BASKETBALL
Yao eyes return to Rockets
Chinese giant Yao Ming has not given up hope on making a return to the NBA Houston Rockets after his latest injury setback, saying that he expects to return to on-court workouts in 10 weeks. In remarks posted on the team’s Web site, Yao said he would attempt to make a comeback with the Rockets after suffering a stress fracture in his left foot on Nov. 10 in a loss at Washington and playing only five games this season. “I will try continuing,” Yao said. “A lot will depend on this foot.” Yao underwent surgery in December after a fifth consecutive season that was interrupted by bone injuries, including a major operation to reconstruct the left foot before last season, but the latest injury was not as severe as first thought and it did not complicate the previous surgical work, meaning it was not necessarily a career-ending injury for the eight-time NBA All-Star.
BASKETBALL
Stoudemire foul overturned
NBA officials rescinded a technical foul issued to New York’s Amare Stoudemire after reviewing the call on Friday, enabling the playmaker to suit up for the Knicks today against Indiana. Stoudemire was assessed his 16th technical foul of the season in a 127-109 loss at Dallas on Thursday, a mark that what normally would see a one-game ban imposed because of accumulated season technical fouls. Brendan Haywood of Dallas and Stoudemire, who were each called for technicals off the same play, were laughing about the call after referee Bennett Salvatore whistled them. The reversal is the third overturned technical foul for Stoudemire this season. Once 16 technicals have been reached, every second technical foul picked up thereafter brings a one-game ban.
FOOTBALL
NFL owners lock out players
The NFL was left facing an uncertain future after being plunged into its first work stoppage for almost a quarter of a century at midnight on Friday, when team owners imposed a lockout on their players. Although the NFL did not release an official statement, the league-owned NFL Network reported on air that the lockout began immediately after the collective bargaining agreement with the players’ union expired at midnight. The announcement came just hours after two years of labor negotiations between the NFL and the union collapsed, prompting the union to dissolve itself and allowing players to take legal action against the league. At least 10 players immediately filed antitrust lawsuits against the NFL to prevent a possible lockout, even before the deadline had been reached.
BADMINTON
Zwiebler marches into semis
Giant-killing Marc Zwiebler, enjoying the best week of his badminton career, booked a semi-final slot in the All England championships on Friday, beating Japan’s Kazushi Yamada 21-18, 17-21, 21-15. The German had claimed the scalp of world champion Chen Jin on Thursday and battled all the way against Yamada, who had made his own piece of badminton history in the first round with a shock win over ex-Olympic and world champion Taufik Hidayat. Zwiebler now meets four-times All England winner Lin Dan, who eased past Vietnamese seventh seed Tien Minh Nguyen 21-17, 21-11. World No. 1 and defending champion Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia made short work of eighth seed Boonsak Ponsana of Thailand, winning 21-15, 21-7 in 30 minutes. Fourth seed Peter Gade of Denmark, champion in 1999, had to give second best to Chinese fifth seed Chen Long, who won 21-12, 21-12 and will meet Chong Wei in the semis.
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