SOCCER
Maradona in hot water
Former Argentina coach Diego Maradona is in hot water after he accused sacked successor Sergio Batista of accepting bribes to include certain players in the team, local media reports alleged on Thursday. Batista was sacked after July’s Copa America flop on home soil having only replaced Maradona following last year’s World Cup, which ended in a quarter-final thrashing by Germany. Batista had already been in the Argentina coaching set-up before taking over from Maradona as coach of the senior side, having led the Olympic squad to glory at the 2008 Games. He said he is taking legal action after Maradona, now coach of United Arab Emirates club Al Wasl, told TyC Sports that “after we [Maradona and his entourage] took over the team there was an end to bribes.” Maradona suggested that certain arrangements had been in place to give certain players guarantees, before he stamped out the practice. Batista strongly rejected Maradona’s allegations and said he would take legal action to counter Maradona’s “falsehoods, [which are] a product of resentment” at being ousted as national coach.
SOCCER
Balotelli visits prosecutor
Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli has been interviewed by the public prosecutor in Naples over links to the local mafia, known as the Camorra, Italian media have reported. Balotelli traveled back to Italy with the Napoli team in the early hours of Thursday morning following Wednesday night’s Champions League clash at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester. On Thursday, he went to the public prosecutor’s office to discuss a trip he took around a notorious Camorra stronghold in Naples called Scampia. Balotelli is said to have been accompanied on his visit, in June last year, by suspected Camorra leader Marco Iorio, who has been arrested for money laundering, amongst other things. The 21-year-old forward previously claimed he did not know who Iorio was. “I didn’t know who those people were, that day in Naples there were always many people around me,” Balotelli said in June this year.
CRICKET
Lancashire claim title
Lancashire won their first English championship title since 1934 when they defeated Somerset by eight wickets on the final day of the county season on Thursday. Steven Croft (40 not out) struck the winning runs to ensure a 10th win of the season and the title for Lancashire with five overs to spare after Warwickshire failed to beat Hampshire at the Rose Bowl. Lancashire have finished second eight times since 1934, five of them in the last 13 years. They shared the title with Surrey in 1950. “The boys have been amazing this year, competitive to the end,” captain Glen Chapple said. “We have played good cricket all the way through, we have won games that maybe some other teams wouldn’t have won.” Lancashire have been based in Liverpool this season while Old Trafford in Manchester is being redeveloped.
TENNIS
Hlavackova ousts Safarova
Andrea Hlavackova ousted second-seeded Czech compatriot Lucie Safarova 7-6 (7/1), 7-5 on Thursday to reach her first career WTA quarter-final at the Quebec City Challenge. Hlavackova, ranked No. 103, booked a last-eight date with sixth seed Barbora Zahlavova Strycova, who ousted Mirjana Lucic of Croatia 2-6, 6-1, 6-3. New Zealand’s Marina Erakovic upset US seventh seed Irina Falconi 6-3, 2-6, 6-2, while top seed Daniela Hantuchova rallied for a 6-7 (4/7), 6-4, 6-3 victory over Hungary’s Melinda Czink.
Taiwan’s top women’s badminton doubles duo, Hsieh Pei-shan (謝沛珊) and Hung En-tzu (洪恩慈), achieved a straight-sets victory over Japan’s Kaho Osawa and Mayui Tanabe at the Badminton World Federation (BWF) Super 300 Macau Open on Sunday. The Taiwanese pair won the final 21-18, 21-12, marking the duo’s second title this year after their win at the BWF Super 300 Taipei Open in May. The match on Sunday was their first encounter with the Japanese duo, ranked No. 63 in the world. Hsieh and Hung, ranked No. 12, began the opening game well. Hung, who plays left-handed, performed strongly at both the net and the
Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko upset top-seeded Coco Gauff 6-1, 6-4 on Saturday night to reach the National Bank Open quarter-finals. “Your support was incredible,” Mboko told the crowd in French after a chorus of “Ole, Ole, Ole” chants echoed around the venue. “I’m really happy to win today ... It’s incredible. I’m so happy to beat such a great champion.” Gauff dropped to 2-3 since winning the French Open. She followed the major victory with opening losses in Berlin and Wimbledon, then overcame double-fault problems to win two three-set matches in Montreal. Gauff had five double-faults on Saturday after having 23 in
Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen on Thursday said that he is staying with the Red Bull team next year, ending months of speculation over his future. “Some people just like to stir the pot, some people just like to create drama, but, for me, it’s always been quite clear, and also for next year,” the four-time champion said ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix. “I’m discussing with the team already the plans — the things that we want to change for next year, so that means that I’m also staying with the team for next year,” he said. Verstappen has a contract with
Alex Michelsen on Thursday rallied for a 3-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-4 upset victory over third-seeded Lorenzo Musetti in the men’s singles, converting his seventh match point to reach the fourth round of the Canadian Open. Michelsen reached the last 16 of a Masters 1000 for the first time with his second win over a top-10 player in eight attempts. The 20-year-old American survived nearly 50 unforced errors and converted just two of nine break chances, but it was enough to vanquish Italy’s Musetti, a two-time Grand Slam semi-finalist ranked 10th in the world. “It feels really good,” the 26th-ranked Michelsen said. “I’ve put
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