By John Marshall
Brittney Griner got emotional quickly.
Speaking to reporters for the first time since a nearly 10-month detainment in Russia on drug-related charges, the WNBA star had to take a moment to compose herself after being asked about her resiliency through the ordeal.
“I'm no stranger to hard times,” Griner said Thursday from the lobby of the Footprint Center, home of the Phoenix Mercury and the NBA’s Phoenix Suns. “Just digging deep. You're going to be faced with adversities in life. This was a pretty big one. I just relied on my hard work to get through it.”
Griner's first news conference drew more than 100 people, including Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs, members of the Mercury organization and her wife, Cherelle.
Griner was arrested in February 2022 at a Moscow airport after Russian authorities said a search of her luggage revealed vape cartridges containing cannabis oil. She later pleaded guilty and was sentenced to nine years in prison.
After nearly 10 months of strained negotiations between Washington and Moscow, Griner was exchanged in the United Arab Emirates for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout on Dec. 8.
Griner kept a low profile following her return to the U.S. while adjusting to life back at home, outside of appearances at the Super Bowl, the PGA Tour's Phoenix Open and an MLK Day event in Phoenix.
Because tennis balls are extremely hard to recycle and the industry has yet to develop a ball to make that easier, nearly all of the 330 million balls made worldwide each year eventually get chucked in the garbage, with most ending up in landfills.
“You cannot imagine," he said. "One player (is) gonna die, and they’re gonna see.”
Spanish state prosecutors say soccer player Jenni Hermoso has accused Luis Rubiales of sexual assault for kissing her on the lips without her consent after the Women’s World Cup final.
Rising tennis sensation Coco Gauff is the first teen from the U.S. to reach the semifinals in the U.S. Open since Serena Williams in 2001.
Spain Women's Soccer Coach Fired
She got that far this time by beating Caroline Wozniacki 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 on Sunday.
On A Positive Note: Connecticut Boxing Gym Works to Keep Students Off Streets
A volleyball match between the University of Nebraska and Omaha set a record for attendance for a women's sporting event when over 92,000 people showed up.
The University of Nebraska set a world record for attendance at a women's sporting event after over 92,000 showed up for a volleyball game against in-state opponent Omaha.
It’s become a stink at the U.S. Open: a pungent marijuana smell that wafted over an outer court, clouded the concentration of one of the world’s top players and left the impression there’s no place left to escape the unofficial scent of the city.
