■ Golf
Singh blasts to top
World No. 2 Vijay Singh birdied the first three holes to forge clear of the field and then coasted to a three-shot victory in the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am on Sunday. With a final-round 69, Singh completed the tournament on 16-under-par 272, three strokes in front of Jeff Maggert. Phil Mickelson finished alone in third place a further shot back. Canada's Mike Weir, South Korea's K.J. Choi and third-round joint-leader Arron Oberholser tied for fourth on 279. Singh, who earned US$954,000 for the victory, extended his streak of top-10 finishes to 12 tournaments dating back last August's WGC-NEC invitational. Jack Nicklaus holds the PGA Tour record of 14, a mark set in 1977. The Fijian has three victories and six other top-five finishes in the streak, is a combined 146-under-par and US$5,016,683 richer.
■ Rugby Union
Wilkinson eyes comeback
Ruled out of the entire Six Nations championship due to injury, Jonny Wilkinson says he will come back stronger and fitter than ever. The England flyhalf, whose drop goal seconds from the end of extra time against Australia clinched a historic World Cup triumph, has played less than hour's rugby since the Nov. 22 victory in Sydney. Wilkinson, who has been suffering from a damaged nerve which affects both his neck and shoulder, will undergo surgery tomorrow in Newcastle. "I'm getting very excited about having six or seven weeks off and being able to throw everything into preparation," he said. "I can do that uninterrupted and really plan for coming back stronger and fitter than I've ever, ever been."
■ Olympics
Athens warns contractors
The Greek government will begin looking for a new contractor to improve the Olympic marathon route if the company working on the project fails to overcome delays, a senior minister said yesterday. European Technical SA, the company widening portions of the 42km route between Athens and the village of Marathon, said last week that it was unable to pay workers nearly US$1.25 million because of problems with a bank. Athens Stock Exchange authorities said yesterday they were monitoring European Technical shares and had placed the company "under supervision." Disgruntled workers, led by truck drivers, have disrupted traffic for 11 days and caused massive jams along the route to Marathon, which gives the race its name. "If the work does not progress, we will enforce legal procedures, we will rescind the contract from the company and will proceed to appoint a new company," Nasos Alevras, deputy minister in charge of Olympic construction projects, said.
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
Rafael Nadal on Tuesday lost in straight sets to 31st-ranked Jiri Lehecka in the fourth round at the Madrid Open, while Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei advanced to the semi-finals in the women’s doubles. Nadal said that he was feeling good about his progress following his latest injury layoff. Nadal called it a “positive week” in every way and said his body held up well. “I was able to play four matches, a couple of tough matches,” Nadal said. “So very positive, winning three matches, playing four matches at the high level of tennis. I enjoyed a lot playing at home. I leave here with
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at
When 42-1 underdog James ‘Buster’ Douglas shocked ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson 34 years ago at the Tokyo Dome, the result reverberated worldwide. Spectators at the 45,000-plus seater venue witnessed one of boxing’s biggest upsets as unbeaten heavyweight champion Tyson was knocked out in the 10th round by the unheralded Douglas in February 1990. Boxing returns to the famous venue on Monday for the first time since that unforgettable encounter when Japan’s undisputed super-bantamweight world champion Naoya ‘Monster’ Inoue puts his belts on the line against Mexican Luis Nery. The 31-year-old Inoue (26-0, 23 KOs) is a huge star in Japan and is just