BASEBALL
Brantley out for season
The Cleveland Indians will lose Michael Brantley for the rest of the season after it was announced on Sunday that the young outfielder will need surgery to repair a broken bone in his right hand. Brantley had been playing through pain in the hand for some time before he was placed on the disabled list on Friday. Further examination revealed he will need surgery that will require six to nine weeks of recovery time. The 24-year-old Brantley is batting .266 with seven home runs and 46 RBIs in 114 games this season.
BASEBALL
Huntington tops Little League
Nick Pratto singled with two outs and the bases loaded to give Huntington Beach, California, a 2-1 victory on Sunday over Hamamatsu City, Japan, and win the Little League World Series. With runners on first and second, an error by the shortstop on what could have been an inning-ending double play loaded the bases for California. After a force play at the plate, the 12-year-old Pratto smacked a solid liner off a 2-0 pitch for the game-winning hit. He tossed his helmet into the air after rounding first before his teammates mobbed him in the infield. Fans yelled: “USA! USA!” before Pratto’s single.
FORMULA ONE
Kubica’s surgery successful
Polish Formula One driver Robert Kubica had successful surgery on Sunday before beginning a full rehabilitation program after his life-threatening rally accident in February. His Renault team said the final scheduled operation on his right elbow had been carried out in Italy and had gone well. “The surgeons are happy to report that they have been able to complete 100 percent of their task and did not encounter any complications,” a statement said. “They have described the outcome of the operation as a “total success.” Renault said Kubica had been in good spirits when he emerged from the anaesthetic: “As soon as he opened his eyes, he asked for the results of today’s race. He will now rest in hospital before resuming his rehabilitation and training program.” Kubica is unlikely to return before the end of the season.
INDYCAR
Power wins Sonoma GP
Pole-sitter Will Power held off a furious charge from teammate Helio Castroneves over the final seven laps following a late restart to become the first two-time winner at the Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma with a dominating performance on Sunday. Power led 71 of the 75 laps to earn his fifth victory of the year, one shy of the IndyCar single-season record. It’s also Power’s second straight win at Infineon Speedway, the same track where his career almost ended in 2009 following a horrific crash. That inched the Australian closer to points leader Dario Franchitti. Power trails Franchitti by 26 points with four races to go. Castroneves was second followed by Ryan Briscoe, completing a 1-2-3 sweep for Team Penske. Franchitti placed fourth.
JUDO
French men win gold
Teddy Riner was the hero again as he scored the decisive point to hand France a team World Championship double following their women’s success earlier here on Sunday. In the most dramatic of finals, Riner gave France victory over Brazil in a sudden death period of golden score in the final bout. He took Rafael Silva over backward to notch the minimum yuko score with an outer reap (osoto-gari) after Brazil had battled back from a 2-0 deficit in the best of five final. Japan and South Korea won bronze, beating Georgia and Russia respectively.
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