AP Sports

Wimbledon 2024: Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray are in the draw after recent operations

WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray have both been placed in the Wimbledon bracket during the draw despite coming off recent operations. Being in Friday’s draw is no guarantee either 37-year-old past champion at the All England Club will actually compete at the event that begins Monday. Djokovic has looked in practice sessions this week as though he is ready to go, less than a month after having surgery for a torn meniscus in his right knee. He has won seven of his men’s-record 24 Grand Slam titles at Wimbledon. Murray is a two-time trophy winner at the grass-court tournament who made clear on Thursday that he would wait until the last moment to decide whether or not to play.

Vibrant fan culture at Euro 2024 comes at security cost of beer cup showers and field invaders

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — The flip side of the European Championship having a vibrant fan culture is the added security risk inside stadiums. A tournament staged in Germany that’s affordable and accessible in the center of Europe has revealed some challenges. Too many fans have got on the field and close to players. Often they were seeking a selfie with Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portugal superstar also nearly was hit entering the players’ tunnel by a leaping fan landing next to him. At the most beer-friendly of recent soccer tournaments, plastic cups have rained down on the players and the England coach. TV commentators have broadcast about getting in-game beer showers.

Here’s why the Olympics have a French connection (and it ain’t just Paris 2024)

PARIS (AP) — While the Ancient Olympics originated in Greece, its modern incarnation is very much a French affair. The Games were revived in the 1890s by a French nobleman, Baron Pierre de Coubertin. He now holds a questionable legacy. For many years, French was the sole language of the Games. Paris is now preparing to host the 2024 Olympics 100 years since it last held them. And Paris is pulling out all the stops to celebrate the Games and France’s cultural and historic connections with the Olympics. Coubertin envisioned the Olympics as a pacifist exercise that could foster international cooperation and peace. But he later corresponded with Hitler and resisted allowing women to compete.

Magic Johnson, Dwyane Wade, Tom Brady among the former pro athletes who have become WNBA owners

Magic Johnson’s love of basketball motivated him to save the Los Angeles Sparks a decade ago from folding and also put him on the forefront of what is now a growing WNBA trend. Ten years after becoming the majority owner the team’s value has increased and buying into the WNBA has become a good long-term investment. Johnson is one of a handful of former pro athletes who have either bought into WNBA teams ownership groups. Dwyane Wade became a partial owner of the Chicago Sky last year. Tom Brady did the same with the Las Vegas Aces. Alex Rodriguez is a limited partner with the Minnesota Lynx. Former WNBA players Sue Bird and Renee Montgomery have joined the ownership groups of the Seattle Storm and Atlanta Dream, respectively.

Nelly Korda says dog bite will keep her from defending her title in Aramco tournament

Nelly Korda missed three straight cuts for the first time in her career. And then she says she was bitten by a dog. Korda says she will have to withdraw from the Aramco-sponsored Ladies European Tour event next week outside London because of the dog bite. She says it happened Saturday in Seattle. That would be one day after she missed the cut in the KPMG Women’s PGA. Korda says she needs time to receive treatment and to recover. She was the defending champion next week. The LPGA’s fourth major of the year is the following week in France.

Frank Bensel makes back-to-back holes-in-one at the U.S. Senior Open

NEWPORT, R.I. (AP) — Frank Bensel turned up a pair of aces on back-to-back holes in the second round of the U.S. Senior Open. The 56-year-old Floridian holed out on the fourth and fifth holes on Friday morning. While consecutive holes-in-one are exceedingly rare, it’s also unusual for a course to have par-3’s on two straight holes. But that’s the setup at the Newport Country Club this week. Even with the aces, Bensel has had a tough time at the seaside course. He opened the day at 4 over and had back-to-back bogeys to follow up his aces.

Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber placed on injured list by the Phillies

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Philadelphia Phillies have placed All-Star first baseman Bryce Harper and designated hitter Kyle Schwarber on the 10-day injured list. Both were hurt in Thursday night’s 7-4 loss to Miami. Harper strained his left hamstring running the bases in the ninth inning, and Schwarber strained his left groin making a throw from left field in the eighth. The injuries will test the Phillies, who’ve had a hugely successful first half of the season. Philadelphia entered Friday with the majors’ best record and leading Atlanta by eight games in the NL East. Harper was named to his eighth All-Star team earlier Thursday.

Hawks’ Zaccharie Risacher focusing on ‘good stuff’ instead of pressure as NBA’s No. 1 overall pick

ATLANTA (AP) — Zaccharie Risacher says he’s not worried about the expectations that accompany being the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft. The 19-year-old Risacher also will have to follow fellow French star Victor Wembanyama, who starred as a rookie last season. The 6-foot-9 player had his introductory news conference with the Atlanta Hawks on Friday. When asked if he learned anything from watching Wembanyama in the NBA, Risacher said his best lessons came from following Wembanyama as a professional in France. Risacher played for the same French club, JL Bourg, in 2023-24.

Here’s what you need to know about the verdict in the ‘NFL Sunday Ticket’ trial and what’s next

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The NFL has been found guilty of breaking antitrust laws in its distribution of out-of-market Sunday afternoon games on the “Sunday Ticket” premium subscription service. Even though the jury of five men and three women in a U.S. District Court awarded nearly $4.8 billion in damages Thursday to residential and commercial subscribers of “Sunday Ticket,” don’t expect any settlement checks or the shuttering of the service anytime soon.

US Soccer Federation says Weah, other players targets of racist abuse after Copa America loss

ATLANTA (AP) — Tim Weah and other members of the U.S. national team were targeted with racist abuse on social media after the Americans were beaten 2-1 by Panama in the Copa America. The U.S. Soccer Federation issued a statement saying it was “deeply disturbed with the racist comments made online.” Weah, who is Black, was sent off with a red card in the 18th minute after punching a Panama player. It was earliest red card for a U.S. player since Jimmy Conrad was tossed from a 2010 friendly against Honduras. The short-handed Americans nearly held on for a tie, but Panama scored a late goal that put the U.S. hopes of advancing past the first round in serious jeopardy. U.S. Soccer said several of its players were the targets of racist comments.