The reigning NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder won't visit the White House while in Washington to play the Wizards on Saturday, citing a "timing" issue, The Athletic reported Friday.

"We have been in touch with the White House and we are appreciative and grateful for the communication we have had, but the timing just didn't work," the Thunder told The Athletic in a statement.

The team did not immediately respond to AFP's request for comment.

NBA champion teams have been visiting the White House since the Boston Celtics made the trip in 1963, although the 2024 Celtics were the last to make such a visit, to then-president Joe Biden's White House in November of that year.

The topic of triumphant teams visiting the White House has become politically charged in recent years.

When several Golden State Warriors players expressed misgivings about a possible White House reception after winning the title in 2017, President Donald Trump tweeted that the invitation had been withdrawn.

The Warriors weren't invited when they won in 2018 but visited Biden's White House to celebrate their 2022 championship.

Various teams, including the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles in 2018, declined invitations or had invitations rescinded in Trump's first term.

But Trump hailed the Eagles as "incredible" when they celebrated their 2025 Super Bowl victory at the White House last year.

More recently, the US men's gold medal-winning Olympic ice hockey team was feted at the White House before attending Trump's State of the Union Address.

Trump also invited the gold medal-winning US women's hockey team, but they cited "timing and previously scheduled academic and professional commitments" in declining.

Trump had sparked criticism when he was heard in a congratulatory phone call to the men's team in Milan say he would "probably be impeached" if he didn't invite the women's team as well.

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World number one Carlos Alcaraz was dialed-in on Friday, powering past rising Brazilian talent Joao Fonseca 6-4, 6-4 to reach the third round of the Miami Open.

The 22-year-old Spaniard used an early break in each set and saved all three break points he faced in a confident performance at Hard Rock Stadium, where 19-year-old Fonseca was cheered by a raucous contingent of fans.

"I was really good from the beginning until the last ball," Alcaraz said. "I know how good Joao is and that's why I was really focused, every point, every shot, trying to figure out what is the best possible shot for me."

Alcaraz bounced back from his semi-final loss to Daniil Medvedev at Indian Wells last week to improve to 17-1 in 2026.

That includes an Australian Open title that made him the youngest man to complete a career Grand Slam and a title in Doha.

Alcaraz gained the upper hand against 39th-ranked Fonseca with a break for 2-1 in the opening set, delivering a blistering forehand service return winner on break point.

He closed out the set with a love game, broke Fonseca to open the second and secured the victory with his eighth ace on match point.

It was extra satisfying since Alcaraz was stunned in his Miami opener by David Goffin last year.

"He had a lot of chances to stay in the match to (keep it) tight, so I'm just happy to stay calm, stay positive at these moments," said Alcaraz, who next faces American Sebastian Korda, a 6-0, 6-3 winner over Camilo Ugo.

Women's number one Aryna Sabalenka held off determined American Ann Li 7-6 (7/5), 6-4 to launch her Miami title defense.

The Belarusian was pleased to get through in straight sets against her 39th-ranked foe in a match moved to the third show court as organizers hustled to get the rain-hit tournament back on schedule.

She needed more than an hour to pocket a first set in which she led 4-1 and wasted seven break points in the eighth game.

"I was there, I was fighting no matter what, even though my game probably wasn't the best one that I have," Sabalenka said.

Fourth-seeded American Coco Gauff and sixth-seeded compatriot Amanda Anisimova also reached the third round.

French Open champion Gauff rallied to beat Elisabetta Cocciaretto 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 in a match delayed several hours by rain.

Anisimova outlasted Australian veteran Ajla Tomljanovic 6-1, 5-7, 6-4.

It was Gauff's first match since she retired during her third-round match at Indian Wells with "scary" pain in her left arm.

Gauff said the injury was improving.

"I might feel it sometimes on court, but I definitely feel it less and less every day," said Gauff, who took some time to find her rhythm against the aggressive Cocciaretto.

"She takes the ball so early, you don't have a lot of time to react," Gauff said. "Today, once I got adjusted to the tempo of play I was able to control the rallies when they went the distance."

In other men's action, 56th-ranked American Ethan Quinn upset Norway's 11th-seeded Casper Ruud 6-4, 7-6 (9/7), saving seven set points in the second set on the way to victory.

Japanese wildcard Rei Sakamoto bagged his maiden ATP match win, converting his fifth match point in a 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (9/7) first-round victory over Aleksandar Kovacevic.

The 19-year-old ranked 164th booked a showdown with in-form Indian Wells finalist Medvedev.

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Cleveland Guardians pitchers Luis Ortiz and Emmanuel Clase, facing federal pitch-rigging charges to aid gamblers, were placed on unpaid non-disciplinary leave by Major League Baseball on Friday.

The Dominican right-handers were placed on paid non-disciplinary leave by MLB last July but were indicted on federal conspiracy charges last November in New York.

They pleaded not guilty to helping Dominican gamblers win wagers based upon the types and speeds of certain pitches.

An agreement between MLB and its players association will mean the Guardians do not have to continue paying Clase and Ortiz during the season that begins next week.

"As the legal proceedings involving Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz continue to move forward, MLB and the MLBPA have agreed that both players will remain on non-disciplinary leave from the club without pay until further notice," Major League Baseball said in a statement.

"This agreement is not an admission of any wrongdoing by Clase or Ortiz. MLB has been closely monitoring the matter since alerting federal law enforcement at the outset of its investigation and will have no further comment until its investigation has been completed."

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