TENNIS:Former world number one Martina Navratilova has urged players to stop focusing on Maria Sharapova (picture) after the Russian’s recent return from a 15-month doping ban. Sharapova’s comeback has garnered widespread interest with current and former players offering their opinions on the 30-year-old, including men’s number one Andy Murray and Canada’s Eugenie Bouchard, who labelled the Russian “a cheater”. “I think it’s time for the players to lay off Maria. She made a huge mistake, paid dearly for it, ‘done the time’ and now let’s play ball,” Navratilova tweeted on her verified account.
CYCLING:Australian Caleb Ewan showed his true colours again when he won a bunch sprint to take the seventh stage of the Giro d’Italia yesterday. The pocket-sized Orica-Scott rider launched the sprint about 300 metres from the line and held off Colombian Fernando Gaviria (Quick Step-Floors). Ireland’s Sam Bennett (Bora-Hansgrohe) finished third. Luxembourg’s Bob Jungels retained the overall leader’s pink jersey after finishing safely in the main pack at the end of the 224-km ride from Castrovillari to Alberobello.
WEIGHTLIFTING: Weightlifting coach Michael Gingras has accepted a 12-year ban for prohibited doping conduct. USADA said that Gingras admitted possessing, trafficking and administering testosterone, and possessing and trafficking LGD-4033, a selective androgen receptor modulator, to an athlete between October 2015 and May 2016. Due to his full cooperation with USADA officials since the start of its investigation and his voluntary admission of his anti-doping rule violations, Gingras was eligible for a reduced sanction.
BASKETBALL, NBA:San Antonio Spurs set up an NBA Western Conference play-off final against Golden State Warriors after stunning Houston Rockets on Thursday night. The Rockets trailed 3-2 going into game six at the Toyota Center and knew they needed a big performance in front of their own fans to take the contest the distance. However, they were blown away 114-75 by a side for whom LaMarcus Aldridge top-scored with 34 points and whose impressive defence limited the Rockets’ influential James Harden to just 10 points on the night.
RUGBY UNION: Stephen Jones has become the second coach to withdraw from Wales’s summer tour, opting to focus on the Scarlets’ Guinness PRO12 play-off campaign. Jones has joined Cardiff Blues coach Danny Wilson in pulling out of Wales’ Tests against Tonga and Samoa, with regional commitments again providing conflict. Wales have already replaced Wilson with their Sevens head coach Gareth Williams for next month’s tour, and could yet draft in another recruit to their backroom staff.