GOLF
Rumford leads Perth by two
Australian Brett Rumford yesterday launched the defense of his ISPS Handa World Super 6 Perth title in style by grabbing a two-stroke lead at the end of the opening round of the unique event. The 40-year-old Perth native carded an eight-under-par 64 to stay ahead of former world No. 1 Lee Westwood and Australian James Nitties. Last year, Rumford led from start to finish to win the event, which features three days of stroke play after which the top 24 advance to Sunday’s match play knockout phase. “I just think there’s some golf courses just suit your eye and others don’t,” Rumford said after making 10 birdies and two bogeys in his round at the Lake Karrinyup Country Club. “It’s not always the case, but generally you find as a trend that a lot of players go back and play well when they’ve had a lot of good performances there, and this is one of them. I don’t know what it is, but it definitely seems to be some kind of home course advantage... I’m leading, I’m inside the top 24 and that’s my only focus this week, finish inside that number.
SOCCER
Sevilla head to Copa final
Joaquin Correa and Franco Vazquez on Wednesday scored as Sevilla advanced to a second Copa del Rey final in three years following a 3-1 aggregate victory over CD Leganes. After a 1-1 draw in last week’s first leg, Correa fired Sevilla ahead in the tie when he tucked home a cutback from Luis Muriel with 15 minutes gone at the Sanchez Pizjuan. Leganes had last month stunned European champions Real Madrid to progress to the semi-finals of the domestic cup competition for the first time in the club’s 90-year history. However, the modest outfit from the Madrid suburbs saw their dream run come to an end when Vazquez finished off a counterattack in lethal fashion one minute from time to complete a 2-0 win on the night. Sevilla are to meet either holders Barcelona, who beat the Andalusian side 2-0 after extra-time to lift the trophy in 2016, or Valencia in the final on April 21. Ernesto Valverde’s Barca were yesterday to head to the Mestalla for the second leg after a Luis Suarez goal handed the Catalans a 1-0 advantage in the tie.
SOCCER
Eintracht crush Mainz 3-0
Eintracht Frankfurt on Wednesday booked their place in the DFB Pokal semi-finals with a 3-0 derby win at home over FSV Mainz 05. Three mistakes from the visitors gifted Frankfurt their goals, and Mainz also had Danny Latza sent off late for a rash challenge on Marco Fabian. Mainz goalkeeper Rene Adler was at fault for Frankfurt’s opener in the 17th minute. The former Germany goalkeeper lost control of a simple back-pass from Stefan Bell and Ante Rebic pounced before receiving the ball back from Marius Wolf to score. Alexander Hack then scored an own-goal early in the second half and followed it up with a defensive blunder that allowed Omar Mascarell to make it 3-0 after an hour played. Latza’s red card ended any pretense of a contest, and furious Mainz fans berated their team after the final whistle. Schalke 04 grabbed the last semi-final spot after an early goal from Guido Burgstaller was enough to secure a 1-0 win at home over VfL Wolfsburg. Burgstaller scored on a counterattack in the 10th minute, turning one way then another to elude Jeffrey Bruma before shooting inside the far post.
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
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
Japanese players are moving to English soccer in record numbers and more look set to follow with clubs attracted by their quality, strong work ethic and value for money. Kaoru Mitoma is the standout talent of five Japanese players in the English Premier League, with eight more in the Championship and two in League One. Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo, the captain of Japan, believes his compatriots are “being held in higher esteem” by English clubs compared with the past. “The staff at Liverpool ask me about lots of Japanese players, not necessarily with a view to a transfer, but just saying this or
Taiwan yesterday survived Bosnia and Herzegovina to win their Davis Cup World Group I tie at the Taipei Tennis Center. The tight series started on Saturday with world No. 123 Jason Tseng losing 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 to Mirza Basic in the opening singles matchup. However, teammate Tony Wu kept the tie even, dominating world No. 86 Damir Dzumhur 6-2, 6-1. Yesterday, 24-year-old Ray Ho and partner 25-year-old Hsu Yu-hsiou kept up the momentum, making short work of Basic and Nerman Fatic, winning 6-3, 6-4. Tseng then suffered another defeat, losing 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 to Dzumhur in a brutal match that lasted more than two