Update on the latest sports
APOLYMPICS
Djokovik can’t win ‘Golden Slam’
TOKYO (AP) — There will be no Golden Slam for Novak Djokovic.
The top-ranked Serb lost to Alexander Zverev of Germany 1-6, 3-6, 6-1 in the semifinals of the Tokyo Olympics tennis tournament.
Djokovic was attempting to become the first man to win all four Grand Slam tournaments and Olympic gold in the same year. He won the Australian and French Opens as well as Wimbledon this year and needed the Olympic and U.S. Open titles to complete the collection.
Steffi Graf in 1988 remains the only tennis player to achieve the Golden Slam.
In other Olympic action:
— The Tokyo games have their first individual swimming world record. Tatjana Schoenmaker of South Africa won the women’s 200-meter breaststroke with a time of 2 minutes, 18.95 seconds. The United States claimed the other two medals. Lilly King set a blistering pace early in the race and held on for a silver in 2:19.92. Annie Lazor grabbed bronze in 2:20.84.
— American swimmer Caeleb Dressel is the top qualifier in the men’s 50-meter freestyle preliminaries at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre. Dressel touched in 21.32 seconds to lead the field heading into Saturday’s semifinals.
— Emma McKeon of Australia is the fastest qualifier in the women’s 50-meter freestyle heats at the Tokyo Olympics. American Simone Manuel, the silver medalist at the 2016 Rio Games, advanced in 11th.
— American backstroke star Ryan Murphy suggested that his Olympic races were “probably not clean,” seeming to take aim at Russian swimmers who beat him in two events. Murphy made the comments after taking the silver medal behind Evgeny Rylov in the 200-meter backstroke. Three days ago, he settled for bronze in the 100 back, touching after both Rylov and another Russian, Kliment Kolesnikov.
— Megan Rapinoe converted the deciding penalty in a shootout and the United States advanced to the semifinals of the women’s Olympic soccer tournament 4-2 following a 2-2 draw with the Netherlands. The United States will next face Canada in the semifinals in Kashima on Monday.
— A’ja Wilson scored 20 points and Breanna Stewart added 15 to help the U.S. beat Japan 86-69 in the women’s basketball tournament. The U.S. has now won 51 consecutive games going back to the bronze medal game in the 1992 Olympics.
— In the baseball opener for the U.S. team, speedskating silver medalist Eddy Alvarez put the U.S. ahead with the first of his two RBI doubles, and the Americans beat Israel 8-1. Tyler Austin hit a two-run homer, doubled twice and drove in three runs in his home ballpark.
— American beach volleyball players Jake Gibb and Tri Bourne have lost for the first time in Tokyo. The U.S. men fell to a duo from Qatar — but Gibb and Bourne had already clinched a spot in the round of 16.
— Americans April Ross and Alix Klineman have moved on to the Olympic beach volleyball knockout round after having just a little bit of trouble against the Netherlands. They pulled away in a tiebreaking set to beat a winless Dutch pair.
— A faulty exchange in the Olympic debut of the mixed 4×400 relay has cost the U.S. a spot in the final. It also might have cost Allyson Felix a chance at her record-setting 10th Olympic medal. The U.S. breezed to a victory in the first qualifying heat of the relay Friday night, but was disqualified because of a bad pass between Lynna Irby and Elija Godwin. Felix, who was not on the track for qualifying, might have been in the lineup for the final on Saturday.
— U.S. women’s water polo captain Maggie Steffens broke the Olympic scoring record with a goal in the third period against the Russian Olympic Committee. Steffens was all alone in front for her 48th career goal in the Olympics, snapping a tie with Italy’s Tania Di Mario for the top spot. Steffens scored again on the next possession to help the U.S. open a commanding 13-3 lead.
— American BMX racer Connor Fields is awake, stable and awaiting further medical evaluation at the hospital, according to a statement issued by the chief U.S. Olympic medical officer. Fields was injured in a violent crash on the first lap of his qualifying heat at the Tokyo Olympics. The reigning gold medalist slammed into the turn coming off a jump and was hit by two other riders.
— Japan has broken its own record for gold medals at a single Olympic Games. The host nation still has nine days of competition to go. A gold medal in fencing was the 17th won by Japan in these Olympics.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL-CONFERENCE REALIGNMENT
Texas board votes to accept invitation to SEC; OU on deck
UNDATED (AP) — The board of regents for the University of Texas has voted unanimously to accept an invitation for the Longhorns to join the Southeastern Conference. The move is scheduled for July 1, 2025.
Texas and Oklahoma are bound to the Big 12 and its other eight members by a media rights agreement through the 2024-25 school year. Texas University President Jay Hartzell and athletic director Chris Del Conte met by teleconference with the board and they quickly signed off.
A similar meeting was being conducted in person in Oklahoma with OU’s board of regents.
NFL-DOLPHINS-HOWARD
All-Pro CB Howard sits out Dolphins practice with injury
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Miami Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard, who has requested a trade via Instagram, did not practice Friday because of an undisclosed injury.
Howard, an All-Pro selection in 2020 after leading the NFL in interceptions with 10, jogged off the field after the team’s warmup Thursday before resurfacing some 40 minutes later and watching the end of practice from the sideline.
