■TENNIS
Odesnik accepts suspension
US player Wayne Odesnik has accepted “a voluntary provisional suspension” from all events after pleading guilty last month to importing human growth hormone into Australia. The International Tennis Federation said in a statement yesterday that the suspension, which covers Grand Slam tournaments and ATP-sanctioned competitions, started last Friday. Because it is a voluntary suspension, Odesnik could decide to play again at any time. Odesnik has not tested positive for a banned substance. He will face an independent tribunal in the next two months. Odesnik was stopped by customs officers on Jan. 2 when he arrived in Australia ahead of the Brisbane International. Eight vials, each containing 6mg of the performance-enhancing substance, were found in his baggage. Odesnik has denied taking the banned substance, and continued to play on the ATP tour. On Thursday, the ITF said it would review the rules that had prevented it from suspending Odesnik. The governing body of tennis can only provisionally suspend players who are being investigated for a failed doping test. But players cannot be prevented from playing while they are investigated for other suspected doping violations, such as possessing a banned substance.
■SOCCER
Striker’s brother beaten
The brother of Manchester United striker Mame Biram Diouf is recovering from an attack by rival fans outside Manchester City’s stadium on Saturday. Abdul Diouf watched United win 1-0 in the English Premier League before a group of home fans spotted the United shirt he was wearing as he left. He was punched and kicked to the ground, but was not seriously injured. Diouf’s agent, Jim Solbakken, said his client’s brother was fine and they decided against making a complaint to the police over the attack. “The case is closed,” Solbakken said. “He was walking about in a Manchester United shirt. It wasn’t a smart thing to do.” Diouf has yet to start a Premier League game but has made five substitute appearances.
■RALLYING
Loeb wins Rally of Turkey
World champion Sebastien Loeb of France, driving a Citroen C4, won the Rally of Turkey on Sunday ahead of Norway’s Petter Solberg (Citroen C4) and Mikko Hirvonen of Finland (Ford Focus). Loeb, who this year is aiming to win his seventh straight world drivers title, finished 54 seconds ahead of Solberg and one minute 43 seconds clear of Hirvonen. The third and final day of the rally opened with the cancellation of the first two stages for security reasons.
■BADMINTON
Denmark rule roost
Peter Gade secured his fifth men’s singles championship as Denmark dominated the finals of the European championships in Manchester on Sunday by winning four of the five titles. Tine Rasmussen won her first and the mixed doubles and men’s doubles also went to the Danes. Gade produced his best form of the tournament to defeat compatriot Jan Joergensen. The only title that eluded Denmark was the women’s doubles where victory went to Russia’s Valeria Sorokina and Nina Vislova. Thomas Laybourn and Kamilla Rytter Juhl got the Danes off to a winning start by beating Poland’s Robert Mateusiak and Nadiezda Kostiuczyk. Rasmussen added the women’s singles title to the second All England crown she won last month in by beating Juliane Schenk of Germany. Denmark’s other gold came in the men’s doubles where Lars Paaske and Jonas Rasmussen took the title.
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
NO DOUBT: Spurs star Wembanyama was unanimously selected as NBA Rookie of the Year, winning all 99 votes to become the first Frenchman to capture the honor The Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night produced a dominant defensive display to seize a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven playoff series against the Denver Nuggets with a 106-80 road victory. The third-seeded Timberwolves harassed Denver relentlessly to claim a second straight win over the NBA champions as the series heads back to Minneapolis for Game 3 on Friday. Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards scored 27 points apiece, but the star of the show was Minnesota’s suffocating defensive effort, which knocked Denver out of their stride almost from the tip-off. The Timberwolves finished with 11 steals and 12 blocks, in sharp contrast to
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
One of Malaysia’s top soccer clubs has pulled out of today’s season-opening Charity Shield after a spate of assaults, including an acid attack, on players in the country. It leaves the kickoff of Malaysia’s season this weekend under a cloud following the unprecedented acts of violence against players, which have left the country shocked and angry. Authorities said they have imposed tighter security, but Selangor said that they would not play in the showpiece curtain-raiser against Malaysian Super League champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) citing “a series of criminal incidents and recent threats.” Selangor and Malaysia winger Faisal Halim is in intensive care