Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.
LeBron James named NBA’s Most Valuable Player
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Miami Heat forward LeBron James was
named on Saturday as the National Basketball Association’s Most
Valuable Player for the 2011-12 season. It was the third time
in four years that the 27-year-old James had won the game’s
most prestigious individual award, elevating him among the
sport’s greatest players.
Rangers ride out storm to pour more misery on Angels
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Azarenka to meet Serena in Madrid Open final
MADRID (Reuters) – Victoria Azarenka and Serena Williams
will square off for the Madrid Open title after the current and
former world number ones swept into the final with a minimum of
fuss on Saturday. Australian Open champion Azarenka took a step
closer to a fifth title of 2012 when she dispatched Agnieszka
Radwanska 6-2 6-4, before Williams, seeded ninth at the premier
event in the Spanish capital, crushed Czech qualifier Lucie
Hradecka 7-6 6-0.
NFL star Junior Seau celebrated at stadium memorial
SAN DIEGO (Reuters) – A crowd of 15,000 fans celebrated the
life of former football star Junior Seau in a memorial on
Friday at a San Diego stadium, as they cheered on his grieving
family and listened to speakers describe his generosity and
sense of humor. Seau, regarded as one of the best defensive NFL
players of his generation, died on May 2 at his home in
Oceanside, just north of San Diego, from a self-inflicted
gunshot to the chest, according to police. He left no suicide
note.
Groth fires down fastest recorded serve at 263kph
LONDON (Reuters) – Little known Australian player Sam Groth
has fired down the fastest recorded serve in professional
tennis, a 263kph rocket in a Challenger event in South Korea.
The ATP Tour said on Saturday that Groth, ranked 340 in the
world, produced the serve in a second-round match against
Belarusian Uladzimir Ignatik in Busan.
Grizzlies claw back Clippers, tie series at 3-3
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McIlroy misses Players cut, Tiger survives
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida (Reuters) – World number one
Rory McIlroy missed the cut at the Players Championship after
shooting a four-over-par 76 in Friday’s second round which
ended with a trio of Americans sharing the lead. Zach Johnson,
Kevin Na and Matt Kuchar were knotted at eight-under 136, a
shot clear of compatriot Harris English.
Tour of California starts on Sunday
SANTA ROSA, CALIFORNIA (Reuters) – The Tour of California,
the most prestigious annual cycling race in the United States,
gets underway on Sunday. A stellar field of 128 elite riders,
including eight UCI ProTour teams, have entered the eight-day
event that covers more than 735 miles through the jagged
mountains and spectacular coastlines of the Golden State.
Dodgers supersub Hairston put on disabled list
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Leader Johnson sees some of Augusta at Sawgrass
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida (Reuters) – American Zach
Johnson knows all about conquering the most challenging courses
after winning the Masters in 2007 and he says there is a
similar process in tackling this week’s venue, the TPC
Sawgrass. The 36-year-old matched the best score of the day
with a six-under-par 66 to surge into a three-way tie for the
second-round lead at the Players Championship on Friday while
world number one Rory McIlroy headed home early after missing
the cut.
