Thiem ends Nadal’s long run on clay
Rafael Nadal has found a worthy rival on clay. Dominic Thiem beat the top-ranked Nadal 7-5, 6-3 in the Madrid Open quarterfinals on Friday, breaking the defending champion’s run of 21 straight wins on clay courts.
Nadal hadn’t lost a single set on clay since falling to Thiem a year ago in the Italian Open quarterfinals.
Nadal will lose his world No. 1 ranking to Roger Federer because of the defeat.
“Of course I am disappointed,” Nadal said. “I tried to fight back but I wasn’t good enough and he was better. Dominic has a lot of potential. Whenever he plays really well, it is difficult to stop him.”
Since last year’s loss to Thiem, Nadal had been impeccable on his preferred surface. He won the French Open and the hard-court U.S. Open to take his Grand Slam haul to 16, and he came to the Spanish capital fresh off winning his 11th titles at both Monte Carlo and Barcelona.
Second-seeded Alexander Zverev beat seventh-seeded John Isner 6-4, 7-5 to also advance.
On the women’s side, two-time former Madrid champion Petra Kvitova beat Karolina Pliskova 7-6 (4), 6-3, in an all-Czech semifinal. Kvitova will meet Kiki Bertens in the final after she beat seventh-seeded Caroline Garcia 6-2, 6-2.
NFL
49ERS SIGN FIFTH-ROUND PICK >> The 49ers signed cornerback D.J. Reed Jr., the team’s fifth-round pick, to a four-year contract. Reed was selected 142nd overall last month out of Kansas State.
Motorsports
HARVICK KEEPS UP SPEED >> Kevin Harvick had to race onto the track after finally passing through inspection just as the first round of qualifying was beginning for Saturday night’s race at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City. By the time things were settled, Harvick had raced his way to the pole.
Fresh off his fourth win of the season last week at Dover, Harvick turned a best lap of 188.811 mph to easily claim the top starting spot. Ryan Blaney was a distant second in 187.825 mph, with Kyle Busch, Aric Almirola and Chase Elliott rounding out the top five.
POWER HAS INDYCAR POLE >> Will Power has won his third IndyCar Grand Prix pole for Saturday’s race in Indianapolis by turning a fast lap of 1 minute, 9.8182 seconds on his final qualifying run. Rookie Robert Wickens of Canada will start second after completing Indy’s 2.439-mile, 14-turn road course in 1:09.9052. Power has won the race twice, both after taking the pole.
Soccer
BRAZILIAN TEAM FIGHTING INJURIES >> Brazil right back Dani Alves will miss the World Cup, leaving the five-time champions without one of their main leaders. Alves injured his right knee on Tuesday in the French Cup final win with Paris Saint-Germain. PSG said his anterior cruciate ligament detached. The Brazilian Football Confederation said in a statement on Friday he needs surgery.
• Neymar still has fears weeks out from the World Cup in Russia about the right foot he broke. The Brazil and Paris Saint-Germain striker said treatment has worked “but there is always that fear of it (the injury) coming back.”
WOMEN’S U-17 MOVED >> The confederation for the North and Central American and Caribbean regions has rescheduled the women’s under-17 championship, which was suspended last month because of violence in Nicaragua. The tournament will resume on June 6 at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.
The defending champion United States had opened the event in Managua with a 4-0 win over Costa Rica and was scheduled to play Bermuda and Canada in the group stage. ROONEY IN TALKS WITH MLS >> Everton manager Sam Allardyce says Wayne Rooney’s representatives have held talks with D.C. United over a move for the former England captain to Major League Soccer. Rooney has top-scored for Everton with 11 goals in his first season back at the club where he began his career, but hasn’t been a regular starter in the second half of the season and often played in midfield.
Hockey
FIFTH STRAIGHT WIN FOR TEAM USA >> Captain Patrick Kane scored two goals and added three assists as the United States beat South Korea 13-1 at the ice hockey world championship in Herning, Denmark, for a fifth straight victory. The United States move into the sole lead of Group B in Herning, three points ahead of Canada.