TENNIS

Eye infection brings end to finals streak for Djokovic

Top-ranked Novak Djokovic retired during his quarterfinal at the Dubai Tennis Championships in the United Arab Emirates with an infection in both eyes on Thursday, ending his global run of 17 consecutive final appearances.

Djokovic said the infection started in his right eye but then presented in both eyes.

Djokovic won 13 finals during his appearances streak dating to the 2015 Australian Open.

Playing Feliciano Lopez, Djokovic called for the ATP trainer while trailing 1-2. He kept pointing to his face but eventually got up to play. However, he quit the match after the Spaniard closed out the first set 6-3.

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Lopez will play unseeded Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus in the semifinals. Second-seeded Stan Wawrinka will face unseeded Nick Kyrgios in the other semifinal.

QATAR OPEN: Andrea Petkovic of Germany eliminated fourth-seeded Garbine Muguruza 6-1, 5-7, 6-2 to reach the semifinals at Doha.

Third-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska nearly left the semifinals without any of the top four, but rallied to beat Roberta Vinci 3-6, 6-2, 6-3.

BASKETBALL

NBA: Stephen Curry scored 51 points and set an NBA record with a 3-pointer in his 128th consecutive game as the Golden State beat host Orlando 130-114.

A night after scoring 42 in a six-point victory at Miami, Curry made 20 of 27 shots from the field, including 10 3-pointers.

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Anthony Davis had 30 points and blocked four shots, three Pelicans reserves combined for 60 points, and New Orleans beat the Oklahoma City Thunder, 123-119.

The Nets waived Joe Johnson, allowing the seven-time All-Star to leave one of the NBA’s worst teams and join a contender.

Players have to be waived by March 1 in order to sign with another team and be eligible for the playoffs.

Johnson will first have to clear waivers before he can pick from potential suitors. That should be a certainty, as a team claiming him would have to pay the remainder of his $24.9 million salary.

The Timberwolves waived veteran point guard Andre Miller after agreeing to terms on a buyout of his contract.

Agent Andy Miller said his 39-year-old client will look to join a team that is making a playoff push.

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The Wizards signed J.J. Hickson for the remainder of the season after the forward was bought out by the Nuggets earlier in the week.

Pelicans guard Bryce Dejean-Jones, a fill-in starter much of the past month, has a fractured right wrist and will have surgery on Friday. There is no timetable for his return

Cavaliers guard Mo Williams will miss at least the next two games because of a left knee injury.

GOLF

PGA: Sergio Garcia made an eagle, avoided an alligator and wound up sharing a one-shot lead after one round of the Honda Classic at Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.

Garcia holed out an 8-iron for eagle on the second hole and finished with a birdie for a 5-under 65. Michael Thompson, who won the event in 2013, also shot 65.

Garcia’s day included a bogey on No. 6 after his tee shot bounced into the water. He rolled up his pants to play the shot, but not before looking over his shoulder at a gator on the island. Garcia and the golf ball made it out just fine.

LPGA: Lexi Thompson had two eagles in an 8-under 64 to take a one-stroke lead over Q Baek at the LPGA Tour’s Thailand tournament at Chonburi.

Defending champ Amy Yang shot 66 and was two strokes behind after the first round.


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