TENNIS

Serena Williams’ return is put off until Sunday

Serena Williams won’t be playing in either of the Fed Cup singles matches Saturday in Asheville, North Carolina, as she returns to competitive tennis this week, five months after becoming a mother.

Instead, Williams will team up with Lauren Davis to face Lesley Kerkhove and Demi Schuurs in Sunday’s doubles match as the United States opens its title defense against the Netherlands.

She isn’t scheduled to play singles either Saturday or Sunday. The U.S. still has the opportunity after Saturday’s play to alter its lineup for Sunday.

Venus Williams will play Arantxa Rus and CoCo Vandeweghe faces Richel Hogerkamp on Saturday.

OPEN SUD DE FRANCE: Top seed David Goffin didn’t face a break point as he beat qualifier Karen Khachanov 6-4, 6-4 to reach the semifinals at Montpellier, France.

Goffin, who had an excellent season last year capped by a runner-up spot at the ATP finals, will next meet a three-time champion, Richard Gasquet.

SOCCER

U.S. MEN: Ireland said it will play the United States in a June 2 exhibition at Dublin in a matchup of teams that failed to qualify for the World Cup.

France announced in December that it will play the Americans on June 9 in Lyon.

Since failing to qualify for the World Cup, the U.S. has played a pair of matches under interim coach Dave Sarachan. The Americans tied 1-1 at Portugal in November and 0-0 at home against Bosnia-Herzegovina last month.

WORLD CUP: FIFA approved Chechnya as a base for Egypt and immediately faced calls to reverse its decision in the face of charges of human rights violations by the Russian region’s strongman leader.

World soccer’s governing body disclosed it was continuing to monitor the suitability of allowing a team to be based in the Chechen capital Grozny, which was selected by Egypt from a list of 67 options presented to the World Cup finalists.

TRACK AND FIELD

RECORD WON’T STAND: Christian Coleman’s world record in the 60-meter dash won’t be recognized by track authorities.

Coleman set the indoor world record of 6.37 seconds on Jan. 19 in Clemson, South Carolina. But it won’t be submitted for ratification by USA Track & Field because there was no “zero gun” test and electronic starting blocks were not in use.

The blocks measure false starts. A “zero gun” test checks the automatic timing system at track events.

FOOTBALL

COLLEGE: New Mexico Coach Bob Davie said he’ll appeal a 30-day suspension in connection with multiple investigations involving misconduct.

In a statement released by the school, Davie said none of the three investigations conducted over a nine-month period found he violated any school policy.

Davie said investigators from that firm, Hogan Marren Babbo & Rose, never asked him about one allegation in which he was accused of asking his players to “get some dirt” on a victim of sexual assault. “So there is no misunderstanding, never did I make that or any similar comment,” Davie said.

• Iowa State quarterback Kyle Kempt was granted a sixth season of eligibility by the NCAA, which considered the totality of the circumstances surrounding his transfer from Oregon State and Hutchinson Community College in Kansas.

Copy the Story Link