Sports News Roundup: Texans won't hire GM in 2019; Nadal topples Querrey to set up blockbuster Federer semi

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Quiet man Pinot ready to make his presence felt on the Tour

Thibaut Pinot's love-hate relationship with the Tour de France will face a big test on Thursday when the overall contenders take on their first hilltop finish at the top of La Planche des Belles Filles -- the Frenchman's back yard. The Tour has always been a complicated affair for the Groupama-FDJ climber, who burst into the limelight in 2012 by winning a mountain stage in Porrentruy.

Social media critics no problem but not granny, says Kuchar

Matt Kuchar might have been able to shrug off withering social media criticism after paying less than the going rate to his stand-in caddie, but disappointing his grandmother was a whole different matter. Kuchar's reputation as one of pro golf's nice guys took a big hit earlier this year when word leaked out that he had paid David Ortiz $5000 from prize money of almost $1.3 million upon winning the PGA Tour's Mayakoba Classic in Mexico last November.

Thursday's Tour stage favors Bernal, says Thomas

Defending champion Geraint Thomas hinted he might lose more time to Ineos co-team leader Egan Bernal when the Tour de France's sixth stage ends at the Planche des Belles Filles on Thursday. The final climb is a 7-km effort at an average gradient of 8.7% -- the kind of short, punchy ascent that Thomas believes favors other riders.

New York showers confetti, love on U.S. women's soccer team

Amid confetti and chants of "equal pay," New York honored the U.S. women's soccer team on Wednesday with a ticker-tape parade up the "Canyon of Heroes," celebrating its World Cup triumph and hailing the players' emergence as icons of women's rights. The squad's 2-0 win over Netherlands in the final match on Sunday capped a World Cup campaign that attracted vast television audiences, reflecting the popularity of a U.S. soccer team that has dominated international competition, winning a record fourth title.

Report: Texans won't hire GM in 2019

The Houston Texans will not hire a general manager for the 2019 season, instead opting to divide responsibilities among current front-office members, ESPN reported Wednesday. Going without a GM was reported as a possibility in mid-June, after the team stopped pursuing New England Patriots director of player personnel Nick Caserio. The Texans are widely expected to renew their pursuit of Caserio when his contract expires next offseason, an endeavor that would be more difficult if the team hired a GM in the interim.

Reports: Durant's contract with Nets has player option

Kevin Durant's four-year, $164 million contact with the Brooklyn Nets includes a player option for the final year, according to multiple reports. ESPN reported that the Nets' other big free agent acquisition, point guard Kyrie Irving, also has a final-year player option on his four-year deal worth $142 million.

Nadal topples Querrey to set up blockbuster Federer semi

The deafening cheers erupting around Wimbledon as Rafa Nadal stood at the baseline, bouncing a ball and poised to take a two-set lead against Sam Querrey, provided the newsflash he welcomed and dreaded with equal measure -- Roger Federer was through to the semi-finals. It meant it was game on for a Federer-Nadal blockbuster and all the Spaniard had to do to ensure Act 40 of the most compelling rivalry in tennis became a reality was to win one more point and another set.

Federer overcomes shaky start to join Grand Slam 100 club

Roger Federer chalked up another monumental milestone to reach the Wimbledon semi-finals on Wednesday, recovering to beat Japan's Kei Nishikori in four sets and become the first man to record a century of singles wins at any Grand Slam. Federer, who won 4-6 6-1 6-4 6-4 and now faces Rafa Nadal in a mouthwatering contest, was so poor in the first set that the eighth-seeded Nishikori may have felt the 37-year-old Swiss's advancing years had finally caught up with him.

Fans heckle U.S. Soccer president, demand 'equal pay' for World Cup winners

The head of the U.S. Soccer Federation was overpowered by chants of "equal pay" and booed as he spoke at Wednesday's victory parade for the country's women's team who won a record-extending fourth World Cup in France last weekend. The crowd's condemnation followed on from the team's high-profile lawsuit filed against the national soccer body in March, demanding equal compensation with their male counterparts, and by extension, the issue of equal pay for women in general.

Serena returned to tennis to hunt down Slam No. 24, says coach

Patrick Mouratoglou has steered Serena Williams to some of her greatest achievements, but the coach has never seen the American work as hard as she has to battle back from injury and illness in pursuit of a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam singles title. Williams will face unseeded late-bloomer Barbora Strycova on Thursday for a place in the Wimbledon final, having begun the tournament short on match practice and with question marks hanging over her prospects.

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