TENNIS
Venus Williams advances
Former world No. 1 Venus Williams cruised to a straight-sets second-round victory on Thursday at the WTA Tour Quebec City tournament. The top-seeded seven-time major champion rolled over world No. 242 Olga Savchuk 6-1, 6-2 in a match that took just over 48 minutes on the indoor courts. Czech Andrea Hlavackova took out second-seeded Croat Ajla Tomljanovic 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, Croatia’s Mirjana Lucic-Baroni beat eighth-seeded Hungarian Timea Babos 7-6 (7/3), 6-2, and 2012 runner-up Lucie Hradecka defeated qualifier and fellow Czech Barbora Krejcikova 3-6, 7-5, 6-2.
CRICKET
Flintoff speaks about pedalo
Former England cricketer Andrew Flintoff has revealed that his notorious encounter with a pedalo during the 2007 World Cup was a failed attempt to enjoy a nightcap with Ian Botham. Flintoff was fined and banned for one match by then-England coach Duncan Fletcher after the drunken incident in the Caribbean, which saw the all-rounder rescued from the sea in the middle of the night. Speaking in an interview which was scheduled to be broadcast by ITV yesterday, Flintoff explained that he had simply wanted a late-night drink with former England star “Beefy” Botham. Recounting how he found himself on the beach after a night of heavy drinking, Flintoff said: “For some reason I had this idea these boats out to sea — it sounds bizarre — but I knew Ian Botham was on one [boat] and I thought: ‘I’m going to have a nightcap with Beefy.’ I thought: ‘I can’t swim. That would be dangerous.’ So I was going to get a kayak. I couldn’t find the oars, so I dragged this pedalo into the water. The next morning I woke up. I was on my bed, still wet and [with] sand between my toes. Then the door knocked. The door had these slats and I thought it was the maid wanting to clean the room. So I said: ‘Can you come back?’ But it was the coach. I pulled the slats down and answered the door, and then Duncan just said: ‘My room, now.’” During the interview, 36-year-old Flintoff also reveals that he suffered from the eating disorder bulimia during his playing days. A key member of the England team that triumphed over Australia in the Ashes in 2005 and 2009, Flintoff came out of retirement after five years in May in order to play Twenty20 cricket for Lancashire.
WRESTLING
Star attacked with hot water
Japan’s wrestling pin-up Sosuke Takatani feared he could go bald after a rival poured a kettle of hot water over his head at the world championships in Tashkent, local media reported yesterday. Japanese officials are set to lodge a formal protest to the sport’s governing body, United World Wrestling, following an astonishing alleged attack by Murad Gaidarov of Belarus, who reached boiling point after being knocked out of the tournament by the eventual 74kg silver medalist. Takatani had been warming up for his semi-final when Gaidarov walked up behind him and emptied a pot of hot water over him, reports said. The Japanese exploded with anger, but officials jumped in quickly to stop the wrestlers coming to blows. “It happened so suddenly,” Takatani told Japan’s Sports Nippon newspaper. “The doctor told me I could go bald and iced my head for me,” added the 25-year-old, the poster boy for Japanese wrestling. “Luckily my hair was saved as I hadn’t had time to get it cut so it had got quite long,” he added. A spokesman for the Japan Amateur Wrestling Federation said that notice of the federation’s official complaint had been posted on its Web site, which subsequently crashed.
US track and field athletes have about four dozen pieces to choose from when assembling their uniforms at the Olympics. The one grabbing the most attention is a high-cut leotard that barely covers the bikini line and has triggered debate between those who think it is sexist and others who say they do not need the Internet to make sure they have good uniforms. Among those critical or laughing at the uniforms included Paralympian Femita Ayanbeku, sprinter Britton Wilson and even athletes from other countries such as Britain’s Abigail Irozuru, who wrote on social media: “Was ANY female athlete consulted in
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
Former US Masters champion Zach Johnson was left embarrassed after a foul-mouthed response to ironic cheers from spectators after a triple bogey at Augusta National on Friday. Johnson, the 2007 Masters winner, missed the cut after his three-over-par round of 75 left him on seven-over 151 for 36 holes, his six on the par-three 12th playing a big role in his downfall. Television footage showed Johnson reacting to sarcastic cheers and applause when he tapped in for the triple bogey by yelling: “Oh fuck off.” Such a response would be considered bad form in any golf tournament, but is particularly out of keeping
The sacred flame for the Paris Olympics was lit yesterday in Olympia, Greece, the birthplace of the ancient Games, in a ceremony inspired by antiquity and marked by messages of hope amid multiple global crises. “In ancient times, the Olympic Games brought together the Greek city states, even — and in particular — during times of war and conflict,” International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said. “Today, the Olympic Games are the only event that brings the entire world together in peaceful competition. Then as now, the Olympic athletes are sending this powerful message — yes, it is possible to compete fiercely