■FOOTBALL
NFL to hold conduct training
The NFL will implement a workplace conduct training program after finding the New York Jets acted unprofessionally in the case of a female television reporter who said she felt “uncomfortable” in their locker room. Commissioner Roger Goodell said the conduct of the Jets “clearly should have been better,” but also stressed that his investigation of the matter found no evidence that TV Azteca reporter Ines Sainz was “bumped, touched, brushed against or otherwise subjected to any physical contact” by any player or coach. Goodell said it did appear that during the practice some Jets team members purposely threw footballs in her direction.
■TENNIS
Groth moves on to semis
Top-seeded Jarmila Groth of Australia moved closer to her first WTA Tour title when she reached the Guangzhou International semi-finals with a 6-0, 6-2 win over Maria Elena Camerin of Italy on Friday. Groth, who went four rounds at Wimbledon and the French Open this year, was the only seed to make the quarter-finals in Guangzhou. She next faces unseeded Romanian Edina Gallovits, who came back from a slow start to beat Chinese wildcard Han Xinyun 3-6, 6-2, 6-4. Alla Kudryavtseva of Russia beat countrywoman Ksenia Pervak 6-3, 6-1. Kudryavtseva will play China’s Zhang Shuai in the other semi-final, the first on the tour in the careers of both women.
■TENNIS
Mattek-Sands beats Marino
The US’ Bethanie Mattek-Sands reached the semi-finals of the WTA Bell Challenge indoor tournament on Friday, defeating Rebecca Marino of Canada 6-4, 7-6 (7/4). Mattek-Sands moves on to play third-seeded Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic who rallied to beat fifth-seeded Melanie Oudin of the US 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 at the Club Avantage Multi-Sports de Quebec. In the other semi-final, Christina McHale was to face Austria’s Tamira Paszek last night.
■YACHTING
Pipe Opener canceled
Australian officials canceled a three-day event on the southern island of Tasmania yesterday after a sailor died in rough conditions in the opening leg. Organizers of the 42nd Pipe Opener in the D’Entrecasteaux Channel, south of Hobart, defended their decision to begin the series on Friday as weather forecasters warned of strong winds and high seas. Ron Bugg, vice commodore of the Derwent Sailing Squadron, said the course for the night race had been shortened because of the weather and conditions were manageable for the experienced sailors taking part. The crewman, aged in his 50s, drowned late on Friday after being knocked overboard. His body was found at about midnight washed ashore on Bruny Island.
■MOTOGP
Stoner grabs pole position
Casey Stoner of Ducati will start Moto GP’s Aragon Grand Prix from pole position after edging championship leader Jorge Lorenzo in qualifying yesterday. Stoner’s lap of 1 minute, 48.492 seconds around the Motorland Aragon circuit was nearly 0.8 seconds quicker than Lorenzo, who is looking to extend his season-long streak of podium finishes to 13. Dani Pedrosa of Honda, who has won two straight to sit 63 points behind fellow Spaniard Lorenzo in the standings, starts third and Nicky Hayden fills out the second row. Andrea Iannone of Italy will start the Moto2 from pole position after beating British rider Scott Redding by 0.04 seconds.
The US’ bid for a fourth consecutive CONCACAF Nations League title came to a stunning end as they fell 1-0 to Panama after a stoppage-time goal from Cecilio Waterman on Thursday in Inglewood, California. Despite dominating possession, the US struggled to break down a resilient Panama side for long periods. Panama spent the bulk of the match defending, but pounced on a giveaway by the US before substitute forward Waterman sent a shot from the right side of the area to the bottom left corner late in stoppage time. Up next for Panama in tomorrow’s final is to be Mexico, who beat
DOMINATION: McLaren drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris took the first two spots as Mercedes’ George Russell and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen followed them Australian Oscar Piastri yesterday roared back from season-opening disappointment in his home race by winning the Formula One Chinese Grand Prix from pole position in a McLaren one-two with championship-leading teammate Lando Norris. George Russell finished third for Mercedes, ahead of Red Bull’s reigning champion Max Verstappen with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Saturday’s sprint winner Lewis Hamilton fifth and sixth respectively. Piastri’s win denied Norris a third victory in a row, including last year’s Abu Dhabi season-ender, but left champions McLaren unbeaten in two races so far this year. “Mega job guys. The car was very, very lovely,” Piastri said
TO FINAL FOUR: France had 22 chances and scored two goals, while Croatia could not manage a single shot on target in 120 minutes. Les Bleus won 5-4 on penalties France on Sunday overturned a two-goal deficit to qualify for the UEFA Nations League Final Four by eliminating Croatia 5-4 on penalties after a 2-0 victory in their quarter-final second leg at the Stade de France. Dayot Upamecano scored the winning spot kick in a nail-biting shootout in which France keeper Mike Maignan made two saves, sending Les Bleus into the semi-finals against Spain. Michael Olise opened the scoring and Ousmane Dembele doubled their lead 10 minutes from time to send the tie into extra time after their 2-0 loss in Split, Croatia, on Thursday. France had a total of
BRING THE NOISE: Brazil’s Fonseca attracted a boisterous crowd that brought such dominant soccer-style energy the referee switched to Portuguese to ask for quiet Australia’s Alex de Minaur on Monday put an end to Brazilian talent Joao Fonseca’s challenge at the Miami Open, outlasting the 18-year-old 5-7, 7-5, 6-3 in an enthralling contest. Attendance on stadium court had been sparse throughout the day, but the Hard Rock Stadium turned into a mini-Maracana Stadium for Fonseca’s match, complete with Brazilian flags and soccer-style chanting. Fonseca brought his energetic brand of ultra-attacking tennis, but De Minaur was up to the challenge, coping with blistering forehands and a partisan crowd. Such was the dominance of Fonseca’s raucous support that the referee switched to Portuguese for his appeals for quiet. However, De
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