BASEBALL
Taiwan take Pony title
Taiwan on Thursday won their 10th Pony League World Series championship, defeating a US team 9-1 in Pennsylvania. Starting pitcher Sun Yi-lei was dominant over 6-1/3 innings, striking out six and allowing only four hits and a run to a team from Michigan’s Bay County in the seven-inning game. The game remained hitless and scoreless after three innings, but Sun got his team’s first hit in the fourth, sparking a three-run rally that put Taiwan in front to stay. In earning their 10th championship, Taiwan extended their record for the most titles by a country other than the US. It also marked the nation’s third youth championship this year, after their Pony Bronco World Series and Palomino League World Series title wins.
SOFTBALL
Taiwan crush Puerto Rico
Taiwan on Wednesday cruised past higher-ranked Puerto Rico 9-1 in the super round of the under-19 Women’s Softball World Cup, putting them on track for a spot in the medal round. Sixth seeds Taiwan recovered from a 0-9 defeat by Japan a day earlier to beat fourth seeds Puerto Rico in a six-inning game called short by the mercy rule. The team, comprised mostly of players from Shilin High School of Commerce in Taipei, Chung Cheng Industrial High School in Kaohsiung and Puli Industrial Vocational Senior High School in Nantou County, are next to face the top-ranked US, who have won all their matches in the tournament so far.
TENNIS
Kyrgios fined over tirade
The ATP on Thursday fined Nick Kyrgios for expletive-filled outbursts in which he smashed two rackets, insulted the chair umpire and refused to get ready to return serve in his second-round exit at the Western & Southern Open. The tour said it is “looking further into what happened during and immediately after the match” to determine whether additional fines or a suspension is warranted. During a change-over in the second set, he yelled from his chair: “The worst ref in the game, hands down.” He then said that the umpire does “some stupid shit” every time he plays. Early in the third set, he took two rackets to the tunnel that leads to the locker room, smashed them on the ground and returned to the court. Warned that he needed to get ready to return serve, he took a new racket to the baseline and stood taping the handle instead of getting in position.
SOCCER
Adrian sustains freak injury
Liverpool goalkeeper Adrian is doubtful for today’s English Premier League trip to Southampton after sustaining a freak injury while celebrating their UEFA Super Cup victory over Chelsea on Wednesday, manager Juergen Klopp said yesterday. Adrian only came into the side to fill in for ’keeper Alisson Becker, who sustained a calf injury last week. Adrian was left with a swollen ankle after a supporter who invaded the pitch to join in their celebrations slipped and kicked his foot. “He will not go for a scan. We wait for the swelling to go down. It went down already,” Klopp said. The setback leaves Liverpool short of their two main ’keepers, but Klopp said that backups Andrew Lonergan and Caoimhin Kelleher were ready if needed.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen go into today’s match at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim stung from their first league defeat in 16 months. Leverkusen were beaten 3-2 at home by RB Leipzig before the international break, the first loss since May last year for the reigning league and cup champions. While any defeat, particularly against a likely title rival, would have disappointed coach Xabi Alonso, the way in which it happened would be most concerning. Just as they did in the Supercup against VfB Stuttgart and in the league opener to Borussia Moenchengladbach, Leverkusen scored first, but were pegged back. However, while Leverkusen rallied late to
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
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