Chris Wilson

Bird dishes out WNBA Finals record 16 assists in Storm’s win over Aces

Associated PressOct 3, 2020, 1:18 AM EDT

Mary Holt-USA TODAY Sports

Sue Bird set a standard for assists in the WNBA Finals.

Bird shattered the previous single-game mark for assists in the finals getting 16 in the Seattle Storm’s 93-80 win over the Las Vegas Aces on Friday night in the opening game of the best-of-five series.

“I think the way that our team plays and the way that our offense is kind of constructed, which actually dates back to even when Jenny Boucek was our coach, it was always about just finding the open player and moving it in a way where it would create opportunities,” Bird said. “For me as a point guard, I’m just out there trying to find the open player. But like I said, and I’ve always said this, assists is a two-person thing, and tonight (Breanna Stewart and Jewell Loyd) played amazing.”

The previous record was 11, accomplished eight players before, most recently by Alyssa Thomas last season.

“She really did a good job finding the open person, and we shot the ball really well,” Storm coach Gary Kloppenburg said. “Just a tremendous floor game for Sue.”

Bird also broke the playoff assists record of 14 she held with Courtney Vandersloot of Chicago. The Storm guard had 10 assists in the first half – also a WNBA Finals most – set her own career-best for assists regular season and the playoffs.

Most of her assists came to either Breanna Stewart or Jewell Loyd, who had 37 points and 28 respectively. The record-breaking 12th assist in the third quarter on a pass to Stewart with 7:19 left in the period.

Bird is the WNBA career assists leader with 2,888 in the regular season. She moved into third place on the Finals assist list with 68, trailing only Lindsay Whalen (120) and Maya Moore (70). Bird is playing in her fourth WNBA Finals, and appeared in her 51st playoff game dating back to 2002.

She only played in half of the regular-season games this year as she dealt with a bone bruise in her knee, averaging 5.2 assists. She missed both of Seattle’s games against Las Vegas this season.

Wawrinka routs Murray in Slam champ matchup at French Open

Associated PressSep 27, 2020, 4:39 PM EDT

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That Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka were back together on Court Philippe Chatrier, all these years and operations later, was something of an accomplishment – not to mention a rare first-round matchup between past Grand Slam champions.

Only one, Wawrinka, played like it.

Having no trouble smacking his one-handed backhand and other strokes through the thick air as the fall-time French Open got going Sunday, the barrel-chested Wawrinka needed just 97 minutes to overwhelm Murray 6-1, 6-3, 6-2.

The six games collected by Murray equaled the fewest he has managed in any of his 237 career Grand Slam matches; that also happened in a loss at Roland Garros in 2014 against 12-time champion Rafael Nadal.

“I’ll need to have a long, hard think,” said Murray, ranked 111th as he works his way back from two hip surgeries, “and try and understand what happened.”

One big problem: He didn’t serve well, putting only 36% of his first serves in play.

Another: He didn’t return particularly well either and won only 25% of points in Wawrinka’s service games.

Murray said those things weren’t related to his artificial hip.

“It’s going to be difficult for me to play the same level as I did before. I mean, I’m 33 now and I was ranked No. 1 in the world, so it’s difficult with all the issues that I have had,” Murray said. “But, yeah, I’ll keep going. Let’s see what the next few months holds, and I reckon I won’t play a match like that between now and the end of the year.”

This was the first time two men with Grand Slam titles – Murray and Wawrinka each own three such trophies – played each other in the first round at Roland Garros since Yevgeny Kafelnikov against Michael Chang in 1999, and at any major tournament since Novak Djokovic faced Juan Carlos Ferrero at Wimbledon in 2012.

Murray and Wawrinka met in the 2017 semifinals in Paris and neither has been quite the same since.

“Many things happened to him,” said the 35-year-old Wawrinka, who is seeded 16th. “To me, also.”

But 2015 French Open champion Wawrinka’s road back from two procedures on his knee has been less arduous than Murray’s journey.

And Wawrinka’s path in Paris continues for at least another match.

VENUS DONE FOR 2020

Venus Williams finished 2020 with an 0-3 record in Grand Slam matches, adding a first-round exit at the French Open to those she had at the Australian Open and U.S. Open.

After her 6-4, 6-4 loss to Anna Karolina Schmiedlova in front of a handful of spectators at Court Simone Mathieu, the 40-year-old Williams said that, no, she would not play again this season – but that, yes, she “definitely” will be back on tour in 2021.

“It’s really just about going back and reevaluating and moving on as quick as possible,” Williams said. “It’s been a very long year of quarantine. Now I’ll get to rest. So I’m looking forward to that.”

She is a seven-time major champion and was the 2002 runner-up at the French Open to her younger sister, Serena. But after a resurgent 2017 – reaching two finals at Grand Slam tournaments and making it to the semifinals at another – the older Williams has not enjoyed much success at her sport’s four most important events.

Dating to the start of 2018, she now has failed to get past the first round in seven of the past 11 Slams.

Schmiedlova plays U.S. Open runner-up Victoria Azarena in the second round.

And what’s next for Williams?

“I’m going home from here. I’m done,” she said. “If there is somewhere to play, I won’t be there.”

ALL IN THE FAMILY

For Sebastian Korda, sports success is all in the family.

The 20-year-old American’s father, Petr, won the 1998 Australian Open and was the runner-up at the 1992 French Open; his mother, Regina, reached the top 30 in the WTA rankings.

And his older sisters, 27-year-old Jessica and 22-year-old Nelly, both play professional golf and have won LPGA Tour titles.

He said he tries his hand at golf, and they occasionally pick up a tennis racket.

“I mean, my only claim to fame is the only (golf) tournament I ever played, I won, and I beat my sisters, when I was like 11 years old,” Korda said Sunday, “so, yeah, they will never live that one down.”

Korda is making a name for himself now, earning his first main-draw match win at a Grand Slam tournament by beating Andreas Seppi of Italy 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 after qualifying for the French Open.

“My dad is a really big help. He oversees everything. He doesn’t really travel with me that much, but we’re always in contact and whenever I’m home, we’re always on the court together,” said the Florida-based Korda, who won the 2018 Australian Open junior title. “I don’t think I would be anywhere near where I am right now without him.”

Korda tweaked his back during the first-round victory but said he thinks he’ll be fine for what’s next: an all-American matchup against John Isner.

Playing his first clay-court match anywhere in 2+ years, the 21st-seeded Isner advanced with a 6-4, 6-1, 6-3 win over Elliot Benchetrit.

“He’s a great hope for American tennis. I’m very happy to be playing him next round, because in five years’ time, I won’t be playing, and he’ll be right in the prime of his career,” the 35-year-old Isner said about Korda. “To be able to say we squared off against each other, I think, is pretty cool. Him and I get along very well.”

Halep into French Open 2nd round; Venus, Goffin out

Associated PressSep 27, 2020, 10:22 AM EDT

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PARIS — Top-seeded Simona Halep won 10 straight games in beating Sara Sorribes Tormo 6-4, 6-0 to reach the second round of the French Open on Sunday and extend her winning streak to 15 matches.

Halep won on her 29th birthday, but with minimal celebrations planned for the evening since the coronavirus pandemic means players stay locked inside the security bubble of their hotels.

“It was really special day playing on Roland Garros on my birthday,” she said. “I cannot celebrate much because I have to stay in the room, so I will have a bottle of water.”

Wearing thick black leggings and a long-sleeved pink jersey to combat the chilly conditions on Court Philippe Chatrier, the 2018 champion made a series of unforced errors and trailed 4-2.

“I felt the cold. I’m not very happy with the cold in general,” Halep said. “So it was a little bit tough, I struggled.”

But then she found her range, clinching the first set with a hold to love and sealing victory on her first match point when her Spanish opponent clipped a forehand wide.

Halep is ranked second but seeded first at Roland Garros because defending champion Ash Barty skipped coming to Paris because of coronavirus concerns. Halep won titles on clay in Prague and Rome and her winning run – interrupted by the pandemic – dates to February.

She next faces either countrywoman Irina Camelia Begu or Jil Teichmann of Switzerland.

Halep was not alone in wrapping up warm.

Over on Court Suzanne Lenglen, U.S. Open runner-up Victoria Azarenka experienced a vastly different temperature to Flushing Meadows only two weeks ago.

The 10th-seeded Azarenka, who beat Danka Kovinic 6-1, 6-2, fumed when match officials didn’t immediately send them back to the locker room during a rain interruption.

“I am going to get frozen,” she complained. “No. I’m not waiting here a couple of minutes because I’m cold. It’s eight degrees, eight degrees, I live in Florida, I am used to hot weather.”

Before walking off court, Azarenka grumbled “it’s ridiculous. It’s too cold … What’s the point? Sitting here like ducks.”

After the match, she said the conditions were risky.

“I think my opponent slipped in the third game, so I think she was also feeling a little bit uncomfortable,” Azarenka said. “Does it increase the risk of players getting injured? Absolutely, I think that it does.”

She next faces Anna Karolina Schmiedlova, who won 6-4, 6-4 against American veteran Venus Williams.

“Even on my really good shots she had a lot of amazing replies that just kind of came out of nowhere,” Williams said. “Give her credit to playing an amazing match.”

The 40-year-old Williams exited in the first round at Roland Garros for the third straight year and is 0-3 in Grand Slam tournaments this year following the Australian Open and the U.S. Open. Since the start of 2018, the seven-time Grand Slam champion has lost in the first round in seven of the past 11 major tournaments.

Coronavirus restrictions mean only 1,000 people are allowed per day at the tournament in western Paris.

But only 150 were there to see 11th-seeded David Goffin begin his match against Next Gen ATP Finals champion Jannik Sinner at just after 11 a.m. under the new Chatrier roof.

Goffin, a former quarterfinalist here, was the first seeded player to be knocked out when he lost 7-5, 6-0, 6-3. His countrywoman Elise Mertens – seeded 16th – fared better in beating Margarita Gasparyan 6-2, 6-3.

No. 25 Alex De Minaur also went out in straight sets, losing 7-6 (9), 6-4, 6-0 to 2018 semifinalist Marco Cecchinato.

No. 21 John Isner went through 6-4, 6-1, 6-3 against Elliot Benchetrit and the big-serving American next meets qualifier Sebastian Korda, whose father, Petr, won the 1998 Australian Open and was the runner-up here in 1992. The 20-year-old Korda beat Andreas Seppi of Italy 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3.

No. 27 Taylor Fritz relinquished a two-set lead but the American held firm to win 7-5, 7-6 (2), 1-6, 2-6, 6-3 against Tomas Machac.

No. 17 Anett Kontaveit lost 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 to Frenchwoman Caroline Garcia, but No. 20 Maria Sakkari and No. 27 Ekaterina Alexandrova both advanced.

In the pick of Sunday’s later matches, three-time Grand Slam winners Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka were playing on Chatrier in the 21st meeting between the veterans. Wawrinka won here in 2015 and Murray lost the final to Novak Djokovic the following year.