Nadal serves No. 80
Spanish star secures 4th Rogers Cup
Rafael Nadal won his 80th ATP World Tour title yesterday — and spoiled Stefanos Tsitsipas’ 20th birthday in Toronto.
The top-ranked Nadal beat the unseeded Greek upstart 6-2, 7-6 (4) for his fourth Rogers Cup crown and fifth victory of the year. He has 33 ATP World Tour Masters 1000 titles.
“If you told me this two weeks ago I would not have believed it,” Nadal said. “It’s a great way to start the hardcourt season. Winning in Toronto is so important. You don’t win Masters 1000s very often. It’s a very important victory for me and I’m very happy.”
The 32-year-old Spanish star also won the Rogers Cup in Toronto in 2008 and Montreal in 2005 and 2013. His previous four titles this year came on clay at the French Open, Monte Carlo, Barcelona and Rome. He also beat Tsitsipas in in the Barcelona final.
Tsitsipas reached the final by becoming the youngest to beat four straight top-10 players in an ATP World Tour event since 1990 . . . .
Top-ranked Simona Halep outlasted third-ranked Sloane Stephens 7-6 (6), 3-6, 6-4 yesterday to win her second Rogers Cup title in Montreal.
The 26-year-old Romanian star also won the hard-court event in 2016, in Montreal. She won her third title of the year and 18th overall.
Halep has won her last six meetings with the 25-year-old American. The defending U.S. Open champ, Stephens is 0-8 against players ranked No.1.
R.I. team on to Williamsport
Rhode Island’s Coventry Little League defeated the Massachusetts champs of Pittsfield American, 3-2, yesterday morning in Bristol, Conn., to secure the New England Region crown and a trip to Williamsport, Pa., for the 2018 Little League Baseball World Series. The final was delayed by one day due rain.
EPL champ City wins opener
Manchester City rarely looked troubled by Arsenal as the champions opened their Premier League title defense with a 2-0 victory. Raheem Sterling cut through the defense with ease before putting City ahead in the 14th minute, and Bernardo Silva curled in the second in the 64th at the Emirates Stadium . . . .
Brazil soccer great Ronaldo said yesterday he has been hospitalized in Ibiza since Friday because of flu. The 41-year-old Ronaldo, a threetime FIFA World Player of the Year, said on social media that “everything is under control now” and that he expects to return home today . ...
Memphis Depay expertly curled in a free kick as Lyon opened its French league season with a 2-0 home win against Amiens.
Lorenzo rolls in Austria
Ducati rider Jorge Lorenzo edged MotoGP champion Marc Marquez to win the Austrian Grand Prix in motorcyle racing in Spielberg, Austria . . . .
Johnny Manziel couldn’t generate enough offense for the Montreal Alouettes in a 24-17 loss to the Ottawa Redblacks late Saturday night in Ottawa, Ontario. After throwing four first-half interceptions last week in his Montreal debut, Manziel was 16-of-26 for 168 yards without an interception. He also ran three times for 36 yards.