Patterson wins 400m as Richards gets Slam in Miami
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NBC Sports
2 days ago
- NBC Sports
Emma Raducanu beats Naomi Osaka at the DC Open in their first matchup
WASHINGTON — Emma Raducanu dominated her first career matchup against Naomi Osaka, winning the showdown at the D.C. Open on Thursday between past U.S. Open champions 6-4, 6-2. 'I did feel it had a bit of extra,' Raducanu said. 'It's a match that I feel a lot of people were talking about beforehand. I knew that ahead of the match, but I actually quite like these kind of matchups, where you're playing a great opponent. A lot of people have eyes on the match. They're into it. I enjoy it. I'm just pleased with how I was able to navigate playing a four-time Slam champ.' Raducanu, the first qualifier to claim a Grand Slam title when she did that in New York in 2021, saved the only two break points she faced and managed to break the big-serving Osaka three times. 'I'm serving better, and that helps a lot. I always returned pretty decent, but the element of just when I serve well, it does add another dimension to my game,' Raducanu said. 'I'm able to kind of start the points better and look for my forehand and get that into play a bit more and then dictate.' Osaka was hurt by seven double-faults. 'I feel like from the baseline, I was doing pretty well,' said Osaka, who the U.S. Open and Australian Open twice each. 'I think there are certain situations where she got one more ball back and I was kind of just looking and waiting.' Raducanu, who is ranked 46th, will face Maria Sakkari in the quarterfinals. Sakkari eliminated No. 2 seed Emma Navarro on Wednesday. Venus Williams, the seven-time Grand Slam singles champion back on tour at age 45, was scheduled to face Magdalena Frech at night. Winners in men's action Thursday at the hard-court tournament in Washington included No. 4 seed Ben Shelton, No. 7 Alex de Minaur, No. 8 Daniil Medvedev, No. 12 Alejandro Davidovich Fokina and No. 14 Brandon Nakashima.
USA Today
4 days ago
- USA Today
‘Attack of the Clones': Amen, Ausar Thompson land SLAM Magazine cover
For SLAM's July 2025 issue, with an 'Attack of the Clones' tag, Amen Thompson and his twin brother — Detroit's Ausar Thompson — are the cover story. The Rockets were one of the NBA's feel-good stories during the 2024-25 campaign. Two years after finishing in last place in the Western Conference, Houston went 52-30 and finished at No. 2 in the West last season. That type of successful rebuilding project earned the Rockets a cover spot on SLAM Magazine for the February/March 2025 print issue. Alperen Sengun, Jalen Green, Fred VanVleet, and Dillon Brooks were featured. One player who wasn't prominently displayed was rising star Amen Thompson, who was arguably Houston's most valuable player last season. But that might have been due to a different theme being in the works. This July, with an 'Attack of the Clones' headline, Thompson and his twin brother — Ausar Thompson of the Detroit Pistons — are on the SLAM cover. Each was selected among the top-five picks in the 2023 NBA draft, which makes 2025-26 a potential breakout year as each enters his third professional season. Each is already an elite defensive player. For Houston's twin, given the recent arrival of All-Star forward Kevin Durant, he's likely to be in the national and global spotlight once the new season begins in October. So, in that sense, it's only fitting that he draws a cover story in SLAM's first issue since the blockbuster trade became official. SLAM's complete feature on the Thompson twins can be read here. Topics include their childhood upbringing, tales of elite work ethic, and their unique relationship with each other. More: Amen Thompson shares elite work ethic with new Rockets star Kevin Durant
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Yahoo
Venus Williams is back in tennis and wishes Serena would come out of retirement to join the fun
WASHINGTON (AP) — Venus Williams is back on the tennis scene, ready to compete for the first time in more than a year, and while she smiled or laughed frequently Sunday while discussing her return at the DC Open, there was something that would make her even happier: if her younger sister Serena were along for the ride. 'I keep saying to my team: The only thing that would make this better is if she was here. Like, we always did everything together, so of course I miss her,' Venus said when asked about a recent video on social media that showed Serena swinging a racket. 'But if she comes back, I'm sure she'll let y'all know.' That, of course, was said with a wide grin. Serena, 43, hasn't played since the 2022 U.S. Open, when she declared she was 'evolving' away from the sport she dominated for stretches on the way to 23 Grand Slam singles titles and an additional 14 in doubles with Venus. 'I don't know what she's going to do. I don't ask those questions," Venus said a day before the hard-court tournament in the nation's capital begins. "I think we always hit the ball, because that's who we are. We're always hitting.' She said it was during a recent practice session of hers that Serena showed up and joined in for about 15 or 20 minutes. 'She can take six months off and she clocks it clean,' Venus said. 'You can't teach that kind of talent. She's just so good.' They both were the best around at one point. Both reached No. 1 in the rankings. Venus, who turned 45 last month, won seven major singles championships, two at the U.S. Open and five at Wimbledon. Her last tournament was in March 2024 at the Miami Open, where she exited in the first round. It's been so long that the official WTA Tour website lists her as 'inactive.' 'This is very special for me to come back and play tennis,' Venus said. 'I think it's a surprise for the fans — and a surprise in general, as I hold my cards tight.' Sure does. It came as a bit of a shock to the tennis world when her appearance in Washington via a wild-card invitation was announced a week ago. Her team had reached out to DC Open chairman Mark Ein via text in April to gauge whether he'd be open to having Venus at an event she last entered in 2022. He said he needed two seconds to reply: 'Of course.' 'She's such an icon of the sport — and, importantly, both on and off the court,' Ein said in an interview. 'So anytime you can have her engaged and have the spotlight on her and everything she's done and continues to do, it's hugely positive.' What did she miss the most while away from the tour? 'All the times that I had and, of course, the adrenaline, all those things,' Venus said. 'Just the pure fun of playing the game, the fun of the challenge, overcoming — when you play, you overcome so many challenges: your opponents, the conditions, a lot of times you have to overcome yourself. Those things are very exciting.' When asked why she's getting back on court, Venus offered a simple response: 'Why not?' As for whether this is a one-stop tour or she plans to play elsewhere, she wasn't prepared to say much. 'I'm just here for now, and who knows?' Venus said. 'Maybe there's more. ... But at the moment, I'm focused just on this. I haven't played in a year. There is no doubt I can play tennis, but obviously coming back to play matches, it takes time to get in the swing of things. I definitely feel I'll play well. I'm still the same player. I'm a big hitter. I hit big. This is my brand.' ___ Howard Fendrich has been the AP's tennis writer since 2002. Find his stories here: More AP tennis: Howard Fendrich, The Associated Press
