10 Wednesday, May 27, 2020 Sports

Reigning Australian Open champion plans to be part of the World TeamTennis season that will be staged at a US mountain resort starting July 12. (AFP) Kenin, Stephens to play WTT season before fans at resort

AFP ginia has among the nation’s Los Angeles fewest cases of COVID-19.” The WTT plans at least Reigning Australian Open three matches a day at the re- champion Sofia Kenin and sort’s 2,500-seat outdoor sta- 2017 US Open winner Sloane dium with an indoor court to Stephens will compete in a be installed as a backup option. 2020 World TeamTennis sea- West Virginia health guide- son played at a mountain re- lines will allow up to 500 spec- sort with spectators starting tators, a 20% capacity, to at- July 12. tend the matches. Bournemouth goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale has tested positive for coronavirus. (AFP) The nine-team US circuit The WTT plans a 63-match will stage its 45th campaign at regular season from July 19-30 The Greenbrier in White Sul- with the semi-finals August 1 phur Springs, West Virginia, and the championship match from July 12-August 2, the the following day. league announced on Tuesday. The WTT will follow local With the WTA and ATP and state government rules Bournemouth’s Ramsdale tours shut down into August and adhere to safety protocals due to the coronavirus pan- from the Centers for Disease demic, the move makes the Control, including COVID-19 WTT the first pro circuit testing and screening and pro- to resume play after the global tective gear such as facemasks. shocked by virus diagnosis outbreak of the deadly virus World number four Kenin, shut down the sport. a 21-year-old American who “All of us are extremely captured her first Grand AFP out by Premier League clubs in the first round of testing and I’ve contracted the virus. Meanwhile, captains and grateful to be able to play the Slam title on February 1 at London as they gear up for a return to believes he must have contract- “I’ve been just as careful representatives of players and 45th World TeamTennis sea- Melbourne, will play for the action next month. ed the virus while shopping. as before on lockdown and it coaches will meet with the son and present professional while Bournemouth goalkeeper “It’s definitely a shock -- “This last week, I’ve done seems to be a shopping trip league later on Tuesday to dis- tennis to our sports-starved 37th-ranked Stephens, the Aaron Ramsdale described I’ve not been in contact with the usual things like going to where I’ve caught it.” cuss protocols on a return to and tennis-starved audienc- 2018 French Open runner-up, finding out he had tested posi- anybody and I’ve now got it,” the supermarket and going to A total of eight cases of contact training. es,” said WTT chief executive will compete for the expansion tive for coronavirus as “scary Ramsdale told The Sun. the petrol station to fill my car. coronavirus among players England’s top-flight Carlos Silva. Smash. and worrying”, despite display- “I’m showing no symp- “Once you’ve contracted the and staff have been detected clubs will vote on proposals “The overwhelming feed- On the men’s side, Bulgar- ing no symptoms. toms so the fact that a healthy virus, it shows in your blood. from 1,744 tests in the Pre- for a phased return to full back from our players is that ia’s 19th-ranked Grigor Dim- The England under-21 young person could poten- “That was obviously not mier League. training on Wednesday after they want to play WTT and are itrov will play for the Orange international was one of two tially have it is definitely scary the case (after the first test) Results from a third new government guidelines comfortable in doing so in a County Breakers with doubles positive cases from the sec- and worrying.” and it’s been the three days round of testing will be re- cleared the way for “close safe environment, which is our stars Bob and on ond round of testing carried Ramsdale tested negative between the two tests when vealed on Wednesday. contact” training. number one priority. West Vir- the .

Ibrahimovic injury to calf, not Achilles: AC Milan Kvitova ‘pretty gutted’ by Wimbledon cancellation

AFP AFP Czech tournament in Prague, it’s the most important and Milan Prague where eight men and eight greatest tournament of all,” women are competing behind said the 34-year-old. Zlatan Ibrahimovic has Two-time Wimbledon closed doors and under strin- “When the time comes it picked up a calf injury and not champion Petra Kvitova said gent measures to prevent the I’m not saying I cried when I will be sad for me, but that’s ruptured his Achilles tendon on Tuesday she had been virus from spreading. heard it, but I was pretty how it is and we can’t change as feared, AC Milan confirmed “pretty gutted” by news that Hygiene is key at the event gutted on that day. I guess anything about it.” on Tuesday. her favourite tournament was where no one will hand the the reason is clear. Karolina Muchova, the “Ibrahimovic has sustained cancelled over the coronavirus towel to the players who must 23-year-old world number an injury to his right soleus pandemic. also wear face masks at press Petra Kvitova 26, made it to the Wimbledon muscle during yesterday’s train- “Of all tournaments that conferences. The ball boys and quarter-finals in 2019, a year ing session,” the Serie A team have been cancelled, the news ball girls are wearing gloves, that saw her climb from 145th said in a statement. File photo of AC Milan’s Swedish forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic holding about Wimbledon was the though the players share a set of the tournament of course, to 21st in the world. “The Achilles tendon is per- his leg after being tackled during the Italian Cup semi-final first leg most upsetting for me,” the of balls. besides the experiences and “I guess Wimbledon is the fectly intact. The player will un- match against Juventus Turin at the San Siro stadium in Milan on 30-year-old, who won the Instead of shaking hands memories of last year,” said greatest tournament so I’ll re- dergo a scan in 10 days time.” February 13, 2020. (AFP) grass-court major in 2011 and at the end of each game, they fellow Czech Barbora Stry- ally miss everything about it,” Milan did not say for how 2014, told AFP. do a “racquet bump” to avoid cova, who made the singles she said. long the 38-year-old would Ibrahimovic rejoined the He returned to Italy two “I’m not saying I cried infection. semi-finals and took the dou- “I had my best result there be out of action, although seven-time European cham- weeks ago from Sweden, when I heard it, but I was pret- Organisers cancelled the bles honours with Taiwan’s last year, so it was special, and Italian media reports say he pions during this season’s where he had been training ty gutted on that day. I guess Grand Slam scheduled for ear- Hsieh Su-Wei in 2019. I was looking forward to the could be facing four weeks on winter transfer window. He with Hammarby, in order to the reason is clear,” added the ly July on April 1, for the first “I always like to get back to grass season, that’s kind of the sidelines, as Serie A eyes a suffered a calf injury shortly prepare for a possible return current world number 12. time since World War II. Wimbledon because when I’m specific and I enjoyed playing potential restart next month. after signing in January. to action. Kvitova is playing at an all- “I will miss the atmosphere there it feels special. For me there,” Muchova told AFP. Longines Global Champions Tour, Global Champions League showjumping championship series to restart afresh in 2021

Tribune News Network and adjusting to deliver incred- Owner this is the right in this extremely challenging Doha ible sport in 2021 and beyond.” decision as it is more and uncertain environment. Neil Moffitt,O wner of important to main- GCL is not a one-off event, it After a distinguished open- the London Knights tain the integrity is a prestigious Championship ing round hosted by Doha team which won the and quality of with knock-out stages like the at the spectacular Al Shaqab GCL championship the League Champions League in Europe. (member, Qatar Foundation) two years’ running than to try We look forward to continu- in the first week ofM arch in 2018 and 2019, to stage a ing our successful campaign 2020, the Longines Global said: “As a Found- few shows in the seasons ahead.” Champions Tour (LGCT) and ing GCL Team this year If permitted by the Gov- Global Champions League ernment in The Netherlands (GCL) have now announced several shows will take place that the 2020 season will re- behind closed doors later this start next year due to the un- The Longines Arena at Al Shaqab in Doha. year in Valkenswaard, which precedented impact of the is a permanent facility where novel coronavirus pandemic. “Restrictions on travel vary championship series afresh in fering so many people are go- strict safety policies can be “In these exceptional cir- around the world, so not all 2021,” it added. ing through. followed. cumstances it is not realis- riders will have the freedom to Jan Tops, LGCT and GCL “Our priority must contin- The Longines Global tic to safely stage our global compete. There is also the risk President, said: “We sincerely ue to be the health and safety Champions Tour is an annual championship circuit this of a second wave later this year, thank our event organising of our fans, our staff, the ath- show jumping series that com- year. We must follow the laws in the absence of a cure or vac- partners, our Title Partner letes and their teams and those prises up to 18 events includ- of national Governments and cine, which further complicates Longines, the GCL team own- living in the locations of our ing the GC Prague Playoffs, public health authorities, logistical planning. ers and our partners around events. So it is with great regret spanning three continents and which change regularly and at “In this complex environ- the world for their tremen- we have decided to cancel the 18 iconic locations around the short notice, having a major ment the responsible deci- dous support and under- remaining shows this year. world. impact on international plan- sion is to start the Longines standing. None of us could “Now we must all pull to- German showjumper Daniel Deusser, a bronze medalist at Rio Olympics, It brings together the top ning,” the organisers said in a Global Champions Tour and have foreseen the scale of this gether to build a positive future had won the Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Doha event 30 riders in the FEI Jumping press release. GCL top-level show jumping global emergency and the suf- after the pandemic, adapting at the gleaming Al Shaqab on March 7, 2020. World Rankings.