Fitting end to sports encounters (5)
I believe the answer is:
meets
'encounters' is the definition.
('meet' can be a synonym of 'encounter')
'fitting end to sports' is the wordplay.
'fitting' becomes 'meet' ('meet' can be a synonym of 'fitting').
'end to' indicates one should take the final letters.
The last letter of 'sports' is 's'.
'meet'+'s'='MEETS'
(Other definitions for meets that I've seen before include "Hunts" , "Encounters, perhaps by appointment" , "Comes into contact with" , "Hunt assemblies" , "Gathers together" .)