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Tennis: Roger Federer (picture) has pulled out of this month’s French Open as he feels he needs to avoid playing on clay this season in order to prolong his career, the 18-times grand slam champion said yesterday. The Swiss, who defied logic to win the Australian Open in January after being out of tennis for six months, will skip the May 28-June 11 claycourt major for the second year running after missing last year’s edition through injury. “I’ve been working really hard, both on and off the court, during the last month but in order to try and play on the ATP World Tour for many years to come, I feel it’s best to skip the claycourt season this year and prepare for the grass and hardcourt seasons,” Federer said.
Basketball, NBA: Draymond Green turned a layup into a three-point play with 1:15 to go to break a tie and lift the Golden State Warriors to a 113-111 win over the San Antonio Spurs in Game One of the NBA Western Conference finals on Sunday. Rallying from a 20-point half-time deficit, the third-biggest comeback in NBA history, the Warriors got a game-high 40 points from Stephen Curry and 34 from Kevin Durant. Curry hit a 13-foot floater with nine seconds remaining to give Golden State a 113-110 lead and begin a hectic finish.
Olympics: Swiss watch manufacturer Omega yesterday extended its Olympic Games sponsorship by 12 years, becoming the first top IOC sponsor to commit until 2032. Omega’s deal sees the Swiss company continue providing timing, scoring, in-venue results systems, equipment and broadcast graphics services. IOC sources previously told Reuters that major sponsors pay more than $100m per four-year cycle, which includes one summer and one winter games.
Cricket: The ongoing pay dispute might leave Australia without their top players in the home Ashes series against England later this year, vice-captain David Warner has warned. Australian Cricketers’ Association (ACA) rejected Cricket Australia’s (CA) pay offer last month, dismissing the proposal as “a win for cricket administrators but a loss for cricket”. CA has threatened the players with unemployment, saying they would not get alternative contracts if they fail to agree to the new collective bargaining agreement. Warner said he and his colleague would not “buckle at all”.
Golf: South Korean Kim Si-woo became the youngest winner of The Players Championship on Sunday when he shot a final round three-under-par 69 to clinch a three-stroke victory. The 21-year-old displayed composure beyond his years to finish on 10-under 278 and follow 2011 champion K.J. Choi as the second South Korean to win the PGA Tour’s flagship event. Ian Poulter (71) bogeyed the last and finished tied for second with Louis Oosthuizen on seven-under.