TENNIS
Sabalenka wins Miami Open
Aryna Sabalenka on Saturday beat Coco Gauff in the Miami Open women’s singles final 6-2, 4-6, 6-3. The world No. 1 overpowered fourth-ranked Gauff in the first and third sets with sizzling groundstroke winners and became the first player to accomplish the “Sunshine Double” — winning Indian Wells followed by Miami in the same season — since Iga Swiatek in 2022. It was Sabalenka’s second straight title at the Miami Open, Gauff’s hometown tournament, and put her ahead of Gauff in their head-to-head record, 7-6. Sabalenka at times was frustrated by the fan noise, including when someone yelled “out” during a long rally. She used a curse word at the fan and the chair umpire warned the crowd, but also gave Sabalenka a code violation. “I shouldn’t be that rude, but come on, you cannot do that,” Sabalenka said at the ceremony. “So let’s agree we were both wrong, so sorry.”
Photo: AFP
BASKETBALL
Luka Doncic suspended
The Los Angeles Lakers Luka Doncic was suspended one game without pay by the NBA for receiving his 16th technical foul of the season, the league announced on Saturday. Doncic, the NBA’s scoring leader, got whistled for a double technical foul during the third quarter of the Lakers’ 116-99 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Friday night. The Nets’ Ziaire Williams was celebrating an offensive foul called against Doncic by gleefully screaming in Doncic’s personal space. When Doncic reached out to push Williams’ arm, Williams responded with a backhand swipe across Doncic’s face. Under NBA rules, a player or coach is automatically suspended without pay for one game when he receives his 16th technical foul during the regular season. For every two additional technical fouls during that regular season, they will be automatically suspended without pay for an additional game. Doncic, who scored 41 points against Brooklyn, will serve his suspension today when the Lakers host the Washington Wizards. “He was yelling in my face three times,” Doncic said after the game. “I just wanted to get out of there. It’s a double tech, of course. What can I say? I didn’t even talk. I just wanted to get out of there. [The referee] said my push was exaggerated, which [it] was obviously not. I don’t know what else to say.”
SOCCER
Senegal parade Africa trophy
Senegal on Saturday paraded the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) trophy they have been ordered to return before beating Peru 2-0 in a friendly at the Stade de France in Paris. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) on March 17 reversed Senegal’s 1-0 final victory over Morocco in Rabat on Jan. 18 and awarded a 3-0 victory to the hosts. In front of a crowd dominated by their supporters, Senegal captain Kalidou Koulibaly and his teammates on Saturday came onto the pitch with the trophy for a lap of honor after a pre-match concert by Senegalese superstar Youssou N’Dour. Senegal played in shirts with two stars: one for their first African title in 2021 and the second one for their disputed January victory. In January, the AFCON final descended into chaos when Senegal players walked off in protest after the hosts were awarded a penalty late in second-half stoppage-time. CAF ruled that Senegal’s players had broken the rules by leaving the field without the referee’s permission.
