Reuters Sports News Summary

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Big Papi: Didn't know if I would survive shooting

David Ortiz said he feared the worst after being shot in the Dominican Republic in early June. "I thought I wasn't going to be able to be who I am right now and go back to normal, you know? At some point, I started losing hope," the former Boston Red Sox slugger told MLB.com on Monday.

Trump awards Medal of Freedom to Rivera

President Donald Trump awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to record-setting reliever Mariano Rivera on Monday. The longtime New York Yankees closer received the nation's highest civilian honor two months after he entered Cooperstown as the first unanimously elected Hall of Famer.

NFL roundup: Brees injured as Rams beat Saints in NFC Championship rematch

Todd Gurley, Brandin Cooks and Jared Goff each scored second-half touchdowns as host Los Angeles beat short-handed New Orleans in a rematch of last season's controversial NFC Championship Game. The Saints (1-1) played most of the game without quarterback Drew Brees, who injured his right thumb in the first quarter.

Attorney: Brown denies new sexual misconduct claim

New England Patriots wide receiver Antonio Brown has denied a new claim of sexual misconduct, according to his attorney on Monday. Darren Heitner took to Twitter Monday to write, "Antonio Brown has reviewed the sexual misconduct allegations made by an unnamed artist included in a recently published Sports Illustrated article and denies that he ever engaged in such activities. There will be no further comment at this time."

Disgruntled DE Charlton to Cowboys: 'Free me'

Disgruntled Dallas defensive end Taco Charlton has apparently tired of waiting around, tweeting "Free me" to the Cowboys on Monday. The former first-round pick has been a healthy scratch for the Cowboys' first two games in his third NFL season.

Tigers’ Alexander beats O’s for 1st big-league win

Tyler Alexander recorded his first major league victory, Jordy Mercer hit a two-run homer and the host Detroit Tigers defeated the Baltimore Orioles 5-2 on Monday. Alexander (1-3) limited the Orioles to one run on four hits and didn't issue a walk in six innings. Joe Jimenez struck out Trey Mancini with the bases loaded in the ninth for his seventh save.

Canada's 'Queen B' feted by hometown crowd

Newly-minted U.S. Open champion Bianca Andreescu received a hero's welcome on Sunday, arriving back in her hometown of Mississauga, Canada, for a celebratory rally, as Canadians embraced their very own #SheTheNorth. Andreescu, who beat Serena Williams earlier this month to become the first-ever Canadian Grand Slam title-holder, has rapidly become a home-country favorite, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau among the throngs of adoring fans at the rally, held in the Toronto suburb.

Flyers, Konecny agree to six-year, $33M deal

Restricted free agent forward Travis Konecny and the Philadelphia Flyers agreed to terms on a six-year, $33 million deal, the club announced Monday. "I'm really excited about signing with the Flyers and being able to call Philadelphia home for the next six years," the 22-year-old Konecny said. "I can't wait to get back with my teammates and to start a new relationship with the coaching staff. It's on me now to work hard and make up for the couple days I wasn't able to be here."

Unhappy Jags CB Ramsey requests trade

Jacksonville cornerback Jalen Ramsey, through his agent, has asked the Jaguars to trade him, according to multiple reports Monday. Ramsey's request comes after he and coach Doug Marrone got into a sideline argument during Jacksonville's 13-12 road loss Sunday to the Houston Texans.

WTA roundup: Stosur sharp in Guangzhou opener

Australian wild card Samantha Stosur withstood high temperatures and overpowered Czech qualifier Tereza Martincova 6-2, 6-4 in first-round action Monday at the Guangzhou Open in China. The 35-year-old Stosur broke serve to love in the opening game and rarely faltered during the 78-minute match, winning 89 percent of her first-service points. She next faces Bernarda Pera, a 6-4, 6-3 upset winner against No. 8 seed Ons Jabeur of Tunisia.