Wrestling: The Ultimate Warrior (picture), one of the most celebrated names in US professional wrestling, died of natural causes attributed to heart disease, an Arizona coroner’s office said yesterday. An autopsy on the 54-year-old wrestler, whose given name was James Hellwig, confirmed his cause of death was “atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease,” according to the Maricopa County Office of the Medical Examiner. The condition occurs when blood vessels that carry oxygen and nutrients from the heart to the body become blocked or hardened, restricting blood flow, according to medical experts. Hellwig collapsed on April 8 outside a hotel in Scottsdale, Arizona, police said.
French Open: The French Open will pay a total prize money of more than €25 million this year, with the singles champions each receiving €1.65 million. That is an increase of €150,000 on the cheques picked up last year by champions Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams and a total increase of three million euros. As has been the trend over the past couple of years, the biggest percentage increases have come for those losing in the early rounds as a recognition of the high costs of professional tennis. Players beaten in the second and third rounds will pick up 20 per cent more prize money than last year – 42,000 and 72,000 euros respectively – with fourth-round losers taking home €125,000, a 25 per cent increase.
Formula One: Singapore Airlines Ltd (SIA) has been unveiled as the new title sponsor of the city-state’s Formula One race in September as the carrier bids to promote its brand to motor racing’s global television audience. The Sept. 19-21 race will see the carrier’s brand prominently displayed around the Marina Bay Street Circuit, although financial terms of the deal announced in a statement yesterday were not disclosed. The Singapore Grand Prix was first held at the Marina Bay Street Circuit in 2008 and has been won for the last three years by Red Bull’s quadruple world champion Sebastian Vettel.
Motor Sport: Technical director Bob Bell is to leave Mercedes at the end of the Formula One season and will not be replaced. Mercedes announced Bell’s departure in a statement, detailing plans to hand over Bell’s duties to technical executive director Paddy Lowe. Northern Irishman Bell, 56, first moved into motor racing when joining McLaren in 1982, and had subsequent spells at Benetton, Jordan and Renault before switching to Mercedes.
Tennis: Novak Djokovic opened his Monte Carlo Masters title defence with a 6-1 6-0 demolition of Spanish qualifier Albert Montanes yesterday to reach the third round yesterday. In his first claycourt match of the season, the Serbian world number two won 11 games in succession from 1-1 in a 45-minute stroll on centre court. Earlier, Frenchman Michael Llodra beat Polish 16th seed Jerzy Janowicz in first-round action and French ninth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga struggled to secure a third-round spot in a 6-4 1-6 6-4 defeat of German Philipp Kohlschreiber.
Basket, NBA: Memphis Grizzlies powered their way into the NBA play-offs and eliminated Phoenix from contention with a 97-91 road victory over the Suns. With both teams vying for the final spot in the Western Conference, Mike Conley delivered the go-ahead three-pointer with about a minute left to put Memphis ahead 93-91. Zach Randolph had 32 points and nine rebounds for the Grizzlies (49-32), who won their fourth straight match to reach the post-season for a fourth consecutive season. Phoenix (47-34) were fighting to reach the play-offs for the first time since 2010.