Tennis star Osaka conflicted about Games
Naomi Osaka is conflicted over whether the Tokyo Olympics should be held amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The second-ranked tennis player, who represents Japan, was asked about the Games at the Italian Open in Rome on Sunday.
“Of course I would say I want the Olympics to happen, because I’m an athlete and that’s sort of what I’ve been waiting for my entire life,” she said. “But ... if it’s putting people at risk and if it’s making people very uncomfortable, then it definitely should be a discussion.”
The Tokyo Olympics were already postponed from 2020, and opposition seems to rising in Japan about holding the Games this year. The virus and its spreading variants are taxing Japan’s healthcare system with only 2% of the population vaccinated.
But local organizers and the International Olympic Committee insist the Games will open as planned July 23. The IOC recently announced that vaccine developers Pfizer and BioNTech would donate doses to inoculate athletes and officials preparing for Tokyo.
Alexander Zverev continued his impressive form going into the French Open by winning his second Madrid Open title. The sixth-ranked Zverev rallied to defeat 10th-ranked Matteo Berrettini 6-7 (8), 6-4, 6-3 for his second title this season.
Sparks acquiring Sky’s Williams
The Sparks are adding forward Gabby Williams but won’t have the former University of Connecticut star until next season.
The Sparks will trade No. 10 overall pick Stephanie Watts and the rights to 2020 second-round pick Leonie Fiebich to the Chicago Sky in exchange for Williams, according to a source. Williams will remain on the suspended list for the 2021 season as the French national team member fulfills her international obligations during the Olympic year, but she is expected to join the Sparks with a contract extension next year.
Williams, 24, averaged 7.7 points and four rebounds per game in 2020. The Sky drafted her fourth overall in 2018. Watts, a 5-foot-11 guard who starred at North Carolina, was unlikely to make the Sparks’ final cut because of roster limitations.
— Thuc Nhi Nguyen
The NBA fined New Orleans Pelicans executive David Griffin $50,000 for publicly criticizing officiating over how star Zion Williamson is handled . ...
Bradley Beal (strained left hamstring) will miss the Washington Wizards’ game Monday night at Atlanta.
Coach Rick Tocchet won’t return for a fifth season with the Arizona Coyotes, the team announced, saying the sides agreed to part ways. The Coyotes missed the NHL playoffs for the seventh time in eight seasons . ... John Tortorella is out as coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets after six seasons.
JT Schwartz went four for five with three RBIs to help the No. 25 UCLA baseball team (27-15, 14-10 Pac-12) win 16-7 at Washington State (23-19, 10-14) to take two of three in the series . ... Garret Guillemette had a two-run single and fellow freshman Carson Wells added a tworun double as part of a fourrun eighth inning that lifted USC (20-21, 8-13 Pac-12) to a 5-3 victory at Oregon State (31-15, 13-8) to avoid a threegame sweep . ... Erin Matson scored the winning goal in the seventh minute of overtime to lift North Carolina to its third consecutive title with a 4-3 win over Michigan in the NCAA field hockey championship game in Chapel Hill, N.C.
The brother of a Chicago Bears player was found dead at a North Carolina electrical substation, authorities said. The News & Observer reported that Tyrell Antar Cohen, brother of running back Tarik Cohen, is believed to have died by electrocution while trying to climb power equipment, according to Wake County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Eric Curry. Curry said Tyrell Cohen fled the scene of a car accident in Raleigh early Saturday morning. Police tried to locate the 25-year-old but couldn’t, so they called off the search.
In the English Premier League, Manchester United beat host Aston Villa 3-1 to leave Manchester City still needing three points to reclaim the league title . ... Chelsea won 5-0 at home over Reading to retain the Women’s Super League title. ... Real Madrid missed its chance to go atop the Spanish league with only three matches left by drawing 2-2 against visiting Sevilla, keeping rival Atletico Madrid in first place . ... In MLS, Raul Ruidiaz scored his fifth goal in four games as the visiting Seattle Sounders beat the Portland Timbers 2-1 to improve to 3-0-1. Portland fell to 1-3-0.
In Albstadt, Germany, Victor Koretzky and Loana Lecomte gave France a sweep of the first men’s and women’s World Cup mountain bike races of the season. … Belgian cyclist Tim Merlier won the second stage of the Giro d’Italia in Novara, Italy, to claim his first-ever Grand Tour stage victory, and Filippo Ganna retained the leader’s pink jersey.