TENNIS
Mixed results for Taiwanese
Taiwan’s Chan Hao-ching and Anabel Medina Garrigues of Spain cruised into the quarter-finals of the doubles at the Nuremberg Versicherungscup in Germany yesterday. The second seeds wasted no time in dispatching German wild-cards Katharina Gerlach and Lena Rueffer 6-1, 6-2 in 1 hour, 2 minutes. Chan and Medina Garrigues saved three of four break-point opportunities and converted six of 14, winning 57 of the 90 points contested. In the first round of the singles at the Internationaux de Strasbourg on Sunday, Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei exited the tournament after a topsy-turvy match against China’s Zheng Saisai. Zheng won the first set 6-4 before her game fell apart as Hsieh claimed the second 6-0. Zheng pulled herself together in the decider to complete a 6-4, 0-6, 6-2 victory in a minute short of two hours.
CRICKET
Martin Guptill makes 150
Martin Guptill’s impressive sequence of big scores continued as New Zealand beat Worcestershire by 15 runs on Sunday in their final warm-up match before this week’s first Test against England at Lord’s. The opener, 61 not out overnight, went on to make 150 in New Zealand’s second innings total of 275-9 declared on the fourth and final day at New Road. Guptill batted for more than four-and-a-half hours, facing 210 balls and hitting 15 fours and three sixes, but his innings will not count in his first-class record after the match was stripped of that status following the tourists’ request to field more than XI players in what was just their second warm-up. Worcestershire, chasing 246 for victory, were well-placed at 208-4, but their last six wickets fell for 22 runs as they collapsed to 230 all out, with off-spinner Mark Craig (four for 56) and fast bowler Matt Henry (three for 58) doing the bulk of the damage.
SWIMMING
Michael Phelps disappoints
Michael Phelps had set his sights on testing himself against Ryan Lochte on the final day of competition at the Arena Pro Swim Series in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Sunday. In the end he was not even fast enough to make the same final as his rival. The 18-time Olympic gold medalist left the pool frustrated and under no illusions as to the amount of improvement he needs to make for next year’s Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. Phelps failed to reach the “A” final in both the 200m individual medley and 100m freestyle on Sunday and came away from the meeting without a victory. Phelps ended a two-year “retirement” at the meeting a year ago and made a splash by winning the 100m butterfly and showing promising form. A year later, the results were quite different.
SOCCER
Orlando grab first home win
Brazilian midfielder Kaka scored one goal and set up another as MLS newcomers Orlando City beat the Los Angeles Galaxy 4-0 on Sunday for the first home win in the team’s history. Orlando City held their first lead at home — in six games — in front of 40,122 fans. Eric Avila’s header put Orlando City on the board in the 12th minute after Rafael Ramos crossed to Brek Shea at the far post, who headed it back in front of goal to an open Avila. In the 34th minute, rookie Cyle Larin scored after a nice breakaway with Kaka for his fourth goal of the year. In the second half, Kaka scored from the penalty spot in the 56th minute after he was tripped up in the area by goalkeeper Jaime Penedo. Darwin Ceren made it 4-0 in the 73rd minute.
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
Forget Real Madrid, Manchester City or Paris Saint-Germain, the world’s best soccer team — statistically speaking — might be a little-known outfit from the closed central Asian nation of Turkmenistan. Founded last year, Arkadag, named in honor of former Turkmen president Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, have been unstoppable, notching up 36 consecutive domestic victories in a run still ongoing. The side have not lost a single competitive match and swept to a league and cup double in their inaugural season — success unthinkable almost anywhere else. However, in Turkmenistan, it could hardly have gone any other way. The energy-rich country is one of the most closed
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