Sandra Harwitt, Special for USA TODAY Sports
Published 9:03 p.m. ET Sept. 7, 2018 | Updated 9:11 p.m. ET Sept. 7, 2018

NEW YORK — It wouldn’t be advisable to think Rafael Nadal is on the verge of retirement just because he was brought down by a persistent knee injury during the US Open semifinal Friday. 

Yes, his knees have been a problem throughout much of his career. Yes, he plays an exceptionally physical brand of tennis that has taken its toll on his body. Yes, he had to walk off court after losing the first two sets 7-6 (7-3), 6-2 against Juan Martin del Potro. 

But no, the world No. 1 has no immediate plans of hanging up his rackets. At least, not yet.

While the defending and three-time US Open champion clearly was upset to have to abandon a match, he was emphatic about this being just another blip in a very fruitful career that already has produced 17 Grand Slam titles.  

“I know the things are going the right way,” he said, after handing del Potro a ticket to play for his second US Open title and second Grand Slam.  

“I am playing well. I am enjoying (being) on the court. I am having a lot of success. I am very competitive at the age of 32. A lot of people in this (media interview) room, including myself, never will think that at the age of 32 I will be here fighting for titles, fighting for the first position of the rankings.” 

Nadal is hoping the knee injury is just another flare-up of an old problem, one that he and his team have been managing for years.

While he did offer this: “The problem this time was something a little bit more aggressive because (it) was in one movement,” he walked that back quickly to suggest it’s comparable to previous experiences.  

“I know what I have,” he said. “Similar thing as always. Just about doing the treatment. I know what is going on with the knee. But the good thing is I know how I have to work to be better as soon as possible because we have a lot of experience on that.” 

More: Best-of-five or best-of-three? Some argue players, fans better served with shorter matches

More: Serena Williams powers past Anastasija Sevastova to reach US Open final

Although he admitted to not being able to put a time frame on how long he’ll need to nurse the knee back to health, he isn’t expecting a long layoff.  

“I am sure (it) will not be six months off,” Nadal said. “It’s not an injury like when you break something, something like this. It is an injury that is a tendinitis. Then is a decision about yourself, about if you want to wait till you feel almost nothing or you want to keep going with pain.” 

Throughout his lengthy career – he won the first of his record 11 French Open titles in 2005, which also was his first Grand Slam trophy – he’s been sidelined for extended periods with injuries. Each time it happens, most notably because of knee problems, the chatter is about whether he’s finished, the reasoning being his game demands too much from a person to keep enduring. 

He’s heard it all and dismisses all the speculation. And so far he’s proven all the theorists wrong. He always returns. And wins.  

“All my career everybody say that because of my style I will have a short career,” he said. “I still here. I still here because I love what I’m doing. I still have the passion for the game. 

“I’m going to keep fighting and working hard to keep enjoying this tour and keep having chances to compete at the highest level. So that’s all.” 

And considering Nadal’s reputation as one of the great fighters on the court, and his history in making successful comebacks, it’s probably advisable for fans to take him at his word when he says he’ll be back.  

 

 

The Associated Press
Published 10:15 p.m. ET Sept. 7, 2018 | Updated 10:17 p.m. ET Sept. 7, 2018

A contestant in the Miss America pageant says President Trump “has caused a lot of division” in the nation, the Associated Press reported Friday from the pageant in Atlantic City, N.J.

Madeline Collins, Miss West Virginia, was asked an onstage question Friday night about what she feels is the most serious issue facing the nation.

She replied: “Donald Trump is the biggest issue our country faces. Unfortunately he has caused a lot of division in our country.”

The interview responses were limited to 20 seconds and Collins did not go into additional detail. The Miss America Organization rejected a request from the AP to make Collins available for an interview after Friday night’s competition had ended.

She did not win the interview contest. That honor went to Miss Massachusetts Gabriela Taveras whose question dealt with how Americans traveling abroad should interact with people in other countries.

More: Swimsuit-less Miss America competition enters Day 2 of prelims: ‘Swimsuit is behind us’

More: Miss America claims mandatory talking points included Carlson igniting #MeToo movement

Taveras said it is important to let people in other nations know that, “We as Americans are supporting them and that we are there to help them.”

The onstage interview has replaced the swimsuit competition in this year’s pageant, a change that has created controversy among those who feel the pageant needed to be modernized and those who feel an integral part of the pageant is being sacrificed.

Friday marked the third and final night of preliminary competition in the Miss America competition.

Also on Friday night, Miss Indiana Lydia Tremaine won the talent portion for singing Frank Sinatra’s “That’s Life.”

The next Miss America will be crowned Sunday night in the nationally televised finale from Atlantic City.

During the first two nights of competition, some of the onstage interview questions have touched on hot button issues, including NFL player protests during the national anthem.

A question on the propriety of those protests helped propel Miss Virginia Emili McPhail to a preliminary win Thursday night.

She told judges that players have the right to protest by kneeling, noting that the real issue is police brutality.

In the talent competition, Miss Louisiana Holli’ Conway won for a vocal performance, singing “I Believe.”

On Wednesday, Miss Florida Taylor Tyson won the talent competition for a piano performance and Miss Wisconsin Tianna Vanderhei won the interview competition for her comments on education.

 

 

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Castleford secured a Super League semi-final spot as they eased past injury-hit Hull FC at the KCOM Stadium.

Mike McMeeken went over to put Tigers ahead, before Junior Moors powered over for the visitors’ second try.

Greg Eden ran in their third from 90 metres out after intercepting a pass off team-mate Michael Shenton’s head.

Tries from Eden and James Clare further extended the lead, before Carlos Tuimavave and Hakim Miloudi crossed to restore some pride for the hosts.

Hull, missing eight first-team players, were outclassed for a second week running, having lost 80-10 to Warrington in their previous game.

But they were somewhat unlucky to trail by 18 points at the break, with McMeeken’s try coming after a fortunate deflection from Jacob Trueman’s grubber-kick and Eden’s score ending a brief period of pressure from Hull.

The hosts improved after Clare’s effort had put the result beyond doubt, and Miloudi produced arguably the pick of the tries when he cut off another Trueman kick before racing 90 metres to score.

But they were unable to produce a fightback, as Castleford claimed a third successive victory.

Hull FC coach Lee Radford told BBC Radio Humberside:

“I was genuinely worried with regards to the response [to the Warrington defeat] from some of them, because I’ve never seen some of them so low.

“But I’m really, really pleased with the response from the group.”

Hull FC: Shaul; Faraimo, Tuimavave, Scott, Talanoa; Miloudi, Harris; Taylor, Houghton, Matongo, Washbrook, Manu, Hadley.

Replacements: Fash, Bienek, Lane, Litten.

Castleford: Mata’utia; Clare, Wardle, Shenton, Eden; Trueman, Gale; Watts, McShane, Millington, Holmes, McMeeken, Massey.

Replacements: Roberts, Moors, Milner, Clark.

Athletes and others kneeling in support of Colin Kaepernick can stand up, proudly.

They’ve won.

Kaepernick’s kneeling protest during the national anthem has gained the attention of the world, and he’s gained a level of power that goes beyond anything any other quarterback — active or otherwise — has been able to reasonably imagine.

“What nonbelievers fail to understand,” Kaepernick said a newly released Nike ad that emphasizes abstract ideals rather than athletic accomplishments, “is that calling a dream ‘crazy’ is not an insult. It’s a compliment.”

Right-thinking, nuanced people have heard him, even if he’s been silent.

So have people known for being blunt.

“The problem with Colin’s thing is, No. 1: He never talks about it. He let the president and all these people on radio and television change his message,” Charles Barkley said in a phone interview with The Arizona Republic.

Barkley, perhaps more than anyone, knows exactly what it might feel like to be at the center of controversy over misinterpretations and an edgy Nike ad.

It’s been 25 years since he said, “I’m not a role model.”

It was a black and white, 30-second spot. Watching it was like getting punched in the face.

“I am not a role model,” he said in the ad. “I am not paid to be a role model. I am paid to wreak havoc on the basketball court. Parents should be role models. Just because I dunk a basketball doesn’t mean I should raise your kids.”

Mainstream critics said he was trying to shirk his responsibility. That was never the case for Barkley.

He said he went to Nike with the idea because he saw too many young black boys who wanted to be NBA players. He wanted more of them to aspire to be professionals, maybe engineers or doctors.

“I was really just trying to start a conversation,” he said.

People weren’t hearing him.

“It was difficult at the time,” Barkley said, thinking back to 1993, “because, you know, you hear all these fools on TV talk about what you meant to say, what you’re trying to say. And the thing that got me through it … Parents loved it.”

He sees similarities in what’s happening today.

“The parallel with Colin is, we have lost perspective on the whole thing,” he said.

Kaepernick hasn’t spoken publicly. An email and phone call to his attorney, Mark Geragos, were not immediately returned. It’s likely his collusion case against the NFL prevents him from speaking out.

Kaepernick has communicated instead through his actions, and the Nike sponsorship.

Kaepernick has donated $1 million to charities, according to his website, kaepernick7.com. He’s given money to city kids who want to play baseball. He’s put formerly homeless mothers into apartments. He’s donated to low-income men who need haircuts and suits for job interviews.

He also started the “Know Your Rights” camp, teaching kids that they have the right to be free, healthy, brilliant, safe, loved, courageous, alive, trusted and educated.

They also talk about how to safely interact with police and about police brutality.

And isn’t that what this is all about? Making sure black men aren’t killed over stealing cigars or selling loose cigarettes or napping in the park?

In picking this fight, Kaepernick and those who support him have realized a new level of economic and social power.

Arizona State University professor Victoria Jackson recently wrote a guest column for the Washington Post: “Colin Kaepernick’s Nike sponsorship shows that athletes have more power than they realize.”

In a phone interview Friday, Jackson said she read reports that Nike’s contract with Kaepernick included the shoe company “donating directly to Kaepernick’s ‘Know Your Rights’ camps. That got me excited, because I’ve never heard of anything like that before … That means there’s substance behind this.”

“I wanted to emphasize and kind of celebrate that,” she said later.

Jackson said Nike’s relationship with Kaepernick shows athletes can think of “sponsorship as kind of more collaborative partnership … That you don’t just take the money and the gear and perform and focus on training. That if you’re passionate about something, you can work with the company that sponsors you to create something really powerful. And the companies are all going to be interested to do that because they all have social impact built into their missions, too. It’s like everybody wins.”

Already Kaepernick and those supporting him are winning.

Legions of people have been activated. Newly empowered athletes can now direct their efforts, using the media to attract attention to social justice projects that need money, volunteers and visibility.

It’s time to move past whether this has anything to do with the flag or the military. It doesn’t. 

Right-thinking, nuanced people understand that.

So do people known for being blunt.

President Donald Trump, blamed by Barkley and others for fomenting the controversy for the last two years, said he disagrees with Nike and Kaepernick.

But he also said, “It’s what this country is all about. That you have freedoms to do things that other people think you shouldn’t do.”

Everyone can all stand now, proudly. There’s work to be done.

MORE SPORTS:

Reach Moore at gmoore@azcentral.com or 602-444-2236. Follow him on Instagram and Twitter @WritingMoore.

Nikie Mayo, Anderson Independent Mail
Published 5:51 p.m. ET Sept. 7, 2018 | Updated 6:29 p.m. ET Sept. 7, 2018

They called him Santa.

He didn’t like confrontation, and he didn’t get into trouble, according to former teammates.

As a student at Westside High School in Anderson, Omar Enrique Santa Perez was shy but quick to smile when approached. He was on the wrestling team in 2007 and 2008, and in an old photo he wears an honor sash with his graduation cap and gown.

More: Cincinnati shooting suspect graduated from Westside High School

The boy’s name, his disposition and his size — he wrestled in the 215-pound weight class — led to the moniker that his teammates gave him back then.

He had bouts of depression and loneliness but always bounced back, and his easy smile would return, according to former teammate Logan Howell.

The image of that teenage boy in South Carolina a decade ago doesn’t square with the Omar Enrique Santa Perez the world learned about this week.

Authorities say Santa Perez, 29, walked through the lobby of the Fifth Third Center in downtown Cincinnati on Thursday morning, when video captures him armed with a 9 mm Taurus handgun “firing shots at anyone he sees,” according to Cincinnati Police Chief Eliot Isaac.

Three people were killed and two others were wounded before Santa Perez was killed by police.

The dead have been identified as Prudhvi Raj Kandepi, 25, Richard Newcomer, 64, and Luis Felipe Calderón, 48 — and Santa Perez.

More: Cincinnati shooting videos: Cops confront, kill gunman

Police said Santa Perez had hundreds of rounds of ammunition and could have killed many more if officers hadn’t acted as quickly as they did, responding in 3½ minutes.

“I don’t understand what could have happened to him to make him do all this stuff,” said Howell, who still lives in Anderson. “I can’t fathom it.”

Records from Anderson School District 5 identify Santa Perez only as Omar Santa, but his address on school records matches the address shown for Omar Santa Perez in Anderson and Greenville court records.

More: What we know about the Cincinnati gunman’s ties to Greenville

Court and school records show Santa Perez lived for several years on Rio Way in Anderson, part of the Casa del Rio subdivision near Westside. The modest yellow house has a security system wired to a doorbell and a mat at the front door that reads, “Welcome friends.”

A dark blue SUV was parked in the driveway Thursday night, but no one answered the door. On Friday the driveway was empty, but the front door was stuffed with notes from reporters seeking interviews from the home’s occupants.

According to Anderson County property records, Ramon Santa and Mercedes Mercado bought the home in 2006. Howell said Santa Perez’s family moved from Florida to Anderson, where he finished his last two years of high school.

Santa Perez’s family still lives on Rio Way, according to Blake Sharp, a neighbor who lives across the street. Sharp said he didn’t know the accused shooter but knows the family.

“They’re good people,” Sharp said Friday. “They predominantly speak Spanish, and they keep to themselves. When I read about this last night, I was like, ‘Holy s—!’” 

Years after graduating from high school, Santa Perez worked in Greenville off Mauldin Road at Confluence Outdoor, a manufacturer of kayaks, canoes and accessories. He was fired Oct. 1, 2014, according to an incident report from the Greenville Police Department.

Other news: ‘Smokey and the Bandit’ Trans Am bonded Anderson woman and Burt Reynolds

An operations manager called police when Santa Perez was terminated and refused to leave. The manager told police he was “afraid of what Omar might do,” the report states. Santa Perez was found guilty of trespassing, according to records from Greenville Municipal Court.

Todd King, vice president of marketing and product at Confluence Outdoor, said he didn’t want the incident to reflect on the company’s operations.

“It’s a negative thing,” he said. “It happened many years ago. We do not want a negative affiliation with our company. We hire thousands of people, and everybody is different. We can’t control someone’s mind.”

Cameron McCarley, another former wrestling teammate of Santa Perez, said he trained with him when they were teens.

“He was good as gold on the wrestling team,” McCarley said. “He was a real low-key, soft-spoken teammate.”

Other news: It’s not guns that create ‘sick, sick’ children, expert tells Anderson officials

McCarley said he hadn’t seen Santa Perez since they graduated 10 years ago and that he was surprised to learn what happened in Cincinnati.

Santa Perez lived in Ohio in recent years.

Howell, who remembers playing football-oriented video games with Santa Perez, said he doesn’t want his memories of a teenager to excuse what police and witnesses describe as the heinous actions of a disturbed man.

“Those people didn’t deserve what happened to them,” Howell said. “It’s a sad thing that people’s last cry for help results in killing other people.”

Reporters Daniel Gross and Kirk Brown contributed.

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Novak Djokovic moved closer to equalling Pete Sampras’s tally of 14 Grand Slams after outclassing Kei Nishikori to reach the US Open final.

Serbia’s Djokovic beat the Japanese 21st seed 6-3 6-4 6-2 to set up a meeting with Juan Martin del Potro.

Djokovic and Argentine Del Potro, who advanced when Rafael Nadal retired injured from their semi-final, meet in the final on Sunday at 21:00 BST.

“I came out of the blocks with great intensity and focus,” said Djokovic.

The 31-year-old moved to within one Grand Slam triumph of American great Sampras by winning Wimbledon in July, his first major triumph since the 2016 French Open.

If he beats Del Potro to equal Sampras, only Roger Federer (20) and Nadal (17) stand above him in the all-time list.

Rejuvenated Djokovic marches on

Djokovic, who suffered with personal and injury problems during 2017 and the early part of this year, looked back to his best at Wimbledon and has continued that form at Flushing Meadows.

Although he has struggled with the heat and humidity at times, there were no such problems as he looked energetic in cooler conditions during Friday’s night-time semi-final.

The 2011 and 2015 champion suffocated Nishikori with his deep returning, controlling the points and rarely allowing his opponent to drag him into long rallies.

Djokovic’s level rarely dropped throughout a two-and-a-half hour victory, the only slight concern being his inability to convert the plethora of break points which came his way.

Djokovic only took one of five in the first set and missed another four in the first game of the second set.

But his patience was eventually rewarded at a fourth opportunity in the fifth game, and he then broke twice more in a much simpler third set.

Djokovic has not dropped a set since his second-round win against American Tennys Sangren.

Japan’s hopes of a double success over

Nishikori, 28, was aiming to become the second Japanese player to reach a US Open final at this year’s tournament, following 20-year-old Naomi Osaka’s semi-final triumph over American Madison Keys on Thursday.

While Osaka will face her idol Serena Williams in her first major final on Saturday, Nishikori will have to wait for another chance to play in his second.

The 2014 US Open runner-up could not be faulted for his endeavour, but was powerless to stop his thumping groundstrokes continually being put back into play by Djokovic.

More success came Nishikori’s way when he was able to move into the net, particularly in the second set when he conjured up two break points.

However, he was unable to take either and wilted as Djokovic went on to take his second match point with a stunning retrieving backhand down the line.

WASHINGTON – It had the feel of the 2016 presidential campaign, but with the roles reversed. 

In Illinois, Barack Obama – now the former president – went after his successor by name, calling on young voters to vote in November to “restore some semblance of sanity to our politics.” He did so reluctantly, he said, because of a “wise American tradition of ex-presidents gracefully exiting the political stage, making room for new voices and new ideas.”

In the Dakotas, his old nemesis Donald Trump – now the president – seemed all too willing to welcome Obama back to the stage as a target of his ridicule. As he flew to Fargo, N.D., for a fundraiser, Trump was asked if he watched the speech.

“I’m sorry, I watched it but I fell asleep. I found he’s very good for sleeping,” Trump said. “Isn’t this much more excited than listening to President Obama speak? Because we get things done.” 

In North Dakota, Trump added Native Americans to the list of minority groups to which he’s made his tried and true campaign pitch: “I go right back to where I was two years ago when I was campaigning, what do you have to lose?” he said. “Very respectfully, what the hell do you have to lose?”

More: President Trump plans to step up midterm travel 

More: Read transcript of Obama’s speech, blasting President Trump

With Labor Day crossed off the calendar and the midterm elections looming, both Obama and Trump framed the congressional races as a referendum on Trump. 

Since returning from an August vacation, Trump has had rallies or fundraisers in New York, West Virginia, Ohio, North Carolina, Indiana, Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota. Next week, he has campaign events in Missouri and Mississippi. The plan: More than 40 days on the campaign trail leading up to the Nov. 4 election.

For his part, Obama heads to Cleveland on Sept. 13 to campaign for Ohio Democratic gubernatorial nominee Richard Cordray. He also will campaign this month in Illinois and Pennsylvania and will headline a fundraiser for the National Democratic Redistricting Committee in New York City.

“Some of you may think I’m exaggerating when I say this November’s elections are more important than any I can remember in my lifetime,” Obama said. “But just a glance at recent headlines should tell you that this moment really is different. The stakes really are higher.”

Trump rattled off issues like gun crime, immigration and gun rights. “That’s a very important thing,” Trump said. “Things like that, they are under siege and things like that can disappear very, very quickly if you don’t have the right people.”

Contributing: Nicole Gaudiano, David Jackson 

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HOLLYWOOD – Noah Centineo has been answering the same two questions a lot lately: Yes, he is “Peter Kavinsky” from that Netflix movie “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before.” And of course he’ll take a photo with you.

Actually, you don’t even have to ask out loud. Walking out of Mel’s Diner, the 22-year-old actor happily bends down to hug a wide-eyed 14-year-old (he’s 6-foot-2) and pose for a picture. She’s too stunned to say much. (Until after, when Jehan Jaddi describes meeting Centineo as “one of the best moments of my life.”) 

“It’s all love,” he says of his new fanbase from beneath a head of terrifically tousled hair. Since “All the Boys” made its debut three weeks ago, the previously unknown actor’s Instagram followers have more than tripled (8.7 million and counting) and he’s fielded dozens of online proposals. “I’m not into polygamy, so it’s hard,” he jokes.

Here’s what else we learned about Centineo during a chat ahead of the release of his second Netflix rom-com, “Sierra Burgess Is A Loser” (streaming Friday).  

You may have seen him on the Disney Channel or Freeform.

Centineo started acting at age 8. The first big break for the Florida native was as goofy-dancing guest star Dallas in Disney’s hit “Austin & Ally.” At 15, he lobbied his parents – via a PowerPoint presentation of his resume – to move him to L.A. so he could act full time. That led to his gig as Jesus Adams Foster in Freeform’s “The Fosters.” 

“I committed to acting,” Centineo says. “I believe if you fully commit to something, it’ll happen.” 

Unlike his Netflix characters, he wasn’t a high-school jock.

Though Centineo plays jocks with hearts of gold in both of his Netflix movies, the actor only “kind of went to high school,” he says.

Translation: He was at Boca Raton Community High for a year and a half, finished his sophomore year at Beverly Hills High, but “I was very into the truancy concept,” he says. He completed his junior and senior years via independent study.

However, “I understand the mentality of a jock,” Centineo says. “Right now, I’m dedicated 100 percent full time to my career. Before, I was like that with soccer. I played (defense). Nothing would get past the line!”

No, he and his ‘All the Boys’ co-star aren’t dating.

In “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before,” Centineo’s Peter pretends to be the boyfriend of Lana Condor’s Lara Jean. There’s onscreen chemistry, but, no, that doesn’t mean they’re a couple in real life, despite rumors fueled by an Instagram photo of the co-stars that Centineo captioned, “She melts my heart.” (Condor has talked about her relationship with actor Anthony De La Torre, aka young Jack Sparrow.)

“There’s something so great about platonic intimacy,” says Centineo of his friendship with Condor, 21. “We love each other dearly and we’ve been there for each other at different times and periods. So (the chemistry) is genuine.” 

Yes, he knows he reminds you of Mark Ruffalo.

The comparisons started when he was about 15.

“In auditions, it was always, ‘Has anyone ever told you you’re like Mark Ruffalo?’ ” he says. “I guess it’s the isms, the way I talk, the way my eyes move when I think.

“I’ll take it. His body of work is so vast and versatile, I have nothing but mad respect for him. I’d love to work with him.”

He also says he’s been compared to Ashton Kutcher. “How about Freddie Prinze Jr.?” we ask. Nope. “Never got that one.”

He used to cover up his scar for TV.

Like Prinze in early 2000s, however, Centineo is becoming the go-to rom-com guy who gets the girl. And both actors have facial scars.

“They used to cover (my scar), but nowadays, for the most part, they leave it, which I love. It’s my baby,” says Centineo, showing off the mark near his mouth that he got from a dog attack.

“He ripped a hole in my face. You could see my tongue, my teeth, gums. … You could see right through,” he says, and reveals two more marks earned in childhood: a scar on his head from going headfirst into a trampoline spring and a mark down his elbow from a rollerblading incident.

“I was a rambunctious little kid,” says the now decidedly calmer Centineo, who has a few more projects on the way, including the upcoming Jackie Chan movie “The Diary” and “Fosters” spinoff “Good Trouble,” which he’s shooting now. 

“There’s a lot of potential energy in the air,” he says. “That’s super-powerful.”

 

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