AP Sports SummaryBrief at 10:28 a.m. EST

Rybakina, Sabalenka to meet in Australian Open women’s final

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina has reached her second final in the past three Grand Slam tournaments by beating Victoria Azarenka 7-6 (4), 6-3 at the Australian Open. Azarenka was the champion at Melbourne Park in 2012 and 2013. She joins a list of players eliminated by Rybakina over the past two weeks that includes No. 1 Iga Swiatek, No. 17 Jelena Ostapenko and 2022 Australian Open runner-up Danielle Collins. Rybakina will take on No. 5 Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus in Saturday’s final. Sabalenka reached her first Grand Slam title match by defeating unseeded Magda Linette 7-6 (1), 6-2 in the semifinals.

Tommy Paul’s Australian run helps make US men relevant again

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Tommy Paul’s run to the semifinals at the Australian Open is the latest in a series of signs that men from the United States are relevant again in tennis. The last Grand Slam singles title for an American man came when Andy Roddick won the 2003 U.S. Open. Paul will try to take the next step toward ending that drought when he faces 21-time major champion Novak Djokovic in the final four on Friday. The other men’s semifinal is Stefanos Tsitsipas against Karen Khachanov. Paul’s breakthrough comes a few months after countryman Frances Tiafoe reached the semifinals at the U.S. Open. There are projected to be 10 men from the U.S. in the ATP top 50 when the rankings are released Monday. That is the most since 1995.

Atletico fans hang Vinícius figure off bridge ahead of derby

MADRID (AP) — Atletico Madrid fans have hanged a dummy of Real Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior from a highway bridge hours before their match in the Copa del Rey. The hardcore supporters used a black figure with Vinícius Júnior’s name on it, tied a rope around its neck and hanged it from an overpass in Madrid along with a banner with the words “Madrid hates Real.” The banner and the figure apparently were attached to the bridge while still dark early in the morning. Vinícius is Black and has been subjected to racist taunts more than once in Spain. Atletico says “these are repugnant and inadmissible acts that shame society.”

Russia’s path to 2024 Olympics takes shape, Ukraine objects

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — Russia’s path to sending a team to the Paris Olympics next year has become clearer amid fierce objections from Ukraine. The International Olympic Committee indicated on Wednesday it favors officially neutral teams from Russia and its ally Belarus at the 2024 Olympics despite a plea from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to exclude them entirely. Russia and Belarus have been invited to compete at the Asian Games. That is a key qualifying event in several sports. Russia is broadly welcoming the IOC-backed plan and Ukraine is seeking to rally support against it.

Hurts, Jefferson, Mahomes among AP NFL MVP finalists

Jalen Hurts, Justin Jefferson and Patrick Mahomes are finalists for The Associated Press 2022 NFL Most Valuable Player and Offensive Player of the Year awards. The winners will be announced at NFL Honors on Feb. 9. A nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the league completed voting before the start of the playoffs. Bills quarterback Josh Allen and Bengals QB Joe Burrow also are finalists for MVP. San Francisco 49ers edge rusher Nick Bosa, Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones and Dallas Cowboys edge rusher Micah Parsons are the finalists for AP Defensive Player of the Year.

Wide receivers Brown, Smith form ‘Dynamic Duo’ for Eagles

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Philadelphia Eagles are heading to the NFC championship game on the strength of wide receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. Brown had 88 catches for 1,496 yards and 11 touchdowns this season. He topped Mike Quick’s 1,409 yards in 1983 for most in a season in team history. Smith finished his second NFL season with 95 catches, which are the most by a wide receiver in team history. He trailed only tight end Zach Ertz’s 116 catches in 2018 for the most in a season by an Eagles player. Smith and Brown’s performances are one reason quarterback Jalen Hurts has become an MVP finalist.

Chiefs’ Mahomes to practice as usual on sprained ankle

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes went through a morning walkthrough Wednesday and intends to practice as usual, raising expectations that the All-Pro quarterback will not be slowed by his sprained right ankle in this weekend’s AFC title game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Mahomes said the injury is similar to one he played through early in the 2019 season, when he came back the following week to throw four touchdown passes in a win over the Raiders. The only difference is it’s the opposite ankle. The Chiefs and Bengals play Sunday night for a spot in the Super Bowl.

Purdy goes from ‘Mr. Irrelevant’ to brink of Super Bowl

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Brock Purdy’s NFL career started with the moniker of “Mr. Irrelevant” and the weeklong trip to Newport Beach to celebrate the player picked last in the draft. With one more win, Purdy’s rookie season in the NFL will end on the brightest stage of all as a starting quarterback in the Super Bowl for the San Francisco 49ers. It’s been an improbable nine-month journey from the trip to Disneyland, golf tournament, and a roast where he received the Lowsman Trophy as the last draft pick to the NFC title game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Purdy will try to become the first rookie quarterback ever to reach the Super Bowl.

Hurts puts MVP talk behind him, focuses on NFC title game

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts is humbled by being a finalist for the NFL Most Valuable Player Award. But Hurts is keeping his focus on leading the Eagles to the Super Bowl. The Eagles will host the NFC championship game against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday. No Eagle has won MVP since QB Norm Van Brocklin in 1960. Hurts continues to brush off concerns he’s still bothered by his sprained right shoulder. He says: “I’ve felt better, but it doesn’t really matter.” Hurts says, “I’ve got to get it done.”

Rahm struggles to 1-over 73 in 1st round at Torrey Pines

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Jon Rahm struggled to a 1-over 73 at Torrey Pines South while Sam Ryder, Aaron Rai and Brent Grant all shot 8-under 64 on the more forgiving North Course to tie for the first-round lead at the Farmers Insurance Open. Rahm is ranked No. 3 in the world and trying for his third win in as many starts. He made a double bogey on the par-4 seventh hole and was continually left frustrated on the harder South Course. Rahm earned his first PGA Tour victory at Torrey Pines in 2017 and then won the U.S. Open on the South Course in 2021.