1:05 PM ET Associated Press ROME — When it comes to long, grueling clay-court battles, nobody is better than Rafael Nadal. Nearing his 35th birthday, the Spanish great showed he still has the stamina to withstand much younger challengers in a 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (3) comeback win over 22-year-old Denis Shapovalov on Thursday that secured

8:17 AM ET Andy Murray has entered the qualifying rounds for the French Open later this month but tournament director Guy Forget said the former world No. 1 “deserves” a wildcard spot for the claycourt Grand Slam. Three-times Grand Slam champion Murray has fallen to 123rd in the world rankings after long injury lay-offs because

6:03 AM ET Associated Press PARMA, Italy — Serena Williams has accepted a wild-card invitation to play at the Emilia-Romagna Open in Parma starting this weekend. The move came immediately after Williams lost in straight sets to Nadia Podoroska at the Italian Open on Wednesday in her first match in nearly three months. “Maybe I

1:05 PM ET Associated Press ROME — Serena Williams‘ 1,000th tour-level match ended in defeat as she marked her return to action with a 7-6 (6), 7-5 loss to Nadia Podoroska on Wednesday in the second round of the Italian Open. The eighth-seeded Williams, who hadn’t played since the Australian Open, came from a break

7:00 AM ET It’s time for the 10th Annual Luke Walton All-Stars, honoring journeymen and guys who have fought to stick in the NBA. (Learn about the origins of the column here.) Brown walked into the Detroit Pistons practice facility in November when his phone blew up: After a solid second season, the Pistons were

10:01 AM ET Associated Press Players at the French Open will be allowed a daily one-hour window outside their social-distancing bubble, tournament organizers said Wednesday. Guy Forget, the director of the clay-court Grand Slam, said players will have the chance to get out for a jog or enjoy some fresh air during their stay in

4:05 PM ET ESPN News Services ROME — World No. 1 Novak Djokovic was furious with the chair umpire for not suspending play as rain trickled down during his Italian Open second-round match against American Taylor Fritz on Tuesday. The 33-year-old Serbian star made his feelings clear after he was broken when serving for victory

4:49 PM ET Associated Press ROME — Rafael Nadal joined the growing number of tennis players expressing doubts about competing in the Tokyo Olympics. The third-ranked Nadal, in Rome for the Italian Open, said Tuesday that his status for the Tokyo games is uncertain. “I don’t know yet. Honestly, I can’t give you a clear

10:46 AM ET Associated Press ROME — Japanese tennis player Kei Nishikori has doubts about whether the IOC and local organizers are doing enough to plan for a worst-case scenario of “hundreds” or “thousands” of coronavirus cases at the Tokyo Olympics. Or whether it’s even still feasible to hold the Games when a state of

7:44 PM ET Associated Press ROME — Seven months ago, Jannik Sinner twice had chances to accomplish something few tennis players have been capable of: taking a set from Rafael Nadal at the French Open. The Italian teenager served for the first set at 6-5 in the Roland Garros quarterfinals and was up a break