Tag: Team

Rafa Nadal, Carlos Alcaraz team up for doubles at Paris Olympics

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FILE–Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal attend The Netflix Slam at Michelob ULTRA Arena on March 03, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Chris Unger/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Chris Unger / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)

MADRID — Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz will play doubles together for Spain at the upcoming Paris Olympics, the Spanish tennis federation said Wednesday.

The announcement comes three days after the 21-year-old Alcaraz won the French Open for the first time — earning his third Grand Slam trophy.

The same courts used for the French Open each year will host Olympic tennis. Nadal has won the French Open a record 14 times.

Alcaraz, who will play in his first Olympics, is widely seen as the heir to Nadal in Spanish tennis, and has frequently remarked that Nadal was his childhood hero.

READ: Carlos Alcaraz hopes for dream Olympic doubles with Rafa Nadal

“Rafa and Carlos will be playing together in Paris,” said Spain captain David Ferrer while announcing the squad.

Alcaraz has set winning an Olympic medal for Spain as one of his top career goals. He said after winning at Roland Garros that this year he would prefer a gold medal at the Paris Olympics over successfully defending his Wimbledon title.

“The Olympic Games are every four years and it’s a special tournament where you’re not only playing for yourself, but for a country, representing every Spaniard,” the No. 2-ranked Alcaraz said. “I think this year I’d choose Olympic gold.”

The 38-year-old Nadal, who will also play singles, already owns Olympic gold medals in singles (2008) and doubles (2016 with Marc López) to go alongside his 22 Grand Slam titles.

Nadal, who lost to Alexander Zverev in the first round at Roland Garros this year, said this is likely his last year on tour after a series of injuries.

The other Spain players in the men’s Olympic team will be Pablo Carreño Busta, Alejandro Davidovich and Marcel Granollers.

Captain Anabel Medina picked No. 55 Sara Sorribes Tormo and No. 67 Cristina Bucsa — the top-ranked Spanish players — for the women’s team, with Paula Badosa deciding not to compete as she only has two more events to play while using her protected ranking.

Caitlin Clark left off USA Basketball team for Paris Olympics

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FILE–Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark ( 22) in the first half of a WNBA basketball game, Tuesday, May 14, 2024, in Uncasville, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

Caitlin Clark won’t be headed to the Paris Olympics, according to a person familiar with the decision.

The person, who provided the full roster to The Associated Press, spoke on condition of anonymity Saturday because no official announcement has been made.

The decision was first reported by The Athletic.

Clark does have some international experience with USA Basketball at a younger level, but she wasn’t able to make the national training camp in Cleveland after she was invited because she was leading Iowa to the Final Four. Clark finished her career as the NCAA’s Division I all-time scoring leader.

TEAM: Caitlin Clark named to Team USA training roster

Clark, now a rookie with the Indiana Fever, has drawn millions of new fans to women’s basketball in her college career and also in her young WNBA career.

While Clark won’t be headed to Paris, the U.S. is expected to take five-time gold medalist Diana Taurasi for a sixth Olympics. Taurasi will be joined by Phoenix Mercury teammate Brittney Griner.

This will be Griner’s first time playing internationally since she was detained in a Russian prison for 10 months in 2022. She said she’ll only play abroad with USA Basketball.

READ: Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever hope break can help turn around season

Joining the pair will be Olympic veterans Breanna Stewart, A’ja Wilson, Napheesa Collier, Jewell Loyd and Chelsea Gray. Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young, who helped the U.S. win the inaugural 3×3 gold medal at the Tokyo Games in 2021, will also be on the team.

A bunch of first time Olympians will be on the team with Alyssa Thomas, Sabrina Ionescu and Kahleah Copper. All three played on the American team which won the World Cup in Australia in 2022.

The U.S. women have won every gold medal in women’s basketball since the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

Taurasi, who turns 42 before the Paris Games begin, will break the record for most Olympics played in the sport of basketball. Five players, including former teammate Sue Bird, have competed in five.

The U.S. team will get together to train for a few days in Phoenix in July. Then its off to London for an exhibition game against Germany before heading to France.

The Americans will play Japan, Belgium and Germany in pool play at the Olympics.

Porzingis a big problem for Mavericks team that cast him off

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Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis (8) celebrates a 3-pointer, near Dallas Mavericks center Daniel Gafford (21) during the first half of Game 1 of basketball’s NBA Finals on Thursday, June 6, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

BOSTON — The Mavericks couldn’t figure out how best to utilize big man Kristaps Porzingis during his three seasons in Dallas.

Three years later, the Mavericks now have a big Porzingis problem in the NBA Finals.

Dallas coach Jason Kidd said before the start of the series that he didn’t think Porzingis received nearly enough praise for his ability as a shot blocker and someone who can alter opponents’ shots.

The 7-footer did both in his rousing return to the court in Boston’s 107-89 Game 1 victory, while also providing a scoring punch — 20 points in 21 minutes of action — that jumpstarted the blowout.

It was a full display of his skillset by Boston that was never fully used during Porzingis’ time in Dallas.

READ: NBA FinalPorzingis, Celtics open NBA Finals with big win over Mavericks

“He plays his role,” Kidd said. “I think that’s one of the things that’s underrated about KP. When you ask him to do something, he does it. He doesn’t complain about his role. He goes out there and tries to help his team win.”

What’s more, he did it in his first game back after missing more than a month of action because of a strained right calf muscle.

“Even if I have time off, I can jump right back in and I feel the same way,” Porzingis said. “I know how to do this. That’s it, just having that confidence, going out there whatever, first round or Finals, just going out there with full confidence and giving what I have to the team.”

Kidd got to work with Porzingis for only 34 games during the 2021-22 season before he was dealt at the trade deadline to the Wizards. It was an acknowledgement by the Mavs that his use in a system in which he was asked to split time between posting up and shooting 3-pointers didn’t mesh with star Luka Doncic.

“We’re judged if it works or doesn’t work. That’s just part of the business,” Kidd said.

There’s also the risk that trading away a player of Porzingis’ caliber could eventually come back to bite.

READ: Porzingis plans to be ready for Game 1 of NBA Finals vs Mavericks

In Game 1 it did, with Porzingis igniting an early 17-5 run to help Boston take a 17-point first quarter lead.

But it’s what he did on the defensive end throughout the game that made just as much of an impact.

Two of Porzingis’ three blocks were at the rim — one each on Derrick Jones Jr. and Josh Green. He also blocked a pullup jumper by Kyrie Irving.

Dallas’ primary big men, Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively, combined to go 4 for 4 from the field and scored 10 points. But they had no blocks and only eight rebounds.

“He looked pretty healthy to me,” Gafford said of Porzingis. “We have to find a way to match his energy and physicality.”

Porzingis’ presence in the paint also kept Irving and Doncic quiet. The duo, who had devastated opponents this postseason in the pick-and-roll by garnering 78 dunks or layups off their passes, managed only one such play in Game 1.

“That’s what he’s been doing his whole career. He’s a great player. He’s been great for us. The reason why we are here is because of what he’s done,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said of Porzingis. “What he did for us (in Game 1) was big and we need that for the rest of the series.”

If Porzingis keeps this production up, combined with the Celtics’ other weapons, it may be too formidable for Dallas to match.

But the Mavericks are vowing to try.

“We just have to be better. We know that,” Kidd said. “Boston is a really good team, and so we’ve got to be better on Sunday.