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SPORTS Thursday 22 February 2018

Jarvis Landry given non-exclusive franchise tag by Dolphins

By STEVEN WINE far the highest-profile Dol-
AP Sports Writer phins player eligible for free
MIAMI (AP) — The Miami agency, and perhaps the
Dolphins decided receiver best player on an offense
Jarvis Landry is worth any that sputtered throughout
headaches he causes, 2017.
even if the cost is $16 mil- Miami still hopes to sign
lion. Landry to a multi-year deal,
Landry was given a non-ex- a person familiar with the
clusive franchise tag Tues- team's plans said. The per-
day after leading the NFL son didn't want to be iden-
with 112 catches in 2017. tified because the Dolphins
The move by the Dolphins haven't publicly discussed
came on the first day that contract negotiations with
teams could assign fran- Landry.
chise tags. Landry had a franchise-re-
The tag's value is expected cord 112 catches and a ca-
to be about $16 million. reer-high nine touchdowns
Landry made $894,000 last in 2017, the final season of
season. the contract he signed be-
Landry has said he wanted fore his rookie season. He
to remain with the Dolphins, has been selected to three
and they said they wanted consecutive Pro Bowls and
him back. But his volatile has 400 career receptions,
personality has been cause a record for a fourth-year
for a concern — especially player.
on a team that went 6-10 The non-exclusive tag al-
last year in part because of lows Landry to sign an offer
poor discipline. sheet with another team.
Landry was ejected in the The Dolphins could match
fourth quarter of the sea- that offer, and if Landry
son finale, a loss to Buffalo, In this Sunday, Nov. 5, 2017 file photo, Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jarvis Landry (14) waves to leaves, they would receive
fans after scoring a touchdown, during the second half of an NFL football game against the Oak-
and coach Adam Gase land Raiders in Miami Gardens, Fla. two first-round picks from
said the episode was em- Associated Press his new team. Miami also
barrassing and "extremely could withdraw the tag.
bad." But Landry was by q

Top-seeded Svitolina beats

Wang to reach Dubai quarters

DUBAI, United Arab Emir- to Russian veteran Elena the 11th game of the sec-
ates (AP) — Defending Vesnina. ond to level the match and
champion Elina Svitolina Sixth-seeded Angelique Svitolina could clinch the
needed more than two Kerber of Germany ousted win after 2 hours, 10 min-
hours to overcome Qiang 2016 champion Sara Errani utes.
Wang 6-1, 5-7, 6-2 Wednes- of Italy 6-4, 6-2, while No. 5 The Ukrainian hit 53 un-
day and reach the quarter- Caroline Garcia of France forced errors against 26
finals of the Dubai Champi- won by an identical score from her opponent, but
onships. over Ekaterina Makarova also produced 38 winners Elina Svitolina of Ukraine returns the ball to Qiang Wang of China
However, French Open of Russia. and saved nine of the 11 during the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship in Dubai, Unit-
champion Jelena Ostap- The top-seeded Svitolina break points she faced. ed Arab Emirates, Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2018. Associated Press
enko's slumped to her sixth had to save two break "I didn't expect it to go to a
loss in nine matches, and points in her first service third, but I always try to ex- end of the second set. I win is the win."
fourth opening-match loss game but then cruised pect the unexpected," Svi- had to accept that and Svitolina will play Japan's
of the season. The 20-year- through the rest of the tolina said. "I was a little bit bounce back. But I was Naomi Osaka on Thurs-
old Latvian, who had a bye opening set in 27 minutes. angry at myself that I didn't very happy with the way I day for a place in the
in the first round, lost 6-1, 7-5 However, Wang broke in bring my best game in the was playing. In the end, the semifinals.q