TENNIS
Teen makes semis
French teen Oceane Dodin advanced to her first WTA semi-final on Friday by defeating Belgium’s Alison Van Uytvanck 6-2, 6-4 in Quebec City. The 19-year-old from Lille, who is ranked 132nd in the world, took only 76 minutes to win her quarter-final and faces 125th-ranked Julia Boserup today. Boserup eliminated Catherine Bellis 7-6 (7/0), 6-4 in an all-Californian quarter-final. US qualifier Lauren Davis, the highest-ranked player remaining in the field at 104th, ousted Russia’s Alla Kudryavtseva 6-3, 7-6 (7/4). Davis will next play Czech qualifier Tereza Martincova, who held on to beat Jessica Pegula of the US 6-3, 7-6 (9/7).
CRICKET
Southee out of Tests
New Zealand fast bowler Tim Southee has been ruled out of the three-match Test series in India with an ankle injury and will be replaced by paceman Matt Henry. Southee felt pain in his front foot while bowling in training and a scan had shown a ligament strain in his left ankle, New Zealand’s cricket board said. The 27-year-old, New Zealand’s most experienced Test bowler with 52 matches and 177 wickets, will return home for rest and rehab, but was expected to be available for the one-day internationals starting in the middle of next month. “Tim has been working hard in preparation for this tour, so he’s understandably very disappointed to be ruled out of all three Tests,” New Zealand coach Mike Hesson said. “The focus now is for Tim to give his ankle seven to 10 days rest, before slowly building his bowling loads back up ahead of the ODI series. We’ve got a replacement who is ready to go in Matt Henry and he’ll join the team before the start of the first Test.” The 24-year-old Henry has played just three more Tests since his debut against England at Lord’s last year, his last match against Australia in Christchurch in February. The series opener starts in Kanpur on Thursday next week before further matches in Kolkata and Indore. New Zealand are bidding to win their first Test series in India.
GOLF
Chun In-gee leads in France
South Korea’s Chun In-gee grabbed a two-shot lead at the Evian Championship by carding a five-under 66 in the second round on Friday. Chun, who earned LPGA Tour membership by winning the US Women’s Open last year, moved to a total of 13-under 129 after scoring six birdies and one bogey on a rainy day in Haute Savoie, France. Compatriot Park Sung-hyun, who shared the lead with Chun after Thursday’s play, was tied for second with China’s Feng Shanshan. Park lost ground by hitting three bogeys in a disappointing round of 68. “There is no benefit for just long hitters,” Feng said. “The rough is really long.” World No. 1 Lydia Ko of New Zealand returned a 68, but she was nine shots off the pace. One Taiwanese was in the top 10. Candie Kung had a share of ninth on 136 overall after a second-round 67. Yani Tseng was two shots back in a share of 13th. Min Lee missed the cut after a second round of 76.
GOLF
Paisley one stroke in front
Chris Paisley took a one-stroke lead in the second round of the Italian Open on Friday before thunderstorms ended play early. Seeking his first European Tour win, Paisley was at 10-under through 13 holes, putting him one shot ahead of Masters champion and fellow Englishman Danny Willett. Clubhouse leader Richard Green, Chris Hanson and Alexander Levy were at 8-under.
The lights dimmed and the crowd hushed as Karoline Kristensen entered for her performance. However, this was no ordinary Dutch theater: The temperature was 80°C and the audience naked apart from a towel. Dressed in a swimsuit and to the tune of emotional music, the 21-year-old Kristensen started her routine, performed inside a large sauna, with a bed of hot rocks in the middle. For a week this month, a group of wellness practitioners, called “sauna masters,” are gathering at a picturesque health resort in the Netherlands to compete in this year’s Aufguss world sauna championships. The practice takes its name from a
‘SOURCE OF PRIDE’: Newspapers rushed out special editions and the government sent their congratulations as Shohei Ohtani became the first player to enter the 50-50 club Japan reacted with incredulity and pride yesterday after Shohei Ohtani became the first player in Major League Baseball to record 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a single season. The Los Angeles Dodgers star from Japan made history with a seventh-inning homer in a 20-4 victory over the Marlins in Miami. “We would like to congratulate him from the bottom of our heart,” top government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters in Tokyo. “We sincerely hope Mr Ohtani, who has already accomplished feat after feat and carved out a new era, will thrive further,” he added. The landmark achievement dominated Japanese morning news
Roger Federer on Wednesday said that staying involved with tennis in retirement helped him avoid feeling “like an alien” ahead of this week’s Laver Cup in Berlin. Federer, who helped create the tournament, retired at the Laver Cup in London two years ago and has since stayed involved with the competition as an ambassador. “I’m happy I went back right away to some tournaments,” the 43-year-old told reporters. “I feel I ripped the Band-Aid off quite quickly and when I walk around the tennis sites I still feel I belong there,” he said. “I don’t feel like an alien, which is a
Lewis Hamilton on Thursday said there was a “racial element” to International Automobile Federation (FIA) president Mohammed ben Sulayem’s recent comments regarding drivers swearing during Formula 1 races. In an interview with motorsport.com, Ben Sulayem said: “We have to differentiate between our sport — motorsport — and rap music” when referring to drivers having a responsibility to stop swearing on the radio. “We’re not rappers, you know,” Ben Sulayem said. Responding to those remarks ahead of tomorrow’s Singapore Grand Prix, seven-time champion Hamilton said: “With what he said, I don’t like how he has expressed it. Saying ‘rappers’ is very stereotypical.” “If you