NEW YORK — David Beckham no longer is Major League Soccer’s highest-paid player after his salary was cut nearly 40 percent in his new contract with the Los Angeles Galaxy. Beckham pay cut nearly 40 percent ADVERTISING NEW YORK —
Beckham pay cut
nearly 40 percent
NEW YORK — David Beckham no longer is Major League Soccer’s highest-paid player after his salary was cut nearly 40 percent in his new contract with the Los Angeles Galaxy.
The former England captain has a base salary of $3 million this year and guaranteed compensation of $4 million, according to figures released Friday by the MLS Players Union. His previous base salary had been $5.5 million with total annual compensation of $6.5 million under a $32.5 million, five-year contract that expired after the 2011 season.
NBA fines Spoelstra
$25,000 for comments
MIAMI — The NBA fined Miami coach Erik Spoelstra $25,000 on Friday for “critical public comments” about officiating in the Eastern Conference series with Indiana.
Spoelstra made the comments before Miami’s shootaround Thursday in Indianapolis, hours before the Heat beat the Pacers in Game 6 to win the series. Spoelstra was quoted by several media outlets saying the NBA “does not have a problem” with Indiana committing hard fouls on Heat stars LeBron James and Dwyane Wade.
Spoelstra told reporters he counted more than 12 instances where Heat players were struck in the face by the Pacers this season.
US qualifier Brian Baker reaches Nice final
NICE, France — American qualifier Brian Baker outlasted Nikolay Davydenko 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-2 Friday to advance to the final of the Open de Nice.
The 216th-ranked Baker will face Nicolas Almagro of Spain, who beat Gilles Simon of France 6-1, 6-3 in the other semifinal.
Radwanska, Halep advance
to Belgian Open final
BRUSSELS — Top-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland beat Kaia Kanepi of Estonia 7-6 (8) 6-3 on Friday to set up a championship match against Simona Halep in the Belgian Open.
The third-ranked Radwanska trailed 5-1 in the first set, but saved two set points and fought back to win.
Schiavone will face Cornet
in Strasbourg final
STRASBOURG, France — Francesca Schiavone beat Sloane Stephens of the United States 7-5, 6-1 on Friday to reach the Strasbourg International final, where she will play Alize Cornet of France.
The 22-year-old Cornet won her only career title four years ago in Budapest, Hungary.
By wire sources
