Galaxy, Ibrahimovic part ways
CARSON, CALIF. » You’re welcome and goodbye, Los Angeles. Zlatan Ibrahimovic and the LA Galaxy are officially parting ways after two eventful seasons, the 38-year-old Swedish superstar and the club announced Wednesday.
“I came, I saw, I conquered,” Ibrahimovic wrote on Twitter. “Thank you @LAGalaxy for making me feel alive again. To the Galaxy fans — you wanted Zlatan, I gave you Zlatan. You are welcome. The story continues...Now go back to watch baseball.”
The Swedish superstar scored 56 goals in 52 MLS games after joining the Galaxy in March 2018, injecting his inimitable blend of talent and swagger into a stagnating club. This season, he scored a franchise-record 30 goals — more than all his teammates combined (28).
Ibrahimovic’s MLS jaunt was a mixed success, at least by his lofty standards. He was an elite, steady scorer for the five-time league champions and was likely the league’s top box-office draw on the road, and he kept the market in thrall with his bold pronouncements and rivalries with opponents and clubs.
But the Galaxy won just one playoff game in Zlatan’s tenure, and they finished eighth in the overall league table this season after missing the playoffs in his debut campaign.
Nadal saves match point for win
LONDON » Facing match point at 5-1 down in the third set, Rafael Nadal gave himself about a one-in-a-thousand chance of turning things around against Daniil Medvedev at the ATP Finals.
Those odds turned out to be more than good enough for the top-ranked Spaniard.
Nadal saved that match point with a perfect drop shot and then rallied to beat Medvedev 6-7 (3), 6-3, 7-6 (4) Wednesday, keeping alive his chances of advancing from the group stage.
In the late match, Stefanos Tsitsipas beat defending champion Alexander Zverev 6-3, 6-2 for his second straight win, a result that guarantees him a place in the semifinals.
Tifft leaves Front Row Motorsports
CHARLOTTE, N.C. » Matt Tifft has parted ways with Front Row Motorsports to focus on his health after suffering a seizure at the track late last month.
Tifft felt ill before practice at Martinsville Speedway and has not been in the car since his health scare.
Tifft said then that tests showed a brain tumor he had removed three years ago has not returned. Tifft said Wednesday he can’t commit to racing full time in 2020.
Bryan twins to retire after 2020
LONDON » Bob and Mike Bryan say they will retire after the 2020 U.S. Open, closing a professional tennis partnership that includes a men’s doubles record of 16 Grand Slam championships.
The 41-year-old American twins announced their plans at the season-ending ATP Finals, which they qualified for but decided not to enter.
The Bryans have won 118 titles in all, including 39 at ATP Masters tournaments.