New Zealand Rugby (NZR) has approved a revolutionary deal which will see US investment firm Silver Lake take a 12.5 per cent stake in the game's commercial rights including the All Blacks.
The proposal was voted for unanimously by New Zealand's 26 provincial unions and the New Zealand Maori Rugby Board (NZMRB) although it still needs sign off from the New Zealand Rugby Players' Association (NZRPA).
The private equity deal would see Silver Lake inject $NZ387.5 million into NZR, coming after the governing body recorded an operating loss of $NZ18.7m at its Annual General Meeting in Wellington on Thursday.
The controversial deal has been mooted for some time and takes the game a step closer to the All Blacks becoming a non-wholly publicly-owned entity for the first time.
NZR Chair Brent Impey said: “We are thrilled that our Provincial Unions [and] the Māori Rugby Board have recognised the importance of private equity in driving commercial revenue and enabling investment to ensure rugby thrives and survives into the future.
"Today’s vote for Silver Lake represents a transformational opportunity for our game and one we must grasp.”
Ongoing discussions with the NZRPA will be critical to establishing the terms of the deal, although Impey was disappointed they had not yet given their consent.
“Through swift action, good governance and hard work of our people we are fortunate to be one of the best placed national unions in the world," he said.
"However, we are at a critical juncture and need our players’ support if we are to make the most of the opportunity in front of us.
“The game has to change, and Silver Lake’s capital injection would allow us to re-imagine rugby and invest in the areas of the community game that need it most, particularly teenage and women’s rugby, and to create better and more engaging experiences for our fans.
"We hope the NZRPA will realise the significance of the opportunity in front of us and will continue to work toward an agreement in coming weeks."
New Zealand's Sports Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson also weighed in on the matter, calling for the NZRPA to come to the table for talks.
"New Zealand Rugby has been working hard on it, trying to establish what it believes is a more secure financial base for the sport," Robertson said.
"Some of the details that are now emerging show the provincial unions will be getting some slice of the extra money that might be coming in, but other details are still a little bit unclear.
"Obviously on the other side of the equation you've got the Rugby Players' Association who are concerned about both the salaries that the players get but also some other issues like protection of cultural icons such as the haka."
George Springer will make his highly anticipated Toronto Blue Jays debut as a designated hitter against the Washington Nationals on Wednesday.
Springer was lured to Toronto on a six-year, $150million contract from the Houston Astros via free agency – the largest deal in Blue Jays history – but injuries have prevented the 2017 World Series champion and MVP from debuting for the MLB hopefuls.
The three-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger had been nearing a return from a left oblique strain, but tightness in his right quad has sidelined Springer.
However, Springer will finally step out for the Blue Jays when they face the Nationals in the second and final game of their short series in Dunedin midweek after star team-mate Vladimir Guerrero Jr. became the youngest player in MLB history with three-plus homers and seven-plus RBI in a game on Tuesday.
Guerrero hit three home runs, including a grand slam, as the Blue Jays topped the Nationals 9-5.
"This will be an exciting day," Springer told reporters. "I'm happy with my progress and obviously looking forward to getting in there.
"I just had to trust myself,'' Springer said. "Obviously I don't want to hurt myself again.
"I want to play. I'm tired of being on the IL and not being out there with the guys. I had an opportunity to play today and I said, 'Absolutely.'"
Heading into the 2021 season, Springer had led MLB with 136 home runs from the lead-off spot since 2015.
Springer has 39 lead-off home runs in his career – fourth most all-time behind Rickey Henderson (73), Ian Kinsler (48) and Brady Anderson (44).
The 31-year-old Springer has recorded seven career World Series home runs – most from the lead-off spot all-time – and he is 19-for-56 (.339) in the World Series in his career. No other current Blue Jays player has a World Series hit in their career.
Springer's 174 home runs since debuting in MLB via Houston are third most by an Astro in a player's first seven career seasons, behind only Jeff Bagwell (187) and Lance Berkman (180).
Two-time BMW Open champion Alexander Zverev is hoping to enjoy further success in Munich after shaking off the rust in his opener on Wednesday.
Zverev has been managing an elbow injury and had only played three times since mid-March, swiftly departing Masters 1000 events in Miami and Monte-Carlo.
But the German is back in familiar territory on home soil and made light work of lucky loser Ricardas Berankis.
Zverev, who won the tournament in 2017 and 2018, needed just 87 minutes to claim a 6-2 6-4 victory.
"I haven't played much tennis the past few weeks, so I know I'll need to improve for the next match," he said.
"I've had success in the past and I feel good here. I've played well in the practice and hopefully I can do better on the match court."
Fellow seeds Casper Ruud and John Millman each also advanced, albeit the latter only when Guido Pella retired after the Argentine won the first set 6-4 and was 2-0 down in the second.
At the Estoril Open, Marin Cilic and Kevin Anderson will face off in an enticing quarter-final.
One-time US Open champion Cilic has a 6-1 career lead over Anderson, who has fallen to 105th in the world.
Cilic came from behind to beat Nuno Borges 6-7 (5-7) 6-4 6-4, while Anderson defeated Roberto Carballes Baena in straight sets.
This was not how the start of the season was supposed to pan out for Red Bull, who had the fastest car in Formula One testing.
Superstar Max Verstappen has finished second and first over the opening two weeks, yet he still trails Lewis Hamilton by a point. Mercedes are also on top again in the constructors' championship, seven points clear even after Valtteri Bottas crashed out of the epic Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
"To come away leading both championships almost felt like a get out of jail free card, because our rivals didn't maximise the opportunity we gave them," Silver Arrows boss Toto Wolff said.
Verstappen is certainly in a title race, but seven-time champion Hamilton will be the favourite as long as he has the lead.
There is pressure on Red Bull to change that this week when the season continues with the Portuguese Grand Prix.
LAST TIME OUT
It would perhaps be easier to start with what did not happen at Imola, such was the drama.
Verstappen was the victor, while Hamilton came in second, but that does not even start to tell the full story, with incident right from the outset in the pouring rain.
The Mercedes driver started from pole but was trailing and damaged by Turn One, pushed wide by a rapid Verstappen dash.
Worse was to come for Hamilton as he careered off into a gravel trap midway through the race and attempted to get his sparking Silver Arrow back to the pit lane as Verstappen streaked clear.
But an unexpected intervention gave Hamilton a reprieve, with a crash – not the only one – between Bottas and George Russell prompting a suspension of the race.
That meant Verstappen had to restore his advantage after a nervy restart, while Hamilton resumed from ninth and weaved through the field to finish a distant second, retaining his season lead with a late fastest lap.
WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR AT PORTIMAO
Now that Hamilton has proven the worth of the W12 car – previously dismissed by Bottas as "undriveable" – Mercedes might expect a more straightforward weekend.
Hamilton won at the Algarve International Circuit last year, after all.
But the tricky circuit, dubbed 'the rollercoaster', could encourage another eventful outing, particularly with Verstappen keen to ensure he has not missed his chance to pull clear over the past two grands prix.
The battle below the top two teams is similarly intriguing, with McLaren's Lando Norris as high as third in the standings after following up a fourth place in the opener by taking third last time out. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, meanwhile, is fourth in the standings.
Neither McLaren nor the Scuderia had the pace to stick with Hamilton when his crash gave them a rare opportunity to compete with the Mercedes superstar, but those two teams will be determined to prove they are the best of the rest.
Sebastian Vettel's challenge right now is simply to get a point on the board after coming 15th in back-to-back races.
TOP FIVE OPTA STATS
Reaching the Max – Having either won (twice) or secured pole position (twice) in each of the past three races, Verstappen is enjoying the best run of his career.
Hundred up for Ham – Hamilton's pole position at Imola was his 99th in F1, meaning he could this week become the first driver to reach a century. This is the same circuit where the Briton passed Michael Schumacher's record for race wins last season.
Keep your friends close – While challenging Hamilton, Verstappen also finally has competition again from within his own garage. Sergio Perez qualified in second last time out, the first time Verstappen had been beaten in qualifying by a team-mate in 19 races.
Yet so far – Leclerc is fourth in the standings and all too often fourth on race day. The Ferrari man has gone 15 races without a podium but has finished fourth on four occasions during that span.
Fail to Finnish – Bottas will hope to avoid a career first following his retirement last time out. In his 158-race career, he has never failed to place at consecutive grands prix.
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
Drivers
1. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) – 44
2. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – 43
3. Lando Norris (McLaren) – 27
4. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – 20
5. Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes) – 16
Constructors
1. Mercedes – 60
2. Red Bull – 53
3. McLaren – 41
4. Ferrari – 34
5. Aston Martin – 7
There will be no Canadian Grand Prix in Formula One in 2021, with the series instead heading to Turkey in June.
Montreal had been set to host the event across June 11-13, but travel restrictions relating to the coronavirus pandemic have dictated a change in plans.
The Azerbaijan Grand Prix is scheduled for the week prior and Canada currently imposes a mandatory 14-day quarantine.
The COVID-19 crisis saw last season's Canadian Grand Prix cancelled, too, but F1 has agreed a two-year extension, meaning the race will return in 2022.
In the meantime, the Turkish Grand Prix has been restored to the calendar.
It was on the slate in 2020 and saw Lewis Hamilton's latest title triumph confirmed with victory in Istanbul in November.
Defending champion Novak Djokovic has revealed he will not play in the Madrid Open next week.
The world number one on Wednesday announced he will not take his place in the draw at the Caja Magica, where he won the title for a third time two years ago by beating Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final.
Djokovic suffered a shock defeat to Aslan Karatsev in the semi-finals of the Serbia Open on home soil last week and the 18-time grand slam champion will not be adding to his list of honours in Madrid.
He stated: "Sorry that I won’t be able to travel to Madrid this year and meet all my fans.
"It's been two years already, quite a long time. Hope to see you all next year!"
Djokovic has won 12 times and been beaten twice this season, claiming a ninth Australian Open crown in February.
The Madrid Open was not staged last year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
George North will miss the British and Irish Lions tour of South Africa after suffering a serious knee injury.
The versatile Wales back on Wednesday confirmed he sustained a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in the Ospreys' Pro14 Rainbow Cup win over Cardiff Blues on Saturday.
North will undergo surgery next week and could be out for up to nine months, ruling him out of contention for what could have been his third Lions tour.
The 29-year-old tweeted: "Sport can be cruel. We all know the risks when we take the field.
"Unfortunately I ruptured my ACL on Saturday and will need surgery next week. Heartbroken is an understatement."
Stephen Curry says the Golden State Warriors have no time to dwell on a humbling 30-point defeat to the Dallas Mavericks ahead of a 10-game "sprint to the finish line".
The Warriors went down 133-103 on Tuesday in a contest in which they were stuck on 12 points for nine minutes and 38 seconds.
During that time, the Mavericks went on a 28-0 run marking the joint-second longest streak of the past two decades with only a 29-0 spell from the Cleveland Cavaliers over the Milwaukee Bucks in December 2009 beating it.
A Curry three-pointer had actually put the Warriors 12-11 ahead with eight minutes and 40 seconds of the first quarter to play, but they would then miss 18 consecutive shots including nine three-point attempts.
Reflecting on the defeat, Curry said: "You want to turn the page.
"You understand that the Mavs are a talented team – they get paid to play basketball just like we do and some nights it looks like they get paid more across the board.
"So, it's just a matter of us trying to remember who we are, remember our identity, not dwell on it too long, and find a way to keep our confidence and who we've shown ourselves to be this last little stretch."
The Warriors are 7-3 over their past 10 games in the NBA but defeat means it is unlikely they will be able to make the top six in the Western standings – spots that guarantee a playoff berth this season.
Golden State are 10th in the West, three-and-a-half games behind the sixth-placed Mavericks, and heading for the play-in tournament.
Finishing either seventh or eighth would mean the Warriors would only have to win one game in a bid to make the playoffs, with teams in ninth and 10th needing two victories to do so.
Assessing the situation, Curry added: "We have 10 games to sprint to the finish line.
"We still have a great opportunity in front of us to seize not only good momentum and good basketball down the stretch but also get in the best position possible to be in that final eight no matter how we get there."
Head coach Steve Kerr was left exasperated by the Warriors' defense and felt a lack of intensity is what cost his team most dear.
"I'm not that concerned about a nine-minute scoring drought," Kerr said. "I'm concerned about defense. I'm concerned about a level of intensity and preparation and competitiveness. That's what was missing. I'm the head coach, and I did not have them ready to play, clearly."
"Biggest game of the year and it was over before it started. Really, really disappointing. We've got a young team.
"Of the guys who were out there tonight, I think we have only three guys who were in the playoffs. Tonight was kind of like a playoff game for Dallas. They lost last night. They knew we were on their heels.
"They came out like it was a playoff game, and we came out like it was an exhibition game."
Damian Lillard lauded the Portland Trail Blazers' willingness to "get our hands dirty" after snapping a losing streak in Tuesday's defeat of the Indiana Pacers.
Lillard brought up a major landmark in a 133-112 win that ended a five-game losing streak, the guard becoming the 10th player in NBA history to hit 2,000 three-pointers.
Team-mate Anfernee Simons was incredibly accurate from beyond the arc as he nailed his first nine attempts, making him the first player in the league to achieve that feat since Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors hit 10 straight back in January 2019.
Speaking after what was his 670th career game, Lillard praised the Blazers' desire to dig deep.
"We've got to be willing to get our hands dirty," he said. "What we did tonight is something that can translate to any game.
"Being committed on the defensive end and just wanting to get that done and wanting to do whatever we got to do to win, I think that's something that we can carry from this game.
"There's no guarantee that it's going to always happen. We've just got to have that same mentality going into this stretch of games. This is what it takes.
"When you do this, you give yourself a much better chance than we have over the last few weeks.
"However, it gets done, get it done. I think it was important for us to set the tone in that way on the first game of a big trip."
The 33-28 Blazers sit seventh in the Western Conference, with all still to play for in what has been an inconsistent season.
With the playoffs in their sights despite a significant wobble in form, Lillard recognises the value of a team hitting their stride at just the right time.
"I've been in the league long enough to know that the teams that are playing the best at the right time are the teams that you worry about," he said.
Toronto Blue Jays sensation Vladimir Guerrero Jr. made MLB history in Tuesday's 9-5 win over the Washington Nationals.
Guerrero became the youngest player in major league history with three-plus homers and seven-plus RBI in a game as he fuelled the Blue Jays past the Nationals.
The 22-year-old star – son of Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero Sr. – carried the Blue Jays, a monster third-inning grand slam off three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer wiping out a 3-0 deficit.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. made it 7-3 with a solo homer in the fifth inning before adding a two-run home run in the seventh to complete the first three-homer game of his exciting career – not even a feat his father achieved.
Guerrero took his tally to seven home runs for the season as the Blue Jays won the series opener in Dunedin.
Trea Turner homered twice for the Nationals – his seventh multi-homer game and second this season – but it was not enough on the road.
Kluber ends wait
Corey Kluber claimed his first win since April 2019, while star sluggers Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton homered to lead the New York Yankees to a 5-1 rout of the Baltimore Orioles.
For the first time since 2018, Carlos Martinez had a win as a starter – the St Louis Cardinals topping the Philadelphia Phillies 5-2. Martinez allowed two runs – one earned – in just over seven innings, having gone 0-9 in his last 12 starts.
The Cleveland Indians beat the Minnesota Twins 7-5 behind Franmil Reyes, who homered twice – including a 452-foot shot.
Scherzer struggles, Dodgers downed again
It was a forgettable outing for Washington ace Scherzer, who allowed seven runs – five earned – and eight hits over five innings. He also joined Ivan Nova as the only pitchers to have allowed a home run to both Guerrero Jr. and his iconic father.
After a 13-2 start to the season, the Los Angeles Dodgers have dropped seven of nine games following a 6-5 loss to the Cincinnati Reds. The World Series champions are now in the midst of a three-game losing streak as they look to avoid a series sweep to the Reds.
Acuna bomb!
Atlanta Braves star Ronald Acuna Jr. clubbed another moon shot, this time his fifth-inning home run travelled a projected 481 feet. The Braves shut out the Chicago Cubs 5-0.
Tuesday's results
Cleveland Indians 7-4 Minnesota Twins
Pittsburgh Pirates 2-1 Kansas City Royals
New York Yankees 5-1 Baltimore Orioles
Toronto Blue Jays 9-5 Washington Nationals
Boston Red Sox 2-1 New York Mets
Tampa Bay Rays 4-3 Oakland Athletics
Atlanta Braves 5-0 Chicago Cubs
Milwaukee Brewers 5-4 Miami Marlins
Texas Rangers 6-1 Los Angeles Angels
Detroit Tigers 5-2 Chicago White Sox
Houston Astros 2-0 Seattle Mariners
Arizona Diamondbacks 5-1 San Diego Padres
Colorado Rockies 7-5 San Francisco Giants
Cincinnati Reds 6-5 Los Angeles Dodgers
St Louis Cardinals 5-2 Philadelphia Phillies
Red Sox at Mets
Mets (9-9) ace Jacob deGrom takes to the mound against the Red Sox (15-9) on Wednesday amid Hall of Fame comparisons following his red-hot form. The Red Sox counter with Nick Pivetta at Citi Field midweek.
Brooklyn Nets head coach Steve Nash said the star-studded franchise have "eyes on bigger things" after clinching in the Eastern Conference.
The Nets became the first Eastern Conference team to seal an NBA postseason berth thanks to Tuesday's 116-103 win over the Toronto Raptors.
While happy with the achievement, first-year coach Nash insisted the Nets are eyeing greater things in pursuit of a maiden championship.
"It's great," Nash told reporters after the Nets made sure of their postseason spot.
"I think we have our eyes on bigger things, but it's a nice first step to clinch a berth.
"For this group, facing all we've faced, to be in this position with 10 games left is very positive."
The Nets (42-20) – who are one and a half games clear of the Philadelphia 76ers atop the east – celebrated their third consecutive win in the absence of former MVP James Harden (hamstring).
Kevin Durant had a double-double of 17 points and 10 rebounds, to go with four assists, two steals and two blocks.
Jeff Green top-scored with 22 points, while Blake Griffin added 17 points on the road to the Raptors as Kyrie Irving (nine points) struggled on three-for-13 shooting.
"I think everyone's in a positive mood," Nash said. "And just want to keep building, keep getting better, keep improving before the playoffs start, which is in a limited amount of time."
It has been a challenging season for the Nets, whose superstar trio of Durant, Harden and Irving have only played seven games together.
"Just all the adversity that we fought through this year with all the injuries, protocols, trade situations, guys getting in and out of the line-up," said former MVP and two-time NBA champion Durant.
"Very proud of everybody top to bottom, everybody in the organisation but especially our coaching staff that put us all in great positions to be successful every night. A lot of the credit goes to them."
Toronto Blue Jays star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. could not hide his joy after making history in MLB with his three home runs against the Washington Nationals on Tuesday.
Guerrero became the youngest player in MLB history with three-plus homers and seven-plus RBI in a game as he fuelled Toronto's 9-5 victory over the Nationals.
The son of an MLB Hall of Famer, Guerrero carried the Blue Jays, a monster third-inning grand slam off three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer wiping out a 3-0 deficit.
Guerrero made it 7-3 with a solo homer in the fifth inning before adding a two-run home run in the seventh to complete the first three-homer came of his exciting career – not even a feat father Vladimir Guerrero Sr. achieved.
Former Blue Jays star Vladimir Guerrero Sr. – a nine-time All-Star, eight-time Silver Slugger and 2004 American League (AL) MVP who also homered off Scherzer in his career – tweeted post-game: "What a night for my boy. All the hard work is paying off".
Speaking to the media through a translator afterwards, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. told reporters: "Definitely my career game, no doubt. It's the first time I hit three homers, which makes it very special."
"All of this feels great. I'm feeling very blessed right now," the 22-year-old continued. "Hitting two home runs against a legend like that, it's unbelievable what I'm feeling right now.
"It's all in my preparation, all in the work that I'm putting in before the games, and I thank God that it's paying off."
Toronto's Guerrero has seven home runs through 22 games played this season, with a .693 slugging percentage.
Guerrero added: "It feels great, but all of the trust I get from my team and my team-mates, all of the work that I put in with my coaches before the game and all of the preparation, that's what it's all about."
"We talked to him last year at the end of the year," Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo said. "His goal was to get in better shape and to do better. He did.
"He deserves all the credit in the world for what he's doing right now, because he had an outstanding offseason and he's ready to play. He's doing what we thought he was going to do."
Guerrero's dominant display also earned praise from the opposition, with Washington's Josh Bell saying: "I feel like all of his at-bats tonight were really, really incredible -- really special.
"We saw [New York Mets ace Jacob] deGrom work last week, and that was something else. And we saw it here again. Just a franchise superstar at work. It’s fun to watch."
The star-studded Brooklyn Nets clinched a place in the NBA playoffs after rallying past the lowly Toronto Raptors 116-103.
Nets superstar Kevin Durant posted 17 points – including seven in the fourth quarter – and 10 rebounds, while team-mate Jeff Green had 22 points as Brooklyn became the first team in the Eastern Conference to secure a postseason berth on Tuesday.
The Nets trailed 90-84 early in the final period but used a 16-2 run to seize control, with Durant sealing the result with a three-pointer less than two minutes from the end in Tampa, Florida.
Brooklyn (42-20) – riding a three-game winning streak – are one and a half games clear of the Philadelphia 76ers (40-21) in the east.
Damian Lillard reached a career milestone and Anfernee Simons made his first nine three-point attempts as the Portland Trail Blazers snapped a five-game losing streak with a 133-112 rout of the Indiana Pacers.
Simons became the first NBA player to open with nine in a row from beyond the arc since Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors hit 10 straight to start a January 2019 game.
Portland's Simons did miss his final three-point attempt but still led the Trail Blazers (33-28) with 27 points off the bench as the team made 20 three-pointers overall.
Lillard (23 points) hit only six of 14 from the field, but one of those shots was significant. His third of four three-pointers gave him 2,000 for his career, making him the 10th player in history to hit that mark.
The All-Star achieved the feat in his 670th career game, second only to Stephen Curry's 597 among that group.
Doncic, Mavericks run away from Warriors
A meeting of NBA superstars fizzled as Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks roared past Curry and the Warriors in the first half on the way to a 133-103 blowout. Doncic had 39 points in only 28 minutes, adding eight assists and six rebounds to outplay Curry (27 points, two assists). Golden State led 12-11 early in the game, but Dallas scored the next 28 points to put it out of reach early. The Mavericks' 28-0 run was the longest since the New York Knicks did the same to the Raptors in November 2017.
Two-time reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo did it all for the Milwaukee Bucks, posting 29 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists in a 114-104 win against the Charlotte Hornets.
The Oklahoma City Thunder avoided unwanted history, snapping a 14-game skid by upstaging the Boston Celtics 119-115. A 15th consecutive loss would have set a franchise record for the Thunder, who were led by Luguentz Dort (24 points) and Darius Bazley (21 points and 10 rebounds). Jaylen Brown had 39 points and 11 rebounds for the Celtics.
Celtics crumble again
The Celtics fell to their third successive defeat as they try to avoid the Eastern Conference play-in tournament. Boston made only 19 of 55 shots from the field (34.5 per cent). The home loss dropped the Celtics (32-30) into a tie with the Miami Heat for sixth place. While Boston hold the tie-breaker advantage for now, the teams will face each other twice in the final five games of the season.
While the Nets clinched, Kyrie Irving struggled. The All-Star was just three-for-13 shooting, making just one of five three-pointers for nine points in 35 minutes.
Towns gets style points for Timberwolves
Karl-Anthony Towns led the Minnesota Timberwolves to their third win in a row with 31 points in a 114-107 victory over the Houston Rockets highlighted by a breakaway jam.
Tuesday's results
Oklahoma City Thunder 119-115 Boston Celtics
Milwaukee Bucks 114-104 Charlotte Hornets
Portland Trail Blazers 133-112 Indiana Pacers
Brooklyn Nets 116-103 Toronto Raptors
Minnesota Timberwolves 114-107 Houston Rockets
Dallas Mavericks 133-103 Golden State Warriors
Clippers at Suns
Two of the top three teams in the Western Conference meet on Wednesday as Paul George and the Los Angeles Clippers (43-20) face Devin Booker and the Phoenix Suns (43-18).
Los Angeles Dodgers star Cody Bellinger is "trending in the right direction" as he continues to recover from a hairline fracture in his left fibula, according to manager Dave Roberts.
MLB World Series champions the Dodgers have been without 2019 National League (NL) MVP Bellinger since April 5 after he suffered a lower leg injury, which was initially described as a bruised calf.
Roberts provided an update on Bellinger – a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger Award winner – and his fitness on Tuesday.
"[He is] trending in the right direction," Roberts told reporters prior to the Dodgers' clash with the Cincinnati Reds.
"He's doing great. Once that fracture heals, coinciding with the live at-bats, hopefully we can hit the ground running when he's healed."
Two-time All-Star Bellinger is hitting .211 (four-for-19) with two RBIs in four games this season.
The Dodgers have lost back-to-back games following Monday's defeat to the Cincinnati Reds.
The season series between the Dodgers and Reds has shifted dramatically in recent MLB seasons.
Per Stats Perform, the Dodgers claimed all six meetings in 2017, the Reds took six of seven one year later, while Los Angeles clinched five of six in 2019.
San Diego Padres manager Jayce Tingler insisted Fernando Tatis Jr. was "100 per cent" not peeking at signs as he labelled the allegations "ridiculous".
Los Angeles Dodgers ace Trevor Bauer warned Tatis about allegedly peeking at signs after the latter homered twice off the 2020 American League (AL) Cy Young Award winner on Saturday.
The Padres lost 5-4, but a moment in Tatis' at-bat in the sixth inning caught the attention of the Dodgers after the 2020 Silver Slugger appeared to peek at catcher Will Smith's sign before the pitch.
Responding to the claims, Tingler told reporters on Tuesday: "I think it's ridiculous.
"I know 100 per cent he [Tatis] wasn't peeking at signs."
As the National League (NL) West rivalry dominates MLB, Bauer said in a video published via his YouTube channel on Sunday: "That's the type of stuff that would get you hit in other games.
"Now, I'm mild mannered about it. Flip the bat, do all that stuff, fine. If you're going to look at the signs, not OK, and if you do it again, the team that you're playing probably isn't going to take too kindly, and there might have to be some on-field stuff.
"That is disrespecting your opponent, look at their signs, stuff like that. Whereas the bat flips and celebrating with your team-mates is fine, in my opinion."
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts also addressed the incident prior to Sunday's 8-7 loss to the Padres, telling reporters: "When you talk about peeking, that's just not the way you play baseball.
"If that is the case, which I don't know, that'll be noted."
After that epic marathon win against World Series champions the Dodgers, Eric Hosmer defended Padres team-mate Tatis.
"That was maybe a little bit of confusion on their part," Hosmer said. "I don't think Tati was looking at signs. I've never really seen him do that. I certainly didn’t see it last night."
Jamaica gymnast Danusia Francis believes the option of allowing full-length bodysuits to be worn in competition will empower the sport’s female athletes.
Last week, German gymnast Sarah Voss grabbed headlines after wearing a full-body suit at the European Gymnastic Championships. She was later joined in wearing the type of outfit at the event by two teammates. Voss described a part of the motive as taking a stand against ‘sexualisation in gymnastics’ an issue that has come to the fore in recent years following the conviction of former USA national team doctor, Larry Nassar, who was sentenced to 175 years in prison for several counts of sexual abuse two years ago.
Typically, female athletes compete in leotards, however, the international gymnastics federation (FIG) rules state that competitors are allowed to wear a "one-piece leotard with full-length legs - hip to ankle", provided it is of elegant design.
Francis admitted that she did not know the uniforms were allowed but was pleased with the choice that is offered.
"I think it's amazing," Francis told BBC.
"I feel empowered that we've got this option where we can choose to cover up," she added.
Francis also believes the ability of female athletes to speak out on issues that affect them is in part due to people staying in the sport for longer.
"I think as people are staying the sport longer, obviously they're not young girls and they've got voices, they are women, so to see them making a statement, and on an international stage... I think it was great to see," Francis said.
Alexander Bublik's status as the Estoril Open's fifth seed meant little to Pedro Martinez as the Spaniard romped to victory.
Qualifier Martinez needed just 53 minutes to see off a player ranked 57 spots above him, triumphing 6-3 6-0 to reach the second round.
He will now face Cameron Norrie, a 6-1 6-3 winner over home hope Joao Sousa in Portugal.
Marin Cilic, himself seeded sixth, might have feared going the same way as Bublik after a chastening second set against 17-year-old Carlos Alcaraz.
But the Croatian held his nerve and got the job done in a 6-3 1-6 6-4 success.
Finally, fellow seed Albert Ramos-Vinolas was relatively untroubled in overcoming compatriot Fernando Verdasco 6-3 6-3 in an all-Spanish clash.
At the BMW Open, Jan-Lennard Struff secured safe passage to the second round on home soil in Munich.
The German saw off lucky loser Andrej Martin 6-4 6-3 and the seventh seed now face Dominik Koepfer, who downed three-time champion Philipp Kohlschreiber 4-6 6-4 6-3.
Elsewhere in the draw, Nikoloz Basilashvili, seeded fifth, defeated Thiago Monteiro, while the sixth-seeded Dusan Lajovic suffered a straight-sets loss to world number 127 Mackenzie McDonald.
Wimbledon chiefs are to scrap the 'Middle Sunday' day off at the championships – and prize money for this year's tournament looks certain to be slashed.
The announcements came on the day the All England Club revealed it received £180million in insurance pay-outs after last year's tournament was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, of which around £36million went to the Lawn Tennis Association.
Chairman Ian Hewitt said that from 2022 the Sunday at the end of the first week would become "a permanent part of our tournament schedule and we will become a 14-day tournament", with the move signalling the imminent end of 'Manic Monday', when every fourth-round match was squeezed into a packed schedule.
That is regarded by many as the most exhilarating day of the tennis year, although others consider it too busy, given the number of standout matches taking place.
From next year, those matches are now set to be split across the previously fallow Sunday and the second Monday or the championships.
Hewitt said: "Yes, that second Monday of course was popular with many, but it did create significant challenges. I'm not sure it really did full justice to that day's tennis.
"To be able to spread over two days does more justice to the play at that event."
He said the tournament should "be more accessible" on that weekend, with the Sunday having previously been given over to allowing groundstaff to have time to tend the courts, which can be in need of repair after the first six days of play.
"We are now confident we will be able to look after the courts, most particularly Centre Court, without a full day of rest," Hewitt said.
He said this year's tournament "will be different from Wimbledon as we know it", and organisers are currently planning for a 25 per cent capacity attendance, albeit still hoping to get the go-ahead to admit more spectators.
When play has happened on the middle Sunday in the past, typically due to a backlog caused by several days of rain meaning the tournament has fallen behind schedule, tickets have been made available to the general public and that has led to a vibrant, often more raucous, atmosphere.
Hewitt though signalled that would not be the ticket policy going forward, saying: "It's unlikely it's going to be like Middle Sundays in the past."
The 2021 prize money for players, who must remain in a bubble during the tournament and will not be allowed to rent private houses in London, is set to hinge on how many spectators Wimbledon is allowed to accommodate. A significantly reduced attendance would hit the event hard in the pocket, meaning prize money at the level of previous years would be impractical.
It paid out £38million to players in 2019, with the men's and women's singles champions, Novak Djokovic and Simona Halep, each picking up £2.35million
The players may only learn the 2021 prize fund a matter of days before the tournament begins, with no decision expected until June. Wimbledon begins on June 28.
"It is premature to make a judgement," Hewitt said, when asked about the prize money.
Chief executive Sally Bolton said Wimbledon was "absolutely determined to be back in style" and "to bring back sport and sporting events in the way that we know them", but pandemic considerations are limiting what it can achieve.
It has not yet been decided whether spectators will need to wear face coverings while watching matches, even though restrictions on normal life in the UK are due to be lifted on June 21.
Bolton said players may feel some "frustration" given their freedom of movement will be restrained, pointing to the "single environment" for competitors being a decision reached on the basis of dialogue with the UK government and Public Health England.
Mike Trout, Ronald Acuna Jr., J.D. Martinez, Xander Bogaerts, Justin Turner, Bryce Harper and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Some of the biggest names in baseball, but MLB's elite hitters have taken a backseat to Yermin Mercedes.
Unheralded Chicago White Sox rookie Mercedes is the batting leader through 19 games – his .414 average setting the tone.
It is a case of perseverance and determination when it comes to the big-hitting 28-year-old from the Dominican Republic.
Involved in professional baseball for a decade, Mercedes is taking the majors by storm following his long road to the top, but can he sustain it?
Started from the bottom, now we're here
If you look at the career of Mercedes, few could have anticipated the red-hot start to his first season.
Signed by the Washington Nationals as an 18-year-old international free agent in 2011, Mercedes bounced between the Nats, Baltimore Orioles, Dominican league and independent league before the White Sox took him in the 2017 minor league Rule 5 draft.
A hitting machine in the minors, Mercedes combined to hit 23 homers across two teams at Triple-A level in 2019, including 17 home runs for Charlotte with a 1.033 on-base slugging percentage (OPS).
Those exploits earned an invitation to the White Sox's alternate site last season as Mercedes made his MLB debut with an at-bat during the coronavirus-shortened 2020 campaign in August.
Mercedes could have easily given up on his dream, but he has not looked back since he was a late addition to the White Sox's 26-man Opening Day roster – a team with eyes on their first World Series ring since 2005.
According to Stats Perform, Mercedes joined Washington's Cecil Travis (1933) as the only MLB players in the modern era to have five hits in their first career start.
With patience continuing to pay off, he also became the first player since at least 1900 to begin a season with eight straight hits.
Mercedes also tops the leaderboard for longest home run of the season – his crushing 485-foot bomb against the Kansas City Royals the franchise's longest regular-season homer in the Statcast era (since 2015). Overall, it was the second longest blast since 2015, behind only Luis Robert's monster 487-foot in last season's playoffs.
New York Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton is next best at 471 feet.
"I just want to cry every time when I see I'm in the majors right now. I just want to cry because it's a long time," Mercedes said. "I've got a big history.
"It's about time, but it's hard for me because just looking around, I'm like, 'It's real. I'm here'. I know when it was a couple years ago, I said, 'What am I going to do? What's going to happen with me?' I just said, 'God, when am I going to be in the majors? What do I need to do?' Because all the time, all my years, I put up my numbers, do the best of myself."
History-making rookie on the right path
There is no stopping Mercedes, whose meteoric rise through the first month of the season netted him his own burger – 'The Yerminator' at Fabulous Freddies, where they honoured the designated hitter on their menu.
The last rookie to win his league's batting title (American League or National League) was Seattle Mariners great Ichiro Suzuki (.350) in 2001. Only two rookies have done that in the live-ball era (since 1920), Tony Oliva (.323 with the Minnesota Twins in 1964) being the other. Mercedes – through 19 games in 2021 – is above that mark at the moment. Whether he maintains that figure is another story.
When it comes to hits, Mercedes has tallied 29 in 70 at-bats this season. The last rookie to lead his league (AL or NL) in hits in a season was also Ichiro, who topped the American League with 242 hits in 2001.
Mercedes is only the second player to have a .400-plus batting average and 15-plus RBI over his first 20 career games since RBI became an official stat in 1920, along with Atlanta's Jeff Francoeur in 2005. Francoeur recorded a .406 avg and 19 RBI for the Braves in that 20-game span.
Francoeur was in the NL, so Mercedes is the first AL player to ever do that.
Mercedes made his debut aged 27 – only Ichiro managed more hits through 20 career games in the expansion era (since 1961). Coco Laboy, like Mercedes, also registered 29 hits for the Montreal Expos in 1969.
"A couple months ago, I wouldn't have believed that I would be at this point right now," said Mercedes. "I'm surprised. So I'm so excited for that. I never imagined I would be here. Now we're here, keep going. Don't put the head down. Just keep doing what I'm doing every day to keep it at that point.
"That's great for me, I'm feeling great, feeling nice because I'm with my people, with my fans and with everybody. So I'm excited for that."
While the season is still young, it feels like this is just the tip of the iceberg for Mercedes, who is seizing his opportunity after years battling away outside the majors. Enjoy the ride.
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