French Open draw: Nadal faces Gerasimov, Serena plays Ahn
PARIS » Rafael Nadal will begin his bid for a record-extending 13th French Open title against Egor Gerasimov in the first round, while Serena Williams starts her attempt for a record-equaling 24th major against Kristie Ahn in all-American matchup.
The 34-year-old Nadal, who is seeded second and has never faced the 83rd-ranked Belarusian, is aiming to equal the absent Roger Federer’s men’s record of 20 Grand Slam titles.
The sixth-seeded Williams, who turns 39 on Saturday, fell short in her bid to equal Margaret Court’s record at the U.S. Open, losing to Victoria Azarenka in the semifinals. Williams has won the French Open three times, the first in 2002 and the last in 2015.
Thursday’s draw at Roland Garros also pitted top-ranked Novak Djokovic against No. 80 Mikael Ymer in their first career meeting. Djokovic is trying again for an 18th major title.
Askew sidelined with concussion symptoms, Helio in
Oliver Askew knew something was medically wrong in the days after “the hardest hit I’ve ever had” in the Indianapolis 500. He’d been evaluated and cleared to race after the crash, but he just didn’t feel right.
The IndyCar rookie told The Associated Press on Thursday he has been experiencing dizziness, sleeping difficulties, irritability, headaches and confusion since he crashed in the Aug. 23 race. He continued to race in four more events as he tried to “play through it” until friends and family encouraged him to seek medical treatment.
He’s since been diagnosed with a concussion and is working on a recovery plan with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center’s sports medicine concussion program.. Askew will not compete in next weekend’s doubleheader on the road course at Indianapolis and Arrow McLaren SP will use three-time Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves in the No. 7 Chevrolet.
Martínez heads Bayern past Sevilla to win Super Cup
BUDAPEST,HUNGARY» Javi Martínez is Bayern Munich’s Mr. Super Cup.
Seven years after scoring an extra-time goal to help Bayern win its last UEFA Super Cup, Martínez netted the winner in the 104th minute as the German club beat Sevilla 2-1 in the European curtain raiser in a stadium partially filled with fans.
Martínez rose above a crowd of players to head in the rebound when Sevilla goalkeeper Yassine Bounou parried David Alaba’s speculative shot. Bayern midfielder Thomas Müller hailed Martínez as “Mr. Super Cup,” recalling the 2013 goal which sent a game against Chelsea to a penalty shootout which Bayern won.
It could be one of Martínez’s last games for Bayern after eight years and eight German league titles. Chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said last month that the versatile defensive player was seeking to leave.