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Sports
Djokovic Wins Wimbledon Crown
Cavendish Withdraws From Tour De France Cycling British sprinter Mark Cavendish pulled out of the Tour de France on Sunday with a serious shoulder injury likely to require surgery. Cavendish, with his arm in a sling underneath his sweatshirt, said outside the team bus before the start of the second stage that he was “absolutely devastated.” The 29-year-old sprinter known as the “Manx Missile” had made the Tour his main goal this season but saw his hopes of winning his first yellow jersey disappear on Saturday when he hit the ground near the finish of the first stage in his mother’s hometown of Harrogate, England. Meanwhile, Italy’s Vincenzo Nibali outfoxed other Tour de France title contenders to win a hilly second stage through Yorkshire countryside on Sunday, wresting the overall race leader’s yellow jersey. The Astana team leader pointed a finger skyward as he burst out of a 125-mile ride over nine rolling ascents and through the heath of northern England. Belgium’s Greg van Avermaet was second and Michal Kwiatkowski of Poland was third, each t wo seconds behind. (AP)
Novak Djokovic’s large lead in the rollicking Wimbledon final was slipping away, due in no small part to Roger Federer’s regal presence and resurgent play. No man has won tennis’ oldest major tournament more often than Federer, and he was not about to let it go easily. Djokovic went from being a point from victory in the fourth set to suddenly caught in the crucible of a fifth, and he knew all too well that he repeatedly had come up short in recent Grand Slam title matches. Steeling himself when he so desperately needed to, and steadying his weary legs, Serbia’s Djokovic held on for a 6-7 (7), 6-4, 7-6 (4), 5-7, 6-4 victory after nearly four hours of momentum shifts Sunday to win Wimbledon for the second time — and deny Switzerland’s Federer what would have been a record eighth championship at the
Novak Djokovic celebrates his Wimbledon triumph, his seventh Grand Slam title and a win that vaults him to No. 1 in men’s tennis.
All England Club. In truth, after so much drama, the ending was anticlimactic. Trailing 5-4 in the fifth set but serving, Federer missed four groundstrokes, pushing a backhand into the net on Djokovic’s second match point. Victory his, Djokovic knelt on the most hallowed tennis court in the world, plucked a blade of grass and shoved it in his mouth,
just as he did after his 2011 Wimbledon title. He dedicated this victory to his pregnant fiancee “and our future baby,” and to Jelena Gencic, his first tennis coach, who died last year. “It was a great match to be part of. He’s a magnificent champion and a great example of a great athlete and great role model for many kids,” Djokovic said during the oncourt ceremony, cradling the tro-
phy in his left arm. Then, addressing Federer directly, Djokovic said: “I respect your career and everything you have done. And thank you for letting me win today.” Even Federer had to smile at that line. “It was close, you know,” Federer said. “Novak deserved it at the end, clearly, but it was extremely close.” HOWARD FENDRICH (AP)
Brazil Moves On, Sans Neymar World Cup Even without Neymar, Brazil’s show must go on. The World Cup hosts, now forced to play without their injured superstar, will face Germany on Tuesday for a spot in next weekend’s final. Neymar fractured a vertebra in his lower back in Brazil’s quarterfinal win over Colombia on Friday, ruling him out for the rest of the tournament. But despite having to stay off the field, the 22-yearold striker with the dyed-blond fauxhawk is still expecting Brazil to win its sixth World Cup title. “I won’t be able to fulfill the dream of playing in a World Cup
RICARDO STUCKERT-CBF (AP)
Mark Cavendish collided with another rider Saturday in the Tour de France.
Wimbledon
PAVEL GOLOVKIN (AP)
CHRISTOPHE ENA (AP)
Serbian squeaks by Federer in five-set match at All England
Brazilian star Neymar was airlifted to the hospital after his injury Friday.
final,” Neymar said, “but I’m sure they will win this one, they will become champions, and I will be there with them, and all of Brazil
will be celebrating together.” His play on the field lived up to the immense hype surrounding him — his face is plastered on billboards around the country and constantly shown in TV. Neymar scored four goals in the group stage and continued to make an impact — albeit without any more goals — in the knockout games until he took a knee in the back from Colombian defender Camilo Zuniga late in the match against Colombia. The question for Brazil now, however, is who will step up to replace Neymar as the focal point of the attack? The much-maligned Fred has been largely ineffective so far, while Hulk has also failed to score for the hosts. TALES A ZZONI (AP)
REMEMBER HIM?
Adu Gets a Chance Freddy Adu is starting a trial with AZ Alkmaar. The Dutch club announced the trial on Sunday on its website. Adu, a 25-year-old attacker, has struggled since making his debut at age 14 for D.C. United in 2004, the youngest player in Major League Soccer history. He last played for Brazil’s Bahia in 2013. (AP)