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Inter Milan have appointed former Juventus and Chelsea manager Antonio Conte, the club announced on Friday.
Conte's replaces Luciano Spalletti, who was sacked after two seasons with the club. The Nerazzurri finished fourth in the Serie A standings on the final day of the season thanks to a 2-1 win over Empoli, qualifying for the Champions League.
Conte is also reunited with highly regarded former Juventus chief executive Beppe Marotta. The pair worked closely together to lead Juventus to three consecutive league titles between 2011 and 2014 before Conte left to manage Italy and then Chelsea, where he won the Premier League title in his first season and ended his second with triumph in the FA Cup.
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Antonio Conte will be Inter's new Coach!#WelcomeAntonio pic.twitter.com/kFk8tktl7z
— Inter (@Inter_en) May 31, 2019
Conte has been out of work since being sacked by Chelsea last summer, due in large part to a lengthy and acrimonious legal battle which only ended this month with a Premier League manager's arbitration tribunal ruling in his favour.
Chelsea have been ordered to pay Conte around £9 million -- the amount owed for the final unfulfilled year of his contract at Stamford Bridge -- and the Italian, now free to resume his career, has returned to Serie A.
Conte's blend of touchline passion and winning tactics made him hugely popular with the majority of Chelsea supporters, but his relationship with the board became damaged beyond repair, highlighted by his repeated public and private complaints about transfer policy.
He also clashed with Diego Costa and David Luiz, while others began to grow weary of his methods. In the wake of Chelsea's FA Cup win in 2018, Willian obscured Conte in a team celebration photograph posted on his Instagram account.
Conte's refusal to resign unless the final year of his contract was paid in full, coupled with Chelsea's delay in securing Maurizio Sarri from Napoli as his replacement, created an ugly public standoff that resulted in him leading the first few days of preseason before being sacked on July 13.
Chelsea withheld Conte's compensation, claiming that several of his actions -- including his decision to inform Costa by text message that he was no longer in his plans -- had led him to breach his contract.
Meanwhile, sources have told ESPN FC that Conte argued that Chelsea's delay in sacking him resulted in him missing out on potential job opportunities elsewhere, with Paris Saint-Germain appointing Thomas Tuchel and Real Madrid turning to Julen Lopetegui prior to his departure.
Blues' Sundqvist suspended for Game 3 after hit
ST. LOUIS -- Blues forward Oskar Sundqvist has been suspended for Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final for delivering an elbow to the head of Boston Bruins defenseman Matt Grzelcyk.
The NHL's department of player safety announced the suspension Thursday after a hearing with Sundqvist, who was assessed only a two-minute minor penalty for boarding for the hit that knocked Grzelcyk out of Game 2 and possibly longer.
Sundqvist and Grzelcyk are each out for Game 3 on Saturday. Grzelcyk didn't travel with the Bruins, and coach Bruce Cassidy said the 25-year-old was in concussion protocol and considered day-to-day.
"I know they're trying to get those hits out of the game," Boston coach Bruce Cassidy said. Either Steven Kampfer or John Moore will go in for Grzelcyk.
While some Bruins players were reluctant to weigh in on the hit, former Blues captain David Backes was critical in the aftermath of Wednesday's Game 2.
"It's from behind, elevated, into his head, into the glass," Backes said. "If that's a two-minute penalty, I think there's going to be a shortage of defensemen in this series by the end of it. That's in somebody else's hands. That's something I think if I'm making that hit, I'm probably watching from the bleachers for a few."
Losing Sundqvist is another blow for St. Louis, which had already been without injured forward Robert Thomas and defenseman Vince Dunn.
"He's a big part of our team," captain Alex Pietrangelo said about Sundqvist. "He plays big minutes night in and night out and in every situation."
Blues coach Craig Berube didn't want to elaborate on Thomas' status but said upon landing that Dunn was close to returning after missing five games for a puck to the face. He gave no indication whether Zach Sanford would step in to the vacant forward spot or if St. Louis might instead dress seven defensemen.
After Robby Fabbri stepped in for Thomas in the Blues' Game 2 overtime victory and defensemen who had sat out are now contributing, Berube isn't worried about his team's depth in this situation.
"It's been a big factor, for sure, not only in the playoffs but throughout the last month or two in the season," Berube said. "Our depth is tremendous on the back end and up front. We use everybody. It's been very important."
SEATTLE -- Brad Ausmus disappointed countless Japanese baseball fans Thursday with one decision.
"Japanese baseball fans don't like me right now. Tell them I'm sorry," Ausmus joked.
The first-year Los Angeles Angels manager ruined the potential matchup between Japanese stars Shohei Ohtani and Seattle's Yusei Kikuchi in the series opener with his decision to sit Ohtani. It would have been the first meeting between the pair in the majors. The duo faced each other in five at-bats when they played in Nippon Professional Baseball.
But that first meeting in the majors will have to wait.
"There is a very good chance they will end up facing each other at some point so I wasn't overly concerned about that," Ausmus said.
Ausmus stressed it was strictly a baseball decision and the plan all along was to rest Ohtani at least one day during the Seattle series with the Mariners set to throw three left-handed starters in the four games. Ausmus liked how Ohtani matched up against Tommy Milone and Marco Gonzales better than he did Kikuchi. Milone and Gonzales will start Saturday and Sunday.
Ohtani has played in 19 games and is hitting .237 with two homers and 11 RBI after missing the start of the season while recovering from Tommy John surgery on his right elbow.
Kikuchi got the upper-hand in their limited meetings while playing professionally in Japan, striking out Ohtani three of the five official at-bats. Ohtani did have a single and double in the two other plate appearances.
Ohtani and Kikuchi both attended Hanamaki Higashi High School in Japan but were never teammates. It would have been the second matchup against former Japanese high school teammates in the majors. In 2007, Colorado's Kazuo Matsui and Pittsburgh's Masumi Kuwata faced off in the sixth inning of a game between the Rockies and Pirates. Matsui grounded out. The duo had attended PL Gakuen High School in Osaka.
Seattle manager Scott Servais deadpanned he would have preferred a different name being left out of the Angels lineup.
"He left (Mike) Trout in there," Servais joked.
Leading names assert authority, title hopes alive
Most significantly in class 4, it was a good day for Serbia.
Two groups in the initial phase of proceedings, Borislava Peric-Rankovic, the top seed, remained unbeaten to reserve first place in her group, colleague Nada Matic upset the odds. She beat Germany’s Sandra Mikolaschek, the no.2 seed, in five games (11-9, 8-11, 6-11, 11-4, 11-6) to claim top spot.
Defeat for Sandra Mikolaschek but not the end of the road; it was her only reverse of the day; thus second place in the group was secured and a passport to the main draw. In all para events where there are two stages, first and second in each group advance to the knock-out rounds.
Problems for the second seed in class 4, it was the same in class 11. Russia’s Elena Prokofeva, the top seed, remained unbeaten but for host nation’s Krystyna Lysiak, the name at the head of the corresponding group, it was different scenario. She finished in runners up spot losing to Hong Kong’s Ng Ming Wui (11-5, 11-9, 12-10).
Testing times but main draw places booked; for the remaining principal names it was success without great alarm.
In group events organised on an all-play-all basis, in class 1-2 Russia’s Nadejda Pushpsasheva ended the day the only unbeaten player. Similarly, in class 9, Poland’s Karolina Pek maintained a perfect record as did Germany’s Lena Kramm, a situation that applied also in class 10. Turkey’s Merve Demir, the top seed, enjoyed a successful day as did Croatia’s Mirjana Lucic.
Meanwhile, in competitions where two stages were involved, Croatia’s Andela Muzinic and Slovakia’s Alena Kanova, the leading names in class 3, remained unbeaten as in class 5 did Jordan’s Khetam Abuawad and Sweden’s Raisa Chebanika.
Similarly, in class 6, Russia’s Raisa Chebanika and Poland’s Katarzyna Marszal secured first positions in their respective groups, as in class 7-8 did Norway’s Aida Dahlen and Germany’s Juliane Wolf.
Play in the women’s singles events concludes on Friday 31st May.
2019 Para Polish Open: Latest results and main draws
Favourites advance but Colin Judge and Boris Travincek attract attention
Competing in class 3, Colin Judge secured first place in his group contrary to status by beating Germany’s Jan Guertler, the no.5 seed (11-5, 11-9, 11-8); disappointment for Jan Guertler but not for his colleagues Thomas Schmidberger and Thomas Brüchle, the respective top two seeds, both ended the day in first places in their respective groups, main draw places booked.
Similarly in class 4, Boris Travincek accounted for the host nation’s Rafal Lis, the no.3 seed (11-13, 11-9, 11-9, 8-11, 11-6) duly remaining unbeaten to top the group.
Moreover, in class 4 somewhat different to the other events, the early rounds were played in the main draw; Boris Travincek maintained his form, he beat Chile’s Cristian Gonzalez (15-13, 11-7, 12-10) to reserve his place in the semi-finals. He now meets Turkey’s Abdulla Ozturk, the top seed; in the opposite half of the draw, also from Turkey Nesim Turan, the no.2 seed, opposes the host nation’s Krszysztof Zylka.
Surprise outcome but success for the top seeded names; it was the same in the remaining wheelchair classes.
In class 1, play organised on a group basis, Hungary’s Endre Major, the top seed, remained unbeaten as did Russia’s Dmitry Lavrov. Meanwhile in class 2, Frenchman Fabien Lamirault and the host nation’s Rafal Czuper, the leading names on duty, ended the day unbeaten as in class 5 did Turkey’s Ali Ozturk and Germany’s Valentin Baus.
Play in the men’s singles wheelchair events concludes on Friday 31st May.
2019 Para Polish Open: Latest results and main draws
Chileans find form, Cristian Dettoni and Matias Pino excel
Competing in class 6, notably Cristian Dettoni beat Frenchman Bastien Grundeler, the no.3 seed (11-9, 12-10, 11-13, 11-7), Matias Pino accounted for Spain’s Alberto Seoane, the no.4 seed (11-4, 11-6, 11-8). The consolation for Bastien Grundeler and Alberto Seoane being that it was their only defeat, second place and thus progress to the main draw was achieved.
Defeats for the second and third seeds, there were no such problems for the top two seeds; both Spain’s Alvaro Valera and Romania’s Bobi Simion remained unbeaten to secure first positions.
Problems for notable names, in class 7, the problems were even greater. Spain’s Jordi Morales, the top seed secured first place in his group, before in the main draw overcoming Sweden’s Jonas Hansson (7-11, 11-7, 8-11, 12-10, 11-7). However, for the Czech Republic’s Daniel Horut it was third place behind Poland’s Michal Deigsler and Sweden’s Niklas Westerberg.
Similarly, there were problems for Hong Kong’s Lee Ming Yip; he finished in second place in his group behind Slovakia’s Miroslav Jambor, before in the opening round losing to Michal Deigsler (11-7, 8-11, 11-4, 12-10).
Testing experiences; for Great Britain, it was differing fortunes. In class 9, Josh Stacey beat Spain’s Juan Perez, the no.2 seed (11-7, 11-7, 11-8) to secure first place in his group; conversely in class 10, Kim Daybell, the no.2 seed, lost to Bas Hegerlink of the Netherlands. One surprise in class 10 and there was another, the Czech Republic’s Ivan Karabec accounted for Frenchman, Mateo Boheas, the no.3 seed (11-8, 9-11, 11-6, 6-11, 11-9).
Disappointments but for Juan Perez, Kim Daybell and Mateo Boheas it was second position and progress; for Belgium’s Laurens Devos, the top seed in class 9 and Poland’s Patryk Chojnowski, the leading name in class 10, it was first place in the group with alarm bells sounding.
Meanwhile, in the remaining men’s singles standing category, in class 8, Sweden’s Emil Andersson and Poland’s Marcin Skrzynecki, the leading names topped their respective groups as in class 11, the event for players with learning difficulties, did Belgium’s Florian Van Acker and Hungary’s Peter Palos.
Play in the men’s singles standing events concludes on Friday 31st May.
2019 Para Polish Open: Latest results and main draws
SPEED SPORT’s Jacob Seelman recently caught up with David Gravel to discuss his transition to Jason Johnson Racing and his early season success with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series.
The National Women's Hockey League is canceling plans to add a pair of Canadian teams for the 2019-20 season for now and making clear it is open to doing what's best for women's hockey.
Even if that means a new league.
The NWHL made clear in a post on its website Thursday titled "We'll Always Do What's Best for the Game'' that league officials would be happy to talk.
"If any individuals or groups come forward and declare they are ready to start and invest in a new league where women can receive a substantial full-time salary and medical insurance, we would be ecstatic to have a conversation about a partnership or passing the torch,'' the league wrote.
More than 200 of the world's top female players announced May 2 that they will not play professional hockey in North America at all this year in a bold attempt to establish a single, economically viable professional league. They also formed a new Professional Women's Hockey Players Association earlier this month.
The NWHL says the next season will start in October with five returning teams in the Boston Pride, Connecticut Whale, Buffalo Beauts, Metropolitan Riveters and Minnesota Whitecaps. The league says whether more teams are added for this season will remain an option for a few more weeks.
Kim Pegula and Pegula Sports gave back ownership of the Beauts to the NWHL earlier this month. The NWHL announced last week increased salaries and a 50-50 split of sponsor-related revenues and improved benefits in an agreement reached with its players' union.
Once the Canadian Women's Hockey League announced it would be ceasing operations May 1 due to financial issues, NWHL commissioner Dani Rylan told The Associated Press in April that the league's board had approved an investment plan to establish teams in Toronto and Montreal.
On Thursday, the NWHL said whether more teams will be added this season remains an "open-ended question'' for a few more weeks.
"We are exploring all options to build our league,'' according to the NWHL.
The NWHL wrote that the league had secured the investment needed to add at least two more teams.
"To expand properly, as we did in Minnesota, time, cooperation and preparation is required,'' according to the NWHL post. "We would love to have more teams in 2019-20 and will make it happen if there is a spirit of partnership from all sides. Unless there is a change of heart soon, we will revisit expansion for the 2020-21 season.''
Mickelson on USGA ahead of U.S. Open: 'They don't know how to control themselves'
DUBLIN, Ohio – It’s already been a tough week for the USGA following a scathing story in Golf Digest that criticized the association, but on Thursday following his round at the Memorial, Phil Mickelson didn’t have any interest in pulling his punches.
“I've played, what, 29 U.S. Opens. One hundred percent of time they have messed it up if it doesn't rain,” Mickelson said. “The rain is the governor. That's the only governor they have. And if they don't have a governor they don't know how to control themselves.”
Mickelson had been asked if he was confident that the USGA wouldn’t make any of the same mistakes that have marred the last few U.S. Opens when the championship returns to Pebble Beach in two weeks.
“It's just based on history. My 30 years, and 30 years before that. I think we're all pulling for a little rain,” Mickelson said.
Mickelson sparked controversy at last year’s U.S. Open when he raced after his putt on the 13th green while it was still moving during the third round and hit the ball on his way to a two-stroke penalty.
“My anger and frustration got the best of me,” Mickelson later said. “I'm embarrassed and disappointed by my actions. It was clearly not my finest moment and I'm sorry.”
Jessica Andrade, the UFC's newest champion, was carjacked at gunpoint Wednesday in Brazil, her manager Tiago Okamura confirmed to ESPN after Andrade posted about it on social media. MMA Fighting was the first to report the news.
Andrade was driving her Honda H-RV in Niteroi, Brazil, with her wife, Fernanda Gomes, in the passenger seat when men pulled out guns and stopped the vehicle. Okamura said the men took the car and the two women's phones, wallets and identification. He said Andrade and Gomes were unharmed in the robbery.
"In the end, we are just happy she and her wife are safe," Okamura said. "With this kind of situation, things can go south really quick, so good thing it all ended up with just material loss."
Early Thursday morning, Andrade posted to her Instagram a plea for help in finding the vehicle that was taken.
Andrade (20-6) defeated Rose Namajunas to win the UFC women's strawweight title at UFC 237 on May 11 in Rio de Janeiro. The Brazil native is on a four-fight winning streak. Andrade, 27, has just one loss dating back to 2015 and is ESPN's No. 4 ranked pound-for-pound women's MMA fighter in the world.
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