Kasatkina routs Kerber in 1 hour at Indian Wells
AUTO RACING: NASCAR docked Chase Elliott 25 points and suspended crew chief Alan Gustafson for two races and fined him $50,000 for a rear suspension violation found Wednesday in Elliott’s third-place car from Sunday’s Cup series race at Phoenix International Speedway. Hendrick Motorsports will appeal the penalty.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL: Georgia will hire Tom Crean as its next coach, according to reports. Crean went 166-135 at Indiana from 2008-2017. He also coached a Dwyane Wade-led Marquette team to the Final Four in 2003. Crean, 51, will replace Mark Fox, who was fired last week after going 163-133 in nine seasons.
GOLF: Former British Open champ Henrik Stenson fired an opening-round 8-under 64 to take a one-stroke lead at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in Orlando, Fla. Rookies Aaron Wise and Talor Gooch were tied for second. Tiger Woods shot a 68 in his return to Bay Hill, where he’s won a record eight times.
NFL: The Raiders and WR Jordy Nelson agreed to a two-year, $15 million deal with $13 million guaranteed, ESPN reported. Nelson, 32, was released by the Packers on Tuesday after 10 seasons. Also, the Raiders released WR Michael Crabtree, 30, and added 29-year-old RB Doug Martin. Terms of the Martin deal weren’t available. ... The Dophins released three-time Pro Bowl C Mike Pouncey, 28, and acquired 30-year-old C Daniel Kilgore in a trade with the 49ers. The teams swapped seventh-round picks in this year’s draft. The Dolphins also agreed to a two-year deal worth up to $18 million with four-time Pro Bowl G Josh Sitton, 31, who spent the last two seasons with the Bears after eight with the Packers . ... The Ravens voided their four-year, $29 million deal with WR Ryan Grant after he failed a physical because of ankle injury he suffered during his final game last season with the Redskins, ESPN reported. Grant, 27, hasn’t missed a game during his four-year career . ... The Jaguars and TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins agreed to a two-year deal worth $10 million, according to reports. Seferian-Jenkins, 25, had 50 catches for 357 yards with three TDs last season with the Jets . ... Saints owner Tom Benson died after a monthlong hospitalization. He was 90. Benson, who also owned the NBA’s Pelicans, purchased the Saints in 1985.
SOCCER: Chicago and Minneapolis dropped out of the North American bid to host the 2026 World Cup because of what city officials said were burdensome financial demands by FIFA. Twenty-three cities, including 17 in the U.S., were chosen to be included in bid documents to be submitted to FIFA on Friday. Morocco also is bidding, and the 207 other FIFA members are scheduled to make the decision June 13 . ... Atletico Madrid and Arsenal were among eight teams which advanced to the quarterfinals of the Europa League.
TENNIS: Borna Coric of Croatia rallied for a 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (3) victory over seventhseeded Kevin Anderson of South Africa to advance to the semifinals of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif. In the women’s draw, 20th-seeded Darya Kasatkina of Russia beat 10th-seeded Angelique Kerber of Germany 6-0, 6-2 to advance to the semifinals.
INDIAN WELLS, Calif. — Daria Kasatkina kept her focus for all of 58 minutes.
That’s how long it took to dispatch former No. 1 Angelique Kerber 6-0, 6-2 in the quarterfinals of the BNP Paribas Open on Thursday.
The 20-year-old Russian hasn’t dropped a set in four matches at Indian Wells, knocking out U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens and No. 2-ranked Caroline Wozniacki along the way.
“Maybe, yeah, from the side or with the score it looks like it was simple, but of course it’s not,” Kasatkina said. “I knew that in one moment if I will lose focus just for a second, they will come back and then the big battle, five hours again, will start.”
No
The German never managed a break point against Kasatkina’s serve. The Russian connected on 82 percent of her first serves, winning 22 of 32 first-serve points.
“This one I will try to forget as fast as possible,” Kerber said.
In the men’s quarterfinals, Borna Coric of Croatia upset No. 7 seed Kevin Anderson 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (3) for his first win in four tries against the South African.
Coric next faces either No. 1 Roger Federer or Chung Hyeon of South Korea, who were to meet Thursday night.
Besides Stephens and Australian Open winner Wozniacki, Kasatkina has beaten the other current Grand Slam titleholders in the past year: French Open chance against Kerber. winner Jelena Ostapenko and Wimbledon champion Garbine Muguruza.
That’s part of the reason for her impressive rise in the rankings over the past three years, and she’s guaranteed to make her highest move yet as a result of her deep run in the desert. She came into the tournament at No. 19, two spots lower than her career-best. She could move to 15th or 16th, and has a shot at the top 10 if she won the title.
But that’s more than she cared to consider, especially against Kerber.
“Actually, my head was quite empty,” she said, smiling.
Whenever she can get away, Kasatkina can be found in Barcelona. Her favorite soccer team is there, and she loves the architecture, the seaside location, and the food, with paella and tapas her top choices. And a little bit of wine, too, even though she’s not 21.
“In Europe it doesn’t matter,” she said. “With good company, of course, you can have a glass or two.”
Kasatkina will play either No. 8 seed Venus Williams or 27th-seeded Carla Suarez Navarro of Spain in the semis.
Regardless of she wants night.
“I just want to be on the central court, prime time,” she said, smiling. “In the evening, something special is coming from here, from the heart.”
The other women’s semifinal is already set: No. 1 Simona Halep against Japan’s Naomi Osaka, another 20-year-old making a huge run through the draw. the opponent, to play at