No. 1 Nadal cruises in Barcelona
Rafael Nadal cruised into the Barcelona Open quarterfinals by defeating fellow Spaniard Guillermo GarciaLopez 6-1, 6-3 yesterday in Spain.
The top-ranked Nadal converted on his second match point to clinch his 16th straight victory on clay and set up an encounter with Martin Klizan, who eliminated Novak Djokovic in the second round.
“I came out with the conviction that I could play a lot better than I did yesterday (against Roberto Carballes Baena), and that’s what happened,” Nadal said.
Coming off his 11th Monte Carlo title, Nadal has won 11 of his 12 ATP Tour matches this season, with the only loss coming from an injury retirement in the Australian Open quarterfinals.
He has won 40 consecutive sets on clay to extend his own record, and has won 33 of his last 34 matches on the dirt.
“I had more options in the second set but a player like Nadal doesn’t give you many chances,” the 69th-ranked Garcia-Lopez said.
Nadal needs to win his 11th Barcelona title this week to retain his No. 1 ranking.
Atletico, Arsenal tie
Antoine Griezmann scored late for 10-man Atletico Madrid to draw at Arsenal 1-1 in the first leg of their Europa League semifinal in London.
Griezmann’s 82nd-minute equalizer following some clumsy defending from Laurent Koscielny was against the run of play but was reward for the team’s stout defending in the aftermath of Sime Vrsaljko’s early sending off. With the away goal, Atletico has to be considered the favorite to progress to the final on May 16 in the French city of Lyon.
The second leg is in the Spanish capital next Thursday. The winner looks like it will play Marseille, which beat Salzburg, 2-0, in their first leg with goals from Florian Thauvin and Clinton N’Jie.
Brohm sticks
Purdue football coach Jeff Brohm has received a two-year contract extension through 2024.
Brohm was hired in December 2016 and turned the program around in his first season. The Boilermakers went 7-6, won the Old Oaken Bucket for the first time in five years and won the Foster Farms Bowl. …
Patrick Roy has returned to the Quebec Remparts as coach and general manager.
The Hall of Fame goalie signed a two-year contract with the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League team. The 52-year-old Roy previously acted as part-owner, coach and GM of the Remparts from 2005-2013, winning a Memorial Cup in 2006.
New track rules
New rules for female athletes with high natural testosterone levels could force two-time Olympic 800-meter champion Caster Semenya to stop running middledistance races.
The IAAF said that from Nov. 1 it will limit entry for all international events from 400 meters through the mile to women with testosterone levels below a specified level.
Women with elevated testosterone must reduce their level for “six months (e.g., by use of hormonal contraceptives)” before being eligible to run, and maintain that lowered level. …
A large infusion of cash will give Britain its best chance ever to reclaim the America’s Cup, which it lost in 1851 and hasn’t come close to winning back.
The America’s Cup team headed by Sir Ben Ainslie has been rebranded INEOS Team GB with a commitment of $153 million (110 million pounds) from the petrochemical company based in London.