■ TABLE TENNIS
Taipei Open canceled
The Taipei Open professional table tennis tournament, which was due to begin next month, has been canceled after organizers said yesterday that they could not find a venue to hold it. The event had been scheduled to take place from June 11 to June 15 at the Taipei Gymnasium, which is owned by the city government. But a refurbishment project that began last month to pave the way for next year’s Deaflympics meant the venue could not be used, said Lin Hai-ching, deputy secretary-general to the Chinese Taipei Table Tennis Association. Attempts to move the Open to the Taipei Arena were fruitless as the venue had already been booked for another event.
■ GOLF
Wie to play German Open
US teenager Michelle Wie, troubled by a wrist injury for more than a year, will make only her third appearance of the season in this week’s Ladies German Open. It will be the first time the 18-year-old Hawaiian has competed in a full-field Ladies European Tour (LET) event. “They gave me a sponsor’s exemption and I thought, ‘Wow, Munich,’” Wie told the LET’s official Web site on Tuesday. “I have never been there and it’s a great opportunity. I found at the last tournament I was really rusty and I need to play more tournaments.” Wie’s two previous appearances this year were on the LPGA Tour, at the Michelob Ultra Open in Virginia earlier this month and at the Fields Open in Hawaii in February. “I feel a lot healthier and I want to start playing more and playing some good golf,” said Wie, now studying fulltime at Stanford University. “My goal is just to have fun and keep my head on straight and shoot some low scores. I’ve never played in Germany before.”
■ SOCCER
Head of J-League says sorry
The J-League chairman apologized to Kazuki Ganaha yesterday after the Japan international striker won his appeal against a ban for taking a vitamin injection. “We must accept the ruling,” J-League chairman Kenji Onitake said at a press conference in Tokyo. “We caused him a lot of hardship for a year and there are things we need to reflect upon.” On Tuesday, the Court of Arbitration for Sport overturned a six-match suspension imposed by the J-League in May last year. A CAS panel of three arbitrators ruled an infusion of saline and vitamin B1 given to Ganaha by the doctor at his club Kawasaki Frontale “was a legitimate treatment ... within the meaning of the 2007 World Anti-Doping Agency Code.” Ganaha, who has played six times for Japan, appealed last December. In May last year, the J-League imposed the suspension on Ganaha and fined Kawasaki US$100,000. Ganaha said the vitamin injection was given after he complained of flu-like symptoms.
■ GOLF
Woods set for Open return
Tiger Woods is set to return at next month’s US Open even though his recovery from a knee operation has sorely tested his patience, he said on Tuesday. The 32-year-old had hoped to play in this week’s Memorial tournament in Dublin, Ohio, an event he has won three times, but decided he was not ready. “The knee is doing better,” said Woods at a media day in Bethesda, Maryland for the AT&T National tournament he hosts. “The rehab is working. I’m just trying to get this thing organized for the Open and I’m right on schedule for that. As far as the rehab [is concerned], it’s basically right on pace. it’s been boring but the leg is starting to gain some strength.”
■ SOCCER
Taiwan give India a scare
Taiwan led twice in their friendly international against India in Chennai on Tuesday but the hosts rallied to earn a 2-2 draw. A fourth minute goal by Chen Po-liang gave the visitors an early lead at the Nehru Stadium but India equalized through midfielder ND Pradeep late in the first half. Andy Chen’s side again took the lead just after the break when Hsieh Meng-hsuan scored but Pradeep again restored parity. The game was the second between the two sides within three days, the first ending in a 0-3 defeat for Taiwan in Goa on Saturday. The matches were part of India’s preparations for the South Asian Football Federation Championship, starting in Maldives and Sri Lanka next week.
■ SOCCER
Fans prefer soccer to sex
Half of all European fans would seemingly prefer to watch important matches than have sex, according to a straw poll sponsored by one of the backers of the upcoming Euro 2008 championships. However, the results from individual countries vary. The largest majority preferring to watch soccer to making love being 72 percent of Spanish supporters to 25 percent of Italy fans, duly holding up their reputation as Latin lovers. The poll also saw 60 percent of the 2,000 supporters polled declare that soccer was like a religion to them.
■ SOCCER
Kahn bows out in Kolkata
Thousands of Indian fans gave a boisterous farewell to retiring German stalwart Oliver Kahn in his last game for Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich on Tuesday. Around 120,000 fans packed into the Salt Lake stadium to watch Bayern defeat India’s oldest club Mohun Bagan 3-0 in a friendly in the soccer-mad eastern city of Kolkata. Kahn, 38, voted best player of the 2002 World Cup and three times world goalkeeper of the year, was given a standing ovation when he was substituted in the second half. The organizers presented him with a gold trophy studded with 8,640 diamonds at half-time. “Thank you for this great moment in my career,” Kahn told the fans. “It is a very special moment for me to play my last game in Kolkata and thank you very much for this great night.” Kolkata was the last stop in Bayern’s brief post-season Asia tour, which also included a game in Indonesia.
■ TENNIS
Star backs son after arrest
Yannick Noah, who is marking the 25th anniversary of his French Open title, sprang to the defense of his son Joakim on Tuesday after the basketball star was arrested for possession of marijuana. Yannick Noah, the last Frenchman to win the men’s singles at Roland Garros, told his 23-year-old son, who plays for the Chicago Bulls, that the incident was “nothing serious.” “In the newspapers, there’s a lot of talk about my son who is 23 and has a drink with his friends and who is caught with a joint in his pocket,” said Noah senior. “He called me. He said: ‘Dad, I think I’ve blundered.’ I said: ‘Yes, it’s a mistake but it’s not serious. Don’t change. Make me happy, don’t let it happen again.’” Noah was arrested in Gainesville, Florida, on Sunday on charges of marijuana possession and having an open alcohol container. According to Yannick Noah, his son could face a fine. “I told him that I have fooled around for 20 years and I’m still popular because people think I’m a good bloke. So you can do the same thing,” he said. “When you do something well, it’s extraordinary and when you make a blunder, it’s a catastrophe. It’s all part of the game. After all, you are called Joakim Noah.”
Taiwan’s top women’s badminton doubles duo, Hsieh Pei-shan (謝沛珊) and Hung En-tzu (洪恩慈), achieved a straight-sets victory over Japan’s Kaho Osawa and Mayui Tanabe at the Badminton World Federation (BWF) Super 300 Macau Open on Sunday. The Taiwanese pair won the final 21-18, 21-12, marking the duo’s second title this year after their win at the BWF Super 300 Taipei Open in May. The match on Sunday was their first encounter with the Japanese duo, ranked No. 63 in the world. Hsieh and Hung, ranked No. 12, began the opening game well. Hung, who plays left-handed, performed strongly at both the net and the
Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko upset top-seeded Coco Gauff 6-1, 6-4 on Saturday night to reach the National Bank Open quarter-finals. “Your support was incredible,” Mboko told the crowd in French after a chorus of “Ole, Ole, Ole” chants echoed around the venue. “I’m really happy to win today ... It’s incredible. I’m so happy to beat such a great champion.” Gauff dropped to 2-3 since winning the French Open. She followed the major victory with opening losses in Berlin and Wimbledon, then overcame double-fault problems to win two three-set matches in Montreal. Gauff had five double-faults on Saturday after having 23 in
Jobe Bellingham on Tuesday admitted to having “anxieties” on following in brother Jude’s footsteps after joining Borussia Dortmund in the summer. Jobe Bellingham, 19, is two years younger than Jude Bellingham, who joined Real Madrid in 2023 after three years at Dortmund. A centerpiece of the England national team, Jude Bellingham has emerged as one of the best players in the world in recent seasons. The younger Jobe Bellingham joined Dortmund in June from Sunderland after their promotion to the English Premier League. He admitted he understood what the perception would be ahead of the move to Germany. “It’s something you do think about.
Before Tuesday’s 7-2 win at the Atlanta Braves, Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy suggested “most people couldn’t tell you five players on our team.” A look at the standings would indicate more Brewers players soon will be recognized by more fans. After all, it is difficult to overlook a team that not only continues to extend their lead in the National League Central, but also boasts the best record in the majors. “What we’re doing in here right now is special,” right-handed pitcher Freddy Peralta said after allowing only four hits and one run in five innings, while setting a career high with
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