ATHLETICS
Pair face reduced sentences
Doping-linked Greek sprinters Costas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou are facing reduced sentences if convicted in a perjury trial. The Sydney Olympic medalists are on trial, accused of faking a motorcycle accident on the eve of the Athens Games in 2004 after missing a doping test that led to their sporting suspension. The perjury charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. Public persecutor Giorgos Petrou urged the court yesterday to reduce their sentence if convicted, accusing their coach Christos Tzekos of being primarily responsible of allegedly faking the accident. A panel of three judges is expected to issue its ruling next week.
SOCCER
Fabregas in minor accident
Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas was involved in a minor car accident on Monday but did not suffer any serious injury, a police source said. The Spanish international later used his Twitter account to tell fans: “You probably heard that I had a car accident this morning. I’m absolutely fine, nothing to worry about. These things happen.” The accident occurred on the A41 road in Hendon, northwest London, about 28km from the club’s training ground at London Colney. “Police were called at 9:53am this morning to reports of a collision between two cars on the A41,” a spokesman for London’s Metropolitan Police said. “No one required hospital treatment. Just a prang.”
SOCCER
Avram Grant gets ban, fine
West Ham United manager Avram Grant was handed a two-match touchline ban and fined £6,000 (US$9,697) for improper conduct by the Football Association’s Regulatory Commission on Monday. The 56-year-old Israeli was punished for remarks he made in a post-match interview about referee Mike Jones following West Ham’s 2-1 defeat to Stoke City in the FA Cup on March 13. The ban, which takes place with immediate effect, means he will have to watch Saturday’s match at Bolton Wanderers and the home game against Aston Villa at Upton Park on April 16 from the stands.
TENNIS
UK’s Murray gets wildcard
Slumping world No. 4 Andy Murray has been handed a wildcard to compete in the Monte Carlo Masters this month, organizers said on Monday. The Briton has had a miserable run since losing the Australian Open final to Novak Djokovic in January and has decided to play in Monte Carlo to get an early taste of clay court action ahead of next month’s French Open. Czech world No. 7 Tomas Berdych will join Murray as a wildcard in the tournament from Saturday to April 17, which includes world No. 1 Rafael Nadal, Djokovic and Roger Federer.
RUGBY UNION
Ayerza, Marlew suspended
Leicester prop Marcos Ayerza will miss this weekend’s European Cup quarter-final against Leinster after being given a two-week suspension by the Rugby Football Union (RFU). The Argentina international was sent off for fighting with Harlequins’ Joe Marlew during the Premiership game between the sides on Saturday and Marlew, who was also sent off, has received the same punishment. Ayerza will also miss his club’s Challenge Cup quarter-final against Wasps on Friday. Both men will be free to play again on April 19. RFU disciplinary panel chairman Jeff Blackett said: “This was unacceptable behavior which was captured on live television and not something we want to see in our game. That said, both offences were deemed to have a low-end entry point for sanction.”
Shohei Ohtani and his wife arrived in South Korea with his Los Angeles Dodgers teammates yesterday ahead of their season-opening games with the San Diego Padres next week. Ohtani, wearing a black training suit and a cap backwards, was the first Dodgers player who showed up at the arrival gate of Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul. His wife, Mamiko Tanaka, walked several steps behind him. As a crowd of fans, many wearing Dodgers jerseys, shouted his name and cheered slogans, Ohtani briefly waved his hand, but did not say anything before he entered a limousine bus with his wife. Fans held placards
Taiwan’s Tai Tzu-ying yesterday advanced to the quarter-finals at the All England Open, beating Kim Ga-eun of South Korea 21-17, 21-15. With the win, Tai earned a semi-final against China’s He Bingjiao, who beat Michelle Li of Canada 21-9, 21-9. Defending champion An Se-young defeated India’s P.V. Sindhu 21-19, 21-11. An on Wednesday cruised into the second round, unlike last year’s men’s winner, Li Shifeng, who suffered a shock defeat. South Korea’s An, the world No. 1, overcame Taiwan’s Hsu Wen-chi 21-17, 21-16 to set up the match against Sindhu. In other women’s singles matches, Taiwan’s Sung Shuo-yun lost 21-18, 24-22 against Carolina Marin of
EYEING TOP SPOT: A victory in today’s final against Storm Hunter and Katerina Siniakova would return 38-year-old Hsieh Su-wei to the world No. 1 ranking Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei and Elise Mertens on Thursday secured a spot in the women’s doubles finals at the BNP Paribas Open after dispatching Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the US and Australia’s Ellen Perez 6-2, 7-6 (7/5) at Indian Wells. Hsieh and her Belgian partner Mertens, who won the Australian Open in late January, coasted through the first set after breaking their opponents’ serve twice, but found the going tougher in the second. Both pairs could only muster one break point over 12 games, neither of which were converted, leaving the set to be decided by a tiebreaker. Hsieh and Mertens took a 6-3 lead,
DOUBLES PAYBACK: Hsieh Su-wei and Elise Martens avenged their defeat in the quarters at the Qatar TotalEnergies Open against Demi Schuurs and Luisa Stefani Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei on Wednesday advanced to the semi-finals of the women’s doubles at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California. Hsieh and partner Elise Mertens of Belgium dispatched Demi Schuurs and Luisa Stefani 6-1, 6-4 to set up a clash against Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the US and Australia’s Ellen Perez for a spot in the final of the WTA 1000 tournament. Hsieh and Martens made a blistering start to their rematch after they lost to Schuurs and Stefani in the quarter-finals at the Qatar TotalEnergies Open last month, winning three games without reply at the start of the first set