Paper apologizes for using Ali’s old name
Boxing great Cassius Clay’s hometown newspaper refused to call him Muhammad Ali for years after he adopted the Muslim faith and changed his name.
The Courier-Journal, Louisville’s daily paper, has apologized 50 years later for continuing to refer to him as Cassius Clay for years after he converted in 1964. It did not consistently refer to him as Muhammad Ali until 1970.
Ali died June 3 and an estimated 100,000 people lined the streets of Louisville to say goodbye to the city’s favorite son during his funeral Friday.
Executive Editor Neil Budde wrote Monday’s editorial that chronicled how the paper for years either ignored Ali’s preferred name or mocked it. He apologized that the newspaper’s “oddly hostile” unwillingness to use Ali’s name “did little to help race relations in a turbulent time.”
TENNIS
Austria’s Dominic Thiem won his fourth ATP title of the year when he came from behind to beat Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-7 (2), 6-4, 6-4 in the rain-delayed final of the Mercedes Cup on Monday. The final was halted Sunday with Kohlschreiber up 3-2 on serve in the tiebreaker. The seventh-seeded German took the tiebreaker, but third-seeded Thiem had an early break of serve in each of the following two sets. Thiem’s seventh career title was also his first on grass.
Second-seeded Kei Nishikori beat Lucas Pouille of France 6-7 (5), 6-1, 6-4 Monday in the first round of the Gerry Weber Open at Halle, Germany. Last year’s runner-up Andreas Seppi beat sixth-seeded David Ferrer 6-3, 6-4. Fifth-seeded David Goffin needed two hours and 47 minutes to overcome Borna Coric 7-6 (5), 6-7 (3), 6-4. Qualifier Sergiy Psittacosis overcame Denis Kudla 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 and Benjamin Becker beat Ernests Gulbis 7-5, 6-3 in a match between two qualifiers.
Steve Johnson of the United States beat fourth-seeded Richard Gasquet 7-6 (2), 6-2 on a rain-hit opening day of the Wimbledon warm-up tournament at Queen’s Club in London. All the other main-draw matches were postponed Monday.
The novelty of a new tournament drove former top10 player Daniela Hantuchova to begin her 18th grasscourt season on tour at the Mallorca Open, where she won her opening match Monday. The Slovak accepted a wild-card entry into the new event in Spain, and used it to beat Yaroslava Shvedova of Kazakhstan 6-1, 6-3. Caroline Garcia of France, the only seeded player in action, defeated Carina Witthoeft of Germany 7-5, 6-4. Anastasija Sevastova of Latvia and Mariana Duque-Marino of Colombia were also first-round winners.
Madison Keys showed her ability to make an impact on the new grass-court season with a 7-6 (3), 6-4 victory over Timea Babos Monday in the Aegon Classic in Birmingham, England. The 21-year-old American moved on to the second round, and could face Petra Kvitova ,a two-time Wimbledon champion, in the quarterfinals.
SOCCER
Gerard Pique broke down the Czech Republic’s stubborn defense with a goal in the 87th minute to give Spain a 1-0 victory in the opening match of its European Championship title defense on Monday. Pique ran behind the defenders and calmly headed the ball into the net after a well-placed left-flank cross by Andres Iniesta.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic rescued Sweden in a 1-1 draw with Ireland, even though he couldn’t set a European Championship scoring record. Sweden trailed until the 71st minute, when Ibrahimovic created the equalizer. Gliding forward, the Sweden captain sent the ball across the goal mouth and Ireland defender Ciaran Clark stooped to head it into his own net. Ireland had taken a lead in the 48th minute when Wes Hoolahan scored from a sweetly struck half-volley from inside the area.
Goals from Emanuele Giaccherini and Graziano Pelle, combined with excellent defending, helped Italy to a 2-0 win over Belgium in their first match at the European Championship. Giaccherini scored the opener from a spectacular long ball by Leonardo Bonucci. Pelle made it 2-0 in added time with a well-struck volley after a counterattack.
Jesus Manuel “Tecatito” Corona’s goal in the 80th minute Monday gave Mexico a 1-1 tie against Venezuela and first place in Group C of the Copa America. Corona missed several opportunities to score before he took on five defenders and fired off a shot from 10 yards to tie it up and thrill the pro-Mexico crowd in Houston. By winning its group, Mexico avoids a quarterfinal matchup with Lionel Messi and tournament favorite Argentina. Mexico is likely headed for an easier matchup with Chile in the knockout round, leaving Venezuela to face Argentina.