Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.
MLB roundup: Astros’ Framber Valdez goes distance to beat A’s
Yordan Alvarez hit two solo home runs, Jose Altuve added a two-run blast and Framber Valdez allowed a run and two hits in a complete game as the visiting Houston Astros rolled to a 5-1 win over the Oakland Athletics on Monday. Valdez (5-2) struck out seven and walked three, throwing a career-high 114 pitches in the Astros’ first complete game since Zack Greinke produced one on June 4, 2021.
Tennis-Swiatek extinguishes Zheng’s fire to reach French Open last eight
Iga Swiatek survived a big scare as she advanced to the French Open quarter-finals by beating Chinese teenager Qinwen Zheng 6-7(5) 6-0 6-2 for her 32nd consecutive victory on Monday.
The world number one, gunning for a second title in three years at Roland Garros, showed rare signs of nerves as she let a comfortable lead slip through her hands before steamrolling her opponent after Zheng suffered a thigh problem.
Factbox-Soccer-Timeline of Chelsea’s sale
Following is a timeline on the sale of Premier League soccer club Chelsea, which has been sold by Roman Abramovich to a consortium led by LA Dodgers part-owner Todd Boehly and backed by Clearlake Capital. Feb. 24
Tennis-Keys locked out of French Open by Russian Kudermetova
Madison Keys totally lost control after a brilliant opening set as she crashed out of the French Open with a 1-6 6-3 6-1 defeat by Russian Veronika Kudermetova on Monday. The 22nd seed, who was looking to be the third American into the last eight after Sloane Stephens and Coco Gauff qualified on Sunday, was powerless against her 25-year-old opponent’s heavy forehand.
Tennis-Djokovic v Nadal put on night session despite Spaniard’s reluctance
Tuesday’s highly-anticipated French Open quarter-final between world number one Novak Djokovic and 13-time champion Rafa Nadal has been scheduled to be played during the controversial night session despite the Spaniard expressing reservations against it. The night session, for which Amazon Prime has exclusive broadcasting rights in France, starts at 9 p.m. local time and was introduced for the first time at the 2021 edition of the claycourt major.
Tennis-American Pegula rallies to beat Begu and reach first Paris quarters
American Jessica Pegula fought back to defeat 63rd-ranked Romanian Irina-Camelia Begu 4-6 6-2 6-3 on Monday to reach the quarter-finals of the French Open for the first time. The 11th-seeded Pegula, the highest seed remaining in the women’s draw after world number one Iga Swiatek, became the third American woman to reach the last eight of the claycourt Grand Slam at this year’s Roland Garros tournament.
Soccer-France blames Liverpool, ticket fraud for Champions League trouble
The French government on Monday blamed massive ticket fraud and Liverpool’s handling of their fans for the crowd trouble which marred the club’s Champions League soccer final against Real Madrid in Paris over the weekend. But as a blame game over the fiasco continued into Monday, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson described the scenes outside the national stadium, which saw some fans including children tear-gassed by French police, as deeply upsetting.
Baseball-Giants manager takes a pause from anthem protest
San Francisco Giants manager Gabe Kapler decided that in honor of the Memorial Day holiday on Monday he would pause his plan to sit out the national anthem in protest against what he views as U.S. government inaction on gun violence. Kapler stopped taking the field for the pre-game playing of “The Star-Spangled Banner” last Friday, three days after the massacre of 19 children and two teachers in the deadliest U.S. school shooting in nearly a decade.
Tennis-Removing ranking points from Wimbledon not a great move says, Murray
Britain’s twice Wimbledon champion Andy Murray said on Monday the decision to strip the Grand Slam of its ranking points was not a “great move” by the ATP and WTA Tours. Wimbledon had its ranking points taken away by the men’s ATP and women’s WTA after the grasscourt major opted to exclude players from Russia and Belarus because of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which Moscow calls a ‘special operation’.
Rugby-Davidson to lead a first all-female team of referees in men’s test
Hollie Davidson will lead the first all-female team of referees to officiate a men’s test when she takes charge of a match between Portugal and Italy next month, World Rugby said. Scotland’s Davidson, who has already officiated a men’s test between Malta and Cyprus in March 2019, will also become the first female referee in a test featuring one of the Six Nations sides.
(With inputs from agencies.)