Unseeded Fognini reaches Miami Open semifinals
KEY BISCAYNE, FLA. >> Fabio Fognini became the first unseeded player in 10 years to reach the men’s semifinals at Key Biscayne when he beat 2016 runner-up Kei Nishikori 6-4, 6-2 Wednesday at the Miami Open.
The 29-year-old Fognini, who matched his best showing in an ATP Masters 1000 event, will next play the winner of Wednesday night’s match between Rafael Nadal and Jack Sock.
Nishikori was seeded No. 2. Fognini improved to 9-44 against top-10 players, and became the first Italian man to reach a semifinal at Key Biscayne.
No. 10 Johanna Konta became the first British woman to reach a semifinal in the tournament by beating No. 3 Simona Halep 3-6, 7-6 (7), 6-2.
Figure skating: Medvedeva leads worlds after short program
HELSINKI >> Evgenia Medvedeva closed in on a second world figure skating title by taking the lead in the short program, while China’s Sui Wenjing and Han Cong led the pairs.
Seventeen-year-old Russian Medvedeva skated flawlessly and scored 79.01 points, a result second only to the world-record score she posted at December’s Grand Prix finals.
Medvedeva, who is unbeaten since November 2015, can become the first woman to win back-to-back world titles since 2001 if she holds on to her lead in Friday’s free skate.
“I’ll try to show everything I can do in the free skate,” Medvedeva said.
Canadians trailed Medvedeva, with Kaetlyn Osmond second with 75.98 points and Gabrielle Daleman in third with 72.19.
Osmond, in her first world championships since 2014, put her success down to a more focused approach.
“I was just loving every minute of it and completely in the moment,” Osmond said. “I know how to deal a little bit more with the excitement, and hopefully I can just stay that way for the long (program).”
Osmond will skate last on Friday, a position which can put some skaters under pressure. But the Canadian said it “has always been my favorite spot to compete.”
NASCAR: Rookie Suarez has new crew chief at Joe Gibbs Racing
HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. >> NASCAR rookie Daniel Suarez has a new crew chief.
Joe Gibbs Racing said crew chief Dave Rogers is out indefinitely on personal leave. Scott Graves will now call the shots for the No. 19 Toyota in the Cup series.
Graves had served as the crew chief for JGR’s No. 18 Xfinity team. His replacement will be named next week.
Rogers is a veteran crew chief who was worked with Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin at JGR and was within 10 laps of winning a Cup title last season with Edwards.
Golf: Woodland, pregnant wife cope with loss of 1 twin
AUSTIN, TEXAS >> Gary Woodland says he withdrew from the Dell Technologies Match Play because his wife had complications with her pregnancy that resulted in the loss of one of their twins.
Woodland had won his opening match last week before he withdrew for what was described as a personal family matter. He said Wednesday on Twitter that he and his wife, Gabby, are coping with the loss of one of their twins. He says doctors will be closely monitoring the health of his wife and the surviving twin for the remainder of her pregnancy.