Sports
In his final match before retirement, Donald Young could win the US Open title against friend Taylor Townsend
NEW YORK (AP) — Ever since Taylor Townsend held a racket in her hand, Donald Young and his family have been a component of her life.
Initially, she hit the racket along with her right hand, but because of Young’s influence, she began swinging along with her left hand, like him.
Young’s mother played doubles with Townsend’s mother. His father was Townsend’s first coach. And it was Young, a black Chicagoan, who made Townsend imagine a profession as knowledgeable tennis player was possible.
That’s why it is so vital that it will possibly help him end his profession as a Grand Slam champion.
Young and Townsend have advanced to the US Open mixed doubles final, which can be Young’s last match before retiring from tennis at the age of 35.
“It’s a decision, I’m happy with it and I hope to go again. It will be a dream come true and a fairytale ending,” Young said.
They beat No. 8 seed Aldila Sutjiadi and Rohan Bopanna 6-3, 6-4 on Tuesday night in the semifinals. Afterward, Townsend, 28, told fans she wouldn’t have been on court in front of them at Louis Armstrong Stadium if not for Young’s influence.
He was the top junior player in 2005, a 12 months after turning pro, and a hoop bearer at Townsend’s parents’ wedding, he has emerged as considered one of the young stars of American men’s tennis.
“Winning the junior Wimbledon, the junior Australian Open, going on tour, making my breakthrough on tour, and then coming home and being able to share that accomplishment with us and being able to see it all, that was the closest I’ve ever been to being around anyone who’s done it at that level,” Townsend said.
“So when he asked me to play, I just felt honored to be able to close that book for him because he kind of opened it for me.”
Townsend, like Young, rose to the top of the junior rankings, winning the junior singles and doubles at the 2012 Australian Open and becoming the first American woman in three many years to finish the 12 months with the No. 1 junior world rating.
However, in the following years they each experienced difficult times while touring.
Young climbed to his profession high of 38 in 2012, but a 17-game losing streak sent him tumbling. That same 12 months Wall Street Journal reported that U.S. Tennis Association coaches felt that the then 16-year-old Townsend needed to work on her form, and as an alternative of covering the cost of her participation in considered one of the organized tournaments, they sent her to a training center in Florida.
But whilst they struggled, Young and Townsend gave hope to others. Townsend said she recently bumped into Young at a club where they used to play, and it was moving to see so many black kids looking as much as her, just as she looked as much as Young.
“It’s amazing because it really shows that we’re headed in the right direction,” Townsend said. “And for me personally, from my experience, seeing that and being able to have a visual representation, seeing something that looked like me, that acted like me or that I could relate to in some way, shape or form, gave me a little bit of hope that you can do that too.”
Townsend’s profession has been on a roll since she returned to the tour in 2022 after giving birth to her son. She has cracked the top 50 in singles and is even higher in doubles, winning the Wimbledon title in July with Katerina SiniakovaThey placed third in Flushing Meadows and reached the semi-finals.
Young never quite reached the level of stardom some predicted. He hasn’t won a match on tour since 2021 and doesn’t even play on it anymore, having moved on to skilled pickleball.
The USTA gave them a wild card into the mixed doubles draw to send Young off, and the duo made the most of it. With two lefties on the court, they’re a troublesome team to play against, forcing opponents to search out angles which might be easier to search out against righties.
Young is definitely right-handed, using that hand for eating and writing, but plays tennis left-handed. Townsend also began playing right-handed, imitating her older sister, before training with Donald Young Sr. She had trouble keeping her balance while moving, and Illona Young really helpful that she try playing left-handed, like her son.
“So from that point on, we started drilling everything on the left side,” Townsend said, “and here we are.”
On Thursday, she and Young will face the No. 3 seeded Italian team of Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori, a likelihood so as to add a brand new memory to the ones they already share.
“Either way, I’m really excited and happy to be able to share this with someone really close to me, like family, again,” Young said.
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NFL Hall of Fame receiver and podcast host Terrell Owens has signed with a talent agency to further strengthen his claims within the entertainment game.
According to , Owens was signed by SMAC Entertainment, headed by host and NFL Hall of Famer Michael Strahan and his business partner Constance Schwartz-Morini.
NFL insider Jordan Schultz has also joined SMAC Entertainment.
“We are excited to add TO and Jordan to the SMAC family. They are both at the top of their game and set the standard in their industry,” Schwartz-Morini said in a written statement. “TO and Jordan have already brought an infectious energy to our team, and we are excited to help them realize their vision for careers in media, business and branding.”
A five-time first-team All-Pro and six-time Pro Bowler, Owens played for the San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals. In 2018, he was finally inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
A member of the 2000 NFL All-Decade Team, Owens finished his profession with 1,078 catches for 15,934 yards, 14.8 yards per catch and 153 touchdowns, rating third all-time in receiving yards and touchdowns.
Since retiring from skilled soccer in 2012, Owens has already made several moves. He has appeared in several movies and tv shows, including “,” and in addition had his own reality show, “, on VH1.
He currently co-hosts the podcast with former NFL player and sports analyst Shannon Sharpe.
SMAC Entertainment is home to stars similar to rapper and actor Common, Wiz Khalifa, Strahan, Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders and current NFL players similar to Stefon Diggs and DK Metcalf.
Sports
Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker brings an NBA championship desire with his Olympic experience
The gold medal went to the USA Basketball team. Mission completed on the 2024 Paris Games. U.S. men’s basketball coach Steve Kerr just answered his final query during his final news conference on Aug. 10 after his team defeated France within the gold medal game.
However, before leaving the stage of the press conference in Paris, Kerr stopped to deliver an unsolicited message to media around the globe.
“Devin Booker is an amazing basketball player. Nobody asked about him. He was our unsung MVP. I just desired to say that,” Kerr said.
The “underrated MVP” compliment meant so much to the Phoenix Suns guard.
“It meant everything. No one really asked him,” Booker recently told Andscape. “That was probably something that was weighing on his mind throughout the entire process. A 12 months ago I said what I desired to do for this team and what we desired to do for the country.
“It was a lot larger than all of us. Survival was something we’d discuss for the remainder of our lives.
The USA Basketball team was centered around NBA star icons LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant. There has also been some discussion amongst media and fans in regards to the lack of playing time for Jayson Tatum and, to a lesser extent, Tyrese Haliburton. Lost within the shuffle was the all-around, unselfish play of sharpshooter Booker wearing the armband.
Daniel Kopatsch/Getty Images
Booker was fourth in scoring for the U.S., averaging 11.7 points, 3.3 assists and a couple of.2 three-pointers made early in all six Olympics, and likewise had the perfect plus/minus (plus-130) for an American. Kerr was impressed with Booker’s deal with a difficult defense, regardless that he is thought for his offense, ball movement and the way he has adjusted to not being one in every of the highest options on offense.
“I just understood what was at stake,” Booker said. “I’m proud to be from this country. I’m happy with playing basketball. Even though it wasn’t invented in America, we dominated for a very long time. Obviously the world is incredibly talented and the sport is growing, however it was just one other message to allow them to know who we’re.
Booker said he also learned in regards to the preparations from his all-star team, watching the preparations on and off the court. The 28-year-old added that he gained lifelong friendships.
“It’s cool to see that everyone has their own issues,” Booker said. “In my 10 years in the NBA, I’ve learned that you have to choose what you can use for yourself. But the level of detail, the attention to detail, the intensity – it’s all consistent across the board.”
As for Durant, Booker said the bond between the 2 Sun stars “is close and grows stronger every day.” They live about five minutes from one another within the Phoenix area and commonly spend time at home and on the road. Most recently, Booker had to steer the Suns without Durant, who was sidelined with an injury.
The amazing Durant averaged 27.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and three.4 assists, which were tops for the Suns. However, the 14-time NBA All-Star has been sidelined since November 8 with a left calf strain. Suns players Bradley Beal (calf) and Jusuf Nurkic (ankle) were also sidelined. The Suns are 1-5 without Durant, which incorporates 4 straight losses.
Booker and Suns sans Durant’s next rivals shall be the New York Knicks on Wednesday evening (ESPN, 10 p.m. ET). Over the last six games, Booker is averaging 24.1 points, shooting 43.2% from the sphere and making 16 of 43 three-pointers. Suns guard Tyus Jones said there was numerous pressure on Booker offensively due to the injury.
“We’re asking a lot of Book,” Jones said after Monday’s 109-99 loss to the visiting Orlando Magic. “It’s numerous pressure for him. We are very focused on it. They are physical with him, holding him and grabbing him, throwing two or three bodies at him all night long. So he’s got so much on his plate and we just need to proceed to seek out ways to get him open within the moments we will and proceed to assist him when other players are taking shots and making plays.
Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images
Booker currently has two Olympic gold medals, 4 NBA All-Star appearances and one NBA Finals appearance. The only thing missing from the Suns’ second-leading all-time scorer is an NBA championship. Since the Suns joined the NBA as an expansion team in 1968, they’ve yet to win a title.
After experiencing the joys of winning a gold medal, Booker as an NBA champion wants the gold Larry O’Brien NBA Championship Trophy much more.
“Most of the guys that were there did it,” Booker said of his Olympic teammates who were NBA champions. “They were champions. This is standard for them. Anything lower than that, they need nothing to do with it. It’s contagious…
“That’s all I want. That’s all I want.”
After months of introducing the players and coaches who will participate in its inaugural season, the brand new Unrivaled 3-on-3 women’s basketball league announced its team rosters and coaching assignments on Wednesday.
Founded by WNBA players Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, Unrivaled consists of six teams of six players each. The league was created to offer WNBA players with a substitute for playing overseas in the course of the offseason.
Although initially announced as having 30 players, the league has since expanded to 36, which Collier attributed “above financial forecasts”. The league has announced 34 players publicly up to now.
The inaugural season of Unrivaled will begin on January 17, 2025, with all games going down in Miami. Here are the official teams for the inaugural season, as well season schedule.
Vinyl Basketball Club:
– Coach: Teresa Weatherspoon
Rose Basketball Club:
– Coach: Nola Henry
Mgła basketball club:
– Coach: Phil Handy
Lunar Owls Basketball Club:
– TBD: wild card
– Coach: DJ Sackmann
Phantom Basketball Club:
– TBD: wild card
– Coach: Adam Harrington
Laces Basketball Club:
– Coach: Andrew Wade
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