Tennis: Alcaraz headlines as French Open gets glimpse of future

PARIS, France -- Carlos Alcaraz headlines the first day of the French Open on Sunday as the teenage Spanish sensation gives Roland Garros a glimpse of the future of Grand Slam tennis.

The 19-year-old, bidding to become just the eighth teenager to capture a major men's title, is widely tipped to end the dominance of 13-time champion Rafael Nadal and two-time winner Novak Djokovic.

Alcaraz is the tour's dominant player in 2022, winning a season-leading 28 matches with just three losses.

Three of his titles have come on clay in Rio, Barcelona and Madrid where he defeated Nadal, Djokovic and world number three Alexander Zverev to take the title.

On Sunday, Alcaraz begins his French Open campaign against Argentine lucky loser Juan Ignacio Londero, ranked at 141 but who made the last 16 in 2019.

Alcaraz was ranked 97 this time last year. He was only two when Nadal won the first of his 13 French Opens in 2005 but he made his mark at the 2021 tournament where he came through qualifying to reach the third round.

"He definitely is special," admitted Djokovic of Alcaraz who also claimed the prestigious Miami Masters earlier in the year.

Top seed Djokovic, who turns 35 on Sunday, and fifth-seeded Nadal, with 41 Grand Slam titles between them, are not in action on the first day.

Also sitting out the opening program is women's world number one Iga Swiatek, the 2020 champion in Paris, who is on a 28-match win streak, having won five successive tournaments.

German third seed Alexander Zverev, a semi-finalist in 2021 when he gave up a two sets lead to Stefanos Tsitsipas, begins his bid for a maiden Slam title against Austria' Sebastian Ofner, ranked at 218.

Ofner, without a win on the main tour since July last year, has come through qualifying at Roland Garros for the first time in five attempts.

Two-time runner-up Dominic Thiem, whose ranking has slipped to 194 after a lengthy battle with a wrist injury, plays Hugo Dellien of Bolivia.

Thiem has yet to win a match since his return in March.

Opening proceedings on Court Philippe Chatrier is Tunisia's Ons Jabeur who faces Poland's 56th-ranked Magda Linette.

Jabeur, the first Arab or African player to capture a WTA 1000 title with her victory in Madrid, has dreams of replicating her 2011 junior triumph on the Parisian clay.

The 27-year-old has made three clay finals this season -- losing to Belinda Bencic in Charleston and Swiatek in Rome -- and boasts a tour-leading 17 claycourt wins this season.

Also in action on Sunday is Greek fourth seed Maria Sakkari against Clara Burel of France.

Sakkari was a semi-finalist at the French Open in 2021 where she was defeated in three sets by eventual champion Barbora Krejcikova.

Agence France-Presse

Khabib Nurmagomedov to be inducted into UFC Hall of Fame

Undefeated former lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov will be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame on July 2.

Nurmagomedov (29-0) was in attendance at UFC 272 in Las Vegas on Saturday when the UFC announced he'd join the 2022 Hall of Fame Class. The 33-year-old from Dagestan, a Russian republic, will be inducted into the Hall of Fame's modern fighter wing.

"Khabib is one of the greatest athletes to ever compete in professional sports," UFC president Dana White said. "No one dominated their opponents the way Khabib did, and to retire undefeated, as lightweight champion and the No. 1 pound-for-pound athlete in the world is an incredible accomplishment. It will be an honor to induct him into the UFC Hall of Fame this summer."

Nurmagomedov won the lightweight title in 2018 and held it until he officially announced his retirement in October 2020 in one of the more memorable scenes in mixed martial arts history.

Nurmagomedov retired in tears and laid his gloves on the mat following his UFC 254 victory against Justin Gaethje. The win occurred four months after he lost his father and longtime coach, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, to complications from COVID-19.

-reuters

Tennis: Ninth time lucky as Auger-Aliassime wins maiden ATP title

ROTTERDAM, Netherlands -- Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime ended his eight-final losing streak to capture his first ATP title in Rotterdam on Sunday with victory over world number four and top seed Stefanos Tsitsipas.

The 21-year-old triumphed 6-4, 6-2 in 78 minutes, backing up his semi-final win over second seed and defending champion Andrey Rublev.

"It has not been the smoothest road since my first final three years ago," Auger-Aliassime said during the trophy ceremony. 

"It is an amazing day for me to get my first title and especially here. I played my first ATP main draw here a couple of years ago, so it is right I won my first title here."

Before Sunday, world number nine Auger-Aliassime held an 0-8 record in tour-level finals, failing even to win a single set.

However, he has been in solid form in 2022, helping Canada to the ATP Cup title in January, before he reached the quarter-finals at the Australian Open, where he pushed world number two Daniil Medvedev to five sets.

He now also boasts a season-leading 12 wins on tour.

Sunday's victory took his head-to-head record against Tsitsipas to 3-5. His last win over the 23-year-old Greek had come back in 2019 on grass at Queen's Club in London.

"I have a lot of good memories playing here in front of you, so thank you for making it a special week for me that I will remember for the rest of my life," Auger-Aliassime told the Rotterdam crowd.

"It's the happiest day of my career and hopefully it is the first of many to come."

Agence France-Presse

Tennis: Nadal, Barty give Australian Open desperately needed happy ending

MELBOURNE, Australia -- An Australian Open like no other began in controversy with the deportation of Novak Djokovic but culminated in one of the greatest comebacks in tennis history by Rafael Nadal on Sunday. 

Throw in Ashleigh Barty becoming the first home winner for 44 years, and local heroes Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis winning the men's doubles, this was a Grand Slam that will live long in the memory for myriad reasons.

After the chaos that preceded the tournament, Tennis Australia couldn't have dreamt of a happier ending -- and it was one they desperately needed, after a competition riddled with unforced errors on the organizers' parts. 

It began with the spectacle of the nine-time Australian Open champion Djokovic being detained in a notorious immigration hotel, suffering multiple court cases and eventual deportation -- shocking no matter which side you sit in the Covid-19 vaccination debate.

When the first serve at Melbourne Park was struck on January 17, the world number one was in a Dubai airport transit lounge waiting for his connecting flight home to Belgrade.

It wasn't just the Djokovic saga that cast a shadow over the first Grand Slam tournament of 2022. 

Tennis Australia had to make a hasty and embarrassing U-turn after instructing staff to prevent spectators wearing "Where is Peng Shuai?" T-shirts to highlight concern for the Chinese player.

They also had to justify a largely voluntary Covid-19 testing protocol that came in for criticism from some players, notably world number three Alexander Zverev.

They may count themselves extremely lucky that there were only a handful of virus cases.

- Booing and screaming -

Tennis Australia will no doubt bask in the glory of their two historic champions, Nadal and Barty. 

Tournament director Craig Tiley was beaming through his mask during the presentation ceremonies.

But as a central figure in the pre-tournament chaos he, or his successor, must make sure the extraordinary scenes in the run-up to the tournament are never repeated.

Crowds were back in numbers after days of pandemic-enforced empty arenas the year before, but spectators came in for flak for their raucous behavior.

Kyrgios's opponents in particular complained of yobbish jeering, whipped up by the Australian bad boy. 

And in the final, booing and screaming between serves to try to put off Daniil Medvedev made Rod Laver Arena seem more like Madrid during a Davis Cup tie -- a feverishly pro-Nadal cauldron.

The atmosphere degenerated further as the beer began to talk ever louder, with the epic match grinding on past 1:00 am Monday. 

Medvedev became agitated, Nadal had to appeal for calm and the chair umpire had to threaten miscreants with removal by security staff.

- Monumental achievement -

But in the end, the abiding memory will be of Nadal's monumental achievement in winning that unprecedented 21st Grand Slam after an astonishing final lasting 5hr 24min.

It was Nadal's second Australian Open, but came 13 years after his first. 

It was his first win from two sets down in almost 15 years, and a first in a Slam final.

When he touched down in Melbourne, the 35-year-old had played no competitive tennis since early August because of a chronic foot injury. 

Eleven unbeaten matches later he has two more tournament wins and has moved ahead of Djokovic and Roger Federer as the all-time men's Grand Slam leader.

The absence of that pair -- Federer through injury, Djokovic through deportation -- will mean detractors will try to diminish Nadal's achievement, unparalleled as it is in the men's game. 

Surely to be the best, you have to beat the best? 

Nadal has good cause to say he did. 

Medvedev, the Russian world number two, blew Djokovic away in New York four months earlier to prevent the Serbian becoming first to strike 21.

The de facto top seed, Medvedev is 10 years Nadal's junior, was the most recent Grand Slam champion and looked unstoppable as he led by two sets and held three break points in the third.

TV's computerised "Win Predictor" put Nadal's chances of triumphing from there at four percent. 

But though Nadal was down, he was not quite out. 

Slowly his determination and sheer will to win enabled him to claw the match back from the brink. 

The result was on a knife-edge until the dying moments, and could have gone either way in the final set as the pair exchanged multiple service breaks.

But in the end four percent was all Nadal, and the Australian Open, needed.

Agence France-Presse

NBA: Klay Thompson (21 points) guides Warriors past Pistons

Klay Thompson had the best performance of his five-game-old season Tuesday night, hitting three 3-pointers among a game-high 21 points as the Golden State Warriors opened a seven-game homestand with a 102-86 romp over the Detroit Pistons in San Francisco.

Andrew Wiggins chipped in with 19 points and Stephen Curry had 18. Thompson, still early in his comeback from ACL and Achilles injuries, played 22 minutes.

Rodney McGruder, playing for the first time since his trade to the Denver Nuggets was voided, paced the Pistons with a season-high 19 points off the bench.Coming off a 1-3 trip, the Warriors wasted little time getting back in the swing of things, getting nine points from Wiggins, six from Curry and five from Thompson in a game-opening, 26-13 flurry.

The advantage mushroomed to 66-38 by halftime and maxed out at 73-39 in the fourth minute of the third quarter before the Warriors coasted to their third consecutive home win.

Thompson, who had shot just 35.7 percent both overall and on 3-point attempts while averaging 13.8 points in his first four games, went 6-for-13 from the field and 3-for-8 from long distance.

He also made all six of his free throws, making him 11-for-11 at the line for the season.

Curry, who also found time for a game-high eight assists and three steals, added four 3-pointers and Wiggins had three for the Warriors, who outscored the Pistons 42-27 from beyond the arc.

Golden State rookie Jonathan Kuminga responded to his third start of the season with his first double-double, grabbing a season-best 10 rebounds to complement 12 points.

Kevon Looney also had 10 rebounds for the Warriors, who outrebounded the guests 54-50.

McGruder, who had been inactive for Detroit's previous three games, scored 11 more points than he'd recorded in any game this season. He sank four of the Pistons' nine 3-pointers.

Hamidou Diallo added 16 points, Isaiah Stewart 14, Trey Lyles 13 and Saddiq Bey 10 for the Pistons, who had won three of their previous five games.

Rookie Cade Cunningham shot just 3-for-10 and was limited to eight points for Detroit, which was opening a four-game Western swing that continues Wednesday night in Sacramento.

Diallo and Stewart both logged double-doubles, Diallo with a game-high 13 rebounds and Stewart with 11 boards.

-reuters

NBA: Fred VanVleet puts up 32 as Raptors top 76ers

Fred VanVleet scored 32 points, including a clutch 3-pointer with 24.8 seconds remaining, and the Toronto Raptors defeated the host Philadelphia 76ers 115-109 on Thursday.

Gary Trent Jr. and OG Anunoby contributed 20 each and Chris Boucher had 17 for the Raptors, who snapped a three-game losing streak. Scottie Barnes contributed 13 points and nine rebounds.

Pascal Siakam was given the night off by the Raptors to rest his shoulder. Siakam has played in only two games after offseason shoulder surgery.

Tyrese Maxey led the Sixers with 33 points and Tobias Harris returned from a six-game absence due to health and safety protocols to produce 19 points, seven rebounds and seven assists.

Seth Curry added 15 points, Shake Milton had 12 and Andre Drummond grabbed 12 rebounds and blocked four shots.

The Sixers have dropped three in a row immediately following a six-game winning streak.

Philadelphia played without Joel Embiid, Matisse Thybulle and Isaiah Joe all for health and safety protocols. Ben Simmons (personal reasons) has yet to play this season.

The Sixers went ahead 57-47 after Harris' floater in the lane with 34 seconds remaining in the second quarter.

The Raptors sliced the lead in half from there and trailed by five at halftime.

Toronto ripped off a 13-2 run capped by a Barnes jumper to go ahead 70-68 with 4:49 left in the third.

The Raptors quickly pulled out to a seven-point lead early in the fourth before Maxey came back with a tough jumper. Trent hit a trey and Boucher threw down a dunk for an 90-80 Raptors lead.

Milton knocked down a reverse layup with 7:23 remaining and the Sixers trailed 94-91. After an empty Toronto possession, Harris hit a jumper to cap a 6-0 run to cut the deficit to one.

Toronto answered with a surge of its own and took a 105-97 advantage with 4:31 left after Anunoby's 3-pointer from the wing.

A 9-0 Sixers surge, capped by Drummond's offensive rebound and layup with 1:44 remaining, put the hosts ahead 109-107.

Trent Jr. made a 3-pointer with 1:10 left as Toronto regained the lead 110-109. VanVleet's trey and two late Anunoby free throws sealed the win.

-Field Level Media 

Game 3 of NBA Finals looms, Lakers leading Heat 2-0 so far

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — For the Los Angeles Lakers, the mission is simple: Get two more wins and become NBA champions.

For the Miami Heat, the mission may be even more simple: Get one win and make this a series.

Game 3 of the NBA Finals is Sunday night, the Lakers holding a 2-0 lead in the title matchup — putting the franchise within reach of a record-tying 17th championship, LeBron James closer to his fourth ring and Anthony Davis perhaps a few days away from his first crown. They know desperation is coming from a banged-up Miami team, since Game 3 is almost certainly a must for the Heat.

“We’re never giving up,” Heat forward Jimmy Butler said. “We’re going to fight and we’re going to ride with this thing until the wheels fall off. It’s not over. We’re just down 0-2, so we’ve got to do something special. We’re capable of it and I wouldn’t want to be in the trenches with any other guys except for the ones that we have.”

Thing is, Butler isn’t certain which guys will be in those trenches Sunday.

All-Star center Bam Adebayo missed Game 2 with neck and shoulder problems, while starting point guard Goran Dragic also couldn’t play because of a torn left plantar fascia. Adebayo is hopeful that he could be well enough to play Sunday; Dragic wants desperately to be out there as well, but the Heat have concerns about how painful it would be for him.

Saturday was scheduled to be a day of more round-the-clock treatment for Dragic and Adebayo. If the Heat get either of them back, it’s a bonus.

“We can either fold or fight like the Miami Heat do,” rookie guard Tyler Herro said. “We know what kind of team we are. We know what we are capable of. Next game, we are going to fight and make some plays. It’s not going to be easy.”

The Lakers also say the same. They are, however, making things look easy.

The biggest stat differences in the first two games are the Lakers outscoring the Heat by 27 points from 3-point range (the total difference in scoring between the teams is 28) and a 25-11 edge so far in offensive rebounding.

“We know we can be a lot better and we’re just, myself and AD, we’re not satisfied with just the win,” James said. “We want to be great. We want to be great, as close to 48 minutes as possible.”

The Lakers not named James or Davis are shooting a combined 39% — but the two superstars are more than making up for that, shooting a combined 59%. If that’s what it takes, Davis isn’t complaining.

“We know we have something special with us two and this team, and just trying to capitalize on it,” Davis said.

Being in the NBA Finals 10 times now means James has seen just about everything, which also means he can sound whatever alarm he wants.

Only four teams have come back from 2-0 deficits in the finals. James was on the most recent club to do it, the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers who were down 2-0 and 3-1 before rallying to beat the Golden State Warriors in seven games for his third title.

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra was an assistant coach in 2006, when Miami rallied from down 2-0 against Dallas for that season’s championship. Like James, he knows it can be done.

“What will it take? Whatever is necessary. It’s simple as that,” Spoelstra said. “If you want something badly enough, you’ll figure it out. Our group is extremely stubborn, persistent, and we just need to figure out how to overcome this opponent. And that we respect the quality, high quality of opponent that we’re playing. You’ve’ got to figure it out and overcome it.”

There does seem to be a clear sense outside the Miami and Los Angeles locker rooms that the series is over.

There are already questions being asked about whether James or Davis should be the NBA Finals MVP. Whomever was at the controls of the social media accounts for the National Basketball Retired Players Association on Friday night predicted Game 2 would be a 91-point win for the Lakers.

The Lakers aren’t celebrating early. But if Davis and James keep going like this, the Lakers’ chances are looking pretty good.

“You know, we are not there yet. We have a long way to go,” Lakers coach Frank Vogel said. “This is a very resilient basketball team that we are playing and a team that just flew through the East. We have great respect for them. But those guys are playing at an extremely high level, and hopefully we can get two more wins.”

-Associated Press

Djokovic’s parents defend son Novak, blame another player

BELGRADE, Serbia — Novak Djokovic’s parents defended their son on Wednesday and blamed another tennis player for spreading the coronavirus at a series of exhibition matches hosted by the top-ranked player.

Djokovic and his wife tested positive for the virus on Tuesday. The 17-time Grand Slam champion then apologized online for organizing the Adria Tour events, which brought together professional players from various countries to play matches in Serbia and Croatia.


Thousands of spectators attended the matches and no social distancing was observed.


Djokovic’s outspoken father blamed the cancellation of the tour on Grigor Dimitrov, one of the three other players to test positive in the last few days. There is no evidence to suggest Dimitrov spread the virus to others.

“Why did it happen? Because that man probably came sick, who knows from where,” Srdjan Djokovic told RTL Croatia TV. “He didn’t test here, he tested somewhere else … I think that’s not fair.

“He inflicted damage to both Croatia and to us as a family in Serbia,” Srdjan Djokovic said. “Nobody is feeling well because of this situation.”


Dimitrov, a three-time Grand Slam semifinalist from Bulgaria, was the first Adria Tour participant to test positive for the virus. He was followed by Borna Coric and Viktor Troicki.

The infections raised questions about the full-fledged return of competitive tennis, including the scheduled U.S. Open in August.

“We were wrong and it was too soon,” wrote Djokovic, who has previously said he was against taking a vaccine for the virus even if it became mandatory to travel.

Dimitrov played in matches in both Belgrade and at the Croatian Adriatic resort of Zadar. He reportedly arrived in Serbia from the United States and his native Bulgaria. He did not immediately respond to The Associated Press’ request for comment while recovering from the infection in Monaco.

NBA player Nikola Jokic, a Serb who plays for the Denver Nuggets, has also tested positive for the coronavirus. He was pictured shaking hands with Djokovic at an exhibition basketball event in Belgrade this month.


Jokic is reportedly recovering in his hometown of Sombor.

Djokovic’s mother said both her son and his wife Jelena are feeling fine, but are suffering because of the widespread criticism.

“It is horrible what is being written, but we are used to it,” Dijana Djokovic told the Belgrade Blic daily newspaper.

The coronavirus outbreak led to the suspension of the ATP and WTA professional tennis tours in March. Plans were announced last week for the sport’s sanctioned events to return in August.

The U.S. Open is scheduled to begin Aug. 31 without spectators.

The Associated Press

NBA players in the Bubble can wear a ring that predicts COVID-19 contraction

To track the health of basketball teams stationed in the NBA Bubble, The Athletic reports that each player will have the option of wearing a high-tech ring that can track their probability of having contracted COVID-19.

For the 22 NBA teams still in the running to play in the playoffs currently stationed in what’s referred to as the NBA Bubble in Orlando, Florida, a handful of technologies exist to help them avoid contracting COVID-19, especially since playing a contact sport is especially risky right now.


One of these optional technologies, according to the report, is called an Oura smart ring which can track and record various physiological characteristics of the wearer like their body temperature and respiratory rate. Based on these values, the ring can determine one’s likelihood of having contracted COVID-19 three days before symptoms are observed with 90 percent accuracy.

Unless a ring alerts personnel that a player probably has the coronavirus, the recorded personal information will remain confidential.

Team staff will *not* have any access to player data from the wearable ring (should any player actually choose to wear it) aside from instances in which the "illness probability score" triggers a further medical review.

https://t.co/q7nk1cBzIa

— Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) June 17, 2020

The battery of such rings, which function more or less like a FitBit in ring form, has a battery life of about a week and are durable enough to resist water and scratches. While this Oura ring comes in a variety of colors and finishes, the starting price for the most basic iteration is $299 (almost P15,000).

It’s reported that NBA players will have the option to wear this ring or not.


-AFP Relaxnews-

Yankees top Forbes’ list of richest MLB clubs

Major League Baseball may lose billions to the coronavirus shutdown, but its clubs appear to be on
firm footing according to Forbes’ latest list of franchise values released Thursday.

The financial publication estimated that 28 of 30 MLB clubs appreciated in value in 2019.


The New York Yankees once again top the list, appreciating 9% to $5 billion in total value.

According to Forbes, the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys, worth an estimated $5.5 billion, are the only sports franchise in the world worth more than the Yanks.

Forbes predicted that strong recent profits will “help offset any downturn from the delayed season.”

MLB has indefinitely postponed the 2020 campaign, which had been scheduled to start on March 26, as health authorities urge social distancing to slow the spread of deadly COVID-19.

Until the setback, Forbes said, MLB profits were at record highs thanks to flat player costs and increased revenue of $16 million per team on average.

Forbes calculated that the Yankees generated $683 million in revenue in 2019.

The Los Angeles Dodgers were rated the second-most valuable team at $3.4 billion, and also posted the second-highest revenue, Forbes said.

The Boston Red Sox clocked in at third at $3.3 billion, followed by the Chicago Cubs ($3.2 billion), San Francisco Giants ($3.1 billion), New York Mets ($2.4 billion), St. Louis Cardinals ($2.2 billion) and Philadelphia Phillies ($2 billion).

Only the Pittsburgh Pirates and Miami Marlins dropped in value, the Pirates by 1% and the Marlins by 2%.

Only the Marlins, valued at $980 million, were outside the billionaire club, according to the calculations by Forbes.

Agence France-Presse

Italian union urges pay deal for lower league players

The head of the Italian footballers' association (AIC) on Sunday urged football authorities in the country to strike a deal to safeguard lower league players, who risk losing their livelihoods due to the deadly coronavirus pandemic.

"In Lega Pro (which manages the third-tier Serie C), Serie D and women's football there are players who provide for their families with very low earnings," AIC president Damiano Tommasi told Rainews24.

"We're looking to see if the resources we can get our hands on can help give them some security... 70 percent of players in the Lega Pro have gross earnings of less than 50,000 euros ($54,000) a year."

"Even going beyond individual athletes, I believe we have a responsibility to protect the kit men, physical therapists, drivers and pitch-side workers."

Tommasi spoke a day before a videoconference meeting between Serie A clubs in which player salaries -- as well as potential dates to restart the league -- will be on the agenda after failing to strike a deal with the AIC.

The top-flight outfits had reportedly proposed a four-month suspension of salary payments in line with what Juventus players have already agreed with their club, an idea that was given short shrift by the AIC, who according to newspaper Gazzetta Dello Sport counter-proposed a one month stop.

On Saturday, the president of the Lega Pro Francesco Ghirelli said sides in the division could disappear in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, which appeared on Sunday to be slowly abating in Italy but has still killed thousands.

"With every day that passes, there is a greater risk that entire clubs and companies could be forced out of business," Ghirelli said in a statement.

"The whole network of Serie C clubs is very close to collapse ... The very real risk is that owners could see their clubs go bankrupt. Players would then find themselves with no club and, consequently, no salary at all.

"This is why we need sacrifices from everyone to save football. We need to realise as soon as possible that this virus could see many Serie C clubs disappear."

Agence France-Presse

NBA, sports shutdown could go much longer

The already-delayed professional sports seasons in North America could be on hiatus for significantly longer than first planned after federal officials said Sunday that they recommend all in-person events involving 50 people or more be called off for the next eight weeks.

That’s twice as long as the 30-day shutdowns that the NBA, NHL and Major League Soccer decided to put into place last week in response to the global coronavirus pandemic that has already made a deep impact on the U.S. financial markets and has been blamed for at least 64 deaths in this country.

Major League Baseball also was going with what essentially was a 30-day shutdown after canceling the rest of spring training and pushing back the start of regular season play for two weeks; opening day was to have been March 26.

But new recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Sunday night seem to suggest that sports in this country could for all intents and purposes be gone until May, if not later.

“CDC, in accordance with its guidance for large events and mass gatherings, recommends that for the next 8 weeks, organizers … cancel or postpone in-person events that consist of 50 people or more throughout the United States,” it said. “Events of any size should only be continued if they can be carried out with adherence to guidelines for protecting vulnerable populations, hand hygiene, and social distancing.”

The eight-week window easily exceeds what would have been the remainder of the NBA and NHL regular seasons, plus would cover about the first 25% of the MLB season — or roughly 40 games per team. It would also cast serious doubt on the ability to hold other major U.S. sporting events as planned, such as the Kentucky Derby in early May.

The NBA was already bracing to play games without fans in arenas, something that would have started late last week had a player — Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz — not tested positive for the virus, COVID-19. Utah teammate Donovan Mitchell and Detroit’s Christian Wood have tested positive since, but Gobert’s diagnosis was enough for the league to say that it was suspending play.

“I’ve been feeling a little better every single day,” Gobert said in a video posted Sunday. He added, “I wish I would have took this thing more seriously.”

Later Sunday, a person with knowledge of the matter said the NBA has sent teams a memo saying players can leave their home markets during the shutdown if they so choose — yet another clear sign that the game’s hiatus is not ending anytime soon. But if those players do leave for another market, they must do so after coordinating plans with their teams and medical advisers.

The memo also told teams formal practices will remain off indefinitely, individual workouts at team facilities may continue and detailed other safeguards teams should be taking at this point, according to the person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the memo had not been released publicly.

The NBA has already been asking teams to share availability for their arenas through the end of July, a sign that the league is prepared to extend the season at least that long if necessary — and those moves came a couple of days before the CDC made its latest recommendation. The NBA regular season was to have ended April 15 and the NBA Finals were to have started June 4, with the season done on or before June 21.


For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.

The vast majority of people recover from the new virus. According to the World Health Organization, people with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to recover. In mainland China, where the virus first exploded, more than 80,000 people have been diagnosed and more than 58,000 have so far recovered.

It’s not just the team sports that have been shut down: Pro tennis and golf have basically been called off for the next several weeks, with such marquee events as Indian Wells and the Miami Open in tennis and The Players Championship and Masters in golf either canceled or postponed. The NCAA men’s Division I college basketball tournament — March Madness — was to release its bracket Sunday and start the now-canceled 68-team tournament Tuesday. The women’s Division I tournament was to have started this week.

They’ve all been called off, as have all other winter- and spring-sport seasons at all levels of the NCAA. Most high school state associations have also had to cancel seasons and championships as well. Some minor-league hockey leagues have canceled seasons, and it seems increasingly unlikely that the G League — the NBA’s minor league — will resume play this season. Even a polo match in South Florida on Sunday was played without fans or reporters present, with organizers saying they needed to take ultimate precautions.

Some NBA players were spending Sunday at home playing video games; Miami’s Goran Dragic posted a video of himself outside his house kicking a soccer ball around. Others, like Golden State’s Stephen Curry, were urging their fans to continue taking the pandemic seriously.

“We all have to take responsibility for ourselves and do whatever it takes to #stopthespread,” Curry told his 14.1 million followers on Twitter. “There’s a sense of urgency to flatten the curve and give ourselves and the healthcare system the best chance to get through this pandemic. Share this message and let’s protect each other!”

Associated Press

Warriors' Curry poised for return on March 1, says Kerr

SAN FRANCISCO – Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry is being lined up to return from injury in this weekend's game against the Washington Wizards, head coach Steve Kerr confirmed Tuesday (Wednesday, Manila time).

Speaking ahead of the Warriors' clash with the Sacramento Kings, Kerr said Curry was targeting Sunday's game with the Wizards as a possible return date.

Curry has not played since fracturing his hand in the Warriors' fourth game of the season against Phoenix on October 30.


The Warriors, who also had to grapple with the departure of Kevin Durant last season and long-term injury to Klay Thompson, are currently languishing at the foot of the Western Conference with a 12-45 record.

Kerr however handed the Warriors a rare piece of good news on Tuesday after confirming a report that Curry was set to return on Sunday.

"That is the hope," Kerr said. "We're going to re-evaluate on Saturday. He won't come back before (March 1) but I know he's had that date in his mind," Kerr added.

"He'll continue to work this week and we'll make that determination on Saturday whether he'll play on Sunday."

Kerr said Curry's rehabilitation had been mostly restricted to conditioning and shooting drills. The team planned to put Curry through his paces in more practice games this week.


"He looks good," Kerr said. "He's only had one scrimmage game because that's the only practice that we had that enabled that.

"He's been working with the team but most of that is drill work. But he's been doing his post-practice workouts for several weeks and really working hard on his shooting and conditioning.

"He's doing everything he possibly can to prepare for his return. But ultimately it's not the same as being out there and getting knocked around a little bit.

"In the next couple of days we'll try and simulate some action as best we can."

Curry's return to fitness is also good news for the United States Olympic basketball team, with the Golden State ace determined to make the team for this summer's games in Tokyo.

Agence France-Presse

Ostapenko outlasts Aussie champ Kenin in 3 sets in Fed Cup

EVERETT, Wash. — Jelena Ostapenko defeated Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin in three sets on Saturday as Latvia pulled within 2-1 of the United States in its Fed Cup qualifying match.

Ostapenko beat Kenin 6-3, 2-6, 6-2 to give Latvia its first point against the Americans. Ostapekno broke Kenin four times in the third set as the former French Open champion outlasted the most recent Grand Slam winner.


Serena Williams, who improved to 14-0 all-time in Fed Cup singles matches with a victory over Ostapenko on Friday night, was scheduled to face Latvia’s Anastasija Sevastova in Saturday’s second singles match. The U.S. needed one more victory to clinch a spot in the Fed Cup Finals in April in Budapest, Hungary.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Kobe’s stolen jersey returned for ceremony at high school

ARDMORE, Pa.  (AP) — Kobe Bryant’s high school jersey spent more time in China of late than it did hanging on the wall of the gym named in honor of the school’s career leading scorer.

Bryant’s retired No. 33 jersey was stolen in 2017 from Lower Merion High School’s campus and eventually bought by a collector in China. Suspicious the jersey was stolen, the Kobe collector contacted the school and helped return the keepsake to suburban Philadelphia, a process already underway before Bryant was killed Sunday in a helicopter crash.


The uniform was at last back Saturday where it belonged — unveiled under a spotlight by Bryant’s cousin, his old high school coach, and a former teammate at Bryant Gymnasium.

“Good timing,” Lower Merion coach Gregg Downer said. “That was kind of an iconic moment when the spotlight went on that jersey. It was just tremendous. It was major irony, almost, how we’ve been waiting for that jersey for a long time. For a long time we didn’t know where it was. To have it back, it’s a fitting ending to a tough week.”

Outside of Los Angeles, no place was as connected with Bryant as Lower Merion. At a tribute Friday night in LA, the entire Lakers lineup was introduced the same way: “From Lower Merion High School, No. 8, Kobe Bryant.” Golfer Justin Thomas wore a Bryant No. 33 LM jersey at a tournament. The Sixers had the 33 logo on the court this week at their first home since Bryant was killed.

While NBA teams spent the ensuing days holding observances for Bryant, Lower Merion finally played its first home game and celebrated the biggest star to ever play for the Aces. Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others killed were all remembered in the pregame ceremony.

“Because of Kobe, Lower Merion High School is known all over the globe,” principal Sean Hughes told the crowd. “Despite his international fame, Kobe kept very close to our hearts. He returned here to meet with beloved (English teachers), and of course, coach Downer. He helped make this gym the wonderful facility it is. He was a strong supporter, not only of our basketball teams, but all of Aces Nation.”

The gym was packed to at least the 1,600 capacity, and students — some asking this week at school for $40 for the $3 ticket — wore black T-shirts that read “The Heartbeat of Aces Nation” with a 33 inside an ace. Sixers coach Brett Brown’s son plays on the team, connections far removed from the A-listers that packed Staples Center a night earlier in a stirring ceremony. At Lower Merion, a former student sang the national anthem. A teacher unveiled a portrait she had painted of Bryant. School administrators gave speeches.

Once the ball tipped, it was business as usual, without the 24-second shot clock and eight-second backcourt violations NBA teams have been performing to salute Bryant’s two pro uniform numbers. Lower Merion did hold 33 seconds of silence, and former teammates (and Bryant’s cousin, John Cox) gathered in a mournful circle at midcourt.

In some ways, the Aces’ 42-37 overtime win over Souderton seemed as normal as Bryant’s presence in the gym. He’s just a name between Carly Brown and Mike Venafra on a banner listing the Aces’ career 1,000-point scorers. A photo of Bryant holding the 1996 Class AAAA state championship trophy was on the wall, blending in with dozens of other great players and teams from program history.

There was even some levity during video highlights of his playing career when Bryant was shown reminiscing about his high school days, saying “the first year I got there, we went like 4 and 40 or something. We were terrible.”



Cirilo Perez drove nearly 2½ hours from Heightsville, Maryland, to pay his respects to Bryant at the memorial in front of the gym. He didn’t have a ticket to the game, he simply wanted to be part of the day devoted to his favorite player. Perez wore a Bryant jersey and left his Lakers hat at the scene, which was loaded with basketballs, cards and signs left from Bryant fans near and far.

“He put in the work and brought that blue-collar mentality that a lot of people connect with, not only here, but around the world,” Perez said. “He found a way to connect.”

Carter Knight, an assistant coach at Souderton, gathered the Indians for a team photo at the site.

“It’s real right now,” Knight said. “We’ve been talking about the ‘Mamba Mentality’ since the start of the season, so it’s crazy that we’re here today. We’ve been harping on that the entire season, that mental toughness and what Kobe brought and what he stands for.”

His former guidance counselor attended the game, recalling how Bryant’s Toyota Land Cruiser was often parked in the teacher’s lot long before the school day started.

“His smile was the greatest thing I remember,” Frank Hartwell said. “He was just an inspiration to so many, it wasn’t all about himself. He was here before school every day working on his skills. He wasn’t just in here shooting, he was working on his moves.”

Hartwell said Bryant even talked to him as he considered his biggest move — making the jump to the NBA straight from Lower Merion.

“I gave him the pros and cons but I told him, ‘It’s up to you.’ I think he made the right decision,” Hartwell said.

Bryant made the right call, starting with a Mamba Mentality that took hold in Lower Merion long before it became a marketing catchphrase.

“It was a chase of excellence like I’ve never seen,” Downer said.

source: AP

Fil-Am fan of Kobe Bryant visits crash site

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol — Filipino-American Andy Digal Doria went to church on Monday morning (Philippine time) when he first learned of Kobe Bryant’s  death from a news alert on his phone.

“It’s devastating,” said Doria, a Glendale resident who works as a real estate broker in California.


“We’ve lost a legend,” he told Inquirer in an interview on Facebook Messenger.

Doria, a Los Angeles Lakers fan, immediately went to the crash site in Calabasas, about 30-minute drive from his home.

He said it was foggy and cold on Monday morning but it didn’t hamper fans to visit the crash site.

He said he had seen fans and media and emergency vehicles on Willlow Glen Street and Las Virgenes Road.

Calabasas officials encouraged people to go to the DeAnza Park as Las Virgenes and Lost Hills were off to the public.

Some fans brought LA Lakers jersey and streamers to show their love for Bryant.

He saw smoke from the crash site.

In downtown Los Angeles,  thousands of fans gathered outside the Staples Center  to remember Bryant.

Doria said the Los Angeles Police Department put restrictions around Staples Center. Fans could not be able to access the area, and some areas around the venue were closed.



Bryant was killed in a helicopter crash along with his daughter and 7 others who were on board.

Staples Center was the home of the Los Angeles Lakers, where Bryant spent all 20 years of his career.

Bryant, 41, an NBA great who retired in 2016, spent his 20-year career with the Lakers, earning five National Basketball Association championships and numerous other honors.

source: sports.inquirer.net

NBA legend Kobe Bryant killed in helicopter crash

NBA legend Kobe Bryant died Sunday when a helicopter crashed and burst into flames in foggy conditions in suburban Los Angeles, leaving five people dead, US media reported on Sunday.

Los Angeles County Sheriff's officials said there were no survivors from the morning crash on a rugged hillside in Calabasas, west of Los Angeles.

The helicopter was described as a Sikorsky S-76, Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Allen Kenitzer said.

TMZ was the first US outlet to report that Bryant was among the fatalities. The NBA icon's death was later confirmed by ESPN, CNN and the Los Angeles Times citing unidentified sources.

TMZ reported that Bryant's wife, Vanessa was not among those on board the helicopter.

Early reports of Bryant's death sent shockwaves throughout the world, with fellow stars and celebrities expressing disbelief at the news.

"I'm stunned," wrote Hall-of-Fame NBA star Scottie Pippen. "Words can't even come close to describing it. Just an incredibly sad and tragic day."

"This can't be true," Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic wrote on Twitter. "No please."

Tennis great Martina Navratilova added: "Gone much too soon, how devastating to hear of his passing, he gave joy to so many for so long - deep condolences to his family, his friends, his Laker family. RIP Kobe."

At the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles, dozens of shocked fans gathered to pay tribute to the star.

The crash came only hours after the 41-year-old former Los Angeles Lakers icon was passed by current Lakers star LeBron James for third on the all-time NBA scoring list in a Saturday game at Philadelphia.

Bryant's final post on social media had been a tweet congratulating James on surpassing him.

"Continuing to move the game forward @KingJames," Bryant wrote. "Much respect my brother #33644".


- Five-time champion -


Bryant was a five-time NBA champion in a career that began in 1996 straight out of a high school and lasted until his retirement in 2016.

He also was a two-time Olympic gold medalist, helping spark the US squad of NBA stars to titles in 2008 at Beijing and 2012 at London.

Bryant bowed out of the NBA in 2016, scoring 60 points in his final appearance before his adoring fans at the Staples Center.

It was a fairytale farewell to a sporting career which had begun two decades earlier.

The son of former NBA player Joe "Jellybean" Bryant, the Lakers legend was born in Philadelphia in 1978 while his father played for the 76ers.

The elder Bryant played from 1984 to 1991 in Italy, giving young Kobe a global worldview as he grew up dreaming of following his dad into the NBA.

When his father retired as a player, the family moved back to the Philadelphia area and Kobe began his star turn at Lower Merion High School, where his jersey number 33 was retired.

He decided at age 17 to jump directly from the prep ranks to the NBA, only the sixth player and first guard to make such a leap.

Bryant was selected 13th overall by the Charlotte Hornets in the 1996 NBA Draft but they were picking for the Lakers in a deal made before the draft.

At 18, Bryant became, at the time, the youngest player or starter in an NBA game and the youngest winner of the NBA Slam Dunk Contest.

In 1998, he became the youngest NBA All-Star starter. In a 1999 campaign shortened by a labor dispute, Bryant started every game for the Lakers and signed a six-year deal worth $70 million.

As the Michael Jordan era ended in Chicago, Bulls coach Phil Jackson wound up joining the Lakers and with sharpshooter Bryant joining dominating inside force Shaquille O'Neal, the Lakers captured three NBA crowns in a row from 2000-2002, returning the team to glory days unseen since 1988.


He remained with the franchise for the remainder of his career, successfully branching out into the entertainment industry following his retirement.

In 2018, he won an Oscar for his animated short film "Dear Basketball", a love letter to the sport which brought him fame and fortune.

AFP

Eala in quarterfinals of Aussie Open lead up

Alex Eala fought her way back to defeat Russian Elina Avanesyan, 5-7, 7-5, 6-1, on Sunday to make the girls singles quarterfinals of the AGL Loy Yang Traralgon junior international tennis in Australia.

The 14-year-old Eala, priming up for her main draw appearance in the coming Australian Open, displayed the grit and power that enabled her to vault to No. 9 in the world in girls singles.


“It was a big test for Alex,” said her father Mike just minutes after the match.

The fourth-seeded Eala was down a set and 3-5 at 30-all in the ninth game of the second set when she mounted the rally that secured her spot in the Top 8.

Eala had earlier disposed of Hungary’s Amarissa Kiara Toth, 6-1, 6-2, in the first round, before beating China’s Na Dong, 6-2, 6-1.

She also made the second round in doubles paired

with Indonesia’s Priska Madelyn Nugroho. They beat Australia’s Olivia Gadecki and Amy Stevens, 6-2, 7-5, to advance.

They were set to play Belgium’s Sofia Costoulas and Croatia’s Antonia Ruzic before play was halted due to rain. INQ

sports.inquirer.net

McGregor says he was ‘close’ to signing fight with Manny Pacquiao

MANILA, Philippines — Conor McGregor’s first dabble in boxing did not end well after he was stopped in the 10th round by Floyd Mayweather three years ago.

But the MMA star doesn’t want that to be his only appearance inside the ring.


In an interview with Ariel Helwani on the MMA Show, McGregor bared his plans for at least three boxing fights, which include a rematch with Mayweather and a showdown with Manny Pacquiao, as well as his aspirations to win a boxing world title.

“I’d like to rematch Floyd. I mean, he’s flirting with it and they want all this. And he can go and pick someone else, it’s not gonna be the same. It’s not. I’ve done phenomenal in that bout,” McGregor said.

“But also, I would be open to other boxing bouts. You know, Manny. We’re actually close to signing Manny. There’s been talks about the Manny fight as well. There was an offer made on that. Just not yet,” added the former two-division champion in the UFC, who is also interested in fighting former boxing champion Paulie Malignaggi.


It’s not the first time a potential crossover clash between McGregor and Pacquiao came up after the two warriors had been reportedly engaged in “initial” talks about a fight in December 2017.

For now, boxing can wait with McGregor just four days away from his return to the Octagon against Donald Cerrone in the main event of UFC 246 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas after a 15-month layoff.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Novak Djokovic beats Shapovalov, leads Serbia into ATP Cup semis

SYDNEY— Novak Djokovic had an almost full house on his side at Ken Rosewell Arena, and felt like he needed to be a responsible host for his guests.

There was a delay late in the third set of his ATP Cup quarterfinal match against Denis Shapovalov on Friday when a spectator needed medical attention from paramedics and Djokovic, despite being down 0-30 while serving for the match, took a bottle of water over toward the stadium seating and asked the crowd to pass it along.

He got back level at 30-30 in that game before Shapovalov broke to level the set at 5-5. The Canadian saved a breakpoint in the next game but after the match went to a tiebreaker following 2 1/2 hours, Djokovic seized control by winning the first five points and then finished off a comeback 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (4).

Dusan Lajovic had earlier beaten Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-4, 6-2 and so Djokovic’s win sealed the quarterfinal ahead of the doubles match, giving Serbia a spot in the semifinals against Russia. Serbia won the doubles to complete a 3-0 sweep.

“That was so close, it could have gone in a different way easily. (Shapovalov) was playing terrific tennis,” Djokovic said. “It felt, not a little bit, fully like I’m playing at home.”

Djokovic, who has won a record seven Australian Open men’s singles titles, was playing in Sydney for the first time in a decade after going 3-0 in singles in the ATP Cup group stage in Brisbane.

“I’m mean, Brisbane we had amazing support — but this has taken it to a different level,” Djokovic said. “All the Serbian people came out today.

“They were engaged sometimes a little bit too much, and Denis was rightfully annoyed at times, you know, with the sounds, but it was a Davis Cup-like atmosphere, really. I mean, ATP Cup brings this kind of opportunity for players to experience something they don’t experience in 90% of the tournaments.”

The temperature topped topped 33 Celsius (91 F) during the match, and it was hazy outside with a lack of breeze, making the conditions inside the arena stifling.

Djokovic endured it all to extend his record to 5-0 against Shapovalov. The constant chants and even a burst of trumpet from the flag-waving Serbian fans certainly helped him, he said. The 16-time major winner reveled in the team environment, with his teammates and coaches on the side of the court, and the echo of “Nole, Nole, Nole” going around the stadium.

Shapovalov complained about the noise made as he served a double-fault to fall behind 4-0 in the tiebreaker, and the umpire asked the crowd to keep quiet during the service motion.


He was agitated during the match but didn’t complain later, saying he was getting more comfortable taking on Djokovic and the other top players.

“With my confidence right now, with my game, I really feel that I can take it to anyone, and I feel like against anyone I have a chance to win,”he said. “Today again, it’s another step for me, showing me that I’m right there with these guys. Honestly, I was a couple points away from taking the match. So, yeah, I think I’m at a really good position.”

Russia captain Marat Safin said his team would benefit from the extra day of rest and could win both singles matches against Serbia on Saturday, and have the semifinal wrapped up before the doubles.

Australia awaits in the semifinals for the winner of Friday’s later match between Spain and Belgium.

source: sports.inquirer.net