NADAL BOWS OUT OF FRENCH OPEN
For months, Rafael Nadal waited for his body to heal. Waited to be able to push himself around a court at full speed, with full energy, of the sort that has carried him to a record 14 titles at the French Open and a total of 22 at all Grand Slam tournaments.
He finally acknowledged Thursday it wasn’t going to happen in time for Roland Garros, where play begins in 10 days — and, while he’s not exactly sure when he will be fully recovered from a lingering hip injury, Nadal said he expects to return to action at some point and probably wrap up his career in 2024.
Speaking at a news conference at his tennis academy in Manacor, Spain, the 36-year-old Nadal announced he will miss the clay-court French Open for the first time since making his debut — and, naturally, claiming the trophy — there in 2005.
Nadal did not offer a date for his return to the tennis tour, but said it is likely to take months.
“You never know how things will turn out,” said Nadal.
One thing he made clear: He does not want to bow out like this.
“I don’t deserve,” Nadal said, “to end my career like this, in a press conference.”
More tennis
Nick Kyrgios has withdrawn from the French Open due to a foot he injured at his Canberra home after a man allegedly threatened his mother with a gun and stole his car, according to Australian media.
• The right thigh injury that forced top-ranked Iga Swiatek to retire during her Italian Open quarterfinal “shouldn’t be anything serious,” she said Thursday.
• Daniil Medvedev beat German qualifier Yannick Hanfmann 6-2, 6-2 to reach the semifinals in Rome. His semifinal opponent will be Stefanos Tsitsipas, who defeated Borna Coric 6-3, 6-4 to reach the last four in Rome for the third time.
• Second-seeded Catherine Anderson of Del Mar scored a 6-1, 6-2 victory over fourth-seeded Hanni Seitz of Monterey in the 80-andover singles semifinals of the USTA National Women’s Senior Hard Court Championships. Anderson will face top-seeded Charleen Hillebrand of Long Beach at 11:30 a.m. in today’s final at the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club.
NFL
The pending $6.05 billion sale of the Washington Commanders from Dan Snyder and his family to a group led by investor Josh Harris remains under standard review and will not be voted on next week by NFL owners at their spring meeting, the league said.
Soccer
Newcastle is one win away from a return to the Champions League. The Saudi-controlled club beat Brighton 4-1 on Thursday to strengthen its hold on third place in the Premier League.
• Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp was handed a two-match ban for questioning the integrity of a Premier League referee. Klopp also was fined 75,000 pounds ($93,000).
Also
Palomar College took advantage of three Folsom Lake errors in the bottom of the sixth inning to score three runs for a 4-1 victory in the first round of the California Community College Athletic Association State Softball Tournament at Mt. San Antonio College. Winning pitcher India Caldwell struck out 13 and limited Folsom Lake to three hits as the Comets (41-1) advanced to a second-round game today against the winner of a late game between Cypress and College of San Mateo.
• Nico Denz won the 12th stage of the Giro d’Italia for his first victory in a Grand Tour, while Geraint Thomas kept hold of the pink jersey as the race prepares to head into the mountains.