Is French Open still Nadal's to lose?

A draw is a conversation starter, but it may be more valuable as a conversation killer. Once the men and women are locked in their brackets, we can leave behind the airy speculation about “favorites”—a meaningless word if you’re a player—and stop pondering the endless “what ifs” about who might play whom in what round. Now everyone has their path, and they must walk it. Or, if they can, slide it.W

Can anyone stop Serena at Roland-Garros?

Not so long ago, the introductions to my women’s Grand Slam previews all had two words in common: “wide open.” As late as the end of 2011, that’s how the WTA draws always felt. Things have changed in a hurry. Coming into Roland Garros in 2013, the top women are vying with the top men to see who can put a tighter stranglehold on their respective tour. Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, and Victoria

Tigers 6, Twins 0

DETROIT (AP) - Add another near miss in this 2013 baseball season - this time it was Detroit's Anibal Sanchez falling just short of a no-hitter.Sanchez's bid was broken up with one out in the ninth inning Friday night when Minnesota's Joe Mauer hit a clean single up the middle. That was the only hit the right-hander allowed in the Tigers' 6-0 victory over the Twins. It was the fourth one-hitter of

McIlroy, Donald miss cut at BMW PGA Championship

VIRGINIA WATER, England (AP) - Rory McIlory was one of five 2012 European Ryder Cup players to miss the cut Friday in the BMW PGA Championship, while Medinah teammate Francesco Molinari took the lead at cold and wet Wentworth.The second-ranked McIlory had a 3-over 75 to finish at 5 over. Two-time defending champion Luke Donald, Ian Poulter, Graeme McDowell and Paul Lawrie - all members of Europe's

When great turns into G.O.A.T.

When I was young, the majority opinion – at least among the kids at my school – was that the devil played the fiddle better than Johnny did in the song “The Devil Went Down to Georgia.” Obviously, that would have messed up the general narrative of that song, but it was a good lesson in subjectivity. It’s all a matter of opinion. There isn’t a best ever. Not really. Not even in a song.But it leads

Francona manages at Fenway for 1st time since 2011

BOSTON (AP) - Terry Francona is back at Fenway Park as an opposing manager for the first time since he left the Red Sox.Francona brought the Cleveland Indians to Boston for a four-game series starting Thursday night. He was let go by the Red Sox after eight years as their manager following a September 2011 collapse left them out of the playoffs.He was relaxed and spoke calmly for about 20 minutes

Heat 103, Pacers 102, OT

MIAMI (AP) - LeBron James made a layup as time expired in overtime, and the Miami Heat found a way to beat the Indiana Pacers 103-102 in a wild Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals Wednesday night.James finished with 30 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists for the Heat - his ninth postseason triple-double, and barely anyone noticed. All that mattered was the last shot, which simply saved the Heat

Column: Garcia will pay dearly for Tiger remarks

Sergio Garcia could have stopped after he whined about fans of Tiger Woods making too much noise on the golf course. He should have stopped after saying Woods is not a nice person who has been lying to the media since the first time he stepped into an interview room.That he didn't close his mouth may end up to be Garcia's biggest regret in a career already chock full of them."The problem is, I'm o

Woods: Garcia comment hurtful, time to move on

Sergio Garcia apologized to Tiger Woods for saying he would serve fried chicken if they were to have dinner at the U.S. Open, an ugly addition to nearly two weeks of verbal sparring.What had been a celebration of European golf at an awards dinner south of London shifted suddenly to a racially sensitive moment involving Woods, the No. 1 golfer in the world and the only player of African-American he

Woods: Garcia comment hurtful, time to move on

VIRGINIA WATER, England (AP) - Tiger Woods says the "fried chicken" comment from Sergio Garcia was hurtful and inappropriate. Two weeks after they verbally sparred at The Players Championship, Woods say it's time to move on.Garcia was at a European Tour awards dinner Tuesday night when he was jokingly asked if he would have Woods over for dinner during the U.S. Open. The Spaniard replied, "We'll h

Garcia's fried chicken jibe 'hurtful' - Woods

LONDON (Reuters) - The feud between world number one Tiger Woods and Sergio Garcia deepened when Woods described the Spaniard's "fried chicken" jibe as "wrong, hurtful and inappropriate" on Wednesday.Woods reacted on his Twitter account after Garcia issued an apology to a comment he made at Tuesday's European Tour awards dinner when he was asked on stage whether he would be inviting Woods for dinn

Spurs 93, Grizzlies 89, OT

SAN ANTONIO (AP) - When Tony Parker started running low on masterful plays, Tim Duncan was there to take over and lead the San Antonio Spurs to a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference finals.Parker had 15 points and a career playoff-high 18 assists, Duncan scored San Antonio's first six points of overtime and the Spurs bounced back after squandering a 13-point lead in the fourth quarter to beat the M

Garcia apologizes for "fried chicken" remark

Sergio Garcia apologized for saying he would "serve fried chicken" while making a joke about having Tiger Woods over for dinner.The British newspaper The Guardian reported Garcia was asked in jest while on stage at the European Tour's awards dinner Tuesday night if he would invite Woods to dinner during the U.S. Open.The Guardian reported Garcia said: "We will have him round every night. We will s

Andy Murray out of French Open due to back injury

LONDON (AP) - Andy Murray withdrew from the French Open on Tuesday because of a chronic back injury and will now focus on preparing for the start of the grass-court season next month.The U.S. Open champion met with specialists this week after being forced to pull out of his second-match against Marcel Granollers of Spain at the Italian Open last Wednesday because of the long-standing complaint."It

San Francisco and Houston awarded 2016 and 2017 Super Bowls

NEW YORK (Reuters) - San Francisco will host the 50th Super Bowl, in early 2016, the National Football League announced on Tuesday.The NFL also awarded the 51st Super Bowl to Houston after team owners voted for the two cities ahead of a South Florida bid.(Reporting by Julian Linden, editing by Gene Cherry)

Sports world keeps eye on Oklahoma tornado

The massive tornado that ripped through a handful of Oklahoma City suburbs and killed at least 50 people grabbed the attention of the sports world on Monday, especially the players and coaches with ties to the area.Kevin Durant, a three-time scoring champion for the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder, posted on his Twitter account that he was praying for everyone involved. He added: "Everybody stay safe!

Sports world keeps eye on Oklahoma tornado

The massive tornado that ripped through a handful of Oklahoma City suburbs grabbed the attention of the sports world on Monday, especially for the players and coaches with ties to the area.Kevin Durant, a three-time scoring champion for the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder, posted on his Twitter account that he was praying for everyone involved. He added: "Everybody stay safe!"Coverage of the tornado d

Albert Pujols doesn't matter anymore

The thing that’s strange – the thing that’s sad – is how little excitement there is now when he comes to the plate. Let’s go to a moment in Sunday’s Angels-White Sox game. The count is 3-0, and Albert Pujols has the green light. There should be an electrical charge buzzing the air. Only … really … there isn’t a buzz. There isn’t a charge. There isn’t anything at all. The thrill-o-meter is at zero.

Lukas in rarefied air after Preakness win

The old guy still gets up crack-of-dawn early.Not because D. Wayne Lukas has something left to prove, or anything more to gain. He already has it all: Fame, fortune, a bronze plaque in the Hall of Fame and - after lightly regarded Oxbow stunned Orb on Saturday at the Preakness - he has the top spot in the Triple Crown trainer's record book, too, passing "Sunny Jim" Fitzsimmons with No. 14."It's be

Blue Jays-Yankees finale scrubbed by rain

NEW YORK (AP) - Against the Toronto Blue Jays this season, the only thing that has stopped the Yankees was a day full of rain.The Yankees would have been trying to make it seven in a row against the Blue Jays on Sunday, but rain began to fall in the late morning with no signs of letting up, and the game was postponed before it started. No makeup date was announced."It's going to rain until probabl

Bae wins Byron Nelson for first PGA Tour title

IRVING, Texas (AP) - Sang-Moon Bae watched anxiously after hitting his tee shot at the par-3 17th hole Sunday in the Byron Nelson Championship.When the ball landed on the front edge of the green fronted by water, he bent his knees and leaned backward obviously relieved. He was only a few shots away from his first PGA Tour victory and a congratulatory hug from the widow of the tournament's namesake

Nadal and Williams win easily in Rome

ROME (Reuters) - Rafa Nadal made short work of his great rival Roger Federer to win the Italian Open, his sixth trophy of the year, 6-1 6-3 on Sunday.The crowd sitting in the sunshine at Rome's Foro Italico watched Nadal race to victory in 69 minutes on the red clay.The Spaniard, back in his best form after last year's long injury layoff, spent less time on court than Serena Williams who won her f

Oxbow upsets Orb in Preakness

Right from the start, a horse trained by one not so over-the-hill Hall of Famer and ridden by another took control of the Preakness. The result: a huge upset and the end of any hopes for a Triple Crown attempt at the Belmont Stakes. Thanks to Oxbow's wire-to-wire win Saturday over Kentucky Derby winner Orb, trainer D. Wayne Lukas and jockey Gary Stevens have themselves another classic to add to th

Bradley keeps lead after 3 rounds at Nelson

IRVING, Texas (AP) - Keegan Bradley still hasn't gotten things right on the 18th hole at the Byron Nelson Championship, even when finally going left.The bogeys on the closing hole at TPC Four Seasons haven't cost him the lead yet.Bradley overcame consecutive bogeys early and bogeyed No. 18 for the third round in a row Saturday to finish with a 2-under 68 that kept him in the lead."(Sunday) is the

Ryder Cup players into last 8 at World Match Play

KAVARNA, Bulgaria (AP) - Ryder Cup-winning teammates Graeme McDowell, Nicolas Colsaerts and Francesco Molinari are through to the quarterfinals of the World Match Play Championship.McDowell beat Bo Van Pelt 2 and 1 on the Thracian Cliffs course Saturday and will meet Colsaerts in a rematch from last year's final. The defending champion won 2 up against Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano after being ahead b

What to watch for at the Preakness

All eyes will be on Kentucky Derby winner Orb in the Preakness Stakes on Saturday. The 3-year-old colt will take on eight challengers in the second leg of the Triple Crown. If he wins, Orb will attempt to become the first Triple Crown champion since Affirmed in 1978 at the Belmont Stakes on June 8. In the Preakness, Orb will be facing five horses he defeated in the Derby and three who did not run

Orb favored to take Preakness, set up Triple try

Everything's a go for Orb.The Kentucky Derby winner was in a playful mood the day before the Preakness, making faces for photographers between nibbles of grass outside his stall at Pimlico Race Course."He's really settled in well. He seems to be energetic about what he's doing so I couldn't be more pleased," trainer Shug McGaughey said on a warm and sunny Friday morning. "We're excited about givin

Bradley has 3-stroke lead after 2 rounds at Nelson

IRVING, Texas (AP) - Keegan Bradley shot a 1-under 69 on Friday in a round that started and ended with bogeys, good enough for a three-stroke lead after two rounds in the Byron Nelson Championship.A day after setting the TPC Four Seasons course record with a 60, also with two bogeys, Bradley went into the weekend at 11-under 129. That is the lowest 36-hole total at the Nelson since 2001.Tom Gillis

Venturi, US Open champion and CBS analyst, dies

Former U.S. Open champion Ken Venturi has died just 12 days after he was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame. He was 82.His son, Matt Venturi, says he died Friday afternoon in a hospital in Rancho Mirage, Calif. Venturi had been hospitalized the last two months for a spinal infection, pneumonia and an intestinal infection.Venturi was all about overcoming the odds. He won the 1964 U.S. Open a

Among best announcers, Emrick still rises above

The voice of hockey grew up in a town called LaFontaine. That sounds perfect, doesn’t it? LaFontaine! Could a city name sound more like hockey? LaFontaine! It isn’t just the name of a Hall of Famer, the great Pat LaFontaine, it is French, with just the right number of syllables, ideal for the sport. LaFontaine! Say it loud and you can almost hear the puck clank off the pipe, almost see the mad rus