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ATP tennis news – Citi open in Washington, D.C. and Abierto de Tenis Mifel in Los Cabos – 10sBalls.com • TennisBalls.com

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ATP tennis news – Citi open in Washington, D.C. and Abierto de Tenis Mifel in Los Cabos – 10sBalls.com • TennisBalls.com


Indian Wells champion Taylor Fritz is Ricky’s choose to rule Washington, DC. EPA-EFE/RAY ACEVEDO

By Ricky Dimon

The post-Wimbledon clay-court tournaments have mercifully come to an finish and now it’s time for the hard-court buildup to the U.S. Open to start in earnest. Curiously, Washington, D.C. and Los Cabos are being held throughout the identical week this yr. That may make for a busy and entertaining seven-day stretch of tennis, one that may embody Daniil Medvedev, Felix Auger-Aliassime, Andrey Rublev, Hubert Hurkacz, Nick Kyrgios and Andy Murray.

Citi Open

The place: Washington, D.C.
Factors
: 500
Prime seed: Andrey Rublev
2021 champion: Jannik Sinner (not taking part in)

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As traditional, the Washington, D.C. draw is loaded as a number of the finest gamers on the earth begin gearing up for the U.S. Open. Prime three seeds Rublev, Hurkacz, and Taylor Fritz are all in Nitto ATP Finals rivalry and all three have a practical—albeit outdoors—likelihood on the season’s fourth and remaining main particularly if Novak Djokovic is unable to play. For now, although, they’re centered on Washington, D.C. Rublev and Fritz are on a collision course for the semifinals within the prime half of the draw, however Rublev’s second match may come in opposition to Newport champion Maxime Cressy. Fritz is more likely to face both Alex de Minaur, Karen Khachanov, or Jenson Brooksby within the quarterfinals. De Minaur vs. Brooksby in spherical two can be a rematch of Sunday’s Atlanta remaining.

With Kyrigos, Murray, Sebastian Korda, Emil Ruusuvuori, and Ilya Ivashka all unseeded, the underside half of the bracket is stacked. Tommy Paul might have to fulfill Kyrgios proper off the bat, whereas Aslan Karatsev is Murray’s nearest seed. That may be a favorable draw for Murray, who would even have a good shot in opposition to Hurkacz in spherical three. Korda and Ivashka are going head-to-head within the opening spherical and the winner can have likelihood to succeed in no less than the quarters. Frances Tiafoe, who reached the Atlanta semis together with Ivashka and is from the D.C. space, can also be a contender together with Grigor Dimitrov and Botic van de Zandschulp.

Quarterfinal picks: David Goffin over Denis Shapovalov, Taylor Fritz over Alex de Minaur, Nick Kyrgios over Botic van de Zandschulp, and Andy Murray over Ilya Ivashka

Semifinals: Fritz over Goffin and Kyrgios over Murray

Ultimate: Fritz over Kyrgios

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Daniil Medvedev is prime seed in Los Cabos.

Abierto de Tenis Mifel

The place: Los Cabos, Mexico
Factors
: 250
Prime seed: Daniil Medvedev
Defending champion: Cameron Norrie

Medvedev is again after being banned from Wimbledon and he’s prepared for his favourite time of yr. These months marked his true breakthrough on tour in 2019, when he superior to finals in seven consecutive tournaments—beginning with Washington, D.C. and together with the U.S. Open. Medvedev, who will quickly be defending his 2021 U.S. Open title, is taking his skills to Los Cabos this time round. His debut at this occasion ought to get off to a routine begin in what’s an in any other case weak part of the draw. Issues may get tough within the semis, the place Miomir Kecmanovic and Brandon Nakashima are potential opponents.

Auger-Aliassime will doubtless have a more durable time within the backside half. The second-seeded Canadian may meet Aussies John Millman and Thanasi Kokkinakis early within the week earlier than probably operating into Wimbledon semifinalist Cameron Norrie within the final 4. Norrie maybe has the best draw of anybody till the weekend, which is all of the extra purpose to love the Brit’s possibilities of reaching the ultimate if not even taking the title.

Quarterfinal picks: Daniil Medvedev over Ricardas Berankis, Brandon Nakashima over Miomir Kecmanovic, Cameron Norrie over Jason Kubler, and Felix Auger-Aliassime over Thanasi Kokkinakis

Semifinals: Medvedev over Nakashima and Norrie over Auger-Aliassime

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Ultimate: Medvedev over Norrie

Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and in addition maintains his personal tennis web site, The Grandstand. You possibly can comply with him on twitter at @Dimonator.







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Washington, D.C

Report: The Trumps are in talks to buy back D.C. hotel lease

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Report: The Trumps are in talks to buy back D.C. hotel lease


The Trump Organization is engaged in preliminary discussions to reclaim the lease on its former hotel in Washington, D.C., reports the Wall Street Journal. 

The hotel is currently operating as a Waldorf Astoria.

The Wall Street Journal said Trump Organization executive vice president Eric Trump met with an executive from BDT & MSD Partners at Mar-a-Lago earlier this week to discuss purchasing the lease rights to the former Trump International Hotel Washington D.C. 

BDT & MSD Partners currently controls the property’s lease, following a 2023 default and subsequent foreclosure by previous leaseholder CGI Merchant Group. The Trump Organization sold the hotel’s lease to CGI in 2022, and the hotel was reflagged as a Waldorf Astoria.

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The 263-room hotel, which occupies the Old Post Office building, opened as a Trump hotel in 2016. 

During President Donald Trump’s first presidency, the hotel was a prominent gathering spot for Republican lawmakers, lobbyists and others with business involving the administration. The property came under intense scrutiny because of ethical and legal concerns. 

The hotel has some of the largest guestrooms in the city. Top-tier accommodations include the 4,000-square-foot Presidential One Bedroom Suite and 6,300-square-foot Waldorf Townhouse Two Bedroom Bi-Level Suite.

The hotel is home to restaurants The Bazaar by Jose Andres and the Michelin-starred Sushi Nakazawa, plus 38,000 square feet of event space and a 10,000-square-foot Waldorf Astoria Spa.



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Washington, D.C

Man at the center of Washington DC ‘Pizzagate’ killed during North Carolina traffic stop

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Man at the center of Washington DC ‘Pizzagate’ killed during North Carolina traffic stop


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The man who stormed into a Washington D.C. restaurant with loaded weapons during an incident widely known as “Pizzagate” is now dead after North Carolina police shot him during a traffic stop.

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Edgar Maddison Welch, 36, was shot just after 10 p.m. last Saturday, Kannapolis Fire and Police wrote in a news release this week.

Welch is the same Salisbury, North Carolina man who in December 2016, showed up to Comet Ping Pong, a pizzeria in Washington DC., with loaded weapons to investigate “unfounded rumors concerning a child sex-trafficking ring” that was allegedly operating out of the restaurant, federal prosecutors said.

He pleaded guilty in March 2017 to a federal charge of interstate transportation of a firearm and ammunition, as well as a District of Columbia charge of assault with a dangerous weapon. 

Three months later, he was sentenced to four years in prison.

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What is ‘Pizzagate’? What happened at Comet Ping Pong?

Welch’s initial reason for making headlines in 2016 stemmed from rumors of a child sex trafficking ring allegedly operating out of the pizza restaurant he stormed into, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Columbia.

Rumors began circulating online that the restaurant was part of a trafficking ring operated by then-Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton – a fake news campaign targeting Clinton during the general election.

Welch allegedly tried to recruit people to participate in the storming of the restaurant leading up to Dec. 4. He’d texted someone saying he was “raiding a pedo ring” and sacrificing “the lives of a few for the lives of many.”

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Prosecutors said Welch traveled from North Carolina to Washington D.C. with three loaded firearms, including a 9mm AR-15 assault rifle loaded with 29 rounds of ammunition, a fully-loaded, six-shot, .38-caliber revolver and a loaded shotgun with additional shotgun shells.

Welch parked his car and around 3 p.m., walked into the restaurant, where multiple employees and customers were present, including children, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Columbia said in a news release.

“He was carrying the AR-15 openly, with one hand on the pistol grip, and the other hand on the hand guard around the barrel, such that anyone with an unobstructed view could see the gun,” the office wrote in the news release. 

Once customers and employees saw Welch, they fled the building. Welch was also accused of trying to get into a locked room by forcing the door open, first with a butter knife and then shooting his assault rifle multiple times into the door.

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Shortly after he walked into the restaurant, an employee who had no idea what was going on walked in carrying pizza dough, federal prosecutors said. When Welch saw the employee, he turned toward the worker with the assault rifle, which made the employee think he was going to shoot them. The employee then ran out, leaving Welch alone in the restaurant. 

Welch spent more than 20 minutes inside the restaurant, then walked out, leaving his firearms inside. Officials then arrested him.

When Welch was sentenced to four years in prison, he was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release, during which he’d have to get a mental health assessment. 

He was also ordered to stay away from the Comet Ping Pong restaurant while released and to pay $5,744 in restitution for property damage.

What happened leading up to the Welch’s death?

The deadly traffic stop happened the night of Jan. 4, said Kannapolis Chief of Police Terry L. Spry in a news release. 

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Around 10 p.m., a Kannapolis Police Officer patrolling North Cannon Boulevard spotted a gray 2001 GMC Yukon. The officer recognized the vehicle because he’d previously arrested someone who frequently drove the vehicle, Welch. He also knew Welch had an outstanding warrant for his arrest, police said.

The officer stopped the vehicle and recognized the front seat passenger as Welch, who had an outstanding arrest warrant for felony probation violation, police said. While the officer was speaking with Welch, two additional officers showed up to help.

As the officer who made the traffic stop approached the passenger side of the vehicle and opened the front passenger door to arrest the individual, the passenger pulled out a handgun and pointed it at the officer. 

The initial officer and a second officer who was standing at the rear passenger side of the Yukon ordered the man to drop the gun. After the passenger failed to lower his gun, both officers fired at him, hitting him.

Officials called for medical assistance for Welch who was taken to a hospital for treatment. He was later taken to another hospital, where he died from his injuries two days after the shooting.

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None of the officers at the traffic stop were hurt and neither were the driver and back seat passenger in the vehicle with Welch.

The officers involved who fired their weapons were Officer Brooks Jones and Officer Caleb Tate. The third officer at the scene did not fire his weapon, police said.

District Attorney will decide next steps in traffic stop shooting death

An outside law enforcement agency has been requested to investigate the shooting.

“This practice ensures there is no bias during the investigation and the findings of the investigation are presented to the District Attorney without any influence by a member of the department,” the police chief wrote in the news release. 

The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation is still investigating the shooting and the two officers who fired their weapons are on administrative leave, which the police said is standard protocol.  

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Cabarrus County District Attorney Ashlie Shanley will decide what the next steps are, police said.

Contributing: Kevin Johnson, USA TODAY

Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY’s NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia the 757. Follow her on Twitter at @SaleenMartin or email her at sdmartin@usatoday.com.





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NBC Journalist Who Was Beloved in D.C. Dead At 62

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NBC Journalist Who Was Beloved in D.C. Dead At 62


Viewers and media industry professionals alike are sharing tributes to Derrick Ward, a longtime Washington, D.C., television journalist who died Tuesday at age 62.

Ward’s death followed complications from a recent cardiac arrest and was confirmed Wednesday by NBC 4 Washington (WRC-TV), where he’d been employed since 2006.

“Derrick has been an inspiration and cherished member of our family and his hometown community,” Ward’s family told the outlet in a statement that was shared during Wednesday’s broadcast. “As a distinguished journalist, Derrick’s storytelling, prolific writing, warmth and humor touched countless lives. Our children and our entire family will miss him dearly.”

As of Thursday afternoon, news of Ward’s passing had drawn an outpouring of condolences online.

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“Stunned to hear of his passing. Watched that great man for over two decades tell some riveting stories all with class, respect, and precision,” podcaster Lee Sanders wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “Well diverse and extremely talented man. Thoughts to his friends, family and colleagues. Not a good start to 2025.”

Watch an NBC 4 report on Derrick Ward’s death below.

Fox 5 DC journalist Tom Fitzgerald felt similarly, describing Ward as “one of the most pleasant people I’ve ever spent time with.”

“I’ll miss the graciousness, professionalism, kindness and glowing smile of this true gentleman,” he wrote on X. “Peace to his family, friends & NBC 4 colleagues.”

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A Washington, D.C., native, Ward began his journalism career in radio, where he covered the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and the D.C. sniper shootings of 2003, among other major stories. He then transitioned to television reporting when he landed a gig at WKBW-TV in Buffalo, New York.

Appearing on the “Architecture Is Political” podcast in 2020, Ward recalled how his love of storytelling inspired him to pursue a career in journalism.

“I want to tell the stories of this town that I grew up in,” he said. “I like doing things that can resonate with somebody ― if you can say something or write something somewhere and it just gets someone’s attention or whatever point you’re trying to make gets off and they can say, ‘Hmmm’ or ‘Uh huh.’ It’s the same reason that people do music and other things, I guess, is to look for that resonance.”

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In addition to his professional background, Ward was known as an avid golfer and guitar player. He is survived by his three children: Derrick Jr., Ian and Marisa.



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