The Riverside Press-Enterprise
Stewart, the reigning WNBA MVP, re-signs with New York
With reigning WNBA MVP Breanna Stewart resigning with the New York Liberty, the team now has the entire starting lineup back from last season’s squad that lost in the WNBA Finals to the Las Vegas Aces.
Stewart came to the Liberty last season after spending her entire career with the Seattle Storm. She averaged 23 points, 9.3 rebounds and 3.8 assists and earned the league MVP honor for the second time in her career.
The MVP award was one of the tightest races with Connecticut’s Alyssa Thomas and Las Vegas’ A’ja Wilson right behind Stewart.
Stewart, 29, previously won the league’s MVP in 2018 and helped Seattle win two WNBA championships in 2018 and 2020. She was MVP of the Finals both times.
The Liberty made the Finals for the first time since 2002 before losing in four games to Las Vegas.
GOLF Kim will join LIV after long absence
All signs point toward Anthony Kim ending his 12-year absence by playing the LIV Golf event in Saudi Arabia, with the latest indication a video tease from Greg Norman.
Kim was a raw talent who broke the country club image in golf with his belt buckles and bling, winning three times on the PGA Tour and playing in one Ryder Cup in 2008 at Valhalla, where he secured a spirited win over Sergio Garcia. He rose as high as No. 6 in the world.
The 30-second clip on X showed vague images of Kim, now 38, accompanied by Norman posting, “He oozes incredible talent. The world has seen it in the past and now it is an honour as Commissioner of LIV Golf to give the opportunity for this star to be reborn.”
Kim is expected to play as a wild card — meaning he would not be affiliated with any of the 13 teams — at LIV Golf Jeddah that begins
Friday in Saudi Arabia.
Kim last competed in May 2012 at the Wells Fargo Championship, where he shot 74 and walked straight to his car and left. He ruptured his Achilles tendon getting ready for the 2013 season, and then had a herniated disk.
In a 2015 interview with The AP — his most recent interview — he said his injuries included a rotator cuff, labrum, spinal fusion and his hand, and that he had gone through at least six surgeries. He also said he was getting monthly payments from an insurance policy that cost “well into the mid-six figures” when he took it out in 2010 in case of injury.
TENNIS Medvedev begins defense of Dubai title
Daniil Medvedev opened his title defense at the Dubai Championships by beating Alexander Shevchenko 6-3, 7-5 in his first match since losing the Australian Open final to Jannik Sinner.
The top-seeded Medvedev had withdrawn from tournaments in Doha and Rotterdam because of fatigue and a right foot problem following his loss to Sinner at Melbourne Park.
• Andy Murray hinted he is heading into the “last few months” of his career after rallying past Denis Shapovalov 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-3 at the Dubai Championships for his 500th hardcourt win.
Murray, 36, a three-time
Grand Slam champion playing with an artificial hip, has considered retirement before. This was only his second win of the year.
• Katie Boulter of Britain and Daria Saville of Australia scored decisive wins Monday in the raininterrupted opening round of the Cymbiotika San Diego Open. Boulter earned her first win over Ukraine’s Lesia Tsurenko in four career matchups, 6-3, 6-1.
HORSE RACING Report: Equine fatality rate reduced
Horse racing’s federal oversight body says racetracks under its jurisdiction experienced 1.23 racing-related equine fatalities per 1,000 starts in 2023, a much lower rate than at tracks outside its watch.
The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority report, released Tuesday, also stated that its fatality rate was lower than the Jockey Club’s national rate of 1.25 for 2022 and the 1.32 rate reported on Tuesday in its 2023 Equine Injury Database. The HISA release stated that methodologies and criteria for reporting rates are identical to the Jockey Club, but noted that the Jockey Club’s rates for the past two years include data from U.S. thoroughbred tracks operating outside of HISA’S jurisdiction.
Those tracks have a significantly higher rate of 1.63 per 1,000 starts, the release added.
HISA’S fatality rate report was the first for tracks under its watch since a safety program was enacted in July 2022. An anti-doping and medication control program took effect last May.
MOTORSPORTS Hamilton kept private his move to Ferrari
Formula 1 great Lewis Hamilton kept his Ferrari move so closely guarded that he didn’t even tell his parents until the day it was announced.
The British driver rocked the F1 world when it was announced on Feb. 1 he was joining the Italian manufacturer next year, despite signing a new contract with Mercedes last summer.
“I didn’t speak to anybody. I didn’t tell my parents till the day of it being announced. So, no one knew,” Hamilton told a BBC podcast. “I really wanted to do it for myself. Ultimately, I had to find out what would be the best for me.”
It then emerged that the two-year deal penned with Mercedes and announced last August was actually for one year with an option for a second year, which Hamilton did not take.
Hamilton, 39, informed Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff of his decision to leave only the day before over breakfast at Wolff’s home. They have become close friends over the years after Hamilton joined Mercedes from Mclaren in 2013.
Hamilton and Michael Schumacher have a record seven F1 titles each, and Hamilton is the outright leader with 103 race wins and 104 pole positions.
Hamilton has spoken in the past of the lure of racing with Ferrari, where Schumacher won five of his world titles.
“I mean, the opportunity just popped up and I was like, ‘OK, I’ve got to think for a second,’” Hamilton said. “(But) I didn’t have a lot of time to think and I had to just go with my gut feeling and I decided to take the opportunity.”
Hamilton begins his last season with Mercedes on Saturday at the seasonopening Bahrain Grand Prix.