Page 18 - ARUBA TODAY

A18 SPORTS
Tuesday 5 June 2018
Serena Williams out of French Open before Sharapova match

By HOWARD FENDRICH pion Garbine Muguruza on
AP Tennis Writer Wednesday.
PARIS (AP) — Serena Wil- Oddly enough, Muguruza
liams tried to play through didn't have to put forth
the pain of an injured chest much effort in the fourth
muscle. Eventually, barely round, either. Her op-
able to serve, she knew she ponent, Lesia Tsurenko,
had to call off her Grand stopped because of an in-
Slam comeback. jury after only two games.
Williams pulled out of the No. 1 Simona Halep, a two-
French Open less than time runner-up at Roland
an hour before she was Garros, will play former No.
supposed to face Maria 1 Angelique Kerber, a two-
Sharapova in a fourth- time major champion else-
round showdown Mon- where, in Wednesday's oth-
day, the most-anticipated er quarterfinal after both
match of the tournament picked up easy straight-set
so far. The announcement wins in the fourth round.
came two days after the The quarterfinals Tuesday
36-year-old American ini- are Sloane Stephens vs.
tially felt something was Daria Kasatkina, and Madi-
wrong during a singles vic- son Keys vs. Yulia Putint-
tory. But she hid that bit of seva. Kasatkina eliminated
information — even from In this photo provided by the French Tennis Federation (FFT) Serena Williams, of the U.S, answers Australian Open cham-
her coach — and a day journalists at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, Monday, June 4, 2018. pion Caroline Wozniacki
after Williams struggled Associated Press 7-6 (5), 6-3 in a match that
through a doubles loss with resumed Monday after be-
her sister, Venus. where I'm on the court and she will get an MRI on Tues- "and try to get better and ing suspended a night ear-
This was Williams' first major I'm practicing, and I look on day and consult with doc- not get it to a point where it lier because of darkness at
tournament in 16 months, the monitor, and I see my tors before figuring out what could be a lot worse." 3-all in the second set.
and her first as a mother. daughter and she's play- comes next. Her coach, In a statement released The day's biggest buzz was
She was pregnant when ing, and I want to be there," Patrick Mouratoglou, said by the tournament, about a match that never
she won the Australian Williams said. "But I know in an interview that an ul- Sharapova wished Wil- took place.
Open in January 2017 for that these are the sacrifices trasound revealed the in- liams "a speedy recovery." Williams said she first was
her 23rd Grand Slam singles you have to make to live jury to the muscle, but the This would have been their troubled by her pecto-
championship, the most for out your dream. And I have extent wasn't clear. 22nd career meeting; Wil- ral muscle during the best
anyone during tennis' 50- made every sacrifice that I "The fact that I physically liams has won 19, includ- performance of her return,
year professional era. Her could. So it's extremely dis- can't serve at all is a good ing the past 18. Because of a 6-3, 6-4 win in the third
baby was born last Sep- appointing." indication that maybe I the withdrawal, this does round against 11th-seeded
tember. Her voice trembled a bit should just go back to the not count as a victory for Julia Goerges on Saturday.
"I have given up so much during a brief news confer- drawing board and stay Sharapova, who will play But Mouratoglou had no
to be here. There is times ence, where she explained positive," Williams said, 2016 French Open cham- idea there was an issue.q

Discovery signs $2 billion

rights deal with PGA Tour

base around the world. and Latin America. where a subscriber is
The 12-year deals starts The four majors have connecting.
next year and runs through separates broadcast deals The tour said Discovery
2030. with CBS (Masters and PGA expects to invest more
The PGA Tour has U.S. Championship), NBC (British than $2 billion over 12
television deals with NBC Open) and Fox Sports (U.S. years, which would include
Sports and CBS Sports for Open). licensing of PGA Tour
weekend coverage, and Along with live linear rights international media rights
with Comcast-owned Golf to its global markets, the and building a live stream
Channel for weekday and partnership with Discovery platform outside the U.S.
This is a July 31, 2017, file photo showing The Discovery some full tournaments in includes creating a David Zaslav, president
Communications logo atop its headquarters in Silver Spring, Md. the fall and in January. dedicated, PGA Tour- and CEO of Discovery, said
Associated Press The tour said the branded video streaming the relationship will create
agreement gives Discovery service using Discovery's "the new global Home of
NEW YORK (AP) — Discovery The deal announced live rights outside the U.S. to d i r e c t - t o - c o n s u m e r Golf."
Inc. signed a $2 billion Monday is designed to some 2,000 hours of PGA product and its platform Alex Kaplan, a former NBA
agreement that gives it allow Discovery to deliver Tour content. That includes as home to the Eurosport media executive who
media rights to PGA Tour golf around the world on all six circuits the PGA Tour Player. most recently worked for
programming for its 220 every screen and device. runs, such as the PGA Tour Eurosport Player offers Eurosport Digital, will be
markets outside the United It's the PGA Tour's latest Champions and smaller unlimited access to sports in charge of Discovery's
States. effort to expand its fan tours in China, Canada content available from partnership with the tour.q