Category Archives: Deportes

Paula Badosa Wins First Career WTA Title at Serbia Open

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Paula Badosa has claimed her first WTA title…

The 23-year-old Spanish tennis player, who has been an absolute beast on clay this year, battled through double duty on Saturday at the Serbia Open to claim the trophy.

Paula Badosa

Badosa, who improves to 13-2 on clay during the season, defeated Viktoriya Tomova, 6-1, 6-2, before claiming the title with a win over Ana Konjuh when the Croatian qualifier ended the match due to a hip injury while trailing 6-2, 2-0 RET.

“Today wasn’t an easy day, not even in the morning,” Badosa said. “In the afternoon, I think I played an amazing first set, I think I played at a very good level. Ana’s an amazing player, I’m so sorry for her we have to finish like this, but the part that I was playing, I think it was quite good so I’m happy with the level.”

Badosa will rise to a career-high ranking, projected at 34, which might be good enough for a seeding at Roland Garros. Last year in Paris, Badosa reached the round of 16 on the terre battue, and she has gone 19-4 on clay since the start of 2020.

Konjuh can be thankful her problems had nothing to do with the elbow injury that kept her off tour for a year and a half. She hopes to recover in time to take a shot at the French Open. She reached her first final since 2017 Auckland and will see her ranking rise to inside the Top 150 next week (for the first time since 2018).

“Yesterday in the match I kind of pulled my hip flexor,” said Konjuh, who qualified for the main draw, and defeated Maria Camila Osorio Serrano, 7-6(6), 7-6(4) in her first of two matches on Saturday. “I’ve been trying to get it right but this match this morning didn’t really help—it’s been a hell of a fight. I just could not continue and I didn’t want to risk Paris, playing in a few days, and hopefully I can get ready for it.”

https://twitter.com/paulabadosa/status/1396158666923970568?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1396158666923970568%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tennisnow.com%2FNews%2F2021%2FMay%2FBadosa-Claims-Maiden-ATP-Title-at-Belgrade.aspx

 

Jose Godoy Becomes 20,000th Player in MLB History

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Jose Godoy has earned special place in Major League Baseball history…

When the 26-year-old Venezuelan professional baseball catcher, the back up catcher for the Seattle Mariners, made his big league debut on Friday night, he became the 20,000th player in MLB history.

Jose Godoy

There was no fanfare at Petco Park when Godoy came in to catch in the sixth inning with the Mariners trailing 12-1 against the San Diego Padres. Godoy, who signed with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2011 and joined the Seattle system last winter, grounded out and walked in his two plate appearances.

But to fans who had been tracking the procession to 20,000 on the Twitter postings by the website Céspedes Family BBQ, it was a big deal.

The Mariners got in the spirit, too, marking the occasion with a “Jeopardy!“-style answer to: “Who is José Godoy?”

The list of big leaguers began in 1871 and ranges from A to Z — there has never been a player whose last name started with X, although there have been several with first names that start that way, including Red Sox star Xander Bogaerts.

First on the alphabetical chart is pitcher David Aardsma, who moved into the top spot ahead of Hank Aaron when he started out in 2004 for San Francisco. Aardsma’s last season was 2015 — that was the same year the player last on the list, pitcher Tony Zych, made his debut with the Mariners.

Of the 20,000 players overall, 266 have reached the Hall of Fame. Walter Alston played two innings in his only game in 1936 for the Cardinals, striking out in his lone at-bat and making an error at first base — and later reached Cooperstown as the longtime manager of the Dodgers.

Ronald Acuna Jr. Leads Atlanta Braves to Historic Homer-Heavy Win Against Pittsburgh Pirates 

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It’s one for the history books for Ronald Acuna Jr. and his Atlanta Braves teammates…

The 23-year-old Venezuelan professional baseball outfielder hit a grand slam in the second inning off Tyler Anderson, pinch hitter Ehire Adrianza added another slam in the eighth against position player Wilmer Difo and the Braves homered seven times in a 20-1 rout of the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday night.

Ronald Acuna Jr. 

Austin Riley homered twice for his first multi-homer game, and Ozzie Albies, Marcell Ozuna and Dansby Swanson also went deep for the Braves, who became the first team in major league history to have seven or more homers in a game that included two slams, according to STATS.

This was the sixth seven-homer game in Braves history, and the 20 runs were the most a team has scored in a game this season.

“It was awesome,” Riley said. “Just seemed like everything clicked offensively. I think it really goes to show what this team is capable of doing. I know things might not seem like they’re clicking right now on a daily basis, but it’s there, and it’s a matter of time.”

Acuna had five RBIs and gave Atlanta a 5-0 lead with his 14th homer, which tied him with the Los Angeles Angels‘ Shohei Ohtani for the major league lead. Acuna’s first slam came against Pittsburgh’s Alex McRae on June 10, 2019.

Difo, a 29-year-old middle infielder in his seventh major league season, relieved to start the bottom of the eighth with the Pirates trailing 12-0.

Pitching to catcher Jacob Stallings, Difo threw at up to 88 mph, and Adrianza homered on a first-pitch 80 mph offering. Difo allowed three walks and six hits in his one inning, giving up run-scoring singles to Kevan Smith and Guillermo Heredia, Ozuna’s RBI double and Riley’s sacrifice fly. Difo left with a 72.00 career ERA.

“I think Stallings summed it up best,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said with a laugh. “Difo didn’t have his best stuff tonight, and they capitalized on it.”

Albies and Riley homered back-to-back in the fifth for a 9-0 lead, and Riley and Swanson hit consecutive homers in the seventh against Chasen Shreve.

“We’ve been struggling to score runs and get hits, so that was good to see,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “There were some good at-bats, going the other way, it was a good night. And the way Ian backed up his last start with how he threw tonight was really good.”

Tyler Anderson (3-4) gave up nine runs, 10 hits — seven for extra bases — and two walks in five innings. The Pirates had won five of his previous six starts.

Pittsburgh tied a 20-1 loss to Brooklyn on August 1, 1890, and a 25-6 loss to Brooklyn on May 20, 1896, for its third-largest margin of defeat, behind a 27-5 loss at Cincinnati on September 12, 1883, and a 20-0 loss to Milwaukee on April 22, 2010.

Shelton said it will be easy to move on from such a lopsided loss.

“It’s actually easier to move on from a game like this because the games that are 4-1, 4-3, there’s situations you look back and think this couldn’t have been different,” he said. “Tonight we just got beat. You just move on from it and come back tomorrow.”

Cris Cyborg Defeats Leslie Smith by TKO to Defend Bellator Women’s Featherweight Title

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Cris Cyborg is keepin’ her title..

The 35-year-old Brazilian mixed martial, whose real name is Cristiane Justino Venâncio,

Cris Cyborg 

defended her Bellator women’s featherweight title, beating Leslie Smith by TKO at 4 minutes, 51 seconds of the fifth round in the main event of Bellator 259 on Friday night at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut.

It was a rematch of a 2016 bout that Cyborg finished via TKO in just 1:21.

Known for her violent, quick finishes, Cyborg previously had been deeper than the third round only three times in her career. Smith is only the second fighter to take Cyborg into the fifth round, joining former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Holly Holm.

ESPN has Cyborg ranked No. 3 on its women’s MMA pound-for-pound list. Her only loss since her pro debut in 2005 came against Amanda Nunes, the UFC women’s bantamweight and featherweight champion.

In their first fight at UFC 198 five years ago, Smith disputed the stoppage as being too early. She got some measure of vindication Saturday night, but the outcome wasn’t really ever in doubt.

Cyborg dominated every round, landing big combinations and several impactful suplexes that sent Smith hard to the mat. Cyborg dropped Smith in four out of five rounds with punches. Many of Cyborg’s former opponents have folded after feeling her power, but Smith didn’t until the closing seconds.

“I knew she’s tough,” Cyborg said in her postfight interview. “I knew. I’ve met her before. I know her. I really respect her. She’s a real fighter.” With time expiring in the fifth round, Cyborg landed a crushing right hand that dropped Smith. She then followed up with big punches on the ground. Smith turned over and covered up, but Cyborg continued the onslaught, and referee Dan Miragliotta stepped in and waved it off.

Afterward, Cyborg called out former UFC title challenger Cat Zingano for her next title defense. Zingano is 2-0 in Bellator and coming off a finish last month.

Cyborg (24-2, 1 NC) picked up her second Bellator title defense Saturday night. The Brazil native, who trains out of Southern California, has won four straight overall. She has 19 career wins via KO/TKO in 24 victories. Cyborg is the only fighter in MMA history to win titles in four major promotions: UFC, Bellator, Strikeforce and Invicta FC.

Milwaukee Brewers Acquire Willy Adames from Tampa Bay Rays 

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Things are brewing for Willy Adames…

The slumping Milwaukee Brewers moved to shore up their infield defense by acquiring the 25-year-old Dominican professional baseball shortstop from the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday.

Willy Adames

Milwaukee also got pitcher Trevor Richards from the Rays for relievers J.P. Feyereisen and Drew Rasmussen.

Adames is hitting .197 with five homers and 15 RBIs in 41 games this year but had an .813 OPS last season while helping Tampa Bay reach the World Series. The 28-year-old Richards has a 4.50 ERA and one save in six relief appearances.

“We’re acquiring a shortstop who has proven he’s one of the best defensive shortstops in baseball,” Brewers president of baseball operations David Stearns said.

The trade surprised Adames, who already had arrived at TD Ballpark for the Rays’ game with the Toronto Blue Jays in Dunedin, Florida, when he learned about the move.

Adames said he’d “been crying the whole afternoon.”

“To get that news out of nowhere, it was tough,” Adames said. “It’s business. You’ve got to see every side of the situation and every view and just take the positive, and just bring the joy with everything we’ve done here. Just continue to have those memories and take it with me.”

The Rays plan to call up Taylor Walls and give him much of the playing time at shortstop, though Joey Wendle will play there on occasion. Tampa Bay also has top prospect Wander Franco and Vidal Brujan at Triple-A Durham.

“You’re talking about as good a defensive shortstop as you’re going to find,” Rays general manager Erik Neander said. “You’re talking about a switch-hitter that can put ball in the play, do a lot of things to help you win tight games.”

Adames said he figured he might get traded eventually because the Rays had Walls and Franco in the organization. He just didn’t think a deal would happen this soon.

“That’s what I was telling the guys,” Adames said. “I said, ‘It was so surprising because it’s too early.’ I was not even thinking this year, maybe next year. You kind of knew that’s how they work, that’s how the organization works. But to get this news so early, it was tough.”

The acquisition of Adames gives the Brewers some help at shortstop, which had been a growing concern. The Brewers began a weekend series at Cincinnati on Friday having lost 12 of their past 16 games to fall below .500.

Adames has a $590,000 salary in the major leagues, is eligible for arbitration next winter and can become a free agent after the 2024 season.

Paula Badosa Defeats Viktoriya Tomova at Belgrade Open to Reach First-Ever WTA Final

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Paula Badosa is thisclose to her first WTA title…

The 23-year-old Spanish tennis player beat Bulgaria’s Viktoriya Tomova in the semifinals 6-1, 6-2 in one hour and two minutes at the Belgrade Open on Friday.

Paula Badosa

Badosa started the game like a cyclone. She gave her rival no choice. Two service breaks to her rival gave her a sufficient advantage to put the first set on track and take it by a resounding 6-1 in 27 minutes.

Badosa will next play Croatia’s Ana Konjuh, who beat Colombia’s Mara Camila Osorio, in the final.

Badosa and Konjuh met in the first qualifying round of the Madrid Open in 2015, with the Spaniard winning 6-3, 6-3.

Badosa will be contesting her first final of her WTA career. She had previously reached the semifinals in Madrid, Charleston and Lyon this year.

Sergio Aguero Finalizing Deal with FC Barcelona

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Sergio Aguero could be switching sides very soon…

FC Barcelona is finalizing the signing of the 32-year-old Argentine professional footballer on a free transfer this summer, according to ESPN.

Sergio Aguero

Barca have offered Aguero a two-year contract and sources say the Argentina international could arrive to the Camp Nou after the Champions League final between Manchester City and Chelsea on May 29.

Aguero, who will turn 33 next month, has agreed to considerably reduce his wages and will join as a free agent once his contract with Manchester City expires on June 30.

Barca have been looking for a No. 9 since Luis Suarez‘s departure to Atletico Madrid last summer.

Club president Joan Laporta sees Aguero’s potential arrival as a great opportunity for Barca because of the former Atletico star’s experience and that no transfer fee is required.

Barca came close to signing Aguero in 2014 but decided instead to acquire Suarez.

Aguero has other important offers on the table, and his willingness to lower his wages to arrive to the Camp Nou is valued by the club, according to a source.

Barca are convinced that in the short term, Aguero will outperform Martin Braithwaite, who has scored seven goals this season. The Denmark international is expected to be placed on the transfer list this summer.

Barca also believe that Aguero’s signing would help persuade his friend and Argentina teammate Lionel Messi to renew his contract.

Messi, whose contract expires next month, has yet to sign a new deal with Barca.

Talles Magno Signs with New York City FC

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Talles Magno is heading to the Big Apple…

Major League Soccer club New York City FC has signed the 18-year-old promising Brazilian footballer from Vasco da Gama.

Talles Magno

NYCFC said Wednesday that Magno, a winger, signed a contract through the 2026 season.

Magno helped Brazil win the Under-17 World Cup in 2019 and has already played 61 professional matches for Rio De Janeiro-based Vasco da Gama after making his debut as a 16-year-old.

“He is a dynamic attacker who is quick, direct and capable of playing as a winger or forward,” NYCFC sporting director David Lee said.

“He is someone we believe will excite our fans, but as with any new player, particularly someone his age, we will be patient as he adapts and settles into his new environment on and off the pitch.”

Magno’s signature gives NYCFC manager Ronny Deila another option in attack. The team has been without Heber, who is recovering from ACL surgery, while offseason signing Thiago Andrade remains in Brazil waiting on his work visa.

The club also recently re-signed last season’s leading goal scorer Valentin Castellanos to a five-year contract extention earlier this month amid interest from Palmerias.

https://twitter.com/NYCFC/status/1395047137612816384

Pablo Andujar Upsets Roger Federer at Geneva Open

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Pablo Andujar is celebrating a major victory…

The 35-year-old Spanish professional tennis player beat a rusty Roger Federer 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 at the Geneva Open.

Pablo Andujar

It was Federer’s official return to the ATP Tour at the claycourt tournament. He missed nearly the entire 2020 season after twice having knee surgery. He returned to the Tour at the Qatar Open in March, but hadn’t played since losing in the quarterfinals in Doha.

On Tuesday, Federer went toe-to-toe with Andujar in their first-ever meeting, showing plenty of encouraging signs with his shot-making and on-court movement ahead of the French Open.

After bouncing back in the second set, Federer looked poised to run away with the contest before an uncharacteristic lapse in concentration put an end to any hopes of an extended run at his home tournament.

Andujar, ranked 75th in the world, made a strong start, while Federer struggled to settle into his serving rhythm early on.

Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez to Make Golden Boy Debut Against Sullivan Barrera

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Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez is ready to make his Golden (Boy) debut…

The 29-year-old Mexican professional boxer, a former super middleweight world titlist, will face former light heavyweight title contender Sullivan Barrera on July 9 in Los Angeles, according to Golden Boy Promotions.

Gilberto "Zurdo" Ramirez

Ramirez (41-0, 27 Kos), of Mazatlan, Sinaloa, Mexico, will make his Golden Boy debut after signing with the promotion in February.

Ramirez, who became the first fighter from Mexico to win a world title at 168 by defeating Arthur Abraham by unanimous decision in 2016 to win the WBO belt, defended the title five times before jumping up to light heavyweight. Since then, he has TKO victories over Tommy Karpency and Alfonso Lopez.

“I’m excited to be headlining this show in Los Angeles with Golden Boy Promotions,” Ramirez said via news release. “It’s going to be a great night of boxing with fans back in the stands. I’ve always enjoyed fighting here, and I can’t wait to put on a show to continue my hunt for the light heavyweight championship.”

Barrera (22-3, 14 KOs), 39, of Guantanamo, Cuba, lost his only attempt to win a world title against WBA light heavyweight champ Dmitry Bivol in 2018. He has fought twice since then, a decision win against Sean Monaghan in November 2018 and a decision loss to Jesse Hart in June 2019. “I know that my opponent is a former world champion with a lot of experience and that he will come very much prepared,” Barrera said. “However, I feel that I have faced much better opposition. I’ve also spent my entire career in the light heavyweight division, something that will be totally new for him. It will be a difficult fight, but I will walk away with my hands raised in victory.”