Carli Lloyd slides on the turf after scoring in the first minute against Jamaica during the 2021 WNT Summer Series soccer match on June 13 in Houston. Lloyd on Wednesday was selected to the U.S. Olympic team for a fourth time. Michael Wyke/Associated Press
OLYMPICS
U.S. WOMEN’S SOCCER: Carli Lloyd is headed to her fourth Olympics after all. The 38-year-old Lloyd had vowed after the 2019 World Cup that she would push to make the team for Tokyo before stepping away from the sport. But then the games were pushed back a year because of the coronavirus, and Lloyd needed surgery on her knee.
So making the 18-player roster was by no means a slam dunk for Lloyd, who scored three goals in the opening 16 minutes of the 2015 World Cup final in Canada. Vlatko Andonovski announced his Olympic squad on Wednesday. Tobin Heath joins Lloyd in heading to her fourth Olympics.
At the 2008 Beijing Games, Lloyd scored in overtime for a 1-0 victory against Brazil in the final. Four years later, she scored both goals in the gold-medal match against Japan at Wembley Stadium, becoming the only player to score winning goals in consecutive Olympic finals. Lloyd, who will turn 39 before the Tokyo Games, is the oldest national team Olympian, besting Christie Rampone, who was 37 when she played at the 2012 London Games.
Heath did not play in the national team’s recent Summer Series in Texas because of a knee injury. Julie Ertz is also recovering from an injury but should be ready when the United States opens the Olympics on July 21 against Sweden. Becky Sauerbrunn, Kelley O’Hara, Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe will be playing in their third Olympics.
SWIMMING: Italian swimmer Gregorio Paltrinieri has contracted mononucleosis, raising questions over whether he’ll be able to defend his gold medal in the 1,500-meter freestyle at the Tokyo Olympics due to the energy-sapping virus.
“We’re obviously upset because his Olympic preparations were proceeding perfectly,” Italian Swimming Federation president Paolo Barelli said Wednesday, adding that Paltrinieri has “minor” symptoms.
Besides the 1,500, Paltrinieri is also planning to enter the 800 free and 10-kilometer marathon races at the Tokyo Games. Paltrinieri won three golds and two silvers when he competed in both the pool and open water at the European Championships in Budapest in May. He’s also a three-time world champion.
Heats for the 800 free, Paltrinieri’s first event in Tokyo, are scheduled for July 27.
TENNIS
WIMBLEDON: Defending champion Novak Djokovic was named as the top seed at Wimbledon on Wednesday as he seeks a 20th Grand Slam title while Roger Federer and Serena Williams will begin the grass-court tournament next week seeded seventh.
Top-ranked Ashleigh Barty is seeded first on the women’s side. The Australian hasn’t played since retiring from her second-round match at the French Open due to the flareup of an upper-leg injury. The draw is Friday and the tournament begins Monday.
Eighth-ranked Federer has the seventh seed because third-ranked Rafael Nadal is sitting out Wimbledon to rest and recover after his loss to Djokovic in the French Open semifinal. Daniil Medvedev is the second seed, followed by Stefanos Tsitsipas and Dominic Thiem, although the Austrian retired from a match in Mallorca on Tuesday because of wrist pain.
Defending champion Simona Halep is seeded second, ahead of Aryna Sabalenka and Elina Svitolina. Second-ranked Naomi Osaka is not playing.
At Roland Garros, Djokovic earned his 19th Grand Slam title to leave him one short of the record co-held by Federer and Nadal. Federer, a record eight-time champion at the All England Club, said earlier this year that he would build up to Wimbledon as he returned from two surgeries on his knee.
But the 39-year-old Swiss great hasn’t been in top form, pulling out of the French Open after a grueling third-round match and failing last week to reach the Halle Open quarterfinals for the first time.
The 39-year-old Williams’ latest bid for a record-tying 24th Grand Slam title ended in a fourth-round loss at the French Open. Her most recent major title came in early 2017.
Wimbledon was canceled last year for the first time since 1945 because of the coronavirus pandemic.
GOLF
RYDER CUP: Martin Kaymer and Graeme McDowell, players who have holed decisive putts for Europe at Ryder Cups, were appointed Wednesday as vice captains for the team for the 2021 edition at Whistling Straits in September. They joined Luke Donald and Robert Karlsson as assistants to captain Padraig Harrington as Europe looks to retain the biggest prize in team golf.
Kaymer, who secured the point which completed the comeback now often referred to as the “Miracle at Medinah” in 2012, will take on the role for the first time after four appearances as a player.
McDowell, who claimed the winning point at Celtic Manor in 2010, was also a vice captain under Thomas Bjorn for Europe’s victory at Le Golf National outside Paris in 2018.
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