Month: May 2015

PARIS (AP) — The Latest from the French Open:

By Martyn Herman PARIS (Reuters) – Roger Federer avoided any more security scares to move safely into the third round of the French Open on Wednesday but danger lurks ahead for the Swiss, namely in the shape of Japanese firebrand Kei Nishikori. The perils of Roland Garros were in evidence in the women’s draw too as last year’s runner-up Simona Halep, the third seed, bowed out 7-5 6-1 to Croatia’s Mirjana Lucic-Baroni to become the biggest casualty so far. The 33-year-old Lucic-Baroni, who made her French Open debut in 1999 as a 17-year-old but took a break from tennis before… Read More

(Updates with later matches and quotes) By Martyn Herman PARIS, May 27 (Reuters) – Roger Federer avoided any more security scares to move safely into the third round of the French Open on Wednesday but danger lurks ahead for the Swiss, namely in the shape of Japanese firebrand Kei Nishikori. The perils of Roland Garros were in evidence in the women’s draw too as last year’s runner-up Simona Halep, the third seed, bowed out 7-5 6-1 to Croatia’s Mirjana Lucic-Baroni to become the biggest casualty so far. The 33-year-old Lucic-Baroni, who made her French Open debut in 1999 as a… Read More

Japan’s Kei Nishikori believes his rise into the world top five would never have happened had he not forged his skills in America’s do-or-die sports environment. Nishikori left his home and family in Shimane when he was just 14 with no English skills, just a passionate belief that he could become Japan’s most successful tennis player. A decade later, he was the first Asian man to reach a Grand Slam final, losing to Marin Cilic in the US Open title match having knocked out Novak Djokovic on the way.

PARIS, May 27 (Reuters) – Fourth seed Tomas Berdych fought off some stiff resistance from fellow Czech Radek Stepanek to advance to the third round of the French Open 6-3 6-7(7) 6-3 6-3 on Wednesday. Berdych, who has yet to win a grand slam title despite being in the top-10 for five years, kept his composure despite Stepanek’s wily tactics, dropping serve only once. He wrapped it up on a sun-kissed Court One when 36-year-old Stepanek, who became the oldest man to win a match at Roland Garros since Jimmy Connors in 1991 when he defeated Ivan Dodig in round… Read More

It’s NFL schedule release day, a bona fide holiday around many parts, and we have unwrapped our first of 256 presents. The Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers will continue the best rivalry in the NFL with a showdown on Thanksgiving night, as reported by Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com . Yes, please. In addition, the Packers will use Thanksgiving night to put former quarterback Brett Favre’s retired number in their ring of honor at Lambeau Field. That was reported by Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Favre’s number will be retired when he’s inducted into the Packers Hall of… Read More

Another day has passed without any word of when – or even if – tickets will go on sale for the Floyd Mayeather-Manny Pacquiao fight that is scheduled for May 2 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Hall of Famer Oscar De La Hoya, who fought Mayweather in 2007 in the top-selling pay-per-view event of all-time and whose company, Golden Boy Promotions, promoted all of Mayweather’s fights between 2007 and 2014, was asked his reaction to the fact tickets haven’t been put on sale yet. He didn’t pull any punches. He put the onus on Mayweather adviser Al Haymon… Read More

Kenny Bayless got the plum assignment of the year and was in essence designated as the top referee in the world by the Nevada Athletic Commission on Tuesday when he was chosen to referee the Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao fight on May 2 at the MGM Grand Garden. Judges selected were Burt Clements, Dave Moretti and Glenn Feldman. Bayless is no stranger to either Mayweather or Pacquiao, having worked in recent years many of their fights. Bayless has refereed Mayweather in his rematch against Marcos Maidana, as well as against Canelo Alvarez, Shane Mosley and Oscar De La Hoya. Bayless has… Read More

Bryan Price has agreed to wash his mouth out with soap, but he still hasn’t changed his tune about the media. The Cincinnati Reds’ skipper believes the beat reporters that cover his team shouldn’t share any information that gives opposing teams an advantage. He believes that so much that Monday he conveyed that sentiment with 77 F-bombs . [ Still not too late to sign up for Yahoo Sports Fantasy Baseball ] In the requisite apology, which the Reds released Tuesday via Twitter, Price says he stands by the message but he’s sorry for the language: Bryan Price – “In… Read More