victory.

Motor racing-Team by team analysis of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Team by team analysis of Sunday's Azerbaijan Grand Prix, the fourth round of the 23-race Formula One season (Teams listed in championship order): RED BULL - Sergio Perez 1, Max Verstappen 2

Rugby-New AFL boss steals spotlight from Jones's Wallabies pitch

A crisp Monday morning on the hallowed turf of the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) promised the perfect setting for Eddie Jones to hold court with the media and drum up support for the Wallabies in a World Cup year. Instead, Jones was given a harsh reminder of rugby union’s place in the pecking order of Australian sport at the spiritual home of Australian Rules football.

Golf-Rahm sets record for most money earned in a PGA Tour season

Jon Rahm fell short in his bid to successfully defend his Mexico Open title on Sunday but the Spaniard's second place finish set a new benchmark for the most money won in a single season on the PGA Tour. World number one Rahm, who counts a Masters triumph among his four PGA Tour wins this season, made $839,300 for finishing second at Vidanta Vallarta, bringing his 2022-23 season total to $14,462,840.

Tennis-Kasatkina thankful Russian players still able to compete

Daria Kasatkina said she is thankful that Russian tennis players are still able to compete in international tournaments while other sports have banned them due to the war in Ukraine. Tennis, unlike many other sports, did not introduce a blanket ban on players from Russia and its ally Belarus after the invasion, which Moscow calls a "special military operation".

Soccer-Jota seals thrilling win for Liverpool after Tottenham fightback

Diogo Jota scored deep in stoppage-time as Liverpool clinched a 4-3 victory over Tottenham Hotspur in a barely-believable Premier League thriller at Anfield on Sunday. The Portuguese substitute struck in the fourth minute of added time, one minute after Tottenham substitute Richarlison thought he had earned his side an unlikely point.

Motor racing-Lonely third was best Ferrari could do, says Leclerc

Ferrari are still too slow to win and third place behind the Red Bulls in Sunday's Azerbaijan Grand Prix was the best they could have hoped for, Charles Leclerc said after securing his team's first podium appearance of the Formula One season. Leclerc started from pole position, and had finished second in the Saturday sprint from the same grid slot, but was unable to stay ahead for more than three laps.

Motor racing-Verstappen says he can be pleased with second on a learning day

Double Formula One world champion Max Verstappen found the silver lining in finishing second to Red Bull team mate Sergio Perez in Azerbaijan on Sunday. The team's third one-two finish in four races this season left Verstappen six points clear of the Mexican in a two-horse title battle.