Even with close rivals playing in the same division, interleague play would be included in the schedule.

Despite being close competitive rivals, he was friends with both Grinkov and Sikharulidze.

I can't imagine there is a close rival to either of the two countries in terms of player production.

Professional baseball dates from 1869 and had no close rivals in popularity until the 1960s.

The combination would create a close rival to Alcoa for the top rank among the world's aluminum producers.

It was commonly agreed that the two men had no close rivals when it came to being deafening.

The Classic Records version is a close rival; arguments about their competing virtues continue.

They nodded slightly to each other, as close as two such old rivals could ever come to bowing.

They were beaten by close rivals Mexico in the new Twenty20 format of the competition.

Whatever the Titans were, they clearly did not consider humanity their equals, nor even close rivals.