Daily Bagel: Sania Mirza nominated for India's highest sports honor

Sania Mirza was recommended for India’s highest sports honor, the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, players' bizarre superstitions and more of the interesting reporting, writing and quipping from around the Internet.

The Daily Bagel is your dose of the interesting reporting, writing and quipping from around the Internet.

• The No. 1 women’s doubles player in the world Sania Mirza was recommended for India’s highest sports honor, the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, according to the Times of India. Mirza is only the second tennis player after Leander Paes to be named for the top award.

• Ben Rothenberg for the New York Times on Vicky Duval’s battle with Hodgkin’s lymphoma and her return this week at a tournament in Landisville, Pa., and on Marin Cilic’s momentum and training heading into his title defense at this year’s U.S. Open.

• Steve Tignor from TENNIS on players’ bizarre superstitions, from Bjorn Borg’s outfits and hotel rooms, to Rafael Nadal’s water bottles and Garbine Muguruza’s eating habits at Wimbledon.

• Another from Tignor on Sloane Stephens’ win at the Citi Open on Sunday. Said the 22-year-old on her first title: “I’ve had a lot of ups and downs. Nothing was rushed. Nothing was given to me. I had to work for everything, and it was just nice that all the hard work and everything that I put into it, now I can say I have a tournament title.”

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• Petra Kvitova revealed that she was diagnosed with mononucleosis, but was cleared to play in this week’s Rogers Cup.

• Colette Lewis for Zoo Tennis recaps Frances Tiafoe’s five-set win over Stefan Kozlov in the final of the USTA Boys 18s National Championship in Kalamazoo on Sunday.

• "Who's the genius who made Sampras minus-two-dollars over Rafter?" That would be Art Manteris, the man who shaped Las Vegas bookmaking, profiled by David Purdum for ESPN.

• Eugenie Bouchard tested her air hockey skills against a fan at the Rogers Cup. 

• ICYMI (But how could you?): Serena Williams graced the cover of the Aug. 10 fashion issue of New York Magazine. 

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