FOOTBALL
Jets’ Smith to miss season
New York Jets wide receiver Devin Smith suffered his second major knee injury in less than two years and will miss the 2017 NFL season, the team said on Saturday. Smith, the Jets’ 2015 second-round draft pick, has a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee that was discovered on Monday — just as the team began its off-season program. Smith had torn the ligament during his rookie season in 2015 after starting his career with broken ribs suffered in training camp. He did not return from the first knee injury until midway through last season. Overall he has played just 14 games over the past two years. “It’s bad luck and bad timing because the kid worked so hard to get back,” Jets coach Todd Bowles said.
GOLF
Nomura retains lead
Japan’s Haru Nomura shot a 1-over 72 on another windy day on the LPGA Tour in North Texas to extend her lead through three rounds despite a late double bogey.Nomura was at 8-under 205 at the end of play on Saturday. She was two strokes ahead of 17-year-old amateur Eun Jeong Seong (69), Cristie Kerr (70) and two-time Texas winner Inbee Park (71). Stacy Lewis won at Texas in 2014 and had the day’s best round with a bogey-free 66. Tied for 44th place after 36 holes, Lewis moved up to fifth place. There were winds of about 32kph and a threatening storm that created difficult conditions for the second straight day. The second-round leaders teed off nearly three-and-a-half hours earlier than scheduled for the third round, and in threesomes instead of twosomes, but play was finished without any rain and only three players carding rounds in the 60s. Taiwan’s Candie Kung and Hsu Wei-ling, the final two Taiwanese players in the tournament, were cut from the fourth round.
ICE HOCKEY
Devils get top pick in draft
The New Jersey Devils is to own the top selection in the NHL draft for the first time since 1979 after winning the lottery in Toronto on Saturday. The Devils finished last in the Eastern Conference in the 2016-17 season, but will now have the first pick in June 23-24 draft at the United Center in Chicago. They are expected to choose between two highly touted centers, Nolan Patrick of the Western Hockey League and Nico Hischier of the Quebec Junior Hockey League. “This is a great day for our franchise, and to pick first overall, to have that for our Devils fans and our organization, is great news,” New Jersey general manager Ray Shero told NBC Sports.
CYCLING
Yates leads in Romandie
British climbing specialist Simon Yates on Saturday grabbed the overall lead in the Tour of Romandie by capturing the fourth stage ahead of yesterday’s concluding time trial. The 24-year-old Orica rider put more than one minute between himself and previous overall leader Fabio Felline after a decisive break at the 5km mark before outsprinting Australia’s Richie Porte to the line. Britain’s Chris Froome, preparing for an assault on a fourth Tour de France, was 1 minute 15 seconds off the pace. Meanwhile, American Chad Young on Friday night died of injuries suffered in a crash during the final stage of the Tour de Gila in New Mexico, his team announced on Saturday. The 21-year-old was hurt on Sunday last week during a high-speed mountain descent in the fifth stage of the race, 11.3km trek known as the Gila Monster.
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