Navratilova says she’s cancer-free
LONDON » Martina Navratilova returned to TV work at Tennis Channel for its coverage of the Miami Open on Tuesday, less than three months after saying she had throat cancer and breast cancer.
“It’s great to be back . ... Thrilled to be here,” said the 18-time Grand Slam singles champion and member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame. “So happy to be working. How many people can say that?”
Navratilova, 66, said her sense of taste disappeared during the treatment for cancer and she lost 15 pounds. She did not appear on television during the Australian Open in January or the BNP Paribas Open this month.
“It puts you face to face with your mortality, No. 1, because at the beginning, I wasn’t sure if it was treatable, so that was hard,” she said, wiping away tears. “But once I got into the program, it was a little easier emotionally, but more difficult physically. ... But I’m still standing.”
In an interview with TalkTV’s Piers Morgan, Navratilova said she has been told by doctors that, “as far as they know, I’m cancer-free,” and she should be “good to go” after some additional radiation treatment.
U.S. players welcome Reyna
DAVENPORT, FLA. » Gio Reyna has been welcomed back to the U.S. national team by Tim Ream, one of the group’s senior players, after the family of the young midfielder sparked a feud with Gregg Berhalter that left the coach’s future uncertain.
After Berhalter used Reyna sparingly at the World Cup, the player’s parents, former U.S. captain Claudio Reyna and former women’s player Danielle Egan Reyna, notified the U.S. Soccer Federation of a 1992 domestic violence involving Berhalter and the woman he later married — Danielle Egan’s former college roommate.
The USSF commissioned a law firm to investigate and appointed Anthony Hudson interim coach after Berhalter’s contract expired Dec. 31.
Gio Reyna is among 24 players in camp ahead of CONCACAF Nations League games at Grenada on Friday and against El Salvador on Monday in Orlando.
Deputies: Alabama player drove 141 mph to evade stop
BONIFAY, FLA. » Suspended Alabama freshman defensive back Tony Mitchell drove over 141 mph while trying to evade deputies before his arrest on drug charges in the Florida Panhandle last week, authorities said.
Mitchell and another man, who was a passenger in Mitchell’s car, were arrested y and charged with possession of marijuana with the intent to sell or deliver, according to a Holmes County Sheriff’s Office arrest report. The other man also was charged with carrying a concealed gun without a permit.
Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban said Monday after the first practice of spring that Mitchell was suspended from the team “and all team activities until we gather more information about the situation and what his legal circumstance is.”
NASCAR suspends Williams
ATLANTA » Josh Williams was given a one-race suspension as punishment for parking his car at the start-finish line at Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Williams accepted his punishment but said he doesn’t regret his actions which led to the penalty. He will miss this Saturday’s Xfinity race at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.
NASCAR announced Williams was suspended for disobeying a NASCAR request during the race at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
NASCAR ordered Williams to park his car in the garage after debris came off his car during the race, forcing a caution. Williams instead parked his car on the checkered start-finish line, climbed out and walked toward his pit crew with a wave to the fans.
Williams issued a statement on his Twitter account on Tuesday, thanking fans and sponsors for their support.
Arsenal in MLS All-Star Game
NEW YORK » Arsenal will play Major League Soccer’s All-Stars at Audi Field in Washington, D.C., on July 19, the first European opponent in the game since before the coronavirus pandemic.
The Gunners, pursuing their first Premier League title since 2004, also were the All-Star opponent in 2016. They won 2-1 at Avaya Stadium in San Jose, Calif., on goals by Joel Campbell and Chuba Akpom. Didier Drogba, then playing for Montreal, scored for MLS.