TENNIS

Federer, Nadal to challenge the world – as a team

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have played against each other 34 times, including in 21 tournament finals. But for the first time, though, the rivals are set to play with each other, as doubles teammates in a tournament pitting Europe against the world.

The inaugural Laver Cup, named for Australian great Rod Laver, is planned for September 2017 in Prague, with a format similar to golf’s Ryder Cup.

The tournament will have 12 matches, nine singles and three doubles, played over three days. Each side will have six players, four based on the world rankings after Wimbledon, and two captain’s picks, announced after the U.S. Open.

CONNECTICUT OPEN: Defending champion Petra Kvitova needed just an hour Thursday night to beat Ekaterina Makarova 6-3, 6-1 and move into the semifinals at New Haven, despite suffering from a cold.

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Agnieszka Radwanska, Elina Svitolina and Johanna Larsson also advanced.

WINSTON-SALEM OPEN: John Millman upset top-seeded Richard Gasquet 7-5, 6-3 in North Carolina to reach his first ATP World Tour semifinal.

Pablo Carreno Busta, Roberto Bautista Agut and Viktor Troicki also advanced.

COLLEGES

WOMEN’S SOCCER: Kaitlyn Ball, Nicole Bailey and Theresa Gosch each scored a goal to lead the University of Maine to a 3-0 win over Holy Cross at Orono.

Ball also had two assists for the Black Bears (3-0).

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Annalena Kriebisch made seven saves against the Crusaders (1-2) to record her second shutout of the season.

JURISPRUDENCE

SHARPER SENTENCING: A Louisiana judge formally imposed a 20-year prison sentence on former NFL star Darren Sharper, who last week was sentenced by a federal judge to 18 years and four months in a drug and rape case with victims in four states.

Defense attorney Billy Gibbens said that the two sentences are essentially the same, when credit for time served and other factors are considered.

BASEBALL

LITTLE LEAGUE WORLD SERIES: Zach McWilliams hit a go-ahead grand slam in the fourth inning, RJ Moore struck out five in two relief innings and Goodlettsville, Tennessee, beat Bowling Green, Kentucky 8-4 for a spot in the U.S. championship game.

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Seum Kwon had two home runs and three RBI, Sangheon Park struck out nine and South Korea beat Mexico 7-0 to reach the international final.

HOCKEY

NHL: The Colorado Avalanche hired Jared Bednar as their new head coach, replacing Patrick Roy, who abruptly stepped down earlier this month.

The 44-year-old Bednar won the American Hockey League’s Calder Cup championship last season as coach of the Lake Erie Monsters, the Columbus Blue Jackets’ affiliate.

The Arizona Coyotes acquired prospect Lawson Crouse and injured veteran Dave Bolland – and his hefty contract –from Florida for two draft picks. The Panthers will receive a 2017 third-rounder and a conditional 2018 second-rounder that could become another 2017 third.

TRACK AND FIELD

DIAMOND LEAGUE: Olympic 100-meter champion Elaine Thompson took center stage in the absence of her Jamaican teammate Usain Bolt in the first meet after the Olympics.

Thompson timed 10.78 seconds with a slight tailwind at Lausanne, Switzerland – just .07 shy of her time in Rio.

 


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