C. Vivian Stringer Is the Thread Between the W.N.B.A.’s Emerging Stars

By BY HOWARD MEGDAL from NYT Sports The Liberty’s Betnijah Laney and Erica Wheeler of the Los Angeles Sparks are coming into their own after winding paths with a key intersection: Stringer’s coaching at Rutgers.https://nyti.ms/37XkjIi

How One Sports Season Fell Apart, Even in a Bubble

By BY MARISA INGEMI from NYT Sports Players in the National Women’s Hockey League left Lake Placid, N.Y., wishing there had been better communication as positive tests increased.https://nyti.ms/3bRzhRh

Collin Morikawa Wins Workday Title on a Day of Tributes to Woods

By BY BILL PENNINGTON from NYT Sports Morikawa, 24, who won the 2020 P.G.A. Championship in August, is doing things only Tiger Woods had done before turning 25.https://nyti.ms/37YRVp0

Yankees Feel Butterflies Before Playing in Front of a Crowd

By BY JAMES WAGNER from NYT Sports Spring training started with a loss to Toronto, but Yankees players were just happy to have fans back. “It felt a lot more normal.”https://nyti.ms/3bRN5vb

Leon Rose’s Quiet Effect: Knicks’ Good Vibes Come Ahead of Schedule

By BY MARC STEIN from NYT Sports As team for the past year, Rose has let the Knicks’ on-court flickers of progress do most of his talking.https://nyti.ms/3b46olA

Honoring Tiger Woods, in Red and Black

By Unknown Author from NYT Sports Woods’s signature final-round outfit was seemingly everywhere in the golf world on Sunday.https://nyti.ms/3b2fejN

Two Sluggers Aren’t Quite Done, but the End Is Near

By BY BENJAMIN HOFFMAN from NYT Sports Albert Pujols and Miguel Cabrera, two of the greatest hitters in baseball history, will be back for 2021. Whenever they retire, they will leave an enormous void.https://nyti.ms/3swRQ3V

Olympians Enter a Risky New Event: Line Jumping

By BY ANDREW KEH from NYT Sports Some nations are prioritizing Olympians for vaccinations. Others say athletes will wait their turn. The choices could determine if the Tokyo Games are a sporting spectacle, or a super-spreader event.https://nyti.ms/2PmtBHl

Jewell Loyd Is in the Gym, Building Her Game and a Community

By BY JONATHAN ABRAMS from NYT Sports A trying year, on and off the court, helped Loyd finally embrace herself as an elite Black female athlete.https://nyti.ms/3uByAnv

N.B.A. Investigating After Jeremy Lin Said He Was Called ‘Coronavirus’

By BY MICHAEL LEVENSON from NYT Sports Lin, who is Taiwanese-American, said on social media that he had been called “coronavirus” on the court. He has been playing in the N.B.A.’s developmental league.https://nyti.ms/3aYvKBl

A Baseball Coach Sends a Drone to Help Ease Fans’ Fear

By BY JAMES WAGNER from NYT Sports Don Wakamatsu’s day job is bench coach of the Rangers, but his background in farming led to an interesting solution for how to sanitize a stadium.https://nyti.ms/2PhVujO

Gymnasts’ Abusers ‘Were Buds and Protected Each Other’

By BY JULIET MACUR from NYT Sports Coach John Geddert drove young gymnasts to the point of injury, then sent them to Lawrence G. Nassar, the doctor who abused them sexually. Geddert killed himself on Thursday in the face of criminal charges.https://nyti.ms/3sxsgLY

A Gymnastics Coach Was Charged With Human Trafficking. What Does That Mean?

By BY ALLYSON WALLER from NYT Sports Experts say the filing of human trafficking charges against John Geddert, who died on Thursday, could have major ramifications for future prosecutions of coaches in the high-pressure world of elite sports.https://nyti.ms/3kwUIeb

The 7 N.B.A. All-Stars Who Would Be King (or Just M.V.P.)

By BY SOPAN DEB from NYT Sports Near the halfway point, this season’s race for the Most Valuable Player Award has top-tier candidates from the usuals (LeBron James) to the newcomers (Joel Embiid).https://nyti.ms/3aY3HBZ

Pandemic Insurance Helped the N.C.A.A. Tournament and Other Events. In 2021, Good Luck Getting It.

By BY ALAN BLINDER AND KEVIN DRAPER from NYT Sports Event cancellation insurance is a specialized realm. But during the coronavirus pandemic, it has shored up the balance sheets of sporting events around the world.https://nyti.ms/3kr0BcM

Stars Aligned: McDavid and Matthews Set, and Keep, the Pace

By BY CURTIS RUSH from NYT Sports Edmonton’s Connor McDavid leads the N.H.L. in points, and Toronto’s Auston Matthews has the most goals. The two will play three consecutive games against each other starting Saturday.https://nyti.ms/2ZSX8dR

Atlanta Dream, Co-Owned by Kelly Loeffler, Is Sold to Ex-Player’s Group

By BY SOPAN DEB AND KEVIN DRAPER from NYT Sports Renee Montgomery, a former Dream guard, is part of a group buying the team from Loeffler, the former Georgia senator, who upset players by attacking the Black Lives Matter movement.https://nyti.ms/2NLV6JM

Have You Seen This Man?

By BY RORY SMITH from NYT Sports For some stars, the path to China’s Super League was paved with riches. But as the country’s soccer fever cools, is there a way back to Europe for the best of them?https://nyti.ms/2ZQQJQl

‘No One Can Say I Didn’t Make It’

By BY ANDREW MARANISS from NYT Sports An excerpt from a new book that examines the vibrant life, and untimely death, of Glenn Burke, baseball’s first openly gay player.https://nyti.ms/2PfMsUs

The Impact and Influence of Tiger Woods: Here. There. Everywhere.

By BY BILL PENNINGTON from NYT Sports From fitness trailers to fist pumps and golf’s global representation, the star, recovering in the hospital after a serious car crash, has a hefty presence at a PGA tournament even when he’s not playing in it.https://nyti.ms/3qXYmQC

Bill Wright, Who Broke a Color Barrier in Golf, Dies at 84

By BY RICHARD SANDOMIR from NYT Sports In 1959, decades before Tiger Woods, Wright became the first Black golfer to win a United States Golf Association event.https://nyti.ms/385W3nx

Former U.S. Gymnastics Coach Charged With Human Trafficking

By BY ALLYSON WALLER from NYT Sports John Geddert was charged with two dozen counts, including human trafficking and criminal sexual conduct, Michigan prosecutors said.https://nyti.ms/2ZQNYym

Tiger Woods and Another Terrible Turn of Fate

By BY KURT STREETER from NYT Sports It is easy to cling to memories of Tiger Woods at his peaks, but his frailties tell as much, if not more, about his powerful hold on sport and culture.https://nyti.ms/3bw7jtW

Opponents Beware: Willow Johnson Inherited Her Father’s Left Arm

By BY DAVID WALDSTEIN from NYT Sports A daughter of the Hall of Fame pitcher Randy Johnson is part of an effort to bring professional women’s volleyball to the United States.https://nyti.ms/2ZOFyrd

The Retired Boys of Summer Play On

By BY ABBY ELLIN from NYT Sports Senior softball leagues remain an essential lifeline for many retirees. I would know: My 83-year-old father is playing through the pandemic.https://nyti.ms/37K6qgm

Golf Without Tiger Woods? His Fellow Players Can Barely Imagine

By BY BILL PENNINGTON from NYT Sports Woods, 45, has been sidelined before as he recovered from various ailments. But this time, after a car crash that left him with serious leg injuries, feels different.https://nyti.ms/3bAR1jD

Domingo German Apologizes, Vowing to Be a ‘Different Person’

By BY JAMES WAGNER from NYT Sports The Yankees pitcher, who was suspended for 81 games over a domestic violence incident, addressed the news media for the first time since returning to the team.https://nyti.ms/37IVcsu

Tiger Woods Career: Improbable Highs and Devastating Setbacks

By Unknown Author from NYT Sports Tiger Woods is the greatest golfer of his generation. But his car accident on Tuesday was the latest setback in a career full of them.https://nyti.ms/3bEjxRh

That Strange Feeling Going Around Is Optimism

By BY DAVID WALDSTEIN from NYT Sports After two decades of frustration and incompetence broken up by an occasional championship (thanks, Giants), the region’s sports teams all appear headed in the right direction.https://nyti.ms/3dFxb9p

The Pandemic Has Diminished Part of Athletes’ Jobs: Signing Autographs

By BY GERALD NARCISO from NYT Sports Even where spectators can attend sports events, physical buffers between them and the athletes often prevent autograph seeking. Players and fans miss the interaction.https://nyti.ms/3keQ6ZY

Champions League Adapts to a Fluid Concept: Home and Away

By BY VICTOR MATHER from NYT Sports Coronavirus restrictions have sent multiple games to neutral sites. Will this summer’s European Championship be the next big event to reschedule?https://nyti.ms/3buy2ay

Luis Suárez Rediscovers His Bite

By BY RORY SMITH from NYT Sports After a summer of indignity and humiliation, the striker has been reborn with Atlético Madrid.https://nyti.ms/3aOXwQV

Mariners’ Team President Hands the Union a Weapon

By BY TYLER KEPNER from NYT Sports In saying the quiet parts out loud, Kevin Mather inflamed tension between the players’ union and teams. He resigned, but his words will resonate.https://nyti.ms/3kdHuTo

Rangers Star Takes Leave After Accusations He Assaulted a Woman in a Bar

By BY VICTOR MATHER from NYT Sports Artemi Panarin denies the allegations made by a former K.H.L. coach. The team says their top scorer has been targeted for criticizing Vladimir Putin.https://nyti.ms/3unuK1n

Muhammad Ali as You’ve Never Seen Him

By BY GEORGE GENE GUSTINES from NYT Sports A new graphic novel mixes comic book art and rarely seen photography to depict the legendary 1974 fight between Ali and George Foreman.https://nyti.ms/3byDQQp

She Rowed Across the Atlantic, Joining a New Wave of Extreme Endurance Athletes

By BY ANDREW S. LEWIS from NYT Sports After 70 days 3 hours 48 minutes, Jasmine Harrison, 21, became the youngest woman to row an ocean. She is among a diverse set of endurance athletes to attempt the feat.https://nyti.ms/3sdmvTJ

The Australian Open Promised Lessons for Pandemic Sports. Just Not These Ones.

By BY MATTHEW FUTTERMAN from NYT Sports The goal was to hold a major international sports event without putting public health at risk. Mission accomplished, but pulling it off presented major, unforeseen challenges and many sleepless nights.https://nyti.ms/3qI5qkr

Lake Tahoe’s Sunshine Made for a Great Scene, but Bad Ice

By BY ANDREW KNOLL from NYT Sports After several players and officials stumbled on soft ice in the first period, an N.H.L. game that started on Saturday afternoon was delayed, ending after midnight Eastern time.https://nyti.ms/2OQJXYo

In His ‘Second Career,’ Filip Polasek Wins His First Grand Slam Title

By BY BEN ROTHENBERG from NYT Sports Polasek, who had effectively retired after the 2013 season because of an injury, won the Australian Open men’s doubles championship with his partner, Ivan Dodig.https://nyti.ms/37xMe12

Medvedev’s Australian Open Loss Shows the Men’s Tennis Gulf Is Still Strong

By BY KAREN CROUSE from NYT Sports The players at the top, starting with Novak Djokovic, have yet to be significantly challenged by the new generation.https://nyti.ms/2ZD5I08

The Cleanest Open Ever

By BY MATTHEW FUTTERMAN AND ALANA HOLMBERG from NYT Sports An army of workers toiled to create a safe environment at the Australian Open.https://nyti.ms/3brJSC1

Novak Djokovic Wins Third Straight Australian Open Title

By BY MATTHEW FUTTERMAN from NYT Sports The victory for the top-ranked Djokovic, in three sets over the fourth-ranked Daniil Medvedev of Russia, gave him his 18th career Grand Slam title.https://nyti.ms/2NGfY4V

With Charlie McAvoy, the Bruins Filled a Void From Within

By BY GARY SANTANIELLO from NYT Sports After the departures of two key defensemen in free agency, McAvoy, 23, is playing more minutes and is tied for the assists lead on first-place Boston.https://nyti.ms/2NpTOnM

A Collision at Anfield Does Little to Slow Liverpool’s Fall

By BY RORY SMITH from NYT Sports Everton’s victory, a cause for deserved celebration, reveals a broken Liverpool team holding tight to a system that has stopped working.https://nyti.ms/2ZzA8Af

Mixed Doubles, Often Neglected, Crowns Resilient Champions

By BY BEN ROTHENBERG from NYT Sports After a 14-day quarantine in their hotel rooms, Rajeev Ram and Barbora Krejcikova rolled through the draw and claimed victory at the Australian Open.https://nyti.ms/3bjmk2k

A Brief Australian Open Recap: Osaka Beats Brady

By Unknown Author from NYT Sports Naomi Osaka won her fourth Grand Slam singles championship on Saturday by defeating Jennifer Brady 6-4, 6-3 at the Australian Open. Here’s how she did it.https://nyti.ms/3pBNUwP

Australian Open 2021: Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev Meet for the Title

By BY BEN ROTHENBERG from NYT Sports Djokovic, aiming for his ninth title in the tournament, should face a strong challenge from Medvedev.https://nyti.ms/3s46X4C

Australian Open 2021: In Defeat, Jennifer Brady Proves She Belongs

By BY MATTHEW FUTTERMAN from NYT Sports Appearing in her first Grand Slam final, the 25-year-old American started slow against Naomi Osaka, but rallied to go down fighting.https://nyti.ms/3sbUsE1

Australian Open 2021: Naomi Osaka Beats Jennifer Brady for Her 4th Grand Slam Title

By BY KAREN CROUSE from NYT Sports Osaka, 23, has won every Grand Slam final she has reached.https://nyti.ms/3qCo4KA

N.C.A.A. Basketball Tournaments Will Welcome Fans After All

By BY BILLY WITZ from NYT Sports Some epidemiologists say it’s a bad idea, because the games will attract people from all over the country to Indianapolis and San Antonio, the cities that will host every game of the men’s and women’s tournaments.https://nyti.ms/3dw8Hzl