Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Miami Open final
Hubert Hurkacz of Poland won the biggest title of his career on Sunday by beating 19-year-old Jannik Sinner of Italy 7-6 (4), 6-4 in the Miami Open final.
TENNIS Hurkacz claims Miami title
With the Big Three absent at the Miami Open, and the next generation in tennis scrambling to fill the void, it was Hubert Hurkacz of Poland who made a breakthrough. The 24-year-old Hurkacz won the biggest title of his career by beating 19-year-old Jannik Sinner of Italy 7-6 (4), 6-4 in Sunday’s final. Hurkacz improved to 10-0 in Florida this year, including the Delray Beach title in January. Ranked 37th, he is projected to climb to a career-high 16th in next week’s rankings. The matchup in the final was a surprise even though Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer skipped the tournament, as did reigning U.S. Open champion Dominic Thiem. Hurkacz eliminated No. 2-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas and No. 4 Andrey Rublevbeat — the first time he has beaten two top-10 opponents in the same tournament. Hurkacz was poised early while playing his first final in the top-level ATP series, the Masters 1000. In the first set, he raced to a 3-0 lead, briefly fell behind and then played a solid tiebreaker, closing it out by winning a 25-stroke rally. Sinner, playing in just his third Masters 1000 tournament, wobbled serving at 6-5 in the first set and was broken at love. He lost his serve twice more to fall behind 4-0 in the second set.
BASKETBALL Bucks reach deal with Holiday
Milwaukee Bucks guard Jrue Holiday has agreed to a four-year contract extension that would be worth at least $134 million if he exercises his option for the final season. The move represents the latest step in the Bucks’ heavy investment in their trio of Holiday, two-time reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and two-time All-Star Khris Middleton as the franchise chases its first NBA title since 1971. Holiday had a $26.7 million player option remaining for the 2021-21 season as part of the five-year, $126 million contract he signed with the New Orleans Pelicans in July 2017.
GOLF Jaeger wins in a playoff
Stephan Jaeger closed with a 4-under 66 and beat David Lipsky in the playoff by making par on the first extra hole to win the Emerald Coast Classic in Destin, Fla., on the Korn Ferry Tour. Jaeger won for the sixth time on the Korn Ferry Tour dating to 2016. This victory moves him to No. 2 on the points list and all but assures a return to the PGA Tour next season. He also won last year at the Albertsons Boise Open. Lipsky, a Californian who has European Tour and Asian Tour membership, birdied the last two holes for a 67 to join Jaeger at 14-under 266 and force a playoff. But returning to the 18th, he made bogey and had to settle for a runner-up finish. Andrew Novak, who had the 54-hole lead, took two double bogeys on the front nine. He had a chance to join the playoff until making par on the 18th to finish one shot behind. Novak closed with a 71. Former University of Arkansas golfer Taylor Moore wrapped up the tournament with a 4-under 66 to finish at 5-under 275. Nicolas Echavarria (Razorbacks) turned in a 73 on Sunday and finished the tournament at 2-under 278.
BASEBALL Nats to open Tuesday
The Washington Nationals will begin their season Tuesday by hosting the Atlanta Braves after Major League Baseball postponed today’s opener of the teams’ threegame series because of a coronavirus outbreak that involves 11 of Washington’s players. “The most recent round of test results of Nationals personnel included no new positives,” said an MLB statement sent Sunday night. “All of (Washington’s) eligible personnel will be able to participate in baseball activities at Nationals Park on Monday.” Four Nationals players have tested positive for covid-19 over the past week and are isolating, while another seven are under quarantine because contact tracing determined they might have been exposed to the illness. General Manager Mike Rizzo said Sunday that none of those 11 — a majority of whom, although not all, were supposed to be on the opening day roster — would be available if the three-game set with Atlanta began today. Rizzo has not publicly identified any of the players involved or the two staff members who also have been placed under quarantine because of possible exposure.
Pirates’ Hayes on 10-day IL
The Pittsburgh Pirates placed third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes
on the 10-day injured list Sunday with a strained left wrist. Hayes, one of the preseason favorites for NL Rookie of the Year, got hurt on a swing during Saturday’s 5-1 loss to the Chicago Cubs. He also used his left hand diving back to first on a pickoff attempt. Manager Derek Shelton said X-rays were negative, but an MRI showed some inflammation. Utilityman Wilmer Difo
was promoted from the taxi squad to the active roster. Right-hander Tyler Bashlor was designated for assignment to make room for Difo on the 40-man roster. The 24-year-old Hayes, the son of former big league infielder Charlie Hayes, made his big league debut last summer. He batted .376 with 5 home runs and 11 RBI in 24 games.
Dodgers place RHP on IL
Right-hander Tony Gonsolin was put on the 10-day injured list Sunday by the Los Angeles Dodgers with right shoulder inflammation, a move retroactive to Thursday. Righty Dennis Santana was recalled from the alternate training site at Glendale, Ariz., to fill the roster spot. Gonsolin, 26, made the opening-day roster for the first time but has not pitched this season. He was 2-2 with a 2.31 ERA and 46 strikeouts in eight starts last year for the World Series champions. Santana, 24, is 2-2 with a 6.66 ERA and 28 strikeouts in parts of four seasons with Los Angeles.
Anderson removed in first
Chicago White Sox shortstop
Tim Anderson left in the first inning Sunday night with left hamstring tightness. Anderson grounded out as Chicago’s leadoff hitter against Shohei Ohtani and the Los Angeles Angels. The 2019 AL batting champion apparently strained his leg while running out the grounder, and he didn’t take the field when the White Sox came out for the bottom half of the inning.
Leury Garcia replaced Anderson, who batted 3 for 15 with a home run in Chicago’s four-game series with the Angels.
Gehrig’s bat sells for $715K A bat Lou Gehrig used late in his career sold for $715,120 at auction this weekend. The online bidding ended Saturday night. SCP Auctions said the Gehrig bat dated to 1938, his next-to-last season in the majors. It came from the collection of Yankees Hall of Fame teammate Earle Combs’ family. The original home plate from the original Yankee Stadium when it opened in 1923 sold for $303,277. The plate is from the year the Yankees won their first World Series championship. The Yankees previously played at the Polo Grounds, the home of the New York Giants.
FOOTBALL Brady card fetches $2.25M
Quarterback Tom Brady is proving he’s the GOAT not just on the football field but also in the collectibles market: A rookie football card just sold for $2.25 million. The card was signed by the GOAT, a common reference to Brady that stands for “greatest of all time.” The price fetched Friday night through online sports auction house Lelands broke a football card record that was previously held by Brady. Another of his rookie cards sold for $1.32 million on PWCC Marketplace last month.