TENNIS
Pliskova claims Linz title
Czech seventh seed Karolina Pliskova clinched her third career title after saving a match point to beat Italy’s Camila Giorgi 6-7 (4/7), 6-3, 7-6 (7/4) in the Linz WTA final on Sunday. Pliskova was match point down at 6-5 in the final set before rallying to add the Austrian trophy to triumphs in Kuala Lumpur last year and Seoul last month. Giorgi has now lost the two finals in which she has appeared. “It could have been a little easier, but I’m still happy I won the title,” the 22-year-old Czech said. “After I was 5-1 up [in the final set] and she came back and had match point, I was already thinking I would lose.”
GOLF
Levy wins amid rain
France’s Alexander Levy claimed a second career title on Sunday when he won the Portugal Masters after the third and final round had to be abandoned due to heavy rain in Vilamoura. In a tournament already reduced to 54 holes by lightning and heavy rain, another deluge left parts of the course unplayable shortly after the final group had teed off at 1pm. The result was then called at 36 holes. Levy, 24, carded rounds of 63 and 61 to finish with an 18-under-par total having been just one of six players to complete their second rounds on Friday. His title came after winning the China Open in April. Belgium’s Nicolas Colsaerts, who just missed a first ever 59 on the European Tour in the first round, was in second place, three shots back.
SOCCER
Algeria, Mali lead group
Algeria and Mali scored identical wins in the Africa Cup of Nations on Sunday to keep them in qualifying places from Group B. Algeria won 2-0 in Malawi and Mali matched that result in Ethiopia. In Group C, Gabon jumped above Burkina Faso after a double from Borussia Dortmund’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang delivered a 2-0 home win. Ghana top Group E after Asamoah Gyan scored in a fighting 1-1 draw against Guinea in neutral Morocco, and Cape Verde and surprise package Mozambique are on course to qualify from Group F ahead of 2012 African champions Zambia. Egypt won 2-0 in Botswana for their first win in the final qualifying competition, but are still four points behind Senegal and Tunisia in Group G.
RUGBY LEAGUE
Flower apologizes over hits
Wigan prop Ben Flower has apologized for a sickening attack on former New Zealand international Lance Hohaia that tarnished the Super League Grand Final on Saturday. Welshman Flower was sent off scarcely two minutes into St Helens’ 14-6 win at Old Trafford after punching Saints stand off Lance Hohaia in the face and kneeling over him to strike him flush to the head again. The incident put Hohaia out of the game and prompted a melee between players from both sides. Police were also reviewing the incident, British media reported. “There is no defense for my actions,” Flower said in a statement released by Wigan. “It was something that happened in the heat of the moment when our emotions and adrenaline was running high. I instantly regretted it and am devastated that I allowed myself to punch someone like this.” Wigan chairman and owner Ian Lenagan and head coach Shaun Wane also apologized for Flower’s “totally inappropriate” behavior. “Rugby league is a tough sport, which we are proud of, but such a response is neither encouraged nor condoned,” they said in a joint statement. Hohaia said he holds no grudges. “He’s probably disappointed in himself for not being able to play a part in the game as well,” Hohaia said.
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
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
When 42-1 underdog James ‘Buster’ Douglas shocked ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson 34 years ago at the Tokyo Dome, the result reverberated worldwide. Spectators at the 45,000-plus seater venue witnessed one of boxing’s biggest upsets as unbeaten heavyweight champion Tyson was knocked out in the 10th round by the unheralded Douglas in February 1990. Boxing returns to the famous venue on Monday for the first time since that unforgettable encounter when Japan’s undisputed super-bantamweight world champion Naoya ‘Monster’ Inoue puts his belts on the line against Mexican Luis Nery. The 31-year-old Inoue (26-0, 23 KOs) is a huge star in Japan and is just
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