Rybakina withdraws from Italian Open with illness
Bears rookie Caleb Williams to start at QB
Chicago Bears rookie Caleb Williams on Friday was named the team’s starting quarterback for the upcoming season.
The announcement comes as little surprise, given the Bears selected Williams with the top overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft out of Southern California.
Tyson Bagent, 23, is expected to serve as the backup. He started four games as an undrafted rookie last season.
Bears coach Matt Eberflus didn’t mince words when announcing the decision on Williams.
“No conversation. He’s the starter,” Eberflus said.
Williams, 22, said he’s ready to take the steps to learn how to lead.
“To be a great leader, you have to learn how to follow first. So right now I’m following all the vets, I’m following all the coaches, I’m listening – having both ears open and my mouth shut – just kind of sitting back listening,” he said. “When I get to the point of when I learn everything, when I learn the ways of how we do it, the culture, the playbook and what the offensive line, wide receivers are all doing, running backs and tight ends, things like that, then you can start taking the lead, then you can start taking the helms of it and take the next steps.
“For right now though, I’m listening more than I’m speaking and talking and I’m taking it one step at a time and being in the moment.”
Report: Toronto awarded WNBA franchise
Toronto has been awarded a WNBA franchise, according to a report by the CBC, making it the first city outside of the United States to join the women’s professional basketball league.
The team will be owned by Kilmer Sports Inc., headed by Toronto billionaire Larry Tanenbaum and begin play in May, 2026, according to the report, which said an official announcement was expected on May 23 in Toronto.
Tanenbaum is a minority owner and chairman of Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment which owns the Toronto
Maple Leafs and Toronto Raptors, among other teams.
“We continue to engage in productive conversations with interested ownership groups in a number of markets but have no news to report at this time,” a WNBA spokesperson said in a statement to Reuters.
League commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in April that Toronto was among the cities being considered to be awarded the 14th team. The team will reportedly play at the 8,000-seat CocaCola Coliseum.
Canada has proven ready to welcome women’s pro basketball. A WNBA game between the Chicago Sky and Minnesota Lynx last year at Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena featured a sold-out crowd of 19,800.
Last week, a capacity crowd of 16,655 fans packed Edmonton’s Rogers Arena for a WNBA game between the Los Angeles Sparks and Seattle Storm.
Pacers coach Carlisle fined $35K for ripping officials
The NBA fined Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle $35,000 on Friday for “public criticism of the officiating and questioning the integrity of the league and its officials.”
Carlisle said the Knicks were receiving preferential treatment as a big-market team following Indiana’s 130-121 loss to host New York in Game 2 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series. New York holds a 2-0 lead in the best-ofseven series heading into Game 3 on Friday night in Indianapolis.
“Small-market teams deserve an equal shot,” Carlisle said. “They deserve a fair shot no matter where they’re playing.”
ESPN reported Thursday that the Pacers are asking the NBA office to review 78 plays that they contend were called improperly by officials in the first two games of the series.
After Game 1, Carlisle said officials had made 29 wrong calls or incorrect non-calls in the game, won 121-117 by New York. After what the Pacers believed were 49 similar instances in Game 2, the team decided to submit the plays to the NBA, per ESPN.
The Knicks will receive the videos for review, too.
“I can promise you that we’re going to submit these tonight,” Carlisle said after Game 2. “New York can get ready. They’ll see ‘em too. I’m always talking to our guys about not making it about the officials, but we deserve a fair shot. There’s not a consistent balance and that is disappointing.”
Thiem, 30, to retire at end of season
Former U.S. Open tennis champion Dominic Thiem will retire at the end of the 2024 season after going through a turbulent few years due to a wrist injury, the 30-year-old Austrian said on Friday.
The former world number three has struggled to get back to top form after suffering a wrist injury in 2021, which sidelined him for months and saw him slip down the world rankings.
Thiem, a twice French Open finalist, in January said this season was his “last chance” to get back to playing at a level he expects of himself and climb back up the rankings.
“It is a very important, very sad, very beautiful message that this season will be my last one,” Thiem, who won the U.S. Open in 2020, posted on Instagram.
“There are some reasons behind it: firstly, of course, my wrist. It is not exactly the way it should be and how I want it. The second reason is my inner feeling: I have been thinking about this decision for a very long time.
“I’ve had success and trophies which I never dreamt of. It was an incredible journey. In the end I came to the conclusion that this decision to end my career at the end of this season is the only right one.”
Currently ranked 117th, Thiem claimed his first win on the ATP Tour in 2024 by beating German Maximilian Marterer at the Estoril Open but was eventually knocked out in the last 16 by Frenchman Richard Gasquet.
Defending champion Elena Rybakina has withdrawn from the Italian Open due to illness, the tournament said on Friday.
The Wimbledon 2022 champion’s withdrawal was announced hours before she was scheduled to begin her title defence against Romania’s Irina-Camelia
Begu.
Kazakhstan’s Rybakina would be replaced by Frenchwoman Oceane Dodin, the tournament said in a post on X. “We wish our 2023 champion a speedy recovery,” they added.
World number four Rybakina is scheduled to play in the French Open later this month.
Stanford names basketball court after VanDerveer
Legendary Stanford women’s basketball coach Tara VanDerveer won’t be on the court at Maples Pavilion next season following her retirement, but her name won’t be far.
On Thursday, Stanford Athletics announced that the court at Maples Pavilion will be named the Tara VanDerveer Court in honor of the NCAA’s all-time winningest basketball coach. VanDerveer retired last month after 38 seasons at Stanford, where she racked up three national championships (1990, 1992, 2021) and 14 Final Four appearances.
“I have many wonderful memories of leading the women’s basketball program at Maples Pavilion,” VanDerveer said in a statement shared by the university. “It’s an honor, and a little surreal, to know that my name will be linked to both in these ways, and I look forward to celebrating with all our fans this fall.”
That’s not all – a Stanford assistant coaching position will also bear VanDerveer’s moniker. The position was filled by Heather Oesterle, hired by new head coach Kate Paye, who played under VanDerveer (1991-95) and has been on her coaching staff for the past 17 seasons.
The court be will unveiled during a public celebration in November.
“Coach VanDerveer has served as an excellent global ambassador for Stanford throughout nearly 40 years of service,” said Stanford President Richard Saller. “Her dedication to ensuring high academic and athletic standards drove our women’s basketball program to new heights. Tara represents the best of Stanford: unsurpassed excellence with deep humility. We will be pleased to name the court in her honor and hope that it serves as a constant reminder for Cardinal student-athletes of her passion, care and grace.”