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A32 sports
Diamars 21 Juni 2022

Wife of WNBA's Griner tells AP scheduled call never happened

Olympian home from Russia WNBA All-Star who plays
and consider her case a top for the Phoenix Mercury, was
priority. But Cherelle Griner detained at a Russian airport
said she remains "very pissed" on Feb. 17 after authorities
by the snafu, especially since there said a search of her bag
the call had been on the revealed vape cartridges con-
schedule for two weeks and taining cannabis oil.
yet no one warned her during
that time that it might be lo- The State Department in May
gistically impossible because designated her as wrongfully
of the weekend. detained, moving her case
under the supervision of its
The State Department said Special Presidential Envoy
Monday that it was aware for Hostage Affairs, effec-
of the issue and was looking tively the government's chief
into it. Cherelle Griner said hostage negotiator. Russian
a contact in the U.S. govern- state-run news agency Tass
ment had apologized to her reported last week that her
for the error. She said she's detention had been extended
since learned that the one until July 3.
number Brittney Griner had
been told to dial typically So far, Cherelle Griner says
processes calls from prison- she's had to rely exclusively
ers on Mondays through Fri- on others' assessments about
days but not weekends. her wife's condition. Lawyers
"But mind you," Cherelle and consular affairs officials
(AP) — WNBA star went wrong and to suspect elle Griner told The Associ- Griner said in the interview, have been able to speak with
Brittney Griner tried at least initially that Russian ated Press in an interview, re- "this phone call had been the basketball star, but her
to call her wife nearly a authorities had thwarted the counting how an anniversary scheduled for almost two wife has not.
dozen times through the call. she had eagerly anticipated weeks — with a weekend
American embassy in Rus- was instead spent in tears. date." On the evening before the
sia on the couple's fourth On Monday, she said she "I'm pretty sure I texted BG's call, she went to sleep at 5
anniversary Saturday, learned from her wife's law- agent and was like: 'I don't She added: "I find it unac- p.m. so that she'd be awake
but they never connected yers a more distressing truth: want to talk to anybody. It's ceptable and I have zero trust and alert at midnight to re-
since the phone line at the Brittney Griner had actually going to take me a minute in our government right now. ceive the anticipated call
embassy was not staffed, tried to call 11 times over a to get my emotions together If I can't trust you to catch a from Russia to Phoenix that
Cherelle Griner said Mon- period of several hours, di- and just tell everybody I'm Saturday call outside of busi- never came.
day. aling a number she'd been unavailable right now. Be- ness hours, how can I trust "This was such a big moment
given at the U.S. embassy in cause it just knocked me out. you to actually be negotiating because this would have been
The couple has not spoken Moscow, which the couple I wasn't well, I'm still not on my wife's behalf to come the first time where I truly
by phone in the four months had been told would then well." home? Because that's a much could tell if she's okay," Cher-
since Griner's arrest in Russia patch the call through to bigger ask than to catch a Sat- elle Griner said. "This would
on drug-related charges. That Cherelle Griner in Phoenix. The experience has further urday call." have been the first time for
was to have changed Satur- But each time, the call went exacerbated already simmer- Cherelle Griner said she was me to actually just hear her in
day, when a long-awaited unanswered because the desk ing frustrations about the still hoping to talk to or meet real time and to truly know if
call was to have finally taken at the embassy where the U.S. government's response with President Joe Biden, but she's okay or to know if she's
place. But the day came and phone rang was apparently to her wife's case. U.S. of- "at this point it's starting to seconds away from not being
went without any contact, unstaffed on Saturday. ficials have repeatedly said feel like a no." in existence anymore."
leaving an anguished Cher- "I was distraught. I was hurt. they are working behind the
elle Griner to wonder what I was done, fed up," Cher- scenes to get the two-time Brittney Griner, a seven-time

Serena Williams skips practice at Eastbourne ahead of return

(AP) — Serena Williams don last year, was awarded a really pumped. I want to win while fifth-seeded Garbiñe fense by beating Cristian Ga-
skipped her scheduled wild card for singles at the All this doubles and why not win Muguruza beat Magdalena rin 6-3, 6-3 in the first round.
practice session at East- England Club. the title here, you know?" Frech 6-1, 7-6 (7). Two Americans — fifth-
bourne at late notice on Jabeur said it was "unbeliev- seeded Reilly Opelka and
Monday as the 23-time able" to have been asked by Among those to advance from In the men's event, sixth- seventh-seeded Frances Tia-
Grand Slam champion Williams to be part of her the first round of the singles seeded Alex de Minaur of foe — were beaten.
prepares to make her re- journey back to competition on Monday were three quali- Australia began his title de-
turn to competition after at the Wimbledon warmup. fiers — Donna Vekic, Kirsten
a year away. Jabeur said she is hoping to Flipkens and Lesia Tsurenko
learn "even like 2% from it." — and two British wild cards
Williams trained at a nearby in Jodie Burrage and Harriet
club over the weekend and Jabeur has pulled out of the Dart.
was expected to have an on- singles at Eastbourne fol-
site session at Devonshire lowing her run to the title in Sorana Cirstea, who lost in
Park ahead of playing dou- Germany and will play only the semifinals of the Bir-
bles with Ons Jabeur. Their the doubles. Still, she'll likely mingham Classic over the
first match is set for Tuesday be kept busy this week given weekend, was trailing Anhe-
against Sara Sorribes Tormo who she is partnering. lina Kalinina 6-0, 2-1 before
and Marie Bouzkova. retiring.
"I cannot wait to see her, I
The 40-year-old Williams, haven't seen her yet," Jabeur In second-round matches,
who hasn't competed any- said of Williams. "Hopefully American player Alison Riske
where since she was injured we will get together and talk a was beaten by Magda Linette
in the first round of Wimble- little bit and see, because I'm of Poland 6-7 (3), 6-3, 7-6 (4)