Off the wire

Changing seeding

The U.S. Open is changing its approach to seeding players coming back from pregnancy after tennis officials were criticized for their handling of Serena Williams upon her return to the French Open last month. Katrina Adams, president and chairman of the U.S. Tennis Association, said players coming back from pregnancy should not be “penalized” for starting a family. Adams made no specific promises about where Williams, the 23-time Grand Slam champion who gave birth to a daughter in September, would be seeded. But Adams said the U.S. Open would “revise the seedings if pregnancy is a factor in the current rankings of a player.” The decision could have a ripple effect on other tennis tournaments. The French Open did not grant Williams a seed, but Wimbledon, which begins on July 2, has traditionally been the only Grand Slam tournament to consider factors beyond a player’s ranking in its seeding process. Wimbledon will announce its seedings for this year’s tournament on Wednesday and could give Williams a seed, perhaps in the top eight. She is currently ranked No. 183 in the world, but has won the Wimbledon singles title seven times. Under current Women’s Tennis Association rules, players who have lost ranking slots after missing time because of injury, pregnancy or other reasons do not get the benefit of a protected seeding at tour events, making it more difficult for them to negotiate their way through the draw.

Djokovic in final

Novak Djokovic advanced to his first ATP tour final in almost a year by defeating Jeremy Chardy 7-6 (5), 6-4 at Queen’s Club in London on Saturday. Djokovic will face Marin Cilic in today’s final after the top-seeded Croat defeated Nick Kyrgios 7-6 (3), 7-6 (4).

Federer moves up

Defending champion Roger

Federer reached his 12th Gerry Weber Open final after beating qualifier Denis Kudla 7-6 (1), 7-5 on Saturday in Halle, Germany. Federer will play Roberto Bautista Agut or Borna Coric in today’s final as he goes for a record-extending 10th title in Halle. It will be his second final in as many weeks.

Rybarikova advances

Magdalena Rybarikova, the grass-court expert whose career was in danger of ending after wrist and knee surgeries, overcame Barbora Strycova 7-6 (1), 6-4 Saturday to reach the final of the Birmingham Classic for a second time. In the other semfinal, defending champion Petra Kvitova faces Mihaela Buzarnescu, the Romanian who almost quit after two knee operations and has risen more than 230 places to a career-high 30.

Woman to lead men

Former top-ranked Amelie

Mauresmo will become the first woman to captain France’s Davis Cup men’s team when she replaces Yannick Noah next season. The 38-year-old Frenchman is a two-time Grand Slam champion. She stepped down as France’s Fed Cup women’s team captain after the 2016 season when she announced she was expecting her second child. Mauresmo, who won both the Australian Open and Wimbledon in 2006, was appointed on a two-season contract, the French federation said Saturday. Noah is currently in charge of both France’s Fed Cup and Davis Cup teams. Julien Benneteau will succeed the 1983 French Open champion as Fed Cup captain at the end of the season.

Source: Anthony to stay

Oklahoma City Thunder forward Carmelo Anthony plans to opt in and take the $28 million he is due next season. The New York Times first reported Anthony’s decision to bypass the chance to become a free agent. A person with knowledge of details confirmed Anthony’s choice and spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the situation publicly. The Thunder traded for Anthony and Paul George to join Russell

Westbrook before last season, moves that gave them high hopes of challenging Golden State in the West. Anthony averaged 16.2 points per game, but he struggled at times in his new role as a spot shooter. His playing time dwindled in the playoffs and he wasn’t happy. In Game 6 of the first-round playoff series against Utah that ended Oklahoma City’s season, he played fewer minutes than backup Jerami

Grant. After the season, Anthony, 34, said he didn’t want to come off the bench.