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French Open fans angry as COVID curfew imposed during match

PARIS (AP) — Novak Djokovic’s French Open quarterfinal against Matteo Berrettini was delayed for about 22 minutes Wednesday night while thousands of spectators were cleared out of the stadium court because of an 11 p.m. coronavirus curfew.

Pandemic-related restrictions were loosened to allow 5,000 inside on Court Philippe-Chatrier rather than the 1,000 for the previous matches, and it was quite an atmosphere until the rule was imposed.

“The conditions were strange with the fans here and then the atmosphere was a bit different (afterward),” Djokovic said after winning 6-3, 6-2, 6-7 (5), 7-5 to reach his 40th Grand Slam semifinal. “You have to find a different motivation because the energy from the fans is special.”

Some disappointed fans jeered and even sang “We’ve paid, we’ll stay” as they refused to leave at 10:45 p.m. as curfew approached.

Shortly before 10:55 p.m., both players packed their bags and walked off while fans shouted out in frustration. The top-ranked Djokovic was up 2-1 in sets and leading 3-2 in the fourth when play was halted.

Berrettini waved to the crowd as they chanted his name shortly before the players departed. The big-hitting Italian said he felt for them. He also felt some sting was taken out of his game.

“I think it’s a shame, it’s something that I didn’t like. But it’s bigger than us, it’s not that you can do something about,” the ninth-seeded Berrettini said of the curfew. “I was feeling the momentum. I was playing good. Stopping wasn’t the best thing for my tennis, but I had to take it.”

Fans really didn’t take it well, however, and they certainly let it be known.

“Rip-off!” one said, while others blamed broadcaster Amazon or French Tennis Federation president Guy Forget.

Within a few minutes the main stadium was almost completely empty, although two angry fans continued to argue they had a right to stay until security officials finally ushered them away at 11:10 p.m.

“It’s unfortunate for the tournament, for the crowd, to have that curfew. But we knew it before the match,” Djokovic said. “Referee came up to us and said (that) ‘if it comes close to 11:00, we’ll have to empty the stadium.’ That’s what happened.”

Moments later, both players came back out to warm up amid a cathedral-like silence as the sound of ball hitting racket replaced the sometimes raucous atmosphere. After being away from live sports for so long, an appreciative crowd seemed to be in the mood for entertainment.

“I thought the atmosphere was (like the) Davis Cup,” Djokovic said. “A lot of fans involved, every single point cheering, screaming. Just (an) electric atmosphere out there.”

That unbridled enthusiasm starting to turn sour at 10:30 p.m. when chair umpire James Keothavong was roundly jeered for reminding the fans they had to leave at 10:45 p.m.

Most did not, but at just after 11:15 p.m. the players had resumed their match.

The top-ranked Djokovic experienced something similar during the Australian Open in February, when fans needed to be ushered out of the main show court during his victory over Taylor Fritz because of coronavirus restrictions in Melbourne.

Unlike the crowd, Djokovic appreciated the brief rest this time.

“I didn’t mind actually leaving the court,” he said. “I felt like I needed a little bit of a break and reset.”

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More AP Tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Mayor: Seattle 1st major city to fully vaccinate 70%

SEATTLE (AP) — Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan said Wednesday that 70% of city residents ages 12 and up have been fully vaccinated, which she said makes Seattle the first major U.S. city to hit the COVID-19 milestone.

Durkan’s office also said 78% of the Seattle population 12 and older has started the vaccination process.

“Seattle is America’s most vaccinated major city, and it would not have been possible without our residents’ commitment to protecting themselves, their loved ones, and our entire community,” Durkan said in a statement. “Now that we have reached community protection, we can lead the nation in safely reopening and recovering in earnest.”

She urged Seattleites to support local small businesses, help revive its arts and cultural scene, and enjoy the Seattle summer safely.

Now that Seattle has reached the 70% fully vaccinated goal, the city and its partners will start launching efforts to support Seattle’s reopening, Durkan said.

The efforts will include supporting local small retailers and restaurants, arts and culture programming, and transit use, the mayor’s office said.

The first confirmed case of COVID-19 in the United States was north of Seattle in Snohomish County in January 2020. The state also saw the nation’s first deadly outbreak at a nursing home.

There have been more than 440,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Washington state and more than 5,700 deaths.

Fewer children cross US border in May but numbers stay high

WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of unaccompanied children and families entering the U.S. illegally on the Mexican border dropped sharply in May but remained unusually high, authorities said Wednesday.

There were 14,158 unaccompanied children encountered last month, down from 17,148 in April and an all-time high of 18,951 in March. May’s number was the third-highest on record.

While easing since March, large numbers showing up at the border have severely challenged the Biden administration. Vice President Kamala Harris delivered a message to those thinking of making the journey during her visit Monday to Guatemala City: “Do not come.”

The administration again quietly posted numbers on its website late in the day, a break from the Trump presidency, when officials released monthly tallies with more fanfare and fielded questions from reporters.

Overall, there were 180,034 encounters on the Mexican border in May, little changed from 178,854 a month earlier, with the increase driven largely by single adults. Total encounters are near 20-year-highs, though they aren’t directly comparable because expulsions under pandemic-related powers that deny an opportunity to seek asylum carry no legal consequences, encouraging people to make repeated attempts.

President Joe Biden has kept in place Trump-era rules that allow for border crossers to be expelled, generally within two hours, on public health grounds of trying to prevent spread of the coronavirus.

Encounters with people in families totaled 44,794 in May, down from 50,228 in April. Only one of every five who came in families last month was expelled under pandemic-related authority.

Nearly nine of every 10 single adults was expelled under the public health emergency. Unaccompanied children are exempt from expulsion and allowed to remain in the United States to seek asylum.

Minor leaguer released from hospital after struck in head

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Minor league pitcher Tyler Zombro was released from the hospital and will transition to outpatiant occupational and speech therapy in Durham, North Carolina, after being struck in the head by a line drive last week.

Zombro, a right-hander in the Tampa Bay Rays organization pitching with Triple-A Durham, was hit by a sharp liner from Norfolk’s Brett Cumberland in the eighth inning on June 3. Zombro crumbled to the ground, lay motionless for a moment face down, then began to convulse uncontrollably as teammates and a trainer rushed toward the mound.

The Rays announced the news during Wednesday night’s home game against Washington.

“He and his family will remain in Durham and continue with his outpatient occupational and speech therapy,” the team said in statement. “The Rays extend their gratitude to the doctors, nurses and staff caring for Tyler, and continue to be overwhelmed by the support for his recovery.”

The 26-year-old Zombro signed as a minor league free agent with Tampa Bay in 2017 after going undrafted out of George Mason. He was appearing in his ninth game this season with the Bulls, entering the night 1-1 with a 3.18 ERA. He has a 2.79 ERA in his minor league career.

The Bulls’ game that night was suspended in the eighth inning, and Durham also postponed its June 4 game.

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More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Nevada becomes 2nd state with ‘public option’ insurance law

CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) — Gov. Steve Sisolak on Wednesday signed into law a bill that paves the way for Nevada to become the second state in the nation to offer state-managed health insurance plans.

Sisolak signed the measure that seeks to create state-managed health insurance plans by 2026 at a Las Vegas medical center. It passed through the Nevada Legislature on May 30.

The new law requires insurers that bid to cover Medicaid recipients and state employees to also bid to offer a so-called public option plan. State officials would select certain providers to be in-network for the public option plan and mandate that they charge 5% less in monthly premiums than the average plan on the state insurance marketplace created by the Affordable Care Act and 15% less four years after it is first offered.

Proponents argue a state-based public option will expand coverage to Nevada’s 350,000 uninsured residents and lower the cost of health insurance throughout the market. The bills detractors decry the price controls and worry that forcing doctors and hospitals to accept patients at lower costs could lead them to leave the state and exacerbate a practitioner shortage.

To enter the market, the public option plan will have to undergo an actuarial study and then the state would need to apply for a waiver from the federal government. Afterward, Nevada could become the second state to offer a state-managed health care plan, following Washington in 2019.

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Sam Metz is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

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