Murray replaces Wawrinka in field for US Open

Published

4 years ago

August 9, 2021

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1:13 PM ET

Associated Press

Andy Murray moved into the field for the US Open on Monday when another past champion at Flushing Meadows, Stan Wawrinka, pulled out because he still is recovering from foot surgery.

Murray is a former No. 1 and three-time Grand Slam title winner, including in New York in 2012. His ranking slid out of the top 100 after he had two hip operations in recent years.

The 34-year-old from Scotland returned to the tour in June after a three-month absence because of a groin problem and reached the third round at Wimbledon, then withdrew from the singles competition at the Tokyo Olympics on July 25, citing a strained right quadriceps. He was the two-time reigning men’s singles gold medalist.

Murray did play doubles for Britain at the Summer Games in Japan, reaching the quarterfinals with Joe Salisbury.

The U.S. Tennis Association also announced Monday that Patricia Maria Tig of Romania will not be playing in the year’s last Grand Slam tournament. Tig has a continuing back injury and was replaced in the field by American Claire Liu.

Wawrinka won the title in Flushing Meadows in 2016. It is the most recent of his three major singles championships. Wawrinka, 36, is 3-3 in 2021 and has not competed on tour since losing his opening match to Lloyd Harris at the Qatar Open in March.

Wawrinka had surgery on his left foot shortly after that, then needed another procedure on the same foot in June. He is ranked 31st and was in line to be seeded if he had been able to play in the US Open, where main-draw action starts Aug. 30.

Murray, who is 105th in the ATP rankings, reached the second round at Flushing Meadows in each of his past two appearances, in 2018 and last year.

After his third-round loss to eventual semifinalist Denis Shapovalov at the All England Club last month, Murray wondered aloud about what the future might hold for him.

“There is a part of me that feels a bit like I have put in so much work the last three months and, ultimately, didn’t play how I would want and expect. And it’s like: Is it worth it?” Murray said then.

“Is all of that training and everything that you’re doing in the gym — unless you’re able to, like, practice and improve your game and get matches and continue [to] get a run of tournaments — is it worth all of the work that you’re doing?”

Sports

Greene returning to Reds rotation for playoff push

Published

2 hours ago

August 10, 2025

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Greene returning to Reds rotation for playoff push

Associated Press

Aug 10, 2025, 12:28 PM ET

Hunter Greene will return to the Cincinnati Reds‘ rotation Wednesday night.

The right-hander will start against visiting Philadelphia after being out since June 4 with a strained right groin. The same injury sidelined Greene for two weeks in May.

Greene is 4-3 with a 2.72 ERA in 11 starts this season. The 26-year-old was selected to the All-Star Game last year for the first time.

In three rehab starts for Triple-A Louisville, Greene allowed 11 runs in 11 innings.

Cincinnati (61-57) entered Sunday 2½ games behind the New York Mets for the third wild-card spot in the National League.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Sports

Phillies call up Robertson, 40, for bullpen assist

Published

2 hours ago

August 10, 2025

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Phillies call up Robertson, 40, for bullpen assist

Associated Press

Aug 10, 2025, 01:16 PM ET

ARLINGTON, Texas — The Philadelphia Phillies recalled 40-year-old reliever David Robertson from Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Sunday, three weeks after he signed a free agent deal with the National League East leaders.

Robertson made six relief appearances with Lehigh Valley and had a 10.13 ERA, though he had four scoreless outings. He struck out six, walked one and allowed 11 hits and six runs in 5⅓ innings.

The Phillies made the move before their series finale at Texas, where Robertson was 3-4 with a 3.00 ERA in 68 games last season.

Right-hander Alan Rangel was optioned to Triple-A to make room on the 26-man roster.

Over his 16-year major league career, Robertson has a 2.91 ERA in 861 games, all but one of those in relief. This is his third stint with the Phillies, first as a free agent before the 2019 season and then after being acquired in a trade from the Chicago Cubs in 2022. He played nine seasons with the Yankees over two different times in New York, which drafted him in the 17th round of the 2006 amateur draft.

Sports

Ohtani hits 40-HR mark for 4th time in career

Published

2 hours ago

August 10, 2025

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Ohtani hits 40-HR mark for 4th time in career

ESPN News Services

Aug 9, 2025, 11:38 PM ET

LOS ANGELES — Shohei Ohtani hit his 40th home run of the season Saturday night in the fifth inning of the Los Angeles Dodgers‘ 9-1 win against the Toronto Blue Jays.

Ohtani hit a solo shot 417 feet to center off starter Chris Bassitt to give the Dodgers a three-run lead.

“That was one of those swings where he was behind the ball,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “He stayed into the ground. I know he and the hitting guys have been working on some things mechanically. That was as good of a swing as you’re going to see.”

Ohtani was not made available to the media.

The two-way Japanese star reached 40 homers for the fourth time in his career — and the third straight season — after winning MVP awards in each of the previous three years he did it.

He is the third player with multiple 40-HR seasons in the American League and National League, joining Jim Thome and Mark McGwire.

He did it this time in his 115th game, the fewest needed to reach the mark in a season in Dodgers history.

With 45 regular-season games left, Roberts was asked if he thought Ohtani could reach 55.

“It wouldn’t surprise me,” Roberts said. “Guys like Shohei always look for something to motivate them. He likes round numbers. I know 50 is on his radar. We’ll see how it goes.”

Information from ESPN Research and The Associated Press was used in this report.