BASEBALL
Taiwan defeat US 5-3
Taiwan on Wednesday won their second game in a row in the preliminary round of the Summer Universiade in Gwangju, South Korea, defeating the US 5-3 in 10 innings. The victory left Taiwan on top of Group B and well-positioned to advance to the eight-team tournament’s semi-finals round. Taiwan, who won their Group B opener against Mexico 9-1 on Monday, were to play the Czech Republic (1-1) later yesterday to determine whether they advance to the final four. The US, 2-1 after group play, had a 7-3 win over Mexico (0-3) in the group’s other game yesterday. In Wednesday’s showdown against the US, Taiwan took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first, then fell behind 3-2 in the bottom of the sixth, before tying the game in the top of the seventh and winning the game with two in the top of the 10th. Lin Tzu-wei, the second pick in this year’s CPBL draft, got the win with 2-1/3 scoreless innings at the end of the game. He walked two and struck out three while keeping the US hitless.
SOCCER
Jansen retires aged 29
Former Germany defender Marcell Jansen has retired at 29 rather than search for another club after being released by Hamburg SV. The leftback, who also played for Borussia Moenchengladbach and Bayern Munich before spending seven years at Hamburg, said he had received “financially lucrative” offers from other clubs, but preferred to look for a new career. “I’ve decided to stop playing professional football,” he said on Facebook. “Of course, I could have sought out another club, slipped on the shirt and gone through another couple of years, but, after years of successful professional football, I would like now to start a new chapter in my life and start on new exciting projects outside of football work.” Jansen played in the 2006 and 2010 World Cups.
SOCCER
PSG sign goalkeeper Trapp
Paris Saint-Germain have signed German goalkeeper Kevin Trapp from Eintracht Frankfurt, the Ligue 1 club said on Wednesday. The 25-year-old, who made 114 Bundesliga appearances with Frankfurt and before that Kaiserslautern, has signed a five-year contract. PSG are already thought to be well served in his position, with Italian goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu and his reserve Nicolas Douchez. However, club president Nasser al-Khelaifi said Sirigu was aware of the club’s needs. “Salvatore is a very good goalkeeper. I don’t forget that, in 2011, he was one of the first players to join us and to believe in our project,” al-Khelaifi told PSG’s Web site.
SOCCER
Casillas eyes Real exit
Real Madrid goalkeeper and captain Iker Casillas is on the verge of joining Portuguese side Porto after 16 seasons with the La Liga club he joined as a boy, it was widely reported in Spanish media on Wednesday. Casillas, 34, became a hero for both club and country during a glittering career, in which he won titles, including three UEFA Champions Leagues with Real, as well as the World Cup and two European Championships with Spain. However, he appeared to lose some of the sheen that earned him the nickname “Saint Iker” in recent years and was regularly whistled by disgruntled Real fans at the Santiago Bernabeu last season, as the world’s richest club ended their campaign without major silverware.
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
Playing soccer and competing for trophies is the best way that many transplanted Hong Kongers and Macanese have found to stay in touch, and to interact with Taiwanese society, said officials at the Taiwan-Hong Kong-Macau Football Friendship Cup, which was held on April 13. Twelve clubs, mostly of players and coaches originally from Hong Kong and Macau, took part in the tournament in New Taipei City. The event is sponsored by the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) and the Taiwan-Hong Kong Economic and Cultural Co-operation Council. Participating teams were from the wider Taipei area, Hsinchu, Taichung, Kaohsiung and other areas. They divided into two