(NEW YORK) — Tennis great Roger Federer has announced his retirement from the sport.
“As many of you know, the past three years have presented me with challenges in the form of injuries and surgeries,” Federer wrote in a lengthy note on his social media accounts Thursday. “I’ve worked hard to return to full competitive form. But I also know my body’s capacities, and limits and its message to me lately have been clear.”
He continued. “I am 41 years old. I have played more than 1500 matches over 24 years. Tennis has treated me more generously than I ever would have dreamt, and now I must recognize when it is time to end my competitive career.”
Federer went on to say his final ATP event will be at the Laver Cup next week in London.
(NEW YORK) — Here are the scores from Wednesday’s sports events:
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
INTERLEAGUE
Colorado 3, Chi White Sox 0
Seattle 6, San Diego 1
Baltimore 6, Washington 2
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Houston 2, Detroit 1
Cleveland 5, LA Angels 3
Toronto 5, Tampa Bay 1
NY Yankees 5, Boston 3
Minnesota 4, Kansas City 0
Oakland 8, Texas 7
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Pittsburgh 10, Cincinatti 4
San Francisco 4, Atlanta 1
Philadelphia 6, Miami 1
Chi Cubs 6, NY Mets 3
St. Louis 4, Milwaukee 1
Arizona 5, LA Dodgers 3
MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
Atlanta United 1, Orlando City o
Austin 3, Real Salt Lake 0
Vancouver 3, LA Galaxy 0
Colorado 2, San Jose 1
(NEW YORK) — Serena Williams is opening up about how she is moving forward after the final match of her historic career at the U.S. Open earlier this month.
The tennis legend appeared on Good Morning America Wednesday and said “it hasn’t quite sunk in yet.”
“I’ve been so busy literally every day — except for the first two days I literally slept all day — but otherwise, it’s just like, OK, I’m still running a business, still have my company … still a mom,” she shared.
Reflecting on what was likely her final tennis match at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York, she added, “I couldn’t have asked for anything more and it was — I’ll never forget those moments, you know, it was pretty awesome.”
When asked about her sister, fellow tennis star Venus Williams, trying to persuade her to come back, Serena laughed.
“Because she’s not done yet — this is just me … she’s trying to get me and I’m like, ‘No listen,’ ” she said.
“I mean you never know,” she added. “… You know, I think Tom Brady started a really cool trend … and the way he did it, huge.”
Brady, the quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, announced his retirement from the NFL on Feb. 1 but reversed that decision six weeks later on March 13.
Regardless of whether or not she decides to ever return to tennis professionally, Williams said she’ll always be involved in the game to some extent.
“I feel like tennis has given me so much, and I feel like there’s no way that I don’t want to be involved in tennis somehow in the future,” she said. “I don’t know what that involvement is yet, but I do know that I love the sport so much. I love the game. I love everything about it and it’s just been such a light in my life that I definitely want to keep something involved in there.”
For now, Williams is focusing on is her new children’s book, The Adventures of Qai Qai, which debuts Sept. 27.
Longtime fans may already know that Williams created the popular Qai Qai Instagram account for her daughter’s favorite doll in 2018. Speaking about the inspiration for the book on Wednesday, she explained that she came up with the idea “during COVID, and this particular book of Qai Qai is really just about using her imagination because kids have such an amazing imagination.”
“We just wanted to really just put in people’s minds that we can’t forget how important it is to just use your imagination and play and also believe in yourself,” Williams said. “So there’s some really cool hidden messages in there about self-confidence and that you can do it and also just going back to the art of just being a kid.”
The book’s illustrations were created by artist Yesenia Moises. Williams said she had a specific vision in mind for the book’s art.
“When I saw the illustration, I said, listen, I really want it to represent a Black girl because I thought it was really important — the reason Qai Qai came [about was] because I was looking for a Black doll and I just wanted it to be something really authentic that represented who we are — our hair and like everything and the texture. And I thought she did a wonderful job with getting that across, even with the mom and the dad.”
“Olympia thinks it’s her in the book,” she added with a laugh. “And she thinks the dad is my husband and it’s quite funny because I’m like, it’s not us although it’s heavily [inspired]. I don’t want it to go to her head!”
On a night in February 2021, Felicia Miller had pulled over on the side of the road to help her cousin, whose car had broken down, as her 5-year-old daughter waited in the backseat. As both cars were stopped on the shoulder, a pickup truck slammed into both vehicles.
Behind the wheel was Britt Reid, the son of Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid and, at the time, the assistant coach for the team.
Miller spoke exclusively to ABC News on Good Morning America days after Reid pleaded guilty to driving while under the influence as part of a plea deal for a reduced sentence.
The night of the crash, Miller said she found her daughter Ariel trapped beneath the crush of the seats. She had been critically injured with a traumatic brain injury.
“I was just freaking out and then finally, we find her, because she’s buried under the seats,” said Miller. “When I got her outta the car, she was stiff … she was just stiff like a board.”
Ariel was rushed to the hospital where she would spend nearly two weeks in a coma. When Ariel woke up, Miller said she was relieved, but knew her daughter was still hurting.
“She didn’t know who I was, so as I’m trying to touch my baby, like, ‘Hey, baby,’ she was, you know, moving away. And … she didn’t recognize me,” said Miller.
According to a search warrant application obtained by ABC News, an officer on the scene reported smelling “a moderate odor of alcoholic beverages emanating from [Reid].” Reid reportedly told the officer that he’d had “2-3 drinks” and was on the prescription drug “Adderall.”
Miller said her daughter does not remember the crash, but due to her injuries, has had to re-learn many of her favorite things — including dance.
“She didn’t remember the wreck or anything, so she just woke up seeing her pictures and a whole bunch of videos from before [and she compares those to] now, like, ‘Why am I like this?’ is how she thinks,” said Miller.
Reid, who has faced prior legal trouble — including pleading guilty to driving under the influence in 2008 — will be sentenced in late October. He can be sentenced to a maximum of four years in prison.
“I think the family is upset, because they perceive a different system of justice for those who have privilege and those who don’t, those who have privilege and those people from the victim’s community,” said Tom Porto, the family’s attorney.
In part of a statement to ABC News, Reid’s attorney, J.R. Hobbs, told ABC News that Reid “has accepted responsibility for his conduct,” and added that, “[Reid] continues to be remorseful and has apologized to all affected.”
Details about Ariel’s condition remain limited because of a legal agreement with the Chiefs, who have worked out a payment plan for her medical care.
Ariel, who is now 7, has returned to school. Miller said her “Ariel Strong” shirt serves as a reminder that her daughter is improving every day, but still has a long way to go.
“She’s been strong through the whole last almost two years,” she said. “So my family, we all wear the ‘Ariel Strong’ shirts.”
(NEW YORK) — Here are the scores from Tuesday’s sports events:
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
INTERLEAGUE
San Diego 6, Seattle 0
Chi White Sox 4, Colorado 2
Baltimore 4, Washington 3
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Tampa Bay 4, Toronto 2
Cleveland 3, Los Angeles 1
Houston 6, Detroit 3
Toronto 7, Tampa Bay 2
NY Yankees 7, Boston 6
Minnesota 6, Kansas City 3
Texas 8, Oakland 7
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Pittsburgh 6, Cincinatti 1
Pittsburgh 1, Cincinatti 0
Florida 2, Miami 1
Chi Cubs 4, NY Mets 1
Milwaukee 8, St. Louis 4
LA Dodgers 4 Arizona 0
Atlanta 5, San Francisco 1
WOMEN’S NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION PLAYOFFS
Las Vegas 85, Connecticut 71
MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
Montreal 3, Chicago 2
Inter Miami 2, Columbus 1
Minnesota 1, LAFC 1 (Tie)
Houston Dynamo 3, New England 1
Sporting KC 3, D.C. United 0
(NEW YORK) — Phoenix Suns and Mercury owner Robert Sarver has been suspended one year by the NBA for sexist and racist language after the league launched an investigation following a bombshell report from ESPN last year.
Sarver was also fined $10 million, the maximum allowed by the league, which will be donated to organizations addressing race- and gender-based discrimination in the workplace.
The league handed down its suspension on Thursday after the Nov. 21, 2021, article triggered an investigation that included 320 interviews with current and former Phoenix employees, according to the NBA.
Sarver had owned the Suns and the WNBA’s Mercury since purchasing the team in 2004 from previous owner Jerry Colangelo.
The report details at least fives times Sarver used the N-word “when recounting the statements of others.” The ESPN article detailed a conversation between Sarver, who is white, and then-coach Earl Watson, who is Black, in 2016 which he repeatedly used the N-word while questioning why Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green, who is Black, could use the term when Sarver could not.
Sarver also allegedly allegedly “engaged in instances of inequitable conduct toward female employees, made many sex-related comments in the workplace, made inappropriate comments about the physical appearance of female employees and other women, and on several occasions engaged in inappropriate physical conduct toward male employees,” according to the report.
Sarver also yelled and cursed at employees, the report found.
The independent report was conducted by the law firm of Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz. In addition to the hundreds of interviews, the investigation also looked at more than 80,000 documents, including emails, text messages and video, the NBA said. Sarver cooperated throughout the investigation, according to the league.
Still, the NBA said, “The investigation made no finding that Mr. Sarver’s workplace misconduct was motivated by racial or gender-based animus.”
The league said in addition to Sarver’s misconduct, other employees within the organization committed similar transgressions and the human resources function was “historically ineffective and not a trusted source for employees who subjected to improper workplace conduct.”
Sarver, 60, will not be allowed to have any involvement with either team for the course of a year. Sarver made his fortune in banking and real estate.
When the story emerged during last year’s NBA season, Suns star Devin Booker told reporters, “I wasn’t aware of the situation and in my seven years I’ve been here. I haven’t noticed that, but that doesn’t make me insensitive to the subject.”
“[The NBA will] do their due diligence, bringing out facts instead of he said, she said,” Booker said at the time of the just-launched investigation. “I’m sure the NBA has it in good hands and will do the proper research to find out the truth.”
ABC News’ Bonnie McLean contributed to this report.
(NEW YORK) — For Suni Lee, gymnastics is what she calls her happy place.
“I truly love gymnastics with everything in me,” the 19-year-old Olympian told ABC News’ Good Morning America.
In 2021, Lee took home a gold medal in the individual all-around at the Tokyo Olympics as well as a silver in the team competition and a bronze in the uneven bars.
Though it was her gold medal on the world stage that launched her into the public consciousness, her love for the sport began when her family introduced her to gymnastics at 6 years old.
“It was just amazing to me,” she said. “I loved being able to fly and just kind of do stuff that not a lot of people could do. It kind of made me feel unstoppable.”
Lee said she is thankful for her family and without their support, she could not be where she is today.
“My parents sacrificed so much for me,” she said. “I really have a really great support system.”
Lee said she knew she wanted to compete on the world stage from a young age.
“I would be like, ‘I want to go to the Olympics, and I want to win a gold medal,'” she said.
Lee, who is now competing for Auburn University, is often seen on the mat sporting a confident smile, which she attributes to her passion for the sport as well as Invisalign, for whom she is a spokesperson.
“If you put your mind to something and work really hard, you can do amazing things,” Lee said.
(NEW YORK) — Here are the scores from Monday’s sports events:
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
INTERLEAGUE
Seattle 8, Atlanta 7
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Boston 1, Baltimore 0
Kansas City 4, Detroit 0
NY Yankees 10, Tampa Bay 4
Cleveland 4, Minnesota 1
Houston 12, LA Angels 4
Texas 4, Toronto 1
Oakland 10, Chicago White Sox 3
NATIONAL LEAGUE
St. Louis 4, Pittsburgh 3
Philadelphia 7, Washington 5
NY Mets 9, Miami 3
Milwaukee 7, Cincinnati 6
Arizona 12, Colorado 6
LA Dodgers 11, San Diego 2
San Francisco 4, Chicago Cubs 2
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
Baltimore 24, NY Jets 9
Chicago 19, San Francisco 10
Cleveland 26, Carolina 24
Indianapolis 20, Houston 20 (OT)
Miami 20, New England 7
New Orleans 27, Atlanta 26
Philadelphia 38, Detroit 35
Pittsburgh 23, Cincinnati 20 (OT)
Washington 28, Jacksonville 22
Kansas City 44, Arizona 21
LA Chargers 24, Las Vegas 19
Minnesota 23, Green Bay 7
NY Giants 21, Tennessee 20
Tampa Bay 19, Dallas 3
WOMEN’S NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION PLAYOFFS
Las Vegas 67, Connecticut 64
(KANSAS CITY, Mo.) — The family of the girl who was critically injured in a car crash last year involving former Kansas City Chiefs assistant coach Britt Reid slammed prosecutors for agreeing to a plea deal in exchange for a lower prison sentence.
Reid, 37, pleaded guilty Monday to driving while impaired in connection with the Feb. 4, 2021, incident. Reid was driving his pickup truck near Arrowhead Stadium and struck two vehicles that were stopped on the side of the highway.
Five people were injured in the crash including then 5-year-old Ariel Young. She suffered “life-threatening injuries” and a “severe traumatic brain injury, a parietal fracture, brain contusions and subdural hematomas,” according to court documents.
Reid, who faces up to four years in prison as part of his deal, apologized in court for his actions. Ariel’s family and the other victims, however, slammed him and prosecutors for not going to trial.
“The five victims of this crime are outraged the prosecuting attorney is not seeking the maximum sentence allowable by law,” Tom Porto, the attorney for the victims, said in a statement.
Prior to taking the guilty plea, Reid, the son of Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, was expected to begin trial on Sept. 26. He had faced up to seven years in prison.
Reid, who was also injured in the crash, had a blood alcohol content of 0.113 and was driving 84 miles an hour at the time of the incident, according to court documents. At the time of the crash, he was the team’s linebackers coach.
Reid was released by the Chiefs shortly after the incident.
This was not the first time that Reid has been in trouble with the law over a driving-related incident.
He pleaded guilty to simple assault and flashing a gun at another driver in a road rage incident in 2007, according to Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, court records, and served prison time. While in prison, he also pleaded guilty to a charge of driving under the influence of a controlled substance from a separate incident, according to court documents.
Reid was ticketed for speeding in 2014 and 2018 and paid both fines.
During Monday’s plea hearing, Reid said he regretted what he did and “made a huge mistake,” according to ABC affiliate KMBC. He then faced Ariel’s family and said, “I didn’t mean to hurt anyone that night,” KMBC reported.
When the judge asked the family if they had anything to say, Felicia Miller, Ariel’s mother, said, “My family and I are opposed to the plea deal. I don’t think he should receive it.”
Reid’s sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 28.
In November 2021, the Chiefs and Porto announced that the team worked out a plan to help pay for Ariel’s medical care.
