TENNIS
Federer advances
Roger Federer advanced to the semifinals of the Gerry Weber Open for the 13th time by beating defending champion Florian Mayer 6-3, 6-4 Friday at Halle, Germany. Federer, an eight-time champion at Halle, had 11 aces, saved both break points he faced and converted two of his own to maintain his bid for a 16th grass-court title. He will next face Karen Khachanov, who defeated Andrey Rublev 7-6 (8), 4-6, 6-3. Fourth-seeded Alexander Zverev will face Richard Gasquet in the other semifinal match. Zverev defeated Roberto Bautista Agut 6-7 (6), 7-6 (1), 6-1, while Gasquet beat Robin Haase 6-1, 3-6, 6-1.
Muller, Lopez move up
Gilles Muller and Feliciano Lopez continued to defy age and their unseeded status as they progressed to the Queen's semifinals on Friday at London. Lopez, 35, saved a match point on his serve en route to ousting seventh-seeded Tomas Berdych in three sets, while Muller, 34, overcame Sam Querrey in straight sets. Lopez will face sixth-seeded Grigor Dimitrov today in a repeat of the 2014 final which the Bulgarian won at the west London venue. Dimitrov came through a topsy-turvy encounter with Daniil Medvedev of Russia 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. Muller will face Marin Cilic, the highest remaining seed at No. 4, today. The 2012 champion cruised past Donald Young 6-4, 7-5, despite the American saving 10 of Cilic's 12 break points.
Kvitova in semifinals
Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova, competing in only her second tournament since her playing hand was injured in a knife attack at her home, advanced to the semifinals at the Aegon Classic on Friday at Birmingham, England. The left-handed Czech player beat Kristina Mladenovic 6-4, 7-6 (5) on grass at the Wimbledon warm-up tournament. Kvitova will next face Lucie Safarova, someone she has known since childhood in the Czech Republic. Safarova had to save match points for the second time this week, trailing 5-3 in the final set before beating Daria Gavrilova 6-7 (4), 6-3, 7-6 (5).
BASEBALL
Royals cut Young, sign Feliz
Chris Young, Kansas City's winning pitcher in the 2015 World Series opener, had been designated for assignment. Reliever Neftali Feliz agreed to a one-year contract with the Royals on Friday, four days after he was released by Milwaukee. Young had a 7.50 ERA in two starts and 12 relief appearances allowing 47 hits, including 7 home runs and 18 walks in 30 innings. He went 3-9 with a 6.19 ERA last year. The 38-year-old right-hander was 1-0 with a 2.87 ERA in four games in the 2015 postseason, including three scoreless innings in the opener against the New York Mets. He is guaranteed a $5.75 million salary this year as part of an $11.5 million, two-year contract. Feliz had eight saves in nine chances for the Brewers before losing the closer's job and went 1-5 with a 6.00 ERA in 29 appearances. The 29-year-old was the 2010 AL Rookie of the Year with Texas and is 20-19 with 107 saves and a 3.43 ERA in 337 major league appearances.
Tigers cut Rodriguez
The Detroit Tigers have released Francisco Rodriguez, one day after the 35-year-old reliever allowed a grand slam to Robinson Cano in his latest rough outing. Rodriguez saved 44 games for the Tigers in 2016, but he is 2-5 with a 7.82 ERA this year. Detroit removed him from the closer role earlier this season. The Tigers have experienced bullpen woes again this year, and Rodriguez's decline is a big reason why. Justin Wilson has taken over as the closer, but Detroit hasn't had enough depth in relief. Detroit announced Rodriguez's release on Twitter before Friday night's game at San Diego. The Tigers have lost six in a row and are in last place in the AL Central.\
BASKETBALL
Caldwell-Pope suspended
Detroit Pistons guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was suspended for two games without pay by the NBA on Friday for pleading guilty to operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated. Caldwell-Pope was sentenced to a year of probation last week in a March traffic stop in suburban Detroit. Caldwell-Pope was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving after police said he was spotted going about 45 mph in a 25 mph zone about 2:50 a.m. March 29 in Auburn Hills. He was arrested after a field sobriety test. A further test showed he had a blood-alcohol level of 0.08 percent.
GOLF
Former USGA official dies
Frank "Sandy" Tatum, the former U.S. Golf Association president known for difficult U.S. Open setups and a famous quote after the "Massacre at Winged Foot," died Thursday. He was 96. "All of us at the USGA are deeply saddened by the passing of truly one of the great individuals ever involved with golf," Mike Davis, the USGA's executive director, said in a statement. "Sandy Tatum certainly impacted the USGA in immeasurable ways, but more important were his countless and significant contributions to the game. He will long be remembered as one of the greats in golf." After the 1974 U.S. Open at Winged Foot, won by Hale Irwin at 7-over par, Tatum -- then chairman of the Championship Committee -- said: "We're not trying to humiliate the best players in the world, we're simply trying to identify them." The Rhodes Scholar and longtime San Francisco lawyer was an accomplished player, winning the 1942 NCAA individual title and leading Stanford to team titles in 1941 and 1942.
BASEBALL
Source: Bush switches sides in Marlins purchase
MIAMI — Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush has switched sides in pursuit of the Miami Marlins, and he’s trying to beat out former teammate Derek Jeter.
Bush has joined the group led by businessman Tagg Romney that is trying to buy the Marlins, a person familiar with the negotiations said Friday. The person confirmed Bush’s new role to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the parties aren’t commenting publicly.
The person also said South Florida businessman Jorge Mas has contacted the Marlins to say he’s leading a group interested in buying the franchise.
Bush and Jeter, the 14-time New York Yankees All-Star shortstop, led rival groups pursuing the Marlins earlier this year. They then joined forces, but Bush dropped out in May.
Now they’re rivals again, and Jeter is still exploring a bid with other investors.
The Romney-Bush group also includes Quogue Capital investment fund founder Wayne Rothbaum, Hall of Fame pitcher Tom Glavine and former Arizona Diamondbacks general manager Dave Stewart.
The Romney and Jeter groups have bid about $1.3 billion to buy the team from Jeffrey Loria but have not yet raised the money needed. Jeter met with Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred and Marlins President David Samson in New York on Thursday. Jeter told them he doesn’t yet have the necessary money and is still seeking help from other investors.
Loria bought the Marlins for $158.5 million in 2002 from John Henry.
Mas is the chairman of the board and co-founder of MasTec, an infrastructure construction business, and chairman of the board of the Cuban American National Foundation, a Miami-based organization committed to bringing democracy to Cuba.
Bush also lives in Miami, served two terms as governor from 1999 to 2007 and was an unsuccessful candidate last year for the Republican nomination for president.
Romney, the son of former Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, is a Massachusetts businessman and venture capitalist.
One of the people confirming Bush’s withdrawal from the bid with Jeter in May said the former governor didn’t put up enough of his own money to have the controlling interest he sought.
Sports on 06/24/2017