Sports News Roundup: Medvedev, Sinner set for Miami semi-final showdown; Colorado the next challenge for Caitlin Clark, Iowa and more

The Blackhawks (21-46-5, 47 points) are coming off a 3-1 win against the visiting Calgary Flames on Tuesday, which followed a 5-4 overtime road victory against the San Jose Sharks on Saturday. Alex Rodriguez, partner strike out in bid to control Wolves, Lynx The Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx are no longer for sale, majority owner Glen Taylor said Thursday.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Blackhawks ride rare win streak into game at Ottawa

The Chicago Blackhawks will shoot for their first three-game winning streak of the season when they visit the Ottawa Senators on Thursday night. The Blackhawks (21-46-5, 47 points) are coming off a 3-1 win against the visiting Calgary Flames on Tuesday, which followed a 5-4 overtime road victory against the San Jose Sharks on Saturday.

Alex Rodriguez, partner strike out in bid to control Wolves, Lynx

The Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx are no longer for sale, majority owner Glen Taylor said Thursday. Taylor confirmed the expiration of the option of retired baseball star Alex Rodriguez and former Walmart eCommerce CEO Marc Lore to acquire controlling interest of the NBA's Timberwolves and WNBA's Lynx.

MLB 2024 Preview: Dodgers pegged to win 46 more games than A's

As the 2024 major league season gets underway in earnest on Thursday, the Los Angeles Dodgers are already one game toward their projected total of 103.5 wins for the regular season. That's courtesy of a split of their two-game, season-opening Seoul Series against the San Diego Padres.

Baseball-Ohtani's LA mural celebrates larger-than-life ballplayer

'Ohtani-mania' officially kicked off in downtown Los Angeles on Wednesday with the unveiling of a 15-story mural of new Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani. It took almost a month to create the mural on the side of the Japanese Miyako Hotel in LA's Little Tokyo and artist Robert Vargas said it represents the cultural bridge between Japan and the 'City of Angels'.

Tennis-Medvedev, Sinner set for Miami semi-final showdown

Jannik Sinner rolled past Tomas Machac 6-4 6-2 on Wednesday to reach the semi-finals of the Miami Open, where he will face Russian Daniil Medvedev in a tantalising rematch of the Australian Open final. Third seed Medvedev booked his place in the last four with a 6-2 7-6(7) win over Nicolas Jarry.

Colorado the next challenge for Caitlin Clark, Iowa

ALBANY, N.Y. -- It's only appropriate that the final journey of Caitlin Clark's historic college basketball career will continue at a place called MVP Arena. After all, Clark long has been the most valuable player of her Iowa team and was named the Big Ten Player of the Year for the third consecutive season. She is in the running for her second straight National Player of the Year award in a campaign in which she became the all-time leading scorer in Division I history -- for both women and men.

Tennis-Decision to retire is about more than just tennis, Collins says

Danielle Collins again faced questions about her decision to retire this year after she powered into the Miami Open semi-finals on Wednesday but the American said her reasons for leaving the sport were about much more than tennis. The former Australian Open runner-up announced in January she would be quitting the sport in 2024 and that she hoped to start a family.

Celtics look to avenge collapse against Hawks

The Boston Celtics will get a chance to avenge their embarrassing Monday meltdown against the Hawks when the teams meet for the second time this week on Thursday in Atlanta. The host Hawks overcame a 30-point deficit and ended Boston's nine-game winning streak with a 120-118 victory. It was the biggest comeback in Hawks history and the largest comeback in the NBA this season.

Thorns make F Sophia Smith NWSL's highest-paid player

The Portland Thorns signed forward Sophia Smith to a two-year contract extension Tuesday, making her the highest paid player in the NWSL, ESPN reported. While Smith's deal runs through the 2025 season, the contract will include an option for 2026.

76ers optimistic Joel Embiid could return in regular season

Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid is inching closer to a return before the end of the regular season, coach Nick Nurse said Wednesday. Embiid has been sidelined with a left knee injury sustained when the Golden State Warriors' Jonathan Kuminga fell on him in a Jan. 30 game. Embiid underwent a procedure to fix the damage to his knee on Feb. 6.

(With inputs from agencies.)