SOCCER
Mandzukic suffers injury
Juventus have suffered a blow after Mario Mandzukic was sidelined for up to three weeks on Monday, notably ruling the Croatian out of the Turin giants’ UEFA Champions League clash at home to Sevilla. Both Mandzukic and teammate Alvaro Morata were forced off toward the end of Juve’s 2-0 victory away to Genoa on Sunday, which ended the reigning champions’ quest for a first Serie A win of the campaign. Mandzukic underwent tests on Monday that “revealed a first-grade tear in his right thigh muscle. He will be sidelined from competition for 20 days,” a statement on Juve’s Web site said. However, there was good news regarding Morata, who scored Juve’s winning goal in a precious 2-1 victory over Manchester City in their Champions League opener last week. The Spaniard had complained of an abdominal muscle pain on Sunday, but tests revealed no strain or tear, according to the club statement.
CYCLING
Cavendish undergoes surgery
British sprint specialist Mark Cavendish has undergone surgery on his left shoulder following a crash that ruled him out of the Road Cycling World Championships. Cavendish, who won the road race world title in 2011, injured his left shoulder when he crashed during stage six of the Tour of Britain on Sept. 11. Cavendish’s team, Etixx-Quick-Step, said in a statement on Monday that the surgery was successful and that the “Manx Missile” would not return to competition before next season. Cavendish said he decided to have surgery “to avoid any problems in the near future.” Last year at the Tour de France, Cavendish had to pull out of the race with ruptured ligaments in his right shoulder.
TENNIS
Muller defeats Bedene
Gilles Muller of Luxembourg advanced to the second round of the Open de Moselle with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Aljaz Bedene of Britain on Monday. The 45th-ranked Muller hit 20 aces and converted three break points to progress at the indoor hard-court event. There was just one first-round match scheduled on Monday. Top-seeded Stan Wawrinka is to open his campaign later this week in the second round against either Dustin Brown of Germany or Rajeev Ram of the US.
TENNIS
Haider-Maurer beats Traver
Andreas Haider-Maurer of Austria beat Daniel Gimeno Traver of Spain on Monday in the first round of the St Petersburg Open, which returned to the ATP tour following a one-year absence. The day’s only main-draw singles match was close until Haider-Maurer seized the initiative in the second-set tiebreaker, taking the first five points on his way to winning 7-5, 7-6(2). The 61st-ranked Haider-Maurer faces fellow Austrian and third-seeded Dominic Thiem in the second round. The US$1 million St Petersburg hard-court event was moved to Israel last season, but canceled when conflict flared up in the Gaza Strip. Its return means Russia has two ATP events.
SOCCER
Belaili banned for two years
Algerian international Youcef Belaili has been handed a two-year ban for doping, the Algerian national league ruling body (LFP) announced on Monday. “Belaili tested positive for a banned substance. He will be suspended for two years from all national and international competitions,” LFP president Mahfoud Kerbadj was reported as saying by the APS agency.
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