CANCER-FREE NAVRATILOVA RETURNS FOR MIAMI OPEN
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 shown later Tuesday, 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.
“I definitely won’t be missing any of my checkups. I will be very, very diligent about it. But the prognosis is excellent,” Navratilova said. “But you never know. Just, like, you never know.”
NFL
Dont’a Hightower is making a quiet exit to a memorable career with the New England Patriots.
The veteran linebacker, who did not play last season, announced his retirement in an essay posted on the Players’ Tribune website.
It ends a decade-long run in New England that began with the Patriots selecting him 25th overall in the 2012 draft. It included three Super Bowl rings (2014, 2016, 2018) and a pair of Pro Bowl selections (2016, 2019). He also was named a second-team AllPro
in 2016.
• The Cowboys are bringing back defensive end Dante Fowler and running back
Rico Dowdle while adding two outside free agents for depth in running back Ronald Jones and lineman
Chuma Edoga.
• The Steelers signed longtime Eagles guard Isaac Seumalo to a three-year, $24 million contract.
Soccer
Salma Paralluelo curled a shot into the net to help Barcelona beat Roma 1-0 in the first leg of the Women’s Champions League quarterfinals in front of a record-setting crowd.
The 19-year-old Paralluelo’s left-footed strike from just outside the area in the 34th minute puts Barcelona a step away from the final four as the teams head into the second leg at Camp Nou next week.
Attendance at Stadio Olimpico was 39,454 — a record for women’s soccer in Italy.
Bayern Munich beat Arsenal 1-0 in the first leg of the other quarterfinal for a 13th straight win in all competitions.
• World Cup top scorer Kylian Mbappe was named as France’s new captain, succeeding goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.
• Arsenal defender Takehiro Tomiyasu underwent knee surgery and will miss the remainder of the season.
Local colleges
Point Loma Nazarene forward Kaden Anderson, who averaged 22.7 points and 8.9 rebounds per game, earned All-American honors from both the D2CCA and NABC, while Matt Logie was named NABC DII West District Coach of the Year.
• A day after being named to the NABC All-West District second team, redshirt senior Greg Milton III of the Cal State San Marcos men’s basketball team was named to the West roster of the Reese’s Division II College All-Star Game. The game will be played Friday at 4 p.m. at Ford Center in Evansville, Ind.
Also
With heavy rain and the likelihood of more than three inches of precipitation at Santa Anita through today, track officials have opted to cancel Friday’s eight-race program and to instead enter on Thursday morning for a make-up day of live racing on Monday.
• 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.
• Josh Williams was given a one-race suspension for parking his car at the startfinish line at Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity race.