Sports round-up

Basket, Nba: The San Antonio Spurs’ hopes of taking a stranglehold on the NBA Finals were dashed by a slew of costly turnovers in Thursday’s Game Four loss to the Miami Heat. Hot on the heels of a stunning 36-point victory over Miami on Tuesday and looking to take a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven championship series, the Spurs ran into a Miami defence that transformed 18 turnovers into 23 points. “We have to cut out turnovers. They played great defence tonight,” Spurs guard Tony Parker said after his team’s 109-93 loss to the defending champions tied the series at 2-2.

Golf: Luke Donald bogeyed two of the last three holes in tough scoring conditions to hand Phil Mickelson a one-shot lead when the weather-delayed first round of the US Open was completed yesterday. Englishman Donald had been a stroke in front with five holes remaining when play was suspended in fading light on Thursday but slipped back with three-putt bogeys at the par-four 16th and par-four last to card a two-under-par 68. Tournament favourite Tiger Woods, a four-times winner on the 2013 PGA Tour, finished with a 73 after covering his final eight holes in one over on a chilly, damp morning at Merion Golf Club.

Rugby Union: Italy prop Martin Castrogiovanni has joined European champions Toulon from English side Leicester. The 31-year-old, who was born in Argentina but has captained Italy, has played 146 matches in seven years with the Leicester Tigers, winning four English Premiership titles and the Player of the Year award in 2006-07.

Tennis: Roger Federer needed a mere 39 minutes to demolish hapless wild-card entrant Mischa Zverev of Germany 6-0 6-0 and book his spot in the Gerry Weber Open semi-finals yesterday. The Swiss was in spectacular form on Halle’s grass courts, gifting the world number 156 not a single break ball throughout the match which was only his second double-bagel win in his career.

Queens QFs: Hewitt bt Del Potro 6-2 2-6 6-2; Tsonga bt Kudla 6-3 6-2; Cilic bt Berdych 7-5 7-6; Murray bt Becker 6-4 7-6.