GOLF
Davidse takes Joburg lead
Keenan Davidse on Thursday showed he was over the illness that confined him to a hospital bed for four days by shooting an eight-under 63 to take a one-stroke lead after the first round of the Joburg Open. The 28-year-old South African missed the cut in Mauritius last week as a flu ran through his family, and he checked himself into a hospital ahead of the Johannesburg event. He said he “didn’t really have any expectations” for the week, but rolled in nine birdies on the Bushwillows Course at Randpark Golf Club, five of them coming in his final eight holes. Among the six players tied for second place were Jared Harvey, Ockie Strydom and Erik van Rooyen — all South Africans.
OLYMPICS
No change to plans: USOC
The US Olympic Committee (USOC) still plans on sending teams to the Pyeongchang Games in February, despite US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley casting doubt on US participation. In an interview on Wednesday with Fox News, Haley was asked if it is an open question about whether the US team will compete at the Olympics in South Korea, given the tensions on the Korean Peninsula. “There’s an open question,” she said. “I have not heard anything about that, but I do know that in the talks that we have, whether it’s Jerusalem, whether it’s North Korea, it’s always about, how do we do protect the US citizens in the area.” USOC spokesman Mark Jones on Thursday said in a statement that the committee had not had any discussions, either internally or with government officials, about the possibility of not sending teams to next year’s Winter Olympics.
SOCCER
Ronaldo gets fifth Ballon d’Or
Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo on Thursday won a record-equaling fifth Ballon d’Or award for the year’s best player. The Real Madrid forward’s second successive win drew him level alongside Barcelona rival Lionel Messi on five Ballon d’Ors, after beating the Argentine and Brazilian Neymar. The 32-year-old was the top scorer in last season’s UEFA Champions League as Real successfully defended the trophy with victory over Juventus in June, and also led the Spanish giants to their first La Liga title in five years. “Of course I feel happy. This is something I look forward to every year,” Ronaldo said at the ceremony at the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
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