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British number one Johanna Konta continued her charge through the French Open by impressively beating Croatian 23rd seed Donna Vekic to reach the quarter-finals.

Konta, seeded 26th, won 6-2 6-4 in baking conditions at Roland Garros.

She is hoping to emulate Jo Durie and become the first British woman to reach the semi-finals since 1983.

The 28-year-old will play 2016 champion Garbine Muguruza or Sloane Stephens - last year's runner-up - next.

Spanish 19th seed Muguruza and American seventh seed Stephens meet on Court Philippe Chatrier later on Sunday.

"To be able to win a match like this against a tough opponent is a great feeling. I felt I played well throughout the match," said Konta after reaching her first Grand Slam quarter-final since Wimbledon in 2017.

"To win like that in front of a crowd like that gives you goosebumps."

Konta is enjoying a superb clay-court season, reaching WTA finals in Morocco and Rome, and has continued to build on that form in Paris with some assured performances.

She wrapped up victory over Vekic on the first of her three match points when the Croat hit long.

Konta's clay-court joy continues

Konta had never won a main-draw match at Roland Garros before this year and appears to be reaping the rewards of her work with coach Dimitri Zavialoff, whom she employed at the end of last year.

She is trusting her ability on a surface where she has had little previous success and against Vekic, this was again evident.

Konta produced 33 winners and seven aces on her way to victory, improving her tallies in these areas from each of her previous three matches.

Former world number four Konta was rarely flustered against Vekic, who she memorably beat in a three-set thriller on her way to the Wimbledon semi-finals two years ago.

After bouncing straight back from losing her opening service game, the Briton broke again for a 5-2 lead and kept a measure of calm to see off four break points before sealing the set with an ace down the middle.

Serve ruled at the start of the second set - with only eight receiving points won in the opening six games - before Konta struck first for a 4-3 advantage.

For the first time she wobbled as three unforced errors handed the break straight back, but she managed to reset again in the next game.

Two whopping forehands, which dusted the baseline, set the tone, forcing Vekic into a panicked backhand volley wide that brought up three break points for the Briton.

Vekic saved two of them, only for Konta to take the third when she pulled off an outrageous backhand drop shot from the back of the court.

Konta took her first match point when she expertly judged a Vekic return was going long, breaking out into a broad smile and raising both arms skywards in celebration.

Analysis

BBC tennis correspondent Russell Fuller

Tennis can sometimes be a very simple game.

Fuelled by confidence, and playing with the utmost fluency, Johanna Konta looked in little doubt that a quarter-final spot was hers for the taking.

Konta arrived in the Moroccan capital Rabat at the end of April with some fine Fed Cup wins for GB under her belt, but a very sketchy career record on clay.

She saved three match points in the first round there, and has not looked back.

The win over Vekic was Konta's 14th in four tournaments, and she has nothing to fear - whichever Grand Slam champion awaits in the last eight on Tuesday.

More to follow.

Stewart Ends Drought With $25,000 Score

Published in Racing
Sunday, 02 June 2019 04:25

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Shane Stewart ended a nearly yearlong winless streak with a $25,000 score on night two of the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series’ Music City Outlaw Nationals at the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway Saturday night.

In spectacular fashion, the Oklahoma-native claimed his first win of the season with his new CJB Motorsports team and his 34th career World of Outlaws win.

“Big stage, big win for this team,” Stewart said.

With one win during the 2018 season, Stewart was released from his ride with Kyle Larson Racing at the end of the year. At the same time CJB Motorsports parted ways with its then driver, David Gravel – a pairing that never finished worse than third in points together.

The two paired together for the 2019 season.

With a pinch of luck, Stewart’s team drew an early qualifying order position, leading to the No. 5 car being second fastest to Brad Sweet’s track record breaking 14.083-second time. Stewart then went on to win his Drydene Heat race and finish second in the DIRTVision Fast Pass Dash. He started second in the main event.

Throwing his car around the tight turns of the quarter-mile track, Stewart took the lead on the first lap of the feature and put distance between he and second-place lap after lap. His early run was cut short by Daryn Pittman spinning and bringing out the caution on lap two.

On the restart, Stewart set sail again. Behind him, though, lurked another driver just as eager to return to victory lane.

In the early stage of year, Brent Marks missed two features and didn’t find the top-10 until the tenth race of the 2019 season. The Myerstown, Pa.-native earned his first top-five during the first round of the Music City Outlaw Nationals Friday night and was poised to do better on night two.

Marks methodically charged his way from fourth to second by Lap five. Two laps later, he found himself to the outside of Stewart down the front stretch. The two went side-by-side into turn one. Marks high. Stewart low.

Stewart slid up the track in turn two, allowing Marks to dart underneath him exiting the corner. But before he could complete the pass, a caution came out for several cars tangled in turn four.

Marks showed his hand. Stewart now knew there was no cruising to a win. The battle was on.

When the race went back green, Stewart stuck to the high side, while Marks ran low. The red No. 19 car showed its nose to Stewart turn after turn. Until lap 11.

Marks finally found enough traction on the bottom of turns three and four to pull past Stewart for the lead. He cleared the No. 5 car the next corner, but Stewart wasn’t ready to watch another potential win slip away. He launched his car around the outside of Marks through turns three and four and charged back to the lead.

Marks then returned the move by throwing his car to the bottom of turn one and sliding up in front of Stewart in the center of the turn. Stewart cut underneath Marks, but couldn’t find enough traction to challenge Marks again for the position.

Marks was on his way to a historic win.

Lapped traffic soon became an obstacle, though. Stewart kept Marks in his crosshairs, giving the Pennsylvanian no room for error while the track slicked up each lap.

With nine laps to go, Marks misjudged his drive into turn one around the outside of a lapped car and hit the cushion. His error allowed Stewart to dart past him and reclaim the lead, again.

The win wasn’t his, yet. Marks stayed close behind and with three laps to go Sweet made it a three-horse race for the win, challenging Marks for second. And even though Stewart reclaimed the lead, he knew it was going to be a battle to keep it.

“I don’t think I had the best car, but I knew once we got in to lap traffic, I had to be patient,” Stewart said. “I knew the bottom was going to be key.”

Stewart cautiously slid his car to the bottom of the track each turn and eased back on the throttle off of it, leaving no opening for Marks to make a run. He did that with fine-tuned precision, leading to a standing ovation by the crowd as he soared past the checkered flag.

Shane Stewart (Mark Funderburk photo)

“It’s special,” Stewart said. “Being the inaugural race here at Nashville. So many people here that came out to support the World of Outlaws, which is really cool to see. Just a big win. I don’t know where it ranks, but it’s up there for sure.”

For Marks, he was left meandering by his car, contemplating what could have been. But he still had fun.

“It actually was a lot of fun,” Marks said. “I thought the track was in real good shape there for the Feature and made it racy for us. Sort of took a little bit of rubber there toward the end. It wasn’t like lock down rubber, so when you’re following lap cars around and keep hearing people behind you because obviously everybody is so close, you’ve got to try to outsmart them.

“Another good thing to do is put a lap car between them. That’s what I tried to do and just caught the wall the wrong way.”

Sweet, who finished third said he hopes to continue to build momentum with his team. He cut a small chuck out of Donny Schatz’s points lead, now sitting 48 points behind the reigning champion in second.

To see full results, turn to the next page.

The St. Louis Blues had waited 49 years to host another Stanley Cup Final game. They will have to wait a little bit longer for a happier home memory, after the Boston Bruins blasted the Blues 7-2 in Game 3 on Saturday night to take a 2-1 series lead.

Here's everything you need to know about how Game 3 played out in this edition of ESPN Stanley Cup Playoffs Daily.

Jump ahead: Last night's game | Three stars
Play of the night | Social post of the day


About last night ...

Game 3: Boston Bruins 7, St. Louis Blues 2 (Bruins lead series 2-1)

It was supposed to be a special night in St. Louis, and the crowd was dotted with celebrities like Jenna Fischer, Jon Hamm, Travis Kelce, Jackie Joyner Kersee and Patrick Mahomes. This game, however, was all about the Bruins' domination, though we'll probably also remember this as the first time Jordan Binnington was pulled in his NHL career (mercifully, after Boston's fifth goal).

Boston climbed to a 3-0 lead by the end of the first period -- the last goal, with 9.2 seconds remaining in the period, was a dagger -- and didn't look back. The Bruins' power play was absurdly efficient, going 4-for-4 ... on four shots. In the end, seven different Bruins scored. Things could have gotten out of hand late, especially as St. Louis exerted its physicality in an attempt to rile up the Bruins. The Bruins didn't bite and protected Tuukka Rask.

Meanwhile in the St. Louis room, players adamantly defended their rookie goaltender. They admitted to leaving him hanging out to dry and vowed to be better. The Blues owe it to their home fans to come out stronger in Game 4.

Three stars

1. Torey Krug, D, Boston Bruins

With a goal and three assists, Krug set a new Bruins Stanley Cup Final record for points. He was the primary beneficiary of a power play that was frighteningly efficient.

play
2:04

Krug calls his 4-point game vs. Blues special

Torey Krug says it is special to become the first Boston player with a four-point game in the Stanley Cup Final.

2. Patrice Bergeron, C, Boston Bruins

There has been some speculation that the top-line center is playing through an injury. After scoring the first goal of the game, Bergeron silenced that talk, for now. (He also added two assists). "Watch the game tonight. Does he look hurt?" linemate Brad Marchand quipped.

3. David Pastrnak, LW, Boston Bruins

Another goal, another reason to never doubt the first line. According to Natural Stat Trick, the trio of Pastrnak, Bergeron and Marchand scored three times on eight scoring chances in Game 3.

Play of the night

Not sure what's prettier, the goal by Charlie Coyle or the pass by Marcus Johansson. It sure feels like Johansson, an impending unrestricted free agent, is driving up his contract price every round these playoffs.

Dud of the night

The Blues' challenging the Bruins' third goal, which occurred with 9.2 seconds left in the first period. The dud wasn't necessarily the decision to challenge; it was a smart challenge, and we're actually still not totally convinced the play was on-sides. But when the refs rued in Boston's favor, it became a kiss of death for St. Louis.

Boston scored on the ensuing power play at the start of the second period to build a 4-0 lead. And while wild things have happened in the playoffs, let's note that in the 2018-19 season, teams went 1-252-1 after trailing by four goals.

Social post of the day

We're not sure when it became a requirement for NFL quarterbacks attending sporting events to chug beers, but we're not complaining. Mahomes aced his opportunity:

Quotable

"We could use a win. It's been a rough run for the city the last three decades or so with the odd Cardinals championship here and there and what-not. It would be nice for a million different reasons, but mostly I think for the guys on this team. When you look back, whatever it was, Jan. 2, last in the league. And to have the guts and fortitude and strength and character and the skill to come back from that, yeah, I mean, I think these guys believe. And I think the city's starting to also." -- Blues fan/actor Jon Hamm.

Salah used injury pic as inspiration vs. Spurs

Published in Soccer
Sunday, 02 June 2019 07:03

Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah has said he used his pain in last year's Champions League final to inspire him as Liverpool beat Tottenham 2-0 to win the trophy on Saturday.

Salah, forced out of the 3-1 defeat to Real Madrid in Kiev a year ago with injury after a clash with Sergio Ramos, scored an early penalty as Liverpool erased the memory of that disappointment.

The Egypt international said he had used a photograph of him leaving the pitch in pain against Madrid to inspire him against Spurs at the Wanda Metropolitano.

- Marcotti: Despite win, Liverpool's journey far from over
- Liverpool ratings: Virgil, Alisson worthy of European title
- Champions League seeding confirmed for 2019-20

"I looked at the picture from last year before the game," he told reporters. "I was very disappointed that I got injured and went out after 30 minutes and we lost the game. It was something to motivate me to win.

"I didn't look at the picture for a long time. You can feel what you can beat, so I just looked at it one time and said: 'OK, let's go.'

"Our job is more mental and you have to believe in yourself before the game. You could see the players -- we were believing in ourselves in the game.

"I think everything happens for a reason, and the reason for us to lose the final last season was to come back and win it again."

Salah said he had not been worried about the pressure of taking Liverpool's first-minute penalty, awarded for handball by Moussa Sissoko.

"I prepared myself before the game," he said. "I scored a penalty to send Egypt to the World Cup after 28 years in the last minute, so this one was easier.

"It's great. The final of the Champions League, take a penalty, to show the courage and to win the trophy."

It was Liverpool's first trophy under manager Jurgen Klopp after they lost out by just a point to Manchester City in a dramatic race for the Premier League title.

And Salah said he believed it would be the catalyst for more success, adding: "It's the start. We will go next season for the Premier League.

"The average age of the team is 26-27, so we still have young players. It is good experience for us to win the trophy now, and also last season we learned a lot."

After missing the All-Star Game for the first time since 2015, Draymond Green in these playoffs has reminded everyone what kind of two-way force he is -- a former Defensive Player of the Year who already ranks among the greatest playmaking big men ever.

Ask insiders to name what makes Green special, and two qualities come up over and over: intelligence and anticipation -- his ability to read the game ahead of everyone else. That Green is the one Golden State will need tonight to even the NBA Finals (Game 2, ABC, 8 p.m. ET) after a fearless Pascal Siakam scored over and around him (and every other Warrior) in Toronto's Game 1 win.

Before the NBA Finals, ESPN.com picked 10 plays from the Golden State Warriors' postseason run and asked Green to take us inside his mind.

Green's comments have been edited for clarity and length.


Play No. 1

It looks so simple -- Klay Thompson and Green negotiating a standard pick-and-roll. But Clint Capela's screen drills Thompson. Chris Paul comes open on the other side. Green slides toward Paul, and appears ready to switch onto him. And then, bam: Thompson recovers, Green slides back to Capela, and a window that opened wide for a split second is slammed shut.

How did Green know not to switch? How did Thompson know what Green would do?

Chris is always going to be a pass-first player. He's coming off to his left hand. I know he's not comfortable coming off to his left hand. The chances of him just firing are slim.

I know when we've been switching, they've made it a point to try to hit Capela on the dive. If Klay gets nailed like that and I jump to switch, there's no way Klay gets back to affect that pass to Capela.

And I know -- Klay is a ball hawk. If he doesn't hear "switch," he's going to chase the ball.

Look at Green's feet as Paul sizes him up:

His left foot is directly in front of his right foot; his hips are wide open. That's a little unusual -- some coaches would say dangerous -- and Green does it a lot. Why? It's about weight distribution and recovery speed. Green can plant on that left foot, convince Paul he is moving forward, and push off that same foot to begin his retreat to Capela.

If my left foot is up, it's going to tell [Paul] I'm coming to him. If my feet are parallel to half court, there's no way I can drop back at the rate I need to. I'm back on my heels that way. I can't jump. The only other way I can get back to [Capela] that way is to turn and sprint, which takes another second. If I've got one foot up, I can play a cat-and-mouse game with the ball-handler and the roller. For a split second, it allows me to guard two people even though I'm not all the way up to the 3-point line.

My uncle [Bennie Baber, Green's coach during elementary school] taught me to play defense with one foot in front of the other. You have to be careful of giving somebody a lane. But my mindset on that is different: If I open my hips like that and I give you that way, I know you're going that way and I can react better.

You're taught to send some guys to their weak hand. But one thing I've figured out -- some guys, I like to send to their strong hand, because I know exactly what you're gonna do. That gives me a better chance.

If I try to send you to your weak hand, chances are you're a great player -- if I'm worried which hand I'm gonna send you to, you've made a living out of still getting to that strong hand. So now I'm guessing what you're gonna do as opposed to knowing, "OK, I know he's going this way."


Play No. 2

How is Green, like, everywhere before the Blazers expect him?

I'm at the free throw line analyzing the entire possession. I know it's CJ [McCollum] coming off, so it has to be a blitz. At that point, it's really Klay's rotation [to Meyers Leonard at the rim]. He's the low man.

But Klay is guarding Damian Lillard. So we'd rather not have Klay go help. If he does, we're leaving a 2-on-1 on the weak side with Dame and Seth [Curry]. We don't want that. I'm guarding the non-shooter, so I'm the help man.

Before Green slides to Leonard, he takes a half-step in McCollum's direction. The pass to Leonard appears open.

CJ has Andre [Iguodala] and [Kevon Looney] on him. CJ's 6-3? The likelihood of him seeing that pass and actually getting it through is slim to none.

And then comes perhaps Green's hallmark defensive play: winning a one-on-two situation by stunting at Evan Turner, and baiting Turner into a lob pass. Green is already on his way back to tip that pass before Turner releases the ball.

I am going to force Evan Turner to hit this shot from the foul line. Chances are, he probably won't even take it. What I can't give up is the automatic two with the lob. I stunt at him to make him think I'm coming, but I'm never going to Evan Turner at the free throw line. Once I stunt and get back, now I can affect the lob. But I'm also putting myself in rebounding position, and we're off to the races.

Smart players have figured out Green plays possum for the pass. In the second round, James Harden stopped throwing it, and attacked Green at the rim. Green didn't mind.

You could tell as the series went on, James threw the lob out of his repertoire. If that guy continues to drive, I'm going to meet him at the rim. Every now and then I'm going to get dunked on. I don't care. I think I affect way more shots than I get dunked on.


Play No. 3

This looks similar, except that Maurice Harkless slips that pass behind Green -- leading Al-Farouq Aminu toward pay dirt.

I really f---ed this up. I have to keep my feet open there. My left foot should have been higher. Instead, I have to drop my right foot again [when the pass gets behind him], and it's wasted motion.

I know Harkless is not shooting that from the foul line. If he does, that's a win for me. I should stunt to him and get back. He'd throw that pass, and I'd have a steal. But I f---ed up and started coming toward him too much.

Jordan Bell saved me. He makes Aminu stop for a split second, and that's all you need.


Play No. 4

McCollum splits a trap, draws Green, and fakes Green off of his feet before dumping to Harkless for what looks to be a dunk. Instead, Looney and Green smother him. Green stops himself before leaping too high on the first jump, and bounces into a super-quick second jump.

I wouldn't say CJ fooled me. I wouldn't say I guessed wrong. I have to honor CJ, or it's a floater, which is money for him, or a layup. There's no more trying to stunt and faking him out. When you're beat, your only job is to make the offense make one more pass. That allows for the possibility of another rotation.

Right here, we're dead. CJ's either going to get fouled or get the layup. I have to sell out to him. I force the pass, and Loon covers for me. Once Loon covers for me, I'm able to get back and help get the block. But Loon slowed Harkless down.

On that first mini-jump, and the burst after:

I didn't jump and take myself out of position like most guys do. I've always had a quick second jump. I basically couldn't jump, so my second jump was always more important than my first jump.


Play No. 5

Imagine being Seth Curry. You come off this Zach Collins pick with room to launch, but then Green flies at you. OK, Plan B: Green's momentum is carrying him toward you, so there's no way he can get back to interfere with any pass to Collins.

Nope. Green opens his stance again -- left foot way in front of the right -- and bounces back to intercept the pass.

Seth loves shooting going to his left. Steph [Curry] has done his job. He forces Seth over the top. It's my job to be up at the level of the screen and take that shot away. So I go at him. But knowing Steph is right on his hip, if I can take the shot away, I can start right back to Zach Collins. He tries to wrap that pass around me, but it's not getting there. I can just take it.

The most important thing is to force another pass. If I do, Looney's there [under the rim, guarding Enes Kanter] waiting on it. That's his rotation. Now I gotta fly back and crack back on Kanter.

On his footwork:

I'm not selling out to Seth. If I sell out, I'm coming up in an all-out blitz, which means my feet are parallel to the baseline. I don't sell out here. I try to cover up but not break our whole defense down.


Play No. 6

This one-on-two looks trickier, with Austin Rivers coming from a diagonal and more space for Green to navigate. Turns out, it wasn't so tricky.

He severely telegraphed his pass. He don't even look at the rim. He looks at Capela from the time he starts dribbling. The entire time. So I'm stunting and getting back to Capela. If Austin wants to come to the rim, I'll meet him up top.

What does Green fear most in these situations?

The lob. Notice I drop back to the rim. I don't recover to Capela at the dunker [spot, along the baseline]. I stand at the rim. Capela is not about to catch this and shoot a floater.

Is there a spot on the floor Green knows he can't cross without exposing the lob?

If you get out of the restricted area, you can forget about it. There's no way to recover.


Play No. 7

This is classic roving Green. He's technically guarding Harkless, but he ignores Harkless to overload Lillard's side of the floor.

I just do this. The coaches trust me to make reads, to do whatever I want.

Green's gambit risks Harkless flashing open at the foul line, and into a 2-on-1 -- the sort of play Green would make on offense, actually. Green doesn't care.

If he flashes, I'll meet him at the rim.

Green's one-man zone is so brazen. He hides nothing about his intentions. He is right in Lillard's line of sight, daring him to pass to Leonard, almost taunting him. Was he surprised Lillard tried it?

Not necessarily. The goal is to make him play on one side of the floor, or force him to try the skip pass [to the other side]. You have a 6-7 guy and a 6-8 guy on a -- what is Dame, 6-2? How is he gonna see [the skip pass]?

So my job is to then take the first pass away. If you blitz Dame, like we have Jordan Bell do here, you can't give up that first pass. Otherwise the trap is pointless.

He shouldn't make that pass. But to him, I'm not taking Meyers Leonard away -- in his mind. I'm not denying him directly. But I'm close enough to get it.


Play No. 8

What a visual: two stars as mirror images -- crouched to the same height, leaning forward nose-to-nose, lead feet (James Harden's left, Green's right) almost touching toes.

Most guys who press Harden end up staring at the back of his jersey.

I'm giving him his right hand. If he wants to take off right, I already have a head start to get on his hip. Not necessarily that I'm gonna cut him off, but I can force a tougher shot. Because I'm giving him that lane, I can press up more. If he's going to drive, I know exactly where.

I'm also trusting the help. I know if he does get by me, I have to make the next rotation.

I'm just taking stabs at his dribble. James and several other guys in the NBA -- they use their dribble to get rhythm. James really uses his dribble for rhythm. I'm just trying to keep him off balance. Steve [Kerr] always talks about controlling the point -- a tennis analogy. You want to be the person charging the net, not the person on his heels.

When James Harden has the ball, I don't care who you are, you're at a disadvantage. He is that good with the ball. So what can I do to try to give myself an advantage? I try to force him one way and I play the step-back. I know he's trying to get to the step-back. If I'm two steps off him, I'm at his mercy. I jump out to get a contest, and it's more than likely going to end up a foul. I win this possession because I take the step-back away.

Green again has one foot in front of the other, and can almost rock back and forth on that lead foot -- so that even as he jabs toward Harden, he can push back toward the rim in one quick motion.

I'm playing him to beat me off the drive, so I'm ready to react to him driving.


Play No. 9

This is the play I will always remember from Golden State's clinching Game 6 win in Houston. Golden State destroyed the Rockets with this Curry-Green pick-and-roll on the right side. P.J. Tucker blitzed Curry, and for most of the fourth quarter, Green responded by slipping open toward the paint, taking a pass from Curry, and rampaging into his trademark 4-on-3s for floaters, layups, and lobs to Looney.

Watching from afar, it seemed as if all that rim-running set up this dagger. At a pivotal moment, Green stopped short. He seemed to know Tucker would again lunge at Curry and then scramble back toward the paint, and that if he hit the brakes for a handoff, Tucker would not be able to reverse momentum in time to contest Curry's 3-pointer.

I can't remember if it was him [Curry] that said "hand back" or me that said "hand back," but one of us said, 'Yo, the hand back is about to be open." We've been playing together for seven years now. We got chemistry. We don't need a stoppage in play to get a signal to each other. You can't make that up -- the big moments and big experiences.

The last three or four plays, I've rolled out of this into the paint. So I know, once I catch [Curry's pass], P.J. is going to retreat the paint. And once he takes one step, he's dead. Steph's release is that fast.

Even if Capela takes me and P.J. tries to crack back and take Looney, his first step has to go toward the paint. And if he takes one step, he's dead. And we had beaten them so much going to the hole, I know he's taking that step.

Was Green surprised Houston didn't switch more?

I was surprised. But Steph had it going. If they do switch, I'm taking Steph in that matchup. P.J.'s a great defender, but I'm taking Steph 10 times out of 10.


Play No. 10

This has become perhaps Green's signature pass, and Looney is its most frequent recipient. It is the great irony of Green's game: In defending one-on-two situations, Green baits the offense into passing; in leading 2-on-1s in the half court, Green baits defenders into thinking he'll shoot. Smart defenders have realized Green wants to pass; they sit on the lob, and dare Green to finish layups over a late challenge. Green largely obliged against Houston and Portland.

This play seemed unusual in that Green appeared to wait a very long time -- until the ball is rolling off his fingertips -- to decide whether to pass or shoot. That looks like a floater until you realize it's heading a few feet left of the rim.

What had Green known, and when?

Most of the time, I know already once I catch the ball what's gonna happen. This is different. Even when I jump here, I'm thinking shot. Montrezl [Harrell] did a really good job of taking my shot away and taking the lob away. But he still commits. He jumps at the last second. And look where he jumps at. He didn't meet me at the rim. That's what I'm telling you. You gotta drop back and meet me at the rim.

Once he commits, he tells me what to do as a playmaker. He picked one.

Looney has sneaky bounce. He has long arms. He has feel. The connection we have is that he's smart.

How Kyle Lowry became the last Raptor standing

Published in Basketball
Sunday, 02 June 2019 05:40

TORONTO -- KYLE LOWRY'S path to becoming the starting point guard for a team in the NBA Finals could best be described as a happy accident.

When he joined the Toronto Raptors in a trade with the Houston Rockets in July 2012, he was forced to compete with Jose Calderon for minutes before eventually beating out the Spaniard when Calderon was traded. A year later, a different trade -- one that didn't happen -- would've seen him wind up with the New York Knicks, only for them to scuttle the deal at the last minute after it was all but done.

Then came last summer. After yet another playoff beatdown at the hands of LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, the other two pillars of the greatest stretch in Raptors history -- coach Dwane Casey and guard DeMar DeRozan, who also happens to be Lowry's best friend -- were fired and traded, leaving Lowry as the last man standing from a five-year run that had been both the team's most successful and ultimately most disappointing.

Meanwhile, a guy who spent the first few years of his career bouncing from place-to-place, struggling to find a home, has found one north of the border -- a place Lowry himself never dreamed he'd be in this long.

"When I first got traded here I didn't really know what to expect," Lowry said Saturday. "I thought I would be here a couple years, and be out of here."

Instead, he came and never left. Now, Toronto finds itself three wins away from the first championship in franchise history. And while much of the praise has gone to former Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard and breakout star Pascal Siakam, it has been Lowry who, behind the scenes, has been driving Toronto to heights it has never reached before.

"We have been through so much and he's a winner," Raptors president Masai Ujiri said. "There's no other way to put it, he's a winner. He's been hit upside the head from every different angle in the world, whether it's personal, everything, and he survives it. Like every day he comes, he comes to win. Doesn't matter what mood he's in, like he comes to win."

"I GOT MAD respect for Kyle."

It's the day before the biggest moment in Raptors franchise history: Game 1 of the NBA Finals here at Scotiabank Arena. A franchise that, for most of its history, has operated on the fringes of relevance (even in the best of times) now finds itself with a true superstar in Leonard, the platform of playing against one of the greatest teams in NBA history in front of the entire world and the chance to forever make itself part of basketball royalty ahead of it.

Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green is at the podium, holding court as he always does in front of the cameras, tape recorders and microphones. Green will do whatever it takes to gain an advantage -- be in on the court, or at the podium. He'll make any play, or say any thing, in order to advance the cause of winning.

But when Lowry's name comes up, he goes out of his way to praise a kindred spirit, acknowledging their similar paths to stardom and the ways their games mirror one another.

"He wasn't always an All-Star," Green said. "He wasn't always a starter. But he got it out of the mud and he's where he's at today.

"He's faced a lot of doubt. He's been criticized a ton, this year and previous years before, but yet he's still standing and he's here in this moment and it's well-deserved."

That Lowry came from such a place -- traded twice, without a starting job in the league until his fifth season, not named on an All-Star team until his ninth -- helps explain how his game is perceived by his peers. He's listed at 6-foot-1. He's oddly shaped. He'll never be seen as the quickest or most athletic player on the court.

And yet, despite all that, he constantly finds himself making winning plays.

"He plays above his talent," Raptors center Marc Gasol said. "That's how I look at it. You see his talent, and he plays above it."

So how, exactly, does a player with Lowry's (lack of) physical gifts find a way to survive in a league full of players that are almost universally bigger, stronger and faster? By relying on the things he learned playing on the streets of North Philadelphia as a kid: grit, toughness and a determination to never back down.

"He plays like a Philly boy," Danny Green said. "He's a bulldog. He's a bully. He's out there with grit, doing his all, doing his thing. He's scrappy.

"He's trying to take everything he can. Obviously he's a little bit different off the court as he's gotten older, has a family now with children, but not much.

"He's a Philly boy at heart. That's who he is, and that's how he plays."

There have been multiple moments that have exemplified those traits during this playoff run. Lowry secured a critical offensive rebound to win Game 3 of Toronto's first round series against the Orlando Magic. He repeatedly found himself taking charges against Joel Embiid -- who only has a foot and roughly 100 pounds on Lowry -- against the Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

And in that Game 6 against the Bucks, Lowry's handprints were all over the run Toronto made at the start of the fourth quarter to take control of the game. No play was more definitively a Lowry one than the steal, drive and dish he made to Leonard for an epic slam dunk over Giannis Antetokounmpo -- a play Lowry, in true Lowry fashion, helped further facilitate by giving Antetokounmpo a slight nudge, preventing him from properly challenging Leonard's shot.

play
0:33

Kawhi emphatically posterizes Giannis

Kyle Lowry hands the ball off to Kawhi Leonard, who throws down a thunderous jam over Giannis Antetokounmpo.

"Those are the Kyle Lowry-type plays," Raptors general manager Bobby Webster said with a smile.

"As we've seen this whole playoff run, from the offensive rebound in Orlando, charges on Embiid ... it's something special."

"HE'S A COMPLETE jackass on the court, and he's probably one of the best teammates I've ever had."

Raptors guard Fred VanVleet, Lowry's understudy for the past three seasons, is blunt when asked to describe Kyle Lowry.

Lowry prefers the world only see the hard exterior that he puts on display during press conferences and when he is on the court. But that's not the person the Raptors know best. VanVleet calls it a "weird dynamic."

"His teammates love him," Raptors coach Nick Nurse said. "He's the guy that's feeding them a lot on the planes. He's inviting them over to his house in Philly, making sure there's team events he's in charge of -- and funding."

During his early stints in Memphis and Houston, Lowry had developed a reputation -- perhaps undeserved -- for butting heads with teammates and coaches. But in Toronto he has grown into the kind of veteran the young players on the team all gravitate toward. For VanVleet -- another tough-nosed, undersized point guard, it was natural he and Lowry would grow to form a bond.

VanVleet said their families are close -- Lowry publicly shouted out the birth of VanVleet's second child, Fred Jr., at a press conference after Toronto's Game 4 win over Milwaukee -- and credited Lowry for helping him, after going undrafted out of Wichita State, develop into one of the league's best backup point guards.

"He's meant everything," VanVleet said. "He helps me on the court, off the court. He helps me in a lot of things. He's taught me a lot, he's showed me a lot. He's a great friend. I love him to death. There's nothing he wouldn't do for me, and vice versa.

"He's just got a big, loving heart, man. Under all that antics of him trying to be a tough guy, he tries to portray himself like an a--hole, and he's just a big teddy bear."

Siakam, whose 32-point performance helped power Toronto to its Game 1 win Thursday night, said Lowry's encouragement to continue expanding his game this season was a big part of what led to his breakout season -- one that most likely will end in Siakam winning the league's Most Improved Player award later this month.

But he also said how Lowry has coached him through what is about to come his way as his star rises has been equally important to him.

"He's always been one of the guys, even early, encouraging me to dribble the basketball," Siakam said. "And just, in terms of life in terms of the jump I'm making, he's given me advice on how things are going to change ... but at the same time encouraging me to be myself.

"He's amazing. He's definitely been a help for me, being here. He's one of the best teammates I've ever had."

"This is our sixth year with Kyle, and it's a testament to him that he's grown every single year," Webster said. "I think if anyone can think about making personal growth six years in a row, you get to be a pretty good person, and you get to be a pretty good leader, on and off the court."

"I CALL IT home."

In the aftermath of Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals, as the Raptors and their fans celebrated their first-ever trip to the NBA Finals, Lowry remained all business.

He secured the game ball after George Hill's meaningless last-second heave bounced away from the rim. He immediately began shaking hands with members of the Bucks, then migrated toward Toronto's locker room.

All of that changed, though, when he saw his children -- Karter and Kameron -- waiting for him on the baseline. Suddenly, the facade that Lowry always tries to make sure holds up in public -- stoic and acerbic -- melted away.

Still holding that game ball under his left arm, Lowry wrapped both young boys in his arms -- each wearing a red No. 7 Raptors jersey, with matching camouflage pants and white shoes -- lifting them off the ground.

"I can't even tell you," Lowry would say later that night, taking a quiet moment at his locker inside Scotiabank Arena, having reached a point that many in these parts thought the Raptors never could. "It was everything you could kind of imagine. Everything you could possibly think about as a basketball player. It's things you can't even explain."

Later, as Lowry sat at his locker, thumbing through his phone and scanning the 220 messages he said he had to respond to, the moment for sentiment had passed. His defiant game face was firmly back in place.

"I don't look for it as validation," he said of reaching the Finals. "I think it's more so all the work that we've put in as an organization, a team -- everything that's brought us to this moment."

Lowry has said repeatedly throughout the season that this team has championship potential. At every point during the playoffs, he's repeated the same mantra -- "stay level."

Saturday night was no different. Those emotions poured out, but then they were gone -- perhaps to be revealed again sometime in the next couple of weeks.

"Nothing I can think about right now, to be honest with you," Lowry said with a smile, when asked what this run has meant to him. "I'll look back on this thing when I'm done. I'll look back on everything when I get a chance to. But not right now.

"We've got another one to try to get."

Jarrion Lawson handed four-year ban

Published in Athletics
Sunday, 02 June 2019 01:21

World long jump silver medallist says his positive test was likely the result of eating contaminated beef

Jarrion Lawson has been handed a four-year ban by the IAAF after testing positive for epitrenbolone, a metabolite of the prohibited steroid trenbolone.

The American world long jump silver medallist was provisionally suspended in August following the positive result from an out-of-competition doping control test in June 2018.

According to the case decision document, published by the Athletics Integrity Unit, Lawson maintains “that the likely source of the epitrenbolone in his system was contaminated meat” which he had eaten for lunch the day before the test.

However, the decision document adds in part: “… the Tribunal holds that the Athlete has failed to satisfy his burden of establishing how the Prohibited Substance Epitrenbolone entered his body.”

Lawson’s ban is backdated to the date of his provisional suspension – August 3, 2018.

His results achieved from June 2 to August 3 are also disqualified.

Lawson can appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

The full case decision document can be found here.

Meanwhile, Russian athletics officials have been accused of overseeing the forgery of documents in an attempt to cover up a breach of anti-doping rules by high jumper Danil Lysenko.

The world indoor champion, who also claimed silver at the outdoor world championships in London in 2017, was provisionally suspended last year following a whereabouts rule violation.

According to an investigation report by The Sunday Times published on Saturday (June 1): “It is claimed that false paperwork was created to give Lysenko a medical excuse for failing to disclose his location.”

The Russian athletics federation has been suspended as an IAAF member since November 2015 and reinstatement had been expected to form a key part of discussions at the next IAAF council meeting in Monaco next weekend.

The Sunday Times reports that Russia is now facing a ban from competing in the 2020 Olympics following this latest investigation.

All four semi-finalists from Cuba, after recording success against Carlos Hernandez (11-4, 11-9, 8-11, 11-4, 11-7), Andy Pereira accounted for Jorge Campos (11-5, 9-11, 11-6, 8-11, 11-4, 11-5) to seal the title. In the counterpart semi-final, Jorge Campos had overcome Livan Martinez (13-11, 11-1, 11-6, 5-11, 11-8).

Success for Andy Pereira came after he had partnered Jorge Campos to men’s doubles gold; the pair accounting for the Dominican Republic’s Samuel Galvez and Emil Santos in the final (11-8, 11-7, 11-6).

Impressive from Andy Pereira, it was the same in the women’s singles event from Daniela Fonseca Carrazana; after ousting Colombia’s Maria Perdomo (11-9, 9-11, 11-4, 11-6, 11-9) she accounted for Chile’s Paulina Vega (7-11, 3-11, 16-14, 11-5, 11-6, 11-5) to secure the title. In the opposite half of the draw, Paulina Vega had ended the hopes of Corey Tellez, also from Colombia (11-6, 11-7, 11-5, 11-9).

Disappointment for Colombia but there was success, success that meant further disappointment for Chile; earlier in the day Paula Medina and Maria Perdomo had combined to win the women’s doubles title. At the final hurdle they beat Judith Morales and Paulina Vega (6-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-9).

“I am very happy, we had a very nice tournament, personally it has been a challenge for me, there have been difficult days and being able to achieve this is very important” Paula Medina

“I’m very happy, winning this title; it is something that I have been looking to achieve for some time. We are not just Paula and I, there is a whole team behind us, thank all those who have supported us. Paula is very strong, she always encourages me.” Maria Perdomo

Success for Colombia but the tournament belonged to Cuba; in addition, earlier in the proceedings Andy Pereira, Jorge Campos, Livan Martinez and Carlos Hernandez had secured the men’s team title, furthermore the mixed doubles had been won by Jorge Campos and Daniela Fonseca Carrazana.

The one further title, the women’s team, had finished in the hands of Chile’s Judith Morales, Daniela Ortega and Paulina Vega.

Entry and Schedule of Play

2019 Latin American Championships: Participating National Associations
2019 Latin American Championships: Entry List

2019 Latin American Championships: Schedule of Play

Seeding

2019 Latin American Championships: Seeding – Men’s Team & Women’s Team
2019 Latin American Championships: Seeding – Men’s Singles & Women’s Singles
2019 Latin American Championships: Seeding – Men’s Doubles, Women’s Doubles, Mixed Doubles

Draws & Results – Team Events

2019 Latin American Championships: Men’s Team – Group Stage & Main Draw (Wednesday 29th May)
2019 Latin American Championships: Men’s Team – Full Results (Wednesday 29th May)

2019 Latin American Championships: Women’s Team – Group Stage & Main Draw (Wednesday 29th May)
2019 Latin American Championships: Women’s Team – Full Results (Wednesday 29th May)

Draws & Results – Individual Events

2019 Latin American Championships: Men’s Singles – First Stage (Wednesday 29th May)
2019 Latin American Championships: Men’s Singles – Main Draw – Results (Saturday 1st June)

2019 Latin American Championships: Women’s Singles – First Stage (Wednesday 29th May)
2019 Latin American Championships: Women’s Singles – Main Draw – Results (Saturday 1st June)

2019 Latin American Championships: Men’s Doubles – Results (Saturday 1st June)
2019 Latin American Championships: Women’s Doubles – Results (Saturday 1st June)
2019 Latin American Championships: Mixed Doubles – Results (Friday 31st May)

Ma Long reacts

Success for Ma Long but the no.11 seed believes that his Japanese counterpart Tomokazu Harimoto is set to challenge the Chinese elite for years to come:

“It is a really big match on the international stage. I also felt stressed, especially in the first two games. I feel he is stronger this time. I was a bit lucky to win the second game. From the third game, I changed my tactics which proved to work out well. He is only 16 now, but he is at such a high level. I think he will not only the biggest opponent to us, but also in the upcoming 10 years.” Ma Long

Japanese hopes fade

The men’s singles title will end up in the hands of one of the host nation’s competitors after Ma Long successfully dealt with Japanese teenage star Tomokazu Harimoto in the semi-finals.

In a tense encounter it was actually fourth seed Tomokazu Harimoto who struck first, gaining an early one game lead. But, four games on the bounce for Ma Long saw the three-time World champion seal his ticket to the gold medal contest (14-16, 16-14, 11-7, 11-8, 11-7), setting up an all-China final which will commence at approximately 7.50pm local time.

Master of penhold defeated

Xu Xin is out of the race for men’s singles glory in Shenzhen following the second seed’s semi-final defeat.

The penhold specialist held a two games to one lead in the match but failed to capitalise on the advantage as third seed Lin Gaoyuan fought back to claim a 4-2 victory (11-9, 6-11, 5-11, 11-6, 11-8, 11-6).

Wang Mangyu reacts

Just one win away from the top step of the podium for the second year running but Wang Manyu is well aware that she will need to be at her very best to achieve that goal with fellow compatriot Chen Meng standing in her way:

“I think today I performed really well and carried out my planned tactics very firmly. Last year at the Japan Open I lost to her. Today here at the China Open I am happy to win. I lost against Chen Meng 4-0 at the World Championships. Today I want to use 100% of my energy to challenge her. Hopefully I can play out my best performance.” Wang Manyu

Brave effort but Japanese star falls

The player responsible for top seed Ding Ning’s previous round exit, but Japan’s Mima Ito was halted in the last four: China’s Wang Manyu, seeded fourth, displayed great composure to see off the no.7 seed across five games (12-10, 12-10, 5-11, 11-7, 11-6).

Watch the finale of the women’s singles event unfold at approximately 7.00pm local time.

Chen Meng reacts

Following her 4-1 semi-final win, Chen Meng says she’s throwing her support behind national colleague Wang Manyu in the next penultimate round fixture:

“This was a really tough match, especially in the first game. She gave me a lot of pressure. It was not easy to win this match. I will watch Wang Manyu play against Mima Ito. This is an important match for Wang – I hope she can win!” Chen Meng

Tight start but Chen Meng makes final

Third seed Chen Meng is through to the women’s singles final in Shenzhen after coming up trumps against second seed Zhu Yuling in an all-China semi-final.

The match proved exciting right from the start with Chen Meng taking the opening game by a narrow 18-16 margin and the Seamaster 2018 Grand Finals champion went on to pick up three of the following four games to complete the victory (18-16, 5-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-9).

Schedule of Play (local times)

13.00 Semi-Final: Chen Meng (China) v Zhu Yuling (China)

13.50 Semi-Final: Mima Ito (Japan) v Wang Manyu (China)

19.00 Final

14.40 Semi-Final: Lin Gaoyuan (China) v Xu Xin (China)

15.30 Semi-Final: Ma Long (China) v Tomokazu Harimoto (Japan)

19.50 Final

Ryu Seung-min elected KTTA president

Published in Table Tennis
Sunday, 02 June 2019 00:03

Ryu Seung-min has won a majority vote to become president of the Korean Table Tennis Association (KTTA) until the end of 2020 following Friday’s elections in Seoul, Korea Republic.

A gold medallist at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, Seung-min takes over the role following the passing of former president Cho Yang-ho in April.

His rise to the KTTA presidency follows his recent inclusion on the ITTF Executive Committee, while the 36-year-old already sits on the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

An inspirational role model in his country, where he has done much to promote the Unified Korean movement whereby players from Korea Republic and North Korea have teamed up in international table tennis competitions over the past year, Seung-min was also heavily involved at the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games.

Now as president of the KTTA, his focus inevitably hones in on the 2020 ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships, which will be held in the Korean city of Busan.

“I will do my best to make sure that we stage a very successful World Championships next year in Busan. I will ensure that ties are strengthened through closer communication between the KTTA and the ITTF, making this a win-win situation for both parties.”

Ryu Seung-min, KTTA president and ITTF Executive Committee member

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