Record Ratings, Key Game Updates & Exciting Player Moves in Sports News

The WNBA's most-watched game in 23 years occurred between the Indiana Fever and Chicago Sky. Key updates include Panthers' Ryan Lomberg playing in Game 5, Rory McIlroy skipping Travelers Championship, Yankees calling up prospect Ben Rice, Zheng defeating Osaka, Djokovic confirmed for Paris Olympics, and various MLB and ATP highlights.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Sky-Fever matchup draws WNBA's highest ratings in 23 years

The Indiana Fever's 91-83 victory over the visiting Chicago Sky on Sunday was the WNBA's most-watched game in 23 years, CBS announced on Tuesday. The game featured 2024 No. 1 overall pick Caitlin Clark of the Fever and No. 7 overall pick Angel Reese of the Sky. The contest averaged 2.25 million viewers, a 225 percent increase over a comparable game window last season between the Phoenix Mercury and New York Liberty.

Panthers F Ryan Lomberg to play in Game 5 vs. Oilers

Florida Panthers forward Ryan Lomberg will draw into the lineup on Tuesday for Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Edmonton Oilers in Sunrise, Fla. The Panthers hold a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. The Oilers staved off elimination with an 8-1 rout of Florida in Game 4 on Saturday in Edmonton.

Schauffele: Rory McIlroy in 'tough spot' due to intense microscope

As someone who has held the unofficial title of "best player yet to win a major," Xander Schauffele can empathize with Rory McIlroy's decision not to compete at this week's Travelers Championship. On the heels of missing a pair of short putts over the final three holes on Sunday to finish second by a stroke to Bryson DeChambeau at the U.S. Open, McIlroy left Pinehurst No. 2 without speaking to reporters and announced the following day that he will not play again until next month's Scottish Open.

Yankees call up 1B prospect Ben Rice as 3 players go on IL

The Yankees called up first base prospect Ben Rice to replace Anthony Rizzo, one of three players New York added to the injured list on Tuesday. Ranked as the No. 12 prospect in the Yankees' system by MLB Pipeline, Rice was a 12th-round draft pick in 2021 and could make his major league debut Tuesday night against the visiting Baltimore Orioles.

WTA roundup: Qinwen Zheng aces test vs. Naomi Osaka

Sixth-seeded Qinwen Zheng of China fired 23 aces to take down Japan's Naomi Osaka 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 on Tuesday in the first round at the ecotrans Ladies Open in Berlin. The 23 aces are the most in any match on the WTA tour since Canada's Rebecca Marino had 24 against France's Caroline Garcia in 2022 in Guadalajara, Mexico. Zheng also saved three of four break points and took advantage of 30 unforced errors by the four-time Grand Slam champion.

Tennis-Djokovic confirmed for Paris Olympics

Novak Djokovic will compete at this year's Olympic Games in Paris, the Olympic Committee of Serbia has announced. The 24-times Grand Slam winner will be attending his fifth Olympics since his first in 2008 when he won a bronze medal.

MLB roundup: Pirates' Paul Skenes stars again in win over Reds

Rookie Paul Skenes was at it again for the Pittsburgh Pirates, tossing six strong innings in a 4-1 win over the visiting Cincinnati Reds on Monday to open a three-game series. Skenes (4-0) allowed one run on six hits with one walk and seven strikeouts. Aroldis Chapman and Colin Holderman each pitched a scoreless inning before David Bednar retired the Reds in order in the ninth for his 15th save.

ATP roundup: World No. 1 Jannik Sinner rallies in Halle

World No. 1 Jannik Sinner of Italy needed three sets to overcome Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherlands 6-7 (8), 6-3, 6-2 in the first round of the Terra Wortmann Open on Tuesday in Halle, Germany. Sinner hit 15 aces to Griekspoor's 11 and saved all four break points he faced while going 3-for-4 on opportunities to break his opponent's serve.

Celtics' Kristaps Porzingis to have surgery on ailing leg

Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis told ESPN that he will undergo surgery on his left leg and expects a recovery process of a "few months." Porzingis suffered a torn medial retinaculum allowing dislocation of the posterior tibialis tendon in Game 2 of the NBA Finals. He sat out Games 3 and 4 in Dallas and returned to record five points and one rebound in 16 minutes in the Celtics' 106-88 championship-clinching victory over the Mavericks on Monday.

Celtics celebrate, confident championship window is wide open

BOSTON -- With a Game 5 win on Monday night the Celtics sealed the NBA title, but Boston had actually been waiting for this moment for over a decade. Just over five years after the Celtics claimed their 17th championship, Boston went into a complete rebuild on June 28, 2013, trading franchise centerpieces Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for a package that included role players and draft picks.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)