Update on the latest sports
APTENNIS-AUSTRALIAN OPEN
Medvedev to face Djokovic in Sunday final; Osaka and Brady meet in women’s final Saturday
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Daniil Medvedev (DAN’-ihl MEHD’-veh-dehv) has reached his second Grand Slam final by beating Stefanos Tsitsipas in straight sets Friday at the Australian Open. Medvedev will face eight-time champion Novak Djokovic (NOH’-vak JOH’-kuh-vich) at Melbourne Park on Sunday.
The fourth-seeded Medvedev played nearly perfect defensive tennis at the baseline and helped himself with 17 aces and 46 total winners in the semifinal. The fifth-seeded Tsitsipas looked drained after his epic five-set, four-hour comeback victory over Rafael Nadal in the previous round.
Djokovic will be appearing in his 28th major final and seeking an 18th Grand Slam title. Medvedev was the runner-up at the 2019 U.S. Open.
On Saturday, Naomi Osaka will attempt to win her fourth Grand Slam singles title and her second at the Australian Open when she plays American Jennifer Brady in the women’s final.
The No. 3-seeded Osaka overpowered Serena Williams in the semifinals and is on a 20-match winning streak. Brady pushed Osaka to three sets before losing to her in the U.S. Open semifinals last year.
Brady had to undergo a two-week hard quarantine in Australia before the Australian Open. She has come through the extra challenges to reach her first final in a major.
MLB-NEWS
AP source: Taijuan Walker, Mets strike $20M, 2-year deal
UNDATED (AP) — The Mets have made a late addition to their starting rotation, agreeing to a $20 million, two-year contract with right-hander Taijuan Walker. That’s according to a person familiar with the negotiations, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Friday because the agreement was subject to a successful physical.
The 28-year-old joins a rotation headed by two-time Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom. The team also hopes to get starter Noah Syndergaard back as soon as June. He is rehabbing from Tommy John surgery last March.
Walker has a five-pitch repertoire with a 93 mph fastball mixed among sliders, split-finger fastballs, sinkers and curveballs. He was 4-3 with a 2.70 ERA over 11 starts during the pandemic-shortened season for Seattle and Toronto, which acquired him Aug. 27 for a player to be named, who became outfielder prospect Alberto Rodriguez.
Walker is 35-34 with a 3.84 ERA in 105 starts and three relief appearances over eight seasons with Seattle (2013-16, 2020), Arizona (2017-19) and Toronto.
In other MLB news:
— Right-hander Edward Cabrera, one of the Miami Marlins’ top prospects, will be sidelined indefinitely with an inflamed nerve in his right biceps. The team became aware of the injury earlier this winter. Cabrera is with the Marlins at their spring training complex but isn’t throwing. Manager Don Mattingly says the Marlins believe Cabrera will be able to pitch “at some point this year.” Cabrera was expected to contend for a spot in the rotation. He went 9-4 with a 2.23 ERA at Class A and Double-A in 2019.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL-NCAA TOURNAMENT
Fans allowed for all rounds of men’s NCAA tournament
UNDATED (AP) — A limited number of fans will be allowed to attend all rounds of next month’s NCAA men’s basketball tournament in Indiana.
The governing body said Friday venue capacity will be capped at 25% to allow for social distancing. That figure will include all participants, essential staff and family of team members. All must be masked.
The NCAA says the decision came in conjunction with state and local health officials to follow COVID-19 safety protocols.
The NCAA earlier announced the entire tournament will be played in Indiana because of the pandemic, with the majority of the 67 games taking place in Indianapolis. The Final Four already had been set for Indianapolis.
The semifinals are April 3 and the national championship game two days later.
OLYMPICS-RUSSIAN IDENTITY BAN
Russia’s new team name, flag agreed on for next 2 Olympic Games
GENEVA (AP) — With Russia’s name banned from the next two Olympics, the country’s team and athletes will be officially branded as “ROC,” an acronym for Russian Olympic Committee.
The International Olympic Committee said Friday that the name has been agreed on by the IOC and the World Anti-Doping Agency, which has accused the country of running a state-backed doping program.
Russia’s team name, flag and national anthem were banned from this year’s Tokyo Olympics and the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing by the Court of Arbitration for Sport. The CAS ruling imposed two years of sanctions on Russian sports for tampering with a testing database in Moscow while the laboratory was under state control. wn as “Olympic Athletes from Russia” at the 2018 Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
The Russian team flag in Tokyo and Beijing will be the ROC symbol — an Olympic flame in the white, blue and red stripes of the national flag above the five Olympic rings. A piece of music to replace the Russian national anthem at medal ceremonies has not yet been agreed on.
