Czech world number 13 Linda Noskova overcame American world number four Jessica Pegula to claim the Wimbledon warm-up WTA tournament in Berlin 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 on Sunday. 

The players took the court almost six hours late after a day of wild weather in the German capital, which forced the tournament to be evacuated for several hours.

The 21-year-old claimed the opening set and maintained control in the match despite losing the second set against the 2024 champion to claim a second career title and a first at WTA 500 level.

Czech Noskova is set to climb into the WTA top 10 for the first time in her career when the new rankings are released next week.

"(This is) very incredible and unforgettable for me," Noskova said.

"It's my second title, so like I said, you never forget the first ones, but you always never forget the second ones as well."

The result was a setback for 32-year-old Pegula, who has never won a Grand Slam, just a week out from the start of Wimbledon. 

Pegula eliminated world number one Aryna Sabalenka in the semi-finals on Saturday to reach the final in Berlin for a second time. 

Noskova breezed past Filipina qualifer Alexandra Eala in the semis and continued her strong form to break Pegula twice and claim the opening set.

Pegula found her feet in the second, breaking her opponent once to take it 6-4, the first time Noskova had dropped a set so far this tournament. 

The American looked to have a footing in the match but Noskova broke early in the deciding set to drag the match back into her favour. 

Noskova is set to remain in Germany in the coming week to take part in the Bad Homburg tournament, another key Wimbledon preparation event, before travelling to England. 

dwi/bc

Lamine Yamal made a goalscoring return for Spain as the European champions got their World Cup campaign back on track with a 4-0 drubbing of Saudi Arabia on Sunday.

Yamal, 18, opened the scoring after just 10 minutes of the Group H game in Atlanta to put La Roja on course for a comfortable victory against an outclassed Saudi team.

Spain had been determined to bounce back after being held to a shock 0-0 draw by lowly Cape Verde in their opening game last week, when their much-vaunted attack drew a blank.

But with teenaged starlet Yamal making his first start in two months since recovering from a hamstring problem, Spain launched an early onslaught that left the Saudis reeling.

Yamal ghosted in at the back post to tuck away Mikel Oyarzabal's low cross before Oyarzabal scored twice in three minutes to leave Spain 3-0 up after just 24 minutes.

Spain bagged their fourth goal on 49 minutes, when Marc Cucurella's shot was saved by Saudi goalkeeper Mohammed al-Owais only to bounce off defender Hassan al-Tambakti into the net.

The win leaves Spain on top of Group H with four points after two matches.

- 'No fear' for Cape Verde -

Cape Verde will attempt to join the Spaniards on four points later Sunday when they face Uruguay in Miami, with coach Pedro Leitao Brito, known as "Bubista", vowing his team will play "without fear".

"We didn't come just to take part. We want to play all the matches and to be able to show that we have the level to take on the best teams in the world," he added.

"Our aim is to play all the games with courage, in an organised way but also without fear."

Vozinha, the 40-year-old Cape Verde goalkeeper who held Spain at bay with a remarkable performance, will be watched by his mother on Sunday after she arrived in Miami on a US visa.

Ana Candida Evora travelled from Cape Verde's capital Praia after her son tearfully told reporters she had not been granted a visa in time for the first game, but the US State Department has now provided her with the necessary document.

Meanwhile, Belgium will again be without Jeremy Doku with respiratory problems as they face Iran.

Without the winger, Belgium sputtered to a draw in their opener against Egypt.

Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei said he has been told US travel restrictions on his team will finally be eased for their third group game, against Egypt in Seattle on June 26, but he claimed the treatment they have received so far had adversely affected their on-field performance.

Despite that, Iran remain in contention after drawing 2-2 with New Zealand in their first game. 

In the other game in the group on Sunday, Egypt play New Zealand in Vancouver.

- Germany advance -

On Saturday, Germany booked their place in the knockout rounds with a dramatic injury-time winner in a 2-1 victory over Ivory Coast.

It is the first time since 2014 that Germany have reached the last 32.

Germany's victory was made even sweeter later on Saturday as Curacao -- the smallest country by population ever to qualify for the World Cup with just 160,000 inhabitants -- dug deep to secure a shock 0-0 draw with Ecuador in Kansas City that ensured the Germans will win Group E with a game to spare.

In Houston, the Netherlands stayed firmly on course for qualification with a 5-1 demolition of Sweden in Group F.

Japan are now level on four points with the Dutch after cruising to a comfortable 4-0 victory over Tunisia in Monterrey, Mexico in Saturday's late match -- the 1,000th game in World Cup history. 

bur/rcw/gj

Leader Wyndham Clark made a bogey at the first hole to begin his third round Saturday at the US Open while Rory McIlroy made a charge with three consecutive birdies.

Clark, the 2023 US Open winner, was on seven-under par 133 and ahead by four after 36 holes but a three-putt bogey from 35 feet dropped his lead to two strokes.

American Sam Stevens, in only his eighth major start, sank a seven-foot birdie putt at the first hole to seize second alone at four-under, one stroke ahead of countryman Xander Schauffele, who opened with a par.

Wyndham, 32, is coming off a PGA Tour triumph four weeks ago in Texas and looking for a second US Open triumph to wipe away the memory of his locker-smashing outburst after he missed the cut at Oakmont last year.

He and those chasing faced whipping winds that changed direction to add Shinnecock's challenge, combining with dense rough and tricky pin positions to test the world's top golfers, who backed off time and again for gusts.

England's Matthew Fitzpatrick, the 2022 US Open champion, opened with a bogey to stand four off the pace.

Second-ranked McIlroy, who won his sixth major at April's Masters, made bogey at the third after finding the left rough off the tee.

The six-time major winner from Northern Ireland answered with three consecutive birdies -- sinking a three-foot birdie putt at the par-five fifth, holing out from the fairway from 66 feet for birdie at six and rolling in a putt from just inside 17 feet at seven to reach two-under and share fourth.

Not since Lee Janzen in 1998 has a US Open winner been more than four strokes off the lead after 54 holes.

Players are chasing a record $4.5 million top prize from a purse matching the highest in major golf at $22.5 million.

World number one Scottie Scheffler began the day seven strokes adrift and opened with two bogeys for only the fourth time in 105 major rounds.

Scheffler, an American who would complete a career Grand Slam with a victory Sunday on his 30th birthday, lipped out on a six-foot par putt at the par-three second hole after finding the left rough twice and a greenside bunker before saving bogey at the first and was two-over through seven.

- Grillo's birdie binge -

Argentina's Emiliano Grillo reeled off four consecutive birdie putts to close the front nine, the last and longest from just inside 25 feet, on his way to firing a three-under par 67 to grab the clubhouse lead at level par 210.

England's Tommy Fleetwood sank a 20-foot eagle putt at the par-five fifth to stand on par overall.

There were only 10 players under par through the first two rounds.

Fitzpatrick, 31, has won three times on the PGA Tour this year, the Valspar Championship in March, Heritage tournament in April and the tour pairs event in New Orleans with brother Alex.

Schauffele, 32, won the 2024 British Open and PGA Championship and has seven top-10 finishes in nine prior US Open starts, never finishing worse than 14th. His best result was a share of third in 2019.

Kim, who turns 24 on Sunday, has not won in nearly three years. He suffered a right ankle ligament injury in July 2023 but fought through it to finish second in the British Open.

Stevens, 29, has never won a PGA Tour title.

js/bb

Spain boss Luis de la Fuente said his players have been stung by the criticism that followed a shock 0-0 draw against Cape Verde, but will put that right against Saudi Arabia on Sunday.

The European champions arrived in North America as one of the favourites for the tournament.

But with Lamine Yamal only able to make an appearance as a second-half substitute on his return from injury, La Roja were laboured in attack as the African archipelago of just over 500,000 people held out for a historic result.

"This generation of footballers is highly competitive and really fired up... It's going to be a completely different story," De la Fuente told his pre-match press conference in Atlanta on Saturday.

"There is no drama or crisis. The bottom line is simply that we need to win tomorrow."

Despite the disappointment, Spain are now 32 competitive games unbeaten from open play, stretching back over three years.

"This team has a lot of heart and always responds," added De la Fuente.

"I am sure tomorrow we will be better than what we showed the other day."

Yamal's fitness has been the dominant topic of Spain's World Cup so far.

The 18-year-old rose to prominence with his performances as De la Fuente's side romped to victory at Euro 2024.

Yamal has since established himself as one of the world's best players at Barcelona but suffered a hamstring injury in April that had kept him sidelined until his cameo off the bench against Cape Verde.

The winger is not yet ready to play 90 minutes, but the pressure is on De la Fuente to include him from the start with Spain badly lacking his spark in attack.

"The most important thing is that he's back," said De la Fuente.

"Seeing how he competes, how he is rediscovering that feeling, spirit, finesse which he had and has back now, that is the best possible news."

Yamal is expected to replace Barcelona team-mate Gavi in the starting line-up, while De la Fuente hinted there could also be other changes.

Saudi Arabia also drew their opening game 1-1 with Uruguay.

kca/nf

Cody Gakpo and Brian Brobbey both scored twice as the rampant Netherlands thrashed Sweden 5-1 in a World Cup warning on Saturday in Houston.

The big win in front of nearly 69,000 put the delighted Dutch on the cusp of the knockout rounds and gave them liftoff after being held by Japan.

Ronald Koeman's side top Group F with four points from two games, ahead of Sweden on three, Japan (one) and Tunisia (none).

Despite the sobering loss the Swedes had plenty of chances but were denied by good goalkeeping and wasteful finishing.

They are still in with a good chance of progressing into the last 32 but face a test in the form of Japan in their final group game.

"We attacked, had some opportunities but obviously defensively you can't concede that many and hope to win, but we'll learn a lot from the game," Sweden coach Graham Potter told BBC TV.

"Sometimes you have to have these experiences, I didn't think it was that type of game, but again that's the scoreline, we have to accept it and learn from it."

Sunderland striker Brobbey got his first start of the tournament and repaid Koeman with predatory goals after five and 17 minutes.

Before that the 24-year-old had scored only once for his country.

In a game full of Premier League talent, Liverpool's Gakpo -- who set Brobbey up for the opener -- scored twice early in the second half.

Substitute Anthony Elanga pulled one back for Sweden just before the hour with a classy finish.

Substitute Crysencio Summerville, who was replaced in the starting line-up by Brobbey, had the last word for the five-star Dutch.

"If you look further at the goals we scored, that will cause fear among opponents," Koeman said.

"The way those goals came about, in transition with a lot of pace and a lot of quality, we can be incredibly dangerous."

- Liftoff for Dutch -

Two crew members from the historic Artemis II lunar mission were among the VIP guests, a nod to Houston's place as the home of space flight.

The Dutch, twice pegged back in a lively 2-2 draw with Japan to start their title bid, made the brighter start in front of their orange-clad fans and King Willem-Alexander.

Brobbey, who came in for Summerville despite the winger scoring against Japan, started and finished the first goal.

It was made in the Premier League, with goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen, midfielder Tijjani Reijnders and Gakpo all involved.

Brobbey exchanged passes with Gakpo, before the Anfield attacker crossed in low from the left for his team-mate to stab in from close range.

At the other end the much-vaunted attack of Liverpool's Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres of Arsenal were feeding on scraps for Sweden.

Twelve minutes after his opener Brobbey made it 2-0 when a deflected Denzel Dumfries cross from the right fell perfectly into his path and he toe-poked past Kristoffer Nordfeldt.

Sweden, who thrashed Tunisia 5-1 in their first game, then created several opportunities for Gyokeres and Yasin Ayari to reduce the deficit but they failed to find a way past Verbruggen before half-time.

- World Cup warning -

Koeman sent on Summerville for Malen at the break, and two minutes later it was mission impossible for Sweden, Gakpo prodding in from close range after yet another dangerous low cross from Dumfries.

Gakpo scored a lovely fourth on 54 minutes, turning inside his defender before firing low into the bottom corner.

Elanga pulled one back when he raced clear of the Dutch defence and rattled the ball past Verbruggen.

West Ham's Summerville made it five in the dying minutes with his second goal in North America.

"Of course this match was better than the previous one. That's what you want, ideally you want to win right from the start," said Koeman.

"But if this is a sign of more to come, then were heading in the right direction."

pst/nf

Could the United States really win the World Cup?

After two opening victories, by an aggregate 6-1 scoreline, that is the wildly optimistic question being posed to many US television pundits, including Fox's Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who answered a simple "Yes."

While aware they are still vast underdogs against traditional powerhouses like Spain, France and Argentina, the US players were not exactly afraid to stoke those hugely ambitious dreams either, after beating Australia 2-0 Friday.

"I think we came here to compete, and to compete, you have to win every game," US star midfielder Malik Tillman told AFP in Seattle after the win.

"In the end, if you want to win the tournament, same again, you have to win every game. I think that's also our goal for the next one."

So far the US have only faced limited opposition in Paraguay, who they beat 4-1, and Australia. Next up is eliminated Turkey, in what will be a dead rubber for both teams.

Sterner tests surely await in the knockout, with Belgium and then Spain among the likeliest foes in wait if the US win their last-32 clash.

It is worth noting that the US have only won one knockout game in their entire World Cup history -- a 2-0 win over Mexico in the round-of-16 in 2002, when they reached the quarter-finals in their best campaign of modern times.

World Cup hosts do have an impressive track record of lifting the trophy on their home turf.

Six have won in the tournament's history, most recently France in 1998, who followed up that inaugural win by building a dynasty and reaching three more finals.

But no host winners have ever been such extreme long shots as the US, perennially seen as potential future giants of untapped promise, too distracted by homegrown sports like NFL, basketball and baseball to truly compete at the world’s most popular sport.

- 'Why not us?' -

If that has started to change, the rapid rise of the domestic Major Soccer League has played a part, providing homegrown talent like Friday's goalscorer Alex Freeman.

So too has the emergence of a "golden generation" of stars playing for Champions League clubs, like AC Milan forward Christian Pulisic, Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie and Bayer Leverkusen's Tillman.

But perhaps no factor has been as great as the expensive hiring of elite coach Mauricio Pochettino, who deconstructed and rebuilt an underperforming, complacent squad in his own image.

US and Crystal Palace center-half Chris Richards on Friday praised the former Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain manager's track record and motivational powers for instilling belief.

"We've seen him do it with big teams, and he's very passionate in the way that he speaks," said Richards.

"It kind of reflects on us as well. So we take that passion and we try to apply it to how we go out there on the pitch."

While urging his players to remain grounded and focused, Pochettino has urged fans to dream, frequently asking "Why not us?" in public comments.

So, does Richards really believe the US could pull off what would be comfortably the greatest upset World Cup win in modern history?

"Obviously we take it one game at a time," said Richards.

But "I don't think it's ridiculous to say that we want to win it," he said.

amz/rcw

High-scoring Germany face a powerful Ivory Coast side at the World Cup on Saturday with the winner guaranteed a place in the last 32, while Sweden can also book their ticket.

Those three nations can join co-hosts the United States and Mexico who are already through.

Germany thrashed debutants Curacao 7-1 in their opener and would be confirmed as Group E winners if they defeat Ivory Coast in Toronto and Ecuador fail to beat Curacao in Kansas City.

Progressing to the knockout round would be a relief for the Germans who astonishingly have failed to reach that stage since they won their fourth World Cup in Brazil in 2014.

So tight are the margins that Ivory Coast could lock up their place in the next round too, if they beat the Germans.

Julian Nagelsmann said his team had to be prepared for Ivory Coast's athleticism.

"Their speed is one of their biggest strengths and that's what I think they do best," he told reporters, highlighting the French-born Ivorian winger Nicolas Pepe.

"During the last game, he was everywhere," Nagelsmann said of Pepe.

Ivory Coast could also count on forward Elye Wahi who has been authorized to enter Canada after initially being denied a visa over reported spot-fixing allegations in France.

Sweden face the Netherlands in Houston knowing that a win will secure a place in the knockout round -- an extraordinary turnaround for the Scandinavians who only qualified for the World Cup through the Nations League, essentially the back door.

Coach Graham Potter warned that Sweden striker Alexander Isak will get "stronger and stronger" as the tournament goes on.

Isak had a poor season by his standards, interrupted by frequent injuries, after Liverpool paid Newcastle United a British record £125 million ($165 million) for him.

He made a strong start to the World Cup, though, as the 26-year-old scored one goal and set up two in the 5-1 thrashing of Tunisia.

"Alex has had a season that has been interrupted," Potter said. "Most football players would say they need a certain amount of time and games to get up to top, top level, so we've had to try to build Alex up. I think there's more to come from him."

- 1,000th game -

History will be made in another of Saturday's games as Japan face Tunisia in Monterrey, Mexico for the 1,000th game at a World Cup.

Hajime Moriyasu warned his Japan side they will need to match the intensity of a Tunisia team fired up by the introduction of coach Herve Renard after Sabri Lamouchi became the first coach in World Cup history to be sacked after one game.

On Friday, the United States marched into the knockout round with a 2-0 victory over Australia in Seattle.

A day of raucous celebrations for the co-hosts got even better when Paraguay's 1-0 win against Turkey confirmed that the US would clinch top spot in Group D, ensuring a theoretically easier draw in the last 32.

A Cameron Burgess own goal in the 11th minute and a headed effort from Alex Freeman two minutes before half-time sealed a comfortable three points for Mauricio Pochettino's USA side, who have won the group with a game to spare.

After an unconvincing build-up to the World Cup, the Americans have made a dream start to the tournament with Friday's victory following a stylish 4-1 demolition of Paraguay in their opener.

"It was a fantastic game again, very good first half," Pochettino said. "I think we dominated the game against a very tough team.

"When the draw happened in December I thought it was going to be a really difficult, a really tough game."

In other games on Friday, Brazil took control of their destiny in Group C with a 3-0 victory over Haiti that ended the Caribbean nation's chances of progressing. Haiti join Turkey in exiting the tournament.

Two goals from Matheus Cunha and a Vinicius Junior strike sealed an easy win for the Brazilians in Philadelphia.

Brazil are now level on four points with Morocco, but lead the North Africans on goal difference.

Morocco secured their first win of the tournament on Friday with a 1-0 defeat of Scotland at Foxborough.

Morocco face Haiti in their final Group C game on June 24, while Brazil take on the Scots in Miami.

gj/rcw/ea/bsp 

US coach Mauricio Pochettino backed his "high IQ" players not to get carried away after they secured progress to the World Cup knockouts with Friday's win over Australia and sent fans' hopes soaring.

Thanks to an own goal and an Alex Freeman header, the US have reached the last-32 of the tournament they are co-hosting with a game to spare, winning two group matches for the first time since 1930.

The already-surging hype surrounding the US team's prospects among the American public sky-rocketed following the 2-0 win over the Socceroos in front of a jubilant crowd in Seattle.

Pochettino's men could be assured of top place in Group D in just a few hours' time if other results go their way, but the manager said he trusts his team not to treat next week's Turkey clash any differently.

"We need to go for the next one. To be sure that we are going to arrive in good condition, like we arrived in the last two games," said Pochettino.

His players and staff need to "keep being very tough with ourselves, to push to be better and better every day," he added.

Pochettino, whose stellar career includes leading Tottenham Hotspur to a Champions League final and managing the likes of Lionel Messi and Neymar at Paris Saint-Germain, said his players have the footballing nous to not let standards slip.

"That is part of being intelligent... For me, the IQ of the players that I have in my squad, they are so high over the average," he said.

If Turkey do not beat Paraguay later on Friday, the US will be guaranteed top spot in Group D, and a theoretically easier route into the knockout rounds.

The US still have to play Turkey in a group game next week. Pochettino did not rule out making changes to his team for that clash.

"We had a lot of fatigued bodies in the first half both physically and mentally," he said.

"I think it's too early to talk about our decision against Turkey... If we want to win and we want to be one of the good teams, dreaming big, I think we need to talk about the team and not the (individual) names."

As his players took a victory lap around the field, the fans sang along to "Livin' on a Prayer," and many will now be dreaming of a deep run into the World Cup that would defy most pundits' expectations in a tournament stacked with favorites like Spain, France and Argentina.

Pochettino himself has dared fans to dream of winning the World Cup, repeatedly asking "Why not us?" in press conferences.

The Argentinian coach paid tribute to Friday's crowd, comparing it to the football-mad country of his birth.

"Amazing. I was saying yesterday Argentina have amazing fans but I think we are matching Argentina," he said.

"Our fans, I'm so happy for them."

amz/rcw

Striker Alexander Isak will get "stronger and stronger" and is smiling again, Sweden coach Graham Potter said Friday in a World Cup warning to defences.

Isak had a poor season by his standards after Liverpool paid Newcastle United a British-record £125 million last summer for him.

He struggled for fitness and form, but showed some of his brilliant best as Sweden opened their World Cup with a 5-1 thrashing of Tunisia.

The 26-year-old scored one goal and set two up, with strike partner Viktor Gyokeres of Arsenal also netting.

Speaking on the eve of Saturday's tasty group clash with the Netherlands in Houston, the Englishman Potter said: "Alex has had a season that has been interrupted.

"Most football players would say they need a certain amount of time and games to get up to top, top level, so we've had to try to build Alex up.

"I think there's more to come from him.

"He's not at that place where he's at absolute maximum, but obviously with the quality he has and the type of player he is, he can still influence the game.

"I think he'll get stronger and stronger as the tournament goes, and that's where our work is to try and help him get better and better, stronger and stronger."

After a trying first season at Liverpool, where he made only 14 appearances in the Premier League and scored three goals, Potter said he saw a player enjoying his football again.

"That's the most important thing, I think, with Alex. I think he likes being with the team, he likes being with the players.

"He enjoys it, plays with a smile on his face.

"And if we do that, then he's fantastic."

There are several intriguing battles looming in the Group F match in Houston.

Chief among them, Isak will come face to face with Netherlands and Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk.

The Dutch, who drew 2-2 with Japan to start their World Cup, have another Anfield attacker in Cody Gakpo.

In the Netherlands midfield there is also Ryan Gravenberch.

The big win over Tunisia and the strike force of Gyokeres and Isak has sparked talk that Sweden could go far in North America.

But they only squeezed into the tournament via the playoffs, and Potter, who took charge in October, said: "We know that we're a work in progress and we're improving.

"We've taken a step, but all we've done is played one match. That's it."

bur-pst/jc

Alex Freeman said scoring a World Cup goal for the USA in Seattle where his father once scored two touchdowns for the Green Bay Packers was a "full circle family moment."

Emulating his NFL wide receiver dad, Freeman was the first to the ball when Sergino Dest's effort looped into the air, heading past Australia's 'keeper for the second goal in a 2-0 win.

Victory sends the United States into the knockout rounds of the World Cup they are co-hosting. 

Right-back Freeman has played a vital role defensively too across two matches so far.

He follows in the footsteps of father Antonio, who most famously caught a touchdown in the Green Bay Packers' Super Bowl XXXI win in 1997, but also grabbed two in a Packers win at Seattle the previous year.

"For me that is a full circle family moment. I think for me it just shows how great the family tree is," said Freeman, after Friday's win.

"I think that just shows how he can be great, but I can be great in my own way as well.

"And I think that just shows how amazing it is to have a dad who's successful and that could mentor me to be able to be ready for moments like this."

One of the youngest members of the US squad at 21, Alex Freeman only made his senior international debut last year, selected by coach Mauricio Pochettino based on his Major League Soccer performances for Orlando City.

Arguably one of the less starry members of the US starting XI, he has nonetheless made the right-back position his own, fending off Timothy Weah and pushing Sergino Dest further up the field.

He also earned a move this year to Spanish club Villarreal.

"It's hard for me to kind of take it all in, but I think it's good also to kind of go through these challenges at such a fast pace at a young age," said Freeman.

"I feel like for me it's just going to make me an even better player to be able to kind of adjust the different atmospheres and be able to kind of adjust the different circumstances."

The popular Freeman was mobbed by his teammates including most of the bench after the goal, initially ruled offside, was cleared by VAR.

"I was very anxious to see whether it was a goal or not. And then when it was a goal, I looked back and I saw my teammates running out there and thought 'Oh Lord'... it just made me very emotional."

amz/rcw

Joaquin Niemann scored better angry and unprepared than most players with perfect preparation in Friday's second round of the US Open after learning of a two-stroke penalty for throwing a club.

Niemann, who hurled his sand wedge in frustration Thursday evening after hitting two balls out of bounds, was told of the penalty just before his second round on Friday, then went out and fired a five-under par 65 at windy Shinnecock.

"I knew I had a misbehavior, but I feel like everybody had some, and it's never going to anything major like two-shot penalty," Niemann said.

"But it's their decision, and I feel like, yeah, I wouldn't be happy seeing players throwing clubs and behaving that way so yeah, I agree."

The 27-year-old Chilean had only 37 minutes to regroup after completing his first round on Friday before his second round began.

"It was hard," Niemann said. "Took me probably 30 minutes to get over it. I felt like a little bit extra penalized with two-shot penalty.

"It definitely helped me a little bit to have a better round today," he said.

Niemann birdied five of the first six holes, including the sixth -- where he threw his wedge the night before -- and finished with seven birdies and two bogeys in round two.

"Everything was on. Hit great tee shots. I kind of went out with a pretty aggressive mindset, so yeah, it worked out," he said.

With the two-stroke penalty for serious misconduct Niemann was scored a seven-over par 11 on the par-four sixth hole, the 15th of his first round. It left him with an eight-over 78.

"I hit it two times out of bounds on the right, two bad swings, then got pretty frustrated," Niemann said. "I felt like my body wasn't quite there."

Niemann also asked for relief from ants around his ball but was not given any.

"After that shot, I lay up, and the whole frustration went inside me. All the frustration that came inside me and had my club in my hand, and I couldn't resist to throw it away.

"I was looking around. There was no people. No one there. I'm not proud of it, but sometimes, all the expectation of trying to play well and things don't go your way, you get frustrated, and that was me there."

Niemann has won eight times in LIV Golf, most recently last month in South Korea.

js/bb

Brazilian star Neymar is "the first player in the world to be called up to the national side and be working remotely", Brazil President Luiz Inacio Lula de Silva joked on Friday.

Neymar, Brazil's record goalscorer with 79 goals, only returned to training with the squad at the World Cup in the United States this week after recovering from a calf injury.

The 34-year-old missed the opening 1-1 draw with Morocco and has also been omitted by coach Carlo Ancelotti from the squad for their second group game against Haiti later on Friday.

"Neymar? He is not even playing!" Lula replied to a young boy when he mentioned Neymar's name.

"Neymar is the first player to be called up (to the national team) who is working remotely," added the 80-year-old, who was speaking during a ceremony at a hospital in the southeast city of Belo Horizonte.

Lula has been in fine form since the Morocco match, joking on Wednesday that he was thinking of signing Argentinian superstar Lionel Messi to play for Brazil. 

The former Barcelona and Paris Saint Germain striker was diagnosed in late May with an injury to his right calf, and has featured in just half of the games for his club Santos this year due to various fitness issues.

Ancelotti and his coaching staff are reluctant to rush the return of Brazil's all-time record goalscorer and compromise his availability for matches later in the tournament, according to Brazilian media. 

Neymar, who has not played for his country since October 2023, did train with his teammates for the first time on Wednesday.

He has been an integral part of Brazil's last three World Cup campaigns but there was some surprise at his inclusion this time owing to his series of injuries.

Brazil's final group stage game is against Scotland in Miami on June 24.

lg/lab/bfi/pi/gj

Jonathan Toews, a three-time Stanley Cup champion and a two-time Olympic gold medallist with Canada, announced his retirement from the NHL on Friday.

Toews, 38, captained the Chicago Blackhawks to Stanley Cup titles in 2010, 2013 and 2015 in a stellar 15-year tenure with the team.

He returned to the NHL last season after a two-year absence connected to chronic immune response syndrome and long Covid, scoring 11 goals and delivering 18 assists in 82 games for his hometown team the Winnipeg Jets.

"I have to say I'm satisfied, I'm fulfilled," Toews said in announcing his retirement in Winnipeg on Friday. "I'm so thankful and grateful for the career I had."

The Blackhawks congratulated Toews on a "remarkable career" in a post on X that called him the "heartbeat" of the teams he led.

Toews also starred for Canada, winning Olympic gold in 2010 and 2014, a world title in 2007 and the World Cup in 2016.

He finished his 16-season NHL career with 383 goals and 529 assists in 1,149 regular season games for the Blackhawks and Jets.

Winner of the 2010 Conn Smythe Trophy as most valuable player of the Stanley Cup playoffs, he scored 45 goals with 74 assists in 137 career NHL playoff games.

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French Open champion Alexander Zverev will face American Taylor Fritz in the semi-finals of the ATP event in Halle after edging Raphael Collignon in straight sets on Friday.

The world number three and top seed won 7-6 (12/10), 7-6 (7/3) on the lightning-fast grass, with both men holding their serve throughout the match in the traditional Wimbledon warm-up ATP event.

Zverev converted his second match point against his Belgian rival to win in just over two hours in warm conditions in Germany's west. 

"It was an incredible match, with a very high level of play from both players," Zverev said, adding: "those two sets could have easily gone the other way."

The German will face Fritz in the semi-finals in his bid to win a maiden grass court title of his career, just weeks after breaking through for a debut Grand Slam victory. 

Zverev, who made the final in Halle in 2016 and 2017, has a poor recent record against Fritz, having lost his past six matches against the American. 

Earlier on Friday, Fritz battled past Ben Shelton in three sets, exacting revenge on his countryman five days after losing the title match in Stuttgart.

World number nine Fritz won 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (10/8), 7-6 (7/3) in two hours and 45 minutes.

Shelton, the world number five, beat the 29-year-old Fritz to claim his first career title on grass in the Stuttgart ATP tournament last Sunday. 

It was a battle between the two American big servers, neither player was broken throughout the match, with each set win coming through tiebreaks. 

Shelton triumphed in the opening set. Fritz, a career grass court specialist, fought back to claim the second, saving a match point to force a deciding set. 

Shelton fell to the grass midway through the third set and limped back to his bench but was able to continue. 

Fritz grew more confident as the match went on and was in control to win the third and final tiebreak. 

Later on Friday, world number four Felix Auger Aliassime plays Frances Tiafoe and fourth seed Daniil Medvedev faces Daniel Altmaier in the remaining quarter-finals.

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