New women’s pro hockey league ready to open training camps

HOCKEY

The title of general manager doesn’t completely capture the many tasks on Danielle Marmer’s to-do list in the two months since taking over the Professional Women’s Hockey League franchise in Boston.

“It’s funny you should mention that,” Marmer said with a laugh. “I just came from the carpentry shop where I was looking at what our locker stalls are going to be like, and making decisions on where we want the hooks to be, how many shelves — things I’m not an expert in.”

She’s not complaining. At 29, Marmer and her fellow GMs are on the ground floor of a newly established six-team league that will feature many of the world’s top players when it begins play in January.

“Like it’s pretty cool to say that I have my fingerprints on not only building the team itself, but the building of the locker room, the offices, the players’ lounge,” Marmer said.

Though the teams have yet to be officially named and the schedule yet to be released, piece by piece the PWHL is coming together. Next up is Wednesday, when players report for the start of training camp in each market — Boston, New York, Minnesota, Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa — and teams taking the ice for the first time the next day.

The PWHL represents a fresh start and the long-hoped-for potential of meeting players’ visions of competing in one North American league offering the promise of long-term stability with the financial backing of Los Angeles Dodgers owner Mark Walter and his wife, Kimbra.

SOCCER

PREMIER LEAGUE: Manchester United striker Rasmus Hojlund strained a muscle in his right leg in Saturday’s 1-0 win over Luton and could be out for two weeks, the club said.

The Denmark striker was substituted in the second half after holding the back of his right leg in discomfort.

United said it hoped Hojlund would be back before the end of the month.

Christian Eriksen is expected to be out for about a month after injuring his left knee in the same match.

Both pulled out of Denmark’s upcoming European Championship qualifying matches against Slovenia and Northern Ireland.

United’s next game is against Everton on Nov. 26.

U.S. MEN: Midfielder Johnny Cardoso will miss the United States’ matches with Trinidad and Tobago that will determine a berth in next year’s Copa América and the CONCACAF Nations League semifinals.

Cardoso has an injured right ankle and did not travel to Austin, Texas, from Brazil, where he plays for Internacional. The 22-year-old from Denville, New Jersey, has made nine international appearances. He will not be replaced on the roster, the U.S. Soccer Federation said.

The U.S. already was missing wingers Christian Pulisic and Tim Weah, and captain Tyler Adams because of injuries.

The Americans host Trinidad on Thursday and play at the Soca Warriors on Nov. 20.

TENNIS

ATP FINALS: Considering all that he’s accomplished over the last two years — two Grand Slam titles and finishing last season as No. 1 — Carlos Alcaraz no doubt belongs among the world’s elite.

Still, this wouldn’t have been the ATP Finals debut the 20-year-old Spaniard was hoping for at the season-ending event for the year’s top eight players.

After missing the finals last year because of an abdominal injury, Alcaraz was beaten in his opening match by two-time champion Alexander Zverev 6-7 (3), 6-3, 6-4 at Turin, Italy.

Zverev also missed last year’s edition after tearing ligaments in his right ankle in the French Open semifinals. But the big-serving German clearly likes the fast conditions inside the Pala Alpitour, where he claimed the title two years ago.

Zverev served 16 aces to Alcaraz’s 11, saved five of six break points, and never really let Alcaraz feel in control.

• Novak Djokovic received his trophy after securing the year-end No. 1 ranking for a record-extending eighth time.

Djokovic needed only one match win at the ATP Finals to be sure of keeping the top spot and the 24-time Grand Slam champion secured it in his opener, beating Holger Rune 7-6 (4), 6-7 (1), 6-3 in a match spanning more than three hours on Sunday and into Monday morning.

On Monday afternoon, ATP president Andrea Gaudenzi presented Djokovic with the trophy for his achievement. Djokovic then posed for pictures with his team of coaches, physical trainers and family members.

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