The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Isner stumbles in Stockholm semifinals
Ernests Gulbis reached his first ATP final since 2014 by beating top-seeded University of Georgia product John Isner 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 at the Stockholm Open on Saturday.
Gulbis, a former French Open semifinalist, will play Stefanos Tsitsipas in today’s championship match in his bid for a seventh career title.
The third-seeded Tsitsipas won the first of the semifinals, beating Fabio Fognini 6-3, 6-2. The 19-year-old Greek has yet to win a title.
Gulbis was once ranked No. 10 but is No. 145 after an injury-hit last few years.
■ Top-seeded Kyle Edmund defeated 2016 champion Richard Gasquet 6-3, 6-4 to reach the European Open final in Antwerp, Belgium.
Edmund has yet to drop serve this week. The Briton saved five break points and broke Gasquet twice in their semifinal.
In his second career final, Edmund will try to win his first ATP title against another Frenchman, Gael Monfils, who has seven career titles. Monfils hit 10 aces while beating Diego Schwartzman of Argentina, also by 6-3, 6-4.
NFL: Los Angeles Chargers running back Melvin Gordon has been downgraded to questionable for today’s game against the Tennessee Titans in London because of a hamstring injury.
Gordon is third in the NFL and leads the AFC with 466 rushing yards. He did not show up on the injury report until the team’s practice in London on Friday, when his participation was limited.
Austin Ekeler would likely be the starter if Gordon is unable to play.
■ The New York Jets released wide receiver Terrelle Pryor, who is dealing with a groin injury, and signed wide receiver Deontay Burnett from the practice squad.
Pryor had 14 catches for 235 yards and two touchdowns — one in each of the past two games — but was hurt last Sunday against Indianapolis. He was signed in March as a free agent after one injury-plagued season with Washington.
■ The San Francisco 49ers promoted defensive back Tyvis Powell from the practice squad to the active roster and waived quarterback Tom Savage. The move makes Powell available to play today against the Los Angeles Rams. San Francisco has three cornerbacks listed as questionable: Richard Sherman (calf ), Ahkello Witherspoon (concussion) and K’Waun Williams (shoulder). Savage was signed this week as a third-stringer.
■ Dick Modzelewski, a star defensive tackle who appeared in eight NFL title games with the New York Giants and Cleveland Browns during the 1950s and ’60s, has died. He was 87. He died Friday at his home in Eastlake, Ohio, outside Cleveland, the Giants said in a statement Saturday. No cause was given.
Modzelewski spent 14 years in the NFL, eight with the Giants that included six title games. He teamed with Andy Robustelli, Rosey Grier and Jim Katcavage on one of the great defensive lines.
Soccer: Superstar Lionel Messi left Barcelona’s Spanish league match against Sevilla in the first half because of a right arm injury. Messi was trying to reclaim the ball when he ran into the back of a defender, fell, and bent his right elbow badly.
He was in visible pain and had to be treated by team doctors after the 17th-minute injury at Camp Nou Stadium. The doctors wrapped his elbow with bandages and the playmaker tried to continue, but he eventually left the field.
Auto racing: Sebastian Vettel topped the last practice at the U.S. Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, offering a taste of Ferrari power in what could be a last-ditch effort to deny Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton the season championship. Vettel must beat championship leader Hamilton or at least finish within seven points of him to extend the title chase to Mexico City next week.
Vettel also is facing a threespot starting grid penalty assessed Friday for driving too fast under a red flag in practice. That means Vettel can start no higher than fourth today. Hamilton was third in the final practice, behind Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen.