TENNIS
Stan Wawrinka, a three-time Grand Slam champion, said there’s been a “worrying decline in moral standards” in tennis as “politics have overshadowed the action on the courts.”
In a letter published Friday in The Times of London, Wawrinka discussed the case of Justin Gimelstob, the former player, coach and TV commentator who resigned this week from the ATP board of directors after pleading no contest to misdemeanor assault for attacking a former friend.
Wawrinka also wrote of a “concerted plot” to oust Chris Kermode as ATP president.
SERENA RETURNING: Serena Williams, who hasn’t played since withdrawing from a third-round match at the Miami Open in March with a left knee injury, plans to return for the Italian Open, scheduled for May 13-19.
BASKETBALL
NBA: Philadelphia 76ers assistant Monty Williams will be the new coach of the Phoenix Suns, replacing Igor Kokoskov, who was fired last week after one disappointing season.
Williams will join Phoenix after the 76ers finish their season.
• The Chicago Bulls and Coach Jim Boylen – the former UMaine player – agreed to a contract extension. The length and financial terms weren’t revealed.
TRACK AND FIELD
TRUE WINS: Ben True, a North Yarmouth native, won the 10-kilometer race Thursday night at the Payton Jordan Invitational in Palo Alto, California.
True finished in 27 minutes, 52.39 seconds, 4 seconds ahead of runner-up Marc Scott (27:56.19).
Rachel Schneider of Sanford took second in the women’s 5K in 15:21.44, right behind winner Jenny Simpson, who won in 15:21.12.
Emily Durgin of Standish was 15th in the women’s 10K in 32:23.40 – 37 seconds off her previous best. Sifan Hasson won in 31:18.12.
SEMENYA WINS: Caster Semenya, an Olympic champion, easily won at Doha, Qatar, in what could be her last 800-meter race. New regulations by the sport’s governing body and upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport will require Semenya and other female athletes with high levels of natural testosterone to lower them to compete in events from 400 meters to the mile. Semenya hasn’t said if she will follow them or switch to longer distances not affected by the regulations.
AUTO RACING
NASCAR: Chase Elliott followed his first win of the season with a pole at Dover, Delaware, topping the speed chart on a blistering day at the track with a record 165.960 mph.
Elliott, who won last week at Talladega, led a 1-2 start for Hendrick Motorsports. William Byron will be second for the Cup race Sunday. Kyle Larson, Joey Logano and a fellow Hendrick driver, Alex Bowman, round out the top five.
• Johnny Sauter won for the third straight time at Dover, racing to his first NASCAR Truck Series victory of the season.
HORSE RACING
KENTUCKY OAKS: Serengeti Empress went wire-to-wire to win the $1.25 million event by 13/4 lengths over Liora at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.
The start featured a scary moment when Positive Spirit fell and threw jockey Manny Franco after clipping another horse as the 14-horse field closed together from the gate. Both were able to get up and walk off the track. Serengeti Empress started from the No. 13 post to lead by the first turn and kept it up despite Liora’s late attempt to close in.
– From staff and news reports
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