DJOKOVIC FINDS CLAY FORM IN ITALIAN OPEN
It was just the type of scrambling, wear-down-the-opponent mentality and shot-making that took Novak Djokovic to within one match of a calendar-year Grand Slam in 2021.
The spectacle was missing for much of this year when Djokovic didn’t play because he wasn’t vaccinated against the coronavirus.
The top-ranked Djokovic brought the Foro Italico crowd to its feet with several epic points in a 7-5, 7-6 (1) win over Felix AugerAliassime to reach the Italian Open semifinals on Friday.
To conclude a long rally, Djokovic produced a delicate backhand topspin lob winner over the leaping Auger-Aliassime to break serve and lead 4-2 in the second set.
Djokovic celebrated the lob winner by raising both of his arms and then urging the crowd on Campo Centrale to cheer louder by gesturing with his hands.
“It was high-level tennis,” Djokovic said. “He did ask me to raise the level and I had to play consistently well.”
While he is still seeking his first title of the year, Djokovic was ensured by the victory of holding on to the No. 1 ranking for another week and have the top seed at the French Open.
Djokovic’s semifinal opponent will be Casper Ruud. Fifthranked Stefanos Tsitsipas will face Alexander Zverev in the other semifinal.
On the women’s side, Iga Swiatek extended her winning streak to 26 matches by beating former U.S. Open champion Bianca Andreescu 7-6 (2), 6-0.
Sports and courts
The girlfriend of Denver Broncos wide receiver Jerry Jeudy asked a judge to dismiss a misdemeanor case against him stemming from a dispute between them that ended with Jeudy behind bars overnight Thursday.
• A Nevada judge ruled that prosecutors can obtain medical records about injuries that former Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs’ girlfriend, Kiara Kilgo-Washington, received in a crash that killed a woman last November.
NFL
Free agent wide receiver Jarvis Landry, a five-time Pro Bowler, is joining the New Orleans
Saints, the eight-year veteran confirmed on Twitter.
• The Detroit Lions signed defensive end Aidan Hutchinson to a $35.7 million, four-year contract with a team option for a fifth.
• The Atlanta Falcons bolstered their thin ranks at receiver by acquiring Bryan Edwards and a seventh-round pick in 2023 from the Las Vegas Raiders for a fifth-round pick in 2023.
Motorsports
Top Fuel points leader Brittany Force broke both ends of the track record at Virginia Motorsports Park in qualifying for the Virginia NHRA Nationals. In the NHRA’s first event at the track in three years, Force had a 3.710-second run at 335.82 mph.
Pro lacrosse
The San Diego Seals dropped a tough opening game of the bestof-3 National Lacrosse League Western Conference final playoff series against Colorado, losing 1412 to the Mammoth at Pechanga Arena. Tre Leclaire tied the game in the fourth quarter, but the Mammoth scored the final two goals. The teams meet in Game 2 on May 21 at Colorado.
Local colleges
San Diego State run-ruled New Mexico, 12-3, in five innings to clinch the outright Mountain West title at Lobo Softball Field. The Aztecs (37-13, 20-3 MW) reached 20 wins for the first time in their MW history (since 2000). SDSU extended the conference record with its eighth title.
• The Cal State San Marcos softball team beat Cal State Monterey Bay 5-0 and Northwest Nazarene 4-0 to advance to today’s NCAA West 1 Regional Championship round. The Cougars host Sonoma State at 11 a.m. today and must win twice.
• UC San Diego’s baseball team took a series opener against UC Davis, 15-5, at Dobbins Stadium. The Tritons (23-25, 12-10 Big West) had 15 hits. Noah Sudyka went 2-for-2 with a home run, and Jalen Smith finished 2for-2 with two runs.
• UC San Diego softball split a doubleheader with Cal Poly, winning the opener 6-2 and dropping the nightcap 3-2. The Tritons move to 26-26 overall and 14-12 in the Big West while Cal Poly moves to 19-28 overall and 14-12 in the Big West.