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A16 sports
Tuesday 28 June 2022
Even Djokovic knew he wasn't at his best in Wimbledon debut

By HOWARD FENDRICH On Monday, Isner was
AP Tennis Writer back on Court 18, the site
WIMBLEDON, England (AP) of the Mahut marathon,
— Novak Djokovic's play and smacked 54 aces in a
was not particularly, well, 6-7 (6), 7-6 (3), 4-6, 6-3, 7-5
Djokovic-esque, at Wimble- victory over Enzo Couaca-
don on Monday. ud. Isner's next match fig-
Even he acknowledged as ures to be held at a bigger
much. court, because he'll be fac-
He got broken early and ing Andy Murray, who has
trailed 3-1 as he began his won two of this three major
bid for a fourth consecutive championships at Wimble-
championship and seventh don.
overall at the grass-court Murray's 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4
Grand Slam tournament. win over James Duckworth
He recovered to take that came at Centre Court and
set, then dropped the next. followed another triumph
He slipped and fell to the there by a British major title
grass. He accumulated winner, reigning U.S. Open
more unforced errors than champ Emma Raducanu.
his opponent. Maybe he "From the moment I walked
was a bit under the weath- out through those gates,
er; he grabbed tissues from I could really just feel the
a black box on the sideline Serbia's Novak Djokovic returns to Korea's Kwon Soonwoo in a men's first round singles match on energy and the support
and blew his nose. Maybe day one of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Monday, June 27, 2022. and everyone was behind
he was simply a bit off, not Associated Press me from the word 'go,'"
having played a match the 19-year-old Raducanu
that mattered in nearly a And there's a reason that loss for No. 7 seed Hubert featured Wimbledon's new said after defeating Alison
full month. friends of the wife of Kwon's Hurkacz, a semifinalist at final-set format: women's Van Uytvanck 6-4, 6-4. "I just
This, though, is the top- coach, Daniel Yoo, held up the All England Club a third sets and men's fifth really tried to cherish ev-
seeded Djokovic, and decorated signs in a player year ago, Day 1 signaled a sets that get to 6-all will go ery single point out there.
there's a reason he ex- guest box bearing Korean fairly routine return to pre- to a first-to-10-and-win-by- Played every point like it
tended his winning streak messages that Yoo said pandemic normal, with ca- two tiebreaker. could have been one of
at the All England Club to meant "Fight!" and "Don't pacity crowds, zero masks, That might as well be my last on that court."
22, and his career victory get hurt!" the Wimbledon Queue in called the John Isner Rule, Djokovic, a 35-year-old
total there to 80 — making So Kwon walked on court full effect and, of course, owing to the American's from Serbia, had not
him the first player in ten- jittery. But after just two on-and-off-and-on-again 70-68 fifth-set victory over played since losing to rival
nis history with at least that games, the 81st-ranked showers. Nicolas Mahut in 2010 and Rafael Nadal in the French
many at each major — by Kwon said through Yoo's Hurkacz, coming off a grass 26-24 fifth-set loss to Kevin Open quarterfinals and it
beating Kwon Soon-woo translation, "I felt like, 'Oh, title over the weekend, lost Anderson in 2018, both at seemed to show. Kwon's
of South Korea 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, this is doable. ... I can hang 7-6 (4), 6-4, 5-7, 2-6, 7-6 (10- Wimbledon, both before piercing, flat groundstrokes
6-4 at Centre Court under with him a little bit.'" 8) to Alejandro Davidov- the tournament adopted and soft drop shots were ef-
the retractable roof. With the exception of a ich Fokina in a match that deciding-set tiebreakers. fective for stretches.q

Guardians complete minority sale to billionaire Blitzer

in the American League proved Blitzer's purchase serves. I thank Paul and the
team. earlier this month. In addi- Dolan family, as well as our
Owner Paul Dolan had tion to the Sixers and Devils, partners in this investment,
been looking for a minor- the 52-year-old Blitzer also for this amazing opportu-
ity investor for several years has sports holdings with nity."
and ended his search with soccer clubs Crystal Palace It's believed Blitzer initially
Blitzer, who also has owner- and Real Salt Lake. will have 25-30% ownership
ship stakes in the NBA's Phil- "I am thrilled to join the and will have the right to
adelphia 76ers and NHL's ownership group of the increase his stake to a con-
New Jersey Devils. Cleveland Guardians, a trolling interest in several
"I am very excited about storied Major League Base- years.
bringing on David Blitzer ball franchise with a loyal, Blitzer's addition should give
and his group as our part- engaged fanbase," Blitzer the Guardians an infusion of
ners," Dolan said. "David said. "Our goal is to support capital to perhaps be more

David Blitzer participates in a New Jersey Devils press confer- brings a wealth of experi- Paul and the incredibly tal- aggressive in free agency
ence Thursday, Aug. 15, 2013, in Newark, N.J. ence in the sports industry ented Guardians leader- and in signing some of their
Associated Press that we believe will be a ship team in delivering to younger players.
complementary addition Cleveland a team that can Despite having one of
By TOM WITHERS owner and will eventually to our organization. contend for a World Series. baseball's lowest payrolls,
AP Sports Writer take control of the ballclub. "I look forward to collabo- "We also look forward to the Guardians are just two
CLEVELAND (AP) — Billion- The team announced its rating with David for years assisting the Guardians in games out of first place in
aire sports businessman agreement with Blitzer and to come to achieve our their mission of using the the AL Central. They open
David Blitzer has official- his investment group on goal of winning a World Se- platform of baseball to a five-game series against
ly joined the Cleveland Monday, the final step in ries." drive positive change in first-place Minnesota on
Guardians as a minority him taking a minority stake Major League Baseball ap- the communities our team Monday.q