Sports Roundup: Canada's Soccer Challenge, Nadal's Farewell, Walton's Legacy

This briefing covers current sports news, highlighting Canada's soccer coach Jesse Marsch's tough start, Rafael Nadal's heartfelt exit from the French Open, NBA Hall of Famer Bill Walton's passing, and other significant events like Newgarden's Indy 500 win and the Celtics' advance to the NBA Finals.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Soccer-No easing into job for Canada's new national team coach

With upcoming matches against the Netherlands, France and World Cup champions Argentina for Jesse Marsch there will be no easing into his new post as has head coach of Canada's men's national team. On the job just two weeks, Marsch will receive a baptism by fire with away friendlies against seventh ranked Netherlands on June 6 followed by number two France three days later with Lionel Messi and top ranked Argentina waiting to take on Canada in their Copa America opener on June 20 in Atlanta.

Tennis-Paris darling Nadal exits French Open in farewell-like defeat

Rafael Nadal exited what could be his last French Open to an outpouring of love and support with a first-round defeat by Alexander Zverev, wishing to be back at Roland Garros for the Paris 2024 Olympics. "I hope to see you again, but I don't know," Nadal told an ecstatic crowd after his straight-sets loss on Monday.

Tennis - Nadal says Olympics main goal after early Roland Garros defeat

Rafa Nadal likened his struggles with injury in the last 18 months to being in a jungle as the 14-times French Open champion hoped to return to Roland Garros for the Olympic Games after making a premature exit from the Grand Slam on Monday. Never far from physical issues in his glittering career, the 37-year-old missed almost all of 2023 with a hip problem and his comeback earlier this year was stalled by a muscle tear, before small niggles affected his preparation for the claycourt major.

Athletics-Suriname's Asinga gets four-year ban for doping

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) has suspended sprinter Issamade Asinga for four years for a doping violation, stripping him of two South American Championship gold medals as well as his Under-20 100 metres world record. Asinga, 19, who represents Suriname, was provisionally suspended in August after testing positive for prohibited metabolites during an out-of-competition test, a month after he set his junior world record of 9.89 seconds.

Bill Walton, NBA Hall of Famer and free spirit, dead at 71

Bill Walton, a two-time NBA champion and member of the basketball Hall of Fame, whose brilliant but injury-riddled career led to a second act as a free-spirited broadcaster who waxed philosophical on the air, died on Monday at the age of 71, the National Basketball Association announced. Walton, who had a prolonged battle with cancer, was surrounded by his family when he died, the National Basketball Association said.

Motor racing-Newgarden wins back-to-back Indy 500s as scandal lingers

Josef Newgarden won a final lap duel with Pato O'Ward to become the first back-to-back winner of the Indianapolis 500 in 22-years on Sunday, team owner Roger Penske's 20th win of the "Greatest Spectacle in Racing" coming with a whiff of scandal. Newgarden's victory capped an eventful afternoon at the Brickyard that saw the start delayed four hours due to severe storms and the race interrupted by multiple cautions.

Celtics complete sweep of Pacers, punch ticket to Finals

Derrick White had missed 7 of 8 3-point attempts when he found himself open in the right corner of the floor in the final minute of a tie game with an NBA Finals berth at stake. He watched Jaylen Brown handle the ball and was just waiting for his Boston Celtics teammate to deliver a pass. Once Brown did just that, it was White's turn to make a play.

Tennis-Djokovic doubters await as title defence begins at Roland Garros

World number one Novak Djokovic will be the main attraction at Roland Garros on Tuesday when he begins his French Open title defence against Pierre-Hugues Herbert, but after last year's domination, this year brings less expectation. The French wildcard entry should provide the 24-time Grand Slam champion with little more than a decent workout before facing tougher opposition, but after losing to lucky loser Luca Nardi at Indian Wells, Djokovic won't take him lightly.

Tennis - Shelton beats local hope Gaston for maiden French Open win

American Ben Shelton won his first match at the French Open on Monday as he overcame Frenchman Hugo Gaston 3-6 6-3 6-4 6-4, not only surviving two interruptions from the Paris rain but also the wrath of the local fans. Loud chants of "Hugo, Hugo" echoed across Court 14 as the home favourite took the opening set, but Shelton's fierce left-handed play quickly silenced the French crowd as he took the second, third and fourth sets, converting six of 14 break points to complete the two-hour, 29-minute encounter.

MLB roundup: Rockies break Guardians' 9-game win streak

Charlie Blackmon homered, doubled twice and drove in four runs and the Colorado Rockies used a six-run fourth inning to beat the red-hot Cleveland Guardians 8-6 in Denver on Monday. Cleveland had its nine-game winning streak snapped, the team's longest run since it won an American League-record 22 games in a row from Aug. 24 to Sept. 14, 2017.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)