BERTENS POWERS PAST GOERGES TO WIN VOLVO CAR OPEN
S.C.» Kiki Bertens felt CHARLESTON, fortunate to escape a tough semifinal match with a victory Sunday morning. She wasn’t going to let things get so tight later on in the biggest match of her career.
Bertens of the Netherlands overpowered Germany’s Julia Goerges to cap a long, chilly Sunday at the Volvo Car Open with a 6-2, 6-1 victory for her fifth career WTA title and third of the past 11 months. Bertens made it to the final by outlasting American Madison Keys as the WTA’s first clay-court event of the season had to double up on play after rain Saturday washed out most of the semifinals.
• Spain needed all five matches to advance 3-2 to a Davis Cup semifinal against France. Rafael Nadal started the rally by beating Alexander Zverev 6-1, 6-4, 6-4, and David Ferrer clinched the quarterfinal for the Spaniards by downing Philipp Kohlschreiber 7-6 (1), 3-6, 7-6 (4), 4-6, 7-5. France advanced with a 3-1 win over Italy as Lucas Pouille defeated Fabio Fognini 2-6, 6-1, 7-6 (3), 6-3.
American Ryan Harrison beat Ruben Bemelmans 6-3, 6-4 in 65 minutes after the U.S. won the first three matches to improve to 5-0 all time in Davis Cup play against Belgium.
Beckham to attend workouts.
N.J.» Odell Beckham EAST RUTHERFORD,
Jr. is expected to be in attendance Monday for the start of the New York Giants’ offseason workout program, the star wide receiver told ESPN reporter Josina Anderson.
Beckham was scheduled to fly from Los Angeles to New Jersey on Sunday night. He plans to be at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center to “check in, work out in the gym and meet with some people.”
Offseason workouts are voluntary under the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement.
• Pro Bowl linebacker Thomas Davis will be suspended for the first four games of his final season after testing positive for a banned performance-enhancing drug.
Manziel plays in Spring League.
TEXAS» Johnny Manziel’s attempt AUSTIN, to restart his football career brought him to a game Saturday night in a high school stadium that was largely empty in the Spring League. It’s a four-team showcase of practices and two games designed as an audition for NFL scouts.
Manziel played almost two quarters, completing 8-of-16 passes for 79 yards and a touchdown with a few hundred fans watching, many of them cheering for him.
Manziel was sacked four times, fumbled once, an issue he mentioned as a problem he had in the NFL, and could not lead his team in the final two minutes to a touchdown that would have won the game.
Bogaerts suffers ankle injury.
BOSTON» Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts left Sunday’s game in the seventh inning after injuring his left ankle while sliding into the Tampa Bay Rays’ dugout.
Bogaerts was covering third base and chasing his own mishandling of a ball relayed by J.D. Martinez when he got hurt. He needed help to get off the field and walked with a noticeable limp. He was replaced by Brock Holt.
• Cincinnati Reds third baseman Eugenio Suarez broke his right thumb when he was hit by a pitch during Sunday’s game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Jamaican sprinter fastest at Games.
AUSTRALIA» Yohan Blake GOLD COAST, wants to add a Commonwealth Games title to his collection from the Olympics and the world championships.
Considering Usain Bolt is the only person who has ever run faster times in the 100 meters, Blake has a good chance. The Jamaican star kicked off his Gold Coast 2018 campaign by qualifying fastest for the final after winning his semifinal heat in 10.06 seconds of the track and field competition. — The Associated Press