GOLF
Hsu wins Charity Classic
Taiwan’s Hsu Wei-ling won the Symetra Tour’s Self Regional Healthcare Foundation Women’s Health Charity Classic on Sunday, closing with an eagle for a four-under 68 and a five-stroke victory. The 19-year-old Hsu had an eight-under 280 total at The Links at Stoney Point in Greenwood, South Carolina, and won US$30,000 to jump from 81st to fourth on the money list with US$31,810. The final top 10 will earn LPGA Tour cards for next year. Hsu won the Credit Union Challenge last year in Albany, New York, and finished 15th on the money list. Spain’s Marta Silva, France’s Joanna Klatten and South Korea’s Kwak Min-seo tied for second on Sunday. Silva and Klatten shot 71, while Kwak had a 72.
GOLF
Caddie dies in Madeira Open
Zimbabwean caddie Iain McGregor died of a heart attack in the final round of the Madeira Open on Sunday, the European Tour said in a statement. McGregor, 52, was working for Scotland’s Alastair Forsyth at the tournament when he collapsed on the ninth hole The event was halted, but resumed after consultation with the players and caddies. “Everybody is in shock,” Forsyth said. “To see that happen to someone in front of your eyes — I don’t know how or when you get over that. We spoke to [PGA Tour chief] George O’Grady on the phone before taking the decision to play on because we felt that was what Mac would have wanted. He was far too young for this to happen. He was the life and soul of the caddies’ lounge and a nice guy who will be sorely missed. I’m absolutely numb.” England’s Daniel Brooks went on to win the event.
TENNIS
Isner upset at Italian Open
Ninth seed John Isner was upset by the 64th-ranked Jurgen Melzer 7-6 (7), 6-3 in the first round of the Italian Open on Sunday, eliminating the lone American in the men’s event. Also on the day, 16th-seeded Spain’s Tommy Robredo held off Juan Monaco of Argentina 7-6 (3), 6-4, while Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany outlasted the big-hitting Pole Jerzy Janowicz 4-6, 7-6 (6), 6-2 and Jeremy Chardy of France beat Robin Haase of the Netherlands 6-4, 6-4 to set up a clash with Switzerland’s Roger Federer, who is expected back on tour following the birth of twin sons. Second-seeded Novak Djokovic of Serbia is to meet Radek Stepanek, the Czech veteran who rallied past Pablo Andujar of Spain 5-7, 6-3, 6-4. The women’s tournament began yesterday, with the US’ Serena Williams set to defend her title and Dane Caroline Wozniacki withdrawing due to a knee injury.
BASKETBALL
NBA denies Sterling’s wife
The NBA said that if Donald Sterling’s ownership of the Los Angeles Clippers is terminated, so is his wife’s. Hours after Shelly Sterling said she would fight to keep her part of the franchise even if her estranged husband cannot, the league said that would be impossible. “Under the NBA constitution, if a controlling owner’s interest is terminated by a three-quarter vote, all other team owners’ interests are automatically terminated as well,” NBA spokesman Mike Shelly said. Sterling’s attorney, Pierce O’Donnell, responded by saying: “We do not agree with the league’s self-serving interpretation of its constitution, its application to Shelly Sterling or its validity under these unique circumstances. We live in a nation of laws. California law and the United States Constitution trump any such interpretation.” The league banned Donald Sterling for life over racist comments and NBA commissioner Adam Silver is urging owners to force him out.
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
RALLY: It was only the second time the Taiwanese has partnered with Kudermetova, and the match seemed tight until they won seven points in a row to take the last set 10-2 Taiwan’s Chan Hao-ching and Russia’s Veronika Kudermetova on Sunday won the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix women’s doubles final in Stuttgart, Germany. The pair defeated Norway’s Ulrikke Eikeri and Estonia’s Ingrid Neel 4-6, 6-3, 10-2 in a tightly contested match at the WTA 500 tournament. Chan and Kudermetova fell 4-6 in the first set after having their serve broken three times, although they played increasingly well. They fought back in the second set and managed to break their opponents’ serve in the eighth game to triumph 6-3. In the tiebreaker, Chan and Kudermetova took a 3-0 lead before their opponents clawed back two points, but