Digest

TENNIS

Zhang through opening round at Nottingham

Zhang Shuai

China's top-ranked Zhang Shuai beat Cristina Bucsa of Spain 7-6(4), 6-3 to reach the last 16 at the Nottingham Open on Tuesday.

The world No 41 was runner-up in the tournament last year and started this year's campaign at the grass-court event as the fourth seed.

There was nothing to separate the 33-year-old Zhang and qualifier Bucsa, 24, until the first-set tiebreak, before Zhang held her nerve to win the second set 6-3.

Zhang will next face Britain's Jodie Burrage, who defeated China's Zhu Lin 7-6(5), 6-4.

Zhang's compatriots Wang Qiang and Wang Xinyu both failed to pass the first round. Wang Qiang lost to seventh seed Beatriz Haddad Maia of Brazil, 7-5, 6-4, 6-3, while Wang Xinyu was defeated by Australian fifth seed Ajla Tomljanovic 6-4, 6-4.

Meanwhile, US Open champion Emma Raducanu says she has "no idea" if she'll be ready for Wimbledon in just under three weeks after retiring from her match with a "freak injury" to her left side.

Raducanu was trailing 4-3 against Victorija Golubic in her opener in Nottingham when she retired injured.

"I think I pulled something, I am not really sure what exactly happened," the 11th-ranked Raducanu said.

Zverev has surgery on torn ankle ligaments

Alexander Zverev has undergone surgery to repair torn ligaments in his right ankle.

The third-ranked Zverev sustained the injury during his French Open semifinal against eventual champion Rafael Nadal.

"To return to competition as quickly as possible, to ensure all the ligaments heal properly, and to reclaim full stability in my ankle, surgery was the best choice," Zverev said in an Instagram post.

Zverev said he had the surgery in Germany on Tuesday morning after receiving confirmation that "all three of the lateral ligaments in my right ankle were torn."

The 25-year-old German player didn't specify a timetable for his return.

Zverev hurt himself while chasing after a shot late in the second set against Nadal last Friday, crumpling to the ground, grabbing his right ankle and wailing in agony.

He was taken off the court in a wheelchair, then returned on crutches to say he was retiring from the match.

Zverev was the runner-up at the 2020 US Open and won a gold medal in singles at the Tokyo Olympics last year.

BASEBALL

Angels fire Maddon after 12-game skid

Joe Maddon

The Los Angeles Angels fired manager Joe Maddon on Tuesday amid the team's 12-game losing streak.

Third-base coach Phil Nevin was named the interim manager ahead of Tuesday night's game against the visiting Boston Red Sox.

Maddon, 68, guided the club to a 27-29 record this season and a 130-148 record since beginning his latest stint as the Angels' skipper in 2020.

The Angels matched their longest-ever single-season skid with Monday night's 1-0 loss to Boston. The Angels also lost the last 12 games to finish the 1988 season.

In an interview with The Athletic after his firing, Maddon said he was surprised because he felt his players were with him"100 percent".

"The players, we've got some guys hurt. But the guys who are there, they're wonderful to work with," Maddon told The Athletic. "They're spectacular. It was a great clubhouse. It is a great clubhouse. There was no dissension, no finger-pointing, none of it."

Astros' Neris, Baker suspended over dustup

Astros pitcher Hector Neris was suspended four games and Houston manager Dusty Baker was banned one game by Major League Baseball after both were ejected from a game Monday night against Seattle in which Neris plunked one hitter and nearly hit another in the head.

Neris and Baker were also fined undisclosed amounts, MLB senior vice-president for on-field operations Michael Hill announced Tuesday. Astros coaches Joe Espada, Omar Lopez and Troy Snitker were also fined, as was Mariners manager Scott Servais.

Neris is appealing his suspension and remained active for Houston's 4-1 victory over Seattle on Tuesday night. Baker planned to serve his suspension, with Espada managing Tuesday's game.

In the ninth inning Monday, Neris hit Ty France with a pitch that nearly went all the way behind the right-handed hitter. Servais began shouting from the bench, then led his team onto the field to confront Houston near home plate. Servais and Baker pushed and shoved, while Servais pointed repeatedly at Lopez, the Astros' first-base coach. Both Servais and Lopez were ejected following the fracas.

AMERICAN FOOTBALL

Rodgers says he'll see out career with Packers

Aaron Rodgers

Speaking at the Packers' mandatory mini-camp Tuesday, quarterback Aaron Rodgers affirmed that he will see out the rest of his playing career in Green Bay.

"Yes, definitely," Rodgers said, reportedly adding with a smile, "Unless they trade me."

The comments represent a stark change of circumstances in Green Bay after Rodgers was at odds with the Packers for much of 2021.

Reports leaked ahead of the 2021 NFL Draft that he had told some people in the organization that he would not play for them again. He held out from mandatory mini-camp this time last year.

After he reached an agreement with the organization to return to the team, Rodgers led the Packers to a 13-4 season. After they lost in the divisional round of the playoffs, he indicated that he hadn't made up his mind whether to return, retire or demand a trade.

Instead, Rodgers and the Packers agreed to a contract extension last March worth $150 million over three years.

Agencies