GOLF
Fisher conquers Tshwane
Former Ryder Cup player Ross Fisher returned to his winning ways by triumphing in the Tshwane Open in South Africa on Sunday, seeing off a spirited challenge from Michael Hoey to claim his first European Tour win in four years. The 33-year-old Englishman went into the last round five shots ahead and carded a final-round 70 to finish 20-under-par, three shots clear of Northern Ireland’s Hoey, who tied for second with South African Danie van Tonder. Fisher led from the second round at the Ernie Els-designed Copperleaf Golf and Country Estate course in Pretoria, but needed much fortitude in overcast conditions on the final day as Hoey closed the gap to a single shot at the 11th with a birdie after an attacking front nine. However, the next hole saw Hoey double-bogey for Fisher to go three ahead again, after which he never look back.
SOCCER
Birmingham boss convicted
A Hong Kong court yesterday found Birmingham City owner Carson Yeung guilty of five counts of money laundering in a high-profile trial that has cast a spotlight on how the barber-turned-businessman made his fortune. Yeung, 54, had denied five charges of money laundering between January 2001 and December 2007 that allegedly totaled US$93 million. Hong Kong District Court Judge Douglas Yau said Yeung lied about how he made his money and exaggerated the amount of profit generated by his hair salon business. “I find the defendant not a witness of truth. I find that he is someone who is prepared to — and did try to — lie whenever he saw the need to do so,” Yau said. Yeung is to be sentenced on Friday.
TENNIS
Nadal, Sampras to play IPTL
World No. 1 Rafa Nadal will team up with 14-time major champion Pete Sampras for Mumbai in the inaugural International Premier Tennis League (IPTL) later this year, the tournament organizers said on Sunday. Serena Williams, the top-ranked women’s player, will headline the Singapore team alongside Tomas Berdych and Andre Agassi in the off-season tournament from Nov. 28 to Dec. 14, which is styled on cricket’s franchise-based Indian Premier League. Four teams — Bangkok and Dubai being the others — will compete in men’s and women’s singles, men’s and mixed doubles and a men’s legends singles with one set per match and no advantage scoring. Serbia’s Novak Djokovic and former world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki will lead Dubai, while Britain’s Andy Murray and Victoria Azarenka of Belarus were picked by Bangkok.
CYCLING
Stannard wins Ghent-Ghent
Briton Ian Stannard beat Belgium’s Greg Van Avermaet in a two-way sprint finish on Saturday to win the Ghent-Ghent Nieuwsblad race, the opening classic of the Belgian spring season. In a 201km race in cold, rainy and windy conditions, Stannard started the sprint from about 300m out and survived a late surge from the Belgian to win the biggest one-day classic in the career of the 26-year-old cyclist. Stannard’s Team Sky teammate Edvald Boasson Hagen took third overall, winning the sprint ahead of Belgian Sep Vanmarcke. Stannard finished in 4 hours, 49 minutes, 54 seconds. Stannard and Van Avermaet made the decisive move with 16km to go, just as the pack had caught up with a group. Van Avermaet was supposed to be the fastest rider, but, after such a long race, it turned out to be quite open. Stannard nudged Van Avermaet into the lead and when the Belgian looked the wrong way, he made a jump from behind to launch a long sprint that suited his powerful build.
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Revelations of positive doping tests for nearly two dozen Chinese swimmers that went unpunished sparked an intense flurry of accusations and legal threats between the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the head of the US drug-fighting organization, who has long been one of WADA’s fiercest critics. WADA on Saturday said it was turning to legal counsel to address a statement released by US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) CEO Travis Tygart, who said WADA and anti-doping authorities in China swept positive tests “under the carpet by failing to fairly and evenly follow the global rules that apply to everyone else in the world.” The
Taiwanese judoka Yang Yung-wei on Saturday won silver in the men’s under-60kg category at the Asian Judo Championships in Hong Kong. Nicknamed the “judo heartthrob” in Taiwan, the Olympic silver-medalist missed out on his first Asian Championships gold when he lost to Japanese judoka Taiki Nakamura in the finals. Yang defeated three opponents on Saturday to reach the final after receiving a bye through the round of 32. He first topped Laotian Soukphaxay Sithisane in the round of 16 with two seoi nage (over-the-shoulder throws), then ousted Indian Vijay Kumar Yadav in the quarter-finals with his signature ude hishigi sankaku gatame (triangular armlock). He
Rafael Nadal on Wednesday said the upcoming French Open would be the moment to “give everything and die” on the court after his comeback from injury in Barcelona was curtailed by Alex de Minaur. The 22-time Grand Slam title winner, back playing this week after three months on the sidelines, battled well, but eventually crumbled 7-5, 6-1 against the world No. 11 from Australia in the second round. Nadal, 37, who missed virtually all of last season, is hoping to compete at the French Open next month where he is the record 14-time champion. The Spaniard said the clash with De Minaur was