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Diahuebs 6 Mei 2021

Madrid Open: Nadal cruises past Spanish teenage sensation

struggled to keep up with the 20-time losing streak on clay with a 4-6, 6-4,
Grand Slam champion. The wild- 6-2 win over Alejandro Davidov-
card entry was marred by unforced ich Fokina. The third-ranked Med-
errors, earning his lone break toward vedev hadn't played since March at
the end of the second set. the Miami Open. He will next face
Chilean Cristian Garin, who defeated
Alcaraz needed medical attention Dominik Koepfer 6-3, 6-4.
in the third game after losing a long
rally, apparently hurting his arm or Alexander Zverev, the 2018 Madrid
shoulder while going for an overhead champion, comfortably defeated
smash. 2014 finalist Kei Nishikori 6-3, 6-2.

The two Spaniards had never played "Kei is someone who has done well
a match against each other but prac- here, reaching the final and he has
ticed together at the Australian Open, beaten me on clay before," Zverev
when Alcaraz reached the second said. "I'm definitely happy with this
round. performance."

"It was a difficult match against a The fifth-seeded German has reached
youngster who has been playing very the Madrid quarterfinals or better in
well and who has an enormous po- his last three appearances in the Span-
tential ahead of him," Nadal said on ish capital. He will next face Daniel
Wednesday. "All he needs is some Evans, who defeated John Millman
time. In addition to being a great ten- 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-3.
MADRID (AP) — In a much- on Wednesday. nis player, he also has great values,
anticipated battle of generations, which is something society needs Seventh-seeded Diego Schwartzman
Rafael Nadal showed he is still The 120th-ranked Alcaraz was com- right now." lost 2-6, 6-4, 6-1 to Aslan Karatsev.
clearly the man to beat in Spanish ing off his first victory at a Masters
tennis, cruising to a 6-1, 6-2 win 1000 event and had called the match After the match, tournament director In the women's draw, Paula Badosa
over teenage sensation Carlos Al- against his idol a "dream come true." Feliciano Lopez, who lost to Alcaraz defeated Belinda Bencic 6-4, 7-5 to
caraz in the second round of the He has been touted by many as the in the Andalucia Open last month, become the first Spanish woman to
Madrid Open on Wednesday. successor to the 34-year-old Nadal. brought out a birthday cake, and reach the semifinals in Madrid. She
Nadal also joined the celebration. will face top-ranked Ashleigh Barty,
Nadal, seeking his sixth title in Ma- After the crowd at the "Magic Box" who got past Petra Kvitova 6-1, 3-6,
drid and looking to regain top form center court sang "Happy Birthday" Earlier, second-seeded Daniil Med- 6-3.
ahead of the French Open, was never to him, Alcaraz squandered a break vedev broke his six-match tour-level
threatened by Alcaraz, who turned 18 point in the first game and then

Blue Jays shuffling back to Buffalo starting June 1

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — The The Blue Jays played home games Triple-A Buffalo Bisons. "I know Buf- alleys, similar to Baltimore's Camden
Toronto Blue Jays are returning during the shortened 2020 season falo is ready to get back to the ballpark Yards.
to their home away from home, in Buffalo and were 17-9 at Sahlen and give the Blue Jays a `home-away-
Buffalo, New York, starting in Field. They finished 32-28 to qualify from-home' field advantage that will Because the Blue Jays are turning
June. And this time, they'll have a for the playoffs for the first time since propel them towards another post- to Buffalo, the Bisons have moved
limited number of fans in atten- 2016 and were swept in losing twice season run." home games to Arm & Hammer
dance. at eventual AL champion Tampa Bay Park in Trenton, New Jersey, which
in the wild-card round. The Blue Jays and Bisons have made became open when the New York
Forced from Canada by that govern- significant upgrades to Sahlen Field Yankees moved their Double-A team
ment's coronavirus travel restrictions, The Jays are 7-4 in Dunedin this sea- since last season. The bullpens have this season to TD Bank Ballpark in
the Blue Jays posted a note on their son and 7-10 on the road. been moved off the field and behind Bridgewater, New Jersey.
Twitter account on Wednesday say- the outfield walls and the lighting has
ing: "Buffalo, we're BACK! We'll see Toronto hopes to return to Rogers been improved. New batting cages Before last season, Buffalo had not
you June 1st." The words were over Centre at some point this summer. and a weight room have been built, hosted a major league game since
a picture of Buffalo's downtown and clubhouses have been renovated. serving home to the Buffeds in the
Sahlen Field, the regular home of the While the entire 2020 regular-season Federal League in 1914-15. The Bi-
Blue Jays' Triple-A farm team. schedule was played without fans, The stadium's dimensions measure sons began as a National League team
about 4,300 spectators will initially 325 feet down the lines and 404 feet and had a 314-333 record from 1879-
Toronto played its first two homes- be allowed to attend games in Buf- to center. The ballpark is tight in the 85.
tands at its spring training ballpark falo, with the possibility of that num-
in Dunedin, Florida, and will play its ber increasing. Capacity is listed at
third there from May 14-24. But the 16,600.
Blue Jays did not want to remain in
Florida for the hotter, more humid Fans will be required to show proof
portion of the year. they've been vaccinated or have test-
ed negative for COVID-19 to be al-
The Blue Jays return to Buffalo with lowed entry. Canadians could travel
a homestand that includes games to attend games, but would have to
against Miami on June 1-2 and Hous- face self-quarantine rules upon re-
ton from June 4-6. They'll travel to turning home.
Buffalo after a five-game trip that
ends in Cleveland. "The only thing lacking from a suc-
cessful MLB summer at Sahlen Field
Toronto last played at 49,000-capacity in 2020 was the ability to share that
Rogers Centre on Sept. 29, 2019, an experience with our great fans," said
8-3 win over Tampa Bay. Mike Buczkowski, president of Rich
Baseball Operations, which owns the