GOLF
Evian cut to three rounds
The final women’s golf major of the year has been reduced to a 54-hole tournament after significant rain, strong winds and wet course conditions on Thursday forced the cancelation of the first round of the Evian Championship at Evian-les-Bains, France. World No. 1 Ryu So-yeon of South Korea and Jessica Korda were leading at two-under through six and eight holes respectively when play was halted. World No. 3 Park Sung-hyun of South Korea was at six-over through five holes. All scores from Thursday are to be taken off the board, with play beginning anew yesterday at 7:45am. After today’s play, a cut will be made and the top 70 players and ties are to advance to the final round on tomorrow.
SOCCER
Montpelier to get jerseys
Vermont’s capital city is saying merci to France for a spelling error on some soccer jerseys. Montpelier City Manager Bill Fraser said that Montpellier, France, ordered jerseys for its professional soccer team and fans, but they were delivered misspelled, with just one “L” instead of two. He said the French city has decided to send them to Montpelier, Vermont, which is spelled with one “L,” not two. Fraser on Thursday said that the jerseys will go to the Montpelier High School soccer teams and possibly sold in the community to benefit the high school boosters.
TENNIS
McHale advances in Japan
American Christina McHale yesterday pummeled Belgium’s Elise Mertens 6-4, 6-1 to reach the semi-finals of the Japan Women’s Open as the last two remaining seeds in Tokyo fell by the wayside. Defending champion McHale faced surprisingly little resistance from the third seed before Zarina Diyas came from a set down to beat fellow Kazakh Yulia Putintseva 4-6, 6-1, 6-3 in the day’s second quarter-final. Eighth seed Putintseva’s exit left organizers hoping Japanese qualifier Miyu Kato could continue her dream run after a week of upsets and the early loss of local favorite Kimiko Date in her final tournament at the age of 46. Kato did not disappoint, again punching above her weight as she thumped Date’s conqueror, Aleksandra Krunic of Serbia, 6-1, 6-3. “Once I won the first set I relaxed a little more,” McHale said. “I served better in the second set and pulled it out.” In the day’s final match, Croatia’s Jana Fett defeated China’s Wang Qiang 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.
TENNIS
Safarova defeats Kenin
Top-seeded Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic on Thursday booked her quarter-final berth at the Coupe Banque Nationale in Quebec City with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Sofia Kenin. Safarova fired 10 aces as she powered past the 18-year-old American, who is ranked 112th. Safarova is next to face 32-year-old fellow Czech Lucie Hradecka, who ousted 17-year-old Canadian Bianca Andreescu 2-6, 6-2, 7-5. Seventh-seeded Alison Van Uytvanck of Belgium also reached the quarters, fending off a late challenge to beat New Zealand’s Marina Erakovic 6-4, 7-6 (7/4). Van Uytvanck next faces US qualifier Caroline Dolehide, who advanced on Wednesday when defending champion and second seed Oceane Dodin withdrew because of dizziness. American Sachia Vickery defeated eighth-seeded Viktorija Golubic of Switzerland to advance to the quarters, where she is to face Tatjana Maria of Germany.
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Revelations of positive doping tests for nearly two dozen Chinese swimmers that went unpunished sparked an intense flurry of accusations and legal threats between the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the head of the US drug-fighting organization, who has long been one of WADA’s fiercest critics. WADA on Saturday said it was turning to legal counsel to address a statement released by US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) CEO Travis Tygart, who said WADA and anti-doping authorities in China swept positive tests “under the carpet by failing to fairly and evenly follow the global rules that apply to everyone else in the world.” The
Taiwanese judoka Yang Yung-wei on Saturday won silver in the men’s under-60kg category at the Asian Judo Championships in Hong Kong. Nicknamed the “judo heartthrob” in Taiwan, the Olympic silver-medalist missed out on his first Asian Championships gold when he lost to Japanese judoka Taiki Nakamura in the finals. Yang defeated three opponents on Saturday to reach the final after receiving a bye through the round of 32. He first topped Laotian Soukphaxay Sithisane in the round of 16 with two seoi nage (over-the-shoulder throws), then ousted Indian Vijay Kumar Yadav in the quarter-finals with his signature ude hishigi sankaku gatame (triangular armlock). He
Rafael Nadal on Wednesday said the upcoming French Open would be the moment to “give everything and die” on the court after his comeback from injury in Barcelona was curtailed by Alex de Minaur. The 22-time Grand Slam title winner, back playing this week after three months on the sidelines, battled well, but eventually crumbled 7-5, 6-1 against the world No. 11 from Australia in the second round. Nadal, 37, who missed virtually all of last season, is hoping to compete at the French Open next month where he is the record 14-time champion. The Spaniard said the clash with De Minaur was