Novak pushes for U.S. return
Novak Djokovic has asked American authorities for special permission to enter the United States to play tennis tournaments in California and Florida despite being unvaccinated against the coronavirus, the top-ranked Serb said Wednesday.
The Transportation Security Administration has said the requirement for foreign air travelers to be fully vaccinated against the disease would be in place at least until mid-April. The tournament in Indian Wells will be played from March 6-19 and the Miami Open is scheduled from March 20-April 2.
Last year, the 35-year-old Djokovic was deported from Australia ahead of the Australian Open because of his vaccination status. Djokovic returned to the tournament in January after Australia lifted its strict vaccine mandate to win his 22nd Grand Slam title, tying the record with Rafael Nadal.
HAWKS EYE SNYDER
Hawks general manager Landry Fields said Wednesday former Utah coach Quin Snyder is among those being considered to replace
Nate McMillan.
The Hawks (29-30) fired McMillan on Tuesday. Fields stressed that Atlanta’s eighth-place standing in the Eastern Conference is not acceptable for a team that advanced to the conference finals in 2021.
Snyder, 56, was 372-264 as Utah’s coach from 2014-22. He guided the Jazz to six consecutive playoff appearances before stepping down after last season.
Fields said Snyder’s availability “is a factor in the sense that I feel comfortable mentioning his name, but there are other candidates I don’t want to mention because they are a part of other teams.”
Snyder was a Hawks assistant in 2013-14.
Other possible candidates include Golden State assistant Kenny Atkinson and Milwaukee assistant Charles Lee, both former Atlanta assistants.
Fields said he has started talking with potential candidates and could make a hire this season. Assistant coach Joe Prunty began serving as interim coach at practice Wednesday, but may not be involved in the interview process for the full-time position.
The University of Alabama said Wednesday that leading scorer Brandon Miller remains an “active member” of the No. 2-ranked Crimson Tide and is not considered a suspect in a fatal shooting that took place near campus last month. An attorney for the player said his client never handled the gun officials say was involved in the shooting.
“Based on all the information that we have received, Brandon Miller is not considered a suspect in this case, only a cooperative witness,” the university said in a statement released just hours before Alabama was to play at South Carolina.
Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne told ESPN’s College GameDay podcast that Miller traveled with the team to South Carolina, went through walk-through and was expected to play.
Miller’s attorney said his client never handled the gun owned by ex-Alabama player Darius Miles. Miles is accused of providing his gun to Michael Davis, who fired it and killed Jamea Harris, prosecutors say.