SOCCER
Sexwale eyes FIFA role
An apartheid-era political prisoner turned multi-millionaire mining tycoon joined the FIFA presidential race on Saturday. South African Tokyo Sexwale announced his intention to run in next year’s emergency election to replace FIFA president Sepp Blatter after receiving the endorsement of the South African Football Association. Sexwale is to submit his candidature papers to FIFA to meet today’s deadline after receiving the unanimous backing of his national federation, he said at a news conference in Johannesburg. The 62-year-old Sexwale’s varied credentials include being a current FIFA anti-racism adviser, a former prisoner on Robben Island alongside Nelson Mandela, and a previous host of South Africa’s version of The Apprentice television show. He is also a hugely successful businessman, with interests in the mining and energy sectors, whose wealth has been estimated at US$200 million. Four other men have already submitted their papers for the FIFA election: UEFA President Michel Platini, whose chances appear to have been thwarted by an ethics investigation, Prince Ali bin al-Hussein of Jordan, ex-FIFA official Jerome Champagne and David Nakhid, a former player from Trinidad and Tobago.
CRICKET
Afghanistan beat Zimbabwe
Afghanistan made history on Saturday when they became the first associate nation to defeat a Test-playing nation in a one-day series, with a comprehensive 73-run win over Zimbabwe. The victory gave Afghanistan a 3-2 series win after the two sides had shared the first four games at the Queen’s Sports Club. Chasing a 246-run winning target, Zimbabwe were skittled for 172 in the 45th over, despite Sean Williams making a fine 102 off 124 balls, with three boundaries and four sixes. Fast bowler Dawlat Zadran finished with a career best 4-22 in his 10 overs. Earlier, opener Noor Ali Zadran made 54 and Mohammad Nabi, who hit a maiden century in the second match of the series, chipped in with 53 as Afghanistan reached 245-9 in their 50 overs.
TENNIS
Ferrer, Johnson make final
Top-seeded David Ferrer beat Gael Monfils of France 7-6(7/5), 7-5 at the Erste Bank Open on Saturday to reach his fifth final of the season. Ferrer was to play Steve Johnson of the US for the title. The 47th-ranked American beat Ernests Gulbis of Latvia 6-3, 7-6(7/4) to advance to his maiden ATP final.
TENNIS
Sock faces Berdych in final
American Jack Sock reached his second ATP tour final of the season on Saturday by beating second-seeded Richard Gasquet of France 6-4, 6-2 at the Stockholm Open. He was to play defending champion Tomas Berdych in the final, after the top-seeded Czech player advanced when Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus retired with a right groin injury after losing the first set 6-1 in the other semi-final.
TENNIS
Doi, Barthel win semis
Misaki Doi was to take on Mona Barthel in her first WTA tour final after Alison van Uytvanck was forced to retire when trailing 6-4 against the Japanese player in their semi-final at the Luxembourg Open on Saturday. Van Uytvanck, a quarter-finalist at the French Open, cited a viral illness. Barthel converted four of five break points to breeze past wild-card entry Stefanie Voegele 6-2, 6-3 in the other semi-final.
Shohei Ohtani and his wife arrived in South Korea with his Los Angeles Dodgers teammates yesterday ahead of their season-opening games with the San Diego Padres next week. Ohtani, wearing a black training suit and a cap backwards, was the first Dodgers player who showed up at the arrival gate of Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul. His wife, Mamiko Tanaka, walked several steps behind him. As a crowd of fans, many wearing Dodgers jerseys, shouted his name and cheered slogans, Ohtani briefly waved his hand, but did not say anything before he entered a limousine bus with his wife. Fans held placards
Taiwan’s Tai Tzu-ying yesterday advanced to the quarter-finals at the All England Open, beating Kim Ga-eun of South Korea 21-17, 21-15. With the win, Tai earned a semi-final against China’s He Bingjiao, who beat Michelle Li of Canada 21-9, 21-9. Defending champion An Se-young defeated India’s P.V. Sindhu 21-19, 21-11. An on Wednesday cruised into the second round, unlike last year’s men’s winner, Li Shifeng, who suffered a shock defeat. South Korea’s An, the world No. 1, overcame Taiwan’s Hsu Wen-chi 21-17, 21-16 to set up the match against Sindhu. In other women’s singles matches, Taiwan’s Sung Shuo-yun lost 21-18, 24-22 against Carolina Marin of
EYEING TOP SPOT: A victory in today’s final against Storm Hunter and Katerina Siniakova would return 38-year-old Hsieh Su-wei to the world No. 1 ranking Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei and Elise Mertens on Thursday secured a spot in the women’s doubles finals at the BNP Paribas Open after dispatching Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the US and Australia’s Ellen Perez 6-2, 7-6 (7/5) at Indian Wells. Hsieh and her Belgian partner Mertens, who won the Australian Open in late January, coasted through the first set after breaking their opponents’ serve twice, but found the going tougher in the second. Both pairs could only muster one break point over 12 games, neither of which were converted, leaving the set to be decided by a tiebreaker. Hsieh and Mertens took a 6-3 lead,
DOUBLES PAYBACK: Hsieh Su-wei and Elise Martens avenged their defeat in the quarters at the Qatar TotalEnergies Open against Demi Schuurs and Luisa Stefani Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei on Wednesday advanced to the semi-finals of the women’s doubles at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California. Hsieh and partner Elise Mertens of Belgium dispatched Demi Schuurs and Luisa Stefani 6-1, 6-4 to set up a clash against Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the US and Australia’s Ellen Perez for a spot in the final of the WTA 1000 tournament. Hsieh and Martens made a blistering start to their rematch after they lost to Schuurs and Stefani in the quarter-finals at the Qatar TotalEnergies Open last month, winning three games without reply at the start of the first set