LA 2024 Olympic bid details, venue plans updated

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Los Angeles 2024 published its updated Olympic bid strategy and concept plan on Tuesday, the file it’s required to (and did) submit to the International Olympic Committee by Wednesday.

Two key numbers were published in the bid book — the 81 percent of Los Angeles residents who support hosting the Olympics, according to an August poll, and the 97 percent of venues that already exist, are planned as permanent venues by private investors or will be temporary facilities.

The proposed dates of the Olympics remain unchanged from last summer’s bid announcement — July 19-Aug. 4, the same dates as the Atlanta 1996 Olympics and the failed Boston 2024 bid.

A difference from last year’s bid book is a trimming of venue clusters from five to four (consolidating the Hollywood cluster), plus several sports venue changes (most notably gymnastics moving from Staples Center to the Forum).

Baseball and softball, proposed to be included in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, were mentioned in the previous bid book as being played at Dodger Stadium if they were in the 2024 Olympic program. Neither sport is mentioned in the new bid book.

There’s been a tweak to basketball. In the original bid book, preliminary basketball games were slated for UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion and finals at Staples Center. Later in October, LA 2024 bid chairman Casey Wasserman said other California venues could hold basketball games.

Now, Staples Center is the only listed basketball venue.

The to-be-constructed Los Angeles Rams stadium could also be part of the LA 2024 plan.

“Over the coming months LA 2024 will work with the stadium owner to further explore these opportunities,” Tuesday’s bid book said.

Also, preliminary soccer matches will be held across the U.S., but the Rose Bowl remains a soccer venue, according to the new bid book.

The four clusters in the new bid book:

Downtown Cluster
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (Opening and Closing Ceremonies, Track and Field)
New MLS Stadium (Diving, Swimming, Synchronized Swimming)
Staples Center (Basketball)
Los Angeles Convention Center (Boxing, Fencing, Handball, Judo, Table Tennis, Wrestling)
USC’s Galen Center (Badminton, Taekwondo)
Microsoft Theater (Weightlifting)
Also: Archery, Road Cycling, Marathon, Race Walk

Valley Cluster
Sepulveda Basin (Canoe Slalom, Equestrian, Modern Pentathlon, Shooting)

Coastal Cluster
Santa Monica Beach (Beach Volleyball, Open-Water Swimming, Triathlon)
UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion (Volleyball)
UCLA’s North Athletic Fields (Field Hockey)
UCLA’s Los Angeles Tennis Center (Water Polo)

South Bay Cluster
StubHub Center Soccer Stadium (Rugby)
Tennis Stadium (Tennis)
VELO Sports Center (Track Cycling)
Also: BMX

Other Venues
The Forum (Gymnastics)
Rose Bowl (Soccer)
Wilson Golf Course (Golf)
LA Waterfront (Sailing)
Lake Casitas (Rowing, Canoe/Kayak)
Santa Monica Mountains (Mountain Bike)

MORE: 2024 Olympic bidding coverage

2023 French Open women’s singles draw, scores

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At the French Open, Iga Swiatek of Poland eyes a third title at Roland Garros and a fourth Grand Slam singles crown overall.

The tournament airs live on NBC Sports, Peacock and Tennis Channel through championship points in Paris.

Swiatek, the No. 1 seed from Poland, can join Serena Williams and Justine Henin as the lone women to win three or more French Opens since 2000.

Turning 22 during the tournament, she can become the youngest woman to win three French Opens since Monica Seles in 1992 and the youngest woman to win four Slams overall since Williams in 2002.

FRENCH OPEN: Broadcast Schedule | Men’s Draw

But Swiatek is not as dominant as in 2022, when she went 16-0 in the spring clay season during an overall 37-match win streak.

She retired from her last pre-French Open match with a right thigh injury and said it wasn’t serious. Before that, she lost the final of another clay-court tournament to Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus.

Sabalenka, the No. 2 seed, and Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan, the No. 4 seed and Wimbledon champion, are the top challengers in Paris.

No. 3 Jessica Pegula and No. 6 Coco Gauff, runner-up to Swiatek last year, are the best hopes to become the first American to win a Grand Slam singles title since Sofia Kenin at the 2020 Australian Open. The 11-major drought is the longest for U.S. women since Seles won the 1996 Australian Open.

MORE: All you need to know for 2023 French Open

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2023 French Open Women’s Singles Draw

French Open Women's Singles Draw French Open Women's Singles Draw French Open Women's Singles Draw French Open Women's Singles Draw

2023 French Open men’s singles draw, scores

French Open Men's Draw
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The French Open men’s singles draw is missing injured 14-time champion Rafael Nadal for the first time since 2004, leaving the Coupe des Mousquetaires ripe for the taking.

The tournament airs live on NBC Sports, Peacock and Tennis Channel through championship points in Paris.

Novak Djokovic is not only bidding for a third crown at Roland Garros, but also to lift a 23rd Grand Slam singles trophy to break his tie with Nadal for the most in men’s history.

FRENCH OPEN: Broadcast Schedule | Women’s Draw

But the No. 1 seed is Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, who won last year’s U.S. Open to become, at 19, the youngest man to win a major since Nadal’s first French Open title in 2005.

Now Alcaraz looks to become the second-youngest man to win at Roland Garros since 1989, after Nadal of course.

Alcaraz missed the Australian Open in January due to a right leg injury, but since went 30-3 with four titles. Notably, he has not faced Djokovic this year. They could meet in the semifinals.

Russian Daniil Medvedev, the No. 2 seed, was upset in the first round by 172nd-ranked Brazilian qualifier Thiago Seyboth Wild. It marked the first time a men’s top-two seed lost in the first round of any major since 2003 Wimbledon (Ivo Karlovic d. Lleyton Hewitt).

No. 9 Taylor Fritz, No. 12 Frances Tiafoe and No. 16 Tommy Paul are the highest-seeded Americans, all looking to become the first U.S. man to make the French Open quarterfinals since Andre Agassi in 2003. Since then, five different American men combined to make the fourth round on eight occasions.

MORE: All you need to know for 2023 French Open

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2023 French Open Men’s Singles Draw

French Open Men's Singles Draw French Open Men's Singles Draw French Open Men's Singles Draw French Open Men's Singles Draw