BASKETBALL
Nowitzki gets $50M
Dirk Nowitzki has signed his contract with Dallas, and a person with knowledge of the deal said it's worth more than the original agreement. The 38-year-old star who has spent all 18 of his seasons with the Mavericks signed a two-year, $50 million contract on Wednesday -- $10 million more than the deal struck before contracts could be signed. The person with knowledge of the contract provided terms to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they weren't released. After playing for two years on a hometown discount at roughly $8 million per season, Nowitzki will be the highest-paid Dallas player at $25 million in 2016-17. Nowitzki has said he would like to play 20 seasons. There is a team option in the second year of the deal.
Testi leaves Clippers
Matias Testi, who was punched in the face by Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin in January, is no longer the team's assistant equipment manager, the team confirmed Wednesday. A team spokesman said the Clippers would have no further comments on why Testi doesn't work there anymore. Testi was seen at the team's practice facility by media members July 11 when the Clippers introduced their rookies. Testi, a longtime employee with the Clippers, got into an altercation with Griffin during dinner at a restaurant in Toronto when the team was there to play the Raptors in January. Griffin repeatedly punched Testi in the face after the two longtime friends had engaged in their normal back-and-forth teasing, according to reports in the Los Angeles Times about the confrontation. Griffin broke his right hand after throwing a blow that left Testi with a severely swollen face. The Clippers suspended Griffin four games and docked him $859,442 in pay for his role in the fight.
Selvig retiring
Long time Montana women's basketball coach Robin Selvig announced his retirement Wednesday. Selvig, who turns 64 next month, announced his decision on the university's website and said he will be at the school until the end of August. He coached at Montana for 38 years and won 865 games -- tied for seventh on the Division I career list. Selvig built the Lady Griz into one of the better mid-major programs in the country. They had 36 winning seasons under him, including appearing in the NCAA Tournament 21 times. "Over 38 years, there weren't many days it wasn't exciting to come to work, but I've started to lose that excitement," Selvig said in the release. "The players have always given me their best. When you wear down a little, you start to wonder: Can I still give them my best?" The Lady Griz were 20-11 last season. The Big Sky Conference school will hold a news conference today. Selvig was a star player for Montana, playing his final three seasons under coach Jud Heathcote.
TENNIS
Venus moves up
Venus Williams opened play in the Rogers Cup on Wednesday in Montreal with a 6-3, 6-0 victory over Barbora Strycova. Playing her last event before the Rio Olympics, Williams, 36, finished off the overmatched Czech player in 58 minutes. Williams was coming from a loss to Britain's Johanna Konta on Sunday in the final of the Bank of the West Classic in California. The seven-time Grand Slam champion, seeded sixth, gave up 10 points in the 24-minute second set. Williams will face Madison Keys in the third round. Keys beat fellow American Madison Brengle 6-4, 6-3. Konta also advanced, topping Vania King of the United States 7-5, 6-1. Fourth-seed Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland beat Monica Niculescu of Romania 6-1, 7-5; seventh-seeded Roberta Vinci topped fellow Italian Camila Giorgi 2-6, 6-3, 6-4; and Slovakia's Kristina Kucova beat eighth-seeded Carla Suarez Navarro of Spain 3-6, 6-4, 6-4.
Djokovic advances
Top-ranked Novak Djokovic survived a scare to beat Gilles Muller 7-5, 7-6 (3) on Wednesday in the Rogers Cup at Toronto, his final event before the Rio Olympics. The Serbian star won the event that rotates between Toronto and Montreal in 2007, 2011 and 2012. Djokovic struggled against Muller in his first hard-court match since March, both with his serves and his short game. Ultimately, unforced errors were Muller's undoing, with both sets easily in reach of the unseeded player from Luxembourg. Djokovic will face qualifier Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic in the third round. Third-seeded Kei Nishikori of Japan downed American Dennis Novikov 6-4, 7-5; and fourth-seeded Milos Raonic of Canada beat Taiwan's Lu Yen-hsun 6-3, 6-3.
Bencic a no-go at Rio
Top-20 player Belinda Bencic said on Twitter that she is pulling out of the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, another blow to a Swiss tennis team that lost Roger Federer this week, too. Bencic, who is No. 16 in the WTA rankings, said Wednesday that she is "not completely ready" to compete at the Summer Games, although her injured left wrist has healed. The wrist problem forced Bencic, 19, to quit during her second-round match at Wimbledon on June 30. Federer announced Tuesday that he would sit out the rest of the season to protect his surgically repaired left knee. One person affected by both withdrawals is Martina Hingis, who was expected to play doubles with Bencic and mixed doubles with Federer at the Olympics.
HORSE RACING
Rivalry to resume
The Nyquist-Exaggerator rivalry is set to resume, this time in the $1 million Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park. Officials at the Jersey Shore track said Exaggerator's connections confirmed that the Preakness winner will be entered in the race set for Sunday. "What a pleasant surprise," Monmouth Park President Bob Kulina said Wednesday. The unexpected development provides the Haskell with a compelling matchup: Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist against Preakness winner Exaggerator. "Any time two Triple Crown race winners go against each other, it's huge," Kulina said. "And usually a great race." Nyquist had defeated Exaggerator four times before his first career loss in the Preakness. Nyquist did not run in the Belmont; Exaggerator finished 11th. The field for the 1 1/8-mile Haskell will include the first three Derby finishers: Nyquist, Exaggerator and Gun Runner. Also set for the race are Brody's Cause, Sunny Ridge, American Freedom and Awesome Slew.
Oaklawn mare wins
Haveyougoneaway, a two-time stakes winner at Oaklawn Park this past season, came from off the pace under Kendrick Carmouche to win the Grade II Honorable Miss Handicap Wednesday at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Haveyougoneaway beat favored Paulassilverlining by a neck. Time for the 6 furlongs was 1:09.94. Havegoneaway paid $9.40, $4 and $3.20.
MOTOR SPORTS
Race reverts to old date
The Daytona 500 is moving back to its traditional weekend in 2018. The Daytona 500 had been held on Presidents Day weekend from 1968 to 2011. But NASCAR officials tweaked the date beginning in 2012, anticipating changes to the NFL schedule. At the time, the NFL was talking about expanding to an 18-game regular-season schedule and/or adding an extra bye week that could have ended up putting America's biggest sporting event -- the Super Bowl -- on the same weekend as NASCAR's season opener. So NASCAR moved the Daytona 500. Now, with the NFL unlikely to expand its schedule anytime soon, NASCAR's biggest race is moving back to its original calendar spot. Track officials made the announcement Wednesday. Track President Chip Wile said "we wanted to let all of our fans, partners and stakeholders know about this date adjustment in advance and give them ample time to make their travel plans for 'The Great American Race.' "
Sports on 07/28/2016