■ Soccer
Cristiano Ronaldo on bail
Manchester United foot-baller Cristiano Ronaldo was released on police bail on Wednesday, several hours after he was arrested on suspicion of rape. The 20-year-old Portuguese international went voluntarily to a police station in London to speak to police investigating a woman's allegation that she was sexually assaulted in a central-London hotel suite on Sunday, Oct. 2. A Metropolitan Police spokesman said, without naming Ronaldo: "The man in his 20s has been bailed pending further inquiries to return at a future date." A spokesman for Manchester United said the club was not releasing a statement about Ronaldo's arrest.
■ Soccer
Uruguay asks for a favor
Australia are considering a request from Uruguay to switch the first-leg date of the World Cup qualifying playoff between the teams. The opening leg is scheduled to take place in Montevideo on Nov.12 and the return match in Sydney four days later, the winner of the tie advancing to next year's World Cup finals in Germany. However, the Football Federation of Australia (FFA) has received a request from Uruguay asking that the Montevideo match be brought forward a day to allow the teams an extra day off for the long trip from South America. "It is being considered. We cannot put a time frame on [a decision] but obviously it has got to be soon," FFA spokesman Stuart Hodge said. "It just depends on what we would like to do. There are a few factors that need to be taken into consideration."
■ Golf
Thai sets earnings record
Thailand's Thaworn Wiratchant has become the first player in Asian golf history to break the US$400,000 mark in earnings in a season, officials said on Tuesday. The 38-year-old Thaworn finished 13th at last week's Bangkok Airways Open to win a cheque of US$3,216, swelling his season's haul to a record US$400,975, the Asian Tour said. Thaworn, winner of the Standard Chartered Indonesia Open and Taiwan Open this year, remained atop the Asian Tour Order of Merit with six events remaining. Compatriot Thongchai Jaidee, the 2004 Asian Tour No. 1, stayed second on the money ranking after finishing fifth on home soil. He added US$7,300 to his tally which now stands at US$353,720. India's Jyoti Randhawa is third with US$214,120.
■ Tennis
Hewitt raises Aboriginal ire
Tennis bad boy Lleyton Hewitt's attempt to show fans his softer side in a documentary has ended up with the world's No. 4 player facing legal action in Australia brought by his former best friend. Hewitt has included footage of himself and Australian rules football player Andrew McLeod visiting Aboriginal sacred sites together last year in a DVD entitled Lleyton Hewitt: The Other Side, scheduled for release next month. In the DVD, McLeod showed Hewitt several aspects of his Aboriginal culture, including bush walking, dancing, fishing and story-telling. But lawyers for McLeod told the Federal Court in Melbourne yesterday that Hewitt had not sought his permission or that of traditional land-owners in the Kakadu region before including culturally sensitive footage. McLeod, who plays for Hewitt's hometown team the Adelaide Crows and once shared a house with the tennis star, sought an injunction preventing Hewitt from releasing the DVD.
SSC Napoli’s Italian Serie A title hopes suffered a late setback on Sunday when they were held to a 2-2 draw at home against Genoa, setting up a thrilling season finale with closest rivals Inter just one point behind. The hosts remain top with 78 points, holding a slim lead over Inter, who won 2-0 at Torino earlier on Sunday, with two rounds remaining. To make matters worse for Napoli, midfielder Stanislav Lobotka, struggling with an ankle injury, was forced off just minutes after the match began. Scott McTominay delivered a perfect pass into the box where Romelu Lukaku got
A stunning Lamine Yamal strike on Thursday helped crown Barcelona La Liga champions with a 2-0 win over local rivals RCD Espanyol, with victory ensuring Real Madrid cannot catch them at the top of the table. Yamal’s effort and Fermin Lopez’s goal took Hansi Flick’s side seven points clear of Los Blancos with two matches remaining, to clinch Barcelona’s 28th title and complete a superb domestic treble. Only the UEFA Champions League title escaped an exciting young Barca side this season, as they won the league for the second time in six years, at Espanyol’s ground again just as in 2022-2023. Back then,
Jannik Sinner on Thursday marched into the semi-finals of the Italian Open after destroying Casper Ruud in straight sets 6-0, 6-1, while Coco Gauff won a marathon three-set battle with China’s Zheng Qinwen to advance to the women’s singles final. American Gauff is to face Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in today’s title match after pulling through 7-6 (7/3), 4-6, 7-6 (7/4) in a match that lasted over three-and-a-half hours. Ruud was supposed to be Sinner’s toughest test in Rome since he came back from his three-month doping ban, as the Norwegian came into the match in hot form on clay after winning in
Shohei Ohtani on Thursday delivered his first two-homer game of the season and had six RBIs as the Los Angeles Dodgers poured it on with five long balls in a 19-2 victory over the visiting Athletics. Max Muncy, Andy Pages and James Outman also hit home runs for the Dodgers, who left no doubt by taking a 13-2 lead following a seven-run third inning. Muncy and Kim Hye-seong each had three hits for Los Angeles. Dodgers right-hander Matt Sauer led off a bullpen game by allowing two runs in four innings. Left-hander Justin Wrobleski (1-1) finished with four scoreless innings after he
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