Sweden will host a Davis Cup tie this weekend in an empty stadium when they face Israel in Malmo in the first round of the World Group. Authorities decided to play the best-of-five series from today through Sunday in a closed arena because of fears of demonstrations and protests against the Israelis.
Thousands of people who want to stop the match are expected to gather for a demonstration tomorrow. Organizers said it would be a peaceful protest against Israel’s three-week offensive against the Gaza Strip, but police are taking no chances and have called up 1,000 officers to keep protesters from the stadium.
Top-ranked Rafael Nadal should have plenty of crowd support when he leads defending champions Spain against Serbia in Benidorm. Record 32-time champion US faces a Switzerland team that will be without Roger Federer in Birmingham, Alabama.
PHOTO: EPA
Also in the first round, it’s Argentina vs. Netherlands in Buenos Aires; Czech Republic vs. France in Ostrava; Croatia vs. Chile in Porec; Romania vs. Russia in Sibiu; and Germany vs. Austria in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
In Malmo, the decision to play without fans sparked criticism from tennis officials in both Sweden and Israel, as well as the International Tennis Federation.
On the court, 2002 Australian Open champion Thomas Johansson is likely to return from injury and play for Sweden despite not being on the original nomination list.
Nadal, who withdrew from the Dubai Tennis Championships because of a right leg injury, is ready to face Serbia.
Spain, who beat Argentina in last year’s final, elected to play the series on clay at the Terra Mitica amusement park, where a specially constructed 14,000-capacity outdoor court has been built.
Nadal will be joined by David Ferrer, Feliciano Lopez and Tommy Robredo. Serbia are led by third-ranked Novak Djokovic.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen go into today’s match at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim stung from their first league defeat in 16 months. Leverkusen were beaten 3-2 at home by RB Leipzig before the international break, the first loss since May last year for the reigning league and cup champions. While any defeat, particularly against a likely title rival, would have disappointed coach Xabi Alonso, the way in which it happened would be most concerning. Just as they did in the Supercup against VfB Stuttgart and in the league opener to Borussia Moenchengladbach, Leverkusen scored first, but were pegged back. However, while Leverkusen rallied late to
The lights dimmed and the crowd hushed as Karoline Kristensen entered for her performance. However, this was no ordinary Dutch theater: The temperature was 80°C and the audience naked apart from a towel. Dressed in a swimsuit and to the tune of emotional music, the 21-year-old Kristensen started her routine, performed inside a large sauna, with a bed of hot rocks in the middle. For a week this month, a group of wellness practitioners, called “sauna masters,” are gathering at a picturesque health resort in the Netherlands to compete in this year’s Aufguss world sauna championships. The practice takes its name from a
Japanese players are moving to English soccer in record numbers and more look set to follow with clubs attracted by their quality, strong work ethic and value for money. Kaoru Mitoma is the standout talent of five Japanese players in the English Premier League, with eight more in the Championship and two in League One. Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo, the captain of Japan, believes his compatriots are “being held in higher esteem” by English clubs compared with the past. “The staff at Liverpool ask me about lots of Japanese players, not necessarily with a view to a transfer, but just saying this or
Taiwan yesterday survived Bosnia and Herzegovina to win their Davis Cup World Group I tie at the Taipei Tennis Center. The tight series started on Saturday with world No. 123 Jason Tseng losing 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 to Mirza Basic in the opening singles matchup. However, teammate Tony Wu kept the tie even, dominating world No. 86 Damir Dzumhur 6-2, 6-1. Yesterday, 24-year-old Ray Ho and partner 25-year-old Hsu Yu-hsiou kept up the momentum, making short work of Basic and Nerman Fatic, winning 6-3, 6-4. Tseng then suffered another defeat, losing 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 to Dzumhur in a brutal match that lasted more than two