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    Pelayo Novo dead aged 32: Spanish football star who was paralysed from hotel fall dies after being ‘hit by a train’

    EX-SPANISH footballer Pelayo Novo has died aged 32 after reportedly being hit by a train.Novo had turned to wheelchair tennis five years ago after an horrific fall from the third-floor of his team’s hotel.
    Tragic Pelayo Novo played for second-tier Spanish clubsCredit: Getty
    Novo, pictured at the British Open Wheelchair Tennis Championships in Nottingham last July, has died after another horrific incidentCredit: Getty
    Spanish media said on Tuesday night the former second-tier midfielder was crushed to death by a train in Oviedo.
    Novo was a second-tier midfielder for Elche, Cordoba, Lugo and Albacete – and also briefly turned out for Romanian side CFR Cluj
    And tributes from past clubs, as well as teams he was connected with, have poured in.
    Real Oviedo posted a message on Twitter.

    It read: “With a broken heart. We deeply regret the death of Pelayo Novo, captain of our Foundation. Family, friends: we are with you. Rest in peace Pelayo.”
    A statement from Cordoba read: “We deeply regret the death of our former player Pelayo Novo at the age of 32.
    “He will always remain in the memory of the Cordobesistas, since a cross of his made us ‘touch the sky in Las Tendillas’.Our sincere condolences to family and friends.”
    Novo was 27 when he was seriously hurt after falling from Albacete’s team hotel in the North Eastern city of Huesca in March 2018.
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    He spent 51 days in a Zaragoza hospital following that accident.
    And when he was moved to the Toledo National Paraplegic Hospital he captured hearts with his attitude once he realised he’d never play football again.
    He became an ambassador for professional and aspiring disabled athletes in his country.
    Novo discovered a love for wheelchair tennis and eventually became a member of the board of directors of the Asturian Tennis Federation.
    He was also an active player who entered competitions and played at the Open de Catalunya most recently.
    Novo was seen as an inspiration for disabled sports people.
    Talking about his accident, a few years ago he said: “The human being adapts to the circumstances that he has.
    “It is logical that it takes time because there are times when it is bad.
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    “I managed to get out of that and now I am having a great time.”
    Now the world of Spanish sport is trying to comprehend his tragic death following a second horrifying incident. More

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    Diana Shnaider Is Mixing College Tennis With the Pro Tour, for Now

    A freshman at North Carolina State, Shnaider, a Russian, is the first woman ranked in the top 100 of the pro game to play college tennis since 1993.Last August, Diana Shnaider, a teenage tennis player from Russia, was traveling solo in Europe with a world-class forehand but no working bank card because of financial sanctions against her country. She had to pay for hotels, flights and food with cash.Last week, she led the North Carolina State women’s tennis team, which is ranked ninth in Division I, to a victory over second-ranked Ohio State.“Things were bad, but they’re better now,” Shnaider said on Wednesday on a video call from Columbus, Ohio.Shnaider, a left-hander with a flashy and powerful style of play, has found stability in the game, even though many observers never believed she would choose college tennis over playing on the professional tour full time. The skeptics included her college coach, Simon Earnshaw.“I didn’t think she was going to come,” Earnshaw said in a telephone interview. “But she’s kind of unique. As an 18-year-old, she’s still a kid, but she’s very clear on how she sees the game and what’s important to her and what’s not important to her. And, really, the only thing that’s important to her is, ‘How do I get better?’”When she arrived in Raleigh, N.C., last summer, she ranked 249th on the WTA Tour in singles. She is up to 90th after a surge in Australia, where she qualified for her first Grand Slam singles tournament, the Australian Open, and lost in the second round to sixth-seeded Maria Sakkari of Greece, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3.Shnaider has big weapons in her slashing forehand and serve. She has quick feet and an attacking mentality that has been there since she learned the game in Tolyatti, across the Volga River from Zhigulevsk, her hometown. She moved to Moscow at age 9 with her family to find better training opportunities.“I never wanted to be a pusher,” she said. “I was always like: ‘OK, here’s the shot. I’m killing it.’”At the Australian Open, her fist pumps and celebratory shouts rattled Sakkari, who thought they were directed at her. Shnaider said that was a misunderstanding and that she was shouting toward her team in the player’s box on Sakkari’s side of the court.Shnaider said her run in Australia — and the more than $140,000 in prize money that came with it — did not make her rethink her decision to play in college, even if it has been tough for her to read harsh criticism of it on social media.“I understand with my mind that I’m doing everything right, but of course when people say mean things it goes to my heart and soul,” she said. “But I’m trying to just go my own way.”Shnaider, shown at the Australian Open in January, is undefeated in women’s singles at North Carolina State.Joel Carrett/EPA, via ShutterstockShnaider is the first woman ranked in the top 100 in singles to play college tennis since 1993, when the American Lisa Raymond played at Florida. Shnaider has gone undefeated in singles matches this season for N.C. State, which is not a traditional college tennis power. But the Wolfpack are 7-1 and undefeated with Shnaider in the lineup.“She’s the best player to play college tennis in a while, for sure,” said Geoff Macdonald, the former women’s coach at Vanderbilt.The American college game has resumed being a pathway to professional success in recent years with college standouts like Cameron Norrie, Jennifer Brady and Danielle Collins making successful transitions. But what separates Shnaider from them is that she made inroads in the pro game before college. (N.C.A.A. rules allow players to use prize money to cover their documented tennis expenses at any time during that same calendar year, but they must donate any excess to remain eligible.)Shnaider’s decision was partly because of geopolitics: It allowed her to establish a base in the United States while her country is viewed as a pariah in much of the West.“I think 100 percent her being Russian made the difference,” David Secker, an N.C. State assistant coach, said.Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 brought sanctions against Russians. For tennis players, the sanctions complicated travel and training, and raised the possibility of Russian players being excluded from tournaments (to date, Wimbledon has been the only major individual event to do so).Shnaider, who split with her coach in June, wanted to ensure she could keep playing competitively and improve on hardcourts. Her best results had come on clay.“I was really afraid and thinking what will I do sitting in Russia without coach and without matches?” she said.Before committing to N.C. State, she had to overcome her doubts. “I thought it would mean like I’m quitting the tennis, the professional career,” she said.Her father, Maksim, who helped shape her game, was against it. But her mother, Julia, a trained pianist more focused on education, pushed for it and helped make the initial contact with Secker last April through a Russian family in the United States.Secker, like Earnshaw, was skeptical that Shnaider was serious about attending college, but he organized a video call and then met with Shnaider and her mother at the French Open in June. The family remained divided on the issue, however, and Shnaider, when she was back on the road, kept having emotional phone calls with her parents.“I was in the middle of nowhere, and I was like, this is not helping me,” Shnaider said. “And my dad was like, this is your decision, so make your first whole decision by yourself.”It would be N.C. State. Bureaucratic issues made her wait five days in Warsaw for her student visa, and she sprinted down a hall at the U.S. Embassy to collect it before closing time on a Friday. But she made it to the United States a few days before the U.S. Open junior tournament and reached the semifinals of the girls’ event in singles and won in doubles with Lucie Havlickova.But Shnaider remained athletically ineligible. She had signed a contract with Wesport, a management agency in Sweden, and, Earnshaw said, the N.C.A.A. needed to examine the agreement to ensure that any payments she had received were in exchange for the use of her name, image and likeness, which is now permitted by the N.C.A.A.The process took nearly five months to resolve. “It was extremely protracted frustration,” Earnshaw said.Shnaider got clearance on Feb. 3, the day before a home match with Oklahoma. Though she has gone undefeated in singles with the team, she has been pleasantly surprised by the level of play. For example, she had to save a match point before defeating Sydni Ratliff of Ohio State.“I was worried I was going to lose time and lose my motivation,” Shnaider said of playing college tennis. But she noted that has not happened. “I’m getting out of my apartment at 8 a.m., coming back at 8 p.m., and I’m passed out.”She is about to start juggling college tennis and tour tennis, competing at the WTA event in Monterrey, Mexico, where the main draw starts Monday. Then comes the qualifying event at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif. Going deep at either tournament will mean she is likely to miss some college matches.“I would say logistics is the biggest challenge for Diana,” Secker said. “And I also think doubt is a huge part because I think there’s always this doubt that if I’m playing a college match, am I missing out on an opportunity in the pro game? If I’m playing pro, am I letting down my team in some way?”For at least a few more months, Shnaider will try to do justice to both worlds, but the challenge pales in comparison to taking on the satellite circuit last year with no chaperone or modern means of payment. When she won a title in Istanbul, the organizers had to give her the nearly $9,000 in prize money in cash.“I was like, what am I supposed to do with that?” she said holding her right thumb and index finger far apart to show the size of the stack of bank notes. “I was so careful.”At other times, she said, she barely had enough cash to pay for a night’s hotel.“My parents were feeling really insecure for me,” she said. “My mom was like, ‘Don’t carry your passport, don’t go outside, don’t speak Russian, just stay in the hotel.’ Because she just didn’t know what people can do.” More

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    Glamorous Aston Villa star Alisha Lehmann receives incredible offer to switch sports

    ALISHA LEHMANN has been offered the opportunity to switch sports.The Aston Villa star has been a regular in the WSL this season.
    Alisha Lehmann is a regular for Aston VillaCredit: Alamy
    The Swiss ace has built up a huge social media followingCredit: https://www.instagram.com/alishalehmann7/?hl=en
    Lehmann, 24, is determined to keep growing the women’s game.
    But she wouldn’t mind dabbling with tennis on the side.
    The Swiss star picked up a racquet alongside national team-mate Geraldine Reuteler to give tennis a go.
    She later posted snaps from her new experience to Instagram, captioning them: “Something different.”
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    Greek tennis player Petros Tsitsipas, younger brother of world No3 Stefanos Tsitsipas, cheekily commented: “Let’s play mixed?”
    Petros is a career-high No136 in the world in doubles, largely courtesy of wildcards received at tournaments while playing alongside his illustrious brother.
    Alisha replied “let’s go” followed by a laughing emoji.
    The Villa star has 12 million Instagram followers, dwarfing the 34,000 boasted by Petros.
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    Alisha recently gave tennis a goCredit: Instagram @alishalehmann7
    The 24-year-old had fun trying ‘something different’Credit: Instagram @alishalehmann7
    Petros Tsitipas, left, has often played doubles with illustrious brother StefanosCredit: Getty
    But she wants to be known more for her football.
    Lehmann recently told The Times: “A lot of people only see the social side [of my life, via Instagram] and not actually how I play football.
    “About this, I’m sometimes disappointed, because I work hard every day. I train every day and I want to be the best player I can be. 
    “They don’t really know how I play. I’m always saying, ‘Watch a game please’ — and then they’re surprised.”
    On her following, she added to talkSPORT: “To be honest, I don’t really think about it.
    “It’s not something where I wake up every day and think, oh my God, I have so many followers.
    “It’s more that it’s really nice, the support and everything and it’s also a big opportunity.
    “I would like to show the world that women can actually do it in football and you don’t need to just to be normal.
    “You can also be a bit crazy, just be you, and use your personality to show the world who you are.”
    Lehmann is a fan favouriteCredit: Alamy
    Alisha has 12million Instagram followersCredit: https://www.instagram.com/alishalehmann7/?hl=en
    The Swiss ace is grateful for her supportCredit: Instagram @alishalehmann7 More

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    Lionel Messi breaks silence after Rafa Nadal begs panel NOT to vote for him to win Sportsman of the Year

    LIONEL MESSI was left “speechless” after Rafael Nadal admitted he wants him to win the Laureus Award, despite having been nominated himself.The icons are both among a star-studded shortlist of nominees for the prestigious gong, handed out each year to the world’s best sportsman.
    Lionel Messi reached the pinnacle of football in 2022 when he won the World CupCredit: Reuters
    Rafael Nadal won his 22nd Grand Slam in 2022 at Roland GarrosCredit: Getty
    Nadal, 36, could win the prize for the third time – having also picked it up in 2011 and 2021.
    But the humble Spaniard, while honoured to be nominated, says he wants Messi to win it instead.
    He wrote on Instagram: “An honour to be nominated again to the Laureus Sportsman of the year… but… this year… let’s go Messi, you deserve it.”
    In response to tennis favourite Nadal, Messi gushed: “That an athlete as great as you says that about me leaves me speechless…
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    “Thank you very much, Rafa Nadal, you also deserve everything for the way you compete every time you go out on the court.
    “You’re a winner, maybe we have a lot of competition there, huh? You also deserve the Laureus award this year, really.”
    Messi, 35, inspired Argentina to World Cup glory in 2022, winning the tournament’s Golden Ball award and scoring twice in the final.
    He also helped Paris Saint-Germain reclaim the Ligue 1 title from Lille.
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    Nadal, meanwhile, endured an injury-plagued year – but was imperious when he was able to play unencumbered by physical ailments.
    He scooped a stunning Australian Open title in January 2022, somehow defeating Daniil Medvedev from two sets down.
    He then won his 14th French Open – and record 22nd Grand Slam overall – comfortably beating protege Casper Ruud in the final.
    In the Sportsman of the Year category, Nadal and Messi are up against Kylian Mbappe, Steph Curry, Max Verstappen and Mondo Duplantis.
    While footballer Alexia Putellas and tennis world No 1 Iga Swiatek have been included on the Sportswoman of the Year shortlist.
    Steph Curry is also nominated for the prestigious gongCredit: Reuters
    Max Verstappen waltzed to F1 glory last yearCredit: Reuters More

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    Tennis Bracelet, Anyone?

    Chris Evert made them famous, and their simple, elegant designs have stood the test of time.In 1978, while defending her three-year streak as the U.S. Open champion, Chris Evert lost her gold diamond bracelet in the middle of the match.“When I competed, I wanted to wear something that gave me confidence and empowered me both as a woman and an athlete,” Ms. Evert, who won 18 major singles titles in her career, wrote in an email interview. “My diamond line bracelet did that for me. It was a nod to my personal style, too.”Ms. Evert asked officials to stop play so she could find it.“I think everyone was confused in the stands because I was walking around the court searching for something,” she wrote.Ms. Evert went on to win the match. In a postgame interview, reporters asked her what she had dropped. “‘Oh, that was my tennis bracelet,’” she recalled saying. “From that point on, it just seemed that the tennis bracelet began to take on a life of its own.”“When I competed, I wanted to wear something that gave me confidence and empowered me both as a woman and an athlete,” said Chris Evert, who won 18 major singles titles in her career. “My diamond line bracelet did that for me. It was a nod to my personal style, too.”S&G/PA Images, via Getty ImagesThe tennis bracelet was once known as the “line bracelet”: a single-strand diamond bracelet distinguished by its straight, sparkly row of diamonds. The traditional line bracelet is set with four discreet prongs (the metal fingers that hold each stone in place), one on each corner of the diamond. This setting allows diamonds to shine as brightly as possible.“But now people have reinterpreted it. Now people refer to any diamond bracelet as a tennis bracelet in the various different settings,” said Elizabeth Doyle, a board member of the American Society of Jewelry Historians. She added that today’s understanding of tennis bracelets accounts for a variety of settings, without strict guidelines.Learn More About Jewelry 4 Indie Designers to Watch: Few major jewelry houses chose to present high jewelry collections in Paris this season, but some independent designers have turned heads. Made in the U.S.A.: A startling variety of gems are mined coast to coast, from Oregon sunstone to Maine tourmaline. Is It Real? Experts say online sales have fueled an increase in fakes, confusing buyers and stymieing makers. A Passion for Pearls: Meet an artisan who is entrusted with stringing, repairing and redesigning some of the world’s most exquisite pearl jewelry. More on Jewelry: Stories on trends and issues in the industry.Ms. Doyle, who is also a founder of Doyle & Doyle, an antique and vintage jewelry boutique in New York City, said the tennis bracelet has long been a popular item.“But what I’ve noticed is the stacking and layering, mixing and matching different colors or less important stones in with the diamonds,” she said. “It doesn’t have to be so serious.”Monica Rich Kosann, a Connecticut-based jewelry designer who, in August 2022, launched a line of tennis bracelets with Ms. Evert, echoed this sentiment in a phone interview.“I do think a woman would probably wear her tennis bracelet by itself. I remember my mom having a tennis bracelet, and I remember she wore that with her watch and that’s what she wore,” Ms. Kosann said. “Whereas now, my daughters, they wear it every day. They never take it off, and they mix it in with all their other bracelets, and it’s just become another layer on your wrist.”A tennis bracelet from the brand Dorsey.Dorsey“Does it have to be real?” asked Roxanne Assoulin. Her cubic zirconia tennis bracelets cost under $170 and are meant to be stacked.Stuart TysonHer collection features an emerald that pays homage to the U.S. Open’s former green court, with a diamond droplet of sweat to represent, as Ms. Evert described to Ms. Kosann, “the perspiration of competition.”Roxanne Assoulin’s sparkling iterations are also designed for everyday wear. In 2020, Ms. Assoulin, a longtime jewelry designer, began craving a casual version of the diamond tennis bracelet she wore in the late ’70s (and later disassembled to make earrings).“I didn’t want them to be big and flashy,” she said. “I wanted them to be really small and fine and delicate.”When Ms. Assoulin’s son asked her about a tennis bracelet for his wife, she began to wonder, “Does it have to be real?” Her Tennis on the Rox bracelets are made of cubic zirconia, cost less than $200 and are designed to be stacked.A diamond tennis bracelet from the brand The Last Line.The Last LineThe rainbow sapphire tennis bracelet from the brand MATEO.MATEOFor those who may just be discovering the tennis bracelet and looking for a more traditional design, The Last Line’s petite white diamond bracelet is a miniature nod to the classic. Or, for something less on the nose, Nakard by Nak Armstrong’s series of tennis bracelets are made of tiled onyx, scalloped opals and scale-shaped labradorite, with each stone defined by a prominent black, rhodium-finished frame. For the maximalists, MATEO makes eye candy tennis bracelets out of box-linked rainbow sapphires, as well as pink sapphires in buttercup settings. And for those who tend toward a Phoebe Philo-esque style of unfussy luxury, Dorsey offers a beautiful single strand of lab-grown white sapphire for $240.For more affordable options, all five colors of Anthropologie’s Baguette Tennis Bracelet come in under $30. J.Crew’s square crystal interpretation — currently $49.50 — is so chunky that if it happened to fly off the wrist, mid-pickleball serve, you’d see and hear where it landed.Anthropologie’s pink tennis bracelet costs less than $30.AnthropologieJ.Crew’s chunky tennis bracelet is more in line with costume jewelry.J.CrewDiamond bracelets, in the broader sense, have been popular since the Georgian Era; line bracelets have been around since the Art Deco era, and styled casually with jeans or on the court since the ’70s — at least, if you’re Chris Evert. More

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    Watch former Premier League star and Novak Djokovic belt out songs on karaoke after striking up unlikely friendship

    NOVAK DJOKOVIC has formed an unlikely partnership with a forgotten Premier League star with the duo singing the night away on karaoke. The tennis legend is weeks on from his latest Grand Slam win and appears to still be celebrating his record-equalling 22nd career major.
    It was quite the night for one ex-Aston Villa strikerCredit: Instagram
    Novak Djokovic took some time out of the high-pressure world of tennis to belt out some songsCredit: Instagram
    A video uploaded online shows the 35-year-old belting out some tunes on a karaoke machine.
    He was joined by a fellow Serbian who had a three year stint at Aston Villa in the 1990s.
    Now 49-years-old, former footy pro Savo Milosevic appeared to be having the time of his life as he sang in a low, baritone tone.
    Next to him, Djokovic could also be seen enjoying himself and showing off a surprisingly good singing voice.
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    The pair appeared to be at the corner of a busy bar with a small group around them.
    While the songs they sang were not recognisable classic karaoke hits, the duo performed with vigour and passion while the mic was at their lips.
    Milosevic had a brief spell at Aston Villa between 1995 and 1998, making 90 Premier League appearances.
    The striker managed to clock up 29 goals in that period, representing a decent scoring rate.
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    The ex-forward also turned out for club like Parma, Zaragoza and Osasuna before retiring in 2008.
    Milosevic has gone on to be a manager with Serbian club Partizan Belgrade the most high-profile team he has been in charge of. He is currently out of work.
    Djokovic meanwhile finds himself potentially on the edge of history following last month’s Australian Open victory.
    He is now level with Rafael Nadal on 22 Majors and will go looking for the record-breaking 23rd at the beginning of the summer with the French Open.
    Savo Milosevic got to double figures in the scoring charts twice during his three Aston Villa seasons.Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
    Novak Djokovic is chasing immortality with a 23rd major titleCredit: Getty More

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    Months Before Hamlin’s Collapse, Bills’ Co-Owner Also Suffered Cardiac Arrest

    In an essay, Jessica Pegula, a top-ranked tennis player, described the health ordeal of her mother, Kim Pegula, president of the Buffalo Bills. Hamlin, a defensive back, went into cardiac arrest at a Jan. 2 game.Jessica Pegula, the professional tennis player, has revealed details for the first time about the health of her mother, Kim Pegula, a co-owner and president of the Buffalo Bills and the Buffalo Sabres, describing how she went into cardiac arrest last year and is still struggling to recover.In an essay published in The Players’ Tribune on Tuesday, Jessica Pegula said she was writing about it now because she wanted to be more open after Damar Hamlin, the Bills defensive back, went into cardiac arrest during a game on Jan. 2. He was discharged from the hospital on Jan. 11.In her essay, titled “I Want to Talk to You About My Mom,” Pegula, 28, said that when she was at the Australian Open last month, she texted her husband about Mr. Hamlin’s ordeal. “The situation with my mom,” she wrote in the essay, “was weighing on me.”“When can we start talking about it?” she wrote. “When can I tell her story, my story, my family’s story? Everyone just keeps asking me. I really need to get it off my chest.”Jessica Pegula at the Australian Open last month. She is currently ranked fourth in the world.Sandra Sanders/ReutersKim Pegula, 53, and her husband, Terry, bought the Bills from the estate of the team’s founder, Ralph Wilson, in 2014. The couple paid $1.4 billion, then a record for an N.F.L. franchise.Terry Pegula, a billionaire businessman, made his fortune primarily in natural gas and in real-estate development. The Pegulas bought the N.H.L.’s Buffalo Sabres in 2011, as Jessica was turning 17.Kim Pegula and her husband, Terry Pegula, were introduced as the new owners of the Bills in 2014.Mike Groll/Associated PressIn 2022, the Pegulas acknowledged publicly that Kim had been facing significant health issues since the summer, without providing details.That changed with Jessica Pegula’s essay in The Tribune.“This is a story about my mother, my family and the past year,” she wrote.It started in June, when Jessica Pegula flew back to Florida after playing in the French Open. Her sister Kelly called her at about midnight, saying their mother was headed to a hospital in an ambulance after going into cardiac arrest. Her sister had given her CPR until the ambulance arrived and medics took over.“She saved her life,” Jessica Pegula wrote.Then came what she described as a “waiting game,” with months of uncertainty over the long-term impact on their mother’s health. After about a week, she was moved out of intensive care.“She was aware, talking a little, but a long way from her normal self,” Jessica Pegula wrote.Jessica Pegula, who is ranked fourth in the world, reluctantly went off to compete at Wimbledon. She had what she said were a “few good wins” amid the stress of her mother’s recovery, while fielding rumors that her mother had died and answering questions about her health.“Today, my mom is still in recovery, and although it is the same answer every time someone asks me, it is true, she is improving every day,” Jessica Pegula wrote.“She is dealing with significant expressive aphasia and significant memory issues,” she added, referring to a condition in which people struggle to speak in complete sentences or find the words they are looking for. “She can read, write and understand pretty well, but she has trouble finding the words to respond.”Jessica Pegula said her mother was behind her father’s success.“She jumped into this journey with him and learned many lessons along the way, breaking a lot of barriers,” Jessica Pegula wrote. “She was the shift in culture, positivity and the heartbeat of many of the employees. She gave everyone so much of her time and effort.”“Now we come to the realization that all of that is most likely gone,” she wrote. “That she won’t be able to be that person anymore.”At the Australian Open last month, Jessica Pegula wore a patch with Hamlin’s jersey number, 3. “Ironically, yes, I was ranked No. 3 in the world,” she wrote. “However, it didn’t feel like it was just for him, it felt like it was for my mom as well.”Jessica Pegula said that when she heard what had happened to Hamlin, it was a “bizarre, messed-up, full-circle moment,” considering what her mother had also endured.“Again, I usually don’t get too much anxiety, but the thought of what Damar and his family were about to go through hurt my heart,” she wrote.Jessica Pegula said that her family had always been private but her mother’s health scare had weighed heavily, creating a “massive void” in her family and in the Bills and Sabres organizations and a “harsh reality” for everyone else involved, including employees and fans.“I wanted to tell them all that you have no right knowing what happened, but at the same time people wanted to know because they were scared,” she wrote. “Their leader, boss, friend, co-worker, all suddenly didn’t answer her phone, or emails, and all her meetings were canceled.”Kim Pegula is now home, her daughter wrote. She gets to watch the Bills, the Sabres and Jessica’s tennis matches. Jessica Pegula said her mother was improving but her prognosis was uncertain.“Thank you to the Buffalo community for your patience,” she wrote. “I know you have wanted answers and it took us a while to get there but it finally felt like it was time.” More

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    Court Dismisses Guilty Plea by Australian Tennis Star Nick Kyrgios in Assault Case

    The guilty plea and dismissal stemmed from a confrontation Mr. Kyrgios had with his partner in 2021 when she tried to prevent him from leaving in a ride-hailing car.MELBOURNE, Australia — The Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios pleaded guilty on Friday to common assault during a court hearing in Canberra, the Australian capital and his hometown. But shortly after, the court dismissed the charge.Mr. Kyrgios, 27, faced a maximum penalty of two years in prison for shoving his former romantic partner, but he argued for dismissal of the charge, citing his history of mental health issues. He withdrew that bid after the court heard evidence that he was not suffering a significant depressive illness.His lawyer then called for the conviction to be dismissed on the grounds that Mr. Kyrgios would face a greater harm from it than an ordinary defendant. The magistrate agreed, effectively dismissing the charge and allowing Mr. Kyrgios to walk away without a conviction or a criminal record.The seriousness of the matter was “low-level,” the magistrate, Beth Campbell, said, adding that she did not think the tennis star was likely to offend again.The unexpected chain of events in the packed courtroom stemmed from an altercation in January 2021, in which Mr. Kyrgios was accused of having shoved Chiara Passari, his former partner, during a dispute when she tried to prevent him from leaving in an Uber.The couple briefly split after the alleged incident, then reconciled. Ms. Passari, an Australian model, did not report the matter to the police until they had separated once again, in December 2021.In a post on Instagram after the hearing, Mr. Kyrgios thanked the court for dismissing the charge, cited mental health difficulties at the time of the incident and thanked his friends, family and new partner, Costeen Hatzi.“I was not in a good place when this happened, and I reacted to a difficult situation in a way I deeply regret,” he said. “I know I wasn’t OK, and I’m sincerely sorry for the hurt I caused.”“Mental health is tough,” he said, adding: “I now plan to focus on recovering from injury and moving forward in the best way possible.”Common assault, the charge brought against Mr. Kyrgios, is the least serious assault charge in Australia, and indicates that the victim experienced immediate, unlawful violence, or the threat of it, though not bodily injury. Ms. Passari had reported shoulder pain and a grazed knee after the altercation.Known for his outbursts on and off the court and for his mercurial, magnetic playing style, Mr. Kyrgios has become a kind of folk hero in his native Australia for pushing boundaries with his behavior. On Friday, he had arrived at court on crutches after recently undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery.Last month, he was awaiting a warm welcome on home turf at the Australian Open, the first major tennis tournament of the year. He withdrew a little more than 24 hours before his scheduled first-round match because of a knee injury, which resulted in the surgery. More