TUESDAY SPORTS: Mets ace tears ligament; US Open gets underway; Clemson/USC continue prep for openers

*The New York Mets were dealt a big blow on Monday when pitching ace Matt Harvey was diagnosed with a partially torn ligament in his right elbow. A full prognosis won’t be made until swelling goes down in about two weeks, and the Mets are hoping that the 24-year-old Harvey, who was the National League’s starter in the All-Star game last month, will be able to avoid reconstruction surgery.

*The Atlanta Braves return to action Tuesday night at 7:00 PM, beginning a three-game, homeset against the Cleveland Indians.

*Rafael Nadal and sisters Serena and Venus Williams were among the winners on the first day of the U.S. Open Monday in Queens, New York. Nadal and Serena’s easy victories weren’t a surprise, but after the medical problems she’s been dealing with, Venus was actually the underdog and her 6-1, 6-2 win over Belgium’s Kirsten Flipkens was an upset. Meanwhile, American James Blake announced Monday that he’s retiring after this U.S. Open, ending a 14-year career during which he rose to number four in the world rankings.

*Clemson and South Carolina continue prep for their season openers this week. South Carolina is an 11-point favorite over North Carolina in a game that kicks off Thursday night at 6:00 PM at Williams-Brice Stadium. Clemson finds itself a 1.5 point underdog to Georgia in a battle of two top-ten teams that is set for 8:00 PM Saturday at Memorial Stadium.