TENNIS
Li Na has baby girl
Retired Chinese tennis star Li Na, who is credited with introducing the game to the country’s masses, yesterday announced that she and her husband have a newborn daughter. “Jiang Shan and I would like to introduce our Alisa to my lovely ‘Na fans,’” the 33-year-old wrote in an early morning posting on Sina Weibo. “We are happy and we love her very much.” Li did not specify when the baby was born. A picture of a red baby footprint was attached under the message. The announcement attracted more than 15,000 comments and was reposted more than 21,000 times in less than five hours, with Web users expressing their congratulations and best wishes. Li, who won nine titles in her career — including the Australian Open and French Open — unexpectedly retired in September last year. She announced her pregnancy in January in front of 15,000 cheering fans at the Australian Open, where she was a guest of honor, saying she has long wanted a child and to be a stay-at-home mum.
SOCCER
Portugal make U20 playoffs
Portugal swept imperiously into the knockout rounds of the Under-20 World Cup in Wellington, New Zealand, with a 4-0 win over Qatar yesterday, while Mexico revived their campaign after a woeful opening match by defeating Uruguay 2-1. Two Mexico players were sent off in their first-up, 2-0 loss to Mali, but they demonstrated greater discipline against Uruguay, rallying after conceding a late equalizer to seal the win with a goal in the third minute of stoppage time. Portugal beat Senegal 3-0 in their opening match and guaranteed their place in the round of 16 with an impressive win over the Asian Confederation champion. Qatar’s second straight loss ruled them out of contention for the next round, and raised further questions about FIFA’s decision to award the 2022 World Cup to a nation that has little soccer pedigree.
ATHLETICS
Rudisha out of Birmingham
Kenya’s Olympic 800m champion and world record holder David Rudisha has pulled out of Sunday’s Diamond League meet in Birmingham due to fresh injury fears. The middle distance star wobbled out of a race in Ostrava, Czech Republic, late last month, holding his leg in pain. “I just can’t risk a race that soon. I am making good progress these last days, but it will be just a few days too soon,” he was quoted as saying the Standard newspaper. Rudisha, 26, is currently undergoing treatment in Europe. His coach said the injury “was just muscle spasm, which looked quite severe on television, but as we have established, it was not too serious.” Rudisha has struggled to return to form after battling a nagging knee injury which forced him to miss the 2013 world championships in Moscow.
SOCCER
Cruzeiro hire Luxemburgo
Cruzeiro have hired Vanderlei Luxemburgo to replace Marcelo Oliveira, the coach who led the team to the Brazilian league titles for the past two seasons. Tuesday’s announcement came two days after a 2-1 loss at Figueirense in the fourth round of the Brazilian league left the Belo Horizonte club in second-to-last place in the 20-team standings with only one point. Last week, Cruzeiro were eliminated by Argentina’s River Plate in the quarter-finals of the Copa Libertadores after a 3-0 home loss. It will be Luxemburgo’s second stint with Cruzeiro. He coached the team for the first time from 2002 to 2004, winning three titles in 2003. The former Brazil and Real Madrid coach was at Cruzeiro’s helm for 107 matches, winning 68, losing 17 and drawing 22.
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
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
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
One of Malaysia’s top soccer clubs has pulled out of today’s season-opening Charity Shield after a spate of assaults, including an acid attack, on players in the country. It leaves the kickoff of Malaysia’s season this weekend under a cloud following the unprecedented acts of violence against players, which have left the country shocked and angry. Authorities said they have imposed tighter security, but Selangor said that they would not play in the showpiece curtain-raiser against Malaysian Super League champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) citing “a series of criminal incidents and recent threats.” Selangor and Malaysia winger Faisal Halim is in intensive care