TENNIS
Li Na humiliated in Beijing
French Open champion Li Na was humiliated in front of her home fans yesterday, crashing out in the first round of the China Open in straight sets to unheralded Romanian qualifier Monica Niculescu. Li’s 6-4, 6-0 defeat was the second straight first-round exit for the 29-year-old, who made history as the first Asian to win a Grand Slam singles title in Paris in June. The world No. 5 dropped serve six times against Niculescu, slipping to defeat in just under 90 minutes in front of her stunned fans in the Chinese capital. There was further disappointment for those fans as Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia ended the hopes of Zhang Shuai 6-0, 6-2 and Kaia Kanepi of Estonia defeated Zheng Saisai 6-0, 6-3. Taiwan’s Chan Yung-jan and her partner, Lucie Hradecka of the Czech Republic, safely negotiated their first-round match in the doubles, defeating Poland’s Klaudia Jans-Ignacik and Alicja Rosolska 6-2, 7-5.
MOTOGP
Pedrosa wins in Japan
Honda’s Dani Pedrosa won the Japanese MotoGP yesterday, finishing more than seven seconds ahead of reigning world champion Jorge Lorenzo on a Yamaha at the Twin Ring Motegi circuit. Spain’s Pedrosa sealed his third victory of the season in 42 minutes, 47.481 seconds, while championship leader Casey Stoner on a Honda, who started from pole, was third. Pedrosa kept his calm throughout an action-packed race that saw five riders retire after crashing. “Casey made the mistake ... so I had a free way,” said Pedrosa, who finished second in the previous three races. “I concentrated to do the best lap times I could. The bike was working quite well.”
GOLF
Hoey opens three-shot lead
Northern Ireland’s Michael Hoey edged clear of the field at the Dunhill Links Championship on Saturday, opening up a three-shot lead heading into the final round. Hoey shot a 66 at Carnoustie to finish in the clubhouse on 18-under, ahead of compatriot Graeme McDowell on 15-under after the former US Open champion carded a 67 at St Andrews. South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen was lurking four shots off the lead after posting a 69, one ahead of seven golfers on 13-under that included world No. 1 Luke Donald and Rory McIlroy.
GOLF
Watney, Na lead in Vegas
Nick Watney, a two-time winner on the USPGA Tour this season, fired a seven-under 64 on Saturday to join Kevin Na atop the leaderboard after three rounds of the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in Las Vegas. Watney birdied the final three holes and five of the last six on the par-71 TPC Summlerin course en route to a 54-hole total of 17-under 196. Na, who shared the overnight lead with Venezuelan rookie Jhonattan Vegas and South Korea’s Charlie Wi, carded a five-under 66.
BOXING
Nishioka defends his title
Japan’s Toshiaki Nishioka successfully defended his WBC super bantamweight title, unanimously outpointing Rafael Marquez on Saturday night at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Nishioka improved to 39-4-3 in his sixth title defense, receiving winning scores of 117-111, 116-112 and 115-113 from the judges. Marquez dropped to 40-7. On the undercard, Ramon Gonzalez retained his WBA light flyweight title by stopping Omar Soto after 36 seconds of the second round. Gonzalez improved to 30-0 with his 25th knockout, flooring Soto (22-9-1) with a left to the chin.
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