TENNIS
Hall of Fame beckons Hingis
Former World No. 1 and five-time Grand Slam champion Martina Hingis was among the nominees announced on Thursday for induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame next year. The 32-year-old Swiss standout was atop the rankings for 209 weeks in her career and won Grand Slam titles at Wimbledon and the US Open in 1997 and in 1997, 1998 and 1999 at the Australian Open. Former World No. 2 Michael Stich, the 1991 Wimbledon winner from Germany; Czech Helena Sukova, a 14-time Grand Slam doubles champion; and Australian Thelma Coyne Long, a 19-time Grand Slam champion in singles and doubles from the 1930s through 1950s, were nominated as former players. Romanian former player Ion Tiriac, now an event promoter and player manager, was nominated in the contributor category along with Charlie Pasarell and Cliff Drysdale, who helped launch the ATP Tour. Voting will take place over the next few months with inductees announced early next year and enshrinement to be staged on July 13 during an ATP event at the Hall of Fame grounds.
OLYMPICS
Seoul lifts Olympians’ bans
South Korea’s Olympic body has lifted six-month domestic suspensions on four players found guilty of deliberately underperforming during the London Olympics, officials said on Wednesday. However, Jung Kyung-eun, Kim Ha-na, Ha Jung-eun and Kim Min-jung remain suspended from South Korea’s national team for one year, the Korean Olympic Committee ruled. The Korea Badminton Association had initially suspended the players for two years and banned two coaches for life. After an appeal the players’ bans were cut to six months, while the coaches saw their lifetime suspension slashed to two years. The committee also urged the badminton association to take measures to prevent similar scandals. South Korea earned one badminton bronze medal in London — their worst performance in the sport at any Olympics.
BASEBALL
McCarthy gets head surgery
Oakland Athletics pitcher Brandon McCarthy got surgery on Thursday after suffering a fractured skull when he was hit in the head with a line drive during a game against Anaheim. The incident took place in the fourth inning of Wednesday’s game. Doctors said he suffered a epidural hemorrhage, brain contusion and a skull fracture after being hit by Erick Aybar’s shot. The surgery aimed to relieve pressure on McCarthy’s brain, and the pitcher was resting in the critical care wing of a hospital in Oakland, California. “Our first concern is Brandon’s health, and we are heartened to learn he has shown progress in his recovery after surgery,” A’s vice president Billy Beane said.
SOCCER
Solomons upset Tahiti
The Solomon Islands made full use of home advantage and beat fancied Tahiti 2-0 on Friday in the opening match of the third stage of Oceania qualifying for the 2014 World Cup. Henry Fa’arodo scored in the first half and Himson Teleda in the second as the Solomons thrilled a home crowd at Lawson Tama Stadium in the Pacific nation’s capital, Honiara. Fa’arodo struck in the 17th minute, driving home Benjamin Totori’s cross from the right wing. Tahiti was reduced to 10 men just before halftime when Nicolas Vallar was sent off for a reckless tackle on Fa’arodo and Teleda sealed the win with his 59th-minute goal from Fa’arodo’s pass. New Caledonia was due to play New Zealand later yesterday.
SOCCER
Barton’s ban to stand
The French Football League (LFP) has upheld Joey Barton’s domestic ban by the English Football Association, ruling the midfielder out of a further nine league and League Cup games with his new club. The LFP said in a statement on Thursday that “the punishment is applicable” in France for “national competitions” and that Barton has served three matches of his ban. Barton joined Olympique de Marseille from Queens Park Rangers, where he was serving a 12-match league suspension for elbowing Carlos Tevez, kicking Sergio Aguero and trying to head-butt Vincent Kompany in the final game of last season against Manchester City. The 30-year-old is eligible for the Europa League and could make his debut away to Fenerbahce on Sept. 20, but will have to wait until November for his league start.
TENNIS
Stadium roof fixed
A leaky stadium roof in Malaysia’s capital Kuala Lumpur has been fixed, just in time for the Malaysian Open later this month, a report said yesterday. Rain has disrupted matches at the indoor Putra Stadium since the tennis tournament started in 2009, the Star daily reported, causing an embarrassment to organizers. However, stadium management Malaysian Stadium Corporation has now laid a membrane on the roof as part of renovations that began six months ago and are to continue in October. “The contractors have stopped working to allow us to prepare for the tournament,” tournament director Nick Freyer was quoted by the Star as saying. “The important thing is they’ve got the roof fixed and that’s just great,” he said, adding the toilets had also been upgraded following complaints. The Malaysian Open from Septe. 22-30 has attracted world No. 5 David Ferrer of Spain, No. 11 Argentine Juan Monaco and Asian ace Kei Nishikori of Japan, who ranks No. 18.
TENNIS
Savic’s ban upheld
Serbian journeyman David Savic had his lifetime ban from tennis upheld on Thursday by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). The 27-year-old, who is listed as the world No. 363 in the latest ATP rankings, was found guilty of match-fixing in October last year and fined US$100,000. “The Court of Arbitration for Sport has confirmed the decision to rule that David Savic be permanently ineligible to participate in any event organized or sanctioned by any tennis governing body,” said a CAS statement issued in Lausanne. “However, the CAS has decided to set aside the fine of US$100,000 which had been imposed on the player.”
CRICKET
Chargers interest Videocon
Indian electronics company Videocon is reportedly keen to buy Indian Premier League (IPL) team the Deccan Chargers after the owners invited bids to buy out the cash-strapped outfit. The Times of India newspaper yesterday quoted Videocon Group’s chairman Venugopal Dhoot as saying the team was “a good fit” for their brand and would be used to connect to consumers. Videocon had previously bid for the Pune franchise in IPL auctions in 2010, but lost to the Sahara Group, which bid US$370 million for what is the most expensive IPL team to date. The Deccan Chargers, whose prominent players include captain Kumar Sangakkara of Sri Lanka, South Africa pace bowler Dale Steyn and Australia big-hitter Cameron White, is valued at US$240 million, but may go for a lesser amount because of a distress sale.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen go into today’s match at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim stung from their first league defeat in 16 months. Leverkusen were beaten 3-2 at home by RB Leipzig before the international break, the first loss since May last year for the reigning league and cup champions. While any defeat, particularly against a likely title rival, would have disappointed coach Xabi Alonso, the way in which it happened would be most concerning. Just as they did in the Supercup against VfB Stuttgart and in the league opener to Borussia Moenchengladbach, Leverkusen scored first, but were pegged back. However, while Leverkusen rallied late to
The lights dimmed and the crowd hushed as Karoline Kristensen entered for her performance. However, this was no ordinary Dutch theater: The temperature was 80°C and the audience naked apart from a towel. Dressed in a swimsuit and to the tune of emotional music, the 21-year-old Kristensen started her routine, performed inside a large sauna, with a bed of hot rocks in the middle. For a week this month, a group of wellness practitioners, called “sauna masters,” are gathering at a picturesque health resort in the Netherlands to compete in this year’s Aufguss world sauna championships. The practice takes its name from a
Japanese players are moving to English soccer in record numbers and more look set to follow with clubs attracted by their quality, strong work ethic and value for money. Kaoru Mitoma is the standout talent of five Japanese players in the English Premier League, with eight more in the Championship and two in League One. Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo, the captain of Japan, believes his compatriots are “being held in higher esteem” by English clubs compared with the past. “The staff at Liverpool ask me about lots of Japanese players, not necessarily with a view to a transfer, but just saying this or
Taiwan yesterday survived Bosnia and Herzegovina to win their Davis Cup World Group I tie at the Taipei Tennis Center. The tight series started on Saturday with world No. 123 Jason Tseng losing 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 to Mirza Basic in the opening singles matchup. However, teammate Tony Wu kept the tie even, dominating world No. 86 Damir Dzumhur 6-2, 6-1. Yesterday, 24-year-old Ray Ho and partner 25-year-old Hsu Yu-hsiou kept up the momentum, making short work of Basic and Nerman Fatic, winning 6-3, 6-4. Tseng then suffered another defeat, losing 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 to Dzumhur in a brutal match that lasted more than two