Sports News Roundup: Former champ Halep makes winning return to Wimbledon; US seeks return of WNBA star Griner from Russia, says Sullivan and more

Here is a summary of current sports news briefs.
Tennis-Wimbledon second day
Highlights from day two of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships on Tuesday (all times GMT): 1444 KYRGIOS THROUGH AFTER ROLLER-COASTER FIVE-SETTER
Sailing-Kiteboarder Hooft aims for Paralympic recognition
Soaring 30ft above the waves gives Dutch parakiteboarder Willem Hooft some of the freedom he lost five years ago in a motorcycle accident, as he now travels the world to develop the sport as a professional athlete. Hooft was part of a Para Development Program (PDP) event exclusively for kitesurfing on Lake Garda, Italy, last weekend as the sport’s governing body World Sailing seeks to develop a very promising.
Tennis-Former champion Halep makes a winning return to Wimbledon
Former world number one Simona Halep returned to Wimbledon for the first time since winning the title in 2019 and picked up exactly where she left off with an impressive 6-3 6-2 win over the dangerous Czech Karolina Muchova on Tuesday. The cancellation of the tournament in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and a calf injury last year prevented the 30-year-old Romanian from defending the Venus Rosewater Dish.
Tennis-Berrettini joins list of Wimbledon absentees in decimated men’s draw
When the name of the 2022 men’s singles champion is engraved on the Wimbledon honors roll in 12 days, some might say an asterisk should be inserted next to it. Matteo Berrettini’s withdrawal on Tuesday after testing positive for COVID-19 left an already depleted men’s roster without another notable name.
Tennis-Gauff hangs on to reach Wimbledon second round
Coco Gauff made sure she wasn’t deflected by the noisy racket created by Nick Kyrgios in a nearby court or by the fact that she only managed to convert four of 25 break points as she reached the second round of Wimbledon on Tuesday. With Australia’s hot-headed Kyrgios down to his usual antics, yelling at the referee and embroiled in heated exchanges with other officials during his first-round match, the commotion at Court Three could have distracted Gauff as she lost the first seven points against Elena-Gabriela Ruse.
US seeks WNBA star Griner return from Russia, Sullivan says
The United States is actively trying to resolve the detention of WNBA star Brittney Griner in Russia, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters on Tuesday, reiterating Washington’s call for Moscow to free her. “The United States government is actively trying to resolve this matter and bring Brittney home,” Sullivan told reporters aboard Air Force One, declining to elaborate.
Motor racing-Hamilton calls for action amid storm over Piquet’s racist comment
Lewis Hamilton has called for action to change ‘archaic mindsets’ after a racist remark about him by three-time Brazilian champion Nelson Piquet emerged on social media, sparking widespread condemnation. In a Brazilian YouTube interview in November, Piquet, 69, used a racial slur when referring to the seven-time world champion, commenting on the British Grand Prix crash in Hamilton with Max Verstappen.
MLB roundup: Rockies’ Chad Kuhl rules out Dodgers
Chad Kuhl threw the first shutout and first full game of his career, scattering three hits as the Colorado Rockies beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-0 Monday in Denver. Kuhl (5-5) kept the Dodgers off balance all night while striking out five without stepping on a batter in a 102-pitch effort.
Tennis-Williams sisters are legends, not me, says Swiatek after 36th straight win
With her first-round win at Wimbledon on Tuesday, Poland’s Iga Swiatek overtook Serena and Venus Williams to take her winning streak to 36 matches. She doesn’t believe, however, that long-term success puts her in the same league as the American sisters.
Motor racing – Red Bull drops Vips as F1 reserve driver after racial slur
Formula 1 championship leader Red Bull terminated the contract of Estonian reserve driver Juri Vips on Tuesday after an investigation into a racial slur uttered during a live broadcast. The 21-year-old Formula 2 driver was suspended last week after a video of his comments was shared on social media while playing on the Twitch platform. He apologized for his “totally unacceptable” language.
(With agency contributions.)