{allcanada} Canada’s Fernandez ousted in Dubai, while Mboko withdraws from WTA 1000 event

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DUBAI — Leylah Fernandez was eliminated in the Round of 32 at the Dubai Tennis Championships on Monday, falling 7-6 (5), 6-4 to Indonesia's Janice Tjen.

The 23-year-old from Laval, Que., fired six aces but also six double faults and won just 39 per cent of her second-serve points. Tjen converted four of nine break-point chances to secure the straight-set victory.

Fernandez, unseeded in the WTA 1000 event, is ranked 29th in the world after dropping two spots last week. Tjen is ranked No. 46.

Meanwhile, Toronto's Victoria Mboko pulled out of the Dubai event Monday, citing a right-elbow injury.

The 19-year-old entered the week ranked in the top 10 after finishing runner-up in Doha.

She is the seventh player to exit the tournament, which has also lost world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and No. 2 Iga Swiatek.

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{allcanada} Wilson has been 'outstanding' on, off ice at Olympics for Team Canada

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MILAN -- From the bubble to the top line, Tom Wilson's Team Canada story arc is about as unique as he is on the top-seeded team in the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.

"That kid is a hell of a hockey player," Canada coach Jon Cooper said, "and outstanding, outstanding in the locker room."

Wilson put his stamp on the tournament Sunday, coming to the defense of teammate Nathan MacKinnon after he took a high hit from Team France's Pierre Crinon with 8:38 remaining in the third period of a 10-2 win.

Wilson went to hit Crinon on the end boards seconds after a face-off in France's zone. The two tangled, gloves came off, Crinon held Wilson down and tried to throw a few punches with each linesperson trying to break it up. Eventually, a helmetless Wilson got up, circled the officials and was able to pull Crinon down to the ice.

Each received five minutes for fighting and the game misconduct that comes with a fighting major, according to International Ice Hockey Federation rules.

It all happened as MacKinnon was still brooding on the bench, angry at the hit he took from Crinon. Yet it was Wilson, Canada's most physically imposing player, doing what he does all the time for his Washington Capitals teammates in the NHL, standing up for them.

"When guys wear the same jersey as Tom, he's going to play for you," MacKinnon said, "and it takes a special person to do that for sure."

There is no one else like Wilson on Team Canada, which finished the preliminary round as the top seed and on Wednesday will play the winner of No. 9 Team Denmark and No. 8 Team Czechia in the quarterfinals at Santagiulia Arena.

He blends skill and brawn to be effective, and he's doing it with a bit of a chip on his shoulder to prove to the rest of the hockey world, at least in Canada, that he belongs on what very well may be the best team in the world.

"I just feel very privileged and very lucky to be in this position to wear this jersey at the Winter Olympics and try to help my team win," Wilson said. "I'm proud to be Canadian. Winning a gold medal and winning a Stanley Cup is everything a kid dreams of in Canada. Not taking it for granted."

Wilson was far from a lock to make Canada's roster when the NHL season began.

He did not play at the 4 Nations Face-Off one year ago and Canada won that tournament. But clearly the Canadians felt they needed some extra size and physicality on their Olympic team.

It wasn't, though, because they wanted someone who would drop the gloves. That's not normal in international hockey because of the rules.

Even Wilson's fight Sunday did not include the ceremonial dropping of the gloves before he and Crinon engaged. It was physical, heat-of-the-battle stuff, and then gloves went flying. Wilson even looked like he was trying to avoid a fighting major and game misconduct until he got furious at Crinon trying to take some liberties.

But his ire was clearly targeted at Cronin for what he did to MacKinnon, and it always helps when you have a player who can do that and still play with the best players in the world.

That's Wilson.

Canada's belief in him is so strong that Cooper has had him playing on the top line with Connor McDavid and Macklin Celebrini.

"Everybody needs an 'F1,' and that big boy there is one of the best I've seen," Cooper said, using the term that refers to the first forward to enter the zone on a forecheck.

Wilson has a goal and two assists in three games.

"I've played against Macklin and Connor a lot, and it's not fun," Wilson said. "Playing with them is a lot more fun. They're so good with the puck. For me, it's about go get it for them, get it to them, get open and they'll do the rest."

Cooper has bumped Wilson down to move MacKinnon onto the top line with McDavid and Celebrini at times in the past two games, but he said he does that when he feels the team needs an offensive burst.

Wilson has been with them for the majority of the time and likely will stay there at least at the start of the game Wednesday.

But even if he changes lines, it doesn't change Wilson's game.

"He's a fantastic teammate," MacKinnon said. "He's a great guy off the ice and doing everything on the ice too. He's a pleasure to have."

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{allcanada} Kingsbury wins men’s dual moguls for Canada’s first gold of Milano Cortina 2026

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LIVIGNO — The King of the moguls has reclaimed his throne.

Canadian freestyle ski star Mikaël Kingsbury did it in historic fashion on Sunday, beating his biggest rival to win the first-ever Olympic men's dual moguls event and Canada's first gold medal at the Milan Cortina Olympics.

The 33-year-old from Deux-Montagnes, Que., topped the field for his fifth Olympic medal, and second in what he confirmed is his final Games.

Kingsbury defeated Japan's Ikuma Horishima 31-4 in the final round of the event, while Australia's Matt Graham won bronze in the small final.

Horishima tried for a big effort but ended up unbalanced and was forced to skip the second jump. Kingsbury yelled out with joy as he crossed the finish line and skied right into the wall at the bottom of the slope, overcome with emotion.

"I couldn't ask for anything better than to face Ikuma in the final," Kingsbury said. "Not only do I win the Olympics, but I do it against the best moguls skier in the world right now -- after me!"

Later, Kingsbury pumped his fist as he stepped on the podium, and later tapped his gold medal against the Maple Leaf logo on his jacket, over his heart.

After the race, he confirmed it was his final Olympic performance, calling it "the cherry on top" of his illustrious career.

"I gave everything, I had no regrets. I didn't feel too nervous. I trusted my plan, I trusted the work that I put in with my team and just went for it. I'm really happy with the outcome," Kingsbury said.

"It wasn't easy today. We had good conditions, but the piste (path) was not easy. But I just trusted my years of experience and the work of my team. I gave it my all, everything I had in my body, to go for this medal."

Kingsbury had to settle for silver on Thursday after losing a tiebreaker to Cooper Woods of Australia in traditional moguls.

Unlike the individual event, the dual moguls competition sees skiers race each other down the mountain, with the one receiving a better score from judges advancing.

All three medal winners are fathers, and they posed with their children ahead of the podium ceremony.

"We did it in the World Cup and in the duels at the last world championships," Kingsbury said. "I said then that we could do it again at the Games."

Kingsbury, who was one of Canada's flag-bearers for the opening ceremony of the Games, also won an Olympic gold medal in individual moguls at the Pyeongchang Games in 2018.

His overall medal tally now includes two gold and three silver.

"I gave everything, this is extra special," Kingsbury said.

"I'm the oldest guy in the field. They keep me young in what I do. I love skiing. I'm very proud of myself."

Kingsbury is the most decorated freestyle skier in history with 100 career World Cup wins.

He appeared to intimidate his adversaries throughout the final day, as none of his three opponents were able to lay down full runs.

"They know that against me, they have to push hard," Kingsbury said. "After all these years, I have a bit of that presence at the top of the course. They know it's going to be difficult, so they might be going at their absolute 100 per cent, thinking that if it works, they'll beat me."

His trainer, Michel Hamelin, said Kingsbury was even more determined than usual, if that's even possible.

"Mik was like a cheetah today," said Hamelin, who has trained Kingsbury off and on for 25 years. "He basked in the sun before pouncing on his prey on the descents."

As he exits the Olympic stage, Kingsbury said he wanted to leave behind a legacy that's hard to top.

"Records are made to be broken, but I'd like mine to be tough to beat," he said. "Will (Wayne) Gretzky's record be beaten?"

Kingsbury's medal was Canada's first gold on Day 9 of competition, ending the country's longest drought at a Winter Games since 1988 in Calgary.

"I'm happy to have maybe taken a little bit of pressure off the shoulders of my compatriots," he said.

The other Canadians in the field made early exits, with Elliot Vaillancourt eliminated in the 1/16 finals, and Julien Viel in the 1/8. Both, however, said their overall Olympic experiences had been anything but disappointing.

"I told myself to make the most of every moment, because I knew it would end sooner than I wanted," Vaillancourt said. "I wish everyone could have an Olympic experience. It's an experience that has a little more sriracha, that's spicier."

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{allcanada} Barnes’ OT 3-pointer sends Stars past World in the first clash at the NBA All-Star Game

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INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Anthony Edwards won the Most Valuable Player award while leading his "Stars" team past their fellow Americans on the "Stripes" team 47-21 to win the final of the NBA All-Star Game on Sunday.

The Minnesota Timberwolves star claimed his first All-Star MVP award with a tying 3-pointer in the first round-robin game followed by eight points in the final, which was the only chapter without a dramatic late finish in this mini-tournament comprising the main event of All-Star weekend at the Los Angeles Clippers' Intuit Dome.

The NBA's fourth format in four years matched two teams of American All-Stars against a team representing the World, hoping to stoke nationalistic passion from players and fans during an Olympic year.

The slightly older Stripes had beaten the slightly younger Stars on De'Aaron Fox's 3-pointer at the buzzer in the second 12-minute, round-robin game. But Edwards led the Stars to victory in the rematch with the Stripes, who appeared to run out of gas while playing in their third straight mini-game.

"We chose to compete today, and we came out on top," Edwards said. "I ain't going to lie, Wemby set the tone. He came out and played hard, and we had to follow that."

Indeed, Victor Wembanyama effectively challenged his fellow All-Stars to take this game seriously, and they largely appeared to do it. Despite going 0-2, Wembanyama led the World team in scoring in both games with 14 points in the opener and 19 in the third game.

Along with the late-game theatrics, the event generally appeared to be played at a higher level of competitiveness than most All-Star Games in recent years, suggesting the league might have finally cracked the code on the long-standing question of how to make this midseason showcase more entertaining.

"It was a pretty good display of basketball," Wembanyama said. "Better than last year, in my opinion. It was fun. … I think being honest with ourselves is good. It's a game we love, it's a game I personally cherish, so being competitive is the least I can do."

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver thanked the All-Stars for playing hard when he presented the championship trophy to the Stars.

Kawhi Leonard thrilled his home crowd with a 31-point barrage for the Stripes in the final round-robin game, but he managed just one point in the final. Tyrese Maxey led the Stars with nine points in the clincher.

Scottie Barnes won the opening 12-minute game for the Stars with a game-ending 3-pointer in overtime, beating the World 37-36 after Edwards forced OT.

After Fox's dagger in the second game, Leonard utterly dominated the third game before hitting a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 3.5 seconds left in the Stripes' 48-45 victory.

The World team was loaded with talent, but NBA scoring leader Luka Doncic and three-time MVP Nikola Jokic both sat out its second game, likely to preserve the health of two superstars who have struggled with injury in the past month.

John Tesh took the court with his band before the game for a live rendition of "Roundball Rock," the iconic 1990s theme song of "NBA on NBC," to mark the league's return to the network this season. That network partnership is also the reason the All-Star Game was an afternoon affair on the West Coast, because NBC airs the Winter Olympics at night.

The Intuit Dome crowd included former President Barack Obama, who received a standing ovation pregame.

First game

Edwards scored 13 points and forced overtime on a 3-pointer with 13.3 seconds left in regulation to begin the mini-tourney.

Edwards hit a 14-footer to begin the first-to-five-points overtime period. Wembanyama made a 3-pointer, but Raptors star Barnes ended it by draining his only shot of the game.

Karl-Anthony Towns added 10 points, but Norman Powell — a born-and-raised Californian who represents Jamaica internationally — missed a potential winning shot for the World at the regulation buzzer.

NBA scoring leader Doncic played the first 5:05 for the World in the opening game before sitting down. The Lakers superstar hadn't played since Feb. 5 due to a hamstring strain, but he was determined to play after receiving his sixth All-Star nod.

Second game

Donovan Mitchell took a pass under the net from LeBron James and kicked it out to Fox on the perimeter for the winner.

Jaylen Brown led the Stripes with 11 points, and James scored eight to begin his record 21st All-Star appearance.

Edwards and Cade Cunningham scored 11 points apiece for the Stars.

"Old heads 1-0," James said with a laugh. "We've got a lot of guys that have played a lot of basketball, so no matter what's going on, we know how to keep our composure and execute."

A few hours beforehand, the top scorer in NBA history said the game's presence in the Los Angeles area meant "nothing, because this is not our building. This is a road game."

Indeed, the Clippers fans in Intuit Dome booed James and Doncic whenever they touched the ball in the first two games.

Third game

Leonard thrilled his home crowd with a dynamic effort, going 11 of 13 and 6 of 7 from beyond the arc. The seven-time All-Star made his first seven shots with five 3-pointers amid raucous cheers from the extra-steep supporters' section called The Wall behind one basket at this futuristic 18-month-old arena.

He was unstoppable despite a reasonable defensive effort from the World team led by Wembanyama, who scored 19 points before missing a tying 3-pointer attempt at the buzzer.

James put the Stripes ahead with 31 seconds left on a putback dunk, but Wembanyama hit two free throws to tie it before Leonard called game.

Jokic and Doncic didn't play, leaving the World with just seven players.

Up next

The All-Star weekend stays out West in February 2027 when Phoenix hosts for the fourth time.

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