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From The Associated Press

Gay tumbles at Olympic trials

EUGENE, Ore.—Tyson Gay accelerated through the first curve. Then, he started flying.

Not in the figurative sense, but in an all-too-real way — a shocking sprawl to the ground that cost him an Olympic spot in the 200 meters and made him look like less than a sure thing, health-wise at least, with the Beijing Games five weeks away.

Gay suffered what his manager called a severe cramp in his left hamstring at the U.S. Olympic track and field trials Saturday and had to be carted off the track. He was at his hotel later, being treated with ice.

“It was just one of those things,” Gay said in a statement released through USA Track and Field.

Gay already has qualified for the Olympics in the 100 meters, but his chances at doubling are gone. Now, the nervous wait begins to see if it was, indeed, just a cramp, and how that affects his training over the next month.

Federer, Nadal know each other well

WIMBLEDON, England—After moving within a victory of his sixth consecutive Wimbledon title, Roger Federer found time to catch only a few games of Rafael Nadal’s semifinal.

Federer does have a DVD of Nadal’s match, but he wasn’t exactly rushing to use it for scouting purposes before they meet for the Wimbledon championship Sunday.

“I know plenty already,” Federer said. “I’ll watch more if I think I have to, but at the moment, I think I know everything that I need to.”

He certainly should. After all, Sunday’s encounter will be the sixth Grand Slam title match between the No. 1-ranked Federer and No. 2 Nadal, more than for any other pair of men in the 40-year Open era.

Valverde wins first Tour de France stage

PLUMELEC, France—Alejandro Valverde is determined to contend for the Tour de France title. And the Tour de France is determined to run a clean race.

The Spaniard won the opening stage in a final sprint Saturday as cycling’s three-week showcase took a first step in trying to get beyond the doping scandals that for years have battered the race and the entire sport.

“I’ve achieved two of my objectives: to win a stage and to wear the yellow jersey,” Valverde said. “That’s done today. ... It gives me peace of mind for the rest of the race.”

Valverde, fresh off winning last month’s Dauphine Libere and the Spanish championship, broke away from the pack at the end of the 123-mile leg from Brest to Plumelec.