ALL THE WAY back during Game 1 of these NBA Finals, before the Toronto Raptors had the two-time defending champion Golden State Warriors dazed and on the ropes, one play illustrates the most underappreciated aspect of Kawhi Leonard's absurd 2019 postseason.

The Warriors had scored a couple of baskets to cut their deficit to eight points, and desperately needed a stop to maintain their momentum -- and it looked as if they were just about to get it. With 1:31 left, Stephen Curry forced a tough, contested Kyle Lowry fadeaway from the left elbow just before the shot clock expired.

But just as Lowry was letting his shot fly, Leonard sprinted in from just above the top of the 3-point arc to snag the offensive board inside the restricted area. The play ended with a Draymond Green foul, sending Fred VanVleet to the line for free throws that sealed the outcome.

It's easy for a sequence like that to get lost, particularly when it comes to Leonard. Compile his most impressive plays and accomplishments this postseason, and this one wouldn't even sniff the list: It doesn't compete with the bouncy, historic buzzer-beater he hit to win Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. It can't eclipse how he turned around the conference finals after limiting Giannis Antetokounmpo to just 20 points per game on 43% shooting over the last four games in that series. It's hardly as impressive as the 30 or more points that Leonard has tallied 14 times since the playoffs began.

But it would be a mistake to overlook Leonard's 47 offensive rebounds this postseason, which ranks third among all players. And that number doesn't capture what's perhaps most extraordinary about the impact he has had as a rebounder.

To appreciate that, you have to consider the number of times the 27-year-old star has launched himself into the paint to grab a miss he had no business getting to in the first place.

So far this postseason, Leonard has grabbed a league-high 12 offensive rebounds where he had to move 15 feet or more from where he was standing at the time a jump shot was released, according to a SportVU analysis of Second Spectrum data. That's more than twice as many as the next-closest player, and represents more than a third of all the offensive boards off of missed jumpers that he has grabbed.

And much like that play toward the end of Game 1, a number of Leonard's long-distance offensive rebounds have come during the most critical moments of the playoffs.

Consider Game 5 against the Milwaukee Bucks: Up one point with less than two minutes to go, Leonard launched a triple from the left wing, and -- sensing he had short-armed it -- ran in to grab the miss underneath the rim, beating an entire crowd to the ball. Antetokounmpo, whistled for a foul right after the rebound, clapped his hands together in frustration. Leonard hit both free throws to push his team's lead to three, the closest Milwaukee would get the rest of the way, as Toronto held on to win the pivotal game 105-99.

Then in the series-ending Game 6, with a minute left and the Raptors up by five, Leonard swooped in from the free throw line to nab a short miss by Pascal Siakam -- once again coming up with not only a winning play but also a ball he wasn't supposed to secure.

THIS PAST WEEK Leonard was asked about a now-viral old saying from his college days -- "The board man gets paid" -- and gave his perspective on the value of rebounding.

"I used to say that when I was in high school and college, just wanting to get to this league," Leonard said. "It's about working hard, basically. Outworking the opponent. Rebounds help you win games. Big rebounds, offensive rebounds. Limiting the opponent to one shot. That used to be our motto, some of us in college that were trying to get to this point."

Now that Leonard has gotten to this point, he has become such a dominant presence that even the most routine-looking rebound opportunities aren't safe for opposing defenses.

Take a third-quarter possession from Game 3 of the East semifinals against the Philadelphia 76ers. About 30 seconds into the period, Lowry drove to his left around JJ Redick, but left a layup short. Redick shielded Lowry from grabbing the miss, and Philadelphia point guard Ben Simmons was there to retrieve the ball to head back up the floor. But seemingly out of nowhere, Leonard shot through the lane and got his massive left hand on the ball, wresting control of it for himself and Toronto.

So how does Leonard actually do this? His enormous wingspan -- a remarkable 7-foot-3 span atop a 6-foot-7 frame -- and strength are obvious factors, and his split-second speed catches plenty of opposing players off guard. But it is also the wisdom of knowing the right time to take that sort of risk; especially against a team like the Warriors, who posted the highest effective field goal percentage in transition during the regular season.

Raptors coach Nick Nurse says he has only one rule for offensive rebounding: His players must be decisive, to avoid getting caught in no man's land, in a spot where they have neither the ability to make an impact on the glass nor a chance to get back on defense. And Leonard has excelled at that. He has opted to crash the boards from 15 feet out about twice as frequently as the average NBA player this postseason, yet he has been successful -- and secured boards from that far away -- almost 39% of the time. That's well above the league average of 30% on such offensive rebounding attempts.

The metrics speak to how sound Leonard's approach -- and by extension, Toronto's approach -- often is, even when he's gambling.

Ask Danny Green, Leonard's teammate for the past eight years, and he'll say that he isn't surprised when he sees a Leonard-sized blur fly past him to steal an offensive rebound. But what about the slumped shoulders and contorted faces he sees afterward from the defense? Green says that never gets old.

"Those plays change the energy, flow and momentum completely. They're game-winning plays," Green said. "It drains the life out of them whenever he does it."

James Harden of the Houston Rockets, Anthony Davis of the New Orleans Pelicans, free-agent-to-be Kemba Walker and Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers headline Team USA's provisional roster that was released Monday for this summer's FIBA World Cup in China.

San Antonio Spurs great Gregg Popovich will make his debut as the national team's head coach. He and Team USA managing director Jerry Colangelo have followed the formula of past teams as they've stocked the roster with shooters and big men, which are vital in the international game.

A total of 20 players have been invited to training camp, which will be held in Las Vegas in early August. There will be 12 who make the final roster, with the tournament starting on Sept. 1 with pool play games in Shanghai.

In addition to the star guards, perimeter scoring specialists Bradley Beal of the Washington Wizards, CJ McCollum of the Blazers, Khris Middleton of the Milwaukee Bucks, Eric Gordon of the Houston Rockets, Harrison Barnes of the Sacramento Kings and Kyle Lowry of the Toronto Raptors are on the roster.

Good shooting big men joining Davis include free agent Tobias Harris and Kevin Love of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Defensive specialist big men Andre Drummond of the Detroit Pistons and Myles Turner of the Indiana Pacers are also on the provisional roster.

"This group of players was picked for a variety of different reasons," Popovich said. "Some similar, but you'll find some who are already stars, others who have improved year in and year out and others who are budding stars. Each of them certainly deserves the honor to have the opportunity to try out for the team."

In addition, Popovich has added six new players who haven't previously been on the national team. They are a mix of old and young, specialists and stars. Notably, current free agent Brook Lopez has been invited after his spectacular season with the Milwaukee Bucks. Los Angeles Lakers promising forward Kyle Kuzma has also been picked. Utah Jazz star Donovan Mitchell, Boston Celtics young wing Jayson Tatum plus veteran defensive aces P.J. Tucker of the Houston Rockets and Paul Millsap, who is a free agent, will also be considered.

"It was important in the selection to have young players, older players, players who are going to become stars in time," said Popovich. "I think that was important for the mix."

"We've spent a great deal of time this year going through rosters for a lot of different reasons selecting the players we did," added Colangelo. "It's quite a group of individuals who have accomplished a great deal in their collegiate and, more importantly, their NBA careers. Everyone has real strong credentials, and we are pleased with the mix of talent."

A group of other young players, including rookie Zion Williamson, is expected to take part in training camp as part of the USA Select Team that will be announced later.

Jeff Van Gundy, former head coach of the New York Knicks and Rockets and current ESPN NBA analyst, will coach the Select Team.

"Jeff has been incredible and few people will know what he has done," Popovich said." He was our first choice to be able to put this together and make it a team as quickly as possible. He's a big part of all of this."

Team USA hasn't lost in major international competition since 2006 and has won the past two World Cups, the last in Spain in 2014. The core of this roster is expected to play for the national team under Popovich next summer at the Olympics in Tokyo.

David Griffin, New Orleans' executive vice president of basketball operations, has started to provide potential suitors with the framework of the package he is seeking in a trade for All-NBA forward Anthony Davis, including multiteam scenarios that would expand the Pelicans' pool of assets in a deal, league sources told ESPN.

So far, Los Angeles and New York teams --- the Clippers, Lakers, Knicks and Nets -- have been among the front offices inquiring with New Orleans, league sources said.

The Boston Celtics have long considered a run at Davis, but they must take into consideration the future of free agent Kyrie Irving before committing to a significant offer.

The success of the Kawhi Leonard rental in Toronto has also seemed to embolden factions of Davis' nonpreferred and smaller-market destinations to inquire with New Orleans on trades, league sources said.

According to front offices that have engaged in conversations with Griffin, he hasn't sounded convinced that one team is likely to fulfill his wishes for a Davis deal. To that end, Griffin has been working to find multiteam trade scenarios that could redirect assets for players or picks more preferable to the Pelicans, sources said.

For example, those sorts of scenarios could include the Lakers helping to find a team that hypothetically values Los Angeles' young players more than New Orleans does, or New York could flip its two first future first-round picks via the Dallas Mavericks into players the Pelicans prefer. New Orleans seems determined to be creative in constructing a deal to maximize the return on Davis, one of the NBA's elite talents.

Griffin has offered teams no firm timetable on needing a completed deal, but he has indicated that he prefers the acquisition of 2019 draft picks be completed days prior to the June 20 event in Brooklyn, league sources said. This gives the Pelicans a chance to meet and more closely examine draft candidates slotted in the vicinity of picks potentially traded to New Orleans.

The Knicks and Lakers hold the Nos. 3 and 4 picks in this month's draft, respectively, and those are prime trade assets for the Pelicans to consider.

Griffin is pursuing a combination of assets that include an All-Star player, a young player with All-Star potential and two first-round picks, league sources said. Those wants are on a sliding scale. For example, the better the player, the softer the requests on the draft picks -- and vice versa.

That's certainly a starting place in trade talks, but there remains uncertainty on how many assets teams will be willing to move for Davis, who could leave as a free agent next July.

In whatever deal the Pelicans make, Griffin wants the assets to continue building a Western Conference playoff team around guard Jrue Holiday and the projected No. 1 overall pick, forward Zion Williamson, sources said.

For now, a Davis trade looms as a premium free-agent recruiting tool for those big-market teams engaged with New Orleans. For example, Brooklyn and New York are pursuing Davis to partner with the likes of Kevin Durant or Irving once free agency begins June 30.

Davis, 26, requested a trade in January -- with the Lakers as a primary destination -- but negotiations never gained traction. Those talks were led by New Orleans general manager Dell Demps and Lakers president Magic Johnson -- both of whom are no longer employed in those positions.

The Pelicans hired Griffin in April, and he immediately embarked on a campaign to convince Davis to reconsider his desire to leave the franchise. Davis is eligible to sign a five-year, $235.5 million supermax contract starting in July.

SAN ANTONIO -- Former Spurs guard Tony Parker, a four-time NBA champion, told ESPN's The Undefeated that he is retiring after 18 seasons.

"I'm going to retire. ... I decided that I'm not going to play basketball anymore," Parker told The Undefeated.

Parker, 37, retires with 1,254 regular-season games played, having averaged 15.5 points, 5.6 assists and 2.7 rebounds per game.

The Spurs selected Parker with the 28th overall pick in the 2001 NBA draft. He formed a core with Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili that won four titles. The 6-foot-2, 185-pound Parker was the first European to become an NBA Finals MVP (in 2007).

The six-time All-Star played for the Spurs from 2001 to 2018 and played his final season with the Charlotte Hornets in 2018-19.

Parker told The Undefeated in an interview on June 1 in San Antonio that he is at peace with his decision to retire. He wanted his retirement announcement to be released Monday.

"A lot of different stuff ultimately led me to this decision," Parker said. "But at the end of the day, I was like, if I can't be a Tony Parker anymore and I can't play for a championship, I don't want to play basketball anymore."

Parker also tweeted about his retirement Monday.

?? It's with a lot of emotion that I retire from basketball, it was an incredible journey! Even in my wildest dreams, I never thought I would live all those unbelievable moments with the NBA and the French National Team.
Thank you for everything! https://t.co/YKqTlnkG90

— Tony Parker (@tonyparker) June 10, 2019

Parker will be best known for being a member of the Spurs' Big Three, with Duncan and Ginobili, while being coached by Gregg Popovich.

They played together from 2002 to 2016 and won titles in 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2014. One of the most successful trios in NBA history, they played over 1,000 games together. Duncan retired in 2016, Ginobili retired in 2018, and both have since had their jerseys retired by the Spurs. The team is expected to retire Parker's No. 9 jersey as well.

"Tony Parker obviously has had an amazing career. I've had a blessing to be with him since he was 19 years old," Popovich said.

Parker told Duncan and Ginobili he was retiring during a recent lunch in San Antonio.

"They were like, 'Are you sure?'" Parker said. "And I was like, 'Yeah, I'm sure.' And so, they're like, 'If you're sure, man, I'm so happy for you. I'm so happy for you. We had a great run and can't wait to beat you up on tennis and spending more time together.'

"... We're always going to be remembered together. But it was great to share that moment with them. It's crazy. We came from three different backgrounds and came together."

Parker is already busy in retirement.

He is opening the Tony Parker Adequat Academy international school in his hometown of Lyon, France, in September. He is currently the owner and president of ASVEL, a French men's and women's professional basketball club based in Lyon. While Parker intends to spend more time working closely with ASVEL and his new school, he plans to continue to have a home base in San Antonio.

Parker also wants to be an NBA owner one day.

"That is one of my dreams," Parker said. "Right now, I'm focusing on ASVEL and having a great experience. We're building a new arena right now, and we're gonna enter the EuroLeague and the EuroLeague is growing very fast. But the ultimate is to be one day an owner in the NBA. And so I'm already having talks with different people, and they're looking at what I'm doing in France.

"It takes a lot of work, but I love it. I love it. So maybe one day, if it's the right opportunity and it's something that I definitely want to do. I'm just gonna wait for the right opportunity."

Parker had said in recent years that he wanted to play 20 seasons in the NBA. By retiring, he winds up two seasons shy of that goal. Parker turned down a player's option for next season with the Hornets that would have paid $5.25 million.

Don't expect the busy Parker to change his mind and return to the NBA, even if he could go back to the Spurs.

"I'm at peace with it," Parker said. "It's been a long time that I've been in peace with that decision because I've prepared myself for that too, with all the stuff that I'm doing, the two teams I own in France and my international school opening in September. I have so much stuff going on that I've always been at peace with that decision.

"When it comes, I'll be ready to leave it to the young guys. The game of basketball is for young guys. So that's why for me, I understood very early, that when it's time to [retire], I'll be fine with it."

TORONTO -- Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant plans to play in Monday's Game 5 of the NBA Finals against the Toronto Raptors, a league source told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Durant took part in morning shootaround and then went to receive treatment for the injured calf that has kept him out since May 8. He practiced Sunday with his teammates for the first time since getting hurt.

"It looked good and we'll see where it all goes," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said.

After practice Sunday, the 30-year-old Durant had two big ice packs wrapped around the lower part of his right calf and his right Achilles tendon. He walked toward the team bus with assistant coach Mike Brown and members of the Warriors' training staff.

The Warriors were hopeful that Durant would be able to return to action in Game 4, but he had not been cleared for practice up to that point. With Golden State facing a must-win game Monday, down 3-1 to the Raptors, Kerr said Sunday that his staff is hoping Durant will be able to return.

Kerr was asked about his concerns with Durant having missed so much time.

"You worry about the conditioning ... the skill obviously is undeniable and he's a guy who can get his shot off any time he wants," he said.

But Kerr isn't too worried.

"He's Kevin Durant. So, if we have him out there, he'll be a threat, we know that," Kerr said.

Dealing with the injury has been frustrating, however.

"And we talked about it when the injury occurred, pretty vague, a lot of gray area. One of the first things [Warriors director of sports and performance] Rick [Celebrini] told me with calves, it could be a couple weeks, it could be a couple months," Kerr said. "And it's not often you have injuries like that. Usually you kind of get that 4-6 week thing or 2-3 weeks and so calves, Achilles, muscular stuff, it's a little tougher to gauge than a joint. And when you combine that with the scrutiny and the media coverage of the Finals, we've just been in the spotlight, he's been in the spotlight, and it's been tough."

Durant's injury is one of several the Warriors continue to deal with. Klay Thompson is playing through a left hamstring injury, big man Kevon Looney is dealing with a nondisplaced first costal cartilage fracture on his right side, and Andre Iguodala has had a lingering calf injury for several weeks.

Sportsbooks accounted for the news that Durant was practicing on Sunday, as the point spread on Game 5 dropped. The Raptors had been listed as high as a 3.5-point favorite but was down to as low as Toronto minus-1.5 on Sunday at some sportsbooks. Following the news that Durant planned to play, several Vegas books, along with DraftKings and FanDuel in New Jersey, made the Warriors a 1-point favorite, though Caesars sportsbook still has the Raptors favored by 1.

The Raptors were posted as minus-700 favorites to win the series after their victory in Game 4. The series price was down to Toronto minus-575 as of Sunday at Caesars.

ESPN's David Purdum contributed to this report.

Even the Boston Red Sox recognize that there will be only one game in town on Wednesday night.

The Red Sox moved up the start of their Wednesday game to accommodate the Boston Bruins, who will face the St. Louis Blues in the decisive Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final across town.

The game at Fenway Park against the Texas Rangers was scheduled to start at 7:10 p.m., but the Sox decided to move the first pitch to 4:05 p.m. "as a courtesy to fans who want to watch Game 7," the team said.

The Bruins will drop the puck after 8 p.m. as they try to win their first Stanley Cup in eight years.

The Red Sox sent a plane to the Dominican Republic on Monday to transport David Ortiz to Boston, Ortiz's media assistant, Leo Lopez, told ESPN's Enrique Rojas.

Doctors have approved Ortiz's transfer for further treatment once the plane is ready, Dr. Abel Gonzalez told ESPN.

"The level of stability that Big Papi is showing at this moment makes it possible for him to travel immediately," Gonzalez said.

Red Sox president and CEO Sam Kennedy confirmed that the team was sending a plane to the Dominican Republic with the hope that Ortiz would be in Boston by Monday night.

"Right now, the club's exclusive focus is on David's health and well-being," Kennedy said at a news conference, "and we're doing everything we can to get David back to Boston as soon as possible."

Ortiz, an iconic figure with the Red Sox, was shot Sunday at a club in Santo Domingo. A team of surgeons, led by Gonzalez, operated on Ortiz for six hours and removed part of his intestines and colon, as well as his gallbladder. Ortiz also suffered liver damage.

The outpouring of support for Ortiz went far and wide on social media. President Barack Obama and New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady were among those who sent get-well wishes.

Six years ago, David Ortiz's spirit and resolve helped us all begin to heal from the Boston Marathon bombing. Today, I want to join many others in wishing him a speedy recovery of his own. Get well soon, Papi. pic.twitter.com/9orpBgnVI5

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) June 10, 2019

Papi defines Boston Strong... get well soon my friend!!! pic.twitter.com/QFFJ4nvQnU

— Tom Brady (@TomBrady) June 10, 2019

Authorities said Ortiz was ambushed by a man who got off a motorcycle and shot him in the back at nearly point-blank range around 8:50 p.m. local time Sunday at the Dial Bar and Lounge.

Police had two suspects in custody Monday afternoon: the suspected shooter and the suspected driver of the motorcycle.

The motorcycle driver has been identified as 25-year-old Eddy Feliz Garcia, who was captured and beaten by a crowd of people at the bar, according to Dominican National Police Director Ney Aldrin Bautista Almonte.

Garcia suffered a cranium contusion and trauma to his thorax, left knee and right leg, according to the Dominican Republic's National Health Service. He was treated at the Dario Contreras Hospital in Santo Domingo before being released to police custody.

Police have not yet released the identity of the suspected gunman. Earlier Monday, police spokesman Col. Frank Duran Mejia had identified Garcia as the suspected shooter.

Investigators are trying to determine whether Ortiz was the intended target, Bautista said. Ortiz's father, Leo, told local media he had no idea why someone would have shot at his son.

Ortiz, who was born in Santo Domingo, played major league baseball for 20 seasons and was best known for the 14 years he spent with Boston.

The Red Sox issued a statement late Sunday night that said in part, "We have offered David's family all available resources to aid in his recovery and will continue to keep them in our hearts."

Ortiz made 10 All-Star teams and won three World Series with the Red Sox before retiring in 2016. He was named World Series MVP in 2013, when he helped the Red Sox knock off the St. Louis Cardinals.

He had helped rally the city after the Boston Marathon bombings that year, giving a speech at Fenway Park, telling the crowd to stay "Boston strong."

"We all remember in 2013, when we needed David Ortiz the most, he was there for us in late April. And so it's appropriate and expected that this community would rally around David when he needs us the most," Kennedy said.

The Red Sox retired Ortiz's No. 34 in 2017, and Boston renamed a bridge and a stretch of road outside Fenway Park in his honor. He maintains a home in Weston, on the outskirts of Boston.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

 Thinking about your next marathon? Here’s why you should choose Valencia

1. It is Spain’s best marathon

There is no need to take our word for it, it is what the Royal Spanish Athletics Federation (Real Federación Española de Atletismo — RFEA) says. Since 2015, the RFEA has rated the Valencia Marathon Trinidad Alfonso EDP as Spain’s best trial over this distance. The RFEA ranking is based on stringent technical criteria that, among other things, takes into account athletes’ times and records, the organisation of the race, and the quality of services for runners. Furthermore, no less than 98% of runners — that means you — recommend running in Valencia.

2. A dream finish

If you still do not have a mental picture of the finish (where have you been hiding?), just gaze at the above photo. The blue boardwalk spanning the ornamental lake in the magical setting of Valencia’s City of Arts and Sciences will make crossing the finishing line a memory to cherish. By the way, what other marathon do you know of that starts from a square that bears your name?

3. A circuit to fly round

The Valencia Marathon has been designed for speed. In 2018, we improved an already amazing circuit, honing it to perfection with no slopes and even fewer curves than the previous circuit. If you want to set a lightning-fast time, look no further than Valencia. In fact, it is the fastest 42km circuit in Spain and is in the world top 10.

4. Runner care

In Valencia, we really push the boat out to make runners feel at home. That is why we cover all the details. For example, there is the Runners’ Bag (full of gifts), then there are the refreshment stands along the route, medical services, medals, running shirts, lockers, free parking, a great pre-race Paella Party — and it is all included in the reasonably-priced entry fee. Who could want for more?

5. Money back if you are injured before the race

The path to the marathon is tough and there is always the chance of injury along the way. If you are unlucky enough to be injured, we will refund your entry fee so long as you submit a properly-completed medical certificate to support your claim.

6. Expo Deporte (Runners’ Fair) and many parallel activities

The Runners’ Fair is held in the heart of The City of Arts and Sciences. Apart from picking up your running bib and bag, you can enjoy the Breakfast Run, Paella Party, Mini Marathon, and many other events all without leaving the city. Everything is close by.

7. Over 200 cheering points

As well as running on a perfect circuit, you will also get a boost from the crowds along the way. Every year, over 200,000 people cheer on runners in the streets. There are 200 support points that will help you fly towards the finish. This is ‘Synergy’ with a capital ‘S’.

8. Runners’ facilities

Those who want to run in Valencia and their companions can take advantage of a host of benefits, such as: discounted flights from KLM airline; RENFE (Spanish State Railways); hotels with late check-out; buses to the start line; special breakfasts. All these goodies and more can be found on the WelcomeToValencia.com web portal.

9. Valencia is the Running City par excellence

The combination of a mild Mediterranean climate, a ‘flat-as-a-pancake’ coastal plain, and a citizenry that is wild about the sport make Valencia heaven for running. The city’s 5km circuit is the envy of runners everywhere. Yet Valencia has a host of areas to enjoy sport throughout the year, thanks to the city’s pleasant average annual temperature of 18 degrees Centigrade. On the marathon weekend, the festive atmosphere makes Valencia the place to be.

10. There is much more to do apart from running

Valencia is also a historic city full of art and culture. Founded by the Romans, it has many iconic buildings, such as the Silk Guildhall (UN Heritage of Mankind), the ‘Modernist’-style (akin to Art Deco/Jugendstil) City Market Hall, and of course the futuristic City of Arts and Sciences, which is where the marathon ends. The modern complex is featured in many films. Nature-lovers should visit the City of Arts and Sciences’ Oceanarium and Bio-Park (Bioparc). The Albufera National Park (Parc Natural de l’Albufera) — a wetland paradise with many bird species — lies just 15 kilometres away.

11. Choose your shirt model

In this edition of the Valencia Marathon, you can choose between two models of running shirt (short-sleeved or with straps), with one version for men and another for women. The shirt design is highly original, with a reflective area over the blue boardwalk motif. However, this brilliant running shirt can only be snapped up by those swift enough to enter for the marathon by June 30.

12. A wristband bursting with special offers and discounts

All marathon runners will receive an exclusive wristband offering a host of benefits in the city. To start with, it is the key to the Paella Party (paella is the region’s famed rice dish, and is accompanied by a beverage and dessert), and to the Start Boxes. You will also use it to get your medal. Its usefulness does not end there, for both runners and their companions can get many discounts on tickets in The City of Arts and Sciences, and for visits to: Sant Nicolau Church (also known as ‘Spain’s Cistine Chapel’); Albufera National Park; the Bio-Park (Bioparc). A host of restaurants, bars, museums, and shops also have special deals for those sporting the wristband.

13. A parallel 10km race to enjoy the running party

The 10km race will run in parallel with the marathon on December 1. The 10km trial will share the same start and finish but follow a different route. The trial is ideal for those who do not feel up to running 42 kilometres but want to make the most of the day’s unique atmosphere in Valencia la Ciudad del Running.

Maria Sharapova is set to return to the WTA Tour for the first time in four months after accepting a wildcard entry at the grass-court Mallorca Open.

The Russian former world number one, 32, has been recovering from shoulder surgery which resulted in her missing the entire clay-court season.

"I want to thank the tournament for the opportunity it gives me," she said.

Defending Wimbledon champion Angelique Kerber and two-time Australian champion Victoria Azarenka will also compete.

Sharapova has not competed since she withdrew from a second-round match at the St Petersburg Ladies Trophy in January.

The Mallorca Open, which starts on 17 June, is one of several grass-court events taking place before July's Wimbledon.

The Russian, who won the British Grand Slam in 2004, is currently world number 49 and will likely have to go through qualifying to achieve a place in the Wimbledon main draw.