Hommaker

Retired Azzurri star Roberto Baggio robbed at home during Italy’s loss to Spain

```html
ROME (AP) — Retired Italy star Roberto Baggio was robbed at gunpoint at his home while watching the national team’s game against Spain at the European Championship.
At least five armed robbers burst into Baggio’s villa near the northern city of Vicenza at around 10 p.m. on Thursday, according to Italian media reports. One struck him on the head with the butt of a gun when the former soccer player confronted them.
The robbers locked the 57-year-old Baggio and his family in a room while they stole jewelry, watches, and cash.
After the thieves left, Baggio broke down the door and called the police. He was taken to the hospital and received stitches for a wound. His family members were not harmed.
“Anything can happen under such circumstances. Fortunately, the violence only resulted in some stitches, bruises, and a lot of fear,” Baggio said in a statement to the Italian news agency ANSA. “Now we have to get over the fear.”
Baggio is married and has three children. His daughter Valentina recently started a foundation in his name.
Nicknamed “the divine ponytail” for his characteristic hairstyle, Baggio played 56 games for Italy, scoring 27 goals.
While known for his passing wizardry and ability to both set up and score goals, Baggio is also remembered for his miss over the crossbar in a penalty shootout during the 1994 World Cup final that handed the title to Brazil.
In Thursday’s game, Italy lost to Spain.
___
AP soccer:
```

NEXT: Coco Gauff to lead US tennis team at Paris Olympics after missing Tokyo

Coco Gauff to Lead US Tennis Team at Paris Olympics After Missing Tokyo Coco Gauff will lead the U.S. tennis team at the Paris Olympics, three years after missing the Tokyo Games due to a positive COVID-19 test. The 20-year-old Gauff, currently ranked No. 2, will be joined by No. 5 Jessica Pegula, Danielle Collins, and Emma Navarro in women’s singles. The men’s singles team will feature Taylor Fritz, Tommy Paul, Chris Eubanks, and Marcos Giron. Olympic tennis starts on July 27 at Roland Garros, the site of the French Open. The American team includes six first-time Olympians, according to the U.S. Tennis Association's announcement on Thursday. Gauff has reached the semifinals at the year’s first two Grand Slams, the Australian and French Opens. She was a finalist on the Roland Garros clay in 2022 and is also a medal contender in doubles. Gauff and Pegula have won five doubles titles as a pair. Pegula, along with Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic, won the French Open doubles title this month. Gauff tested positive for COVID-19 days before the start of the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Olympics in July 2021. Pegula returned to action last week after a neck injury in April forced her to withdraw from several tournaments. She was a singles quarterfinalist at the French Open in 2022. The 30-year-old Collins, who has indicated this will be her final year on the tour, has won titles in Miami and Charleston. The 2022 Australian Open runner-up also reached the Strasbourg final in May before a second-round exit at the French Open, where her best result was the quarterfinals in 2020. Doubles player Desirae Krawczyk will team up with Collins at the Paris Games. Collins and Krawczyk won a doubles title last year in Charleston. Krawczyk is a four-time Grand Slam champion in mixed doubles. Navarro, at a career-high No. 17, reached the fourth round at Roland Garros. For the men, Fritz is the highest-ranked American at No. 12, followed by Paul at No. 13. Eubanks is ranked 44th and Giron 53rd. Paul and Giron competed at the Tokyo Games. The U.S. is also taking 40-year-old Rajeev Ram to his third Olympics. He’ll be competing in doubles. Fritz and Paul will also join forces in doubles. Ram, who has four major doubles titles, won the mixed doubles silver medal with Venus Williams at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games. The USTA said it will announce one mixed doubles team for Paris at a later date. ___ AP Olympics:

icon_top Top Headlines