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Diamars 25 mei 2021

Injured Ramos not included in Spain's list for Euro 2020

decade. It was runner-up to held by Egypt player Ahmed Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba
Atlético Madrid in the Span- Hassan. and César Azpilicueta.
ish league and was eliminated
by Chelsea in semifinals of "It pains me not to have been Among those missing out
the Champions League. able to help my team more were Jesús Navas, Sergio Ca-
"I don't take that into con- and not to play for Spain but, nales, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Iago
sideration," Luis Enrique in this case, the best thing to Aspas and Inigo Martínez,
said, referring to the players' do is rest, fully recover and who announced on Monday
clubs. "If Carvajal and Ramos come back next year like he didn't feel ready to be with
were fit they would be in the we've always done," Ramos the national team for Euro
squad." said on Twitter. "It hurts not 2020.
to represent your country,
Other Madrid players who but I have to be honest and Luis Enrique said he didn't
had been called up recently sincere. pick a full complement of 26
but were left off the list in- players because he felt the 24
cluded Nacho Fernández and "I wish all my teammates that he included would meet
Marco Asensio. the very best of luck and I all of the team's needs. He
(AP) — Sergio Ramos was tive for COVID-19 in April. hope we have a great Euros," said he didn't want to have
left off Spain's squad for Luis Enrique said he told Ra- he said. "I'll be another fan too many players who would
the European Champion- "He will not be with us be- mos about his decision in a cheering on from home." not expect to play.
ship on Monday following cause he couldn't compete phone call on Sunday. Manchester City defender
a season plagued by inju- during large parts of the sea- "I normally don't make these Aymeric Laporte, who played Spain will play in Group
ries, a decision that means son, he couldn't even practice calls but I decided to do it in for France's youth squads E along with Sweden, Po-
no Real Madrid players with his club," Luis Enrique Ramos' case because of what but was also eligible to play land and Slovakia. All of its
were called up by the na- said. "It was tough. It was a he means to the national for Spain, was among those games will be in the Spanish
tional team for a major complicated decision but it team," Luis Enrique said, included in Luis Enrique's city of Seville, beginning on
tournament for the first had to be made to benefit of adding that he told the player squad. June 14 against Sweden. Its
time. the entire group. I felt bad to be "more selfish" and make "His call-up has nothing to do two warm-up matches will
because he has always been sure he fully recovers so he with Ramos not being able to be against Portugal on June
Spain coach Luis Enrique a player who gave everything can come back to help his play," Luis Enrique said about 4 and against Lithuania on
said Ramos' lack of play re- he had, he has always been club and eventually return to Laporte. "We considered him June 8.
cently made it difficult for very professional." the national team. since it became possible for "We are in a group of favor-
the defender to be included him to be with us. He is a top ites that includes six or seven
in the Euro 2020 squad. Ramos would have been a Ramos would have had a player who can help us, with national teams that no one
Madrid player on the list, and chance to break the record a lot of international experi- can count out," Luis Enrique
The 35-year-old Ramos Luis Enrique said Dani Car- for most appearances for a ence with his club." said. "We are not inferior to
missed most of the second vajal also would have made national team at Euro 2020. Also in the squad are for- anyone and we are not supe-
half of the season after a se- the squad if he was fit. The The veteran Spain captain wards Adama Traoré and Ál- rior to anyone."
ries of muscle injures and a Spanish powerhouse finished already holds the European varo Morata, youngsters Fer-
knee problem that required the season without a title for record with 180 appearances. ran Torres, Pedri González The Spanish players will re-
surgery. He also tested posi- the first time in more than a The world record of 184 is and Eric García, and veterans port to training on May 31.

Djokovic can't hit US Open line judge -- there won't be any

(AP) – Novak Djokovic does not It was a shocking and abrupt stop "I don't see a reason why we need the before the U.S. Open as part of a
need to worry about accidentally to the No. 1-ranked Djokovic's line umpires, to be honest, if we have doubleheader of sorts organized be-
hitting a U.S. Open line judge 29-match winning streak and his bid technology like this." cause of the coronavirus pandemic
with a tennis ball between points to add to his Grand Slam title collec- and so was played under the same
this year because there won't be tion. The US Open Series tournaments setup.
any line judges — chair umpires that will rely entirely on electronic
will be the only on-court officials After losing a game to trail 6-5 in the line-calling this year are the events in The USTA said Monday that "up-
at that Grand Slam tournament's first set, Djokovic angrily swatted a Atlanta; Washington; Toronto; Mon- wards of 314,000 calls" were made
matches. ball behind him with his racket — treal; Cincinnati; Winston-Salem, by Hawk-Eye Live during the two
and it went directly at the line judge. North Carolina; and Cleveland. events.
The U.S. Tennis Association and
the sport's two leading professional Tournament referee Soeren Friemel The Cincinnati tournament was held The U.S. Open's main draw begins
tours, the ATP and WTA, announced ruled the match — and Djokovic's at Flushing Meadows last year right Aug. 30.
Monday that Hawk-Eye Live elec- participation in the 2020 U.S. Open
tronic line-calling will be used for all — would end there, saying at the
competition courts at the U.S. Open time: "We all agree that he didn't do it
in 2021 and at seven of the nine US on purpose, but the facts are still that
Open Series events preceding it. he hit the line umpire and the line
umpire was clearly hurt."
A year ago, the USTA relied on the
automatic system and dispensed with The Australian Open, which Djokov-
line judges at the U.S. Open except ic won in February for his 18th major
for matches at the two main courts in championship, did not have any line
Flushing Meadows, Arthur Ashe Sta- judges on any courts.
dium and Louis Armstrong Stadium.
Not surprisingly, Djokovic said he
During a fourth-round match at Ashe approved.
against Pablo Carreño Busta last Sep-
tember, Djokovic was defaulted from "I actually am in favor of technol-
the U.S. Open for inadvertently hit- ogy. I think it's proven to be very ac-
ting a line judge in the throat with a curate in this particular instance," he
ball after dropping a game. said at Melbourne Park when asked
about ending the use of line judges.